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Chapter 137: A Difference in Treatment

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming calmed his breathing and looked at the seemingly normal stone box before him with sparkling eyes. He sat down in the cave abode that once belonged to He Feng, feeling nervous.

He was looking forward to the item inside the stone box. He wanted to know what caused Lake of Colors Tribe, Puqiang Tribe, and Tranquil East Tribe to rebel all those years ago. He wanted to know what was the last of the four great treasures wrested by the tribes.

The four great treasures had made the three tribes massacre a tribe. Now, the last of these treasures was desired by Xuan Lun and wanted by Han Fei Zi.

They did not even dare spread the news out. This made Su Ming even more nervous.

'This thing originally wouldn't have fallen into my hands…' Su Ming thought in his heart.

He only came here due to a strange coincidence. He Feng's schemes dragged him into this vortex little by little: from avoiding Xuan Lun, to snatching He Feng's body, to the various face offs he had with He Feng, and finally with the battle against Han Fei Zi.

Up till then, he had not obtained the true location of this place. The place that He Feng had mentioned before was completely different from the location Su Ming discovered now.

Only when He Feng became his slave did Su Ming obtain the true location of the treasure and came to this place.

A complicated look appeared on Su Ming's face when he looked at the stone box before him. Over the past year, he may have not experienced a lot of things, but the troubles caused by that incident were great. When he thought about it, he would sigh in sadness.

Su Ming took in a deep breath and quelled his emotions. He lifted his right hand and slowly placed it on the box. He was about to pick it up, but when his right hand touched the stone box, a sharp scream came out from within the stone box immediately. That screaming sound contained a powerful penetrating force that caused a layer of invisible ripples to spread outwards the moment it began.

Rumbling sounds echoed around him, and on the walls of the mountain cave, an innumerable amount of cracks appeared in an instant. The cracks ran deep. There were some that even extended right through the mountain stone, and sunlight shone through these cracks.

That was not all. With the stone box acting as the center, the ground around Su Ming also let out rumbling sounds, and cracks also appeared before spreading throughout the entire mountain cave.

The sudden change made Su Ming's heart shudder. He Feng, too, was shocked. He was slightly baffled and did not know what had happened. When he touched the stone box in the past and even opened it, this had not happened.

"Master, this… this is…"

He was afraid that Su Ming would misunderstand and wanted to explain himself.

However, Su Ming ignored him. He closed his eyes instead and sat down cross-legged on the ground. He kept his right hand on the stone box, and only let out a long sigh after a long while.

"I know," Su Ming said in a low tone.

He believed that He Feng would not have known about this. More importantly, when the scream suddenly rang out and caused the mountain cave to be filled with cracks and ravines, no harm was done to him.

There was a scream coming out of the stone box. That scream was piercing He Feng's ears, and he looked as if he could not even maintain his Spirit Body, but to Su Ming, for some reason, that voice… was oddly familiar!

That screaming voice seemed as if it was cheering in excitement, as if after the centuries of being sealed in waiting, the person who could finally awaken it had arrived.

This was a strange feeling, but Su Ming could feel it clearly in his heart.

He could feel that the item inside the stone box was calling out to him…

His heart raced against his chest, and with each heartbeat, it would cause the item within the stone box to scream even louder until the stone box eventually started trembling. Banging sounds came from within, as if the treasure inside the box wanted to rush out.

Virescent light shone through the slit connecting the stone box and the lid, causing Su Ming's face to be illuminated by it. He Feng went slack jawed in disbelief when he saw this. The moment Su Ming touched the box with his hand, the treasure that belonged to Han Mountain Tribe seemed to gain intelligence and acted in this manner. It made his mind blank and threw him into bewilderment.

He even started to feel a little hurt. That feeling was as if the treasure that his people had been worshiping for centuries had chosen to ignore him, but when an outsider suddenly appeared, the treasure became so excited it was like it had found its owner.

That absurd feeling made He Feng completely stunned.

As the virescent light from the box shone, the screams became stronger, as if they were anxiously urging Su Ming to open the box so that whatever was inside could come out.

Su Ming could feel that the sound was calling out to him more and more strongly. He took a deep breath and with his right hand pressed on the stone box, he patted it, transferring the power of the brand with the method He Feng had taught him.

The stone box trembled and immediately opened.

The moment the lid opened, the virescent light spread out abruptly, enveloping the entire cave abode. At the same time, an even stronger virescent light rushed out from within the box with a scream that whistled in the air. It turned into long virescent arcs and started flying around the cave abode.

A strong piercing sensation rushed forward, causing cracks to fill the entire surface of the walls. That piercing presence made Su Ming's hair stand and his mouth dry up, making him have the misconception that he was facing someone at the Transcendence Realm. The blood veins in his body immediately erupted forth as if wanting to resist against the force. In fact, he even had the vague feeling that the presence was growing stronger and had surpassed the power of Transcendence!

Yet the moment Su Ming's Qi was about to spread out, that virescent light that seemed to be gushing out of the box flashed and charged towards Su Ming. It was so quick that even Su Ming, who was usually fast enough, could not dodge. The moment he was taken aback, the virescent light appeared before the center of his brows as if it had just pierced through space.

Sweat beaded on Su Ming's forehead as he looked at the virescent light. This time, he could distinctly see what the great treasure was!

It was a sword!

It was a sword that could fly on its own!

It was a completely virescent sword that had a complex picture engraved on it that Su Ming had never seen before!

The sword was only about seven inches long and could be held in his hand. It looked cold and frightening, and a piercing presence came from it. The blade was incredibly sharp and looked as if it could pierce through the center of Su Ming's brows like a leaf, with just one small move.

Su Ming was not the only one nervous. He Feng, too, was anxious. If Su Ming died, he would also die, and more importantly, his fear towards the sword far exceeded Su Ming's fear towards it. In fact, when the sword got closer, he had a feeling as if his Spirit Body was about to crumble, as if he could not withstand the frightening presence of the sword coming closer to him.

It was quiet inside the mountain cave. The only signs of movement came from the virescent light as it flickered. Su Ming sat cross-legged, unmoving. The seven inch small sword floated before the center of his brows. It, too, remained still.

He Feng's body and soul were overwhelmed with terror. This was a terror that he had never experienced before. It was even stronger than when he had faced death. It was as if he was facing his natural predator. The pressure that came from the sword made He Feng tremble.

Time trickled by. After about the time spent to burn an incense stick later, Su Ming quelled his nervousness. He looked at the small sword before him and was able to tell that there was no ill will coming from it. As he observed it, he had a feeling that it, too, was observing him, as if there was something about him that made it uncertain.

After a long while, as He Feng was strung high with nerves, Su Ming slowly raised his right hand and put his outstretched palm before himself.

The small virescent sword seemed to be hesitating. Suddenly, it let out a flash and left the center of Su Ming's brows. It circled around a few times before charging towards Su Ming's right hand and slowly landing with a whistle!

Only then did Su Ming let out a breath of relief. Excitement appeared in his eyes, and he held up the sword. Yet the moment he did so, he felt a sting of pain in his palm. The sword had broken the skin of his hand with one swift motion, and with a flash of virescent light, it slipped into Su Ming' body through this wound.

A shudder ran through Su Ming's body. When the small virescent sword entered his body, the virescent light scattered and turned into a force that swiftly spread through Su Ming's body.

The moment the force spread out, the souls of the Wings of the Moon that had been hiding inside him crawled out simultaneously. Even He Feng flew out with a scream. He did not dare to get closer to Su Ming.

In He Feng's eyes, Su Ming's hair was moving without wind. His robes were floating on his body while he remained sitting. His expression may have been still, but there was a terrifying presence that seemed to be awakening within him.

It was as if that presence should have belonged to Su Ming right from the start but had been lying dormant. Now, when the small sword crawled into his body, the presence… woke up from its slumber!

Su Ming trembled, but there was no pain on his face. There was only a frown, as if he was not used to the feeling. He could clearly feel that the sword was weaving through his body as if searching for something.

Virescent light shone out from his body, causing Su Ming to look as if he was enveloped in green.

Yet at that very moment, violent shudders suddenly shook his body. An indescribable pain suddenly rose up inside him like a tidal wave, possibly due to the little sword having found its place. It let out a sword aura as if ready to pierce through Su Ming's body. That sword aura traveled through him and forcefully opened a path of blood and flesh inside him!

A course seemed to originally have existed for that path, but it was blocked in Su Ming's body. Perhaps it would have never been cleared, but now, as the sword aura moved through the path, it also forcefully broke past the originally sealed path inside him.

A bang resounded through Su Ming's head. As he trembled, blood flowed out of his skin. A line of blood veins that should not exist in the body of a Berserker appeared on him. The line surrounded his entire body, starting from his abdomen and ending on his head.

The small virescent sword swam through the line several times before it finally appeared on Su Ming's head. Su Ming could feel its presence, but there was no pain. Instead, as the line was cleared, a warm, comfortable feeling spread through his entire body. It also seemed to be largely different from before. Even if he had his eyes closed and did not make the sign to maintain the Branding Art, in his heart, he could feel an entire area… of a circumference of 2,000 feet clearly!

The mark of a sword gradually appeared on his forehead. A mighty presence came out from it as it shone.

He Feng watched Su Ming by the side with a dumbfounded expression. He still could not understand why his own treasure would treat him and Su Ming so differently when they opened the stone box.

Thankfully, he was now a Spirit Body, or else he might have possibly coughed out a mouthful of blood under a fit of distress caused by incomprehension and disgruntlement.

Chapter 138: The Later Stage of the Blood Solidification Realm

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming opened his eyes. For the first time, his eyes shone with a profoundness that looked as clear as ancient stars. He might be sitting inside the cave abode, but it made He Feng feel as if Su Ming had blended together with his surroundings. He could see Su Ming, but he could barely sense him.

Su Ming's eyes especially made He Feng's heart shudder. He had never even seen those eyes on Xuan Lun. Only a prodigy like Han Fei Zi could obtain this sort of feeling that made people feel as if they were drawn in when they looked into their eyes.

"Master?"

He Feng was very nervous. As he looked at Su Ming, sharp pain wrecked his entire body. It was as if there was a swift and fierce presence coming out from Su Ming's entire body. He could not help himself but be afraid.

Su Ming turned his head and looked at He Feng. The moment his gaze met with He Feng's, tremors suddenly shook the latter's body. He floated dozens of feet away instinctively, as if his body was about to crumble. He even felt as if a sharp arrow pierced through his heart. All his thoughts were exposed the moment Su Ming looked at him, and he could hide nothing.

"Mas… Master…"

Su Ming smiled faintly. The pressure coming from his body immediately dissipated, his eyes also calmed down and returned to normal. He moved his body, standing up and letting out a long breath.

"Let's go."

Su Ming lifted his right hand and grabbed He Feng's Spirit Body. Immediately, He Feng was absorbed into Su Ming's body along with the cheering souls of Wings of the Moon.

However, this time, there was no need for the souls of Wings of the Moon to be wary of He Feng. He Feng was docile, remaining still inside Su Ming's body. He once again felt the small sword and its pressure. Amidst his fear, he grew to be respectful towards Su Ming.

This sort of respect stemmed from Su Ming's mysteriousness. Up till now, He Feng still could not understand why his people's treasure would act as if it met its long lost owner the moment it saw Su Ming.

He Feng could not even predict Su Ming's level of cultivation. He did not know how many blood veins Su Ming had, but he could vaguely guess that with the shining virescent small sword, even if he met Xuan Lun, he could still fight against him without losing.

Su Ming walked out of the mountain cave. It was already noon. The sun was bright and felt warm against his skin. He stood outside. As he looked at the blue sky and the white clouds, a sparkle appeared in his eyes.

'Chances are hidden within danger… This time, to obtain this sword, I had to face danger. But it's all worth it!'

Su Ming lifted his right hand and touched the center of his brows. The mark of the sword was still flashing on the center of his brows, but as Su Ming touched it, the flashes became slower, and then disappeared altogether a moment later.

'This sword gives me an intimate feeling. It doesn't reject me either… Also, that red meadow absorbs other people's Qi, making it hard for them to maintain it, but not for me. It fact, it makes me feel safe when I stay inside it…

'These two things are the legacy left behind by Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor… Could it be that I'm somehow connected to him..?'

Su Ming closed his eyes and felt the wind against him as he remained unmoving at the entrance of the cave.

'This sword… opened up a path of flesh and blood within my body. This path… should be able to let me absorb the power from the world necessary to maintain the Branding Art!'

Su Ming opened his eyes. This was the greatest reward for him from this incident besides the small sword. As he stood there, he could feel wisps of aura flowing towards him from all around him and crawling in through his pores. However, they were only flowing in like a small stream as of then, though if he continued like this, some day, the flow would definitely come crashing in like tidal waves.

'This is a practice different from the practice of Qi… I trained to gather my blood to turn it into the power of blood veins so that my body would become stronger and I would obtain incredible physical strength. That is what is meant by Blood Solidification.

'This practice is obviously not of blood veins, but one that is connected to the aura that exists in the world. If that's the case, then I'll call this practice Aura Convergence!

'Blood Solidification allows me to have endless power and use my blood to cast various Berserker Arts. There may only be two uses for Aura Convergence now, but it's really strong!'

Su Ming did not make any signs, neither did he hold any stone coins, but with just one thought, everything that existed within the circumference of 2,000 feet appeared in his mind.

At the same time, the mark of the sword that had dissipated flashed once again at the center of Su Ming's brows. The moment the virescent light appeared, the small sword charged out of Su Ming's brows like a bolt of lightning to the distance. It traveled so quickly it could not be seen with the naked eye.

Virescent arcs surrounded Su Ming in an area of 2,000 feet. They continued moving but were limited to that area of 2,000 feet. Once they left the area, the virescent light would become dull, as if no longer able to fly in a stable condition.

Yet to Su Ming, those 2,000 feet were enough.

However, using that small sword was not an easy task. In the span of just a few breaths, he began to feel his head hurting and his vision blur. The Aura that accumulated after much difficulty in the path that was just cleared inside his body instantly emptied out, causing the area of 2,000 feet to continuously shrink in his head, a telling sign that it was due to large drainage.

'Five breaths is just right for me. If I go over that time, it'll be hard for me to withstand it.'

Su Ming quickly called the small sword back to the center of his brows. His head was hurting badly at that moment, but he could not increase the rate of his absorption of the aura around him. He could only absorb it slowly into his body and store it in that path.

'This practice where I gather the aura around me should not be so slow. Perhaps it's because I don't have a method to absorb it that I'm currently like this.

'But… Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor might have a method to increase the absorption rate.'

Su Ming touched the storage bag in his bosom with his right hand, and a white stone coin immediately appeared in his hand. When he held it, he could clearly feel that there was the same presence within the stone coin, and it was being quickly absorbed into his body. As he absorbed the aura, he could feel his headache disappearing and his head returning to normal.

However, that white stone coin became slightly duller.

'No wonder Han Fei Zi and Xuan Lun are after this. If I can coordinate this completely different practice with Blood Solidification, then my power will be… Looks like I should really go to the grave of Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor…'

Su Ming moved forward and left the mountain cave. He did not turn back but dashed into the deeper parts of the remote mountain.

'The effects of Mountain Spirit are gone, and I've finished taking in all the Berserker Blood. Now, I have sufficient Qi, and my blood veins have increased a lot. This is the time for the burning of blood! If I succeed, then my power will increase once again. From then onwards, I will no longer be a weakling. If I battle with all my power with the help of the small sword, Aura Convergence, and the souls of Wings of the Moon, then would I… still lose to those in Transcendence?'

Expectation and resolution filled Su Ming's face.

Su Ming continued charging nonstop for nearly half a month. By then, Han Mountain Tribe was already far behind him. He had arrived at a spacious place. The sky was very blue, mountains and mountain ranges were dispersed all over the land, and there were only cries of birds and beasts that could be heard. There were no signs of people around.

This was a desolate place, and it was the place Su Ming chose for his isolation. He would perform the fifth burning of blood here and increase the blood veins in his body once again.

During the burning of blood, a change would fall upon the sky and earth, but at this place were few people traveled, the possibility of people noticing that change would be largely reduced.

Su Ming sat on one of the peaks of the mountain ranges for seven days. During these seven days, he did not move. He simply immersed himself in the circulation of his Qi while he waited for the full moon.

Another three days passed by. When night fell, the sky was dark, but in the sky was the moon, and the moon was not in a crescent shape but round!

The moment the full moon arrived, Su Ming, who had been sitting at the place for ten days, opened his eyes. He Feng had already been covered by the brand inside Su Ming's body. He could not see what was happening outside.

Su Ming did not want anyone to know about his secret.

The shadow of the moon was reflected in his eyes. He lifted his head and looked at the full moon in the sky. Taking in a deep breath, he circulated his Qi abruptly.

Banging sounds reverberated through his surroundings.

This was the first time Su Ming let out all of his Qi after absorbing all the Berserker Blood.

400 blood veins instantly covered Su Ming's body. Red light flashed brilliantly and dyed the summit in red. Su Ming's expression was grave. As the shadow of the moon became clearer in his eyes, more blood veins appeared from within his body once again.

The number of blood veins increased from 400 to 460. They covered his entire body densely, causing the blood-red light around him to become stronger.

But this was not yet Su Ming at his peak. He took a deep breath and red filled the whites of his eyes instantly. That red was not due to anger or excitement, but because Su Ming's Qi had reached its peak. As he circulated his Qi, it caused his eyes to be filled with blood, which was why his eyes were bloodshot.

This was followed suit by more blood veins appearing on his body once again. 470, 480, 490… and when the number reached 510, a mighty presence erupted forth from Su Ming's body.

This was his peak after absorbing all the Berserker Blood! Originally, the Berserker Blood would not have created such a huge effect. But the reason why Su Ming could increase such a large amount of blood veins was due to the large amount of Mountain Spirit that he had consumed over the years.

Even if Mountain Spirit had lost its effects, the residue lying dormant in his body still contained some effects. Under the incentive provided by the Berserker Blood, his body seemed to have been cleansed, and his potential was largely developed. That was why there was such a shocking effect.

After the eighth stage of the Blood Solidification Realm, there was no longer a set amount of blood veins required to reach the ninth, tenth, and 11th levels. However, any Berserker that manifested more than 500 veins could be said to have reached the later stage of the Blood Solidification Realm.

Even if the designation given to them was the same, there was still a difference in every person in reality. 500 blood veins were considered the later stage of the Blood Solidification Realm, 781 blood veins were also considered the later stage of the Blood Solidification Realm, and 900 blood veins were still considered the later stage of the Blood Solidification Realm. Even if a Berserker manifested 949 blood veins, he would still be known as having reached the later stage of the Blood Solidification Realm.

Only those who manifested more than 950 blood veins would be known to have reached completion of the Blood Solidification Realm! However, these people were rare. And those who could manifest more than 980 blood veins, they would be given the legendary title of great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm, but these people were rare even in big tribes.

All of Su Ming's Qi appeared. He looked at the moon in the sky. There was fire within his eyes, and his entire body seemed to be burning. From the distance, he looked like a man of fire.

His expression was calm as he lifted his right hand slowly. Once he bit his finger and blood flowed out, he placed his finger on his left eye with one swift motion. That blood touched the fire and ignited Su Ming's convictions of a powerful Berserker.

The burning of blood began at this moment!

Chapter 139: Egress

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The sun rose and set. Clouds came and went. Five months passed by in the blink of an eye.

During these five months, drastic changes happened multiple times in these remote mountains. Sometimes, the land would shake, and numerous birds and beasts would scatter far away, as if the place had turned into a forbidden land.

There were also a large number of trees that suddenly turned white and withered away as if they had lost all their life, becoming dried husks. The area where the trees were affected was wide as well, covering almost a spherical area of dozens of li.

From the sky, the land exposed under the withered trees was covered in innumerable cracks, as if there was a drought in the place. This strange sight was incredibly rare in the Land of South Morning. Rain was abundant in the region. By right, drought should not happen.

However, there was something more shocking than this. Every single time the full moon appeared on this land, howling would start. These howls did not seem to be made by humans, and they were difficult to hear with one's ears. Only those who had a certain level of cultivation could be able to feel them if they came near the place.

These howls would become incredibly loud during full moon nights, and a lot of moonlight would descend upon the place then. Hot air would also rise into the sky from the ravines on the ground, as if the entire remote mountain was being burned and roasted.

It was evening. In this area that seemed like a forbidden place, four figures appeared. These four people were very cautious, and they did not move forward. The leader of the group was an old man. He wore a blue robe, and his body was thin and dry. His frame was big, and his entire body exuded a sullen presence.

Behind him were two men and a woman. They did not have the same presence as the old man, especially the woman. Compared to the sullenness of the old man, she was very beautiful.

"Father, is this the place you spoke about?" Behind the old man, a middle-aged man in his forties spoke cautiously.

"That's right. Two months ago, I passed by this place and saw the strange sights that happened here. Most of the plants here have withered and lost their vitality. Even the land itself has dried up. If I'm not wrong, then this phenomenon should mean that a treasure is about to be born!"

The old man's eyes were ghastly as he spoke slowly. His level of cultivation was remarkable. He might not have reached Transcendence, but he was already in the later stage of the Blood Solidification Realm.

As for the other three people behind him, two were at the fifth level of the Blood Solidification Realm. The third middle-aged man was at the seventh level of the Blood Solidification Realm.

"I did not tell any of our people about the strangeness of this place. Our status in the tribe is normal, and we do not have the right to go into the holy land during the Day of Eternal Creation. This has to do with me being unable to Transcend with my level of cultivation. I've placed my hope on you. If I can obtain this treasure, perhaps it will do you good.

"The Day of Eternal Creation is near. Fog has started surrounding the entire Land of South Morning. The tribe is busy making preparations to enter the holy land, they won't notice our movements."

The old man looked at the land in the distance. It was evening. There was a thin layer of fog far ahead. If they looked down at the earth from a high place, they would see that a large amount of fog was coming out and covering an endless area in the Land of South Morning.

The man took a deep breath and nodded.

"As for Dao Er and Shan Er, you two can follow behind. There might not be any aura of death coming out of this place, but the withered trees have lost their vitality. The aura of death is within them, you two can absorb them into your bodies. It'll be good for you."

The old man looked at the sky and spoke in a low tone.

"Every single time night arrives in this place, there will be a change. I went in once after observing it for a few days, but I stopped after I traveling in 10,000 feet. However, with the tribe's Death Essence Pearl, I should be able to venture deep within."

There was an eager look in the old man's eyes.

"Father…" The middle-aged man by his side looked rather hesitant. He cast a glance at the old man before saying with a low tone, "Father, this might not be due to a treasure appearing, but a senior training in this place. If our assumption is wrong, then…"

"Haha, it's good that you have your worries. I thought about that too before, but when I entered this place last time, I did not meet with any misfortune. More importantly, the plants and the earth have only lost their vitality, but the aura of death did not spread out. If that senior is truly training in this place and caused such a huge change, why would he not use this aura of death?

"This phenomenon can only be explained by the birth of a treasure."

As the old man spoke, dusk went by. The entire sky darkened. The crescent moon appeared in the sky, and moonlight shined onto the ground.

"Don't think so much. We will go now!"

The old man took a deep breath and led them into the withered forest. Behind him, the middle-aged man followed cautiously. As for the two youngsters, they followed behind with excitement as they continuously absorbed the aura of death from the trees that had lost their vitality. Their expressions were becoming more and more eager.

They did not move fast. As they walked through the dead forest, the sight of the cracked earth and withered plants entered their sights. The old man may have looked unaffected, but the middle-aged man was gradually covered in sweat.

'If it was just withered plants, it wouldn't be so strange, but the land is also cracked badly… The land itself here has lost its vitality, and this has become a great place for us from Puqiang Tribe to train. If I could just train here… It's a pity the aura of death is not lively here. It loses to the area in the tribe…'

The middle-aged man took in a deep breath and gave up on the thought. Instead, he too became eager to find the treasure.

As for the male and female youngsters, they were stupefied. They were no longer excited or eager, they were beginning to feel nervous.

At that moment, howls suddenly came from one of the summits in the distance. The howls were sharp, and normal people could not hear them. Only those with a certain level of power could do so.

The old man's expression changed. It was clear that he heard the howls. As for the middle-aged man, he could vaguely hear them. His Qi was circulating uncontrollably, causing his heart to race.

If he was in this kind of state, then it was even more so for the two youngsters. The faces of these people were pale. They may not have heard the howls, but they had a feeling as if their hearts were being torn apart.

The old man let out a cold harrumph and brought out a black pearl from his bosom with his right hand. The moment the pearl appeared, the area was instantly filled with a black air that flew out from the plants and the earth. It charged towards the pearl and gathered within, turning into a screen of black light that enveloped the four people.

"I came up to this place last time. Now, with the Death Essence Pearl, we should be fine, or else that howling will become stronger and it'll be an annoyance."

As the old man spoke, he continued moving forward.

The three people behind followed after him quickly. Under the protection of the screen of black light, they gradually moved into the deeper parts of the land, towards where the mountain was.

Under the moonlight, the mountain was obscured and could not be seen clearly, but even with the screen standing between them and the howls, they still traveled inside, coming from the mountain.

"The treasure must be at the peak of the mountain!"

The old man quelled his excitement and took a few quick steps forward, bringing the other three behind him into the mountain as they moved quickly towards the top of the mountain.

The top was barren. The plants here had long since withered into ashes. Numerous cracks covered the entire mountain, causing it to look ghastly. Yet the old man did not take note of these. As he continued moving forward, they soon reached the obscured part of the mountain.

Yet at that moment, the old man suddenly faltered. The middle-aged man behind him paled in an instant, and a dismayed look appeared on his face. At the summit located 100 feet away from them was no treasure but a person sitting cross-legged!

They could see the figure of the person before them clearly. His face was obscured, but even so, a strong presence covered the surroundings, causing the old man and the middle-aged man's hearts to race uncontrollably. This was not due to agitation, but anxiety.

In fact, the space around the person seemed to be twisting, and the howls were coming out from the twisted space.

The old man's pupils shrank. Stunned, he was about to retreat, but at that moment, right before their eyes, the obscured figure sitting cross-legged opened his eyes unhurriedly.

There was an aloof look within that profound gaze. With a freezing glance, the figure looked at the old man, and a banging sound rounded in the old man's head. His Qi began circulating uncontrollably in his body. He quickly retreated and grabbed the pale-faced middle-aged man who looked as if he was struck by lightning as well as the two youngsters who could not withstand the pressure brought about by that gaze along with him as he withdrew.

Yet when they had retreated to a distance not even 500 feet away, the four people trembled as a fierce, invisible presence appeared out of nowhere and locked onto them. Lots of moonlight descended around them, causing a huge sense of danger to fill their hearts.

'Transcendence. This person is definitely a powerful Berserker at the Transcendence Realm, or else he wouldn't be able to exude such great power with his gaze alone…'

The old man stopped and cold sweat broke out on his skin. He had a feeling that if he continued retreating, he would definitely die!

"Senior, I am from Puqiang Tribe. Please forgive my transgressions…"

The old man quickly wrapped his fist in his other hand towards the person sitting at the summit. His expression was respectful, even though he was nervous.

It was quiet all around them. The howls that he felt had also disappeared. Time passed by in this silence, causing the four people to become increasingly more nervous.

"Puqiang Tribe… Leave behind that pearl in your hands and go!"

Amidst the silence, the old man felt as if years passed by. When he heard the person's words, he took off the black pearl without any hesitation and placed it by his side before quickly bringing the other three people to withdraw. His heart raced against his chest with a feeling as if he had just escaped death by a hair's breadth.

Even after they ran out of the withered area, they continued running for several hours before slowing down. The old man's face was pale. He turned his head back and a fearful look appeared on his face. To him, what had just happened was a life and death situation.

The middle-aged man beside him was also breathing rapidly. He looked at the old man and asked in a whisper, "Father, is he… is he a Transcended Berserker?"

"He's not just a normal powerful Berserker who Transcended. He should be at the middle stage of the Transcendence Realm!" the old man said after hesitating for a moment.

"Middle stage of the Transcendence Realm? Then isn't he at the same level as the Elder? There are only three Berserkers who are at the middle stage of the Transcendence Realm in Han Mountain City…"

The middle-aged man took in a sharp breath.

The other two youngsters beside him were also shocked, and lingering fear swarmed their senses.

"Don't spread this out. We can't provoke powerful Berserkers like these. We're fortunate that this person was not interested in killing us, or else…"

A shudder ran through the old man's heart. He quickly swallowed his words and led the other three people away.

Su Ming sat quietly at the summit. In his hands, he held a black pearl. The pearl was the item left behind by the old man. He held the pearl for a long while before putting it away in his storage bag and standing up.

"The fifth burning of blood makes people fall into deep sleep…" Su Ming mumbled and lifted his head to look at the land in the distance. It might have been dark, but he could still see that there was a layer of fog covering the land.

"Master, you've slept for more than five months… The Day of Eternal Creation is around the corner. The entire Land of South Morning will be covered in mist during the next few days…" He Feng cautiously said in Su Ming's mind.

His contact with the outside world might have been limited during these five months, but as Su Ming fell into deep sleep and he could not leave Su Ming's body, he could still feel that Su Ming was gradually becoming stronger. This strength made He Feng terrified, and the youth became even more enigmatic in his eyes.

Chapter 140: Visiting Tranquil East

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming's expression did not change. He sat at the summit calmly as he looked at the fog in the distance. The fog may have seemed thin, but because it had covered an area so vast, its end could not be seen. It left people the impression that they were in a sea of fog.

This special weather was one Su Ming had never experienced. He had been in Dark Mountain for more than ten years, but besides morning, it was rare for fog to cover the land, much less an area so huge.

"The Day of Eternal Creation…"

Su Ming lowered his head. His long hair covered his face, and he sat there unmoving, as if he had once again fallen into deep sleep.

He Feng hesitated for a moment before he eventually spoke in a low tone. "Mas… Master, the Day of Eternal Creation is the day where the three tribes will open the tunnel to Han Mountain City. We can't make it there in time now."

Su Ming did not speak. Only when another hour passed by and the fog became thicker did he lifted his head. He rose unhurriedly and stood at the summit, his hair lifted by a breeze. As they flew behind his head, a faint scar was revealed on his face.

He looked at the fog that covered the land and placed his right hand into his bosom, taking out a black, hooded long-robe. Once he replaced his wrinkled clothes, he brought out another item from his storage bag.

It was the black mask. Su Ming put it on.

The moment he did so, his presence changed abruptly, making him seem as if he was not there. Unless someone directly searched for him, they would be hard pressed to take notice of him. The mask was black, giving Su Ming a ghastly and uncanny air.

His expression could not be seen, and neither could his face. Only his indifferent gaze shone out of the two holes where the eyes were on the mask. Su Ming's long hair and head were both hidden within the hood of his black robes. Only the eerie black mask was revealed, giving him an enigmatic presence.

When He Feng saw Su Ming, he was stunned. For some unknown reason, he had a feeling that he had seen this Su Ming some place before, but before he had time to think about it, Su Ming had already begun moving.

When he first came to this place, while Su Ming might not have used his full speed, he still needed half a month for the traveling. Now, as he went back through the boundless fog, he only used six days!

In six days, he arrived to Han Mountain City's territory from his isolation spot. He might not have arrived in Han Mountain City itself, but he was not far from the place.

As he traveled forth, the fog in the region became thicker. He could no longer see into the distance. Everything in sight was covered by the fog. These days, the birds and the beasts hid themselves, as if they did not dare to venture out.

The entire land was quiet. The only sound came from Su Ming as he blasted forward.

Another three days passed by. Su Ming continued running towards Han Mountain City with a speed so quick it made He Feng rife with suppositions.

On the third day, Su Ming stood at the same summit as when he had first went to Han Mountain City, and looked at the city shrouded by fog and the three mountains surrounding it. A gleam appeared in his eyes, and he moved towards the mountain where Tranquil East Tribe was located.

The mountain of Tranquil East Tribe was shrouded by fog, but it only surrounded the borders of the mountain. The fog was comparably thin within the mountain, and there was some visibility in the area.

The mountain was huge and rose high above the ground. As the mountain was currently shrouded by fog, it made all those who looked up from the foot of it to feel as if they were miniscule in comparison.

Su Ming stood at the foot of the mountain to Tranquil East Tribe. He lifted his head to observe the mountain for a few moments. Before him was a stairway that was about 100 feet in breadth which spanned all the way to the top of the mountain.

This was the only way to Tranquil East Tribe.

'I broke my promise to meet Fang Mu, so I have to come here.'

Su Ming averted his gaze and lowered his head as he moved towards the steps.

The moment his foot landed on the stairs leading to Tranquil East Tribe, a great pressure landed upon him. This pressure did not belong to any Berserker but was the pressure of the mountain itself. At the same time, a mighty voice traveled out languidly from within the mountain.

"Halt! Tranquil East Tribe is closed off for a month and refuses all visitors!"

Su Ming paused in his footsteps. His gaze was calm as he looked at the stairway leading straight to the top of the mountain. He could feel that the pressure contained an unquestionable might. If he opposed this might, then it was equivalent to him declaring the entire Tranquil East Tribe his enemy.

"Master… We should leave. This is the power emitted by the Berserker protector statue from Tranquil East Tribe. It protects the entire mountain. The Day of Eternal Creation is near. Tranquil East Tribe is definitely high on guard. They won't allow any outsiders coming into their tribe…

"We shouldn't trespass… If you want to enter the tunnel of Han Mountain City, I have a method to help you." He Feng quickly said.

He knew just how strong the three tribes of Han Mountain were nowadays. If it were him, he would definitely not come here, but would instead use other methods to enter the tunnel of Han Mountain.

"Master, don't take the risk…. We can't intrude into this place."

When He Feng saw that Su Ming was ignoring him, he quickly spoke once again. He was worried that Su Ming was young and did not have enough experience. Trespassing into Tranquil East Tribe was a meaningless act to him. Not only would he be injured by it, he might even enrage Tranquil East Tribe and not get anything out of it.

Su Ming fell silent. After a long while, he averted his gaze from the stairway.

"I made my decision," Su Ming said unhurriedly and lifted his foot towards the stairway.

The moment his foot landed the second time on the stairs, a booming sound seemingly echoed from the mountain. The mighty voice traveled outwards once again.

"Trespassers will have their powers destroyed, be expelled from Han Mountain, and their safety will no longer be our concern!"

The mighty voice gradualy dissipated, but the pressure from the mountain became stronger in an instant, causing the fog around Su Ming to scatter as if it was avoiding the pressure.

"Master!"

He Feng could not understand. He was just about to advise Su Ming against his actions when he moved once again and continued walking up the stairway.

He Feng could not understand Su Ming's actions. In his mind, sneaking into the tunnel of Han Mountain unnoticed was the best solution to the problem. This was related to his status. He did not want to expose his true identity and cause more unwanted trouble.

However, Su Ming did not harbor that thought. The three tribes of Han Mountain had been in control of Han Mountain Tribe for hundreds of years. They had entered the hidden grounds multiple times, and it was impossible for them to enter the place with an uncertain amount of people with how cautious the three tribes were.

Not only would their numbers be fixed, they might also know each other. If that was the case, once they encountered someone they did not know in the grave, then they would definitely attack the stranger together.

Once this happened, then he would definitely become the mortal enemy of the three tribes. In fact, this sort of sneaking around was even worse than Su Ming intruding on Tranquil East Tribe now. If he was discovered, it was the same as forcing himself into a dead end. Even if he could escape with the mask concealing his true identity, there would still be a possibility for his identity to be revealed.

That was the true risk!

He Feng could choose that path. After all, he had a trade with Han Fei Zi before this. He was also the only tribe member left of Han Mountain Tribe. It was not surprising that he knew of other methods to enter the grave. However, Su Ming was an outsider. If he chose to take that path, it would be too dangerous for him.

"I'm still going in no matter the method. Instead of taking a risk and sneaking around, I might as well go in with pride and dignity!" Su Ming's said.

With his mind set, he stood where he was and took a deep breath before letting his voice travel to the top of the mountain.

"I, Mo, have come to visit the tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe."

His voice boomed and traveled through the surroundings and to the top of the mountain, causing a large amount of echoes to reverberate around the mountain for a long time.

Time passed by slowly until the pressure from the mountain suddenly disappeared. A faint smile appeared on Su Ming's face and he lifted his feet to walk up the stairs.

Tranquil East Tribe was a middle-sized tribe. There were a lot of people in the tribe. The mountain itself was part of the tribe and filled the entire area. As Su Ming walked in, he saw quite a number of people from Tranquil East Tribe looking at him coldly, but they did not come forth to stop him.

To be exact, the mountain did not have a summit. The top of the mountain was flat, as if the summit was sliced off. There were buildings built on it and around it, forming a tribe in the mountain.

There was also a large empty space in the mountain side. Buildings were erected on the mountain side as if they were entrenched on the mountain, and those buildings were erected along the mountain up to the very top.

It was clear that this was not the only territory belonging to Tranquil East Tribe. As Su Ming stood there, he could see the faint contours of other summits in the distance from where he stood in the fog.

Before Su Ming was a teenager. It was Fang Mu. When he saw Su Ming, he was first stunned. He had never seen Su Ming's true face before. When he saw the mask, he became uncertain.

"Senior Mo?" Fang Mu took a step backward and looked at Su Ming warily.

"Lead the way," Su Ming's hoarse voice traveled forth.

When he heard the voice, Fang Mu let out a breath of relief. Respect appeared on his face, and he wrapped his fist around his palm in a greeting towards Su Ming.

"Senior, you asked me to visit you half a year later, but when I went there, you were not around…" As Fang Mu led the way, he spoke to Su Ming with a put out voice.

"I had some matters that took up my time. That's why I decided to come straight to your tribe."

There was laughter in Su Ming's voice. As he looked at the people from Tranquil East Tribe and the unique buildings, he could not help but remember Dark Mountain.

As they moved forward, some tribe members greeted Fang Mu kindly, but when they saw Su Ming, their expressions turned aloof.

Su Ming observed the tribe, noticing that there were a lot of Berserkers among the people of Tranquil East Tribe. The number of people who had reached the seventh level of the Blood Solidification Realm also surpassed Wind Stream by quite a large number.

Not much time passed by. Under Fang Mu's guidance and introductions, Su Ming was brought to a tower that was built within the mountain. The tower was hundreds of feet tall, had three floors, and exuded a great presence. From the distance, it looked like the head of a gigantic wild beast roaring towards the sky ferociously.

"My father is inside. He asked me to bring you here…"

Fang Mu stopped outside the tower. After a moment of hesitation, he whispered to Su Ming by his side.

"Senior, my aunt is back… She's from Freezing…"

Before Fang Mu could finish speaking, a cold harrumph from a man traveled out from within the tower.

Fang Mu swallowed his words and laughed sheepishly before taking a few steps backwards.

"Brother Mo, my son was rude, don't mind him. Please come up here and speak."

A middle-aged man who looked somewhat similar to Fang Mu appeared from within the tower and looked at Su Ming with a smile.

Chapter 141: Guest

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The middle-aged man wore a virescent robe. He had a smile on his face, and he was built tall and strong. As he stood there, he looked like a small hill. His arms were long. Even if his Qi was not emitted, there was still a looming might coming from him.

As he looked at Su Ming, Su Ming too, observed him.

"It's fine. I like Fang Mu," Su Ming said calmly and moved forward. There were about dozens of steps between him and Fang Mu's father. As he walked forward, the distance gradually shortened.

Yet the closer he came, the more clearly he could feel the pressure from the man gradually becoming stronger. When they were just five steps away from each other, that pressure arrived at its strongest.

This was a test, a clear test with no intention of being hidden. The man stood there and looked at Su Ming moving towards him with a smile.

This tower was the domain of the tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe. Only powerful Berserkers could step foot in there. The same applied for those in the tribe. Those who were not outstanding could only remain outside.

When he was nine steps away from the tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe, Su Ming suddenly took a big step forward with his right foot. That step alone breached a distance of ten feet, and he arrived within the five steps of the tribe leader. The tribe leader's robes suddenly expanded, causing Su Ming's footstep to falter, as if he could not place his foot down.

He looked as if he was about to withdraw.

Yet at that moment, a strange light appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He met the tribe leader's gaze and the man's body swayed. A sharp pain suddenly appeared in his head, and he had no choice but to lessen the pressure coming from his body.

The moment he lessened the pressure, Su Ming's foot landed.

"I, Mo Su, greet the tribe leader of Tranquil East."

Su Ming wrapped his fist around his palm and bowed towards the man before him.

The expression of the man in virescent robes remained the same, and he took one step back, making a way to the tower. He too wrapped his fist around his palm towards Su Ming.

"Brother Mo, this might be our first meeting, but the moment I saw you, it is as if I met an old friend. If you don't mind, you can call me Fang Shen. Come, brother Mo, this way!"

Fang Shen let out a boisterous laugh and a friendly look appeared on his face.

"Brother Fang, if you please!"

Su Ming nodded and walked into the tower with Fang Shen.

Fang Mu let out a sigh of relief in his heart when he saw that scene from a distance. It was rare for him to see his father treat others this way, so it was clear that senior Mo had once again obtained his father's approval. He pondered over it for a moment and chose not to leave, but instead waited outside the door.

The inside of the tower was decorated in a simple manner. There were not a lot of luxurious items around, giving it a natural feeling. Everything inside was made of stone. Once Fang Shen invited Su Ming to sit at a stone table, he personally brought out some herbs. After boiling them in hot water, he poured the liquid into a cup and placed it before Su Ming.

"Brother Mo, thank you for treating my son's injuries over the years. I have nothing to repay you with. This Grass Wood Leaf may be precious, but it's still not enough to be served to you. I hope you don't mind."

Fang Shen looked at Su Ming with gratitude.

Su Ming looked at the leaves floating in the hot water in the cup on the table. It looked very normal, but this was not the first time Su Ming saw something like this. He had seen the elder drinking a similar liquid with Jing Nan when he was by the elder's side in Wind Stream Tribe, and he also took note of some of the actions the elder did when he drank this liquid.

"Fang Mu's injuries have been lying in his body for many years. I've only slightly lessened their effects."

Su Ming might be looking now like how he usually acted, but in truth, he was rather nervous. He could already tell the tribe leader's power from that instant before. This person might not have Awakened, but there were 900 something blood veins within his body.

By right, it should not be a problem if this man wanted to Awaken, but he had yet to, which meant that he was aiming higher. He wanted to wait till he obtained the full number for his blood veins before he Awakened. If that was the case, then even if he was just at the initial stage of the Awakening Realm, he could still fight against those at the middle stage of the Awakening Realm.

The blood veins were like a foundation. The more blood veins a Berserker had, the stronger the foundation was. The moment he let it all out, the effects would be shocking.

However, this was not the reason why Su Ming was nervous. He was nervous because since young, and even after he came to the Land of South Morning, he spent most of his time alone. He did not have too much experience conversing with people. It was even rarer for him to be in situations where he had to sit down and enter into talks akin to negotiations.

Besides, even Jing Nan would have to be polite towards this man due to his status.

Fang Shen smiled and grabbed the cup. He took a sip, but he did not like the leaves floating on the surface of the water. When some of the leaves went into his mouth along with the water, he swallowed it.

'This person's power is as hard to ascertain as usual… Let's say he hasn't Awakened, but he has fine control, and his aura is hard to grasp. He also made me feel a strong sense of danger just now.

But if I assume that he has Awakened, he had a lot of trouble with those last five steps. Still, that one gaze just now was terrifying. It alone made me feel as if I was seen through, and it made my Qi unstable…

'This person is mysterious! But why does he seem to be slightly nervous?'

Fang Shen put down the cup and looked at Su Ming.

"We are now nearing the Day of Eternal Creation. The entire Land of South Morning is shrouded in fog, it is also an important moment for the three tribes in Han Mountain. All entry to the tribes has been sealed off, I hope you understand. Why is it that you have come to my tribe?"

Fang Shen spoke with a smile. There was a leaf in his mouth that he did not manage to swallow. As he spoke, he brought up the cup to his lips once again and swallowed the leaf when he took another sip.

"This thing is really troublesome when I'm trying to drink it. Fang Mu's aunt brought it back, if you're not used to it… Er…"

Fang Shen swallowed his words. He saw Su Ming taking up the cup, and with one light swing of the cup, the tea leaves were scattered skillfully, causing some of them to sink to the bottom, and the others to get stuck to the side of the cup. Naturally, after playing around with it for a while, Su Ming did not drink the liquid, but chose to put down the cup.

Fang Shen immediately noticed that Su Ming had two fingers around the cup and swung it with his palm acting as the center. There was a graceful air in his action, and it made Fang Shen blink.

He saw this same action on his little sister before. In fact, his little sister had even taught him how to drink that liquid and how to hold the cup, but Fang Shen had thought it was troublesome and did not want to learn it. Yet when he saw Su Ming's actions and remembered how he held the cup, even drinking down the tea leaves, he felt a little awkward.

"I came here because I wanted to become Tranquil East Tribe's guest."

Gradually, Su Ming's heart calmed down. He was imitating the elder's movements from that time and had a feeling that he had become the elder at that moment.

"Oh?"

Fang Shen lifted his head and looked at Su Ming with a polite smile. He was the tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe and was not as rough and simple as he seemed to be.

Su Ming knew that his ploys were child's play before this person's eyes. He knew that he was lacking, so he decided to keep some secrets to himself while being honest.

"I want to go to the hidden grounds in the canyons of Han Mountain, which is where the Sky Flute Branch grows," Su Ming said calmly.

An almost unnoticeable glint appeared in Fang Shen's eyes. He did not realize that Su Ming would be so straightforward. In truth, Fang Shen had already guessed why Su Ming had come here a long while ago.

He did not reject Su Ming's request immediately. After all, this person was the one who had healed Fang Mu's injuries. Second, this was not the first time he communicated with Su Ming. The two of them had known about each other for the past couple years. They even came into contact during the return and the gifting of the blade.

If it were not because of these reasons, if any other stranger would have come to him and made that request, Fang Shen would have definitely rejected them.

"Give me a reason!"

Fang Shen looked at Su Ming, and a serious expression came upon his face. He had researched Su Ming's identity in detail over the past few years. After all, this person was in close contact with Fang Mu. This fact alone was enough to garner Fang Shen's attention.

The results of the investigation came out a long time ago, and by Fang Mu's descriptions and Fang Shen's own judgments, he had a nine out of ten certainty that this mysterious Mo Su was not from around Han Mountain. He came from someplace else and was not familiar with this place. The possibilities of him knowing about the secrets of Han Mountain City were also low.

More importantly, this person did not seem to have any ill intentions.

This was not a decision made based on observations done in one or two days, but the feeling Fang Mu and Fang Shen obtained from Su Ming's inconspicuous attitude and behavior during the past four years.

His mysterious power, amiable attitude, status, and background that had nothing to do with Han Mountain were all things that made Fang Shen think highly of him. That was why he gave Su Ming a chance to persuade him.

"I told Fang Mu that I was a seventh of a chance certain that I could cure his injuries with the medicinal concoction I'm making. This medicinal concoction is very important to me. One of its effects will allow me to cure Fang Mu's injuries completely.

"Right now, I am lacking Sky Flute Branch to create this medicinal concoction. In truth, I asked Fang Mu to search for this herb for me to reduce the need for me to look for this herb in the future when I need to create this concoction again.

"If the hidden grounds of Han Mountain City has Sky Flute Branch, then there is a high possibility that other herbs exist in the place as well. If I can find more, then it'll be a great help for me when I create the medicinal concoction," Su Ming said languidly.

He did not place emphasis on the effects of the medicinal concoction towards healing Fang Mu's injuries. If that was the case, then it would make the other party feel as if he was being pressured and would end up disliking Su Ming. It would not do him any good either.

Instead, it would be better to emphasize the benefits of the concoction towards himself and subtly reveal some of his own thoughts that would make the other party wonder.

Fang Shen fell into momentary silence before he spoke suddenly. "There is danger within the hidden grounds of Han Mountain. What Berserker Art do you practice?"

"The Berserker Art of killing," Su Ming narrowed his eyes and answered calmly.

"What sort of injury does my son have?"

"An injury that is caused by an illusionary spirit materialized from a Berserker Mark of a powerful Berserker that is at least at the middle stage of the Awakening Realm!"

When Su Ming observed Fang Mu's injury in the past, he discovered this using fine control. That was why he was certain that Spirit Plunder could cure that injury. He was not certain about it in the past, but as his power increased and he thought more about it, he obtained a clearer answer.

As for how Tranquil East Tribe provoked a powerful Berserker at the middle stage of the Awakening Realm and why it happened, Su Ming was not too curious about it.

"If you enter the hidden grounds and find other herbs, then how certain are you of curing Mu Er's injuries? If you can't, then what of your chances?" Fang Shen asked once again.

Su Ming fell into contemplative silence for a moment before he answered. "For the former, I will judge according to the situation, but it should be more than an eighth. As for the latter… it is still a seventh of a chance."

"Brother Mo, since you're already here in Tranquil East Tribe, then stay here for the time being. I will need to think about this!"

Fang Shen fell silent for a while before he got up and wrapped his fist around his palm towards Su Ming.

Su Ming stood up and once he returned the greeting to Fang Shen, he walked out of the tower.

A moment after he left, a woman walked down from the first floor of the tower.

"Cang Lan, what do you think of this person?"

Fang Shen turned around and looked at the woman who sat down where Su Ming was sitting just a moment ago.

Chapter 142: Those… Disappeared Years

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

She was a woman in purple robes with petite features which made her look pretty. She was not tall, but her petite figure made her look attractive.

She was also very fair, her skin looking as if it would be torn if wind blew against it. Her eyes were closed as she sat in Su Ming's seat. Her eyelashes were very long and as they fluttered, causing her entire being to have a different air compared to Han Fei Zi.

This demeanor was different from Han Fei Zi's cold attitude and Bai Ling's wild beauty. She gave people an impression of peacefulness, as if she was an orchid in a valley.

She had a very beautiful face that did not reveal her age. Now that she sat there, she looked as if she had become one with the tower.

Fang Shen looked at the woman before him with a doting look in his eyes. This was his only little sister. When she was young, the tribe did not pay too much attention to her, and her power was not great either.

Her quiet attitude also made others neglect her most of the time.

Yet no one expected that this seemingly fragile woman would challenge the Chains of Han Mountain ten years ago at only the seventh level of the Blood Solidification Realm for a reason only Fang Shen knew in the entire tribe!

For the three tribes of Han Mountain City, the Chains of Han Mountain were something made for outsiders. It was no reason for the people of the tribe to take up the challenge. Every single time Freezing Sky Clan took in disciples, they would choose the prodigies from the three tribes. Even if less than ten people had been chosen from the three tribes over the past hundreds of years, there was still hope.

However, if they were not chosen and still wanted to enter Freezing Sky Clan, then they would need to obtain the right to enter the clan by challenging the Chains of Han Mountain like an outsider.

No one expected it. Not even Fang Shen expected his little sister, Fang Cang Lan, to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain at only the seventh level of the Blood Solidification Realm.

The things that happened ten years ago would often appear in Fang Shen's mind. This woman whom no one had really paid much attention to managed to go up to the sixth chain using an unknown method and obtained the right to become a disciple of Freezing Sky Clan with incredible determination and perseverance.

Fang Shen looked at his little sister. He knew that she may look fragile, but in fact had an incredibly strong personality that he knew he could not compare to; he did not have the courage to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain.

"For now, he hasn't Transcended," Cang Lan whispered after opening her eyes.

"For now?"

Fang Shen frowned.

"But he's not lying. He can indeed cure Mu Er's injuries."

Cang Lan lifted her hand and took the cup Su Ming had held previously, her voice calm.

"Hm?" Fang Shen looked at Cang Lan and said in a low tone, "I've had my doubts about this. How could that medicinal concoction of his cure the injuries that even you can't heal?"

Cang Lan lowered her head and a desolate look appeared on her face. She closed her eyes.

"I… That's not what I meant. Ah, you…" Fang Shen immediately spoke and tried to explain, but he did not know how to begin.

"Brother, this is my fault… But the world is a big place. There are plenty of strange people with different abilities. This Mo Su didn't seem to be lying. I can feel some of his thoughts by sitting here in his place. He's not lying regarding the healing."

Cang Lan opened her eyes and the calm look returned. She looked at Fang Shen and said softly, "This person is of a mysterious background. The way he drank the liquid formed by the leaves may seem simple, but in truth, I didn't even know about this until I entered Freezing Sky Clan.

"His actions may be stiff, but they were correct. He must have seen someone doing this before, and… there are few who can do this in the Land of South Morning. If it weren't because of my Master's kindness, who asked me to brew this often for her, I wouldn't have learned how to do this."

Fang Shen frowned, occupied by his thoughts.

"Also…" Cang Lan placed the cup in her hands down, and an amazed look appeared in her eyes as she mumbled, "He might not have Transcended, but he's giving me a feeling that he's stronger than a normal Berserker at the initial stage of the Transcendence Realm… There seems to be resentment belonging to powerful Berserkers of the Transcendence Realm on him… This person might have killed people like that before! And it's not limited to one!"

When Fang Shen heard those words, he was stunned, and with an abrupt motion looked up at Cang Lan. If this person wasn't his little sister and someone who's Berserker Art he trusted, he would have definitely not believed her words.

"He killed more than just one Berserker at the Transcendence Realm?"

Cang Lan closed her eyes and pressed her right hand to the center of her brows. Her form gradually faded out before Fang Shen's eyes, but after a moment it returned to normal. Cang Lan opened her eyes and a hint of exhaustion appeared on her face.

"There are two Transcended auras of death on him. One of them is from around 50 years ago, and the aura is weak, but it hasn't dispersed. Strangely though, it's giving me two readings. One of them is from 50 years ago, and the other is from four years ago. I can't differentiate it…

"The second one is clearer. It's from around one year ago… but it's also very faint."

Uncertainty appeared on Cang Lan's face. She could not understand it.

When he heard Cang Lan's words, Fang Shen's expression became even more solemn. He knew his little sister's Berserker Art. This Art could be said to be one of the three great Berserker Arts of Freezing Sky Clan. If it were not because Cang Lan had the talent to learn it and that her Master had kindly taught her, it would have been difficult for her to obtain such an Art.

When Fang Shen thought of Cang Lan's Master, respect blossomed in his heart.

"That's why I'm uncertain. He might have reached the Transcendence Realm before, but due to some accident, his level of cultivation fell. That's why he's giving me a muddled feeling," Cang Lan said softly after hesitating for a moment.

"If it's as you say, then the mystery around this person is even greater than I initially thought. If that's the case… I'll have to think carefully whether I should let him join… Cang Lan, go and rest first. I need to speak to the Elder about this."

The moment Fang Shen finished speaking, he made to leave the tower.

"Brother, Freezing Sky Clan won't choose a disciple from Tranquil East Tribe this time, neither will they choose from Puqiang Tribe. They will only take one person away, and that's Yan Fei from Lake of Colors Tribe.

"This has already been decided, I cannot interfere with it. But the next time they take in disciples, I'll reserve a spot for Mu Er. As for Mo Su, I would suggest that you let him enter the place, but he would need someone to monitor him. If he can truly cure Mu Er, then he can become a true guest of Tranquil East Tribe," Cang Lan said in a soft voice, touching the center of her brows.

Fang Shen nodded, then turned around and left the tower.

Cang Lan was the only one left within the tower. She quietly sat on the stone chair and looked as if she was about to get up and leave, but after a moment of hesitation, she sat down once again. With a swing of her right hand, three white beast bones appeared in her palm.

There were countless words on the three beast bones that were written down so densely that they could not be read. Those words let out a dark light and exuded an aged presence. It was clear that it was an ancient artifact.

'Just where did this Mo Su come from? Master told me that my Sage's Genesis Berserker Art¹ has reached the seventh level, which is a rare sight within Freezing Sky Clan. And now this is the first time that I can't see clearly, and it's on this Mo Su… How could a person, at the same time, have two different…

'There's only one explanation to this. In this person's memories, it has only been four years since the first Berserker who reached the Transcendence Realm died, but in reality, it's not so!

'This is the first time I've encountered this…' Cang Lan thought for a moment before she bit her finger and wiped her blood on the three beast bones.

The three beast bones immediately sucked the blood in. The dark light around them immediately became stronger, causing the entire tower to be filled with it. Cang Lan's face too, was illuminated by this dark light.

'If I can get to the bottom of this, perhaps it will enlighten me… There's no way that the Three Vessels of Unspoken Words that the Master gave me won't be able to see through this clearly.'

A sparkle appeared in Cang Lan's eyes, and she mumbled a few complex strings of words in a low voice.

These words were spoken stiffly and were difficult to understand. Anyone who heard it would have been baffled, and if they listened to it for a longer period of time, they would have been confused.

Time trickled by. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a dim light begun to shine in Cang Lan's eyes.

The three beast bones before her instantly flew up and started turning rapidly before the center of Cang Lan's brows. Slowly, she closed her eyes and her body quickly faded out until she eventually seemed to disappear into the tower. A large space distortion appeared where she had been sitting.

Yet this situation only lasted for the span of three breaths, and a drastic change immediately happened!

'This… This… This isn't 50 years!'

Cang Lan's body immediately returned to its original state from its faded out form, and a terrified look that was rarely seen on her usually calm face appeared. Amidst that terror was shock and disbelief as well.

'This isn't 50 years… This is…'

The three bones before the center of Cang Lan's brows let out a bang and shattered, as if an indescribable force had come forth and put an end to Cang Lan's actions.

The moment the three bones shattered, muffled booms reverberated in the air and all the stone made items within the tower crumbled to dust. At the same time, the entire tower let out a groan and started cracking inch by inch until it eventually turned to ashes.

Cang Lan coughed out a mouthful of blood and staggered backwards a few steps. Her petite face was pale, and she stood there stunned, as if she had lost her soul.

The sudden change caused the entire Tranquil East Tribe to be taken aback. All of them focused their gazes towards the tower, and they saw a few long arcs charging through the air. Some of the long arcs even came from the summits in the distance.

The tribe leader of Tranquil East was the first to arrive. Beside him was an old man wearing a blue robe. The old man's eyes were bright, making all those who looked into his eyes lower their heads, not daring to look at him again.

"What happened?"

Fang Shen approached with anxiety on his face as he looked at Cang Lan.

The old man frowned instead. He looked at his surroundings closely before his expression suddenly changed and became grave.

"There is… an indescribable presence here… Han Cang Zi, what happened here?"

Cang Lan stood in the midst of the tower's ruins and slowly closed her eyes. She only reopened them after a long while, consciousness returning into her eyes. She looked at her surroundings. The tower was once part of the mountain. Now that it was ruined, it looked like a hole was dug out in the mountain. Numerous cracks appeared on the edges of the mountain, as if the mountain was no longer stable.

Her heart trembled. She fell into momentary silence and looked into the distance with a complicated expression. Over there, she saw Mo Su in the crowd with Fang Mu. It was clear that the drastic change just now caught his attention.

"It's nothing. I just saw something I shouldn't have… Brother, I'm begging you, please let him become a guest in Tranquil East Tribe."

Cang Lan did not give any explanation, but made a request instead. Once she finished speaking, she did not even look at the old man in blue robes before turning away and walking towards Su Ming standing in the distance with an exhausted air.

Fang Shen was stunned. This was the first time he heard Cang Lan using that tone. He fell into silence before he whispered a few words to the baffled old man beside him.

Translator's Notes:

Regarding先言禾, translated as Sage's Genesis:

先 has the meaning of before, initial, ancestral.

言 has the meaning of words.

禾 has the meaning of grain.

先言 combined together can mean ancestral words, or wise words left by the ancestors.

I can't really use Sagely Grain though, so I went for synonyms for grain, which led to seed, which led to Genesis. As for Sage, it was a tossup between sage and ancestral, but since this Art is one that looks into the truth, sage seemed more appropriate, hence Sage's Genesis.

Chapter 143: What Have I Forgotten..?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming stood in the distance. He was just about to leave with Fang Mu to his temporary abode in Tranquil East Tribe when his attention was caught by the sudden resounding boom that came from where the tower was. When he saw the people of Tranquil East Tribe rushing over with shocked looks, together with Fang Mu, who also rushed back with anxiousness and agitation, Su Ming followed them back.

He saw the tower turning to ashes, and the woman amidst the ruins. She was looking at him with a complicated gaze, and then started walking towards him.

Su Ming had the black mask on his face. Everyone else could only see his eyes shining through the slits in the mask from underneath the black robe. They could not see his expression.

As Cang Lan walked over, the people of Tranquil East Tribe standing around Su Ming greeted her respectfully.

Su Ming's gaze was collected as he looked at the petite and pretty woman before him. She was very beautiful, and there were no signs of time be seen on her face, causing people to be unable to guess her age.

"Aunty," Fang Mu quickly greeted respectfully from his place beside Su Ming.

Cang Lan did not seem to hear him. She looked at Su Ming with a complicated look, seemingly wanting to speak, but at the same time not. That strange expression made Su Ming wary.

After a long while, Cang Lan spoke in a low tone, and there was a hint of frailty in her voice. "Brother Mo, could you tell me your real name?"

A light crease appeared on Su Ming's brows. He did not speak.

"If someday, you remember something… you can come to Freezing Sky Clan to look for me…"

Cang Lan lowered her head and bowed slightly towards Su Ming. She cast a deep look at him once more, but here was no longer a complicated look in her eyes, just pity. She turned around and left.

"What do you mean?"

Su Ming was still frowning. The woman's strange words had not only baffled him, but for some unknown reason, an empty feeling arose in his heart.

Cang Lan did not turn back, disappearing into the distance instead. She did not answer Su Ming's question. Perhaps she was still confounded by it herself.

"Senior Mo, She… She is my aunt, Fang Cang Lan. Ten years ago, she successfully challenged the Chains of Han Mountain and became the disciple of Freezing Sky Clan…" Fang Mu whispered after a slight hesitation.

Su Ming nodded. As he looked at the place where Cang Lan had disappeared, a bewildered look appeared on his face hidden under the mask.

Tranquil East Tribe was huge. Even if Su Ming was only on this particular summit, he could still feel just how big Tranquil East was. Fang Mu originally intended to familiarize him with Tranquil East Tribe, but due to Cang Lan's appearance, a strange agitation rose in Su Ming's heart. He went straight back towards the lodgings given to him by the tribe and fell into silence, wanting to be alone.

Fang Mu knew that Su Ming was eccentric and loved silence. Once he had people send in food and fruits, he bid respectfully farewell and left.

The room was not big. Since the tribe was built on the mountain, it was not humid. Sometimes, gusts of wind would blow through, making people feel refreshed. Yet Su Ming ignored all these as he sat on the stone bed. The image of Cang Lan's pitying look came to his mind unbidden. That gaze made him puzzled, and at the same time, it also made him increasingly agitated.

He could not control his agitation. For some reason, he had a feeling that Cang Lan had not told him everything.

'When I was with Fang Shen in the tower, that woman should have also been there… Once I left, something happened, causing the tower to collapse. The woman was also injured…

'Her expression did not seem fake, and… with her status, there's no need for her to pretend before me.

'Just what did she mean..? If someday I remember something I can go and find her in Freezing Sky Clan… What will I remember?'

Su Ming could not understand it no matter how hard he thought about it. His eyes shone, and he fell into a contemplative silence.

'Remember something… If I turn it around, then it means I forgot something, that's why she spoke about remembering things. But what have I forgotten?'

He closed his eyes. His mood should not have been affected by the woman's words, but for a reason that even he did not understand, due to that sentence and that pitying gaze, he became agitated, as if he had suddenly lost his voice when he wanted to shout loudly.

Su Ming closed his eyes and carefully went through everything that he could recall. He started with his slightly fuzzy memories of childhood to his memories of now. After a long while, he opened his eyes.

'Just a ton of lies!'

Su Ming laughed coldly. He was still agitated, but he forced himself to not think about it any longer and gradually immersed himself in his meditation so that he could calm down.

Time passed by, and it was soon nighttime. Due to the fog outside, Tranquil East Tribe was no longer lively as it usually was at night; it was silent instead.

During this night, Su Ming tried multiple times to enter a meditative state, but only when dawn was almost upon him did he manage to calm down his heart and get rid of the agitation caused by Cang Lan's words. However, even if he did manage to calm down, the things that happened that day were buried in his heart like a seed.

Sunlight should have graced the morning on the second day, but it was concealed by the thick fog, causing the land to be shrouded in darkness.

Fortunately, due to the unique location of Tranquil East Tribe's summit, a person could still see clearly as long as he was on the mountain and was not looking too far away.

When morning arrived, Fang Mu came. He brought with him a piece of news from his father.

Su Ming was allowed to become a guest of Tranquil East Tribe and enjoy all the benefits given to the guests of Tranquil East. He would also join the group entering the tunnel of Han Mountain.

"Senior Mo, you don't actually need to enter the tunnel of Han Mountain… I heard that the place is very dangerous. There are only few people from the three tribes going in, and most of them are guests.

"You'll usually be battling for your life in there. The three tribes may appear to be in a harmonious relationship, but in truth, we scheme against each other a lot. It's especially so within the hidden grounds of Han Mountain…"

Fang Mu led Su Ming to the top of the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe where his father and the other leaders of the tribe waited so that they could send the next batch of people into the hidden grounds of Han Mountain.

"Every single time the fog of the Day of Eternal Creation comes and the tunnel of Han Mountain is opened, a lot of people will die. You can tell me what herbs you'll need and I'll ask my father to arrange people to get them for you."

As Fang Mu led Su Ming to the top of the mountain, he continued mumbling lowly. There was restlessness on his face. Though his concern was linked to his own well-being, it was still precious.

A gentle look appeared in Su Ming's eyes. This young lad before him had entered his good graces during the past four years.

"It's fine. I'll be careful when I go in."

Su Ming's voice was no longer aloof. He lifted his hand and patted Fang Mu's head, just like how the elder would pat his head when he was younger.

Fang Mu was stunned by Su Ming's actions. Clearly, Su Ming's indifference and unsociable attitude over the years left a deep impression on him, making him rather unused to it. When he heard Su Ming's reply, he quickly overlooked what had just happened and let out a light sigh.

"If you've already made your decision, then I won't try to persuade you any longer. But senior, you have to be careful of the guests of the other two tribes. No one who enters the tunnel of Han Mountain is weak…"

While speaking, Fang Mu brought out a scroll of bamboo slips from his bosom and gave it to Su Ming.

"Senior, you've helped to heal my injuries over the years. Besides searching for herbs for you, I couldn't do anything else in return. These bamboo slips have some information pertaining to the guests in Lake of Colors and Puqiang. I hope it'll be of some help to you."

When Su Ming heard the words, he took the bamboo slips. Once he opened them and looked, he saw densely written words. There were also some portraits.

Some wooden shards also remained on the bamboo slips, signaling that they were carved not too long ago.

"Also, all the guests who enter the tunnel of Han Mountain from Tranquil East Tribe can choose a counterfeit Berserker Vessel. My father told me to tell you that when you choose the Vessel later, remember to choose a whip."

Fang Mu soon brought Su Ming to the top of the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe, his low voice never stopping for a breath.

The ground was flat here, as if the top had been sliced off. The fog in the area was rather thick, though nine figures could be vaguely seen sitting cross-legged at the center of the place.

Seven of them sat surrounding two people in the middle. Their faces could not be seen clearly, but the presence of Qi could be felt coming off them.

Once he sent Su Ming to the place, Fang Mu took a few steps back and took a stand in the distance. With how strict the tribe was in regards to statuses, even if he was the son of the tribe leader, he still could not get closer in these sorts of situations.

Su Ming appeared collected while walking towards the nine people. As he got closer, a serious look appeared in his eyes. All of the nine people here were powerful Berserkers.

It was especially so for the old man sitting right in the middle of the circle of the seven people. This man wore a blue robe and his hair was white. Even if he had his eyes closed as he sat there, his presence was mighty like that of a dragon or a tiger, causing Su Ming's heartbeat to immediately beat faster.

To the old man's left was the tribe leader of Tranquil East. The man built like an iron tower looked at Su Ming with brilliant eyes, and a smile appeared on his face.

To the old man's right was another strong looking man, but that man was not built tall. Even if he was sitting, he was still slightly shorter than Fang Shen, though the presence coming from him was not weaker than that of Xuan Lun's. It was clear that he had already reached the Transcendence Realm.

Su Ming swept his gaze across the group. Among the seven people sitting in a circle, besides the old and the slightly short man, there was also another person who had reached the Transcendence Realm. This man was also an old man. He wore a black robe and had his back facing Su Ming.

'Tranquil East Tribe is amazing. From what I can tell, there are already three people who are in the Transcendence Realm… That old man in the blue robes is also giving me a feeling that he has surpassed Xuan Lun… The Qi from the others is also great. They most likely all have above 800 blood veins.

'Also, this shouldn't be the full strength of Tranquil East… Are the two people in the center the guests who will enter the tunnel of Han Mountain with me?'

Without even batting an eyelid, Su Ming stopped once he got closer.

"You're Mo Su?" a cold voice travelled forth slowly.

The person who spoke was a middle-aged man in red robes sitting beside the short man in the Transcendence Realm. This person had an aloof expression on his face. Even with the fog in-between them, the chill in his voice could still be heard as it traveled to Su Ming.

"Yes," he replied calmly.

"So you're the person who wanted to become a guest and joined Tranquil East Tribe halfway-through, the one that made that ridiculous request to enter the tunnel of Han Mountain? Even if the tribe leader has agreed to this, a person who suddenly arrives like that must definitely have ulterior motives. He's even wearing a mask, what a joke! Unless he can prove his worth, then I won't agree to it!"

The middle-aged man let out a cold laugh. After his initial glance at Su Ming, he ignored him, choosing to stare at the tribe leader of Tranquil East sitting across him instead.