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Chapter 288: Enter Dream!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Right at the end of the hundreds of houses was the end of the snow plains, a cliff with an abyss underneath, stretching hundreds of thousands of feet downwards. The cliff was dyed white by snow, and at the edge of it was an ice house. There was a big white tree with black leaves next to it. There were cracks on the tree trunk that grouped together to form a human face with his eyes closed.
Underneath the cliff was the other part of Northern Frontier Tribe!
If anyone stood at the edge of the cliff and looked down, they would see that the other part of Northern Frontier Tribe below the cliff was actually a city!
In truth, while the people staying at the front section may be Northern Frontier tribe members, they were not part of Phantom Dais Tribe! This was something not even Bai Su knew!
The ones staying there were other tribes that were forced to surrender to the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky when the tribe became powerful in the past. They merged with Phantom Dais, and that was how Northern Frontier was formed.
In truth, there were blood descendents from several tribes within Northern Frontier Tribe. Among them, Phantom Dais was the strongest, that was why Phantom Dais was in control of the tribe. Since the past, all the Elders who were chosen also came from Phantom Dais.
Even if the distinction between the different blood lines have faded, but under the might of Phantom Dais Tribe, those who were not from Phantom Dais Tribe could only stay at the front of the tribe. This was related to the customs of Phantom Dais. They believed that those who stayed in front were subordinates, and only those who stayed at the back were the masters.
At that moment, at the forefront of Northern Frontier Tribe, the tribal land that stretched out hundreds of thousands of feet, stood a middle-aged man with a ghastly expression and hair that reached his waist. He wore clothes made of beast skins and held a bow made of bone. Blue aura surrounded that bow, and a faint black thread could be seen within that blue aura.
Behind him were nearly 100 Northern Frontier tribe members standing in silence. However, these people did not have bows in their hands because they were not from Phantom Dais Tribe!
Yet they still listened to the man with the bow. Within Northern Frontier Tribe, those who could obtain bows were worthy of respect.
The middle-aged man's gaze was like lightning when he looked at Su Ming and the other two fighting with another batch of dozens of Northern Frontier Berserkers tens of thousands of feet away. A scornful and condescending sneer appeared on his lips.
"If it wasn't because the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky used a despicable method to win, then Freezing Sky Clan would be known as Phantom Dais Clan right now," the man said in a chilling voice. The blue aura in the bow in his hands coiled up as if it was responding to his words.
"Sir You Lin, they're looking for Zhuo Ge…" a man from Northern Frontier Tribe standing beside the middle-aged man said in a low voice.
"Are you saying that since they're looking for people of Phantom Dais Tribe, that's why your people don't have to fight against them?" the middle aged man asked coldly as he turned around and stared at the man.
It was clear that the man's status was also quite high, yet under You Lin's gaze, especially when he saw the blue aura around the bow in his hand turning into a Phantom Shadow and opening its mouth to howl soundlessly, sweat gradually beaded on the man's forehead.
He lowered his head.
"I wouldn't dare…"
"If you don't dare, then shut up!" You Lin's gaze turned colder.
"But… sir!" The man gritted his teeth, then lifted his head swiftly and looked at You Lin.
"With your power and your Phantom, if you act now, then fewer of my tribesmen will have to die! And these aren't just my thoughts alone, the other tribes have the same thoughts."
The man's heart pounded against his chest. If it was not because he saw many of his tribe's Berserkers dying and he felt his heart aching in pain for them, he would definitely not have said that.
You Lin stared at the man. After a long while, a cold sneer appeared on his lips. He lifted his right hand and patted the man's shoulders.
"You're right! It's about time this farce ended!" With his right hand raised, You Lin pointed at Su Ming and the others.
"All warriors of the tribes in Northern Frontier Tribe's front get together and take the heads of those three people there. Anyone who doesn't go will be considered a traitor and be punished accordingly!"
"Sir!" The man froze momentarily, then frowned.
"Do it, or die." You Lin narrowed his eyes and killing intent appeared within them.
The man fell silent, then gritted his teeth and let out a low growl before he bounded forward and charged towards the battleground tens of thousands of feet away. Behind him, the other Northern Frontier tribe members that numbered to nearly a hundred rushed out in silence. These people charged towards Su Ming and the others like a billowing tidal wave.
At the same time, low growls echoed in the front section of Northern Frontier Tribe.
More Berserkers turned into mere shadows and stormed towards Su Ming and the other two!
When almost all of the Berserkers within the front section of Northern Frontier Tribe rushed out, You Lin licked his lips and watched the sight.
"Kill as much as you want. This is a rare chance. This time, perhaps my Phantom will get enough blood and complete the second transformation…"
At the Northern Frontier Gate, Su Ming, Hu Zi, and second senior brother traveled about like three long arcs. All those who tried to stop them in their path died. Behind them, the ground was covered in grass. Besides blood, there were also dozens of corpses lying on the grass.
Hu Zi had already killed until he went into a frenzy. As he drank, he swung his axe. On his body, there seemed to be an unknown number of layers of invisible armor. Right then, as he fought right in front of the three of them, he howled, and completely ignored the blows landing on his body.
Second senior brother employed a more gentle method. He did not do something as gruesome as Hu Zi, but there was also practically no need for him to act. Most of the time, before anyone could even get close to him, they would turn into human plants and die.
Over at Su Ming's side, the murderous aura in his right eye was thick, and a layer of lightning swam around him. Anyone who touched that lightning would find themselves freezing for a moment, and what awaited those people would be their heads flying in the air.
The small virescent sword in Su Ming's hand continued dripping with fresh blood. Even if Su Ming had his eyes closed, he could still sense what was happening around him with his divine sense. Even as he moved forward, he could still observe what was happening to Hu Zi and his second senior brother. There was a relaxed air coming from his calm demeanor.
"Second senior brother, the people here aren't from Phantom Dais Tribe…" Su Ming said languidly, walking forward.
"If the people of Phantom Dais Tribe refuse to come out, then we will slaughter until they come out." Second senior brother smiled and moved forward.
Su Ming and his two senior brothers continued with the slaughter and almost entered the front section of Northern Frontier Tribe when, suddenly, roars traveled forth, and more than one hundred Berserkers charged towards them from up ahead.
There were seven people leading the charge, and all of them held power that would not lose to Zi Che. When they got closer, they looked like a swarm that had covered the sky and earth under the light from the dark sky.
With his divine sense, Su Ming immediately noticed a person looking towards them from several tens of thousands of feet behind the incoming people. That person had a cruel smirk on his face and held a big bow in his hand. His hair was so long that it reached his waist!
Right at the instant these one hundred or so Berserkers charged towards them, a glare appeared in second senior brother's eyes. He was just about to move forward when Su Ming also lifted his foot and Han Mountain Bell began faintly forming behind him.
Far too many things happened at that instant.
The Berserkers charged forward madly, and in the distance, anticipation and eagerness appeared in You Lin's eyes. The blue aura around the bow in his hand started swaying fiercely, and turned into the Phantom Shadow. Within its eyes were greed and bloodlust.
The seven people at the front of the charging Berserkers had unwilling looks on their faces, but they had to attack.
In the land behind Su Ming, a wisp of black smoke was charging forth, and behind that black smoke was a thin old man walking forth with his hands behind his back.
All these things froze in an instant due to one thing!
Hu Zi stood before his two brothers. Right at the moment those one hundred something Berserkers closed in, he loosened his grip on the axe. It landed with a thud on the snow. The wine gourd in his left hand no longer had any wine left, but he still placed it to his lips and seemingly drank a huge mouthful from it before he let go.
The wine gourd fell to the ground, and as it fell, Hu Zi spread his arms wide and looked at the sky.
"Enter… Dream…"
His soft first syllable soon turned into a shocking roar. That roar reverberated through the air and covered an area of 10,000 feet of the front section of Northern Frontier Tribe. As his voice echoed in the air, that wine gourd crashed into the ground with a bang.
As if it was a coincidence, when that sound rang out, Hu Zi's eyes fell shut. Right then, an indescribable pressure swept out with his body acting as the center. A thick alcoholic scent filled the air, along with snoring sounds.
The places where the sound and alcoholic scent passed through made Su Ming widen his eyes and suck in a sharp breath. Those charging Berserkers suddenly froze, and with confused looks on their faces, they shut their eyes and fell to the ground.
At that instant, the area of 10,000 feet at the front section of Northern Frontier Tribe turned into a land where everyone was in deep sleep. Besides Su Ming and his second senior brother, all the living souls closed their eyes and fell unconscious.
"Enter… Dream…" Su Ming mumbled. He looked at Hu Zi. At that moment, Hu Zi stood on the ground with his eyes closed as if he was in deep sleep.
Second senior brother was momentarily stunned before an ecstatic look appeared on his face and he laughed heartily. "Third made it!"
Yet the moment second senior brother's laughter left his lips, a sharp whistle that shocked the skies traveled forth from tens of thousands of feet away, bringing with it an indescribable killing intent. It was an arrow!
It was an arrow surrounded by blue aura, and as the aura floated through the air, it turned into a malicious Phantom. That malicious Phantom surrounded the arrow, and with a nigh indescribable speed, charged… towards Hu Zi!!
Every single inch of earth that the arrow passed through started cracking. All those within its path, be it the buildings or the Northern Frontier tribe members, would be destroyed abruptly. The buildings would crumble, and the living would have their flesh and skin disappear, turning into skeletons. They were all absorbed by that arrow. Like thunder, it turned into the one and only sound in the sky.
Tens of thousands of feet away, You Lin still had his hand lifted up. The bowstring he let loose was still trembling and humming. There was anger lying underneath his ferocious expression.
At that moment, everything in Su Ming's sight became blurry. The only thing he saw was Hu Zi, who had his eyes closed, and the charging arrow. There was no communication between him and his second senior brother beside him, but the two of them seemed to have known what the other was thinking and the both of them did two completely different things!
Su Ming took one step forward, and as if piercing through air itself, he rushed towards Hu Zi.
Second senior brother also took one step forward, but he did not move towards Hu Zi. Instead… he charged towards You Lin, whose bow was still humming in the distance!
Chapter 289: The Wind from the Cold Sky…
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming's speed reached an unbelievable pace in an instant. You Lin had always thought that while his arrow might not be the fastest in his tribe, but it was definitely much faster than a Berserker.
If the person he wanted to kill had the ability to dodge the arrow himself, then he would have a possibility of dodging the arrow during the entire process the arrow was shot from the bow.
However, if the person did not have the ability to do so and required outside assistance, then when he shot that arrow, he was confident no one would be able to save him at that instant!
When he saw Su Ming's actions, besides the thought that appeared in You Lin's head, there was only derision and condescendence.
Yet just as he started mocking Su Ming in his head, that derision instantly froze and was replaced by disbelief and shock!
In You Lin's eyes, when Su Ming took that one step forward, two figures appeared. One of them maintained the action of when Su Ming took that one step, while the other shockingly appeared right before Hu Zi, and the moment that figure appeared, the arrow also closed in!
With his own eyes, You Lin saw that young man with the monstrous murderous aura in his right eye and the calmness in his left eye lifting his right hand and drawing a line. He did it as if he was drawing a picture in the direction of the approaching arrow and the ferocious Phantom Shadow formed by the blue aura.
With that one stroke, it was as if the entire world disappeared in You Lin's eyes. The only thing left was that one line, its trajectory, and the arc formed when the youth's finger drew that line.
It was as if that trajectory had opened the gate connecting the sky and earth. During that instant, the sky and earth fused together. During that instant, the weather changed, and that one single instant turned into a moment that seemed like it would exist for eternity!
With that one line, Su Ming's finger slashed through the approaching arrow, and that arrow turned into two halves without a sound. The moment it split, cracks started appearing on those two halves inch by inch before they turned into dust!
As that finger fell, grief spread out and filled the hearts of all those watching! It made You Lin's eyes turn blank and vacant. His body trembled and he started crying tears of blood. Blood flowed out of the corners of his lips and a roar rang in his mind. That grief, that sorrow which seemed to have come from the depths of his heart seemed to have surpassed the limits of what his body could take. It was as if he was being crushed by the world, being rejected by the world itself.
The moment Su Ming's finger fell, the faint voice he'd heard when he was in the land of the Shamans spoke once again. This time, it did not stay in his heart but spread out. The aged voice spoke to everyone in the endless land.
"The place where I was born still did things according to the laws of the universe…
"When I was born, the Berserkers had weakened…
"If the heavens are heartless, then we will all be separated…
"The earth was heartless, and it made my Dark Mountain die…
"When war begins, the moon will shatter into millions of pieces…
"The roads leading to our homes will become unfamiliar to us, and we will grieve…
Su Ming lifted his head. His body was within the second shadow in the distance. As that shadow disappeared and he lifted his head, that one line of his destroyed the arrow as it slashed through the blue Phantom Shadow.
The Phantom Shadow let out a piercing scream as if it was letting out a cry of despair before it died, as if it had just discovered something that threw it into disbelief. It struggled as if it wanted to retreat, and as it did so, a pleading look for mercy, panic, and absolute terror could be seen on its face!
However, when Su Ming's finger slashed past the Phantom Shadow, those expressions disappeared and scattered into the wind along with its body…
The Phantom died!
Almost the moment Su Ming drew that line and in turn crushed the arrow and destroyed the Phantom, one man walked swiftly past the three people kneeling in the ice house in the middle section of Northern Frontier Tribe.
That person was short and looked like a child, but his face had a boorish quality to it. Perhaps it was due to his height, but his hair was so long that it dragged on the floor.
"God of Berserkers Transformation!" A serious look appeared on the person��s face. "Bring me my bow," the short man stated languidly.
At the same time, in the quiet later section of Northern Frontier Tribe, some of the auras in the ice houses suddenly started moving with a rumble. It was as if they were drawn out by Su Ming's line and moved like a gigantic wave that appeared on calm water.
You Lin's face was pale where he stood on the battlefield. He staggered backwards and coughed out a mouthful of blood. His hand which held the bow trembled viciously. Blood lines also appeared in his eyes, yet the appearance of those blood lines could not give him the anger he needed to motivate him. They could only hold an endless amount of terror and shock.
Almost at the instant he staggered backwards, he saw Su Ming lifting his head to look at him. That gaze radiated mercilessness, and… a chill that could freeze bones!
This was the final gaze and the final scene You Lin ever saw in his life. A green figure walked out from behind him and swept his cold hands across his neck gently; then those hands brought with them… a human head gushing with blood!
Second senior brother carried You Lin's head in his hand, and with a gentle expression, he looked towards Su Ming. As he did so, a smile curled up on his lips and admiration appeared on his face.
"Let him sleep. He won't be harmed over here." While speaking, second senior brother averted his gaze from Hu Zi's body and turned to look at the deeper parts of Northern Frontier. "Youngest junior brother, have you given a name for that line of yours?"
"Not yet," Su Ming replied softly.
"Then call it Berserker Obliteration…"
Su Ming remained silent for a moment, then nodded his head.
"I look forward to the day you complete Berserker Obliteration and play the full piece with the xun…"
As second senior brother spoke with Su Ming, the two of them turned into long arcs and charged into the deeper parts of Northern Frontier Tribe. No one dared to stop them as they passed through. Even the remaining Berserkers scattered here and there retreated, allowing Su Ming and his second senior brother to be able to travel faster.
After a moment, they arrived at the border between the front and middle sections of Northern Frontier Tribe. Over there, they saw the middle section lying just 10,000 feet away, and that section belonged to Phantom Dais Tribe!
They also saw three middle-aged men looking at them coldly from one particular ice house within the tribe. They lifted the bows in their hands and blue aura surrounded them as Phantom howls echoed in the air. Behind the three men was a short man who held a bow that was about half his size!
That man stabbed that bow onto the ground and grabbed the bowstring. As he drew it out, thick black aura grew from the string, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into a savage, malicious Phantom in midair, roaring at Su Ming.
Before it finished roaring, a dozen people appeared from within the middle section of the tribe. All of them had different lengths of hair, and with their hands, they began drawing out the bows they held!
A fierce killing intent gathered swiftly in the air!
"Second senior brother, I have a second Style after Berserker Obliteration… Please help me name it as well." While speaking, Su Ming took a step forward.
The moment he took that one step, his body appeared 500 feet away from where he was previously. His speed was so quick it was indescribable. The instant he did so, one of the eight ice hoops on his legs exploded with a bang!
His speed increased explosively!
The explosion of the ice hoop made shock appear on second senior brother's face.
"Youngest junior brother was actually… wearing those things?!"
The breaking of the first ice hoop made Su Ming's entire body instantly feel as if a large weight had been lifted. The moment he felt as if his body had abruptly become lighter, he crossed another 1,000 feet in the time he he had previously taken to cross 500 feet.
When he crossed that distance, the others could no longer see Su Ming, they could only see an afterimage warping to the end of those 1,000 feet.
By that time, most of the Phantom Dais tribe members in the middle section had only started drawing their bows. Su Ming's astonishing speed made Zhuo Ge's short older brother's pupils shrink. Shock appeared on the faces of the three people before him.
"This speed…"
Before the short man could finish uttering his words, which had come out of lips instinctively, banging sounds rang once again around Su Ming's body. Almost the second he crossed those 1,000 feet, another two ice hoops on his legs exploded.
There were only five ice hoops left on his person. His speed became even quicker, and in an instant, he crossed a few hundred feet and rushed towards the short man with the big bow.
The short man widened his eyes and let out a low roar. "Shoot him!"
In the wake of that roar, arrows sliced through the air and charged towards Su Ming!
But just as the arrows left the bowstrings and flew into the air at incredible speeds, banging sounds once again came from Su Ming's feet. Three more ice hoops exploded simultaneously!
At that moment, he only had two ice hoops on his person. Yet even so, his speed had reached a terrifying level. In just an instant, Su Ming crossed 5,000 feet as if he flew through time itself, as if he passed through space, and as if he had just turned those 5,000 feet into an inch!
Right then, the world before Su Ming's eyes seemed to have slowed down. Those arrows also slowed down to a pace that was even slower than an arrow shot by a normal person. Those arrows may have seemed to have passed through Su Ming, but in truth, they only shot through his afterimage!
Not only did the arrows slow down, even the actions of the three middle-aged men before him letting go of the bowstrings in their hands also slowed down. In fact, even though Su Ming was already standing before these three people, their eyes did not seem to have seen him. It was as if Su Ming was invisible and the three of them were still looking into the distance...
...Right until the moment Su Ming lifted his right hand and pushed forward!
When he pressed forward, his palm seemed to have struck air, but the skin of the three people before him sank down, their hair flew up slowly, and their bodies started trembling.
Su Ming did not stop. He hurled another punch towards the air!
That one punch caused the three people to cough fresh blood and let go of the bowstrings, causing the three arrows to change direction and lose their accuracy.
Finally, Su Ming lifted his right hand, unfurled his fist, then tapped at the air with one finger!
When his finger landed in the air, the heads of the three middle-aged men who were gambling just now exploded. Only at the moment of their deaths did Su Ming's reflection appear in their eyes, and that was the end of their lives.
'So uncle master Bai's palm strike, punch, and tap… can be done at extreme speeds…' Su Ming understood then.
et the instant those three people died and the world's speed returned to normal, a black arrow suddenly appeared right in Su Ming's line of vision, then once it sent the three people's flesh and blood flying into the sky, it shot through and charged towards him!
There were ferocious and malicious Phantoms howling on the black arrow. Coming from behind that arrow was the short man's killing intent, and hidden underneath that killing intent was his shock and alarm. Still caught in his shock, the short man felt a faint gust of wind blowing towards him from the cold sky above him...
Chapter 290: It's Dark Now
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Where did the wind come from?
The wind started from this place itself!
Su Ming's expression was calm besides the murderous aura in his right eye. At the moment the black arrow and the ferocious Phantom Shadow on it closed in on him, the final two ice hoops on his body exploded!
Six of the eight ice hoops had shattered while he was on the way there. Every single time one of them was destroyed, Su Ming's speed would exceed his previous state's and would raise once again in an inconceivable fashion. At that moment, when the final two ice hoops broke in succession, in Su Ming's eyes, be it the black arrow or the Phantom Shadow formed by the black aura, or even the Phantom Dais tribe members that appeared around him in the middle section of Northern Frontier Tribe, all of these things seemed to have come to a standstill.
The black arrow seemed to have frozen in the sky and looked as if it did not even move. The only thing that seemed to be moving in the entire world was Su Ming's body. He moved forward and walked past the black arrow, past the ferocious Phantom Shadow, and arrived before Zhuo Ge's older brother.
This was a powerful Berserker with power equal to those in the Bone Sacrifice Realm. Even if he was not in the later stage of the Bone Sacrifice Realm, judging by how thick the black aura was on the arrow he shot, it could be determined that his power was around the peak of the initial stage of the Bone Sacrifice Realm. If he wanted to, he could arrive at the middle stage of the Bone Sacrifice Realm any time he wanted.
However, this person was not the strongest person Su Ming had ever defeated!
He walked past this person and the Virescent Light Sword in his right hand glowed before it sliced through the short man's neck.
When Su Ming delivered that slash and stood behind the short man, at that moment, it was as if the world returned to normal. It changed abruptly back from that frozen state, and a shrill cry came from behind Su Ming, followed by the sound of a corpse falling to the ground and an arrow shooting into the sky. Within the whistle of that arrow was also the wretched shriek of the malicious Phantom who also died because its Host passing away.
There were many other sounds mixed within, and they all came from the Phantom Dais tribe members in the middle section of Northern Frontier Tribe. Those were the sounds of them drawing their bows and shooting their arrows. At that moment, those arrows let out whistling sounds as they sliced through the air and fell to the ground.
Su Ming was so quick that he managed to kill three people in a go, followed by another kill, and all of this happened in the span of an arrow being shot. When the arrows flew into the sky, he took his first step, and they only fell to the ground when he had stopped.
Su Ming's face was slightly pale, but his expression was calm, save the glint from the murderous aura in his right eye. He looked around his surroundings and at all the Phantom Dais tribe members who were looking at him with shock and horrified surprise on their faces.
When these Phantom Dais tribe members looked at Su Ming, disbelief and shock could be seen in their eyes. They did not see just how Su Ming had managed to kill those four people.
They only saw him taking one step 10,000 feet away. When that step landed, he was already standing at the spot he was now, and lying closest to his back were those three people whose bodies were completely mangled, and their arrows were broken while their Phantoms destroyed!
Then slightly further away was the brother of Zhuo Ge. That Black Arrow Berserker seemed as if he could not even resist before his head flew into the air and his Phantom Shadow died with a wretched screech!
Su Ming's speed had surpassed everyone's imagination, causing them to be unable to believe what they just saw. Only their hearts remained pounding increasingly faster against their chest, which then turned into nervousness and fear. At that moment, silence fell upon the area.
Ten thousand feet away, second senior brother also widened his eyes. He took a deep breath after a long while, and when he looked at Su Ming, his gaze was filled with praise and shock. He had watched Su Ming move during the entire process, but even so, when Su Ming killed the short man at the end, he too had lost sight of him for an instant.
This could only mean that Su Ming's speed at that instant had surpassed second senior brother's senses. If his speed was quicker and he could disappear for a long time from a powerful warrior's sight, then he would also become a powerful warrior!
He was a gust of wind. A gust of wind that people could only feel blowing against their faces but could not see!
When Su Ming's gaze swept through all the Phantom Dais tribe members around him in the middle section of Northern Frontier Tribe, all the faces of those who had fallen into his line of vision were instantly drained of blood, and rumbling sounds echoed in their heads.
It was as if Su Ming's gaze contained numerous sharp swords that could pierce through their eyes and crash into their souls, leaving behind a deep brand. That brand was a feeling of powerlessness that made them feel as if they could not resist, as if the person before them was someone they could not hope to win against.
With this feeling in their hearts, under Su Ming's gaze, and as their hearts raced even more quickly in their chests, those whom had fallen into Su Ming's line of vision as he swept his gaze through the area instinctively knelt down before him. They placed the bows in their hands next to their legs, wrapped their arms around their chests, and lowered their heads.
When Su Ming's gaze swept past all the people in the area, all of them, no matter the length of their hair or whether they were a Berserker or a normal person, knelt down and worshipped him.
"The second Style is like a moment that only lasts for an instant, and during that moment, all ghosts and phantoms are destroyed. It is a power that is incomparable… How about naming it Phantom Flash?" second senior brother asked gently as he walked towards Su Ming.
"Phantom Flash… Alright!"
Su Ming nodded his head, his face growing somewhat pale. The speed just now was already his limit. When the final two ice hoops exploded, he sensed that the speed had slightly surpassed what his body could bear. If it was not because he had been training his physical body for the past few months, then it was highly likely that he would have been torn to shreds under that astonishing speed.
"However, youngest junior brother… that Style may be stunning, but… it's still lacking." Second senior brother walked towards Su Ming slowly, and when he was behind him, he cast a glance at the ground, specifically at the short man's corpse, who had his head separated from his body.
"It might not be accurate for me to say that it's lacking. After all, you're the one who Created it… but I think, when you're traveling in that speed, your observational skills fall." As second senior brother spoke, a glint appeared in his eyes, and instantly, a large amount of grass appeared out of nowhere around the short man's corpse.
"You're recovering, I see…"
The instant second senior brother's words were said, the short man's head started melting and turned into an innumerable amount of black bugs that spread out on the ground. The corpse did the same thing and turned into numerous black bugs. As they filled the entire ground, these black bugs let out a piercing screech and flew into the sky simultaneously.
Yet the moment they flew up, the grass on the ground also shot up and ensnared them. The black bugs moved about incessantly, trying to escape from the grass, but it was clear they would not succeed.
Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the black bugs in the sky. His gaze turned cold.
"My Creation is unlike Third's when he Enters Dream. It's also largely different from the Pictures you Draw… My Creation is that of seeking Death when walking the path of Life… just like how day searches for night…"
While speaking, second senior brother lowered his head to look at his left hand before he slowly lifted it and seized the air in the direction of the bugs that were trying to escape from the grass in the sky.
The moment he did so, the grass that had ensnared the bugs turned brown as if having lost all its life force, as if it was a flower in spring that rapidly withered away under autumn wind.
Yet the moment it withered away, that loss of life seemed to spread and covered the black bugs. When second senior brother lowered his hand, those black bugs fell from the sky and crashed into a mangled heap of flesh on the ground. When all the bugs fell, they did not remain as the carcasses of those bugs but transformed back into the short man's corpse.
"When you use Phantom Flash next time, don't cast your attention on your surroundings. Focus on the enemy you want to kill and observe his life… See whether it is still there or whether it is hidden… If you're not certain, then remember one thing: Always treat it as if he is still alive and kill him again, maybe twice, or even more." As second senior brother spoke, he moved to the side of the mass of flesh, lifted his foot, and started stomping on it.
His expression was still gentle, and it was a huge contrast to what he was doing at the moment.
"Now, he's truly dead. Absolutely, and without a doubt, dead!" second senior brother said softly, lifting his head with a smile towards Su Ming.
His actions made the Phantom Dais tribe members who were gathered around them feel an endless chill creeping up their hearts. Right then, to them, this man who had been smiling all this while was even more terrifying than Su Ming.
This terror did not come from his power but from his actions!
Su Ming was silent for a moment, then nodded deeply.
"Let's go and see just how many people will come out to stop us in the later section of Northern Frontier Tribe." Second senior brother smiled and patted Su Ming's shoulder. There was still a look of praise in his eyes.
Su Ming was just about to follow him, but the moment he lifted his foot, his body trembled, and he lifted his head to look towards his second senior brother standing by his side. He saw a hint of paleness appearing on his second senior brother's smiling face.
"Second senior brother …" Su Ming opened his mouth, about to say something more.
"It's fine. I'm your senior brother, this is what I should do. Let's go." Second senior brother shook his head and smiled before he moved forward.
Su Ming stared at his second senior brother blankly, and warm affection appeared in his eyes. Just now, when his second senior brother patted his shoulder, he clearly felt a surge of warmth traveling from second senior brother's hand into his body. That warmth circulated through him once and turned into an abundance of life force. This life force was like a powerful medicinal pill that almost entirely healed the injuries Su Ming's body had sustained due to that unbelievable speed.
Yet it was clear that this was not an easy task for second senior brother to do either!
The kindness of the Sect was carved into Su Ming's heart. For all eternity, he would never forget… the ninth summit!
As the two of them moved forward, no one tried to stop them anymore. The Phantom Dais tribe members around them simply watched Su Ming and second senior brother walking further into the distance. Gradually, they arrived at the later section of Northern Frontier Tribe built on the snow plain.
What was revealed before Su Ming and second senior brother were the quiet ice houses located at the very end of the tribe, along with the black leaved tree at the edge of the snow plains, and the house underneath that tree.
"Phantom Dais Tribe… lives up to its name. Youngest junior brother, there are about a hundred people living within the ice houses in this area, and there are about a dozen of them whose power is equivalent to those in the Bone Sacrifice Realm." Second senior brother swept his gaze across those ice houses, then smiled at Su Ming before he lifted his head to look at the weather.
"Youngest junior brother, it's dark now…" The moment those words left second senior brother's lips, his previously gentle demeanor changed so drastically it was as if heaven was overturned!
Chapter 291: Second Senior Brother's Secret!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"It's dark now."
The moment those words came out of second senior brother's mouth, a freezing cold aura spread out from within his body. That cold aura was like the darkness in the sky, like the cold and merciless night. At that moment, it was as if second senior brother had turned into a completely different person!
Although he was standing beside Su Ming, Su Ming could clearly feel that his second senior brother had become different! Yet he was not unfamiliar with this second senior brother because he had seen him before!
Second senior brother's feet slowly rose into the air and he hovered several inches above the ground. His long hair fluttered slowly in the wind, and that aloof expression on his face made him look incredibly stern.
At that moment, as the sky turned dark and night came, he turned into the darkness that would only appear at night, the one his day personality searched for!
All that which entered Su Ming's line of vision was darkness appearing on the ground below where his second senior brother floated like a ghost. That darkness was not from snow but from the black grass that grew on it.
"The grass at night is black… Did you know that..?"
Second senior brother's voice echoed in the air. As his voice traveled forth, the black grass behind him rustled. In that silent night, those rustling sounds were like people talking about something in soft mumbles.
The moment second senior brother approached the ice house closest to him, a sharp whistling sound came, and along with it came a black arrow. That arrow charged out of that ice house and towards second senior brother.
A ferocious Phantom Shadow materialized on the arrow. It howled as if it wanted to tear apart second senior brother alive and devour his flesh.
"I cannot find the darkness during night… Because I… am night itself…"
Second senior brother's voice was cold. As he spoke, he turned towards the arrow and did not even bother dodging it. He simply let the arrow pierce his body, but as if his body had turned into a mere illusion, that arrow passed through him before it fell onto the black grass on the ground, humming as it did so.
Second senior brother's footsteps did not show any signs of stopping. He continued moving forward, and what happened to him made Su Ming's pupils shrink. Su Ming saw the Phantom Shadow that was formed by the black aura on the arrow around second senior brother's body as if it had fused with him, and it was letting out shrill cries.
That cry shook the skies, and it was so shrill it sounded as if the Phantom Shadow was going through an unbearable pain. Yet in Su Ming's eyes, he could only see the Phantom Shadow revolving around second senior brother and gradually becoming smaller, looking as if it could disappear at any time.
"Great Phantom Devourer Art! Why do you know Phantom Dais Tribe's Secret Art?!" A voice filled with shock came from within the ice house the arrow had came from. At the same time, a person walked out from it.
It was a man dressed in a long white robe. His eyes sparkled, but they were currently shining with surprise and shock.
The moment the man walked out, sharp whistling sounds abruptly tore through the air, and more than a dozen sharp arrows shot out from the ice houses in the later section of Northern Frontier Tribe.
Most of these arrows were blue, but there were some which were black. There was even one of them whose black aura was so thick that the Phantom Shadow forming above the arrow was about 1,000 feet tall under the dark sky.
That sight was like Phantoms rushing out together and charging towards second senior brother in the form of arrows as they roared.
Su Ming's expression changed. Without any hesitation, he took a step forward. Green light shone by his side and the small virescent sword sliced through the air towards the sky. Yet at that moment, second senior brother stopped moving and stretched out his arms. He then lifted his right and seized the air in the direction of the sky.
With that one move, Su Ming was thrown into disbelief. In his second senior brother's hands, a large bow appeared!
That bow was entirely black. The body of the bow was made of black wood, and the bowstring was made of black grass. Second senior brother held it in his hand and drew the bow.
"I don't only know Phantom Devourer, I also know your Phantom Bow Art."
As second senior brother's aloof voice echoed in the air, he drew the bow fully. There was no arrow in his hand, but as he released the bowstring, Su Ming sucked in a deep breath. With his own eyes, he saw his second senior brother's body turning into a wisp of black aura the moment the bowstring was released. Just like an arrow that left the bowstring, it charged towards the arrows raining down from the sky!
It was difficult to describe this scene. In Su Ming's eyes, it was as if his second senior brother lost his physical body and turned into an arrow!
Yet this arrow was shot out the moment he released the bowstring. All of this happened in an instant. Su Ming saw his second senior brother turning into a black arrow, and in the black light of the arrow, he even saw a lock of hair!
At that moment, Su Ming suddenly gained a deeper understanding towards his second senior brother's Creation.
He wandered about in-between life and death, like day-searching for the darkness at night, but this did not mean that he was only searching for darkness when it was day.
This was him searching for darkness at night.
Because he existed within night itself, that was why even if he found it, he would still forever be unable to see it… Su Ming looked at the arrow which was his second senior brother. The black aura on that arrow was very thick, and he could even see the faint Phantom Shadow gathering on it.
And… that Phantom Shadow's appearance was exactly like his second senior brother's face. Su Ming's heart trembled. He understood then.
Understood why his second senior brother's Creation was life and death, why his second senior brother liked flowers, why his second senior brother loved having sunlight fall on the side of his face...
...and also why his second senior brother was always searching during night…
"Phantom Shadow?!"
"He actually turned into a Phantom Shadow?! Who is he?! This can't be possible!"
"There is no Host, only the Phantom Shadow. This… This is… Could the Host be him?!" The Phantom Dais tribe members' faces were filled with disbelief. Some of them even looked towards Su Ming.
At that moment, the arrow which was the transformed second senior brother in the sky and his Phantom Shadow crashed into the dozen arrows shot by the Phantom Dias Tribe.
A booming sound that shook the sky and earth, echoed far through the air. As that sound spread at a maddening pace, all the arrows flying towards second senior brother shattered and turned into millions of shards that tumbled backwards.
The many malicious Phantoms on the arrows and that Phantom that was 1,000 feet tall and surrounded by black aura let out terrified, shrill shrieks. Second senior brother's body was like a vacuum that sucked in everything. All the malicious Phantoms were pulled towards him and revolved around him, causing second senior brother to look blurry as he stared at the ground underneath him coldly.
The vague shape of a horn could be seen faintly on second senior brother's head. The color of that horn was black, but with a hint of green! The malicious Phantoms on his body quickly shrank, shrieking. It was as if they were all devoured by this second senior brother that only appeared during night.
"Phantom King! He's the Phantom King!"
"This is impossible... It's impossible!"
"He doesn't have a host... How… How is he still alive?!"
Uproars reverberated through the surroundings, and the Phantom Dais tribe members present instinctively retreated. Their gazes when they looked at second senior brother in the sky were filled with terror and disbelief.
Behind them, balls of illusionary shadows appeared against their wills. These illusionary shadows were their Phantoms. When these Phantoms appeared, they looked towards second senior brother in the sky and their faces were also filled with the same horrified surprise, but there was still a difference. Within that horrified surprise was also a hint of zealous respect.
Su Ming looked at his second senior brother's back and a complicated look appeared on his face. He understood then why Hu Zi chose to Enter his Dream so many times here. It was because this was a rare chance. They had their Master protecting them in the dark, and that was why he could Enter his Dream without worry.
It was just like the initial time he Entered his Dream when he was by Su Ming's side. It was because he knew that Su Ming was by his side. Even if Su Ming had just joined the ninth summit, he could still tell that Hu Zi had truly regarded him as his junior brother.
A junior brother that could be protected and would offer his own protection at the same time.
It was just like how second senior brother acted now. This was clearly second senior brother's secret, yet he did not choose to hide anything before Su Ming. He simply stood there and revealed his deepest secret.
Because second senior brother knew that his junior brother was there. Because he knew that his Master was there. Because he knew that even if he showed all this and something happened to him, he would still be safe. Because there were people who would protect him here, and several years later, perhaps another person he wanted to protect with his life would appear again.
"The rules of the ninth summit… aren't made for killin but for protecting each other…" Su Ming mumbled. He understood.
He looked at his second senior brother's back and the complicated look in his eyes vanished, replaced by steadfast resolution. This was not the first time that a determined gaze had appeared in Su Ming's eyes, and this gaze did not just appear because his sense of belonging to the ninth summit had been wavering previously. This time, the steadfast resolution that appeared within his eyes was born of a desire to protect his home and his family!
This protective desire reminded Su Ming of Dark Mountain.
Dark Mountain was what he wanted to protect, but he did not succeed in the end… Right then, the ninth summit gave him the desire to protect something once again. He did not know whether he would succeed, but he knew that this was his home, and over here, he had a family.
Even if the family members within this home were different from others, even if one of the family members, his second senior brother… was not human!
He was a Phantom, one that had somehow escaped fate. He was a Phantom that longed for light even though he was of darkness. He loved plants because the life force within those flowers was similar to his…
His Creation was that of life and death, because he, he did not walk from life to death, but from death to life!
Su Ming understood now.
At the moment he gained the epiphany, suddenly, a cold harrumph came from the house underneath that lonely big tree at the edge of the snow plains of Phantom Dais Tribe.
When the harrumph sounded, Su Ming's body trembled and his Divine General Armor materialized on his body while Han Mountain Bell rang to resist it. Yet no matter what, blood still trickled down from his mouth.
There was a cold chill seeping out of that voice, and once it appeared, all the tribe members of Phantom Dais Tribe shuddered and knelt in the direction of that house.
Second senior brother's body trembled in midair when that cold harrumph sounded. Rumbling sounds came from nearby, and before second senior brother, a gigantic Phantom Claw shot out from the dark sky, moving to catch him!
When that gigantic Phantom Claw appeared, a cold and old voice followed suit. "Are you done fooling around?!"
Once that voice spoke, suddenly… another voice answered back with the exact same words, "Are you done fooling around?" However, this voice was not cold. Instead, it held a hint of playfulness.
Chapter 292: I'm Not Tian Xie Zi!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The first voice came from within the house under the big tree at the edge of the snow plains and from the Phantom Claw that was extending from the sky.
The second voice… came from Tian Xie Zi.
"You're exactly right. Bloody hell, are you brats done fooling around?" Tian Xie Zi was wearing a long white robe and a black hood covering his head which only revealed his eyes and mouth, making him look… very odd.
When his words were said, not only did it not make the Phantom Claw from the sky that was working on catching second senior brother stop, it made him move even faster. In an instant, it closed on second senior brother. Yet the moment it got closer, second senior brother did not move. A black bundle of smoke suddenly appeared out of nowhere before him.
That black smoke's presence seemed similar to second senior brother's, but in truth, it was completely different. As the black smoke gathered together, a man walked out from within it.
That man's skin was completely black, and he was 20 feet tall. Like a giant, he stood before second senior brother, and with a ferocious sneer on his lips, he hurled a punch towards the incoming Phantom Claw.
That person was one of the 300 slaves that eldest senior brother owned!
He was constantly lusting for blood and held a crazed desire for slaughter. When he attacked, his fist immediately crashed against the Phantom Claw. A shocking boom reverberated in the air, and the Phantom Claw was forced back several dozens of feet, but the man also trembled and coughed out a mouthful of blood.
Yet even though he had just vomited blood, he was not weakened, instead, he became even more excited. He lifted his head and roared before charging towards that Phantom Claw. As he moved forward, that person lifted his right hand and slammed it against his chest.
"Nine Li Tribe1 relic, Forbidden Curse: Blood Swamp!"
When he slammed his palm against his chest, his body… was bizarrely torn apart!
His arms, legs, head, and body were all instantly split up from each other and turned into wisps of black smoke. As those wisps moved forward, they merged together and turned into a black vortex. Low growls could be heard coming from within it.
That sound seemed to have come from the depths of hell itself and was filled with a desire to slaughter the living and exuded an air of madness. When it got close to the Phantom Claw, a blood-red hand stretched out from within the depths of the vortex. That hand had no skin, only flesh and bone, and there were numerous runic symbols marking its flesh. That hand seized the Phantom Claw and pulled.
The two different hands clashed together in midair and both used the strongest power they could muster against each other. With a loud boom in the sky, a shrill cry echoed in the air, and the Phantom Claw was ripped apart. The ripped portion of the Claw was then dragged into the vortex.
At the same time, the vortex trembled and chewing sounds could be heard from within. Soon, the vortex dissolved into black smoke once again, and when they merged together, they turned into the man once more.
The man coughed out a huge mouthful of blood, then laughed maniacally towards the sky as he wiped off the blood from the corners of his lips and smeared it on his chest.
The Phantom Arm that had lost its hand swiftly vanished into the dark sky. At the same time, an angry voice came from the ice house located at the edge of the snow plains. "Tian Xie Zi, what is the meaning of this?!"
The hooded Tian Xie Zi lifted his head and cast a glance at Su Ming's second senior brother. "Second, get down here!"
Second senior brother's expression was calm and he slowly descended onto the ground to stand beside Su Ming. Once he did so, he bowed respectfully towards Tian Xie Zi.
"And you, the eldest told you to come, right? Get down here!"
The dark skinned man glared at Tian Xie Zi and looked as if he was just about to go against his words when he seemed to remember something. That rebelliousness instantly turned into obedience and he moved to stand beside Tian Xie Zi.
Su Ming hesitated for a moment before said softly, "Master…"
"Shut up!" Tian Xie Zi glared at Su Ming and pointed at him, at his second senior brother, then at the dark skinned man as well. Anger appeared on his face, and it did not seem fake. Tian Xie Zi was truly and absolutely livid. "Look at what you've done. Have you grown a pair now, hah?! Are you done fooling around?!"
Just as Tian Xie Zi was giving his disciples a piece of his mind, that old voice once again came from the house at the edge of the snow plains.
"Tian Xie Zi, you must be held accountable for what happened to Phantom Dais Tribe this time!"
Tian Xie Zi did not even glance back to acknowledge the voice. He simply continued glaring at Su Ming and the others. That enraged expression of his made Su Ming instinctively look at second senior brother by his side.
Second senior brother lowered his head and did not speak.
"What are you doing? Tell me, exactly what are you doing?! You ran to other peoples' tribe and started fighting and killing them, is it fun? Come on, tell me! Are you done fooling around?!
"Bloody hell, I've been following you brats all the way, and I can't watch this anymore!" Tian Xie Zi roared loudly.
"Are you people even stirring up trouble? Are you even killing? Is this what you call breaking into someone else's tribe? Do people even break into other tribes like this?! There's not even an ounce of grandness in what you just did! You piss me off! Watch, I'll teach you right now exactly what it means to break into a tribe and what it means to be arrogant!"
Tian Xie Zi's anger did not fade, but instead, his voice grew louder as he continued speaking, and he looked absolutely disappointed that they did not live up to his expectations. The only thing missing was him pounding his chest in exasperation.
A voice burning with anger almost at the same intensity as Tian Xie Zi's rage shot out from within the ice house at the edge of the snow plains. "Tian Xie Zi!"
"Who? What did you just call me? I'm definitely not that brilliant, handsome, extraordinary, powerful, strapping, and what else is there… wise, valiant and all the other things you can think of Tian Xie Zi!" Tian Xie Zi immediately turned his head around and looked at the house in the distance before he patted his chest with a proud look on his face.
"Just how in the world could you mistake me for Tian Xie Zi? It's a pity, but I'm not him!" Tian Xie Zi blinked and quickly retorted.
"That's enough, Tian Xie Zi. You and your disciples trespassed into my tribe…"
Before that old voice even finished speaking, a piercing shout that was much louder than it spilled out from Tian Xie Zi's mouth.
"I'm not Tian Xie Zi! I'm really not Tian Xie Zi!" Tian Xie Zi shouted out with a nervous expression on his facebefore taking a step forward and grabbing one of the Phantom Dais tribe members who was kneeling down and worshipping in the direction of the house. He lifted him up as if he was lifting up a small creature, and with bloodshot eyes, he stared fixedly at the person who was so scared he was stunned.
"Tell me, am I Tian Xie Zi?!"
That Phantom Dais tribe member shook his head rapidly, his body trembled.
A smile instantly appeared on Tian Xie Zi's face and he tossed the Phantom Dais tribe member to the side.
"Tian Xie Zi, you've gone overboard!"
A furious howl came from within the house, and the big tree beside the house suddenly started twisting and moving bizarrely. The black leaves on its branches fell off, and as they floated down, they turned into eighteen Phantom Shadows that looked like young boys. With savage looks on their faces, those boys opened their mouths so wide they looked as if they were about to split their heads open and turned into thick black smoke that charged towards Tian Xie Zi.
Tian Xie Zi widened his eyes, rage burning within them.
"I'm not Tian Xie Zi, damn it! I'm not Tian Xie Zi!"
As he spoke, he took a step forward and was just about to rush towards the eighteen Phantoms when he suddenly stopped, turned his head back, and glared at Su Ming and the others.
"What are you doing? We're going together! Are you actually thinking of letting me attack alone?!"
Second senior brother's eyes sparkled and he was the first to rush out. In the blink of an eye, he passed Tian Xie Zi. A dark smile appeared on his lips and an aloof look settled in his eyes.
The second person to rush out was the dark skinned man. With a bloodthirsty look on his face, the man let out bizarre cries and charged forward like a gust of black wind.
Su Ming may have been the last to move, but with his speed, he only needed one step before he arrived in front of the others. With the Divine General Armor covering his body, the chimes from Han Mountain Bell, and his Origin Lightning, the dark sky started rumbling thunderously.
His Origin Vessel, the strange fragment that was formed within Su Ming's body after he refined lightning in the past, was letting out lightning sparks that no one could see. They spread all over Su Ming's body, causing rumbling bolts of lightning to shoot out in all directions.
Tian Xie Zi grinned, then lifted his right hand and waved it before him. Instantly, a layer of fog appeared before him. That fog rolled about as if it was a gigantic wave and rushed forward. All the ice houses in its path exploded, and the people who did not manage to evade were swept into the white fog, screaming in terror. As the white fog moved forward, it turned into a gigantic ball about hundreds of feet in size.
It charged towards that house by the edge of the snow plains with loud booming sounds.
The instant that gigantic ball of fog got close to the house, an old man with white hair walked out from within and pressed his hand against the ball of fog. Right then, Tian Xie Zi's body suddenly vanished. When he reappeared, he was within that fog, and he hurled a punch towards that old man.
"I'm not Tian Xie Zi!" One punch!
"I'm really not Tian Xie Zi!" Another punch!
"Damn you! Even if I die, I won't admit it!" And another one!
Booming sounds reverberated in the air. The white-haired old man resisted the blows with an angry face, but he was repeatedly forced back until eventually, Tian Xie Zi hurled out a punch that caused that house to burst into pieces.
The white-haired old man was pushed to the cliff of the snow plains under Tian Xie Zi's relentless punches. Then with a low growl and one final punch, the old man was sent flying off the snow plains!
"Third, Fourth, do you see it now? If you kill someone but don't destroy their houses, can you still call it breaking into a tribe? What you did was fooling around! This is the real deal!"
A proud look appeared on Tian Xie Zi's face and he turned his head back to look at Su Ming and the others, who were fighting against the eighteen Phantom Shadows.
"Tian Xie Zi, you lunatic!"
The white-haired old man was floating in the air beyond the snow plains, and he was in a sorry state. His clothes were torn, his hair was messy, and blood was running down his mouth.
A vicious look appeared on his face.
Tian Xie Zi was stunned for a moment when he heard the old man's words before his expression instantly changed to one of agitation. His eyes even became bloodshot.
"Lunatic? I'm not a lunatic! I'm not!"
Tian Xie Zi took one step forward and started shouting at the old man, "I'm really not a lunatic! I'm not… I'm not crazy!"
There was a hurt look on his face, along with agitation, and even terror, which seemed to have come from having someone discover his secret.
"I'm not a lunatic! I'm already cured! I'm really not crazy!"
As if he had sunk into hysteria, Tian Xie Zi rushed towards the old man in one step. By the looks of it, he wanted to catch that old man to prove something.
The old man's eyes widened, and terror appeared within them.
Su Ming stood in the distance laughing wryly, and he could only laugh wryly...
Translator's notes:
This one is interesting. The Nine Li Tribe is an ancient legendary Chinese Tribe, who are also the ancestors of the Miao Tribe. The Nine Li Tribe led by Chiyou were insanely good at fighting and making weapons, but were defeated in the end. Most of their story can be found in the Battle of Zhuolu. The words for Nine Li are 九 (jiu3) and 黎(li2) respectively. The word 九 is nine, and 黎 is actually a surname. Nine Li is actually composed of nine tribes, and the family names of each of the leaders of these tribes were Li. Now then, I searched through the English wikipedia pages and some other sources regarding the Battle of Zhuolu, Nine Li, and Chiyou, and there is one piece of information missing from these English sites compared to the Chinese sites that have information regarding the Nine Li Tribe and Chiyou, one that can be considered as a spoiler [or maybe I missed it when I was searching through the English sites, who knows]. So for the readers who understand Mandarin and who have somehow stumbled across that information, for the love of God and all things cute, please don't spoil eldest senior brother's background.
Chapter 293: Compromise
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
As Su Ming continued laughing wryly, in the distance, Tian Xie Zi took one step, and a distorted wave of ripples appeared in the air. Just like when Su Ming used that extreme speed, he disappeared in a flash. When he reappeared, he was already standing before the white-haired old man.
The old man's pupils shrank and he was about to retreat when Tian Xie Zi's thin left hand grabbed his shirt.
"I'm not a lunatic! I'm really not! I'm cured! I'm completely cured… Why do you say I'm crazy!"
With bloodshot eyes, Tian Xie Zi started roaring at the white-haired old man. No matter who it was that saw his expression then could tell that he was nervous and frightened, as if his secret was just discovered and he was trying hard to explain himself to hide something.
This scene fell into the eyes of Phantom Dais tribe members, and all their gazes when they looked at Tian Xie Zi were filled with deep terror.
The white-haired old man was shaken to the core. This was not the first time he had met Tian Xie Zi, and he also knew some of the rumors regarding the man.
He originally didn't pay too much heart to it, yet when he was seized by Tian Xie Zi at that moment, he suddenly discovered that this Tian Xie Zi instilled a terror within him that made even his heart tremble in fear.
"Damn it, I already told you I'm not crazy! You don't believe me? You don't?" As Tian Xie Zi shouted, some of his spit flew out out of his mouth.
The white-haired old man who was really close to him wanted to struggle and get away, but clearly… it was not possible. "Tian Xie Zi, you lunatic! What are you doing?! This is Phantom Dais Tribe! This is the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky's Northern Frontier Tribe! I'm Phantom Dais' Chief of the Hunters!
"If you dare hurt me, I'll make sure your entire ninth summit dies with me!"
The white-haired old man growled as he struggled. His face was filled with rage, but underneath that rage was well-hidden terror.
"Y-you…"
Tian Xie Zi was so agitated that tears started welling up in his eyes, looking as if they were about to fall at any moment, and then… he started shouting madly.
"Why do you insist that I'm a lunatic?! I'm not! I'm not a lunatic! I'm really cured now! If you don't believe me… If you don't believe me, then look at this!"
It was as if Tian Xie Zi remembered something, and with one hand still holding onto the white-haired old man, he stuck his right hand into his bosom and brought out a small wooden slip.
Once he brought it out, Tian Xie Zi threw it behind him, and that wooden slip turned into a dim ray of light that flew towards Su Ming, who was standing not too far away.
"Fourth, read the words on the slip for me. Let them hear it!"
A smug expression appeared on Tian Xie Zi's face, but he still continued glaring at the white-haired old man before him.
Su Ming was momentarily stunned, but still caught the wooden slip. When he lowered his head to look at it, his expression immediately turned odd.
"Read it!" Tian Xie Zi yelled at him, displeased.
"Er…" Su Ming hesitated for a moment before he spoke in a voice that echoed in the area.
"Western Region Tribe of the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky… admits that Tian Xie Zi is not a lunatic and that he has been cured…"
Su Ming blinked, then laughed wryly as he lifted his head to look at Tian Xie Zi.
Tian Xie Zi's face was filled with smug pride. He glared at the white-haired old man, then with an arrogant demeanor yelled at him, "So? That's the proof. Did you see the proof Western Freezing Sky gave me?!"
"Fourth, flip it over. There's still some at the back. Continue reading."
Su Ming flipped the wooden slip over. When he saw the words written on the back, he laughed wryly once again and shook his head before his voice echoed through the air once again.
"Eastern District Tribe of the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky admits that Tian Xie Zi is not a lunatic and that he has been cured…
"The Barren Southern Tribe of the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky admits that Tian Xie Zi is not a lunatic and that he has been cured…
"The Great Tribe of Freezing Sky admits that Tian Xie Zi is absolutely not a lunatic…"
When Su Ming finished reading all the words, the smug expression on Tian Xie Zi's face became even more prominent.
He grabbed the stunned white-haired old man and yelled at him, "Did you hear that? I'm not crazy, I'm already cured! That's my proof. If you don't believe me, I have more!" This time, Tian Xie Zi brought out a large amount of wooden slips from his bosom and threw them all to Su Ming.
"Silver Grass Meadow Tribe admits that Sir Tian Xie Zi is not a lunatic…"
"Promised Lattice Tribe admits that Sir Tian Xie Zi… has been cured…"
"Sky Mist City admits that Tian Xie Zi is no longer a lunatic. He is normal…"
"The Great Tribe of Western Sea admits that Tian Xie Zi is not crazy…"
As Su Ming continued reading the words out, he was shocked. All the handwritings on the wooden slips were different, and it was clear that they were from different people. It was as if the wooden slips were telling the truth and they all came from different tribes. Then Tian Xie Zi…
Su Ming sucked in a deep breath. He just saw Sky Mist City and the Great Tribe of Western Sea…
As he continued reading the words, not only was he shocked, all the people around the area who heard it were also stunned. They all looked towards the smug looking Tian Xie Zi floating in midair.
"I said it before, I'm not a lunatic! Now you believe me, right?!"
Tian Xie Zi had a deeply wounded look on his face. Even if he was still wearing the hood, all of them could still see it through his words, and from his eyes and his mouth, which were not covered by the hood.
The white-haired old man, who was captured by Tian Xie Zi, had his eyes as wide as saucers and found himself completely speechless. He no longer dared say anything, because he was already very certain that Tian Xie Zi was absolutely and without a doubt a lunatic. If he insisted on his words, then there was a high possibility that he would make him angry.
There was no predicting what a lunatic would do.
'He's crazy… He's a lunatic. If those wooden slips are real, he's still a lunatic. A normal person wouldn't go to so many places just to get proof that he isn't crazy…
'If those are fake, then he's definitely a lunatic…'
The white-haired old man, Phantom Dais Tribe's Chief of the Hunters, kept his lips sealed tight.
"Huh? Why aren't you speaking? You're looking down on me!" Tian Xie Zi glared at him, and the moment those words came out, even Su Ming began to pity that white-haired old man.
"How dare you look down on me, you… why are you looking down on me?! You still think I'm crazy, right?!" Tian Xie Zi flew into a rage, and as he grew even more agitated, a glow appeared in his eyes, one that said he wanted to kill the man to silence him.
Perhaps the others could not tell the meaning behind that glow, but the white-haired old man who was captured in his hands could see it clearly.
"You're horrible! I respected you and brought out all my proof for you, and yet you still think I'm a lunatic?!" With his face burning with anger, Tian Xie Zi lifted his right hand. Judging by the looks of it, it seemed like he wanted to strangle the white-haired old man to death.
The old man's eyes grew even wider, and he began struggling desperately. Yet he had already noticed something before this happened - all the circulation of power within his body was cut off when Tian Xie Zi grabbed his throat. It was as if he had lost his power and could not summon even the tiniest bit of it.
As Tian Xie Zi lifted his right hand, a terror of death filled the white-haired old man's heart and mind, making fear appear on his face. He opened his mouth, looking as if he wanted to say something, but Tian Xie Zi did not give him the chance. He seized his throat and started squeezing with both hands. The white-haired old man's face instantly turned red.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He knew that if the white-haired old man died, then this would instantly turn into a big problem, but he was not afraid. Killing intent appeared in his eyes instead. The moment the white-haired old man died in his Master's hands, Su Ming would immediately act. Before anyone could strike back, he would kill them all first.
Nearby, second senior brother and the dark skinned man had already crushed the eighteen young Phantom Shadows. Quite a number of them were even swallowed by second senior brother. Right then, he was still in his night appearance. His entire body gave off a chilling aura and his expression was aloof, but within his aloof gaze, there was killing intent.
However, just as the white-haired old man was about to be strangled to death by Tian Xie Zi and the Phantom Dais tribe members on the ground began to show expressions of madness driven by fear and were about to throw everything to the wind and fight back...
...An old voice spoke in a resigned voice, "You're not a lunatic, you're already cured… I, Mo Shan, can be your witness."
Once that voice spoke and spread through the land, the white-haired old man in Tian Xie Zi's hands suddenly shuddered and immediately turned into countless black bugs as if he had just shattered into them. Those bugs quickly fell back and flew several thousands of feet away while crammed closely together before they turned back into the white-haired old man.
There was still terror lingering on his face from having experienced the fear of having narrowly escaped death and knelt in the air.
"Greetings, Elder. Thank you for saving my life…"
Ripples appeared in the spot where the white-haired old man was kneeling, and an old man dressed in a black robe gradually walked out. That old man ignored the Phantom Dais Chief of the Hunters and looked towards Tian Xie Zi.
"Tian Xie Zi…"
His words had just left his mouth when Tian Xie Zi let out a cold harrumph. He too, did not look at Phantom Dais' Chief of the Hunters. He glared at the black robed old man instead. "I'm not Tian Xie Zi!"
The moment Phantom Dais's Elder appeared, Su Ming trembled. He felt a faint pressure coming from the old man, and it made his entire body's Qi freeze. A grim expression appeared on his face, yet when he heard his Master's words, that pressure vanished in an instant.
Su Ming smiled. He had a feeling that if Phantom Dais' Elder continued speaking, he would perhaps be brought back to the previous topic as his Master continued talking in circles.
"Then I must have mistaken you for someone else. How should I address you?" The black robed Phantom Dais Elder smiled softly. There was not a hint of emotion on his face when he spoke slowly and looked at Tian Xie Zi.
"I'm Tian Xie Zi! Blood hell, don't you recognize me?! I even held you in my arms when you were young! How could you not recognize me?! How could you ask me who I am?!" Tian Xie Zi glared at him with a face burning with anger.
A resigned look appeared on the face of the Phantom Dais Elder before he shook his head and wrapped his fist in his palm towards Tian Xie Zi.
"Uncle master, please stop joking around… I only learned of what had happened just now. It's my tribe member's fault… I already brought that accursed spawn here," he said with a wry smile and waved his right arm.
Immediately, a person staggered out from the air beside him, and with a thud, he was forced to kneel in the air.
It was man at the prime of his life. He was half-naked, and his hair encircled his neck several times. There was anger and great unwillingness on his face, along with terror.
Chapter 294: Phantom Equal!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Zhuo Ge was mixing around with some questionable company and was used by others… but since he was the person who did it, he has to be responsible for his actions!
"Henceforth, Zhuo Ge is no longer a member of Phantom Dais Tribe. Whether he lives or dies will be decided by you, uncle master!" Phantom Dais' Elder stated calmly.
Once he finished speaking, he cast a glance at Zhuo Ge, and a chilling glint appeared in his eyes. With one wave of his arm, Zhuo Ge was instantly swept away by wind and blown towards Su Ming and the others. When he crashed onto the ground before them, the dark skinned man laughed viciously and lifted him up.
A pleased look appeared on Tian Xie Zi's face and he stroked his beard before letting out a fake cough.
"Eldest disciple nephew, look. Your uncle master and junior brothers didn't manage to control ourselves and destroyed a lot of your houses…"
"It's fine. Those are physical objects and can be rebuilt. I was just thinking that these houses looked rather old lately. I'd have to thank you for clearing them out for me, uncle master." Mo Shan continued smiling and not much change could be seen from his expression.
"Is that so? Then I don't have to worry about it anymore. But eldest disciple nephew, your junior brothers injured quite a number of people and even killed some of them…" Tian Xie Zi put on a troubled face.
"It's fine. That just means their power was not great enough. It has nothing to do with others. Even if they didn't die today, once we fought against the Shamans, they would have still died there. They can consider this a lesson." Phantom Dais' Elder's face continued looking as passive as ever as he spoke with a smile. It was as if anger could never be found on him.
Yet no matter how well this sort of person presented himself, he could still not hide the sinister nature in himself. Su Ming stared at Phantom Dais' Elder, standing not too far away. He knew clearly that with this person's power, he must have known when he and his second senior brother had come to this place. He must also have known who they were looking for.
Yet at that time, he pretended not to have known. He had even simply allowed his tribe members to attack, and was only forced to come forth when Su Ming and the others walked up to this place and Tian Xie Zi appeared.
He even let them have Zhuo Ge. All of this was clearly because he was incredibly wary of Master. Perhaps it could even be said that this wariness manifested in the form of hesitation and observation, yet now, when this person appeared before them, judging by his current attitude, it was clear that he had made his decision.
"Uncle master, I have something to give you. Consider this Phantom Dais Tribe's apology for this matter."
Phantom Dais' Elder smiled when he spoke and brought out an item from his bosom. That thing was a wooden slip, and as he held it in his hand, he drew a few lines on it with his right hand to write a few words. Once he did so, he held it out respectfully to Tian Xie Zi.
When Tian Xie Zi took it and lowered his head to look at it, he started grinning from ear to ear.
"Not bad, not bad at all. Next time, if anyone says I'm a lunatic again, I'll have one more proof I can show them."
Mo Shan smiled and wrapped his fist in his palm to salute Tian Xie Zi.
"I still have some matters to deal with in the tribe, so I won't be able to send you off, uncle master. If you have the time, feel free to come to my tribe and be our guest."
Right up till the end, he did not spare even a single glance to Su Ming or the others, neither did he mention them at all in his words. It was as if Su Ming and the others did not exist in his eyes, or perhaps more accurately speaking, they did not have the right for him to take note of them. The only person that deserved his attention here was Tian Xie Zi.
"You're far too courteous. It's fine, you can go back now. I'll also be leaving."
Tian Xie Zi quickly and carefully put away the wooden slip before he patted his chest, looking completely contented. He was just about to turn around and walk towards Su Ming and the others to leave when a glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
He took a step forward.
"Master, I have something to say."
"Hmm? Fourth, what is it?" Tian Xie Zi looked towards Su Ming.
Phantom Dais' Elder continued smiling and still continued ignoring all the people around him. Even if Su Ming had just spoken, he still did not look at him and only continued looking at Tian Xie Zi.
"When I was fighting just now, I lost a bag. There was about 500 golden stone coins in there. I also had some enchanted Vessels stored inside. At that time, I saw a Phantom Dais tribe member taking it away.
"Could you please get it back for me?"
The moment Su Ming's words were voiced, before Tian Xie Zi even spoke, Phantom Dais' Elder swiftly turned his gaze towards Su Ming. This was the first time he looked athim properly. The smile on his face vanished for an instant, but it soon returned.
Yet the freezing glare that appeared in his eyes for that one instant could be clearly felt by Su Ming, who had been watching his expression all this while.
"Huh? Something like this happened? You lost 500 something golden stone coins? That's a lot!" Tian Xie Zi widened his eyes. He turned his head around to look at Phantom Dais' Elder and a stern look appeared on his face. "Eldest disciple nephew, that's your fault, isn't it? Come on now, hurry up and bring back that bag my disciple lost."
Phantom Dais' Elder fell silent for a moment, then quickly brought out a bag from his bosom and took out 600 golden stone coins from within. Those stone coins might not be as striking as the one Tian Lan Meng had given Su Ming, but they were about the same, and the large amount of those coins along with their value was something Su Ming had never seen before.
"There's no need for that. There are 600 golden stone coins here. Junior brother, will you accept it?" A smile appeared on Phantom Dais' Elder when he looked at Su Ming.
"The stone coins are good, but this entire area is under Northern Frontier's jurisdiction. We're now almost to Sky Mist Shaman Hunt now, so it's only natural that we will go out shopping. If anything happens to us…" The one who spoke was not Su Ming, but his second senior brother standing nearby.
His voice was no longer cold and aloof, but gentle like spring wind. The moment he uttered his words, Su Ming immediately turned to look at his second senior brother.
He saw that the aloof look on second senior brother's face was gone and he had returned to the gentle man who loved having sun shine on his body while he positioned himself so that the side of his face was turned towards it.
With a gentle smile on his lips, he nodded to Su Ming. That handsome face, the brilliant smile, and the gentle demeanor made it hard for Su Ming to associate his second senior brother to how he was just moments ago, and also made it difficult for him to truly believe that this second senior brother of his had truly come back.
The instant he spoke, Phantom Dais' Elder cast his gaze towards second senior brother. There was a brief moment where his expression turned dark before he spoke languidly.
"That's easy. If anything happens to any of you outside Freezing Sky Clan before Sky Mist Shaman Hunt, Phantom Dais Tribe will be held accountable for it!"
"Is that so? Now I have the courage to say it. Master, in truth, I also lost some stone coins…" Second senior brother smiled gently.
"Huh? You lost it too? Bloody hell, why do you people bring all your money with you when you come out to fight? That's… good! That's very good! Er… Second, make sure you write that down under ninth summit's rules as well!" Tian Xie Zi nodded his head in a very satisfied manner.
Second senior brother looked quite abashed as he turned towards Phantom Dais' Elder, whose face had turned completely dark.
"About that… I didn't lose too many things. It's also 500 golden stone coins, and a Phantom Fork, and 10 other enchanted Vessels, and also 100 something medicinal liquid used to heal injuries… It's not much, it's really not much. I won't bother about the other items, I'm not that nitpicky, I can give them up.
"Fourth, what else did you lose?" second senior brother smiled and asked softly as he looked at Su Ming.
Mo Shan's face grew increasingly darker.
Su Ming had originally thought he was asking for a lot, but once he heard his second senior brother speak, only then did he know exactly what it meant by demanding an insane amount of things...
"Er… I remember I lost around 100 ice rocks, um… and also Merging Bone Grass, Three Scented Branches, Dust Orchid Leaves…" Su Ming mentioned dozens of herbs of the top of his head.
"And also seven bones from beasts equivalent to that of the Awakening Realm, and eight puppet bodies with power equal to that of the Awakening Realm, and…" Su Ming continued speaking until he did not know what else he wanted.
Phantom Dais' Elder's face was so dark that it had practically turned murderous by then. He glared at Su Ming and the others coldly. The other Phantom Dais tribe members were also seething in rage.
"Ahem, Fourth, your memory is really horrid. I remember you had a Phantom Fork in your bag as well." Second senior brother let out a few fake coughs by his side.
"That's right. I just remembered. I also lost a Phantom Fork." Su Ming blinked and quickly spoke.
The Phantom Dais Elder became so angry he started laughing, but once he took a few deep breaths, he closed his eyes. Once he reopened them, his eyes had already calmed down and he nodded his head with a smile.
"But I'm curious, how did you manage to store those eight puppets in your bag..? And how exactly did you have our tribe's unique treasure, the Phantom Fork, in your bag as well..?
"But since you lost them in Phantom Dais Tribe, then we will return it to you!" The moment Phantom Dais' Elder finished speaking, he suddenly lifted his head and looked into the distance.
From the distance, a man holding a big axe could be seen running rapidly towards them. As he ran, he started shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Wait! Wait..! I also lost some things!"
Second senior brother smiled. The grass in his palm shattered and turned into dust. There was in no way he would forget to tell his own junior brothers in the same Sect when there were good things to get. In Hu Zi's case, he woke him up and told him…
"I lost a pot of wine! That's all I lost, nothing else! Give me back my wine!" Hu Zi panted harshly as he ran to stand beside Su Ming, then yelled at Phantom Dais' Elder. There was great eagerness and thirst in his eyes.
The Phantom Dais Elder clenched his hands instinctively. He remained silent for a moment before he waved his arm and turned around to walk towards where Phantom Dais Tribe's city was located beyond the snow plains.
"Give it to them!" His words echoed in the air, and anger could be heard within his voice.
Yet the moment he finished speaking but before he managed to take a few steps forward, a thought struck Tian Xie Zi's head. He let out a few fake coughs and spoke to Phantom Dais' Elder.
"Er… eldest disciple nephew? Look, I'm old now, and I don't remember things that well. I just remembered that I also lost quite a few things…"
The Phantom Dias Elder's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. Although his face was turned towards the crowd and could not be seen, they could still feel that he was seething with an anger that could burn the skies, as if he could no longer tolerate them.
Yet the moment that anger appeared, suddenly, crunching sounds as if someone was stepping on snow came from beyond the snow plains, and they were soon followed by a person dressed in a purple robe that covered even his head, walking slowly forward until he stepped onto the snow plains.
"We'll give you everything you lost… but I want to talk to him... alone…" That person lifted his right arm, which was as dried up as a bone. His fingers had incredibly long fingernails. The person he pointed at… was Su Ming!
His voice was hoarse, as if it traveled through the passages of time, and it drifted in the air…
"Phantom Equal!" Tian Xie Zi's face instantly became stern, and the white hue on his robes started showing signs of change.
Chapter 295: Lei Chen!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming looked at the purple-robed person walking from beyond the snow plains with a look of concentration. That person gave him absolutely no feeling of familiarity, but the instant he lifted his right hand and pointed towards him, Su Ming felt his heart lurch. He could not explain it, but at that moment, that originally unfamiliar feeling suddenly became one of familiarity, as if Su Ming had seen this person somewhere before.
The moment the purple-robed person appeared, Phantom Dais' Elder, who was about ready to fly off into a rage, felt his anger draining away instantly. His expression calmed down and he turned around in midair. His gaze also fell on Su Ming.
Tian Xie Zi had a stern look on his face and his robes were showing signs of changing color. They no longer looked white but were changing into a grey hue. That grey shade was not the end of the change. Purple flecks of color gradually began showing on his robes.
"Sir Tian Xie Zi, with all due respect, I harbor no ill-will towards your disciple. I only have a few questions I need to ask him." The purple-robed person's face still could not be seen even as he spoke once again.
"Phantom Dais' Phantom Equal… It has been rumored that ever since the tribe was formed, there has been no second Phantom Equal since… In fact, it is also said in the rumors that when the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky subjugated Phantom Dais Tribe, the Phantom Equal did not fight back either…
"I'd like to see just how strong you are, Phantom Equal!" Tian Xie Zi's gaze was chilling. At that moment, he no longer looked crazy but, instead, murderous!
"Sir Tian Xie Zi, why don't you ask your disciple whether he is willing to talk to me? If he isn't willing, I won't force him, but if he is willing, I hope you won't stop us." The purple-robed man's voice was raspy, but his tone remained calm.
Tian Xie Zi looked at the purple-robed man and the grave look in his eyes grew stronger. That expression rarely appeared on him, and as that grave look in his eyes grew stronger, a faint will to fight appeared as well.
He licked his lips but did not speak. Instead, he gradually lifted his right hand, and during that process, his robes started rapidly changing to a purple shade.
By Su Ming's side, a grave look also appeared on second senior brother's face. Even the dark skinned man, who was one of the 300 slaves belonging to the eldest senior brother, had the same reaction.
"You can ask, but you also have to answer my questions." Su Ming looked at the Phantom Equal and spoke suddenly.
"Alright," the purple-robed person agreed calmly.
"Master, I'd like to talk to him."
When Su Ming's started speaking, Tian Xie Zi's lifted hand came to a stop while he was in midair. He turned around to look at Su Ming, then after remaining silent for a moment, he lowered his right hand.
"Come with me." The purple-robed Phantom Dais Tribe's Phantom Equal spoke hoarsely before he turned around and walked towards the borders of the snow plains that were previously behind him.
Su Ming did not hesitate and moved forward. The purple-robed person walked in front, and Su Ming walked behind him. Soon, the both of them arrived at the border of the snow plains. Standing there, they could clearly see the city belonging to Phantom Dais Tribe and the land that was gradually being invaded by green grass behind the city underneath the cliff.
Silence fell among them. Neither of them spoke.
There were several dozens of feet between the purple-robed person and Su Ming. After a long while, he spoke languidly. "That is the Southern lands…"
Su Ming looked at the faint hints of green on the land lying at the very end of his sight. He remained silent.
"What is your name?" The purple-robed person turned around and, with his eyes still hidden underneath his robes, he looked at Su Ming.
"Su Ming. What is your name?" Su Ming hesitated for a moment and decided not to hide anything. Instead, once he finished answering, he threw out a question of his own.
The purple-robed person looked as if he had to mull over the question for a moment before he shook his head and answered hoarsely. "Mine..? I have already forgotten it… Phantom Equal is my name.
"I can sense a unique presence from you. You… are not from the Land of South Morning." The purple-robed person spoke in a whisper, but when his words fell into Su Ming's ears, it made his heart lurch.
That was not a question. That was a statement that did not require any feedback from Su Ming.
"What is this?" Su Ming avoided the topic and brought out a black stone from his bosom. The stone may seem hard, but in truth, when Su Ming first held it in his hand, it was very soft. That stone was the cocoon that had kept spitting out black bugs previously.
"This is a sacred item of Phantom Dais Tribe. Through it, a member of Phantom Dais Tribe can communicate with a unique world filled with countless Phantoms… You're not from the Land of the South Morning, and neither am I…" the purple-robed person mumbled under his breath.
Su Ming cast that person a glance but remained silent.
"I can feel a unique presence from you, and there's something familiar about you as well. It's as if… we met before.
"Or perhaps I should say, you met the next Phantom Equal of Phantom Dais Tribe…" The purple-robed person turned around abruptly and gazed into Su Ming's eyes.
"The Phantom Equal in Phantom Dais Tribe hasn't always been the same person. When one dies, the next will awaken. But I've searched through the entire Land of South Morning and I still haven't found the next Phantom Equal!
"I should have died many times in the past, but every single time, I persevered and survived, and I've kept searching… Tell me, where did you find that person…
"You know who I am talking about. Right at the moment you brought out our sacred item, I knew that you already had an answer in your heart, and you have questions as well. Tell me about the person who was the source of those questions. Where is he? What is his name? He is the next Phantom Equal of Phantom Dais Tribe!"
Su Ming felt shaken to the core. He looked at the purple-robed person and remained silent for a long moment before he shook his head.
"He's not in the Land of South Morning."
"It doesn't matter. Tell me where he is and his name. I will repay you with this!" The purple-robed person spoke in a raspy voice, then lifted his dried up right hand. In his palm, a purple bug appeared!
That bug was covered from head to toe in purple, and it was lying quietly on the purple-robed person's dried up palm. A faint fragrance came from its body, and when that fragrance wafted into someone's nose, uncontrollable hunger would arise within them.
"This creature is called Purple Harmony… Any ferocious beast that eats this bug will revert to their ancestral form. If they succeed, then their combat strength will increase by leaps and bounds, it they fail, they will die.
"Take this with you. If you run into danger during Sky Mist Shaman Hunt, with this bug, you can let any Shaman Tribe go mad for you… Refine this bug into your heart. If you do so, you can kill this bug with just one single thought. Unless you're willing, others won't be able to take it away from you. You can form a deal with anyone you like and not be framed for crimes you didn't commit simply because you're carrying this."
Su Ming's heart pounded against his chest. He had originally not believed the purple-robed person's words, but the moment the purple bug appeared, he could clearly sense that unknown rod insect-snake hybrid resting within Han Mountain Bell becoming restless as if it wanted to rush outside. It was as if the insect-snake hybrid's attraction towards the bug had reached a level Su Ming could not imagine.
Su Ming stayed silent and shook his head. He could not tell whether the purple-robed person's words were true or false. After all, this was a serious matter. He would not tell so easily.
"I'll be taking my leave now." Su Ming turned around and quelled the insect-snake hybrid's almost hysterical restlessness within Han Mountain Bell. He started walking towards Tian Xie Zi, who was standing far in the distance.
"I harbor no ill will. I just want to know where the next Phantom Equal is and what his name is. I cannot possibly walk out of the Land of South Morning to search for him…
"I just want to know his name and where he is, then tell him of that strange Phantom Realm and the Phantom Art of my tribe. This will be good for his growth. The Phantoms in this world will search for him and protect him…
"Please help me…" The purple-robed person's voice was hoarse, but Su Ming could hear his sincerity.
"I know that I can't make you believe my words, but I truly harbor no ill will… I swear with the legacy of Phantom Dais Tribe that if my words hold even a hint of untruth and if I want to hurt the person in your mind, then Phantom Dais Tribe's legacy will end and my tribe will forever cease to exist in this world!"
The purple-robed old man took a few steps forward and his raspy voice was tainted with a hint of distress.
Su Ming's footsteps faltered. He could hear the unwavering resolution in the person's words. In silence, Su Ming hesitated for a moment.
"This is my vow, and I swear using the God of Phantom Dais as my witness!" The purple-robed person knelt on one knee, raised both his hands, then lowered his head towards Su Ming.
When he knelt down, all those who saw it in the distance had a change in expression. Phantom Dais' Elder even focused his gaze on them, but he did not get closer.
Tian Xie Zi frowned as he looked at the purple-robed person. He seemed to have understood what was going on.
Su Ming turned his head back to look at the purple-robed person kneeling on the ground for a long while. This person's vow and his actions did not seem fake. He had even used his tribe to give his oath, and that act alone was enough to describe how severe the problem was.
"Alliance of the Western Region, Lei Chen…" Su Ming whispered.
Once he finished speaking, he turned around and walked towards Tian Xie Zi. The moment he did so, the purple-robed person lifted his head, and his hidden eyes shone with gratitude. With a flick of his right wrist, that purple bug flew towards Su Ming. He caught it.
"Thank you. Don't worry, there were no lies in my words!" After saying this, he bowed deeply towards Su Ming, then turned around and charged towards the depths of the snow plains.
Su Ming left with his second senior brother, Hu Zi, Tian Xie Zi, and that dark skinned man. They left Northern Frontier Tribe, found Bai Su, and flew back to the ninth summit, bringing with them Zhuo Ge and all their rewards.
Once they left, the face of Phantom Dais' Elder turned incredibly dark. He turned around and charged down the snow plains. His wariness towards Tian Xie Zi was not the only reason why he conceded so many times. There was one more reason - it was the Phantom Equal's request.
He was going to ask the Phantom Equal the reason behind it.
There was a tall tower within Phantom Dais City, which was located underneath the snow plains. That tower was entirely purple, and the purple-robed person was currently sitting at the top of the tower. There was a purple bowl before him, and within it was some purple blood.
"Alliance of the Western Region… Lei Chen, I, as the current Phantom Equal of Phantom Dais Tribe, call unto you… My successor… Awaken… Lei Chen… Lei Chen…"
As he spoke, he lifted his right hand swiftly and his right index fingernail shattered, revealing the torn flesh underneath. He pressed his index finger into the purple blood in the stone bowl before him.
"Lei Chen, let me see you!"
The purple-robed person let out a huge shout. As his voice started echoing in the air, the purple-robed person started trembling viciously. His robes were instantly torn apart, revealing an old but normal looking face. His eyes bulged out, and with a look of disbelief, he saw...