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Chapter 855: Temperamental

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zhao Guang You remembered clearly that because he had been late to the fight one thousand years ago in Heavenly Treasure Planet, he had been outside the ocean of wind as he witnessed the crazed slaughter.

Those in Heaven Cultivation Realm all died, and plenty of other cultivators didn't leave alive either. Aside from that one cultivator in the middle stage of World Plane Realm, it was as if every other person had to die before Mo Su.

The sight of a hunter turning into a hunted had shocked Zhao Guang You. If he had not reacted to the situation quickly enough and decisively chosen to immediately leave Heavenly Treasure Planet, he would have probably been one of those who had died as well.

Heavenly Treasure Planet had been torn to pieces and reduced to ashes, but under that terrifying strike, Mo Su had once again appeared in Western Ring Nebula, and the shock it brought to Zhao Guang You was incredibly great.

He was one of the very few people who had managed to survive after witnessing Su Ming's attack, that was why after the other was forced into Western Ring Nebula's foreign lands, he chose to come to Crimson Flame Planet.

He saw the might of Su Ming's physical body and wanted to search for the reason behind it. He had heard about Su Ming gathering blue stones in Crimson Flame Planet to absorb them, and he tried to do it as well, but failed.

However, he was the first powerful warrior to arrive in Crimson Flame Planet, and was also the first to imprison Yue Hong Bang. From then on, there were quite a few powerful warriors who came to Crimson Flame Planet in search for the reason behind Su Ming's strength, but they were the same as him and did not obtain any answers.

As one thousand years passed, fewer people came, and it was especially so during the last few hundred years. Practically no one came to this place. It was as if Mo Su's name had already been forgotten.

Zhao Guang You did not harbor any hope anymore. The imprisonment of Yue Hong Bang had been without much purpose, just because he was a reminder. After all, if Zhao Guang You had still cared about it, he wouldn't have thrown the task of watching that place to his disciple. In his heart, he saw no point to it anymore. He had already done everything that he could do, but he still did not obtain any answer.

In fact, in his mind, Crimson Flame Planet was a good place, and he had already decided to stay here for long, which was why he had built his sect here and taken in disciples.

However, he did not expect that he would run into Mo Su here, the man who had terrified him in the past. This was something he never thought about. In his mind, all those who stepped into the foreign lands were dead men, since it was so rare to see anyone walk out alive. In fact, even if they managed to come out, they required at least several thousands or ten thousand years to do so.

Even if Mo Su managed to come out, he would definitely be cautious, because the four Great True Worlds had yet to cancel his bounty. If they could chase him down the first time, then they could do so a second time, and all the times after.

Yet now… only one thousand years had passed.

Yet now… this person had appeared in Crimson Flame Planet in such a brazen manner!

Almost at the instant he registered what was going on in his head, Zhao Guang You's expression changed rapidly. His body came to an abrupt halt just as he was about to fly out of the hall, and he turned around to immediately change his direction and retreat.

He did not fly out of the entrance. Instead, as he retreated, he shot up and rushed straight towards the roof of the hall with a bang. In the mid of that booming sound, he tore through a hole in the hall and charged out from within.

Dim sunlight scattered on the ground. At the moment Zhao Guang You appeared on the roof, the first thing he saw were the thousands of cultivators standing close to each other far away from the area, and immediately after, he saw Yue Hong Bang, who was not only healed, but was also standing with all of his cultivation base restored and refined.

Then, he saw… a figure that made his heart tremble furiously, and the one thread of hope remaining in his heart wishing that he would be lucky was shredded to pieces.

The figure was dressed in white and had gray hair as he stood there allowing the mountain breeze to blow against his robes. His face was handsome, but exuded an ancient air, and he was naturally the person whom Zhao Guang You found impossible to forget, and who was buried deep in his memories after terrifying him all those years ago - Su Ming!

"I see, so it's you." Su Ming placed his hands behind his back as he stood at the top of the mountain. The booming sounds from the roof of the hall echoed in his ears as he looked at the person who had flown out. Su Ming had seen this person before. He was one of the cultivators who had fled from Heavenly Treasure Planet from fright.

At the moment he heard Su Ming's words, Zhao Guang You felt his skin crawl, and he was almost terrified out of his wits, because at the instant he heard Su Ming's voice and looked over, a loud bang rang out in his heart, and his mind went blank. The only thing that remained in his head were Su Ming's eyes.

Those were a pair of eyes that shocked him. It was as if they could suck away his soul and make him lose his consciousness. In fact, he could feel that Su Ming could damn him for eternity with just one thought.

This was an incredibly distinct feeling, and it was clearer to Zhao Guang You than anything before.

'He's not in the initial stage of World Plane Realm. He-he's definitely different from one thousand years ago. He couldn't make my heart tremble with just one gaze back then. He… Just what sort of serendipity did he obtain in the foreign land?'

Zhao Guang You's body trembled, and right after, without even having time to speak, he swayed and coughed up a mouthful of blood. It turned instantly into blood mist, and he chose to flee without even fighting.

This was not any ordinary form of escaping either. This was a frenzied escape where he flung all caution to the wind and even injured himself to execute an Art that allowed him to instantaneously reach the horizon.

Since he was a cultivator at the peak of the initial stage of World Plane Realm, the thousands of spectators burst into a commotion due to his actions. They had originally expected a great battle. After all, in their eyes, while Su Ming was strong, Zhao Guang You had been a supreme existence during the hundreds of years that were nearing a thousand he was in Crimson Flame Planet. That was why in their minds, Zhao Guang You's strength was not to be questioned. However, the scene unfolding before their eyes immediately overturned their beliefs.

"Paragon Zhao is… He's running away?"

"He's definitely thinking about executing a powerful divine ability in the sky. It's impossible for him to immediately run without even attacking."

"Nonsense. He's clearly running away. Sir Mo Su is so strong that he can make a cultivator in the initial stage of World Plane Realm choose to not fight but flee by sacrificing his blood."

The thousands of cultivators in the area were not the only ones shocked by this. Zhao Guang You's eight disciples in the hall also had their mouths hanging open in shock. They stared at Zhao Guang You turning into a ray of blood-red light that fled madly into the sky from the hole that appeared on the roof in the hall. Their Master, who was an incredibly powerful existence in their hearts… was running away pathetically.

In fact, he looked as if he did not even dare to say a single word. It caused the shock in the eight disciples hearts to change into astonishment and fear, especially that of the young man who had kept an eye on Yue Hong Bang. His face had instantly turned pale.

When Yue Hong Bang saw that Zhao Guang You was about to disappear, anxiety appeared in his heart, but he did not dare to chase after him rashly. It was not because he was afraid of Zhao Guang You, but because Su Ming had not said even a single word by his side.

"He's a clever one, at least," Su Ming remarked flatly. This person had escaped the disaster in Heavenly Treasure Planet with that intelligent mind of his, but he should not have set his eyes on Su Ming.

Su Ming did not do much. His left eye only shone once, and immediately, the mark of the palm which he had formed in his left eye through the epiphany he had gained after he survived the attack of a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death disappeared.

In the next breath, the sky roared, and the dim heavens tumbled about to reveal a sight that caused all those who saw it in the area to cry out together in surprise. Zhao Guang You's eight disciples also looked as if they had instantly lost all their strength, and despair appeared on their faces.

Even Yue Hong Bang's breathing quickened when he saw this scene. As his pupils shrank, his heart filled with shock and disbelief.

At that moment, as the clouds tumbled about and ripples were formed in the sky, a huge palm replaced the sky and appeared before everyone's eyes.

There was no end to this palm, and it completely replaced the sky, making it seem as if there was a giant standing in the galaxy, right outside Crimson Flame Planet, and he was striking the planet with his palm.

The sky rumbled, and the heavens twisted. The gigantic palm was Su Ming's epiphany. At that moment, the epiphany gained form, and the palm descended as if it was falling from the sky. As it pressed down, it looked as if a sea of fire had risen up due to friction, causing the sky to burn.

As the palm swiftly descended, a loud bang rang out in the sky. The fleeing Zhao Guang You's body formed from the blood-red light. His face was distorted in shock. With a piercing scream, his body plunged down as he tried to avoid the palm from seizing him.

Su Ming shook his head. The understanding he had was still not enough. The palm only possessed an outline and did not have much power. It was impossible for it to be compared with that of a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death, but its appearance could be used to scare others.

"Kill him."

Su Ming averted his gaze from the sky. When he spoke lightly, killing intent shone in Yue Hong Bang's eyes. He had been waiting a long time ago for Su Ming's orders. At that moment, he let out a prolonged shout towards the sky and rose up, turning into a long arc that charged towards Zhao Guang You, who had been shaken by the palm in the sky and was currently retreating.

"That person is already scared out of his wits. He might be slightly stronger than you, but he won't be able to bring out his full power. I will give you the span of ten breaths. If he doesn't die by then, you will die with him. I do not need weaklings under my wing."

Su Ming's voice was calm, but there was a ruthless tone within it that caused Yue Hong Bang's heart to tremble. He did not suspect the truth of that statement at all. Once he witnessed Su Ming's strength, he once again remembered the other impression Su Ming had left in his mind all those years ago.

Temperamental.

His heart shuddered, and Yue Hong Bang clenched his teeth tightly. His eyes immediately turned bloodshot, and with a low growl, he rushed towards Zhao Guang You. He had to give everything he had in this fight. If he did not manage to kill this person within ten breaths, then he himself would die with the other. This was not something he could choose, and neither did he have time to dawdle. Even if he would be severely injured, he had to kill Zhao Guang You.

In this bout of madness, besides respect, he also felt terror towards Su Ming from the depths of his heart. This terror would accompany him for the rest of his lives, and it would not leave.

'Is this how the superior are..? There were four superiors recorded in Yue Family's scrolls, and the experiences of the older generations of the family while dealing with them were recorded in the scrolls as well. The first was a forthright person, and the second a somber one. Yue Family's Progenitor was that somber person. This sort of person was easier to serve, since those who are forthright are easier to get close to. The third was temperamental, and the fourth was also temperamental. The first of the two pretended to be emotionally volatile, and the second... was born this way. It didn't matter which sort of temperamental person they were, they were incredibly difficult to serve.' Yue Hong Bang's heart was filled with anguish, but he did not have time to think much about this at that moment. With red eyes, he closed in on Zhao Guang You.

Su Ming closed his eyes. He did not pay any attention to the battle in the sky.

Time passed. Booming sounds echoed in the air, and eventually, during the tenth breath, a shrill scream of pain traveled through the air. When Su Ming opened his eyes, Yue Hong Bang returned to him with a head whose face was filled with despair. It looked as if there was fire burning on Yue Hong Bang's body, and there were many parts of him that had turned into a bloody mess. When he knelt down on the ground, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. There was a dispirited look on his pale face.

It was clear that he had only won after burning his cultivation base, gave it his all, and executed his family's strongest divine ability.

At the moment he knelt down, one word echoed in the deepest recesses of his mind.

'Temperamental…'

Chapter 856: Who Is It?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"When I appear in your memories once again, you will remember me, and you will then truly become my subordinate." Su Ming raised his right hand and tapped the center of Yue Hong Bang's brows.

Yue Hong Bang's injuries were immediately healed, but a dazed expression appeared in his eyes, and he slowly fell to the ground.

Su Ming swung his right hand, and a gentle gust of wind immediately swept through the area. It gushed forth in a manner as if there was nothing in the world that could stop this wind spreading out. It did not matter whether it was mountain ranges or cave abodes, all the geographical structures in the land with cultivators around seemed as if they were just illusions.

All the cultivators that the piercing wind touched instantly began shuddering no matter what their levels of cultivation were. A dazed look appeared in their eyes. All their impressions and memories about Su Ming vanished into the wind.

As the cultivators fell on the ground unconscious. In the blink of an eye, Su Ming became the only person who remained standing in the mountain range.

The wind continued spreading out. With this place as the center, the wind spread through the entire Crimson Flame Planet. This was a windstorm aiming to wipe off all memories regarding Su Ming, as if he had never existed in Crimson Flame Planet no matter whether it was the past or the present.

In fact, even those who had died and were now soul fragments drifting in the world had their fragmented memories wiped off. The parts in their minds where those memories had existed turned into blank slates.

As the windstorm swept outwards and spread out continuously, Su Ming took a step towards the sky. With it, he disappeared. When he reappeared, he was standing on a mountain.

There was a small house made of stone at the top, and an old woman was sitting cross-legged in there. She stared at the door of her house. There was a dismal expression on her face, as if she was waiting for something.

Su Ming walked forward, and when he arrived outside the house, the wind he had stirred up earlier had already swept past most of Crimson Flame Planet. In another few breaths, it would cover the entire planet.

Su Ming pushed open the door to the house, and the door swung open with a creak. He did not go in, but stood outside the house. His gaze met the old woman's.

"You still came here, in the end." The old woman was Mei Lan, and she was also the source for the creation of the Blood Identification Pearls when the four Great True Worlds extracted her memories.

"I'm here." As Su Ming spoke calmly, he walked into the stone house and sat on a chair by the side.

"I'll thank you if you allow me to die in a more dignified manner." The old woman closed her eyes. Once she finished saying these words, she stilled.

Five breaths later, the windstorm finally covered the entire Crimson Flame Planet, and all the cultivators in the planet forgot about Su Ming, their memories taken by the wind. This was an irreversible erasure of their memories, and they would not be able to recover it.

Crimson Flame Planet was the start of Su Ming's journey in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, that was why certain mysterious aspects had appeared in the planet, such as the possibility of forming the Blood Identification Pearl through the memories of the people in this place.

When Su Ming eventually left Crimson Flame Planet, all those who had once seen him would no longer be able to form the Blood Identification Pearl through their memories about him. This divine ability was related to the power of Plane Kalpa Realm, and the mysteries contained within it could not be described with words.

Once the windstorm spread through the entire Crimson Flame Planet and gradually vanished to allow the planet to return to a state of peace while all the cultivators remained in deep sleep, Su Ming walked out of the house. He cast a final glance at Crimson Flame Planet and turned around to stroll towards the sky.

Gradually, a crimson coffin manifested around him. Su Ming stepped on it and walked into space. Two long arcs flew up from the ground. One of them was the Duke of Crimson Flame, and the other was the bald crane. They caught up to Su Ming… and vanished into space with him.

"Damn it all, those jerks! I've hidden crystals in about seven to ten thousand places, but they… they… the crystals in two spots where I hid them were gone… I can't believe it!

"I'm so frustrated! I absolutely can't hide crystals anymore, it's not safe, and it's far too easy for me to lose them. My heart hurts, Su Ming! My heart really hurts!" The bald crane had an expression that its heart was aching terribly, and by the looks of it, it was not pretending. It was really feeling that its heart was bleeding from emotional pain.

Its hurt lasted for so long that the bald crane still had a distressed expression on its face and looked as if it was in anguish even after Su Ming left, as if it had lost the most precious thing in its life.

Ten breaths after Su Ming left Crimson Flame Planet, the first to open his eyes was Yue Hong Bang. A perplexed look appeared in his eyes, as if he knew that something had happened, but when he thought about it carefully, he found that there was a person missing in his memories.

That person's figure was indistinct, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not remember him. When he lowered his head, he saw Zhao Guang You's head in his hand.

Soon after, more people woke up, but all of them were the same as Yue Hong Bang. There was a person missing in their memories, along with his name.

On a mountain in a stone house was an old woman sitting cross-legged inside. She gradually opened her eyes, and there was a dazed look within them. After a moment, she sighed lightly.

"I can't remember."

She did not die.

Crimson Flame Planet still had its set trajectory, and it was still moving about that trajectory. However, in all of the people's memories, a series of events had been eternally wiped off. It was just as Su Ming had told Yue Hong Bang earlier, if Yue Hong Bang could remember, then he would truly become Su Ming's subordinate.

If he could not, then they would no longer have anything to do with each other.

…..

Su Ming sat cross-legged on the red coffin in the galaxy as he meditated with closed eyes. Time trickled by. One year, two years, three years, up till five years passed.

During the course of these five years, Su Ming headed swiftly towards Black Ink Planet. Occasionally, he would shift using the power of the Rune, increasing his to travel speed by a lot.

As of then, he was almost at the borders of Black Ink Planet. With just a little more time, he would be able to enter its area. The amount of time they spent getting to this place was slightly shorter than what Su Ming had expected.

The Blood Identification Pearls had lost their effect, so no one could track Su Ming any longer. The bald crane had also fused with the Divinity Incarceration Rune, so that particular method of using the Rune to track him down no longer posed a threat to him as well.

Perhaps only if a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death covered the entire Western Ring Nebula with their will would they possibly be able to find Su Ming. However, he did not run into any True Guards on his way to Black Ink Planet, and neither did he hear the four Great True Worlds mentioning anything about him again.

Su Ming was well-aware of why it was so.

During his trip to the region where the forces of power from True Sacred Yin World keeping a lookout over Western Ring Nebula were stationed, Su Ming had killed Dao Ren and demonstrated his might. He also managed to survive after a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death chased him down, and had even caused a stir in the entire galaxy.

He refused to believe that they did not know who he was. Even if Dao Ren, who recognized him, had died, Wu Li Zi was still around. True Sacred Yin World must already know that he was the Mo Su that they had chased after in the past.

'So they've given silent consent to my continued existence, huh?' Su Ming opened his eyes.

'Or are they gathering up a new storm..? No matter what, the feud between me and the four Great True Worlds hasn't ended.' With a calm expression on his face, Su Ming closed his eyes once again.

He might have done so, but it was not silent around him. During these past five years, Su Ming had come to know just how good the bald crane was at talking nonstop.

"My heart hurts… Oh, my heart hurts. Su Ming, my heart hurts! Say, I've hidden them so well, you know, so why did the crystals in two spots go missing..? Nine of them went missing, just like that…" The bald crane's voice traveled through the air, and the crane sounded as if it was beating its chest in anguish.

The Duke of Crimson Flame quickly closed his eyes and pretended he did not hear anything.

"I've lived a pitiful life of saving up by cutting down my expenses, of running about searching for crystals. I've worked hard and kept constant vigilance over these years, but… but why did I lose them..? I can't accept this. This is the first time I lost my crystals, my heart aches…

"Su Ming, my heart is already hurting so much, why aren't you giving me a response?" Even after chattering away for half a day, the bald crane did not feel thirsty. It simply looked at Su Ming with eager eyes.

Su Ming ignored it.

"Su Ming, I burned my soul for you in the past. You still owe me one million crystals! Y-y-you… My heart is aching so much I can't handle it, and I need comfort, but you're not even speaking to me… My heart hurts…"

"I've given you eighty-six crystals during the past five years!" Su Ming frowned and opened his eyes to glare at the bald crane.

When the bald crane notice that Su Ming was responding, it was immediately filled with energy and even its fighting spirit began to burn, making it clear that it wanted to argue with him for a long, long time.

"That's not the same thing. If you gave those crystals to me, then those are the things you gave me, but the ones I lost… are forever lost. Even if I get ten billion crystals in the future… I should actually have ten billion and nine crystals." The bald crane seized its chest, and based on its expression, it could be seen that this problem had been troubling it during the past five years.

Su Ming forced down the irritation that had risen in his heart after being tormented by the bald crane for five years and said flatly, "Then go and snatch nine crystals."

"But even if I snatch them, I would still have lost nine crystals."

"Then go steal some more."

"Even if I steal, I still would have lost them."

"Go pick some up!"

"Where to? Even if pick some up, I still would have lost them…" The bald crane put on a long face.

"Then what do you want to do?" Su Ming let out a long sigh. He could tell that the bald crane had not been making a fuss out of nothing during these five years, but was really troubled by this. To the bald crane, who would consider itself to have lost crystals if it did not see any when it ventured out, truly losing nine crystals would definitely be a disaster to it.

"Let's go back to Crimson Flame Planet. I want to search for them again. I swear I'll definitely find the person who stole my crystals." The bald crane ground its teeth in anger.

"We're almost at Black Ink Planet." Su Ming sighed again.

"I have a feeling that if we go to Black Ink Planet, I'm going to lose more crystals. This feeling is incredibly strong, very, very strong. The closer we get to Black Ink Planet, the stronger this feeling gets, and I can't stand it anymore…"

The bald crane was using every trick in its disposal to speak and emote with great feeling. It did not have any sort of premonition that made it feel like it was going to lose its crystals, but at that moment, it did not know that its nonsensical words right then would turn into a heartache very soon which would drive it crazy for the rest of its life.

"... Hmm? Who's that? What a familiar presence."

As the bald crane continued speaking, it was suddenly taken aback and let out a light gasp. It could sense all the things within a very large area, since it had fused with the Divinity Incarceration Rune.

A focused glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He fused his Atman into the bald crane's Divinity Incarceration Rune, and immediately, the large galaxy showed up clearly in his mind. In a place that was rather far away from where they were, Su Ming saw… a snake-like beast whose body was rotting away but was not dead struggling forward while filled with the aura of death.

By the looks of it, it was on the verge of death and already had one foot in its grave. Before long, it would die.

Behind it were hundreds of cultivators. There were moths under their feet, and they were chasing after it while letting out strange cries. These cultivators were dressed in rags, but there was a fierce light shining in their eyes. The person in the lead was a woman. She was thin and tiny, and there was dirt on her face, making it so that no one could see her true appearance. However, she was the fastest among them. There was a string of bells on her wrist, and every single time they swayed, the galaxy would distort and the beast before them would let out a pained roar.

At the instant Su Ming saw the snake-like beast, he was stunned.

Chapter 857: Xiao Huang

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Abyss Dragon let out a sad cry. It was exhausted, with little strength left in its body. After it had all of its power taken from it, its life after it was sent to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence had been filled with hardships during these past one thousand years. In fact, there were even a few times when it had nearly died because it was severely wounded.

It if was not because it still had some of its physical power left and the other Abyss Dragons going against the wills of their Progenitor and True Sacred Yin World by leaving it some methods to defend itself when it was banished to this place, it would have died a long time ago.

After all, the Dragon Tendon which gathered all its Qi and allowed it to possess great physical strength had been extracted from its body. Without the Dragon Tendon, it was as if it had been reduced from a dragon to a snake, and it had lost everything.

As of then, it could only bring out power that was equivalent to those in Man Cultivation Realm, and this was due to its people helping it in secret. During the thousand years, it struggled to live in agony, and from its initial refusal to yield, it had descended into despair.

The repeated escapes and roars at the heavens when it was alone filled its heart with madness and hatred. This madness was not against Yu Xuan, and the hate was not aimed at the Berserkers in Yin Death Region, but was instead… aimed towards the Emperor of Abyss' True World… as well as the Abyss Dragons' Progenitor.

The dragon had risked death to bring Yu Xuan back, but had ended up in this state. It was loyal to the Abyss Dragons, but had its Dragon Tendon taken from its body. It was a creature that had prided itself for being a part of the Emperor of Abyss' True World, but had its power completely abrogated by that same Emperor of Abyss' True World.

It hated them!

Yet aside from hating them, it could do nothing else, because it did not have sufficient power. With a level of cultivation that was only equivalent to those in Man Cultivation Realm, it did not have enough strength to protect itself in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, and since it had lost its Dragon Tendon, its level of cultivation had not increased during these one thousand years… no matter how hard it tried.

It could only have its life run its course in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.

If it was not a dragon, then perhaps things would have been slightly better, perhaps things could still change and it would not have ended up this way. However, it could not transform and could only appear as a pathetic Abyss Dragon, and this, to many people in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, meant that its body was full of treasures.

Its flesh could provide nourishment to all those that ate it; its scales could be turned into an armor if someone gathered them together and fused their power or could be turned into Enchanted Treasure; its blood had the power of a spirit stone once it was dried; and its organs were the greatest supplement to cultivators.

Its bones were even more precious, for they could be turned into extremely powerful Enchanted Vessels.

Its brain could allow others to learn the Abyssal World's Arts if they gained an epiphany through it.

In fact, even its soul had its uses. If it was refined by a powerful warrior, it could be sealed in an Enchanted Treasure and turned into a Vessel Spirit.

It was a miracle that this Abyss Dragon that had no power to protect itself could survive for a thousand years.

During this time, the Abyss Dragon had thought about dying many times. From its initial fear and despair, it had gradually become apathetic, and in the end, death and living lost their importance to it. Compared to living in agony like this, it would be better to just die and gain freedom.

However, when such thoughts befell it, it always remembered the Abyss Dragon that helped it by quickly telling something before the banishment took place. There were numerous alien races within the galaxy behind Black Ink Planet. However… there was also a serendipity there that could turn something decaying into something miraculous. If there was a place which could allow its cultivation base to be restored in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence… it would only be Divine Essence Star Ocean!

That was why during these one thousand years, the dragon had continued flying without stop, wanting to reach Black Ink Planet and head to Divine Essence Star Ocean.

However, all of this had now turned into a mere dream.

Yet there was still unwillingness to admit defeat in the depths of its heart. This refusal to give in was an obsession that not even time managed to take away. The dragon hated the Emperor of Abyss' True World and wanted to take revenge on that world. It wanted to return to the Abyss Dragons and win against the Abyss Dragons' Progenitor.

It also wanted… to meet its young mistress once more and hear her call its name.

However, it knew that this was impossible. Forget even being able to leave the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, this disaster of being chased by the cultivators alone was something it could not escape from.

The howling behind it continued nonstop. The weird shouts and killing intent had locked onto the dragon firmly. Its speed was not fast to begin with, and the people behind it had those moths under their feet. It… could not escape.

Its will gradually became clouded. The pain in its body made it unable to tell the source of the pain. It was as if there was not a single part in its body that did not ache. As blood poured from its body, the strange yells from the cultivators behind it became something that urged it forward, the echoes of the bells especially sounded as if they brought death in their wake.

The dragon still remembered that it had only wanted to rest for a little while when it passed by a floating group of meteors in the galaxy three days ago. It had not shown any ill-will, but the meteors actually served as a cave abode for a group of cultivators. When they appeared with those moths under their feet, the Abyss Dragon had even degraded itself by trying to curry their favor while begging to leave.

Yet what it got in exchange was a chase after its life that lasted for three days. It could tell from the desire and murderous light in the pursuers' eyes that they… had recognized that it was an Abyss Dragon, and they… wanted to devour it alive.

There were four Lords of World Planes among these cultivators and there was even one who was at the middle stage of World Plane Realm. Even when the Abyss Dragon was at the peak of its condition, it had never reached this state. When it was in Yin Death Region, it had only attained completion in the initial stage of World Plane Realm. With its cultivation base and its physical body of an Abyss Dragon, it could have somewhat put up a fight against those in the middle stage of World Plane Realm, but it could not have won against them.

However, the powerful warrior in the middle stage of World Plane Realm had not personally joined in the chase. Instead, the other three cultivators in the initial stage of World Plane Realm had led nearly one hundred cultivators and initiated this hunt for its life that lasted for three days.

In truth, the Abyss Dragon could sense that they did not really need nearly one hundred people to chase it down. Any one of the three cultivators in the initial stage of World Plane Realm could kill it within an instant. In fact… most of the one hundred people could do so as well.

However… they did not do it. Instead, it was as if they were intentionally toying with it. They only chased after and forced it to continuously flee, so it would use up its strength. At this point, the dragon was like a dying ember, only instinctively escaping forward. It had already lost all power to fight back.

The strange cries in its ears sounded like mocking laughter. The bell chimes were like an illusion that made the Abyss Dragon's consciousness become increasingly more clouded.

Wherever it went, blood would spill into the galaxy. Its vision blurred, and its eyes were about to fall shut at any moment. The howling sounds were closing in from behind. Whenever its blood spilled, someone from the near one hundred cultivators would immediately fly out and use a jade bottle to pick it up.

Laughter came from the near one hundred cultivators behind the Abyss Dragon. The laughing was a young man who had just collected the dragon's blood, and he said with mirth towards the woman in front, who had the bells tied to her wrist. "Lady Yu Luo, the Abyss Dragon's consciousness is about to scatter. The hunt this time was very interesting."

"Abyss Dragons are incredibly precious in the Emperor of Abyss' True World, so it's difficult to find any who would venture out, much less enter the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. It must have offended the influential powers in the Emperor of Abyss' True World and was banished to this place."

"That's right, it only has power equivalent to those in Man Cultivation Realm. During these three days, it was easy to see that its Dragon Tendon had been taken away. It's the same as a piece of trash."

"Haha! This isn't an Abyss Dragon, it's just a big snake. Lady Yu Luo, you're wise indeed. You made this snake continue running so its blood would circulate and the effect from each drop that spilled would be better than if we extracted it forcefully. In fact, this sort of chase would force its consciousness to fade, and it'll become even easier for you to control it and refine it into a flying Enchanted Vessel. In the future, it'll be much easier for us to head out."

Laughter rang in space. The near one hundred cultivators saw that the Abyss Dragon's speed had slowed down, and they knew that the dragon had reached its limit.

The woman in front of the crowd had a prideful look on her face. She swung the bells on her wrist, and with a glint in her eyes, she looked towards the cultivators around her. She was the one who had discovered the dragon, and she had also suggested the plan to toy with it while chasing after it. By the looks of it, her plan was very effective.

"We'll chase it around for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, since the Abyss Dragon's soul is about to fade away. At that time, we'll use the Secret Art and gather its soul in its body. Then, it'll be much easier to search through its soul."

Excitement appeared in the woman's eyes. She did not bother about the dragon's blood or any Enchanted Vessels. What she cared about was the Abyss Dragon's memories. Ever since she was born, she had been in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence and longed to go to the four Great True Worlds. However, all the people around her were the same and had never left the Barren Lands of Divine Essence before. However, the Abyss Dragon should have been banished to this place. If that was the case, then the sights of the world outside should be contained within the memories in its soul.

That was what made her curious.

"Young mistress, we can't fool around anymore. That old monster Xuan Yi's territory lies ahead. The Progenitor has stated before that we are not allowed to enter other people's territory." Just as the woman became excited, one of the two middle-aged men who had been following silently behind her all this while spoke flatly.

These two people were in the initial stage of World Plane Realm, just like the woman. However, the feeling they gave others was as if they had gone through perilous battles, and there were hints of murderous aura surrounding them.

The woman might be unwilling, but after a moment of hesitation, she could only nod in resignation. She shook her wrist, and the bell chimes immediately rang loudly. The speed of the near one hundred cultivators behind her instantly increased exponentially, and they surpassed the Abyss Dragon and surrounded it.

"The hunt has ended. Kill the dragon and preserve its soul properly!" the woman said coldly. In her eyes were excitement and cruelty.

The sounds of affirmation rang out around her, and greed appeared in the eyes of the cultivators. The Abyss Dragon had already turned into an ingredient that they could eat to increase their levels of cultivation. At that moment, with a single shout, they spread out.

The Abyss Dragon's consciousness had already become clouded. It knew that it was about to die. It might be unwilling to… but there was nothing it could do.

As it laughed brokenly, it closed its eyes, but at the instant they fell shut, a gentle voice immediately echoed in its soul.

"Xiao Huang…"

At the instant the voice reached its soul, a violent shudder wrecked through its body. It trembled incredibly furiously, and even its soul began trembling. Its fading consciousness abruptly stopped scattering away.

It was as if there was an endless amount of thunderbolts roaring in its heart. That name was the most precious existence in its memory. There was only one person who would call it by that name in the world, and that was a young woman called Yu Xuan - the Abyss Dragon's young mistress.

The dragon had not heard these two words for more than a thousand years. Those two words seemed to have awakened its memories, causing tears to fall down the Abyss Dragon's eyes as it trembled.

However, it knew that the person who called it was not its young mistress, but another… voice that it was familiar with.

"Xiao Huang…"

Chapter 858: Anything

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

When the voice called out the second time, it did not echo in the Abyss Dragon's heart. Instead, it spread throughout the galaxy. That voice seemed weak, but when it reached the place, ripples spread out and the galaxy even looked as if it was distorting.

When that voice landed in the ears of the near one hundred cultivators who were closing in on the Abyss Dragon with the intent of dissecting it, that voice instantly turned into a loud bang that shook the entire galaxy and was deafening to their ears. It crashed straight into their hearts, crushing their minds and breaking their souls.

Blood poured out from all seven orifices in their bodies.

There were nearly one hundred cultivators, and all of them were bleeding from their eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Their eyes immediately lost focus and all forms of luster turned into streams of blood that flowed out of their eye sockets. The moths under their bodies also let out shrill screams of pain and exploded into bits and pieces of flesh and blood.

The bodies of the near one hundred cultivators tumbled backwards, as if they had been swept back by a huge force. They coughed up blood in midair… and all of them died!

All of this was caused by the enunciation of the two words!

Those two words killed nearly one hundred cultivators. Even though there were no cultivators in World Plane Realm among them and the strongest was just in Heaven Cultivation Realm, the ability to do this was enough to shock all those who witnessed it.

As the cultivators died altogether, their bodies shattered to pieces as they fell backwards, turning into a picture of mangled flesh. The stench of blood immediately filled the area. The woman with the bells on her wrist instantly turned stark pale, and the two middle-aged men behind her put on solemn expressions that had never appeared on their faces before. There was shock in their eyes, and cold sweat had even broken out on their foreheads due to extreme nervousness.

"Xiao Huang…" The third call traveled clearly from a far away distance at that moment. It landed in the Abyss Dragon, the two men, and the woman's ears.

Once it did, the Abyss Dragon opened its eyes and saw a person walking over from the space in the distance.

That person was dressed in white and had a head full of gray hair. As he walked forward, he gradually closed in, and the dragon saw the young man's handsome face, his ancient presence, his familiar gaze, and the time the Abyss Dragon always thought back upon with nostalgia. His arrival made it seem as if he brought the past with him, and the galaxy around him looked like it had stilled during that moment.

Once the Abyss Dragon saw Su Ming clearly, it trembled even more furiously. Those were tremors caused by agitation and disbelief. It had not expected that it would be able to meet an old friend in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.

"You…" The Abyss Dragon only managed to say one word before its eyes slowly fell shut. It was already extremely exhausted, and after going through despair, at the instant it saw Su Ming, its soul began to disperse.

Su Ming walked over to it and lifted his right hand to gently place it on the Abyss Dragon's wound and blood ridden head. With it, the Abyss Dragon's fading soul began converging once again, and all its wounds were instantly healed.

It was with this touch that Su Ming learned of what had happened. Xiao Huang's power had been abrogated, so the dragon could only bring out power equivalent to those in Man Cultivation Realm. Because of that touch, Su Ming also learned that the Dragon Tendon was missing.

Su Ming did not know how many years the dragon had been in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, but he could imagine that the life of one who could only bring out the power of those in Man Cultivation Realm must have been filled with hardships even if they only were around for several dozens of years.

Not to mention that Su Ming saw numerous injuries on the Abyss Dragon's body as it recovered. In fact, some of them were old, a telling sign that they had been left hundreds of years ago. There were even some injuries on the Abyss Dragon which were... nearly fatal.

Su Ming was infuriated.

He was truly enraged. But besides anger, he also felt worry. He did not know why the Abyss Dragon came to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. He only knew that he had saw it take Yu Xuan and leave when they were still in Yin Death Region to head towards the Emperor of Abyss' True World.

Yet now, it had appeared in this place. Then… where was Yu Xuan?

"I am a daylily in the rain… This is the name my mother gave me. She wanted me to forget the sadness in my life and be happy forever…" Yu Xuan's voice seemed to echo in Su Ming's ears, lingering there for a long time.

When Su Ming fell silent, the two middle-aged men not too far away were shivering. The shock on their faces was incredibly great. They could not see through Su Ming's level of cultivation, but they could sense a bloodthirst and murderous aura that they had never sensed before from him.

They had originally thought that they had killed plenty of people, and they were even proud of the invisible murderous aura that had formed around them, but the moment they saw Su Ming, they discovered to their disbelief, the heavy murderous aura on Su Ming's body was something they could not hope to compare to. Theirs was like the light of a firefly compared to a bright moon.

In fact, the mighty pressure Su Ming gave to them almost made these two people's minds break. Even when they were before their Progenitor, they had not faced such great pressure as this. With this in mind, they could immediately be certain that this person was at the very least at the peak of the middle stage of World Plane Realm, and there was even a high possibility… that he was an old monster in the later stage of World Plane Realm!

'This Abyss Dragon is the pet of someone in the later stage of World Plane Realm!' As the two people's hearts shook, they saw Su Ming fall silent, and without any hesitation, they grabbed the woman who had become dazed and fell back in frenzy.

Ever since they came under the Progenitor's wing, they had never fled in this manner. They instantly moved with great desperation, but as they moved back, they saw Su Ming lift his head. During that instant, they roared together, and veins popped up on their faces. They pushed the dazed woman thousands of feet away before they shouted at her, "Young mistress, run!!"

"GO!!!"

The woman trembled. The change had happened too quickly, and she found herself somewhat unable to accept what was going on. At that moment, as the two middle-aged men roared, she turned around and fled with an incredible speed.

Almost at the moment she turned around, a shrill scream of pain came from the area behind her. She was familiar with the owner of that voice. It belonged to one of the two middle-aged men.

Her heart ached. Tears fell down her eyes, but she could no longer repent. As the shadow of death loomed over her head, she experienced fear from the depths of her heart for the first time in her life.

"Your loyalty is commendable, but you won't be able to escape death."

Killing intent shone in Su Ming's eyes. He pulled back his right index finger and looked at one of the two middle-aged men in the initial stage of World Plane Realm. His body had shattered. Once he was shredded to pieces, Su Ming cast his gaze on the other person.

That man's face was pale. He was incredibly certain that Su Ming was an old monster in the later stage of World Plane Realm. Even the Progenitor would be a mere ant before this person. The difference between them was like heaven and earth, so he was unable to manifest any will to fight against him.

"I…"

The middle-aged man's face was pale. When he saw that Su Ming had lifted his right hand once again, madness appeared on his face, which was filled with despair. His cultivation base and his soul burst swiftly into flames at the same time, and he charged towards Su Ming as if he had gone mad, choosing to self-destruct.

However, while self-destruction would be an effective move against many since it was an Art that caused death… but before an Abyss Builder, as long as that Abyss Builder had awakened, it would mostly be useless, especially since Su Ming had already somewhat understood the will of summer in his Life Matrix through his epiphanies.

He lifted his right hand and swung forward. A feeling of time filled the middle-aged man's body. In an instant, time reversed about him, and he went back from the state of self-destruction to the moment before he triggered it, but it did not stop there. Time was still flowing in reverse, and so his face gradually stopped being that of a middle-aged man's, but became that of a young man, then a teenager, and several breaths later, after an unknown of time flowed in reverse on him, his body was reduced to ashes.

Once he finished doing all this, Su Ming turned his head around and cast the sleeping Abyss Dragon a look. It was in deep sleep, and it was clear that it had been a long time since it had rested like this. When he saw that the wounds on its body were healing, a gentle look appeared in Su Ming's eyes.

"Sleep. I am here, so you will be safe," Su Ming mumbled. He tapped the dragon lightly with his right hand and put it away into his storage bag before turning his head around to look in the direction in which the woman was leaving, and the chilling glare in his eyes appeared once again.

It did not matter whether the person was a woman or a man, nor whether they were ugly or pretty, all of these things were just their outward appearances and were superficial in Su Ming's eyes. They had nothing to do with him.

He only needed to know that a person wanted to kill Xiao Huang, and that was enough.

"If Yu Xuan was around, she definitely would not have let you suffer so much with the way she was. But she isn't around, so I'll be the one to help you," Su Ming said gently and took a step forward.

He did not rush after that woman, but started walking slowly towards her.

Because of that, a powerful and mighty pressure could be formed. That pressure gathered on the woman, causing her to almost sink into despair in the mid of her fear, making her experience what the Abyss Dragon went through when she had been chasing it down in cold-blood just then.

She shivered. Despair and fear filled her heart and soul. This feeling almost caused her to descend into madness. Tears continued falling down her eyes, and in her fear, she continued escaping nonstop.

Su Ming followed her calmly, occasionally lifting his right index finger to point at her. A bloody gash would immediately appear on the woman's body, and when her blood gushed out, a jade bottle would fly out from Su Ming's storage bag. Once it caught her blood, it would continue floating in the area to be retrieved at any time.

An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. He did not think that he was boasting about his status because of the difference between their levels of cultivation or that he was doing something that was unbefitting of his level of cultivation. In Su Ming's mind, the phrase 'using one's strength to bully the weak' was something that if he needed to do towards enemies, he would find no problems with doing.

He would use a similar method when faced with those of a high level of cultivation as to those with a lower level of cultivation. He would not mind persecuting either of them in such a manner.

Su Ming didn't think that there was anything wrong with his actions. As long as he thought that he should be doing so, then no one could change it. In truth, the person who understood him the most was Yue Hong Bang. Describing him as temperamental was indeed an apt description.

Temperamental and willful. No law or rule could restrain Su Ming's actions, because he didn't believe that his actions were wrong.

'I will chase you down just like how you had chased down Xiao Huang.' This was the simplest way to describe Su Ming's thoughts.

Time passed. The woman's hair was a mess by the time a day had passed with her being chased. Her consciousness had almost faded away, her face was pale, her body was covered in wounds, and blood continued flowing out. It was continuously taken by Su Ming, and the pressure brought by this had left her in extreme despair.

There was still about an entire day before she could reach the Progenitor's cave abode, but her mind could no longer withstand this torment. Eventually, she stopped running away and instead turned around to plead for mercy from Su Ming.

"Senior, please spare me! I know I've done wrong, as long as you don't kill me, I will do anything you ask!" The woman was beautiful. At that moment, her clothes were in tatters and could not hide her body, giving her a tempting charm.

"Anything?" Su Ming asked lightly.

"Anything!" The woman seemed to have thought of something and instinctively bit her lip. A red flush immediately appeared on her cheeks, and the desire to continue living became extremely strong in her heart.

Chapter 859: The Bald Crane's Excitement

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming cast the woman called Yu Luo a look. She was rather good-looking. Her body was curvaceous, and a large portion of her skin was revealed as it was now difficult for her tattered clothes to cover her up. With the shivers born from fear and the desire to live shining in her eyes, she was filled with an air that would cause the hearts of men to pump with excitement.

Her expression, the color of her face, and the look in her eyes all said that she was willing to pay any sort of price, was willing to do anything. In fact, she was even willing to be ravaged any way Su Ming wanted.

Su Ming's expression remained as calm as ever as he slowly walked towards the woman. When he approached her, Yu Luo instinctively wanted to dodge, but after a moment of hesitation, she gritted her teeth and stood there, simply allowing Su Ming to get closer to her. By then, their bodies were almost touching.

In fact, she only needed to lean forward slightly and she would fall into Su Ming's embrace. He lowered his head slightly, and by the looks of it, he seemed as if he was going to kiss her lips.

Yu Luo's heart thumped loud in her chest. As the sound rose and fell, her cheeks gradually gained a red flush, and her eyes shone with a woman's charm. It did not matter what sort of request Su Ming would make; she would do her best to curry his favor in order to survive.

Su Ming was about to touch the woman's slightly parted lips, but right at the instant he was about to kiss her, he moved his head to her ear and stopped there.

"I may choose not to kill you, as long as you…" When Su Ming whispered, his words traveled straight into Yu Luo's ear.

As she listened to his voice, she lifted her hands to place them on her clothes. Her face turned even redder, and the gaze in her eyes turned even more alluring.

Yet right at the moment she was about to undress herself, he spoke once again,

"As long as you run like you did just now," he said flatly and lifted his head. He moved hundreds of feet back and put on a smile on his face.

Yu Luo shivered. She stared at Su Ming as her expression changed nonstop. Right when anger born from humiliation rose in her heart, despair reared its head once more. She might have been pampered and cared for since she was young, but she had still seen quite a number of cultivators with different personalities. However, none of them had ever terrified her like the person in front of her right then.

Just as she was about to speak, Su Ming's smile turned into an indifferent one. He lifted his right hand and swung his arm, stirring up a violent gust of wind that swept up Yu Luo and flung her into the distance.

…..

Time had a very mysterious law. To those who were happy, the passing of time seemed as if it was so quick that it was hard to notice it. In the blink of an eye, it would be gone. However, to those who were in torment, time would pass in a terrifyingly slow manner.

This was the case for Yu Luo. As she fled during the last half of a day before she reached her home, she felt as if she had fallen into hell, as if she was submerged in the endless passage of time, and it was moving at an incredibly slow pace.

She was extremely weakened. Her face was pale, and she had lost a large amount of blood, which was all retrieved languidly by the nightmarish existence behind her, who would then continue chasing her at a relaxed pace.

Her consciousness had become clouded and her mind had broken down. The only thing that remained in her mind were Su Ming's words telling her to flee, to continue running.

She did so until a group of meteors floating in the galaxy finally appeared before her. This was her home. At the instant she saw the group of meteors, Yu Luo looked as if she had recovered a hint of her sanity. A strong light appeared in her eyes, and she became slightly faster, instantly heading towards a large stone.

"Progenitor, save me!" At the instant she landed on the meteor, she let out a forlorn cry. When her voice echoed in space, she lost all her strength and collapsed on the ground unconscious.

Su Ming stood in the galaxy and looked at the large group of meteors before him, then watched Yu Luo collapsing on one of them. He heard her forlorn cry echoing in space, but even several breaths later, there was no answer.

The unconscious Yu Luo did not know that her Progenitor did not appear.

Another three breaths passed before Su Ming spoke lightly.

"Not coming out, hmm?" He lifted his right hand and swung it in the air. The overlapping shadows of the Divine Essence Runic Symbols in his eye shone abruptly, then flew out from his eye to surround him before spreading out swiftly.

Loud booms instantly broke the silence. As they reverberated in space, most of the meteors were reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye. The destruction continued, as if it would not stop until all meteors were destroyed.

An anguished sigh came from the collapsing meteors, and an old man in a long blue robe walked out from one of them. That old man had a head full of white hair, and when he walked, he cast a complicated glance at the unconscious Yu Luo, then once he looked at Su Ming, he lowered his head.

"Senior, please calm down. I am Yu Han, a member of the extended family of Yu Family in Black Ink Planet. I have been ordered to keep watch over the members of the family in space. Our daughter of the family, Yu Luo, is young and ignorant, please spare her, and I will definitely offer you great gifts in return." The old man was incredibly respectful as he wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed deeply towards Su Ming.

A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He cast the old man a glance, but did not speak. He did not even ask what gifts the old man would give him in order to solve this matter. He turned around and walked into the distance, without paying any more attention to the old man.

The old man was momentarily stunned by Su Ming's actions, but once a barely noticeable spark shone in his eyes, he immediately took a few steps forward and bowed towards Su Ming again.

"Senior, please wait. I am also at fault in this matter because I have not taught the child properly. I will definitely offer you a satisfactory conclusion to this matter. Senior, since you came to Black Ink Planet, you should be here to attend Black Ink Planet's famous Barren Lands Auction or to head over to Divine Essence Star Ocean to fight against those from the alien race. I have a map detailing part of Divine Essence Star Ocean here with me, which can help you save a lot of time." As the old man spoke, he immediately brought out a piece of beast skin from his bosom, as if he was worried that Su Ming would leave. There were a few lines drawn on it, and it seemed like a map.

Yet strangely, this map was not printed on a jade slip, but was drawn on a beast skin, which was a more primitive manner of drawing a map.

Su Ming's footsteps came to a halt and he turned around to cast the old man a look with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

With it, the old man's heart let out a thump, as if all the secrets he hid in his heart were seen through with that one glance, as if everything about him was laid bare before Su Ming. This feeling immediately turned into a sense of danger that rose swiftly in the old man's heart.

"Senior…" The old man's heart pounded against his chest, but he put on an even more respectful expression. When he spoke instinctively, he suddenly saw Su Ming lifting his right hand to seize the space beside him, and the beast skin in his hand immediately flew out appear in Su Ming's hands.

Su Ming held the beast skin and cast it a few scrutinizing looks before turning around and leaving.

The old man's heart trembled, and his expression changed several times. He did not expect that this person would leave just like that after coming to this place in such an aggressive manner and killing all the members in his family. He came in such a flashy manner, yet left without a sound.

This made all the preparations he had done to have completely turned to waste.

This made him anxious, and he took a few steps forward to speak again.

"Senior! Senior, please wait! I haven't given you all the gifts yet, there's still… There're still a large amount of crystals I would like to give you to help you succeed in whatever you want to buy during the auction."

These words had no effect on Su Ming, but the moment they were spoken, the bald crane's figure appeared in the space beside him. Its eyes shone and sparkled brilliantly as if there were crystals contained in its eyes as it looked at the old man.

"How many crystals?!" it instantly shouted excitedly.

The old man hesitated for a moment before he gritted his teeth and said, "Three million crystals!"

The bald crane let out a shrill scream, and as its body shivered, it stared intently at the old man. Its expression and gaze were filled with a ferocious air, as if it wanted to swallow the old man whole. Its body also grew larger in space, as if it could not control itself. In the blink of an eye, it had already grown to become several hundreds of feet big.

When the old man heard the bald crane's shrill scream and saw its gigantic body as well as its ferocious expression, his heart shuddered and he took a few steps back to quickly speak up once again.

"Three million crystals are just the start, there will be three million more to come. Senior, please calm down. Please calm down."

It would have been better if he had not said such words. Once they left his mouth, the bald crane screamed even louder, and the shudders in its body seemed to have reached an extreme state. Its expression caused the old man to be nervous, but Su Ming knew… that the bald crane was just too excited.

The shock from the three million crystals was enough to make the bald crane go mad, but when the old man said that there were three million more to come, that number turned into an even greater stimulation that caused the bald crane's mind to become a mess.

"Ten million. I'm willing to give you ten million crystals as an apology." When the old man saw that the gigantic featherless bird-like creature behaving in such a ferocious and crazed manner, he thought that the number of crystals he was offering was too few, enraging it, which was why he grit his teeth and quickly offered ten million.

At the instant he offered ten million crystals, the bald crane's eyes bulged out and its body shuddered a few times before its eyes rolled backwards and it fainted.

This scene made the old man become even more nervous. Su Ming sighed. He knew that the bald crane had never expected that it would get ten million crystals. This shock came too suddenly, and the crane was stimulated so much that it fainted.

Su Ming shook his head and no longer chose to leave. Instead, he turned around and looked at the old man. A chilling glare shone in his eyes. There was something about this old man. It was something Su Ming had thought when he appeared in this place just now, and after probing around a little, he obtained his answer.

The old man seemed to be thinking of ways to lure Su Ming towards where he was.

"Is the person you're waiting for still not here yet?" he asked flatly.

When he said these words, the old man's heart trembled, but his expression remained as it did, though he did put on a stunned look.

"Senior…"

"I promised the woman that as long as she continued running, I wouldn't kill her, and since you didn't go after the Abyss Dragon, I originally did not consider taking your life, but planned to just punish you lightly.

"But since you schemed against me, then there is no need for me to let things end this way." Su Ming cast the old man a look, and his lips curled up into a cold sneer. He lifted his right hand and pointed towards the old man.

With it, distortions instantly appeared in space, and a destructive power gathered together with a bang to rush towards the old man.

The old man's expression changed. At the instant he retreated, he shouted.

"A strong enemy has invaded our territory! Main family, please take action!"

At the instant he said these words, the meteor on which he stood exploded with a loud bang. The ripples of power that belonged to a Rune rose out. That meteor was a Relocation Rune that not even Su Ming had managed to discover just then.

Chapter 860: Would You like to Become Our Guest?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

This was a two-way Relocation Rune. It connected two places, allowing people enter and leave through either of the sides.

If Su Ming had stepped on that meteor just now, then since the Rune was in constant ready more, once it went into operation, he would have been forcefully relocated to a specific region, and the powerful warriors from the Yu Family in that place would have attacked at the same time.

Su Ming might not have discovered that there was a Relocation Rune contained within the meteor, but he had determined that there was something off based on the old man's actions.

The other's attempt to hide was too fake in Su Ming's eyes.

However, there were some strange aspects to this sort of concealment. Su Ming had indeed been unable to discover the man even though he had scanned the area with his Atman, just like how he had been unable to discover the Relocation Rune.

However, once Su Ming destroyed a large portion of the meteors with the runic symbols, the old man seemed to have been forced out. Yet in truth, if he truly wanted to flee, he could have left the area beforehand.

However, he did not leave. Instead, he chose to pretend to hide, then to come out. All of this was just to bait Su Ming into taking action and destroying some of the meteors.

This destruction was like a signal, like he was trying to achieve some sort of goal.

This area was where Yu Family's external faction stayed. The first thing the old man had said was a hasty conveying of his status and an explanation whom this area belonged to. All of this might seem normal, but in truth, he had done so intentionally.

Because of that, Su Ming could mostly determine what that person's goal had been: To ascertain that Su Ming had offended Black Ink Planet and the Yu Family.

If the old man had needed to ascertain this, then it would be much easier to explain what the he had previously done. Chasing down the Abyss Dragon had been his personal decision, and even if trouble arose because of this, it had nothing to do with the Yu Family, because it was all merely what he had done personally.

However… if Su Ming destroyed the meteors, then the old man could set up a gigantic sham and make this matter, which was originally just a personal matter of his, into a fight against Su Ming and his entire family.

After all, each and every single Relocation Rune set in the external factions were of great importance for a powerful family that could set a stronghold in Black Ink Planet and have their name ring through the entire Barren Lands of Divine Essence. Those Relocation Runes were part of their status. Once they were destroyed, it would be as if they had been slapped in the face, and they would definitely be unable to let this slide.

However, it was a pity for the old man, because Su Ming had managed to see that there was something off with his actions, and he did not step on the meteors, but had instead turned around to leave. This immediately caught the old man off guard. The members of the family would definitely look into the matter of the meteors being destroyed, and if Su Ming left, then with how strict the family was to its members, they would definitely be able to find clues leading to the truth, and at that time, he would have to face severe punishment.

After all, in his eyes, Su Ming was at the very least a cultivator at the peak of the middle stage of World Plane Realm. In fact, there was a high possibility that he was a powerful cultivator in the later stage of World Plane Realm.

Unless absolutely necessary, even the main family would not offend this sort of person.

That was why he had used the map as bait, wishing to lure Su Ming over. When he failed, he had spared no pains in using crystals as bait. However, when Su Ming had looked towards him with that gaze of his that seemed to be able to see through him, the old man knew that a deviation had occurred in his plan.

That was why he had changed his plan without any hesitation. Since the other refused to come over sp the old man could not send Su Ming to the main family, then he absolutely could not let him leave. If he could summon the main family here when Su Ming was still around, then… once they started fighting, this would no longer have too much connection to him.

Even after they found the reason for this in the future, the enmity would have already been born between the main family and this person, so they would no longer have a choice.

Loud booms came from the Rune. A piercing white light instantly spread out and swept through the area from the meteor. In the blink of an eye, it covered the entire area, and as the Rune was activated, three figures immediately walked out.

They were two men and one woman. One of them was a middle-aged man, and he had a somber expression. The other two behind him were young adults, but all three of them were sending out ripples of power that belonged to those in the middle stage of World Plane Realm.

The middle-aged man had already reached the peak of the middle stage of World Plane Realm. With this level of cultivation, he could already fight against Zhao Family's Progenitor. Even if he was still slightly weaker than the other, this man could already become an overlord of a region.

At the instant he saw the three people, Su Ming formed an impression towards Black Ink Planet. Just one Yu Family in there had let Su Ming see four cultivators in the middle stage of World Plane Realm, three cultivators in the initial one, and numerous in Heaven Cultivation Realm.

This was also clearly just the tip of the iceberg of the Yu Family!

Even though Su Ming did not know what sort of status Yu Family had in Black Ink Planet, he could tell from this hint of their power alone that Black Ink Planet… was an ancient planet that had existed even before the fifth True World was destroyed. It was the only planet that had broken the seal many years before Su Ming had arrived and the living beings within in had been able to venture out and escape from being suppressed by the four Great True Worlds.

It allowed this planet to become a cultivation planet that was not controlled by the four Great True Worlds! It was a free, lawless planet that became a gathering place for many old monsters in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.

The powerful were the rulers of Black Ink Planet. The four Great True Worlds did not pay attention to them, and no True Guards would dare come to the planet rashly, causing this place to seem rather chaotic. However, in truth, this planet became the place that gathered the most attention in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.

Most of the powerful warriors in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence gathered in this place. Cultivators in the later stage of World Plane Realm or those who had attained completion as well as those in Lunar Kalpa Realm along with those in Solar Kalpa Realm might be here as well.

If anyone compared Sinful Barren Lands to a jail, then the existence of Black Ink Planet would become the darkest place of this jail, but would also be the only source of dawning light at the same time.

Its geographical location prevented the four Great True Worlds from conquering it from afar, because on the other side of Black Ink Planet… was Divine Essence Star Ocean, the place that made the four Great True Worlds wary. It was the true place that they were fending against!

Because the alien races were in Divine Essence Star Ocean, some of the members of these alien races were remnants of the fifth True World in the past. However, most of them were mysterious alien races that possessed Divine Essence and were filled with an intimidating presence even while the fifth True World was still around.

No one knew where the alien races with Divine Essence came from, and very few people knew just how many of them there were in Divine Essence Star Ocean. They seemed to have formed their own cultivation system and rarely formed any form of contact with the world outside. However, based on his conversations with the Duke of Crimson Flame, Su Ming had been able to tell that besides the legendary existences that were the Kalpa Lord and the True Progenitor of the fifth True World, the powerful cultivators that were believed to not belong to the fifth True World… were from outer space. This 'outer space' could mean that they had come from other worlds, and could also mean… that they came from Divine Essence Star Ocean.

As the only transition point between Divine Essence Star Ocean and the four Great Galaxies of Sinful Barren Lands, it was impossible for Black Ink Planet to not become the most eye-catching place in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.

Su Ming had learned from some of other people's memories that Black Ink Planet connected Divine Essence Star Ocean with the four Great Galaxies. That was why it became a transition point for those who wanted to take the risk to enter Divine Essence Star Ocean. Over the course of numerous years, a large amount of items, treasures, and almost every sort of item imaginable had appeared in Black Ink Planet.

In fact, there were even members of alien races appearing in Black Ink Planet. These people could come and go as they pleased, which made this planet to become the only spot where members of both galaxies could trade.

Hence, a tradition was formed in Black Ink Planet countless years ago that shocked the entire Barren Lands of Divine Essence, and was even able to make True Guards hide their identity to come to this place.

That tradition was the auction.

Auction halls of various sizes became incredibly grand places in Black Ink Planet, and each one was managed by a family. The size of the auction hall was always the deciding factor for the family's status and power in Black Ink Planet. It would decide their rise and fall.

Since auctions were celebrated for being honest and strict, that was why the families that manage these auctions would gradually start forming their own family rules as they continued growing. These rules were mostly used to provide service for auctions, and they would offer different forms of protection as well as punishment towards a family member's overbearing attitude.

Su Ming had come to know these things when he obtained the memories of the people he devoured using the Art of Swallowing Hollow Shadows Whole. He looked at the three people walking out of the Rune with his usual calm expression.

"I am Yu Chen Hai. Greetings, fellow Daoist. How may I address you?" The middle-aged man who walked out of the Rune cast Su Ming a glance with a somber expression on his face. He might not be able to tell Su Ming's level of cultivation, but he could sense the murderous aura and the mighty pressure coming from him. Yet even so, his expression did not change as he wrapped his fist in his palm and spoke.

"Su Ming," Su Ming answered languidly. He did not use Mo Su's name because that name had quite the reputation in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. He did not know anything about Black Ink Planet, so it would be best for him to not make a fuss.

"I see, so you are fellow Daoist Su. May I know whether the Yu Family has offended you?" the middle-aged man asked in a somber tone.

The old man who was tasked to keep watch over the region was feeling incredibly nervous at that moment. He knew how strict the rules were in the family but had thought that the family would take action immediately after they arrived once they saw that most of the meteors had been destroyed. As long as they attacked, everything would be simple.

However, the members of the family who appeared did not immediately take action but instead started communicating with the person.

'I can't let them continue talking with each other!' The old man grit his teeth, then cast a swift glance at the unconscious Yu Luo by the side then began roaring. He went to Yu Luo's side, and when he lifted his head, his eyes were bloodshot. Rage burned in his eyes as he stared at Su Ming.

"You killed nearly one hundred of my family's disciples, made Yu Luo's fate unknown, destroyed most of the meteors here, and even wanted to kill me. I will definitely not let this slide. If you want to fight, then fight!" As the old man spoke, he rose up from the ground and charged towards Su Ming.

When the old man moved, a light crease appeared between the middle-aged man's brows. He could not figure out Su Ming's level of cultivation, but once he came to this place, he had scanned the area with his divine sense. When he saw the meteors and the old man's reaction, he formed his own judgment of the situation.

He was originally hesitant, but once he saw that a member of his family had attacked, he decided to attack to judge Su Ming's strength. However, just as he was about to move, a bright light suddenly appeared, and his foot, which had already taken a step forward, froze.

He saw Su Ming waving his arm as he stood in space, and immediately, a large amount of shining runic symbols appeared out of nowhere. As they spun in space, they surrounded the old man who was charging towards Su Ming. Once they formed multiple rings around him, they contracted, and as if they were sealing him, they encircled him and prevented him from moving. No matter how hard the old man struggled, he could not move even a single inch.

'A seal that can make a cultivator in the middle stage of World Plane Realm be unable to move!' The middle-aged man's eyes shone brilliantly, and once he cast an attentive glance at the runic symbols on the old man's body, he let out a hearty laugh and wrapped his fist in his palm before bowing to Su Ming.

"Fellow Daoist Su, with your power, it is clear that the members of the extended family have provoked you first. Please forgive us in regards to this matter. I will definitely report this to the family and punish this man as a response for you."

This time, the somber expression was gone from his face. His laughter was hearty, and there was a friendly attitude that was just pitched to the right level.

Yu Chen Hai's expression was sincere as he said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Su, do you happen to have a place to stay in Black Ink Planet? If you don't mind, would you like to be a guest of the Yu Family and receive our offerings?"

Chapter 861: Uphold Justice

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Yu Chen Hai's laughter was bright. The sincere expression on his face made it seem as if he already knew everything about what had happened here, just like he had said - he knew that his family member was the one at fault.

However, Su Ming did not believe it. No matter how strict the rules in a family were, they would still be protective of their own blood. Besides, his attitude had changed completely from a person who had a somber expression on his face and had seemed to want to attack at any time to test him without asking him anything and without trying to understand the situation just because Su Ming had executed a divine ability.

If there was something strange, then there definitely was something wrong going on.

"A guest?" Su Ming asked lightly.

"Yu Family is one of the many families in Black Ink Planet. We have our own auction hall, and it's one of the top three middle-sized auction halls in the planet. Fellow Daoist Su, if you're willing to become our guest, then you will receive thirty thousand crystals per month as an offering. You will also receive the White Jade Plate, which will allow you to obtain discounts in our auction hall and receive honorable treatment.

"We will also provide you a cave abode within our territory. There will be sufficient spiritual aura in it. You can request from us whatever you need. As long as it isn't a clone, we will agree to all your requests.

"The Yu Family will also not tie you down in any manner. You may leave at any time you please. You will have freedom in all your actions, and we won't need you to do anything on usual days. You just need to lend a hand during crucial moments. Every single time you help us, we will also offer you additional rewards.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you think?" Yu Chen Hai asked with a smile.

Su Ming was the only person in his eyes, and he did not even look at the old man from his family who was sealed. In fact, in Yu Chen Hai's mind, Su Ming who had a seal that could seal a cultivator in the middle stage of World Plane Realm was far more important than most other people. Even though Yu Chen Hai did not have the right to invite someone to become their family's guest and the recruitment of guests was incredibly strict in all families, it did not matter to him. He knew that only family elders had the right to invite guests and those guests' backgrounds had to be thoroughly investigated, but when he thought of Su Ming's Sealing Art, his heart burned with eagerness.

As long as Su Ming agreed to it, he could investigate his background on a later date and could use his own resources in exchange for the status of a temporary guest.

"Fellow Daoist Yu, aren't you afraid that I am a person with ulterior motives? Aren't you treating this as too much of a child's play by hastily inviting me to be your guest?" Su Ming's expression remained the same as he smiled faintly at Yu Chen Hai.

A glint appeared in Yu Chen Hai's eyes, and the smile on his face grew wider. As he shook his head, he wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming.

"It is only expected that you would be doubtful, Brother Su. I have indeed been rash in my actions…" Once he said these words, Yu Chen Hai hesitated for a moment. When he looked at Su Ming once again, he spoke in a decisive manner.

"Brother Su, I won't hide from you. I don't have the right to invite you as a guest, but I can invite you to be our temporary guest. Even if you do have an ulterior risk, I am willing to take this risk. I will take this gamble and believe in you." Yu Chen Hai's expression was incredibly sincere as he bowed deeply towards Su Ming.

"Oh? Let's hear it in detail," Su Ming said flatly.

"I might be a direct descendant of the family, but my status isn't high. Thanks to the kindness of the older generation, I have finally been given the right to host an auction. However, there are too few people by my side who can help me, and I also lack a person who is skilled in laying down seals.

"That is why I've thought of convincing you to be a guest once I saw your Sealing Art. Please forgive me for not being honest just now," Yu Chen Hai said sincerely. He could tell that Su Ming was not trying to get closer to him by saying these words, because Yu Chen Hai had only just learned that he was going to host an auction, and it was impossible for his competitors in the family to arrange a stranger who had extraordinary power to get closer to him in such a manner.

More importantly, it was by pure accident that he was relocated to this place and met Su Ming. The person who was originally supposed to come here was not him, but his father. He was merely coming to this area in his place, and his father, who was a family elder, would naturally not have let his son be harmed.

Besides, he could tell from some clues that Su Ming did not know just how important Sealing Arts were in Black Ink Planet. However, there was also something off about this. After all, the first attack Su Ming had delivered was to cast a seal.

"You need a person who is skilled with seals?" Su Ming looked at Yu Chen Hai.

"Brother Su, this must be your first time in Black Ink Planet. There are quite a number of people who know a few Sealing Arts in Black Ink Planet, but only a few of them can seal cultivators in the middle stage of World Plane Realm.

"With this Sealing Art of yours, you would be valued highly no matter which auction hall you went to. In fact, if someone acted as your recommendation, you could even be a valued existence in the three large auction halls.

"Forget the fact that those family members of mine would not be able to invite a powerful warrior like you to be our guest, even within the Yu Family, only three people are capable of doing such a feat as yours.

"If that is the case, then what should I be afraid of? Brother Su, please help me, I will definitely reward you greatly." Yu Chen Hai looked at Su Ming sincerely as he waited for his reply.

Su Ming pondered over his words for a moment before he stated slowly, "You still haven't told me why you need those Sealing Arts."

"To seal the treasures that will be auctioned. This time, I will be hosting the auction, but I don't have the resources to ask for the assistance of the three guests who are skilled in Sealing Arts in my family. I only have with me a few guests who are under the command of the older generation with whom I share my blood, but they might not be up to my satisfaction.

"This time, I will be putting a number of treasures from the alien races up on auction, and I will need a powerful warrior skilled in Sealing Arts to seal them so that they will not undergo a transformation," Yu Chen Hai quickly explained. In truth, he had only told Su Ming about a fifth of the truth. It was only natural that he did not tell him everything: That this time, Yu Family's auction would be the first official competition among the people of his generation.

There were six auctions in total, and there would be six different people who would host them. All of the older generations were not allowed to provide them with too much help, and it would entirely depend on their own abilities on how well they could organize the auctions.

This would determine the six people's positions in the family in the future. The fights both in the open and in secret have already started a long time ago.

In fact, even the auctioned items during the auction would be determined by their abilities. If they managed to bring to their side a cultivator that could seal those within the initial stage of World Plane Realm, then they could apply to auction off treasures that would require people to seal these treasures.

If they managed to bring to their side a cultivator who could seal those in the middle stage of World Plane Realm, then they could apply to auction off even higher quality treasures. Yu Chen Hai was certain that if he could auction off treasures of this caliber, then his chances of standing out among the other five would be incredibly high.

"As long as you agree to it, then I am willing to give you five million crystals as thanks in advance. Once I complete hosting the auction, I will give you ten million crystals extra to thank you.

"Brother Su, don't worry. The very first rule in Yu Family is that we must fulfill our promises!" Yu Chen Hai wrapped his fist in his palm once again.

Right when Yu Chen Hai finished saying these words, the unconscious bald crane by Su Ming's side opened its eyelids to reveal a pair of eyes that were shining with a brilliant light that was akin to the light of crystals. It was so excited that its body began trembling once again, eager to immediately agree to this matter.

However, just as it was about to speak to agree to the matter in Su Ming's place, it saw Su Ming glaring at it, and it immediately swallowed its words, but its heart was already bleeding in pain at the loss.

"Crystals, oh my crystals…" When the bald crane put on a dejected expression and looked as if it had suffered injustice, a focused glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He did not expect that this family in Black Ink Planet would have such financial power that ten million crystals would seem like a small number. This was a great difference compared to the other planets in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.

Based on his experience, he could tell that Yu Chen Hai had not told him the full story. However, the general picture he had given Su Ming should not be fake. At that moment, as he opened and closed his eyes, a smile appeared on Su Ming's lips.

"All those from the Yu Family will definitely fulfill their promises as long as they gave their word, you say?"

"That's right. This is the rule in Yu Family. You do not need to worry," Yu Chen Hai said with a smile."

"Is it the same for everyone?" Su Ming looked to the side.

Yu Chen Hai hesitated for a moment, but still could not truly grasp what Su Ming meant. "It's the same for everyone."

Su Ming let out a fake cough, then lifted his right hand to pointed towards the old man he had sealed by the side before he spoke in a relaxed manner.

"This person had promised to give me one billion crystals just now as an apology. Brother Yu, since you're here and you heard him make this promise, you should be a witness for me."

As Yu Chen Hai was momentarily stunned by his words, the old man who was sealed but still had his ability to hear widened his eyes and began struggling violently. Anger appeared in his eyes, and it was so great that it looked as if it could burn everything around, making him look as if he would definitely cry out in rage with all his strength if he could break free.

There was also despair and resentment amid that anger. It was a despair that came from his soul as well as a resentment that came from his heart, and they almost drove him mad.

The bald crane's eyes went wide, and its breathing quickened. Its body trembled in agitation as it looked at Su Ming again. Suddenly, it felt heartfelt admiration towards Su Ming, and felt that he had become incomparably great.

'Well, damn me. I thought that I was devious enough, but I didn't expect this, I honestly didn't expect this. This Su Ming usually doesn't reveal his real character, so I didn't expect him to be so sly. He just promised ten million crystals, but this Su Ming… said it was one billion!

'That middle-aged man named Yu Chen Hai wants to bring Su Ming to his side and will definitely act as a witness. This is… He's too unbelievable!

'Devious, truly devious. Little Devious Su, he's even more devious than I am… Looks like I'll have to learn from him. Yes, I'll definitely master this, and I'll surpass his abilities!'

"One… One billion?" Yu Chen Hai was momentarily stunned before he instinctively asked again to make sure. The eyes of the two people behind him also went wide, filled with a strange expression. They naturally saw that there was something off about this. They had never seen such brazen extortion in their lives.

"Hmm? Brother Yu, didn't you hear with your own ears just now that this person promised me one billion crystals? Could it be that he was lying to me?" Su Ming frowned and let out a cold harrumph. "I was thinking of becoming your guest, but if this person had so shamelessly lied to me, then I'll have to rethink this."

Yu Chen Hai could only laugh wryly. He cast a pitying glance at the old man, who was almost going mad in his despair but could only struggle and not speak, then immediately nodded towards Su Ming.

"That's right, I… heard… just now, but this person should not have that many crystals with him. Don't worry though, Brother Su, all his savings will belong to you, and if it's not enough, he will pay with his life!" Once he said these words, a resolute and ruthless look appeared in Yu Chen Hai's eyes.

'He's just a cultivator who forcefully rose to the middle stage of World Plane Realm with the use of a treasure from the alien race, and he won't be able to improve even the slightest bit for the rest of his life. He's also a member of the extended family. Even if he's under father's command… it'll be fine to sacrifice him.' Yu Chen Hai had already made his decision in his heart. When he looked towards Su Ming once again, his impression of him had changed by far too much.

"Thank you for upholding justice, Brother Yu. Then, when will we head to Black Ink Planet?" Su Ming smiled faintly.