1417 - 1425

Chapter 1417: Voice of His Life Matrix!

"That's the eighth voice!"

"Someone actually managed to let out the eighth Dao Spirit Voice in Seven Moons Sect?!"

"No wonder Seven Moons Sect would so arrogantly let this person sound his Dao Spirit Voice. Eight voices… should be his limit. It's already set in stone that if this person doesn't die, he will definitely become a Great Dao Paragon!"

"But there's something strange about this…"

All the sects and clans in Ancient Zang could sense the astonishing presence in Su Ming's Dao Spirit Voice at that moment. At the same time, they could also see his face in the ripples in the sky. As the ground trembled, they also sensed his presence.

Perhaps average cultivators would only feel their hearts tremble when they witnessed the fusion of the face and the presence, but those in Avacaniya Realm were left shocked. The old monsters in Dao Divinity Realm could sense a sort of signal from the face and the presence!

"Could it be?"

"Could it be?"

"Could it be?"

The same words echoed in all the sects and clans at that moment, and it was the effect Seven Moons Sect wanted. If they could see Su Ming and sense what was different about him, then the other old monsters in the other sects could clearly sense it as well!

It was especially so… when Su Ming's face and presence spread through most of Ancient Zang with his Dao Spirit Voice without any reservation. Gradually, cries of surprise rang out in the sects and clans!

"This is the presence of a royal prince!"

"Seven Moons Sect is telling all sects and clans that they… are participating in the competition of the successors!"

"Which prince is this?! Most people don't know which sects or clans the three princes belong to! Seven Moons Sect is the first to notify the others about this matter so arrogantly!"

"This Seven Moons Sect sure is crazy. Right now, there surely must be a war outside Seven Moons Sect, and those who join the fight will certainly be the other two sects or clans who have joined the competition of successors. If we want to know… we just need to take a look!"

Such speeches existed practically in all the sects and clans. Runes shone, and figures disappeared. During that instant… the world around Seven Moons Sect immediately became incredibly lively.

By then, Su Ming's consciousness had practically faded away while he was in Seven Moons Sect's sky, but his body continued levitating. With his cultivation base, he had sounded four Dao Spirit Voices, with his four great wills, he had sounded four more Dao Spirit Voices, and he had managed to reach eight Dao Spirit Voices.

But even so, Su Ming still refused to give up. He wanted to sound the ninth voice. He wanted all of Ancient Zang to be filled with his Dao Spirit Voice. He wanted to reach his limit… because his goal was not to become a Great Dao Paragon. His goal was to become a ninth level Dao God and reach Boundless Dao!

Deep in his heart, he also had a desire. He wanted to let this voice enter Xuan Zang's body, which would be a strike back amid the many jumbled attacks and illusions Xuan Zang dealt to him while in the process of being Possessed!

By then, Su Ming's life force had scattered so much that it was practically gone. The only thing keeping him conscious at that moment was his will.

In silence, he slowly lifted his head. With unfocused eyes, he stared at the sky. He did not pay attention to the rumbles around him nor watch the fight between Seven Moons Sect and Asura Clan, because at that moment, he only had one thought in his mind.

To sound the ninth Dao Spirit Voice!

Su Ming levitated in the air. His silence was seen by the countless cultivators in the area at that moment. Among them were people from Seven Moons Sect, Asura Clan, and other sects and clans who had witnessed everything after they came from afar.

When they all looked at Su Ming, they immediately noticed something off about him at that moment. If a cultivator did not have the intent to sound the ninth Dao Spirit Voice, they would retrieve their divine sense and go through… the metamorphosis of their Dao Body into a Dao Spirit!

They had to do this to replenish all the life force they had drained, but Su Ming did not do that. Instead, he levitated in midair. This action immediately caused all the people to make guesses.

"Could it be… that he wants to sound the ninth Dao Spirit Voice?!"

"Even if… he's a prince, it's impossible for him to sound the ninth Dao Spirit Voice. The blood of the royal family is mostly for passing down legacies. They aim to inherit the world so that they… will have the right to become ninth level Dao Gods!

"This is the use of the legacy. There has never been a prince who became a Great Dao Paragon based on his own efforts. At most… they have only reached Dao Immortal Realm!"

"Could it be that he really intends to sound the ninth voice?!"

"If this person can truly do this, then he will immediately become famous, and all the cultivators in Ancient Zang will know about him. Once he lets out nine voices, he will definitely become a Great Dao Paragon in the future, if he doesn't die early!"

"The eighth voices can shock people, but they will definitely not be stunned. Only… the ninth voice can bring about amazement!"

At that moment, the cries of surprise from all the outer sect disciples outside Seven Moons Sect created a loud noise that surged into the heavens. Even the Asura Clan cultivators who were fighting against Seven Moons Sect were all shocked. They moved back, as if their battle against Seven Moons Sect was secondary compared to Su Ming's actions at that moment!

They wanted to personally see whether this prince… truly wanted to sound the ninth Dao Spirit Voice. They wanted to see whether he could send his voice into the royal capital and make his face in the sky turn from a jumbled mess into a clear outline, and whether he could turn the rumbles in the world into his own voice!

It would be… a major event that would make all of Ancient Zang tremble!

The hearts of all cultivators in Seven Moons Sect shook at that moment, and they lifted their heads to look at Su Ming. There was excitement on Gu Tai's face. The mention of ninth voice had only been a passing thought. He longed for Su Ming to succeed, but he knew in his heart that it was nigh impossible, but still, at that moment, strong hope showed up in his eyes.

At that instant, the ground fell silent. The powerful warriors and old monsters from Asura Clan standing beyond the Runes around Su Ming all chose to give up on attacking. Instead, they moved back, and when they looked at Su Ming… respect shone in their eyes!

They saw how pathetic and disheveled Su Ming looked at that moment. They saw how drained he was, as if his life force was giving its last sparks before it was extinguished, but they also saw the determination shining in his unfocused eyes!

They might be enemies, but the powerful warriors and old monsters still felt respect for Su Ming! They respected a person who could sacrifice everything about themselves for their cultivation! They respected his Dao Spirit Voice and his attitude towards his path of cultivation, because in the depths of all their hearts, regardless of whether they had sounded their Dao Spirit Voices before or they had yet to gain the right, was either regret that they had never managed to sound the ninth voice… or longing for the day they could sound the ninth voice!

This respect caused them to give up on attacking at that moment. Once they moved back… they gave Su Ming peace that would not be interrupted.

It allowed him to be able to attempt sounding his ninth Dao Spirit Voice!

"This will be… the voice of my Life Matrix," Su Ming murmured in the silence.

His voice spread out along the ripples in the sky above Ancient Zang and the rumbles of the ground to fill all the regions in Ancient Zang besides the royal capital!

It also reached the ears of practically all cultivators in Ancient Zang, causing all the sects and clans to instantly fall silent!

One Dao Sect also fell silent. The rumbling sounds in the volcano faded away at that moment, and the eldest prince lifted his head to look at the sky. He did not speak.

The second prince on the beast in Asura World had a ferocious look on his face. He was also staring at the sky and not speaking.

All the cultivators, no matter what they were doing, stared at the sky quietly at that moment. Echoing in their heads were Su Ming's words. They were waiting for the next moment… for the possible success of the ninth voice that would stun all of Ancient Zang!

"My Life Matrix is one of midwinter moving to spring, of death moving to life…"

As Su Ming murmured, his unfocused eyes burned with determination and set fire to his madness. At that moment, an illusion appeared in the air above him. It was a huge diamond-shaped Rune formed by countless runic symbols. No one could understand them, but there were no divine abilities contained in them. Only Su Ming himself knew that each runic symbol symbolized a piece of his memory!

They were his memories from Harmonious Morus Alba, which formed his Life Matrix. The next instant, ice and snow, autumn leaves, the blazing sun, and life force appeared in the Life Matrix!

Then, it turned black. The originally bright sky above Seven Moons Sect instantly turned into night despite the fact that it should be morning. The night sky swiftly spread out, and then… the sky above the entire Ancient Zang turned dark!

Darkness enveloped the land. At the instant all shadows replaced light, Su Ming… let out his ninth Dao Spirit Voice in the dark—the voice of his Life Matrix!

It was no longer a roar, but a soft sigh. In held Su Ming's memories, his determination, desire, and everything in his life. In an instant, they had turned into a sigh and spread through all of Ancient Zang…

All the cultivators who heard it were stunned on the spot. Complicated looks appeared on their faces. As the voice traveled outwards, it entered the royal capital at the center of the country, which the previous eight Dao Spirit Voices had been unable to penetrate… It was filled with the sigh at that moment—the ninth voice that belonged solely to Su Ming!

His voice continued echoing in the air. It reverberated without end through Ancient Zang. All the sects and clans were silent, having yet to wake up from the trance induced by the sigh.

At that moment, there was an old man dressed in a gray long robe beside the moat of the royal capital. He wore a straw hat and held an enchanted staff. He slowly raised his head and looked at the sky, then a faint smile appeared on his old face.

Chapter 1418: With One Move, He Amazed the World!

There was a kindness in that smile, along with happiness and hope… If anyone looked in the direction of the man's gaze, they could see that Su Ming's face… which originally could not be complete, had fully manifested at that instant.

The illusion was originally distorted, but right then… a huge face appeared in the stretch of sky, and needless to say, that face belonged to Su Ming!

His face was incredibly clear, and all the people in Ancient Zang saw it clearly at that instant…

It did not belong to Wang Tao, however, but Su Ming!

It was weatherworn, full of sorrow, and layered with a ferocious attitude towards destiny. All of those emotions were clear on the face.

Time seemed to have stopped at that moment. When the sigh echoed in the air, it gradually spread out, and some of it… seemed to have traveled out of Ancient Zang, and perhaps out of the body of the black-robed man who might or might not be sitting on a Feng Shui compass in the Vast Expanse while holding a black feather in his hand.

Once Su Ming let out the ninth sigh, the seemingly dead black-robed man surrounded by the aura of death who was lost in the Vast Expanse that might or might not exist… opened his mouth to sigh softly, just as Su Ming had done. But no one knew about it.

His face had also changed slightly at that moment. He seemed… to have become somewhat similar to Su Ming.

When Su Ming's sigh that was his ninth voice gradually faded away in Ancient Zang, rumbles rose swiftly from the ground. Su Ming's voice seemed to be contained within them. All the cultivators from the sects snapped out of their daze at that instant. Immediately after, shock and disbelief appeared on their faces.

"The sigh just now… was the ninth voice?"

"This is… the ninth voice… the ninth voice that has been sounded out less than fifty times since the ancient times…"

"The ninth voice. It's the voice that guarantees that a person will become a Great Dao Paragon as long as they do not die…"

All the sects were shocked. When their cries of surprise echoed in the air, a man in a white long robe within a world known as Asura Dao—which was Asura Clan's forbidden grounds—lifted his head and stared at the sky while sitting on one of the world's tallest mountains.

He appeared to be incredibly normal. The presence of the powerful could not be detected on him, and he seemed just like a mortal, but in truth… while there were few who had personally seen him in all of Ancient Zang, the legends about him had existed and circulated in the country for a long time!

He was one of the three ninth level Dao Gods in Ancient Zang, and his name… was Tian Xiu Luo!

There was a mortal village to the northwest of Ancient Zang. All the mortals in it were asleep at that moment. They could not hear Su Ming's Dao Spirit Voice. While the entire village was sleeping, there was an old man cutting wood in his own yard. The hacking sounds echoed in the quiet village…

When Tian Xiu Luo looked at the sky with a calm expression, the old man lifted his head and cast a glance at it before he no longer paid any attention to it. He continued cutting wood, seemingly preparing for winter.

Aside from Tian Xiu Luo, the old man, and the person in the straw hat in the royal capital, there was another person who was not thrown into a daze by the sigh. His mind remained clear. He stood in the astronomy tower of Ancient Zang's palace. Wind blew against his robes, making them flutter. His hands were behind his back as he stared at the sky quietly. Only his back could be seen, not his face.

As time passed and the booming sounds continued echoing in the air, all the disciples in the sects and clans snapped out of their daze. Their shocked cries of surprise traveled in every direction. At that moment, all the people who surrounded Seven Moons Sect stared at Su Ming in astonishment.

Excitement showed up on Gu Tai's face. He stared at Su Ming as if he could see Seven Moons Sect's future as well as the future of all their members. At that moment, all the disciples from Asura Clan, whether they were on the ground or the sky, all stared at Su Ming with complicated expressions while staying silent.

It was especially so for the powerful warriors from Asura Clan who had given up on attacking due to respect. At that moment, when they looked at Su Ming, their respect for him became even more stronger. They respected Su Ming for his attitude towards his path of cultivation and for having the certainty of becoming a Great Dao Paragon in the future so long as he did not die.

There was no longer any meaning to the fight. In silence, the powerful warriors from Asura Clan fell back. As they retreated, the Asura Clan disciples on the ground all moved back as well and turned into long arcs that left the place. During that time, Su Ming suddenly lifted his head, and with his almost lustreless eyes, he glanced at his face, which occupied the whole sky, opened his mouth, and sucked in a sharp breath!

With it, endless rumbles immediately appeared in the sky. When they spread through Ancient Zang, Su Ming's face in the sky immediately charged at him. It instantly fused into his body, filling him with an abundance of life force.

At the same time, the tremors on the ground calmed down. The rumbles from earlier also sounded as if they were tumbling backwards, turning into howls that charged towards Su Ming.

In the blink of an eye, he absorbed them. His will returned to his body, his cultivation base was restored, his life force became even more abundant than before, and the three Dao Bodies in his third eye fused and overlapped with each other before letting out a silver light!

The silver light was a Dao Spirit color only those who had sounded nine Dao Spirit Voices could possess. It was impossible for people who sounded any other number of Dao Spirit Voices to have this color. It was a sign that Su Ming had reached a Dao Spirit Realm that was completely different from other people!

The silver light spread through Seven Moons Sect and illuminated all of Ancient Zang, which made everyone see their sect as they had never seen it before.

When the three Dao Bodies fused with one another and the silver light appeared, Su Ming's cultivation base swiftly increased, and from Quasi Dao Spirit Realm, he moved into Dao Spirit Realm. In fact, during that moment, a fourth illusory figure could also be seen overlapping with his Dao Spirit. It was… his fourth Dao Spirit. However, it had just gained form at that moment and had not completely manifested!

But at that moment, Su Ming's combat prowess had increased by a lot!

His face had also become known in all of Ancient Zang. He was a person who amazed the whole land with a single action! Be it the eldest prince or second prince, it was something that they desired greatly as well, but could not manage to do.

Su Ming stood in the air and sucked in a deep breath. Even firmer resolve appeared in his eyes, but hidden in the depths of that resolve was a hint of sadness. He missed… his Master and senior brothers from the ninth summit, his elder, the bald crane, Cang Lan, Yu Xuan, and Xu Hui.

"The sigh of my Life Matrix at night… is because I miss all of you," he whispered.

Chapter 1419: Let the Young'Un Stay

Stars glittered in the sky. After some time, they gradually disappeared, and the night sky faded away as well. When noon returned, all the people in Ancient Zang also woke up.

It was as if those people had never come to know the nine Dao Spirit Voices and it was just a dream they had after falling asleep…

After retrieving his cultivation base back into his body, Su Ming descended, and the cultivators who had spread out around Seven Moons Sect returned to the sect while looking at Su Ming with respect.

There were inner sect disciples and the sect elders among them, and one of them… was Lan Lan.

Gu Tai and the other great sect elders turned into long arcs and arrived next to Su Ming. Xu Zhong Fan's expression was the most excited. As for the others, most of them had a hint of respect on their faces when they looked at Su Ming.

They respected the powerful. Even if Su Ming was still just in Dao Spirit Realm, he had sounded the ninth Dao Spirit Voice, which meant that sooner or later, he would become a Great Dao Paragon that they could only dream of becoming themselves.

They could also imagine that before long, there would definitely be cultivators from other sects who would come to Seven Moons Sect to talk about forming an alliance. After all, the competition between the successors… was a shortcut for the cultivators of every sect to reach a breakthrough in their levels of cultivation!

Even though the price for it was incredibly great and they would have to face the risk of dying, the temptation was too great. It was enough to make most people come forth willingly. After all, no matter how long a person could live, it could not compare to reaching a breakthrough in one's level of cultivation!

After all, those who could not obtain true growth yearned for it, and those who had already come in contact with it longed for it even more. They wanted to be able to take one more step forward in their paths of cultivation.

Dao was even more important than life! Only those with this sort of attitude were able to reach high levels of cultivation. As for those who valued their lives and believed that their lives were more important than Dao, they were bound… to never be able to reach the Realms of those who valued Dao more than life.

There were once people who said that those who pursued Dao were willing to die the moment they caught a glimpse of it! No matter in what place or what world, as long as there were cultivators in it, that sentence… would always form a sort of attitude!

That was why even Great Sect Elder Gu Tai had respect on his face when he looked at Su Ming. It was just like how the powerful warriors from Asura Clan had given up on attacking when Su Ming let out the voice of his Life Matrix. Their respect for Dao itself was something that could not be sullied.

Gu Tai stared at Su Ming, and after a long while, he spoke in an ancient and hoarse voice. "I did not expect you… to truly be able to sound the ninth voice!"

He did not think that Su Ming would really be capable of performing such a feat, and the other great sect elders did not even think that Su Ming would choose to sound the ninth voice. Dao Han stared at Su Ming. At that moment, he suddenly understood why Great Sect Elder Gu Tai regarded Su Ming so highly and with such importance. Perhaps… he did not value Su Ming's status as the third prince, but Su Ming himself!

Su Ming shook his head. He did not speak, but instead stared at the sky in the distance. His ninth sigh was an ache that others would never be able to understand. There was nothing to brag about there.

He wished that he had never let out the voice of his Life Matrix, because if he had not, then perhaps he would not feel pain, and if he did not feel pain, then it would mean that the ninth summit, his elder, and all the familiar faces would still be by his side.

But there were no 'what ifs' in the world.

"I will bring you to meet someone. If that person can acknowledge you… then once we find the Space Whip, your chances of success in the competition for Phala three hundred years later will be greater!"

While Gu Tai looked at Su Ming, resolve appeared on his face. Clearly, the person he had just mentioned was someone… even he would not easily bother.

In fact, based on the solemn tone he adopted, it could be seen that the person he mentioned… was definitely not someone ordinary!

"If he can acknowledge you, then you can stay by his side, which will mean… that there will only be two people who can hurt you in all of Ancient Zang

"But this person is rather odd, and his personality is difficult to grasp. Whether or not he acknowledges you will depend on your own serendipity… Fortunately, you have already sounded the ninth voice. At the very least, he will pay some attention to this matter."

"Who is that person?" Su Ming averted his gaze from the distance and looked at Gu Tai.

Gu Tai was silent for a moment before he said, "Once he acknowledges you, you will be able to guess,"

Su Ming did not say anything more.

"Let's go. If you can stay there, then you won't have to bother about the things in Seven Moons Sect. I will gather the people here to search for the Space Whip for you!"

When Gu Tai spoke, Su Ming fell into pensive silence. He then lifted his right hand, and a jade slip appeared on his palm. Once he squeezed it, he closed his eyes for a brief moment, and when he opened them again, he handed the jade slip to Gu Tai.

"This is the clue I obtained from Guru Xing Chen."

Gu Tai took the jade slip. Once he put it away, he cast Su Ming a deep glance. With a swing of his arm, he turned into a long arc and left into the sky. As composed as ever, Su Ming turned and swept his gaze across the area. When he found Xu Zhong Fan, he wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed to him. Xu Zhong Fan smile immediately became even wider.

Then, Su Ming turned into a long arc to follow Gu Tai. He charged into the distance… Be it Lan Lan, De Shun, or Bei Qiong, Su Ming did not want to have too many connections with them. To him… they were, in the end, still residents of their world. They were not the people he was familiar with.

Fog tumbled about under Gu Tai's feet, and he looked as if he was moving through space. Together with Su Ming, he disappeared without a trace, and soon… they reappeared in the northwestern region of Ancient Zang!

Gu Tai walked out of the air at a spot amid mountains and in a forest. Behind him was Su Ming. During the entire journey, Su Ming did not speak. Gu Tai did not say a single word either. His expression was solemn as he walked forward until he left the forest. From this, Su Ming could see the respect that came straight from Gu Tai's soul towards the person they were about to meet.

Or else, considering Gu Tai's level of cultivation and status, there was no reason for him to not fly while he was in the other person's region.

When they walked out of the forest, Su Ming saw a mountain village. It was not big. There were only about a hundred houses, which meant that there were only a few hundred people in it.

It was noon at that moment. Smoke curled up from chimneys, and there was also the sound of children playing, which filled the place with a peaceful atmosphere. It was a peaceful color that was left remaining once all colors of prosperity were stripped away, revealing only a plainness.

The trails in the village were made of shattered stone. They looked incredibly normal, and there were some flowers and plants by the road. The extraordinary beauty of the place seemed to fill it with overflowing life force.

It was clear that few outsiders came to the village, hence Gu Tai and Su Ming attracted the attention of the children who were playing nearby. They giggled and ran behind Su Ming and Gu Tai, staring at them with curious eyes.

Su Ming and Gu Tai's attire did not fit, so the adults in the village quickly called their children back to their houses while watching the duo warily.

The two men continued walking forward until they arrived outside a house with a courtyard in the easternmost spot in the village. They stopped there. Thumping sounds could be heard from the courtyard; someone was cutting wood inside.

"I am Gu Tai. Senior, you once said that I can come meet you once while I am still alive, and I have decided to use this chance now."

When Gu Tai's voice traveled into the air, the sound of wood being cut gradually stopped. The courtyard fell silent. After a long while, the door to the house opened with a creek, and Su Ming saw a hunched old man with a head full of white hair behind the door.

The old man's hands were full of calluses, and his eyes were slightly murky. He was skinny and looked as if he would fall if wind blew on him. He appeared very old, but also seemed to have quite a bit of strength, or it would have been impossible for him to cut wood.

"Greetings, senior. I hope you will forgive us for bothering you." Respect appeared on Gu Tai's face as he wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed deeply to the old man.

Su Ming was quiet. He did not speak, but also wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed to the old man.

"There is no senior or whatsoever here. You are guests, since you came here, then come in."

The old man did not look at Gu Tai and Su Ming with his murky eyes. Once he opened the door, he turned around and walked into the courtyard to sit down on a stump.

Gu Tai voiced his obedience quietly, then walked into the courtyard. He did not even think that the floor was dirty and sat down beside the old man. Su Ming followed him and also sat down on the ground.

When Su Ming and Gu Tai were seated, the old man picked up a smoking pipe from beside him. Once he tapped it on the ground, he placed it by his mouth and took a sip from it. He did not speak. It didn't seem like Gu Tai and Su Ming existed to him.

Not a single hint of impatience could be detected on Gu Tai's face. He sat quietly and did not say a single word.

Time trickled by slowly. When the sky gradually turned dark and moonlight scattered on the ground, the old man put down his smoking pipe, stood up slowly, turned around, and walked into the house.

Gu Tai sighed softly. He stood up and wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed to the old man, then looked at Su Ming.

"Let's go."

Gu Tai turned around and walked towards the door. Su Ming's expression remained the same. During the half a day, he had sat without showing any emotion on his face. At that moment, when he stood up, not a single emotion could be detected on his face because of the old man not acknowledging him either.

But right when the two men were about to walk out the door, the old man's hoarse and weak voice came from behind them.

"Hmm? Why are you leaving? The old one can leave, but the young'un… Through the entire afternoon, you didn't manage to read the mood. The blocks of wood are there, and my bones are old. You're young, go and cut wood."

At the instant the old man spoke, surprised delight appeared on Gu Tai's face. He immediately turned around and looked at Su Ming, who still had not walked out the door. The ledge was between them.

"You already have an answer in your heart," Gu Tai said slowly. There was a smile on his face. When he turned around, he stepped into moonlight and walked towards the night.

Su Ming stood still for a moment, then with a calm expression, he closed the door to the courtyard. Under the moonlight, the sound of wood being cut which had been absent for an entire afternoon could be heard again.

Thud. Thud. Thud…

Chapter 1420: Epiphany of Wood

Starlight scattered on the ground. Stars decorated the night sky and sparkled as if they were watching the ground. While in the village, Su Ming stood in the courtyard and cut wood. His expression was calm, and the cut firewood was placed neatly by the side. There was a clear distinction between his pile and the messy pile the old man had cut earlier.

The old man's firewood differed in size and breadth. Once he finished cutting, there were wood scraps all over the place. However, when Su Ming finished cutting all the wood, the size and breadth of all his firewood did not have much of a difference.

In fact, even the sound when he cut wood was very systematic. It was something different from the old man's. When midnight arrived, the door to the house behind Su Ming let out a creek. The old man walked out while wearing a jacket and his hands behind his back. He stood beside Su Ming and cast a glance at the wood Su Ming had finished cutting with the help of moonlight. He frowned then.

"You're cutting the wood all wrong."

Su Ming put down the axe, lifted his head, and looked at the old man.

"What's wrong with it?" This was the first time Su Ming said anything in the courtyard.

"EVERYTHING. You're not cutting wood, you're cutting people. Oh well, the sound you make when you cut wood is so loud I can't sleep. Come, I'll teach you how to cut wood."

The old man had a chiding tone. He went up and touched Su Ming, signaling for him to move back.

Once Su Ming did so, the old man sat down on the stump, picked up the axe, a log of wood, and a loud thud shot up. The axe got stuck in the log. He rammed it into the log a few times, and only then did a clack appear. The wood was split into two halves of different sizes. They fell carelessly to the side, and the old man lifted his head to cast a glance at Su Ming.

"Do you understand it now?"

"No." Su Ming shook his head.

"Ah, boy, your comprehension level is too low. Look closely. I'll show you one more time." The old man picked up another log of wood, swung the axe up, then split the log of wood into two halves with a bang again.

"Do you understand now?" The old man looked at Su Ming with an expectant expression.

"No." Su Ming furrowed his brow and still shook his head.

"Y-you… Ah, fine, I'll show you one more time." The old man spat into his palms, picked up another log of wood, then cut into it again.

"Get it now?"

"No."

"Surely you understand it this time?"

"I'm still a bit off…"

Just like that, time passed. In the blink of an eye, two hours passed. The old man continuously cut wood, and Su Ming continuously shook his head. When only one log remained in the courtyard, the old man rolled his eyes.

"You brat, you're doing this intentionally to rile me up, right?!"

The old man threw the axe in his hand on the ground, then glared at Su Ming with his eyes blazing while he rubbed his wrists. The two hours of continuous wood cutting looked to have made the old man rather tired.

"I understand it this time. Thank you for your guidance, senior."

Su Ming's expression was calm and contemplative. He looked at the old man, then nodded solemnly, wrapped his fist in his palm, and bowed deeply to him.

"You understand? What do you understand?" the old man asked with exasperation in his voice while glaring at Su Ming.

"The wood I cut is very neat and has a pattern, but this neatness and pattern is intentional. Even if I didn't do it consciously, it still happened naturally.

"And when you cut wood, every single log that you cut is very natural. I cannot find any that share the same breaking line or size. It's just like life… there are no two people who are the exact same. At most, they are only similar.

"Senior, you're not cutting wood, you're cutting life," Su Ming said slowly.

His words resounded through the night sky, causing the old man to fall silent for a long while before he slowly lifted his head and cast Su Ming a deep glance.

"I'm just cutting wood, and you managed to turn it into some sort of long winded philosophical thingamajig. I'm telling you, I cut my wood this way because only by doing so, it's easy for me to burn it! Get it? GET IT?!

"The wood you cut is not easy to burn!" The old man stood up with a huff while glaring at Su Ming.

"The only thing I do not know is what period of time in your life you want to cut away, considering your level of cultivation and your status, and why do you want to cut it? Also… why is that even if you have cut at that period of time for so many years… you still have not managed to cut it off?"

Su Ming looked at the old man. He did not bother with what the old man had just said, but instead spoke what he was thinking about.

"What nonsense are you yammering this time? I'm going to sleep! Hey, you… Ah, boy! You're sleeping outside in the future. You're not allowed in the house!" The old man harrumphed, turned around, and was just about to walk into the house when Su Ming spoke again.

"Or rather, you're not trying to cut away your life, but a burden that entered your heart at that period of time. You have to cut it away so that Dao will appear under your feet, huh?

"Senior, you haven't managed to cut through that burden after all this time. Could it be that you are hesitating? You don't know whether to cut or not cut it?"

When Su Ming said those words, the old man did not even turn his head. He went to the door to his house, but just as he was about to lift his foot and step in, the light of understanding shone on Su Ming's face.

"Could it be… that you are hesitating whether to cut the burden because you are uncertain whether that burden is real? You're afraid of making the wrong judgment, so you can't make the decision, and that's why… when you cut wood, you have to clear your heart. Instead of asking yourself that question, it would be better to ask the Dao of heaven!"

At the instant Su Ming said those words, the old man came to a halt just as he was about to cross the threshold. He had one foot outside the house, and the other inside the house. He turned his head around slowly and looked at Su Ming. A hint of emotion that seemed quite different from his usual ones showed up on his face.

It seemed to be slightly solemn, and the old man seemed to have narrowed his eyes slightly. When he looked over, even Su Ming could sense that the old man seemed to have become different at that moment.

But he could not pinpoint what exactly about him was different.

"You…" Once the old man whispered this one word, he paused for a moment. "Do you snore at night?"

At the instant the question was voiced, even Su Ming was stunned.

"If you snore, I'm going to kick you out as well." When the old man said that, he turned around and walked into the house.

Su Ming stood still for a while before a smile appeared on his face.

'With Gu Tai's level of cultivation, his act of respecting this person so much is an answer in itself. One of the three ninth level Dao Gods is Tian Xiu Luo of Asura Clan, the second is the emperor in the royal capital, and the third… is someone whom few know of…'

Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the house, now dark because the light had been extinguished. He slowly sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

When morning arrived and Su Ming opened his eyes, he suddenly narrowed them. He saw the logs he had cut during the night having fused together as if time had reversed on them.

"Why are you daydreaming there? Go and cut wood!"

A voice that seemed to be tinged with anger shot up. Then, the door to the house was pushed open. Dressed in another jacket and with a smoking pipe, the old man walked out into the courtyard.

Su Ming fell into contemplative silence for a moment. Without saying a word, he walked to the stump, picked up the axe, looked at the logs, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the fierce glare belonging to cultivators was no longer in his eyes. Not a hint of the presence belonging to cultivators could be detected on him either. It was as if he was no longer a cultivator at that moment, but had turned into a young man in the mortal world.

He then casually brought the axe down. The log was split in half, and the cut was not uniform, so the sizes of the split wood were different.

As he watched the two halves of the log, Su Ming had a feeling that he was not looking at logs, but was creating some form of life. It was as if… the two logs had never existed before, but because of him, they had appeared.

This feeling came quickly, and it also disappeared without being seen. The moment he wanted to think about it carefully, he would not be able to find that feeling. It was clearly different from when he cut wood the day before.

In silence, Su Ming picked up the second log and continued cutting. One down, another one… When an entire day went by, Su Ming looked as if he had forgotten about the passage of time. When evening arrived, he looked around him in a daze and found that there was not a single complete log around him.

The old man sat on the threshold and smoked his pipe. He patted the set of clothes he had prepared for Su Ming at some unknown point in time and spoke with the air of superiority some elders would have just because they were older.

"Hmm? You did pretty good cutting wood today? Alright then, I'll allow you to rest a bit. How about this? Change into another set of clothes, pick up those logs of wood and head to Zhang at the western side of the village. He's the carpenter. Go and exchange the logs for some food. I haven't eaten for an entire day, and I'm practically starving to death."

Su Ming walked over slowly. He did not wrap his fist in his palm and bow to the old man as he did the day before. Instead, he picked up the clothes and changed in the courtyard. The clothes were made of sackcloth, and there were even some patches here and there. They looked incredibly simple.

Once Su Ming changed, he bound all the logs in the courtyard and put them on his back before walking out. Under the setting sun, his shadow was lengthened, and it fell into the eyes of the old man smoking in the courtyard. He watched Su Ming leave into the distance and slowly put down his smoking pipe. A hint of melancholy appeared on his face.

"Am I old now? Even a young un like him managed to read my thoughts… I can't not cut it, but I can't bear to cut it either… Is… this world real or fake?" the old man murmured, and anguish as well as confusion appeared on his face.

Days passed in a rarely found peaceful life. Soon, three months were gone. During them, Su Ming continued cutting wood, and every single time he did so, he gained a different understanding, but he always felt that there was something lacking…

Throughout the months, Su Ming had also become part of the village and was accepted by the villagers. All of them knew that the old man in the east of the village had adopted a son, and the boy had a pleasant name—Su Ming.

The peaceful life lasted until a rainy night half a year later…

Thunder roared in the sky, and lightning sliced through the air. Su Ming lay in the shed in the courtyard. During the half a year, he stayed in there. Even though it was pouring outside, no rain fell into the shed. As Su Ming lay there, he found it to be quite comfortable.

During the night, light sliced through the night sky beyond the village. At that moment, two figures walked out of the forest. They belonged to a plump and thin man, and they were dressed in gray Daoist robes. When they stood there, an invisible barrier seemed to be around them, which prevented the rain from touching them.

It seemed like the place where they stood was the peak of the world, and if any cultivator noticed their levels of cultivation, they would definitely be shocked… because they were two Dao Paragons in Dao Immortal Realm!

"The great sect elder read the patterns of the world, calculated the entire universe of Ancient Zang, and finally managed to deduce where this person was. We didn't expect that he was hiding in a mortal village!" the skinny cultivator said coolly. His voice was rather piercing to the ears.

"Of course he had to hide. But since we managed to find him today, he won't be able to hide anymore.

Chapter 1421: The Dao Paragons Attack!

Rain poured harder. When it fell on the ground, it created pitter-patter sounds. There seemed to be some sort of pattern in that sound, causing those who had heard it for long to naturally feel as if they wanted to fall asleep.

Different sounds could be heard when raindrops struck the roof or the wooden shed where Su Ming was. Those sounds fused together and turned into a song of the world. However, if a cultivator listened to it with their heart, they would not be able to hear much of a difference. Only when they listened to the quiet of midnight with a mortal heart would they be able to find just how pleasing this tune of nature was while they were dozing off.

However, there were always other sounds that would disrupt the tune of the rain in the night. One such sounds reached the house while Su Ming was dozing off.

"Boy, my memory is bad. Remember this. Tomorrow, go to the blacksmith to the east of the village and bring two dogs. If any thief drops by during the night and steals our axe, we'll be really unlucky."

The old man's voice came from the house, traveled through the rain, and landed in Su Ming's ears while he was in the shed. Su Ming did not speak, but at that moment, a brilliant glint flashed swiftly in his eyes.

He could feel a vague sense of danger, and he could… hear the rain landing, but it did not land on the ground or any houses. Instead… it seemed to have landed in the air, as if there was some invisible barrier.

'Someone's here.'

The brilliant glint in Su Ming's eyes slowly faded away, but killing intent bloomed in the depths of his eyes. Clearly, the people who had come did not want to cause trouble for the old man. After all, he was located in a place no one knew about.

That meant that unless the strangers were just passing by, they had to have come in search of… Su Ming.

'If those who sound nine Dao Spirit Voices do not die, they will surely become Great Dao Paragons. Looks like these two phrases will be verified on me today.'

Su Ming's expression was one of calm. From the moment he let out the voice of his Life Matrix and made it his ninth Dao Spirit Voice, he knew that… there would definitely be quite a number of cultivators who would want to kill him in Ancient Zang, especially those from One Dao Sect and Asura Clan.

'One Dao Sect, Asura Clan… The cultivators from Asura Clan still have morals. As for One Dao Sect… if there comes a day when I become a Great Dao Paragon, I will definitely slaughter them and dye their sect with their blood!'

The killing intent in Su Ming's eyes was already shining with blood-red light.

At that moment, a bolt of lightning sliced through the sky. Light instantly illuminated the ground to reveal a skinny figure levitating above the courtyard. It also revealed a rather plump cultivator who had, at some point in time, sat down cross-legged on the house's roof!

At the instant the two figures appeared in the lightning, a loud, thunderous roar shook the skies and earth.

"Third prince, we've truly had a hard time searching for you."

The skinny cultivator levitating above the courtyard smiled faintly. His body seemed to become a plane that covered the world from the rain, so no more droplets fell on the ground while he stood in midair.

Su Ming had already walked out of the shed. Dressed in sackcloth, he coldplay looked at the skinny cultivator, then cast another glance at the cultivator sitting on the roof.

The two people gave Su Ming a feeling that he was facing against the great sect elders of Seven Moons Sect. The two were clearly Dao Paragons!

The seventh level of Dao Divinity Realm allowed the cultivators to go from Dao Spirit Realm to Dao Immortal Realm, which made them Dao Paragons. With one more step, they would become Great Dao Paragons who were revered by the world. However, the difficulty in taking that one step… was so high that there were less than thirty people who had managed to reach that Realm throughout the long history of Ancient Zang.

"Those who sound nine Dao Spirit Voices are bound to become Great Dao Paragons, but a pity… If you weren't the third prince, then all sects and clans would definitely treat you like a treasure. A pity… that you will not have the chance to become a Great Dao Paragon in your life."

The skinny cultivator sighed softly. While in midair, he lifted his right hand swiftly and pushed in Su Ming's direction.

Immediately, a pentagonal Rune appeared above Su Ming and sank down swiftly. It let out thick waves of black smoke and looked like it wanted to turn into a huge hand to grab Su Ming.

It might not have looked like there was anything extraordinary about it, but in truth, the rune had already locked the place around Su Ming. The sky and earth seemed to be locked down!

Su Ming's expression remained the same. He formed a seal with his hands and swung his hand at the incoming pentagonal Rune. A loud rumble shot up, and it sounded like the roar of thunder. A hint of derision appeared on the skinny cultivator's lips, but the next moment, his pupils shrank.

Su Ming walked out from behind the skinny cultivator. At the speed of lightning, he lifted his right hand, and the four Great True Worlds' wills, along with his power of Dao Spirit Realm fused together and were channeled to his finger!

It contained power beyond compare. The instant the skinny cultivator's expression changed, he turned around and swung his arm. Su Ming's finger came into contact with him at that moment!

Booming sounds rose into the air again, and blood trickled down his lips. He moved swiftly backwards. As for the skinny cultivator, he took a step forward, intending to give chase, but Su Ming instantly disappeared, and when he reappeared, he was already standing in the courtyard.

The skinny cultivator lowered his head and cast a glance at his left hand. There was a bloody hole in it and a presence that even he found hard to handle. That presence spread to his entire body through his flesh and blood.

"Even though you used the Rune in this area to help you, you should still be proud for being able to hurt me with just the power of Dao Spirit Realm."

The skinny cultivator's expression was dark. To him, such an injury was nothing, even though he still felt that the presence left behind was strange. However, he was confident that he could chase it out of his body. It was the fact that he had been injured before his fellow sect member what caused him to be angry.

Because of his cautious personality, Su Ming had laid out quite a number of Runes and killing moves in the courtyard where he lived. Once anyone stepped into it, then with one thought, Su Ming could activate those Runes and killing moves.

Su Ming stood calmly in the courtyard. His face was pale, but when he lifted his head to look at the skinny cultivator, fighting spirit shone in his eyes. He flicked his right wrist slightly, and immediately, the rain in the courtyard turned into white smoke. The next moment, all the sand in the courtyard began trembling.

"If you want to fight, then fight. If you don't want to, then get lost! Why bother spewing nonsense?!"

When Su Ming said those words coldly, the white fog formed by the rain in the courtyard instantly curled into the sky to form a circular Rune. The moment it appeared, it began rotating swiftly. Booming sounds echoed, and Su Ming seized the air in the direction of the ground with his right hand. Immediately, an innumerable amount of sand flew up. When Su Ming brought his hand up, each grain of sand charged into the sky with the Brands Su Ming had left over the course of a couple months.

"As expected, you are still too weak," the skinny cultivator said indifferently while looking very calm, but in truth, his pupils had already shrunken, and that alone was a telling sign of the shock in his heart.

However, because he believed that his level of cultivation was slightly higher and there were other people watching, he had to keep his expression full of indifference while hiding the wariness in his heart. He could not ruin his own reputation.

As he spoke, the skinny cultivator lifted his right hand. When he formed a seal, he pushed down at the ground. Booming sounds immediately reverberated through the air. A crack seemed to have been torn through the sky above him, and a hint of gold descended. It turned into a large golden seal that charged to the ground.

When the golden mark descended, a loud bang shot up. The white fog around the skinny cultivator instantly dissipated. When the seal pushed down again, the sand was crushed, but right then, Su Ming had already activated another killing move.

When he lifted his right hand, the Reversed Spirit Pearl shone. A huge wave of power immediately spread out from the pearl. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped the skinny cultivator, making his expression change, but soon, it returned to that of calm. He still let out a cold harrumph.

With a step forward, he moved to attack, but the Reversed Spirit Pearl shone again, and this time, a powerful rebound rose from it with a bang, forcing the skinny cultivator to take a few steps back. His pupils shrank, and when he cast a closer look at the Reversed Spirit Pearl, his expression suddenly changed.

"This is… Phala of Dao Verification!"

Almost the instant the skinny cultivator said those words, the rather plump cultivator who had been watching the fight with a smile while sitting on the roof suddenly focused. With his level of cultivation, even he could not stop the hint of greed that appeared in his eyes. Without another word, he took a step forward and charged towards Su Ming.

At that moment, the skinny cultivator let out a sigh of relief in his heart. He had intentionally said those words because Su Ming had given him quite a lot of pressure, but due to his pride and dignity, he had to remain calm. However, once he recognized the pearl, he immediately revealed its origin so the other person would attack and help him out of the troublesome situation.

When using the Runes, the traps he laid out, the Reversed Spirit Pearl, which had quite the extraordinary power, his cultivation base, and his will to fight against a Dao Paragon, he was able to fight against him… but if two Dao Paragons attacked, then it would be difficult for him to survive.

When he saw that he was about to be forced into a corner and die, a dry cough came from the house.

"See? I told you to get two dogs from the west of the village to act as guard dogs, and look! My words came true. I told you that there will be thieves who will come to steal our axe!

"It is the most valuable thing in our house right now, you know? Y-y-you… Pick up the axe! If anyone steals it, I'll fight tooth and nail against you!"

After hearing that speech, the two Dao Paragons were stunned. They had not expected that a mortal would hide in his house to watch the battle of Arts, and what was more, once he saw it, he even spoke and called them thieves.

A glint shone in Su Ming's eyes; he seemed to have come to understand something. He lifted his right hand and seized the air in the direction of the axe that was not far from him. The axe instantly flew into his hand.

Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the two cultivators, and his heart suddenly shuddered.

For some reason, what he saw seemed to no longer be cultivators… but two logs of wood!

Chapter 1422: Two Large White Dogs

When Su Ming came to an understanding, he lifted the axe with his right hand. Just like how he had been chopping wood while staying in the old man's courtyard, he fixed his gaze on the skinny cultivator and swung the axe down in his direction.

Su Ming did so with a calm heart. Not a single flicker of emotion could be detected on his face, which made it seem like all his consciousness had fused into the axe. When it fell, the world instantly let out a loud bang as if the sky had crumbled.

The slightly plump cultivator who had rushed in to grab the Reversed Spirit Pearl could not stop his eyes from shrinking. At the instant a hint of shock appeared in his gaze, he pulled back without any hesitation.

The skinny cultivator, whom Su Ming had targeted, did not have the time, and all his hair stood up on end. An overwhelming feeling that he was about to die rose in him. It came so suddenly that he found it improbable and even impossible. Such a sense of danger should have never come from the third prince, who was only in Dao Spirit Realm!

However, he did not have time to think about it as he wasn't even capable of dodging the attack. A shrill scream of pain tumbled out from his mouth, and his right arm was instantly separated from his body.

Blood gushed out, which shocked the rather plump cultivator, and the expression of the skinny cultivator changed as well. He swiftly fell back. When he looked at Su Ming, his face was full of terror, but soon, his gaze landed on the axe in Su Ming's hand!

The rather plump cultivator also immediately reacted to the situation and stared at the axe in Su Ming's hand.

"Y-y-you! Is there anyone in the world who cuts wood like this?! Aaahh!! You seriously make me so mad!"

At that moment, the door to the house was pushed open, and the old man in the jacket stormed out. He did not even look at the two powerful cultivators in the sky and walked straight to Su Ming before grabbing the axe from his hand.

"What a waste of a good dog leg… What a waste, seriously. Watch me, I'll teach you one more time. You have to cut wood like this!" The old man glared at Su Ming, then lifted the axe with his right hand. At the instant the plump and skinny cultivators' eyes shrank, he brought the axe down.

The sky seemed to stop to exist at that moment. It became murky, as if it contained countless shrill roars. The ground was no longer around as well, but had turned into the abyss. At the moment the sky and ground descended into chaos, the skinny cultivator's expression filled with more terror than he had ever felt in his life. The shock he experienced was able to submerge his whole being.

He shuddered, and absolute terror appeared in his eyes. Su Ming could also see that when the old man lifted his axe, an indescribable presence seemed to have been added to the world. Su Ming was familiar with it since it was the power of wills he thought no one in Ancient Zang possessed!

The power of that will was so great that it surpassed Su Ming's by leaps and bounds. At the moment it appeared and enveloped the skinny cultivator… an object no one could see except for those who possessed the power of wills manifested around the skinny cultivator!

It was… a round Life Matrix formed by wisps of white smoke, and it was as complicated as a Rune!

The Life Matrix was filled with runic symbols, and each one signified one of the skinny cultivator's memories. At the moment the Life Matrix appeared, the old man's axe… swung down!

What he cut was not the skinny cultivator's body… but his Life Matrix.

There were no loud bangs nor astonishingly brilliant sparks. It was a simple swing, but it managed to cut through the skinny cultivator's Life Matrix and crushed all the runic symbols in it, which forced the Life Matrix… to reassemble itself instant. It distorted, and when the old man completed his swing, it vanished from above the skinny cultivator's head.

The next moment, the skinny cultivator shuddered, and his body contorted as well. With an expression of disbelief and indescribable terror, he tried to scream in pain, but his voice seemed to be stuck in his throat, and then, he plunged to the ground. His body twisted on the ground, his clothes fell off… and he turned into a white dog!

It barked, releasing a sound which seemed to have been suppressed for a long time. Once the sound was made, Su Ming saw great terror in the white dog's eyes, and it was even quivering.

The white dog had only three legs!

At that moment, the terror the rather plump cultivator in the sky felt was much stronger than what the white dog experienced. As he trembled, he swiftly fell back, intending to flee regardless of all costs. He had not expected that… such a powerful warrior which could leave him stunned would exist in a small mortal village!

In his eyes, the old man was so strong that he was surely a Great Dao Paragon. However, he could not wrap his head around something. The Great Dao Paragons in his sect did not seem to have divine abilities which could turn people into animals!

With his level of cultivation, he could tell at first glance that it was no ordinary illusion. In fact, it was not an illusion at all, but a transformation stemming from a person's origin. The skinny cultivator had turned into an animal from the core of his being!

It was the source of the plump man's fear. At that moment, he no longer harbored any greed towards Su Ming's Enchanted Treasures, and neither did he have any sort of intention to kill him. The only thought he had right then was to run away at any cost! As he charged forth, he tore through the air and took half a step out of the village—

"See it now? That's what cutting wood is. Heh heh, see how great I am now?"

The old man actually stuck his chin out. When he lifted the axe with his right hand, he swiftly cut down on the rather plump cultivator who was about to disappear into the distance.

"We can't have this fat dog run away now. It has to stay and guard the house. When we're hungry, we can use it as a snack, right?"

While the old man spoke, the cultivator who had already rushed away experienced a full body jolt, and he instantly fell back into the courtyard. As his body twisted, he moaned… and he turned into a large white dog.

He shuddered, and when he looked at the old man, fear appeared in his eyes. It was stronger than anything he had felt before.

"Do you see it? You don't see it, right? No, you saw it, right?" the old man chattered on and pointed at the two white dogs. When he looked at Su Ming at the end, his expression grew serious.

"This is what it means to cut wood. Heh heh, you have to know that there are plenty of people who would lick my toes in Ancient Zang just to learn how to cut for a day at my place. If it weren't for that little boy Gu taking me to all sorts of brothels in the past and me enjoying a very comfortable life while I was there, I wouldn't have helped him.

"Remember this. When you cut wood, just swing down. If you stare at wood, then what you cut will be wood, but if you don't look at it, then perhaps what you cut will not be wood.

"Aaahhh! It's too complicated. I've never taken any disciples in my life, and I've never taught anyone before. Figure it out yourself slowly. Remember this, there are three states when cutting wood. The first of the three states is to cut people, the second is to cut logs, and the third is to cut all the logs and people who piss you off."

The old man scratched his head. After chattering for a good half of the day, even he felt that his words were unclear, which was why he decided to just throw the axe on the ground and turn around to walk into the house.

Just as he was about to step into the house, he suddenly stopped and turned his head slightly so that his side profile was directed at Su Ming. He seemed to be different again. It looked as if he had lost some of his cynicism and had more of the marks of time.

"Su Ming," he said slowly, and there was something old in his voice.

Su Ming had already gained some understanding from the old man's words just then. He then lifted his head and looked at the old man.

"Give these two dogs names. If either of them acts funny, kill it and we'll have dog soup tomorrow." Once he finished speaking, the old man walked into his house with a dark look on his face.

The pitter-pattering sounds of rain were back in the courtyard. The two white dogs shuddered in the rain.

Su Ming ignored the two dogs. Instead, he picked up the axe and returned to the shed. He stared at the axe, and a contemplative look appeared in his eyes. His expression was calm, but in truth, a huge storm raged in his heart.

He had never doubted the old man's power before, but he had never expected his act of cutting wood to have reached such an astonishing level. This already surpassed all divine abilities.

'Cutting Life Matrices…'

Su Ming's eyes shone. He could not forget all that he had seen. In fact, in his eyes, it was no longer something a cultivator could do. It had already become a serendipity for him!

"Serendipity…" Su Ming mumbled. His gaze fell on the two white dogs in the courtyard. In silence, he lifted his right hand, and immediately, the two white dogs' clothes and storage bags flew to him.

"You're White One!" Su Ming pointed at the rather plump white dog.

"You're White Three!" His gaze landed on the three-legged white dog.

The two dogs were silent, and grief appeared on their faces. Besides trembling in the rain, they seemed to be unable to do anything else. After they were turned into animals, all their cultivation bases had been sealed. Even if they were still alive, they would have been better off dead.

The humiliation and the terror filled the two white dogs with indignation while their faces were full of sadness.

They were not dogs. They were cultivators. They were sect elders of One Dao Sect, Dao Paragons. They could command the wind and rain in Ancient Zang. They could even stand at the top of the world, but right then…

They were unable to accept the sudden change in their station.

"Even if you want to die, you can't die. I believe that I have a way to make you become guard dogs even in your next life. If you are loyal, however, I might, after a period of time, ask the old man to be merciful and let you have a chance to be cultivators again," Su Ming said flatly. "I will let you think for the night."

Once he finished speaking, he lowered his head and looked at the axe in his hand before sinking into contemplative silence.

Chapter 1423: You're Looking Down on Me!

The rain slowly came to a stop when morning arrived. When the sun rose, Su Ming came out of his contemplation. Once he lifted his head, he saw the two white dogs wagging their tails while staring at him with pitiful expressions.

Clearly, with the intellect possessed by the two people—formerly cultivators—they could not accept dying in such a manner. Even if there was only the slightest hint of possibility, they did not want to give up on hope.

Su Ming's expression remained the same, but he was laughing coldly in his heart. He was never one to be merciful to his enemies, but he did not lie to them the previous night either. However, whether or not it could become true would entirely depend on the two white dogs' future performance.

"White One, White Three, let's go."

Su Ming stood up and walked to the courtyard's door. Once he pushed it opened, he walked out. The two white dogs quickly followed behind him, especially the three-legged dog. When it ran, it was not any slower than White One.

Just like what he had done over the past few months, Su Ming went to the western side of the village and got a pot of wine for the old man. On his way, he ran into quite a number of villagers, and all of them smiled at him. They waved at him and were also very interested in the two white dogs behind him.

It was especially so for the children. They surrounded the two white dogs and regarded the three-legged dog with great curiosity, wondering why it could run so fast.

When Su Ming returned to the courtyard, the children outside dispersed while laughing and still brimming with curiosity. Clearly, they intended to tell all that they saw to their parents.

Once he closed the door, Su Ming placed the pot of wine beside the door to the house, then suddenly frowned and turned his head to look at the two white dogs.

"You were once cultivators and practiced inedia, right? You don't need to eat, do you?"

The two white dogs became even more indignant, but they nodded.

Su Ming did not say more. He picked up the axe and sat down on the stump before beginning his daily task of chopping wood. Every single time he lifted the axe, the white dogs would shudder. They could not recover from the trauma so soon. It would remain for a long time.

Banging sounds echoed in the village in the morning, and all the villagers knew that the young man named Su Ming had begun chopping wood again.

When morning was over and noon was nigh, the door to the house was pushed open, and the old man walked out in his jacket while stretching. The moment the two dogs saw him, they were so scared that their tails dropped between their legs. They ran to Su Ming's side as if he was much gentler than the old man.

The old man was definitely the most terrifying existence in the entire world to them.

"Haha! Sleeping early and waking up early is good for you~ Waking up naturally is good for you~ Drinking after you wake up is good for you~"

The old man picked up the pot of wine and walked into the courtyard. He looked at the sun hanging high in the sky and spoke loudly.

"Eating dog meat after drinking is good for you!"

The old man's eyes sparkled as he stared at the two large dogs beside Su Ming's feet. His gaze flickered between the two of them as if he was wondering which he should eat on that day.

"Su Ming, which dog should we eat today?" The old man strode forward, then squatted down and stared at the two big dogs. He gulped.

Su Ming did not pay any attention to the old man. He continued chopping wood seriously. In his mind was the endless repetition of the old man's two swings from the night before.

When the old man saw that Su Ming was ignoring him, he lifted his head in surprise, went to stand in front of Su Ming, then squatted down, and shouted at him.

"Wake up!"

Su Ming scowled. He could handle the old man's strange personality, but he still found it hard to get used to the moments when the old man would occasionally shout as if he was off his rockers.

It was especially so when he was immersed in a state of trying to gain an epiphany. The old man's shouts instantly snapped him out of his immersion.

"Boy, your comprehension level is too high. When have you ever seen me daydreaming when I chop wood? I am always awake when I swing my axe. Stop thinking about all these understandings, epiphanies, and enlightenments, aren't you tired constantly trying to understand all that crap?

"Don't try to comprehend everything while running around like a headless chicken. If you chop wood, then chop wood. Don't let your mind wander, be serious! Don't think of anything else in your head, just cut wood seriously.

The old man's expression grew stern then, and he spoke in a grave voice. "Alright, let's talk about something more serious. Say, which dog should we eat today?"

"I don't think that we should eat them for now. After all, we need dogs to watch the house for us."

Over the months, Su Ming had learned how to communicate with the old man. At that moment, he too had a stern expression on his face. He had even mulled over the matter before answering seriously.

As expected, when Su Ming spoke with a serious expression, the old man scrutinized the two big white dogs while maintaining his own serious expression. The two white dogs quaked in their paws as he stroked his beard as if thinking about Su Ming's words.

"Yes… You're right, you're very right, you're incredibly right, you're absolutely right!" After mulling over it for a very long time, the old man nodded sternly.

The moment he said that, the two white dogs released a sigh of relief. When they looked at Su Ming, their faces were full of gratitude.

"But I want to eat," the old man said the next moment while looking at Su Ming.

Because of it, the two white dogs became nervous again. They suddenly felt that the old man was a mad man while Su Ming was still somewhat normal.

Su Ming thought about it seriously again before he answered gravely. "You'll get your chance. There should be quite a number of white dogs coming over in the future. At that time, we can rear more, and you can eat whichever one you like."

Once the old man heard it, he immediately became excited, but he forced it down and put on a serious face again. Then, as if he had thought about it long and hard, he nodded.

"Yes, you're right, you're very right, you're incredibly right, you're absolutely right!" The old man rubbed his hands, but soon, he looked as if he was about to cry. "But I still want to eat."

The two white dogs practically descended into despair. They lay on the ground shuddering as if they had lost the courage to even run. They could only hope that Su Ming could help them.

Su Ming fell silent, then picked up the axe and stopped bothering with the old man. He began cutting wood once more. This time, he did not try to gain an epiphany and neither did he pay attention to how he struck down. Instead, he casually brought the axe down and repeatedly chopped wood.

"Hmm? Why aren't you talking?"

"Y-y-you-you're just a boy! How could you ignore this old man?!"

"You're ACTUALLY not speaking?"

"I'm telling you, I'm about to get mad! Just try and continue keeping quiet!"

Every single time the old man spoke, he would change his position. When he said his last sentence, White Three was right in front of him. It was sent flying with a kick, and the old man looked at Su Ming sternly.

But Su Ming still had no intention to speak and just continued to chop wood. Upon seeing that, the old man rolled his eyes, lifted his right hand, then placed in on the log. When Su Ming's axe fell, he quickly pulled his hand away. After repeating this act several times, the old man began laughing out loud.

Su Ming was already used to it. Even though it did not happen every single day, but once every few days, the old man would fool around like that beside him, and he would always look very happy about it.

But that day was clearly different. The old man seized White One's tail just when it was about to leave quietly, wrapped his arms around it, then placed it on the log. When Su Ming's axe fell, he quickly pulled White One away.

Su Ming's expression remained the same, but the old man had a lot of fun doing it anyway. The white dog, however, was faced with multiple life and death instances, and every single time, its heart trembled.

When dusk arrived, the old man laughed loudly, then threw the white dog aside after it had experienced an entire afternoon of life and death situations and had gotten numb to everything in life. He stood up and stretched his back.

"Ah, how boring, so boring! Su Ming! Go and get a girl for me tomorrow! Mmm… I want one with a big rump!" The old man's expression became serious again when he gave his instructions to Su Ming.

When he said those words, the trajectory of Su Ming's axe went askew, and the axe cut the side of the log, slicing off a layer of wood scraps. Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the old man with a strange expression. He had just heard the most bizarre request since he had come to stay at the old man's place.

"Huh? What's with your expression? Y-y-you… You're looking down on me!" When the old man saw Su Ming's expression, he immediately jumped up and shouted loudly in exasperation and fluster.

"You're looking down on me! You're going overboard! I'm also a man, you know?! A man! What's wrong with me going to a girl?! Is my request bad now?! No! My request isn't bad at all! I want a girl with a big rump!"

A moment ago, the old man had been exasperated, but the next one, his eyes began glowing.

"By the way, do you like girls with big rumps?" The old man squatted down and stared at Su Ming while quivering in high spirits.

Su Ming remained quiet.

"Hey, why aren't you speaking again?"

"Y-y-you… If you still keep quiet, then you'll have to find me three girls with big rumps!"

Su Ming sighed softly. "Senior, if you do this, then there will be no one to cut wood for you."

"Hmm? Why? Eh, forget about that, you still haven't answered me. Do you like girls with big rumps?"

The old man seemed to have found squatting down to be too tiring and grabbed the three-legged White Three before sitting on it. Then, he quickly looked at Su Ming while waiting for his answer.

Su Ming remained silent. Three women's figures appeared in his mind. After a long while, he shook his head, but no matter how he did so, he could not shake off the grief that filled his heart when old memories filled his mind.

The old man seemed to have noticed his sadness, and he fell silent as well. After some time, Su Ming lifted his axe and continued cutting wood.

Thud, thud, thud… The sounds echoed in the air. They traveled out of the courtyard and resounded in the village. It also landed in the ears of a woman who was strolling under the setting sun.

She was dressed in a Daoist robe. She might already be middle-aged, but she still had a charm about her. When she walked, her expression was calm, but when she passed the villagers, they ignored her as if they could not see her.

Her wide Daoist robes covered her body, but when she moved, the grace of her walk allowed others to to see that the body under the Daoist robe possessed beautiful curves that would cause others to sigh in wonder.

Chapter 1424: Miss, I Love You!

Since the two cultivators had found their way to him the night before, Su Ming knew that from then on that his life would no longer be peaceful. Be it One Dao Sect or Asura Clan, those who searched for him due to the appearance of his ninth voice would come one after another.

Perhaps it was precisely what Gu Tai hoped for, because at that moment, Su Ming could be said to be located at one of the safest places in Ancient Zang.

The old man in the house within the courtyard also left Su Ming sometimes not knowing what to say in regards to his personality or his words. Because of that, he actually hoped for the people who wanted to kill him to arrive as quickly as possible so that he could experience just how powerful the old man was.

The loud thuds of wood being cut echoed in the courtyard. Gradually, in the evening sky, a cold air appeared, even though temperature should be warm since it was summer. Snow floated down from the sky, and the snowflakes were filled with glittering light. When they fell, they landed on the two white dogs, Su Ming, and the tip of the old man's nose.

The old man shuddered, then lowered his head to mumble under his breath. A fierce glare lit up in Su Ming's eyes. The snowflakes were not naturally formed, which was a telling sign that they had a visitor.

It was especially so for the two white dogs. They were shuddering at that moment while looking at the door to the courtyard.

"You're distracted again!" The old man went up to slap Su Ming's head. With it, the fierce glare in Su Ming's eyes disappeared.

"Keep your mind on chopping wood. Stop constantly being distracted by the changes in the world outside. Chopping wood itself is a field of study. I've chopped wood for most of my life. You? The time you were exposed to it is still too short."

The old man assumed an air of self-importance due to his age, then bent his body a little while tightening his jacket around his body. He lifted his head and stared at the snow floating down before he grinned.

"Haha, this snow fell at the perfect moment! I love watching snow the most."

Su Ming did not say anything. He did not ponder over the old man's words carefully, but instead shut his eyes. Soon, he opened them, and his eyes were calm. However, they were also incredibly dull as if Su Ming had become incredibly listless at that moment, and there was nothing eye-catching about him. It was as if he had become a real young mortal. He lifted the axe and continued chopping wood.

The old man skipped about in the courtyard while patting the falling snow and enjoying himself very much. As for the two white dogs, they were at full guard while they glared at the door to the courtyard. Grave looks appeared on their faces, and they even instinctively let out whining sounds that sounded nearly like threats.

Su Ming still had his head bent while he continued chopping wood. He remembered how the old man had acted this way when he showed him how to cut wood after Gu Tai left. He had his head bent while he cut wood and had not made a sound after he was tired of asking Su Ming whether he understood what he was doing.

Soon after, knocking sounds came from the door to the courtyard. Thud thud, thud thud. They were very rhythmic and calming, but once they entered the courtyard, the two white dogs began to whine even louder.

"Hmm? Go and open the door! Didn't you hear that someone's knocking on the door? Go and take a look at who it is." While swatting at the snow, the old man turned his head around.

Su Ming looked up and put down the axe. He was still expressionless, and his eyes were still dull. He walked to the door, and once he opened it, he saw a middle-aged woman dressed in a large Daoist robe standing outside. She was very beautiful, and when her gaze fell on Su Ming, she smiled faintly.

Su Ming swept his gaze past the beautiful woman, then asked with a frown, "Who are you looking for?"

"For you."

The woman smiled faintly. Before Su Ming could say anything, she walked past him and stepped into the courtyard.

The old man who was swatting at snow suddenly stopped moving and stared at the woman in a daze. He even drooled.

But he soon calmed down and quickly ran into the house.

The woman's smile grew wider due to the old man antics. To her, the old man was just an ordinary mortal, and there was nothing special about him. She was also confident in her looks and did not mind that a mortal old man had been enchanted by her appearance.

However, she was slightly curious as to why the old man would suddenly run into his own house.

But this matter was too trivial. The woman cast a glance at the courtyard, and when her gaze landed on the two white dogs, she did not manage to see anything wrong about them either. Her gaze then returned to Su Ming.

"So, you're the third prince? You really made us look for you by hiding in this place. It is quite extraordinary. The mountains surrounding this place form a natural Rune, and no divine senses can search through here. There is also a pattern here that hides away Life Matrices. If your level of cultivation isn't high enough, it won't let you see this place."

The woman only cast a glance at the area before she found what was wrong with it. With her level of cultivation, she could see some things, but only those that made a whole.

"You even placed Runes in the courtyard? Hmm… they're rather jumbled Someone should have come here before me recently. Judging by these presences…" The woman opened her eyes slightly and smiled lightly.

"They're two Dao Paragons. Looks like I truly didn't underestimate this place. For Seven Moons Sect to be able to do this… Gu Tai should have been the one in charge of this."

The feeling the woman gave off because of her words made it seem that she was equals with Gu Tai. This showed that based on her level of cultivation… she was definitely not a Dao Paragon!

Her divine sense spread out swiftly, and she frowned. Just as she was about to speak, Su Ming sat down on the stump again. He picked up the axe and continued chopping wood.

"Boy, you're quite the interesting one."

The woman looked at Su Ming, then smiled even more happily. When she approached him, she bent down slightly to reveal the beautiful curves of her waist and hips under the Daoist robe.

"I haven't introduced myself. My name is Ji Wu Meng, and I'm a Great Sect Elder of Asura Clan, Immortal Qing Han. Third prince, would you be interested in coming to train in Asura Clan?"

The woman's smile was incredibly good, and her fair skin filled her face with an air that could make others' heart race.

But Su Ming's expression remained gloomy as he continued cutting firewood.

The woman's smile stayed. At the instant she stood up, the door to the house was suddenly pushed open, and out came a figure dressed in a green scholarly robe that was clearly slightly too large for it. The man had a scholar's hat while his hair was messily spread over his shoulder. In his hand, he held a fan that was clearly broken and damaged…

That person… was the old man. He had returned to the house and used his fastest speed to change his clothes. At that moment, with the fan in hand, he took a few steps forward. A few fake coughs left his mouth as he gazed at the woman with excitement and eagerness.

"Miss, a good day to you."

Su Ming's axe came to a screeching halt. He had to admit that all his composure shattered at the moment the old man said those words. The woman beside him was also stunned, but soon, she covered her mouth and chuckled. When she examined the old man's clothes and appearance, her smile went even to her eyes, which turned them crescent-shaped.

"Miss, don't laugh. I like ladies with big rumps the most. Stop standing in front of my disciple, that boy doesn't like girls with big rumps, but I do."

The old man spread his fan open to reveal that it had oil stains on it. He lifted his head and shifted his expression to one that he believed was very elegant.

"The night is decorated with flowers and silk, and there is snow floating down. It's a perfect night for dates with girls with big rumps. Miss, let's engage in a passionate love that can be made into a ballad and bring others to tears in this courtyard with the starry sky as our blanket and the ground as our bed. Miss, I love you…"

The old man had a passionate look on his face. He took a few brisk steps forward and appeared right in front of the beautiful woman who could now no longer chuckle and was completely stunned.

"Ji Wu Meng, huh? It's a good name, a very good name. Immortal Qing Han? This name is not good. Qing Han, it means to be pure coldness. This is a rotten name only for those who don't have big rumps. You should be known as… Immortal Big Rump!

"That's right, this is a good name. Su Ming, what do you think of this name?" the old man asked excitedly.

Su Ming was silent. He lifted the axe and continued cutting wood. He suddenly realized that when the old man said he wanted two dogs the previous night, two dogs had truly appeared. Earlier in the day, he had mentioned that he wanted a woman with a big rump… and Immortal Qing Han had really arrived.

The eyes of Ji Wu Meng shone with a chilling glare, but a smile slowly appeared at the corners of her lips as she stared at the old man. To her, he was an old mortal who did not have even an ounce of power, and unless he was someone driven by lust, he would definitely not do something so outrageous.

"Third prince, is this person sent by Seven Moons Sect to protect you?" The iciness of Immortal Qing Han's smile grew stronger.

"Hey! Miss Big Rump, could you stop talking to him! I'll get jealous!" the old man said seriously.

The moment he finished speaking, Immortal Qing Han lifted her right hand, and with one swing of her arm, the mighty pressure belonging to Great Dao Paragons enveloped the place, freezing the world. Waves of cold air spread out in every direction, and snowflakes fell, covering the entire world.

But… her expression changed the next moment. The old man had already grabbed her right hand and was fondling it with a sleazy look on his face.

"You!"

The woman was shocked into disbelief. With her level of cultivation, there were less than twenty people who could grab her hand while she cast her Arts, yet the old man before her… had easily grabbed her right hand as if she had been doing nothing.

Just as he was about to retreat, she found that her whole body had gone numb. She did not notice that the two white dogs not far from her in the courtyard were watching her while giggling at her misfortune.

"Senior…" The woman's face was pale as she fearfully looked at the old man holding her right hand.

"Hush!" The old man placed his finger on his lips and stared at the woman seriously while he touched her hand. With great excitement, his hand slowly moved upwards, and he asked with a very stern voice, "Is your rump big?"

Su Ming had his axe held high, but it came to a screeching halt again. He sighed and no longer paid any attention to the things around him, but instead focused on chopping wood. He felt that the old man's bizarreness was one that very few people in Ancient Zang would be able to stop.

"Huh? Why aren't you speaking?

"Y-y-you-you're looking down on me!"

The old man was immediately red with rage and began shouting. The woman's face turned paler, and the terror in her eyes became stronger. She could clearly sense her cultivation base being sucked away by the old man, and the speed of it grew even faster when he became angry. Her cultivation base was sucked away with each passing moment.

Chapter 1425: Profound Meaning

"Not… Not big…"

The woman could no longer keep her dignity. The feeling the old man gave off brought her incredible terror, and she could not help but think of a legend!

In said that there were three ninth level Dao Gods in Ancient Zang. One of them was the emperor, and he had a great will that the world had to worship. With his blood of the royal family coursing through his veins and his inheritance, he was particular towards granting infinite royal graciousness to win all fights without even fighting!

The woman was also not unfamiliar with the second of the ninth level Dao Gods, because he was the supreme Progenitor of the Asura Clan—Tian Xiu Luo!

With a supreme and domineering air, he made the world bow to him and all lives respect him. The will of his Dao dominated one of the peaks of Asura Clan!

The last of the three ninth level Dao Gods was someone whose name was unknown, but as one of the Great Sect Elders of Asura Clan, the woman had once seen Progenitor Tian Xiu Luo and listened to his lectures about Dao. She knew of some secrets that no one else knew, such as the name of the third ninth level Dao God. He was Gu Hong!

He was always alone, had a strange personality, and was temperamental like the ever changing clouds. He was very different compared to the emperor and Tian Xiu Luo and lived a licentious life. In fact, when Progenitor Tian Xiu Luo spoke of him, he could never keep his calm, and his emotions would stir slightly. He only had one sentence to describe the third ninth level Dao God—"Extremely shameless!"

At that moment, while Ji Wu Meng felt trembled and her heart filled with fear, the name Progenitor Tian Xiu Luo once mentioned before appeared in her mind.

It was Dao God Gu Hong, who had an equal status to Dao God Gu Di and Dao God Tian Xiu Luo!

"Not big?"

The old man was stunned. He blinked. Doubt appeared on his face, and when he asked that question, he extended his left hand and put it into the woman's Daoist robe in an incredibly sleazy manner to grope her posterior. His eyes immediately turned big, as if he had touched something unbelievable…

"Y-y-you… How dare you lie to me?! Er… No-I mean-ahem, I'll know whether you're lying or not by touching you a few more times. Heh heh, don't even think about lying to me."

The old man had been about to erupt in rage when he thought of a better solution, and his eyes suddenly shone. He quickly let out a few fake coughs and groped the woman a few more times with his hand in her Daoist robe.

The woman could no longer care about being embarrassed. When someone reached her age, they would have already experienced many things. It was not that she was not averse to this, but that even if she was averse to this, she had to know when she could show her aversion…

She had already formed an assumption of the old man's identity, and the terror in her heart made her forget to fight back. In fact… she did not even want to fight back.

"Heh heh, how dare you try to lie to me again? But I'm a reasonable person. How about this? I'll look into this further to see whether you're lying to me."

The old man groped her a few more times with a serious and contemplative expression on his face.

"Huh? I can't feel it. Ah… I must be old now. No can do, to let you gain a clean record as a woman with a big rump, I must investigate this matter closely."

While the old man was having a good time, Su Ming automatically blocked out all his words. No matter how the old man decided to fool around, it had nothing to do with him. He only lifted the axe again and again, and every single time the axe fell, he would split the firewood in half.

When the time it takes for another incense stick to burn passed, red appeared on the woman's face, and only then did the old man pull his hand out from her Daoist robe with great reluctance. He glared at her as if fire was raging in his eyes.

"Damn it, y-y-y-you lied to me again! Can that even be called a small rump?! Is that even logical?! Is that even rational?! Oh heavens, the sun is watching from the sky! How dare you say your rump is small?!"

The old man's rage burned to the high heavens, and as he spoke, he pointed at the sky. But right then, the sky was… dark.

The sky could not be seen and even less so the sun, but the old man clearly did not care about such things. While he shouted, the woman trembled even more intensely. Most of her cultivation base had been absorbed by the old man. The feeling of numbness and weakness in her body made a pleading look appear in her eyes.

She was feeling incredibly regretful, wishing that she had never come to the bizarre village to cause Su Ming trouble. She would not have run into the terrifying existence then.

"I…" Just when the woman was about to continue, the old man's rage seemed to have reached its peak. He immediately started shouting at Su Ming.

"Su Ming, Su Ming! Stop chopping wood, you brat! Heh heh, how dare this girl with the big rump lie to me. She has a big rump, but she said it's small! Damn it, damn it! Could it be that my hand is too small?

"No, this is a very serious matter! I need a witness! Come over here! Throw that axe away and touch her! Then tell me whether it's big or small!"

When the old man shouted, Su Ming, who originally thought that his mind was calm, was thrown into a mess again. He froze, then turned his head around and gave a wry smile to the old man.

"Hmm? That smile… Boy, could it be that you like girls with big rumps as well? Haha! Looks like the both of us are fated together. At least I didn't waste my time giving you food, drinks, and white dogs. Ah, alright, I've always been a forthright person and always honor the code of brotherhood!

"In the past, the little Gu Tai even… Ahem, let's not talk about the past. Little boy Su, don't worry, tonight, I will let you sleep in the house. Let's engage in a passionate love with big-rump girl that can be made into a ballad and can bring others to tears!" The old man put on a smile that made it seem as if he understood Su Ming's thoughts and spoke in a forthright manner to him.

When the woman heard it, her face went stark pale, but not much of her terror was in regards to the matter. She was only thinking of how she could flee from the old man.

Su Ming was just about to explain himself to clear the old man's misunderstandings when the old man turned around and his gaze met those of the two white dogs. At that moment, the woman felt her heart thump, and her face turned ashen pale. The source of her terror had shifted to what she saw.

The old man was conflicted.

Hesitation appeared on his face, but clearly, he was someone who honored the code of brotherhood and was a very forthright person. At that moment, he swung his arm, and then spoke loudly with a tone that made it seem that he was completely unbothered by it, even though it was very clear that he was very bothered by it.

"Oh well, even those with fur will do. The two of you are in luck today. Heh heh, tonight… Tonight, once we're done with making love with the girl, I'll let you two have a taste of what love feels like as well."

"Senior Gu Hong!"

The terror on the woman's face became even stronger. In her anxiety, she screamed shrilly. She believed that with the old man's status and level of cultivation, since he could say those words, he would definitely do as he said.

"What did you say? What did you call me? Damn it! This is a secret! Y-y-you… I am indeed Gu Hong, but this is a secret! Ah, I'm mad! I'm really mad! Su Ming, come over here and verify it! Tell me whether her rump is big!"

There seemed to be white smoke curling up from the old man's head. Red appeared in his eyes. When he looked at Su Ming, his expression said that if Su Ming did not grope her, he would erupt in rage and believe that Su Ming was looking down on him.

Su Ming was silent, but soon, he smiled faintly. The next moment, it disappeared, and his expression turned into one of indifference. He swept his gaze past the woman, then spoke languidly.

"It's just like you have said, senior, this female cultivator is indeed lying."

"Hmm? You know even without touching her?" The old man looked at Su Ming with a sceptical gaze.

"I have lived long enough to have reached a state where I can tell even without touching. This is something you will need to practice more, senior," Su Ming had a relaxed look on his face as he spoke.

The old man was dazed upon hearing his words. After a long while, his gaze suddenly filled with more enthusiasm than ever before. He stared at Su Ming as if he was looking at a kindred spirit.

"Ahem, could you tell me… how you managed to do it? Teach me, come on. We could also do an exchange. I have quite some good stuff with me, even some incantations, but they're all jumbled up," the old man said quickly.

"You can only sense it, it cannot be taught by words."

"You're right, you're very right, you're incredibly right, you're absolutely… Huh? Darn you! That's just bullsh*t! You're toying with me!"

The old man was about to nod instinctively, but when he was halfway through his words, he reacted to the situation, and he immediately felt himself burning with rage.

Su Ming lifted his eyebrows, and his gaze instantly turned fierce. When his eyes landed on the woman, he took a few breaths and began to speak.

"She has practiced cultivation for 38,792 years, and she lost her virginity when she was thirty-nine years old. She had nineteen husbands in her life, and her posterior is the size of four palms!"

Su Ming's expression was very calm, but when he spoke, the old man's face filled with shock.

"You're lying!" The woman was just about to continue, but the old man had already interrupted her with a face full of admiration.

"A learned man! A wise man! I didn't expect this, little boy Su, you're a learned man!"

"I will still have to thank you for teaching me, senior." Su Ming smiled faintly.

"I wouldn't dare to guide you, we should be learning from each other. Um… it's late now, so I won't talk to you anymore. I have to engage in a passionate love with big-rump girl here."

The old man's eyes sparkled as he grabbed the woman's hand with great excitement and quickly ran into the house. The woman could not do anything and was dragged in after him.

"Senior Gu Hong, I am a Great Sect Elder of Asura Clan. You-you can't do this. Progenitor Tian Xiu Luo will…" the woman said swiftly, but before she could finish speaking, the old man began roaring loudly.

"Damn it, stop talking about that son of a btch! If I want to get a girl with a big rump, no one will dare to tell me no in Ancient Zang! Even that son of a btch Tian Xiu Luo!

"It doesn't matter whether it's that son of a b*tch or that miserable old fool in the royal capital, both of them have a family and children. I'm alone! Who will dare to offend me?!"

The old man's words were incredibly arrogant and conceited. With the woman in tow, he went into the house, and with a bang… he closed the door.

"Huh? Hey, little boy Su, why aren't you moving? Come on in."

Soon, the door to the house flew open again, and the old man looked at Su Ming with a serious look on his face. "This is your serendipity. You have to think about this properly. Do you want to come in or not?"