Nine Astra Skies

After muttering to himself, Tong Tian the Leo King said, “Your Excellency is from the Purple-fire Astra Lion Clan. The former generations of the Purple-fire Astra Lion Clan had nearly died out for the sake of the lion clan. Now, only Your Excellency is left. I have no right to ask anything of Your Excellency. Nonetheless, if I were so bold as to ask a favor…”

“Leo King, please tell me,” Ye Chen said. No matter what, when the other person was offering so much, they would ultimately want some benefits in return.

“It’s shameful to speak of. Within the past millennia, the Wolven Kingdom had risen rapidly. The influence of the Leo King’s Palace is no longer as immense as it was before. I hope that, if a war breaks out, Your Excellency would help the Leo King’s Palace. I speak for the entire lion clan when I say that we would be endlessly grateful to Your Excellency.” Tong Tian the Leo King placed his right hand on his chest and bowed slightly.

“This…” Ye Chen was somewhat hesitant. That would be a war between Daemon Kings. If he went into action, would he not be exposed? Even so, he seemed to have no way of refusing Tong Tian the Leo King’s request. Thus, he responded, “Within these five or six years, I have to recuperate. Thereafter, I’ll surely lend you a hand.”

Ye Chen was also supposed to meet Tantai Ling after five years. During that period, there was no way to know the extent to which his strength would have grown. After some thought, he surmised that even if his capabilities had not reached the Daemon King Rank, Little Wingsy should have already recovered his Daemon King Rank powers.

“Many thanks to Your Excellency,” Tong Tian the Leo King said emotionally. To these Daemon Kings who had long lifespans, five or six years was nothing much. The struggle between the Leo King’s Palace and the Wolven Kingdom had persisted for thousands of years. What were five or six years more?

“There’s something I don’t understand. Leo King, how did you know I was hiding in the House of Ye?” Ye Chen asked. He truly did not know much about the factions of Celestial Beasts and mystical beasts. Ye Chen also harbored a deep fear of Celestial Beast Daemon Kings. A Celestial Beast Daemon King was too formidable with a Psyche that could cover dozens of miles or even more. To a mighty Celestial Beast Daemon King, the valley in the Lianyun Mountains could not be considered a hidden place.

“Ah, it must be fate. Centuries ago, the Xiwu Empire was occupied by the Wolven Kingdom and my people seldom set foot in the Xiwu Empire. There’s a tanuki clan in the Lianyun Mountains. As they were unhappy about the Wolven Kingdom’s brutality, they asked for my help, wishing to move to the Central Empire. I sent some people to escort them. At that time, the tanuki clan had started fighting against a Demon Wolf Clan near the Lianyun Mountains. Fortunately, my people hurried there in time and rescued some heavily injured members of the tanuki clan. Just as they were about to return, they killed a few Demon Wolves and learned from one of them that a Daemon King was hiding in the Lianyun Mountains. So, I sent Mingyuan forward to look for the Daemon King and discovered Your Excellency in the House of Ye. It was a good thing that the Wolven Kingdom had not found you before the Leo King’s Palace did.” Tong Tian the Leo King was glad at how things had turned out.

In truth, it was Ye Chen who should be glad! When Ye Chen brought Little Tanuki to Yun Castle, he had used his Astral Body to frighten off a few Demon Wolves. To think that those Demon Wolves were from the Wolven Kingdom.

Ye Chen had never imagined that his situation at that time was so precarious. If the Wolven Kingdom had discovered him, there was no telling what would happen! Moreover, after listening to what Tong Tian the Leo King had said, Ye Chen felt an irrepressible excitement. He had learned another important fact – Little Tanuki’s clan members were still alive!

“How is the tanuki clan of the Lianyun Mountains now?” Ye Chen inquired.

“We’ve secretly settled the tanuki clan of the Lianyun Mountains in a mountain ridge somewhere in the Central Empire. Initially, I had wanted to bring over the rest of the tanuki clan to the Central Empire, but I later found out that a portion of the clan had joined the Wolven Kingdom,” Tong Tian the Leo King said. He was rather bewildered. Why would Ye Chen care so much about the tanuki clan? Suddenly, he recalled that Ye Chen had a tanuki accompanying him. The Leo King immediately realized that this was an opportunity. Since Ye Chen had asked about the tanuki clan of the Lianyun Mountains, this proved that Ye Chen cared highly for the tanuki following him. The tanuki clan had always been known for their beauty. Could that tanuki be Ye Chen’s lady? When Tong Tian the Leo King realized this, he felt relieved. Assuming that this was the case, if the Leo King’s Palace was in trouble, the tanuki clan of the Lianyun Mountains would face imminent catastrophe too. He did not believe that at that point Ye Chen would still do nothing!

Ye Chen was stirred up. When he got back, he could tell Little Tanuki this good news.

Tong Tian the Leo King had observed Ye Chen’s expression and smiled slightly. He felt that his hypothesis was largely accurate and instantly felt reassured.

The Leo King before Ye Chen was a moral character indeed. Since he had rescued Little Tanuki’s clan members, he could be said to have done her a kindness. If Ye Chen had achieved Daemon King Rank powers one day, he might as well lend a hand to the Leo King’s Palace.

“Leo King, what’s the origin of the Wolven Kingdom?” Ye Chen asked. It must be rather powerful to be able to force the Leo King’s Palace into retreat again and again.

“Over the past ten millennia, the Wolven Kingdom produced three Celestial Beast Daemon Kings. Although none of their strength matches mine, they always attack and retreat together, so I’m no match for them. Plus, the number of mystical beast Daemon Kings in the Wolven Kingdom far surpasses that of the Leo King’s Palace,” Tong Tian the Leo King explained in distress. He was defeated because he did not have powerful support. It was difficult for two fists to contend against four.

The Wolven Kingdom had three Celestial Beast Daemon Kings. Furthermore, according to what Tong Tian the Leo King had implied, they had even more mystical beast Daemon Kings. Ye Chen could feel his scalp turning numb. One Daemon King was scary enough, let alone so many Daemon Kings. He did not know when his cultivation base would reach the Daemon King Rank. It looked like it was still a long time coming. Ye Chen’s Astral Body could just about reach the level of a Heavenly Venerable One for now, which was similar to a Heavenly Adept Rank Celestial Beast. Above Heavenly Adept, there was still Mystique Adept, and only after Mystique Adept would he reach Daemon King!

Ye Chen had a headache. He could only work hard at his cultivation after he went back.

After some time, Tong Tian the Leo King and Ye Chen gradually started to talk about Martial Truth. Although Ye Chen’s Martial Truth was not ranked highly, the things that he had said greatly astonished Tong Tian the Leo King, who felt he was being enlightened by perfect wisdom. Tong Tian the Leo King became even more curious when Ye Chen mentioned the “Dao”.

“The cultivation system of a Purple-fire Astra Lion is truly incomparably abstruse. No wonder they could become peak existences of that level. Even if I spend my entire life learning it, I’m afraid I won’t be able to come up with one ten-thousandth of all that. I’ve learned a great deal from listening to all that Your Excellency said.” Tong Tian the Leo King sighed ruefully, appearing to be just like a guileless student. Although Ye Chen was a Daemon King like him, in his heart, Ye Chen’s position just kept on rising, even reaching a point that bordered on veneration. If he could listen to Ye Chen speaking about the “Dao” every day, he would not need a hundred years to enter another attainment level, nor would he have to be trapped as a peak Daemon King for thousands of years.

“The Dao isn’t material. It has no shape or form. Only the heart can perceive its existence. When your heart is one with the Dao, there’s nowhere the Dao can’t be found,” Ye Chen spoke of his recent insights. Of course, he was not that close to the Leo King, so he only spoke of this superficially. However, what Ye Chen did not know was that these few incidental words from him had led Tong Tian the Leo King into a new world. Moreover, in the eyes of Tong Tian the Leo King, Ye Chen’s status had risen to a soaring extent.

“The Leo King’s Palace is willing to revere Your Excellency as a Grand Supreme Elder. Would Your Excellency be willing?” Tong Tian the Leo King asked cautiously. At the moment, there were no words that could describe the thrill he was feeling.

“Grand Supreme Elder?” Ye Chen mumbled to himself.

Tong Tian the Leo King nervously looked at Ye Chen. If Ye Chen agreed to be the Grand Supreme Elder of the Leo King’s Palace, his bond to the Leo King’s Palace would no longer be ordinary. In truth, the lion clan had controlled more than the Leo King’s Palace. The Leo King’s Palace was simply limited to the Great Eastern Continent. If Ye Chen agreed to be the Grand Supreme Elder of the Leo King’s Palace, it meant that Ye Chen was roped into the Leo King’s Palace’s metaphorical warship.

“There are many benefits to being a Grand Supreme Elder. We won’t interfere with Your Excellency’s freedom. Your Excellency may dispatch any forces of the Leo King’s Palace except for the imperial guards. At the same time, Your Excellency would also have decisive power over certain actions of the Leo King’s Palace. There’s only one thing Your Excellency must do. For as long as Your Excellency acts as a Grand Supreme Elder, Your Excellency must spare no effort if the Leo King’s Palace faces a crisis.” On one side, Tong Tian the Leo King listed out the various benefits. Earlier, when he came into contact with Ye Chen’s Psyche, he had ascertained that Ye Chen’s strength was not inferior to his own. In addition to the Absolute Martial Truth that Ye Chen had expounded, he felt that Ye Chen was entirely deserving of becoming a Grand Supreme Elder. Although a Grand Supreme Elder would be able to meddle with his decisions at times, he decided to give up a part of his authority. He was worried that he would not be able to entice Ye Chen into joining the Leo King’s Palace otherwise.

“If I no longer wish to be the Grand Supreme Elder someday, can I resign from the position?” Ye Chen asked with a poker face. His heart was pounding even faster. He knew that the Leo King’s Palace was a tremendous force. If he became the Grand Supreme Elder of the Leo King’s Palace, there would be a great many benefits. Even so, he could not agree to it so casually.

“You can.” Tong Tian the Leo King nodded. If Ye Chen joined the Leo King’s Palace as the Grand Supreme Elder, Tong Tian the Leo King would surely do everything he could to keep Ye Chen with them. “However, before Your Excellency becomes the Grand Supreme Elder of the Leo King’s Palace, Your Excellency must accept the appointment in the Central Empire. I must declare it to the entire Leo King’s Palace for Your Excellency to be truly considered a Grand Supreme Elder.”

“The Central Empire? I have matters to attend to nowadays. I’m unable to go there for now. Let’s talk again after I’ve finished my business here.” Ye Chen shook his head. At the moment, he could not go to the Central Empire.

“Whenever you’re able to come to the Central Empire, just let the Tiandu Chamber of Commerce know, wherever you are. We’ll immediately send someone to escort you,” Tong Tian the Leo King said after a moment of silence. He did not know what business Ye Chen was here for. Since Ye Chen had things to do, he dared not inquire too much.

Ye Chen had also learned a lot throughout his conversation with Tong Tian the Leo King. After all, Tong Tian the Leo King was a Daemon King powerhouse. Some of his insights about Martial Truth were also rather helpful to Ye Chen.

“I should be back. When I’m at the Central Empire, I’ll get in touch with you,” Ye Chen said. He was out for so long that Little Tanuki and the rest must be worried.

“Mmm.” Tong Tian the Leo King nodded slightly. “In this auction, if Your Excellency takes a liking to anything, just bid for all of it. I’ll send someone to settle the payment for Your Excellency.”

Tong Tian the Leo King was truly sincere in his intentions. Ye Chen appeared rather calm and did not reject Tong Tian the Leo King’s goodwill. To an existence at the level of a Daemon King, this amount of Chi Deposition Pills was nothing much. It was just like when Tong Tian the Leo King had gifted those physics. Which one of those was not priceless? Still, Ye Chen had simply accepted them. Tong Tian the Leo King would not be calculative over something like that.