Ninth In the World

Di Jiu believed Zhong Ao’s words to a certain extent. After all, Zhong Ao was quite mysterious and presumably had an impressive background.

After putting away the 39 high-grade immortal spirit meridians, Di Jiu took out a ring and handed it to Zhong Ao. “This is for you, since you don’t owe a ring. You didn’t care much about the immortal spirit meridians, but I placed some inside as well. You might need them one day after all.”

“Thanks a lot.” Zhong Ao did not stand on ceremony as he put away the proffered ring. Having a ring was a necessity for every cultivator.

Then, Di Jiu took out two more rings and handed them to Mo Yuxuan and Little Tree respectively. “There are some cultivating resources inside them that are sufficient to enable you to cultivate and attain the Immortal King Realm. In a place like this, you would be easy prey if you did not possess sufficient strength. You guys must put more effort in cultivating. Let’s go. We are going to the Gigantic Tripod Immortal City.”

As it was putting the ring away, Little Tree suddenly remembered something and reported, “Big Brother Di Jiu, Little Huang passed a jade slip to me before he left…”

Di Jiu slapped Little Tree on the head. “Why didn’t you give the jade slip to me earlier?”

Little Tree took out the jade slip hastily. It had felt bitter over the fact that Xie Huang had taken Black Fire along with him but left it behind. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Big Brother would know about this matter eventually, it really would not have wanted to help Xie Huang pass the jade slip on.

Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force landed on the jade slip and his facial expression turned ugly. The content of the jade slip was very simple.

“Big Brother, I received a Bloodline Message from my father, informing me that you were tricked and captured by Immortal Emperor Great Sovereignty and are currently being pinned against the entrance gate of the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City. I do not know if this news is true or false. If it is untrue, you will read this jade slip; if it is true, I will ask my father for help. The cultivation levels of Elder Sister Mo and Little Tree are too low, so they would not be of much help. Therefore, I brought Black Fire along. He will be able to help me since he is about to become a level-seven immortal demon beast.”

“If you are safe and sound and see this jade slip, it means that my father is targeting you. In that case, don’t go to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City, as you don’t have to worry about my safety. As for Black Fire, you do not need to worry about him either. He is with me, but he will not be entering the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City. He will be waiting outside, a long distance away, for my news…”

“Those two fools…” Di Jiu scolded them speechlessly.

Given his character, it was foolish of Xie Huang to think that he could trick his father. Di Jiu was certain that Xie Wanling had gotten hold of Black Fire, although he was not concerned about their safety.

Xie Huang was Xie Wanling’s eldest son. Xie Wanling would not kill his son, no matter how heartless he was. As for Black Fire, he was an extremely heaven-defying demon beast, so Xie Wanling would not do anything to him either.

“Do you know what a Bloodline Message is?” Di Jiu asked Zhong Ao after putting away the jade slip. He was not knowledgeable about such matters.

Zhong Ao replied coolly, “One can transmit messages using the bloodline of direct descendants if there are no communication pearls available. However, this is considered a supernormal ability that requires some skill.”

“I see. Let’s head to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City. It is time for me to collect some debts,” grunted Di Jiu.

He had already instructed Xie Huang to discard any items used for communication. Unexpectedly, Xie Wanling still had other means. People of Xie Wanling’s caliber truly were resourceful.

…

Xie Huang sat expressionlessly within the North Palace of the Starry Demon Palace. He was currently unable to command even his most loyal servant, Shen An. The East Palace that he had originally inherited had been seized and occupied by his younger brother, Xie Cheng, which was why he’d had no choice but to move to the North Palace. Despite the fact he was still the Young Palatial Lord of the Starry Demon Palace, he had been completely humiliated. It was truly pathetic that he had given the East Palace up to his younger brother while he himself had moved to the North Palace.

Footsteps were approaching outside the door. Xie Huang knew that they belonged to his father even without using his Spiritual Force. Over the past few years, his father had come by countless times. Nonetheless, he had resolved to never tell his father about the location of the Dai He Hall, despite the threat of death.

The footsteps stopped outside the door. Then, an extremely tall man entered the room. It was Xie Wanling, Xie Huang’s father.

Xie Wanling looked at Xie Wanling, who was sitting still, as he implored with a sigh, “Huang-er, we are a father and son, no matter what. No one else should be able to get in the way of our father-son relationship. I admit that I did make some mistakes, but that is only because I had never expected that someone would be capable of curing you of that poison. The reason I never informed you about Xie Cheng is because I was worried about your health.”

Xie Huang remained silent, for he knew very well why his father had never sought him out before and had only done so a few years ago. It was because his Soul Card remained intact. According to his father, he should already have died. Since that was not the case, it meant that someone had saved him.

Given the fact that he had left with Di Jiu, the only person who could have saved him was Di Jiu. Therefore, his father intended to interrogate him and discover Di Jiu’s whereabouts.

“Besides, I never expected that your cultivation level would improve. It is impressive that you attained the perfected Zenith Heaven Immortal Realm in just a few years. You are half-way to attaining the Immortal King Realm. Fret not, it is difficult for other people to obtain the Glazed Heaven Immortal Pill, but it is an easy feat for my Starry Demon Palace. Both of you can break through to the Immortal King Realm together after your younger brother comes out of seclusion,” declared Xie Wanling lovingly.

Xie Huang swallowed the words he wanted to say, as his intention was to visit his mother. However, if he said this, he might anger his father and cause his mother to get locked in an even more secluded dungeon.

He was filled with disappointment upon hearing his father’s words. It was, of course, very easy for the Starry Demon Palace to obtain the Glazed Heaven Immortal Pill. Why had his father yet to give him one then? The answer was obvious: His younger brother Xie Cheng was currently attempting to break through to the perfected Zenith Heaven Immortal Realm.

His father evidently wanted to let Xie Cheng attain the Immortal King Realm first after breaking through to the perfected Zenith Heaven Immortal Realm. Xie Huang would be allowed to attain the Immortal King Realm only after Xie Cheng had accomplished that. Why then would Xie Wanling not allow Xie Huang to break through to the Immortal King Realm first? It was because his father had already decided to appoint Xie Cheng as his successor. He would only have an excuse to officially make this claim when Xie Cheng attained the Immortal King Realm first.

Xie Huang was suddenly grateful that he had gotten to know Big Brother Di Jiu. Otherwise, he would not have qualified to even become Xie Cheng’s stepping stone.

“Huang-er, Di Jiu is a very cunning person. I am afraid that it’s not out of goodwill that he has allowed you to follow him. Di Jiu carries with him a great secret. I am worried that the Starry Demon Palace will be his target once he becomes accomplished. You are very kind-hearted, Xie Huang, so you are no match for such a sly person. Tell me where he is hiding. I will definitely not kill him after capturing him. As for his possessions, I will leave them all to you and take none for myself.” Xie Wanling did not know how many times he had said these words. However, to his disappointment, Xie Huang always remained unmoved by his words.

He would have already searched Xie Huang’s soul if the latter hadn’t been his son.

Xie Huang seemed to not have heard Xie Wanling’s words, as he stayed in a zen-like state.

Xie Wanling sighed and said in a more serious tone, “Huang-er, you had a companion, a demon beast called Black Fire, when you came back this time. That demon beast was captured by Yue Wuliang. Di Jiu will suffer a terrible fate if Yue Wuliang interrogates Black Fire and discovers his hiding spot.”

“If Yue Wuliang successfully learns this secret from Di Jiu and Yue Wuliang’s strength increases, the first place he will exterminate will be the Starry Demon Palace.”

Xie Huang quickly stood up, stared at Xie Wanling and inquired, “Why was Black Fire captured?”

Xie Wanling sneered. “It is idiotic that you even thought that you could trick the Immortal Emperors with your capabilities. I would suggest that you don’t believe Di Jiu’s words too much, or you will suffer a horrible death. You and Xie Cheng are brothers, so the two of you should join forces.”

Xie Huang was filled with anxiety, as he truly had never thought that Black Fire would be captured. He would be letting Di Jiu down if anything happened to Black Fire.

As for what his father had said, he took no heed. He would suffer a horrible death? He would have suffered that fate in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City if he had not gotten to know Di Jiu. There was no need to wait for the future for that to happen.

Given Big Brother’s capabilities, would he care about the meager wealth the Starry Demon Palace possessed? Xie Huang had met Big Brother Di Jiu only because he had gotten lucky.

Xie Huang finally managed to calm down after a long time. Then, he looked at his father and cautioned, “Father, I don’t wish for you to incur Big Brother Di’s wrath. Yue Wuliang has a death wish if he actually captured Big Brother’s beast companion.”

He had personally witnessed Di Jiu’s way of doing things. Di Jiu had dared to attack an Immortal Emperor when he had been only at the early-stage Immortal Lord Realm. By now, he estimated that Big Brother Di must have attained the Immortal King Realm. What would an Immortal Emperor amount to in comparison?

Xie Wanling grunted indignantly as he turned and left.

He had spent so much time trying to advise his son, yet he did not listen to a single word he said. Instead, his son advised him.

Xie Wanling was the Palatial Lord of the Starry Demon Palace, one of the Four Major Immortal Emperors of the Demonic Clothing Immortal Continent. How could he possibly be afraid of someone like Di Jiu?

…

While he was standing at the entrance of the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City, there was a fire burning within Di Jiu, causing him to have difficulty breathing.

Two people were pinned outside the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City’s Defense Array. He knew them- it was Chi Yuanqing and his daughter, Chi Xun-er.