Realms In The Firmament

When Bu Xiangfeng was lost in thoughts, Ye Xiao casually said, “In fact, there are ten most powerful sects of the Limitless Ocean, and the eight most powerful forces too… People keep talking about it. It seems they have been fighting with their lives in the martial world… The truth is that only a few of the most powerful ones are truly spending their time in the Limitless Ocean.”

“The Limitless Ocean is just a limited area of the world. The real ambitious people would never only focus on this place. What they do is simply improving themselves in this place, waiting for an opportunity to shine upon the masses…”

Ye Xiao blandly said, “These people are still here, making noises in the chaos, only because they are not good enough… Since they are not good enough, they have to compete… In the end, only a few of these people can get their talents revealed.”

“While these people are refining themselves in the competition, I will be improving.”

Ye Xiao casually said, “I am still weak. In fact, I am as weak as nothing. However, it still could be me who eventually reached the top of the world!”

‘It still could be me who eventually reached the top of the world!’

What hid behind those words shocked Bu Xiangfeng!

He was thinking that this young lord was not ambitious enough because he didn’t join the battle of chaos. Now he knew that he was much more than ambitious! He was too ambitious to live safely!

If Ye Xiao kept going on like this, Bu Xiangfeng might become nobody to him someday…

Bu Xiangfeng thought of the words Ye Xiao said to him. “Old Bu, just watch me. I will do it… You will beg to stay in the Monarch’s Hall!”

As he thought of it, he didn’t dare to taunt this young master anymore.

‘What if he… What if he will make it?’

‘Besides… His name is Ye.’

Bu Xiangfeng had a complicated feeling.

At this moment, some special birds that appeared to be in red color started to fly up to the sky from everywhere. It took them only one second to fly through the clouds.

What was left behind were some dim flickering shadows and the narrow spatial fissures.

“Divine Fleeting Bird! There are so many of them!”

Bu Xiangfeng was surprised. “It means people are asking for help. Many people need help. There are dozens of the Divine Fleeting Birds right there.”

Ye Xiao nodded and said, “Old Bu, I need you to do one thing for me.”

“What is it?” Bu Xiangfeng asked.

“I need you to let the high-level cultivators know that there is a place called the Hall of Life and Death… It is right here. We can turn death to life. We can cure those who are dying. However, we only do it for itinerant cultivators.”

Ye Xiao said, “One more thing. Who wants me to save his life has to do one thing for me. He can either join us, follow me, and obey me, or he can kill one person for us, whenever, wherever, whoever it is!”

“I don’t need any guarantee or mortgage. I only need the blood of their heart, and the vow to the heavens!”

Ye Xiao said.

“That is too much…” Bu Xiangfeng was surprised. “Most of the Itinerant cultivator wouldn’t lose their dignity. I don’t think they will accept the terms.”

Ye Xiao blandly said, “I am asking you to do this. It is not your job to worry about their answers!”

“We can recruit people in many other ways. Why do you have to do it with cruelty?” Bu Xiangfeng didn’t understand.

“This is a cruel time, and that is why we should do things in a cruel way. Itinerant cultivators have a lot of choices if they want to join an organization. Why would they choose me?” Ye Xiao said, “Who would join a group of messes?”

“That is why I only recruit those who are dying. I will save their lives, and so they will spend their lives to follow me.”

Ye Xiao said, “I am not forcing them. I am offering a deal. It is a business! It is fair!”

Bu Xiangfeng made a sigh.

Ye Xiao was true.

A high-level itinerant cultivator was always prideful. If they would join any forces, they would have done it long ago.

If the itinerant cultivators did not belong to any organization, it was hopeless to recruit them. The big organizations must have tried to recruit these people and failed already.

What Ye Xiao did was to take advantage of others’ misfortunes, but it was the only practical way he had to expand the organization.

Bu Xiangfeng had faith in Ye Xiao now.

No matter how those people joined him, they would naturally become loyal to him in the end!

Bu Xiangfeng knew it because he experienced it… He realized that he did not want to leave this organization now, even though he had just spent a short time… He just wouldn’t admit it!

He would never cry in tears, begging Ye Xiao for a position to stay!

Well, wouldn’t he really?

“When you do this, remember one thing… We need them to come to us, but you have to pretend that you are telling them a piece of secret information…” Ye Xiao said.

“Why?” Bu Xiangfeng was surprised. “Why do we have to make it look so mysterious?”

“It is too complicated to explain. Just do it as I say. I have spent too much time explaining things to you. I am not doing it again.” Ye Xiao said, “All in all, just spread the message through some underground channels…”

“Only high-level cultivators who have reached at least the Divinity Origin Stage…”

“Just make it as mysterious as you can.”

Ye Xiao looked at Bu Xiangfeng and suddenly lit up his eyes. He said, “Old Bu, I know you have a vicious tongue, but I am sure you have friends in this city. Just tell the message to three of them, and your job is done.”

Bu Xiangfeng stared at Ye Xiao and said, “What? What did you just say? Who has a vicious tongue?”

Ye Xiao was surprised. ‘Who has a vicious tongue?’

‘What a question!’

‘Your vicious tongue is killing everybody in the world. Are you sure you want to deny it?’

He said, “You don’t have three friends? Well, that’s reasonable. Maybe there are some people you know, but they just don’t want to know you. Fine. They don’t have to be your friends, just some people you know will do…”

Bu Xiangfeng smiled bitterly because of anger. “Fine. I will do it!”

Bu Xiangfeng questioned Ye Xiao only because he thought it was not a good idea. However, Ye Xiao said Bu Xiangfeng didn’t have friends because he was mean.

That was quite a misunderstanding!

“Just do it as I say.” Ye Xiao said, “The Hall of Life and Death, where it provides absolute survival. There is a cottage in the woods over there, a little far from this courtyard. I will make a sign and do some decoration. I will be expecting our guests to come.”

Bu Xiangfeng felt a headache. ‘Really? Is this going to work? Isn’t it a bit too simple? Well, absolute survival seems to be resonant, but do you have the capability to guarantee absolute survival? What are you? A god of medicine?’

“Oh, right. There is one more thing. The three men that you are going to speak to must be beyond level six of the Divinity Origin Stage!”

Ye Xiao seriously said.

“Okay! I will make sure of it.”

Bu Xiangfeng said, “I don’t know whether it will work or not, to be honest.”

“I said it. Just do as I say. It is not your problem to worry about.” Ye Xiao was casual, looking confident like a god of medicine.

The walls around the area were half done now. Ye Xiao was excited. ‘This will be the first step of my great glory! I will rush to the top of the Human Realm Upon Heavens!’

‘If I miss this special time, it will be more difficult to rise.’

…

That night.

Bu Xiangfeng went out sneakily like a cloud of smoke.

In a normal room of an ordinary inn.

A man in black clothes who looked normal sat in meditation with a normal dark sword on his knees.

He was breathing, but his breath was so weak. He just sat inside the room, and nobody outside the room could notice his existence.

When people looked through the window and saw the man inside, they would probably think it was a sculpture.

The wind blew outside the window.

The man suddenly opened his eyes and then stared at the window. He was calm and cold.

A shadow appeared near the window and said, “Ping Shanyue, are you truly still alive?”

The man in black clothes didn’t move, just answered coldly, “A nasty man like you is still alive. Why would I die so soon?”

The shadow was exactly Bu Xiangfeng, who was moving slowly into the room with a smile. Ping Shanyue was still sitting in meditation. He didn’t want to even look at Bu Xiangfeng.

Bu Xiangfeng got into the room and paced around Pin Shanyue. Suddenly, he sighed and said, “Ping Shanyue, I cut you with my sword one hundred and seventy years ago. How are you? Does it still hurt?”

Ping Shanyue peacefully opened his eyes, looked at Bu Xiangfeng, and said, “Why don’t you let me cut you back now? You will know whether it still hurts after one hundred and seventy years.”

Bu Xiangfeng laughed loudly. Apparently, he wasn’t angry about it.

“Why are you here?” Bu Xiangfeng asked. “How much do they pay you? I guess it must be a lot!”

“It is none of your business.” Ping Shanyue blandly said.

“It doesn’t concern me. I am just curious. You are such a man who thirsts for blood. How do you survive this? This is incredible.” Bu Xiangfeng chuckled, sat down, and started to drink tea by himself.

Ping Shanyue didn’t cave in. “It is not a surprise that I can survive. It is you that surprise me. Considering how mean and shameless you are, I can’t believe you are still alive. I think it surprises many people, not just me.”

“You are mean! You are shameless! You whole family is.” Bu Xiangfeng laughed and said, “Ping Shanyue, I am here to tell you something big.”

Ping Shanyue said, “Speak.”

“We are not friends. I know that. Well, but you are a tough man. I don’t want to be your friend or your brother, but… I have to say I admire you. I guess you have the same feeling about me.”

When he said so, he meant it.

Ping Shanyue thought for a while, didn’t speak and just nodded.

They both did something great in their lives, and they were so similar to each other. It was not a surprise that they admired each other.

“You shouldn’t have come to the City of Chaos. You really shouldn’t.” Bu Xiangfeng said, “The city is now a powder magazine full of bombs… Once it is triggered, the world will be turned over. Most of the cultivators in the city will be killed. I have no idea why you came, but here is something I want you to know. I hope that you remember what I am going to say, because it may save your life! One should always try to live on first!”

Bu Xiangfeng was solemn and serious. Ping Shanyue was serious too. He said, “Okay, I won’t forget. Say it.”

It must be something important.

“If you are dying because of any severe injury… go to the Hall of Life and Death!” Bu Xiangfeng took a breath and said, “That place can give you a second opportunity to live. It can cure you no matter how severely you are injured.”

Ping Shanyue raised his eyebrows and stared at Bu Xiangfeng.

“I am serious!” Bu Xiangfeng said, “I don’t want you to die. I hope that you don’t need to go to the Hall of Life and Death. It is not an enjoyable place after all. There is always a price to pay for a second chance. I feel lonely in this martial world. Knowing that you are living in the same world, I feel better. I hope that you won’t get hurt. Trust me. It is not a good place to go…”

Ping Shanyue looked at Bu Xiangfeng and said, “What? Do I need to go to the Hall of Life and Death? What is the price?”

Bu Xiangfeng said, “To get their aids, you will make a promise. You can choose one from the two options. First, you can choose to stay and serve the man who cures you. You will become his follower for the rest of your life. You won’t need to pay anything if you choose this one. Second, you can pay the extremely high price, and promise that you will do one thing for the Hall of Life and Death. You will have to vow with the blood of your heart. To be honest, the second choice is selling your good life out. This is all I know.”

Ping Shanyue nodded and said, “That is cruel.”

“I know. I am warning you. Don’t get yourself hurt too bad. Before you make sure you are absolutely dying, do not go to the Hall of Life and Death. The owner of that place never does charitable things. He is a marvelous therapist, but he is not a man with kindness. All he is after is a benefit.” Bu Xiangfeng said, “If you truly are dying… and if you don’t want to die, just go to the Hall of Life and Death. Remember this. It is in the city. It saves lives! It brings you back from death!”

Ping Shanyue stayed quiet for a while and then murmured, “The Hall of Life and Death, in the city.”

After a while, he nodded and said, “I will not forget it. Old Bu, if I am dying, and eventually get saved by the Hall of Life and Death, I will owe you big time.”