Burning Immortal Ancient City became more and more lively and busy.
Compared to when Lin Xun first came here four months ago, the number of cultivators in the city had increased by tenfold!
There were heirs from ancient orthodoxies, experts from major clans, and descendants from different sects.
Even rare creatures were a common occurrence in the city.
For example, there were snail cultivators with seven-colored outer shells and snow storks with nine tails.
There were even descendants from the rarely seen Cloud Weaver Clan. Their bodies were as soft as clouds and, as they walked, they drifted like smoke. If they were frightened, then their cloud-like bodies would explode into wisps of mist with a bang to allow them to escape. They were known for being timid.
Additionally, ancient-era eccentric geniuses and top talents also frequently appeared.
As Lin Xun strode along the bustling street, vaguely, he felt as though he had returned to the secular outside world, seeing the vicissitudes of life everywhere he looked.
He had transformed into an ordinary-looking youngster, observing the world in the disguise of a traveler.
“Young Master, this is a Fire Cloud Dew, do you want it?”
A young girl came up to him, holding up a ceramic jar in her fair hands. Wisps of colorful fire clouds rose from the jar and cast a dreamy glow over the girl’s pretty and charming face.
“How much is it?”
Lin Xun was a little tempted. It was not easy to find Fire Cloud Dew as they were formed only in layers of clouds and their harvest was very labor-intensive just like silk.
“Well, as long as it’s a rune material, anything is fine,” the girl said shyly.
She did not seem very business-savvy, and it was obvious that she had never sold anything on the streets before.
Lin Xun thought for a moment before he handed her small white jade bottle. “There are three Mystery Yin Light Condensing Pills inside, is that okay?”
“Of course!” The girl’s eyes lit up.
Lin Xun smiled and received the jar of Fire Cloud Dew, but just when he was about to leave, he heard a puff and the girl vanished into wisps of smoke in front of him.
Lin Xun was startled at first, thinking that an enemy had come.
Who would have thought that the smoke condensed into two hands and gave Lin Xun a cupped fist salute? “Thank you, Young Master, you are such a nice person!”
Lin Xun stared blankly at her. Only then did he realize that the girl was a descendant of the Cloud Weaver Clan.
“Young Master, my name is Caicai. If I harvest more Fire Cloud Dew in the future, can I trade them with you again?” Caicai asked hopefully.
“Of course.” Lin Xun smiled.
The misty clouds gathered to form a skyful of petals, drifting endlessly. Caicai’s voice also sounded, shimmering with joy, “That’s great, you are the first person willing to do business with me. Thank you! Really, thank you so much.”
The fluttering petals were spectacular like a dream.
Lin Xun knew that this was Caicai’s way of expressing her gratitude.
The girl’s gentleness and kindness were like a ray of sunshine, which touched Lin Xun, who was so used to seeing killing and bloodshed.
Caicai turned into a feathery cloud and happily disappeared into the bustling streets.
Lin Xun reckoned that she had gone to the clouds to pick more Fire Cloud Dew again.
“Big news, the peerless genius Zhou Qingyun from the Holy Hidden Land Starry Grotto Heavens challenged the Supreme Building and made it onto the ninety-third spot on the rankings in one go!”
“He is already the thirteenth supreme figure to rank in the top one hundred in the past few months!”
Clamor filled the streets.
Lin Xun listened as walked towards the outskirts of the city.
Before long, he coincidentally learned about a piece of big news. In the past four months, several experts had ascended to the king stage one after another!
They were all top supreme figures among the younger generation, and they were the new kings in the true sense!
But in comparison, more people failed to become kings, and only those with better luck, managed to become half-step kings.
Those with bad luck were directly possessed by demons and lost their lives.
However, although many made it to the king stage, someone had yet to become a supreme king.
Of course, this was only the situation in the Burning Immortal World and it might be another story in the other worlds.
“Have you heard that the Golden Crow Clan is frantically hunting for Demon God Lin? I heard that experts from the Golden Crow Clan have soared to the king stage, and there are more than one of them!”
“It’s not only the Golden Crow Clan, but also other forces are searching for Demon God Lin. Their clansmen are closely watching the areas near the Supreme Tower and Supreme Building, ready to pounce as soon as Demon God Lin shows up.”
“A storm is brewing!”
“But there has been no news about Demon God Lin for four whole months. Do you think he sensed something and had already left the Burning Immortal World via the Supreme Tower?”
“That’s very possible!”
……
Before long, some discussions caught Lin Xun’s attention. He was silent for a while, then he shook his head and left the area.
In the past four months, many things had happened in the Burning Immortal World, but none was enough to affect Lin Xun’s state of mind.
Very quickly, he left the city and wandered the world around like a lone cloud drifting in the sky.
The Burning Immortal World was huge, with endless mountain ranges and vast expanse of fiery-red sky and earth. It was like a world of its own, littered with countless opportunities and places of good fortune.
From that day on, Lin Xun completely let go of himself and followed his heart.
He wandered the depths of the mountains and ancient forests, observing heaven, earth and all things in the world. Occasionally, he sat alone on the cloud-shrouded cliff, watching the waves of fog and mist recede and regenerate in a continuous cycle, and the sun rays flicker and fade…
He found himself sitting there for days and nights at times, like a motionless rock.
Sometimes, he lay by the river at night, listening to the melodious sound of flowing water and falling asleep under the canopy of the night sky.
Sometimes, when the mood struck, he would drink until he passed out among the sea of flowers.
Sometimes, when he felt down, he would sprint wildly through the mountains and fields, like a hurricane, releasing the built-up negative emotions.
After that, he had no more thoughts and wandered alone in a daze, drinking, eating, sleeping...
Heaven and earth, sentient beings, all things...
No longer existed.
The troubled world, the worldly affairs, the memories in his mind, the emotions in his heart...
All disappeared.
He became dazed, empty, and not himself.
Seven days passed by.
Rumors had spread among the cultivators in the Burning Immortal World that a mad man was shuttling in and out of the mountains and forests like a savage, drawing laughter.
One month passed.
Almost all cultivators who were searching for opportunities and fortune in different areas of the Burning Immortal World had caught sight of the madman.
It baffled many people.
The Burning Immortal World was not a particularly peaceful place. On the contrary, bloodshed and conflicts often broke out almost every day over treasures and fortunes.
It was hard to believe that a madman, whose footprints were found in almost every area of the Burning Immortal World, could survive unscathed to this day. It was almost a miracle.
Who was he?
No one knew.
On this day, an unusual flower tree grew on a steep, windswept cliff. It was only four feet tall, and its trunk was only as thick as a bowl, but its bark resembled cracked dragon scales.
On the end of one of its branches was a fiery-red flower bud blooming, emitting a metallic sheen like it was made from fire copper.
It was late in the evening, and with the setting sun came a sky of fire.
A group of cultivators had long gathered in front of the cliff, staring intently at the strange flower tree as the bud opened up little by little on the branch.
Every time a petal bloomed, an arc of flames shot into the sky, followed by a shower of fiery red light and accompanied by a refreshing and pleasant aroma.
However, not one of those cultivators dared to approach the tree!
Firstly, it was because the bud had yet to fully bloom.
Secondly, a golden snake had coiled at the roots of the tree. Its body was only around the thickness of a chopstick but it was covered with intricate fire scales. The skin of its head was raised and faintly protruding outwards as if about to form into horns!
Its aura was violent and cold. It looked small, but it seemed like an overlord in the mountain.
It also showed no movement as though waiting for something.
“Ah, it smells so nice!”
Suddenly, a clear cry rang from the fiery red clouds overhead.
Instantly, many cultivators narrowed their eyes, and even the golden snake bent its body, ready to strike.
However, when they saw the figure in the clouds, they all relaxed and halted their attacks.
In the clouds stood a pretty girl holding an earthen jar in her hand. She was collecting drops of liquid from the fire clouds.
It was Caicai from the Cloud Weaver Clan.
However, a bad feeling came to her when she saw the scene on the cliff, and she immediately tried to leave.
“Stop! Little girl, come over here,” yelled a cultivator.
It was a black-clad young man with sunken cheeks.
“What is it?”
Caicai was so tense that cold sweat collected on her smooth forehead.
“If you help us do something then we will let you go.”
The young man in a black robe pointed to the flowering tree in the distance. “There, do you see that flower? Go and pick it for us.”
He was clearly sending her to die!
Even she knew that if she moved any closer, let alone pick the flower, she would face a deadly attack from the snake.
However, this was exactly what the black-robed man wanted. If she distracted the attention of the snake, they could take advantage of the chance to swipe the magical copper flower!
The other cultivators indifferently watched on.
“I…” Caicai mumbled nervously, her face pale.
She was good natured and had never clashed with anyone ever since she came to the Supreme Realm. She never imagined that she would run into trouble while collecting Fire Cloud Dew in the clouds.
“Hurry!” thundered the black-robed man. “Otherwise I will kill you now!”
This was despicable, forcing a young girl to die.
But no one said anything.
For fortunes and treasures, most cultivators would stop at nothing and have no scruple to resort to shameless and ruthless means!
Caicai was so terrified that tears welled up in her eyes, and her whole body was shaking. She never thought that her few words would bring such a huge disaster.
She offered the earthen jar with her trembling hands. “I’ll... I'll give you all the Fire Cloud Dew I have collected. Can you please let me go?” she pleaded, feeling aggrieved and helpless.
This was all her hard work.
“Pah! What the hell is Fire Cloud Dew? Who wants that?!” The black-robed man’s face darkened. “Little girl, this is your last chance!”
Caicai was so frightened that she dropped the earthen jar and her heart sank horribly when she saw the titled jar was about to spill out all its contents.
This was her one month of hard work. At that moment, she almost broke down when a huge hand appeared out of nowhere and firmly caught the jar.
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