Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132
Chapter 133
Chapter 134
Chapter 135
Chapter 136
Chapter 137
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140
Chapter 141
Chapter 142
Chapter 143
Chapter 144
Chapter 145
Chapter 146
Chapter 147
Chapter 148
Chapter 149
Chapter 150
Chapter 151
Chapter 152
Chapter 153
Chapter 154
Chapter 155
Chapter 156
Chapter 157
Chapter 158
Chapter 159
Chapter 160
Chapter 161
Chapter 162
Chapter 163
Chapter 164
Chapter 165
Chapter 166
Chapter 167
Chapter 168
Chapter 169
Chapter 170
Chapter 171
Chapter 172
Chapter 173
Chapter 174
Chapter 175
Chapter 176
Chapter 177
Chapter 178
Chapter 179
Chapter 180
Chapter 181
Chapter 182
Chapter 183
Chapter 184
Chapter 185
Chapter 186
Chapter 187
Chapter 188
Chapter 189
Chapter 190
Chapter 191
Chapter 192
Chapter 193
Chapter 194
Chapter 195
Chapter 196
Chapter 197
Chapter 198
Chapter 199
Chapter 200
Chapter 201
Chapter 202
Chapter 203
Chapter 204
Chapter 205
Chapter 206
Chapter 207
Chapter 208
Chapter 209
Chapter 210
Chapter 211
Chapter 212
Chapter 213
Chapter 214
Chapter 215
Chapter 216
Chapter 217
Chapter 218
Chapter 219
Chapter 220
Chapter 221
Chapter 222
Chapter 223
Chapter 224
Chapter 225
Chapter 226
Chapter 227
Chapter 228
Chapter 229
Chapter 230
Chapter 231
Chapter 232
Chapter 233
Chapter 234
Chapter 235
Chapter 236
Chapter 237
Chapter 238
Chapter 239
Chapter 240
Chapter 241
Chapter 242
Chapter 243
Chapter 244
Chapter 245
Chapter 246
Chapter 247
Chapter 248
Chapter 249
Chapter 250
Chapter 251
Chapter 252
Chapter 253
Chapter 254
Chapter 255
Chapter 256
Chapter 257
Chapter 258
Chapter 259
Chapter 260
Chapter 261
Chapter 262
Chapter 263
Chapter 264
Chapter 265
Chapter 266
Chapter 267
Chapter 268
Chapter 269
Chapter 270
Chapter 271
Chapter 272
Chapter 273
Chapter 274
Chapter 275
Chapter 276
Chapter 277
Chapter 278
Chapter 279
Chapter 280
Chapter 281
Chapter 282
Chapter 283
Chapter 284
Chapter 285
Chapter 286
Chapter 287
Chapter 288
Chapter 289
Chapter 290
Chapter 291
Chapter 292
Chapter 293
Chapter 294
Chapter 295
Chapter 296
Chapter 297
Chapter 298
Chapter 299
Chapter 300
Chapter 301
Chapter 302
Chapter 303
Chapter 304
Chapter 305
Chapter 306
Chapter 307
Chapter 308
Chapter 309
Chapter 310
Chapter 311
Chapter 312
Chapter 313
Chapter 314
Chapter 315
Chapter 316
Chapter 317
Chapter 318
Chapter 319
Chapter 320
Chapter 321
Chapter 322
Chapter 323
Chapter 324
Chapter 325
Chapter 326
Chapter 327
Chapter 328
Chapter 329
Chapter 330
Chapter 331
Chapter 332
Chapter 333
Chapter 334
Chapter 335
Chapter 336
Chapter 337
Chapter 338
Chapter 339
Chapter 340
Chapter 341
Chapter 342
Chapter 343
Chapter 344
Chapter 345
Chapter 346
Chapter 347
Chapter 348
Chapter 349
Chapter 350
Chapter 351
Chapter 352
Chapter 353
Chapter 354
Chapter 355
Chapter 356
Chapter 357
Chapter 358
Chapter 359
Chapter 360
Chapter 361
Chapter 362
Chapter 363
Chapter 364
Chapter 365
Chapter 366
Chapter 367
Chapter 368
Chapter 369
Chapter 370
Chapter 371 - Zhao Is Shocked
Chapter 372 - Raging Flames
Chapter 373 - Bloodline’S Counter-Attack
Chapter 374 - Strange Change In Left Hand
Chapter 375 - Leaves
Chapter 376 - Testing
Chapter 377 - Hundred Thousand Volcanoes
Chapter 378 - Meets An Old Friend On The Way
Chapter 379 - Fire Miasma And Tiger Beast
Chapter 380 - Displays Only A Small Part Of One'S Talent
Chapter 381 - Preparation For Cultivation
Chapter 382 - Condition Of Exchange
Chapter 383 - In Hot Water
Chapter 384 - Victory Secured Through One’S Wits
Chapter 385 - Fund Raising
Chapter 386 - A Substitute
Chapter 387 - Puncturing The Void
Chapter 388 - A Seal
Chapter 389 - Be Imperative!
Chapter 390 - Tracking
Chapter 391 - A Foolproof Plan
Chapter 392 - Assuming A Demon’S Form
Chapter 393 - It’S A Pass!
Chapter 394 - I Decline
Chapter 395 - Infiltration
Chapter 396 - The Cross
Chapter 397 - True King, False King
Chapter 398 - The Demonbound Nails And The Dragon-Subduing Pillars
Chapter 399 - A Test
Chapter 400 - The Heaven Ascension Treasure Vault
Chapter 401 - A Terrible Turn Of The Tide
Chapter 402 - The Second Drop
Chapter 403 - By My Own Means
Chapter 404 - Shocking One Hit
Chapter 405 - Another Dire Duel Has Begun
Chapter 406 - To The Rescue
Chapter 407 - Resurrection
Chapter 408 - Guardian
Chapter 409 - The Death Of Liu An
Chapter 410 - The Fallen Angel Canon
Chapter 411 - To Subdue
Chapter 412 - A Head
Chapter 413 - Breakthrough And Corruption
Chapter 414 - Balancing The Dynamic With Static
Chapter 415 - Bone Worm
Chapter 416 - Hounding
Chapter 417 - Consuming Its Flames
Chapter 418 - True Visage
Chapter 419 - Revival
Chapter 420 - The Integration
Chapter 421 - Conquest
Chapter 422 - The Fray
Chapter 423 - A Mysterious Visitor
Chapter 424 - The World Of The Cerulean Sea Star
Chapter 425 - The Biggest Crisis
Chapter 426 - The Second Awakening
Chapter 427 - The Mystery Of The Spirit Stone Quarry
Chapter 428 - A Farewell
Chapter 429 - Goodbye, Old Friend…
Chapter 430 - Doubt
Chapter 431 - A Visitor Not Of This World
Chapter 432 - Parental Affairs
Chapter 433 - Welcoming Dispute
Chapter 434 - A Domineering Mien
Chapter 435 - Immortal-Maiming Seven Star Array
Chapter 436 - The Fallen Formation
Chapter 437 - Slaughter
Chapter 438 - : Enemies, To The Death!
Chapter 439 - Clash Of The Behemoths
Chapter 440 - Jeopardy
Chapter 441 - The Regalia Descends
Chapter 442 - A Sky-Rending Blow
Chapter 443 - Blood Washed
Chapter 444 - Relentless Pursuit Above The Sea
Chapter 445 - Incessant Stalker
Chapter 446 - Legion Of Undead!
Chapter 447 - Bidding For More Time
Chapter 448 - A Hard Blow On The Enemy
Chapter 449 - The Beast Within
Chapter 450 - Reunion With The Azure Ape King
Chapter 451 - The Sea Race’S Forbidden Land
Chapter 452 - Burst
Chapter 453 - Dead Star
Chapter 454 - A Battle Among The Stars
Chapter 455 - Skyshielding Monstrous Ape
Chapter 456 - The Truth About The Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art
Chapter 457 - In The Heart Of Star Field
Chapter 458 - A Trip To The Star Field Dimension
Chapter 459 - Arriving At Qing Lan
Chapter 460 - Guarantor
Chapter 461 - Holy Tree Summon
Chapter 462 - Ma Lie
Chapter 463 - Verdant Hills And Green Waters
Chapter 464 - First Entry To The Secret Territory
Chapter 465 - Little Hints
Chapter 466 - It’S An Ambush
Chapter 467 - The Silt Dragon
Chapter 468 - Caught In Danger
Chapter 469 - Chi Ni Zi
Chapter 470 - An Earth-Shuddering Punch
Chapter 471 - Two In One
Chapter 472 - Deep Into The Secret Territory
Chapter 473 - Spider-Mantis
Chapter 474 - Hair Like Vipers
Chapter 475 - A Mutual Distrust
Chapter 476 - The Sudden And Unexpected
Chapter 477 - Each Magical Charm
Chapter 478 - A Desperate Chase
Chapter 479 - The Blue Root Man
Chapter 480 - The Holy Tree Fluid
Chapter 481 - A Powerful Challenger Has Joined
Chapter 482 - The Clash Of The Eyes
Chapter 483 - Shape Shifting
Chapter 484 - The Holy Spirit
Chapter 485 - Elites
Chapter 486 - Crossing The Borders
Chapter 487 - To Capture The Tree
Chapter 488 - A Bizarre Wooden Stick
Chapter 489 - Leaving The Realm
Chapter 490 - Sheng, Tian, Di, Xuan, Huang
Chapter 491 - By The End Of Ten Years
Chapter 492 - Sites In Qinglan
Chapter 493 - Xuanling Point
Chapter 494 - The Caving Residence
Chapter 495 - The Servant Named Cui Huan
Chapter 496 - Accomplished In Just One Turn
Chapter 497 - A Big Heart
Chapter 498 - Spirit Weapons And The Guardian
Chapter 499 - An Ordeal
Chapter 500 - An Endless Maze
Chapter 501 - Wandering Endlessly
Chapter 502 - Five Lines Of Tes
Chapter 503 - The Extreme Yin Aura
Chapter 504 - The Search For The Imfamous Master Of Refining
Chapter 505 - An Execution
Chapter 506 - Eighteen Staves Through Heaven
Chapter 507 - Trouble At The Door
Chapter 508 - Lights Off
Chapter 509 - Victory With The Staff Technique
Chapter 510 - Deep Underground
Chapter 511 - Frost Spider
Chapter 512 - An Unexpected Joy
Chapter 513 - Enemies Everywhere I Go
Chapter 514 - The Barter System
Chapter 515 - Two Submersible Turns
Chapter 516 - : The Coming Ten Years
Chapter 517 - Mission Of A Man
Chapter 518 - Xiulin Wood
Chapter 519 - The Holy Land
Chapter 520 - The Eve
Chapter 521 - First Fine Exposure
Chapter 522 - A Gamble
Chapter 523 - Two Rounds Of The First Battle
Chapter 524 - Successive Challenges
Chapter 525 - Missing Out On A Good Show
Chapter 526 - A Showdown With Liao Yong
Chapter 527 - A Rise In Fame
Chapter 528 - Pretending
Chapter 529 - A Clue
Chapter 530 - Vile Of The Inferno
Chapter 531 - The First Challenge
Chapter 532 - Evenly Matched
Chapter 533 - Settled By Dust
Chapter 534 - The Vast Temple Of Spirit Medicine
Chapter 535 - Three Years Of Retreat
Chapter 536 - Descendants Of The Azure Ape
Chapter 537 - Immanent
Chapter 538 - Float Like A Bee
Chapter 539 - In For The Kill!
Chapter 540 - Wrath
Chapter 541 - The Art Of The Vanishing Gods
Chapter 542 - Power Of The Negative Yin
Chapter 543 - The Enchanted Road
Chapter 544 - Beast Shock
Chapter 545 - Sharpen
Chapter 546 - The Heaven And Earth
Chapter 547 - A Mighty Uproar
Chapter 548 - The Third Challenge
Chapter 549 - An Endless Fantasy
Chapter 550 - Like A Wasteland
Chapter 551 - The Peak Of The Battle
Chapter 552 - Self-Talk
Chapter 553 - Endless Slaughter
Chapter 554 - Lost Mystery
Chapter 555 - Dakou Village
Chapter 556 - A Rebelion
Chapter 557 - The Final Step
Chapter 558 - A Mental Breakthrough
Chapter 559 - A Mysterious Summoning
Chapter 560 - The Holy Spirit Animal
Chapter 561 - Farewell
Chapter 562 - The Move To The Second Floor
Chapter 563 - Ignition Of The Spirit Waterfall
Chapter 564 - Idleness
Chapter 565 - Streak Of Victory
Chapter 566 - Knocking On Mountains
Chapter 567 - The Male And The Female
Chapter 568 - Late Night Detective Work At The Spirit Waterfall
Chapter 569 - The Guardian Demon Spirit
Chapter 570 - Life-Saving Bristle
Chapter 571 - Chaotic Powers Of Ying And Yang
Chapter 572 - A Spiritual Change
Chapter 573 - Fortress Of The Fang Clan
Chapter 574 - Retriving The Sword
Chapter 575 - Deep Into The Mine
Chapter 576 - The Ragged Man
Chapter 577 - Secrets Of The Fang Clan
Chapter 578 - Exposed!
Categories Genre: Action, Adventure, All, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Ongoing, Xianxia Status: Ongoing Alternative names: Xuan Jie Zhi Men, 玄界之门, ______
Total Chapters in book: 578
Estimated words: 1420577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7103(@200wpm)___ 5682(@250wpm)___ 4735(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 1420577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7103(@200wpm)___ 5682(@250wpm)___ 4735(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 578 Page No. 577 Page No. 576 Page No. 575 Page No. 574 Page No. 573 Page No. 572 Page No. 571 Page No. 570 Page No. 569 Page No. 568 Chapter 384 - Victory Secured Through One’S Wits
Chapter 384: Victory Secured Through One’s Wits
Translator:
EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor:
EndlessFantasy Translation
The Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s eyes widened in wickedness, its magenta forked tongue slithered in and out of its mouth in a blur. Judging from the loosening of its tail, there was no doubt that it was about to devour the still-unconscious Shi Mu whole!
The tail steadily unfurled from Shi Mu’s body as it dangled above the large serpent’s jaws. Just as was just about to fall down the snake’s throat, Shi Mu’s eyes shot open. In a flash, his right arm hooked itself around the snake’s protruding tongue. As the forked tongue retracted into its mouth, Shi Mu followed and landed inside.
The surroundings suddenly darkened as he entered. His nose was barraged by a putrid miasma as his body basked in the stuffy heat.
He scanned the surroundings with his ever-perceptive eyes until he could make out everything around him.
At the moment, Shi Mu was in the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s jaw; had he not grabbed onto the snake’s tongue so tightly, he would have gone straight into the snake’s stomach for digestion.
Shi Mu extended his left hand—charred black as coal—and closed his fingers together in a blade-like shape. With a downward chop, he cut off the snake’s tongue.
Splussh!
His left hand effortlessly sliced through the snake’s tongue as a gush of gamy hot blood sprayed out, drenching Shi Mu all over his face and head.
Suddenly, Shi Mu’s surroundings were once again bathed in bright, white light from outside. The Flaming Crown Demon Snake had opened its jaws in agony, its tongue thrashing around violently as it tried to shove Shi Mu out of its mouth.
This was Shi Mu’s best chance. There was no way he was going to throw it away!
He continued to slice through the snake’s tongue, one portion at a time, with his left hand. Within seconds, the tongue was a complete mess of blood and open flesh.
The Flaming Crown Demon Snake started to wiggle and contort itself wildly when a hint of madness crossed its eyes. The snake thrust its tongue up toward a row of venomous fangs—each of them a few feet wide—on its upper jaw. At the same time, the snake clamped its jaws together hard. It was trying to puncture Shi Mu’s body with its fangs!
Shi Mu’s left hand stopped and balled into a fist; With an uppercut, he swung his fist at the nearest fang.
Bamm!
Despite its size, the fang was smashed into smithereens by the uncontainable strength of Shi Mu’s left hand!
With that opening, Shi Mu snuck a quick glance upward before loosening his right grip. He mumbled a quick incantation under his breath and summoned a puff of white cloud under his feet which proceeded to raise him up toward the roof of the snake’s mouth.
Shi Mu had carried out every step of his plan without once stumbling, not even a single lapse in speed.
….
Down at the bottom of the valley, a serpentine body about a dozen yards long was undulating in convulsions. Its mammoth tail was flaying around wildly, colliding with the igneous rocks and magma in its way, sending boulders and rocky debris flying.
High above the valley was Cai circling frenetically in the air, its eyes shining rays of white light as it peered frantically at what transpired below.
Many times the parrot attempted to dive downward but stopped dead every time it got close to the fog as the searing infernal heat prevented it from entering.
Suddenly, a loud “splat!” echoed from where the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s head cracked open, a large cavity exposing the serpent’s internal flesh and blood. Within the gory mess, a figure drenched dripping with raw blood broke out of the cavity!
It was none other than Shi Mu!
He was still holding his left hand up in a tight fist.
Meanwhile, the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s body had ceased all movement before toppling to on side in a muffled racket. The body convulsed a bit more as the death rattle took over before the lights in the creature’s eyes faded.
Shi Mu somersaulted out and landed beside his kill, panting wildly.
The Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s scales had proven to be quite indestructible and should have held the advantage considering it was in its optimum environment. The leviathan had been a more dangerous adversary than the Red-winged Tiger Beast that Shi Mu encountered before. If not for his quick thinking and the power of his left hand, he would have met his end right there and then.
Shi Mu produced a Fire Attribute Spirit Stone in his hand and used it to rejuvenate himself as a stream of pure spiritual energy raced through his body.
He examined his tunic. Fetid snake blood had splattered all over it. The monster’s blood corroded holes in some parts of the garment.
Shi Mu ripped off his tattered shirt and threw it aside, then donned a new one.
“Shi Tou! You alright?” Cai’s voice suddenly rang next to his ear.
“I’m fine. I got the demon snake nailed too. Wait for me for a while,” he replied as he trudged toward the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s carcass. He summoned his Spirit Sense and extended it out of his body, blanketing the carcass.
After a while, Shi Mu’s raised his eyebrow before a glint of jubilance lit up in his eyes. He beckoned and a golden flash darted straight into his hand, revealing itself to be a feet-long golden shortsword. It was Shi Mu’s Golden Pound Blade which he then used to dig into the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s abdomen with a quick spurt!
Carefully making a long incision with the sword, he stuffed his hand into the gash, rummaging through the innards for a while before retracting his closed hand. In his grasp was a fist-sized red and white Demon Pill.
The surface of the Demon Pill looked incredibly smooth and fine as it radiated a soft glow and astounding waves of spiritual energy.
Shi Mu’s eyes flashed with happiness as they landed on the Demon Pill. He tucked it away for safekeeping, for he knew this little thing was the prerequisite for the license to the Lava Pool.
With the Demon Pill safely stored, Shi Mu once again turned his attention to the carcass. He took out his sword and started to carve some of the raw materials from the kill—its scaly skin and its tendons, for example—before keeping all of them in his Storage Ring.
His work now done, Shi Mu breathed a sigh of relief and scanned the surroundings. He was now smack-dab in the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s zone, where he was sure other treasures lay.
Now that the Demon Snake was dead, the source of the venomous miasma was gone, and so the smog had gradually cleared, making the size of the clearing observable.
Shi Mu took a stroll around the area but nothing of worth had turned up. He was just about to give up when his peripheral vision caught sight of a cave, barely taller than the height of an average man m. The cave had apparently been concealed by the fog.
He quickly turned and hurried to the cave, his eyes fixed on it.
He couldn’t see all the way to the other side of the cave, though the acrid smell emanating from its walls was enough to inform him that this was the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s den.
Shi Mu’s excitement was practically written all over his eyes as he quickly erected a protective shield around him before entering.
The cave was smaller than he had expected. As he advanced, he noticed that it seemed to be leading downward. Before long, he reached the end of the cave.
A clearing about a few yards high and a dozen yards wide awaited him by the end of the path, but it was completely empty save for a heap of black rocks the size of a human’s head in the middle.
Shi Mu walked around the clearing a few times and once again, found nothing; The disappointment was etched on his face.
First, he turned to the heap of black rocks in the center and walked toward it.
“These rocks…” His golden pupils lit up at the sight. He snapped his finger, and a golden sword swam through the air toward the heap and swung down.
Claaaannk!
That particular black rock tumbled from its spot, exposing a piece of its reddish content—a strange material radiating a faint red light.
“I knew it!” Shi Mu exclaimed, enraptured. Using his fingers, he directed the sword to cut through the black rocks with its energy beams again.
Slowly but surely, the black rocks were chipped away from the surface of a bright, red crystal, which rewarded him with a brilliant red radiance. On the surface of the crystal were lines and lines of mysterious patterns as red as an inferno.
Shi Mu reached out to the flaming red crystal and picked it up off the ground. His expression changed slightly.
The crystal was incredibly hot to the touch but more astounding was how heavy it was—it was only about the size of a bowl, yet it seemed to weigh a few hundred tons.
He examined the crystal as joy crept into his visage.
The crystal was emitting an amazing amount of spiritual energy—one that he had yet to recognize, yet nonetheless, he was sure that it would have to be quite significant for the Flaming Crown Demon Snake to hide it so meticulously.
Shi Mu tucked the crystal safely and proceeded to chip away every single black rock in the heap. He uncovered similar crystals kept them all in his Storage Ring.
Once that was done, he gave one last glance around the cave to make sure that it was truly devoid of any other treasures before he turned and walked out.
Fifteen minutes later, Shi Mu was flying out of the valley.
“Shi Tou, you had me so frightened. I thought you had become that demon snake’s lunch!” As soon as Shi Mu was out of the valley, Cai joined him in his flight.
“I’m fine. Faced a little complication though,” he replied.
“Finished your business?”
Shi Mu nodded.
“Terrific! …Now let’s get outta here!” Cai cried.
Shi Mu nodded in agreement, turning his head to give the valley one last look before summoning his Green-winged Flying Carriage. Their destination this time was Red Flame City.
It took about one full day and night to reach the city, where Shi Mu went straight back to the Celestial Fire Armory.
Shi Mu made himself comfortable as he sipped some tea at a corner of the armory, while Cai was perched on a table nearby nibbling on some confectionaries.
The door of the hall was pushed open as a flurry of frantic steps pounded the floor. It was Master Gong Xi, whose face was animated with pure excitement.
Behind him was the deacon dressed in red garb.
“I heard that you returned sooner than expected, my Sect Fellow Shi! How did it go?” The black-robed elderly man had his eyes fixed on Shi Mu, his voice cracking as he asked.
“Master Gong Xi, I’m afraid your intel needs some updating,” Shi Mu replied slowly, meeting the other party’s eyes with his own.
“What do you mean, Sect Fellow Shi?” the old asked, slightly stunned.
Before Shi Mu could say anything, Cai had already launched into a diatribe, “You people almost got Shi Tou killed, you know! You said it was going to be an Early Earth-rank Demon Snake, but you know what we found? A Mid Earth-rank!”
“I… I see. I must admit, this is quite possible. Now that I think of it, no wonder our men had not been reporting the whereabouts of this particular monster for a month—I suspect they all perished in their work.” The black-robed man could feel his heart throbbing in his chest at the news as he snuck a glance at the deacon in red. “Nonetheless, I wonder if Sect Fellow Shi managed to, you know…”
“Not the type to let you down,” Shi Mu replied quickly as he produced the Flaming Crown Demon Snake’s Demon Pill in his hand.
The fist-sized Demon Pill radiated two distinct lights of red and white in a faint shimmer; Had any veteran collector been around, they would instantly recognize this particular Demon Pill as something no Early Earth-ranked Demon Beast could have ever created.
And fortunately, this black-robed elder was one such veteran.
His eyes brightened the moment they had fallen on this exquisite treasure, stifling even his own breath as he subconsciously stepped forward to grab the Demon Pill.
Shi Mu raised his eyebrow knowingly and the Demon Pill disappeared into thin air.
“Master Gong Xi, I have proven that I indeed obtained the Demon Pill you have so requested. However, your intel contained errors that could have proved fatal for anyone undertaking the quest. I may have been fortunate enough to slay the monster in the end, but I can’t it came without a heavy toll,” Shi Mu said in a placid tone. “I would expect a wise man like yourself to agree that some kind of compensation is in order, yes?”
“I’m truly sorry that I landed you in hot water, Sect Fellow Shi. That fault was all my own as an intelligence provider. Fortunately, Sect Fellow Shi has shown himself to be a most competent maven who managed to secure this exquisite treasure despite the odds—for that, I am deeply grateful. To show my appreciation, I now lower the price of the Lava Pool rental from fifty-percent to twenty-percent for you, which means you need only pay ten million Spirit Stones,” the elderly man quickly offered as soon as he recovered from his shock.
“Hmm, from what this lowly one heard, the medicinal worth of a Mid Earth-rank Demon Pill far surpasses any kind of Early Earth-rank Demon Pill. Am I mistaken?” Shi Mu replied steadily while sipping his tea instead of handing the Demon Pill over.
The black-robed man’s face darkened after hearing Shi Mu, but eventually, he grit his teeth and relented, “F-fine, Sect Fellow Shi. I lend you my Lava Pool for free for over five years!”
He eyed the deacon in red standing beside him, and the man quickly took out a red token the size of an adult’s palm. On one side of the token were inscribed a few strange runes, while on the other were written the characters Nineteen.
“This is the pass to enter Lava Pool No. 19. Please keep it safely with you, Sect Fellow Shi,” the middle-aged man in red said as he handed the token to Shi Mu.
Total Chapters in book: 578
Estimated words: 1420577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7103(@200wpm)___ 5682(@250wpm)___ 4735(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 1420577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 7103(@200wpm)___ 5682(@250wpm)___ 4735(@300wpm)
______