Chapter 458 - A stepway from being a legend (part-1)

It had been a few days since the incident and the group had scoured the area clean, the thirteenth floor had been a treasure trove for them, it was true that the creatures were dangerous, it was true that the place was very hot but it did not manage to dampen the mood of the people especially Ryuu who had managed to successfully propose Frost Flames.

Another thing that had changed was how the cultivators were acting since the introduction of the 'Battle of Poets', there have been no less than five disputes that had broken out and they were all settled using the 'Battle of Poets'.

At the thought of it Ryuu shook his head as he laughed inwardly, 'These immortals are too bored picking fight with each other using ridiculous excuses and then challenging each other in the 'Battle of Poets', it is really hilarious to watch, though, with time they are getting better and better, it is like a person who has never flown a plane, learned to fly it within ten minutes and now is ready to even give the ace fighter pilots the run for their money, truly we immortals are scary.'

"Another one? Just how many did we have to witness again."

Ryuu scratched his cheeks as he replied back to Su-Min, "If I am not wrong this is the sixth one."

Su-Min let out a tired sigh before levelling a heated glare towards Ryuu as she spoke, "I blame you for this mess."

Ryuu raised his hand in surrender as he spoke, "Wah, stop blaming me, what did I do?"

"You gave such a stupid idea as such it is your fault."

Ryuu acted as if the words had struck him physically as such he placed his right hand over his heart while he held his other hand over his forehead before he spoke in a faux tone, "Woe me, woe me, such a venomous lady with sharp tongue what will I do against her assault I might die from it."

Su-Min's brow twitched before she shouted out in anger, "Enough I am so going to kill you for introducing this stupid battle."

She was about to rain blows with her fist only to be stopped by the timely arrival of another cultivator, "Halt fair lady, Daoist brother Ryuu did nothing wrong he showed us something so wonderful as such I cannot allow you to besmirch his honour as such I hereby challenge you to a 'Battle of Poets'."

"Damn that is the seventh one."

Su-Min's head slowly turned towards Zywia before she screamed towards heaven and then she chased after a laughing Zywia who ran away from her.

Ryuu could only laugh at their antics as he was joined by Frost Flames who shook her head before she spoke in exasperation, "Those two jokers, as long as they are together they can lit up the whole place with their antics."

"So true love, so true they really can bring laughter in everyone's face."

Ryuu was silent for a moment before he spoke with a small smile on his face, "You know before arriving in this place, I was told how treacherous and dangerous this place is, yet at the same time I was always told even after that this place was worth the visit and now I can understand why."

Frost Flames smiled at him as she spoke, "You have told me this before already."

"I know but everything feels like a dream, a dream that I would not wish to wake up from if possible."

Frost Flames simply placed her head on his shoulder as Ryuu embraced her as she spoke, "Me too if it is a dream I do not wish to wake up."

~ahem~

The sound of a throat being cleared drew their attention, though even a few days ago they would have embarrassed now a look of annoyance flashed through their face upon being interrupted with their quality time.

The look of annoyance simply vanished as they were greeted by the sight of Frozen Ocean who simply smiled as she spoke, "I am sorry to interrupt your quality time but I believe it is time for us to depart."

Ryuu's eyes fell on his fellow comrades who had gathered up looking expectantly towards Ryuu who flashed them a smile before he spoke in a loud voice, loud enough for every one of them to hear clearly.

"My fellow cultivators, we have fought together, suffered together, even when our number was reduced to less than a thousand we persevered and manage to accomplish something that many could not, we manage to reach the thirteenth level."

With a small breathe he began again, "No matter what challenge was thrown we came up at the top, we were worried that we received too little resources but this last couple of levels, had filled our space bags and rings to the brim, but now what lies in front of us is an even greater challenge, in the entire history of our realm, the best those talented seniors could accomplish was to conquer the fourteenth level and we are going to step in soon."

He looked each of them in their eye as he spoke with a smile, "We are going to achieve what those mythical figures have achieved and conquer it for ourselves and hopefully we will go even way past them and conquer the unconquered and mythical level the fifteenth level, and engrave our name for the bosom of time itself to be the source of envy, for being the source of inspiration to the future generations to come."

A shout of joy was heard from every one of them, as it had been quite the journey for them, with only a year left the chance to create a history to engrave their names and become legends themselves was so close in their reach that their faces flushed with excitement, many of them had never thought that they would ever reach so far and they knew who was to be blamed for it.

They knew that the treasures that they had collected would be enough for them to live like Kings for millennia to come, even if they do not manage to advance anymore they would still be able to live without regret and they knew why, as such many of them not only gave a bow but also chanted Ryuu's name.

Ryuu simply smiled towards them as he replied their bow with a nod before her eyes fell on Frost Flames who gave an encouraging squeeze on his hand, they shared a brief moment before he shouted out loud, "Then let us move forward to the Fourteenth Floor, our last step before the doorway to being a legend."

With that, he along with his future Dao Companion stepped through the doorway that led them to the next level.

A servant dashed through a familiar corridor, since the day Ryuu had stepped into Eden it had been a job for one of the servants, who drew the short straw, to inform of any changes within it, as time passed and only a year was left the servant who had thought he had escaped from his fate of being messenger only for him to accidentally step into work because of a wager.

Many would consider working for such great people was a matter of great honour, but he knew the reality of the situation, no matter what anyone would say a messenger usually had the worst luck, especially when the person they were reporting to you was so strong that if they let lose even the tiniest portion of their KI they vaporize by coming within a hundred meters of them.

'Poor Mei, she was such a good looking, I was planning to woo her but alas she brought a bad news and Her Majesty lost control of her KI, the poor messenger was turned to ash, but I am lucky even if I had to substitute because of the wager Heaven's have yet to forsake me.'

A quick knock followed by a muffled enter the man went inside before kneeling in front of Antariskh who was busy with her paperwork.

Each passing second was like an eternity for him before Antariskh spoke with a drawl, "So, who are you? And what do you want?"

Without raising his head he spoke, "Your Highness, I am a simple messenger, the one who was supposed to work for you suddenly fell ill as such I am substituting for her, and I brought you the latest report from Eden."

His words brought undivided attention of Antariskh as she spoke in a commanding tone, "Speak what message you bring for us."

The man gulped as he spoke, "Your Majesty, the cultivators of our realm have managed to reach the fourteenth level of Eden, though they have yet to conquer it."

A silence followed by a deep laughter Antariskh spoke with a smile, "You have done us a splendid job by bringing us the good news, and here have this as a reward for your hard work, and you may take your leave."

A pill appeared in front of him before he felt a gust of wind when he looked up he found himself outside the Antariskh's room as a green coloured pillbox fell in front of him.

He let out his breath that he himself did not realize that he was holding before a large smile appeared on his face, 'haha, I feel sorry for you Sayla, you asked me to substitute your place as a favour but now I am so lucky such a nice pill I can smell it from here.', he inhaled the smell before storing the box within his space ring and then leaving with a skip on his step.