Chapter 154: The Heart of Brightness

I pulled a few talismans and wrote several inscriptions on them, then threw them off.

"What are you doing?" asked the elder.

"Oh, you'll see, also don't use your divine sense for the next few seconds, it's not gonna be nice," I said and immediately the talismans shone brightly.

"Huh, I thought you had your cultivation base broken?" the elder asked.

"Oh, it is, but inscriptions don't need the activation of my own Qi, I supplement it always with a spirit stone," I said as I showed the elder the dust remaining from the spirit stone that I just snapped.

Just as I finished explaining the talismans tore and the inscriptions within them came to life. They were a magnified copy of the same inscriptions I have on my Sky Pearl eye, only they were nastier as was portrayed by the loud screams of the many people outside the tower as they tried to inspect what was going on when they saw the bright lights coming out of the black tower.

"See you later elder," I said then dipped out among the chaos.

I took a few twists and turns as the masses were in a hysterical panic, as more people were drawn to the chaos and used their own divine sense to inspect what was happening, only to have the talismans backlash on them and have them panic and scream, thus creating a chain reaction that took an hour or so to settle down, while in that time I was already back to my manor sipping on a cup of tea.

Soon afterward, a guest I was expecting soon came to my doorsteps.

As I walked to the door and opened it, there were two hooded cultivators waiting outside.

"Xiao Meng, we would like to buy that map piece from you," the male one of them said.

"Sorry, I'm not selling, though if you're going to the palace of the deep then I'm joining in." I said in a grin.

"H-how did you find out that we were going?" the woman asked.

"Simple, anyone with a fart for a brain could have figured out who I was, after all, I created a hell of a commotion outside the auction house, and since the woman in the auction mentioned people already having the three pieces of the map, I found it rather unlikely that the owners of the map piece would be in the auction, thus they were out, and if you were out you'd have seen me making problems for that girl and you would know who I was since that elder spoke clearly inviting me to the VIP room. So you figured who I was, I still find it surprising that Xix Yongfei hasn't figured out where I live, I had a few surprises installed for him," I said.. 

Now you see what just happened here, this is indirect intimidation. A man with so much wit about him had casually explained a situation that could implicate him in a death struggle against someone from a powerful clan, and he didn't seem afraid or intimidated, add to the fact that he dared go against Xix Yongfei and didn't give him face, and here he stood in front of the sixth tier Nascent Soul cultivators without breaking a sweat and also making it clear for them that he had traps prepared for another person with similar strength, this made them think twice thrice and even more time about daring to cross such a man.

Mystery is good on a person, it shrouds him with questions, and the fear of the unknown prevails against the human nature of greed. Survival and the will to self-preserve are far greater than a person's lust for power fame and gold, yet in some times it cannot work, but right now, these two clearly knew that they were outmatched and if they dared anything, then not even their lives were guaranteed.

All of that, all of what's going on in their mind, even the subtle release of divine sense to inspect if they were already in a trap added more to the fuel of their fears, it was like they were digging the very hole that they were going to bury themselves in if they continued on with this line of thinking.

Fear, uncertainty and the deep chasm of the unknown is a great deterrent for a person who thinks before they act, and these two, they are good thinkers.

"Right, it seems that brother Xiao Meng is rather capable, then we would like to have you join us in our hunt, there is one more person that we're waiting for if you wish to come with us to a more…" the man trailed as he looked around, "Secure location, as you have said Xix Yongfei will soon know of your identity and come here."

I waved my hand dismissively, "Ah don't worry about that brat," Immediately shifting his worry for my being to me saying that he shouldn't worry about himself.

"It doesn't matter if I'm here or anywhere else, if it's mere Xix Yongfei then I can take care of him even without my cultivation base," I said.

The two looked at each other, thinking that I must have been overestimating myself clearly, but that sense of dread from my earlier display was still there since I didn't want to prove or disapprove of their worries and thought and wanted them to spiral into more confusing and self-created scenarios of their minds over glorifying me, I decided I was better off not speaking and let them ho haywire and at the same time trying to act tough and collected.

It feels so good to manipulate people who have a lot of pride.

"But let's go, I grew bored sitting here," I said.

"Right, the area is outside of the city, do you wish for us to pick you up?" the male said.

"Oh, no, I don't need that," I replied and pulled my poison god's sword.

"You can use a flying treasure?" the man asked.

"You should have realized it doesn't use any Qi, I lost my cultivation base how do you think I can use a flying treasure?" I asked. Giving a man an answer that was in clear contrast with the reality he was seeing was enough to make his mind in shambles.

As for him, the sword was clearly flying, but at the same time, it was not releasing an ounce of Qi. So how was I flying? Also, I shouldn't be able to fly since I lost my cultivation base, but this clearly disproves the thought.

These were the questions in that man's head, and I wasn't going to answer them.

"Let's go then," I replied, and the two nodded and flew fast and ahead of me.

Though it was risky to show the Poison God's flying treasure since it could be identified, I'm not going to stay in this city anymore, once I find the Palace of the Deep, I'll make sure to venture out to another region, as I'm in desperate need of cultivation materials.

Soon the three of us left the city in haste, though many Divine Senses came to scan us, a recreation of what happened earlier happened again as the divine senses clashed against the protection of my Sky Pearl.

Almost immediately the people who used their divine sense thought better not to.

"Brother Xiao Meng, your mastery of inscription is amazing, the commotion earlier was really…surprising"

"In seeking Dao, cultivation is not the only way, and I do so by relying on my mind in creating inscriptions."

"It is an honorable path that I respect," the man said.

"Honor aside, you never mentioned your name," I said.

"Oh, my apologies, I'm Huang Liu, and this is…"

"I'm Hai Yun" the woman replied.

"Good names," I said, "Now that we know each other, where exactly are we going?" I asked.

"A bit in the north, the third member is waiting for us there. He has the final piece."

"I suppose he didn't want to come here for a reason," I said.

"Y-yes."

That pause there meant trouble. But we'll see when we get there.

Soon we arrived at an open field with a single cave entrance that led down.

The moment we got down, a man in white clothes appeared from within the cave, and I recognized him immediately and so did he, though it took him a while. I winked at him and he immediately understood everything.

"Brother Wu Di! Why did you come out!" the woman said.

"Ah," Wu Di said as he looked at the two, "I came to check in on you, so you found the final owner of the map piece. His name is Xiao Meng," Huang Liu said.

"Brother Wu Di, you should get back and rest, you still can't go in daylight." The woman said with concern in her voice.

"Don't worry about me," Wu Di replied as he coughed while he covered his mouth with his white fan.

"Emrodite Plague," I spoke and the group immediately turned towards me.

"How much do you trust these two?" I asked the man.

"With my life." Wu Di replied.

"Then so be it," I turned to the two and said, "My real name is not Xiao Meng. And that's all I will tell you. Also, can I have a private moment with Wu Di?" I said.

The two immediately realized that I knew Wu Di from before and though Hai Yue wanted to object, Huang Liu stopped her. "Don't worry, we'll be outside if you need us just call."

"Thank you, to the both of you for suffering so much for me." Wu Di said.

"Let's get inside," I said then threw a couple of talismans at the cave's entrance blocking sound.

"What happened to you?" I asked Wu Di.

The man smiled, "That should be my question, we all thought you died in the Celestial Realm." Wu Di said.

"You really think so little of me," I grinned.

Wu Di smiled though it was painful to look at since his face was paler than his clothes, "Yuzehan didn't though. She knew you were still alive, she would be thrilled to know that you came out safely, and…well more handsome, you really have strange cultivation."

"Ah, don't worry about the details, also, how did you get the Emrodite Plague? That thing doesn't grow on trees you know…wait, it does…then why is it so rare?!" I questioned then shook my head.

"Ah, it was a from a tree branch a disciple took from the Celestial Realm, we didn't even realize we were sick until months after we got back to the sect."

"This plague is extremely contagious. Who else has it?" I asked.

Wu Di sighed, "The whole of the Tian Ji Sect. We closed our gates so that the Plague Doesn't propagate but I don't think the sect will last." Wu Di said with reminiscence and sadness on his face.

"Understandable, I suppose you're seeking the Palace of the Deep as a means to treat the plague?" I asked.

"Yes, we heard that the Duo, the Master of Chains and the Imperatrix of Lightening had once been contracted with the Emrodite Plague, and they used their sect's divine Sealing Techniques to seal it, I was hoping to achieve similar results if I were to visit the same place."

"That's not a permanent solution. Even if you manage to seal the plague within your body, it will still be in your system, and if in one day it breaks, you'll die."

"What choice do we have, brother Shen Bao? Our sect is doomed, and I'm among the very few that are still able to move about and outside the sect for a while though sun exposure is really dangerous to me, I'm my sect's only hope."

"I have away. But it seems that your line of thought was correct still. I can treat the Plague, and cure your whole sect, but I'll need an item that is as rare as the plague itself."

Wu Di's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked, "What is it! tell me, whatever the cost we'll get it."

"Oh, I don't think it's possible, at least not for you or your sect…I can do something about it though, but it will be really, really troublesome." I sighed.

"What do I need to do?" Wu Di asked.

"Oh, you don't need to do anything, we do need one thing though, the heart of a newly created Albedo. The fresher the better." I said.

Immediately Wu Di gasped. "Did you just say an Albedo? That's a third Tier Demonic Monster! How in the hell can we kill that?" Wu Di replied in shock.

"Oh, killing it is the least of your worries…we need to find one first. But no worries, for now, let's head to the Palace of the Deep and hope to get the Sealing Technique. For now, I'll make a pill for you that can help you move around even under the sun." I replied.

Wu Di gave me a deep bow, "I thank you on behalf of the entirety of the Tian Ji sect!"

"Hey! What are you doing?! Didn't you just call me brother? Why are you bowing to your brother!" I berated Wu Di.

Ashamed and red-faced, Wu Di stood back up, "You're right." He sighed.

"Don't worry about anything, now give me a bit of space, I'll help concoct something for your that will make you feel much better," I said and then sat down to prepare for alchemy…no, Receptarism.