Arc 14: Dayan Empire | Chapter 254: Conceal
Translator: Lynn
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After the deal was concluded, the bartering resumed.
Nan Zhengya didn’t immediately hand over the object to Xu Ziqing. Instead, he waited until someone presented a treasure that captured everyone’s attention before making his move.
Xu Ziqing felt a heavy object in his hand and realized he had been given the wooden box. “Thank you, Brother Nan Zhengya.”
Nan Zhengya responded with a soft snort.
Xu Ziqing smiled but remained silent. He knew Nan Zhengya wasn’t truly thanking him for last night’s events—it had been a minor matter, not worth the value of a mid-grade magic treasure. Despite this, since Nan Zhengya had mentioned it, Xu Ziqing decided to consider it a favor and repay it with a treasure of equal value in the future.
Nan Zhengya continued to trade for a few more items, but Xu Ziqing, already satisfied, merely watched and didn’t engage further.
About two hours later, the barter meeting ended. As they stood up, the steward activated the formation and they were ejected.
Xu Ziqing felt a lightness as Nan Zhengya typically guided him with a whip to avoid getting lost in the void. Both of them soon landed on the ground.
The Nascent Soul patriarchs, eager to refine their newly acquired treasures, quickly departed. They had no intention of lingering.
The Nascent Soul patriarch who had betrayed Nan Zhengya and the one seeking a furnace for his lover left together.
Xu Ziqing noticed Nan Zhengya stayed behind, likely keeping an eye on them.
Sure enough, Nan Zhengya sneered and said, “I’ll go after him. Let’s just leave now. If you’re interested in your brother, you should take the initiative. Don’t be a dithering fool and lose face!” With that, he left Xu Ziqing behind and sped away! Reêad latest novels at noov/e/l/bin(.)com
Xu Ziqing, hearing Nan Zhengya’s abrupt words and seeing him chase after the patriarch, couldn’t help but smile wryly.
What did he mean by foolishness or a man’s face? Xu Ziqing wasn’t thinking about that. He simply admired his Shixiong and didn’t want to rush things. He preferred to take his time. Yet, Nan Zhengya’s anger made Xu Ziqing wonder if he had experienced something similar before. Still, he couldn’t imagine who might have caught Nan Zhengya’s favor, making him curious.
The path to immortality is long, and they might meet again. If Xu Ziqing’s cultivation allowed him to evade Nan Zhengya, he might playfully bring it up. With these thoughts, Xu Ziqing slipped into a dark alley, amused.
With anticipation in his eyes, Xu Ziqing gently placed the jade box in Yun Lie’s hand.
Yun Lie glanced at him and opened the jade box. Inside, a transparent object with a subtle brilliance appeared. Though it seemed unremarkable, it exuded an extremely mysterious aura that slightly moved Yun Lie. He paused for a moment, examined it more closely, and recognized it.
“Rong Shuijing Crystal,” Yun Lie said.
Xu Ziqing was already satisfied to give his Shixiong something useful.
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Two years passed. Shengyan City had never experienced such a significant event or such excitement. Perhaps it was the anticipation of the opening of the Heavenly Secret Realm that created a growing sense of unrest.
During this time, Prince Xuan Ze of Tiancheng was busy with preparations and seldom interacted with others, allowing the brothers and sisters to focus intensely on their practice, rarely leaving the palace. Even Xi Lin, who typically enjoyed discussing swordsmanship with Yun Lie, seemed to be concentrating on his powers and seldom visited.
During this time, Xu Ziqing received no further news from Nan Zhengya, as if he had vanished without a trace. As for Nan Zhengya’s pursuit of the two Nascent Soul Patriarchs, Xu Ziqing remained unaware of its outcome—whether he had succeeded or failed, lived or died.
However, Xu Ziqing speculated that Nan Zhengya, given his ability to reach this stage and foresee conspiracies in advance, likely had a plan in motion. Trusting this intuition, Xu Ziqing set aside any lingering concerns.
As for Yun Lie, he had achieved a breakthrough to the Golden Elixir stage earlier and had pushed the limits in his spiritual sea, even grasping the embryonic form of the Zi-Fu small universe at this level of cultivation. Yet, despite his talent, consolidating these gains required time and effort.
Over the past five years, Yun Lie has matured significantly. His aura, once soaring like a sword reaching the heavens, now exuded a restrained power, his presence condensed and formidable.
Then, one day, Xuan Ze, the Prince Tiancheng, summoned everyone once more. The gathering included over ten Nascent Soul cultivators and five or six Golden Core cultivators, all of whom were Xuan Ze’s trusted allies. Among them were Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie, considered collaborators in Xuan Ze’s endeavors.
After five years of meticulous preparation, Xuan Ze exuded confidence, yet his demeanor remained serious, underscoring the gravity of their upcoming journey.
As seasoned practitioners, they required little discussion before departing. Xuan Ze briefed them on their destination, and they all activated their spiritual weapons and deployed their abilities, setting off together in a unified direction.
Their destination: the entrance to the Heavenly Secret Realm, situated on a vast deserted island in the Wudang Sea.
<End of Arc 14: Dayan Empire>
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