Ninth In the World

Refining a cauldron of grade-nine immortal pills in two hours? He could only sigh at the thought. He was certain that he could not refine grade-nine immortal pills in a year, let alone in two hours.

He had failed to refine grade-nine immortal pills. The reason he did not dare to continue was not because he did not have immortal spiritual herbs. He did not lack any grade-nine immortal spiritual herbs.

It was because he could not discover why he had failed to refine grade-nine immortal pills.

If he found out the reason, he could refine grade-nine immortal pills as long as he practiced and wasted some immortal spiritual herbs at most.

Even if they could not find out the reason, perhaps some Alchemy Master would automatically head towards success with continuous refinement.

However, Di Jiu was different. He had his own Alchemy Dao. As long as he could not find out the reason, he definitely could not refine true grade-nine immortal pills.

If he kept trying continuously with so many immortal spiritual herbs, he might cause a crack in his Alchemy Dao.

Di Jiu remained silent for half a day until the words on the elixir door disappeared. He then took out the remaining five-feet Green Essence Energy Meridian. Right now, he could only cultivate until he became an Immortal Emperor and try to see whether he could refine grade-nine immortal pills after that.

…

Xie Huang from the Demonic Clothing Immortal Continent’s Starry Demon Palace paced up and down in the room. His cultivation level had not improved ever since he had separated from Di Jiu.

His father had locked him in the Starry Demon Northern Palace and never let him out. He had never known what his father had done during this period.

His father had told him back then that after Xie Cheng became an Immortal King, he would assist him in becoming an Immortal King as well. Although his father was biased, he could only admit that there was still hope after all. Now that he could not even meet his father, how could he become an Immortal King? Xie Cheng had perhaps already become an Immortal King?

The Immortal Spirit Qi in the Starry Demon Northern Palace was also the weakest in the whole Starry Demon Palace. He was a ninth-stage perfected Zenith Heaven Immortal so he could no longer improve with cultivation. He could only go back and forth in the spacious, empty Northern Palace Hall every day. Xie Huang even reminisced about the days when he’d had poison in his body. Although it had been an ordeal and he had been closer to death with every breath, he had still had a bit of freedom.

Xie Huang sighed. He should never have returned. He wondered how Big Brother and Elder Sister Mo were. Was Black Fire still a level-seven immortal demon beast and was that lazy bum Little Tree still being lazy?

“Uncle An, I’m begging you. Let me out. I would rather die than be locked in this place. I’m suffering through every moment, every second, every day.” Xie Huang did not remember how many times he had pleaded at the Northern Palace’s array entrance.

However, Uncle An was too dedicated to his work and never left his palace hall. He could not escape even if he wanted to search for a gap to do so.

Xie Huang was pleasantly surprised that Shen An did not turn to leave as usual. He sighed and a hint of indescribable feeling flashed past his eyes while he was looking at Xie Huang, as if there was a kind of pity and hesitation in his gaze.

Xie Huang did not dare to plead again. He was worried that if he did, Uncle An would immediately leave.

After dozens of seconds, Shen An suddenly took a few steps to the side and grabbed his Dharma treasure to throw it out.

Crack! The Northern Palace array door Xie Huang was in had a crack created by Shen An. Xie Huang would not let this chance slip by. Thus, he lifted his hands to rip apart that crack immediately and rushed out of the hall.

“Thank you, Uncle An!” Xie Huang thanked him in excitement, his voice trembling somewhat.

The hesitation in Shen An’s eyes vanished and he took off his ring to hand it over to Xie Huang. “Young Master…”

Xie Huang gestured with his hands and chuckled at himself while saying, “Uncle An, I’m not Young Master anymore. Call me by my name. The Starry Demon Palace’s Young Master is someone else.”

Shen An shook his head but still managed to stuff the ring into Xie Huang’s hands. He sighed and said, “I’ve been by Young Master’s side for many years, so there will only be one Young Master in my heart forever. This ring is mine, but there is nothing much in it. I’ll give it to the Young Master.”

Xie Huang, who was startled, hurriedly refused to take his ring. “Uncle An, I have mine. How can I have your ring?”

Shen An did not take back his ring. Instead, he said, “The Palatial Lord and the Young Master have gone out. If my guess is correct, the Palatial Lord went to search for an opportunity with the Young Master. Quickly, leave now before it’s too late.”

Xie Huang hurriedly replied, “Uncle An, come with me. Let’s find my Big Brother together. I reckon my father will not let you off if you stay here.”

Shen An smiled slightly and shook his head. “I’ve already gone against the Palatial Lord by letting you out, so I don’t believe I will survive. Go find your Big Brother and make sure to be safe and sound. Nobody will dare to make a move. You have to work hard and cultivate in the future in order to return to save your mother from prison. You will not be a son in vain…”

After his last words, a ball of flame rushed out of Shen An’s body and he rapidly vanished.

Xie Huang stared blankly at Shen An, who gradually vanished in the flame, and his knees fell to the ground. If he had known that Uncle An would perish to save him, he would definitely not have been this foolish.

Xie Huang’s cheeks were wet with tears. He was a sentimental person so, at the moment, he was only filled with regret. He should not have forced Uncle An.

“You don’t have to blame yourself. I originally intended to let you out. Remember, your Big Brother is at the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City’s Peace Hotel…” Shen An’s words disappeared in the flame. Although he had a lot to say, he could not tell Xie Huang.

He was unsatisfied with the way the Palatial Lord had handled this matter, but he could not talk behind his back. He had always guarded the side of the Starry Demon Palace’s Eastern Palace, not because he was worried Xie Huang would escape, but because he knew very well that once he left, regardless of whether Xie Huang escaped on his own or not, it would be hard for Xie Huang to live.

He had seen Xie Cheng’s ruthlessness more than once and he had to kill Xie Huang. He had guarded this place at all times for the sake of saving Xie Huang’s life rather than saying that he was watching over him.

After knowing that Shen An had disappeared, Xie Huang kowtowed three times at the place where he had disappeared and cut his long hair. He then rapidly rushed out of the Starry Demon Palace.

From that day onwards, he would have nothing to do with the Starry Demon Palace anymore. He would also not be called Xie Huang. His mother was called Zhangsun Yun, so he would be called Zhangsun Huang.

…

“Little Huang, how come you’re so haggard?” Black Fire saw Zhangsun Huang walk into the Peace Hotel at first glance. There were a lot of changes to Black Fire. He now looked like a top-notch immortal demon beast in the void.

Zhangsun Huang was a perfected Zenith Heaven Immortal, but there was a hint of pressure when he stood in front of Black Fire.

“Little Fire, you’re already a level-nine great immortal demon?” Zhangsun Huang asked in amazement while feeling some agony. After he had left Big Brother, his cultivation level had improved too slowly. If he had stayed beside Big Brother, he might have already become an Immortal Supremacy.

Black Fire chuckled. “Not yet. Tell me, how come you left for so long?”

Zhangsun Huang did not answer Black Fire. He only asked, “Where’s Big Brother?”

“Big Brother went to take care of some matters and will probably not return in a short time. That’s right, Big Brother has a ring for you.” Black Fire took out a ring and handed it to Zhangsun Huang.

Qu Hen had handed the Plane Rift Talisman to Di Jiu, and Black Fire had seen it clearly from the sidelines. Since he was already a level-eight immortal demon, Di Jiu had not allowed him to follow along. Instead, he had allowed him to return to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City to look after the Peace Hotel with Qu Hen and Chen Zishun.

Since Big Brother had the Plane Rift Talisman, Black Fire was sure that he was going to leave this Immortal World so he dared to say that Di Jiu would not return within a short time.

Di Jiu had originally wanted to give the ring to Qu Hen to pass it to Zhangsun Huang. It was because Di Jiu was not sure whether Zhangsun Huang would return to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City. If he did not, Qu Hen should go to the Demonic Clothing Immortal Continent’s Demonic Clothing Mountain Summit.

Although the Demonic Clothing Mountain Summit was the Demonic Clothing Immortal Continent’s matter, they would certainly invite a few reputable guests. As the Gigantic Tripod Elixir Association’s Guild Master, Qu Hen should be included.

Di Jiu had not expected Qu Hen to leave, as he had some urgent matters to attend to. Therefore, he had handed the ring over to Black Fire. Now that Black Fire had seen Zhangsun Huang, he immediately took it out.

“Thank you, Big Brother. Also, I’ve changed my name to Zhangsun Huang.” Zhangsun Huang took the ring and spoke as he choked in emotion. A type of warmth was rushing forth in his heart. His real brother was always thinking of ways to get rid of him, but the Big Brother he had randomly met had not forgotten him at all.

Black Fire, who did not care what Zhangsun Huang’s surname was, only chuckled and patted him. “Hurry up and pass the Immortal King Thunder Tribulation to advance to an Immortal King. Come back to enter reclusive cultivation afterward. Your current strength is too weak. Even Little Tree knows how to work hard and cultivate. If you don’t work hard, it might not look good for Big Brother.”

Zhangsun Huang nodded his head. He would have had to enter reclusive cultivation even if Black Fire had not told him to. Big Brother was a top-notch Alchemy Master. Since Black Fire said he could pass the Immortal King Thunder Tribulation, there would certainly be a Glazed Heaven King Elixir inside this ring.