Chapter 1928: A mere alchemist

“The Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood is born with much suffering. In the process of its growth, it would continuously be burnt by fiery flames and struck by lightning,” Yan Xianlu explained. “Speaking of numbers, the amount of Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood should number the most amongst all Source Powers.

“When a Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood dies, countless Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood would be birthed. However, they would only be young sprouts, and in the meantime, countless of them would die, right until one has successfully grown, and the other sprouts would also wilt and die at the same time.

“This is a Source Power of heaven and earth. Thus, even if you can’t obtain the approval of the Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood, even if you can only obtain a wilted sprout of Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood, it will be of incredible help for us to comprehend the Regulations of Wood.”

He paused, and then continued, “What my master discovered was not a single Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood, but rather a whole area… a forest of Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood!”

A forest made up of Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood, and only one King would stand out among the rest, and become the new Source Power of heaven and earth.

Hearing him say so, those whose enthusiasm was not that high initially all became keen.

It was too difficult to have a Source Power of heaven and earth recognize them as its master—basically, only a Celestial King could accomplish that—but if they could get a wilted sprout of the Fiery Flame Lightning Strike Wood, that was indeed also a precious treasure. It was guaranteed that every single Ascending Origin Tier would go mad for it!

“Ling Han, do you want it?” Hu Niu asked from within Ling Han’s arms. “Niu will s.n.a.t.c.h it for you!”

Her eyes shone, not much different from the little girl she had once been.

Ling Han involuntarily laughed loudly. Thinking of his various experiences with Hu Niu, an indescribable feeling of bliss rose up in his heart.

“I want to join!”

“I want to join as well!”

Immediately, a great many people volunteered themselves, wanting to join Yan Xianlu’s team.

Though Shan Jitong and Lao Song were also incredibly tempted, because of their dignified conduct, they did not say it out loud. Instead, they were waiting for Yan Xianlu to take the initiative to invite them.

Yet it was as if Yan Xianlu had not picked up on that, and completely ignored their existence.

Basically, every person expressed their wish to go to that natural Mystery Realm.

It was not everyone that Yan Xianlu would accept. This formation was capable of compounding the power of 10 people, in fact, and increased their power by tenfold on that basis even. Thus, it would definitely put a tremendous pressure on every single person. Without the support of a powerful physique, there would be no need for their opponent to break the formation, as they themselves would crumble first.

As the saying went, better to have nothing than to settle for inferiority.

After deliberating for a long while, Yan Xianlu had still only picked out six people.

Finally, Shan Jitong and Lao Song showed a prideful expression. No matter how strong you, Yan Xianlu, were, you ultimately would still have to offer them an invitation.

“Miss, are you interested in coming with us?” Yan Xianlu turned to look at Hu Niu, issuing an invite.

“Niu doesn’t want to!” Hu Niu scowled, glaring at Yan Xianlu. “If you dare have ideas about Niu, Niu will chop off your dog’s head to feed the dogs!”

Ling Han broke out in a sweat. Wasn’t that cannibalism?

Yan Xianlu, having courted a rebuff, could only rub his nose.

However, Hu Niu was indeed very powerful, and very likely wasn’t inferior to s.h.i.+ Xiuwen. Without relying on the formation, she could still match him. However, no matter what, Hu Niu was still from the Calm Peace Heaven, so even if she did not join his team, it was still fine.

“My master has said that this is an opportunity that belongs to every single person from the Calm Peace Heaven. Thus, I will bring everyone with me when I go. After entering into the Mystery Realm, I hope everyone can help one another. After all, our enemy is… the Wide Prosperity Heaven!”

Yan Xianlu solemnly declared, “If I discover anyone taking the initiative to start internal strife in the Mystery Realm, then please do not fault me for turning hostile in the future.”

“Naturally!” Everyone nodded. At present, they were all compet.i.tors, but if there was the Wide Prosperity Heaven thrown into the bundle, then they were a whole unit. Their fists should be united against a common external enemy.

“Brother Yan, could I give you a hand?” Lao Song was the first to soften. Yan Xianlu had already raised the topic to the level of the big picture of the entire Calm Peace Heaven. In comparison, his reservedness naturally would appear only coy.

“Of course,” Yan Xianlu said smilingly.

“Brother Yan, I as well!” Shan Jitong could only pipe in, disregarding any notion of embarra.s.sment.

Yan Xianlu nodded, and did not pursue the matter or mock Yan Xianlu. He had lofty ambitions, and disdained using such tactics to strike a blow at an opponent. Moreover, he was already the strongest of the younger generation of the Calm Peace Heaven, and there was no need for him to treat Shan Jitong as a rival, either.

His target was the other 33 ultimate monarch tiers of the Eastern Celestial Realm!

Hu Niu was not willing to join, which made Yan Xianlu slightly disappointed. If one such elite could join their alliance, his chances of victory would be greatly increased. However, looking at how Hu Niu was clinging onto Ling Han, he decided to take a more roundabout route.

“Ling Han, we finally met.” He smiled faintly.

Ling Han nodded, and said, “I have heard of you, and you haven’t disappointed me, either.”

Hiss, hearing these words from Ling Han, everyone inhaled sharply. What a great boast.

As a mere alchemist, where did you get courage to be so arrogant?

Yan Xianlu involuntarily became slightly angered as well. Though Zhao Qingfeng had not been killed by Ling Han’s hand, it could still be considered Ling Han’s fault. Having a subordinate killed, with his personality of protecting his own people, Yan Xianlu was actually already very displeased with Ling Han.

However, Ling Han was too young, having astonis.h.i.+ng natural talent in alchemy, and his potential in cultivation wasn’t too bad, either. That was why he had invited him as he wished to recruit Ling Han.

As he saw it, now that he, the king of the younger generation of the Calm Peace Heaven, had extended him an olive branch, Ling Han naturally would only scramble over and gladly agree.

Now that he had Hu Niu backing him up, he had forgotten himself?

“Are you willing to join my team?” he asked lowly, and he was asking for Hu Niu’s sake.

Ling Han broke into a grin, and replied, “My temper is a little stubborn. As the saying goes, better be the head of a chicken rather than the tail of a bull[1]. Come, let us have a match. If I win, you all will join me, and I will be your leader!”

This… he really wasn’t afraid of being forced to eat his own words.

But Yan Xianlu was not angered. As he saw it, Ling Han was only an arrogant fool. There was completely no need to take the words of a psycho to heart. He calmly asked, “If you lose?”

“Then I’ll just leave without a backwards look. I already said that I won’t be the tail of a bull,” Ling Han said with a smile.

Everyone was taken aback. So whichever way, others should listen to you?

“Ling Han, so awesome!” Hu Niu planted a kiss on Ling Han’s cheek happily.

On the sidelines, the Empress similarly had an expression of pride. How could her husband possibly be under someone else’s command? What a joke.

Yan Xianlu also faltered. ‘You are really too shameless, aren’t you?’

His expression darkened, and he replied, “Fine, then let us exchange a few moves.”

…He wanted to teach Ling Han a lesson so that he knew that using powerful connections as an intimidation tactic was a very disgraceful thing.

Ling Han patted Hu Niu’s back, indicating for her to let go of him.

“No, no, you can just fight while embracing Niu like this!” Hu Niu did not want to let go of her bear hug of Ling Han. At this moment, she did not want to leave Ling Han for even a single instant.

Ling Han thought for a while, and just simply walked out like that.

For someone that had reached the cultivation level he had, to say nothing of the fact that he had a person in his arms, even if he was carrying 10,000 people, it practically wouldn’t affect his battle prowess. Since the little girl was begging like this, he should just satisfy this little wish of hers.

“Come!” Ling Han crooked a finger at Yan Xianlu.

This was issuing a challenge to the strongest person in the Severing Mundane Tier? He was really too relaxed.

However, Yan Xianlu did not dare to be careless. He was well aware of how powerful Hu Niu could be. If she interfered in the match, the chances of him being defeated were very high.

[1] This Chinese saying means that one would rather be the leader of a small team than be a follower in a large force.