“Are you an idiot? Ohh, I like idiots. Idiots are good. Idiots are great. Eee? [1. A quick word about "Eee?" This is a sound made in Chinese to express surprise or amazement. I hear it all the time, and it literally sounds like you are saying the letter E in a questioning tone. I could have translated it as "oh" or "ah" or something, but I think this transliteration more accurately captures the feeling of this uniquely Chinese sound. In Chinese it's 咦 yí.] How come you haven’t teleported away yet? Wait, are you actually an idiot? Why did that bird pick an idiot?” The meat jelly continued to chatter without stopping.

Patriarch Violet Sieve raised his head up to the sky and howled. He shot closer, lifting his hand. All the light in the area seemed to grow dim, and ripples spread out everywhere, which then began to collapse in toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao’s face went pale. With a bitter smile, he looked at the glittering s.h.i.+eld in front of him that was protecting him from Patriarch Violet Sieve. It was rapidly collapsing. Up ahead, the faces within the black aura emitted by the cage roared with rage. There was no time for Meng Hao to think. He pinched the good luck charm, and a roar sounded out. Pain filled his body. To everyone watching, it looked as if the moment before the protective s.h.i.+eld broke, a black hole appeared next to Meng Hao. It swallowed him up, along with the meat jelly.

Meng Hao disappeared, along with echo of the meat jelly’s voice:

“Although it actually makes me like you more, are you really an idiot? No way. There’s really no way. That bird is the root of all immorality, and yet the person he selected turns out to be an idiot… idiot… idiot….”

The voice echoed out into silence. It was the only sound to be heard. Patriarch Violet Sieve stood there, his face unsightly, rage surging from his eyes. The chain fell to the ground in front of him. The meat jelly had bonded Meng Hao as its master, and had cast off the chain.

“Bonded….” panted the Patriarch. “It actually bonded a master. According the ancient records, it can’t bond a master! It has never bonded a master!” He lifted his head up and roared.

The beautiful, middle-aged woman took a deep breath. After a moment, her eyes glittered. The cage disintegrated and the chain broke up into countless pieces and drifted away. The figures within the black aura began to fade, and the aura itself dissipated. As it did, Patriarch Violet Sieve’s heart trembled.

“A good luck charm from the Milky Way Luck Sect…. So, that person was able to leave because of that object. I will find him. I will pay any cost necessary to find him. But his Sect can’t find out. Ultimate Vexation has bonded a master. That’s excellent. A new variable. Perhaps Longevity Qi cannot be produced, but Longevity Pills can!!”

Meanwhile, in the Southern Domain.

Near the sphere of influence of the Blood Demon Sect was a lake. The lake was as smooth as a mirror, and emitted spiritual energy, causing the entire area to be covered with mist throughout the year. It had a very otherworldly look.

But, that was only from the perspective of mortals. Although the spiritual energy in the area wasn’t bad, it was far from being close to what is was within the five great Sects. Even some smaller Sects had greater acc.u.mulations of spiritual energy.

Although this area was within the sphere of influence of the Blood Demon Sect, it was on the very edge, on the area bordering the Solitary Sword Sect’s territory. Occasionally, Cultivators from the Blood Demon Sect would fly by this area. In actuality, it was a relatively dangerous place.

That was because the Blood Demon Sect and the Solitary Sword Sect had a blood feud, which was common knowledge amongst Southern Domain Cultivators. Although no major conflicts had broken out, small fights would occasionally occur.

Many areas surrounding the lake were actually battlefields for the Solitary Sword Sect and the Blood Demon Sect.

Next to the lake was a mountain village, which was inhabited by a Clan by the name of Xiao. The most powerful member of the Clan was of the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Seven or eight Clan members were at the Qi Condensation stage, and the rest didn’t have any latent talent whatsoever. Years ago, the Clan Lord had been a disciple of the Blood Demon Sect. However, he was growing old, and had been injured. His Cultivation base could make no further progress, and his longevity was running out.

In most cases, disciples like this are asked to leave the Blood Demon Sect and found Clans in the surrounding areas. Their heirs will then have the chance to enter the Blood Demon Sect.

Generally speaking, even if the Solitary Sword Sect came into the region, they would ignore such people. As a result, the Xiao Clan’s territory had been relatively peaceful in recent years.

However, that peace was mostly because no large Sect had made any attempt to bully them; often there would be friction with surrounding Cultivator Clans.

This was especially true because of the position they occupied next to the Spirit lake. Many surrounding Cultivator Clans coveted the lake, and glared at it like a tiger eyeing its prey. Were it not for the Cultivation base of the Xiao Clan Lord, their clan would definitely have been carved up like a melon.

Unfortunately, Xiao Clan Lord Xiao Chang’en’s [2. Xiao Chang'en's name in Chinese is 肖長恩 xiào cháng ēn - Xiao is a family name. Chang means "long." En means "favor" or "kindness"] longevity was reaching its end, and his body was beginning to deteriorate. A crisis was forming. Today, members of the Xu Clan had arrived with ill intentions. They strolled through the Xiao Clan, cold smiles covering their faces.

“Fellow Daoist Chang’en,” said the Xu Clan Lord Xu Luodi [3. Xu Luodi's name in Chinese is 徐洛堤 xú luò dī - Xu is a common family name. Luo has no particular meaning. Di means "d.y.k.e" or "embankment"] with a false smile and a sinister voice, “you should carefully consider my proposal. If we form a marriage alliance, then we can share this lake. That will ensure that the names of Xu and Xiao will exist forever. The day when our Clans can re-enter the Blood Demon Sect will be just around the corner.” Behind him trailed ten or more Clan members with Cultivation bases at the Qi Condensation stage. The most conspicuous among them was at the eighth level of Qi Condensation. He was currently casting smiles toward one of the members of the Xiao Clan, was a tall, slim young woman with a scowl on her face.

The girl wore a long green robe. Wind from the lake lifted her silky hair. She had beautiful features and skin like jade. Her intelligent eyes were like those of a red phoenix, tilted upward gently. She was truly a rare beauty.

Xiao Chang’en stood next to her, looking somewhat sickly. The flame of his life force was growing dim. Behind him were the seven or eight Qi Condensation Clan members. He glanced at the people from the Xu Clan, and opened his mouth to speak, but then trembled and began to cough. The young woman reached out to support him, a worried look on her face.

Xiao Chang’en took a deep breath and then said, “Xu Luodi, you can have the lake, but as for a marriage alliance, that’s impossible.” He patted the hand of the woman who stood next to him, and then glanced at the people from the Xu Clan. He was clearly weak, but his look could chop nails and slice iron.

“The Xu Clan wants this lake,” said Xu Luodi. “As for the Xiao Clan’s talisman expert girl, we want her too. If you agree, excellent. But if you disagree….” A smile covered his face, and yet his eyes glowed with killing intent. He took a step forward.

As his foot descended, a wave of mid Foundation Establishment pressure emanated out, filling the area. The faces of the Xiao Clan Qi Condensation Cultivators went pale and filled with nervousness and uncertainty. Ripples spread out across the surface of the lake.

At this exact same time, however, the sky above, which had previously been filled with blazing sunlight, suddenly seemed to grow dark.

It went back to normal in an instant. It happened so fast that if you blinked, you might not even notice.

However, the faces of both the Xu and Xiao Clan flashed, and they all gasped. A look of disbelief appeared on Xu Luodi’s face, and as for Xiao Chang’en his heart was currently filled with the flames of fury, and yet all he could do was gape in astonishment. All of the Clan members present were currently staring toward the lake.

A gigantic black hole had appeared above the lake, sending the lake waters roiling. A person appeared from within the black hole, emerging along with ma.s.sive amounts of black aura. He coughed up a mouthful of blood. A noisy voice could suddenly be heard.

“I’m not finished. Are you really an idiot… idiot… idiot?”

Face pale, Meng Hao emerged and glanced around. His gaze landed upon the Cultivators from the Xu and Xiao Clans. As the black hole disappeared behind him, Xiao Chang’en stopped panting and collected himself. A strange light gleamed in his eye. The woman next to him was about to open her mouth, but Xiao Chang’en lightly covered it with his hand.

He did this because he was the owner of the lake. Xu Luodi wasn’t the only person who had come here recently with ill intentions and a desire to take a superior position. The current situation caused Xiao Chang’en’s heart to be filled with anxiety. His eyes immediately began to s.h.i.+ne with a stern aura. A cold smile appeared on his face.

At first, he had been nervous, but after checking Meng Hao’s Cultivation base, he let out a light sigh. He was still a bit suspicious, though, considering the strange nature of Meng Hao’s arrival.

“Fellow Daoist, who are you, and why have you intruded upon this Spirit lake land?” These words were uttered not by Xiao Chang’en, but by Xu Luodi. From what he could see, Meng Hao was at early Foundation Establishment. Considering how tenuous the situation the moment, he couldn’t be certain that this person wasn’t here to a.s.sist Xiao Chang’en.

As he spoke, the seven or eight members of the younger generation of his clan started to get nervous and stare at Meng Hao.

“Senior, some problems occurred with my teleportation and I inadvertently appeared here.” Meng Hao’s body flickered, and he landed on the sh.o.r.e of the lake. When he did, Xiao Chang’en pulled the woman back with him a few steps, away from Xu Luodi. His fellow Clansmen followed suit. He said nothing, but an enthusiastic look had suddenly appeared in his eyes.

When Xu Luodi saw this, he frowned. As Meng Hao stepped foot onto the sh.o.r.e, Xu Luodi suddenly strode forward, the power of his mid Foundation Establishment Cultivation base flaring into power. A hypocritical smile filled his face as the pressure radiated out.

The hat on Meng Hao’s head suddenly began speaking to him.

“You know, that’s wrong. That’s very immoral. You shouldn’t tell lies. You obviously came here because you were fleeing for your life. You did have a reason to come here. You came here on purpose!”

Meng Hao’s face grew dark and Xu Luodi stared in shock. Xiao Chang’en’s eyes narrowed, although his expression went back to normal in an instant. The woman next to him looked in wide-eyed astonishment at the hat on Meng Hao’s head.

Meng Hao frowned, then took the hat off his head, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it away as hard as he could.

“Fellow Daoist,” he said, ignoring the hat, “where am I? What is the nearest Sect?” He glanced at Xu Luodi’s rippling Cultivation base and vigilant expression, and then looked at Xiao Chang’en.

“Fellow Daoist there’s no need to ask when you already know the answer. Why did you….” Xiao Chang’en was starting to get a strange feeling about the situation. But before he could finish speaking, he suddenly noticed that the hat which had just been crumpled and thrown away, suddenly restored its shape, and was back on Meng Hao’s head.

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This chapter was sponsored by Eric Layne, Calvin Yee, Sergio, Max Baraniak and TwistedSh.e.l.ls