PHS Chapter 237 (Patreon)

Chapter 237: Few Are Such Useful Pawns

"The Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Clan does indeed have a Quasi-Emperor, and even an Imperial Weapon. However, you have already met their clan's Quasi-Emperor just now; he is currently fighting the Quasi-Emperor of the Golden Crow Clan," Li Yun stated calmly.​

"Oh?"

A light flashed in Ao Xuan's eyes.​

Such good fortune?​

A Quasi-Emperor had crossed realms to come here and even joined the battle? While he took advantage of the empty nest, even if the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Clan's Ancestor was strong, he wouldn't be able to return immediately!​

"Senior, the formation-breaking method for the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Clan?" Ao Xuan asked expectantly.​

Li Yun paused, then said, "A few incomplete Emperor's Scriptures are still somewhat lacking in value."​

As he spoke, his gaze drifted to the storage ring on Ao Xuan's hand.​

Others might not know, but he certainly did. Inside Ao Xuan's ring, there was still a Quasi-Emperor-level Cultivation Method and a Quasi-Emperor Weapon. If he didn't squeeze them out of him, he feared he would regret it for a long time.​

Ao Xuan's face darkened. This time, before leaving, his fortune could be described as abundant. He had even brought out the Emperor's Scriptures and several incomplete ones at that.​

In his view, such a generous offering should have been more than enough to buy an opportunity for Emperorship, plus some news about the other world.​

How did it seem now that it was still lacking?​

Nearby, Meng Qingzhi smirked.​

Based on the price Ao Xuan had just paid for the opportunity, he had a rough idea. It seemed the minimum price was one Emperor-level item.​

He had an Imperial Weapon, but he was reluctant to take it out now.​

If he also crossed the boundary, made a killing, and destroyed a few more sects, perhaps that would be enough for the transaction.​

He might even be able to save the Shimmering Light Sacred Land's Imperial Weapon.​

"Lacking..."

For the first time, a pained expression appeared on Ao Xuan's face. He took a deep breath. With Emperorship seemingly within reach, he couldn't let this chance slip away.​

He turned back to glance at the spatial passage, as if the opportunity for Emperorship were beckoning to him.​

"Swoosh!"

Two streaks of brilliance flashed.​

The last two Quasi-Emperor-level items were taken out by him.​

"Senior, is this enough ?"​

"More or less."​

Li Yun nodded and said mentally, 'System, query the opportunity for Emperorship within the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Ancestral Land, and also find a formation-breaking method to enter it!'

[Ding ]​
[Deducting 750,000 Heavenly Secrets Points. Query successful.]​

'Seven hundred and fifty thousand?'

Li Yun raised an eyebrow. A jade slip appeared in his hand, and he scanned its contents.​

No wonder it was so expensive.​

It turned out this opportunity was precisely the place where the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon ancestor had passed away, and there was even a formation nearby!​

This ancient Great Emperor, before passing away, had infused his lifetime's worth of Essence Blood into this Great Emperor-level Spirit Herb.​

Then, he had sealed it away.​

Sealed within the tomb, as the foundation of the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Clan.​

If, in the future, a clan member reached the peak of the Quasi-Emperor realm, perhaps they could use this Emperor-level Spirit Herb to take that crucial step.​

Unfortunately, his descendants weren't very impressive.​

For many years, not a single Quasi-Emperor had appeared. When one finally did, it seemed he couldn't use it. Ultimately, their foundation was still lacking. Even if he swallowed this Emperor-level Spirit Herb, he couldn't achieve Emperorship.​

It was fortunate that the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon was considered a distant relative of the Dragon Clan, allowing this Emperor-level Spirit Herb to have some effect on Ao Xuan.​

If it were anyone else, or another demon race, the option of the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Ancestral Land probably wouldn't even appear among their opportunities for Emperorship.​

"This is your opportunity."​

The jade slip flew from Li Yun's hand and landed in Ao Xuan's.​

"Many thanks, Senior," Ao Xuan said gratefully as he put away the jade slip.​

Then, he glanced at Meng Qingzhi, a trace of smugness in his eyes, and said in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist Meng, it seems this old master must take his leave first."​

With that, he cupped his hands toward Li Yun again, then turned and stepped into the spatial rift.​

"I..."

Meng Qingzhi's face turned black.​

In the current world, almost all of his peers are dead. Only Ao Xuan, that dragon, and a few old monsters whose survival was uncertain remained.​

If Ao Xuan achieved Emperorship while he was still a Quasi-Emperor, wouldn't future meetings be extremely awkward?​

Currently, this world is facing a great invasion; Ao Xuan wouldn't do anything to him.​

But if the threat disappeared, the result would be different. Ultimately, his relationship with Ao Xuan wasn't particularly good; they even had some old grudges from their youth.​

"Has this old master provoked three Great Emperors?" Meng Qingzhi lamented inwardly. He turned back, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior, in this Purple Profound Realm, is there an opportunity for this junior to achieve Emperorship ?"​

"Naturally, there is."​

Li Yun didn't even bother querying, replying casually.​

He didn't need to look to know there would surely be opportunities suitable for Meng Qingzhi. But the crucial point was, Meng Qingzhi couldn't afford them. He only had a few Great Saint-level items on him.​

He couldn't even afford a glimpse of an opportunity.​

"If you bring out the Shimmering Light Sacred Land's Imperial Weapon and add two more Quasi-Emperor-level items, I might be able to point one out to you," Li Yun said with a light laugh.​

"Er…"

Meng Qingzhi's heart stirred for a moment, but he quickly suppressed the thought.​

He pondered for a moment, then took out everything he possessed—one Great Saint-level item and nine Saint King-level items.​

There were also numerous weapons and Magic Treasures of the Saint and even Sacred Lord levels.​

"Senior, look at these items. How many sects' formation-breaking methods in the Purple Profound Realm can they buy ?"​

After speaking, Meng Qingzhi added, "This junior means sects or families that have never produced a Great Emperor in their history."​

"Not even one," Li Yun said after a glance.​

"However…"

"I can point out a clear path for you."​

Li Yun extended his palm, and a streak of brilliance flashed within it, revealing a scroll painting. He handed it to Meng Qingzhi and said, "This contains a map of a small part of the Purple Profound Realm. I have marked several sects on it. Their strength is comparable to the former Heavenly Demon Palace."​

"They all possess inheritances spanning several million years and have incredibly deep foundations."​

"My words end here. I trust you know what to do."​

"This junior understands !"​

As Meng Qingzhi listened to Li Yun's words, the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter, until finally, he was overcome with joy.​

The senior was giving him a chance!​

He must be watching the Purple Profound Realm's arrogance and wants me to go over and light a fire in their backyard. If this fire catches …​

On one hand, it helps alleviate the pressure on this world.​

On the other hand, he himself could make a small fortune.​

Before, he had thought of just finding any sect and annihilating it. That way, although he would make a profit, it likely wouldn't be enough to buy an opportunity for Emperorship.​

But with the senior's guidance, he now had a clear understanding of the Purple Profound Realm's power distribution. He no longer needed to run around like a headless fly.​

What if he stumbled into a Great Emperor's lair? Wouldn't that be a pointless death? ​

This map was like a guiding light. If used well, taking down the sects one by one, never mind just one or two... Given time, annihilating seven or eight would be easy.​

In his own world, he certainly wouldn't dare to be so crazed, because the Nine Nether Demon Sect would be besieged. But against another world, he felt no qualms.​

He had no psychological burden.​

After all, he was also of the human race.​

Now that the human race was being hammered, it was perfectly reasonable for him to retaliate.​

"Right."​

As if remembering something, Li Yun added a final sentence, "You are different from others. The opportunity for Emperorship might be a bit more expensive for you, so your earlier estimate was inaccurate."​

"Ah ?"​

He had just received the map and hadn't even recovered before being doused with cold water.​

Senior, are you discriminating?​

This junior is utterly sincere toward you!​

"It is not discrimination. You should understand that your potential is already exhausted. Achieving Emperorship will be much more difficult for you than for many others," Li Yun said softly.​

"But Ao Xuan, from the same era as me…" Meng Qingzhi lamented.​

"The opportunity he took was left by an Ancient Emperor of the Jade Scaled Flood Dragon Clan. Though not of the same clan, they share the same origin. It was just a coincidence," Li Yun explained.​

Offering this reminder now was simply to save Meng Qingzhi an extra trip.​

Ultimately, it was out of good intentions.​

Hmm …​

Since Meng Qingzhi had decided to plunder resources, he should plunder a bit more, allowing Li Yun himself to profit handsomely as well.​

After all, in this world, useful tools like the Nine Nether Demon Sect were few. Others had too many scruples. The Nine Nether Demon Sect, upon smelling profit, could cast everything aside.​

"This…"

Meng Qingzhi's face fell. He gripped the map tightly, glanced at the spatial passage beside him, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.​

This time, you can't blame this old master.​

Having lived for several million years, this old master's demands are not high. I just want to become an Emperor.​

"Go."​

Li Yun waved his hand.​

"This junior takes his leave !"​

Meng Qingzhi transformed into a cloud of black mist and quickly rushed into the spatial passage. Before he had even fully crossed the boundary, the killing intent radiating from him could barely be contained.​

Seeing this rushed appearance, Li Yun silently offered a moment of mourning for the Purple Profound Realm.​

Before, Meng Qingzhi had been planning to act against the Grand Luo Sword Sect in this world. Now, free from restraints, who could guarantee how much of a storm he would stir up in the Purple Profound Realm ​

The power of a Quasi-Emperor, though not comparable to a Great Emperor, could still produce terrifying effects.​

Especially since Meng Qingzhi carried an Imperial Weapon.​

After sending the two off, Li Yun stood within the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. His vast spiritual sense swept out like a tide, covering a radius of nearly ten million li. Every scene within that range was reflected in his mind.​

He looked at the spatial passage inside the Pavilion.​

Then he looked at the several leaderboards outside.​

In the past, his strength had been insufficient, so he had let it be.​

But now, seeing a row of leaderboards lined up before the Pavilion's entrance, looking from afar like a graveyard, it was quite jarring, no matter how he looked at it. Not to mention the spatial passage inside the building.​

In the future, if someone from the Purple Profound Realm came over, should he just let them appear directly inside the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets?​

Wouldn't he have no privacy left then? ​

And over time, once the myriad heavens and ten thousand realms were opened, if he opened every spatial passage inside the Pavilion, wouldn't a perfectly good Pavilion be turned into a honeycomb by him?

"Need to change things."​

Li Yun rubbed his chin. He extended his hand and dragged at the void. With a tremendous rumble, the entire Great Desolate City, within a radius of ten thousand li, suddenly trembled.​

Amidst the rumbling, a continent slowly began to float upward.​

"What's happening ?"​

"What's going on? Why do I feel like the ground beneath my feet is floating ?"​

"You're not wrong. Great Desolate City is indeed rising, and it's the land within a ten-thousand-li radius, all rising together !"​

"Is this Senior Pavilion Master taking action ?"​

The people within Great Desolate City, after the initial panic, quickly calmed down. This was the safest place in the entire world. Even if people from another world came, they likely wouldn't dare show any disrespect.​

Right now, besides the Senior Pavilion Master taking action, they couldn't think of a second possibility.​

Great Desolate City slowly ascended.​

The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets remained firmly on the ground. Li Yun breathed a sigh of relief.​

It seemed the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets wasn't completely immovable.​

At least now, rising along with Great Desolate City, it showed no tendency to fall.​

Perhaps his previous inability to move it was simply due to insufficient strength.​

Maybe in the future, if someone opposed the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets again, he really could just move the entire Pavilion over to block their gate.​

After reaching a height of tens of thousands of meters, Li Yun spent five hundred thousand Heavenly Secrets Points in the system to exchange for formation methods ranging from the Body Tempering Realm all the way to the Quasi-Emperor level.​

Teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish. A set of formation diagrams didn't cost much, but clearly, systematically learning formations was more practical.​

With countless formation techniques now in his mind, Li Yun raised his hand and projected innumerable symbols, laying down a grand formation that covered the surroundings of Great Desolate City.​

He fixed this piece of land in the void.​

At the same time, he laid down a massive Spirit Gathering Formation, drawing in the spiritual qi from millions of li around. He estimated that before long, this place would transform into an Immortal Island.​

After completing all this, all the leaderboards flew off in all directions, fixing themselves in the void. Standing on this Immortal Island, from any corner, one could easily see them.​

Then, he threw the spatial passage from inside the Pavilion down below Great Desolate City.​

In the future, people emerging from this passage could arrive near Great Desolate City immediately, but they wouldn't appear within the city itself.​

"It's thanks to this system bug that even an immovable spatial passage can be thrown out," Li Yun clicked his tongue. He glanced at the scene outside and continued asking mentally, "System, is your signal strength sufficient? Can you still update the various leaderboards ?"​

[Yes.]​

Hearing the system's reply, Li Yun breathed a sigh of relief.​

He had just been worried that he had thrown the leaderboards too far, beyond the Pavilion's control range. If the leaderboards could no longer be updated, that would be a huge joke.​

Now, with the system's affirmative reply, it seemed he didn't need to worry.​

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