t

Including the ten million Black Astral Coins Xiao Chen still had on hand, he now possessed a total of forty million Black Astral Coins.

Even an ordinary Martial Emperor did not possess such wealth.

Without thinking too much, Xiao Chen took out the Secret Treasures containing a dragon soul one by one and started to consume them, cultivating the Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art.

Whether he could overcome the problem of dying in ten years depended on this. Otherwise, everything would be meaningless.

----

On the other side, after Zi Ying left, an urgent expression appeared on her face as she rushed to her father, who was in closed-door cultivation.

After Zi Ying explained what she was there for, the true person in charge of Ten Thousand Treasure City’s Nine Cauldron Pavilion also revealed a trace of excitement on his face.

“You did well.”

Zi Ying smiled and said, “However, paying out thirty million Black Astral Coins will drain all the accumulations of Ten Thousand Treasure City’s Nine Cauldron Pavilion. We will not be able to conduct business for a year.”

“Haha! That’s not a problem. The profits generated from the nine jade strips will be sufficient to push us to the position of Second City Lord. Our reputation will soar, and Luck will descend upon us. Furthermore, headquarters will definitely have benefits for you. You might even have a chance to compete to be the next Association Chief.”

Clearly, Zi Ying’s father was extremely excited, speaking so much in one go.

Zi Ying found his words strange. “This is an internal deal. Do we have to pay the Treasure Master the usual tax?”

The old man’s expression turned stunned. Then he said gravely, “The Treasure Master’s identity is mysterious. He does not control only the Ten Thousand Treasure Sea Market. Don’t ever have such thoughts.

“Otherwise, if we break the rules and get the Nine Cauldron Pavilion ousted from Ten Thousand Treasure City, forcing the Association Chief to make an appearance to resolve the issue, your future will be ruined.”

“Alright, I understand.”

“Good. I will not say anything more. Take my command medallion and draw the Black Astral Coins from the Treasure Pavilion. Be appropriate with giving him gifts as well. This person is someone with great Luck. He is definitely not a simple character.”

---

As Xiao Chen consumed a large number of Secret Treasures containing dragon souls, his cultivation of the Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art progressed at a heaven-defying speed.

Six Dragon Force…seven Dragon Force…eight Dragon Force…nine Dragon Force…ten Dragon Force. From the initial five Dragon Force, he advanced rapidly to ten Dragon Force.

After spending ten million Black Astral Coins, Xiao Chen finally reached the bottleneck of the first layer of the Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art.

After breaking through this bottleneck, he would enter the second layer and condense the Azure Dragon Battle Armor, significantly improving his defense.

Xiao Chen opened his eyes; there was peace in them. With a casual attack, he could bring out a horrifying ten Dragon Force. He finally formally reached this level.

Back in the Nine Layers of Purgatory, there had been a Ghost Race expert who became a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage through body tempering. Xiao Chen had been in awe of him. Now, Xiao Chen could match that expert’s strength easily.

However, right now, the Ten Dragon Force was not what was important but the ten remaining years of physiological lifespan. Was there any change to his physiological lifespan?

Xiao Chen calmed himself and used the diagnostic method from the Compendium of Cultivation to check his physiological lifespan.

A cold energy flowed everywhere in Xiao Chen’s body, and his body suddenly turned illusory. All the acupoints glowed with a brilliant light.

To others, Xiao Chen looked like a set of white bones sitting cross-legged and radiating a crystalline light.

It was not that he had really turned into white bones but a mysterious phenomenon caused by his employing the diagnostic skill at a deeper level. The light from his bones penetrated his muscles, blood, and skin.

“Boom!”

After a while, the light faded, and the mysterious phenomenon disappeared. Xiao Chen opened his eyes. There was no pleasant surprise or grief.

The results of the diagnosis brought both good and bad news. The Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art was indeed useful, but it was limited. It had extended his physiological lifespan by only ten years. The problem was not eliminated at the roots.

It looks like I do need the Longevity Art. I have to find a chance to speak with that Holy Daughter alone. Regardless of my chances, I have to do my best to try and see if I can obtain it.

However, there is a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor by the Holy Daughter’s side. That person will not give me an opportunity to speak to her alone. I have to think of a way.

Xiao Chen mentally analyzed the situation before making up his mind. If that does not work, then I will try to force my way through. No matter what, I have to fight for a chance to speak to that Holy Daughter alone.

“Thud! Thud! Thud!”

Footsteps resounded. The Nine Cauldron Pavilion’s Zi Ying entered with a smile after pushing the door open. “Young Master Mo, sorry for the wait. Everything is already prepared.”

Xiao Chen received the spatial ring that Zi Ying handed over. Then, he carefully counted. There were twenty-seven million Black Astral Coins, no more and no less. Furthermore, the damaged Emperor Grade Secret Treasure containing a dragon soul was inside as well.

He handed over all nine jade strips to her. Once both sides verified that there was no error, they both signed the contract, confirming its completion.

Zi Ying was somewhat surprised to discover that even though Xiao Chen received such a huge amount of Black Astral Coins, his expression did not change at all as if they meant nothing to him whatsoever.

She could not figure out how it was that Xiao Chen’s mental state at such a young age was even higher than her father’s.

Zi Ying thought of another matter. “That’s right, Young Master Mo, tonight, the Young Treasure Master of Ten Thousand Treasure City, Young Master Yi, is hosting a feast in honor of the Holy Daughter at his residence. I received an invitation, and Young Master Yi invited you as well, specifically requesting you to come.”

Young Master Yi, that would be cold-faced youth who rode the golden war chariot. Xiao Chen had never met him before, so why would this Young Treasure Master especially invite Xiao Chen to go?

Xiao Chen thought for a while but could not figure out the reason, so he asked Zi Ying if she knew.

“I heard that it was the idea of the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter. I did not expect Young Master Mo to have interacted with the Holy Daughter. This really makes me envious,” Zi Ying said with a smile.

The idea of the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter?

Xiao Chen originally came to Ten Thousand Treasure City in a low-profile manner. However, because of the Nine Cauldron Pavilion, the entire city knew. Now, everyone believed that the Nine Cauldron Pavilion had misjudged him, which made the merchant association the butt of ridicule.

For no reason at all, the Nine Cauldron Pavilion had received a grandmaster-level Martial Sage with the highest honors.

If Yue Bingyun really wanted to, hearing a couple of gossips would let her connect the description of Xiao Chen’s appearance to himself.

However, Zi Ying clearly got the wrong idea. Xiao Chen indeed had a significant interaction with the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter. However, this interaction was not what Zi Ying thought.

Xiao Chen did not know why the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter sought him out specifically. Perhaps she wanted to know his identity and take revenge later?

He felt conflicted about whether to go or not. The misunderstanding of that day was rather huge.

Not only had Xiao Chen lightly injured some of the Lunar Palace female disciples, but he even scolded the Holy Daughter in front of everyone and sowed chaos where the other party was diagnosing and treating people.

“Good, I will go with you later tonight!”

This misunderstanding needed to be dealt with eventually. Xiao Chen also wanted to speak to the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter alone about the Longevity Art. So he quickly came to a decision.

Zi Ying revealed an expression of joy. Initially, she had been worried that Xiao Chen would not go, which would upset the Young Treasure Master. It looked like her concerns had been for nothing.

“In that case, you should make your preparations. I will look for you when the time comes.”

After Zi Ying left, Xiao Chen took out that damaged Emperor Grade Secret Treasure containing a dragon soul with a flip of his palm. It was an ancient sword with an unchecked aura lingering.

The blade of the sword was extremely damaged, both edges riddled with chips, and a crack extending down the center. Its appearance gave the impression that it would crumble with just a touch.

Xiao Chen was not concerned about whether he could use the Secret Treasure or not. He merely sent in his Spiritual Sense.

A heavily lethargic dragon soul lay in a dark corner of the broken space.

The dragon soul did not move at all, showing no signs of life or fighting spirit. Its eyes were closed as it waited to die. It did not react to the entry of Xiao Chen’s Spiritual Sense.

Waiting for death?

This was a dragon waiting to die. No, there was no such thing as a dragon waiting to die. Even if a dragon died, its fighting spirit and hot-bloodedness would remain.

This was no longer a dragon soul. It was a worm, not worthy of being called a dragon.

Xiao Chen would rather not use this worm to attempt his breakthrough of the Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art’s first layer.

He slowly withdrew his Spiritual Sense. Then, he walked to the window and hurled the ancient sword to the sky, turning it into a beam of light flying far away.

The damaged Emperor Grade Secret Treasure containing a dragon soul was worth one million Black Astral Coins, yet Xiao Chen just casually tossed it away.

---

Night arrived quietly, the moon hanging high in the sky.

Xiao Chen and Zi Ying flew in the air, heading for that magnificent palace on the thumb of the sculpture.

“This Young Treasure Master, Yi Ling, is an extremely mighty person. However, no matter how mighty he is, he still has to be polite to the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter.”

The two did not fly very quickly. As they walked in the air, they chatted idly.

Zi Ying’s tone sounded like she was envious of the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter’s position.

The Lunar Palace held extremely high status, standing above many Holy Lands, and had deep accumulations as well as its ancient inheritance.

After the Dragon’s Gate’s brief rule over the Heavenly Starry Ocean, the Lunar Palace’s reputation soared. Now, disciples of the Immortal Holy Land were practically worshiped like gods.

Bright Moon City became the center of the entire Heavenly Starry Ocean. Even though the various Immortal Holy Lands all held considerable statuses, none of them could replace the Lunar Palace.

“However, this Treasure Master is rather mysterious. Even my father is not willing to tell me about him,” Zi Ying said softly.

The Treasure Master was indeed mysterious. He managed to occupy ten of such ancient sculptures in the Heavenly Starry Ocean and altered them into sea markets.

Even without setting up a merchant association, the Treasure Master’s income from the few large sea markets was higher than that of several peak merchant associations.

The two soon landed before the Treasure Master’s residence, where they met an endless line of traffic. Probably all the prominent merchants or cultivators in Ten Thousand Treasure City had received an invitation.

“Miss Zi Ying, it has been a long time. How have you been?”

A man wearing magnificent clothes and giving off an aura of wealth walked over to the two, accompanied by a youth with purple eyes.

The wide smile on this person’s face conveyed a certain artificiality. When Zi Ying saw this person, she frowned slightly. “This is the Young Manager of Ten Thousand Treasure City’s Flaming Wind Merchant Association, Bai Ze. The person behind him is Gongsun Yan, a scion of the ancient Gongsun Noble Clan.

“Gongsun Yan possesses an innate Thunder Spirit Body. He has grasped two wills, fire and thunder, and formed the Thunderflame War Body. He is very famous in the Southern Sea.”

Flaming Wind Merchant Association’s Bai Ze looked at Xiao Chen, and a hint of derision flashed in his eyes. “Haha! This is the valued guest of the Nine Cauldron Pavilion? Seeing him in person is better than hearing about it. Miss Zi Ying really has good judgment, great judgment indeed. I will go on ahead first.”

“You…” When faced such mockery, Zi Ying could not help but feel angry, and her face flushed.

The leaders of the various merchant associations nearby all laughed loudly when they heard that. Indeed, good judgment. Zi Ying missed the Southern Sea’s outstanding talents for the sake of an unknown person.

After this Ten Thousand Treasure Festival, the Nine Cauldron Pavilion would probably suffer for it and lose the position of the Fifth City Lord.

Gongsun Yan glanced at Xiao Chen, and his eyes suddenly lit up with the suspicion that Xiao Chen was the white-clad person who had profaned the Holy Daughter.

Looking at Xiao Chen’s attire, physique, and the white fan in his hand, Gongsun Yan felt rather sure.

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