Chapter 501 – Subterranean Dragon City

Stargazer Building, Bagua Terrace.

Song Qing ascended the eight trigrams platform and bowed towards the Supervisor’s back:

“Teacher, Wei Yuan’s body has been remodeled, but only the human soul is present, the two souls of heaven and earth are missing, if we can’t retrieve the two souls, he will never wake up.”

Supervisor Zheng coldly slanted him a glance and said, “Didn’t you give him the list of materials for refining the Soul Invoking Bell.”

Song Qing revealed a hint of embarrassment, after all, his teacher had said before that he couldn’t tell Xu Qi’an the news that Wei Yuan was still alive.

He had held back until now, waiting for the big picture to settle before relaying the news that Wei Yuan still had a glimmer of life to the alchemy wizard, Duke Xu, so that he could go and collect the materials to refine the Soul Invoking Bell.

Against the orders of his master, Song Qing was only a little embarrassed, as if this was the norm, lamenting:

“Just this cultivation ……..”

The Supervisor slowly said, “With his qualifications, it would be a pity to take the path of a martial artist; a coarse martial artist is not suitable for him.”

And then silence, nothing more.

Song Qing continued, “It’s a pity that Duke Xu has left the capital, and Senior Sister Zhong Li had to go into the sealed place at the bottom of the building once again, and I don’t know when she’ll be able to satisfactorily get through her bad luck.”

“It won’t be long.”

Supervisor Zheng gazed into the distant sky.

“You’ve been in the realm of alchemy for too long, when will you be promoted to the fifth rank?”

Supervisor Zheng withdrew his gaze and looked at Song Qing.

Song Qing revealed a puzzled expression and asked rhetorically, “Why do you want to be promoted?”

The Supervisor was silent for a moment, and again looked towards the distant sky, no longer paying attention to the fourth disciple.

………..

The bottom of the Stargazer building.

An oil lamp illuminates the space, shedding a dim glow.

Zhong Li was clad in a long linen robe, and under her long messy hair, a pair of bright eyes reflected the candlelight as she slowly walked down the deep and silent corridor.

Passing a certain room, a man’s voice came from inside:

“Is it Senior Sister Zhong Li?”

Zhong Li paused and stopped in front of that door, softly moistening her voice, “Uh-huh!”

“Why are you back again, that kid said he would bear your bad luck for you, but he ended up sending you back twice in three days.” Yang Qianyi grunted twice.

There were three floors underneath the ground of the Stargazer Building, which were used to hold prisoners who were ten evils but whose cultivation level was too high. After all, an ordinary cell couldn’t hold a fifth or fourth rank.

However, there weren’t many martial artists who could be imprisoned at the bottom of the Stargazer Building, and those people usually didn’t live very long, so the prison cell at the bottom of the Stargazer Building was very quiet.

Instead, Yang Qianfeng and Zhong Li are regulars here.

It is worth mentioning that both of them have fixed “private rooms” on the first floor, Zhong Li’s room is the Supervisor himself to help her suppress the bad luck. Yang Qianliang’s room is also a formation set up by the Supervisor himself to prevent him from escaping.

“He, he left the capital ……..”

Zhong Li said with some sadness.

“It’s good to leave the capital, Wei Yuan is dead, his backer is gone. If he doesn’t leave the capital at this time, he will wait for the emperor to find him?”

Yang Qianyi snorted, both delighted and frustrated.

Joyful because Xu Qi’an is gone, the capital will be his Yang Qianyi.

Disappointed or because Xu Qi’an gone, there is a kind of life confidant is far away, leaving him alone independent of the peak of the high place in the sense of depression.

“The emperor is dead and won’t be looking for him.” Zhong Li whispered.

The emperor is dead? Yang Qianyi was shocked and bewildered:

“Yuan Jing has accomplished his cultivation, his lifespan shouldn’t be this short.”

Zhong Li said succinctly, “Xu Qi’an killed him.”

The room was violently quiet for a moment, and after a few moments, came Yang Qianyi’s trembling voice:

“Did something else happen in the capital during the time I was locked up here by my teacher?”

Zhong Li “hmm”: “Xu Qi’an he ……..”

“Don’t, don’t tell me, please don’t tell me!”

Yang Qianyi immediately interrupted, stating that he didn’t want to listen, it’s all about the wangba reciting the sutra.

Zhong Li “Oh”, raised his feet to go, walked out a few steps, behind him came Yang Qianyi slightly sharp voice:

“No, don’t go senior sister, I really still ……..”

He paused and said in a somewhat hateful tone:

“I really can’t resist that man after all.”

Jong Li returned to the door.

“He killed the emperor for what? The emperor is the king of a country, regicide is not allowed in heaven and earth, the reputation he has accumulated with great difficulty will be ruined, etc., by virtue of which he can also kill the king?!”

Just after he finished speaking, Yang Qianyi heard Zhong Li’s soft moistened voice say:

“He’s third grade, the emperor deserves to die, and the people are screaming.”

She couldn’t tell a story, but it was such a short sentence that ragged breathing came from the room.

“This, this ……..”

Gurgling, as if gulping, “Can you tell me about it.”

Zhong Li then told Yang Qianyi briefly about what had happened during this period of time, plainly and briefly, with short statements, just to restore what had happened, without too much description.

But the breathing in the room grew more ragged.

“Damn it, damn it ……..”

The sound of pounding on the wall rang out, accompanied by Yang Qianyi’s envious voice:

“Why should he be the one to do all of the things that make him stand out, the dim king is not righteous, Xu Mou to attack it? Why not Yang Mou, envy me also ……..

“Killed the emperor, the people of the whole capital applauded, all the loyal and upright people praised, and from then on made a name for himself, became the center of conversation for countless people, and went out to buy food without having to pay for it ……….”

Yang Qian fantasy imagined that the people of the warped capital cheered and boiled, shouting “the sky does not give birth to Yang Qian fantasy, Dafeng ten thousand years as long as the night”, shouting “Yang Gongzi is really the conscience of Dafeng”, and then he stood on a high place, his back to the crowd, leisurely:

My hand invites the moon to pick the stars, and there is no one like me in the world.

Thinking about it, Yang Gongzi’s entire body trembled uncontrollably.

It was foreseeable that Xu Qi’an would surely go down in history, leaving several colorful strokes in the history of Da Feng.

“This son of a bitch, in the eyes of the world out of the limelight is just, he also want to be in front of posterity out of the limelight …….. But, but such behavior, I really can’t imitate it, so unwilling.”

Zhong Li consoled, “If Senior Brother Yang was also there, he would definitely be able to go down in history, but it’s a pity that Senior Brother is in seclusion at the bottom of the building.”

“Sh, what do you mean?”

Yang Qianyi’s voice trembled a little.

“Chu Yuanjian and Li Miaochen and the others intercepted the Emperor’s detachment outside the city and made outstanding contributions, so they were given a nomination in this morning’s notice. Also, Xu Qi’an said to me at the time that it would have been better if Senior Brother Yang hadn’t gone into seclusion.

“Your teleportation is very useful, it’s a shame you’re being held here by your teacher.”

Zhong Li finished, half a long time did not see Yang Qianliang response, she seemed to realize that she said the wrong thing, head shrinking, small broken steps slipped away.

A few seconds later, the sound of Yang Qianyi’s heartbreaking wails came from behind her:

“This Si Tian Jian, don’t stay!!!”

………..

Yunzhou.

Where the mountains rise, the majestic Great City is built on the hills, with houses and lofts hidden in the forest and bustling with people.

The name of the city is – Subterranean!

The city has a population of over 200,000, made up of the people of Yunzhou, the scattered people of the rivers and lakes, the outlaws, and the military, who live half-farming and half-hunting.

The person with the most power in the city is the city lord, under his governance, Subterranean Dragon City is in good order, even if it is an outlaw who defects over, he has to obediently restrain his violent temperament.

And those jianghu dispersers who were dissatisfied with the Dafeng court referred to Subterranean Dragon City as the Pure Land, and the city’s lord as the Sage Lord.

As for the people who were originally taken from all over Yunzhou and used to increase the population, because they were still living in abundance here, they settled down at ease; for the lower class people, it didn’t matter where they settled down as long as they could be fed, clothed, and warmed.

Outside of Qianlong City is a mountain fortress used to canton soldiers, responsible for pillaging out of the fortress, acting as a defense post, and drilling new recruits.

Outside the city, a group of armored soldiers with more than three hundred militia members were cutting down trees and widening the road, preparing to tamp down the foundations and build new houses in this area to accommodate the stragglers they had just taken in.

Leading the way was a handsome youth, shirtless, with a large axe in his hand, chopping down trees one at a time.

Muscles bulged with his movements, filling the room with masculine male beauty.

An old man in Taoist robes stood on the side, looking at the young lord who was clearly at a high level of cultivation, but was struggling to cut down the trees just like an ordinary Han.

The old Taoist priest sighed and said, “Young Lord, the feng shui of this area is too good, it would be a waste to give it to the stragglers to live in.”

“No harm, no foul, when you come to Subterranean City, you’re all your own people.”

The physically fit youth wiped the sweat off his face and continued to cut.

Taoist name banana leaf old Taoist sprinkled a smile, he was originally a cloud travel Taoist, the study of mixed, will be a little human sect sword, will be a little earth sect merit art, mountain medicine life divination are slightly proficient in one or two.

Some years ago, because of the indignation of the dog officials oppressing the good people, he was outraged and killed someone, and was wanted by the local officials, then wandered to Yunzhou, and by chance, entered the Subterranean Dragon City.

After staying here for a few years, he was appreciated by the city lord’s seventh son Ji Xuan, the young man in front of him, and was recruited as a guest minister.

The old Taoist was originally a little apprehensive, after all, idle and wild, do not understand the rules, do not want to understand, can not do the work of giving people as a servant.

He was surprised to learn that this young lord was even more idle than he was, and spent his days wandering about the city, drinking and gambling with outlaws, and chattering with the townspeople about their hunts and harvests.

He is also a good hand at work, doing it himself, laboring with the armorers and the folk.

Whoever mentioned Young Lord Ji Xuan in Subterranean City would reveal a friendly smile.

Old Taoist Banana Leaf hated it and said:

“Young Lord, now that Ji Qian is dead, you should also show off your skills and compete for the position of heir. How can you still be so slack? You used to bide your time, poor Taoist understands, but now if you don’t compete for the position, when will you wait?”

The youth narrowed his eyes and smiled:

“Taoist Master, those things are mine only if father gave them to me. It wasn’t given to me, and I can’t take it away.”

Old Taoist Banana Leaf stomped his foot in anger, “Then you have to behave as well.”

The youth stopped chopping and raised the axe in his hand with a wide smile, “I do it all the time.”

At that moment, an armor-clad guard rushed over and said in a loud voice, “Young Lord Ji Xuan, the City Lord has ordered you to go to the Stargazer Pavilion.”

The youth and the old Taoist looked at each other and smiled.

………..

Stargazer’s Pavilion is at the top of the hill, and it is a great place to climb.

Ji Xuan changed into a brand new blue robe and walked along the stone steps laid between the mountains, finally arriving at a forest garden.

“Young Master Xuan!”

The guards outside the forest garden bowed and clasped their fists.

Ji Xuan smiled and greeted the guards, pausing his pace and chatting nonchalantly before entering the small garden.

Passing through the courtyard and through a pavilion, Ji Xuan stopped outside a small garden, with two black-clad guards standing at the entrance.

This was the Black Shadow Guard of his father, the Lord of Subterranean City.

The number of Black Shadow Guards was small, but for every Black Shadow Guard, their cultivation was at least fifth grade.

The two Black Shadow Guards arched their hands without greeting.

In front of them, Ji Xuan curbed his smile and politely clasped his fists, following which he entered the garden.

He breezed up to an attic and respectfully said, “Father, State Master.”

The door to the attic opened automatically, and a mellow, gentle voice came from inside: “Come in!”

Ji Xuan crossed the threshold and entered the first floor lobby.

The candles were bright, the curtains were low, the floor of the lobby was covered with expensive knitted floor coverings, and on the case there was a four-legged golden beast, spitting out curls of sandalwood incense.

The middle-aged man in purple robes sat in a large chair, his gaze majestically scrutinizing Ji Xuan, his seventh son, the seventh son who was not doing his job.

“Father!”

Ji Xuan, without looking away, bowed and arched his hand again and shouted.

Then, he looked behind the low-hanging drapery at the white coat that was sitting on a platter, narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Master of the State!”

The purple-robed middle-aged man slowly said, “The Spirit of the Dragon Vein has been destroyed, and the foundation of the Great Fathers has been cut down by one point, so it can be predicted that the Central Plains will definitely be in chaos.”

Ji Xuan said with a smile:

“Congratulations to Father, and congratulations to the Master of the State, who will accomplish great things.”

The white clothes sitting on the disk were silent.

The purple-robed middle-aged man shook his head, lamenting, “Although the dragon vein was destroyed, the qi was not taken out.”

This …….. Ji Xuan revealed an unexpected color, giving a mild and intimate face showing some seriousness, saying, “The State Master himself is not even able to make a move?”

The white coat behind the drape gave a “Hey!”:

“Nonetheless, I almost died in the capital. I have never underestimated the Supervisor, but I underestimated him.”

At those words, Ji Xuan’s eyes narrowed, even the State Master almost died in the capital, so one could imagine how tragic the fight was.

By him, the State Master meant the vessel in the capital, his own cousin Xu Qi’an?

What had Xu Qi’an done again, listening to the State Master, it seemed that he had planted himself on him.

That cousin who had been treated as a vessel at birth, he had been paying some attention to, no, to be precise, it was the people in their lineage who were secretly paying attention.

The first son Ji Qian, who was given high hopes by the family, wasn’t it because of the constant attention that led to jealousy, under the pretext of going out on a trip, but in reality, provoking trouble, and as a result, he was decapitated by Xu Qi’an in the Sword State.

Xu Qi’an’s talent was well known, but to say that he was able to sabotage the Master of State’s plans and make the Master of State nearly lose his hooves was really unbelievable.

The white clothes behind the curtain sighed, “He is already of the third rank, and has known my identity for a long time, and secretly has a layout. He and the Supervisor Zheng have joined forces, no one in the world can count against these two.”

Ji Xuan, whose third quality ……… own talent is superb more so than that of his first son Ji Qian, squinted his eyes in a line and tsked twice:

“This cousin of mine, I’m afraid he’s the number one contemporary person in the Nine Regions, a tiger’s father has no son.”

A third-grade martial artist in his early twenties, when looking at the Nine States, there were absolutely no others of his generation.

The purple-robed middle-aged man then said, “All of his cultivation has been sealed by the Demon Sealing Nail, and his path of martial arts has been cut off.”

Ji Xuan nodded and looked at the white clothes in the curtain.

Xu Pingfeng said, ”The only one in the Buddhist Sect who is willing to unseal his demonic nails is Duo’er Luohan, but this means that he will have to enter the Buddhist Sect and mold his Buddhist body, with the four major elements empty.

“Outside of the Buddhist Sect, the only one who can unseal the Demon Nail is Shenshu, he should be searching for the remnants of Shenshu’s body, which will inevitably lead to a conflict with the Buddhist Sect.”

Ji Xuan Song commented, “It’s a pity.”

The purple-robed middle-aged man looked at him and said in a deep voice, “Xuan’er, you have been summoned here for a test.”

Ji Xuan bowed, “Please ask father for clarification.”

The purple-robed middle-aged man slowly said:

“The spirit of the Dragon Vein is falling apart and scattered into all parts of the Central Plains, the rest of the scattered dragon qi doesn’t need to be taken care of, but there are nine dragon qi that are vital, go to the Jianghu and look for the people that the nine dragon qi is boarded by, and take them in.

“Of the nine, kill four and leave five, five to be brought back to Subterranean Dragon City to enhance our fortune. Four of them will be refined in a great formation, supplemented by blood pills to help you step into the third grade.”

As he spoke, the purple-robed middle-aged man took out a rosewood box from his sleeve.

Ji Xuan’s gaze landed on the box, and it was hard to move away from it again.

The purple-robed middle-aged man opened the box, and on top of the yellow silk was a scarlet red pill with a dull color, the size of an egg.

“This was left behind by one of our ancestors when he was dying after being severely injured by Emperor Wu Zong five hundred years ago. It is a shortcut for the fourth grade to be promoted to the third grade, but one must have great fortune to withstand the blood elixir backlash.

“The State Master has projected that four channels of Dragon Qi will be enough for you to refine the Blood Pill and advance to the third grade.”

Blood pills were certainly precious, but as a top-tier power with enough heritage, it wasn’t difficult to obtain them, and in addition to the legacy of third-grade martial artists, refining living beings could similarly obtain blood pills.

The hard part was that if a fourth rank wanted to take the shortcut of swallowing a blood elixir, they would almost certainly die.

Either you are a Third Grade yourself and do not fear the Blood Pill’s backlash, but instead enhance your own qi and blood; or you possess great qi and luck, and your qi is added to your body, so that you can hope to carry through the backlash.

The former was represented by King Zhenbei, and the latter by Xu Qi’an.

Of course, not only did Xu Qi’an possess great qi, his physical body had also undergone some modification by the divine Shushu Essence Blood, double insurance.

Ji Xuan took a deep breath, his hands slightly trembling as he extended them and said aloud:

“My child will live up to my father’s expectations.”

What he received with both hands was not only a great gift, but a legacy.

Although his father has never designated an heir, Ji Qian, who is the first eldest son, is recognized as the strongest contender, and a group of brothers are foolishly and secretly competing with each other.

It was self-evident what it meant that his father had given him this test, this brocade box.

After Ji Xuan received the brocade box, he suddenly realized that something was wrong and mused:

“The Spirit of the Dragon Vein is a matter of great importance, although my child is confident, but I feel that it is not secure enough, why doesn’t the Master of the State personally take action?”

The white clothes behind the curtains said indifferently, “I was backfired by my qi, and I was seriously injured, so I need to close the door to recuperate.”

Qi devouring, didn’t you say that you didn’t extract the qi from Xu Qi’an ………. Ji Xuan did not ask more questions and said:

“Ji Xuan understands.”

The purple-robed middle-aged man said, “I’ll send a few high ranking people from the Guest Hall to accompany you in your search for the Spirit of the Dragon Vein, and we’ll set off three days later.”

“Yes!”

Ji Xuan said.

The purple-robed man waved his hand, and after Ji Xuan went down, he looked at the white-robed warlock and said:

“Compared to other commoner sons’ first sons, Ji Xuan is outstanding in both talent and giftedness, and what’s even more rare is that he understands how to bide his time. Regardless of what’s in his heart, to be able to make it this far, the future is promising.”

The white-clad warlock said, “He is also the most prestigious of your group of sons.”

The purple-robed middle-aged man narrowed his eyes, “You chose him long ago?”

After a pause, he said, “I remember you saying that warlocks can’t extract the spirit of the Dragon Vein.”

The white-clad warlock closed his eyes and tuned in.

…………

Ji Xuan carried the sandalwood box in his arms and left the attic, shaking his head with a sigh of relief, “This thing is really hot.”

After walking for a few moments, he bumped into a purple-skirted girl with green silk like a waterfall, tied with a purple silk ribbon, simple and elegant.

“Seven!”

The purple-skirted girl smiled haughtily and said, “Mother invites you over, she has something to ask you.”

“Auntie wants me?”

Ji Xuan pondered for a moment and smiled with narrowed eyes, “Alright, please trouble cousin to lead the way.”

………….

PS: Push an old magic boy’s book: “Tomorrow’s Fire Stealer”, the setting is very interesting, the old magic boy’s brain hole and level is still guaranteed.