Chapter 1225: Azure Dragon Merchant Association
Xiao Chen pulled his consciousness back out. Then, he sent in his Law Energy into his Heart of an Emperor.
The ten strands of Primordial Energy were like newborn babies. They still had a lot of space to grow. Their food was Law Energy.
The more these strands of Primordial Energy ate, the more they would grow.
Using the Heavenly Laws to cultivate Primordial Energy was something that one should be able to do only after advancing to Martial Emperor.
However, Xiao Chen had already condensed a Heart of an Emperor and could do this in advance; he was an exception to the rule. As for what kind of change would this bring, no one knew.
Xiao Chen focused himself on the cultivation of Primordial Energy.
The Heart of an Emperor opened up a new door in his world. The changes that it brought him were not limited to helping him advance to Consummation quasi-Emperor.
Time passed one day at a time. Half a month later, Xiao Chen opened his eyes. A brilliant light flashed in them. He seemed to abound with life, showing an inexplicable change.
He walked out of the chariot and looked down. When he saw the group of islands below, he muttered to himself, “Time passes really fast. We’ve already reached the Dragon Grave Sea.”
When Xiao Chen left the Human-Demon Sea, he immediately headed towards Heavenly Star Island. He had already been gone for close to a year and was rather filled with anticipation and curiosity at the changes of Heavenly Star Island.
Furthermore, his successful advancement to Consummation quasi-Emperor was good news. He wanted to tell Mo Chen and the others, who were on Heavenly Star Island, so these friends of his would not worry too much.
When Xiao Chen closed his eyes, he had still been in the Human-Demon Sea. When he next opened them, he had already arrived at the Dragon Grave Sea. This made Xiao Chen feel somewhat rueful.
“Since I’m here already, I should go down and rest for a while.”
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Chen decided to stop at the Dragon Grave Sea for one day, resting for now before setting out again.
He put away the flood dragon war chariot and quickly descended towards an island after spotting it.
In a short while, Xiao Chen arrived at the largest city on the island. According to his memory, this island was the second largest island in the Dragon Grave Sea, second only to Treasure Dragon Island.
Just as he had seen before, the cities in the Dragon Grave Sea still looked downtrodden. From the outside to the inside, this city looked dilapidated and lawless.
When coming to this place this time, Xiao Chen’s mood was completely different. When he first visited, he had been in a rush, anxious to find the Flower of Life and the Death Fruit.
This time, he had already condensed the Heart of an Emperor and advanced to Consummation quasi-Emperor, able to kill half-step Martial Emperors, and was at his leisure.
“Let’s go take a look. I heard that a huge battle broke out in the south of the city. There is a merchant association coming here to open a branch. However, they accidentally opened their branch in the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association’s territory. I heard that they already started fighting each other.”
“Interesting. Which merchant association is it? They are too incautious. The Heavenly Essence Merchant Association is one of the four strongest merchant associations in the entire Dragon Grave Sea, yet this new merchant association opened their branch in the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association’s territory. Aren’t they just seeking death?”
“I heard that this new merchant association is not weak. Furthermore, they did very well in the Dark Sea. Even the Flame Rock Sovereign gives them face.”
“So what if they are not weak? Every Heavenly Essence Merchant Association branch in the Dragon Grave Sea has a half-step Martial Emperor taking care of it. They have already been rooted here for several hundred years. I also heard that there is a Martial Emperor expert in the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association.”
Soon after entering the city, Xiao Chen saw the cultivators around all rushing towards the south of the city.
When he heard that this new merchant association had the support of the Flame Rock Sovereign in the Dark Sea, he raised his eyebrows and thought, Could it be my own Azure Dragon Merchant Association?
The Dragon Grave Sea was filled with dragon graves and all sorts of Remnants. Every year, it produced large numbers of natural treasures and items from the Distant Ancient Era. Given Jin Dabao’s character, he would definitely not give up on this place.
With the support of the Flame Rock Sovereign in the Dark Sea, the Azure Dragon Merchant Association had already gained stable footing. It was normal for it to expand beyond the Dark Sea and extend its reach to the Dragon Grave Sea.
Furthermore, after Xiao Chen took in the Human-Demon Sea’s Su Clan, he had sent a letter to Heavenly Star Island about it to have someone come over and receive the clan. The only group that could go there quickly was the Azure Dragon Merchant Association.
The more Xiao Chen thought about it, the more likely his guess seemed. His figure flashed as he headed swiftly for the south of the city.
If it really was the Azure Dragon Merchant Association, he could not sit by idly and watch. The merchant association played an important role in the revival of the Dragon’s Gate.
Within a few breaths of time, Xiao Chen arrived at the south of the city and stood on the roof of a tall building. When he saw a certain familiar figure, he knew that his guess was right and did not require any other proof.
It was indeed his own Azure Dragon Merchant Association. Someone had broken its signboard, and the culprits currently surrounded that familiar figure and his companions.
In the crowd, Jin Dabao glared at a blue-clad middle-aged man, the manager of the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association on this island.
This middle-aged man had an average figure. He possessed the shrewd and calculative atmosphere unique to a merchant. However, there was also an overbearing and vicious light in his eyes.
In this Dragon Grave Sea, which had no large factions laying claim to it, the four great merchant associations were the rulers. Regular cultivators would not dare to offend them.
All the branch managers of the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association, one of the four great merchant associations, were this tyrannical and high-handed. They were already used to moving about the Dragon Grave Sea without any fear.
Jin Dabao held up his hand, keeping back his angry companions. He looked at that blue-clad middle-aged man and said, “Friend, we are new here and did not know that the entire south of the city is your territory. I was indeed in the wrong. If you speak properly, I will definitely make compensation and apologize before leaving immediately. However, aren’t you being too tyrannical by smashing our signboard?”
When the blue-clad man heard that, he guffawed, looking at Jin Dabao’s plump figure with some disdain in his eyes. “So what if I smash your signboard? Don’t think that by doing well in the Dark Sea, you can do as you please in the Dragon Grave Sea. I’ll tell you this: since you came to the Dragon Grave Sea, you will have to wag your tail at me and behave obediently. Continue smashing!”
“Pa! Pa! Pa!”
The cultivators of the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association stepped forward and continued trampling on the signboard that was already broken in half.
Rage blazed in Jin Dabao’s eyes as he looked at the incredibly dilapidated signboard. Every time someone trampled on it was like a kick to his heart.
However, he continued to suppress his anger and prevented the group of cultivators behind him from rashly making a move. The circumstances were not in their favor. If they made a move now, they would only end up giving the other party an excuse. Then, they would be the only ones to suffer.
“This is boring. I originally thought that the Azure Dragon Merchant Association was very powerful. It turned out that they were only so-so.”
“It is indeed boring. It is just one side getting humiliated, nothing to watch.”
“This is not the first day the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association flaunted their might. I originally thought that they would bump into a tough bone to chew.”
Seeing this scene, the cultivators who came because they had gotten word of a fight all shook their heads slightly, finding it boring.
“Scram. The Dragon Grave Sea does not welcome you. Don’t let me see your signboard again. Otherwise, every time I see it, I’ll smash it again!” the blue-clad man shouted at Jin Dabao in disdain after his group completely smashed the Azure Dragon Merchant Association’s signboard to pieces.
Jin Dabao waved his hand and said, “Pick up the signboard. Let’s go.”
His group of people remained silent. They all bent over, together with Jin Dabao, to carefully pick up all the small pieces of the signboard.
Xiao Chen felt somewhat sad. However, he was even more gratified. Sometimes, one could bow, but one also had to gather their dignity and stand back up.
Compared to Jin Dabao’s cunning nature in the Sky Dome Realm, he had indeed matured a lot since then.
Xiao Chen’s figure flashed, looking like he teleported. Then, he silently joined Jin Dabao’s group, picking up the shards of the signboard.
Jin Dabao happened to reach for the same piece as Xiao Chen. When he looked up and exchanged glances with Xiao Chen, he was utterly stunned.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, “Why are you staring into blank space? Let’s quickly finish picking these up, then go for a drink.”
Jin Dabao laughed loudly and did not say anything more. He picked up the pace of collecting the shattered pieces, clearly in a good mood.
This scene stunned everyone. Was this fatty crazy? After someone smashed his signboard, he was still so happy and could laugh?
“Where did you come from, and who permitted you to pick up these things?”
When the blue-clad man saw Xiao Chen suddenly appear and the laughing Fatty Jin, he felt ignored. So, he quickly kicked at Xiao Chen so fast that the wind shrilled loudly.
Xiao Chen acted like he did not see the blue-clad man’s kick at all, continuing to pick up the pieces of the signboard.
“Bang!”
The blue-clad man’s kick, which contained a strong force, landed heavily. However, it did not send Xiao Chen flying as the blue-clad man expected. Amid the loud report, he felt like he had kicked a vast mountain range and suffered a powerful backlash.
The blue-clad man let out a pained shriek and vomited a mouthful of blood. The rebound from vomiting blood sent him flying back, and he collapsed, unable to get up again after he landed.
Blood continued to flow from the blue-clad man’s mouth as he coughed continuously. His face paled, and his eyes revealed horror. When he sent his consciousness into his body, he was horrified to find all his internal organs shattered.
No wonder blood would not stop pouring out of the blue-clad man’s mouth. His internal organs all shattered. Even if a celestial being came, that celestial being would not be able to save him.
How could this happen? The blue-clad man was a quasi-Emperor. Within the Dragon Grave Sea, he was considered nearly a top-notch expert.
Not to mention kicking away the other party, when the blue-clad man kicked, how could he end up killing himself?!
A few experts of the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association helped the blue-clad old man up and examined him. Suddenly, they all looked alarmed, not knowing how to handle this.
“Oh, no! He is going to die!”
Why was it that all sorts of strange things happened these days? How could the manager end up dying from his own kick?
When the many cultivators watching saw this scene, they felt their hair stand on end; this was simply too strange.
“Let’s go. We ran into an expert. We will need to invite Elder Feng to come out.”
The cultivators of the Heavenly Essence Merchant Association picked up the blue-clad man’s corpse. They looked at Xiao Chen, who was still picking up the pieces, with strange expressions. Then, they quickly moved to the back in a rush.
This development stunned the group of people from the Azure Dragon Merchant Association. They could not make sense of the white-robed youth’s sudden appearance.
The entire south of the city turned quiet. The watching cultivators did not say anything. The things that they saw today far surpassed their understanding. How could a person end up dying after kicking?
“Go? Did I say you could go?”
Xiao Chen stood up abruptly and waved his hand. All the shards everyone held flew towards him. Then, with another wave, a new signboard appeared, formed from the pieces.
The four majestic words “Azure Dragon Merchant Association” shone with a faint glittering golden light, looking very dazzling.
To Xiao Chen, who was proficient at the Life Bestowal Spell, this little trick was nothing.