Chapter 207 Unwavering Hope
Chapter 207 Unwavering Hope
This proved that the underground world existed. Xiao Chen thought carefully about the differences in his situation when he first got here and now. There must have been a change in the situation that created this scenario.
After a while, a lightbulb lit up in his mind. He said, “When I first came here, there was no Spiritual Energy in my body. Now, my whole body is filled with Spiritual Energy. This is the biggest difference.”
This underground world should be a small realm created by a previous senior. Only after an individual entered the realm of Sages and became one with nature could they enter. Either that or they had to be an ordinary person that was completely void of Spiritual Energy.
Furthermore, it was very possible this small realm was created by the founder of the Heavenly Saber Pavilion, the Saber Emperor. Coincidentally, Xiao Chen had accidentally barged into it.
If he had not lost all his Essence and was washed down the river, it would have been impossible to reach this place. All of these factors could not be missing. This was probably what people called fate.
Thinking about it, it was a little unfortunate. He originally thought of coming to this underground world to search through it thoroughly after he found an opportunity to do so in the future. Seems like he would not be able to enter again until he became a Martial Sage.
Xiao Chen shook his head and recollected his thoughts. Since he already came out, there was no need to think about this problem. What he needed to think about was how to return to the Heaven Saber Pavilion.
When Xiao Chen arrived at the riverside where he had climbed out miserably, he stopped. The scene of that day was still clear in his mind.
Xiao Chen was severely injured and his Essence was gone. The undercurrent was strong and his stamina was running out. Each of these circumstances were extremely dangerous. Yet, all of these things happened to him at the same time.
However, he did not lose hope. He eventually managed to climb out. There were many important things that he still had not done yet; he could not afford to die early.
Xiao Chen had not released Ao Jiao from the Lunar Shadow Saber; he had not dealt with the noble clans in the Dongming Province; he still had not found out why he was chased out from the Xiao Clan.
There were too many enemies that Xiao Chen had still not defeated. He had not truly stepped into the world of cultivators so far. On the path of Martial Cultivation, it would be unfortunate if he died while he was still on the starting line.
When he looked at his reflection in the water, he remembered something. He had to change his appearance back, otherwise, no one would recognize him.
Xiao Chen executed the Shapeshifting Spell. Suddenly, his face turned blurry. He recalled Ye Chen’s appearance in his mind. Next, his facial bones started changing rapidly.
Ye Chen’s somewhat ordinary face appeared on the surface of the water. Xiao Chen’s originally handsome face and sharp aura were completely changed.
Xiao Chen smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the water surface. He leaped lightly and landed on the water surface and stood there. He walked on the water surface, heading upstream.
If he wanted to go back, there was no other way apart from going back the way he came. The idea Xiao Chen had was to retrace his steps back to the place they suppressed the Fiend King. Once he found Ye Wen, he would be able to leave.
Xiao Chen trod lightly on the water, walking on it as if it was solid ground. He dashed forward at a very fast speed.
After a moment, a wall appeared before Xiao Chen. However, the river below him flowed under the wall.
“Pu Tong!”
Since the river was able to flow under the wall, this showed that there must be a way out in front. Xiao Chen stopped using his Movement Technique. He entered the river and swam upstream.
After he swam for a long time, Xiao Chen felt the wall above his head disappear. He floated back to the top and returned to walking on the water surface. After he walked for a long time, he found that the river was only a tributary.
The more he walked, the more astonished Xiao Chen became. There were many tributaries in this river and they covered a wide area. Along the way, he ran into more than ten places where the river split into branches. There were even some places where the river split into four branches.
Then the river flowed underground. It was a good thing there was only one source. All Xiao Chen had to do was to keep swimming upstream and he would find the cave where the Field King was suppressed.
Two days later, Xiao Chen felt a certain familiar feeling before he floated to the water surface in a particular section of the river. This was because of the rotting stench of the corpse in the water had not dispersed even now.
“Finally found your way out?” Just as Xiao Chen floated to the top of the water, he saw Ye Wen sitting at a wooden table on the riverside. Ye Chen was looking at Xiao Chen with a mild smile.
Xiao Chen was somewhat stunned. He did not expect to meet this person the moment he arrived. He used his Essence to evaporate all the water on him. Immediately, hot steam came from his body.
Xiao Chen stepped away from the water, slowly moving away from the cloud of steam. All the water completely evaporated from his body and his clothes were dried off.
Ye Wen saw everything that happened and a strange look appeared in his eyes. He poured out a cup of wine for Xiao Chen and smiled. “Looks like you had some miraculous encounter. Your cultivation is not crippled. You even advanced in your cultivation. I cannot completely see through you.”
Xiao Chen took the wine cup and emptied it in one gulp before he looked at Ye Wen. Originally, he thought he would have a lot of things to say. Now that he saw Ye Wen being so calm and collected, he did not know what to say.
“How is Biyun Peak’s Song Que? After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen asked the question he was the most concerned about.
Ye Wen enjoyed a cup of wine by himself and soon drank another cup. After that, he downplayed the situation. “I crippled one of his hands but he is still the Peak Master. However, you can relax. Ancestral Martial Aunt Shen already warned him. When you go out, he would not dare to find trouble with you.”
“You crippled one of his arms?” Xiao Chen looked at Ye Wen in astonishment. It was not that Xiao Chen thought Ye Wen did not have the capabilities. What he did not expect was that Ye Chen would offend a Peak Master for him.
Furthermore, when Xiao Chen looked at Ye Wen’s current appearance, it was as though he did not care about it. It was like this was just an insignificant matter and he felt there was no need to pay it any mind.
Ye Wen got up and said, “Let’s go, there is no need to make a fuss about nothing. I’ll bring you out.”
Ye Wen slowly put away the wine cups on the table. After that, he led the way out. He looked at Xiao Chen behind him and said, “You are very fortunate. Not long ago, that lass, Liu Ruyue, came down personally to try and find you.”
Elder Sister Ruyue came looking for me? Xiao Chen was startled and said, “Then what did you tell her? Did you tell her the truth?”
“Am I a fool? I am very familiar with her character. If I told her the truth, she would rush to Biyun Peak immediately and kick up a big fuss at the risk of her life,” Ye Wen said indifferently.
Ye Wen’s words caused Xiao Chen to clam up for a while. They had not walked far when Ye Wen spoke again. “How are you related to Leng Liusu?”
“Leng Liusu? Probably no relation. I’m not on familiar terms with her,” Xiao Chen said. He was filled with suspicions; he did not know why Ye Wen would ask him this.
Ye Wen said, “Then this is strange. She used her status as the Young Pavilion Master to bypass the Elders’ Assembly. She sent people here to search for you several times.”
Leng Liusu also came to look for me? Xiao Chen could not understand what was going on. He wanted to ask Ye Wen for the details. However, when Xiao Chen looked at Ye Wen’s expression, he retracted what he had wanted to say.
Ye Wen led Xiao Chen all the way, bringing him to a small transportation formation. When the people that guarded the formation saw Ye Wen, they greeted him respectfully. “Elder Ye, are you here to send someone off?”
Ye Wen nodded, he then faced Xiao Chen and said, “Up you go. Once you go up, you can leave this blasted place. I already dealt with your mission for you. You can go and hand it in.”
Xiao Chen was about to step onto the formation. Then he turned around and asked, “You didn’t have to pay a price for crippling Song Que’s arm?”
After all, Song Que was a Peak Master. Xiao Chen could not figure out why Ye Wen was so unperturbed.
Ye Wen smiled gently. “The price was for me to stay here for another ten years. Now that I see that you are still so vigorous and lively, I feel like it is somewhat not worth it.
“Alright, that’s enough nonsense. Scram!”
“Pu!”
Suddenly, Ye Wen kicked out at Xiao Chen’s butt. Xiao Chen fell forward and landed in the transportation formation. A light on the ground lit up.
Countless talisman scripts appeared and Xiao Chen’s body vanished with a ‘shua’ sound.
It felt very hazy and pitch dark. Xiao Chen felt that his body was being stretched out without limit. Then, motes of light appeared. After a moment, he regained control of his body.
“Where is this?” Xiao Chen looked around his surroundings. He discovered that he was in a small room. There were no signs of a formation on the ground. That was likely to be a one-way transportation formation.
Xiao Chen pushed the door open and walked out. He immediately saw the counter in the Hall of Contributions. When the old man behind the counter saw Xiao Chen, he was a bit stunned.
The old man waved his hand and the wooden token hanging on Xiao Chen’s waist flew quickly into his palm, returning to the Hall of Contributions.
The old man looked at the serial number on the wooden token as he smiled gently at Xiao Chen. “Ye Chen, congratulations on completing the mission. Here are your contribution points.”
The old man took out some black copper coins from below the counter and handed it to Xiao Chen. “Count it, Ye Wen gave you an outstanding evaluation. There is a total of a thousand contribution points.
Xiao Chen received these black copper coins, there was a total of ten. They were completely black. They were circular with a square hole in the middle. There was a strange strand of Qi contained within it as well, there was no way to replicate this.
The old man continued to explain. “Contribution coins come in three colors. The white one represents one contribution point, the red one represents ten contribution points, and the black one represents one hundred contribution points.”
Xiao Chen had lived in the underground world for close to two months. Currently, he was anxiously thinking of returning to Qingyun Peak and reporting his safely to Liu Ruyue. As such, he did not have a lot of patience to listen to the old man. He was prepared to leave immediately.
“Wait for a while, don’t go yet. This is your first time completing a high level mission. There is something I still need to tell you.” The old man stopped Xiao Chen and walked over.
The old man revealed a faint smile on his pale face. “Young man, don’t be overly anxious. This matter is your true reward.”
Xiao Chen did not understand what was going on. He slowly calmed down and followed the old man. The old man led Xiao Chen as they walked toward the back of the Hall of Contributions. Along the way, many people saw the old man personally leading Xiao Chen. They all started to guess Xiao Chen’s status.
“The Hall of Contributions’ Executive Elder is actually guiding someone personally? Who is this person? I have never seen him before. Even the true inheritors did not receive such a treatment.”
“I’ve never seen him before either. Where did he come from? Could his status be even higher than those true inheritors?”
“It’s him! Look at the identity token at his waist. He is that disciple from Qingyun Peak. He is Ye Chen!” Someone in the crowd said immediately when they saw the silver identity token hung at Xiao Chen’s waist.
There were only two men in Qingyun Peak. One was Liu Suifeng, the other was Ye Chen. Everyone knew Liu Suifeng. Since he was not Liu Suifeng, it was obvious that he was Ye Chen.
“So, it is him. He vanished for two months and then he appears again. That group of people from Wanren Peak had been looking for him for a long time.”