King of Creation
Chapter 151 - 149: How Do You Compare to Lie Kuangsha?

Chapter 151: Chapter 149: How Do You Compare to Lie Kuangsha?

The True Profound Continent had a long heritage, with documented history spanning over ten thousand years.

Through these millennia, each generation of martial artists produced talents more astonishing than the last, with countless geniuses rising on the True Profound Continent, shining brightly.

Many martial artists fell during their moments of brilliance, others slowly passed away over time, and some failed and perished while attempting to break through life and death. Of course, there were also the strong who broke free from their shackles and left.

Under such changes, the places of Cultivation left behind by these deceased martial artists became highly coveted Cultivation Secret Realms and Heritage Mansions for subsequent martial artists.

These Remnant Mansions of the Secret Realm often contained abundant Cultivation Resources or precious Martial Arts Secret Manuals, powerful Artifacts, and even Spiritual Artifacts or other valuable treasures.

Such finds often significantly boosted a martial artist’s strength, hence, once discovered, they attracted martial artists like moths to a flame.

Within groups of martial artists, obtaining such a Secret Realm Heritage Mansion was universally regarded as — fortune!

In the path of Martial Arts, in addition to the so-called partners, wealth, and places, fortune was also extremely crucial.

Those without fortune could only cultivate step by step.

Those with fortune, sometimes, could rise to great heights just by riding on their fortune.

Now, when Ye Zhen heard that Ren Xihua was inviting him to explore a Secret Realm Heritage Mansion, how could he not agree? He immediately went joyfully.

However, when Ren Xihua took Ye Zhen to meet the so-called friend, Ye Zhen was somewhat stunned upon meeting him.

"Eh, it’s you, Senior Brother Han?" It was Han Shi, who had been somewhat elusive these past few days.

"Senior Brother Han couldn’t bring himself to ask you, so he had me do it." Ren Xihua’s voice, strained into a thread, reached Ye Zhen’s ears.

"It’s like this, I have an old friend who discovered a Secret Realm and failed several attempts to breach it. He decided to seek help from trusted friends, and hence, he came to me.

He’s not very familiar with people here in the Black Water Kingdom, so I thought of you both!"

After a pause, Han Shi became serious, "The reason I chose you two, I’ve thought about it for a long time; because exploring this Secret Realm is extremely dangerous. Although I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a life-and-death situation, it’s almost there.

If fellow disciples go together, it will provide more care and safety."

"That’s true, if we disciples of the same sect work together wholeheartedly, we should be able to minimize the risks," Ye Zhen said.

After chatting for a few moments, Ren Xihua asked about the specifics of the Secret Realm, who exactly discovered it, and what was his character like?

These details were essential because there have been all too common instances of treachery in the exploration of Secret Realms throughout history.

"I’m not sure, all I know is that he’s a disciple of the Sword Origin Sect from the Sword Origin Empire, named Luv Congfei. His Cultivation is very impressive; two years ago, I joined him in killing a Demon Beast. By then, he was already in the Late Stage of Spirit Summoning."

"Is that all? What about this guy’s character?" Ren Xihua frowned.

"Junior Brother Ren, don’t ask anymore. If I say this Luv Congfei has questionable character, will you not go?"

"Since it’s about exploring a Heritage Mansion of a Secret Realm, we have to prepare for the worst. If anyone dares to betray us, let’s kill his mother!"

"Hahaha, good! Junior Brother Ye, that’s exactly what I was waiting to hear from you, so straightforward!"

Although Han Shi had some disappointments with Ye Zhen before, Ye Zhen’s response convinced Han Shi that Ye Zhen was indeed a trustworthy person.

The three brothers prepared briefly, then under the lead of Han Shi, they soared into the air, heading straight for the rendezvous point.

As the trio took to the sky, Han Shi and Ren Xihua were envious.

It was because Ye Zhen’s flying height and speed were almost equal to theirs.

You see, Han Shi was a late-stage Spirit Summoning martial artist, and although Ren Xihua’s Cultivation was only at mid-stage Spirit Summoning, he was close to late stage.

Yet Ye Zhen, an early-stage Spirit Summoning Realm martial artist, managed to match Ren Xihua’s speed and height with a low-grade Earth Level Flying Secret Manual called the Gale Wind Shadow Technique, only slightly slower than Han Shi.

What Han Shi and Ren Xihua didn’t know was that even so, Ye Zhen was still holding back, having not fully unleashed his power.

If Ye Zhen didn’t conceal his Cultivation and used mid-stage Spirit Summoning power to drive the Gale Wind Shadow Technique, his flying speed could instantly surpass Han Shi.

The gathering place was on the banks of Black Gold Lake a hundred miles away from Black Water King’s City.

Because Black Gold Lake was renowned for producing the highly valuable Black Gold Grass, many martial artists frequented the area.

Upon arrival, Han Shi sent out a Talisman Communication, and soon a reply flew from a boat on Black Gold Lake.

"Let’s go, onto that boat!"

"Han Shi, are these the people you brought?"

Just getting on the boat, a man with slanted eyebrows and a mole near his nose, looking rather sinister, pointed at Ren Xihua and Ye Zhen and began to scold Han Shi.

"This one, at the mid-stage of Spirit Summoning, is passable! And this one, are you just bringing him here to die? He should not mess up our major plan though," the man pointed at Ye Zhen and said.

Another man sitting on the gunwale, holding a large wine gourd, chuckled at Ye Zhen: "I tell you Han Shi, I’m starting to suspect that you have a grudge against this young brother. By calling him here, aren’t you digging his grave?"

"Jiulie, what are you saying?"

Being spoken to like that, as if he were really trapping Ye Zhen, suddenly irked Han Shi.

"Brother Han, this wasn’t handled too well by you!" a man standing at the stern, radiating peak Spirit Summoning fluctuations and grasping a sword, also frowned in dissatisfaction.

Ye Zhen guessed that this person must be Luv Congfei.

Surrounded by three people, Han Shi might have been somewhat tongue-tied, as he did not know how to respond.

Ye Zhen suddenly stepped forward, slightly concentrated his divine skills in the sword vein, and, like a sword unsheathed, he stood erect on the deck, his sword qi piercing the sky.

"Strength is not something that can be talked into existence!"

That day, Ye Zhen had broken through the sand spirit of Lie Kuangsha, precisely because he had seen through the flaws in the sand spirit with his Sword Heart Enlightenment, greatly reducing the power of Lie Kuangsha’s sword technique, which he then withstood without any damage.

"Pah, you’re just at the early stage of Spirit Summoning and you dare talk about strength with us? Come back when you’ve reached the late stage of Spirit Summoning and then say these words to me.

"Scram now, or I’ll chop you down with one strike!" The cold man with a mole on his nostril pointed at Ye Zhen and cursed loudly.

"Balang, shut up!"

Luv Congfei, at the peak of Spirit Summoning Realm, seemed to see something extraordinary in Ye Zhen, and just when he was about to speak, Ye Zhen’s Sky Crystal Sword abruptly unsheathed, its momentum locking directly onto Balang with the mole!

"Balang, how do you compare to Lie Kuangsha? If you’re confident you can defeat him, then come at me all you want!"

With his long sword pointing forward and his sword qi swirling around, Ye Zhen radiated unspeakable confidence.

Luv Congfei and Jiulie were both taken aback, and Balang, locked by Ye Zhen’s sword momentum, had a stern expression, with even his body hair standing on end.

"Are you Ye Zhen?"

"Eh? Could you be the Ye Zhen from the royal city, famed for killing Lie Kuangsha with one stroke?"

As Ye Zhen nodded, Luv Congfei hurried over, chiding Han Shi: "Han Shi, why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Han Shi felt frustrated, for they hadn’t given him a chance to speak at all.

"Humph, one stroke to kill!

These days, kill a bear and you dare call yourself the unbeatable Bear King, defeat a few people and you claim to be invincible far and wide."

Balang, having just relaxed, sarcastically threw in these few words, clearly showing some disrespect towards Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen chuckled, and his surrounding sword qi suddenly withdrew as he said, "Brother Luv, can this level of combat power qualify me to join your team?"

"Yes, indeed!"

As Luv Congfei hastily nodded, he quickly started introducing Ren Xihua and Ye Zhen to each other.

A few moments later, everyone got acquainted, though Luv Congfei’s introductions were quite brief, almost just the names. Balang was indeed Luv Congfei’s sworn brother, also at the late stage of Spirit Summoning.

Jiulie’s real name is not that of a gourd; it became his name over time and he is also a good friend of Luv Congfei’s.

Luv Congfei and the two were not from the Black Water Kingdom. According to Luv, he had specifically come to Black Gold Lake in search of a certain herb and unexpectedly discovered an underwater entrance after several explorations.

Before this, he had already tried to force his way in four times with Jiulie and Balang, each attempt ending in failure.

Out of necessity, they began looking for helpers in Black Water Kingdom.

"Since it is an exploration of a secret realm, we need to establish some rules to avoid endless disputes. Since I discovered this secret realm, if we indeed find treasures, I should get the first pick. No objections, right?" Luv Congfei stated the rules first.

This point naturally met with no objections from anyone.

"There are many demon beasts along the way; whoever kills a demon beast, gains the materials from that beast. The order for choosing treasures will also be based on each person’s contribution," Luv Congfei set down fair rules, and everyone naturally agreed without a second thought.

"Since there are no objections, to avoid a lengthy delay, let’s head out right now!" Looking at the faint silhouettes sizing up the surroundings from the shore, Luv Congfei stomped heavily and the boat shot out from the lake surface like an arrow released from its bow.

Ye Zhen now somewhat understood why Luv Congfei would have the not-too-familiar Han Shi seek teammates.

It was probably because they had lingered too long on Black Gold Lake. After exploring by themselves four times, they had already attracted the attention of many martial artists.

Fearing that the secret might be exposed, they were thus desperate to partner up and explore.

Whoosh!

A sword slash and a hawk-billed flying fish was cleaved by Ye Zhen, who had been guarding the left side of the deck. At the same time, Han Shi suddenly leaped from the boat, stepping on the water and in a flash, slashed towards the bottom of the boat.

Seeing blood emerge from the bottom of the boat, Han Shi then returned to the deck.

Luv Congfei stood at the prow, a surge of spiritual power emerging from beneath his feet, speeding the boat along swiftly.

In the waters of True Profound Continent, demon beasts swarmed, and the larger the water area, the more numerous and powerful the demon beasts within.

As the boat sailed on the vast surface of Black Gold Lake, constant attacks from demon beasts required the group’s defense.

"Float up!"

After nearly six hours of sailing, the boat abruptly stopped, and with a light shout from Luv Congfei, everyone soared into the air, and under his lead, flew toward a whirlpool in the center of the lake.

Carrying a Cloud Winged Tiger Cub in his arms, petite yet weighing a thousand pounds, Ye Zhen had a comparatively slow flying speed and was the last to arrive; Balang again started grumbling.

"Bringing a pet along on a treasure hunt, acting like a lady...."

As Luv Congfei stopped Balang, he pointed at the whirlpool and said, "The secret realm lies beneath this whirlpool!" (To be continued. If you like this work, please recommend it at qidian.com. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)