Chapter Ninety-Five: Splendid Cloud City

“Thank you for the invitation, Brother Chen. However, I do not yet plan to join the Five Sects, so I can only decline for now. If I ever do decide to do so in the future, I will certainly go to the Heaven Sword Sect to find you. At that time, I hope Brother Chen will guide me generously.”

Although Yang Xiao declined Chen Ping’s offer tactfully, he did not shut the door entirely. If he truly chose to join the Five Sects in the future, then the Heaven Sword Sect would certainly be the best choice. Since cultivating the Peerless Sword Art, Yang Xiao had come to understand even more clearly how extraordinary its power was, and he very much wanted to obtain the cultivation methods that followed it. If he joined the Heaven Sword Sect then, he would naturally have a chance to acquire such a method.

The sword path itself was a formidable weapon of metal-attribute offense. Moreover, Yang Xiao trained in metal-attribute techniques with remarkable speed, and with all the experience he had carried over from his previous life, his cultivation of the Peerless Sword Manual could only be described as effortless, like a fish in water. Compared with others, he was stronger by who knew how many times. So although Yang Xiao had not specifically devoted himself to sword cultivation, he was still far more formidable than many of the Heaven Sword Sect’s gifted disciples. Even Chen Ping had to admit that, in the cultivation of the Peerless Sword Manual, he still fell quite far short of Yang Xiao.

“Since Brother Yang says so, then I can only wait for your arrival at the Heaven Sword Sect. I hope that one day I will see you join our sect and become one of our official members. By the way, why don’t I leave you a letter of recommendation? Then you can bring it and come directly to me. I can guarantee that once you join the Heaven Sword Sect, you will receive the best treatment. And within the Heaven Sword Sect, I count as something of a person of some standing, so I can look after you a little, whether in great matters or small ones.”

With that, Chen Ping quickly prepared a jade slip letter and handed it to Yang Xiao.

Yang Xiao accepted the jade slip, inspected it briefly, and found nothing amiss. It was only an ordinary jade slip letter. Reassured, he put it away and thanked Chen Ping once more.

“All right, Brother Yang. Since everything has been made clear, and we are all on the same side, there is no need to argue any further over Wang Hai’s possessions. Take them as you please. Brother Liao Hui and I are also planning to leave here.”

“Then I wish Brother Chen and Brother Liao safe travels. We will meet again someday.” Yang Xiao cupped his hands in farewell.

Chen Ping and Liao Hui also returned the salute, and the two of them departed together.

After watching Chen Ping and Liao Hui disappear into the distance, Yang Xiao turned and hurried off in another direction.

“Brother Chen, are you trying to recruit this Yang Xiao? Still, his abilities are indeed extraordinary. In this Thunder Wasteland, I feel he is far more agile than the two of us. He does not even need to divert spiritual power to resist the lightning. In that case, I’m afraid neither of us would really be his match.”

After they had gone some distance, Liao Hui spoke to Chen Ping.

“That is indeed the case. Yang Xiao is truly a talent, which is why I recommended him to join our Heaven Sword Sect. After all, if the Heaven Sword Sect can gain such a man, its strength would increase greatly. I am thinking of the sect’s interests as well. To be honest, when we made things difficult for him earlier, it was only because we wanted the items in Wang Hai’s possession. But among those things, there are some demonic or sinister treasures. Even if we obtained them, we could not use them as frequently as righteous artifacts. Otherwise, our cultivation would easily be led down the path of evil and darkness. In other words, Wang Hai’s treasures are not all that useful to us in the end. As for Wang Hai himself, the only thing we truly wanted was thunder crystals. Yet along the way, we have already obtained quite a number of them, so one should not be too greedy. I think we should let Yang Xiao go this time.”

Chen Ping spoke as if trying to soothe him.

“Is Brother Chen worried that I might trouble Yang Xiao after leaving the Thunder Wasteland? If so, rest assured. Even if my spiritual power outside the Thunder Wasteland is somewhat stronger than Yang Xiao’s and can be fully brought to bear, Yang Xiao’s Peerless Sword Manual is cultivated far too profoundly. I have absolutely no confidence that I could break through it. If I cannot defeat an opponent, why would I do something so thankless?”

Liao Hui shook his head.

“It is good that Brother Liao thinks that way. By the way, after leaving the Thunder Wasteland, where do you plan to go?”

“I intend to go to the lands of the demonic path for some training. There I can slay a few evils and return to the Preaching Sect to exchange them for enough contribution points. Then I will be able to obtain better treasures and pills, and learn superior cultivation methods.”

“In that case, once we leave the Thunder Wasteland, let us part ways. I plan to return to the Heaven Sword Sect to refine some treasures, and then enter seclusion for bitter cultivation. This time, when Brother Yang displayed the Sword Spirit Realm, it truly opened my eyes. I also hope that after this seclusion, I can cultivate to his level. Then I will truly stand at the forefront of the younger generation in the entire Heaven Sword Sect.”

“Since we are heading to different places, then let us part outside the Thunder Wasteland.”

Liao Hui nodded in agreement.

Afterward, Chen Ping and Liao Hui traveled together for a while longer. Once they had left the Thunder Wasteland, they went their separate ways.

Yang Xiao also did not linger in the Thunder Wasteland any longer this time. The place had already been searched over by people like them to the point that there likely were not many thunder crystals left behind.

Besides, remaining there would indeed still carry the risk of danger. If a cultivator of the Cycle Heaven Realm were to arrive, Yang Xiao would find them difficult to deal with. Although Cycle Heaven Realm cultivators generally spent their lives in secluded cultivation and were not particularly interested in thunder crystals, one could not rule out the chance. If there truly were Cycle Heaven Realm cultivators nearby, and they also wanted thunder crystals, then a conflict with Yang Xiao in the Thunder Wasteland would be inevitable. If that happened, the outcome was all too easy to imagine; it would be something Yang Xiao could not possibly withstand.

After weighing everything carefully, Yang Xiao naturally decided to leave the Thunder Wasteland as quickly as possible. Even so, on his way out, he managed to refine several dozen thunder talismans. Thus, this trip to the Thunder Wasteland could be considered a fruitful one.

After leaving the Thunder Wasteland, Yang Xiao naturally headed for the central region of Yao Kingdom. The kingdom’s greatest trade city was Huayun City.

On this day, Yang Xiao successfully entered Huayun City and went straight to the city’s largest trading establishment, the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. Naturally, his purpose in coming there was to sell materials from large spirit beasts, and to purchase materials for artifact refining as well as pill refining.

As long as he had enough materials, Yang Xiao could advance both in alchemy and artifact refining. His strength would then surely rise to an even greater level.