Nine Astra Skies
chapter-279

Chapter 279: A Tragic, Ancient Figure

Tantai Ling did not speak anymore. Ye Chen had never expected that Tantai Ling’s single throw would be so powerful. She could injure Fu Yu with her trident from such a distance. If she had not gone easy on Fu Yu, he would not have escaped at all. Godly Venerable Rank fighters were practically unrivaled existences to Ye Chen but in front of Tantai Ling, they would not stand up to a single blow!

Ye Chen increasingly felt the distinct disparity between his strength and Tantai Ling’s. When he thought back to when he proclaimed he would defeat Tantai Ling within five years, he seemed laughably naïve in retrospect.

Even someone with Tantai Ling’s abilities dared not completely sever relations with the Tribunal Council. Tribunal Council’s influence seemed to be truly something.

Fu Yu had run away but Ye Chen must have deeply offended him all the same. If he ran into Fu Yu again, a battle was inevitable. Ye Chen could not always hope for Tantai Ling to show up.

No matter what, Ye Chen must be more cautious in his conduct. If he did not have sufficient strength, it was best to hide. He must not provoke the Tribunal Council anymore!

Today, Ye Chen had nearly died on this island once again. At the end of it all, he was still not strong enough!

Ye Chen was finally unable to hold on any longer and collapsed to a sitting position. He consumed one Purple-gold Divine Pill and circulated his Celestial Chi incessantly, recovering from his internal wounds. His cultivation progress was considered swift compared to those so-called prodigies but it was still far from enough.

Countless Celestial Chi converged around Ye Chen from all directions, turning into nine streams of Celestial Chi that circled him like swimming dragons.

The Nine Astra within his body, under the nourishment from the Flying Dagger, operated tirelessly.

One cycle, two cycles, then three…

Ye Chen had forgotten the time completely as the injuries within his body healed gradually.

The sea breeze whistled, brushing past Ye Chen.

Ye Chen sat there for three days before his internal wounds were mostly recovered. As he looked into the distance, Little Wingsy was sitting up as well, chomping down something. Little Wingsy’s body was extremely durable and his regenerative abilities were impressive too. Even if he was grievously harmed, he just needed a few massive meals and a few days of sleep to be fine.

Knowing that Little Wingsy was alright, Ye Chen’s consciousness extended deep into his own body, examining his meridian channels at various points. His attention moved along the course of his body before finally landing upon his right palm. He noticed that a glowing turtle was suspended within his palm, fused to his vessels.

Ye Chen carefully observed it. This turtle was a mass of Chi, possessing an autonomous consciousness and spirituality. Ye Chen slowly prodded this Chi. Under the guidance of his body’s Celestial Chi, this turtle had turned into a clear stream of Chi that flowed through Ye Chen’s body. It went through a full cycle and Ye Chen felt his vigor was boosted. His mind was now incomparably lucid.

After its circulation, this Celestial Martial Chi returned to Ye Chen’s right palm.

This Celestial Martial Chi must have some unique functions.

The Celestial Martial Chi had absorbed a significant amount of Ye Chen’s Celestial Chi. Being nourished by the Flying Dagger’s unique Celestial Chi, it had begun to grow slightly stronger.

Ye Chen suddenly felt a marvelous sensation as if he had formed a bond with the Celestial Martial Chi. When he closed his eyes, some images emerged in his mind. A gigantic turtle roamed between heaven and earth. It had lived for tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years. In the sea, it was a fearsome predator and ordinary Sea Demons and sea monsters that encountered the turtle had no choice but to flee. After it died, a thread of its Vital Chi, carrying the turtle’s consciousness, evolved into a mass of Celestial Martial Chi within this world. Although this Celestial Martial Chi had existed for tens of thousands of years, it was still growing.

Ye Chen wondered if he could utilize this Celestial Martial Chi in fights. In the future, he could slowly explore the mysteries of this Celestial Martial Chi.

“Little Wingsy, what’s wrong?” Ye Chen walked toward Little Wingsy and, seeing that he wore a worried frown, asked him this question. Ye Chen thought that something was wrong with Little Wingsy’s body and could not help but feel anxious.

Little Wingsy looked up at Ye Chen with a forlorn expression.

Ye Chen knitted his brow and reached out to grab Little Wingsy’s wrist. He used his Celestial Chi to examine Little Wingsy’s body. Little Wingsy had recovered at a fantastic rate. The healing abilities of an ancient, unique Winged Serpent were not just a tall tale. Nonetheless, the injury caused by Tantai Ling’s divine trident would not heal so quickly.

The damage caused by Fu Yu and the damage caused by Tantai Ling were different in nature.

“Big Brother Ye Chen, I’ve finished the mutton legs within the Heaven-Earth Pouch,” Little Wingsy said with a sullen scowl.

After hearing what Little Wingsy said, Ye Chen was momentarily stunned before he burst out laughing. “Don’t worry, I’ve prepared lots of mutton legs.” The space in Ye Chen’s armguard was immense. To satisfy a chowhound like Little Wingsy, Ye Chen had prepared a large stock of food. He gave some of that to Little Wingsy.

Little Wingsy was instantly delighted. He seized two mutton legs and started chomping with gusto.

Ye Chen suddenly realized that eating and sleeping were a form of cultivation for Little Wingsy. Whatever he ate and absorbed was immediately turned into energy within Little Wingsy’s body. Therefore, Little Wingsy was able to recover from his wounds so rapidly.

As he watched Little Wingsy wolfing down the food, Ye Chen smiled slightly. However, when he thought of Little Tanuki, he felt sorrow welled up in him. He did not know when he would see Little Tanuki again.

“Big Brother Ye Chen, are you thinking of Big Sister Little Tanuki?” Little Wingsy looked up and stared at Ye Chen with clear, shining eyes.

“Mmm-hmm. Little Wingsy, don’t you miss your Big Sister Little Tanuki?” Ye Chen stroked Little Wingsy’s head with a doleful smile.

“Big Brother Ye Chen, don’t be sad. I dream that Big Sister Little Tanuki was with some old grandmas. She’s fine,” Little Wingsy said seriously.

Ye Chen’s heart felt a jolt. Little Wingsy was much sharper than him in these matters and might know something. Ye Chen immediately thought of the Illusory Pearl. Previously, he had heard Little Tanuki saying that the past generations of ancestors from the tanuki clan were all in the Illusory Pearl. This was possibly the old grandmas that Little Wingsy had mentioned.

When he heard Little Wingsy say this, Ye Chen’s emotions were somewhat calmer. He looked up at the Soul Pearl hovering about Little Wingsy and asked, “Little Wingsy, you’ve been in the Soul Pearl all this time?”

“Yup, I’ve been training with Master. Master even taught me a few martial art techniques,” Little Wingsy said excitedly.

An apparition suddenly popped up above the Soul Pearl. It was an old man dressed in a black skeleton robe. Three skulls orbited around the old man and a wave of demonic energy surged out. Ye Chen jumped with shock. Surely it was not a demon who was living within this Soul Pearl? Had Little Wingsy been cultivating with this demon?

Ye Chen took a proper look. This elder had a kind gaze without any fiendish glint in his eyes. Although demonic energy poured off from him, this energy was neither bloodthirsty nor savage. It was strange indeed.

The old man stared at Ye Chen with a lofty expression.

Ye Chen was uncertain and bewildered. As he stared at the old man, he saluted with a fist and palm. “Greetings, Senior. Many thanks for rescuing Little Wingsy and teaching him martial art techniques.” Secretly he was thinking to himself, ‘Little Wingsy won’t turn into a massive demon by cultivating with this old man, right?’ No wonder Ye Chen could feel traces of demonic energy coming off Little Wingsy.

Still, Ye Chen did not care what cultivation system Little Wingsy was training under. He would still treat Little Wingsy as his own younger brother. Nonetheless, he heard that those who cultivate demonic ways would ultimately have their personalities easily influenced by demonic cultivation. They would cease to recognize their own family, knowing nothing but slaughter.

Ye Chen was secretly considering, ‘Should I stop Little Wingsy from cultivation demonic techniques?’ He looked back at this elder. Ye Chen did not know what this elder had up his sleeves, so he dared not act blindly for now.

“I’m Tuntian. You must be Little Wingsy’s elder brother. I’ve been rather bored waiting in the Soul Pearl, not knowing how much time was passing outside. I fell asleep and when I woke up, I found that I had been brought out of the Sunken Jade Tower by you.” The old man twitched an eyebrow. His eyebrows were like two limp crescent moons, unable to be raised. It was a hilarious sight.

“It’s true that I’ve brought you out of the Sunken Jade Tower.” Ye Chen nodded. When he heard Elder Tuntian speaking, Ye Chen realized Elder Tuntian was not as overbearing as those demons in the legends.

“Oh oh oh, you b*stard!” The old man’s black robe fluttered without any wind and his face puffed up and turned red. He bellowed hysterically, “Do you know how long it took me to locate the Sunken Jade Tower? More than a thousand years! Do you know how miserable I was during those thousand years? Having to hide from heavenly punishment each day, being struck by lightning and burned by natural fires. After so many trials and tribulations, I managed to hide within the Sunken Jade Tower and have a peaceful nap. Only a nap! Then I was brought out by you again!” The old man was practically jumping, spittle flying from his mouth. “It’s pissing me off, it’s pissing me off!”

“That…” Ye Chen did not know how to explain. He mumbled inwardly, ‘Elder Tuntian’s emotions change so dramatically.’ After hearing what Elder Tuntian said, Ye Chen was slightly less distrustful and he softly asked Little Wingsy, “What are your master’s origins?”

“Master is very pitiful…” Little Wingsy said with sympathy. “He’s been bullied since young… And after great trouble, he cultivated and became a demon, and no one dared to bully him anymore. But in the end, he was refined into a Soul Pearl by someone. I’d thought that Master was no longer bullied after being refined into a Soul Pearl. To think that he’s still so miserable, being struck by lightning and burned by fire every day. Plus, he was nearly devoured by that giant turtle just now and turned into turtle poop.”

After the elder ranted and raved, he felt better and merely snorted twice.

“Senior Tuntian, I can still enter the Sunken Jade Tower. If you wish to hide in the Sunken Jade Tower, I can bring you there whenever you like,” Ye Chen said after some thought. After hearing what Little Wingsy said, Elder Tuntian was truly worthy of sympathy.

“The Sunken Jade Tower only opens once every fifty years. The next time you go, it’ll be fifty years later. What should I do during these fifty years? The Soul Pearl is no longer what it used to be. If heavenly punishment descends, it’ll be ten times worse than before. Whether I can survive these fifty years is the issue.” Elder Tuntian rolled his eyes.

“Well, here’s the thing. I’ve received the approval of Senior Tian Yuan, the master of the Sunken Jade Tower. So, I can enter the Sunken Jade Tower at will, unfettered by the restriction,” Ye Chen replied. Secretly he was considering, ‘If I send this Soul Pearl back to the Sunken Jade Tower, Little Wingsy won’t have to learn demonic techniques from this old man.’

Elder Tuntian shot a sideway, astonished glance at Ye Chen. “That Tian Yuan is an impressive almighty character. To think that you’ve won his approval! Humph, that’s more like it. Since you’re Little Wingsy’s elder brother, I won’t be modest. In the future, I shall nurture Little Wingsy properly and help him train to become an exceptional demon!”

When Ye Chen heard this, he practically coughed up a mouthful of blood. Let Little Wingsy train to become an exceptional demon? There was no need for that! When would Ye Chen be able to save Little Wingsy from the demonic claws of Elder Tuntian?

Ye Chen still did not know the extent of Elder Tuntian’s abilities. He dared not probe too much for now and would wait to assess the situation.

“Master has been very good to me.” Little Wingsy nodded solemnly.

Ye Chen was at his wits’ end. What if Little Wingsy insisted upon learning under Elder Tuntian? It looked like Ye Chen must have a private chat with Little Wingsy.

“You’ve just subdued that Celestial Martial Chi?” Elder Tuntian looked at Ye Chen and asked.

“That’s right.” Ye Chen nodded. His heart leaped. This Elder Tuntian must be some antique-level character. Ye Chen wondered if Elder Tuntian knew anything about utilizing Celestial Martial Chi.