Talisman Emperor
chapter-118

How large was Dragon Lake City?

Yet he just happened to meet Du Qingxi’s group of three on the first day. After entering Dragon Lake City for not even a day, this was rather too much of a coincidence.

So, after being stunned for a moment, Chen Xi asked. “All of you knew I’d come for a while now?”

Duanmu Ze grinned as he walked up. “We only just found out. Let’s go, let’s leave this place first.” As he spoke, he pulled Chen Xi’s arm before walking towards a side.

Neigh!

A carriage that was pulled by six Azure-scaled Unicorns came over and stopped, and it was simply like a moving fort. It was studded full of pearls and agates, and the carriage was even fully inscribed with dense and profound talisman markings that flowed with bright lights.

The carriage encompassed an area of around 20m. On its four walls hung screens that had gold embroidery and jade inlaid on it, and it possessed oppressive spirit energy and was able to cut off spying from the outside. The seating was all covered in exceedingly soft Violet Mink fur. At the center was a table made of white jade and phoebe zhennan wood1, placed atop it was over 10 trays of sweets, spirit fruits, delicacies, and fine wine. All of them were rare treasures, luxurious to the extreme.

After Duanmu Ze pulled Chen Xi into the carriage, Du Qingxi and Song Lin followed in as well.

“What dense spirit energy.” The instant he sat on the soft seating, Chen Xi noticed to his astonishment that a large Spirit Gathering Formation seemed to have been set up within the carriage, and the spirit energy within was extremely abundant.

“Heh, this isn’t the only wonder of the Six Unicorn Treasured Carriage.” Duanmu Ze smiled mysteriously, and he instructed towards the outside at the same time. “Head to the Immortal Assembling Pavilion.”

“Okay!” The old man that drove the carriage replied, then the Six Unicorn Treasured Carriage dashed out swiftly. If one didn’t carefully sense it while sitting within the carriage, one would be utterly unable to feel the carriage was moving swiftly.

Not long after they left the Darchu Soulguard’s great hall, Duanmu Ze seemed to have secretly heaved a sigh of relief, and he smiled as he scolded. “You’re really too bold. Running off to the Darchu Soulguard by yourself, aren’t you afraid the Su Clan will capture you?”

Chen Xi noticed that Du Qingxi and Song Lin were like Duanmu Ze, their expressions had eased up, and he couldn’t help but ask curiously. “What about it? I only went to sign up to participate in the Hidden Dragon Rankings, why would the Su Clan look for trouble with me?”

“Uh.” Duanmu Ze was stunned, then he said in astonishment, “You still don’t know? Almost all the great powers in Dragon Lake City know your name, and your reputation is so resounding that it’s like the sun during high noon!”

Chen Xi was still bewildered.

“Did you kill six Golden Hall Realm cultivators and one Golden Core Realm cultivator of the Su Clan?” Du Qingxi asked directly, and her clear eyes stared closely at Chen Xi.

Chen Xi might not have admitted to other people, but to Du Qingxi’s group of three, he instead wouldn’t deny it. Of course, as far as he was concerned, this wasn’t anything worthy of concealing, and he nodded right away.

“Hiss! My god! It was really you who did it?” Duanmu Ze’s figure went stiff as he gasped, and he looked at Chen Xi in disbelief.

Although he’d known since long ago that this matter was greatly related to Chen Xi, when he saw Chen Xi admit it himself, Duanmu Ze still felt indescribable shock.

It was six Golden Hall Realm cultivators and a Golden Core Realm cultivator! Which Violet Palace Realm cultivator in the various powers of Dragon Lake City was capable of this?

Du Qingxi and Song Lin had shocked appearances as well, and they looked at Chen Xi as if they were looking at a monster.

“Actually, I was lucky as well. If it was a one on one battle, I wouldn’t be a match for Su Leng either.” Chen Xi frowned as he thought, then said, “If it was a head-on battle, I would at most be able to defeat Golden Hall Realm cultivators.”

“You freak!” Duanmu Ze couldn’t refrain from fiercely muttering.

The nearby Du Qingxi and Song Lin nodded in deep agreement when they heard this. To them, even if it was a Violet Palace Realm cultivator defeating a Golden Hall Realm cultivator, it was still something they didn’t dare imagine.

“Right, how did all of you find me?” Chen Xi secretly became vigilant in his heart. He never imagined that the matter of him killing Su Leng and the others would spread throughout Dragon Lake City so quickly, and this was extremely detrimental to his current situation. After all, he was currently in Dragon Lake City, and it was equivalent to moving about in the Su Clan’s headquarters. A slight bit of carelessness might cause him his life!

“We were in the Darchu Soulguard’s great hall at that time, but we were in the secret room, and you were just unable to see us.” Duanmu Ze explained, and when he saw Chen Xi still didn’t understand, he continued. “It wasn’t only us, the members of the eight great sects, three great institutions, and six great clans were all present. Because, during every Hidden Dragon Rankings, all the various great powers will absorb some promising youths. Whereas the cultivators from outside the city that came to sign up at the Darchu Soulguard were all Violet Palace Realm cultivators below the age of 30, their natural talent and cultivation is the very best. So they naturally became the target of the attention of the various powers.”

“So to say, I was noticed by all of you when I’d just entered the Darchu Soulguard’s great hall?” Chen Xi was secretly shocked in his heart, as he never imagined that those great powers would be present there.

“Of course.” Du Qingxi nodded and said, “You should be more careful. You’ve killed a Golden Core Realm cultivator and Six Golden Hall Realm cultivators of the Su Clan in one go, and have caused the Su Clan to suffer an extremely great loss. They surely wish for nothing more than to kill you.”

“But you don’t have to be afraid of them.” Duanmu Ze smiled proudly as he said, “The Su Clan has been weakened greatly, and it’s unable to compare to the clans behind us. Let me see who dares bully you when you’re with us!”

“Oh, exactly, exactly.” Since he’d gotten in the carriage, Song Lin had been eating. When he heard this, he only raised his head and spoke vaguely with an appearance of facing dangers together.

Chen Xi nodded, and he felt exceedingly warm in his heart.

“Young Master, we’ve arrived at the Immortal Assembling Pavilion.” The voice of the old man that drove the carriage sounded out from outside.

“Let’s go, I’ll bring you to the top place of indulgence in Dragon Lake City to enjoy yourself properly, and give you a welcoming dinner,” Duanmu Ze said excitedly, then he grabbed onto Chen Xi’s arm before walking out.

As soon as he walked down of the carriage, Chen Xi’s gaze was attracted by an enormous building.

This pavilion occupied an entire street that was 5km in length. It was a tall and towering pavilion that was an entire 10 floors and pierced directly into the skies. Two qilins carved from emerald stood at both sides of the door, and there was a string of pretty female attendants that wore beautiful sheer dresses standing outside the door. Every one of them held smiles on the corners of their mouths, and they emitted formidable auras.

Unexpectedly, all these female attendants possessed a cultivation at the perfection-stage of the Congenital Realm, and they were only a step away from stepping into the Violet Palace Realm. What was even more formidable was that bright lights drifted on the clothes worn by these female attendants, and all of them were low-grade yellow-rank treasures!

Particularly, there was an enormous plaque hanging on the pavilion — Immortal Assembling Pavilion.

The three words were written in exquisite writing that was both majestic and grand, and it faintly revealed a proud atmosphere that covered the heavens and the earth. Chen Xi had only relied on the imposing manner from these words to know that the person that wrote this plaque was surely an expert that looked down upon the world.

“Dragon Lake City is the capital of the southern territory, whereas the Immortal Assembling Pavilion is the number one place of indulgence in the entire Dragon Lake City. There are excellent wines and delicious dishes to taste, music to appreciate, rare treasures to bid on, beast duels to watch… In short, so long as it’s a method of indulgence that you can think off, it will be here.” Duanmu Ze smiled as he explained and brought Chen Xi to walk in, and Du Qingxi and Song Lin followed closely behind.

“Ah, Young Master Duanmu, Young Master Song, Miss Du, and this Young Master, please come in quickly!” The eyes of a beautiful female attendant lit up, and she hurriedly led the way before the four of them. Although she didn’t know who Chen Xi was, since he was able to be together with three favored geniuses, then how could he be a nobody?

Walking into the Immortal Assembling Pavilion was like walking into another world, a realm for immortals!

There was actually countless towering old trees that reached into the sky planted here. The ground was luxuriantly green with mist surging out from everywhere. Fountains and waterfalls could be seen on the ground, red-crowned cranes flying in the air, and white deer could be seen holding ganodermas in their mouths. It was a quiet and beautiful scene that was out of this world.

The pathway that wound around and led to all directions was covered in Cloudmist Stone that was famous, rare, and precious. It seemed like a mirror, smooth and translucent, and when glanced at, it looked as if there were numerous white clouds within it that were interwoven with the many hues of a rainbow. When once walked on it, it was like being in the clouds, and it caused a feeling of looking down at all living creatures to emerge.

At this moment, there were many cultivators shuttling up and down atop it. They were either resting under the green pine trees at the edge of a precipice, or sitting in the wavy clouds listening to music, or holding a wine cup as they stood by the pool and admired the exotic flowers and herbs… There would always be a beautiful female attendant at the side serving them, and it was extremely leisurely.

When he saw this scene, the wonder in Chen Xi’s heart wasn’t so strong any longer. When he was within the depths of the Southern Barbaric Mountain Range, he’d stayed within the clouds and mist atop the peak of Moon’s Embrace Mountain daily and would cultivate and stay under green pines and waterfalls, thus he naturally wouldn’t be touched too greatly.

“Young Master Duanmu!”

“Young Master Song!”

“Miss Du!”

All along the way, the numerous cultivators that were drinking wine and enjoying themselves in the Immortal Assembling Pavilion would stand up to eagerly extend greetings to them. For a time, it actually caused Chen Xi to have a feeling like a myriad of stars surrounding a bright moon.

Chen Xi’s surroundings finally became quiet after they sat in a bamboo pavilion that was by the mountains and rivers, and he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion when he saw the composed expressions of Duanmu Ze’s and the others. These noble disciples that come from great clans have probably become accustomed to the feeling of being crowded around since long ago, and they are naturally able to engage in social activities with high proficiency.

“Go, arrange for Master Yue to cook a Nine Treasures Banquet.” Duanmu Ze instructed directly.

“Young Master, please wait.” The beautiful female attendant bowed before withdrawing.

Only Chen Xi, Duanmu Ze, Du Qingxi, and Song Lin remained within the bamboo pavilion.

“Master Yue is the Immortal Assembling Pavilion’s 5 leaf Spirit Chef, and the dishes he cooks even makes Golden Core Realm cultivators feel extremely comfortable from eating it. You better savor it properly later.” Duanmu Ze grinned as he spoke.

5 leaf Spirit Chef? Chen Xi suddenly recalled Old Man Ma, Pei Pei, and Qiao Nan. He recalled the days of practicing culinary arts at Clear Stream Restaurant, and he couldn’t help but feel gloomy in his heart.

I wonder when the Spirit Chef Rankings will start? I promised Old Man Ma that I would participate in it once. This is his heart’s desire and I must complete it for him!

“What’s wrong?” Du Qingxi noticed that Chen Xi’s expression was off, and she couldn’t refrain from asking in a light voice.

Chen Xi shook his head and dispelled the distracting thoughts in his heart, then said, “It’s nothing. I just recalled that I was once a spirit chef, but I was only at the level of 2 leaves.”

Du Qingxi was stunned, then she laughed. Obviously, she’d recalled the scene of when she met Chen Xi for the first time.

“Motherfucker! You little bitch, you actually dare graze my face? Quickly kneel down and apologize to me!” It was at this moment that a rough and deep voice sounded out from outside the bamboo pavilion and even the entire Immortal Assembling Pavilion was able to hear it.

“Shameless! It’s you who humiliated my Big Sister first! If somebody has to apologize, then it should be you!” An enraged cry of an immature youth sounded out.

Chen Xi couldn’t help but be slightly stunned when he heard this voice, then he stood up and walked to the window, then looked down. As expected, he saw the brother and sister, Mu Yao and Mu Wenfei, on the dark green lawn 300 meters away, and they were in confrontation with a tall young man with an imposing build.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_zhennan