Talisman Emperor
chapter-75

Chen Xi rested for a short while after killing Chai Letian and Yu Haobai, then he returned to Moon’s Embrace Mountain.

The Roc King desires to refine medicinal pills from Du Qingxi and the others. Even if they’re alive, their situation is surely extremely dangerous and they could lose their lives at any moment… Looks like I have to make the best use of my time. Chen Xi pondered all along the way and arrived back at Moon’s Embrace Mountain before long.

Within the abode, when Mu Kui saw Chen Xi return, he was overjoyed and said with a trembling voice, “Senior, you’ve finally returned. This lowly one was worried for so long.”

“What’re you worried about? The Thunderhawk King has already been killed by me and it ought to be temporarily peaceful for a while.” Chen Xi sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and said, “I want to recover my strength, keep watch for me.”

“Senior, cultivate at ease, this lowly one will leave now.”

Hiss!

Mu Kui hastily left the abode, then he was unable to restrain the shock in his heart any longer and gasped. Senior Chen Xi killed the Thunderhawk King?

…

When I fought the Black Ape King, my advantage was my cultivation in the Martial Dao surpassed him greatly, yet my cultivation was far inferior to him. If it wasn’t for the Seventhgold Swordbamboo in my possession that was able to counter those vengeful spirits, I’m afraid the outcome of the battle would be difficult to predict.

The cultivation of the Thunderhawk King surpassed the Black Ape King, but unfortunately his love of deception was too strong. He always wanted to use any means to allow himself to possess a superb advantage and lacked the resolution to charge forward boldly. Although he’d placed the Thousandhawk Grand Formation and had the Colossal Copper Mountain in his possession, under the surprise attack of my Traceless Aura Technique, they were utterly unable to be of any use. Thus, he naturally lost without a doubt.

However, if I’m able to form a profound sword formation with the eight Netherezim Flying Swords, then even if I don’t launch a surprise attack, it seems I would still be able to fight the Thunderhawk King. Chen Xi sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and silently thought deeply about the two battles of today, and traces of comprehension surged into his mind.

Live combat was the sharpest whetstone for tempering the cultivation of a cultivator.

The more dangerous the situation, the higher one’s potential would be able to rise. Every expert had to experience countless life and death experiences, going through desperate battles where one must put their life on the line to eventually win the battle. Only then would one be able to grow swiftly.

At the same time that successively killing of the Black Ape King and Thunderhawk King allowed Chen Xi to clearly recognize his own strength, he also noticed his own inadequacy, and that was that his cultivation at the 1st star of the Violet Palace Realm was too low. Once he encountered those cultivators with comparable cultivations in the Martial Dao to him, he would only be able to flee. Moreover, if he wanted to remedy this flaw, then besides diligently and bitterly cultivating his qi refinement, mastering some formidable offensive methods was also another way.

The Eight Netherezim Flying Sword all possess the might of a top-grade yellow-rank Magic Treasure. Looks like I have to ponder the Dao of Talisman Formations when I have the time. If I’m able to comprehend some technique to place a sword formation, then my strength ought to be able to increase a level. Chen Xi pondered for a long time, then shook his head and abandoned all the distracting thoughts in his mind before starting to cultivate.

Swish! Swish!

The spirit liquids within the octagonal containment bottle poured out.

Within the boundless empty space of his violet palace.

Along with Chen Xi executing the Ice Crane Technique, streams of liquid True Essence that were crystal clear like ice gurgled as they poured into the violet palace’s lake. Above the lake, the originally dim True Essence star gradually become brighter as well. It was crystal clear and translucent, emitting a faint cold light, and its every movement corresponded with the faraway lake.

After advancing to the Violet Palace Stage, every increase in level would condense a True Essence star within the violet palace. These True Essence stars corresponded to the True Essence lake and the brightness of the True Essence star made clear how pure and condensed the True Essence was. After nine stars were condensed, they would form a peculiar scene of nine stars strung together above the violet palace’s lake, like an arched bridge built atop the lake. At that time, one could make preparations for charging into the Golden Hall Realm.

Moreover, the strength of a Violet Palace Realm cultivator actually had a vitally important relationship with the cultivation technique.

A top-notch qi cultivation technique was able to greatly expand the violet palace’s lake. The larger and deeper the violet palace’s lake, the thicker the True Essence would be, and the might displayed by the True Essence would be more terrifying.

The True Essence refined by a superficial qi cultivation technique wasn’t pure and condensed. Moreover, it produced very little effect to the expansion of the violet palace’s lake, and the might displayed by the True Essence belonged to an ordinary level. Most importantly, when the True Essence cultivated like this advanced to a higher realm, the advancement would become filled with difficulties and it would be extremely difficult to break through to the next realm.

However, cultivating a top-notch qi technique consumed spirit liquids at an extreme level. After all, the larger and deeper the violet palace’s lake was, the brighter and more condensed the True Essence star would be, and the True Essence required to be refined would be even more.

The Ice Crane Technique Chen Xi cultivated was a qi cultivation technique that Ji Yu had picked for him. Although it only contained the technique for the nine levels of the Violet Palace Realm, it was a top-notch qi cultivation technique. No matter if it was the quality or quantity of his True Essence, they both surpassed ordinary Violet Palace Realm cultivators.

One day later.

Chen Xi awoke from his cultivation as the remaining 1,000kg of spirit liquid within the octagonal containment bottle had been completely refined by him. Presently, the True Essence star within the space in his violet palace was already extremely bright and dazzling, seeming to be carved from ice and jade, and it emitted a dazzling shine like an ice crystal.

Spirit liquid, spirit liquid… The road of cultivating is indeed unable to break away from the word ‘wealth.’ Those disciples from great clans and sects possess inexhaustible resources available for them to cultivate, so their cultivation can naturally go up all the way and throw all the ordinary independent cultivators with no status far behind them. Looks like if I want to swiftly advance my strength, then I must gather more spirit liquids… He’d cultivated for a day and had exhausted 1,000kg of spirit liquid, whereas his cultivation had only advanced a bit, and this caused Chen Xi to be unable to refrain from sighing with emotion. In the road of cultivating, wealth, companions, techniques, and location were only four words, yet they were an irrefutable truth from ancient times.

“Mu Kui.” Chen Xi walked out of the abode.

“What is it, Senior?” Mu Kui, who was cultivating under a pine tree, hurriedly got up and asked respectfully.

Chen Xi thought for some time before saying, “I want to make a trip to Moonhowl Ridge. Leave at once if I don’t return within three days. Be sure to not stay behind.”

Mu Kui was shocked in his heart and said in astonishment. “Senior wants to go kill the Roc King?”

Chen Xi shook his head. “I’m just saving a few people.” After he finished speaking, he leaped up to the cloudy peak of the mountain.

“Senior, hold on. These are the treasures the Black Ape King left behind, please take them.” Mu Kui seemed to have recalled something and took out a storage pouch before crying out hurriedly.

“I’ll leave it for you. If my trip is successful, then I’ll be leaving the depths of the mountain range. Keep those treasures to protect yourself.” The voice was distant and faint, and Chen Xi’s figure had already vanished into the horizon.

Why is it like this? He left just like that? Mu Kui was in a trance as he muttered to himself. He was extremely reluctant to let Chen Xi go. During these days of engaging with Chen Xi, he’d already felt heartfelt admiration towards Chen Xi and had taken Chen Xi to be the Master he would serve his entire life.

This won’t do, I can’t let it go like this. I have to cultivate properly, and I’ll go look for Senior Chen Xi once I’ve advanced to the Violet Palace Realm. I must make him accept me! Mu Kui gazed at the spot Chen Xi vanished as he fiercely clenched his fist, and his eyes were filled with unswerving firmness.

…

Dusk.

Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the Moonhowl Ridge that was a towering mountain range that seemed like an ancient fierce beast had settled there was smeared with a dense color of blood, and it seemed even more desolate, bloody and magnificent.

Swoosh!

Chen Xi flew down and descended to the ground 5km away from Moonhowl Ridge. When he raised his eyes to look towards Moonhowl Ridge, he saw billowing demonic qi like a ramrod straight smoke signal as it pierced directly through the sky, blotting out the sky and revealing boundless gloominess and killing intent.

At the center of Moonhowl Ridge were three extremely thick demonic qi’s that were the most eye catching, and they were condensed completely and stood firmly. Compared to the nearby demonic qi that was faint like smoke, it was like the difference between a tiny pearl and the bright moon.

Three demon kings? This is going to be troublesome!

The Black Ape King and Thunderhawk King have already been killed by me, the Profound-vision Old Turtle King’s whereabouts are uncertain and he drifts from place to place, and the Nine-tailed Fox King is an existence of the same level as the Roc King and would presumably not participate in this. So, only the Moonlight Lake’s Dark Wyrm King and the Sunset Forest’s Azure Python King remain.

The Dark Wyrm King and Azure Python King’s strengths are merely inferior to the Thunderhawk King but were superior to the Black Ape King. If it’s these two coupled with the Roc King, my chances of success are tiny.

What should I do?

Chen Xi pondered for a while. In the end, he decided to silently sneak over, then wait for an opportunity to make a move.

He couldn’t watch idly by as Du Qingxi’s group of three met with misfortune. Otherwise, the trace of guilt within his heart would be unable to be made up for, and it would surely transform into an inner demon that corroded his Dao Heart and disturbed his cultivation.

Ji Yu floated as he appeared, and he asked seriously. “You really want to go save them?”

Chen Xi was startled, seeming to have never expected that Ji Yu would appear at this time, but he still nodded extremely firmly.

“Why?” Ji Yu continued to ask. “Do you know that they once watched without lending a hand the moment you met with misfortune? At most, the relationship between all of you is only of ordinary friends.”

“When I was in the sword immortal’s abode, I caused them to fall into the chaotic battle that I caused for the sake of killing Chai Letian. This matter caused me to feel slightly guilty and I want to make reparations,” Chen Xi said slowly.

“What if you die?” Ji Yu continued asking.

Chen Xi seemed to have never thought of this problem and he was stunned for a moment before saying after pondering for a short while, “I think that no matter if it is the Heaven Dao or humanity, both of them point straight towards the heart. If the heart is not at peace, then I would probably leave behind a seed of inner demons. So, even if I die, I’d still do this. Senior, didn’t you say before that the path of cultivation is to comprehend the Heaven’s Dao and staying true to your heart?”

A wisp of admiration that was extremely difficult to notice surged out from Ji Yu’s experienced eyes when he heard this.

After all, he was able to be calm in the face of danger. He was still able to stay true to his heart and charge forward boldly when facing a fatal disaster. This level of cultivation of the mind was extremely difficult to come by. Ji Yu had seen too many outstanding people in these one million years, like Rebirth Realm experts of the School of Fiendgod Body Refinement, peerless sword immortals… Which of them didn’t possess superb natural talent and physique? But if it was in terms of the firmness and tenaciousness of the mind, then only very few of them could compare to Chen Xi.

After all, if the Dao Heart wasn’t firm and tenacious, then regardless of how high one’s natural talent was, one would be unable to tread to the end of the Grand Dao!

“With such mentality, the Grand Dao can be accomplished.” Ji Yu left these few words before vanishing.

The Grand Dao can be accomplished? We’ll see if I can walk out of this extremely dangerous place first…

Chen Xi muttered to himself, then his figure flashed like a strand of wispy smoke as he silently approached Moonhowl Ridge that was 5km away.

After a short moment.

Relying on the incomparably profound Divine Windwing Flight, Chen Xi safely avoided the demons that were on patrol at the foot of the hill and swiftly dashed along a secluded little path towards Moonhowl Ridge. The instant he arrived at the mountainside, the surrounding scene instantly changed greatly, like daytime had suddenly changed to the night, and his surroundings were suffused with demonic mist, causing him to only vaguely be able to distinguish the terrain.

Wu! Wu! Wu!

A wave of sharp sounds of wind that were like shrieks and howls resounded out, and the sounds actually contained a strand of a strange energy that threw one’s mind into disorder.

Formation!

Chen Xi’s Perception Force had attained an extremely high level since long ago, so he was naturally unafraid of the disturbance from the sound. As he scanned his surroundings, he instantly understood his current circumstances and his heart couldn’t help but sink.