The Prodigies War

The clear and sweet azure wine was poured into the white jade cup, bringing up fiery red air bubbles from the bottom of the cup.

In each bubble seemed to be a puff of swaying cloud, painting a dreamy and magnificent scene.

The wine was called Fire Floating Clouds.

It was one of Qing Lie’s treasured spirits as it was brewed in a Fire Mist Ice Spirit Jade from one hundred and thirty-six kinds of rare ingredients.

Lin Xun picked up the cup and finished it in one gulp.

His taste buds exploded. A sweet and strong fragrance collided with a fiery violent aura, causing havoc in his mouth.

When it streamed down his throat, the aura of ice and fire turned into a gentle and pure flavor before spreading throughout his limbs within seconds.

Lin Xun shuddered. He felt his pores open up, and his mouth and nose filled with an indescribable taste and smell. All sorts of flavors lingered in his memory as though he was going through the spectrum of life.

“What good wine!” Lin Xun marveled.

The indescribable wonderful taste of the wine transported him to different scenery, allowing him to sample the different states of life and appreciate all kinds of worldly affairs.

“Hehe, the beauty of this wine is that it can temper one’s state of mind and eliminate evil thoughts. It only takes one cup to remove the risk of being possessed by demons during breakthroughs.” Qing Lie chuckled proudly. “I see that you have just set foot into the mid-Heaven Ascension Stage. This wine is perfect for you to strengthen your state of mind.”

“Big Brother, can I have another one?” Toady salivated and smiled ingratiatingly.

Qing Lie quickly put away the wine gourd. “Be content, there is only a limited amount, and the value of one cup equals a top elixir.”

An array of delicacies was laid out on the table, all of which were specialties of the sea. They all had unique and rare flavors. Ordinary people would never be able to enjoy such delicacies even in the Spirit Burial Sea.

It showed that Qing Lie had put in a lot of effort to welcome Lin Xun.

“Big Brother, will you also be going to Yunpeng Market?”

Lin Xun was surprised to learn about Qing Jie’s plan. “What a coincidence.”

“What? Kid, you also want to join in the fun?” Qing Lie asked.

Lin Xun didn’t hide from him that he planned to bid for the Grand Universe Ark.

“You mean you want to use the boat to bring you back to the Ziyao Empire? Why is that?” Qing Lie asked in puzzlement.

Lin Xun had no choice but to briefly explain what happened in the Deva Secret Realm.

Who would have thought that Qing Lie gasped out loud and stared wide-eyed at Lin Xun? “So you are the young demon god of the human race?”

“Er…Big Brother…you…also heard about it?”

Qing Lie looked at Lin Xun strangely. “Damn it, rumors about the young demon god are spiraling out of control among the major clans in the Southern Sea. I’m not deaf, so, of course, I heard about them.”

Disbelief shined in his eyes. “Did you really do all that? Kid, aren’t you too ruthless?”

“He’s not just ruthless’ he is abnormal!” Toady added while burying his head in the food.

“I was forced. I also don’t want to provoke others, but Big Brother, you must also know that battles are inevitable in those situations. People would do anything for opportunities and treasures,” Lin Xun helplessly explained, feeling wronged.

Qing Lie was flabbergasted at first before he let out a burst of stifled laughter. “Kid, stop acting like a good boy. I heard that you had the greatest harvest from the Deva Secret Realm!”

Then, Qing Lie couldn’t help but ask more about what happened in the Deva Secret Realm

Lin Xun didn’t hide anything from him except for some extremely private affairs.

“So, an old ape at the Saint-level indeed killed Granny Sky Kill of the Dragon Whale Clan…” Qing Jie uttered ruminatively, inwardly horrified. It had been many years since a Saint had appeared in Spirit Burial Sea.

It turned out that a Saint still existed in the world in the Deva Secret Realm. It was an earthshaking piece of news to Qing Lie.

After a long moment, he muttered to himself, “Perhaps, the unprecedented catastrophe is about to come…”

Great Dao Catastrophe!

Lin Xun’s eyelids twitched. Everything that Zhao Jingxuan had told him flashed across his mind. Within a hundred years, the real battle of the great age, or rather the real great age of chaos will come!

All that was a result of the Great Dao Catastrophe!

After a moment, Qing Lie sighed, “Unfortunately, I can’t leave here for a while, otherwise I would personally take you back to the Ziyao Empire.”

He changed the subject. “However, I can help by winning the bid for the Grand Universe Ark and giving it to you.”

Just as Lin Xun was about to decline, Qing Lie continued, “Don’t think about refusing. The people who are eligible to participate in this treasure auction are all big shots from various clans. Many of them are Life Death Stage Kings like me. You have too many enemies and shouldn’t show your face in public. It’s safer for me to help you.”

Lin Xun trembled inwardly. It was just a treasure auction, but it drew the attention of so many Life Death Stage Kings. It seemed very unusual.

“Then, thank you Big Brother.” Lin Xun bowed his head.

“It’s nothing.” Qing Lie grinned.

……

The conversation between the two soon returned to the ancient ruins, where they had met for the first time.

Qing Lie told Lin Xun that the ruins were also located in Return Dominion. Although it was completely different from the Deva Secret Realm, it was comparable to the Deva Secret Realm in terms of danger and mysteriousness.

In other words, great opportunities and treasures were to be found in the ancient ruins!

Unfortunately, the entrance couldn’t be found anymore as though it had disappeared in thin air.

Qing Lie felt deep regret about its disappearance. He had been trapped in the first level of the ancient ruins for thousands of years, but he speculated that there was a second and third level and even more mysterious places in the ruins that he hadn’t discovered!

“Perhaps when the real Great Dao Catastrophe comes, the secrets in the ruins will be presented to the world…” Qing Lie speculated.

At the end of the banquet, Qing Lie suddenly turned to Toady and asked Lin Xun, “Brother, when we arrive at Yunpeng Market, can you let this three-legged golden toad brother come with me?”

“I’ll be happy to!” Toady answered excitedly before Lin Xun could say anything.

There no doubt would be incredible treasures auctioned there since it drew the attention of so many Life Death Stage Kings.

How could Toady, who regarded treasures as his life, resist the temptation?

”Hahaha, with your company, maybe I will find some remarkable treasures at the auction!” Qing Lie chuckled.

He was well aware of the three-legged golden toad’s unique ability in recognizing rare treasures and items of the world.

“Hehe.” Toady grinned smugly as he looked at Lin Xun, as though saying, “Haha, this person has good eyes unlike you who is too ignorant to identify a person of great ability!”

Lin Xun gritted his teeth. The toad needs a beating...

……

A few hours later.

An island stood out in the distant sea. It was extremely huge and stretched for thousands of miles.

The colored glitter and glow surrounding treasures suffused the island, making it look splendid and dazzling from a distance.

The island was called Yunpeng.

Yunpeng Market was also situated on that island.

According to Qing Lie, the Yunpeng Market had existed since ancient times and had a long history. It was established with the purpose of helping clans trade and do business with one another.

The major clans of the Spirit Burial Sea always chose the Yunpeng Market as the venue to conduct trade.

Yunpeng Market was akin to a trading center in the Spirit Burial Sea, where rare treasures from all over the world were circulated.

When they arrived, many figures had already gathered on the shore of the island.

There were huge teams of people, but also small groups of cultivators roaring from all directions. It was no doubt a spectacular scene.

They all had the same goal as the team from the Azure Turtle Clan—to make their way to the Yunpeng Market.

“Yunyang, take care of my brother when you arrive at Yunpeng Market. I’ll come over to find you when I have dealt with my affairs. I won’t let you off if you neglect your responsibility!” Qing Lie called Qing Yunyang over and gave him some instructions.

Qing Yunyang respectfully agreed with a stiff expression on his face, feeling aggrieved.

A boy, even younger than him, had become the patriarch’s sworn brother. The impact on him was so huge that he couldn’t lift his head.

“What? You don’t want to?” Qing Lie’s face darkened, as though he could read Qing Yunyang’s mind.

“I don’t dare to.” Qing Yunyang shook his head frantically.

“Then, sorry to trouble you.” Lin Xun gave a cupped fist salute.

Qing Yunyang nodded with great difficulty, lips twitching.

He was the high and mighty saint of the Azure Turtle Clan, but he had fallen and had to serve a teenager. How could he not feel sullen?

However, no matter how depressed he was, he had to silently endure the humiliation. After all, Lin Xun was the patriarch’s sworn brother.

Based on seniority, Lin Xun had a grandfather-like status.

Does that mean I am his ‘grandson?!’

Besides sulking, Qing Yunyang couldn’t help but feel an uncomfortable, shudder-inducing feeling.

“Don’t worry, we’ll go our separate ways. As long as you cooperate with me, I won’t deliberately make things difficult for you,” Lin Xun whispered to Qing Yunyang, which startled the latter at first, but then he breathed a sigh of relief.

But Qing Lie seemed a little worried. Once the team arrived at Yunpeng Island, he called Qing Yunyang aside to speak to him.

It was unknown what they talked about, but Lin Xun immediately realized that Qing Yunyang’s attitude had changed.

His gaze was indescribably complex—a combination of fear, doubt and surprise.

A thought struck Lin Xun’s mind. He vaguely guessed the reason for the sudden change of attitude.