Chapter Ninety-One: Journey to Everjoy City

As soon as Nangong Xue spoke, a flash of disbelief crossed the faces of the third commander, Wang Yang, and Old Wu standing behind him. All of them turned to Ye Cheng with astonished looks, and the atmosphere grew strangely tense.

“Miss, do you mean you want to invite this young man as outside aid?”

“Yes.” Nangong Xue nodded.

“I can tell he is about the same age as you, Miss. He should not possibly be at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm,” Third Commander Wang Yang said. “It is not that I am looking down on this young man, but I once visited that place called Luoyang Town three years ago.

“In all of Luoyang Town, there was not even a single junior who had reached the great completion of the Blood Qi Realm back then. After all, it is a small place, and the conditions there are always somewhat different from those of our Eternal Prosperity City. So when the Miss says he has the strength of the Blood Qi Realm’s peak, I find it hard to believe.”

“Might I ask this young friend to display a little of his strength?”

Though Third Commander Wang Yang stood at the peak of the Origin Realm, he could only roughly sense the blood qi density of a Blood Qi Realm martial artist; he could not determine the exact level. Only when the martial artist himself released his blood qi power could others judge it.

To see through a martial artist’s realm at a glance was impossible even for a peak Origin Realm expert. Such insight might well belong only to those of the Ancient Pill Realm.

On Nangong Xue’s cool, exquisite face, a faint smile appeared, as if a lotus of uncommon purity had bloomed. She looked at Ye Cheng with striking beauty.

She remembered clearly the first time she had seen him in the cave dwelling. At that time, he truly possessed only the strength of the great completion of the Blood Qi Realm, yet his actual combat power had been terrifyingly shocking. His current peak Blood Qi Realm strength had been forged during the inheritance of the Fire Body.

“Heh. Since Third Commander wishes to verify my realm, why not? It is only that my body is injured right now, and I cannot muster any blood qi. I am afraid I may disappoint the third commander.” Ye Cheng grinned. His body could not withstand the slightest use of blood qi now; to do so would be nothing but rubbing salt into the wound.

“No matter. I shall see for myself.”

Third Commander Wang Tong spoke, and at once he seized Ye Cheng’s arm with one hand. Origin power probed inward, and he immediately sensed the condition within Ye Cheng’s body. When he touched the blood qi, however, he found it extraordinarily pure and tightly condensed. Only a peak Blood Qi Realm expert could compress blood qi to such a degree.

Ye Cheng did not resist the probe. He had already agreed to fight on Nangong Xue’s behalf, and that Heaven’s Choice quota was equally important to him. Moreover, the little flame inside him had long since fused with his body. If he did not wish the other party to discover it, no amount of probing would reveal anything.

“Indeed, peak Blood Qi Realm! At such an age, to possess this level of strength is truly astonishing.” Third Commander Wang Yang raised a sword-like brow, then laughed and released Ye Cheng’s arm. Yet in his heart he thought:

“No wonder the young lady treats him as a friend.”

Having spent years in campaign and conquest, Third Commander Wang Yang also knew something of Luoyang Town. Compared with their Eternal Prosperity City, it was little more than a remote backwater. Yet to be able to produce such an exceptionally gifted youth was still somewhat surprising.

After all, when martial artists are young, they have the support of all kinds of excellent training resources, and their cultivation naturally progresses far more swiftly.

Old Wu’s aged eyes also gleamed as he fixed them on Ye Cheng. From beginning to end, he had never imagined that Ye Cheng, who looked to be about the same age as the young lady, actually possessed peak Blood Qi Realm strength, and from what the young lady had just said, his true power seemed to be even greater than hers.

“This young gentleman of the Ye family is truly formidable. His future is without limits.” Old Wu looked at Ye Cheng with considerable surprise.

As someone who had watched Nangong Xue grow up, he knew perfectly well that she had enjoyed the finest cultivation resources in Eternal Prosperity City since childhood, and only with her own extraordinary diligence had she reached peak Blood Qi Realm at such an age. Yet he could not imagine how a youth from a small place had cultivated to this same level.

“Commander Wang, are you satisfied with the outside aid I have invited?” Nangong Xue asked, looking toward Third Commander Wang Yang. She knew Ye Cheng’s strength extremely well. Even though she had now comprehended the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Art, a spiritual martial art, she still had no confidence that she could defeat him.

“Heh. To be able to enlist a genius like this young brother to help us, of course I have no objections.” Third Commander Wang Yang laughed heartily. Then, seeing Ye Cheng’s bloodstained and torn clothes, he frowned and said, “We must hurry back to Eternal Prosperity City. The current situation will not allow further delay. It is just that this young brother’s injuries seem rather serious, which makes things somewhat troublesome.”

“From here to Eternal Prosperity City, by our pace, it would take about two days. Young Brother Ye’s injuries probably cannot withstand such tossing about,” Old Wu said worriedly. “Why not take a magical vessel back? Though it will take longer, we should still be able to return before the competition. The vessel flies steadily, and Young Brother Ye can use the time aboard to recuperate.”

“Given half a month, how much can you recover?” Nangong Xue’s beautiful eyes fixed on Ye Cheng. Half a month was indeed too short, and Ye Cheng’s injuries were too severe. Even though she had healing potions, she still had no real certainty.

Ye Cheng considered for a moment, then said, “I should be able to recover about ninety percent of my strength. Dealing with ordinary peak Blood Qi Realm opponents should not be a problem.” His internal organs had shifted, and several meridians were damaged, but for him this had not struck at the root. Owing to the special nature of his constitution, he merely needed some time to repair himself.

“Very well. Then there is no time to waste. Let us depart at once.” Nangong Xue turned to Third Commander Wang Yang and said, “Commander Wang, Old Wu used an overburst potion a few days ago, and his strength has not yet fully recovered. This time, you will be the one to control the vessel.”

At her words, Third Commander Wang Yang nodded as well. With a sweep of his right hand, a streak of light flew out from his storage ring and transformed into a black vessel several dozen meters long. At its prow was a dragon head with a round orb in its mouth, and on the vessel itself stood an ornate resting chamber.

“Young Brother Ye, this vessel is a mid-grade spirit tool. Quite a few factions in Eternal Prosperity City have one. Its speed is nothing remarkable, but its stability is excellent. You can make good use of the journey to mend your injuries.”

Ye Cheng nodded as well. In the treasure pavilion of his Luoyang Town, there was nothing of this sort.

“Let’s go!”

At Nangong Xue’s command, she was the first to leap aboard. Old Wu and Ye Cheng followed close behind and entered the luxurious resting chamber. Third Commander Wang Yang boarded last. He did not go into the chamber, as the three inside all needed to recuperate, while his task was to control the vessel.

Third Commander Wang Yang pointed a finger, and a stream of origin power shot forth, drilling into the round orb in the dragon’s mouth. The entire vessel rose into the air, then, aimed in a certain direction, turned into a black speck and vanished into the farthest edge of the sky.