Chapter 169: Meng Shushu's Message, Moving into the Inner Domain

Chapter 169: Meng Shushu's Message, Moving into the Inner Domain

"Have we found any information about the forces behind the black-robed man?"

In a small courtyard of the Seven Stars Academy, Du Yuying looked at the person before her and asked.

"No!" came the reply, as the person shook their head.

Du Yuying pondered for a moment before speaking again. "Go to Tianbao Pavilion and ask if they have any information about the black-robed man."

"Miss, such a powerful dark force... Even if Tianbao Pavilion has knowledge of them, they would likely have some sort of agreement and wouldn't disclose information about them to outsiders." The person sighed. "And even if Tianbao Pavilion is willing to share, we may not be able to afford the price they ask for."

Du Yuying remained silent for a moment before asking, "And what of that place? Have you found the spirit herbs I need?"

"Miss, we have found the spirit herbs. As for that place, we only have one clue so far and are still investigating," the person replied.

"Bring me the spirit herbs, and find out where that place is as soon as possible," Du Yuying said, rubbing her forehead.

"Yes!"

...

At the Wushuang Pavilion, the woman in plain clothes looked at her master and asked, "Master, what force does the black-robed man belong to?"

Wushuang Grand Master sighed helplessly and said, "Disciple, the black-robed man is very powerful. It's best to avoid provoking him."

She frowned slightly, knowing that her disciple was going to great lengths to gain favor with Xu Yan.

"I don't want to provoke him; I just want to obtain some information about them," the woman in plain clothes said calmly.

"We don't have any news yet," the Wushuang Grand Master replied, shaking her head.

"It's been a long time since we've heard from Xu Yan," she mused. "With the Fire Slaughter Demon occupying Canglan Island, he hasn't made a move. I wonder if Xu Yan has temporarily retreated."

"Master, do you think Xu Yan is the type to retreat?" The woman in plain clothes smiled lightly.

The Wushuang Grand Master paused, her mind flashing back to Xu Yan's proud and unyielding demeanor. He was a bold person who would never back down. The only reason he hadn't shown himself in a long time was that he hadn't received news about what was happening on Canglan Island.

"Perhaps he's in seclusion, improving his strength?" she speculated.

"Could Xu Yan's next move be to kill a peak grand master? To slay the Fire Slaughter Demon?" The more she thought about it, the more her heart trembled at the idea.

As various powers and strong cultivators in the Inner Domain wondered how Xu Yan would respond to the Fire Slaughter Demon, far away in the borderlands, Xu Yan was busy moving his base to the Inner Domain.

Kou Ruozhi had already led a group of Evergreen Pavilion members into the Inner Domain, where they began to establish their presence.

Xu Junhe's fighting spirit had been rekindled, and he was determined to amass a great fortune in the Inner Domain.

So, when Su Lingxiu approached him with a request, he readily agreed.

As for Pan Yaoshi, under Su Lingxiu's guidance, he had gained a basic foundation in pill refining. Although he couldn't refine pills on his own yet, he was now familiar with the various steps of the process, especially the final step of condensing the pill.

After all, he was a pharmacist, and he had a natural talent for pills.

The pill refining room was temporarily under his care, and he, too, had followed Kou Ruozhi into the Inner Domain.

Not far from Tieshan County, a large estate was taking shape, resembling a small city. A tall building stood out, attracting the attention of all the forces in Tieshan County.

However, none of the forces dared to stop or covet it.

The name Evergreen Pavilion had already spread throughout Tieshan County, known as a business force established by a mysterious warrior who sold medicines for warrior cultivation.

The manager of the Tianbao Pavilion in Tieshan County didn't pay much attention to the establishment of the Evergreen Pavilion and didn't believe it would overshadow the Tianbao Pavilion or pose any real competition.

There were many commercial forces of various sizes in the Inner Domain, but compared to the Tianbao Pavilion, they were all small fries that posed no real threat.

In fact, some commercial forces even relied on the Tianbao Pavilion to survive.

As for the Evergreen Pavilion, which sold medicines for warrior cultivation, the Tianbao Pavilion paid it no mind at all.

The medicines sold by the Tianbao Pavilion might be more expensive, but their effectiveness was unmatched by any other commercial force.

The massive Tianbao Pavilion had no need to bully other commercial forces; they simply didn't care and saw no point in doing so. In fact, many commercial forces sourced their goods from the Tianbao Pavilion.

Meng Shushu looked at the grand Evergreen Pavilion estate, his brow furrowed in hesitation. He wondered if he should go and investigate, but he was afraid of exposing himself.

He had been in Tieshan County for quite some time now, searching for news about Xu Yan and Meng Chong, but he had come up empty-handed.

Meng Shushu was starting to feel anxious.

"Where are Senior Brother Xu and Brother Meng? Even when I asked Jianzun Cliff to pass on a message, there was no response," Meng Shushu lamented to himself.

The methods of contact he had been given were proving useless, and he had no choice but to come to Tieshan County himself, but even then, he had found nothing.

In his anxiety, he had even started to ask around if anyone had seen a tall, bald teenager. The day he had discovered the Evergreen Pavilion, the person he had met seemed somewhat surprised.

"Should I go and investigate? I can't stay here much longer; if I'm discovered, it could be dangerous," Meng Shushu pondered.

If word got out that he was inquiring about Meng Chong, it would surely attract the attention of the black-robed man's forces, as Meng Chong's appearance was just too distinctive.

However, Xu Yan's fame had overshadowed Meng Chong, and all eyes were on Xu Yan.

"Forget it, I'll go and investigate. Whether I find anything or not, I must leave Tieshan County!" Meng Shushu gritted his teeth and stood up, determined to find out what he could from within the Evergreen Pavilion.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, and Meng Shushu's face drained of color. He was about to break free when a voice sounded out, "Hey, are you looking for me?"

It was Meng Chong!

Meng Shushu's face darkened, and he glared at Meng Chong, annoyed. "Can you stop appearing out of thin air? You nearly scared me to death!"

He couldn't help but feel a bit dejected; he was a grand master warrior, yet someone had approached him without him noticing at all!

Meng Chong's strength seemed to have grown even more formidable.

"Cousin, are you being chased by the black-robed people again? Are you that scared?" Meng Chong teased.

"Not yet," Meng Shushu shook his head.

He glanced around before asking, "Where's Senior Brother Xu?"

"My senior brother is busy with something. If you have something to say, just tell me," Meng Chong said, patting his shoulder.

"Without Senior Brother Xu, this matter will be difficult to handle," Meng Shushu said helplessly.

"What, does it involve a grand master?" Meng Chong asked, raising an eyebrow.

He then clenched his fists and said with a fierce look, "Where's the grand master? I'd like to teach them a lesson!"

"Brother Meng, have you broken through in your cultivation?" Meng Shushu asked in surprise.

Meng Chong's boldness and confidence must be due to a significant increase in his strength.

"I'm doing alright," Meng Chong scratched his head proudly. "I think I can take on a grand master now without any problems."

"We should still find Senior Brother Xu; this matter is no small matter," Meng Shushu said, still feeling uncertain despite Meng Chong's breakthrough.

"Tell me the specifics," Meng Chong said, furrowing his brows.

"Well, you know how I owe you and Senior Brother Xu storage bags, right? To buy them back as soon as possible, I used all my skills and searched for spirit herbs with all my might. And guess what? I actually found a treasure trove..." Meng Shushu began to explain what had happened after he parted ways with Xu Yan and Meng Chong. He had thought about it left and right and felt that he couldn't continue to be lazy. He had to strive to break through the grand master realm.

An excited Meng Shushu was about to enter the treasure trove when he realized that it held more than met the eye. Hidden within was a powerful force.

If that was the case, Meng Shushu would have simply retreated, as it was common for some treasure troves to be occupied by various sects and forces, who would establish their headquarters on such fertile grounds.

However, to his surprise, the force occupying this particular treasure trove turned out to be the black-robed man's faction!

Just as he was about to leave, he witnessed a black-robed figure emerging from a stone wall, and in that brief glance, he spotted a small grass growing inside the wall.

It bore a striking resemblance to a certain fifth-grade spirit herb described in ancient records.

The black-robed man was a Grand Master Warrior, and Meng Shushu believed that his own strength was slightly superior. Just as he was about to find an opportunity to make his move, he noticed that there was a secret chamber within the stone wall, emitting a powerful aura. Meng Shushu was so frightened that he quietly retreated. After leaving the vicinity of the treasure trove, he began his search for Xu Yan and Meng Chong.

"That person is most likely a Peak Grand Master!" Meng Shushu said with a grave expression.

"Could that be the black-robed man's lair?" Meng Chong's eyes flashed with a cold light.

No wonder Meng Shushu wanted to find his senior brother. A Peak Grand Master was no small matter, and while Meng Shushu's current strength meant he had nothing to fear, achieving victory within a short period would be difficult.

If not for his deep accumulation of power, he might not have been able to defeat a Peak Grand Master at all.

If that place was truly the black-robed man's lair, there would undoubtedly be more than one Peak Grand Master present. Only the eldest senior brother could handle them all!

"Are you sure that place has fifth-grade spirit herbs?" Meng Chong asked eagerly.

"Eighty percent sure," Meng Shushu replied in a low voice.

"These black-robed people are filthy rich!" Meng Chong exclaimed.

"We'll leave this matter for now. The lair isn't going anywhere, and you've done a good job so far. Keep up the effort and continue striving towards the goal of obtaining storage bags and fifth-grade spirit herbs.

"You must believe in yourself. Grand Master is not the end, and if you lose your ambition, you won't even be able to break through to the Grand Master realm." Meng Chong patted Meng Shushu's shoulder encouragingly.

"I'll do my best and try to find more spirit herbs," Meng Shushu said, lacking confidence.

"This is a pill refined from Sky Marrow, and it can enhance your talent and understanding. It's much more effective than consuming Sky Marrow directly. I promised to give you one, and I will definitely keep my word." Meng Chong smiled and took out a Sky Marrow Pill.

Once Meng Shushu tasted the benefits of this pill, he would surely be motivated to strive for more.

"This is the pill?" Meng Shushu looked at the Sky Marrow Pill in the jade bottle, his face filled with shock. Just one glance was enough to tell that this pill was extraordinary!

"Yes, find a place to consume the pill. If you need to find me in the future, you can go to Evergreen Pavilion." Meng Chong nodded.

"Alright!" Meng Shushu nodded, eager to try the pill's effects.

Upon returning to the borderlands, Meng Chong found Su Lingxiu and shared the news about Meng Shushu.

"Is it really the black-robed man's nest?" Su Lingxiu asked, her eyes cold.

"Not quite sure. It might be a treasure trove under their control, with a strong expert stationed there," Meng Chong shook his head.

"It seems that there are fifth-grade spirit herbs there. I will definitely retrieve those spirit herbs with my eldest senior brother," Meng Chong added.

The rarity and extraordinary effects of fifth-grade spirit herbs could be deduced from the Sky Marrow Pill.

"Thank you, senior brother," Su Lingxiu said, deeply moved.

Three days later...

"Master, I'm going back to the Inner Domain," Su Lingxiu said as she massaged her master's shoulders.

"Okay, then off you go to the Inner Domain," Li Xuan nodded.

It was time to venture into the Inner Domain, the true heart of the martial arts world in this world.

"Let's go!"

Li Xuan stood up and waved his hand. The chair he was sitting on landed on Red Cat's back, and Shi Er hung two large baskets on either side of the cat, earning an angry glare from the feline.

Shi Er twitched his lips. This fat cat was stronger than him.

"Red Cat, the basket on the left doesn't contain my things. This one has my master's books and other items, and this one on the right has young missy's belongings. If you're unwilling to carry them, then in the future, you might..." Shi Er explained helplessly.

Upon hearing this, Red Cat glared at him, seemingly annoyed that he hadn't mentioned this earlier.

"This chubby tiger has gotten smarter. Don't tell me it's going to become a powerful demon?" Shi Er muttered to himself.

Li Xuan sat on the chair atop Red Cat's back, and he even placed a small table in front of the chair. On the table was a teapot containing Yunwu Spirit Tea and several cakes.

These cakes were made by Su Lingxiu using a pill-refining technique and spirit fruits. They were her way of showing filial piety to her master.

Red Cat's massive size allowed for the chair and small table to be placed comfortably. Su Lingxiu sat behind Li Xuan and continued massaging his shoulders, happily asking, "Master, how does the spirit cake taste?"

"Not bad," Li Xuan nodded.

"Master, once I enter the Inner Domain, there's a possibility that my identity will be exposed, and it might cause trouble for you," Su Lingxiu said softly.

"Trouble? For me, there's no such thing as trouble. Look at this ant here." Li Xuan raised his hand, and on one of his fingers, there was an ant crawling. He pinched his fingers together, crushing the tiny ant into dust.

"Can this ant cause any trouble for me?" Li Xuan asked.

Su Lingxiu paused, then exclaimed, "Master, I was overthinking it!"

In her master's eyes, even her peak Grand Master-level enemies were no more than insignificant ants.

"It's good that you understand. But to be honest, I'm quite lazy. Even though it's just an ant, I'm too lazy to crush it," Li Xuan nodded and added.

Although his strength allowed him to swat away a group of Grand Masters with a wave of his hand, he was concerned that his disciple might rely too much on his power and provoke an even stronger opponent—a true source of trouble.

Of course, Li Xuan suspected that with his current strength, even opponents above the Grand Master level wouldn't be a match for him. The real concern was an even higher level of cultivator.

As for whether such cultivators existed in the Inner Domain, it was a question mark. Clearly, the old man from Wu Kingdom who had been possessed wasn't a Grand Master, and such a powerful expert might not be found in the Inner Domain, but they certainly existed somewhere.

"Master, I understand. I won't cause any trouble," Su Lingxiu happily assured him.

Red Cat carried Li Xuan and Su Lingxiu into the Endless Mountains, heading towards the Inner Domain. Shi Er and Zhou Ying followed alongside.

Soon, Xu Yan and Meng Chong joined them as well.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan also came to bid farewell. They were returning to Jianzun Cliff to collect the spirit herbs needed to pay for the Sky Marrow Pills. In about ten days or half a month, they would deliver the herbs.

As the group looked back, the borderlands had already faded into the distance, and the Inner Domain lay ahead. From this day forward, they would truly step into the Inner Domain's martial arts world.

The borderland warriors took their first step into the unknown.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end