Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 693 – Every family has their problems

“I don’t know if I am afraid of death, I only know that I must not die.” Qing Shui looked at Hai Dongqing and said dully.

“Indeed, there are so many people who like you. You are the pillar of so many people, unlike me.” Hai Dongqing looked at Qing Shui then stared into the distance.

“Do you have any difficulties? Would you mind telling me? Maybe I would be able to help you.” Qing Shui smiled gently. He had always felt that Hai Dongqing had her difficulties or was somewhat unhappy.

“Qing Shui, do you think that a person should live for themselves or for others?” Hai Dongqing didn’t answer Qing Shui’s question but replied with another question instead.

“For others?” Qing Shui didn’t know what was she trying to say.

“For instance, sacrificing yourself for the clan, do you think that it is worth it? Should it be done?” Hai Dongqing hesitated for a while before she smiled and said calmly.

Qing Shui was able to sense something from these words. Although he might not be spot on, but he shouldn’t be far off. He gently said, “It doesn’t matter whether it was worth it or not, as long as you are willing to do it, then it is worth it. If you aren’t willing, then it isn’t worth it. Of course, it all depends on the situation.”

“Indeed, if I am willing, then it is worth it……”

Hai Dongqing mumbled to herself and shook her head, her smile was extremely bitter.

“If it isn’t convenient for you to talk about it, then I shalln’t ask any further. Since you brought me here today, this means that there is some fate between us. If you have any problems in future, you must look for me. Maybe I can help you. After all, it is just the effort of a few words. So, remember to look for me in the future if you are in trouble, even if I can’t help you, you won’t lose anything.

“Thank you. I know, I’m glad to have a friend like you.” Hai Dongqing smiled happily.

The Immortal Fox Valley was just too big. Qing Shui learned from Hai Dongqing that the Immortal Foxes would normally appear in the heart of Immortal Fox Valley. Although this place was known as Immortal Fox Valley, that didn’t mean that there were no other demonic beasts.

It was fortunate that the few times they ran into demonic beast, they weren’t in a group. Since Qing Shui’s abilities were pretty good, most of the normal demonic beast were frightened off by the combination of Qing Shui’s and the Fire Bird’s strong aurae.

However, they did run into a few imprudent large demonic beasts, including the Silver Horn Monitor Lizard. This demonic beast had roughly the abilities of 5000 countries, they even encountered three at a time.

However, Qing Shui’s abilities were no longer at the same level as before. After weakening them and using the Fire Bird’s Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens, the three strong demonic beasts were killed instantly.

This caused Hai Dongqing to be shocked. Although she knew that Qing Shui had strong abilities, she hadn’t expected expect him to be this overwhelming. Furthermore, she knew that he hadn’t displayed him Qing Shui’s strongest abilities yet.

When she discovered all of this, her expression changed. Only when Qing Shui stood in front of her did her appearance changed back but there was a trace of hesitation on her face.

“Are you thinking of saying that you don’t trust me or that you are worried that I am not able to do it? My greatest weakness is that I value friendship a lot. You are already my friend and you will forever be, unless you don’t see me as a friend.” Qing Shui said gently, looking at this absolute beauty that was undergoing an internal struggle.

“Do you truly wish to help me?” Hai Dongqing hesitated before slowly saying.

“I truly wish to!”

“Then let’s take a break there and I’ll tell you. You can just treat it as a story.” Hai Dongqing pointed to a smooth rock not far away.

They walked over together. The sunless Immortal Fox Valley caused one to get an eerie feeling.

Qing Shui casually took out a large, thick and soft Beast Skin from the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal and placed it on the smooth stone. It would be more comfortable for them this way.

When she saw Qing Shui do this, Hai Dongqing revealed a faint smile.

She felt that everything that was happening now was very dramatic. Life could be very strange at times.

“The Hai Clan was a big clan of the Cold Ice City and it still is now. However, it is now incomparable to its past glories, especially in the recent decades. In the past, when the Hai Clan was flourishing, it was inevitable that they would offend some people and clans, even if it was unintentional. However, a previously insignificant clan has now grown larger, even larger than the Hai Clan. This clan is narrow-minded and they now have their eyes set on the Hai Clan.”

Hai Dongqing didn’t mention the details and only spoke of the key points. At least she told him about her problems and finally let him know what was going on.

“The Hai Clan used to be popular in Cold Ice City, is no one willing to help?” Qing Shui asked gently.

“When one is successful, everyone around them are friends. Even if they don’t say anything, there will be people willing to help. No matter how small the problem is, people would offer their assistance. However, in the end, these were just flowery words. Because when you are truly successful, you don’t need their help. However, once you are in trouble and truly need help, these good friends would turn into apathetic passersby. They might even come to get a share of the actions.” Hai Dongqing said bitterly.

Qing Shui understood this reasoning. Although he hadn’t experienced it in his past life, he had heard a lot about it. In this life, he had experienced this to a certain degree, like the incident with the Jin Clan.

“Could it be that those good friends of the Hai Clan want to take action against the Hai Clan as well?” Qing Shui asked gently. He hated that type of people the most. He hated them even more than the enemies that would attack him openly.

“They didn’t do that, but when the Hai Clan approached them to request for help, they said that they were unable to help. However, there was one clan that gave a condition if we wanted their help.” When Hai Dongqing said this, she couldn’t help but tremble.

Qing Shui was suspicious, what kind of condition could cause such a reaction in this kind of woman?

“Is this condition very harsh?” Qing Shui asked in suspicion.

“Actually this condition is very simple, it is for me to become his concubine.” Hai Dongqing seemed relieved when she finally said this.

Now Qing Shui finally understood why Hai Shiya would say what she did earlier. He also understood why Hai Dongqing seemed to have contemplated suicide.

Only when a person lost all interest in life or felt extremely lost would they think of suicide. Every woman would place a heavy importance on love, even more than their life.

This woman was extremely different from other women but Qing Shui wasn’t able to guess they results.

“You agreed?” Qing Shui said to Hai Dongqing, who was beside him.

“The respected Ancestor instructed us to return here. Yet we still have to go through such a situation. I have the responsibility to sacrifice myself for the family. Although elder brother was extremely defensive and fought for me but the Hai Clan still decided to agree to their conditions.” After Hai Dongqing said this, she sighed helplessly.

Qing Shui also sighed. The youths of the clans of the World of the Nine Continents carried a responsibility, one known as a noble calling. They had to do their best for the glory of the clan, even to the point of sacrificing themselves for the clan.

“Since there was such a result, what do you intend to do? Will you listen to their arrangements?” this was what concerned Qin Shi the most. He sensed earlier that Hai Dongqing had helt completely disheartened for an instant.

“If it was for elder brother, then I wouldn’t mind dying. However, they would not let me feel wronged. However, this was the result of their mistakes but now they want me to clean up after them? They want me to sacrifice myself? Furthermore, they forced me into it, I don’t like it. It was a pity that they used my elder brother and his child to coerce me. I couldn’t do anything.” When Hai Dongqing said this, Qing Shui could feel a sullen helplessness and bitterness.

“How strong are the people there? How much time do you have left?” Qing Shui asked after thinking for awhile.

“They already have someone who has a foot into the Peak Martial Saint realm. Three months later, they want me to go to the Luo Clan. As long as I become the concubine of the Luo Clan clan head, they would stop the Tu Clan from taking action against the Hai Clan. If I don‘t go in three months, then they won’t interfere in this matter.” Hai Dongqing looked at Qing Shui.

When Qing Shui heard Hai Dongqing’s words, he felt that there was something very fishy, he kept feeling that things weren’t as simple as they appear on the surface. He looked at Hai Dongqing, feeling that there was something suspicious, “You think that after you go, the Luo Clan still will assist the Hai Clan when the Tu Clan takes action?”

“I have also thought of this before and Elder Brother had also asked the current Clan head once. However, the only answer he got was that they had no other methods and could only do this. They even said that becoming the concubine of the Luo Clan was a good thing for me…….

“They clearly want to sacrifice you……” Qing Shui looked at Hai Dongqing.

“Actually we had almost broken off from the Hai Clan, how regretful. Back then, we shouldn’t have come back here, the Hai Clan now is no longer the Hai Clan of the past, they have already declined long ago and lost their fighting spirit.” Hai Dongqing sighed as she stood up.

Qing Shui was now thinking about the abilities of the Luo Clan and the Tu Clan. They had people who already had one foot in the peak Martial Saint realm, these were the strongest cultivators in these clans. They would have about the abilities of 9000 countries. Although Qing Shui killed the White Jade Jiao previously, a beast was different from humans. A human could use weapons and had a cunning mind.

Qing Shui also realized one thing, in the few countries he had been to, the strongest people only had one foot into the peak Martial Saint realm. Furthermore, there weren’t many of them.

Although all he saw was the tip of the iceberg, people of this level of ability were still quite little. There were not many within a city with billions of people.

With Qing Shui’s strength now, he could probably barely take care of them. However, Qing Shui wasn’t aware of how many people they had. Although Qing Shui had strong demonic beasts and poison beasts, his odds of victory was still uncertain. This was because he didn’t have an understanding of their true abilities. Furthermore, a person with the abilities of 9000 countries would still be difficult for Qing Shui to handle.

This was because Qing Shui’s abilities were still too weak!

“Miss Hai, I truly wish to help you but the odds of success are low. However, if I can find the Three Tailed Immortal Fox Blood then I would have 80% chance of success.” Qing Shui said calmly.

He didn’t say that he would definitely help Hai Dongqing. If he didn’t find the Three Tailed Immortal Fox Blood, then he felt that there was no need for him to take the risk. After all, they didn’t have a deep relationship.

“Thank you, actually, I have been looking for a person that I could talk to about this. Now that I have said it out loud, I feel much better. There are many people that require your support, nothing can happen to you. Just being able to tell you this has already comforted me a lot.” Hai Dongqing said seriously.

“What I said is true, as long as I find the Three Tailed Immortal Fox Blood and obtain the Three Tailed Immortal Fox Blood, I can help you. I can even guarantee that nothing will happen to me, unless the opponent has a high grade Peak Martial Saint.” Qing Shui looked at Hai Dongqing and said with certainty. Although he wasn’t too confident now, if he could refine the Everlasting Pellet he should still be able to deal with the Luo and Tu Clan. Even if his abilities couldn’t increase by many folds, his strength would still become enough.

“Really?” only now then Hai Dongqing showed a trace of surprise.

“I never brag, if I said it, I will definitely do it.”

“Come with me, let’s start searching early. I know a place that has a high chance of finding Immortal Foxes.”