Pursuit of the Truth

”Sir Nan Tian is injured and needs the herbs in this place to recover. Chou Nu is protecting him, that’s why he can’t come and search for the herbs himself. He saved me so that I can look for the herbs out here.

”He promised me that if I take the risk and find enough herbs, then he’d bring me to meet Sir Nan Tian. He also promised that once Sir Nan Tian’s power recovers, they’ll escort me out of this place safely,” Dong Fang Hua told his story softly.

He knew that Su Ming was incredibly powerful and made the decision to follow him in his heart, since they were currently in a dangerous place. That was also why he told Su Ming everything he knew in detail.

Su Ming nodded. He Feng’s soul had fallen into deep sleep in his body due to his previous exertion. He would not be able to wake up any time soon. And without He Feng to help him analyze situations and make judgments, Su Ming had to rely on himself for everything.

The two of them charged forward for four hours under Dong Fang Hua’s lead. On the way, they found three groups of people from Lake of Colors Tribe and hid themselves beforehand with the help of Su Ming’s Branding Art. Once they avoided these people, they arrived outside a valley.

The valley was not big, and it was so secluded the area was covered in silence. There was not a hint of sound.

”Brother Mo, this is the place. Chou Nu promised me that once I brought the herbs here and called out to him, he will appear,” Dong Fang Hua said softly and looked at Su Ming, seeking his opinion.

When he saw Su Ming nodding his head, he took a few steps forward and stood outside the valley, using his Qi to send his voice forward as he hissed out, ”Brother Chou Nu, are you there?”

The valley was silent. After about the time it takes for half of an incense stick to burn later, Su Ming suddenly noticed something and turned his body to look back. The sounds of footsteps appeared in the air, attracting Dong Fang Hua’s attention as well, and he quickly looked over.

A big man walked over from the distance outside the valley. That man was half-naked and built like an iron tower. He took big slow steps until he was 100 feet away from Su Ming and Dong Fang Hua before he stopped and stared coldly at Su Ming.

This man had a hideous appearance. His face was marred with scars, and he had neither a nose nor lips. Just seeing his face would make people terrified. His eyes, however, shone with a brilliant light.

”Dong Fang Hua, how dare you! How could you bring outsiders here!”

The man’s voice was like a tidal wave, and as he spoke, his words held a chilling and frightening tone.

Dong Fang Hua’s expression changed, and he quickly opened his mouth to explain, but the man refused to listen to him. He stared at Su Ming instead and pointed at him with a finger.

”Who are you?”

”Tranquil East Tribe’s guest, Mo Su,” Su Ming answered slowly.

”I’ve seen all guests in Tranquil East Tribe. Why have I never seen you?” the man asked with a cold sneer.

”Brother Chou Nu, don’t be angry. This is a misunderstanding. Brother Mo just became a guest recently. We were both in the third batch and came together but were separated later. I saw him today when I came back, that’s why I invited him to come with me. I had indeed acted too rashly, I hope you don’t mind,” Dong Fang Hua quickly explained.

”Oh? Take out your guest plate.”

Chou Nu’s expression warmed up slightly as he looked at Su Ming.

Su Ming did not waste any time with pleasantries. He took out his plate and with a swing, threw it towards Chou Nu. The man lifted his right hand and caught the plate without even moving an inch, remaining completely unaffected as he withstood the force of Su Ming’s throw imbedded in the plate.

He lowered his head and scrutinized the plate for a moment before a pensive look appeared on his face, but he soon threw the plate back to Su Ming.

”I can’t be certain of your identity yet. Gather ten herbs and come back here to see me. As for you, Dong Fang Hua, did you get the herbs?”

Chou Nu looked towards Dong Fang Hua.

The called man quickly brought out a number of various herbs from his bosom. After a moment of hesitation, he said softly, ”I only managed to find so much. There are quite a number of people from Lake of Colors Tribe here. If I continued searching for more, I might have run into them, then I wouldn’t have been able to bring a single one back. I’m worried about Sir Nan Tian, that’s why I came back earlier.”

That man had been glaring when he saw that the herbs were not enough, but when he heard the old man’s words, he hesitated for a moment before he nodded his head.

”You pass. Come with me. With his protection, we can escort you safely out of this place.”

As Chou Nu spoke, he turned around and started moving back, completely ignoring Su Ming.

Dong Fang Hua hesitated for a moment, then he looked at Su Ming.

Su Ming’s expression remained passive. He stood where he was and wrapped his palm around his fist, bowing in the direction where the man was heading.

”I am Mo Su. Sir Nan Tian, may I come see you?”

Su Ming’s voice was not loud, but his voice was manipulated with fine control. As it echoed in the area, his voice formed rings upon rings of invisible ripples that spread out.

Dong Fang Hua was momentarily stunned by Su Ming’s actions. As for Chou Nu, he turned around and looked at Su Ming spitefully as a vicious glare appeared in his eyes.

”Shut up. If you’re not gone within three breaths, then today, you’ll…”

Before Chou Nu could finish speaking, a gentle voice suddenly reached them languidly and cut his words off.

”Chou Er, don’t be rude towards Sir Mo Su.

”If an important guest is here, then it is only natural that I meet him. However, I am currently healing my injuries and cannot come forth to welcome you personally. Brother Mo, I hope you don’t mind.”

”Brother Nan, it is my pleasure.”

Su Ming smiled. He had infused his voice with the power of fine control when he spoke just now. Berserkers in the Blood Solidification Realm would not be able to sense it. Only those who have Transcended would be able to feel the change in his voice.

”Sir… Mo Su?”

Chou Nu was stunned. He could hear the implications in those words. Besides, he could tell that Nan Tian was speaking amiably towards this man, as if he was addressing an equal. His heart instantly trembled and he wrapped his fist in his palm before bowing deeply towards Su Ming.

”I have been disrespectful towards you, Sir Mo Su. Please punish me.”

”It’s fine. Do lead the way,” Su Ming said coolly.

”Thank you, sir… This way, please.”

Chou Nu’s expression was extremely respectful, his attitude completely different from before. At that moment, he had his body slightly bowed as he acted as Su Ming’s guide by his side.

Dong Fang Hua sucked in a deep breath. After remaining stunned for a moment, his gaze when he looked at Su Ming became even more respectful. His estimation of Su Ming’s power was originally high enough, but he did not expect that with just one sentence, he could make the chief guest of Tranquil East Tribe, Nan Tian, reply to him like an equal.

He quickly followed behind Su Ming. By the looks of it, he looked as if he wanted to become the other’s follower.

The three of them did not walk too far as Chou Nu led them into a valley nearby. Su Ming saw a middle-aged man sitting on the ground.

The man was very handsome. He wore a white robe and looked calm. Six black beast bones were floating and turning slowly by his side.

Every single time they took a turn around him, a wisp of black mist would seep out of the man’s mouth, nose, ears, and eyes, which would then be quickly absorbed by one of the beast bones.

The moment Su Ming stepped into the valley, the man opened his eyes and looked at Su Ming with a profound gaze.

Su Ming too looked at this man. Their gazes met in the air and a baffled look appeared on the man’s face. Once he observed Su Ming, he lifted his right hand and the six beast bones by his side fell to the ground.

”Brother Mo, your powers are a little strange.”

The man smiled and spoke with a gentle tone. With just one glance, he could tell that Su Ming had not Transcended, yet he still addressed him as an equal. He could feel a dangerous presence coming from Su Ming. This threat was not because the man harbored any ill will against him, but from the mutual awareness they had of each other.

The only people who made him feel as if he was in danger were either those who had reached great completion in the Blood Solidification Realm or those who had reached the Transcendence Realm.

Chou Nu took a few brisk steps forward and stood by the man’s side respectfully, with his head lowered, a typical picture of a follower. Dong Fang Hua hesitated for a moment, but did not follow him. He stood behind Su Ming like Chou Nu instead, with his head lowered and with a respectful expression.

Su Ming smiled and sat down with his legs crossed. He was also observing the chief guest of Tranquil East Tribe - Nan Tian.

This person’s level of cultivation was similar to Xuan Lun’s, yet Su Ming could feel a calm and relaxed air around him. It was different from the sullen air around Xuan Lun.

”Brother Nan, aren’t you worried that Lake of Colors Tribe will come here when you’re healing your injuries?” Su Ming asked with a smile.

A smile appeared on Nan Tian’s face and he shook his head, saying, ”Those who can make it here will eventually arrive. Instead of hiding around, why don’t I sit here and see whether Lake of Colors Tribe would come?

”If they want my life, then they’ll have to pay a price!”

A cold glint appeared in Nan Tian’s eyes. Of course, that cold look was not aimed at Su Ming, but Lake of Colors Tribe.

”You aren’t injured. You have absolutely no need to hide,” Su Ming said slowly, smiling faintly.

Nan Tian’s eyes focused on Su Ming, and he laughed after a moment.

”I can’t hide anything from you, Brother Mo. You’re right, I’m not injured… But I’m one against many. I don’t want to get into this mess and a world of trouble.

”Aren’t you here because you had the same thoughts, Brother Mo?”

”If that’s the case, then this place will become even livelier in the next few days.”

Su Ming fell into a moment of silence before he laughed.

”Talking with you is a pleasure. You’re right. I leaked my current location and had no intention of hiding myself to tell Lake of Colors Tribe to not provoke me. If they don’t come, I won’t stick my nose into the affairs of the three tribes either.

”I was also telling the other guests that they could come here to avoid trouble. But they have to pay a sufficient price to avoid trouble. I was originally waiting for Xuan Lun. If he came here, then this place would become much safer.

”But it’s also a joyous occasion that you’re here. We might be able to get a much better gain from the trip this time.”

Nan Tian spoke languidly with a smile. He stole a look at Dong Fang Hua standing respectfully behind Su Ming and continued speaking with an insipid tone.

”Since Dong Fang is your follower, then I won’t receive his price. As for the others who will come later…”

Nan Tian smiled. He looked at Su Ming and kept his silence.

Su Ming had come into contact with a lot of powerful Berserkers in the Transcendence Realm. He was no longer as emotionally affected as when he first met Wind Stream’s Jing Nan.

At that moment, when he saw Nan Tian looking over at him once he finished speaking, he fell into a momentary silence before lifting his right hand. The souls of the Wings of the Moon in his body flew out in their invisible forms and spun around the area rapidly until they turned into an invisible sandstorm.

Chou Nu and Dong Fang Hua could not feel that sandstorm clearly, but Nan Tian could sense a power that was equivalent to that of Transcendence. However, this strength was only similar to Transcendence. It was not the source of the danger he felt earlier.

‘If that’s all…’

Nan Tian frowned slightly, but the moment his brows creased, a sharp pain appeared in his mind. That pain came without warning. It made his expression change, and he also saw an enchanting look that seemed to be able to capture all those who looked into Su Ming’s profound gaze.

This feeling only lasted for a moment before it disappeared. Su Ming closed his eyes, and when he opened them once again, everything returned to normal.

”Let’s share equally. What do you say, brother Mo?” Nan Tian said with a smile, his spirits lifted.

When he saw Su Ming nodding, that smile grew wider.

”Brother Mo, are you interested in the legacy of Han Mountain’s ancestor?”