Pursuit of the Truth

With a few flashes, the jade slip appeared in the western region of the Crimson Flame Planet. Right at the moment it rushed there, the air before it distorted. Tian Lin took a step forward from that distortion and grabbed the jade slip. Once he scanned it with his divine sense, a smile appeared on his face. Excitement that he could not hide flashed through his eyes, and as he laughed, he turned into a shooting star and charged into the sky. Clearly, he was going to leave Crimson Flame Planet and visit his good friends in the worlds beyond this planet to involve them in this conspiracy.

Another year passed. Su Ming had been in Crimson Flame Planet for four years by then. During the past two years, he hadn’t taken a single step out of his cave abode. As he was in isolation, he would constantly absorb the physical power contained within the blue stones.

On this day, Su Ming’s eyes suddenly flew open. A large amount of blue stones before him were reduced to powder at the same time, and wisps of physical power surged into his body. At that moment, he noticed four long arcs charging towards him from beyond the cave abode.

There was a person within each of the long arcs. One of the presences was familiar to Su Ming. It was naturally that of Tian Lin. The other three might be alien to him, but all of them, without exception, were those of Lords of World Planes!

Su Ming swung his arm, and all the dust that were the blue stones before him immediately scattered. He got up, and with one step, he walked out of the cave abode. His gray hair danced in the wind, and his white robe, which was formed from the Sacred Constellation Robe, fluttered in the wind.

Su Ming could not control the Sacred Constellation Robe completely, but its defensive powers were incredibly astonishing, and no matter how he tried to destroy it, it would recover completely after a moment. When he had fought against old Mei Lan all those years ago, no one had been able to see any hints of this robe. Even old Mei Lan had thought that the Constellation Robe’s power was actually the strength of Su Ming’s own physical power.

The big dog that was the bald crane came running out of the cave abode along with Su Ming. As it stood beside him, it was also looking at the sky, and there was an expression full of disdain on its face.

As for that Crimson Python Phoenix, it was looking at the sky coldly from the foot of the mountain. Due to its huge body, even if it was just lying down on the ground, it looked like a small hill.

The four long arcs charged over from the horizon, closing in in the blink of an eye. The person in the lead was Tian Lin. He had been able to see Su Ming right away, and a smile lit up on his face.

”Brother Su, thank you for the trouble of waiting here. I’m honored that you would do so.”

As Tian Lin smiled, he appeared before Su Ming in a flash. The three long arcs behind him closed in within an instant as well. Once they landed on the mountain at the same time, three waves of powerful divine senses scanned Su Ming without even bothering with politeness.

There might not be any killing intent contained within these three waves of divine senses, but this act of scanning him without even bothering to hide their intentions showed just how overbearing they were.

”This is the fellow Daoist Su which you’ve been telling us about? He’s just a mere cultivator at Earth Cultivation Realm. I no longer harbor any hope for the plan you mentioned earlier.”

The group of three consisted of a middle-aged man, an old man, and a dwarf that was half an average man’s height.

The old man had brown hair and the face of a child. He was also hunched slightly. His eyes were dull, without any shine, but if anyone took a closer look into his eyes, they would find that his right pupil was actually positioned vertically.

He stood there with an aloof expression, and no one could determine what sort of emotions were in his heart at that moment. Yet the divine sense that scanned Su Ming exuded a chilling air.

The middle-aged man had an average appearance. His skin was slightly darker than normal, and there was a scar that ran from the left corner of his lips to the other side of his face, revealing his yellowing teeth when he spoke and giving him an incredibly hideous and terrifying presence. He was not as thin as the other people in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, but incredibly burly. As he stood there, he gave Su Ming a feeling as if he was facing off a wall.

He did not have any hair, not even eyebrows. His upper body was unclothed, and there was a chain that came out of his chest, as if it was growing within him.

He was also the person who had said those words previously.

The dwarf that was half the height of an average man had a smile on his face as he stood by the middle-aged man’s side. He looked incredibly friendly, and his small hands and feet made him look as if he was completely harmless. He had his hair tied in a braid. At that moment, his hands were crossed in front of him, hidden in the sleeves. This gave him the appearance of a shopkeeper in a small town in the mortal world.

Tian Lin frowned at the words spoken by the well-built middle-aged man without eyebrows, then looked at Su Ming apologetically. He then turned around and stood between the man and Su Ming. With a wry smile, he looked at the middle-aged man.

”Brother Ye, why must you do this? I’ve already told you everything in detail on the way, including the things about brother Su. I’ve also told you that we want to gain something together that is of vital importance to us, so we must not start arguing.”

”Hmph.” The middle-aged man let out a cold snort and no longer bothered himself with Su Ming, but he had agreed with Tian Lin’s point of view.

”Brother Su, allow me to introduce my friends. This is fellow Daoist Long Li from Heaven Wheel Planet. Brother Long has astonishing power, and he’s also skilled in using a large variety of divine abilities and Arts. He has incredibly great talent.” As Tian Lin spoke, the old man among the three people cast Su Ming an aloof glance. He did not speak, only nodded slightly.

Su Ming cast the old man a glance. The vertical pupil in his right eye gave Su Ming a feeling that it was incredibly dangerous.

”This is fellow Daoist Ye Shen Tong from Peaceful Earth Planet. Fellow Daoist Ye has divine power within his whole body, and he also has an outstanding level of cultivation. He has come to understand the power of the earth’s essence and can bring forth even greater power when he is in the depths of the land. He has once fought against a True Guard and survived it. Now, his injuries have healed, and his level of cultivation has increased even more.”

While Tian Lin was speaking, the well-built middle-aged man without eyebrows gave Su Ming a ghastly smile. He looked like a boorish man, but in truth, he had his own reasons for the words he had spoken right upon meeting Su Ming.

”This is the last person. He is fellow Daoist Sun Kun from Dark Brilliance Planet. Fellow Daoist Sun is skilled with Runes, and he is known as ’Assorted Treasures’. His entire body is filled with poison, and his attacks with these poisonous substances has made him famous in all areas.”

Once Tian Lin finished speaking, the dwarf that looked like a shopkeeper wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming in a friendly manner and let out a boisterous laugh.

”Brother Tian, you praise me too much. Brother Su, don’t listen to his nonsense, my name is most definitely not famous in all areas. It’s just that I usually move around the Barren Lands of Divine Essence to earn myself a living.

”Everyone has just gave me this title because they were being tactful. Don’t take it as something real.” As Sun Kun laughed, he shook his head, giving off a completely harmless look, and it was very easy for people to have a good impression of him due to his demeanor.

”I’ve already introduced brother Su to the three of you on the way here. Brother Su has extraordinary power. He has great physical strength and divine abilities that contain the power of laws. Even I admire him greatly.” Tian Lin looked at the three people. When he spoke, Su Ming nodded coldly.

It did not matter whether it was the three people scanning him with their divine senses or Ye Shen Tong provoking him, Su Ming’s expression never changed. At that moment, his face was freezing cold, and he did not say a single word.

His composure caused a barely noticeable glint to appear in Ye Shen Tong’s eyes. Even the dwarf Sun Kun regarded Su Ming a little longer while continuing to smile. Only the hunchbacked old man remained unmoved.

Tian Lin looked at the sky and said, ”Alright, we’re all here now. We still have six years until the True Guards begin their patrol. We have to hurry.”

”Why don’t I see fellow Daoist Mei Lan?” Sun Kun asked with a faint smile.

”Fellow Daoist Mei Lan’s ambitions are different from ours, she won’t come.” Tian Lin shook his head and avoided the topic. When he looked at Su Ming, his expression grew solemn.

”Brother Su, how many days would you need to release the seals on all the ferocious beasts in Crimson Flame Planet?”

”A month,” Su Ming answered coolly.

”Alright, then a month later, once you have released all the ferocious beasts, the life force of the alien race’s mighty cultivator won’t be absorbed anymore. At that time, please assist me with the method I told the three of you previously. Once I open a gap in the seal, we’ll move into the depths of the core.

”Fellow Daoist Su, fellow Daoist Sun, once we reach the depths, please use your talents with Runes to allow us to move deeper into the core. At that time, fellow Daoist Ye can open the path for us with his mighty physical strength. Fellow Daoist Long, your divine abilities are astonishing, and your divine sense is also stronger than all of ours, please point the way at that time. As for me, since I was the one who planned this, I will have my Nascent Divinity change places with my physical body. With my Nascent Divinity, I will help fellow Daoist Long scout the region and guide our path, I will also help fellow Daoist Ye open the path, as well as helping fellow Daoist Su and fellow Daoist Sun reduce the strength of the seal,” Tian Lin said resolutely. Once he finished speaking, the three people’s expressions changed. Even the aloof old man, Long Li, was visibly affected by his words.

”Having your Nascent Divinity change places with your physical body means having your Nascent Divinity replace your physical body. Fellow Daoist Tian, do you know the repercussions of this Forbidden Art?” Long Li asked in a hoarse voice, speaking up for the first time.

”Of course I do. If even the slightest thing goes wrong, my physical body will wither and my Nascent Divinity won’t live long. I will definitely die then, but only this way can I increase our chances of success. I have to increase my level of cultivation by several fold, or else it will be difficult for any of us to head deeper into the core. Everyone, I will be paying a large price for this, and that is only because I wish for our success, so please, don’t fight among ourselves, or else… don’t blame me for falling out with you!”

Tian Lin’s voice instantly turned cold and dark. He had always given others a feeling that he was a gentle person, so this sudden chill in his voice and his statement that he would have his Nascent Divinity change places with his physical body instantly caused this ghastly air that appeared about him to possess an incredible intimidating force.

”Brother Su, I will leave everything to you!” Tian Lin sucked in a deep breath, then wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed deeply towards Su Ming.

Su Ming looked at Tian Lin and remembered everything he saw when the other had fallen into the illusion two years ago. After some time, he too wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed towards him. He then immediately charged into the sky. The Crimson Python Phoenix rose from the ground with a roar, and the big dog that was the bald crane barked as it followed behind him.

Three days later, the Crimson Flame Planet shuddered with a bang. A shocking roar came the spot where a ferocious beast from the alien races was sealed. It looked like a tiger, and excitement appeared on its face as it was finally able to rush out of its sealed region.

Seven days later, roars continued to ring throughout Crimson Flame Planet. The ferocious beasts from the alien races who were known as the ’gods’ to the residents rushed out of their sealed regions, and their numbers did not dwindle. The beast roars shook the whole planet, leaving the cultivators in shock.

Half a month later, there was an astonishing change to Crimson Flame Planet. More than half of the ferocious beasts had been released. The sky and earth were dark, and booming shook them repeatedly. Within the stone house in the mountain located in the eastern region was old Mei Lan. She was sitting quietly in her house as a variety of emotions flickered on her face.

A month later, all the ferocious beasts from the alien races in Crimson Flame Planet let out a roar that surged into the sky. It was a sound that came from almost all the ferocious beasts that had rushed out of their sealed regions, regaining freedom.

Since the change in Black Ink Planet ten thousand years ago, the Barren Lands of Divine Essence would now welcome its second drastic change, and it would be known as… Crimson Flame Planet’s change!