Pursuit of the Truth

It was just a mere triangular lightning Rune. Even if it had extraordinary power, it could not seal Su Ming who had replaced the completed Ecang. Even if Su Ming’s Ecang could not compare with the Ecang who could act in an unbridled manner in the universe in terms of cultivation, they belonged in the same category of life forms.

What Su Ming needed was time. As it passed, his Ecang clone would grow until he reached the state of Ecang in the past and… surpassed it, reaching a pinnacle that no one had ever reached before. After all, Su Ming had another status besides Ecang’s true form—he was someone who belonged to Old Man Extermination!

Based on Su Ming’s understanding, Old Man Extermination was an old man from Dark Dawn’s camp. He was so strong that it was difficult to estimate his level of cultivation. He was the strongest person Su Ming had ever come to know.

Su Ming had always had his speculations that there was a high possibility that such a strong person… would not have any sort of limitations placed on him even though he came from Dark Dawn, but Su Ming did not have a lot of clues regarding the details, so it was difficult for him to know the truth.

However, there was another speculation that always lurked in his mind: Why were Dark Dawn and Saint Defier against each other?

This was something that Su Ming had never been able to figure out before he met the golden mosquito, but through it and the golden drop of blood, he felt that… he might have caught a hint of truth.

Dark Dawn and Saint Defier counteracted each other, so if they devoured the other, they would immediately become stronger. This was something Su Ming felt clearly when the Seed of Life Extermination devoured the golden blood and showed signs swiftly recovering.

If that was the case, then perhaps… Dark Dawn and Saint Defier were enemies because devouring the other party could make them stronger. If they could destroy the other camp, they could rule all universes!

‘Cultivators practice cultivation to mend the flaws in their bodies until they are perfect…’

Su Ming buried his question and speculation in the depths of his heart. At the moment he walked out of the triangular lightning Rune, his gaze fell on the three Sect Masters in front of him.

The old man who had shown good will to Su Ming right from the start wrapped his fist in his palm and said, “Our cautiousness beforehand must have surely offended you greatly. Please forgive us, Your Highness. It is simply because your growth has been too great since you came back from the Barren Lands of Divine Essence and we could not attribute your growth to any reason.

“There are no longer any questions within us. Three days later, the Anointment Ceremony will be held, and then you will go through challenges and trials. With your level of cultivation, this will naturally be as easy as breathing for you. Allow me to congratulate you beforehand.” The old man smiled. When he looked towards Su Ming, a kindly look appeared in his eyes.

The other old man also nodded with a smile. As Sect Masters in Morning Dao Sect, they were naturally very happy to be able to see a person with the golden bloodline. Only the tanned old man remained silent by the side.

“I have also offended all of you previously. I hope that the both of you will not blame me for it.”

Su Ming might be temperamental, but the two old men before him were very courteous to him, and the praise on their faces was also very genuine, hence he wrapped his fist in his palm to return the greeting. That was how Su Ming was like. If others respected him, he would naturally not treat them with malicious words.

As for the tanned old man, he completely ignored him.

Now that the previous misunderstanding between them could be considered to have been resolved, Su Ming obtained the plate of a Dynast, and only then was he truly regarded as having officially returned to Morning Dao Sect. Once he wrapped his fist in his palm to thank the two Sect Masters, he turned around and left in the form of a long arc.

The thin Ma Fei had been shocked by what Su Ming had done. At that moment, she quickly followed behind him, and with wide, flashing eyes, she occasionally sized up Su Ming. There was an expression of interest on her face.

When Su Ming left and the golden light over the third continent faded away, the three old men outside the Sect Elder Chamber stayed still for a time. The old man who had remained amicable to Su Ming since the start turned his head sideways to cast a glance at the tanned Sect Master.

“Yu Lin, you were a little too reckless with this.”

The tanned old man let out a cold harrumph, and a dark light shone in his eyes.

“I’ve already sent someone to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence to investigate everything that happened in that place when he was there. He’ll be back soon. At that time, we’ll know what happened and why Dao Kong’s power increased so much,” the tanned old man said with a cold tone.

“So what if you know? He already went through the Blood-Soul Fusion test and it shone with golden light. That is the sign of him surpassing our ancestral roots. Based on the teachings of our ancestors, as long as he doesn’t do anything that betrays Morning Dao Sect, we are not to interfere with his actions,” the other man said with a frown.

“I’ve already sent that person, so whatever you say at this point is meaningless. When he returns in a few days, our questions will all be answered. After all, we do not communicate with those in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. We’ll soon know everything that happened there,” the tanned old man retorted coldly before turning around and swinging his arm before dashing towards the tower he’d chosen as his meditation grounds. The other two Sect Masters exchanged glances with each other, then shook their heads before heading back to their own towers.

The tanned old man sat down cross-legged in his tower. Within its silence, his expression was incredibly sullen. He had intended to make things difficult for Dao Kong because he was made a Dynast and there were people from his own family who were made Dynasts. Because of that, it would have been good if he could have killed Dao Kong.

But he did not expect this sort of result. Not only did he not get to kill Dao Kong, he instead caused Dao Kong to gain more influence. After this, everyone in Morning Dao Sect would know about his golden bloodline.

‘Golden bloodline…’ The tanned old man’s eyes glimmered faintly. He lifted his right hand, and a jade slip appeared on his palm. With a light squeeze, it disappeared without a trace.

‘I will spread this to the galaxy beyond. The forces of power in the Immortals’ Union will surely be interested in Dao Kong’s golden bloodline.’ A faint smile appeared on the tanned old man’s face.

‘Also, he definitely has plenty of secrets from the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. The person I sent over is a True Guard who had once been to the barren lands. With him going over to investigate things, I will definitely learn plenty of things about which the others will not be aware. If I make some estimations, he should be able to return around the time of the ceremony. At that moment, he will be able to reveal Dao Kong’s secrets from the barren lands in front of all the disciples of Morning Dao Sect…

‘Perhaps it’s not enough for me along to be doubting him, but if I can make all the disciples in Morning Dao Sect suspect him, then even if he has the golden bloodline, he will need to offer up an explanation.

‘Then I will use it to cancel his status of a Dynast before he is truly made one!’

A cold sneer curled up the tanned old man’s lips while he closed his eyes. He looked forward to what sort of results the person he sent to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence would bring to all the disciples in Morning Dao Sect.

Su Ming left the third continent and returned to Dao Kong’s continent—the land covered by an ocean. What welcomed him was another round of excited cheers which lasted till nightfall. Only then did silence slowly settle over the continent.

It was late at night when Su Ming sat on a cliff by himself. In his ears were the sounds of waves crashing against the rocks. Before him was an ocean whose end could not be seen. It might be night, and the light from the moon might not be bright, but all those in the continent could still see how vast the ocean was and smell the scent rought by the sea breeze.

Xu Hui came to sit beside Su Ming to watch the ocean with him. The two dogs which were the bald crane and the Abyss Dragon came over and sprawled themselves by the side while yawning as well.

Su Ming stared at the ocean. He remembered South Morning and the Berserkers there who were submerged under the water. He remembered the ninth summit, his senior brothers, and he wondered whether they were still in the land of Berserkers or if they had managed to walk out…

Su Ming shook his head. After all, one thousand something years had passed since then. It was just too much time. Besides the memories, there was nothing else he had left about them.

Xu Hui tugged the strands of her hair which had been lifted by the sea breeze, then turned her head to look at Su Ming’s pensive expression. “Do you like this place?” she asked quietly.

“What about you?” Su Ming did not answer her but threw the question back at her.

“I don’t really like it.” Xu Hui shook her head. “This place doesn’t belong to me. It’s a pity my sect has become a member of the Immortals’ Union. I feel slightly uncomfortable in this place.” Xu Hui sighed softly.

“If a day arrives when this place belongs to me, then I will like it,” Su Ming said faintly.

Xu Hui did not speak. She looked at the ocean, and after remaining silent for a moment, she turned her head around to stare at Su Ming once more. A complicated expression flashed briefly on her face. But just as she was about to say something, he suddenly spoke up,

“The complicated expression on your face has appeared several times before. It was the most prominent on you when I saved you in the fifth kiln. Xu Hui, everyone has their own secrets…” Su Ming picked up a stone by his side and lightly threw it into the ocean where it was submerged by seawater.

“Those secrets are like stones. When they fall into the ocean, they disappear without a trace, but if we want to fish them out, it’s rather difficult.”

“I…” Xu Hui hesitated for a moment.

“Don’t tell me. There are certain things upon which you can lord for as long you don’t say them. But once you give them voice, you will become their servant.” Su Ming turned his head around and stared at Xu Hui.

She remained silent for some time before biting her bottom lip and lowering her head. In a few moments, she asked faintly, “Once you are made a true Dynast, I’d like to leave your side for some time to settle some personal matters.”

“Do you need me around?” Su Ming asked with sincerity.

“Not for the moment, but if I really need your help, you’ll know.” Xu Hui lifted her head and looked at Su Ming with a smile. There was an unrestrained, free air to it. The shackles that had always held her from the shadows were gone.

“This sort of smile is the most beautiful. Even if you have quite a lot of moles, you’re still very beautiful.” Su Ming smiled.

“Well, I guess having the person who can’t win against me in drinking describing me this way is also a form of honor, hmm?”

When Xu Hui heard Su Ming’s words, she immediately retorted, but once she finished speaking, she was the first to cover her mouth and laugh. Her covered mouth and open eyes which had curved into the shape of crescent moons seemed to be reflecting the moonlight in the sky and giving her an even more elegant charm.

The bald crane cast a sideways glance at Su Ming and Xu Hui before it snorted in its heart while thinking to itself that Su Ming and Xu Hui really dallied with their actions. If it was in their place, then if it had found someone it fancied, it would immediately make its moves on them. It would definitely not spend so much time flirting with the other.

The big dog which was the Abyss Dragon also snorted in its heart, but it was more of a grumble.