Chapter 2004 - Longevity Palace, the Kingdom of Lasting Light, and the Nine Great Heavenly Gods

As the Epoch Whirlpool revolved, it flung treasures into the air at semi-regular intervals.

All of them were highly unusual: armor fragments, mottled beast bones, and even tangled strands of long hair and badly battered strips of talisman paper...

The gaunt man and the man in the feather coat were quite obedient. Every time they acquired a treasure, they delivered it to Su Yi immediately.

Those who didn’t know better would think these treasures are nothing but garbage.

As Su Yi examined the treasures flying from the riverbed, his eyes shone with a strange light.

These treasures really weren’t good for much, but they all had one thing in common: they contained Undying Materials!

It was just that these Undying Materials were far inferior to Undying Bright Gold and Undying Demon Gold. The tangled wisps of hair had the least Undying Material available to extract; it was almost negligible. The quality was merely ordinary, too.

Not one of the treasures truly moved him, so in the end, Su Yi tossed them all into the Divine Replenishment Furnace.

But this is still a rare stroke of good fortune. Even a god would be surprised and delighted to acquire these treasures,

Su Yi said to comfort himself.

Undying Materials were so precious and scarce that even gods would fight over them. After all, they could be used to create Epoch Treasures, or refined into the body and soul. Doing so helped stave off Divine Tribulations!

“Hey, you. Come here.” Su Yi beckoned.

He was currently sprawled out leisurely in his wicker chair, which was placed on the flat of the Sword of Proximity’s blade.

“Are you calling for me, sir?” The man in the feather coat pointed to himself.

“Yes, you.”

The man in the feather coat was instantly ashamed and furious. Earlier, the gaunt man had called his name, but Su Yi had obviously ignored it!

On the surface, however, he rushed up to Su Yi and said, “What can I do for you? Right, my name is Wu Lingchong. You can...”

Su Yi waved the rest of the sentence away. “Your name doesn’t matter.”

“......” The man in the feather coat fell silent.

Does he think I’m so lowly as not to warrant the use of my name!? He’s pushing me too far!

But how could Su Yi possibly concern himself with Wu Lingchong’s feelings? Even if he’d known how angry Wu Lingchong was, he wouldn’t have cared in the slightest.

“Tell me everything you know about the current situation in the Fire Crow Watershed,” Su Yi casually commanded.

“Got it!” Wu Lingchong hurriedly agreed. He took a deep breath, suppressed the urge to crush Su Yi to death, then laid the situation out in the open.

Throughout the ages, the Fire Crow Watershed had been one of the numerous “travelers’ outposts” scattered across the River of Epochs.

That meant that it was a safe place, at least, relatively speaking. Thus, many of the experts who explored the River of Epochs had gathered there.

But the Fire Crow Watershed also had an enormous indigenous population. They were descended from experts who’d once explored the River of Epochs, many of whom settled and had children. Over time, this population grew, and generation after generation was born here.

The indigenous population was fortunate. They were born over the River of Epochs, and their ancestors were Great Realm experts. Thus, they could step onto the path of cultivation with far greater ease than most.

But they were unfortunate too, because unless they stepped into the Great Realm, they could never leave their birthplace. Those beneath the Great Realm were trapped in this tiny stretch of land for their entire lives.

Even if they reached the Great Realm and became strong enough to brave the River of Epochs, they risked death with every passing moment.

This situation wasn’t unique to the Fire Crow Watershed. The other outposts had similarly vast indigenous populations.

According to Wu Lingchong, the Fire Crow Watershed was home to almost one million people, including yao, demons, humans, and other lifeforms.

The indigenous population formed the bulk of the Fire Crow Watershed’s cultivation factions.

But its strongest faction was the local branch of Longevity Palace!

Longevity Palace had existed for a long, long time, and it controlled numerous territories throughout the River of Epochs. Its base in the Fire Crow Watershed was but one of many.

Longevity Palace’s ancestral court was built in the Kingdom of Lasting Light. Its Palace Master was one of the Nine Great Heavenly Gods of the Kingdom of Lasting Light, the White Flame Heavenly God!

The Kingdom of Lasting Light was a holy place in the River of Epochs, a land full of mystery.

It was also a place sought by many who longed to become gods for the simple reason that it was home to a path to the God Domain!

Throughout the ages, the Kingdom of Lasting Light was ruled by nine divinities known as the Nine Great Heavenly Gods. Their role was like that of emperors in the mundane world.

The authority and station the Nine Great Heavenly Gods represented was not fixed, and new gods would take over their roles after enough time passed.

Currently, the White Flame Heavenly God, the Palace Master of Longevity Palace, was one of the Nine Great Heavenly Gods of the Kingdom of Lasting Peace.

“Aside from the Longevity Palace, the Fire Crow Watershed is home to a few powerful native factions...” said Wu Lingchong.

But before he could introduce them, Su Yi waved for silence. “No need to go into all that.”

He had no interest in learning about all of the watershed’s factions; it simply wasn't useful information for him.

“Let’s talk about something else.” Su Yi looked at the gaunt man currently gathering treasures around the Epoch Whirlpool.

Wu Lingchong was instantly uncomfortable.

This feels like talking shit about someone behind their back.

Off in the distance, the gaunt man in plain cloth heard their conversation and stiffened.

Wu Lingchong hesitated, then said softly, “Sir, I suggest you call His Excellency Yuchi over and ask him directly.”

“No, you tell me. You’ll be more objective,” Su Yi said flatly.

There was nothing Wu Lingchong could do. He had no choice but to steel himself and do as he was told.

Soon, Su Yi learned that the gaunt man was called Yuchi Jia. He was one of the four commanders working under the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch, and a prominent expert of the Fire Crow Watershed. He was in the Great Profound Stage, and he hailed from the Epoch of Demonism...

When he realized that Wu Lingchong wasn’t saying anything bad about him, Yuchi Jia relaxed slightly.

But when Su Yi asked about his connection to Shan Ruoqin, Yuchi Jia tensed, and he could no longer hold himself back. “Senior, Shan Ruoqin is the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s dual cultivation partner. She said she suffered a major setback at your hands earlier, and that you even stole her treasures, so she ordered this junior to lead a group to avenge her. This junior... didn’t dare to disobey.”

Su Yi said flatly, “Did I ask you a question?”

Yuchi Jia stiffened, then hurriedly lowered his head and apologized.

When Wu Lingchong saw his servile bearing, he almost couldn’t help but pity Yuchi Jia.

But his sympathy was short-lived. In the Fire Crow Watershed, Yuchi Jia was the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s most brutal right hand man. Over the years, the old-timer had brutally slaughtered countless experts.

It would have been a terrible mistake to assume he was a pushover.

“Come here.” Su Yi gestured to the distant Yuchi Jia.

Yuchi Jia rushed over and bowed. “What can I do for you?”

“Go back to the Fire Crow Watershed and tell the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch that I’ll be arriving shortly. If he wants to bury the hatchet, all he has to do is kill Shan Ruoqin. If he does so, I won’t pursue this matter any further,” said Su Yi. “If he refuses, he’ll have to bear the consequences.”

Yuchi Jia gasped, and his expression shifted erratically. “Senior, if you do this, I’m afraid you’ll invite enormous trouble. The disadvantages far outweigh the rewards.”

Su Yi said flatly, “Just deliver the message.”

Yuchi Jia stared at him in disbelief. Finally, he said solemnly, “Senior, rest assured. This junior will do his utmost to help mediate!”

With that, he faced Su Yi and bowed deeply.

“Go on. Be quick about it.” Su Yi waved, and Yuchi Jia set off.

Wu Lingchong couldn’t help but interject, “Sir, do you really plan to let him go?”

Su Yi said casually, “I need an errand boy, and he’s best suited for the role. Who cares what he does after he returns to the Fire Crow Watershed? That doesn’t matter in the slightest.”

“....” Wu Lingchong didn’t know what to say.

Does this guy seriously not understand the consequences of what he's done?

Wu Lingchong took a deep breath, then said, “Sir, you have to think this over carefully. The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch is a prominent expert of Longevity Palace. He’s stationed in the Fire Crow Watershed year round. The experts under his command are as numerous as the clouds in the sky, and he has countless cards up his sleeves. They say that... he even has secret treasures granted to him by the gods!

“Furthermore, Longevity Palace’s forces are spread throughout the River of Epochs. Enmity with them will lead to dire consequences!”

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh approvingly. “Not bad! You even know to consider my safety.”

“...” Wu Lingchong took in Su Yi’s smiling face and felt the powerful urge to punch him, but in the end, he just sighed. “You’re offending the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch, and by extension, Longevity Palace, over a woman. Is it worth it?”

He wanted to add, “I’m afraid you’ve gone insane!”

But in the end, he held back. This was none of his business. If this brave fool wanted to seek his own demise, why should Wu Lingchong try to dissuade him? There was no bond between them whatsoever!

“The only way that woman can repay my benevolence in saving her life is by dying,” Su Yi said before taking a sip of wine.

Shan Ruoqin had tried to divert a Mountain-Bearing Turtle’s wrath onto him to save herself. He’d let this slide, asking only for a little compensation.

Who’d have thought she’d turn around and send others after him for revenge? What was that, is not repaying kindness with enmity?

Su Yi was no goody two shoes, and he needed to stop by the Fire Crow Watershed for a rest anyway. He naturally wouldn’t spare that woman.

Was it worth it? Yes, it was!

“Then... what do you plan to do to me?” Wu Lingchong asked tentatively after a moment’s silence.

Su Yi laughed. “Don’t be afraid. When I leave the Fire Crow Watershed, I’ll naturally let you go.”

Wu Lingchong sighed in relief, but a moment later, he grumbled inwardly,

But do you really think you can leave the Fire Crow Watershed alive? You seriously don’t even know how to write the word ‘death,’ do you?

Whoosh!

Another treasure flew from the Epoch Whirlpool.

Su Yi glanced at Wu Lingchong. “Well? What’re you just standing there for?”

Wu Lingchong instinctively jumped into action, but before he’d gotten far, his heart filled with shame.

What’s going on with me? Am I getting used to doing what that guy tells me!?

Su Yi, meanwhile, smiled and had another sip of wine.

It had been a long time since he’d last visited the River of Epochs. Having a well-informed "local serpent" like Wu Lingchong to order around was actually quite convenient.