Chapter 444: Meeting an Old Friend in a Strange Land

The Saint Lan Clan, a tribe that formed itself after the Grand Duke of Saint Lan betrayed the human race all those years ago, has retained some of the inherent ideologies of the former human race.

For instance, social hierarchy.

In reality, Fenghai County is fine, and other counties are the same; because they belong to exclaves, the sense of hierarchy within them is not so clear and intense. However, it is not like that in the Imperial Capital Domain.

Because the Saint Lan Clan is still relatively complete as a whole and they are interconnected, the sense of hierarchy is equally intense, deeply rooted in the cognition of every clansman.

The clansmen of the Saint Lan Clan are divided into six levels according to their registration; the top two levels are called Noble Children, the middle two are Soldier Children, and the bottom two are Slave Children.

Like the Sovereign of the Heavenly Peak Kingdom here, he is of the fourth level, and his son is the same.

In the Saint Lan Clan, the importance of one's registration level is immense. Unless one's cultivation reaches a heaven-defying degree, it is very difficult to change it. After all, the bloodlines of the upper levels are more excellent, the resources are greater, and the possibility of strong individuals appearing is naturally greater.

And in the Saint Lan Clan, possessing the right to raise one's registration level is equivalent to grasping the core of the Saint Lan Clan. This right... is possessed only by the Black Heaven Divine Temple.

Within every dynasty, there exists a Black Heaven Divine Temple.

The Black Heaven Divine Statue is bestowed by the Divine Temple.

This raising of the registration level is the Black Heaven's Blessing.

Those who are blessed will be closer to the Black Heaven Clan in terms of aura.

Therefore, for countless years, under the subtle influence of the Black Heaven Clan, the clansmen of the Saint Lan Clan have all been incomparably eager for the raising of their registration level.

This is also the reason why the Sovereign of the Heavenly Peak Kingdom is experiencing huge waves in his heart right now.

Even though there were many doubts before, now that he has seen his own offspring blessed with his own eyes, his heart has been shaken.

That change in aura is incomparably real, and he knows deeply that not every Black Heaven clansman can bestow blessings upon others.

Those who can do this are either strong individuals within the Black Heaven Clan or... cultivators of the Divine Temple.

The Black Heaven Clan has gods; the Saint Lan Clan is very clear about this point, and other clans also understand it. Although most are unwilling to admit it, the fact is just like this.

The gods of the Black Heaven Clan sleep on the Red Moon, worshipped by them for generations.

Also because they have the protection of gods, the Black Heaven Clan has appeared with God-Servants, and thus there is the Divine Temple. They are the masters of the entire Black Heaven Clan and also the highest level within the Black Heaven Clan.

After these thoughts rose in the heart of the Sovereign of the Heavenly Peak Kingdom, he took a deep breath and bowed respectfully.

After leaving, he immediately gave orders to collect Profound Heaven Demon Moon Pills, and at the same time contacted other city-states to re-divide the True Immortal Ten-Intestine Fruits this time.

But this process was not smooth.

The other thirty-five city-states did not firmly believe in this matter like him. After all, this matter made them feel it was too unbelievable. One must know that for countless years, many fake Black Heaven clansmen have come to this place, and not once was it true.

In view of this, the Sovereign of the Heavenly Peak Kingdom did not immediately report this matter to the dynasty. He prepared to wait until other city-states had confirmed it before reporting it.

After all... even if he was ninety-nine percent sure, if there was a problem, it would be fine if he didn't report it, as he could solve it himself. If he reported it, he feared he would be implicated and fall under the charge of negligence.

Just like this, time passed slowly, and soon seven days went by.

Although there were still two days before a large number of True Immortal Dao Fruits would mature, in reality, in the past few days, there were already sporadic Dao Fruits that could be picked on the periphery of the True Immortal Ten-Intestine Jungle.

At the same time, those foreign clans who snuck in using various methods were also acting one after another. Some succeeded, some failed, and every day, the patrol teams composed of the thirty-six city-states would catch quite a few foreign clans who had mixed in.

The outcomes varied. Some were executed and hung on the Ten-Intestine Canopy in the sky as a warning, while others, for various reasons, were either punished and driven away, or imprisoned.

Even so, because the Dao Fruits were of great value, there were still quite a few cultivators sneaking in.

As for the Captain, upon noticing that some of the Dao Fruits had matured, he could not suppress the desire in his heart and discussed with Xu Qing, deciding to take action.

Xu Qing thought the same.

These days they were living in the Imperial Palace, seemingly safe, but in reality, the crisis was immense. Although he was confident that his identity was not a problem, he was ultimately still a bit worried about whether he could really deceive them if he encountered a strong individual. After all, nothing is absolute.

Especially the Void Concealment Talisman on his body, which was dissipating at every moment.

Therefore, time was very important.

Thus, on the morning of the eighth day, Xu Qing and the Captain left the Imperial Palace. Under the personal guidance of the prince named Muye, they went with a group of guards to the periphery of the True Immortal Ten-Intestine.

"My Lord, this place is the True Immortal Ten-Intestine of our Saint Lan Clan. The fruits in the depths have not yet matured, so we cannot enter at this moment." Outside the jungle, Muye spoke respectfully with piety in his eyes.

"The interior of the True Immortal Ten-Intestine Jungle is filled with terrifying pressure all year round, making it difficult to step in. Only on the day when the fruits are completely mature each time will the pressure there dissipate."

During this period, Muye knelt before Xu Qing's palace almost every day, looking prepared to be summoned at any time. It could be said that he was now the most loyal person to Xu Qing in this entire Heavenly Peak Kingdom.

On one hand, it was because Xu Qing had raised his registration level, and on the other hand, it was because the source of the foreign matter fused into his body was Xu Qing, so his address of "My Lord" was correct.

Xu Qing felt the familiar foreign matter in the other party's body and nodded slightly. Afterwards, he looked at the pitch-black jungle ahead that could not be seen to the end, and then looked up at the ten main trees that wound up into the sky in the distance, forming a huge canopy.

Even now, he could not imagine that this was transformed from the intestines of the last clansman of the E-Immortal Clan who became an immortal.

"My Lord, in the coming days, do not perceive this place at night. In the past, during the period after the True Immortal Ten-Intestine fruits were formed, a special aura would be formed here."

"After perceiving it, one will be invaded by it, which is harmful to oneself."

Hearing Muye's words, the Captain walking in front asked curiously.

"Harmful, how is it harmful?"

"My Lord, it will cause hallucinations. There are records indicating that someone once saw the scene of the E-Immortal Clan becoming an immortal, and afterwards went mad, opening their own stomachs to imitate it, and died of breathlessness."

Muye spoke respectfully.

The Captain's eyes lit up, clearly interested. At this moment, he approached a tree, raised his hand, and pulled down a fruit that looked like an eye, putting it into his storage bag.

This place belonged to the periphery of the True Immortal Ten-Intestine, and there were quite a few eye fruits hanging on the trees, some open, some closed.

"The fruits with open eyes represent that they can be picked," Muye introduced from the side.

Watching the Captain picking continuously there, Xu Qing stood with his hands behind his back and spoke calmly.

"What is the total number of Dao Fruits in this place?"

"My Lord, the Dao Fruits that appear once every hundred years total about three hundred thousand," Muye replied hurriedly.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's heart jumped. After calculating, his thoughts became increasingly active. After all, one piece was ten thousand military merits, and Qingqiu on the side also had thoughts surging in her heart at this moment; she naturally also knew the value of this item.

"Muye, let your people go and pick them for me," Xu Qing suddenly spoke.

Muye immediately said yes, turned around to call all the attendants, and walked towards those fruits with open eyes, dispersing to pick them.

Not only were there many of them, but their movements were skilled, and they picked very quickly. Before long, they had picked more than a dozen. Watching this scene, Xu Qing's heartbeat almost couldn't be controlled and accelerated.

This was over a hundred thousand military merits!

Noticing the desire in Qingqiu's eyes on the side, Xu Qing suppressed the excitement in his heart and spoke indifferently.

"You go and pick too."

Qingqiu rushed out instantly, heading straight for the fruits.

Her cultivation had been unlocked by Xu Qing a few days ago, but worried that she would ruin things, he didn't give her a storage bag, but gave her an empty one to use temporarily.

Watching Qingqiu's back, a smile appeared on the corner of Xu Qing's mouth, but he quickly put it away and looked towards the Captain's side.

At this moment, the Captain's eyes couldn't be controlled and were glowing. His movements were extremely fast, grabbing one Dao Fruit after another, muttering words that outsiders couldn't hear, picking rapidly.

Xu Qing glanced at him, guessing that the Captain must be counting military merits.

"The Eldest Senior Brother's concentration is not enough. What is there to count in this?" Xu Qing shook his head secretly with his hands behind his back.

Not long after walking, Muye respectfully sent over the twenty-five Dao Fruits picked. Xu Qing picked them up and put them into his storage bag, muttering in his heart.

"Twenty-five thousand in hand!"

Then he looked at Muye who continued to go back to pick, and looked at those Saint Lan Clan cultivators, calculating silently in his heart.

"Twenty-six, twenty-eight, thirty-one..."

As for whether the Captain's behavior would be exposed at this moment, Xu Qing couldn't care about that much anymore. After counting for half an hour like this, the mature fruits in this area were already empty.

Having picked more than a hundred, just as he was planning to go to other areas to continue, a commotion came from the jungle in the distance.

Muye was immediately vigilant, arriving in front of Xu Qing for the first time, looking like he was protecting the Emperor, and ordered the Saint Lan Clan guards around to go and check the situation. Not long after, someone returned.

"Reporting to My Lord, it is the patrol of the Yuncong Kingdom. They caught a few foreign clan stragglers. Among them, there is a descendant of the E-Immortal Clan who was not easy to catch. Only after they besieged him did they catch him."

"Descendant of the E-Immortal Clan?" Xu Qing remembered that the Captain and others had said that the True Immortal Ten-Intestine was transformed from the last clansman of the E-Immortal Clan becoming an immortal.

"My Lord, the pure-blooded E-Immortal Clan no longer exists, but there are quite a few mixed-blood descendants within the Saint Lan Domain. We are not easy to kill this type of cultivator; it is more about imprisoning them until the fruits are finished, and then releasing them."

While Muye was explaining, footsteps came from the distance, and low roars echoed.

"What right do you have to catch me? I am a descendant of the E-Immortal Clan, and this is the place where my clan's ancestor became an immortal!"

"I came here to take a few of my ancestor's Dao Fruits. What reason do you have to stop me? I didn't take many; I only want thirty!"

"If you dare to touch me here, I will die for you to see, and let my blood sprinkle on my ancestor. If my ancestor wakes up, he will surely be furious at you!"

When the voice came out, the Captain's eyes went straight, and Xu Qing's eyes also flashed with light.

Soon, a group of Saint Lan Clan cultivators not from the Heavenly Peak Kingdom, escorting seven or eight cultivators who had snuck into this place, passed by Xu Qing and the others.

Seeing Xu Qing and the Captain, these Saint Lan Clan cultivators' expressions changed, and they had also heard about the two, so they bowed hurriedly.

And among the seven or eight cultivators they were escorting, there was a youth exuding a different aura, especially at the center of his eyebrows, where there existed a winding and twisting totem like a snake or intestine.

He was speaking loudly at this moment, his face full of indignation. After his gaze swept over Xu Qing and the others, he recognized the Black Heaven Clan and was stunned for a moment.

But the next instant, when he saw Qingqiu on the side, his body trembled slightly, but he quickly returned to normal and continued to curse, only his footsteps quickened.

Qingqiu withdrew her gaze, her expression unchanged, as if she didn't know him.

The Captain snorted coldly in his heart and narrowed his eyes.

Xu Qing swept his gaze over and muttered in his heart.

"Ning Yan, he actually ran here?" ===== CHAPTER 445 =====