Chapter 170: Huang Laoxian

Huang Liu Island is a hundred and eighty li in radius. The vegetation on the island is sparse, and it is full of yellow soil and gravel. Broken ponds and cracks can be seen everywhere, and pungent yellow smoke emerges from them.

This is sulfur.

Huang Yunying brought Cheng Xinzhan to land.

The ground was scorching hot. Cheng Xinzhan thought this was a treasure land. With sulfur and geothermal heat, it was a good place for alchemy.

There were many stone houses on the island, and there were quite a few people. Everyone who saw Huang Yunying called him Ying Ye. It seemed that his status on the island was indeed very high.

The further they went, the fewer people there were. The center of the island was extremely empty, with only one bright building, a gorgeous high-rise building with carved railings and jade masonry, which was out of place with the environment on the island.

This was definitely not built by the island later, but should be a magic treasure.

Huang Yunying stopped in front of the high-rise building and shouted loudly,

"Xian Ye! Disciple Yunying leads a guest from the land to seek an audience."

Cheng Xinzhan also saw the vertical plaque on this high-rise building at this time, which wrote three words,

Bu Gui Lou (Tower of No Return).

"Come in."

A rather lazy and old voice rang out from the tower, and then the tower door opened automatically.

A scent of indulgence and intoxication drifted out, like flower fragrance, and like woman fragrance.

The fragrance mixed with the surrounding sulfur gas, making people want to sneeze. Cheng Xinzhan held it back, but Third Sister didn't hold it back and sneezed, then hid in Cheng Xinzhan's bosom, burying her head in it, really feeling that the smell in the building was unpleasant.

About to enter the demon's den and face a third-realm demon head-on, it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous. However, Cheng Xinzhan had thunder in his heart, but his face was as calm as a lake. He put the big snake at the door and followed Huang Yunying inside calmly.

As soon as he entered the door, Cheng Xinzhan's expression didn't change, but he was very surprised in his heart. He saw singing and dancing in the hall, lamps lit and incense burned, the floor covered with carpets, and the pillars pasted with gold. It was a worldly king's style, and he couldn't believe this was a place for cultivation.

Behind the hall, there was a high platform. On the platform, there was a gorgeous couch, on which a fat man was leaning. Besides this, there were four or five beautiful women sitting and serving together. The waists of those beautiful women were not as thick as the man's forearm.

The man on the couch had thick eyebrows and round eyes, a big mouth and crooked teeth, and a face full of flesh. It could be seen that he was originally a fierce person with a fierce face, but now he was vividly set off by a body of fat and gorgeous wide clothes into a harmless appearance.

It was like a bandit who had killed countless people suddenly washed his hands in a golden basin and became a rich man who had nothing to do and was getting fat every day.

The man's eyes were slightly closed, as if he was about to fall asleep. However, at this moment, the two entered, and he saw the man wave his hand, and the twenty or thirty dancing girls in the center of the hall immediately retreated to both sides, making way for a path.

Huang Yunying took Cheng Xinzhan and strode forward, like a tiger, and when he reached the platform, he knelt down with a clatter, one knee on the ground, and said in his mouth,

"Yunying greets Xian Ye!"

Cheng Xinzhan stood still, just cupped his hands and said,

"A person from the land, greets the old immortal."

Huang Laoxian's eyes suddenly opened upon hearing this, and two golden light pillars erupted, falling directly on Cheng Xinzhan without any cover, and did not disperse for a long time.

Cheng Xinzhan felt that the spiritual energy in the entire hall seemed to be frozen suddenly, locking himself tightly. He was like a fish suddenly frozen in the cold winter, unable to move no matter what.

This is the means of the Golden Core.

Of course, what Huang Laoxian could see could only be the soaring blood and evil Qi that Cheng Xinzhan had transformed.

"Good! Good! Good! A good person from the land!"

Huang Laoxian suddenly clapped his hands and laughed.

Cheng Xinzhan also finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yunying, get up first."

Huang Laoxian said.

Huang Yunying then stood up respectfully.

Then

"You and I are both 'departed souls' meeting, but I wonder from where you, this departed soul, have come? What is your surname and given name, and why did you depart from the land?"

Cheng Xinzhan cupped his hands and said,

"Old Immortal, please allow me to explain. My former proprietor was the Blood God Sect of the Western Sea. We established the sect less than ten years ago, but to speak from the heart, my Hong Jiaozhu, sigh."

Cheng Xinzhan heaved a sigh, as if he had recalled many past events in an instant, but in the end, he found it difficult to open his mouth to recount them one by one, and could only let it out as a breath of stifled, turbid air.

"Our former Hong Jiaozhu was a true immortal figure. Old Immortal, your information is well-informed, so you must have heard of it: in one day, we razed Western Kunlun. That night, we killed with such satisfaction. Later, the righteous sects surrounded the mountain, and we fought to the death. I won't go into the tragic details, but in the end, we held our ground."

"Heh heh, I thought we were about to live a good life, but who would have expected! The master I acknowledged with three kowtows and nine bows, once he held power and became a Hall Master, completely disregarded the promises he had made in the past!"

"I am no soft mud. In the past, I never missed a single bit of filial piety; I never failed to serve tea, pour water, or sweep the floors. Now that he lives a good life, guarding a golden mountain, he refuses to share even the slightest benefit with me. I naturally had to find him to reason!"

Speaking to this point, Cheng Xinzhan's eyes had already turned red. He gave a cold laugh and looked at Old Immortal Huang.

"Guess what happened?"

Old Immortal Huang gave a 'hehe' laugh, but there was not a hint of mirth in his eyes, which were similarly cold and piercing. He sat up from his reclining position, rested his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, and looked at Cheng Xinzhan.

"What happened?"

"He said I had lost my sense of respect and was no longer worthy of being his disciple, so he wanted to abolish my magical power!"

Cheng Xinzhan mocked.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha! Funny, truly funny!"

Old Immortal Huang laughed until tears came out, his eyes also blood-red.

"Abolish your magical power? He wanted to abolish your magical power! Hahahaha!"

Old Immortal Huang slapped his thigh and laughed, rocking back and forth. However, the attendants on his couch were so frightened they knelt on the ground, and the dancers in the hall all knelt down as well.

After a long while, Old Immortal Huang finally stopped. Seeing that everyone in the hall was kneeling, he said,

"Why are you kneeling? All of you, get up. Beauty, come, sit up here."

Seeing that Old Immortal Huang's expression had returned to calm, those attendants then sat back down beside the Old Immortal, pinching his shoulders and pounding his legs.

"You, this departed soul, your words have made me recall the past as well! My master, after having his own arm chewed off by the Ancestor, wanted to chew off my arm after he returned!"

"But the Ancestor only did such things because he went mad from a deviation in his practice; he wasn't mad at the time!"

"I naturally refused, but the words the old man said were exactly the same as your master's! He said I was a rebellious disciple and also wanted to abolish my magical power!"

Cheng Xinzhan cupped his hands, nearly choking up, as if he had lost his voice.

But in reality, at this moment, Cheng Xinzhan was marveling in his heart at how detailed the sect's "Chronicles of Maritime Wonders" were. It said that Old Immortal Huang of the Great Belly Sea should be a disciple of Xin Chenzi of Mount Baiman; it turned out to be true.

Also feigning a recovery after a good while, Cheng Xinzhan then said, "So I ran! I kowtowed to him on the ground, I swore oaths, I said I would definitely be as filial to him as before. He believed me, but when he relaxed his guard, I found an opportunity to go down the mountain and ran away immediately!"

"Haha! You should run. I also kowtowed to admit my mistakes and swore oaths, but it was useless. My master still chopped off my hand on the spot, but he spared my life. I also found an opportunity to run! Haha!"

Thus, Cheng Xinzhan also laughed, then said,

"I only knew that Old Immortal Huang had come to the outer seas a hundred years ago to venture, establishing a vast foundation with a reputation reaching the near seas, so I sought you out. I did not know the Old Immortal had such a sordid history. This lowly cultivator, thick-skinned as I am, hopes the Old Immortal will look upon this sordid history and grant me a place to stay. I also inquired about the rules on the sea; for this visit, I have prepared four thousand catties of sea snake to express my sincerity."

"Good!"

Old Immortal Huang slapped the couch and stood up. "We are all departed souls. There is no place to stay on land, but the sea is vast—can there be no place to stay here?" "Yunying!"

"This disciple is here!"

"How many empty islands are left at home now?"

"Reporting to the Immortal Master, there are still eight."

"Is the Furnace Island still there?"

"It is."

"Then give Furnace Island to, to..."

As Old Immortal Huang spoke, he broke off, then looked at Cheng Xinzhan. "I say, departed soul, we have both poured out our hearts, yet I still don't know your name?"

Cheng Xinzhan heard this and said,

"Reporting to the Old Immortal, this lowly cultivator's secular surname is Feng, given name... name, Old Immortal, since I have come overseas, I might as well take a new one. Let's call it Brother Bie Lu, Feng Brother Bie Lu."

Old Immortal Huang laughed upon hearing this. "Good! Good! My ambition does not return, and you speak of departing the land. Come, Yunying, take Brother Bie Lu to Furnace Island! I see Brother Bie Lu has fire malevolence clinging to him; that place is suitable for him. As for Brother Bie Lu's sea snakes, you accept them on my behalf and put them in the cellar."

!

Huang Yunying repeatedly said yes.

Subsequently, the two took their leave of Old Immortal Huang and exited the hall. The hall doors slowly closed, and the sound of singing and dancing began again.

The two could still hear Old Immortal Huang's self-muttering laughter,

"'Departed soul, departed soul,' this is truly a good term. It sounds ten thousand times better than 'deserter' or 'defeated dog'!"

————

As the main gate closed, Huang Yunying looked at Cheng Xinzhan and praised,

"Brother Brother Bie Lu, you truly have great ability. A few words made the Old Immortal both cry and laugh, and he bestowed Furnace Island with a golden word. You have truly made this younger brother envious!"

Cheng Xinzhan had only squeezed out a three-part smile to accompany Old Immortal Huang in his speech, but at this moment, he stopped smiling and only said,

"Brother Ying, you flatter me. I am a newcomer, and everything will still depend on Brother Ying. However, there is one more thing. I will say the ugly words first to inform Brother Ying, so as to avoid unhappiness in the future."

Huang Yunying was all smiles during the first half, but upon hearing the second half, the smile on his face stiffened. He gave two fake 'hehe' laughs and said,

"Brother Bie Lu, speak freely."

Cheng Xinzhan said expressionlessly,

"I have been through fire and water, and have faced death several times while cultivating demonic arts on land. For the sake of superior elixirs and weapons, I have not hesitated to kill and plunder, simply because I am single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, seeking to chase the wind and moon, and to settle grudges with a free heart."

"Therefore, if Brother Ying has any enemies and wants to kill them and raze their sect, you can come find me; I will never refuse. If you want to explore dangerous places for treasure, I will not lag behind others. But if you want me to take on disciples or subordinates to teach slowly, or to manage relationships and oversee islands, do not bother me. Please convey these words to the Old Immortal as well. If the Old Immortal and Brother Ying are unwilling, I will leave immediately."

Huang Yunying's eyes widened bit by bit. He was stunned for a while after Cheng Xinzhan finished speaking, then laughed out loud,

"Brother Bie Lu, oh Brother Bie Lu, you are a true cultivator! And a true demon! Good! Your brother here today, standing at the gate of the Immortal Master's cave dwelling, promises you, Brother Bie Lu: in the future, trivial matters will never bother you. Brother Bie Lu, just focus on your cultivation. When it comes time to rob houses, kill, or set fires, then come and trouble Brother Bie Lu. Even before the Immortal Master, your brother will say the same!"

Only then did a slight smile appear on Cheng Xinzhan's face. "With these words from Brother Ying, I can finally set my heart at ease."

Huang Yunying, however, straightened his face. "'Brother Ying' is what the subordinates call me. Brother Bie Lu, just call me 'Old Brother'!"

Cheng Xinzhan changed his address, "Old Brother!"

Huang Yunying laughed in response, took the initiative to step forward and pick up the two snake corpses, and led the way.

The two first landed on a small island very close to Huang Liu Island. The island was surprisingly cold. It was truly strange to feel cold in such a sea area with abundant geothermal energy.

The two arrived at the center of the island, where there was a huge, pitch-black lake. Only then did Huang Yunying say,

"This is the Blood Cellar. All the blood food obtained will be placed here. Ten-thousand-year-old North Sea Black Mysterious Ice is submerged in this lake, which can keep the blood food from rotting, smelling, stiffening, or hardening. Even if left for a hundred years, the taste remains as it was. It was something the Old Immortal paid a great price to have someone trade for."

"Every time the Turtle King wakes up, each family must offer blood food. The one that offers the least will be in big trouble. Fortunately, our Old Immortal dug this Blood Cellar to accumulate it during ordinary times, so we can pass the test every time we offer blood food."

As he spoke, Huang Yunying threw the two sea snakes in, kicking up huge waves. Giant objects moved under the water, shadowy and indistinct. With just a glance, Cheng Xinzhan saw that a massive amount of blood food was submerged inside.

Subsequently, Huang Yunying left this place with Cheng Xinzhan and flew to an island about ten miles east of Huang Liu Island.

This was a mountain island with only one peak standing above the water. The mountain was steep and solitary. Looking from afar, it looked like a huge furnace.

The mountain peak should also be covered with sulfur. Under the shining sun, yellow smoke steamed, no wonder it was called Furnace Island.

"Brother Bie Lu is truly blessed. In this sea area, only the Immortal Master's Huang Liu Island and this Furnace Island have the most intense fire energy. It's just that we cultivate on the sea and are not skilled in fire arts, so we have no fate to enjoy it. Just now, hearing the Immortal Master say that Brother Bie Lu possesses fire malevolence, it is just right for you to cultivate here. Fire malevolence, ah! It truly makes this brother envious."

Huang Yunying pointed at Furnace Island and said.

Cheng Xinzhan responded briefly, "The Immortal Master's eyes are like torches."

"Alright then, Brother Bie Lu, rest for now. If you lack anything, just come find me. I am right over there, on the one called Golden Water Island."

"Thank you very much."

————

Inside Huang Liu Island, within the Tower of Non-Return.

"Immortal Master, you seem to like that kid very much?"

In Old Immortal Huang's arms, a beauty said coquettishly.

Old Immortal Huang smiled and said, "Not bad, this Immortal feels very close to that kid."

"Is that kid very powerful?"

"Powerful!"

Old Immortal Huang nodded. "The two snakes he killed are not ordinary goods; they are Saw-Mouthed Flying Snakes, also called Whale-Hunting Snakes. They are slaves of Old Fourth Qing's family, and both are in the Second Realm. Moreover, there was only one wound on the snakes—at the eyes. This is killing with ease. And I saw sword intent remaining on the bloodied mouths; this kid practices flying swords."

The beauty widened her eyes upon hearing this. He dared to kill slaves of Little Saint Qing's family, and he had a flying sword—that was no ordinary magic treasure!

"Are there demonic sects on land that are good at using flying swords?"

The beauty blinked and said.

"Originally there weren't, but one has appeared in recent years—it's the Blood God Sect he mentioned. Regarding this Blood God Sect, we only know it is very powerful; specific information is scarce."

The beauty heard this and said again, "Seeing that kid just arrived at the sea, he still has some arrogance and doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. He dared to kill slaves of Old Fourth Qing's family as soon as he arrived. I wonder if he is easy to discipline?"

Old Immortal Huang smiled and shook his head upon hearing this.

"Did Nuer say something wrong?"

Old Immortal Huang naturally heard what Cheng Xinzhan and Huang Yunying said outside the door. He didn't take it to heart. At this time, he replied to the beauty,

"This Immortal already has enough obedient dogs under his command. They are okay for guarding the house, but when taken out for a walk, they always tuck their tails and cannot lift their heads, which makes this Immortal lose face. It is a good thing that a wolf ran in this time. As long as he is obedient to this Immortal, being fierce toward others is fine. Sometimes, it is better to rush up and take a bite."

(End of chapter)