Chapter 627: The Stone Platform Gathering

"That…"

He Pingsheng asked: "Elder, are you also human?"

"Of course…" the elder paused, then continued: "No!"

Not human?

Hearing this, He Pingsheng grew even more confused: if you're not human, why would you keep your promise and give this precious thing to humans instead of your own descendants?

What a person of deep emotion and righteousness.

But… perhaps you swore a Heavenly Dao oath.

Who knows!

"What?" the elder fixed his gaze on He Pingsheng: "You still have doubts?"

He Pingsheng dared not voice his doubts outright, so he evasively replied: "I always believed only cultivators below the Soul Transformation stage could enter this Yinming Emperor's Palace—I never expected even an Elder could enter!"

"Of course!" the elder waved his sleeve: "Otherwise, why would I have someone guard the entrance to this realm?"

"If no one guarded it, Soul Transformation, Void Refinement, even Body Integration cultivators would flood in—wouldn't the realm descend into chaos?"

He Pingsheng nodded, quickly rose, and bowed deeply to the elder: "Disciple Long Zhe, pays respects to Zhu Que, the Demon Emperor!"

If you still didn't recognize who stood before you now, you might as well go smash your head against a tofu block.

"Hahaha…" Zhu Que, the Demon Emperor, laughed heartily: "You finally recognize me!"

He waved his gray sleeve again: "No need for formalities, no need for excessive courtesy!"

"Sit down. The title 'Demon Emperor' is merely an honorific bestowed upon me by fellow cultivators of the Spirit Realm due to my cultivation level."

"In truth, I'm nothing more than a feathered beast in others' eyes."

"I'll be honest—I've guarded this Yinming Emperor's Palace all this time because it was built by the Yinming Great Emperor!"

"I am merely her servant and mount, existing solely to fulfill my master's final wish!"

"Yet I find joy in it—for without her, I would have perished long ago in the endless sea of mortal desires!"

"Hehehe…"

The elder chuckled softly, gazing into the distance, toward the shimmering lake.

A brief silence fell between them.

After about a dozen breaths, He Pingsheng waved his hand and produced a jade vial: "This is what I obtained within the realm… this… cough… I was overcome by greed, so I…"

Sweat drenched He Pingsheng's forehead.

Only now did he realize how foolish his act of secretly stealing the spring water had been.

Yes!

The others certainly didn't know it was him.

But someone definitely knew.

Because one pair of eyes had been watching them all along.

Had Zhu Que not observed He Pingsheng uncovering the Poison Dao technique, then noted he was human, he would never have personally placed the【Hong Meng Zi Jin】inside the Hong Meng Palace.

So it's clear—this old man has been watching me all along!

At least since after the Fifth Zone!

Damn it, he didn't see my Treasure Basin, did he?

"Hehehe…" Zhu Que chuckled, then waved his hand at the vial He Pingsheng offered: "Keep it!"

"If you lacked even this much cunning, I'd hold you in even lower regard!"

"A true man must be resolute and decisive: take when you should, cut when you must, abandon when needed, die when required."

"If you have no greed, why bother cultivating?"

"Seeking immortality is the greatest greed of all!"

Hearing this, He Pingsheng felt at ease.

His last trace of guilt vanished instantly; he stowed the drop of Nan Ke Immortal Spring: "Thank you, Elder!"

"Now that you've taken the Hong Meng Zi Jin, my task is complete!" Zhu Que smiled: "Long Zhe… or rather, He Pingsheng, I should be thanking you!"

He Pingsheng felt awkward.

He hadn't expected the elder to know his true name.

"Elder, you flatter me!"

The Demon Emperor added: "Ask me anything you wish—otherwise, you may never get another chance!"

"Because I'm about to ascend!"

He Pingsheng's heart jolted: ascend?

That means becoming an Immortal?

So this fellow could ascend anytime—but chose to stay, just to find a human and pass on the【Hong Meng Zi Jin】!

Then…

What exactly is this Hong Meng Zi Jin?

"Elder!" He Pingsheng took a deep breath and voiced his question: "What is the use of this Hong Meng Zi Jin?"

"Hong Meng Zi Jin!" Zhu Que said: "Precisely, it's an extremely high-grade alchemical material… When it first appeared in the hands of the Yinming Great Emperor, it was just a lump. She spent her entire life shaping it into a staff—originally intending to forge a spear!"

"Alas… the metal's grade was too high—even basic shaping proved impossible!"

"The spear failed, so she shaped it into a staff instead."

"So… do you understand now?"

Zhu Que stared at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng nodded.

Zhu Que continued: "But this material has another trait—it can absorb any high-grade alchemical material in the world to strengthen itself!"

"The staff you see now is the result of absorbing countless heavenly treasures!"

"If you ever encounter a high-grade alchemical material in the future, simply bring it to it—it will fuse automatically!"

Hearing this, He Pingsheng was stunned.

In other words, this staff was still an unfinished treasure.

He wouldn't need to deliberately refine it—just feed it alchemical materials, and it would grow stronger on its own.

"I am about to ascend!" Zhu Que continued: "But one mortal matter remains unresolved!"

"I hope you'll help me."

He looked at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng said: "Elder, please speak."

Zhu Que said: "Among my kin in the Zhu Que Emperor Domain, there is a girl named【Nan Qiqi】—she is my direct descendant, bearing the greatest share of my will and legacy!"

"She has just entered Void Refinement and is our Zhu Que Clan's Sacred Maiden!"

"On the Tianhuo Continent, we hold a【Shi Tai Hui】every so often!"

"The Shi Tai Hui invites every Emperor Domain's prodigies and geniuses to participate—it's a grand gathering!"

"I hope you'll accompany Nan Qiqi there, and lend her aid when it matters most—can you?"

Zhu Que, the Demon Emperor, gazed at He Pingsheng with earnest pleading.

He Pingsheng didn't know what this Shi Tai Hui was, but from Zhu Que's words, it clearly involved contests.

No problem.

"Very well—Your Majesty, rest assured, I shall serve!"

"Good, thank you!" Zhu Que chuckled: "Your consort is waiting for you—go find her. Oh, and if you ever have nowhere to go, you may let her train beside Qiqi—I guarantee her safety!"