King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Between Misfortune and Good Fortune

"A gift?"

As she gazed at the hairpin the young man offered, Ning Xueyao felt a strange mix of emotions.

She remembered a time when her birthdays meant mountains of gifts and compliments from countless insincere faces, filling her with disgust.

Five years ago, she had sought refuge in this small place, experiencing the world’s sorrows and helplessness as she fell from paradise into the mortal realm.

For the first two years, a towering man had sheltered her.

Three years ago, that man left and never returned.

But for these five years, a tender youth had been by her side day and night. They had relied on each other in their loneliness, crying and laughing together. Their days were simple and poor, yet peaceful and fulfilling.

And now,

the tender youth from her memories was gradually growing tall and straight.

As this confident, bold young man sincerely offered her the hairpin, her first reaction was a long-absent flicker of pleasant surprise and warmth.

Suddenly,

Luo Tian seized Ning Xueyao’s slender, jade-like hand and placed the hairpin in her palm.

The action was a bit forceful and crude.

"Hmph! You’ve become such a rogue, now you’re even bullying Xueyao."

Ning Xueyao’s pretty face flushed red. With a hint of playful anger, she pulled her hand from Luo Tian’s grasp.

She spun around hastily, her translucent, jade-like earlobes blushing a tempting, vivid red that was utterly alluring.

’Is she angry?’

Luo Tian was stunned for a moment. ’But Xueyao accepted my gift. She didn’t explicitly refuse it.’

’As long as she didn’t refuse, there’s still hope.’

Luo Tian’s heart settled with determination.

As Luo Tian returned to his room, he suddenly heard the sound of an argument.

After advancing to the Third Layer of Meridian Opening, his Spiritual Sense could now cover a thirty-meter radius.

"Haofei! You need to cut ties with that Luo Tian as soon as possible. The Chen Family cannot afford to create a rift with Liu Ziyan because of him."

The Chen Family Patriarch’s voice was stern.

"Father, how can you be so pragmatic? Luo Tian is my savior!"

Chen Haofei retorted.

"Hmph! Liu Ziyan possesses an Earth Tier Martial Vein. In the future, she is certain to advance to the Spirit Sea Realm and may even have a chance to reach the Earth Element Realm, becoming an Earth Tier Martial Artist."

"Do you have any idea how terrifying the Earth Element Realm is? An expert at that level could annihilate our Chen Family with a flick of a finger! Even the Sovereign of Azure Cloud Country would have to treat them with respect."

The Chen Family Patriarch’s tone was forceful and left no room for argument.

Let alone the Earth Element Realm, the Chen Family couldn’t even afford to easily offend an expert of the Spirit Sea Realm.

It turned out that Chen Haofei’s father had just learned of the grudge between Luo Tian and Liu Ziyan and was now forcing his son to sever ties with him.

Hearing their argument, Luo Tian sighed internally.

’In this world, strength is ultimately what earns respect. The strong are praised and flattered by countless people, while the weak are more often cast aside.’

An urgent desire for power grew in Luo Tian’s heart.

Power!

’I must become a true expert of Martial Arts, maybe even reach its very peak.’

’If I’m not strong enough, how could I ever hope to marry Ning Xueyao?’

Luo Tian had a feeling that Ning Xueyao’s identity and family background were anything but simple, far surpassing even the great Noble Families of the County City.

「The next day.」

Luo Tian took the initiative to bid farewell to Chen Haofei.

He didn’t want to make things difficult for Chen Haofei or harm the relationship between him and his father.

"Luo Tian, why are you leaving? Did my father say something to you?"

Chen Haofei’s expression changed drastically.

He truly considered Luo Tian a friend.

For Luo Tian’s sake, Chen Haofei had even cut ties with his friend of many years, Lin Yun.

"Don’t worry, Brother Chen. We have plenty of time in the future. I’ve always considered you a friend as well."

"We will meet again at the Holy Mansion!"

Luo Tian smiled faintly and left with Ning Xueyao.

’Meet again at the Holy Mansion?’

Chen Haofei was shaken, but then his face filled with joyful anticipation.

Ever since they had met, Luo Tian had given him one surprise after another, even creating a miracle at the Wu Mansion assessment.

Perhaps he could bring yet another surprise next time.

...

「One hour later.」

Luo Tian arrived at the largest inn in the County City and rented two superior-grade rooms.

As he left the Chen Family, Luo Tian clearly felt several probing gazes filled with killing intent.

However, since it was broad daylight and they were in the center of the County City, these people were still hesitant to act.

’This inn is close to the City Lord’s Mansion and the Wu Mansion. It has an official background, so those people should be more cautious.’

Luo Tian thought to himself.

A superior room at this inn cost several hundred Gold per night, so it was naturally safer.

「That night.」

Luo Tian sat cross-legged in his room and began his Cultivation.

Previously, he had opened his third Qi Vein to its limit, and his Cultivation had reached the Third Layer Peak.

The Peak of Meridian Opening Third Stage was only a hair’s breadth away from the Fourth Layer.

It seemed simple, but there was actually an insurmountable chasm between the two.

The Meridian Opening Realm has Ninth Layer Realms, with a major threshold every three layers.

This threshold at the Fourth Layer was very difficult to break through.

「Four or five days later.」

The three Qi Veins inside Luo Tian’s body had grown to their absolute limit, but it was incredibly difficult to improve them any further.

As a Divine Vein Master, his Qi Veins were many times thicker than an ordinary person’s, and the difficulty of breaking through was correspondingly higher.

’Thankfully, I have that Qi Refining Pill from Liu Ziyan.’

A smile appeared on Luo Tian’s face.

This Middle Grade Qi Refining Pill could refine True Qi and improve its quality. It was even effective for those at the Fifth and Sixth Layers of Meridian Opening.

With the help of this pill, he was certain he would have no problem breaking through to the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm.

Luo Tian consumed the Qi Refining Pill.

Soon, a strange, clear stream spread through his body.

Unlike other Elixir Pills that boosted Cultivation, the Medicinal Power of a Qi Refining Pill wasn’t so violent.

"Hiss! What’s going on..."

Luo Tian grunted as a sinister, corrosive, and icy power surged from within him, suddenly erupting like a tempest.

’Not good!’

’This Qi Refining Pill... there’s something wrong with it!’

Luo Tian didn’t know that Liu Ziyan had tampered with this pill, lacing it with the "Six Yin Snake Poison."

He had asked Chen Haofei to inspect it at the time, but Chen Haofei was not an experienced Alchemist and naturally couldn’t detect the problem with the pill.

In an instant,

the terrifying, corrosive poison erupted within his body.

A layer of purplish-black spread across Luo Tian’s face and body.

’Why?! I cultivate the Celestial Destiny Creation Technique! Shouldn’t I be able to sense fortune and misfortune?’

Luo Tian roared in his mind.

That Liu Ziyan was simply too insidious!

’This pill was supposedly "reserved" for Qi Hong, so why is it poisoned?’

Logically, his Creation Technique, which involved Cultivating the Divine Soul and Destiny, should have given him a sense of danger before he consumed the pill.

’Am I... going to die?’

Just as Luo Tian sank into peril, his heart filled with bitter resentment.

HMM!

The Ancient Nether Dragon-like Divine Vein in his body trembled with excitement, erupting with a frigid, icy aura.

WHOOSH!

A cold suction force rapidly began to draw out the potent poison from Luo Tian’s body.

Faintly,

Luo Tian could feel his Divine Vein’s excitement, as if it was overjoyed and yearned for this poison.

HSSS~

Within a few breaths, most of the potent Six Yin Snake Poison had been absorbed by the Nether Dragon Divine Vein.

How could mere snake venom possibly harm a true Celestial Dragon?

Moreover, the Nether Dragon was a dragon of the incredibly special Yin Netherworld Attribute.

"Haha! So that’s how it is!"

Luo Tian suddenly burst out laughing, understanding why he hadn’t felt any sense of crisis.

Because...

this wasn’t a bad omen at all... it was a good one!

After absorbing the potent poison, the Incomplete Nether Dragon Divine Vein seemed to become more vigorous, its power more abundant.

In less than a moment,

all the poison in his body was absorbed by the Divine Vein.

The Nether Dragon Divine Vein possessed the Yin Netherworld Attribute, making the power of the Six Yin Snake Poison the equivalent of nutrients delivered right to its doorstep.

Not only had Luo Tian neutralized the poison, but the phantom-blue scales on the surface of the Dragon-shaped Divine Vein in his body had also become a few shades clearer and brighter.

CRACK!

Luo Tian gently reached out and pressed his hand on the table before him, not using any force.

Instantly,

a layer of frost spread across the entire surface of the table, and the Cold Power eroded a Palm Seal into the tabletop.

Keep in mind, Luo Tian hadn’t used any force or even circulated his True Qi; he had relied solely on the innate Cold Power of his Divine Vein.

KACHA!

A few breaths later, the entire table shattered, turning into a pile of ice shards.

’The Divine Vein’s Cold Power has grown stronger, and its corrosive force is greater!’

A look of delight appeared on Luo Tian’s face.

According to the Celestial Book’s description, the Nether Dragon Divine Vein in his body was an Incomplete Divine Vein.

With Luo Tian’s current perspective, the power of a truly complete Divine Vein was impossible to fathom.

He had no idea what kind of potent poison Liu Ziyan had mixed into the Qi Refining Pill to be able to enhance the power of his Divine Vein.

At the thought of Liu Ziyan, Luo Tian’s expression darkened. ’That Liu Ziyan, what a venomous scheme!’

He, Luo Tian, had never once provoked this woman.

Just because he had once refused a marriage proposal, Liu Ziyan had held a grudge and retaliated with all sorts of vile methods.

At Cyan Peak Academy, when Luo Tian was reduced to a Veinless and at the lowest point in his life, Liu Ziyan had even instructed the disciples of the Liu Clan to suppress and humiliate him in various ways.

Now that he was in the County City, he had been subjected to her repeated schemes.

If it had been an ordinary person, they would have been tricked and killed by Liu Ziyan countless times over.

’Liu Ziyan, you’ve gone too far! One day, I will settle this score...’

A cold glint flashed in Luo Tian’s eyes.

Furthermore, he would have to investigate the origin of the poison Liu Ziyan had used!