Chapter 832: Chapter 831 Level 4_1
Upon hearing this, Shi Xiaole almost jumped off the rock, his mind spinning for a moment.
Had he heard wrong?
If what the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor had said was true, didn’t it mean that Ling Yujie hadn’t recovered since being poisoned over a thousand years ago?
Then what was the truth behind his own birth?
Who were the couple that Su Yanru knew as Shi Xuanzhong and his wife?
A feeling of terrifying horror swept over Shi Xiaole’s entire body, but he quickly calmed down again because the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor had already said that he inherited half of Shi Xuanzhong’s bloodline, so his identity should be true.
"To save my mother, I must gain the opportunity’s power from Rainbow Island?"
Shi Xiaole murmured.
"That’s what he said. No one knows how long Rainbow Island has existed; every time it absorbs a warrior, its certain power grows stronger. Over countless years, it has accumulated to an extremely terrifying extent! Once someone obtains it, it will be earth-shattering!"
The eyes of the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor gleamed, and his entire being erupted with an overwhelming aura of dominance.
He didn’t reveal some secrets—Rainbow Island had been accumulating power for many years, and based on his senses, it was about to hit a critical eruption. When that happened, it would undoubtedly affect the whole world, and countless trapped heroes would face a great chance to break free from their prisons.
He believed that aside from himself, others were surely waiting, waiting for the curtain of that dazzling new era to rise, to contend for supremacy over the world!
In a weighty silence, it was the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor who recovered first, snorting, "You don’t need to worry, the poison in your father’s body is being cleared by himself, there’s not much left now, and he wouldn’t be able to die even if he wanted to. As for your mother, if even your father can’t be saved, then you might as well give up."
For many years, the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor had not seen anyone more terrifying or more extraordinary than Shi Xuanzhong. It is said that the apple does not fall far from the tree, and Shi Xiaole was indeed impressive, but compared to his father, he was still lacking by a great deal; there was no comparison.
Shi Xiaole could only give a bitter smile.
Just now, the system sent a notification sound that he completed the mission by clarifying the truth behind Shi Xuanzhong’s poisoning, which didn’t require anyone else’s solution, so it counted as a task completed.
This was probably the most reluctant mission he had ever completed.
It wasn’t a problem with Shi Xiaole’s abilities; it was just that the task itself exceeded Shi Xiaole’s current capabilities.
Nevertheless, he quickly collected himself. Since Shi Xuanzhong was in the fourth barrier, he would make his attempt. This time, he had to meet him and find out who he truly was!
"Hey, your father once saved my life, so I’m giving you something."
The Thousand Dark Poison Emperor suddenly handed over a porcelain bottle, instructing Shi Xiaole never to open it unless it was a matter of life and death.
"This is one of the three ancient ultimate poisons, ’Longing to Dissolve.’ Once it touches the opponent, as long as they harbor any killing intent toward you, they will dissolve into water; even ordinary Martial Emperors of the Void Origin Realm wouldn’t dare to try it."
With Shi Xuanzhong’s help in the past, he gathered a hint of the three great poisons—’Accompany You to Hell,’ ’Longing to Dissolve,’ and ’Chase You to the Ends of the Earth.’ It was only later when he was tracing the origin of these ultimate poisons that he accidentally stumbled into Rainbow Island. Now, he considered it returning the favor.
Taking the porcelain bottle and hesitating for a long while, Shi Xiaole then mentioned the matter about Ling Jingsi. As expected, the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor’s face changed, cursing that his Junior Brother had been used by others.
According to him, the Emotionless Whip Emperor and the others harbored ulterior motives, likely fearing Shi Xuanzhong’s retaliation, so they colluded with the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor, imprisoning Ling Jingsi as a hostage.
This also explained why they didn’t dare to truly harm Ling Jingsi.
"If you make it out, give this charm to my Junior Brother, and he will understand everything."
The Thousand Dark Poison Emperor handed Shi Xiaole a peach wood charm made of some unknown material that seemed almost intangible upon touch.
Looking at Shi Xiaole one last time, the Thousand Dark Poison Emperor disappeared into the night. Shi Xiaole also returned to his quarters; tonight’s information was simply too immense, he needed to digest it well.
...
Learning that Shi Xiaole, Zhang Xiangfeng, and Zhong Lingsui were about to head to the fourth barrier, Li Xinghe and the others were naturally envious. For prodigies, the unknown and danger were never something to fear—the opportunity alone was worth all the risks.
Yu Yourong was desperately absorbing the totemic power within the tribe, pleading with Shi Xiaole to wait for her. He had no choice but to agree, to wait another three days.
The sun set in the west, beneath the yellow flowered trees.
A lone figure stood.
"What are you thinking about?"
Shi Xiaole approached.
Xu Nianxue was visibly startled and even a bit incoherent, this being the first time Shi Xiaole had proactively come close to her. It took her a moment to say, "Watching the sunset. I’m afraid I won’t be able to see it for much longer." Though the latter half remained in her heart.
Her destiny, was it not like these drifting yellow flowers, moved by the wind, inevitably falling into the abyss? With these thoughts, Xu Nianxue became increasingly saddened.
"You’ve changed a lot from before."
"People always change."
"Let’s make a bet. If I can save your life, you agree to one condition from me."
Xu Nianxue suddenly turned to stare blankly at him. "Did Senior Sister tell you?"
Shi Xiaole had only recently found out that the Xu Family had been annihilated by a group of mysterious people years ago; at the time, Xu Nianxue and Wang Zuying were traveling, which is how they narrowly escaped disaster.
Since then, to seek vengeance, the two women wandered the Martial World, facing peril after peril until they encountered a certain odd person. He promised to enhance their talents in exchange for their lifespan.
The two women agreed, and their martial arts grew ever more powerful, creating quite a reputation for themselves in the Martial World, yet they could never find the Chou Family. In utter despair, with their lives soon to end, they joined hands and entered Rainbow Island, which led to the subsequent events.
Compared to the current self-pitying Xu Nianxue, Shi Xiaole would rather see her, the stubborn, willful, and innocently joyful girl she once was.
As for the events of the past, they were but a fleeting cloud; he had long since forgotten them.
"It’s no use, even if you possess vast magical powers, even if you are the most talented genius in the world, it’s impossible..."
Before she could finish speaking, Shi Xiaole’s hand rested on her shoulder, this unprecedented intimate touch actually brought a flush of red to Xu Nianxue’s pretty face.
In the distance, the setting sun gently hidden behind the clouds, the yellow flowers continued to fall, but in Xu Nianxue’s eyes, there was only the gentle, jade-like, green-robed youth. He was blissfully unaware that this moment had etched itself into eternity, becoming a memory she would struggle to forget for the rest of her life.
"I’ll hold on to your condition for now."
Shi Xiaole left.
He took with him the sword that had been hanging over Xu Nianxue’s head, and also, a thread of deep affection from the woman which, once suppressed, could no longer be controlled.
"Shi Xiaole, I really hate you."
Two streams of hot tears stained Xu Nianxue’s cheeks.
Through the path of life and death martial arts, Shi Xiaole absorbed the death energy from Wang Zuying and Xu Nianxue, which should enable the two women to live for several more decades, but their future remained uncertain.
After all, the path of life and death martial arts was only two-tenths complete and could not truly turn death into life. At this stage, that was all Shi Xiaole could do.
Several days later, with the help of the power of the totem, Yu Yourong finally broke through her own limits and became a six-layer master of the Divine Barrier Realm. That day, Shi Xiaole and the other three tore through the sky and entered the fourth barrier.
...
This was an ancient city wall, the bricks and stones mottled, its surface covered with green moss. The bluestone road within the city was uneven, and after a heavy rain, it was filled with puddles.
"Rainbow Island, whose handiwork is this?"
At a window seat on the second floor of an inn, Shi Xiaole drank a sip of wine.
Not unexpectedly, he had separated from Yu Yourong, Zhang Xiangfeng, and Zhong Lingsui.
And based on the investigations of the past few days, this space was known as Rainbow State, not much different from the outside world, but its area was many times larger than that of Tian State, and the environment was extremely harsh. Beyond the cities, there were countless dangerous places difficult for even Dragon Gate Realm warriors to survive alone.
Where there are people, there is a Martial World.
Rainbow State also had countless Martial World factions, with four at the top: Floating Blood Palace, Ghost King Ruins, Illusion Orchid Tower, and Four Directions City.
The Floating Blood Palace was inhabited by a group of monsters who were said to live on human blood, and the more vigorous the blood’s essence, the greater the benefit for them.
Shi Xiaole almost immediately thought of the Yellow-haired Monster and the Undying Alliance.
Ghost King Ruins were the holy land for Devil Path experts. When night fell, it was their time to commit evil deeds. Moreover, in the dark, their strength could increase exponentially, and over time, the night itself became a taboo for other martial artists.
The master of Illusion Orchid Tower, known as the number one beauty of this space, would make people lose their souls and forget propriety at the sight of her. Not only was she incredibly powerful, but she also used her beauty and charm to recruit a large number of experts to serve her, making even the Floating Blood Palace and Ghost King Ruins wary of her.
As for Four Directions City, it was the most mysterious.
This was because its City Lord had arrived here two years ago. Most astonishingly, just half a month ago, he received recognition from the old man of Wuyuan, becoming the master of the fourth Divine Fire Order.
The old man of Wuyuan was the supreme ruler of Rainbow State, and the Divine Fire Orders were tokens he bestowed to the most outstanding individuals to manage the Martial World on his behalf.
The masters of the four major powers each held a Divine Fire Order, but the City Lord of Four Directions City was undoubtedly the fastest to obtain one, taking far less time than the master of Illusion Orchid Tower.
Thus, despite the recent rise of Four Directions City, its momentum had surpassed the other three major powers.
"Time flies so fast, the master of the fifth Divine Fire Order will soon appear in the world."
"Impossible, isn’t it well known that one must be a top-level Void Origin Realm Martial Emperor to gain recognition from the old man of Wuyuan, and such people aren’t common as cabbages."
"How did you forget, Wuyuan Palace opens every three hundred years, and the next opening is just two years away. Whoever stands out and surpasses all then will be the fifth master of the Divine Fire Order. Didn’t the master of Floating Blood Palace ascend this way? And this time it’s different, they say that with the appearance of the five Divine Fire Orders, the greatest opportunity of Rainbow Island will be revealed, and everyone will have the chance to leave this place!"
The voices in the tavern were fervent, clearly stimulated by this news.
Many people were discussing who had the opportunity to achieve supreme glory in two years, and what Shi Xiaole heard most about were the so-called three giants.
After finishing his drink and placing a ingot of silver on the table, Shi Xiaole stood up and went downstairs.
With its numerous factions, Rainbow State also needed to recruit experts, and they even had designated recruitment locations.
Shi Xiaole’s first thought was to join Four Directions City. However, a terrifying premonition suddenly arose in his mind.
For some reason, an inner voice told him that he must not join Four Directions City or great disaster would befall him!
The feeling was so intense and real that, after taking several deep breaths and standing silently, Shi Xiaole ultimately changed his direction.
Recalling the discussions in the tavern and what Shi Xuanzhong had said, that he must obtain the opportunity of Rainbow Island to awaken Ling Yujie, Shi Xiaole decisively entered another hall.
This was the recruitment venue for the Ten Sword Sect. Although not as powerful as the four major forces, it was also a notable sect. New to the place, Shi Xiaole felt that joining an organization was more convenient.
