Nightmare Immortal Era

Chapter 41: Purple Cloud Palace

Fang Zhuo slowed down and, accompanied by a flash of red light from the jade pendant at his waist, passed through an invisible restriction.

Carefully avoiding the various peaks and the cranes between them, even with his cultivation at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, Fang Zhuo had to dodge the Physical Body Realm cranes. Occasionally, when a sword light flew by, he had to stand still and pay his respects.

After walking and stopping for an hour and a half, he finally arrived in front of a mountain peak that resembled clouds and had a purple-gold color all over.

"Senior Brother Fang?" A boy on the mountain peak saw Fang Zhuo and waved, asking, "Didn't you become the dean of the Immortal Ascension Academy? Why do you have time to come back?"

Seeing the boy's lively eyes and nimble speech, a glint flashed in Fang Zhuo's eyes, and he smiled, "I have something to discuss with Young Master Ming. Is he on the mountain?"

"He is!" The boy nodded. "I'll go inform him!"

"Good!" Fang Zhuo nodded and saw the boy do a somersault in place, transforming into a white crane and flying towards the mountaintop.

Before long, the white crane returned, not transforming back into a boy, but directly shouting, "Senior Brother Fang, come up. Young Master is here."

"Thank you!" Fang Zhuo carefully sat on the crane and, within a few minutes, arrived at the mountaintop with the crane.

There was a palace located here, still predominantly purple-gold in color. The palace was built against the mountain, perfectly integrated with the peaks. There was a plaque at the entrance of the palace with three large characters written in dragon script: "Purple Cloud Palace."

Fang Zhuo got off the crane and stood at the entrance of the palace, about to call out, but the palace door opened by itself, and a clear voice came from inside, "Just come in directly, no need to be so formal!"

"Yes!" Fang Zhuo quickly nodded and then took small steps into the palace. Inside the spacious hall, a purple-haired teenager who looked only sixteen or seventeen years old was sitting on the ground. There was a table in front of him, and a fire was burning under the table, as if he was cooking something.

For a moment, Fang Zhuo felt a pang of sourness. We're clearly the same age, but one looks like they're in their forties, and the other looks underage.

But this hint of sourness quickly dissipated.

"You're in luck. I just got a new precious jade black chicken. It's said that the soup made from it has the best effect. You can taste it!" The teenager seemed to be well aware of Fang Zhuo's change in mood but didn't mind.

"The Jade Black Chicken, ranked thirteenth among the eighteen delicacies. It's said that it takes three days and three nights to stew before it can be consumed. This should be just the beginning. It seems I won't have the fortune to enjoy it." Fang Zhuo shook his head.

"Why are you being so polite as the dean?" The teenager smiled and said, "If you don't want to drink it, then don't. I'm not willing to give it to you anyway. So, tell me, how come you suddenly came back when you were doing well as the dean?"

Fang Zhuo didn't answer but took out a bow and handed it to the teenager.

"Hmm?" The teenager took it and examined it, then casually pulled it, saying, "Not bad. With this mechanism to share the force, it can exert four times the effect. Did you make this?"

"It's not me!" Fang Zhuo said helplessly, "It's a new student at the Immortal Ascension Academy named Yang Ning. It's said that he is extremely passionate about crafting and hasn't cultivated for two months since entering the academy. He's either studying or refining tools. It's said that he improved the plow used for farming when he was two years old and is a famous child prodigy."

"Well, not bad. Then invest in him in my name!" The teenager searched in his pocket and took out a porcelain bottle, handing it over. "Being passionate about refining tools will delay cultivation. Give this to him."

"No!" Fang Zhuo said speechlessly, "It's like this. The ship he was on during the Foundation Building process was intercepted by Lin Tianheng. Maybe something happened, but later, Lin Tianheng asked me to kill the people on that ship!"

"Is that so?" The teenager was taken aback, his face suddenly turning cold. Then he shook his head and took back the pill. "That's a pity. Lin Tianheng is currently in the limelight!"

"Didn't your Purple Cloud Golden Cauldron Qi already reach completion?" Fang Zhuo asked.

"It's only in its early stages, while his Cataclysmic Origin Step has already reached completion!" The teenager said irritably, "And there's a difference of one realm!"

"But Lin Tianheng is over a hundred years old, while you're only forty. You'll soon catch up!" Fang Zhuo hurriedly said.

The teenager nodded, "That's what I think too, but it's not possible now. I have to endure for a while. As for this Yang Ning, forget about him. But I will tell my friends about this matter. A Gold Core cultivator like Lin Tianheng shouldn't be at odds with a group of elementary school students. I want everyone to despise him together!"

"E" Fang Zhuo's mouth twitched, and he asked again, "Is there really no other way?"

"You value Yang Ning a lot?" the young man asked in return.

Fang Zhuo nodded and sighed, "It just feels like such a pity!"

The young man propped his chin up, stuffing a piece of charcoal into the fire as he asked, "You rarely ask for my help, so it doesn't feel right to just leave it at that. So, tell me, did Lin Tianheng ask you to kill someone face-to-face? Where did he say it?"

"It wasn't face-to-face, and he didn't come in person!" Fang Zhuo hurriedly explained, "It was his maid, Wang Yi, who came and asked me to send those people into the Fixed Monster Valley!"

"Oh?" The young man was taken aback. "What did she say?"

Fang Zhuo quickly recreated the scene at that time.

"If you put it that way, he didn't intend for those people to die!" the young man said.

"In the Fixed Monster Valley, there are plenty of fierce beasts in the Fourth and Fifth Layers. Putting them in there would be sending them to their deaths, wouldn't it?" Fang Zhuo asked.

"So, Lin Tianheng did have the intention to kill those people, but since he sent Wang Yi to speak instead of saying it himself, it shows that he still has some face! We can use this to our advantage!" the young man said.

Fang Zhuo blinked. "How do we use it?"

"It's simple. When the time comes, I'll call on Lin Tianheng and bring a few more friends to go and see!" the young man smiled. "As long as Yang Ning comes out of the Fixed Monster Valley alive, we can mock him a bit, and he won't be able to kill anyone anymore!"

"But how can he possibly come out of the Fixed Monster Valley alive?" Fang Zhuo asked. "He's only at the Second Layer of the Physical Body Realm!"

"He invented the pulley bow, which allows him to fight beyond his level. How do you know he only invented one bow?" the young man laughed. "Perhaps there are others?"

"Inventions don't come easy. How can they be made so casually?" Fang Zhuo said. "Is it really possible to create a weapon that can allow the Second Layer of the Physical Body Realm to defeat the Fifth Layer of fierce beasts?"

"Where there's a will, there's a way. You can only pray that he can make it!" the young man shrugged. "After all, even I can't directly refute him!"

"I understand!" Fang Zhuo nodded. "I'll go back and let Yang Ning prepare."

"You shouldn't do anything unnecessary!" the young man said softly.

Fang Zhuo was taken aback, and the next second, cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

Yes, why would I dare to remind him?

If he manages to come out alive, it's because he's lucky. But if I intervene, then I'll be going against Lin Tianheng!

"I understand!" This time, I truly understand.

"Good that you understand. Want some chicken soup?" the young man asked.

"Yes!" Since there was no rush to go back, he might as well taste the Eighteen Delicacies!

"That's the spirit!" the young man laughed. "In this world, one must not neglect cultivation and good food! Oh, and this bottle of medicine, if Yang Ning really comes out alive, secretly give it to him!"

"Okay!" Fang Zhuo took the bottle of medicine, opened it and glanced at it, then frowned, "Is this the Golden Tripod Pill? I've never had it before!"

"This is made from cultivating the Purple Cloud Golden Cauldron Qi. There are plenty of them!" the young man shrugged. "If you want it, take a gourd with you when you leave!"

Fang Zhuo was speechless. Why would I bring so many pills from the Physical Body Realm? Besides, it's not even sweet!

(End of this chapter)