Chapter 201 - The Tianlu Cauldron (1/2)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After a moment, the divine light emitting from Little Tanuki’s eyes was withdrawn.
“Little Tanuki, how was it?” Ye Chen saw that Little Tanuki had resumed her usual appearance and questioned her eagerly.
Little Tanuki wore a delighted look. Her eight tails swayed gently as she “squeaked” a few times.
“Big Sister Little Tanuki said that she had already merged with the Illusory Pearl. The Illusory Pearl had stored the consciousness of the tanuki clan’s ancestors. They appointed Big Sister Little Tanuki as the new Chief to lead the entire tanuki clan. Moreover, Big Sister Little Tanuki’s Astral Body will soon reach Heavenly Adept Rank,” Little Wingsy reported joyfully at one side. When he learned that the Illusory Pearl was a treasure that could help Big Sister Little Tanuki, he was jumping with joy too.
“The Chief of the tanuki clan?” Ye Chen was momentarily stunned. “Does that mean the tanuki clan of Emerald Cloud Mountain?” The tanuki clan of Emerald Cloud Mountain had three Heavenly Adepts but other than Little Tanuki’s grandaunt, the rest might not comply with Little Tanuki. Ye Chen and Little Wingsy could not keep pretending to be Daemon Kings too, for their ruse would be up sooner or later. Little Tanuki would only be able to make the tanuki clan of Emerald Cloud Mountain yield to her if her strength had reached the Mystique Adept Rank or higher.
Little Tanuki grinned and shook her head, saying a few more lines.
“Big Sister Little Tanuki said that the tanuki clan of Emerald Cloud Mountain is only one branch of the tanuki clan. The entire Great Eastern Continent has over two hundred branches of the tanuki clan in total. There are several million tanukis in this clan, with tens of thousands of tanukis above the Earthly Adept Rank, and hundreds above the Mystique Adept Rank.”
Ye Chen was bowled over by shock. He did not imagine that the tanuki clan would be so massive. Little Tanuki was now the Chief of all these tanukis? No, with her current capabilities, she was only the Chief in name. Those tanuki Celestial Beasts might not accept her unless she had the power to command such a colossal clan!
Ye Chen would do his best to help Little Tanuki on her cultivation journey but one day, when she had became the Chief of the tanuki clan, would she leave him? After all, that was her true clan whereas Ye Chen was a human. When he thought about this, Ye Chen felt a surge of sorrow in his heart. All good things must come to an end.
“Squeak squeak.” Little Tanuki’s Astral Body had perceived Ye Chen’s emotions and she nuzzled her head against his neck.
Ye Chen held Little Tanuki tenderly. If Little Tanuki were to leave him to lead her clan, Ye Chen would not stop her. After all, everyone had their calling and responsibilities, just like how Ye Chen had the Ye Clan. He would appreciate each day he had with Little Tanuki.
In this world, each being is pulled forward by their mysterious fate. To live freely without constraints, even if one would not blindly follow their fate, one would also not struggle against it pointlessly. This was the philosophy that was closest to the Dao.
Ye Chen had gained a new appreciation of life.
As if sensing the chi flow of his body, the Nine Astra had changed how they revolve. Their abstruse workings seemed to bear a trace of mysterious fate. After they started to revolve in this manner, the Celestial Chi in Ye Chen’s body seemed to gradually transform. Not even Ye Chen himself noticed these changes.
On the main road, the figures of Ye Chen, Little Tanuki, and Little Wingsy drew further away. Between two distant mountains, a round, scarlet sun slowly rose. After a moment, its rays had illuminated the depths of this world. The main road was soon filled with hustle and bustle.
At the Imperial Palace of the Nanman Kingdom, all of the buildings were constructed with massive stone blocks and were dozens of meters high. Each massive stone block was covered in carvings of fierce mystical beasts. Under the direct rays of the sun, they looked incomparably magnificent.
The Imperial Palace sprawled over hundreds of miles like an ancient shrine. A tall tower stood erect at the center. It was a few kilometers tall and soared into the clouds. A staircase without railings spiraled up and around the tower, and there was a platform at the tip of the tower. A sturdy, bare-chested man who wore shorts made from animal hide was sitting cross-legged, breathing in and out World Celestial Chi. His entire body was like a red-hot ember that radiated scorching heat.
Although the man was more than fifty years old, he still looked the same as a thirty-year-old youth. Two long locks of hair danced in the wind. His body muscles were bulging, covered in various sinister scars. Although he was just sitting silently, he exuded a calm, imposing presence.
The man was the Grandruler of Nanman, Tuoba Hongye. According to rumors, he was a Beginner Mystique Venerable One, but in truth, he was already a mid-Mystique Venerable fighter, almost about to become a top Mystique Venerable One. During his reign, the Nanman Kingdom’s territory had grown by three times and he was worshipped by various clans of the Nanman Kingdom as Grandruler Tuoba.
As Grandruler Tuoba stood at the top of the tower, he kept watch with the eyes of a Mystique Venerable Rank powerhouse. All of this was the Nanman Kingdom’s territory! The Nanman Kingdom’s Tuoba Clan had also reached its glorious peak thanks to Tuoba Hongye.
Among the surrounding countries, there was only the Xiwu Empire that was barely hanging on. After Tuoba Hongye had conquered the Xiwu Empire and obtained its resources, his next goal was to bring the Tuoba Clan into the Central Empire. Although the Tuoba Clan would not even be considered a second-rate family in that country that was brimming with combatants, Tuoba Hongye harbored great ambitions.
Just as Tuoba Hongye was breathing in and out, a general wearing dark green armor came onto the platform.