Chapter 165 Customs of the Phoenix Dance Kingdom

"I don't know whether you take me for an idiot, or if you are simply playing the fool yourself." Disbelief was written all over Pudong's face as he sneered, "Even if you are a disciple of Harman at the Azure Cloud Academy, and even if this Dragon Soul Pill you speak of actually exists, with your current abilities, I'm afraid you lack the capacity to refine a nine-star grade medicinal pill. Or perhaps you expect me to wait until you reach the nine-star realm before I consume the Blood Coral Worm?"

"..."

The expression on Xu Wen's face froze as he realized he had overlooked this crucial aspect. When he was captured by Pudong, his cultivation realm had barely reached the peak of the sixth star. No matter how formidable a prodigy one might be, it was impossible to master the refinement methods of nine-star pills while still at the sixth star. Even with the method in hand, a pill of this tier could not possibly be handled by a seventh-star apothecary—let alone one who had never refined a nine-star medicinal pill in his life.

No wonder Pudong refused to believe him!

"Believe it or not, as you wish."

Xu Wen waved his hand, unwilling to offer any further explanation.

Since that was the case, he would simply refine some Restoration Pills for Pudong on a regular schedule and in prescribed amounts, while taking the opportunity to contemplate a way to escape.

If the Blood Coral Worm were consumed directly, its medicinal potency would be overwhelmingly fierce, requiring one's full strength to guide and disperse it. He refused to believe that Pudong could keep him imprisoned for a lifetime.

"My Lord!"

A knock echoed from outside the door, bringing their conversation to a timely halt.

"Come in."

Pudong spoke.

The person entering from outside was none other than Old Yangtou, the owner of this fishing boat. Behind him followed a toddler who looked as though he had been meticulously carved out of porcelain. The child's eyes were wide open, darting around the room upon entry as if searching for something.

"My Lord, these are fruits from our Fengwu Kingdom, along with some refreshments. They were just prepared; please sample them, My Lord." Old Yangtou presented several food boxes.

At his words, both Xu Wen and Pudong suddenly realized they were somewhat hungry.

They had not eaten well during the past few days at sea, and Old Yangtou's prepared dishes possessed a rather exotic flair that looked quite appetizing, instantly stirring their appetites.

"Very well, put them down."

Pudong replied with arrogant detachment. Xu Wen, on the other hand, gave a silent, speechless shake of his head; in the eyes of the Dark Empire's upper echelons, the tributes of commoners seemed nothing more than a matter of course.

After a moment of silent contemplation, he retrieved a porcelain bottle from his storage ring and beckoned the little boy, who was wearing a look of disappointment, over to his side.

"What is your name?"

"Tienuo!"

The child's voice was exceptionally crisp. Old Yangtou looked on with affectionate fondness as his grandson was gathered into Xu Wen's arms, his eyes crinkling into fine slits with a smile. Naturally, he recognized that it was this kind-hearted youth who had previously reined in the violent gales stirred up by the Black Wind Condor.

"As unyielding as iron, true to one's promise like a vow—a fine name," Xu Wen praised, gently tickling the child's tender, rosy cheeks as he asked, "What kind of man does Tienuo want to be when he grows up?"

A faint shimmer welled up in Tienuo's large eyes as he brandished his little fist, "Tienuo, Tienuo wants to be just like Grandpa, go out to sea, and be a powerful man."

While feeling deeply gratified in his heart, Old Yangtou could not help but feel a sudden flush of shame... A powerful man.

In his grandson's eyes, he was a mighty man, but in the presence of these two cultivators before him, he was existence as insignificant as an ant.

"Very well then."

Ignoring Pudong's indifferent and disdainful expression, Xu Wen smilingly pressed the porcelain bottle into the toddler's tender little palm, gazing into his clear, slightly curious eyes.

"This medicine has the effect of strengthening your tendons and bones. Take one pill every month, and grow up quickly into a strong man just like your grandfather, alright?"

"You certainly are generous." Only after seeing Xu Wen hand the medicine bottle to the little boy did Pudong display a hint of surprise accompanied by a cold chuckle. Casually picking up a piece of food and laying down his chopsticks, he remarked, "Trading a single meal for a bottle of six-star 'Bone-Strengthening and Marrow-Solidifying Pills'—this brat might very well turn out to be the strongest fisherman in the entire Fengwu Kingdom in the future."

Spoken without a trace of worldly agitation, those few words caused Old Yangtou's eyelids to twitch violently. Thudding to his knees on the floor, he kowtowed and offered profuse expressions of gratitude.

Although he had lived for many years without ever hearing the name 'Bone-Strengthening and Marrow-Solidifying Pill', he was well aware of the value of a six-star medicinal pill. That was something a fisherman's family could never hope to touch even after toiling away for an entire lifetime.

"If you want to thank someone, thank him. I'm merely borrowing flowers to present to Buddha."

Pudong let out a cold snort and turned his head away, completely ignoring Old Yangtou's words of gratitude.

Xu Wen bade Old Yangtou rise, affectionately ruffled the child's endearing cheeks once more, and instructed Old Yangtou to take everyone and leave.

"Notify us once we've made port."

"Yes!" The latter replied with a face full of excitement, offering a thousand thanks before closing the door and withdrawing.

Pudong suddenly erected an invisible barrier within the room to prevent any sound from escaping outward, then turned his gaze toward Xu Wen, "Aside from the 'Restoration Pill' and the Breath-Hiding Pill, what other medicines can you refine?"

"Aren't you only interested in the Restoration Pill? Why the sudden inquiry?" Xu Wen asked with a smile, knowing full well that Pudong would eventually turn his attention to this matter.

Pudong picked up the wine flagon before him, poured himself a small cup, took a sip, and replied, "I was simply struck by a sudden curiosity. How is it that you, a sixth-star fire mage, happen to be well-versed in so many apothecary arts? Moreover, every single one of these refinement methods is immensely useful?"

"If one doesn't study useful arts, is one supposed to study apothecary techniques that no one needs?" Xu Wen retorted, before diving voraciously into his meal to appease his rumbling stomach, leaving Pudong stranded in awkward silence and deeply frustrated.

Pudong did not touch much of the food, wearing a perpetually preoccupied expression. By the time Xu Wen had eaten and drank his fill, Pudong suddenly tossed out another remark:

"Xu Wen, seeing as you have no way to establish a foothold anywhere outside the Dark Empire anyway, why not simply become my disciple? Once you ascend to the nine-star realm in the future, I can assist you in eradicating the wandering soul."

"Become your disciple?" Xu Wen gave a light, mocking chuckle and shook his head, "And then allow you to place a spell seal upon my body, leaving me to obey your every command for the rest of my life and live beneath your shadow?" That was clearly something he could never bring himself to do.

Pudong seemed to have anticipated this response from Xu Wen. His expression remained unchanged as he unhurriedly offered an explanation: "What's wrong with that? As long as you do not betray me, you can still live unfettered and brilliantly within the Dark Empire. It holds no disadvantages for your cultivation, and with my assistance in the future, the probability of eradicating the wandering soul will increase manifold."

"The matter of the wandering soul does not warrant Your Excellency's concern."

In a flat tone, Xu Wen rejected Pudong's invitation to become his disciple. Armed with the Restoration Pill as his protective talisman, he genuinely did not need to hold too much apprehension toward Pudong.

"What if I were to marry both of my female disciples to you... Will you not reconsider? They are both prime cultivation cauldrons—one excels in spiritual manipulation, while the other specializes in assassination. Their innate talents are also one-in-a-million top-tier masterpieces, and their looks are beyond question... By the time you advance to the nine-star realm in the future, their cultivation levels will surely be no lower than the mid-stage of the eighth star. If I bestow them both upon you, you will be enjoying a harmonious blessing that even the greatest powerhouses in this world cannot hope to access."

Locking his eyes onto Xu Wen, Pudong increased the stakes once more.

"Am I really that foolish? To find myself a pair of spies to monitor my every move?" Xu Wen responded to Pudong's enticement with a cold laugh, adding, "If you insist on me becoming your disciple, it isn't entirely out of the question. Aside from the conditions mentioned above, hand over your Blood Coral Worms and those few corpses of nine-star powerhouses to me as well, and I might actually consider it."

"..."

Flaring with anger, Pudong's face darkened gloomily, and he immediately fell silent.

The Blood Coral Worms were only two in number, serving as his greatest reliance for advancing to the high tier of the nine-star realm—after all, having already used a forbidden art to undergo demonization, ordinary cultivation methods could no longer elevate his cultivation by even a fraction. He had to rely entirely on such defying treasures of heaven and earth to forcibly boost his power.

For Xu Wen to demand all the treasures he had painstakingly seized in one fell swoop was something he naturally could not agree to.

The small cabin fell into a heavy silence.

It was not until the hull of the ship vibrated slightly, accompanied by the sounds of arriving at port and Old Yangtou's calls from outside, that Pudong finally dispelled the barrier, and the two walked out of the fishing vessel.

***

Jingwan Port.

Though merely an ordinary harbor in the Fengwu Kingdom according to Old Yangtou, it appeared exceedingly bustling and lively. Thousands of large and small vessels were moored nearby; outside, voices hummed with deafening clamor, and numerous mercenaries carrying sabers and bows traversed the various docks of the port.

"Hey! Old Yang, back so early? Any catches?"

From some distance away, a dark-skinned old man grinned and shouted toward them.

Old Yangtou walked over and exchanged a few words, prompting the latter to cast a few surprised glances in their direction, shake his head with a sigh, and approach other fishing boats to inquire if there were any seafood acquisitions available.

"My Lords, our fishing village is not far from here. Would you like to come and rest at our village for a bit?"

Beaming with smiles, Old Yangtou turned back to ask, appearing immensely warm and respectful.

"No need."

Xu Wen, however, had no wish to bring trouble upon these simple-hearted fishermen. Waving his hand, he said, "We'll head into the city to procure some supplies and then leave. You all attend to your own business. Right, take these things as our boat fare."

"This..."

Old Yangtou was filled with awe and trepidation, hurriedly trying to decline.

"Take it." Xu Wen's tone brooked no refusal, whereupon Old Yangtou accepted it with expressions of gratitude.

Seeing this, Pudong let out a faint, cold hum, transmitting his voice: "Finding a quiet place to stay in the fishing village would actually be quite nice. Rest assured, although I am a man of the Dark Empire, I do not enjoy slaughtering the innocent indiscriminately, nor are all non-natives of the Dark Empire mere executioners."

"You're overthinking it."

Xu Wen replied without turning his head, "We must enter the city to purchase medicinal ingredients. Or perhaps you trust me enough to let me enter the city alone?"

The latter instantly fell silent.

"In a small city like this, there is no one present who could pose a threat to an elder of your standing. You surely aren't afraid of staying within the city, are you?"

"..."

Pudong glared angrily at Xu Wen and dropped the matter of lodging in the fishing village altogether.

Thus, the group of four left the dock under the watchful eyes of Old Yangtou and the others, walking straight into the inner city of Jingwan Port without a moment's pause... The interior of Jingwan Port appeared exceedingly prosperous, teeming with crowds and carriages.

Because it bordered the Azure Cloud Empire and the Blood-Stained Alliance, there was also a considerable number of mercenaries on the streets.

In Xu Wen's impression, this country's landmass was less than one-tenth that of the Azure Cloud Empire, but its martial culture was robust. Not only was it a major producer of weapons and equipment, but it also held a rather unique and commendable custom.

Much like the Blood-Stained Alliance, the cities of Fengwu were fond of hosting martial arenas, though Fengwu's arenas differed entirely from the official ones of the Blood-Stained Alliance.

Following the stream of people along the street, Xu Wen's group soon arrived at the central plaza in the heart of Jingwan Port. In the distance, crowds surged with deafening roars, surrounding more than twenty well-spaced, protruding giant stone arenas.

Gazing at the young men in the plaza who were casting fervent gazes in their direction, Xu Wen smiled calmly to himself: A good show was about to begin.

(To be continued)