"Unless…" The Dragon Daoist hesitated.
"Unless what?" Chu Feng pressed urgently.
"Unless you can become a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master within these two years. That is the only way to remove those two pearls from their bodies. Otherwise, they will undoubtedly die."
"But do you have any confidence that you can become a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master within two years? To tell the truth, no matter how extraordinary your talent is, that is almost an impossible feat." The Dragon Daoist's words dealt a considerable blow to Chu Feng.
"I…" In that moment, Chu Feng's face was filled with complicated emotions, and he fell silent, because honestly, he had no confidence in becoming a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master within two years either.
"Chu Feng, don't lose heart. Becoming a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master within two years is indeed extremely difficult, but with your aptitude, becoming a Blue-Robed Spirit World Master shouldn't be any problem."
"Do you remember that demon beast trapped inside the Asura Ghost Tower in the Realm Province? Don't forget—it's a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master, and it needs your help."
"As long as you can become a Blue-Robed Spirit World Master, you might be able to help it break free. Then you could ask it to help save Su Rou and Su Mei, couldn't you?" At that moment, Eggy chimed in with a solemn reminder.
"That's right! Eggy, you're absolutely right. Xiao Rou and Xiao Mei can still be saved. As long as I get the thing that demon beast left behind, I should be able to become a Blue-Robed Spirit World Master soon. Then I can rescue it and ask it to help save Xiao Rou and Xiao Mei."
After hearing Eggy's reminder, Chu Feng's eyes suddenly lit up with realization. The look of death that had been etched across his face was instantly replaced by a glimmer of hope.
"Chu Feng, you're not actually foolish enough to think you can become a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master within two years, are you?" When the Dragon Daoist saw the spark of hope flickering in Chu Feng's eyes, his brows furrowed slightly.
He himself had spent his entire lifetime without ever stepping into the Purple-Robed rank, so he knew just how difficult that realm truly was. He didn't doubt that Chu Feng could become a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master—that was precisely why he had entrusted Chu Feng with his request in the first place. But two years? That was practically impossible.
"Founder, I may not be able to become a Purple-Robed Spirit World Master within two years, but I will do everything in my power to find another way to save Su Rou and Su Mei."
"They are both far too important to me. I must save them. And while I'm gone, I humbly ask that the Founder look after my loved ones here." As he spoke, Chu Feng swept his gaze across the crowd gathered around them.
"Rest easy. As long as I'm here, no one will be able to hurt them. As for those two sisters—they will not face any problems within the next two years, that I can guarantee."
"However, though I don't know what method you plan to use to save them, I hope you'll remember this: before anything else, you must ensure your own safety. Otherwise, all of it will be for nothing." The Dragon Daoist advised earnestly.
"Rest assured, Founder. I understand."
Afterward, Chu Feng tended to his injuries and explained to everyone what had happened. He then bid each of them farewell and departed from the Myriad Bones Graveyard, officially leaving this place behind to set foot on a path filled with unknowns and dangers—but a path he had no choice but to walk: the journey to Qin Province.
The Nine Provinces Continent was divided into Qingzhou, Tangzhou, Songzhou, Mingzhou, Hanzhou, Suizhou, Realm Province, Yuanzhou, and Qin Province.
Qin Province lay far from Qingzhou, separated by the entirety of Realm Province. The reason Chu Feng needed to go to Qin Province was that the demon beast inside the Asura Ghost Tower had told him about a treasure that could temper one's Mental Power—and that treasure was located in Qin Province.
Chu Feng's objective on this journey was crystal clear: find that treasure, temper his Mental Power, and become a Blue-Robed Spirit World Master as quickly as possible.
Then he would return to the Asura Ghost Tower, coordinate with that demon beast from the inside and out, rescue it, and then ask that enigmatic creature for help in saving Su Rou and Su Mei from those two pearls.
Though this plan looked simple on the surface, Chu Feng knew that countless perils awaited. First and foremost, the place where the treasure was hidden—an ominous location called the Mountain of Ten Thousand Demons.
"So I'm really leaving here. Who knows when I'll be able to come back." Chu Feng sat atop the white-headed eagle, gazing down at the familiar land and scenery below, his mind a tangled web of thoughts.
This time was different from his last trip to Realm Province. Last time, he had gone simply to take the Gray-Robed Spirit World Master examination. But this mission carried far greater weight, and the time away would be much longer.
"Chu Feng, should we ask the Spirit World Association for help? They don't have any Purple-Robed Spirit World Masters either, but I'm sure they could lend a hand in some way," Eggy suggested.
"No. I'm not close with the Spirit World Association. If they saw the treasure left by that demon beast, they might grow greedy and try to claim it for themselves," Chu Feng replied.
"Mm." After hearing Chu Feng's reasoning, Eggy had to agree it made sense. Then she grinned cheerfully: "Looks like you've matured quite a bit, kid. This Queen really didn't pick the wrong person. You've got a promising future ahead."
Eggy was a born entertainer. Knowing how heavily Chu Feng's heart weighed, she had spent the entire journey comforting him and cheering him up, lightening his burden considerably and bolstering his confidence that he could save Su Rou and Su Mei.
"This aura…"
But just as Chu Feng was about to cross beyond the borders of Qingzhou, his brows knurled sharply together. He immediately urged the white eagle toward a patch of white clouds in the distance, because he had sensed it—an incredibly powerful aura was closing in.
"Rumble rumble rumble!"
Sure enough, the moment Chu Feng concealed himself within the clouds, a series of thunderous booms echoed from the horizon ahead. The sound was like rolling thunder, but even more like the thundering hooves of ten thousand galloping horses stampeding through the sky.
"Heavens, is that?!"
Though Chu Feng was hidden within the white clouds, he could still see everything outside. At that moment, he made out, in stunned disbelief, a vast army appearing at the very edge of the sky—a column of soldiers marching across the heavens.
There were nearly ten thousand of them, and every single one wore a golden robe. The robes were not armor, yet they were more resplendent than armor and sturdier than armor.
Each of these nearly ten thousand soldiers sat astride a fine steed. These horses towered far above ordinary mounts and possessed a fierce, majestic bearing—like kings among horses, exuding an extraordinary presence. Most remarkably, these horses could gallop through the air, and their speed was blindingly fast.
But that was not all. Besides these sky-riding horses, there was an enormous golden war chariot. The chariot was not pulled by horses, but by giant beasts—beasts capable of traversing the sky. If Chu Feng was not mistaken, those were demon beasts that had reached the Heaven Martial realm.
A Heaven Martial realm demon beast, tamed and reduced to a beast of burden pulling a chariot—this was truly staggering.
And when Chu Feng shifted his gaze to the battle standards fluttering in the wind, he finally understood where this army had come from. For upon those golden banners, elegantly adorned with painted dragons and phoenixes, were four large characters—"Jiang Dynasty!"