Returning from the Immortal World

Tang Xiu didn’t seem to hear Firecandle’s compliments. Countless scenes from back when he got along with Star Tears flashed past in his mind. If there was anyone in the Immortal World who he could trust without reserve, Star Tears was definitely one of them.

However, he just couldn’t reveal his identity at all. Even if he trusted Star Tears 100%, he was perfectly aware that there were some arts in the Immortal World that could search someone’s memories. If those few fearsome enemies of his were to strike Star Tears and search her memory, the chance was high that he would be found through her.

Further, he also realized something else from the encounter with Star Tears. That was the terrible circumstances the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect’s region was in. It was very likely that a large number of the sect’s disciples were scattered about in other regions, and the people he cared about were confined in the Convict Arenas or elsewhere. These people were highly likely facing enormous tribulations, suffering, and under the threat of death.

There’s still time and I still have a lot of time…. But… the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect has not much time left…

Not only that… neither those people I care about have much time left.

Tang Xiu clenched his fists and his eyes gradually filled with a cold glint. It took him a long time before he eased his tightly gripped fists and pressed all the pressures to the deepest recess of his heart.

“Firecandle, I suddenly recall that there are some more important things I need to tend to, so I can’t keep accompanying you here. I’d like to give some reminders before leaving.” Tang Xiu got up and turned to speak to Firecandle.

“What reminder is it?” Firecandle was bewildered.

“Refrain from hurting others, yet guard against those trying to hurt you,” said Tang Xiu. “And if you want to live longer, be on guard against everyone, even to those who are the closest to you.”

Firecandle pursed his brows deeply and savored Tang Xiu’s words silently. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable he felt the reminder was. As he raised his head again, he found that Tang Xiu had long left already.

“I’ll always keep this reminder in mind. Thank you.” Firecandle took a deep breath and recited the lines in his heart repeatedly.

In the wide corridor, Tang Xiu at both sides of the passage. Although some people passed by, he looked at Qin Yu and said, “If I remember correctly, there should be a special place for purchasing particular items in the Convict Arena. Take me there.”

Qin Yu nodded and said, “Please follow me, Sir.”

At Canon and Classics Vend building.

With Qin Yu as a guide, Tang Xiu came to the special shop of Convict Arena. He directly looked at the welcoming attendant and lightly said, “Take me to your VIP room and notify your Canon and Classics Vend Master. Tell him that a distinguished guest is waiting.”

“Understood!”

The attendant wore a respectful look and took Tang Xiu to the VIP room on the second floor. Just as Tang Xiu took a seat, a blue-robed old man stepped inside with a smile as he glanced at the group. When his eyes landed on Star Tears, however, he was suddenly stunned. But he quickly suppressed his surprise before he came to Tang Xiu and smilingly greeted. “Are you looking for me, Honored Patron?”

Tang Xiu waved his right hand, motioning for the man to sit at the opposite side. Then, he said, “I want to sell a classics manual of immortal cultivation and the recipe and concoction method of the Primordial Chaos Pill.”

With that said, he took out the classics and recipe from his interspatial ring and put them on the table in front of him.

The blue-robed old man’s complexion changed. He quickly read the classics and the recipe of Primordial Chaos Pill. A shocked expression appeared on his face. After a long time, he slowly said, “Honored Patron, these two items are extremely precious. I don’t dare to make any decision without authorization from my superior. Please wait a bit. I’ll call the Director over.”

“Alright!” Tang Xiu nodded calmly.

Quickly after, the old man in charge hurriedly rushed over. After reviewing the classics of immortal cultivation art and the recipe of the Primordial Chaos Pill, his expression was as if he had found a supreme treasure as he looked at Tang Xiu and said, “Immortal Friend, would you like to sell these items directly, or would you like to exchange them with some other things?”

After thinking for a while, Tang Xiu asked, “How many Perfected Golden Immortal gladiators do you think these items can be exchanged for?”

The old man slightly creased his brows and his eyes were thoughtful for a long time. Afterward, he said, “2 Perfected Golden Immortal gladiators plus 5 million Crystal Essences. What do you think?”

“2 mid-stage Perfected Golden Immortal gladiators plus 8 million Crystal Essences. If you agree, the classic manual and the recipe are yours.” Tang Xiu bargained.

“No problem!” the old man finally nodded after calculating it.

After four hours, Tang Xiu led Battle Peng and Star Tears and the other two mid-stage Perfected Golden Immortals and appeared at the Convict Arena’s exit entrance. He didn’t hurry to leave but waited until his four Golden Immortal subordinates returned. He then asked the four with a faint smile, “How is your harvest?”

“It’s all here, Master.”

The four men handed out interspatial rings to Tang Xiu.

After using his spiritual sense to check the content in the four rings, Tang Xu suddenly looked surprised. “You got quite a good harvest? You won more than 80 million Immortal Crystals?”

The four men happily smiled and one of them respectfully said, “We know too well of the Convict Arena ourselves, Master. We do have quite the experience in regard to how to judge and pick our bets here.”

Tang Xiu faintly smiled and threw 2 million Immortal Crystals to each one of them, then gave Battle Peng 1 million Immortal Crystals. He then put away the rest and lightly said, “Well, we’ve been outside for a few days already, so it’s time to go back.”

Having said that, he turned his head to see a spot some kilometers away at Qin Yu, who looked like a delicate pure lotus. He flicked his finger and sent an interspatial ring to fall into her hand. Immediately after, the group of nine then stepped out of the Convict Arena front entrance.

Qin Yu stared blankly at the ring that appeared in her hand. She looked at Tang Xiu’s direction again and found that he was already gone. After hesitating for a moment, she used her spiritual sense to see the space inside the ring. Her figure slightly shook after seeing what was inside and a crystal light filled her eyes.

10,000 Immortal Crystals and a cultivation manual.

When Qin Yu took out that cultivation manual and skimmed it for a while, a disbelieving look immediately painted her beautiful face.

“An immortal cultivation manual that can be cultivated up to the Perfected Golden Immortal Stage?”

Qin Yu’s delicate figure slightly trembled and two lines of tears slipped down her face.

She recalled how disappointed she was the first time she saw Tang Xiu. However, after accompanying him for some time, the benefits she received from him were much more than everything she had earned for more than 10 years working here.

“Thank you, Benefactor!”

Qin Yu raised her hand and wiped the tears off her face as she muttered to herself.

“Heh, are you that disappointed, or have you been humiliated? You crying so sadly will make you useless as a guide. You won’t even receive Immortal Stones doing that, no?” Wenwen approached silently in a lotus step style to Qin Yu’s side with a ridiculing smile evident on her face.

Qin Yu hurriedly put the cultivation manual into her interspatial ring before turning to look at Wenwen and saying, “You guessed wrong. Not only did I got some tips, I even got more than you can imagine.”

Having said that, she walked straight towards the entrance of Convict Arena and went to pay off her high-interest loan. At this moment, she also made up her mind to quit her job at the Convict Arena and planned to go to the outside world to explore, hoping that she would be qualified to meet that benefactor again in the future.

At the Hessen Castle region.

After Tang Xiu took everyone back to the Stargazing Pavilion, he took Gu Yan’er straight to the Heavenly Abode artifact. While watching her strange expression, he slowly said, “What did you notice from those three Perfected Golden Immortals I brought?”

“Uh… Black-face Auntie.” Gu Yan’er’s lips wriggled a few times.

“You’re right. It’s Aunt Star Tears.” Tang Xiu wryly smiled. “I found her in the Perfected Golden Immortal prison cells of Heavenly Net Immortal Domain’s Convict Arena by chance. She became a convict and a deathmatch fighter there, so I bought her.”

“Did you tell her your identity?” asked Gu Yan’er hurriedly.

“No.” Tang Xiu shook his head. “Not only did I not tell her my identity, but even her Soul Plate is also still here with me. I didn’t say anything to her from beginning to end.”

Gu Yan’er’s nervous expression eased up and she curiously asked, “Are you afraid, Master?”

Tang Xiu forced a wry smile and said, “Yeah, I’m afraid. I fear that if I talk to her, she will find out my true identity. Yan’er, there may be some changes in my previous and present appearances, but those really familiar with me may still be able to guess who I really am. So…”

“Master, the number of people in the entire Immortal World who can guess the connection between the current you and the past you is definitely less than 20 people. Aside from me, her, and those two enemies, as well as Grandpa and Grandma, only those nine Sisters who know it.”

“That’s more than a dozen.” Tang Xiu shook his head.

“Nay, the Immortal World is way too vast. And even those people can only guess and can’t confirm your identity,” argued Gu Yan’er. “Just like Black-faced Aunt. I’ve been observing her and she doesn’t seem to recognize your identity at all. The way I see it, she’s trying to identify your identity through your appearance.”

Tang Xiu nodded and asked, “Then what should I do, Yan’er? Should I return the Soul Plate to her and let her leave immediately? Or… keep hiding the truth from her and let her follow us?”

Gu Yan’er thought for a long time before she slowly answered, “Master, I think the best course is to keep hiding the truth from her and make her follow us for now. After all, she’s still a Perfected Golden Immortal. If you were to give her Soul Plate back and yet she refuses to leave, it would be troublesome if she insists on learning your identity. Further, Black-faced Aunt is the sister of the Sect Master of the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect. With such status and yet she got captured and became a deathmatch fighter of the Convict Arena, a tragedy is bound to happen if we let her leave alone. Since you have returned, it’s best to take her with you. On the one hand, she can help us manage our entourage, whereas, on the other hand, we can also ensure her safety.”

Tang Xiu said, “Aside from that, have you ever thought that there are only a few people who know her identity? Only our enemies know her, so in case…”

Gu Yan’er said, “Then she must change her appearance.”

Tang Xiu thought for a while and felt that it was a sound idea. Then he nodded and said, “It seems that we can only proceed this way. Yan’er, the identity of Aunt Star Tears, aside from us and the other nine, must never be disclosed to the outside world. Additionally, tell those nine sisters to never show any flaws in front of Aunt Star Tears.”