Talisman Emperor

Mu Kui was extremely nervous. He didn’t dare meet Chen Xi’s eye, but he didn’t feel he’d done anything wrong either.

Earlier, the commotion of Chen Xi drawing upon the spirit energy of the heaven and earth to develop his violet palace was extremely great. It had drawn the attention of many greater demons that were cultivating near Moon’s Embrace Mountain, so they all came over asking Mu Kui to introduce them.

These greater demons had had some friendly relations with him and they would usually gather together to drink wine and discuss the Dao. Although they weren’t best friends, it still wasn’t nice for Mu Kui to refuse them, so he could only summon up the courage to go see Chen Xi.

Of course, Mu Kui was still quite excited in his heart. He’d been cultivating for a thousand years on Moon’s Embrace Mountain, but due him leading a solitary life and his cultivation being unable to compare with the other greater demons, practically no one would be willing to speak with him when the nearby greater demons gathered usually; they would only treat him as a dispensable fellow daoist.

But now, along with Chen Xi’s advancement into the Violet Palace Realm, these greater demons carried various treasures with them as they came looking for him, and all of them conversed eagerly and enthusiastically with him. Besides causing Mu Kui to feel surprised, pride couldn’t help but arise in his heart.

However, Mu Kui also knew clearly that if it wasn’t for Senior Chen Xi’s presence, these vulgar folk would probably still not look him straight in the eye.

“Alright.” Chen Xi pondered for a moment, then agreed with a nod as he wanted to meet the nearby greater demons as well. After all, these fellows stayed here all year long and had now even become his ‘neighbors.’ Although it was difficult to be friends, they couldn’t be enemies, so it was still necessary for him to maintain a certain level of relationship with them.

“Senior… You agree?” Mu Kui simply didn’t dare believe his ears as he asked in astonishment.

“Do you not want me to back you up?” Chen Xi glanced askance at him, then said, “Only this time, and no more.”

Mu Kui was both touched and prideful in his heart, and he nodded like a chick pecking grains, as he was excited to the point that he couldn’t speak.

…

The land was covered with green pines and verdant cypresses, with waterfalls and springs that flowed ever so beautifully. The sky was covered in a layer of mist and clouds, while cool breezes blew like a tide.

In this scene that was like a painting, over ten men and women in various clothes were laughing and chatting together. They were leaning against the azure pine tree, sitting or squatting on rocks, sitting on the ground in groups of two or three, or standing upright and respectfully.

“This fellow Mu Kui’s luck is so good, he was actually able to make friends with a Violet Palace Realm expert. Truly a cause for envy.”

“Oh, we can only blame ourselves for neglecting him in the past. If I knew earlier, I might be able to be like him and listen to the teachings of that Senior Chen Xi.”

“Where do all of you think this Senior Chen Xi is from? In the last thousand years, human cultivators have rarely stepped foot into our mountain range.”

…

Various discussions resounded, and at this moment the mountainside of Moon’s Embrace Mountain seemed to already be a bustling scene.

“Eh, Mu Kui is here, can it be that the youth before him is the Senior Chen Xi that just developed his violet palace Dao Foundation?” Someone abruptly cried out in surprise.

Whoosh!

The gazes of the group of greater demons shot towards the same direction in unison.

They saw Mu Kui pacing over while he followed behind a youth. The youth had a tall figure and handsome appearance, his eyes were clear and indifferent. He seemed to be absolutely ordinary, yet with every move he made, he seemed as if he’d merged with the heavens and the earth and he naturally emitted a minuscule amount of an extremely formidable aura.

His spirit is combined with his qi, his body combined with the world. He’s at the Violet Palace Realm as expected!

At that moment, there was no longer a trace of doubt in the hearts of the greater demons, and even the gazes they shot at Chen Xi carried along a trace of reverence.

“I’m the Spiritdove Mountain’s Xiong Pi, I pay my respects to Senior Chen Xi!”

“I’m the Basanite Cavern’s Zhui Man, I pay my respects to Senior Chen Xi. I congratulate Senior on advancing to the Violet Palace Realm and establishing the foundation of the Grand Dao!”

“I’m the Phoenixridge Lake’s…”

The greater demons came forward one by one to bow and pay their respects to Chen Xi, and their expressions and words were filled with extreme respect.

At the beginning, Chen Xi felt slightly uncomfortable towards all this, but he became accustomed to it later on. He only nodded in reply, yet in his heart, he’d secretly remembered the name and appearance of each greater demon. Moreover, Chen Xi noticed that similar to humans, these greater demons were particular about assigning positions according to seniority. For example, when they paid respect to him, they’d followed the rule of coming forward in succession according to their strengths.

Mu Kui had prepared good wine and savory fruits a while ago. He found an empty space between the pine forest before setting up some meditation cushions and tables, and only then did he invite Chen Xi and the others to take their seats.

Of course, even though the place was simple, Chen Xi was still respectfully welcomed by all of the greater demons to sit at the head. Mu Kui directly sat on Chen Xi’s right and attentively poured wine and gave fruit to Chen Xi; he was simply like a diligent and conscientious servant. However, this scene drew the envy of many greater demons, and if it wasn’t for their status, they would be only too anxious to serve Chen Xi like Mu Kui.

Chen Xi couldn’t help but be extremely curious. These demon beasts are all existences that have taken human form, so why do they flatter and curry favor with me like this?

For example, the Spiritdove Mountain’s Xiong Pi possessed the bloodline of the primordial variant beast, the Divine Herculean Bear. Xiong Pi’s identity could be said to be incomparably respectable, and his strength was only a step away from developing his violet palace. He seems to completely have no need to treat me with such reverence and respect, right?

“Senior, you don’t have to overanalyze it. You are the only one present that possesses a Violet Palace Realm cultivation, and demon cultivators like us only believe in strength. So long as your strength is more formidable than theirs, they would even be completely willing to be your slave if you wanted.” Mu Kui who was by Chen Xi’s side seemed to have noticed his bewilderment and sent Chen Xi a voice transmission in a low voice. “Senior, feel free to eat and drink. A nice way of putting it would be that they came here to form a good relationship with you, a bad way would be they came here to get acquainted with you.”

Chen Xi couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. It looks like no matter if it’s demon beasts or humans, they’re all unable to escape from fawning upon the rich and powerful.

They drank wine and chatted idly, and unknowingly, it became dusk.

“Senior, this is an Azure Spiritgourd that grows within my Basanite Cavern and only forms every 1,000 years. It contains a dimension within it that is not only able to contain 5,000 kg of good wine, it also possesses the dual attributes of fire and ice, and when used to drink wine, it can freeze or warm up the wine. I hope Senior can kindly accept it.” When the banquet ended, the greater demon Zhui Man of the Basanite Cavern walked forward and respectfully gifted a verdant green gourd, its shape was simple and natural, and it emitted traces of a misty green light.

“Senior, this is a Darkunicorn Fruit that was dug out from deep within the lake. It’s extremely beneficial for stabilizing cultivation.”

“This Jadebone Lingzhi of mine was developed within the magma in the core of the earth. It’s able to heal any injuries, and possess boundless magical effects. Senior, you must accept this.”

…

These greater demons had been prepared for a while now and they all took out some treasure or wondrous item before coming forward and offering it to Chen Xi.

Chen Xi was extremely startled, whereas Mu Kui instead took advantage of this period of time to accept all the treasures with a natural expression, and wasn’t courteous in the slightest.

“Hmph! Competing to take out some useless things.” Xiong Pi who’d always been sitting up straight on the side had abruptly snorted coldly, causing the other greater demons to be stunned in unison. They gazed at Xiong Pi with extremely gloomy gazes.

Eh, this fellow seems to be a frank person.

Chen Xi couldn’t help but be surprised. When those greater demons took out their things earlier, it looked to be novel and valuable, but they were all some auxiliary items that were of no great benefit to cultivating. So, what Xiong Pi said wasn’t false.

“Hmph! Fellow Daoist Xiong, the heavens know that our intentions are good. We’re not like you who didn’t gift anything, but only knows how to spout sarcastic remarks.”

“Exactly, although your cultivation is the highest amongst us, during this time that we came to pay our respects to Senior Chen Xi, you’re intentionally sowing dissension. Your motives are very evil.”

“You think our things are useless? Alright, old freak Xiong, you take out something useful to allow us to broaden our vision.”

All the greater demons directed the spearhead at Xiong Pi, they were either disdainful or ridiculing, and their words were filled with hostility.

Chen Xi looked askance at Mu Kui, who remained completely indifferent, and he sent a voice transmission. “Aren’t you going to stop it?”

“Xiong Pi’s temper is like this, stopping him will only cause everyone to be unhappy. Senior, wait and see. Although this Xiong Pi is outspoken, since he had said this, I presume he’s prepared.” Mu Kui hurriedly sent a voice transmission to Chen Xi in explanation.

Sure enough, it was as Mu Kui had said. Xiong Pi turned a deaf ear towards the surrounding sarcasm and mockery and drank all of the good wine in his cup with a single gulp before standing up, a treasure appearing within his hand.

This item was like a fine and perfectly straight bamboo. It was one meter long with a completely dark body that was dim and dull. It looked to be ordinary, however, the moment it appeared in the air, a piercingly cold aura that caused one’s heart to trembled silently suffused out into the air.

This is…

All of the greater demons stared wide eyed with expressions of disbelief.

Chen Xi’s gaze couldn’t help but lock on to the dark bamboo as well. After he’d advanced to the Violet Palace Realm, his soul’s Perception Force had advanced a level and it acutely detected that this dark bamboo seemed to contain a terrifyingly violent energy. The energy was like thunder from the nine heavens and carried along with it a strand of an aura of annihilation, causing one’s heart to tremble.

Xiong Pi whose body was tall and sturdy like a small hill swept his gaze towards the surroundings as he asked coldly. “I wonder if this one meter long Seventhgold Swordbamboo is able to enter the eyes of everyone?”

Seventhgold Swordbamboo?

When they heard this name, all the greater demons present gaped. Their gazes were already filled with boundless burning desire and greed as they gazed at the dark bamboo.

So it’s a Seventhgold Swordbamboo!

At the same time that Chen Xi came to a sudden understanding, a wisp of shock couldn’t help but surge out from his heart.

Just as its name implied, the Seventhgold Swordbamboo was a treasure that innately possesses the attributes of both metal and wood, and its stem was sharp like a sword. It was a rare treasure in the world as it only grew a 3cm every 100 years and would experience lightning strikes after its growth. If it was able to withstand the lightning and not die, it would then experience another 100 years of life to grow another 3cm. However, most Seventhgold Swordbamboos were blasted to dust by lightning the moment they sprouted, and only one in 10,000 was able to safely survive.

Therefore, the Seventhgold Swordbamboo in Xiong Pi’s hand had probably already survived for 3,000 years. It had experienced no less than thirty lightning tribulations, yet even after experiencing so many lightning strikes, it still had not died. Thus, it was easily imaginable how terrifying the hardness was that the Seventhgold Swordbamboo had attained.

“Senior, please accept this!” Xiong Pi walked forward and held his palms up to gift the Seventhgold Swordbamboo in his hands to Chen Xi.

All the greater demons stared blankly at this scene. Even if they wracked their brains, they still couldn’t understand why Xiong Pi would gift such an extremely valuable treasure to Chen Xi.

Mu Kui was extremely excited as well and was about to help Chen Xi receive it when he was stopped by Chen Xi as he said resolutely, “This treasure is too valuable, Fellow Daoist Xiong, please keep it.”

“This treasure is useless in my hands; eating it would be tasteless, and throwing it away would be a shame. It would only be able to display its might in Senior’s hands.” Xiong Pi instead insisted on gifting it to Chen Xi and would not compromise.

“Do you have something you want to request of me?” Chen Xi was silent for a long time before suddenly asking, his gaze staring fixedly at Xiong Pi’s face.

Xiong Pi seemed to not be surprised in the slightest and he said with a firm expression, “Exactly, I, Old Xiong, have no other request in my entire life. I only request that Senior can kill the Aqua Cavern’s Black Ape King for me!”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present was shocked.

Kill my King? On a large tree in the distance, the pupils of a spirit bird with white feathers constricted, and it flapped its wings right away to soar into the clouds, disappearing instantly.