Heaven's Devourer

Immortal's Capital. Yan Huang Royal City. Yan royal residence.

Deep in the gardens, Prince Yan was strolling in his immortal medicine garden, hands clasped behind his back.

This immortal medicine garden hung heavy with fragrances that filled one's heart with wonder. All the immortal essences had many spiritual marks, and were the essence of the heavens and earth, the sun and the moon. To mortals, just one breath here could see them live a long, healthy life.

Behind Prince Yan were a few elders who were evidently people of rank and high cultivation level. If not for their advanced ages, they would all be promising immortals to be.

They were those who had followed Prince Yan for a long time.

Prince Yan turned back and asked unsmilingly, "Can you be sure of this news?"

"Very certain. My people saw Kingmaker Le buy a seaworthy warship at Voyage Diaries and then saw the Hidden Immortal take off southwards from the vicinity of Prince Le's Residence."

"Buying the Hidden Immortal, evidently taking to the sea. Such a camouflage-specialized warship has no use within the borders of Yan Huang."

Prince Yan nodded, deep in thought. "Southwards to sea, probably via South Emperor City. That's the biggest exit. After they exit - where are they going? That said, why would Prince Le and the Regent allow him to risk his life outside?"

"That's not known. But I heard that at a previous celebration, Kingmaker Le asked Prince Le and his friends to help him find someone called Nangong Wei. I reckon that there must be news of that Nangong Wei, which would spur Kingmaker Le to take the risk."

"Who is this Nangong Wei?"

"I don't know. Perhaps an old flame of Kingmaker Le?"

Prince Yan was silent for a spell, then said, "Given our current ability, Wu Yu and his bunch are still too young to take us on. We will chase them to South Emperor City. After they take to sea, it will not be difficult for us to trail the Hidden Immortal and incite the local demons to attack them...."

"The Prince is a genius. I had also thought that the grudge of 5,000 God's Way Pills had to be paid back. And Wu Yu has too many valuables on him."

"This might be our only chance."

"The defeat last time was too bad. In truth, it might be the Prince's greatest stain on his honor to date."

Prince Yan's eyes were bloodshot. He looked at a beautiful nine-colored flower. It was vivid, and looked like it had at least seven spiritual marks.

Under his gaze, the immortal essence wilted and crumbled into ash.

The others watched this process without comment, awaiting Prince Yan's decision.

"As long as it is done covertly, he should not be able to realize it. He cannot possibly know everything. Therefore, it might require me to risk it again," Prince Yan mused.

He turned to them. "Who will undertake this? All of you are my old brothers of many a year. Your cultivation levels are comparable to mine, and someone has to personally take this up, to follow them and await a suitable opportunity."

They had all nodded at Prince Yan's decision, but as to who would personally undertake it, no one had stepped up yet.

Just at this time, Prince Yan received a Message Talisman.

He opened it, and his face soured. He burned the talisman and shook his head. "Forget it. My mother says we cannot touch him."

"Why?" They were astounded.

"She said that nothing escapes his eyes. My only way to deal with them is to get stronger and surpass all of them, rising above like a swan above the chickens. This, too, is the method that all princes and princesses should employ. Playing any tricks is foolish to her."

Thinking of who she was, all of them lapsed into silence. Yes, this was no ordinary competition.

"So it depends on whether Wu Yu is lucky enough to make it back."

......

the Full Moon of Nanshan was operating the Hidden Immortal.

The Hidden Immortal was barreling through the clouds, while Wu Yu and the others were leaning against the ship rails. Lazy was stretched lazily on some higher perch, basking in the sun.

The Hidden Immortal had been opened up to full throttle. Although it was slower than the Somersault Cloud, it did not expend Violet Kingdom Primordial Energy as quickly - only enough to keep the spirit designs running.

From the Hidden Immortal, they could clearly see the majestic mountains and rivers of the Yan Huang Ancient Country, the grassy plains and fields, the cities and ranges.

But from the outside, one could not even spot a trace of the warship. Neither the clouds nor wind belied any sign, and the naked eye could not detect the Hidden Immortal with its tens of thousands of spirit designs dedicated to camouflage.

This, too, saved them much trouble.

"The world outside is huge. We were just frogs in the well before." Ye Xixi was pressed up on the railing, avidly watching the scenery unfold below. She had not stopped for a few days now, and she continued to exclaim at the view. In these days, they had seen countless mountain ranges, lakes, meandering rivers, as well as immortal castles of all sizes, each with their own character. They all had many spirit designs and illustrious histories.

To Ye Xixi, being able to properly see the world in all its size was more useful than sitting down to cultivate. Because this would help to supplement her world, and would change her dao greatly. That was where the Ghostly Yan Tribe fell short, and also the most cruel aspect of their imprisonment by the Yan Huang Tribe. When they were kept ignorant, it was nigh impossible for the Ghostly Yan Tribe to challenge the Great Trial of the Immortal Dao.

After a while, Ye Xixi exclaimed, hopping up and down, "I think I see the sea!" 

Because Wu Yu had told her that the surface area of the sea was much greater than land in the Jambu Realm - limitless, and true immensity!

"We're almost at South Emperor City," the Full Moon of Nanshan said, gazing out from the ship's fore.

Wu Yu looked out to see a gigantic castle stretching from the east to west as far as he could see. It was like a mystical dragon sprawled over the border of the Yan Huang Ancient Country, an awesome sight that barred land and sea. South Emperor City!

It was the largest gap in the south of the Yan Huang Ancient Region, and also one of the core spirit design formations in the Yan Huang Ancient Country's border. Throughout the course of history, South Emperor City had never been laid waste to before.

The endless sea began after South Emperor City, and was currently shrouded in mist and not very visible. However, Wu Yu had grown up in a coastal area, so he knew just how majestic the sea could be, especially in the midst of it, when the voluminous waters made one despair.

To leave the strict and severe Yan Huang Ancient Country and head forth daringly into an unexplored land - the Full Moon of Nanshan and Ye Xixi were all very moved. Even Wu Yu himself had not gone into truly free-for-all territory in a while now. The Ghost Sea Prison was not actually such a place, and the Infernal Inferno only barely counted as well. They were all ordered places, while the boundless sea region before him, and the Nanyin Demon Continent, were all free places!

As they neared South Emperor City, the Full Moon of Nanshan piloted the Hidden Immortal into descent, and then they packed it up and headed into South Emperor City. One could see that many people from the Yan Huang Ancient Country went to South Emperor City, and an equally considerable number was leaving South Emperor City, headed for various parts of Yan Huang. This was considered one of the most peaceful eras, and there were still many martial cultivators who passed the nation's borders to foray into the southern seas. Some sought treasures, some sought battles with demons, while some were looking for breakthroughs. Even more sought trade, exporting the treasures of the Yan Huang Ancient Country to the Nanyin Demon Continent to barter with demons, and exchanging them for the immortal essences, precious treasures, and dao treasures that the Yan Huang Ancient Country did not have. This was a highly profitable trade.

Some even dealt directly with the sea region demons. The sea region demons had no fixed home, and were even more savage than the demons of the Nanyin Demon Continent. They were lawless and untrustworthy, but one could see a higher margin from that sort of trade. Therefore, there were a few who would risk it.

Not everyone had the same goal of immortalhood. Once one saw that it was a hopeless goal, they would choose to accumulate fortunes and cultivation resources, build their families, and nurture their own strength.

Therefore, trade was an important part of the cycle in the Jambu Realm. Not everyone was like Wu Yu, uncaring of possessions, and single-mindedly focused on growing stronger. For many, immortalhood was not even a possibility.

Before they entered South Emperor City, they discovered that the level of many in Yan Huang was far from the terrifying caliber that the Immortal's Capital’s martial cultivators were at. The Immortal's Capital was where the super elite gathered. Although everyone here cultivated, one could see middle-aged men only at the Qi Condensation Realm, and there were more Jindan Dao Realm martial cultivators compared to Violet Kingdom cultivators.

The trio mingled with the crowd that was drifting towards South Emperor City. Here at South Emperor City, demons and ghostly cultivators were a common sight, and nothing remarkable. They entered easily enough. After all, it was not that strict when exiting South Emperor City. It was the re-entry into South Emperor City that would be devised with stringent checks.

  

As the trio entered South Emperor City, they found it much livelier than the Immortal's Capital. There were people and shops everywhere, and inns beyond count. Compared to the Immortal's Capital, this place had the charms of the south, and the martial cultivators' garbs were slightly more revealing as well. The girls on the street were even more alluring, and lingered on one's mind.

Here at South Emperor City, many were here to pass through the nation's borders. However, many would also choose to abide at South Emperor City to restock. As for Wu Yu and his friends, they headed directly for the south border, where the South Emperor Gate was. After the South Emperor Gate, they would pass the spirit designs at the national border, and be truly out of the Yan Huang Ancient Country.

Here on the streets of South Emperor City, Wu Yu was virtually unknown, and they were not stared at like they were at the Immortal's Capital.

They reached the South Emperor Gate before long, and the crowd here was huge as well. Many experts were also included in the mix.