Outside Scarlet Cloud City within the wilderness.

30 cultivators were currently doing their best to fight with strands of ‘thunder light’. Those thunder light rays were incredibly fast and unpredictable. Furthermore, there were many of them––a total of 200 ‘thunder light’.

“Si la!”

A thunder light through the body of Great Emperor North River. There seemed to be a claw that tore part of the flesh on Great Emperor North River, also tearing apart a leg of his!

“Open!” Great Emperor North River had a savage look. Sword lights rushed down at that thunder light like the flow of a river. It also forced that strange thunder light to retreat.

Great Emperor North River’s body rapidly recovered.

“Hurry up, break away from them!”

“Hurry up and retreat!”

“Quick quick quick!”

Some of these cultivators were panicking. Quite a few of them were facing life-threatening danger. Among them was a tall and sturdy white-haired old man. What was strange about this white-haired old man is that he was blind. And currently, many threads of sword lights revolved around him while taking the chance to strike out against those ‘thunder light’ in the surroundings. Those ‘thunder light’ were in reality four-limbed reptilian Chaotic Origin Lifeforms that were completely bathed in lightning.

The white-haired blind old man was none other than the creator of this team, ‘Heart Eye Sword Ancestor’. It was also because of him that this team had yet to lose any member. Quite a few cultivators were experiencing grave dangers yet a single sword light easily forced the Chaotic Origin Lifeform back.

With 13 sword lights revolving around ‘Heart Eye Sword Ancestor’ lending out aid to his comrades anytime, he was also taking the opportunity to kill some Middle Stage and Late Stage God Emperor Chaotic Origin Lifeforms.

They battled and retreated at the same time!

As they gradually got rid of the enemies, their speed of retreating rose until they finally cast away from the enemies completely.

“Sou.”

The 30 cultivators did not care about revealing themselves. They all traveled in streams of light at a terrifying speed rushing towards Scarlet Cloud City.

Because they were already relatively close to Scarlet Cloud City. Rushing back at this speed, they were able to return back to the city after a while.

“Brother Heart Eye.”

“Brother Heart Eye, you guys have returned so quickly this time?”

The two sentries on the wall chuckled.

The white-haired blind man shook his head: “We are quite unfortunate to actually meet a group of ‘Gray-Clawed Lightning Snake’ just outside the city. There were more than 200 of them, and close to half were Grand Perfection God Emperors!”

“What? So many Gray-Clawed Lightning Snakes?”

“Brother Heart Eye is amazing. He actually brought everyone back alive.”

The two sentries praised.

“It is all thanks to Brother Heart Eye.”

“Without Brother Heart Eye, I might just lose my life in this hunt. We actually met the group of lifeforms that are hardest to deal with around the city, the Gray-Clawed Lightning Snakes.” One of the cultivators in the team commented.

…

Great Emperor North River turned sullen.

Even though this team had encountered quite a few dangerous situations, the majority of them were used to it. Great Emperor North River ultimately arrived at Scarlet Cloud City not too long ago. This was also the most dangerous encounter he had after arriving at Scarlet Cloud City.

‘I have almost died on several occasions.’ Great Emperor North River recalled back to several moments where he almost died. He could not help but his heart shivering from the thought of it.

‘Hunting outside really depends on luck. If we were slightly unlucky, there would be a large group of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms attacking us. That would result in a possibility of dying.’ Great Emperor North River thought, ‘Even though I have always chosen to hunt near the Scarlet Cloud City which is comparatively safer, the more I hunt outside however, there would still be one unlucky occasion where I encounter grave danger.’

It was comparatively safer outside the city. One had to know that a terrifying existence like the ‘Sea of Abyss Master’ had once come to the Scarlet Cloud City. Perhaps, there might be newer groups of Chaotic Origin Lifeforms that chose to patrol near this city too.

‘It is simply too dangerous.’

‘If this continues, and I encounter another similarly dangerous situation, can I still survive?’ Great Emperor North River felt slightly anxious.

Even though he had the strength of a Grand Perfection God Emperor, this was commonly seen in the Scarlet Cloud City! The number of such experts occupied 80% of the entire city’s population!

‘Or perhaps I could choose to join those hunting teams that hunt further away from the city? Even though it might be more dangerous, the food I acquire could last me several hundred million years or even longer.’ Great Emperor North River thought.

‘Or I could become the subordinate of an apex expert, becoming a member of his team?’ Great Emperor North River pondered.

There were a dozen apex experts within Scarlet Cloud City.

Whenever any of them organised a team, many cultivators would apply madly for it! Because when venturing outside, apex experts would usually do their best to protect their own subordinates. Only under the premise that his own members were protected would these apex experts help some of the other idle cultivators.

‘But my strength doesn’t give me any advantage. Who would be willing to take me in?’ Great Emperor North River shook his head inwardly.

During these years, he had experienced for himself the strength of apex experts.

For instance, ‘Heart Eye Sword Ancestor’ was ranked top ten within Scarlet Cloud City. Each of his 13 Divine Swords could exert a strength comparable to a Grand Perfection God Emperor! With 13 Divine Swords coordinating together, his combined strength was frightening. This time, it was he who controlled 13 Divine Swords that brought all members of the hunting team out of their life-threatening predicament.

…

Scarlet Cloud City, within the Scarlet Cloud Hall.

This team that Great Emperor North River was in proceeded with allocation the spoils of war according to the contract agreed beforehand. ‘Heart Eye Sword Ancestor’ actually took away 80% of the total amount! And the remaining 20% would be distributed between other cultivators according to their contribution.

They had no choice. Even when Heart Eye Sword Ancestor chose to take away 80% of the total harvest… everyone was still willing to join. This was because Heart Eye Sword Ancestor’s technique was quite appropriate for lending aid to his team members. Hence, hunting outside the city, with Heart Eye Sword Ancestor around, would practically not contain any danger. This time, they were relatively unlucky. Nonetheless, everyone still came back alive. This was also the reason why he chose to take 80% of the total amount!

‘Food that could last me for 12 million years.’ Great Emperor North River received the food distributed to him.

Once the allocation of food is completed, everyone dispersed.

Great Emperor North River walked by himself on the streets.

‘Food that could last me for 12 million years. If this continues, I would have to go out and hunt for food more than a thousand times just to survive for 10 billion years?’

‘Ultimately, I have only bee here in the Scarlet Cloud City for a short period. There are many experts that came from different worlds. They have different cultivation paths and interacting with them gave me huge benefits. With sufficient time, I might even have improvements, allowing me to join the ranks of the apex experts and be on the same level as Cloud Phoenix City Master.’

‘I need time. I need time to properly cultivate.’

Unknowingly, Great Emperor North River walked to the entrance of a cavern-dwelling.

He turned and looked up at the front door to this place.

It was none other than Xue Ying’s cavern-dwelling!

‘Ying Shan Xue Ying! In the end, I still have to come and ask him for help.’ Great Emperor North River gritted his teeth, ‘I have always been waiting, waiting for him to seek me for the Thousand-Eyed Water Droplet, which I can then sell at a hefty price. But he… has never come. In the end, I have to find him myself.’

He was clear.

If Xue Ying took the initiative to buy it from him, he could take the opportunity to sell it at a high price.

But if he, North River, came to sell the Thousand-Eyed Water Droplet to Xue Ying, Xue Ying would certainly press down the price.

‘I can’t wait any longer.’

Great Emperor North River immediately walked towards the cavern-dwelling.

There was a puppet protector standing by the entrance. This puppet shouted: “Stop!”

“Tell your master that I, North River, is here to meet him.” Great Emperor North River said.

The puppet protector paused momentarily. Clearly, he was sending a message to Xue Ying. Very soon, the puppet protector replied: “Monarch North River, please enter. My master is currently waiting for you inside the cavern-dwelling.”

Only then did he enter.

There was a female puppet servant specially there to guide him along the corridors. Soon, he arrived in a garden.

Inside this garden.

A white-robed Xue Yingsat cross-legged in the pavilion. By his side, there was an incense burning with its fragrance pervading in its surroundings. There were also several female servants waiting upon him with good food, fruits, and a flask of warm wine.

Both eyes of Xue Ying were shut. Clearly, he had been cultivating.

‘These days are no longer the same. I had to risk my life for just a little food. Yet food is something Ying Shan Xue Ying can get with a stretch of his hand.’ Great Emperor North River had this kind of thinking precisely because he just experienced a life-threatening danger earlier on. And now that he saw how Xue Ying was spending his days, he could not help but feel jealous and envious.

“Mn?” Xue Ying stopped his cultivation. He opened his eyes before glancing at Great Emperor North River who walked over from the corridor afar, “North River? You actually came to seek me? This is truly rare.”