Let Me See! [Seeking Votes for Medium Cup]

Inside the wooden hall, Wu Wang, having finished his tale of the Northern Plains trials, lay on a hammock in the corner, propping himself up with his arm.

The old senior seemed genuinely angry, his expression quite terrifying.

Perhaps this is what it means to be the Human Emperor.

Though it wouldn't cause corpses to litter a thousand miles in his rage, his current fury made one's heart pound and dare not look directly at him.

The old man stood before the medicine cauldron for a long time. With a soft sigh, he turned, raised his hand, and then lowered it, looking at Wu Wang in the corner. He said:

"Wuwang, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Wu Wang blinked. Is he... trying to see if I have the wisdom to be the Human Emperor?

Sorry, I apologize. You're a good senior.

If he didn't have to step forward to save the world, Wu Wang would prefer to return to the Northern Plains and live a carefree life after this strange illness was resolved.

—It would be even better if he could live tens of thousands of years with his parents and future wife.

Wu Wang smiled calmly and said clearly and concisely:

"I don't know."

Shennong Shi's face immediately broke into a gentle smile, and he looked at Wu Wang with increased admiration.

"Good. It's best not to know or ask at this point. I didn't expect you to have such deep cunning... but today, I must admonish them a few words."

Wu Wang couldn't help but cover his forehead with his hand, slumping in the hammock.

Whatever, it's all fate.

Shennong Shi nodded with a smile. The sleeve of his right robe fluttered, and a ball of mist appeared before him. The mist quickly condensed into over a dozen illusory figures.

The true bodies of these figures were an unknown distance away. There was a Daoist with a childlike face and crane-like hair, an old general in armor, an old woman leaning on a snake-headed staff, and a few slightly younger middle-aged generals standing further back. Each of them exuded an extraordinary presence.

Even though they were mere illusions without any discernible aura or cultivation level, Wu Wang, who couldn't see them, felt a strong pressure.

Wu Wang secretly marveled in his heart, These ministers under the Human Emperor are probably all stronger than my own father...

A moment later, these dozen or so illusory figures bowed in unison to Shennong Shi, calling out:

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Mmm."

Shennong Shi waved his hand and said slowly, "I am communicating with you through divine sense today for two reasons.

First, cease the trials for the younger generation. This method of seeking great destiny individuals is futile and only depletes the Human Domain's strength.

Second, starting today, you are forbidden from contacting human forces outside the Human Domain, either openly or secretly. Those who willingly seek refuge in the Human Domain may be accepted, but do not force or entice them if they do not come of their own accord."

These dozen old men said in unison: "Your subject obeys."

An old woman said worriedly, "Your Majesty, your lifespan... using critical events to test the younger generation is also a way to find those with strong luck and blessings. If Your Majesty blames me, this old woman is willing to accept punishment."

"There is no need to worry about my lifespan. I have a plan."

Shennong Shi said, "I had not made up my mind before, but now I wish to live longer and see if our Human Race can usher in an era of prosperity."

An old general exclaimed joyfully, "Your Majesty, you have a method to extend your life, why didn't you say so earlier!"

"Hehehe," Shennong Shi chuckled, "I have been diligently studying medicinal principles all these years, and of course, I have made some progress. I didn't have much confidence before, but now I do."

Wu Wang's eyebrows twitched slightly. Although he hadn't spent much time with the old senior, he could clearly sense that Shennong Shi was lying.

Either he was lying about the critical state of his lifespan, or he was lying about the method to solve the problem. Shennong Shi's reliance would definitely not be on ordinary spiritual or precious medicines.

Otherwise, why didn't the incredibly powerful Human Emperors Suiren Shi and Fuxi live until today?

Wu Wang watched for a while. Shennong Shi listened to his ministers' reports on the current state of the Human Domain and then waved his hand, dispersing the mist.

"Senior, how much normal lifespan do you have left?" Wu Wang asked.

"A little over three hundred years."

Shennong Shi walked forward slowly, leaning on his staff, and said with a smile, "I need to give the new Emperor at least a thousand years to grow. This old body of mine still needs to struggle for a few more years."

"Mmm..."

Wu Wang pondered for a moment and said, "Regarding your lifespan, Senior, if there's anything I can help with, please just say the word. Consider it repayment for diagnosing my strange illness."

"Good."

Shennong Shi agreed with a smile and walked to the window, gazing quietly at the scenery outside. He said slowly, "I still have a few matters on my mind, but there isn't much you can help with. After your trip to the Women's Country, go to the Human Domain. Whether the Human Domain is worth your protection is for you to judge. Wuwang, what do you think is the purpose of a person's life, being busy and constantly striving?"

"I think it's three words."

"Oh? What three words?"

"You, me, and him," Wu Wang said slowly. "'You' represents the person you want to protect, the person you must protect. 'Me' is myself. And 'him' refers to those who can be influenced by me."

Shennong Shi looked at Wu Wang with some surprise and praised, "You can actually have such insights."

That's because I read it in books in my past life.

Wu Wang smiled, closed his eyes, and his voice gradually softened:

"Senior Shennong, I can feel that you have dedicated your entire life to the Human Domain, to the medical arts, and to the great cause of the human race's rise.

But in the process, did you forget something?"

A faint look of recollection appeared in Shennong Shi's eyes, and his expression was slightly emotional as he chuckled:

"What? Do you want to see this old man weeping?"

"Hey, you're thinking too much," Wu Wang said with a serious expression, secretly transferring the Storage Treasure he was sitting on into another Storage Treasure.

There wasn't much inside, just a few jars of the best wine from the Northern Plains, a erhu, and a few draft sketches of his "Shennong Tastes Herbs" concept.

Respecting elders was a traditional virtue of the Chinese people on Earth, not a desire to see someone cry.

How vulgar.

Shennong Shi said gently, "Wuwang, when you go to the Human Domain, you must be wary of two factions."

"The Ten Gods Cult and the Ten Evils Cult?" Wu Wang's spirits immediately lifted, and he deliberately misstated one of the names.

Shennong Shi shook his head slightly and smiled, "The Ten Gods Cult is the Ten Evils Cult. They call themselves the Ten Gods Cult, but are known as the Ten Evils Cult. They are a force secretly established by enemies of the Human Domain who have infiltrated it, worshipping the Ten Evils Gods.

In the last two thousand years, the conflict between Immortals and Devils within the Human Domain has intensified. This Ten Gods Cult has done many underhanded deeds in secret.

Unfortunately, they are quite scattered and possess means to control people's minds, making them difficult to eradicate. They often resurface, and in recent years, there have been signs of them infiltrating the major sects of the Human Domain."

Wu Wang chuckled, "Doesn't the Human Domain have any methods to investigate souls?"

Shennong Shi said slowly, "Of course, there are, but it's difficult to detect abnormalities."

"It seems that Immortal Cultivation methods aren't superior in every aspect," Wu Wang said seriously. "I suggest the Human Domain invite a group of Priests from above the Great Star Sacrifice level from the Northern Plains to conduct a screening in the Human Domain.

The Star Invocation Technique has a soul-viewing method, which I previously used to see the abnormality in Wang Lin's divine soul."

"Oh?" Shennong Shi's eyes lit up, and he clapped Wu Wang on the shoulder with a large hand. "Since that's the case, I'll leave the matter of eradicating the Hall of Ten Evils to you. If necessary, you can approach any sect, present your Flame Emperor Token, and immediately mobilize experts to assist."

Wu Wang silently slapped himself.

Shennong Shi said gently, "However, I don't really recommend you use the Flame Emperor Token."

Wu Wang raised his hand and rubbed his forehead. "After all, the previous hundreds of holders all died young?"

"Clever."

"Besides the Hall of Ten Evils, which faction should I be wary of?"

"Alas, it's the Four Seas Pavilion, which I personally established back then." Shennong Shi's expression turned somewhat somber, and he sighed. "The person who just offered to take responsibility was the Pavilion Master of the Four Seas Pavilion, and also a disciple I once trusted greatly. Her nature isn't inherently bad, and she is loyal to the Human Domain, but the words 'power and influence' can truly erode a person's heart. The Four Seas Pavilion now carries too many vital lifelines of the Human Domain, and instead, it has become a constraint on the Human Domain."

Wu Wang immediately said, "Don't involve me in this. I am the Young Master of the Northern Plains; I can't possibly rectify the major powers of the Human Domain."

"I'm just telling you to be wary, so you don't incur jealousy. I've already chosen another young fellow to rectify the Four Seas Pavilion. After all, the Four Seas Pavilion has only encountered some problems; it hasn't reached the point where it must be eliminated. I can't destroy my own defenses."

Shennong Shi smiled calmly, took out two storage rings from his sleeve, and suspended them before Wu Wang. "The ring on your left contains the 'Classic of Herbs'; the ring on your right contains a pot of pills for healing and survival, and a few pots of pills that can save your life in critical moments. Choose one."

Wu Wang didn't even think about it and directly chose the ring on the right with the pills.

Shennong Shi's face darkened. "Giving a man a fish feeds him for a day, but teaching him to fish feeds him for a lifetime. Don't you understand this principle!"

"Of course, I understand," Wu Wang laughed. "But I don't like alchemy. Moreover, the 'Classic of Herbs' written by you, Senior, shouldn't be kept secret. Even if it's a rare alchemy method in the Human Domain, there are other ways to obtain it. But the same pill formula, when refined by different people, will yield different results."

Your pills are rare treasures of this world, Senior. For a junior with such shallow cultivation as myself, these mere pills are a matter of life and death!"

Shennong Shi's eyes crinkled into a smile as he casually tossed the ring to Wu Wang.

"Take it. The two rings are yin and yang. Wear them on your left and right hands simultaneously to conceal your aura and break through some low-level formations. Put them on now."

"Thank you, Senior!"

Wu Wang quickly refined the rings and put them on his left and right fingers, then stored all his other storage treasures within them.

Gifts from the Human Emperor were indeed extraordinary. The space inside was immense!

He asked with a hint of suspicion, "What's this, Senior? Judging by your demeanor, are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Meditate," Shennong Shi said gently. "I need to set off to find a way to break through the limit of lifespan. I will give you anointing to help you enter the Condense Core realm."

Wu Wang frowned. "Will anointing have any side effects? I feel that steady cultivation is..."

Shennong Shi smiled and said, "Calm your mind."

Wu Wang found himself unable to control his own body. His eyes slowly closed, and he sat down cross-legged. An aura began to swirl around him.

Shennong Shi raised his hand, summoning the Flame Emperor Token floating behind Wu Wang. He drew a fiery red character, and the token instantly blazed, transforming into a ball of fire that burrowed into Wu Wang's chest.

Faint, hazy, ethereal.

Wu Wang 'opened his eyes' to find himself in a place filled with white mist, as if sitting among clouds, in a dream.

Wisps of firelight gathered from the clouds beneath him, then emerged from the mist, forming the Flame Emperor Token wrapped in pale white flames before him.

In that instant, layers of understanding flooded Wu Wang's mind. The Dao fruit felt like ripe red dates in autumn, ready for him to pluck at will.

More than that, the Magic Power circulating within him became purer. Strands of pure Fire Attribute Spiritual Power gathered in his Qi Sea, then surged through his entire body like a storm.

Whoosh—

Flames erupted from all over Wu Wang's body. His clothes turned to ash almost instantly, but his hair remained unharmed.

"Wuwang, remember. If the strange illness on your body fully erupts and you haven't reached the Ninth Level Realm, or if you can no longer reach it... learning to enjoy it isn't so bad."

Wu Wang's eyes snapped open. He stared at the kind-faced old man with a smile at the corners of his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, the old man pressed a palm to his chest.

The ashes on his body scattered instantly, and the world rippled faintly.

Before Wu Wang could utter half a word, the light and shadow around him receded, his vision went black, and all his senses were blocked.

Splash!

Wu Wang, who had been meditating, suddenly fell into water. The force of the old senior's palm strike hadn't fully dissipated, yet the world had already spun, transporting him an unknown distance!

Wu Wang instinctively reached out to the sides and immediately grabbed two smooth wooden boards. He choked on some water before emerging from the not-too-deep water.

Was this a bathtub?

Wu Wang sat up, feeling completely naked. He instinctively clutched the necklace at his chest, ready to take out clothes to put on, and extended his spiritual sense outwards.

This was an artificially carved cave dwelling. Blue curtains hung on the stone walls on all sides. The bathtub he was in was behind a screen, in a relatively hidden spot...

Just then!

His spiritual sense suddenly detected a bolt of blue lightning streaking from the cave's entrance!

Wu Wang reacted instantly. The rings on his fingers flashed faintly, and a crystal ball shot out, shattering in an instant.

Starlight exploded, and a wall of ice materialized out of thin air!

But the ice wall shattered the moment it formed. A spear, trailing layers of ice shards and afterimages, thrust directly at Wu Wang's neck!

Clang!

There was no blood, only sparks as the spear was deflected!

A thin layer of ice crystals appeared around Wu Wang's body.

This ice, a pale blue, was struck head-on by the spear that carried the force of wind and thunder, yet it only showed minor ice marks.

Looking at the other end of the spear, a slender hand held it. The woman wielding the spear, clad in armor, found herself surrounded by sharp ice cones pressed against her face, ankles, neck, and waist. Any slight movement would result in serious injury.

Wu Wang coughed, secretly relieved that after fumbling the necklace from his mother last time, he had spent a lot of time devising several emergency protection plans.

His defenses were now completely seamless.

It was just a bit embarrassing to be completely naked right now.

Wu Wang was a young man who loved to learn, especially from the strengths of his friends. His current composure was learned from Ji Mo, his brother Ji.

He offered a gentle smile and looked up past the armored battle skirt, seeing a woman's face frowning as she stared at him.

He had to say something.

"Cough, I am Wuwangzi, a humble cultivator from the Human Domain. As for why I'm in your bathing tub, I believe you can give me a moment to come up with a proper excuse."

Clang! Clang clang~

The spear in the young woman's hand suddenly slipped and fell to the ground.

A circle of faint golden light surged around her, and the ice spikes shattered directly. Wu Wang felt a sudden sense of alarm in his heart.

Is she an expert?

Uh, or rather, an expert who's glaring with wide eyes, breathing heavily, and staring intently at my vital spots...

Wu Wang quickly conjured several more layers of ice, instantly turning the tub into an ice bucket. He flipped over and jumped to the corner, pulling a robe from his Storage Treasure to shield himself.

"Miss, my purity is also purity!"

The expert's voice trembled slightly: "You're, a man?"

Wu Wang's old face flushed red: "It's quite obvious. If our definition of the word 'man' is correct, then I should be..."

He suddenly thought of something.

Could it be... that the Senior Shennong sent me directly to the Women's Country?

The woman in armor's eyes shimmered with changing colors as she stated firmly, "Where are you from?"

"From the Eastern Lands— no, from the Human Domain."

"That's not important!"

The person actually boomed: "Melt the ice around you, let me see!"

Wu Wang: "..."

Male cultivators need to be careful to protect themselves at all times when adventuring in the Great Wilderness.

He gathered his energy and said in a steady voice:

"Fellow Daoist, this request is a bit excessive. Humans should respect education and civility. The distinction between men and women is the origin of human culture! How can we, as different sexes, directly expose our bodies upon our first meeting!"

Seeing his overly serious expression, the armored woman was momentarily taken aback. She pursed her lips and snorted:

"It's just a man, you don't look that different from us. I'll turn around."

"Please!"

Wu Wang shook his arms. The woman stepped back several paces on the ice shards and turned around.

Listening to the rustling sounds coming from behind, the woman frowned slightly and suddenly thought of something.

Wait, this is her home!

"You came into my house naked, and then—!"

The woman spun around abruptly, only to see that the man in front of her had already tidied himself up... wearing a green long gown, golden-edged cloud boots, his long hair tied into a Daoist bun, and holding a folding fan that he was gently fanning.

The fanning exuded an air of grace, and the movement revealed a gentle and refined demeanor.

"Fellow Daoist, is this the Women's Country in the Western Plains?"