Feather Pavilion (43k)

In the Black-Corner Region, uninvited guests were approaching Rakshasa City, a city near Black Seal City.

Rakshasa City was the territory of the Rakshasa Gate. Its sect master, Su Mei, was a Four-Star Dou Emperor ranked eighth on the Black List. She was somewhat stronger than Yuan Yi, who had now broken through to Three-Star Dou Emperor, and she was also the only woman in the Black-Corner Region to make the list.

"Lord Liu, shall we go straight to the Rakshasa Gate, or...?" asked a burly middle-aged man—Yuan Yi—as he turned to Liu Yu.

"Let's head inside and have a look first. I imagine they'll come to us without us having to look for them," Liu Yu replied calmly.

Only he and Yuan Yi had come to Rakshasa City this time. The deputy sect master and several elders remained at the Eight Gates, while Yun Yun was cultivating the Wind-Evolving Spirit-Slaying Finger.

And so, Liu Yu and Yuan Yi entered the city with their Dou Emperor auras radiating outward, under the shocked, fearful gazes of the crowd.

The Rakshasa Gate members observing them from the shadows vanished in a few swift movements, heading back to report to their elders.

Deep within the Rakshasa Gate stood a luxurious manor.

"Sect Master, two Dou Huang experts have entered the city. One appears to be Yuan Yi, ranked tenth on the Black List," a slightly stooped old man reported with a bow to a seductive beauty reclining on a jade couch in the hall, her clothing revealing.

"Yuan Yi? What about the other one?"

This beauty was none other than Su Mei. A trace of confusion flickered across her lovely, alluring face. Near her ear, a bewitching black poppy was tattooed on her cheek—beautiful, yet lethally poisonous. She slowly straightened her supple waist, offering fleeting glimpses of snowy skin across her magnificent bosom.

"We're not sure, but he looks like a young man, and Yuan Yi seems to defer to him."

The old man answered cautiously. He felt that those two had come with ill intentions. The Rakshasa Gate and the Eight Gates had always kept to their own waters, with neither conflicting interests nor cooperation between them. Yet instead of remaining in his own territory, the Eight Gates' sect master had suddenly arrived in Rakshasa City with a mysterious Dou Huang expert. No matter how he looked at it, something was wrong!

"A young Dou Emperor?"

Su Mei's velvety voice rose a little. She found her elder's words hard to believe, but he could not possibly have the courage to deceive her.

So when had such a figure appeared in the Black-Corner Region without her knowing? Unless he was not from the Black-Corner Region at all.

The old man raised his head slightly, his expression questioning. "Sect Master, how should the Rakshasa Gate handle this? Shall we leave them alone?"

"Visitors are guests. Naturally, we must entertain them properly. Summon the deputy sect master and the other three elders. We'll go welcome our guests!"

After some thought, Su Mei made her decision at once. The only thing in Rakshasa City that could make outsiders salivate was her Rakshasa Gate.

Perhaps the Thousand Medicine Shop counted as well, but it belonged to the renowned Medicine Emperor Han Feng of the Black-Corner Region. Two Dou Emperors were not enough to contend with Han Feng, so they could not be here for the Thousand Medicine Shop.

Rakshasa City was the foundation she had fought to build, and she would never abandon it. So what if there were two Dou Emperors? If it came to a fight to the death, she would drag one of them into the grave with her! A chilling trace of killing intent flashed through Su Mei's beautiful eyes.

Though Su Mei was a woman, the decisiveness and resolve she showed in certain matters were qualities some faction leaders lacked.

Meanwhile, Liu Yu and Yuan Yi were strolling through the streets. Strictly speaking, it was not aimless wandering. Liu Yu was taking Yuan Yi through various medicine shops, hoping to see whether he had a protagonist's halo too and could scoop up some overlooked treasures.

Reality proved that his luck was abysmal. The Thousand Medicine Shop did have some decent medicinal ingredients, but its prices were pure robbery. Damn it, a single herb cost several times the market price—they might as well just rob people! Naturally, he had no intention of becoming their sucker.

Just as Liu Yu and Yuan Yi emerged from a medicine shop, a squad of black-clad men rushed out from the end of the street. They violently drove aside everyone in their way, clearing a broad path. But this was the Black-Corner Region; such behavior was bound to provoke an uproar.

Unfortunately, everyone who attempted to resist was hacked to death beneath a flurry of blades, unable to put up any fight. The large squad of black-clad men was led by a Dou Ling, and all the others were Da Dou Shi. Without question, this was an elite force that only a major faction could field.

As the black-clad men cleared the street, Liu Yu saw six figures slowly approaching him and Yuan Yi along the broad path.

Leading them was a seductive beauty in provocative clothing. The other five were four old men at the Dou Ling level and a burly man whose strength was that of a low-level Dou Wang.

"Sect Master Yuan, I've long heard of your reputation. And who might this be?"

Soon, Su Mei arrived before Liu Yu and Yuan Yi with her deputy sect master and four elders. Looking at Yuan Yi, she covered her mouth and laughed coyly. When her gaze shifted to Liu Yu, admiration and shock flashed through her limpid eyes. He really was a young Dou Emperor!

"I've likewise long heard of your reputation, Sect Master Su. This is Lord Liu, the true authority behind my Eight Gates."

Yuan Yi laughed heartily and introduced Liu Yu to Su Mei. Ever since Liu Yu had given him an Emperor's Extreme Pill a month ago, he had stopped resisting the idea of following him. So-called dignity was worth less than anything in the Black-Corner Region. Strength alone was everything!

Besides, the man he followed was not only a Dou Huang expert but also a Grade Six Alchemist—an existence comparable to Medicine Emperor Han Feng, the lord of Maple City in the Black-Corner Region.

As the Black-Corner Region's foremost alchemist, Han Feng could draw countless experts into his service whenever he wished. Even its three overlord factions—the Black Emperor Sect, the Demon Flame Valley, and Jia Nan Academy, all possessing top-tier combat power in the form of Dou Zong—were unwilling to provoke him lightly. Such was the influence of a Grade Six Alchemist.

And in Yuan Yi's eyes, Liu Yu was even more formidable than Medicine Emperor Han Feng, because he was simply too young. To reach Han Feng's level at such an age—what astonishing talent! His future was almost beyond imagination!

"So you are Lord Liu. This is my first time meeting someone as exceptional as you," Su Mei said alluringly, her beautiful eyes brimming with "admiration," as though Liu Yu truly had captivated her.

Seeing Su Mei act like this, Liu Yu really wanted to complain. Could you make it a little less fake? I admit I'm very "good-looking," but you're the leader of a faction, and in a chaotic place like the Black-Corner Region at that. This is far too fake.

"You've come at just the right time, Sect Master Su. There happens to be something I'd like to discuss with you," Liu Yu said directly.

"Oh? What sort of matter?" Su Mei bit her red lip, a hint of something ambiguous in her gaze. But when she saw that Liu Yu's expression remained cool, she stopped flaunting her charms and continued, "Since you have something to discuss, why not come to the Rakshasa Gate? What do you think, Lord Liu?"

The Rakshasa Gate's council hall.

Quite a few people were now seated in the council hall, and the person occupying the seat of honor was none other than Liu Yu. Su Mei and Yuan Yi sat on either side of him, while the Rakshasa Gate's deputy sect master and four elders sat below.

Logically, as the Rakshasa Gate's sect master, Su Mei should have occupied the seat of honor. But the Black-Corner Region's unchanging rule was that strength commanded respect, so she had voluntarily yielded it to Liu Yu.

"May I ask what you wished to discuss, Lord Liu?" Su Mei asked playfully, resting her cheek on her left hand and blinking her large eyes.

"How about bringing the Rakshasa Gate under my command, Sect Master Su?"

Liu Yu's blunt proposal left Su Mei somewhat stunned, as it did the other Rakshasa Gate members seated below.

"Lord Liu, having the Rakshasa Gate become a faction under your command isn't out of the question. But what would we gain?" Recovering, Su Mei spoke with a smile. She had no great objection to becoming someone else's subordinate, provided they were strong enough and the benefits plentiful enough!

"What would you gain? Follow me, and you will certainly become a Dou Zong one day. The Rakshasa Gate will also grow ever stronger!" Liu Yu said with a light chuckle.

"You jest, Lord Liu. My aptitude is poor. I fear the Dou Zong realm is beyond my reach. Ah..." Su Mei sighed, her beautiful eyes fixed on Liu Yu. Anyone could paint a grand feast in the air; she wanted tangible benefits!

"Heh." Liu Yu felt like laughing. She really would not be satisfied without some meat on her plate.

Su Mei and everyone below watched Liu Yu with a measure of anticipation, wanting to see just how much this Lord Liu would offer them. If all he had were verbal promises, expecting the Rakshasa Gate to submit to him was nothing but a fool's dream.

At his side, a trace of pity appeared in Yuan Yi's eyes.

"You should know that powerful soul power is the hallmark of a high-tier alchemist."

As Liu Yu's calm words fell, an invisible radiance flashed, and vast, mighty Soul Power surged outward with him at its center.

Even though Yuan Yi was not its primary target, he could still feel his soul trembling! Just what kind of power was this? An absurd thought slowly surfaced in his mind. Was Lord Liu really only a Grade Six Alchemist?

While Yuan Yi still had the leisure to think of other things, the Rakshasa Gate members were in excruciating pain. This terrifying Soul Power had struck too suddenly. The pressure crushing their entire bodies, the near-suffocating sensation, clung tightly to their hearts. Worst of all were their souls, which felt as though they were being crushed and torn apart bit by bit.

Su Mei tried to use the Dou Qi within her body to resist this terrifying Soul Power. But under Soul Power of this level, her Dou Qi no longer obeyed her at all, leaving her to struggle in vain.

Just as their consciousness began to blur, the immense soul pressure suddenly vanished without a trace, as though nothing had happened.

Yet the Rakshasa Gate's deputy sect master and elders, slumped in their chairs in utter exhaustion, proved that something dreadful had indeed occurred. Su Mei, seated to Liu Yu's left, was little better. Propping herself up in her chair, her gorgeous face drained of color, she struggled to breathe through lips that had turned pale.

To his right, Yuan Yi's lips curved slightly. He admitted it: he was enjoying their misfortune. As the saying went, "No sharing the blessings, but everyone shares the suffering."

"Sect Master Su, you should now believe that I have the ability to help you break through to Dou Zong, shouldn't you?" Liu Yu asked, looking at her with a "charming" smile.

Su Mei's expression turned somewhat bitter. The feeling of being an ant that could be casually crushed to death was truly awful. Even a Dou Zong expert could hardly do more than this.

"What are you saying, Lord Liu? I've believed in your ability from the very beginning," Su Mei said, forcing a strained smile.

Liu Yu said nothing. A special rune formed within his Spiritual World, then flew out from between his brows. In the blink of an eye, it entered Su Mei's head and took root deep within her soul.

Seeing Su Mei's alarm and uncertainty, Liu Yu signaled for Yuan Yi to explain. Understanding his meaning, Yuan Yi spoke to Su Mei with solemn conviction. "Sect Master Su, that soul rune was a Soul Seal bestowed by Lord Liu. It can protect your soul against soul attacks from those with powerful souls like his. Moreover, from this moment onward, you truly belong to Lord Liu. Your path of Dou Qi cultivation will be smooth from here on!"

Yuan Yi felt that nothing he had said was wrong. Though his life was no longer his own, his strength was rising rapidly, and to the people of the Black-Corner Region, strength was everything.

After the Soul Seal had been planted in him, he had first received an Emperor's Extreme Pill, then the fifth-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill, which aided Dou Wang and Dou Emperors in their regular cultivation.

He had spent half a month taking the Emperor's Extreme Pill and breaking through to Three-Star Dou Emperor, then begun taking Qi-Nourishing Pills during the latter half. This single month had been worth several years of arduous cultivation!

Now, even if Liu Yu wanted to remove the Soul Seal from his soul, he would refuse. Without it, he would lose those pills that accelerated his cultivation. As long as the Soul Seal remained, he could keep receiving pills from Liu Yu and improving his strength, while Liu Yu could provide them without worry.

Following Yuan Yi's words, a jade box appeared in Liu Yu's hand, then floated over to Su Mei.

"An Emperor's Extreme Pill." The words rang like heavenly music in Su Mei's ears.

With a trace of disbelief, Su Mei took the jade box. This was an Emperor's Extreme Pill! Even among sixth-grade pills, it ranked among the very finest—a precious pill that every Dou Huang expert flocked to!

Time flowed leisurely onward, and a year passed in the blink of an eye. The quiet Black-Corner Region had also been stirred by considerable waves.

The Feather Pavilion was a powerful faction that had suddenly emerged. It boasted numerous Dou Huang experts, with five openly known! As for Dou Wang experts, it had more than a dozen!

Not only that, the people of the Black-Corner Region were certain that the Feather Pavilion had a Grade Six Alchemist, because the tremendous disturbances caused by the emergence of sixth-grade pills appeared in Black Seal City from time to time.

Some guessed that its mysterious pavilion master was that very Grade Six Alchemist. How else could he have recruited the leaders of so many first-rate factions in the Black-Corner Region and formed such an enormous force?

Others believed that the pavilion master was a Dou Zong expert and a different person from the alchemist. Opinions varied widely.

But whatever the truth, the Feather Pavilion's overall strength was already fully comparable to the Black-Corner Region's true top factions. It stood on the same level as the Black Emperor Sect, the Demon Flame Valley, and Jia Nan Academy, and together they were known as the Black-Corner Region's four overlord factions!

In a secluded chamber within the Eight Gates in Black Seal City, a figure enveloped in ice-blue flames sat cross-legged on the Lotus Seat. Searing heat rose through the chamber, yet, bizarrely, an eerie Cold Qi permeated it as well!

As the figure slowly opened his eyes, all the flames were drawn into his body, and the chamber's strange spectacle of intertwined ice and fire vanished.

"The Green Lotus Profound Blue Flame and Bone Spirit Cold Flame fused into a Heavenly Flame really is terrifying. I doubt it's any weaker than the flames ranked eighth or ninth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking," Liu Yu murmured, gazing at the ice-blue flame dancing in his hand.

During his year or so in the Black-Corner Region, aside from expanding his faction and refining pills with the medicinal ingredients he collected, Liu Yu had also cultivated the Flame Mantra.

With the help of the Green Lotus Profound Blue Flame and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame nurtured using ten strands of Source Power, he had evolved the Flame Mantra into a Middle Earth Tier cultivation method. It needed only a little more energy to become a high-grade Earth Tier cultivation method; it could be considered a quasi-high-grade Earth Tier cultivation method.

Afterward—just now, in fact—he had successfully fused the two Heavenly Flames into this new flame, which he named the Profound Lotus Ice Flame.

Rising from the Lotus Seat, Liu Yu put it away, then vanished from the chamber with a flicker of movement.

Thanks to Cthulhu Azathoth zyz for the monthly vote.