Chapter 462 - Apocalyptic Golden Crow

“Big Brother, it’s not as terrifying as you think it is! Only one of them is the real sun. I don’t know what the others are, but they look similar to suns. However, they should be almost as hot. To some people, the Day of the Nine Suns is a disaster, but it’s a lucky day to others,” Huangfu Qi continued, still speaking into Long Chen’s ear.

“Why?” asked Long Chen.

“That’s exactly why I’m going to the Ancient Demon Domain. I heard that in one month’s time, the Ancient Demon Domain will hold the annual examination for their disciples of the younger generation. The champion of the event will be rewarded with one Emperor Flame Pearl. Although its effects are not pronounced, it is extremely rare. I heard from my father that on the Day of the Nine Suns, any Heavenly Passage Realm cultivator can boost their cultivation level directly to the Ninth Passage Stage using the Emperor Flame Pearl! Even you can do it!”

Long Chen was completely stunned.

Progressing from the First Passage Stage directly to the Ninth was the most unbelievable thing Long Chen had ever heard. Before this, he would not have even dared to imagine something like that. But if it really was true, then he had to strive with everything he had. What he lacked most was time after all. Ten years was too long, and no one knew what would happen in between. If something happened to Ling Xi during that time, he would never forgive himself.

“Actually, it’s not exactly a coincidence. All the disciples below the Ninth Passage Stage in the Ancient Demon Domain have spent years preparing to get the Emperor Flame Pearl. After we enter the Ancient Demon Domain, we will only have two months to prepare. There are countless experts in the Ancient Demon Domain, and the odds may be slim, but I really wish to reach the Ninth Passage Stage immediately so that my father will never call me useless again.” Huangfu Qi sounded a little sad when she said this, and her eyes shimmered. It seemed like she was about to cry again.

Long Chen comforted her slightly, then he asked Little Cat, “Little Cat, can you tell me if the Emperor Flame Pearl and the Day of the Nine Suns are real?”

“They are.” Little Cat nodded, and when he saw that Long Chen was serious, he explained, “There actually is only one sun during the Day of the Nine Suns. The other eight are the manifestations of my old rival, the Apocalyptic Golden Crow’s soul. That crow has long gone missing; maybe it’s dead. Only nine pieces of its soul remain in the sun. On the Day of the Nine Suns, eight of the nine pieces are flung out of the sun, forming this anomaly.”

“To me, it’s just an anomaly. Humans have a very different experience because what you see are nine identical suns. The temperature on that day will indeed be very high, but the phenomenon will disappear after a day. The phenomenon can only be spotted in very few places, and probably only in an area the size of the Divine Martial Empire. It won’t affect other places.”

Little Cat said this because it guessed that Long Chen was worried about his friends and family in the Cangyang Kingdom.

Indeed, his explanation cleared Long Chen’s worries.

“What about the Emperor Flame Pearl?” Long Chen asked again.

“It’s a good item to have, so you should try to get it. The Emperor Flame Pearl has no tier and doesn’t actually have any uses. It’s actually just a crystallization of the sweat that dripped from the Golden Crow’s body. It’s not exactly a precious treasure, but it does contain some traces of the Golden Crow’s aura. If you use the Emperor Flame Pearl on that day, the nine meridian points in your body will match with the nine suns in the sky. When the energy of the nine suns enters the Emperor Flame Pearl, it will indeed clear all your meridian points so you can reach the Ninth Passage Stage immediately. And ...”

Little Cat smiled mysteriously. “As long as you keep this girl by your side so I can watch her, I will promise to help you steal the Golden Crow’s soul piece on the Day of the Nine Suns and inject it into your nine meridian points so they will be filled with the power of the Golden Crow. Imagine—your meridian points will be filled not with meridian pills, but with the ancient Apocalyptic Golden Crow’s soul! It will be as if your body has nine suns within it; you’ll be a terrifying presence!”

Long Chen was utterly shaken.

He had previously been doubtful of Little Cat’s identity and felt that it was not that strong, but now he started to believe it. Regular demonic beasts did not know this much; they probably did not even know what the Golden Crow was.

“Little Cat, is the Golden Crow powerful?” asked Long Chen.

The cat shrugged. “The Golden Crow is only average. About my level. At its peak, it could directly turn into the sun and levitate in the sky. As long as it was willing, it could turn itself into a forever entity like the sun just by changing its energy.” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“... That’s average?” Long Chen was speechless. If the Little Cat was not lying, a beast like that would have been at the peak of the world. Even Ling Xi’s family would just be a colony of ants in front of a presence like that.

“How do you and the Golden Crow compare with the ancestral dragons?” Long Chen asked the most crucial question.

“Ancestral dragons?” Little Cat smiled in exasperation. “The ancestral dragons were the rulers of the Dragon Continent. Ancient apex beasts like us only appeared when the ancient dragon race started to disappear. I won’t lie; I’m in my current state because of an ancestral dragon. Due to laws relating to ancient secrets, I cannot tell you more, and it’s best if you don’t ask. However, I can tell you one thing—the divine beasts are not as strong as the ancestors.”

The divine beasts weren’t as strong as the ancestors.

This meant that both the Apocalyptic Golden Crow and the Reincarnation Beast were no match for the ancestral dragons. The ancestral dragons were the true beasts of the world.

When Little Cat spoke of the ancestral dragons, it instinctively glanced at Long Chen’s head with reverence. That was where Long Chen’s sea of consciousness was.

Long Chen quietened his mind. He put the matter of ancestral dragons and ancient divine beasts aside, and instead shifted his focus to the Emperor Flame Pearl and the Day of the Nine Suns.

This means that in order to reach the Ninth Passage Stage immediately and at the same time possess the Golden Crow soul’s power in my body, I must get the Emperor Flame Pearl ...

The Emperor Flame Pearl was a gigantic opportunity for Long Chen!

If a cultivator at the Eighth Passage Stage received the Emperor Flame Pearl, he would only ascend one stage at most. But it was different for Long Chen. With Little Cat’s help, he would undergo a major metamorphosis!

Only a small portion of the soul remained in the sun, and what Little Cat could steal was a tiny bit of that small portion. Even so, Long Chen would completely change.

“Big Brother, why are you staring into space?! I’m asking if you’re done asking questions?!” the little girl screamed into Long Chen’s ear.

Due to the Primordial Dragon Talisman, Long Chen did not need to speak out loud to communicate with Little Cat. From Huangfu Qi’s perspective, Long Chen was merely staring into space after he asked about the Emperor Flame Pearl, which frustrated her.

Ignoring looks from other people, Long Chen bent down to whisper in her ear, “Qi Qi, are you sure the things you said about the Emperor Flame Pearl are true?”

Huangfu Qi thought it was very fun that Long Chen was acting as sneaky as she was and forgot all about how he had been staring off into space. She also leaned to his ear and whispered, “It’s true! My father said so himself. The things my father says are true. I’ve tested this countless times.”

“Alright, then. I’m done asking. Xiaolang, take one for the team.” Long Chen smiled, then he looked at Xiaolang with schadenfreude.

Seeing as Long Chen’s expression was solemn while he communicated with Little Cat, Xiaolang knew that he was asking about something very important. Since they had made a promise to the little girl, as men, they had to fulfill that promise. Xiaolang walked up to Huangfu Qi with a sour expression, at the same time glaring at her with widened eyes.

“Wow! So cute!” squealed Huangfu Qi ...

Xiaolang was speechless.

***

Soon after, Long Chen left the restaurant, and Huangfu Qi followed him contently, her eyes shining with joy. Xiaolang endured her gentle pats while she carried him in her arms.

Within the Primordial Dragon Realm, Little Cat was rolling on the ground, screaming ...

Huangfu Qi quickened her footsteps and walked up to him. “Big Brother, where are you going?”

“I want to buy something, then I’ll join the Ancient Demon Domain’s qualifiers immediately.” Long Chen had made his decision.

He kept Huangfu Qi by his side, as per Little Cat’s request. Of course, that was through using Xiaolang as bait.

“You’re going to buy something? I want food! I want to feed the puppy some bones!” Huangfu Qi gazed lovingly at Xiaolang. She was already so nurturing at such a young age; who knew what she would be like when she grew older?

Long Chen ignored her. He went to a small shop and bought an empty notebook, as well as a brush and ink.

“Big Brother, why did you buy a book and a brush?” Huangfu Qi asked, confused.

“I’m practicing calligraphy to train my mind,” Long Chen answered mysteriously.

“Oh!” Huangfu Qi nodded, then she turned her attention back to Xiaolang and patted his head with her small hand.

After making his purchase, Long Chen was prepared to head to the Ancient Demon Domain. He gazed at the gray mountain range far away, as well as the ten pillars of yellow gas shooting up into the sky, piercing through the clouds.

“The Earthly Qi here really is very thick ...” commented Long Chen.

Then he stored the book and the brush in the Primordial Realm.

Xiao Xi, from now on, I will record everything that happens along my journey. When we meet again, you will only need to read my records to know what I went through in our time apart. I hope you haven’t forgotten about me when that day comes ...

Ten years. Could the memory of one person survive this long?