Chapter 318 - Not Looking For Trouble

"Brother Xu, no need to be so polite," Zhuo Yihang laughed and, without giving Xu Zimo a choice, led him off to the side.

"It's rare to meet such a warm-hearted person like Brother Zhuo when traveling," Xu Zimo said with a sigh.

...

Zhuo Yihang's status seemed quite high.

Many disciples greeted him as they passed by.

He had even carved out a cave on one side of the valley as his residence.

Clearly, these people had been here for quite a while.

Xu Zimo could tell that the Seventh Elder from the True Martial Sacred Ground must have come after the grand competition, he was sure of that.

Xu Zimo and the girl followed Zhuo Yihang into the cave.

The lighting inside was good. The walls on both sides were embedded with luminous pearls.

There was a stone table and four stone stools.

A pot of tea sat on the table.

"Brother Xu, Miss Fan, please have a seat," Zhuo Yihang said with a smile.

The three sat down, and Zhuo Yihang personally poured each of them a cup of tea.

"Brother Zhuo, why are so many people gathered in this valley? Is something happening?" Xu Zimo asked curiously.

Zhuo Yihang looked outside, then lowered his voice and said, "Brother Xu, have you heard of Silent Extinction Ridge?"

"One of the Ten Forbidden Grounds," Fan Tianyi immediately responded.

"Of course I've heard of it," Xu Zimo nodded.

Silent Extinction Ridge was where Grand Emperor San Dao carried the Heaven’s Will. He naturally knew about it.

He had even encountered Silent Extinction Ridge on the way through the Grand Myriad Mountains.

He originally planned to go search for it himself, he didn't expect to run into it this way.

"Rumor has it that a dying elder from Heaven Ender forcibly performed a heavenly divination," Zhuo Yihang smiled, raising his teacup halfway. "Let’s drink first."

Xu Zimo smiled as well, finished the tea in one gulp, and said, "Come on, Brother Zhuo, don’t keep me hanging. Continue."

"The elder died under heavenly tribulation after the divination," Zhuo Yihang replied.

"Before dying, he only left behind three words, Blue Stone Valley."

"This place?" Xu Zimo asked.

"Exactly. All the major forces of the Eastern Continent searched for three whole months before finding this place," Zhuo Yihang said with a smile.

"Apparently, Silent Extinction Ridge will appear here soon."

Xu Zimo nodded slightly.

Silent Extinction Ridge might be forbidden, but it held countless treasures.

Many geniuses died there, leaving behind imperial weapons and artifacts.

More importantly, Grand Emperor San Dao was said to have left something behind there.

...

"Brother Xu, pardon my boldness, but what’s your relationship with Miss Fan?" Zhuo Yihang asked casually.

Xu Zimo raised an eyebrow. "She’s my maid."

Fan Tianyi pouted a bit but didn’t argue.

Zhuo Yihang was stunned, then laughed. "I quite like this maid of yours. To be honest, would you consider parting with her?"

"Sure, if you want her, take her," Xu Zimo nodded.

Zhuo Yihang hesitated, he hadn’t expected Xu Zimo to be so generous.

"Then, would you consider selling your mount as well? I’d pay for the tiger."

"What’s with all this buying talk? If you want it, take it," Xu Zimo patted his shoulder. "There aren’t many good people like you these days."

"Brother Xu, you’re too generous," Zhuo Yihang laughed heartily. "Then I won’t refuse."

"I’ve got my eyes on something too. Would Brother Zhuo be willing to give it up?" Xu Zimo said with a smile.

"Name it!"

"Have you ever heard the saying," Xu Zimo asked, "'The good die young, while evil lasts a thousand years'? A good man like you shouldn’t break that rule. So I want your life. Will you give it up?"

"You must be joking," Zhuo Yihang forced a smile.

"I’m serious."

Hearing that, Zhuo Yihang narrowed his eyes. "Didn’t you feel anything off with your body?"

"The tea was tampered with," Fan Tianyi immediately realized.

"Too late now, don’t you think?" Zhuo Yihang stood up and drew his sword with a smirk.

"The tea had meridian-sealing powder in it. Brother Xu, you’ve disappointed me. I helped you get in here, and you want to kill me?"

...

As the sword came down, Xu Zimo shook his head slightly.

"What a clown. So boring."

He pressed down with one hand. The power of the Imperial Meridian Realm burst forth, and his massive hand suppressed the sword instantly.

"You... You’re an Imperial Meridian cultivator!" Zhuo Yihang’s expression changed drastically.

He knew full well that meridian-sealing powder was useless against anyone above the Paragon Meridian Realm.

Xu Zimo turned to Fan Tianyi and shook his head. "Don’t eat random things from strangers. Do you not have any common sense?"

"I only drank it because you drank it first," Fan Tianyi muttered.

"So what should I do with you?" Xu Zimo took the sword and said calmly.

"I’m the head disciple of Cloud Emperor Sect. You can’t kill me!" Zhuo Yihang shouted.

"A second-rate sect with a flashy name," Xu Zimo chuckled.

As soon as he finished speaking, a hidden bell on Zhuo Yihang’s waist rang out.

The moment it sounded, several Imperial Meridian auras surged from outside.

Several figures instantly flew into the cave.

"You can’t kill me!" Zhuo Yihang shouted arrogantly.

"Sir, if you don’t want trouble, stop now," a voice came from the cave entrance.

Three Imperial Meridian experts appeared, led by the Sect Master of the Cloud Emperor Sect, a woman in a green robe.

"You think your sect can bring me trouble?" Xu Zimo laughed.

"Calm down. We can give you anything you want," the green-robed woman said anxiously.

"I only want him dead," Xu Zimo smiled.

His sword swung. Zhuo Yihang, still laughing, fell silent.

His head was severed.

"You've made a huge mistake!" the green-robed woman’s face changed drastically.

The three Imperial Meridian cultivators exchanged looks and charged at Xu Zimo.

"You think you’re worthy?" Xu Zimo's body surged with the Power of Creation. He clenched his fist and punched.

With a loud boom, the entire cave collapsed, and the three experts were sent flying.

The disturbance instantly caught the attention of those outside.

"Who is that? Someone’s stirring up trouble here?" someone asked curiously.

"Seems like there's a conflict with the Cloud Emperor Sect."

...

The three Imperial Meridian cultivators were knocked back but quickly regained their footing and floated into the air, staring at Xu Zimo with grave expressions.

"Do you know who you just killed?" the green-robed woman said coldly.

"Does a dead man’s identity matter?" Xu Zimo replied.

The woman looked at another Imperial Meridian cultivator and said, "Go get the Sacred Lord. We’ll hold him off."