As the radiance of the Demon-Suppressing Tower gradually faded, Chen Ping emerged, hands clasped behind his back, stepping slowly forward.
Each step seemed to tread upon the void itself, his every gesture exuding an awe-inspiring pressure that made others dare not look directly at him.
The Gadfly, gazing at Chen Ping, who now resembled a deity, swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.
Chen Ping had only just entered the Loose Immortal Realm, yet the pressure he radiated made even the Gadfly, a third-rank Loose Immortal, unable to meet his gaze directly.
Such was the gap: one was born with the bloodline of a golden dragon, while he was merely a rhinoceros.
“My son-in-law, you’ve actually reached the Loose Immortal Realm! Was that celestial phenomenon just now caused by your breakthrough?” Bai Yi, seeing Chen Ping emerge and having attained the Loose Immortal Realm, asked excitedly.
“I’m not entirely sure, but when I break through to a major realm, the celestial phenomena do tend to be a bit more dramatic than others’,” Chen Ping replied.
“Big Brother, a bit? You’ve probably alarmed everyone in the entire First Heaven! Those unaware might think a powerhouse from a higher plane has descended!” Mad Immortal said, looking at Chen Ping with envy.
Chen Ping merely gave a faint smile. He now knew that with his current strength, he could sweep through the First Heaven of the Celestial Realm unchallenged.
With the Demon-Suppressing Tower and the immortal stone vein, his cultivation was indeed twice as effective with half the effort.
“How long have I been cultivating?” Chen Ping asked.
“Big Brother, it’s been a month,” the Gadfly answered.
“A month?” Chen Ping frowned slightly. “Has Niu Ben been rescued yet?”
“Not yet,” the Gadfly shook his head. “The City Lord of Flying Tiger City, Xie Zhong, just sent a message, asking us to send someone to Flying Tiger City for detailed negotiations.”
“It’s likely they’ll demand a portion of our resources and some territory before they release Niu Ben.”
“I’ve been considering who to send. If I go myself, I’m worried Xie Zhong might go back on his word and detain me, which would be troublesome.”
“I’ll go. If Flying Tiger City refuses to release him, I’ll wipe them out!” Chen Ping declared immediately.
“Big Brother, it’s too dangerous. Even though you’ve broken through to the Loose Immortal Realm and your strength is unmatched, Flying Tiger City has numbers on their side.”
“As the saying goes, two fists can’t block four hands. If Xie Zhong is determined, wouldn’t you be walking into a tiger’s den?” the Gadfly shook his head, unwilling to let Chen Ping take the risk.
“Old Cow, I’ll go with Big Brother. I know Xie Zhong, he might give me some face,” Mad Immortal offered.
“I’m going too. I can’t let my son-in-law take this risk alone!” Bai Yi added, insisting on joining Chen Ping.
He couldn’t bear to watch Chen Ping venture into danger alone.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely bring Niu Ben back,” Chen Ping said, patting the Gadfly on the shoulder.
“Big Brother, how about I send a few thousand soldiers to accompany you? It’d be good to have some backup,” the Gadfly suggested.
“No need. I’m going to negotiate, not to fight. Bringing too many people would only complicate things,” Chen Ping waved his hand dismissively.
“Big Brother, take care. If things go wrong, leave immediately. Don’t worry about Niu Ben, I don’t think Xie Zhong would dare do anything to him,” the Gadfly cautioned.
Chen Ping nodded, then left the City Lord’s Mansion with Bai Yi and Mad Immortal.
The trio first returned to Spirit Fox Workshop. It had been a long time, and Chen Ping needed to check in with Hu Mazi and Xiu Rui.
When Chen Ping arrived at Spirit Fox Workshop, Hu Mazi looked at him with dissatisfaction and said, “Damn, where’ve you been, kid? It’s been over a month. I thought you’d died out there.”
“Master Hu, I’ve been cultivating and didn’t have time to come back. Please don’t take offence,” Chen Ping apologised to Hu Mazi.
