NOVPUBThese metals were even more precious than gold, and while a small amount might be manageable, obtaining them in large quantities was not so easy. To acquire enough of The Qi of Gold for Su Changkong’s Blade Soul metamorphosis was incredibly difficult, certainly not as simple as accumulating his Mysterious Turtle True Essence to refine a Mysterious Turtle Golden Core.
"Ask the Xia Yan family, I can exchange some spiritual medicine and spirit pills that I’ve accumulated."
With no other option, Su Changkong decided to exchange with the Xia Yan family, but he knew it definitely wouldn’t be enough!
"Hmm?"
Just as Su Changkong was preparing to make a trip to Great Flame City, a flashing light from the Identity Token in Su Changkong’s Bag of Book Fragrance indicated that someone from the Xia Yan family was sending a message, which puzzled Su Changkong since he was just about to head to Great Flame City.
"Elder Blade, someone in Great Flame City claims to know you and has an urgent matter to discuss. They wish to meet with you and have identified themselves as Li Zhengao."
The message inside the Identity Token was from Xia Yanjie.
"Li Zhengao? A member of the Li family!"
Su Changkong felt the name sounded familiar and soon recalled who this person was.
In the past, Su Changkong sought to collect the Five Animal True Beast Picture and went to Book Fragrance Mountain in the Wuji Empire to find the Li family, descendants of the Paint Saint Bai Xingzhi.
At that time, the Li family faced threats from the millennium-old Shi family but overcame the challenge with Su Changkong’s help. To prevent retaliation, the entire Li family eventually left Book Fragrance Mountain.
The head of the Li family was named Li Song, and Li Zhengao was his son!
Now, for some reason, Li Zhengao had traveled all the way to the Great Flame Empire and, knowing that Su Changkong was a Guest Elder of the Xia Yan family, had sought them out to find Su Changkong.
"Let’s go see."
After a brief thought, Su Changkong decided to meet Li Zhengao and informed Xia Yanjie that he would make the trip.
Firstly, Su Changkong’s ability to advance his Five Animal Frolics was indeed greatly aided by Bai Xingzhi and the Li family. Although he had repaid them by helping them through difficult times, kindness and sentiment are not transactions—it isn’t as simple as helping each other once and having no further connection.
Of course, what mattered most was that Su Changkong was planning to see if he could exchange some rare metals with the Xia Yan family to strengthen his Blade Soul with the Qi of Gold. While doing so, he might as well meet Li Zhengao and find out what he had to say!
With this in mind, Su Changkong did not delay and left the Spirit Taoist Sect, flying in the direction of Great Flame City.
At the entrance to Great Flame Imperial City, Su Changkong arrived.
"Elder Blade."
In a short while, at the entrance of the imperial city, Xia Yanjie who had been waiting there in advance, came forward to greet him.
Xia Yanjie was aware that Su Changkong had recently achieved the status of Entering Saint, which drastically altered his identity and status from before!
"Take me to meet Li Zhengao," said Su Changkong, always one for swift action.
"Yes, Elder Blade, please follow me."
Xia Yanjie led Su Changkong into the imperial city, to a guest hall within.
When Li Zhengao came to the imperial city looking for Su Changkong and mentioned knowing him, the Xia Yan family naturally did not neglect him and treated him as an honored guest.
Upon entering the guest hall, Su Changkong quickly saw Li Zhengao, who had matured a lot since the last time they met, no longer looking the youth he once was.
"Mr. Blade!"
As soon as Li Zhengao saw Su Changkong enter, he immediately stood up from his worried sitting posture, appearing somewhat restrained and respectful as he quickly greeted him.
Li Zhengao was somewhat anxious in his heart.
Back then, Su Changkong had rescued him from the Shi family and, within the Literacy Paradise, retaliated against the Shi family head and the Elder of the Life Extinguishing Association, revealing the invincible might of a Great Grandmaster!
Moreover, in the time since then, Su Changkong’s reputation had soared rapidly, becoming known even to the distant Li family for his invincibility and regarded as the foremost person under the Martial Saints!
Years had passed since then, and Li Zhengao feared that Su Changkong, with his different status and position, would no longer consider people like them significant.
Fortunately, he was worrying too much. Su Changkong, who had also started from insignificance, would not look down on former acquaintances merely because he has achieved some success.
"Young Master Li, please sit. For what matter have you sought me out from so far away?" asked Su Changkong, promptly inviting Li Zhengao to dispense with formality. Once both were seated, Su Changkong went straight to the point.
Li Zhengao’s long journey and request for the Xia Yan family to pass on an urgent message suggested that the matter was no simple affair!
Li Zhengao began to relay the event: "After parting ways with Mr. Blade, our Li family, fearing retaliation from the Shi family, moved en masse and left the Wuji Empire... traveling far from our homeland to Huangtian Country."
Huangtian Country, Su Changkong remembered, was one of the Upper Three Kingdoms, its power comparable to that of the Heavenly God Imperial Dynasty and stronger than the Great Flame Empire!
"In Huangtian Country, fortune smiled upon our Li family. My father sensed something and, within an ancient ruin in the wilderness, discovered the Divine Seed left behind by our ancestor Bai Xingzhi, which had already been lost!" exclaimed Li Zhengao, revealing some secrets.
"Bai Xingzhi’s Divine Seed?"
Su Changkong was quite surprised. Paint Saint Bai Xingzhi, who possessed the Divine Skills of Painting Becomes Reality, passed on his Divine Seed to the Bai Family at the time of his meditative death. However, the Bai Family declined over the long passage of time, losing even the Divine Seed and changing their names to avoid trouble.
But Li Song, the head of the Li family, had taken his disciples to Huangtian Country and managed to find the Divine Seed left by Bai Xingzhi!
"My father was overjoyed, feeling it was a blessing from our ancestor. He led the Li family to settle down in Huangtian Province of Huangtian Country and started to ponder the mysteries of the Divine Seed, intending to refine it. His wish was not for the Li family to regain its former glory, but simply to live a better life."
