Chapter 33: The Blue-Eyed Young Master, A Lifespan Not Exceeding 40

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Blue-Eyed Young Master, A Lifespan Not Exceeding 40

"The Extraordinary Nine Monsters all died on Dao Yi Mountain."

"After Chen Canxuan’s death, there’s still a First-Grade Great Innate on Dao Yi Mountain?"

In a courtyard of the First-Grade Hall, the air was thick with the scent of osmanthus and orchids. One after another, renowned figures of the Jianghu read the slip of paper the White-robed Scholar had retrieved.

"Dao Yi Mountain, Dao Yi Mountain..."

They looked at each other, their faces pensive.

If any ordinary Jianghu wanderer had been here, they would have easily recognized everyone in the courtyard.

Not a single one of them was a nameless nobody.

Standing in this courtyard were the number one on the Zhao Country’s famed sword chart, "Blood Sword" Yan Kai; "Kills No One" Xiao Sheng; "Godslaying One-Stroke Slash" Liuu Shengmen; the "Four-nothing Divine Monk" Iron Tree; the "Evil Daoist" Guo Chaoyang...

A total of seven Grandmasters.

Each was a celebrated veteran of the Jianghu, a major figure who could establish their own sect.

And aside from these seven Grandmasters,

there were also dozens of Martial Arts Grandmasters present, including foremost experts in the fields of medicine, poison, hidden weapons, esoteric arts, fist and foot techniques, blades, and swords.

And all of these people were subordinates of the First-Grade Hall.

Just as this crowd of masters fell silent, stunned by the message delivered by a goshawk from Copper Hand before his death,

a woman in white walked into the courtyard.

Her features were soft and beautiful. As she approached, a different kind of fragrance instantly filled the air, one that even outshone the courtyard’s own osmanthus and orchid.

The moment she appeared, half of all the masters present bowed respectfully.

"Miss Peacock."

The White-robed Scholar immediately handed her the slip of paper. "A message sent back by the Extraordinary Nine Monsters before they died."

The white-robed beauty known as Peacock glanced at it and said,

"I will go tell the Young Master."

The assembled heroes watched with respectful gazes as the white-robed beauty walked toward the deeper parts of the First-Grade Hall.

She was the person Young Master Qing trusted most.

Furthermore, her background was anything but simple. It was rumored that her mother was the Sect Leader of the Western Celestial Fragrance Sect, a great beauty renowned throughout the Martial Arts world in her day. She had once hosted the Fragrance Appreciation Society, inviting many of the era’s most powerful experts. Several of the world’s top ten even attended, and it was said that even the former number one under heaven, Chen Canxuan, had been present.

Peacock carried the slip of paper through the back garden, crossed several more gardens, and arrived at a courtyard within the estate. In a few steps, she entered a splendid, dazzling room.

Inside, everything was among the most precious items in the world. From large pieces like tables and chairs to small ones like teacups and saucers, their origins were all astonishing. If any single item were taken out and sold, it would be enough to instantly turn an ordinary family into a wealthy household.

Yet their master was a man lying on a bed, wearing a mask.

The man’s irises were a peculiar color: a verdant green.

SIGH...

A sigh escaped from the doctor at the bedside. He was the famous divine physician of the Jianghu, "Yama’s Fear," said to be able to bring even the dead back to life. But when faced with the man on the bed, he was completely helpless.

"Young Master, your Blood Decay Syndrome isn’t difficult to treat. As long as you can find someone with a matching bloodline within five years and exchange your blood and marrow with them, you can be completely cured and reborn..."

The man on the bed said, "There is only one person in this world who can save me: my old ancestor. Only his blood can save me, and I am the only direct descendant he has left."

Yama’s Fear sighed inwardly.

Back then, the "Mad Emperor" Ancient Transformation Dragon had devoured all the True Qi of the masters inside and outside the imperial court, not even sparing some of their children who practiced martial arts. This ultimately led to Chen Canxuan coming to suppress him.

The succeeding Emperor, however, had not received the throne through abdication from Ancient Transformation Dragon. He was soon attacked in Yuanjing by one of the Yuan Country’s Northwest Royal Family members in the name of Jingnan...

Afterward, a large number of the Royal Family from Ancient Transformation Dragon’s line were slaughtered.

Compared to the current royal bloodline of the Yuan Country, the purest Royal Blood actually belonged to the man now lying on the bed.

He founded the First-Grade Hall. And although he did not sit on the throne, he was as wealthy as a nation and wielded immense power. Yet, he had suffered from Blood Decay Syndrome since childhood—a terminal illness where the blood deteriorates day by day, destining him to not live past forty.

And the face beneath the mask, which should have possessed the handsome vigor of a thirty-year-old man, was instead as ugly and withered as an eighty-year-old’s. This was precisely why he wore a mask even while lying in bed.

Just then, the man on the bed saw the white-robed woman walk in.

Seeing Peacock’s expression, Young Master Qing already knew. He asked in a level tone:

"Not good news?"

Peacock was silent for the space of two breaths before holding out the slip of paper. "The Extraordinary Nine Monsters were annihilated. Before they died, they only managed to send back news that there is still a First-Grade Great Innate guarding Dao Yi Mountain. They didn’t find out if Ancient Transformation Dragon is dead or alive."

"Ancient Transformation Dragon must still be alive, imprisoned somewhere on Dao Yi Mountain." Young Master Qing said, "He possesses nearly three hundred years of Power. How could Chen Canxuan have been willing to kill him? I personally saw Chen Canxuan carry him out of the Imperial City back then. If he had wanted to kill Ancient Transformation Dragon, he would have done it in the Imperial City."

Peacock saw the bloodshot veins in Young Master Qing’s eyes as he spoke. "Young Master, don’t get excited."

She said resolutely, "Let me go this time."

Lying on the bed, Young Master Qing shook his head without a word.

Peacock stepped forward and took Young Master Qing’s hand. "Chen Canxuan is my father, and the new Sect Leader is my brother. I’ll go beg him. I’ll make him agree to lend us Ancient Transformation Dragon for a while, to draw his blood and save you."

"HAHAHA!"

But Young Master Qing threw his head back on the bed and laughed out loud.

"Silly girl, you’re too naive. Chen Canxuan has women all over the world; that young Sect Leader has far more sisters than just you. Besides, if Ancient Transformation Dragon has truly been imprisoned on their mountain for all these years, he’s long since become their taboo. How could they possibly agree to release him to save me just because you beg them?"

Peacock bit her lip. "I have to try to know."

Young Master Qing closed his eyes. "There’s no need. The Extraordinary Nine Monsters were annihilated on the mountain this time, but they likely killed quite a few Dao Yi Sect Members in the process. That makes it even less likely they’ll release anyone because of your pleading. In fact, if you go up the mountain, you might never come back down."

"What I want, I never get by begging others."

Young Master Qing opened his eyes. They shone like verdant green gemstones, radiating an unfathomably sinister aura.

Those green eyes were perhaps the only part of him that now reflected his true age, filled with the youthful vigor and ambition of a thirty-year-old man, along with intense confidence—or rather, arrogance.

Peacock said, "But the message from the Extraordinary Nine Monsters said there is another First-Grade Great Innate on Dao Yi Mountain..."

"Heh, unless Chen Canxuan has risen from the dead, there is no one I fear."

A trace of madness flashed in Young Master Qing’s eyes.

"So what if it’s a First-Grade Great Innate? Dao Yi Mountain has one, but does my First-Grade Hall not?"

From the start, dispatching the Extraordinary Nine Monsters to the mountain was never a plan to rescue Ancient Transformation Dragon by relying on seven Grandmasters. It was merely a probe, to test just how many masters and what kind of foundation Dao Yi Mountain still possessed after the death of the invincible Chen Canxuan.

The Extraordinary Nine Monsters completed their mission perfectly. Although they were annihilated, they had truly determined what Young Master Qing wanted to know.

"Are you... planning to ask *that person* to act?" Peacock’s face changed. "To fight a Great Innate from Dao Yi Mountain to the death... will she be willing to help you?"

Young Master Qing glanced at Peacock. "Like you, she is also someone who would die for me."

Except, the woman before him would do so under any circumstances.

The other one, however, was only willing to die for him three times.

Willing to act for him three times, even knowing it could cost her life!

Currently, he had only used one of those chances.

Two remained.