Chapter 535 - 534: Making an Oath

Chapter 535: Chapter 534: Making an Oath

"I had no idea he was so incredible!" Shi Gao’s face was filled with regret. He could never have imagined that a young man who looked to be only eighteen could refine such a Heaven-Defying Elixir. Who would even believe such a story? Even now, he felt dazed, as if everything that had just happened were a dream.

"Sigh, I hope the Clan Leader can convince Brother Ling!" Shi Gang sighed.

"If he can’t be persuaded, why don’t we just knock him out and steal a few bottles?" Shi Gao said, his tough-guy image completely gone.

At that moment, the look in his eyes was incredibly sleazy.

"That plan seems feasible?" Shi Gang’s eyes lit up as well, and he adopted a shifty, thieving look.

"Is that all you two are good for!" This made the two clan members guarding the hall doors roll their eyes repeatedly.

Two mighty Perfect Divine Mansion Realm experts actually wanted to steal elixirs from a junior?

How utterly shameless!

"Oh, like you’re so high and mighty? These are elixirs that can unlock Spiritual Wisdom and improve one’s comprehension!" Shi Gao and Shi Gang rolled their eyes back at them.

"What? Elixirs that can unlock Spiritual Wisdom and improve comprehension?" After hearing about the elixir’s effects, the two guards’ faces also flushed with excitement.

"Do such Spirit Pills really exist?" Instantly, they were tempted.

"Of course!" Shi Gang recounted what had happened inside the hall.

"Holy crap, if he doesn’t agree to the Clan Leader’s request, why don’t we all just knock him out and steal a few bottles?" the two guards immediately chimed in.

"Get the hell out of here..." Shi Gang was suddenly speechless.

Just a moment ago, these two had been looking down on them with righteous scorn!

Then, they all waited outside the hall, their faces filled with anticipation for the result.

...

Inside the grand hall, the seven Elders of the Stone Race were all smiling as they looked at Ling Fei.

"Brother Ling, please forgive us for our previous impoliteness!" Old Shi Ren said with a completely amiable expression.

"Impoliteness?" Ling Fei chuckled. "Heh, I am just an outsider, and currently a captive of your esteemed clan. How could I dare to complain?"

Ling Fei smiled and spoke very casually.

His words made him seem to be in a weak position, but his tone was one of complete confidence. He didn’t even give Old Shi Ren a direct glance.

"This..." Old Shi Ren broke into a sweat. He had indeed wanted to hand Ling Fei over earlier, so it was only natural for the latter to have this attitude now.

"Ahem, Brother Ling, you are a peerless Alchemist, a rarity in this world. We are merely martial men; how could we possibly compare to you?" the Grand Elder said with a dry cough. His own flattering words made him blush. When had the great Grand Elder of the Stone Race ever been so humble?

The other Elders beside him were also embarrassed.

But when they saw the Demon Wolf and Demon Eagle sitting cross-legged, they could feel the blood in their veins boil.

’This Pill Master Ling Fei is extraordinary. If we can win him over, it will be a monumental opportunity for our Stone Race. To hell with my damn pride, I don’t want it!’

"Right, what’s the use of pride? If our Stone Race can become stronger, I’d even call him Grandpa," the six Elders communicated via voice transmission.

"Brother Ling, as long as you grant us the Spirit Pills, my Stone Race will agree to any request you have," Old Shi Ren said, his eyes flashing.

As the Clan Leader of the Stone Race, he was a top-tier expert even in this Sealed Demon Land.

Even a young talent like Kun Shan, he had thrown out just as he said he would. Yet now, for the sake of the Stone Race’s development, he had to bow his head to Ling Fei.

"That’s right. As long as it’s within the Stone Race’s power, we will definitely satisfy you," the other Elders chimed in.

At this moment, they all wished they could just seize Ling Fei and snatch the Spirit Awakening Pills.

However, Ling Fei had just said that the elixirs had varying strengths. If they ended up snatching Low Level Spirit Pills, it would be meaningless, so they had to abandon that idea.

These men had all lived for several hundred years; they naturally knew how to weigh the pros and cons.

"Requests?" Ling Fei raised an eyebrow and said, "You heard them earlier. Those people from the Kunpeng Race want me dead!"

"This..." Hearing this, everyone was stunned.

"Brother Ling, rest assured. With this old man here, the Kunpeng Race won’t be able to touch a single hair on your head!" Old Shi Ren’s gaze hardened as he spoke, seeming to have made up his mind.

Ling Fei nodded slightly but said nothing.

This made the Stone Race Elders as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

"Does Young Master Ling have any other requests?" Old Shi Ren asked.

"I hate being threatened. Can you eliminate that guy named Kun Shan for me?" Ling Fei said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"This..." Hearing this, sweat beaded on the foreheads of the several Stone Race Elders.

Kun Shan wasn’t a top-tier expert in the Sealed Demon Land, but he was still a King and a rising star of the Kunpeng Race. If they killed him, wouldn’t the Kunpeng Race declare war on the Stone Race?

Therefore, Old Shi Ren found it difficult to act.

After all, if a clan war broke out, many people would die.

"You can’t do it?" Ling Fei’s brow arched.

"Young Master Ling, the Kunpeng Race has a profound foundation. They even have top-tier experts from the Ancient Times who have sealed themselves away. If we truly infuriate them, this old man won’t be able to control the situation!" Sweat dripped from Old Shi Ren’s forehead. This young man before him was clearly not someone to be trifled with, giving him a headache.

"There are still experts from the Ancient Times sealed away?" Hearing this, Ling Fei’s brow furrowed slightly.

Of course, he didn’t actually want the Stone Race to kill Kun Shan.

Ling Fei had spoken up, first, to test the sincerity of the Stone Race.

Second, he wanted to get a clear picture of the power dynamics between the various clans in the Sealed Demon Land. Only then would he know how to proceed.

Now that he knew the Kunpeng Race still had top-tier experts from Ancient Times, he had managed to gather some information.

This made his expression turn solemn.

If these experts were to emerge from their seals, it would likely be a catastrophe.

"Hehe, Young Master Ling, rest assured. Although the Kunpeng Race is strong, our Stone Race is not weak. We also have experts from Ancient Times sealed away. As long as you are with our Stone Race, the Kunpeng Race won’t dare to charge in. And if they really do dare to, hehe, our Stone Race is not afraid to fight them!" the Grand Elder said with a laugh.

"That’s right, as long as you’re among us in the Stone Race, we can definitely keep you safe," the five Elders beside him quickly agreed.

At this point, these men were desperate for Ling Fei to stay with the Stone Race.

That would be like keeping a treasure trove within the clan!

"Keep me safe?" Ling Fei’s brow arched. "Just a little while ago, you were thinking of handing me over!"

"Ahem!" This left the seven Elders of the Stone Race looking awkward.

"Hehe, wasn’t that just a case of us being blind to true greatness and slighting Young Master Ling?" the Grand Elder laughed.

Ling Fei shot them a sidelong glance and rolled his eyes, not saying another word, clearly showing he didn’t believe them.

This made everyone extremely embarrassed.

"How about this: this old man can make a life-bound oath. As long as you grant our clan the Spirit Pills and open my great-grandson’s Spiritual Apertures, this old man will protect you even at the cost of my life. If I fail you in any way, may I, Shi Mu, be struck down by heavenly condemnation and perish!" Old Shi Ren’s gaze darkened. He finally gritted his teeth and said this.

His face was solemn, appearing completely serious.

’A life-bound oath!’ Ling Fei’s eyes flashed, and he immediately asked Lian Shuang in the Dragon Bone Space.

"You can let him make the life-bound oath." Inside the Dragon Bone, Lian Shuang nodded and explained the function of a Divine Dao Oath to Ling Fei.

This was an oath made by using one’s Divine Soul as a guide to connect with the Rules of Heaven and Earth. If the oath was violated, the Rules of Heaven and Earth would sense it and send down heavenly condemnation, causing the oath-breaker to face a tribulation.

’A life-bound oath is that terrifying.’ Ling Fei’s eyes flashed.

"Mm," Lian Shuang said. "Generally speaking, ordinary Cultivators cannot sense the Rules of Heaven and Earth, so their oaths are branded onto a special Soul Stone. However, these top-tier experts can sense the Rules of Heaven and Earth. Their oaths are also branded on a Soul Stone, but if they break their promise, the Soul Stone will activate on its own."

"Since Clan Leader Shi has such sincerity, I feel relieved." Ling Fei smiled, which counted as his agreement.

"However, you must also make an oath to open my great-grandson’s Spiritual Apertures," said Old Shi Ren.

"That’s only natural," Ling Fei smiled. "However, I must first confirm whether the Young Master’s Divine Soul is damaged. If there are other hidden issues that my elixirs cannot cure, then I will be powerless to help!" He had to confirm these things. Otherwise, if he failed, he would have nowhere to turn to voice his grievances.

"Rest assured, Little Shi Tou’s Divine Soul is intact. We have all checked it. It’s just that his Divine Soul seems to be shrouded in ignorance, and he has never been able to open his apertures!" Old Shi Ren sighed.

"That’s good, then." Ling Fei nodded slightly.

"In that case, as long as you do your best, if the failure is not your fault, we will not make things difficult for you," said Old Shi Ren.

In his opinion, the fact that Ling Fei could refine the Spirit Awakening Pill was already heaven-defying.

As for Little Shi Tou, that would be up to fate.

"That’s for the best." Ling Fei nodded slightly, also sensing the old man’s sincerity.

"Good. Then, let us go and make the oath!" Old Shi Ren stood up.

"Clan Leader, are you really going to..." Seeing this, the six Elders looked at each other and quickly sent a voice transmission.

"Since Ancient Times, our Stone Race has always been clear about gratitude and grudges. If this Young Master Ling can truly help Little Shi Tou awaken his Spiritual Wisdom, he will be a benefactor to our clan. It is only right that our clan ensures his safety," Old Shi Ren said, waving his hand and replying via voice transmission.

"That’s true." Hearing this, everyone nodded.

But they still had worries. If the Kunpeng Race came to kill him, would they really go to war with the Kunpeng Race for this young man?

"Why would our Stone Race fear a battle?" Old Shi Ren retorted.

As soon as these words were spoken, the six old men were filled with fighting spirit and replied in unison via voice transmission, "We have no fear!"

"In that case, what is there to hesitate about?" With that, Old Shi Ren rose to his feet.

Ling Fei also stood up.

And so, Old Shi Ren led Ling Fei to a Forbidden Land of the clan.

It was a cavern. Inside, ancient Array Patterns covered the walls, and a Stone Mirror hung from the ceiling, seemingly able to communicate with heaven and earth.

Then, an Elder took out two Soul Stones.

First, Old Shi Ren made his oath. His Divine Soul seeped into the Stone Mirror and began to communicate with heaven and earth. Soon, a vast Celestial Might was touched.

WHOOSH!

A deep voice came from Old Shi Ren’s mouth.

"I, Shi Mu..." he began, making his oath to protect Ling Fei.

With every word he spoke, his Divine Soul Power guided the patterns of heaven and earth, forming characters that were branded onto the Soul Stone.

Finally, Ling Fei also branded his Divine Soul upon it.

If he were to encounter danger while with the Stone Race or in the Land of Divine Demon, and the Stone Race failed to rescue him, the Soul Stone would sense it and cause Old Shi Ren’s Divine Soul to shatter.