Chapter 540 - 539: As Long as You Live, There’s a Chance to Become Strong

Chapter 540: Chapter 539: As Long as You Live, There’s a Chance to Become Strong

"Yang Yan of the Kunpeng Race demands that you go alone to save them," Old Shi Ren said, his expression grave.

"He wants me to go alone?" A glint flashed in Ling Fei’s eyes. ’It seems the Kunpeng Race has painstakingly plotted to have me killed!’

A chilling killing intent emanated from him.

"The Kunpeng Race is bent on killing you. If you go to them rashly, it will be certain death," the Grand Elder said.

"I know." Ling Fei nodded. He desperately wanted to save He Tianming and Zhao Fan, but he wasn’t so hot-headed as to charge directly into the Kunpeng Race’s territory to rescue them.

With his current strength, he probably couldn’t even defeat a single Kunpeng Race guard. How could he possibly save anyone?

"I wonder if the old Clan Leader has a plan?" Ling Fei looked toward Old Shi Ren. At this point, he could only rely on the old man.

"While my Stone Race does not fear the Kunpeng Race, we can only guarantee your safety. If we rashly go to their territory and demand your friends, I’m afraid they will not compromise," Old Shi Ren said.

After all, since the Kunpeng Race was so determined to kill Ling Fei, how could they compromise so easily?

"If we were to launch a full-scale attack, it would only trigger a war between our two races. All the powerful experts would emerge, and I’m afraid you would be caught in the crossfire," Old Shi Ren continued.

"Is there no other way?" A glint flashed in Ling Fei’s eyes. His face turned ice-cold as he fell into deep thought, a sense of powerlessness washing over him.

Although he could now refine Spirit Pills and awaken others’ Spiritual Wisdom, he was still just as powerless in the face of a supreme expert.

’Unfortunately, I’m not a Heaven-Reaching Realm expert!’ Ling Fei sighed.

If his power reached the heavens and he could sweep through all opposition, why would he fear the Kunpeng Race? He would have charged into their clan long ago to rescue his martial brothers.

"There’s no need to be anxious. As long as you are alive, you have a chance to become an expert," Old Shi Ren said.

"Mm," Ling Fei nodded. He understood this principle deeply.

...

’What a pity!’ Ling Fei sighed to himself upon returning to his cave abode.

"You don’t need to overthink it," Lian Shuang comforted him from within the Dragon Bone Space. "It’s already a great fortune that you’ve managed to survive in the Sealed Demon Land. As for whether He Tianming and Zhao Fan live or die, that depends on their own destinies. There are too many injustices in this world. If you become a top-tier expert, you can naturally pacify the eight wastes. But when your strength is insufficient, you can only endure. Otherwise, if you die, you will be powerless to ever correct these injustices in the future!"

"When you are weak, you must hide your strength and bide your time. When you are strong, you shall naturally suppress the eight wastes!" Lian Shuang said, enunciating every word.

"That’s right. You don’t need to think so much right now. Focusing on your cultivation is the only path forward," Shangguan Wan’Er added with a nod.

’Kunpeng Race... If my power ever reaches the heavens, I will surely crush your entire clan!’ A glint flashed in Ling Fei’s eyes as if he were making a solemn vow.

Then, his killing intent gradually receded. It truly hadn’t been easy for him to survive in the Sealed Demon Land up to this point.

After all, in the beginning, even the Stone Race had wanted to kill him, to say nothing of the Kunpeng Race.

It was because he still had these reservations that Ling Fei hadn’t let Lian Shuang and Shangguan Wan’Er out of the Dragon Bone Space.

Therefore, the current Ling Fei had to first strengthen himself.

’I have to find a way to increase my strength,’ Ling Fei thought to himself, pondering how he could leverage the Stone Race’s resources to improve his own power.

...

In the evening, Shi Gang brought news. The Stone Race would hold a clan initiation ceremony for Ling Fei tomorrow and would also allow him to enter the Holy Pool for a session of Washing Marrow and Sinews.

"Enter the Holy Pool?" Ling Fei’s brow arched. "Is that the same pool I fell into before?"

"That’s the one!" Shi Gang’s eyes lit up as he spoke. "That is our Stone Race’s Holy Pool! The water inside is incomparably mystical. It can wash one’s marrow and sinews and forge a Divine Foundation! Its effects are second only to the Holy Stone Milk. Within our Stone Race, only direct lineage disciples with extraordinary talent and geniuses are permitted to enter for Washing Marrow and Sinews. Ordinary geniuses and direct lineage disciples don’t even qualify."

"Sigh, I don’t have the qualifications," he said with a sigh, stating frankly that if he had been able to enter and undergo the process, he would have broken through to the Daoist Palace Realm long ago.

"The Holy Pool Water has such a miraculous effect?" Upon hearing this, Ling Fei was tempted.

He had just been worrying about how to use the Stone Race’s resources to increase his own strength.

"But of course," Shi Gang said. "The old Clan Leader is truly grooming you as the Eldest Young Master now!" He wore a look of pure envy.

If he weren’t genuinely planning to groom Ling Fei, he would never have allowed him to enter the Holy Pool.

Of course, he also knew that Old Shi Ren valued Ling Fei’s identity as an Alchemist.

"Good!" A glint flashed in Ling Fei’s eyes as he said the single word. At that moment, his favorable impression of Old Shi Ren couldn’t help but grow.

Although he had awakened Little Shi Tou’s Spiritual Wisdom, the Stone Race was protecting him in return. It was supposed to be an equal transaction.

Since he was under their protection, it would have been normal for him to refine some Elixirs for the Stone Race during this time. After all, when you’re in a position of weakness, sometimes you have to compromise.

But Old Shi Ren hadn’t done that. Instead, he treated him with courtesy, proving himself to be an old man full of wisdom.

...

「The next morning.」

Ling Fei was welcomed and escorted early in the morning to participate in the clan initiation ceremony.

While it was called an initiation ceremony, it was also a public announcement of his status as the Stone Race’s Eldest Young Master, intended to make the clansmen respect him.

This way, Ling Fei would face far fewer troubles when moving about the Stone Race’s territory in the future.

In the lands of the Stone Race, atop the highest peak among the mountain range.

This was Celestial Stone Mountain, also known as the Holy Mountain by the Stone Race.

At this moment, countless disciples of the Stone Race had already gathered on the mountain’s peak.

Almost all the disciples of the Stone Race were here—a total of ninety thousand people!

Procreation was difficult for the Stone Race. Even if they poured all their efforts into reproduction, this was all the people they had. It was hard for them to become a large race with a population over a million.

Tens of thousands of people were gathered in the Holy Stone Plaza.

"So many people showed up for the Eldest Young Master’s initiation ceremony today!"

"Of course! I heard the Eldest Young Master is an Alchemist! The Pill he refined is what allowed the Young Master to open his Spiritual Aperture!"

"Don’t forget, even the Holy Stone Milk couldn’t open the Young Master’s Spiritual Aperture before!"

"I wonder what kind of person the Eldest Young Master is. It’s a shame I only got a quick glimpse of him the day they retrieved the Holy Stone Milk and didn’t get a clear look." The Stone Race clansmen were all excited, chattering amongst themselves. They all wanted to see what the legendary Eldest Young Master was really like.

...

At this time, the Elders also began to arrive one after another.

"The Young Master is here!" Besides the Elders, Little Shi Tou had also arrived.

He came following behind Old Shi Ren.

"The Young Master looks so imposing!"

"Is... is that really the same Young Master we used to know?" The entire crowd was in an uproar when Little Shi Tou appeared.

Little Shi Tou was currently dressed in snug Beast Hide Armor and tall beast hide boots. On his back, leather straps were interwoven, holding two hammers in place. Dao Patterns coiled around the hammers, which emanated a vast and sacred aura. They were clearly Supreme Treasures of the Stone Race, each weighing eighty thousand jin.

Normally, Supreme Treasures like these could be completely integrated into one’s flesh and blood.

But Little Shi Tou insisted on carrying them on his back like this.

He said it made him look impressive, like a grown-up!

This left Old Shi Ren speechless. He was just a little kid, yet he insisted on acting like an adult. But since his grandson liked it, he let Little Shi Tou have his way.

Little Shi Tou was very young, only six years old and standing about three feet, three inches tall.

Comparatively, he was considered short among the Stone Race, all due to his physical constitution.

He had been born with relatively complete Stone Patterns. A vast amount of his Essence Qi had gone into nurturing them, leaving him with delicate, jade-like features, like a porcelain doll.

As Little Shi Tou strode forward now, he walked with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, his brow slightly raised. He was just like a little adult. Where was the dull, listless boy from a few days ago?

That was why the entire crowd had erupted when he appeared. It was hard for them to believe this was the Young Master of their clan!

"Young Master Ling Fei is truly amazing! He really opened the Young Master’s Spiritual Aperture!"

"Why do I get the feeling the Young Master seems a bit arrogant as he walks, sort of like a spoiled rich kid?" someone muttered.

"Shh! That’s the Young Master! How can we criticize him?"

"But the Young Master really does seem to have a unique personality now!"

...

Little Shi Tou attracted the gazes of countless clansmen.

This was because the Little Shi Tou of today was like a completely different person from before.

Besides, he was just a child, yet he was trying to act like an adult. No matter how you looked at it, it felt a little strange.

Nevertheless, the people of the Stone Race were very happy. In their eyes, the fact that Little Shi Tou’s Divine Soul had awakened was already a cause for immense celebration.

Whether or not he would become a spoiled brat was of little importance.

Little Shi Tou paid no mind to these discussions. With his hands clasped behind his back, he stood side-by-side with Old Shi Ren at the edge of the Holy Pool up front.

...

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, the Void flashed with light, and Ling Fei landed on the peak of the Holy Mountain, escorted by Shi Chongyuan, Shi Gang, and the others.

’So many people!’ A glint flashed in Ling Fei’s eyes as he saw the mountain peak packed with people.

"Hehe, this is a grand event. Almost everyone in the clan has come," Shi Gang said with a smile.

Aside from a few who were in seclusion, most of the clansmen had gathered.

Then, Ling Fei, Shi Gang, Shi Gao, Shi Chongyuan, and the rest of the thirteen people from the Eldest Young Master’s Mansion landed gracefully.

"Look, that’s Ling Fei, Eldest Young Master Ling!"

"Is that the Ling Fei who refined the Spirit Pill and opened the Young Master’s Spiritual Aperture?" When Ling Fei appeared, the entire crowd erupted, their shouts shaking the heavens.

"So this is a Human Race youth? Although he isn’t as tall and mighty as the men of our Stone Race, he’s much more handsome and charming!" Some of the young women of the Stone Race were secretly sizing up Ling Fei. Seeing the handsome and elegant youth before them, their hearts fluttered, and they all began casting flirtatious glances his way.

"Eldest Young Master, that’s my little sister over there. See? Pretty, right? She’s sending you flirtatious glances," Shi Gao said, pointing to a woman not far away.

"Hehe, Eldest Young Master, that’s my great-granddaughter. What do you think?" Even Shi Chongyuan chimed in with a smile, pointing to another woman.

Ling Fei rolled his eyes repeatedly and said in a prim and proper tone, "Ahem, my mother told me that she has to be the one to approve any matters of marriage."

’What a joke!’

The women of the Stone Race were too tall! By his estimation, they were all around two meters tall.

Although these women all had long legs, they were just *too* long!

’They’re practically tree trunks!’

As for Ling Fei, he still preferred women like Shangguan Wan’Er and Lian Shuang, who were just over 1.7 meters tall.

"Young Master, I heard you were an orphan!" Shi Gang, standing beside him, arched a brow and scratched his head.

"I was talking about my adoptive mother," Ling Fei retorted, shooting a fierce glare at Shi Gang.

This frightened Shi Gang so much that he immediately fell silent.

At that, they strode toward the front.

"Brother Fei!" Little Shi Tou strode over like a little adult, tilted his head back to look up at Ling Fei, and spoke in a childish voice.

"Brother Fei, what do you think of Shi Tou’s getup today?" he asked Ling Fei, his hands clasped behind his back, projecting an impressive aura.

"This... Little Brother Shi Tou, you look so heroic today!" Seeing Little Shi Tou with the twin hammers on his back, Ling Fei was startled for a moment before replying.

He too was stunned by Little Shi Tou.

’Is this still a little kid?’

Little Shi Tou, however, seemed to greatly enjoy Ling Fei’s answer and nodded in satisfaction.