“Yes, I killed him. That brat really knew how to be a poser. Ah, brother Xia, do you not quite know what that word means?” asked Long Chen. It would be normal for a refined prince to not know such crass language.

“Haha, brother Long, are you looking down on me? When I reached the Xiantian realm, I was tossed out into the cultivation world to live on my own for two years. I’m not a greenhouse flower like you imagine. Let me tell you, I almost died three times in one year. No one was there to look after me. The last time was especially dangerous. I accidentally ended up entering one of the Corrupt path’s strongholds and was attacked by countless experts. I had no support, but just by using my Xiantian realm cultivation base, I killed my way out of the Corrupt experts. I slew over a thousand Sea Expansion experts and countless Xiantian experts. In the end, I put everything on the line in order to kill three Foundation Forging experts.

“After those two years, I returned to the Grand Xia. My imperial father looked through my tempering stone, which recorded my experiences over those two years, and arranged for me to apprentice myself to my current master. He is my master, as well as my Dao-Protector. He is the person I respect the most in my life, even more than my father.” A respectful and worshipful expression appeared on Xia Yunchong’s face when he spoke of his master.

“Your Dao-Protector? Could it be that brother Xia… you walk… the Undefeatable Dao?” asked Long Chen with shock. He had heard that only people who walked the Undefeatable Dao had Dao-Protectors.

“Why are you so surprised? Don’t you also cultivate the same Dao?” Now it was Xia Yunchong’s turn to be surprised.

“Me? How could I walk the Undefeatable Dao? I just blindly muddled my way to my current level.” Long Chen bitterly smiled. He had heard that those who walked the Undefeatable Dao could never suffer a defeat in their life. Once they were defeated, their Dao-heart would crumble, and they would be completely crippled.

That was why those who walked the Undefeatable Dao had to have a supreme expert as a Dao-Protector. The Dao-Protector’s duty was to prevent powerful enemies from forcing a battle with the genius walking the Undefeatable Dao.

“How could that be possible? When you fought the elder from the Bloodkill Hall, the will that burst out of you was clearly an undefeatable will. This kind of pressure is identical to my own. I definitely can’t be wrong.” Xia Yunchong couldn’t believe it.

“Ah, let’s not fight over this problem. Let’s keep drinking.” Long Chen filled Xia Yunchong’s cup.

“Brother Long, do you really not walk the Undefeatable Dao? You’ve been defeated before?” Xia Yunchong pressed him, wanting to figure out what was going on.

“Not only have I been defeated before, but I’ve also been beaten so many times I can’t even keep track. There was even one expert a whole level stronger than me who once chased me down through the mountains like I was a dog. Tch, let’s not talk about this. It’s embarrassing.” Long Chen raised his cup.

Xia Yunchong looked at Long Chen. He felt like Long Chen had no reason to lie to him. But he himself walked the Undefeatable Dao, and that undefeatable will that came from the depths of Long Chen’s bones and even the depths of his soul was something Xia Yunchong couldn’t be wrong about.

The two of them continued drinking. Seeing that Xia Yunchong was still troubled over this question, Long Chen laughed and decided to tell him about this past. He told him all about his cultivation journey. Other than some private secrets like the primal chaos bead, he didn’t hold back.

Xia Yunchong learned about how miserable Long Chen’s youth had been, how he had been humiliated and bullied. When he was fifteen, he had still only been at the third Heavenstage of Qi Condensation. In just a few years, he had grown to his current level. Xia Yunchong was full of admiration.

“So you really don’t walk the Undefeatable Dao. But within your endless trials, the more the world tries to obstruct you, the fiercer you become. Perhaps this is another kind of Undefeatable Dao. Come, let me raise a cup to you in admiration. I, Xia Yunchong, have never admitted inferiority to anyone, but I admire your will which refuses to bend even in the face of countless setbacks,” praised Xia Yunchong.

Xia Yunchong had always treated his two years in the wilds fighting on the brink of life and death as the greatest pride of his life.

But when he compared it to Long Chen’s history, he felt embarrassed just to mention it. There was no way to compare them. From the struggles in the Phoenix Cry Empire, his rise in the Jiuli secret realm, his dominance over the Eastern Wastelands, and his various difficulties since reaching the Central Plains, he had experienced countless dangers, and each of those dangers had been like dancing on the tip of a blade.

Long Chen had fought his way from being a poor noble son within the secular world to his current height. Everything he had, had been fought for with his life on the line. As for Xia Yunchong, although he had also put his life on the line, the majority of what he had was from having a powerful backer like the Grand Xia.

So Xia Yunchong truly admired Long Chen. The two of them only grew friendlier as they drank, and in the end, they became close friends who could say anything to each other.

“Brother Long, you said the reason you came here is because you have friends in my Grand Xia? Do you need me to look after them?” asked Xia Yunchong.

Long Chen hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. These friends of mine are a bit special.”

In truth, if Xia Yunchong could support the original devil race, then they would instantly soar to new heights. But that was far too dangerous.

If the original devil race was one day exposed, then the Grand Xia would become the world’s enemy. It might even be destroyed. Long Chen might be willing to do stupid things, but he wouldn’t do such an immoral thing.

“Brother Xia, to tell you the truth, the reason I came here was because I was forced. I provoked a disaster this time, and I came here to avoid it. Will I end up causing you trouble?” asked Long Chen.

“What trouble? I’ve long since wanted to properly put the Grand Han’s egomaniacs in their place. I’ve just never had a chance. As for the ancient races, although they are powerful, the ancient race alliance is not necessarily all like-minded. You only offended one race, so there’s nothing to fear there. As for the Pill Tower, we have no relations with them due to their dispute with the Wine God Palace. Even without the Pill Tower’s support, we can still cooperate with the Huayun Sect. Furthermore, we have the Wine God Palace’s support, so there’s no need to care about them.

“Also, I suppose it’s possible that you don’t know this. After you left, your Xuantian Dao Sect’s sect master gave those four powers a vicious slap in the face, and it was done within the Martial Heaven Alliance in front of countless experts. The sound of that slap…”

Xia Yunchong told Long Chen what news he had gathered. Long Chen hadn’t realized that the huge trouble he had caused would be settled so easily by the Xuan Master.

“Then I can return to the Xuantian Dao Sect whenever I want?” Long Chen was delighted.

“Well, you can’t leave too quickly. Since you’ve come to the Grand Xia, you must stay for a few more days. Otherwise, it would have been a waste to have run away. Hahaha, here, drink!” laughed Xia Yunchong.

“Hehe, there’s food, there’s drink, and there are fun things to do. Where else could I find such a great place? I’ll just treat it as a little vacation to relax,” laughed Long Chen.

Long Chen felt like he had always been working these past few years. More and more things kept popping up, and he had never had time to relax. His nerves had been tense all this time, and it was exhausting. He really did need to relax a bit. That would be beneficial to his cultivation.

“Brother Xia, when I was joking with your sister, it seems she…” Now that they were friends, Long Chen could speak directly. He felt that at that time, there had been something odd with Xia Youluo, and anger had appeared in Xia Yunchong’s eyes.

“I’m not afraid of you laughing at me, but just mentioning that infuriates me. That girl, although her cultivation base is powerful, her mind is simple. She has been affected by the worship of the idols from the Grand Han and has ended up infatuated with one of the Grand Han’s Three Monarchs, Han Wenjun.” Xia Yunchang had a belly full of anger upon saying this.

Long Chen’s expression became sluggish. He had guessed accurately. The Grand Han actually knew how to use beautiful men.

If Xia Youluo really was seduced to the Grand Han by that Han Wenjun, it would be a huge slap in the face of the Grand Xia, and the Grand Han would have also snatched away an expert. That would be a grievous blow to the Grand Xia’s morale.

“You haven’t tried persuading her?” asked Long Chen.

“Do you think she’d listen to my persuasion? She’s extremely stubborn and refuses to listen to anyone,” said Xia Youluo helplessly.

“Then what about your father?”

“Him? Hmph, he only cares about the state. Although he hasn’t said anything, I understand him. He does what’s best for the nation. If Xia Youluo dares to marry Han Wenjun, my father will not hesitate to kill her before she can,” said Xia Yunchong. He snorted furiously, clearly dissatisfied with his father.

“Really?” Long Chen jumped. Xia Youluo’s father would be this vicious to her?

“You just don’t understand.” Xia Yunchong shook his head. “All rulers must act like this. They have to put the interests of the state before themselves. Anyone can be sacrificed for the nation. Although I don’t approve this kind of thing, I have no choice but to admit there’s no other solution. The Grand Xia isn’t just the imperial family’s. It belongs to each one of the civilians living within it, and we have a responsibility to each of them.”

Xia Yunchong was filled with helplessness toward this. He understood Xia Youluo the best. She was far too obstinate, and sometimes she would refuse to change her mind even if it meant death. That was what worried him.

“Long Chen, if you have a chance, I hope you can help me advise her. I really don’t want to see the day when she dies to our father’s butcher blade.” Xia Yunchong looked at Long Chen with a pleading expression.

Long Chen swore inside, “I might be alright at picking up girls, but comforting and convincing one isn’t my specialty. Furthermore, that girl is definitely a thorned rose. Although she is beautiful, not everyone can enjoy her.” Long Chen didn’t want to give himself another burden.

He wanted to say he was powerless to do anything about this, but looking at Xia Yunchong’s pleading expression, he was unable to bring himself to say it.

“Fine, I’ll do my best!” Long Chen could only thicken his skin with a bitter expression. He felt like he was getting more and more stupid. He had actually picked up another burden for himself.

But if the positions were reversed, he would also not be able to just watch as his little sister jumped into someone else’s trap. And the most difficult thing to accept was that the person who would want to kill his little sister would be his own father. That was an incredibly tragic thing.

“Many thanks, brother Long. This little sister of mine rarely speaks with others, but she treats you differently. If she gets willful, just yield a bit to her and she’ll quickly become your friend. Although she’s willful and petty, she’s kind inside and easily trusts others. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have become so infatuated with that effeminate man,” said Xia Yunchong with a bitter smile.

The two of them continued drinking. Long Chen found that the Wine God Palace’s wine was truly amazing. Although his cultivation base wasn’t growing, his mental realm was growing more tranquil and clearly rising. He even felt like his fiery temper was being changed.

They drank all the way until the sky brightened once more. The sky had only just brightened when Xia Youluo ran in.

“Youluo, you’re right on time! Bring brother Long for a trip to the Wine God Palace.” Xia Yunchong cast a special glance at Long Chen.