This mighty and domineering sound came from the imperial city. It was the voice of the Grand Xia’s emperor, Xia Yuyang.

“An insignificant ancient nation dares to go against my ancient race alliance?! Don’t think that we’re the Pill Tower! No one can stop the footsteps of my ancient races!” sneered the elephant race expert.

“How noisy. Who dares to be so unbridled where my Wine God Palace is?”

Just at this moment, a cold cry came from within Grand Xia City. Space shook slightly, and a beautiful woman appeared by Long Chen’s side.

Long Chen was shocked. Wasn’t this the female cultivator who had sent him wine? Normally, she was so amicable, like a big sister.

Although she hadn’t released her aura, she still somehow seemed like a sharp blade about to come out of its sheath. Her eyes contained a reserved light that was incredibly icy.

The three races’ leaders were stunned. She was actually a powerful Life Star expert.

Even Xia Yuyang was shocked. The Wine God Palace’s had never interfered with the outside world’s matters. Even if he went to ask them for help, it would be useless.

But now, the Wine God Palace was willing to come out for Long Chen. Xia Yuyang found that extremely strange.

“The place where the Wine God Palace resides cannot be blasphemed. You should leave quickly, or don’t blame my Wine God Palace for being rude and forcibly expelling you.” The woman icily stared at the ancient race experts.

Their expressions sank. They hadn’t expected the Wine God Palace to interfere in this matter. Furthermore, they were so impolite.

The ancient races might not care about the Grand Xia, but they definitely wouldn’t dare to look down on the Wine God Palace. But for the Wine God Palace to be so rude, if they really left like this, wouldn’t they become laughingstocks?

Just as the ancient races were stuck in a hard spot, outside the Grand Xia City, there was a large figure wearing a conical hat with a huge broadsword on his back that was indifferently watching.

His figure was very large and impressive, but that sword was even larger, and it gave off a heavy pressure.

“This fellow seems to be Long Chen. What is with that naughty smile? Does he not have the slightest bit of backbone?” The large man frowned.

Long Chen didn’t know that there was someone secretly observing him. Looking at the ashen-faced ancient race experts, he called out, “Hurry up and fuck off. In three days, I will be leaving the Grand Xia through the western pass. If you have guts, come and fight me then!”

After saying that, Long Chen and the woman returned to the city. The ancient race experts’ expressions sank.

“What are we supposed to do?”

“I heard this brat isn’t the kind to lie like this. Let’s go wait at the western pass.”

The ancient races were extremely clear on Long Chen’s character. They had already started investigating him in the Eastern Wasteland.

Although Long Chen was crafty, when his blood became hot, he would easily do some foolish things. But there was one thing that was certain: he always stuck to his word.

The ancient race experts left. That large man with a broadsword nodded slightly and also disappeared.

Long Chen returned to the imperial palace. Xia Yuyang, the white-haired elder, Xia Yunchong, Xia Youluo, and the others were all waiting for him.

“Long Chen, are you really going to leave?” asked Xia Youluo worriedly.

They were clearly surprised. The Wine God Palace had already appeared and essentially said they would protect him. This decision to leave was unwise.

“Yes, I don’t like having to seek asylum with others. Whether it’s the Grand Xia or the Wine God Palace, they can only protect me for a while; they can’t protect me for a lifetime. Furthermore, if I’m protected by experts, I’m afraid of losing my drive. I have many things I have to do, and this trial in front of me is just a way for me to temper myself. If I don’t even have the courage to temper myself, how will I face my future challenges? So, three days from now, I will leave. The reason I’m not leaving immediately is to say goodbye to you all.” Long Chen smiled.

Xia Yunchong said, “Brother Long…”

“Brother Xia, I’ve already decided. Don’t try to change my mind. You’ve rediscovered your Undefeatable Dao, but as for me, I have to continue with my journey. Don’t be sad, because as long as I live, my name will definitely shake the heavens and transmit throughout the Central Plains. Parting or not parting is nothing more than a concept of space and time. We’ll be close in spirit. Actually being together isn’t important.” Long Chen patted Xia Yunchong’s shoulder.

“Alright, then tonight we’ll drink until we’re drunk. I’ll treat it as helping you practice.” Xia Yunchong was also an open-minded and optimistic person. That very day, the imperial palace held a large banquet.

But during this banquet, Xia Youluo ended up drunk, and she laughed and cried while holding Long Chen, making Long Chen a bit upset.

Originally, he had had some dislike for this obstinate girl, but later he had seen her kind and pure side behind her willful character.

He knew she had formed emotions for him, but these kinds of emotions were very complicated. No one could be sure if it was actually love.

After all, Xia Youluo had once entrusted all her feelings to Han Wenjun. Later, Long Chen had appeared, and her emotions had subtly changed. She had preferred to stay with Long Chen.

But it was very possible it was just a young woman’s curiosity in something novel, or perhaps a kind of worship for the strong. That wasn’t true love.

As for Long Chen, he had viewed her as a little sister from the start and hadn’t even thought of romantic feelings. But now that they were going to part, he was a bit unwilling.

The four ancient nations were outside the cultivation world. They were like a clear pool, and Long Chen had only managed to stay a few days within it before he would have to return to the mud that was filled with endless dangers. Having to go on different paths was truly a sentimental thing.

Long Chen didn’t even know when he ended up drunk. He didn’t even remember being carried away by others. The Wine God Palace’s wine was truly powerful, and practically all the Grand Xia’s junior generation of disciples had collapsed.

The next morning, Long Chen went to see Xia Yunchong. He learned that Xia Yunchong had been summoned to the palace already, and the attendant told Long Chen that everyone was waiting for him.

Long Chen hastily rushed over, and he saw Xia Yuyang and the others already present. There was a beast hide on the table.

Atop the beast hide, in immortal characters, were written two characters: Xia Chen.

At this moment, everyone was looking at the beast hide with complicated expressions. The beast hide was touched with bloodstains, and they gave off shocking fluctuations.

That was the essence blood of a Soul Transformation expert. Long Chen was shocked. This was no ordinary essence blood either. It contained all the grievances of a Soul Transformation expert before their death.

Seeing Long Chen arrive, Xia Yuyang said, “The capital of the Grand Han was razed to the ground by someone. Other than two Life Star experts, the rest of the Grand Han’s imperial family were all slaughtered.”

“What?!”

Now Long Chen really jumped in shock. Who would dare to do such a thing to the Grand Han? The Grand Zhou? The Grand Chu? That was impossible! Even if they were to do such a thing, they would have done it together with the Grand Xia.

Furthermore, they had secretly received payment from the Pill Tower. They had no reason to directly target the Grand Han like this.

As if seeing through Long Chen’s thoughts, Xia Yuyang said, “It wasn’t done by the Grand Zhou or the Grand Chu. It was done by an expert from a branch of my grand Xia. Originally, I thought this branch had already died out. I didn’t think they would appear now.”

Xia Yuyang sighed. He told Long Chen one of the Grand Xia’s secrets: thousands of years ago, the Grand Xia had fractured, and a branch of the Xia family had left. Then they had vanished without a trace.

The Grand Xia had always thought this branch had already disappeared. But the appearance of this beast hide made Xia Yuyang recall that history.

“This Xia character, it contains the bloodline energy of my Xia family. It was definitely done by a descendant of my Grand Xia. Furthermore, based on the power of the fluctuations, that bloodline power came from a youngster around the same age as Chong-er and Yun-er. However, to be able to annihilate the Grand Han’s imperial family on his own and still escape under the attacks of two Life Star experts, this expert from the branch is truly terrifying.”

Xia Yuyang was full of shock and gratification as he looked at the name written on the beast hide.

“Truly terrifying. I wonder what kind of expert that person is?” Long Chen was shocked. For a single person to challenge the Grand Han’s imperial family, and for that person to be the same age as Xia Yunchong and the others, that person had to be absolutely monstrous.

Xia Yuyang shook his head. “It happened too fast, and no one had time to record it. According to the reports from some experts, that person was a formation cultivator. He stealthily established a grand formation within the Grand Han's imperial city, instantly annihilating it. Other than Life Star experts, the rest were killed instantly. As for the Grand Han’s two Life Star experts, they attacked that person, but he used a formation to escape. He threw a bunch of beast hides like this into the air before leaving. This is just one of them.”

“What is it supposed to mean?” Long Chen didn’t understand. These two characters should be that person’s name. Was it a show of power? “No…” Long Chen suddenly understood. “It was to show why he killed those Grand Han experts.”

Xia Yuyang nodded. “Correct. The four ancient nations’ disputes are supposed to be resolved through the power of the four nations. It is prohibited to use other people’s power. This Xia Chen did this in order to give an explanation to the rest of the world: this is retribution from that branch of the Xia family.”

Xia Chen. It seemed he was also a supremely terrifying expert. He had challenged the Grand Han’s imperial family on his own. Were formation cultivators truly so terrifying? Long Chen muttered to himself inside.

But this branch of the Grand Xia didn’t communicate with them. Since they had left, they didn’t want to return.

Xia Chen caused huge waves in Long Chen’s heart. There were plenty of terrifying experts in this world. Perhaps one day, he would have to fight this Xia Chen.

Three days passed quickly. Long Chen plundered all the medicinal wine produced by the Wine God Palace’s disciples before saying goodbye to the High Priest. Under Xia Youluo’s tear-filled eyes, Long Chen bid farewell to the Grand Xia’s experts. He stepped onto a transportation formation and disappeared.

When Long Chen reappeared, he was at the border of the Grand Xia. Seeing the huge city gate tower with Western Pass written on it, he took a deep breath. Tidying his robes, he stepped outside.