Chapter 41

County Governor Manor .

“Your lives are on the line if any mistakes are made! Be on full alert!” Commander Fang bellowed .

“Yes, sir!” The platoon of personal guards was was more vigilant than usual . Outside a quiet chamber stood a platoon of experts . They knew that the county governor had brought a treasure all the way back from Green Tooth Mountain . For him to enter the chamber the moment he returned spelled the importance of the matter .

Commander Fang walked to a grass patch not far away . He sat down with his legs crossed and closed his mind to meditate so as to defend against any unexpected circumstances .

In the chamber .

The county governor had already sat down on a bed before taking out a jade box carefully .

“A thousand-year-old Ice Jade Fruit . Twenty years of longevity . ” The county governor’s eyes lit up . Coming from the Wen family of the southern lineage, he had reached the position of county governor . He enjoyed quite a status in the Wen family, which had no lack of Qi cultivation methods and treasures . However, knocking open the gate of immortality required talent . Although he was extremely wise and had become a high official, his talent for cultivation was considered ordinary . Although someone like Jia Huairen was someone he thought nothing of, Jia Huairen possessed cultivation talent .

Failing to knock open the gate of immortality meant a lifespan no different from others .

“I can still live another twenty years . I’ll be able to climb higher and maybe, I can be promoted to a fourth-grade official?” The county governor thought to himself . However, he did not dare dream of getting a third-grade post . The higher the official ranks, the more demanding it became . One’s background, experience, and own strength became extremely demanding . After all, in their rule of the world, what high officials needed to deal with was not the commoners but mainly demons .

“Kacha . ” The county governor grabbed the red thousand-year-old Ice Jade Fruit that suffused a purple luster . He bit at it and immediately it melted in his mouth . As the refreshing liquid flowed down his throat and into his body, it quickly emanated through his entire body . The light refreshing fragrance made every inch of his body erupt in delight .

His skin was tightening, while his muscles and tendons were trembling .

They felt numb . The county governor began shivering .

“Good, good . ” The county governor did not hesitate . He finished the thousand-year-old Ice Jade Fruit at one go, leaving behind a very intricate fruit core .

The spirit fruit’s energy caused the county governor’s body to experience changes . His white and dry hair gradually turned luxuriant and a lot of his hair strands turned completely black . There was very little white hair left on him .

As for his facial skin, the wrinkles smoothened out and there was a glow in his skin . His turbid eyes also turned a lot clearer .

The county governor felt his body experience a constant set of miraculous changes . He looked down at his hands and arms . His skin and muscles had changed . He could not help but be excited .

He rushed down the bed and went to a bronze mirror .

“I…” The county governor looked at himself in the mirror .

He looked like himself twenty years ago .

Even if he were to compare with Qin Yun’s father, Qin Liehu, they would look to be around the same age .

“It’s as though I’m fifty again . ” The county governor frowned as he held his stomach . He had a stomachache as he hurriedly pushed open the door and ran out .

“Lord County Governor . ” The guards around bowed . Not far away, Commander Fang opened his eyes but he was momentarily astonished . The county governor had indeed grown younger . He no longer looked like Wen Chong’s father but more like his brother .

“Prepare some hot water . I’ll be bathing and changing my clothes in a while . ” The county governor said as he ran .

“Lord County Governor . ” Commander Fang stood up .

“Old Fang, I’ll need to relieve myself . ” The county governor did not stop in his footsteps .

Commander Fang smiled when he saw this . “He sure runs fast . The spirit fruit is indeed miraculous . It can make a person twenty years younger in an instant . “

…

In another wing of County Governor Manor .

Yi Xiao was sitting before a desk, recounting the experience she had during the expedition to Green Tooth Mountain . She could not help but smile . Following that, she began writing a letter .

Soon, it was finished .

“The matter of Green Tooth Mountain is over . Next is what actually matters . ” Yi Xiao thought to herself . “Once Uncle-Master comes, we can combine forces to rid Water God from this world . “

“Qin Yun’s strength is also extremely high and he hasn’t entered the Connate realm . He will not make Water God overtly wary . Should I invite him?” Yi Xiao pondered .

Water God was naturally much stronger than White Tiger .

However, there were many entities in the world stronger than Water God . In the Daoist and Buddhist sacred lands, any random Elder would be stronger than him . However, Water God was untouchable even to a Connate Golden Core realm expert in a two-hundred-and-fifty-kilometer radius around Lanyang River . He was too careful and crafty .

However, Water God thought nothing of juniors that had yet entered the Connate realm .

After all, how heaven-defying could one be if one hadn’t reached the Connate realm? It was already pretty impressive to match someone at the Connate False Core realm while being at a lower realm . Being able to kill an ordinary Connate False Core realm demon would have one’s feats extolled to the world . Up to date, Qin Yun had not managed to kill a powerful demon at the Connate False Core realm in a one-on-one battle . As for Water God, he was not what the powerful demons like White Tiger could compare with .

“Yes, once Uncle-Master comes, I’ll let him make the decision . ” With the letter in hand, Yi Xiao immediately walked out of the study and got someone in County Governor Manor to deliver it . It was to inform her Uncle-Master that her matter was resolved . They could take action now!

******

Qin Manor . Lanterns were already hung up . Large numbers of guards were patrolling the area with many equipped with Demon Annihilation Crossbows .

Inside the yard .

There was a bout of laughter . Qin Yun, his brother, Qin An, and his father, Qin Liehu were sitting together having a chat amid drinks .

“Yun’er, now that you can match White Tiger, perhaps only Commander Fang and Master Meixia are your equal in Grand Dominance County . ” Qin Liehu drank a mouthful of wine and beamed . “However, I must say that it’s rather scary thinking about it . Who knew that a trip to Green Tooth Mountain would end up with you encountering Steadfast Mountain County’s Great Demon White Tiger . “

“Brother . ” Qin An immediately said, “If Water God got White Tiger to guard the spirit fruit, it shows how much importance he thinks of it . Now that you have taken the spirit fruit, Water God will likely bear a grudge . “

However, Qin Liehu said, “There’s no need to worry actually . Water God is different from other powerful demons . Typically, powerful demons like White Tiger would at most be entrenched at one spot, plundering the area . Even the huge axe that Yun’er brought back this time would probably be torturous for him . However, Water God influences the lives of millions of ordinary citizens . They are only safe in the cities . With the lives of millions of citizens under his control and oppression, Water God remains extremely rich despite them being very poor .

“He’s careful and crafty . He doesn’t expose himself to any weaknesses . “

“He will not empty all his powers at his disposal because of a little hatred . ” Qin Liehu said . “After all, by angering Yun’er, other than himself, none of the demons under him is Yun’er’s match . He might not be afraid of Yun’er but he wouldn’t easily take action either . However, once he takes action… it probably means he’s assured of success . “

Qin Yun nodded . “Water God is very crafty so in the next few days, the women in the family should not leave the house . Even if they need to leave, they have to bring guards equipped with Demon Annihilation Crossbows along . “

“It’s imperative that we remain careful . ” Qin Liehu nodded .

…

Late into the night .

Qin Yun was in his compound, where all his servants were forbidden entry .

“This large axe . ” Qin Yun placed a mat along the corridor in front of the door . He sat down cross-legged and looked at the huge axe situated in the courtyard . The axe was too large and did not fit inside the house .

After all, the axe was more than ten feet long . Two of the axe’s dimensions were large as well . Just holding it horizontally was enough to prevent it entry into the house .

“Sou!”

Qin Yun sat on the mat and extended his finger, shooting a golden light out from the tip of his finger . It expanded immediately and rapidly took the shape of a three-inch-long bright, silver sword .

The three-inch flying sword hovered above the axe .

With a thought, Qin Yun circulated his cultivation method and directed the Quintessential Essence within the flying sword . Immediately, a lustrous layer suffused the flying sword’s surface as it began to absorb the essence from the axe beneath it . Dots of light flew out and fused with the flying sword . If White Tiger were to know that his axe was being refined, he would definitely be appalled .

“Chi! Chi! Chi!”

A crack appeared on the surface of the axe . It was deliberately produced by Qin Yun by absorbing the essence from the area so that he could split the axe apart .

If not, he had no means of splitting such a divine weapon through ordinary means .

“Nice, this axe is nearly all Metal-elemental . Some of these materials haven’t been found by me either . ” Qin Yun sensed that his Intrinsic Flying Sword was cheering . Large points of light were rising and the dense points of light resembled fireflies .

The Intrinsic Flying Sword was best at absorbing Metal-elemental objects .

It was willing to absorb even scrap metal .

However, it was a lot more picky with items of the Water, Fire, Wood, and Earth elemental attribute . For a Water-elemental item, it had to be at the very least Frostmuster Spirit Liquid . Only Metal-elemental items could be absorbed in large quantities without any rebuffs . Especially with the large axe, there were some rare materials that it had never absorbed before . The Intrinsic Flying Sword absorbed those at naturally faster speeds .

The amount absorbed by the sword on the first absorption would be great .

“Hum—” The entire axe was being absorbed by the Intrinsic Flying Sword . Seven large cracks appeared on its surface, splitting the axe into several small pieces . Even the axe’s hilt split into three pieces .

The seven cracks were a result of the Intrinsic Flying Sword absorbing more than a hundred and fifty kilograms of materials . After that, it could not absorb any further .

“Many of them have never been absorbed before . The materials that White Tiger gathered are more thorough than what I have gathered . ” Qin Yun had mixed feelings . “The first absorption has exceeded a hundred and fifty kilograms . But from tomorrow onwards, it will probably only be able to absorb fifteen to twenty kilograms . “

Absorbing the Astral Patterned Steel had been relatively slow because it was a singular type .

The materials contained within the axe were extremely diverse . By absorbing a bit of everything, it accumulated to quite a hefty amount .

Following that, the Intrinsic Flying Sword absorbed a tiny amount of Frostmuster Spirit Liquid before ending the day’s cultivation . Clearly, it was much slower absorbing Water-elemental items .

“With this axe, my Intrinsic Flying Sword might be an eighth-grade Dharma treasure immediately the day it is successfully refined . ” Qin Yun anticipated the day excitedly . All these years, he had never used a Dharma treasure before! Now, the day to look forward to his own Intrinsic Flying Sword was approaching .