Immortal Martial Emperor

Hong Yu stared blankly at Lantian Dou. "What kind of request?"

Lantian Dou chuckled. "Don't worry. You're a vice-chairman of our Spiritual Craftsman Guild, so we're practically family. I would never make things difficult for you. It's just..."

He paused, his next words making everyone's eyes light up. "I heard that you obtained a great many Profound Ice Crystal Stones inside the Ice Tower. Is this true?"

As soon as he said this, every expert present turned to look at Hong Yu, their eyes burning with fervor.

Profound Ice Crystal Stones weren't considered exceedingly precious.

One only had to reach the Third Layer of the Ice Tower to obtain them.

The problem was...

Precisely because the Profound Ice Crystal Stones weren't that valuable, most experts who entered would only bother to find three or four at most. Some would even stop after finding the one meant for them and move on to search for other Treasures.

And yet, these very Profound Ice Crystal Stones were the key to entering the Profound Ice Secret Realm.

As a result, after the Ice Tower event concluded each year, many experts and factions would wait outside, hoping to purchase some Profound Ice Crystal Stones from the participants. They needed the stones so that the experts of their clans or Sects could enter the Profound Ice Secret Realm and seek their own fortunes.

Compared to the Profound Ice Secret Realm, the Ice Tower was certainly more precious and held greater riches.

But one mustn't forget that the Ice Tower only permitted experts under the age of thirty to enter. Furthermore, a person's number of entries was generally limited.

Take Blood Cyan Robe, Tang Rui, and the others, for example.

They had received one chance to enter the Ice Tower thanks to their family backgrounds.

Later, by securing a True Dragon seat in the martial tournament, they earned another opportunity to enter.

Barring any accidents, they would likely only ever have these two chances to enter the Ice Tower in their entire lives.

Therefore...

For the vast majority of experts with ordinary talent and less prominent backgrounds, the Profound Ice Secret Realm was actually the greater temptation.

"Hong Yu actually has a large number of Profound Ice Crystal Stones?"

"It seems even the Royal Family didn't manage to bring out many Profound Ice Crystal Stones this time. I wonder how many Hong Yu brought back!"

"It can't be too many, right? Maybe thirty to fifty?"

"Perhaps over a hundred?"

"Over a hundred? That's a bit much. Who would waste their time looking for so many Profound Ice Crystal Stones...?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

Hong Yu, however, just looked at Lantian Dou. "Chairman Lan, how many do you want?"

Lantian Dou smiled faintly and held up a single finger, wagging it gently.

The crowd gasped.

They all sucked in a cold breath again.

"Damn, doesn't Chairman Lan have a huge appetite? He's asking for ten at once?"

"No, I think he must want a hundred..."

"Is this his way of making sure none of the Profound Ice Crystal Stones get to us?"

"There's no way Hong Yu will agree, right?"

The crowd discussed amongst themselves in agitation, venting their dissatisfaction.

In truth, it wasn't hard to understand their reaction. After all, the Treasures obtained from the Ice Tower were ultimately external objects. The Profound Ice Secret Realm, on the other hand, contained the Profound Ice Valley—a Cultivation Holy Land that could help younger disciples break through to the next realm. In an age where the strong were revered, one's own power was the most reliable guarantee!

Hong Yu raised an eyebrow slightly. "Chairman Lan, are you asking for one hundred?"

But Lantian Dou shook his head. "I only want one-tenth. One-tenth of the Profound Ice Crystal Stones you harvested." As he spoke, he gave a wry smile. "Normally, after the Ice Tower event ends each year, my Royal Family is able to collect some Profound Ice Crystal Stones from the major families. But this time, those families came back with almost nothing, so..."

AHEM!

Hong Yu broke into a violent coughing fit.

He finally understood why Lantian Dou's gaze had felt so strange.

He rubbed his nose and chuckled. "Alright then, one-tenth it is!"

As he spoke, Hong Yu waved his hand, and over three hundred Profound Ice Crystal Stones, enveloped in Primordial Gang's Power, flew toward Lantian Dou.

HISS!

Even though he had suspected that Hong Yu had many Profound Ice Crystal Stones, seeing several hundred of them actually flying toward him made even someone as worldly and knowledgeable as Lantian Dou suck in a sharp breath.

In the past, this was the total amount the major families and the Royal Family could gather even when working together!

Sighing, Lantian Dou said with a wry smile, "It seems your harvest was truly bountiful this time. I'm starting to regret asking for so little!"

Hong Yu laughed heartily but didn't say anything more.

The two completed their transaction.

Lantian Dou smiled. "In three days, the Royal Family will organize the opening of the Profound Ice Secret Realm. When the time comes, I will send someone to welcome you."

"Alright!"

The two chatted for a short while before parting ways.

Hong Yu took Little Chenxi from Xu Wudi's arms. The little girl babbled, her hands constantly stroking Hong Yu's cheeks.

Hong Yu laughed happily. "Did Little Chenxi miss her big brother?"

"Ya ya!"

Little Chenxi's eyes curved into crescents, her bright gaze clear and pure.

Every time he looked at Little Chenxi, all the troubles in Hong Yu's heart would vanish, leaving him exceptionally happy.

Suddenly...

Hong Yu felt three venomous gazes fixed on him.

He couldn't help but look back and see that it was Liang Hunran, Tang Zhan, and Cheng Zhen.

When the three saw Hong Yu look over, they each snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Hong Yu frowned, a trace of worry in his heart. 'These three old coots are like centipedes that don't fall even in death. If I don't kill them, I'm afraid they'll never give up on getting revenge on me.' But then, a cold smile touched his lips. 'However, if you really dare to make a move, then don't blame me for being merciless!'

"Hong Yu!"

Xu Rongchang's voice came from the side.

Hong Yu paused and looked at Xu Rongchang. Seeing the somewhat awkward expression on the Xu Family Patriarch's face, he knew the man was likely feeling ashamed for not helping him just now.

Hong Yu didn't take it to heart.

He knew very well that a man like Xu Rongchang, a Patriarch of a family, had to prioritize his family's interests in all his actions.

With a smile, Hong Yu changed the subject. "Patriarch Xu, there is something I'd like to ask of you!"

"Whatever it is, just say the word!"

Xu Rongchang said, patting his chest.

He was a shrewd man and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Hong Yu didn't blame him.

Hong Yu glanced around at the crowd, then smiled. "I still have several thousand Profound Ice Crystal Stones on hand, but they're just useless ice cubes if I keep them. As it happens, I'm currently in need of some Martial Skills, Cultivation Techniques, and materials for Artifact Refining and Alchemy. I'd like to entrust the remaining Profound Ice Crystal Stones to Patriarch Xu and hope you can help me sell them off within two days."

"Huh?"

Xu Rongchang was stunned.

The Xu Family Elders behind him were all dumbfounded.

Right now, almost the entire Ice Kingdom had its eyes fixed on Hong Yu's Profound Ice Crystal Stones!

At this moment, it could be said that whoever controlled this batch of Profound Ice Crystal Stones would control a huge economic network. More importantly, it would allow them to build relationships with numerous factions—an absolutely golden opportunity to expand their power and strengthen their foundation.

Xu Rongchang never imagined that such a windfall would fall right into his lap.

Hong Yu said with a faint, teasing smile, "What? Is Patriarch Xu unwilling to help me?"

"Ah, no, no, that's not it! We are willing! Of course, the Xu Family is willing..."

Xu Rongchang roared with laughter.

Some of the Xu Family Elders were even moved to tears of joy.

They had thought the Xu Family was on the brink of collapse, but who would have expected such a world-shaking turn of events?

They knew very well that once they completed the sale of these Profound Ice Crystal Stones, the Xu Family's power would double, even without taking any cut of the profits for themselves.

By then, nearly every power in the Ice Kingdom, big and small, would owe the Xu Family a favor.

Never mind the Tang Family and the Cheng Family; even if you added the Blood Demon Palace to the mix, they wouldn't be able to threaten the Xu Family's survival again.

And all of these changes were because of the seemingly ordinary young man before them!

For a moment...

Many of them began to recall everything about Hong Yu.

From the moment he appeared, he had slain Blood Demon Palace experts outside the Frozen City and defeated True Dragon masters.

Inside the Ice Tower, he had massacred the Tang Family, the Cheng Family, and the Blood Demon Palace.

On the day of his return from the Ice Tower, he had directly slain the number one True Dragon, Blood Cyan Robe, and even forced Liang Hunran into a steady retreat.

Even the current Crown Prince had to kneel, kowtow, and apologize to him...

All of it was the stuff of legend!

They believed that once word of these events spread, Hong Yu's name would become a taboo throughout the entire Ice Kingdom!

A prodigy capable of shaking kingdoms was already on the rise!

***

News of the events in the Ice Tower gradually began to spread.

And as rumors do, they grew more and more exaggerated, to the point that after numerous versions had appeared...

...Hong Yu had been transformed into an incomparably powerful True Dragon Prodigy.

The story went that, in a fit of rage to win the smile of the beauty Xu Wudi, he had killed Qi Feng, Qi Tian, Tang Rui, and Cheng Hao, before finally engaging in a life-or-death battle with his greatest "love rival," Blood Cyan Robe, and ultimately slaying him.

When Hong Yu himself heard these rumors, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Xu Wudi, on the other hand, had a pretty face flushed red, and she didn't seem too displeased by them.

Of course, Hong Yu paid no mind to these things.

The next day, he received the Treasures that Xu Rongchang had acquired from selling the Profound Ice Crystal Stones.

There were no less than ten thousand types of materials for Artifact Refining and Alchemy, with even the worst being Third Grade Level materials and Spirit Medicines. Furthermore, there were over a hundred Secret Manuals, Cultivation Techniques, Martial Skills, and more.

These were all things the experts of the major factions had accumulated over many years of venturing into the Ice Tower.

Logically, selling Profound Ice Crystal Stones shouldn't have fetched such a price, but the experts from the various factions were all impressed by Hong Yu's strength and potential and were simply trying to curry favor with him.

After receiving these items, Hong Yu sorted through them, divided the spoils with Little One and Huhu, and then set about refining a batch of Pills.

Naturally, some were for general use, while others were Pills meant to increase his strength.

He even refined eighteen Celestial-Level Primordial Weapon Flying Knives, which could be combined with his Nine Feather Flying Knives to form the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Array!

Their power rose to a whole new level!

Time gradually passed. In the blink of an eye, only half a day remained until the opening of the Profound Ice Secret Realm.

Meanwhile, back in that secluded courtyard, Tang Zhan and Cheng Zhen stood on opposite sides, their expressions a mixture of doubt and anxiety. "What do you think Liang Hunran meant by having us wait for him here?"

"It seems he said he found a helper to deal with Hong Yu for us!"

"Oh? Even he is no match for Hong Yu. Now that the Xu Family is even stronger and has the support of Lantian Dou from the Royal Family, do we really still have a way to deal with him?"

As the two were talking, Liang Hunran's voice came from outside the door.

The two of them looked over. When they saw Liang Hunran, their expressions were quite calm.

However...

...the moment they saw the mysterious, cloaked figure behind Liang Hunran remove their hood, both of their expressions changed drastically, a trace of terror in their eyes...

"H-How did even *he* get involved? With him making a move, Hong Yu is as good as dead!"