Emperor Elyk brought the four guardians with him since all of them were already at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm and they certainly had the qualifications to go up to the second floor of Jiu Shen’s store.
"Your Majesty, did Wine Master Jiu tell you what’s special about the store’s second floor?" Defender Duanmu asked as he moved closer to the emperor. Among the four guardians of the Silver Wing Empire, aside from being the strongest among them, he was also the closest to Emperor Elyk.
Emperor Elyk’s face froze and the smile on his face became slightly unnatural, and it was as if he hadn’t heard Defender Duanmu’s words at all. That’s right! He was now looking at the two people descending from the second floor. One was the barbarian that he had seen yesterday, but if he remembered correctly, the guy was supposed to only have a single arm remaining. However, he had a complete pair of arms and even his strength seemed to have jumped to the next realm!
Beside this barbarian was the woman that always appeared in his dreams. A memory that was hard for him to forget even though they virtually had no interactions whatsoever. This was, of course, Lu Sulan, the sect mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect and presumably Wine Master Jiu’s disciple.
"Lu Sulan..." He muttered in his heart with a complicated emotion, but his face remained calm and dignified except for the faint trace of melancholy that was hidden within his sharp gaze.
Lu Sulan and Hu Xiandao similarly saw the emperor and they were also surprised to meet him here.
"Greetings, Emperor Elyk." Lu Sulan greeted with an indifferent look.
Hu Xiandao cupped his fists and also paid his respects. After all, this was the ruler of the Silver Wing Empire. "This one is Hu Xiandao from the Mythos Wildlands. I greet you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Elyk swallowed down the complicated emotions rising in his chest and put on a calm smile as he said. "No need for formalities friends. We’re on the same level of cultivation and you don’t need to be like this to me. Just call me by name."
Emperor Elyk had no idea that Lu Sulan had already broken through the 9th-rank Saint and the latter also didn’t explain herself and just stood there like a celestial fairy, graceful and alluring.
Hu Xiandao wasn’t used to this kind of treatment so he was still a bit embarrassed, but after breaking through the 8th-rank Divine realm, he had gained more confidence for himself. "In that case, I shall be rude and call you Brother Elyk from now on." He said with a smile.
The lips of Emperor Elyk and the four guardians twitched when they saw the unsightly smile of Hu Xiandao, but they remained composed and didn’t ridicule the latter for this.
"Hahaha! It has been a long time since someone dared to call me that way, but I like it! Brother Hu, why don’t you come up with me and enjoy Wine Master Jiu’s wine together to celebrate our friendship?" Emperor Elyk held Hu Xiandao’s shoulder and laughed heartily. He truly liked Hu Xiandao’s attitude and this kind of person was indeed worth befriending. Of course, he was also curious how Hu Xiandao was able to regrow his severed arm.
Hu Xiandao’s face changed and he could not help but scratch the back of his head. He had already delayed his return and he might really be punished by the chieftain if he stayed longer.
To everyone’s surprise, Lu Sulan was the one who replied for Hu Xiandao. "Emperor Elyk, Lord Hu still has to return to the Mythos Wildlands to report some things. He would be put into a difficult situation if he stays longer, but I guarantee you that he will come back to drink wine with you once he returns here."
Hu Xiandao glanced at Emperor Elyk and nodded his head at him with an apologetic look. "Sect Mistress Lu is indeed right, Brother Elyk. I’ve to go back to the Mythos Wildlands first and return here as fast as possible to invite Brother Elyk to drink wine."
Emperor Elyk smiled at this and didn’t make it hard for Hu Xiandao. With a friendly smile on his face, he said. "Then I’ll wait for Brother Hu’s return. I won’t hold you any longer, Brother Hu. I still have to check the store’s second floor."
Emperor Elyk patted Hu Xiandao’s back and took a brief look at Lu Sulan’s face before he went upstairs. Defender Duanmu and the three other guardians followed behind him after bidding farewell at Hu Xiandao and Lu Sulan.
Emperor Elyk didn’t have time to gather his thoughts when he saw a man standing at the entrance of the second floor with his eyes shut tight. He felt a wave of surprise in his heart when he took a glance at the latter since he could not discern this man’s strength! Emperor Elyk was already at the peak stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm, but he was actually unable to see through the man’s depths!
"Another expert?! To think that Wine Master Jiu is actually hiding another dragon inside his store!" Emperor Elyk exclaimed in his heart.
The emperor hurriedly averted his gaze and didn’t dare probe at him any longer. He also transmitted a message to the four guardians to never provoke the man. This instantly garnered their shock and bewilderment, but they knew that Emperor Elyk was not someone who spoke nonsense, so they immediately expressed their understanding. However, they were still curious about what kind of person could make their emperor react like this. Nonetheless, they still didn’t dare turn their gazes on the man and simply followed their emperor inside the second floor.
A flicker of surprise suffused their gazes when they stepped inside the second floor. It was no different from the store’s first floor, but there were no spiritual plants within. Only several paintings attached on every side of the second floor can be seen. Just that, all of them felt that these paintings were far from ordinary when they sensed the profundity they possess. Furthermore, they also felt that the true essence within their bodies was revolving much faster when they stepped foot on the second floor, and they immediately realized that it must have something to do with the paintings!
"Staying here for one hour is equivalent to bitterly cultivating for three days! This..." Emperor Elyk muttered with a dazed look.
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Defender Duanmu and the others were shocked when they heard the emperor’s words and they could not help but admire Jiu Shen even more. After all, he was the owner of this place!
"Each of you can only remain here for an hour. No one is allowed to stay longer than that or you’ll face the consequences." The ever so silent Ren Shuang suddenly came inside the second floor and announced in an indifferent voice.
His sudden appearance surprised everyone inside and they also felt that it was such a pity that they could only stay inside the second floor for an hour at most. However, Emperor Elyk took out the VIP Card and showed it to Ren Shuang. "Then what if I have this with me?"
Ren Shuang’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at the VIP Card in the emperor’s hands. He then turned his gaze at the emperor’s face and said in a cold voice. "I’ll ask my master about this. Please wait here for a moment."
Swoosh!
Ren Shuang’s silhouette vanished from their sights as if he was a phantom, swift, and fast.
Not long later, Ren Shuang came back and said. "Since you possess this card, you can stay here indefinitely, but of course, you have to leave once the store closes."
Emperor Elyk smiled and chuckled in his heart when he heard his words. This place was a holy land for cultivation! He finally realized how precious the VIP Card was.
"In that case, I won’t hold and stay here for the entire day." Emperor Elyk said with a slightly eager look.
Ren Shuang didn’t bother to reply and went back to his spot and closed his eyes again.
Seeing his attitude, Emperor Elyk merely smiled and shook his head.
’This guy is an expert and he isn’t someone I can afford to offend...’
Emperor Elyk found a spot for his group and took a seat. It was only now that he saw that there were already two people inside. "That’s Master Fengzi. As for the old man beside him, could he be... Alchemy Hall’s supreme elder?!" He exclaimed in his heart and promptly stood up from his seat when he guessed the identity of the old man beside Master Fengzi.
The emperor’s reaction surprised the four guardians and they then turned their gazes to the two old men who were busy looking at the paintings on the wall.
"Eh? Isn’t that Master Fengzi the branch head of Beltran City’s Alchemy Hall branch?" Defender Duanmu muttered in surprise.
Emperor Elyk walked towards the two old men and greeted them with an amiable look. "Hahaha! Pardon my lack of courtesy. I actually failed to see my friends from the Alchemy Hall here!"
Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian turned to look at the emperor. They were busy studying the profundity of the paintings that they didn’t even realize that someone had come inside the second floor after them.
"Emperor Elyk, I didn’t think I’d see you here. What a coincidence!" Master Fengzi smiled as greeted back.
Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian merely smiled at the emperor before he turned his focus on the paintings once again.
Emperor Elyk wasn’t angered by this since he knew that the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall was an Alchemy Saint with a spiritual power at the 9th-rank Saint!
"Master Fengzi, you guys are here earlier than us. What do you think is special with these paintings?" Emperor Elyk asked as he looked at the paintings once more. He felt that there was something unnatural about them, but he could not pinpoint what it was.
Master Fengzi sighed and shook his head with a bitter look. "I’ve no idea as well. We’ve been here for more than thirty minutes, but we’re still unable to see through the profundities within these paintings."
Emperor Elyk was a bit stunned to hear that. If even the Alchemy Hall’s supreme elder who had a spiritual power at the 9th-rank Saint was powerless in seeing the secrets of the paintings, then he would most likely meet a similar end, but he didn’t give up.
Just as they were about to start perceiving the paintings’ profundities, a gentle and alluring voice resounded behind them.
"Dear guest, I apologize for making you wait for long. I’m here to deliver Master Fengzi and the supreme elder’s orders."
Everyone turned their gazes and saw Hestia who was smiling warmly at them.