Chapter 196: Farewell

　　Demoness Ji said, “Of course, if you consider joining the fiend sects, you won’t need to worry about such stuff. Be it Foundation Establishment or Golden Cores, fiend sects have the capabilities to send into the ancient battlefield. The sort of opportunities you obtain and whether you can return alive will depend on yourself.”

　　Su Zimo shook his head and smiled.

　　Demoness Ji had painstakingly beat around the bush hoping to invite him to join a fiend sect again.

　　When she saw Su Zimo’s reaction, she knew what his reply would be. However, she was not disappointed and merely shrugged her shoulders. “It’s alright. If you change your mind, feel free to join us anytime.”

　　Su Zimo nodded.

　　Demoness Ji continued, “However, I have to remind you. Even though there are many opportunities in the ancient battlefield, they are accompanied by immense dangers. Some of it will come from the ancient battlefield itself and some of it will be from the other cultivators.”

　　“Even though you’ve defeated a fiend heir, you have to understand that they were unable to unleash their full strength due to the ancient spirit lock formation.”

　　Su Zimo was well aware of that.

　　If not for the ancient spirit lock formation, he was definitely not a match for a few fiend heirs.

　　According to Su Zimo’s speculation, those fiend heirs – Demoness Ji included – must have unlocked at least four meridians!

　　“The ancient battlefield is the true first clash for all Foundation Establishment geniuses of Tianhuang Mainland. The world outside of Great Zhou Dynasty is way too big and there are many unknown lands and powerful beings!”

　　“Inside, you might encounter the legacy disciples of the nine immortal sects.”

　　“There will also be top spirit demons of the eight demon races. Many of them are mutated beasts with extraordinary bloodlines and strength.”

　　“There’s also the seven fiend sects, six Buddhist monasteries… four dissident groups and three aristocrat families. There will be many legacy disciples of the top factions in Tianhuang Mainland, all of them peerless paragons.”

　　When Su Zimo heard that, he suddenly frowned.

　　At the mention of the six Buddhist monasteries and the four dissident groups, Demoness Ji paused for a clear moment as though she was apprehensive.

　　Immortal sects, demon races, fiend sects, Buddhist monasteries, dissident groups, aristocrat families – each type sounded like an ancient lineage.

　　According to the order of the nine immortal sects, eight demon races and seven fiend sects, there should be another lineage in between the six Buddhist monasteries and four dissident groups.

　　At that moment, Demoness Ji said, “With so many geniuses gathered on the ancient battlefield, only less than 30% will be able to make it out alive after a year!”

　　Su Zimo was stunned.

　　That figure was completely beyond his expectations.

　　It meant that more than half of them would die in the ancient battlefield!

　　Demoness Ji looked at Su Zimo and said, “To be fair, you are indeed extremely strong in melee combat. However, if you were to enter the ancient battlefield with your current strength, the chances of you surviving is zero.”

　　Su Zimo did not refute.

　　He believed in Demoness Ji’s judgment.

　　However, her remark did not affect his confidence.

　　There were three more years to go before the sect competition. For Su Zimo, that was more than enough time and he could definitely increase his strength greatly!

　　Right now, he had attained greater mastery of the Marrow Cleansing section.

　　As long as Su Zimo was able to attain greater mastery of the Organs Refinement section within three years, he believed that there would not be many people who could match him in melee combat.

　　If he could attain greater mastery for the Orifice Clearing section, Su Zimo had confidence that he would defeat anyone beneath Golden Core realm in melee combat!

　　As for immortality cultivation, he was at mid-stage Foundation Establishment right now. With the Ethereal Foundation Establishment as his basis, he should be able to reach perfected Foundation Establishment within three years.

　　After he unlocked a couple of meridians, he would use them in combination with his sword formation, Fiend Suppression Seal, Blood Refinement Fiend Sutra and other secret skills. In the ancient battlefield, that might not be enough for Su Zimo to dominate the masses and suppress all geniuses. However, it was definitely enough for him to protect himself.

　　“Since you’re not willing to join the fiend sects, I won’t bother you anymore,” Demoness Ji looked at Su Zimo and said with a smile.

　　Su Zimo asked, “Are you leaving?”

　　“Yes…”

　　Demoness Ji nodded. She turned to look at Su Zimo with a faint smile. “Why? Can’t bear for me to leave?”

　　“No, I wanted to say… if you want to leave, hurry up.”

　　“Humph!”

　　Demoness Ji stomped heavily on Su Zimo’s foot before raising her chin smugly and turning to leave.

　　Halfway through, she suddenly turned back and shouted, “Hey, if you see my sister, don’t tell her that I’m in a fiend sect!”

　　“I can’t be sure about that.”

　　Su Zimo gave a faint, cold smirk and turned to leave as well.

　　He did not walk far when Demoness Ji’s aggrieved voice sounded, “If you reveal it, I’ll tell sister that you bullied me in the coffin…”

　　Su Zimo’s legs buckled and he nearly fell.

　　“This d*mn girl!”

　　His mouth twitched as he cursed silently.

　　“Hurry and go!”

　　Su Zimo waved without turning back.

　　Pursing her lips, Demoness Ji smiled. A faint fragrance drifted with the wind and dissipated in the air.

　　…

　　For the next period of time, Su Zimo was in no hurry to leave and return to the sect. He remained in the palace, chatting and drinking with his elder brother, Su Hong, when he was free – it was a carefree life.

　　A month later, Su Zimo was prepared to leave the capital.

　　To be fair, there were very few cultivators like Su Zimo who would take time out to return home and accompany their families.

　　Not to mention, he stayed on for an entire month.

　　Most cultivators would choose to sever their mortal relationships at the first instance.

　　It wasn’t because they were heartless, but because they knew that day would arrive sooner or later.

　　The sooner they severed those ties, the sooner they would be done with the many burdens of the mortal realm and it would be nothing but beneficial for their cultivation path.

　　Su Zimo understood that logic as well.

　　However, he could not do it.

　　When he was about to leave, Su Hong accompanied Su Zimo out of the city before he stopped and reminded the latter, “Zimo, you don’t have to come back if you don’t have much time. You don’t have to worry about me.”

　　Even though he said that, there was a hint of reluctance in Su Hong’s eyes.

　　“I can’t really help you much as an elder brother. Do take good care of yourself being all alone out there.”

　　Su Zimo looked at his brother’s head of white hair and pursed his lips in silence, feeling miserable within.

　　In the cultivation world, the most precious types of elixirs were those that could boost one’s longevity.

　　It was priceless.

　　Decades later, they would have to be separated through life and death.

　　Su Zimo dared not think about it.

　　As though he recalled something, Su Hong hurriedly added, “Zimo, if you have the chance, visit Xiaoning and see if she’s doing well. She has a soft personality. Even if she has been wronged, she might keep it to herself and not tell anyone.”

　　“Alright.”

　　“There’s… there’s nothing else,” Su Hong’s gaze dimmed gradually as he muttered softly.

　　…

　　“Big brother, take care.”

　　After a long silence, Su Zimo finally spoke – his voice was slightly hoarse.

　　“Go, go!”

　　Su Hong turned around and waved his hand.

　　“Second Young Master, t-take care too!”

　　Uncle Zheng stood on the spot, his voice quivering as tears streamed down his face.

　　When the Su family was in trouble, Su Zimo and Su Xiaoning were still young – they were practically raised by Uncle Zheng.

　　In Uncle Zheng’s eyes, Su Zimo was akin to his own son.

　　He was already old and did not know if he would be able to see Su Zimo again. This might be their final farewell.

　　As though he felt something, Su Zimo suddenly stopped in his tracks and came before Uncle Zheng. Pursing his lips, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times solemnly.

　　Four years ago, the immortal might of Perfected Being Cang Lang failed to crush the youth’s backbone and have him submit on his knees.

　　Four years later, Su Zimo kowtowed goodbye before an elderly man with a white beard on his own accord.