Devouring Soul Emperor

"You’ve struck it rich, Young Master Chu. You’re not here to shop? Don’t tell me you’re here to pick up missions for Primordial Stones?"

"Can’t I just come to see you for no reason?" Chu Qingyun said, smiling.

You Yun fell silent for a moment. Beneath her mask, the corners of her mouth lifted into a beautiful curve. "Hmph, the little virgin loses it and suddenly learns how to be a smooth-talker."

Instantly, Chu Qingyun was completely disarmed.

"Ahem, you got me. I am actually here to buy a few things."

"What are you buying?"

"A Martial Master Level Hidden Qi Technique, and a dose of Water Cloud Potion that can help a ninth-level Martial Artist break through."

"The Martial Master Level Hidden Qi Technique costs three thousand Upper-Grade Primordial Stones. As for the Water Cloud Potion, no discount this time. Thirty thousand Middle-Grade Primordial Stones, which is three hundred Upper-Grade Primordial Stones."

As You Yun spoke, she retrieved two items from the back and placed them on the counter.

The two items added up to three thousand three hundred Upper-Grade Primordial Stones. To the old Chu Qingyun, this would have been an unattainable fortune, but to him now, it was a drop in the bucket, not even worth mentioning.

After counting out thirty-three Top-Grade Primordial Stones and handing them to You Yun, Chu Qingyun picked up the two items and turned to leave.

"Hmph. Makes all that money and doesn’t even leave a tip. No class at all."

Chu Qingyun: ...

’I never should have tried to flirt with You Yun...’

After leaving the Assassin Alliance, Chu Qingyun rested for a night. The next day, he got a swift horse and rode for Chu Family Village at the crack of dawn.

Regarding settling the affairs of Chu Family Village and eliminating the Blood Wolf Gang, Chu Qingyun already had a rough plan in mind, but he still needed to discuss it with the village chief and the others.

Chu Qingyun was back in the village again. For Chu Family Village, this was a major event.

Many people ran out to gawk. What exactly was a Martial Master like? The mountain villagers had never seen a Martial Master; they simply believed that Martial Masters were the most powerful people in the world.

Even more aunts and older women swarmed Chu Qingyun, insisting on finding him a wife.

One said her candidate was beautiful, another said hers was gentle, and one even mentioned a girl with big hips, perfect for childbearing. They nearly came to blows, trapping Chu Qingyun at the village entrance, leaving him not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Fortunately, the village chief appeared just in time. He put on a stern face and shooed them away, finally rescuing Chu Qingyun.

"Qingyun, you must have a reason for coming back. Go home and check on your family first. I’ll go gather the others. We’ll meet at my place in half an hour."

When speaking to Chu Qingyun, however, the village chief’s tone softened considerably.

Watching Chu Qingyun’s back as he walked into the village, the chief couldn’t help but shake his head, sighing with emotion.

’Who would have thought that in just a few short months, the little fellow who had his engagement broken off because he didn’t have a Martial Soul would actually become a Martial Master.’

’A Martial Master... I’m afraid I’ll never be able to break through to the Martial Master realm in this lifetime...’

The village chief mused for a moment, then casually called over a few people and told them to summon the village’s upper echelons to his house.

When Chu Qingyun got home, he almost didn’t recognize the place. The house and courtyard, previously destroyed by the people from Zhao Family Castle, were now completely new.

According to Chu Xuan, Chu Hua and his group of Martial Artists had helped rebuild it. A group of Martial Artists could build a house with incredible speed. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Although he didn’t say it outright, everyone knew this was all done out of respect for Chu Qingyun.

Otherwise, in a mountain village like this, Martial Artists were a class above everyone else. How could they possibly do manual labor like building a house?

Chu Xuan and Liu Lanfang both had rosy complexions and were full of energy, which made Chu Qingyun very happy. The family of three chatted for a while before Chu Qingyun headed to the village chief’s place.

By this time, the village chief, the elders, and the captains of the village guard had all arrived.

Upon receiving the notice that Chu Qingyun was back, they had all immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed to the village chief’s house.

"Qingyun, what’s your cultivation level now?" Chu Hua asked with a smile.

Chu Qingyun smiled and said, "Third-level Martial Master."

What!

Third-level Martial Master!

When he left Chu Family Village a few days ago, wasn’t he only a first-level Martial Master? In just a few days, he had advanced again, jumping two levels to become a third-level Martial Master!

The group was overjoyed and astounded.

Obviously, the stronger Chu Qingyun was, the better it was for Chu Family Village.

Chu Hua shook his head and sighed ruefully. "Ai, I thought I could show off a little after advancing one level, but I never expected you, kid, to jump two levels in one go. Why do I even bother comparing myself to you? I’m just setting myself up for humiliation..."

"Hua, you advanced a level?"

Chu Qingyun was also quite happy. Chu Hua was, after all, his cousin-uncle, a relatively close relation.

"Hehe, it was just a stroke of luck. A lucky breakthrough to eighth-level Martial Artist."

A wide smile also spread across the village chief’s face. "Chu Hua is the youngest eighth-level Martial Artist in the village. He’ll surely reach my level one day. He’s the Martial Artist in the village with the most hope of breaking through to become a Martial Master."

Nowadays, when the village chief and the others discussed who had talent, they automatically ignored Chu Qingyun. Compared to a freak of nature like him, no one else seemed like a genius anymore.

"Hehe, Village Chief, you might be wrong about that. I think you’ll be the next one to break through and become a Martial Master."

As Chu Qingyun spoke, he took out the bottle of Water Cloud Potion.

Inside the crystal-clear vial, the pale blue potion swirled with wisps of white mist, capturing everyone’s attention.

"This is called a Water Cloud Potion. It’s concocted from over a hundred types of precious Spiritual Medicines using a special Secret Technique. After taking it, it can stimulate the Primordial Power in the nine meridians and help open the Qi Sea."

Hearing Chu Qingyun’s words, everyone’s eyes lit up.

Helping to open the Qi Sea, what did that mean? It meant it could help someone become a Martial Master!

The village chief’s hands trembled slightly as he held the Water Cloud Potion.

He had been stuck at the ninth-level Martial Artist realm for over twenty years. He had already given up all hope and resigned himself to his fate. He never imagined such a miraculous potion existed in the world.

However, he quickly calmed down and asked, "Qingyun, a precious potion like this must be very expensive, right?"

’Expensive?’

Chu Qingyun was taken aback for a moment. ’Three hundred Upper-Grade Primordial Stones a dose? With my assets worth millions, I could probably buy it and drink it like water.’

"Not at all. It’s only three hundred Upper-Grade Primordial Stones," Chu Qingyun said with a smile.

The village chief nodded. "That’s good, three hundred... What? Three hundred... Upper-Grade Primordial Stones!"

Immediately, Chu Qingyun heard a series of sharp intakes of breath.

Three hundred Upper-Grade Primordial Stones was thirty thousand Middle-Grade Primordial Stones, or three million Lower-Grade Primordial Stones! To a small mountain village that used Lower-Grade Primordial Stones as its main currency, this was an astronomical figure!

To put it in perspective, when Chu Qingyun had plundered Zhao Zhiyi last time, he had only obtained a little over four hundred Middle-Grade Primordial Stones, and that was the accumulation of many years for the Zhao Family Castle.

The village chief gingerly placed the Water Cloud Potion on the table as if afraid it would break. "Qingyun, I appreciate your kind intentions, but I can’t use this potion."

"I’m already old. Even if I broke through to the Martial Master realm, it wouldn’t be of much use. It would be better to save it for talented young people like Chu Hua."