Chapter 574: Ruins

Through the forging, the Blood Crystal had been transformed. As it slid out of the passage and into Xia Fei’s hand, the situation grew worse and worse. Xia Fei had no time to carefully examine the changes to the Blood Crystal. Flipping his wrist, he stored the dagger in his spatial ring and then smashed the red button.

*Whoosh~*

The spatial protection system emitted a screen which sent Xia Fei back to Crow City, but he had no idea that this world-shaking chaos had turned Crow City into ruins!

“What happened?!” Wearing his liquid war armor, Xia Fei pushed aside the debris over his head and stood up amid ruins, his body covered in dirt.

What was going on?

Xia Fei naturally understood that the reason for Crow City’s collapse was probably his actions in the hidden dimension, but he still loudly cursed.

“How could this castle be so fragile, collapsing at a moment’s notice!”

Xia Fei patted his body and looked around. He discovered that many people looking at him from a distance, jeering looks on their faces. Countless Origin Crystals had been exposed by the shattering of the stones, making Xia Fei appear to be standing in a sea of jewels.

Yu Peng frowned and sternly asked, “Xia Fei, why were you buried there?”

His meaning was obvious. Xia Fei was a Law Adept and a speed ability user, but he had failed to escape something as minor as a collapsing castle. This was far too humiliating.

Looking around, Xia Fei realized that everyone else besides him was spotless. At the moment the castle collapsed, all of them had managed to escape swiftly no matter what they were doing.

Pursing his lips, Xia Fei put on a dejected expression and mumbled, “I was so focused on cultivation that I didn’t notice…”

Standing in a corner, Yu Xiaobei put a hand on his head and sighed. “This is the person participating in the Dragon Ascension Conclave with me? Heavens. He even managed to get buried in a collapsing castle.”

Xia Fei could not care less about Yu Xiaobei’s ridicule of him. He was the one who caused the castle’s collapse, and in the future, there would be no more Crow City, no Fiend’s Bloodcry. Everything in that hidden dimension was now Xia Fei’s! This harvest was enough to neutralize all the mocking he received completely!

He stroked his finger across his ring, anxious to see the Blood Crystal’s current form. His right hand was still aching. At the moment Xia Fei grabbed the Blood Crystal, the edge cut open his liquid war armor, leaving behind a shallow cut on Xia Fei’s hand!

One cut could slice open the Silver Desert? The Blood Crystal had clearly become much sharper!

However, Xia Fei had to be cautious. Having been tempered by the Celestial Zerohammer, the Blood Crystal could probably squeeze its way into the ranks of the divine weapons! Showing off a divine weapon in front of everyone was not a wise decision.

Deaf to the mocking of others, Xia Fei patted the dust off his body and walked out of the ruins. His face was dejected, but his heart was rejoicing.

“Xia Fei, you seem to have changed,” Phantom muttered.

“How did I change?”

“Not too long ago, you would always send yourself to a prison cell to hang around for a while, but as your rank increased, you don’t end up in jail as often; instead, you’re now starting to break them, leaving ruins wherever you go,” Phantom mystifyingly said.

Xia Fei was somewhat startled. Phantom’s words actually had some sense to them. In the insectoid territory, he had brought ruins to the Tower of Night and the Holy Realm. In Blood Candle Kingdom, he ended up destroying the two towers. In the Eternal Ice Plains, he had left naught but devastation. Now, Crow City was in utter shambles. This holy land for cultivation, which had served the Yu Clan for millions of years, ended just like that!

Pursing his lips, Xia Fei said, “It wasn’t on purpose. What does it have to do with me if those places want to collapse?”

Everyone stared dumbly at the ruins, waiting for the Yu family’s patriarch to come over and take care of the matter.

All of them were speculating on why this clan’s cultivation ground had suddenly collapsed.

“Can Crow City be rebuilt?” Xia Fei asked.

Yu Peng shook his head, his face wracked by grief. As the steward, he had the greatest blame for the collapse of the castle.

“It’s not that simple. Crow City’s construction is exquisite, so even if we build it in exactly the same way, the cultivation effect will be greatly reduced. This is a major blow to the clan this time.”

Xia Fei nodded, appearing very heartbroken, but deep down, he did not actually care. In any case, he had the most important object, so the collapse of Crow City would not hinder him that much.

Yu Xiaobei took out a Spatial Compass and began to set the coordinates so that he could leave. As an elite of the clan, the most talented individual of the younger generation, Yu Xiaobei was one of the few who knew the coordinates of Crow City and could enter and leave whenever he pleased.

Yu Peng sternly asked, “Xiaobei, where are you going? Until the investigation is done, no one is permitted to leave. Wait for the patriarch to arrive!”

Yu Xiaobei gave Yu Peng a scornful glance. The custodian of Crow City had a weaker cultivation than Yu Xiaobei, so he could not help but shrink back a little.

“The castle is your responsibility. Don’t think about pushing the blame onto others. The Dragon Ascension Conclave begins the day after tomorrow. You want to keep me around? Your words hold no weight, nor can you bear that responsibility.” The brazen and proud Yu Xiaobei spoke callously, his words jabbing at Yu Peng’s heart.

*Whoosh~*

The spatial passage opened, and Yu Xiaobei raised his leg to leave.

Xia Fei frowned and stretched out a hand to stop him.

“Brother Xiaobei, let’s leave together,” Xia Fei lightly said.

Yu Xiaobei found this rather laughable. “What makes you worthy to travel with me?”

Yu Peng said nothing, but the expression on his face turned even nastier. It was one thing for Yu Xiaobei not to show him any respect. After all, he was the number one genius of the clan, but for Xia Fei to also show disrespect for him made him very angry.

Smiling, Xia Fei said, “You’re right. The day after tomorrow is the Dragon Ascension Conclave. I don’t have the time to waste here.”

Yu Xiaobei’s brows furrowed. “You’ve already advanced to Law Sovereign? So fast?”

Xia Fei casually said, “I accidentally managed to reach level 2.”

Accidentally?

Accidentally again!

Everyone began to sweat. The last time, Xia Fei said that he had accidentally successfully cultivated the Law of Energy Purification, which had truly astonished the entire clan. Now, only ten-some days later, he had jumped two ranks and reached level 2 Law Sovereign, and it was also accidentally!

How could he be so careless?!

There was an awkward silence. Everyone present was an experienced person, and they all understood how difficult it was to go from Law Adept to Law Sovereign. They looked at Xia Fei’s relaxed appearance and then at themselves, many of them began to think.

They had put their lives on the line to try and advance, but Xia Fei had done it accidentally. This was the gap!

The saying went that comparison could be the death of one, and this was what it meant.

Yu Xiaobei heartily laughed, his eyes flashing.

“Interesting. Truly interesting. You’re truly too careless.”

…

The Three Stars Escorting the Moon was an incredibly rare phenomenon, and after it passed, Crow City returned to its usual overcast state. However, this time, the city had been turned into ruins, the swamp seemingly even more desolate.

Family Patriarch Yu Jiang had already left, and so did all the warriors cultivating previously here. Only Yu Peng remained. He stood at the edge of the swamp, gazing at the flocks of crows, seemingly waiting for someone.

*Whoosh~*

A spatial passage opened, and a person walked out behind Yu Peng. The fog was heavy, obscuring his appearance.

“What did the old man say?” the newcomer asked.

“All he did was sigh. Once I clean up those crystals, Crow City will become history, and the Yu family will no longer possess any Crow City,” Yu Peng lightly said. As its custodian, Yu Peng unexpectedly felt no sense of loss over Crow City’s collapse. On the contrary, he appeared rather smug.

“Who did it?”

“I don’t know, but Xia Fei is the most suspicious.”

“Him again? That boy is quite an excellent troublemaker. With him around, our plan will go much more smoothly.” The man in the fog chuckled.

“That’s true. Xia Fei is the perfect troublemaker. Even better is that the old man is already rather fed up with Xia Fei. Their relationship is beginning to fracture.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“On Xia Fei’s first day in Crow City, he killed Han Yuubei in front of the old man. The old man was furious, and thus a crack formed. Now that Crow City has been ruined and Xia Fei is the most suspicious, though the old man didn’t say anything, I can tell that he’s growing wary of him. From this, we can see that the crack is getting deeper and deeper.

If not for Xia Fei accompanying Yu Xiaobei to the Dragon Ascension Conclave, the old man might even personally interrogate him, but he has to restrain himself for now, for the sake of the general picture.”

The man in the fog loudly laughed, seemingly very happy.

“The old man has long been alone, but he’s probably the only one who doesn’t know that his brothers parted ways with him already, and Yu Xiaobei, the best among the younger generation, is extremely selfish; now, the old man is starting to hate Xia Fei. This situation is just getting better and better for us.”

Yu Peng frowned. “Can we make our move now?”

“No, not now. The old man is still holding the Yu family’s greatest secret. Each day that secret remains out of our control is another day where we must be patient.”

Yu Peng nodded. “Then what about Xia Fei? That young man is an unknown variable and someone who isn’t under our control.”

The man in the fog softly sighed. “I’ve said it before, he’s the perfect troublemaker, a natural unstable element. Having him around is good for us, and besides, the old man is already starting to dislike him. Though he might not stand on our side, at least he wouldn’t stand opposite us.”

Yu Peng coldly snorted. “Is that really what you think? Can a newly promoted warrior’s choice really influence the big picture?”

The man in the fog sternly nodded. “My eyes have never led me astray. Though he’s only at level 9, fewer than twenty people in the Yu family can defeat him.”

Yu Peng softly said, “That’s old news. While in Crow City, Xia Fei already broke through two thresholds and reached level 2 Law Sovereign.”

The man in the fog was unmoved.

With his brows creasing, Yu Peng asked, “You don’t seem to be surprised?”

“In the past, yes, but now, no matter what shocking stunt Xia Fei pulls off, I can’t be shocked. He’s always been an unfathomable person.

“That’s truly a high evaluation from you. I hope that you’re right.”

“I’ve never made a mistake, nor will I this time.”

“What else do you need me to do?” Yu Peng tilted his head and asked.

“Wait. Keep waiting…”

As he spoke, a large flock of crows took flight, blotting out the sky.

…

Xia Fei naturally knew nothing about that scene playing out in the heavy fog of Crow City. He was completely focused on the Dragon Ascension Conclave and the Blood Crystal.

The blade was still pitch-black, heavy and solid.

The edge was even sharper, the blade even longer, and both sides were now covered in strange patterns which were complex but not ostentatious. It remained an inconspicuous dagger.

“Does the Blood Crystal have any additional traits compared to the past?” Lionheart Emperor Oro curiously asked.

Xia Fei’s right index finger trembled. This was where the Blood Crystal had left its shallow wound.

With his brows furrowed, Xia Fei sternly said, “It’s very different from what we imagined.”