Me, Going to Imperial Court Mountain Really

The conversation had already come this far.

Seeing that Su Ji was still hesitating, the Old Emperor said, “What? You’re still not willing?”

“Back in my day, when I wanted to take on a guard dog, the line of cultivators stretched from Emperor Court Mountain all the way to eastern Penglai! And now I’ve deigned to lower myself and hide in your shabby sea of consciousness, yet you still have the nerve to complain?”

“That’s not quite fair.” Su Ji sighed. “You said it yourself—it’s shabby. Out of all the cultivators here, you just happened to choose me… It’s making me feel rather nervous.”

“And besides…” Su Ji’s gaze sharpened. “We should be frank with each other. I’m a timid man. Surely the current Great Emperor won’t just sit back and let you recover, will he? Wouldn’t that mean I’d be hunted down by the Great Emperor?”

The Old Emperor froze for a moment.

He took a long, deep look at Su Ji.

A remarkably complicated light flashed through those murky eyes.

There was remembrance in it, along with a trace of helpless acceptance.

“You’re smart, kid. And cautious.”

With his hands clasped behind his back, the Old Emperor still maintained his leisurely elegance in this space that was on the verge of destruction.

“But if you can think of it, do you really think I couldn’t?”

The Old Emperor raised one finger.

“Of course I have a plan.”

“First of all, I have ways to conceal my presence.”

“Secondly, I’ll spread the news that the Fallen Dragon is also attempting to resurrect…”

“Hatred in this world has its own order of precedence.”

“That bastard defeated me, but he did it in pursuit of the Dao. A loss is a loss—I admit that I was simply inferior.”

The Old Emperor’s voice suddenly turned cold, laced with venom.

“But that fisherman hiding behind the scenes, the one who stabbed us in the back when we were both wounded…”

“That bastard stole the fruits of our victory, splashed all the blame onto us, then set himself up as a saint…”

“If I can’t personally twist his head off and use it as a chamber pot, I’ll never rest even in death!”

“By the same logic, that petty schemer is afraid of me resurrecting, and even more afraid of the Fallen Dragon resurrecting…”

“He’s even more afraid that the two of us might join forces.”

“At least until the truth is uncovered, I’ll be safe.”

Su Ji understood.

So he was redirecting the disaster elsewhere.

But that raised another question.

If the two of them were together, would they still be safe?

“So you don’t need to worry about me turning on you.”

“You’re only a Golden Core cultivator.”

“If I possessed your body, how many years would it take me to return to my peak?”

“I don’t have that kind of time to waste.”

“As for why I chose you…”

“I’m a homeless, wandering soul now. If I don’t find somewhere to hide, that bastard will sense my presence very soon.”

“And you—although you’re a little weak, that weakness is precisely your advantage. Even with my aura added to yours, you still won’t stand out too much.”

“This is called mutually beneficial cooperation. Understand?”

Su Ji fell silent for a moment.

The enormous rocks above them had already begun to collapse. Seawater poured in from all sides, making the scene look like the end of the world.

He had no choice.

“How are we calculating the payment?” Su Ji suddenly asked.

The Old Emperor: “…”

He was a dignified Immortal Emperor who had dominated the ages, yet this was the first time anyone had ever asked him about payment.

“I’ll guide you in your cultivation from now on! I’ll keep you alive! Isn’t that enough?!”

Su Ji replied righteously, “No.”

The Old Emperor was so furious that he nearly laughed.

“As long as you help me restore my strength, then in the future, in this Canghuang Realm, you can have anything you want—except that bastard’s head!”

“Deal.”

Su Ji lowered the defenses around his sea of consciousness.

Or rather, even if he had tried to defend himself, it would not have helped.

Their conversation had merely been a matter of saving face.

“…”

The Old Emperor transformed into a streak of light and instantly shot into the space between Su Ji’s brows.

Boom!

Su Ji felt a sharp pain explode in his mind, as though a mountain had been forcibly stuffed inside his skull.

The next moment, a swearing voice rang out in his mind.

“Holy crap?!”

“What the hell is this?”

After entering Su Ji’s sea of consciousness, the Old Emperor took the opportunity to inspect the young man’s physical condition and ponder how he should teach him to cultivate.

His morals might have been questionable, but that did not mean he lacked character.

He was not the type to break a promise to a junior at the Golden Core stage.

But after taking one look…

A problem immediately presented itself.

There was a palace emanating an ancient, weathered aura.

At the center of the palace floated a dark-gold Golden Core.

Upon its surface, a purple-black pattern writhed like a living creature.

Even with the Old Emperor’s vast experience, he could not help drawing in a sharp breath at this bizarre sight.

“What kind of crooked, demonic path are you cultivating?”

“Who taught you to cultivate like this?”

“You can actually still be alive?”

Su Ji’s voice echoed through the sea of consciousness. “Don’t mess with things. That’s basic etiquette.”

“Tch. As if I care.”

The Old Emperor curled his lips.

“All right, enough nonsense.”

“This place is about to blow up. Hurry up and leave. I’ll lend you ten percent of my power, so use it sparingly.”

Outside.

Su Ji abruptly opened his eyes.

Red and black light intertwined within his pupils, radiating an oppressive force that sent shivers down the spine.

“Senior Brother?”

Su Jiu looked at him anxiously.

“I’m fine.”

Su Ji wrapped one arm around Su Jiu’s waist.

“Hold on tight.”

“Time to take off.”

Boom—!!!

A vast power far beyond what a Golden Core cultivator should possess erupted from Su Ji’s body.

It was the power the Old Emperor had lent him.

Although it was only a trace, it was already more than enough for Su Ji in his current state.

He raised a hand and lightly drew it across the chaotic spatial currents ahead, within the space that had already completely collapsed.

“Open.”

Rip!

The spatial storm, powerful enough to shred a Soul Formation cultivator, was forcibly torn apart.

A safe passage leading to the outside world appeared before them!

Wang Ping, who had just regained consciousness nearby, was completely dumbfounded.

He had originally resigned himself to death. He had even drafted his last will in his head.

Yet the moment he opened his eyes, he saw Su Ji descending like a heavenly god, tearing space apart with his bare hands.

Although he had no idea what had happened—

“P-Predecessor…”

Wang Ping scrambled over and clung tightly to Su Ji’s leg.

Su Ji really wanted to kick him away.

“Let’s go!”

Su Ji flashed forward, carrying the two of them as they transformed into a streak of light and charged into the spatial passage.

…

Behind them.

The Starsea wonderland completely collapsed.

Seawater, reefs, corpses, the altar…

Everything was swept into the endless spatial turbulence and ground into dust.

…

Somewhere in the Chaotic Star Sea, on an unnamed deserted island.

Plop!

Three figures tumbled out of the void and crashed heavily onto the beach.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Wang Ping lay sprawled on the ground, greedily gulping down the salty sea breeze, tears and mucus streaming down his face.

“We’re… we’re alive…”

“I, Wang Ping… am alive again!”

Su Ji brushed the sand from his clothes and stood up.

He glanced into his sea of consciousness.

The Old Emperor had already fallen silent. It seemed that killing a True Immortal with only a wisp of his remnant soul had been far more exhausting than he had made it appear.

“Kid, remember our agreement.”

The Old Emperor’s weak voice drifted over.

“Don’t call me when nothing’s wrong. And even when something is wrong, try not to call me. Just wait for me to contact you.”

“Find more medicinal herbs that can replenish the soul.”

“Then make your way toward Emperor Court Mountain.”

After saying that, he fell silent.

Su Ji: “???”

I’m supposed to go to Emperor Court Mountain?

Seriously?

"It's okay. I'm doing great," Su Ji said with a smile and then turned to look at Wang Ping.

Wang Ping gave a start and immediately sprang up from the ground. He held out several storage pouches with both hands, his face beaming with an obsequious smile.

"Senior! These are... oh no, these are the spoils I collected for you inside!"

"All of them are here. I didn't take a single thing for myself!"

Su Ji took the storage pouches and swept his spiritual sense over them.

Goodness!

This guy is as greedy as a Pixiu!

There were more than a dozen demon cores of God - Transformation - stage sea beasts in there, along with all kinds of miscellaneous magical tools, spiritual herbs, and even a few pieces of unknown ores.

Adding to what he had extorted from various cultivators before...

This trip had made him extremely wealthy.

Su Ji nodded in satisfaction and casually took out a few demon cores from the storage pouch and tossed them to Wang Ping.

"Come on, stop pretending."

"These are for you as your service fee."

Wang Ping held the demon cores in his hands, his hands shaking with excitement.

"Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!"

He had never met such a generous "boss" in his life.

"Senior, where shall we go next?" Wang Ping asked cautiously.

Su Ji looked out at the distant sea.

It was already dawn.

The rising sun dyed the sea a golden - red hue.

"Where else do you want to go? Let's part ways here."