Chapter 950: Sixth Camp Banner Master
Deep within the Absolute Ancient Blood God's territory, mountain peaks stood clustered together, deep valleys spread everywhere, and the land was covered in ice and snow—a completely white, frozen world where human presence was hard to find.
The Netherword Heavenly Palace camp was located at the edge of the Endless Abyss, situated in Cangtian Valley.
At the mouth of the valley, two ninety-nine-story iron towers had been constructed, standing like two icy mountain peaks amidst the bitter wind, adding a sense of towering grandeur.
The Fifth Camp's camp master, "Barbaric Wild Banner King," and the Sixth Camp's camp master, "Infinite Banner King," stood on the left and right beneath the iron towers. A powerful aura radiated from their bodies, causing the snowflakes falling from the sky to automatically fly back upward when they were still thirty meters away from them.
Mei Lanzhu and Shangguan Xianyan had already arrived at the Netherword Heavenly Palace camp, standing behind Barbaric Wild Banner King.
Shangguan Xianyan's delicate jade-like body was encircled by nine rings of holy light, her graceful figure appearing faintly visible, exuding a hazy beauty. She said, "We've already waited half an hour. Why hasn't Gu Linfeng come to the camp to report yet?"
"Perhaps he encountered some fierce beast on the way and has already died in its belly," Mei Lanzhu said, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Barbaric Wild Banner King, towering like a human-shaped iron tower, said in a rough voice, "Let's wait a little longer. Gu Linfeng's strength is not weak. As long as his luck isn't too bad, he should be able to cross the Absolute Ancient Snow Mountain and reach the Netherword Heavenly Palace camp."
Barbaric Wild Banner King and Infinite Banner King had let Gu Linfeng, Mei Lanzhu, and Shangguan Xianyan come to the Netherword Heavenly Palace camp on their own, which was also a test for them.
Only those strong enough to move freely through the Absolute Ancient Snow Mountain were qualified to become banner masters of the Netherword Heavenly Palace. In the future, they would also be able to lead a group of Netherword banner bearers alone to carry out missions.
If Gu Linfeng died on the way, it would only mean that his cultivation was insufficient to become a banner master of the Netherword Heavenly Palace.
Another half hour passed.
Even Infinite Banner King, the camp master of the Sixth Camp, frowned and said, "Could it be that Gu Linfeng doesn't know the exact location of the Netherword Heavenly Palace and took the wrong path?"
Mei Lanzhu gently stroked his palm and said, "The Absolute Ancient Snow Mountain is so vast. Finding the Netherword Heavenly Palace camp is not an easy task. Taking the wrong path is also very normal. If he accidentally wanders into the area of the Endless Abyss, that would truly be regrettable..."
In the distance, a figure flew out from the midst of the wind and snow, landing at the mouth of Cangtian Valley, and let out a cheerful laugh: "Thank you for your concern, Divine Son. I did take the wrong path earlier, but luckily I turned back in time and finally found the Netherword Heavenly Palace camp."
As he walked closer, Zhang Ruochen's figure became clearer and clearer, appearing before everyone.
He bowed and said, "Greetings to the two Banner Kings, the Divine Son, and the Saintly Maiden."
Shangguan Xianyan's voice was very pleasant to the ear, like a tinkling bell: "Gu Linfeng, you came too late. You kept us waiting in the wind and snow for a full two hours. Quite the face you have!"
"Forgive me, forgive me. It is entirely my fault, Lin Feng's sin, for making the Saintly Maiden's precious body stand in the cold wind for so long. Truly unforgivable."
Zhang Ruochen acted with great grace, immediately taking a small, exquisite blue-and-white porcelain bottle from his bosom and handing it to Shangguan Xianyan with a smile: "This is an eighth-rank Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, which can help half-saints comprehend sacred dao rules. I sincerely ask the Saintly Maiden to accept it as a token of apology for my offense."
The Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill was one of the most precious pills Zhang Ruochen had found on Su Bai's body.
Even a seventh-step half-saint carried it on his person, showing that this pill was of great help to half-saints in their cultivation.
Zhang Ruochen possessed a large amount of divine blood, and each drop of divine blood was more valuable than the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, so he didn't think much of it.
Giving it to Shangguan Xianyan would also serve to annoy Mei Lanzhu.
Shangguan Xianyan certainly wouldn't be polite. She extended a slender, jade-like hand and took the blue-and-white porcelain bottle from Zhang Ruochen's hand.
Her fingers, each one as if carved from immortal jade, crystal clear and pure, brushed across Zhang Ruochen's palm, feeling exceptionally soft.
"Since you are so thoughtful, this Saintly Maiden will forgive you once more," Shangguan Xianyan said with a slight smile.
Standing nearby, Mei Lanzhu clenched his fists, trembling all over with anger, his eyes as if about to spit fire.
If it weren't for the sect leader always teaching him to maintain the bearing of a divine son, he might have already rushed forward and killed Zhang Ruochen with a single palm strike.
Forcing a petty person to act with great magnanimity was truly a difficult task.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Mei Lanzhu, smiled inwardly, but outwardly pretended to be panicked: "Oh no, I only had one Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, which I gave to the Saintly Maiden, but I didn't prepare anything for the Divine Son. With the Divine Son's broad-mindedness, you shouldn't hold it against me, should you?"
Mei Lanzhu snorted coldly: "A mere Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill is nothing. This Divine Son can have as many as he wants. Only someone like you, from a backwater place, would treat it as a treasure."
Barbaric Wild Banner King stepped forward, glanced at Infinite Banner King, and said, "Since Gu Linfeng has arrived at Cangtian Valley, I will take the Divine Son and the Saintly Maiden back to the Fifth Camp."
With that, Barbaric Wild Banner King, Mei Lanzhu, and Shangguan Xianyan first walked into Cangtian Valley, disappearing into the wind and snow.
On the vast white land, only Infinite Banner King and Zhang Ruochen remained.
Infinite Banner King had a smile on his face and said, "Gu Linfeng, from now on, you are the banner master of the Sixth Camp of the Netherword Heavenly Palace, under my command. Come, I'll take you to the Sixth Camp to meet the other banner masters."
The Netherword Heavenly Palace had a total of six camps.
Each camp had one Banner King, twelve banner masters, and twelve hundred banner bearers.
The Banner King was the camp master.
Above the Banner Kings were the Palace Master of the Netherword Heavenly Palace and two Deputy Palace Masters. Usually, the two Deputy Palace Masters would assign tasks, and the Palace Master rarely appeared.
However, once the Palace Master appeared, it meant that something major had happened.
The Netherword Heavenly Palace was known as the foremost of the Ten Heavenly Palaces. Although its numbers were few, they were all elites among elites, experts among experts.
Not to mention the banner masters of each camp, even the banner bearers, after leaving the Netherword Heavenly Palace, could hold high positions within the sect, at least becoming the leader of a branch.
Zhang Ruochen was the newest addition to the Netherword Heavenly Palace and also the youngest, so he ranked last among the twelve banner masters of the Sixth Camp.
On the very first day of entering the Netherword Heavenly Palace, Infinite Banner King held a welcome banquet for Zhang Ruochen. Seven banner masters attended the banquet, while the other four were said to be out on missions.
The seven banner masters who came to the banquet were mostly there to show face to Infinite Banner King. After all, Gu Linfeng was just a young junior—how could he have the influence to invite them?
The seven banner masters were all renowned figures from the older generation, famous evil great demons even in the powerhouse-filled Tiantai Province.
The weakest among them had reached the fourth-step half-saint realm.
"Isn't the Netherword Heavenly Palace responsible for guarding the Endless Abyss? What missions are there to carry out?" Zhang Ruochen felt very curious and voiced his doubts.
Infinite Banner King sat at the highest seat and said, "The Endless Abyss is not a peaceful place. Even on its outskirts, there are many dangers. The Netherword Heavenly Palace's mission is to eliminate those dangers."
Zhang Ruochen still looked puzzled, showing a confused expression.
A one-eyed banner master laughed loudly: "Banner Master Gu, you don't need to know too much for now. Since you've come to the Netherword Heavenly Palace, you'll naturally have many opportunities to go on missions in the future. Come, let's drink this bowl first."
Zhang Ruochen smiled slightly, picked up a bowl of Sacred Heart Wine, and only touched it to his lips. Then, he poured the Sacred Heart Wine into his space ring without actually drinking it.
Sacred Heart Wine was said to be a fine brew made from the hearts of half-saints, used to help cultivators train.
Such a brew... Zhang Ruochen simply couldn't bring himself to drink it.
After the welcome banquet, Zhang Ruochen returned to the banner master's residence, entering a cave dwelling carved into the cliff face.
Inside the cave dwelling, there was a stone staircase that extended deep underground. The further down he went, the denser the heaven and earth spiritual energy became. At the very bottom of the cave was a pool formed by a spiritual spring, with a one-zhang-square spirit crystal bed placed at its center.
A spirit-gathering formation had been built in the spiritual spring pool, turning this place into a cultivation treasure land.
From now on, this would be Zhang Ruochen's cultivation spot in the Netherword Heavenly Palace. When there were no missions, he wouldn't need to go out at all.
"The Netherword Heavenly Palace treats its banner masters quite well."
Zhang Ruochen only took a quick look around the cave dwelling without staying long. He put on the Meteor Invisibility Cloak and left the Netherword Heavenly Palace camp.
Tonight, he planned to explore the Endless Abyss.
...
In another banner master's cave dwelling in Cangtian Valley.
Mei Lanzhu's body radiated a piercing golden light as he roared angrily: "What's going on? Why didn't Gu Linfeng die?"
With his roar, a powerful surge of sacred energy struck Zhao Shiqi, who was kneeling on one knee, sending him flying backward to crash against the stone wall.
"Boom!"
Zhao Shiqi got up from the ground, clutching his chest, and said, "Divine Son, please listen to my explanation. Banner Master Su Bai and I were indeed planning to intercept Gu Linfeng, but on the way, we were attacked by a blood beast."
"That blood beast was extremely powerful, probably already at the saint realm. Banner Master Su Bai couldn't escape in time and was swallowed whole. I only managed to escape by using the power of the sacred edict, barely saving my life."
Mei Lanzhu's expression stiffened, and he said doubtfully: "How could a saint-realm blood beast have escaped to the area outside the Endless Abyss?"
Zhao Shiqi sighed: "The situation at the time was too dangerous. I only wanted to escape immediately and save my life, without daring to think about anything else."
Mei Lanzhu gritted his teeth. With a "bang," he struck the stone wall on the left side of the cave dwelling with a fierce palm strike.
Under the impact of the palm force, layers of formation light surged out from the stone wall.
"Consider him lucky. Let him live a few more days."
Mei Lanzhu waved his hand, his face dark, and said, "You may withdraw now."
After Zhao Shiqi withdrew, a faint fluctuation of sacred energy emanated from a darker corner of the cave dwelling, forming ripples of blackness that spread outward.
A thin, aged figure emerged from the darkness.
"Who is there?"
Mei Lanzhu sensed something and let out a low roar, turning around abruptly.
At the same time, his hands emitted golden light, and two half-zhang-long handprints condensed in front of his palms, striking toward the black figure.