16: Bribing Emperor Zhou, news of the divine fire

Facing Mu Wuchen's arrival, the experts within the Great Zhou Dynasty all looked tense and wary.

Below, the Great Zhou Emperor waved his hand and said to everyone, "You may all disperse."

After the irrelevant people left, he looked at Mu Wuchen with cloudy eyes: "Esteemed guest has arrived. I... this old man has failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me. Young Master, please come in and sit."

Immediately, he made a gesture of invitation, seemingly unafraid that Mu Wuchen would attack him.

Indeed, with the strength Mu Wuchen had just displayed, if he truly wanted to destroy them, they would have no room to retaliate at all, so it was better to be straightforward.

Seeing his demeanor, Mu Wuchen was slightly surprised. Although the Great Zhou Emperor's words seemed respectful, he appeared very calm. Such composure, unfazed by events, was truly befitting of an emperor, which made Mu Wuchen look at him in a new light.

The Great Zhou Dynasty's monarch was thin and slightly hunched, like a pile of decaying wood, seemingly on the verge of collapse at any moment.

Zhou Long, once at the peak of the Mystic Infant Realm, was afflicted by a Meridian Sealing Gu poison, which had suppressed and devoured his cultivation for over a hundred years. His current cultivation is Huaxu Realm third stage.

After reading the Heavenly Eye's introduction, Mu Wuchen was slightly surprised. This Great Zhou Emperor, Zhou Long, was a man with a story. He, who once possessed peak Mystic Infant Realm cultivation, was willing to come to this barren land to be an emperor.

The Meridian Sealing Gu he was afflicted with was a rare and peculiar poison. The Gu's level wasn't high, but once afflicted, it was extremely difficult to cure. Moreover, once afflicted, the meridians would be locked, and one's strength would be reduced to less than a tenth. Over time, the cultivation would also be slowly devoured by the Gu worm.

Inside the royal palace, Zhou Long had Mu Wuchen sit at the main seat and prepared a banquet to entertain him.

"Young friend, you've come for the Heaven and Earth Divine Fire, haven't you?"

Zhou Long didn't beat around the bush but went straight to the point. At this juncture, nine out of ten people who came were for the Heaven and Earth Divine Fire.

Seeing the old man being so direct, Mu Wuchen didn't hide anything and said, "That's right. We've come this time to ask you to help us keep an eye out for the whereabouts of the Heaven and Earth Divine Fire."

After all, this was the control center of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Their various informants, intelligence, and understanding of the Great Zhou Dynasty would certainly be much better than him blindly stumbling around.

Zhou Long sighed softly and slowly said, "Esteemed guest, the Great Zhou Dynasty is a small country. Now, my time is almost up, with wolves outside and internal troubles within. It's not that we don't want to interfere in the matter of the Heaven and Earth Divine Fire, but rather we cannot. A slight mistake could lead to the downfall of our nation and the extermination of our clan."

Zhou Long expressed his concerns. As a monarch, such worries were only natural.

Mu Wuchen looked at Zhou Long and didn't argue with him. He simply exchanged 3 points of luck value for a fiery red pill from the system's shop and held it out in front of Zhou Long with his right hand.

"Lord Zhou, do you know what this is?" Mu Wuchen asked Zhou Long calmly.

Zhou Long's face showed confusion; he seemed not to recognize it.

Mu Wuchen had no time to keep him in suspense and said, word for word, "This is the Gu-Expelling Fire Pill."

Upon hearing his words, the Great Zhou Emperor's hand suddenly trembled, and he looked at Mu Wuchen, as if judging whether Mu Wuchen was deceiving him.

In his youth, he had ventured outside and, by chance, obtained a fortuitous encounter, cultivating to the peak of the Mystic Infant Realm. However, he was ambushed when attempting to break through to the Celestial Human Realm, afflicted by the Meridian Sealing Gu, and his realm had been continuously falling. That was why he had no choice but to come to the Great Zhou Dynasty, and now he only possessed Huaxu Realm third stage.

The Gu-Expelling Fire Pill that Mu Wuchen took out was naturally not done casually; he clearly knew his situation. And to be able to discern his situation at a glance, this person was likely far from simple.

Mu Wuchen casually tossed the fiery red pill to the Great Zhou Emperor.

"How about it, is this trade worth it?"

Zhou Long looked at the pill in his hand, somewhat astonished. He had thought Mu Wuchen would only give it to him after obtaining the divine fire, but he didn't expect him to be so straightforward.

With the pill in hand, Zhou Long was so excited his hands trembled, but he still restrained his impulse and carefully placed the pill into his bosom.

The other ministers were unaware of his physical condition and the pill's effect. He intended to use this to secretly restore his cultivation and give those restless individuals a surprise.

With the pill, Zhou Long's attitude immediately did a complete turnaround. As if having made some decision, he slightly opened his eyes and spoke to an Grand Eunuch who had been standing not far away: "Issue an imperial decree: spare no effort in searching for the whereabouts of the Heaven and Earth Divine Fire. If anyone can provide a clue, they shall be enfeoffed as a Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, with hereditary succession."

What a joke! Compared to being able to restore his cultivation, even if only partially, what was a mere marquisate?

Restoring his cultivation meant restoring his strength, and he would no longer fear many of the people who had come here. Moreover, with his cultivation restored, his lifespan would be greatly extended!

Although the people below were puzzled as to why His Majesty had agreed so quickly, considering the strength Mu Wuchen had just displayed, they said nothing more.

After all, Mu Wuchen didn't even care about the Tianlei Dynasty, so what could their Great Zhou Dynasty do?

Under a generous reward, brave people would surely emerge, especially since it was only about providing clues, not asking people to risk their lives.

After the banquet, Mu Wuchen soon received news from Zhou Long that in a very remote area of the Great Zhou's northwest desert, snow had recently fallen, extending for a hundred li.

Hearing this, Mu Wuchen glanced at Nalan Yuruo, who had been following behind him, and said, "Little girl, you're in luck."

Nalan Yuruo's face showed confusion, while Su Meier, who was beside her, began to explain: "If I'm not mistaken, this is the Heavenly Cold Nether Flame, ranked thirteenth on the Divine Fire List. Its outer flame is extremely cold, and its inner flame is extremely hot, a duality of ice and fire. If you can absorb it, you can instantly gather two elements of the Five Elements."

After hearing Su Meier's introduction, Nalan Yuruo's eyes showed a hint of eagerness.

She glanced again at Su Meier, who was impossibly beautiful beside Mu Wuchen, and thought that although this elder sister's cultivation was only at the Body Tempering Realm, her knowledge was extensive, to even know such a secret.

Just then, the voice of an Grand Eunuch sounded not far away; it was the eunuch who had delivered the imperial decree beside Zhou Long.

"Esteemed guest, His Majesty has asked this servant to come over."

This Grand Eunuch's cultivation was not low, at the fifth stage of the Spirit Sea Realm. Such cultivation would allow him to walk sideways in Great Zhou, but now he was bowing his head, his expression respectful. He slowly pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Mu Wuchen.

"Esteemed guest, this is a map of the place you wish to go. His Majesty also said that he has sealed off the news and dispatched elites to blockade various surrounding areas, hoping that the esteemed guest can obtain that Heaven and Earth Divine Fire."

Mu Wuchen nodded and reached out to take the map.

He opened the map, and with just a glance, all its contents were imprinted in his mind.

Without any delay, Mu Wuchen summoned the Golden Winged Roc and left the Great Zhou Imperial City with the two women.