Late-stage Golden Immortal strength really is terrifying. If I had to face a powerhouse like this head-on, I'd probably die without even knowing how I died. Thank goodness this guy didn't try to kill me—Evan Lin thought, a wave of relief washing over him.
"You must've just ascended, right? To reach Earth Immortal realm the moment you arrive—you're a once-in-a-century talent! Meeting you is the only stroke of luck I've had in ages. I want you to avenge me—kill the Lord of Coldriver City!" the elder declared, voice heavy with hope and bitterness.
Evan Lin gaped at the old man in shock, finally blurting out, "How did you know I just ascended? And what kind of strength does the Lord of Coldriver City actually have? With my current realm, I can't do anything to him. There's no way I can accept your condition!"
"Don't look down on yourself. I believe you'll be a ruler someday! This is the first time I've ever seen someone reach Earth Immortal right after ascension. I know you're wondering how I saw through your suppressed cultivation. The method you used is rare, but I recognize it—it's a Wu Family absolute technique. I'm curious where you learned it from."
Back then, my ancestors only taught that technique to the master of Solarion Palace, as repayment for saving their lives. Are you saying you learned it from Solarion Palace? That's basically impossible." The elder stared at Evan Lin, deeply puzzled.
"So the mine master must've seen through my cultivation too—that's why he let me into the mine, right? That technique really was taught to me by someone from Solarion Palace, but as for who, I'd rather not say. Hope you understand." Evan Lin replied, feeling a touch of sympathy for this half-human, half-ghost elder.
In this world where the strong prey on the weak, it's all about profit. "What's the mine master look like? Is he a fat, big-eared, middle-aged man?" the elder asked urgently.
"That's right. You know him?" Evan Lin blurted out, clearly startled.
"He should be my blood brother. Now he's the master of the Coldriver Immortal Mine—he's probably been tricked by the Lord of Coldriver City too. He has no idea what's really happened to me. Maybe he thinks I'm still in secluded cultivation. I hope he never finds out the truth, or with his temper, he'd turn Coldriver City upside down." The elder sighed.
Evan Lin didn't say much, just quietly thinking things through. After a while, he spoke: "Senior, you want me to avenge you, but with my current strength, I'm nowhere near a match for the Lord of Coldriver City. I can't help you fulfill your wish—please don't blame me for that."
"Kid, I've been watching you since you walked in. You're both gutsy and clever—I trust my instincts. Even if you're only Earth Immortal now, I can help you break through straight to late-stage Heavenly Immortal. But you have to promise: someday, you must avenge me. Otherwise, I'll die with regrets!" The elder suddenly grew serious.
"Late-stage Heavenly Immortal? That's impossible!" Evan Lin stared at the elder in disbelief. Jumping realms like that is just too heaven-defying!
"I don't have much time left. Even if you hadn't come into this mine, I'd only last another year or two at best. The poison from Helljudge Powder is too fierce—I'm losing control. Every Full-Moon Night, it's worse than death. There's only two days until the next one, and I can't take that pain again." The elder said bitterly.
Evan Lin knew that his own Primordial Dragon Bloodline might be able to save the old man. Ever since awakening it, his detoxification ability should be even stronger. But he still couldn't trust this elder—what if all this was just a trick to fool him? If he got played, the loss would be huge.
"Is there any way to cure this Helljudge Powder? Like some kind of immortal pill or miracle medicine?" Evan Lin asked bluntly.
"Helljudge Powder is one of the top three deadliest poisons in the Immortal Realm—there's basically no cure. Only Divine Dragon blood can temporarily ease it, but to truly cleanse it, you'd need Primordial Dragon blood. That's impossible. I've already accepted my fate. Meeting you today is Heaven's last mercy. I hope you'll fulfill my wish. Soon, I'll use an Immortal-World secret art to transfer all my Immortal spiritual power into your body. Just refine it into your own strength and you'll break through." The elder explained.
"That's not right. We've just met, and you're offering me all your Immortal spiritual power—I can't accept that. Senior, let's just forget it, alright?" Evan Lin said quickly, refusing to reveal his Primordial Dragon Bloodline even though he knew it could cure the poison.
But Evan Lin wasn't about to risk it. Who could know a person's heart? What if saving him led to disaster? After all, several people's lives are tied to his own: Ruoxi, Xiao Xiao, Little Shadow, Ice Snow Fairy—all of them depend on him. He couldn't afford a single mistake.
"Kid, I know you misunderstood my earlier actions, but that was just a stopgap. I wouldn't hand over my Golden Immortal cultivation to a useless person—don't you agree? My mind is made up, so stop arguing. I just hope you'll fulfill my last wish." the elder pressed again.
"You could have your brother fulfill your wish—why come to me? Even if I want to help, I really can't do it. Senior, please don't be so stubborn." Evan Lin replied, tempted by the late-stage Heavenly Immortal realm but unwilling to accept favors for nothing, especially when he couldn't tell if it was real or a trap.
"You don't get a choice, kid! Get ready to receive my Immortal spiritual power! Hahahaha!" The elder suddenly burst out laughing like a madman.
Evan Lin sensed something was wrong—the old man really might do something crazy. Just then, the hair covering his face was flung back, revealing a face like a Ghost Clan specter, muscles twitching as he started channeling Immortal spiritual power.
Evan Lin realized the old guy might actually be serious. He was about to make a run for it, but suddenly found himself unable to move—he'd been trapped by the elder's spatial domain! Panic surged up. So all that talk was just a trick to lower his guard, and now he'd reacted too late.
Just as Evan Lin was about to curse out loud, the elder flashed in front of him. That withered, skeletal hand slammed down on Evan's head, and a torrent of Immortal spiritual power poured in from above—