Chapter 644: Returning the Favor

"I can't believe how vulgar I am."

Gu Xing'er felt extremely upset.

Gu Shaochu immediately turned to see his younger sister after recovering from the great shock. He let out a soft sigh when he saw her heartbroken face.

"Is this a cruel joke of fate?"

His beloved sister had finally fallen in love with someone, but the man was out of her reach.

It was an illusion after all.

He was about to go over and comfort his sister. However, just then—

Ding Hao turned around with a smile and walked toward Hua Huai'an and Gu Xing'er. "Oh, by the way, there are a few friends whom I'd like to say goodbye to."

The people of the Camel Caravan and the Changfeng Escort Agency became so nervous that their hearts were about to jump out. Their mind went blank, not knowing what would happen.

Ding Hao approached the group and said with a smile, "Hi everyone. Thank you for taking care of me along the way. I would still be wandering in the wilderness if it wasn't for your help." After all, they were the ones who had taken him all the way to Sword Province.

"No... no, you... You're welcome." Gu Shaochu and Hua Huai'an were under so much pressure that they almost failed to finish the sentence.

Bai Quanshui came over with a smile and asked, "Hey, Brother Ding, are they your friends?"

Gu Shaochu was so nervous he forgot to gasp. While standing in front of such a hero, the Extermination Sword Demon, even the heads of the major sects would be nervous, let alone a low-level martial artist like him who struggled to survive in the Land of Infinity.

Ding Hao introduced with a smile, "Yes, they are some new friends I made on the road. If they hadn't helped me, I would have soon lost my way."

One by one, Bai Quanshui greeted Gu Shaochu and the others with a smile.

Under the envious gazes of countless passersby, Gu Shaochu, Hua Huai'an, and the group were at a loss. At the same time, they were ecstatic, feeling as if they were on top of the world.

For those in the Sword City, it was a tremendous honor to be noticed by Bai Quanshui, the Extermination Sword Demon. They had actually been greeted by him, which was a great fortune.

"Since we are friends, why don't you come with us to the Golden Sword Palace and let us treat you?" Bai Quanshui extended the invitation.

Gu Shaochu and Hua Huai'an completely panicked. They even stammered, "Ah, no, no, no, no, we don't deserve that. We are too humble to be qualified to enter the Golden Sword Palace. It's... Ding... ah... Ding... yes, Senior Ding has praised us too much."

"You're too modest. Brother Ding's friends are also friends of the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect," Bai Quanshui looked at Zhang Keyi beside him with a smile and said, "I won't insist if you don't want to go to Golden Sword Palace. Arrange a good reception for these friends from Ice Province." Then, he smiled at Gu Shaochu and Hua Huai'an and added, "You can contact Nephew Keyi if you need help in the Sword Province."

"Ah? Okay, okay, okay!" The people of the Camel Caravan and the Changfeng Escort Agency were overjoyed.

The wheel of fortune had turned for them in a way they had not dared to dream of.

Gu Shaochu and Hua Huai'an pinched themselves. The pain was there, so they couldn't be dreaming.

Had the prayers to their ancestors been heard?

They had actually established a connection with a major power like the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect.

Bai Quanshui's words were like an imperial edict in the Sword City, and even in the whole Sword Province. Countless people with higher status, stronger means, and better luck than the group were desperate to form such a connection, but they had been the ones who had achieved it...

From then on, the Camel Caravan and the Changfeng Escort Agency would rise in fame.

Hua Huai'an thought of the day when Ding Hao went to see him before he had set off from the Ice Province. If his youngest son Hua Mojian hadn't persuaded him to take Ding Hao with the caravan, he would have definitely rejected his request. Fortunately, he did listen to his son back then. Otherwise, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life.

It seemed that his precious son was truly his lucky star.

Zhang Keyi invited them with a smile, " Please come with me. I just booked a banquet in the Heavenly Sword Restaurant today. If you don't mind, shall we go together?"

It was said that the Heaven Sword Restaurant was the most luxurious and exclusive place in the ancient Sword City. Most people were unable to go there, even if they had money. Gu Shaochu had visited the city many times, but he had never been able to get within a kilometer of the restaurant, let alone enter it.

Hua Huai'an and Gu Shaochu hesitated for a moment and agreed, "Well... Okay, thank you, Master Zhang."

He knew that such courtesy was all thanks to Ding Hao. It would be rude for them to refuse again.

Hua Huai'an turned to Ding Hao and thanked him, "Senior Ding, we were ignorant and failed to recognize you. Please don't take it to heart if we haven't taken good care of you..."

They clearly knew that they would be nothing in the eyes of the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect if it weren't for Ding Hao, let alone being treated by a master like Zhang Keyi.

"Brother Hua and Brother Gu, you are too modest. You treated me very well along the way... Oh, come to think of it, I have something for Little Mojian. I think he's very talented. He'll be a great master in the future if he finds a good teacher." Ding Hao took out a jade-colored small sword and handed it to Hua Huai'an.

That small jade sword had been crafted by Ding Hao. It contained power and an inscription formation that was able to condense Qi and warm the body for long-term users. It could help martial artists to open up their Qi seeds and meridians.

Hua Huai'an received it with joy and thanked him repeatedly.

Ding Hao was a great figure. Any small trinket he offered as a gift was definitely a treasure. His son was really blessed.

"Oh? Your son must be quite talented since Brother Ding believes he has good aptitude. Haha, Brother Hua, if it is fine with you, can you send your son to our sect to learn martial arts? Haha, Brother Ding, although you met him first, I'm the one who made the first offer. You can't steal his son away from me; we are badly in need of young talents."

Bai Quanshui laughed out loud.

Hua Huai'an was so excited that he was about to faint.

"Good heavens, my son can join a super sect like the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect?"

Before this, the chances of getting into the Deerhunter Academy in the Ice Province were somewhat slim. But then his son found the opportunity to join a super sect that ranked high even in the whole Northern Region. "Is this a dream?"

Compared with the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect, the Deerhunter Academy was so insignificant that it was next to nothing.

Everything felt a little unreal at the moment.

He looked at Ding Hao with awe and gratitude.

Hua Huai'an was not a fool. He could see that Ding Hao did all of this to show how close they were, so that people of the Extermination Swordsmanship Sect would respect him. He was deliberately creating an opportunity for his son to join the sect.

"By the way, Miss Gu, I refined and upgraded the two bone spears for you. Here you are. Take good care of yourself."

Ding Hao took out two white bone spears from his storage space, which belonged to Gu Xing'er.

The bone spears didn't seem to have changed much in appearance, but the power contained was completely different. They had become high-grade magical weapons with which an expert at the peak of the Great Martial Mentor realm could generate the power of a one-apertured Primordial Grandmaster.

"Thank you." Gu Xing'er received the bone spears with a smile.

She burst into tears as she watched Ding Hao turn around and step on the ladder as effortlessly as an immortal would.

That proud Black Rose knew full well that she and that scholar in cyan didn't belong to the same world after all. He was stepping on the divine temple in the air, while she could only stand on the ground quietly, gradually losing sight of his back.

After all, they were from two different worlds.

It was time to wake up from the dream.

The Golden Sword Palace.

Clashes of toasts could be heard while the aroma of wine filled the air. Beautiful women with graceful figures were dancing on the floor. Just like the charming Fairy Chang'e, they moved elegantly to the ethereal tunes under the faint moonlight.

Ding Hao and Bai Quanshui sat on the main seats of the table, while the other experts of Extermination Swordsmanship Sect sat on the sides.

Bai Quanshui had already introduced them to Ding Hao before. They were all famous experts of the new generation, who were also famous sword practitioners in the Sword Province, none inferior to Zhang Keyi. Those men were so powerful that they could cause an earthquake with a single move. But then, they only talked with each other in high spirits and toasted in Ding Hao's favor one after the other.

Ding Hao raised his glass in response.

He guessed that those people were Bai Quanshui's trusted subordinates.

All of them were extremely powerful. There were a few Martial Emperors, and most of them were at the middle or the peak level of the Martial King realm.

The Extermination Swordsmanship Sect was indeed peerless. Those people seemed to merely be about fifty years of age. For experts above the Primordial realm who had lived for hundreds of years or even thousands of years, fifty years was equivalent to adolescence. It was impressive how they had attained such grand achievements at such a young age.

The fairies dancing on the floor were inscription puppets.

They looked so real that it was impossible to tell the difference in appearance. As they danced in the hazy mist, they were more charming and agile than real people.

However, if Divine Senses were used to observe, one would discover that they didn't possess any life force, at all; there were extremely complex and profound inscriptions under the skin. They were not simple dancing puppets... Once a battle broke out, they would be turned into the most terrifying killing machines.