by Shian Jeen
The appreciation and happiness in Feng Yang’s eyes were all contained in that singular word. This disciple had once again given him a great surprise. Initially, his highest expectation toward Huwang Xiao was winning over Jiang Bi, he hardly dared to imagine that even the Azure Dragon Institute Xiang Mingzhi’s little birdie would be wounded from his disciple’s kick.
In the end, before everyone dispersed, Feng Yang laughed as he encouraged Huwang Xiao, saying that he needn’t be polite the next time he came across anyone from the Azure Dragon Institute, he could go ahead and burst all their little birdies with a kick.
Huwang Xiao, as well as the Black Warrior Institute's masters, sweated profusely at his ‘permission.’
After the top ten rewards were given, the masters belonging to various forces bid their farewells, leaving the Rising Dragon Arena with lingering astonishment still pounding in their hearts.
Feng Yang was in an awfully good mood and he decided to hold a last-minute celebration banquet in his manor to celebrate his disciple Huwang Xiao’s glorious victory.
During the banquet, Grand Elder Bao Xinrui and Chan Yu time and again raised their cups, toasting to Feng Yang and Huwang Xiao. The banquet went on until late into the night before dispersing.
Liu Yun, Chen Yang, Qi Wen, and Huwang Xiao also excused themselves from their Master and left, each of them returning to their own courtyards.
Huwang Xiao made his way back to his Yard No.1 on the Misty Rain Mountain Range. In the privacy of his own yard, Huwang Xiao took out the Five-colored Energy Gathering Divine Banner, Innumerable Fortune Kasaya, and the rest of the twenty-five ancient heaven-defying treasures. Dense spiritual energy instantly filled every corner of the yard as Buddha luminance lit up the surroundings. Every pore on Huwang Xiao’s body opened as if he was bathing inside a spiritual pool of the Divine World. An indescribably comfortable feeling spread through him.
Looking at the Five-colored Energy Gathering Divine Banner, Innumerable Fortune Kasaya, and the other twenty-three ancient treasures laid out before him, an irresistible laughter gurgled up from Huwang Xiao’s throat. He didn’t expect to reap such a great harvest from the inner disciples’ assessment.
In the future, after employing this Five-colored Energy Gathering Divine Banner, his Huwang Family would be able to enhance their cultivation at an even faster rate. Huwang Xiao believed that his parents would be able to advance to peak half-Saint realm very soon. Combined with the divine grade spirit pellets that he would refine for them, it would greatly increase their chances of stepping into the Saint realm. Perhaps, in less than ten years’ time, this wish could be realized.
Once his parents broke through to Saint realm, their longevity would exceed a thousand years.
“This time, that Xiang Mingzhi will definitely vomit blood.” Huwang Xiao smirked. What a pity though that he wasn’t able to off him on the spot. Then again, Huwang Xiao was aware that killing Xiang Mingzhi in public was close to impossible. After all, he was the Azure Dragon Institute Principal’s personal disciple.
Huwang Xiao put away the Five-colored Energy Gathering Divine Banner, Innumerable Fortune Kasaya, and all the other treasures. He chose not to cultivate at this time, instead, he sat on in a meditative posture on the cold bed, swallowed a Hailstone Divine Pellet, and adjusted his breathing.
By the time Huwang Xiao opened his eyes again, the sky was already bright. Exiting his yard, he headed toward the Supreme Harmony Hall.
This time, winning first place in the inner disciples’ assessment, coupled with his cultivation breakthrough to Fifth Order God Realm, he was eligible to be promoted to an elite disciple. Going to the Supreme Harmony Hall was merely to complete the official procedures as well as collect his robe and new identity token.
Having a Black Warrior Institute’s elite disciple status, it would bring much convenience to him, such as buying a residence in the Black Warrior City, such as having an entire peak solely belonging to him in the Black Warrior Institute, his very own cultivation dwelling.
Ch.617
By the time Huwang Xiao reached the Supreme Harmony Hall, there were already many disciples in the vicinity, both outer disciples and inner disciples.
Noticing Huwang Xiao’s figure walking in, the disciples in the great hall were up in a furor.
“It’s Senior Brother Huwang Xiao!”
“Senior Brother Huwang Xiao!”
Many outer and inner disciples greeted Huwang Xiao with excited faces. Reverence and adoration could be seen shining in their feverish eyes.
Huwang Xiao nodded as he was greeted, wearing a faint smile on his face as he continued moving to the side hall counter to collect his elite disciple robe and identity token. Coincidentally, when he entered the side hall, he ran into Jiang Bi, Li Dufeng, and their group of followers.
It seems like Jiang Bi also came for the same purpose, to collect his elite disciple robe and identity token.
When Jiang Bi, Li Dufeng, and his group saw Huwang Xiao, their expressions tightened, all the arrogance they showed in the past was nowhere to be seen. Each of them voluntarily lowered their heads and retreated to the side, giving way to Huwang Xiao to enter first.
When he was passing by Jiang Bi’s side, Huwang Xiao halted, looking at Jiang Bi with mirth in his eyes as he asked, “Have your injuries healed?”
Jiang Bi’s face muscles twitched at Huwang Xiao’s caring question, that slap he was served yesterday was by no means light. Landing straight on his face, it felt like his brain was jarred and his eyeballs shifted left to right, completely unable to tell which way was north, south, east, or west.
Yet, recalling the scene that day, Jiang Bi had no anger at all, even smiling flatteringly at Huwang Xiao, “They are already healed, many thanks to Senior Brother Huwang for showing mercy that day.” His bow was so low that it seemed like there was a great mountain placed on his back, his forehead almost touching the floor.
Even that Xiang Mingzhi had his little birdie burst from Huwang Xiao’s kick, would he even dare to have any dissatisfaction toward Huwang Xiao?
Huwang Xiao nodded, “That’s good then.” His attention then moved to Li Dufeng.
Just a look and Li Dufeng’s legs were already shaking, his knees knocking against each other. Flustered, Li Dufeng fell to his knees, “Senior Brother Huwang, please spare me, I beg you! I was wrong. I won’t dare anymore, please don’t kick my little birdie, no, no, I-I mean, don’t kill me!” Incoherent sentences spouting his pale lips face ashen with fear.
This Li Dufeng had been strutting around by relying on Jiang Bi, arrogant to the extreme. Moments ago, Huwang Xiao indeed wanted to make him suffer a little, however, watching him like this, he lost all interest.
Ignoring the rest, Huwang Xiao stepped inside the side hall.
Inside the side hall, the Elder in charge was more than welcoming and amiable, personally helping Huwang Xiao exchange his elite disciple robe and identity token, then politely escorting Huwang Xiao out.
When he came out, Jiang Bi and the rest were still standing at the side of the entrance, not daring to enter, while Li Dufeng was still kneeling on the floor.
Only after he was sure that Huwang Xiao had left the Supreme Harmony Hall did Li Dufeng get up slowly, feeling that he had just survived an ordeal as he wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead.
Not long after Huwang Xiao returned to his yard, Eldest Senior Apprentice-brother Liu Yun and Third Apprentice-sister Qi Wen called him.
With a wide smile on his face, Liu Yun said, “I’ve been thinking that in these one or two days you will definitely need to choose a peak as your own cultivation dwelling. You have the Hailstone Treasure, thus aren't lacking in any spirit stones or elixirs. But opening a cultivation cave not only requires spirit stones and elixirs, there are also formations, spiritual pool, etcetera that are needed. I have a flagon of Nine Yang Holy Water here, it’s useless keeping it by my side, so I brought it over for you.”
Liu Yun took out a jade flagon
that resembled a gourd.
Third Apprentice-sister Qi Wen also took out ten longswords, explaining, “These ten longswords are items refined by ancient Gods, called Ten Killing Swords, they can be used to arrange a Ten Killing Formation. Junior Apprentice-brother can lay it out in your new place.”
Huwang Xiao received both items to peruse. Opening the jade flagon, he saw that inside it was another space containing a spiritual lake of several li radius. The spiritual lake’s surface was heavy with spiritual energy, whereas the lake’s bottom seemed to be hiding nine suns. Nine glows fractured to the water surfaces, soft and tempting.
This was the Nine Yang Holy Water!
Nine Yang Holy Water was one of the top grade water types in the universe, extremely rare. Even scouring most auctions houses, it might still be difficult to find this level of holy water. With this Nine Yang Holy Water, he’d be able to nurture those spiritual elixirs and flowers above a hundred thousand years, and even higher, on his own peak.
Moreover, those Ten Killing Swords were forged from the Divine World’s iron, exuding a chilling killing intent. Using them to lay a formation around his dwelling, its defense was sure to be impregnable.
Huwang Xiao received both of them excitedly, “I thank Eldest Senior Apprentice-brother and Third Apprentice-sister, but I cannot take the Nie Yang Holy Water and Ten Killing Swords without giving anything back in return.” He took out two thousand Three Revolutions Golden Pills as he said this, giving each of them one thousand pills.
Seeing that it was the Three Revolutions Golden Pills, Liu Yun and Qi Wen were dumbstruck, joy floated to their faces a second later. Neither of them pretended to be polite with Huwang Xiao, accepting the pills happily.
Liu Yun laughed, “Looks like it is I, this Senior Apprentice-brother that took advantage of you. With the help of these one thousand Three Revolutions Golden Pills, my strength can be enhanced by a lot.”
Third Apprentice-sister Qi Wen also smiled, “If we knew there was such a good deal here, both of us would have come last night.”
All three laughed joyously.
“Junior Apprentice-brother, after the battle yesterday, your reputation has even shadowed this Eldest Apprentice-brother of yours,” Liu Yun laughed, “I say, in another hundred years, your name will probably ring louder than our Master’s!”
This wasn’t just Liu Yun touting. Currently, Huwang Xiao’s name not only spread to the Azure Dragon Galaxy, it even spread to the White Tiger and Vermillion Bird Galaxies. Every corner had people talking, people gasping in astonishment, and sighing in amazement.
Of course, there was much jealousy flying around too.
Qi Wen’s laughed, “Now our little Junior Apprentice-brother is the idol revered by many large forces’ disciples. I say, he will probably be the idol of the four big galaxies in a hundred years.”
Indeed, many family disciples, prominent or otherwise, were diligently cultivating with Huwang Xiao as their goal.
“Especially the young women, declaring that they won’t marry anyone but our Junior Apprentice-brother.” Liu Yun teased.
Huwang Xiao was actually embarrassed by this, smiling awkwardly, “Eldest Senior Apprentice-brother, Third Apprentice-sister, please don’t make fun of me.”
Both seniors couldn’t stop grinning.
“Now that Junior Apprentice-brother was promoted to the ranks of elite disciples, there are a few characters that you must be wary of, the Great Five elite disciples of the elites.” Liu Yun turned serious. “The inner disciples have the Great Ten, and the elite disciples have the Great Five Elites, Jiang Yu, Long Junze, Gudu Jiu, Pan Haicheng, and Wang Xiaomei.”
He paused slightly and continued, “All Great Five Elites are very strong, all of them are peak late-Sixth Order God Realm. Jiang Yu is that old witch’s personal disciple, Long Junze is an odd case, Gudu Jiu is from the Gudu Family, and Pan Haicheng is an insidious character. Lastly, Wang Xiaomei is a Wang Family disciple. Wang Biaoyuan is her younger brother.”
Huwang Xiao’s eyes glimmered as he listened.
Qi Wen added, “If junior Apprentice-brother wants to open a cultivation dwelling, according to our guess, Jiang Yu, Gudu Jiu, and Wang Xiaomei will definitely send people over to cause trouble, therefore, you must be extra careful. Matters involving elite disciples, us both and Master will not interfere.”
“En, I understand.” Huwang Xiao smiled, not taking things to heart, “Many thanks to Eldest Apprentice-brother and Third Apprentice-sister’s reminder.”
Both of them knew from Huwang Xiao’s expression that he didn’t take their words to heart. They shook their heads inwardly, but neither said more on the topic. Staying a while longer, they bid farewell and returned to their respective dwellings.
The next morning, Huwang Xiao exited Yard No.1, flying toward the Black Warrior Institute’s Red Flood Mountain Range.
Although the elite disciples were allowed to pick their own peaks and open their own dwelling, it did not include choosing any place their hearts desired. It was limited within the range of the Red Flood Mountain Range.
The Red Flood Mountain Range spanned over a large land area, consisting of five to six hundred thousand peaks, both big and small, whereas the number of elite disciples was only a little more than two thousand or so. Therefore, empty peaks were in abundance.
Ch.618
The Red Flood Mountain Range was a long way from the Misty Rain Mountain Range. At Huwang Xiao’s current speed of Fifth Order God Realm, he flew for two days straight before arriving at the Red Flood Mountain Range.
Legend has it, this Red Flood Mountain Range was the place where the first Black Warrior Institute Principal cultivated. Naturally, it was only a legend. After hundreds and thousands of years had passed, the truth or falsity of things became hard to distinguish.
But it was a fact that the spiritual energy shrouding the Red Flood Mountain Range was rich and abundant. Looking into the horizon before him, Huwang Xiao could see from afar that the top of the Red Flood Mountain Range was blanketed by a layer of thin fog — spiritual clouds that only appeared when spiritual energy was concentrated to a certain extent.
Huwang Xiao flickered, entering the mountain range, and began selecting the peak he wanted to for his cultivation cave.
Some peaks were already taken by other elite disciples, there were also peaks with overgrown weeds and thick bushes. In between these were peaks with faint wisps of spiritual energy. The better ones had thriving vegetation and flowing water.
Despite all these peaks being part of the Red Flood Mountain Range, there were vast differences between them.
A good piece of land was nurtured by natural spiritual energy rising deep from the earth itself. The longer it was nurtured, the richer and more abundant its spiritual energy will be, which directly affects the quality of his cultivation cave.
Huwang Xiao flew past peaks after peaks, checking them all with his Eye Of Hell, selecting carefully. Opening his first cultivation cave naturally couldn't be done sloppily.
Two hours later, Huwang Xiao exclaimed in surprise as he quickened his speed toward a peak located to the south from where he was. Moments later, he stopped in the air above the peak of a great mountain.
This mountain beneath him was approximately eight thousand li in radius, with natural spiritual energy seeping out from the land. Moreover, the land’s spiritual energy was formed long ago. All the way up to the peak, lush green trees, and colorful flowers grew on the land, there was even a waterfall as a water source. In short, it was the ideal Feng Shui spot for opening a cultivation cave.
Huwang Xiao’s eyes grew increasingly bright the more he looked.
‘This is the spot!’ Huwang Xiao decided.
The Blades of Asura appeared in Huwang Xiao’s hands, slashing out to the front. Numerous blade lights fell like raindrops, the weeds, grass, and flowers flew up, turning into dust. In a few breaths’ time, a plot of land several hundred li in radius at the mid-mountain area had been cleare
d by Huwang Xiao. He decided to open his cultivation cave in that place.
The natural rocky waterfall would be right in front of the cultivation cave, with a mountain at its back. With a little effort, this would become an ideal cultivation spot. On top of that, adding the Five-colored Divine Banner that he won from Xiang Mingzhi, he would definitely be able to increase the spiritual energy in this peak to exceed any other peaks in this Red Flood Mountain Range by a hundred times over.
However, just as Huwang Xiao took out the Hailstone Holy Cauldron from the Hailstone Treasure vault, planning to use the Divine World iron inside the vault to refine his cultivation cave, a lone elite disciple was seen flying in his direction from afar.
That elite disciple saw Huwang Xiao’s actions and was slightly stunned. He then approached Huwang Xiao wearing an odd expression on his face as he observed him “Brother has just been promoted to an elite disciple?”
Seeing the other side’s expression, Huwang Xiao immediately knew that this elite disciple had no idea who he was. Although most of the higher echelon of the Black Warrior Institute recognized him, it didn't mean that all Black Warrior Institute disciples did as well. Therefore, it was absolutely normal for some outer disciples, inner disciples, and elite disciples to not know who he was.
“Yes,” Huwang Xiao nodded.
“No wonder brother doesn’t know,” that elite disciple said, “This peak belongs to the All Dragons League.”
Huwang Xiao’s brows wrinkled in confusion, “All Dragons League?”
The elite disciple opposite Huwang Xiao was staring at him like he just crawled out of a stone somewhere, “Brother doesn’t know about the All Dragons League? The All Dragons League is a society created by Senior Brother Jiang Yu. The majority of elite disciples are members of the All Dragons League, and Senior Brother Jiang Yu is the League Leader. Not only this mountain peak, even the surrounding twenty peaks all belong to the All Dragons League!”