by Shian Jeen
Huwang Xiao’s internal organs and other parts looked as if they were soaked in the spring of life, vivid vitality was effervescent from his meridians, veins, even his skin and hair. Moreover, Huwang Xiao noticed that his flesh and muscles were tougher than ever before, every cell contained terrifying power.
At the very end, Huwang Xiao scanned his soul, where one of the most significant transformations took place. In the past, his soul sea was merely a vast ocean but now, five new mainlandsㅡmetal, wood, water, fire, and earth appeared above his soul sea-five elements mainland.
From the five elements mainland, five elements aura resonated with each other, swirling, forming a protective barrier.
Dauntless confidence rose from Huwang Xiao’s heart that if he were to battle Zhao Chen once more, just by the raw strength of his two arms, he was capable of tearing Zhao Chen into halves. This feeling was born out of the confidence in his own strength.
Huwang Xiao was very satisfied looking at his beautifully chiseled muscles that were close to perfection, yet did not lack in softness.
En, Huwang Xiao nodded with appreciation, after breaking into Saint realm his ‘baggage’ below seemed to have increased a size bigger.
...
A short while later, Huwang Xiao took out a light azure robe from the Asura Ring and put it on. Just as he was about to do so, he caught sight of the nameless fire tree, which also grew a little bit taller.
Huwang Xiao was stunned. Could it be that while he was in the midst of breaking through the Saint realm, the Saint power released from his body was beneficial to this nameless fire tree?
Pondering, Huwang Xiao lifted a hand and sucked a red fruit off a branch, swallowing it down. A stream of warm energy spread inside Huwang Xiao’s body, comfortable and delicious to boot. After swallowing the red fruit, Huwang Xiao discovered that the energy inside the fruit was more abundant than the time he first discovered them at the Broken Tiger Rift. The difference was obvious.
Half an hour later, Huwang Xiao exited the Godly Mt. Xumi.
When he walked into the grand hall, his parents, Huwang Peng and Su Yan, younger brother Huwang Xiaohai, as well as both Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu were there. His sister Huwang Min and brother-in-law Gui Tai had already returned to the Guo Manor together with the little one, Guo Xiaofan.
“What are you all talking about, being so lively?” Huwang Xiao asked, smiling.
“Long’er, you’re out from practice!” Seeing Huwang Xiao appeared, joy filled Su Yan’s face as she stood, so did everyone else.
“Young Lord!” Both Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu stepped forward in their salute.
Huwang Xiao nodded, took a seat as among the chairs.
“Long’er, did you really kill that Deities Templar Elder Ao Baixue?” Everyone was seated, Huwang Peng couldn’t resist his curiosity any longer, asking Huwang Xiao. This matter had spread far and wide, not only in Duaren Empire, but nearly all the empires on the Snow Wind Continent were discussing this subject. To say that every inch of land on Snow Wind Continent was talking about this was far from an exaggeration.
Hearing Huwang Peng ask the crucial question, all eyes in the hall turned to Huwang Xiao. All of them knew that when Huwang Xiao first returned, there was giant ghost Feng Yang by his side, perhaps Huwang Xiao and Feng Yang killed Ao Baixue together?
Looking at the expressions around him, Huwang Xiao smiled, “I killed him.” Huwang Xiao’s words clearly confirmed the rumors flying outside.
Huwang Xiaohai interjected with enthusiastic excitement, “Big bro, now all the empires on Snow Wind Continent are talking about this, you’ve already become the most legendary figure to come out of the Snow Wind Continent! Even surpassing our Emperor Duanren!”
Most legendary figure? Huwang Xiao chuckled hearing this term.
“Long’er, the rumors outside say you’re already a peak late-Xiantian Tenth Order?” Su Yan asked. Although she was Huwang Xiao’s mother, like everyone else, she found it hard to believe that Huwang Xiao had reached such heights in cultivation.
Due to the uniqueness of Huwang Xiao’s cultivation technique, concealing the traces of his aura, not even Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu could determine Huwang Xiao’s actual strength.
Huwang Xiao shook his head, “I just broke through today.”
Broke through!
Huwang Peng, Su Yan, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu blanked with shock, and then joy descended.
“Young Lord, you’re now a half-Saint?” Zhao Shu tried to determine with expectations in his voice.
An order above peak late-Xiantian Tenth Order was half-Saint realm.
Huwang Xiao smiled bitterly inside, before everyone’s eyes, Huwang Xiao stopped concealing his aura. The released power surged out like a tsunami, shaking the heavens!
Ch.348
Huwang Xiao’s aura spread out like the waves of an endless sea, rolling and splashing, drowning everything.
Everyone in the grand hall choked at the whelming pressure. Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu were both shocked, they swiftly projected their own battle qi out to cast a protective barrier over Huwang Peng, Su Yan, and the others to keep them from being affected too much.
“Saint realm!” At the same time, Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu blurted out in unison.
Saint realm!
Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu’s exclamation echoed in Huwang Peng, Su Yan, Huwang Xiaohai, and the others’ ears, sending a shiver down their backs. Eyes widened a second later staring at Huwang Xiao as their mind registered the meaning of those two words.
Sain-, Saint realm?!!!
The whelming pressure merely lasted a second before it receded faster than the evening tide, converged inside Huwang Xiao’s body. The atmosphere returned to its previous serenity, causing everyone to feel like that split second pressure they experienced was nothing but an illusion.
The instant Huwang Xiao converged his aura, in Guo Manor’s secret chamber, Guo Chen suddenly opened his eyes. In a flicker he appeared high above the Guo Manor, his alert eyes scanning all directions.
“Strange, I definitely felt a Saint realm warrior’s aura just now, how did it disappear without a trace?” Guo Chen muttered to himself. “That aura absolutely doesn’t belong to Duanren or that several old fellas. Could it be that some other unknown Saint realm expert has arrived in Duanren Imperial City?”
The same time Guo Chen was exploring the situation above the Guo Manor, above the Duanren Imperial Palace, Emperor Duanren was performing precisely the same actions, scanning the area with his spiritual sense, but just like Guo Chen, it was fruitless. In the end, Emperor Duanren flew back into the palace feeling puzzled.
When Guo Chen landed back in Guo Manor, Guo Shiwen approached carefully and asked due to Ancestor’s strange actions, “Ancestor, just now you…?”
Guo Chen explained, “Just now, I felt a Saint realm expert’s energy fluctuation, close to the Southern Hill Estate’s direction, but just as I came out, it vanished.”
In the Southern Hill Estate’s direction? Guo Shiwen was taken aback, then a thought struck his mind. Without thinking, he blurted out, “Ancestor, could it be that Senior Huwang broke through the Saint realm?”
Guo Chen was stumped for the briefest second before shaking his head with a soft chuckle, “Absolutely not possible, it is too difficult to break into the Saint realm, I know from experience. As heaven-defying as Huwang Xiao’s talent is, there’s no way he could advance into the Saint realm so fast.”
Guo Shiwen pondered his Ancestor’s words; the Ancestor had cultivated for several hundred years, only managing to break through to Saint realm a few years ago after many hardships. Indeed, no matter how gifted Huwang Xiao was, breaking into the Saint realm at this speed was a fantasy.
“Ancestor, in your opinion, according to Senior Huwang’s cultivation speed, how long will it take him to step into the Saint realm?” Guo Shiwen asked.
Guo Chen thought for a moment, answering: “Within five years’ time, he probably could.” In Guo Chen’s mind, Huwang
Xiao needed at least five years’ time to reach that point.
…
At this time, in the Southern Hill Estate’s grand hall, Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu were smiling ear to ear, taking a step forward to kneel down on single knee. Saluting towards Huwang Xiao, their sonorous voices rang: “Congratulations Young Lord on advancing to the Saint realm!”
Their Sovereign had broken into the Saint realm! This would greatly increase the Sovereign’s chances in fighting for the Asura’s Gate position later, therefore, both of them were extremely happy.
Huwang Xiao nodded, smiling, “Rise.” Advancing to the Saint realm also put Huwang Xiao in a good mood.
Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu stood up.
By this point, Huwang Peng, Su Yan, Huwang Xiaohai, and the orders finally recovered from their shock, each was happy and excited, with Huwang Peng declaring to the Southern Hill Estate to hold a celebration feast for three days and three nights.
Huwang Xiao smiled, consenting to his father’s enthusiasm. He told Zhao Shu to reward the estate’s servants, slaves, and guards of Houtian strength a thousand gold coins each, and the Xiantian realm warriors fifty thousand gold coins each, on top of a three-day celebration banquet.
Still, Huwang Xiao cautioned Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu not to disclose the fact that he had broken into the Saint realm. At this point in time, Huwang Xiao preferred not to expose his strength to preying forces outside.
In the next few days, other than refining Ghost King Dans and Geocentric Buddha Elixir, practicing the Godly Xumi Art, Asura Tactics, and the Body Metamorphose Scripture to stabilize his new realm. He also allocated time to practice the Eminent Holiness Halberd Sutra.
The exalted Eminent Holiness was the strongest Saint King’s Junior Brother back in the day. Not to mention that this Eminent Holiness Halberd Sutra was a powerful skill, this was something Huwang Xiao experienced when battling Zhao Chen.
The Eminent Holiness Halberd Sutra contained a total of nine moves, and even Huwang Xiao felt strained to display the last three moves before. Now, trying again after entering the Saint realm was much easier.
On this particular day, Huwang Xiao stood in the middle of his yard, holding a scepter in his hand, fiddling with it back and forth. This scepter was one of the items he took from the grass huts in the Eminent Holiness’ hidden space dwelling.
In fact, Huwang Xiao would occasionally take the scepter out to study, hoping to find some clues from it. The feeling that this scepter held secrets persisted inside him. It was just that he had yet to get any results.
He tried many ways so far, including dripping blood on it, trying to refine the scepter, but there wasn’t the slightest change.
Huwang Xiao’s gaze was fixed on the beast head carving decorating the top of the scepter when Zhang Fu walked in, wanting to report his findings on the Origins Forest when he caught sight of the beast scepter in Huwang Xiao’s hand. Zhang Fu’s actions halted due to shock, eyes widened, “This? Beast God Scepter?!”
Huwang Xiao turned around, looking at Zhang Fu: “Beast God Scepter?”
Zhang Fu approached to get a closer look at the scepter in Huwang Xiao’s hand, requesting permission, “Sovereign, may I have a look?”
Huwang Xiao passed the beast-ornamented scepter to Zhang Fu.
Zhang Fu’s hand trembled a little when he reached out to receive the scepter. Studying the scepter carefully, the more he looked the more excited he became, his mouth mumbled incessantly, “It’s really the Beast God Scepter! Really, really!”
Huwang Xiao didn’t expect Zhang Fu to recognize this scepter, but he did not rush him, he believed that Zhang Fu would explain to him in a while.
A short while later, Zhang Fu calmed down, returning the scepter to Huwang Xiao with both hands respectfully, while inquiring with care, “Sovereign, may I ask where you found this God Beast Scepter?”
Huwang Xiao took back the scepter, answering Zhang Fu frankly, “I found this scepter at the bottom of Broken Tiger Rift in the dwelling left behind by the Eminent Holiness from the ancient era, but I don’t know the origin of this scepter.”
Eminent Holiness? Evidently, Zhang Fu had not heard of Eminent Holiness’s name. He said, “Sovereign, this scepter is very likely the legendary Beast God Scepter, holding the highest authority in the Beastmen race. It was said that in ancient times, a Beast God emerged from the Beastmen race, subjugating hundreds of the Beastmen tribes. Not only did this Beast God create a Beastmen empire, he led the Beastmen to unify the Ten Directions Continent.”
“Unified the Ten Directions Continent!” Huwang Xiao was surprised.
In the ancient times, there were strong experts everywhere, to unify the Ten Directions Continent was a hundred times harder than unifying the current Snow Wind Continent, yet this Beast God actually succeeded!
Reverence shone from Zhang Fu’s eyes as he went on, “Yes, at that time, the Beastmen race led by the Beast God was extremely powerful, so much that the six ancient kings of the human race led by the Saint King had to tread carefully when facing the Beast God. But later, the Beast God disappeared without a reason, and this Beast God Scepter was the scepter held by the Beast God during that time. Not only does it represent the highest authority in the Beastmen race, it is also the symbol of supreme power on the Ten Directions Continent.”
Huwang Xiao looked at the scepter in his hand with astonishment.
Zhang Fu added, “There is another myth linked to this, anyone who can find the Beast God Scepter and grasp it’s secret, they will be able to comprehend the Beast God’s power.”
Huwang Xiao’s brows scrunched together, to comprehend this Beast God’s Power was easier said than done. These days, he tried many different methods that garnered no reaction at all from the scepter.
Seeing Huwang Xiao’s expression, Zhang Fu said, “Sovereign, on the Ten Directions Continent, there is a place called Beast God Shrine, a monument left behind by the Beast God and a place that only the Beast God Scepter can open. In the future, Sovereign can make a trip to the Beast God Shrine, perhaps at that time there will be an opportunity, allowing Sovereign to comprehend the Beast God Scepter.”
Ch.349
Beast God Shrine!
Only the Beast God Scepter could open it!
Huwang Xiao’s eyes shone with expectation, it seems that he really needed to make a trip to the Ten Directions Continent in the near future…
Zhang Fu continued speaking, “Right, Sovereign, you told me to investigate Main Domain Chief Chen Tianqi’s motive in heading to the Origin Forest, this subordinate has found out.”
“Oh, you found his intention?” Huwang Xiao refocused his attention to the present, putting away the Beast God Scepter as he asked Zhang Fu.
“Yes, Main Domain Chief Chen Tianqi is heading there because a ruin belonging to the ancient Dragon Clan has surfaced in the Origins Forest.” Zhang Fu answered.
“Ancient Dragon Clan’s ruins!” Huwang Xiao was astounded.
Ancient Dragon Clan! The strongest clan in the Martial Spirit World!
Despite that, several tens of thousands of years ago, they disappeared from the Martial Spirit World. But now, their ruins actually resurfaced to the world.
Zhang Fu nodded his head, “That’s right, an ancient Dragon Clan’s ruin, but no one knows the exact location, information came back confirming for sure that it is somewhere in the Origins Forest. By now, Snow Wind Continent’s experts from different empires have got wind of the information too, and everyone is rushing over to the Origin Forest. Other than the Snow Wind Continent, experts from the other two continents, Starcloud Continent, and Ten Directions are also speeding to enter the Origin Forest.”
Huwang Xiao couldn’t help recalling the two middle-aged men he ran into when he ventured into the Ghost Domain, the Earth Dragon egg he ‘won’ after defeating the two men. Could it be, that Earth Dragon egg came from the same ancient Dragon Clan ruin in the Origin Forest?!
The more he thought about it, the more certain he
was that his conclusion was right.
“Sovereign, then do we...?” Zhang Fu inquired, meaning to ask Huwang Xiao if they will be heading to Origins Forest too.
“Go, of course we must go.” Huwang Xiao said.
He possessed the twin black and blue dragon martial spirits, and he had absorbed an Earth Dragon egg. Compared to others, his chances of locating the Ancient Dragon Clan’s ruin were much higher, he absolutely had to go.
He had just advanced to the Saint realm, following the normal route, taking Geocentric Buddha Elixir night and day, practicing the Godly Xumi Art and Asura Tactics daily, it would take him ten years, maybe even twenty years to reach Second Order Saint realm.
However, if he managed to get another dragon egg, then it was a different story altogether. Not to mention, there would definitely be more than one dragon egg in the Ancient Dragon Ruin.
The Earth Dragon egg that Huwang Xiao absorbed last time, the true dragon essence inside was scant. The Earth Dragons ranked bottom rung on the Dragon Clan’s hierarchy. If he could find a golden dragon’s dragon egg, the amount of true dragon essence would be several times, even several hundred times more abundant compared to the Earth Dragon egg.
At this point, Zhao Shu entered the yard from outside to report, “Sovereign, Duan Ren is here, he would like to see you.”
Duan Ren is here? In the next moment, Huwang Xiao already guessed Duan Ren’s reason for coming to see him, without a doubt, he also received news about the Origin Forest.
“Let’s go, let us go meet him.” Huwang Xiao said.
…
The three of them arrived at the grand hall a moment later.
Waiting in the grand hall, other than Duan Ren, were Duan Wuhen and two old men clad in golden battle gear.
Huwang Xiao had seen these two old men before inside the Duanren Institute, both were part of the five Honorable Saint Masters, guardians of Duanren Institute.