by Shian Jeen
For a Highgod Realm master, a hundred years’ time was tantamount to entering seclusion for a short period.
You Wuye’s agreement did not come as a surprise to him.
Following that, the two signed a blood contract. When You Wuye made an imprint on the blood contract with a drop of his blood essence, he immediately felt a restriction of the Heavenly Laws appear in his soul.
After the blood contract was signed, Huwang Xiao took out a bottle of pills and threw it to You Wuye so that he could heal.
“Undying God Pill!” At first, he didn’t really care until he opened the bottle and saw the pill inside. He was dumbstruck, this Undying God Pill was extremely precious. Even with his identity, You Wuye couldn’t afford to consume this grade of healing pellets. For the tournament, he merely brought a few Spring Autumn Hundred Life Divine Pellets.
Looking at You Wuye’s dumbstruck expression, Huwang Xiao waved his hand in the air. Instantly, a pile of spirit stones fell from the void, filling the entire hall with rich spiritual energy.
“This-this, sacred grade immortal spirit stones?!!” You Wuye stared at the pile of sacred grade immortal spirit stones in front of him, stupefied.
“These here are one hundred sacred grade immortal spirit stones, the payment for your hundred years of working for me.” Huwang Xiao stated without any emotion.
Now that he had stepped into the Highgod Realm, he was able to condense sacred grade immortal spirit stones.
Sacred grade immortal spirit stones were rare treasures to You Wuye, but to Huwang Xiao, they were akin to pebbles on the roadside.
“Payment for a hundred years’ work...” You Wuye repeated dumbly. He now felt a bit of regret, was signing a blood contract for a hundred years a little short?
While You Wuye was still dumbstruck, Huwang Xiao turned to look at the lightning dragon floating high in the palace hall and the bone fragments that resembled translucent crystals; his Archdevil Supreme Godhead started to quickly rotate, forming a devouring power.
Instantly, the bone shards floated down toward Huwang Xiao, a total of a hundred and eight pieces.
A hundred and eight lightning dragon bone fragments floated around Huwang Xiao in a circle.
Astonishing lightning force flowed out from them, drilling into Huwang Xiao’s body from every angle.
Streaks of lightning were converted into godforce, causing the three supreme godheads to flicker brightly.
Finally, Huwang Xiao’s cultivation, which was at peak mid-Second Order Highgod Realm, advanced to late-Second Order Highgod Realm. Still, the lightning force from the bones did not stop entering Huwang Xiao’s body, his strength continued to rise.
Roughly an hour later, the lightning force from dragon bones subsided. Following that, the one hundred and eight bone fragments integrated into Huwang Xiao’s body, fusing with his bones and flesh.
When the lightning dragon bones completely become a part of him, Huwang Xiao distinctively felt that his True Dragon Physique had become even more powerful.
He breathed out a mouth of foul lightning qi, causing the entire hall’s lightning force to become chaotic and the palace building to shake with a low rumble.
Although his cultivation had yet to reach peak late-Second Order Highgod Realm, it wasn’t that far away. The benefits of obtaining the lightning dragon bones were evident.
Huwang Xiao turned to check on You Wuye; after consuming the Undying God Pill, his injuries had completely healed and was looking at him with his jaw dropped to the floor. Huwang Xiao understood that You Wuye must have seen him refine the lightning dragon bones.
Indeed, it was as Huwang Xiao thought. After You Wuye’s injuries healed, he saw the scene of Huwang Xiao refining the lightning dragon bone shards and great waves crashed against his heart. You Wuye didn't even know how to describe the overwhelming shock he felt.
‘Your mother, those were a Heavenly God realm lightning dragon’s bones ah…’
Even a Fourth Order Highgod Realm cultivator like himself needed a decade to refine a single piece, perhaps even a few decades. But this Huwang Xiao, just now, he merely spent roughly an hour to refine a hundred and eight! All of them!
This was fiercer than the fiercest beast.
You Wuye began to wonder if even a giant chaos beast’s devouring speed was as frightening as Huwang Xiao’s.
“Let’s go, we must seize the time to locate the central formation.” Huwang Xiao didn’t mind You Wuye knowing about his refining speed, he turned and flew out of the hall to go looking for the formation.
You Wuye snapped to his senses, chasing after Huwang Xiao. A glimmer of fear appeared in his eyes as he looked at Huwang Xiao’s back.
Two days went by quickly.
In these two days, within the Lightning God’s Palace grounds, Huwang Xiao found a few stalks of three-million-years-old medicinal herbs and some treasures that did not exist in the lower realm, but there was still no clue about the central formation.
This made him a little depressed.
On the third day, Huwang Xiao and You Wuye came to another palace building.
Just as they reached the hall, a figure flew in from another entrance.
“You Wuye!”
“Wangu Yanhui!”
You Wuye and that person exclaimed at the same time, both of them were taken aback by the other’s presence in the hall, not expecting to meet here.
Wangu Yanhui? Huwang Xiao gave the other party another look. He was a young man clad in a scarlet robe, on the chest of which was a blooming fire emblem, exuding overwhelming pressure and disdain toward lower beings.
‘This is the current leader of the ranking list, Wangu Yanhui?’ Huwang Xiao’s eyes glimmered with interest.
At this time, Wangu Yanhui glanced at Huwang Xiao. The two people’s gazes collided in midair.
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Wangu Yanhui was a little surprised discovering that the black-haired young man beside You Wuye was just a late-Second Order Highgod Realm. He had assumed that, as someone who was eligible to act together with You Wuye, he would be stronger than a mere late-Second Order Highgod Realm.
“Wuye Bro, how do I address your friend?” Wangu Yanhui asked You Wuye, pointing a finger at Huwang Xiao.
You Wuye hesitated, his eyes secretly inquiring Huwang Xiao’s opinion.
Noticing this, Wangu Yanhui was stunned. Thus greatly strayed from his assumption; between the two of them, You Wuye was not the decision maker? Judging from You Wuye’s actions, it seemed like the decision maker was actually the black-haired young man?
Just as Huwang Xiao was about to say something, a mocking voice rang in the hall, “Wangu Yanhui, since when did you start paying attention to a measly Second Order Highgod Realm punk?”
This newly arrived young man exuded a faint but sharp sword qi from his body, combined with an invisible pressure thick with an aura of blood and slaughter. The moment this young man appeared, his presence filled the hall with a whelming slaughter qi. The average Third Order Highgod Realm disciples who didn't possess a strong will would have their consciousness destroyed by the intense slaughter qi even before the young man came close.
“Zhou Yao.” When You Wuye saw this young man, his face tightened with trepidation.
This newly arrived young man was none other than the disciples ranked third, the Zhou Family’s Zhou Yao.
Although Zhou Yao was ranked third, below Wangu Yanhui, You Wuye was warier facing this ranked third young man. That was because Zhou Yao’s reputation for indiscriminate slaughter had reached quite a number of galaxies, he was a horrifying god of slaughter!
Zhao Yao had never been pedantic about the identity of the person he killed. As long as he disliked that person, they would become a sacrifice for his sword.
“Hehe, it’s so lively here. Wangu Yanhui, Zhou Yao, You Wuye, it looks like I’m a little late.” Barely a moment after Zhou Yao arrived at the hall, another young man flew in from a different entrance.
This hall ha
d entrances in all eight directions.
“Mu Qi,” You Wuye half-exclaimed in shock.
Mu Qi, ranked fourth, hailing from the Eternal Galaxy’s Mu Clan.
Huwang Xiao watched with interest. Running into Wangu Yanhui could be called a coincidence, but was Zhou Yao and Mu Qi’s presence here also a coincidence?
Naturally, there could only be so many coincidences in the world.
If these people gathered here in this place, their purpose must be something inside the hall. Could the central formation be right here in this palace hall? However, how did these people determine that the central formation was in this place?
While Huwang Xiao was contemplating this matter, Zhou Yao glanced around, snorting coldly, “Looks like the three of you also obtained the key to activate the central formation.”
Keys to activate the central formation! Huwang Xiao immediately realized the reason.
It was now clear that Zhou Yao and the others were here because they found some kind of key that led them to this hall, and this place was precisely the location of the central formation. From Zhou Yao’s simple sentence, Huwang Xiao immediately caught onto a fact: there was more than one key!
“There’s a total of five keys. Punk, did you get one of them?” Zhou Yao looked at Huwang Xiao.
Huwang Xiao entered the palace hall together with You Wuye, so Zhou Yao naturally assumed that he and You Wuye had found one of the five keys each and proceeded here together.
“But, a mere late-Second Order Highgod Realm such as yourself isn't qualified to participate in the activation of the Lightning God cultivation dwelling’s central formation, and even less qualified to possess anything left behind by the Lightning God. I advise you to obediently hand over the key.” Zhou Yao added, “I'll give You Wuye’s face and spare your life as long as you hand over the key.”
Hearing this, Huwang Xiao let out a laugh and was still laughing as he looked at Zhou Yao, “To tell you the truth, we don’t have any key, we entered this palace by coincidence. But, if you hand over your key to me, I'll give face to the Zhou Clan and spare your life.”
The instant Huwang Xiao said those words, everyone present was stunned.
Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi shook their heads, the look in their eyes clearly pitied Huwang Xiao. In their opinion, he was already a dead man.
A mere late-Second Order Highgod Realm punk actually dared to threaten Zhou Yao? Did he think having You Wuye on his side could protect him from everything?
Zhou Yao was stunned, but the frigid glint in his eyes and the killing intent in his voice grew even thicker, “Punk, you think I won’t dare to kill you because You Wuye is here? Today, I don’t give a damn who you are, no one can save you!” At the end of his words, the invisible sword qi from his body soared, and his slaughter qi became several times stronger.
Resounding blasts rang in the hall as streams of sword qi formed whirlwinds.
If just the slaughter qi rushing out from Zhou Yao’s body could affect the surrounding space to such a degree, one could imagine the extent of this Zhou Yao’s strength. Who knew how many cultivators had died in his hands for him to have such overwhelming slaughter qi.
Zhou Yao strode toward Huwang Xiao in deliberately slow steps, directing a snort at You Wuye, “You Wuye, I must kill this punk today. If you insist on interfering, don’t blame me for dealing with you as well.”
Although both Zhou Yao and You Wuye’s cultivation was at Fourth Order Highgod Realm, Zhou Yao’s true strength was marginally stronger than You Wuye. This was evident from the sequence on the ranking list.
You Wuye’s expression turned slightly ugly at Zhou Yao’s words. Even though he was wary of Zhou Yao’s strength, he wasn’t really afraid of him.
There wasn’t a large gap in their strengths, and now Zhou Yao actually insulted him in front of these people, You Wuye felt his anger rising.
Just as You Wuye was about to step forward to confront Zhou Yao, Huwang Xiao suddenly lifted his arm, stopping You Wuye and saying, “Wait at the side.”
Despite Huwang Xiao’s monotone voice, it exuded unchallengeable authority; and to Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi’s amazement, You Wuye actually acknowledged respectfully and retreated to the side.
Zhou Yao’s eyes narrowed watching this, his voice growing even colder, “Punk, I don’t give a damn who you are, I must kill you today as an offering to my dao of slaughter.” A bright light enshrouded Zhou Yao and he completely disappeared in the next second.
Suddenly, a sword light radiant to the extreme sliced through space and disappeared. It was as if Zhou Yao had completely merged into the sword light.
This was the true meaning of becoming one with the sword!
Zhou Yao’s sword qi was different from You Wuye’s; You Wuye’s sword was strange, hence unpredictable and hard to defend against. Whereas Zhou Yao’s sword qi was overbearing, direct, only focusing on killing, destruction, and slaughter.
Even Wangu Yanhui couldn’t help but admire this sword attack.
Without putting up any defense, even an early Fourth Order Highgod Realm master would suffer grave injuries trying to withstand this attack.
When Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi had already accepted Huwang Xiao’s impending death as a fact, Zhou Yao’s brilliant sword light halted in midair all of a sudden. Their faces showed disbelief when they saw the reason.
The tip of Zhou Yao’s longsword was pinned in place between Huwang Xiao’s two fingers.
Zhou Yao felt the greatest shock amongst all present.
The punk blocked it? No, he actually caught his attack!
Huwang Xiao ignored these shocked reactions. Exerting force in his two fingers, Zhou Yao’s longsword, which was named Killing Sword and was crafted from unknown Divine World iron and metal, was snapped into a dozen pieces.
The sword tip of the broken sword between Huwang Xiao’s fingers penetrated Zhou Yao’s chest with a turn of Huwang Xiao’s wrist, flying out from his back.
That sword tip pierced through the wall, leaving a gaping hole.
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Zhou Yao’s entire person was sent flying backward from the force that the broken sword tip brought, crashing into the palace wall behind him. Rubble slid to the ground as the hall shook.
Blood flew like arrows in the air, splattered all over the floor.
Following the faint splattering sounds was heavy silence all around.
Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi watched Zhou Yao crashing into the wall then sliding to the floor with blood spurting out from his chest like a crimson pillar, failing to react for a long time. Even so, they still found it hard to accept the fact that the person lying there was Zhou Yao.
Zhou Yao had comprehended the dao of slaughter and his killing sword drew praises from various seniors, yet now, he actually lost to an unknown black-haired young man?
Moreover, he was only a mere late-Second Order Highgod Realm!
In truth, You Wuye were just as astounded as Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi. Although he guessed that Huwang Xiao could most likely defeat Zhou Yao, You Wuye did not expect him to be defeated so quickly.
“Hand over the key.” Huwang Xiao said as he stepped toward Zhou Yao, no changes to his expression.
In Wangu Yanhui, Mu Qi, and You Wuye’s eyes, Zhou Yao’s killing sword was terrifying, but in Huwang Xiao’s eyes, it was too fragile to mention, just too weak!
Regardless of cultivation techniques, battle skills, and even whatever dao he had comprehended, strength was the foundation.
No matter how high as one’s comprehension was, it still couldn't completely compensate for the lack in strength.
Before Huwang Xiao had advanced to the Highgod Realm and condensed his own godhead, his physical body’s toughness was already frightening, comparable to a late-Third Order Highgod Realm master. Now, his body went through a complete change, as if it was rebuilt, even Huwang Xiao himself couldn't say for sure how powerful his current physical body was.
The one hundred and eight Heavenly God real
m lightning dragon bone shards that he had refined not long ago had greatly strengthened Huwang Xiao’s flesh and bones even further.
In fact, just now, he didn’t even use a thread of his godforce, purely his physical strength!
Just his physical strength alone was comparable to the power of a Fourth Order Highgod Realm master!
Watching Huwang Xiao stride toward Zhou Yao, Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi regained their senses from the overwhelming shock. They unconsciously took several steps back, clearly drawing a line between themselves and Zhou Yao, as if afraid that Huwang Xiao would misunderstand and think they were in the same group.
At this time, Zhou Yao slowly climbed to his feet, glaring at Huwang Xiao with a ferocious expression, “Hehe, you want me to hand over the key? Dream on! Punk, kill me if you have the guts! If you don’t kill me, once we leave this place, I will absolutely kill you and use your blood as an offering to my killing sword!”
Huwang Xiao’s gaze became chilling cold, “You really think I dare not kill you? Since I dared to kill Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji, I don’t mind adding you to the list.”
‘What?!’
Wangu Yanhui, Mu Qi, and Zhou Yao all tensed up hearing this, they naturally knew of Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji. By now, all participating disciples knew that those two had fallen.
The two of them actually died in this black-haired young man’s hands!
Then this person was...! Simultaneously, a name flashed in the three people’s minds—Huwang Xiao!
“You’re Huwang Xiao?!” Zhou Yao blurted out loud.
Huwang Xiao didn’t answer, the coldness in his voice thickened, “I’m saying this for the last time, hand over the key. I'll give some face to the Zhou Clan and let you live, otherwise I'll kill you take the key myself.”
Zhou Yao hesitated again and again.
Earlier, he was confident that this black-haired young man wouldn't dare to kill him because he had Zhou Clan behind him, but now, when he knew that Huwang Xiao was the same person who killed Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji, his confidence vanished.