by Shian Jeen
Towering structures monopolized the buildings inside the Nine Dragons City, its city walls were double the height of the Sacred Tiger City’s and wider than normal city gates entrance, enough to allow a hundred people standing side by side to pass at the same time.
With just the first step inside the Nine Dragons City, Huwang Xiao was nearly overwhelmed by the strong demonic qi unique to the demonic beasts. Looking up at the sky above the Nine Dragons City, the demonic qi actually formed thick clouds above it!
In fact, the Nine Dragons City existed since ancient times and many demonic beast experts stayed in the city, therefore it wasn’t strange that thick demonic qi clouds hovered above the city from the long accumulation period of several tens of thousands of years. They neither reduced nor easily dissipated.
The demonic beast clans on the Ten Directions Continent originated from humans copulating with demonic beasts that had taken human form in the ancient era and they grew through generations of reproduction.
Therefore, the demonic beast clans possessed the outer appearance of a human but the terrifying defense of a demonic beast, exuding strong demonic qi.
These demonic beast clans cultivated beast cores inside their bodies, unlike humans that formed a Qi Sea. Moreover, they had a unique beast taming art that enabled demonic beast expert with a powerful spiritual sense to control two to three demonic beasts at the same level as them. This was what made others wary of the demonic beast clans.
Entering the Nine Dragons City, Huwang Xiao leisurely strolled on the streets. He noticed that the pedestrians around were mostly demonic beast experts, with an occasional beastmen or sea tribe member passing by.
Even rarer were humans, and those people only came to the city with business.
…
At this time, inside the Nine Dragons Temple.
Nine people were sitting in the great hall, one of them was none other than Ao Kun, who fled away in a sorry state after being defeated by Huwang Xiao in the Elf Forest. Sitting in the main seat was a stalwart young man with an imposing aura, clad in a deep mulberry-purple brocade robe. Even with him simply sitting there, he gave others a feeling that he was overlooking the world.
This young man was one other than the Nine Dragons Temple Master, Ao Kun, the demonic beast clans’ strongest expert and also the Ten Directions Continent’s number one persona!
No one knew exactly how strong Ao Kun was. What the public knew was that five hundred years ago, the beastmen’s Lion Tribe Patriarch Andrew, Tiger Tribe Patriarch Chuck, and Snake Tribe Patriarch Danny lost three against one, easily defeated by Ao Kun!
Since then, no one had seen Ao Kun battle again in the last five hundred years.
“More than a month has passed, that brat still hasn’t shown up!” Ao Shen grumbled, his temper flaring.
“Sixth brother, you think that brat will really dare to come?” Sitting in the seat closer to the center, ranked fifth amongst the nine brothers, Ao Feng, taunted. “Only those with big muscles with no brains like you believe that he'll show up!”
“What did you say?!” Ao Shen leaped to his feet in anger.
“Enough.” Ao Kun sitting at the top spoke with an air of nonchalance, “Stop bickering.”
Only then did Ao Shen let out a snort and returned to his seat.
“Attack few days ago, the Ape Deity Temple Master’s son was killed, how do you all see this matter?” Ao Kun asked.
“Big brother, you’re saying that the person who killed the Ape Deity Temple Master’s son and the person who defeated Sixth brother are one and the same?” Second Bro Ao Sen tested inquired.
Ao Kun nodded, “It's a possibility.”
“But, I cannot figure it out, when did such a freaky younger generation appear in our Martial Spirit World?” Third bro Ao Bi exclaimed: “He defeated Sixth bro in ten moves!”
That day, being forced to leave the Elf Forest and run back to Nine Dragons Temple was the most humiliating matter for Ao Shen. To the others, he claimed that Huwang Xiao defeated him with ten strokes, but Ao Kun and the rest weren’t aware that Ao Shen was actually defeated in a single move!
Even so, Ao Kun and the rest were still shocked, because they knew that Ao Shen was a peak late-Ninth Order Saint realm expert.
Defeating Ao Shen in ten moves! Only Ao Kun had this kind of strength! If their Second Brother Ao Sen used his full force from the beginning, he could barely manage to do so.
“Perhaps he’s not someone from our Martial Spirit World.” Ao Kun stated his thoughts after pondering the matter in his head.
“Not from our Martial Spirit World!” The eight others were stunned at this possibility.
Ao Kun explained, “Our Martial Spirit World is just one tiny, tiny dot in the vast galaxy. Peace Emperor World, Glory World, Everlasting World, any one of these worlds is stronger, a hundred times more powerful than us. There, experts are as common as the clouds. Zhao Yi, the Castellan of the strongest city within the Bedlam Lands, Sin City, is someone from the Peace Emperor World.”
“Sin City’s Castellan, Zhao Yi, originates from the Peace Emperor World?!” Waves of shock swept through the brothers.
Ao Kun went on, “To list the people who I’m wary of in the Martial Spirit World, they would be Deities Templar’s Temple Preceptor, the Cosmos God Cult Leader, and lastly, Sin City’s Castellan.”
“Big brother, if the person who killed the Ape Deity Temple Master’s son is the same young man who defeated Sixth brother...Vermillion City is not that far from our Nine Dragons Temple, that young man’s next destination is most likely our Nine Dragons Temple.” Seventh brother Ao Yi said.
Ao Kun nodded in agreement, “Based on that person’s speed, without hindrance, he’d reach our Nine Dragons City tomorrow.”
Second brother Ao Sen spoke, “Regardless which world’s expert he is, if he dares to show up, the Nine Dragons Temple will be his burial place!”
Ao Kun waved his hand, “Don’t shout ‘kill’ and ‘death’ every time you open your mouth to speak, if he’s willing to submit under Nine Dragons Temple, we can consider giving him the position of Supreme Enforcer Elder.”
Third Brother laughed, “It’s still Big brother with the better mind, our Nine Dragons Temple would be adding on another expert, we'll absolutely be able to suppress the Violent Lion Temple and Ape Deity Temple till they can’t breathe!”
Ninth brother Ao Kuang interjected, “But he killed the Ape Deity Temple Master’s son, if he submits under our Nine Dragons Temple, the Ape Deity Temple Master would surely come over to ask for him!”
Ao Kun was unperturbed, “A mere Ape Deity Temple, I dare Zhou Yunpeng to come make a ruckus in our Nine Dragons Temple.”
“That’s right, we don’t even put the beastmen tribes in our eyes, forget about mere Ape Deity Temple.” Eighth brother Ao Dong exclaimed proudly.
Ao Kun then asked, “How’s that Lion Tribe Young Patriarch Jesse doing?”
“Now, only our Nine Dragons Temple dares to protect him, he has nowhere else he can turn to, of course he’s more than loyal and devoted to our Nine Dragons Temple. His hatred toward the beastmen tribes grows every day to the point of killing every beastman he comes across. All in all, the number of beastmen that died in his hand has reached eight hundred if not a thousand!” Second brother Ao Sen replied.
Sixth brother Ao Shen sat there quietly without uttering a word. There were several times where he wanted to speak, to confess that he was actually defeated in one move, yet the words would not come.
…
At this point, Huwang Xiao had reached the Nine Dragons Temple.
In front of Nine Dragons Temple was a large square, and above the square were sculptures of nine large sea dragons, emitting a faint formless pressure.
Observing the nine sea dragon sculptures, Huwang Xiao could see that each of them was created from each hall master’s own demonic qi, which explained the invisible pressure coming from them. Average Saint realm experts would not be able to get t
oo close to the nine dragon sculptures. Huwang Xiao slowly walked toward the Nine Dragons Temple entrance.
“Stop right there!” Just as the demonic beast experts guarding the main entrance yelled at Huwang Xiao, trying to stop him, Huwang Xiao blew a breath at them. Those guards instantly exploded, wind scattered their blood and flesh over the square.
At his current strength, a breath of air converted from his dantian’s true essence was more terrifying than any destructive lightning’s power. Not even mid-level Saint realm experts could defend against it, not to mention these guards, who were only high-level Xiantian.
Ao Kun and his brothers were still discussing matters related to Huwang Xiao when they heard the tragic wails coming from the entrance. Stunned, all discussions halted abruptly.
Ch.481
A panicked disciple ran into the hall at this time, but before that disciple could say a word, Ao Kun already snapped at him, “What is happening outside?”
“Reporting to Temple Master, a young human came to make trouble outside, Guard Yan and the others were all killed by him!” The demonic beast disciple blurted everything anxiously.
A young human!
Ao Kun and his eight brothers immediately knew that the young man who defeated Ao Shen had arrived, they just never expected him so soon.
“How dare he! The second brother, Ao Sen, stood up in fury, hollering, “Killing our Nine Dragons Temple’s guards the moment he arrives, this is blatantly not putting us in his eyes! Even if he’s willing to submit to our Nine Dragons Temple, we must still let him suffer!”
“Right, otherwise any bumpkin can run to our Nine Dragons Temple’s door, kill some of our guards, then quickly submit under us after being caught, won’t that just turn our Nine Dragons Temple into a joke?” Third bro Ao Bi shouted.
“I say, after we capture the little punk, it will be possible for him to submit to our Nine Dragons Temple, but only if he kowtows every three steps from the Nine Dragons City gates all the way to our Nine Dragons Temple.” Seventh brother Ao Yi snickered.
“Enough, let us all go out and see.” Ao Kun stood up with an insipid expression, “It has been a few years since I’ve made a move. A lot of people in the Martial Spirit World are curious about my strength.”
Second brother Ao Sen laughed, “In fact, Big bro, you need not do anything, I alone am enough to capture that little punk.”
Ao Kun waved his hand, “I’ll deal with that kid personally, all of you just watch, no need to interfere.”
Ao Sen and the rest exchanged a look amongst themselves, complying with Ao Kun’s order.
The nine brothers did not ask that demonic beast disciple how Huwang Xiao killed the guards. With Ao Kun leading the group at the front and Ao Sen and the rest behind him, they walked out of the main hall.
When the nine brothers marched out, a sharp aura surged from them, whirling up to the air above the Nine Dragons Temple. The weather changed as multiple purple-colored energy vortices rose to the sky.
This sudden burst of power instantly alarmed the experts residing in the Nine Dragons City, who craned their necks in the Nine Dragons Temple’s direction.
“What’s going on?! What big matter was able to bring out all of Nine Dragons Temple’s masters!”
“We haven’t see the Temple Master show his strength in a long time, what happened that it has even alerted the Temple Master? Did something big happen to the Nine Dragons Temple?!”
“All nine masters showing up together! Go, go, go! Let’s hurry to the Nine Dragons Temple and see!”
In a short span of time, tempted by their own morbid curiosity, countless demonic beast experts within the city rushed to the Nine Dragons Temple from all directions.
…
Outside the Nine Dragons Temple. Huwang Xiao was heavily encircled by layers of demonic beast guards. A person walked out from the encirclement, clad in fine brocade robes, seemingly an Elder of Nine Dragons Temple, who was glowering at Huwang Xiao, “A measly human race punk dares to kill in our Nine Dragons Temple?! I say, you’ve been living too comfortably!”
“Merciless Heartless Sword Burial Strike!”
Out of nowhere, a large demon sword appeared in his hand and stabbed straight at Huwang Xiao. Numerous sword rays shot out, filled with a cold heartless and merciless aura, forming a sword burial mound as if it wanted to bury all living beings in the world within.
This demonic beast clan expert was a Fifth Order Saint realm expert. Whether it was his rank amongst the Nine Dragons Temple experts or the Nine Dragons City experts on a whole, his strength was generally recognized to be in the upper tier.
The instant he attacked, gasps of surprise sounded from the spectating crowd.
“Merciless Heartless Sword Burial Strike? This is Merciless Demon Saint’s ultimate skill from one thousand years ago! Wow, Elder Chen succeeded in practicing this skill!”
“Rumors say that the Merciless Demon Saint has taken the lives of countless high experts with this one move!”
“Look! That human brat is standing still! He’s dead for sure!”
While the crowd whispered among themselves, Huwang Xiao’s mouth opened wide as if he was yawning, gently blowing air from his mouth. The sharp, lethal sword energies aimed at him shattered in midair. The merciless atmosphere vanished with the sword energies like they never appeared at all.
That Nine Dragons Temple Elder Chen’s pupils dilated in fear like he had just seen his worst nightmare. In the next second, his body shook and a tragic wail rang out as his body was thrown into the air.
Ao Kun and his eight brothers had just stepped out from the main hall when Elder Chen flew over their heads, crashing down on the main hall’s floor.
The whispers were cut short by gasps of shock, followed by dead silence.
A moment after the dead silence, all the spectating demonic beast experts sucked in a cold breath and retreated a few steps back by reflex, distancing themselves from Huwang Xiao.
The many rows of Nine Dragons Temple guard that encircled Huwang Xiao were shivering as they too subconsciously retreated.
At this point, the experts that rushed over for a good show arrived from different directions.
“What happened? Why so quiet? Who’s that human kid? Don’t tell me this is the death-seeking kid that came to make trouble in the Nine Dragons Temple?” One of the demonic experts that had just arrived at the square spotted Huwang Xiao’s figure at the center, asking no one in particular.
His voice immediately made all the experts turn their focus on him. Staring at him, that look, that momentum made the hair on his back rise.
“Nine Dragons Temple, the nine hall masters!” Someone from the crowd shouted.
Once again, the crowd’s attention shifted, watching Ao Kun’s group of nine as they slowly walked out of the main hall.
Monstrous demonic qi enveloped everyone present.
“Greetings, Nine Hall Masters!” The surrounding Nine Dragons Temple guards saluted respectfully on their knees. The surrounding experts also saluted.
“Stand up.” Ao Kun spoke, his steps continuing toward Huwang Xiao.
The nine hall masters stopped several meters away from Huwang Xiao.
When Ao Kun and Huwang Xiao looked eye to eye, the invisible pressure released from their bodies caused the crowd of experts to palpitate.
“My sixth brother said that you defeated him in ten moves.” After a moment of silent exchange, Ao Kun broke the tense atmosphere.
Ten moves!
The demonic beast experts were stunned hearing that and sucked in another cold breath as they looked at Huwang Xiao with fear in their eyes. Especially the expert that branded Huwang Xiao as the ‘death seeking kid that came to cause trouble in the Nine Dragons Temple’, he nearly had a seizure after hearing Ao Kun’s words.
Who didn’t know that the Nine Dragons Temple’s Sixth Hall Master Ao Shen is a peak late-Ninth Order Saint realm expert?! In the entire demonic beast clan experts, the number of
people capable of winning over him could be counted on two hands.
But, the young human in front of them did that in just ten moves?!
Huwang Xiao glanced at Ao Shen standing behind Ao Kun; ten moves? Not seeing the need to clarify anything, he smiled faintly, “You can say so.”
Seeing Huwang Xiao’s faint smile, Ao Shen felt his face burning. He was further surprised that the young man was willing to acknowledge ‘the truth’.
“Then, if you can withstand ten moves from me and not lose, I will let you leave.” Ao Kun stated with a calm expression.
Thick silence followed, but no one present thought that Ao Kun was bluffing.
From five hundred years ago, Ao Kun was already recognized as the demonic beast clans’ number one expert. His strength could only be described as unfathomable.
Even if Huwang Xiao defeated Ao Shen in ten moves, whether he could withstand ten moves from Ao Kun was another matter.
“Oh,” Huwang Xiao calmly asked, “What if I fail to withstand ten moves from you?”
Ao Kun said matter-of-factly, “If you fail to do so, you will kowtow every three steps from the Nine Dragons City gates to our Nine Dragons Temple. The Ape Deity Temple Master’s son was killed by you, right? Don’t worry, after you submit to our Nine Dragons Temple, we will definitely protect you.”
Ch.482
Hearing this, Huwang Xiao laughed while shaking his head, “I have a different suggestion.”
“Suggestion?” Ao Kun was lost for a second. Curious, he permitted, “Speak.”
“Let’s do it like this, all nine of you attack together, if you can defeat me, I’ll walk the entire way from the Nine Dragons City gates to the Nine Dragons Temple, one kowtow every three steps. However, if all nine of you attack together but are defeated by me instead, then all nine of you shall do the same walk, one kowtow every three steps from the city gates to this Nine Dragons Temple, and submit to me.” Huwang Xiao continued in an aloof manner, “Don’t worry, after you submit to me, I can guide your practice, even bestow you with elixirs!”