by Shian Jeen
Three months quickly passed.
Huwang Xiao had subjugated more than fifty peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm ghost creatures and he actually managed to tame six half-step God Realm ghost creatures! Not to mention the five half-step God Realm ghost creatures’ souls that he already refined.
Inwardly, Huwang Xiao was genuinely shocked that so many half-step God Realm ghost creatures existed deep inside the Ghost Domain. One has to know that scouring the entire Martial Spirit World, you wouldn't be able to find even a handful of half-step God Realm human masters.
The truth that Huwang Xiao did not know was that many of the human masters had fallen in the ancient Great Fiendgod War, which led to humanity's current weak forces. Moreover, these ghost creatures were not involved in the Great Fiendgod War.
The five half-step God Realm ghost creatures’ souls that he had refined raised Huwang Xiao’s cultivation by a satisfactory margin.
Nonetheless, although half-step God Realm ghost creatures did exist in the deeper parts of the Ghost Domain, there were none at the God Realm level. Slightly disappointed, Huwang Xiao had literally searched every corner of the Ghost Domain only to find two peak half-step God Realm ghost creatures.
These two peak half-step God Realm ghost creatures refused to submit, and thus were refined by Huwang Xiao.
On this particular day, he had just subjugated a peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm ghost creature when he received a message from Zhao Shu through the communication talisman.
“Eh, there’s news of Li Lu?” Huwang Xiao immediately rushed back to the Southern Hill Estate.
The moment he stepped through the Southern Hill Estate’s doors, he already summoned Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu both to report their findings in the main hall.
“Sovereign, according to our investigation, Miss Li Lu is most likely in Black Warrior Institute.” Zhao Shu reported.
Black Warrior Institute? Huwang Xiao was puzzled.
Following an introduction from Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu, Huwang Xiao got to know that within the Black Tortoise Galaxy, the most famous learning institute was the Black Warrior Institute!
The Black Warrior Institute was the place where geniuses from over one hundred and twenty world surfaces of the Black Tortoise Galaxy gathered. Not to mention the fact that it was one of the few recognized top powers within the galaxy.
“How does one enroll into this Black Warrior Institute?” Huwang Xiao asked in a solemn tone.
Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu exchanged a glance. It was Zhang Fu who answered, “The Black Warrior Institute only conducts admission once every two hundred years, and each time they will only accept one hundred candidates. Any genius from the Black Tortoise Galaxy world surfaces that does not exceed two hundred years of age is eligible to register and participate in the selection process.”
Huwang Xiao was flabbergasted, accepting only one hundred disciples every two hundred years?! In this vast Black Tortoise Galaxy of over one hundred and twenty thousand world surfaces… on average, there was only one successful candidate for every one thousand three hundred world surfaces?! This elimination rate was too devastating.
“Then, when will the Black Warrior Institute’s next open enrollment be?” Huwang Xiao asked.
“According to the information this subordinate found, it will be held three years later.” Zhao Shu answered.
Three years later? Huwang Xiao’s eyebrows unconsciously furrowed into a frown. In that case, how did Li Lu enter the Black Warrior Institute? Weren't only Black Warrior Institute disciples allowed to enter its premises?
Ch.521
As if sensing Huwang Xiao’s doubts, Zhao Shu took it upon himself to explain, “Other than the disciple admission selection once every two hundred years, there is another method to be admitted inside the Black Warrior Institute without going through the selection process. Every Grand Elder, Vice Institute Principal, and Institute Principal has special rights that allow them to directly recruit a disciple.”
Direct recruitment! Huwang Xiao’s interest was stirred.
“However, there are billions of so-called geniuses in the Black Tortoise Galaxy, it is harder than imagined to catch the eye of a Black Warrior Institute Grand Elder, more so for the Vice Institute Principal and Institute Principal.” Zhang Fu said.
Huwang Xiao lowered his head in contemplation. He has no doubts that Li Lu caught the eye of a Black Warrior Institute Grand Elder, Vice Institute Principal, or the Principal, hence was directly brought in as a Black Warrior Institute disciple.
Huwang Xiao suddenly remembered Li Molin saying that Li Lu possessed a unique physique. It seems that Li Lu’s innate talent was far beyond what he estimated, otherwise it wouldn't be able to explain how the top fellows from the Black Warrior Institute recruited her directly.
Was this the reason why Li Lu’s strength was so formidable the last time they met?
Huwang Xiao asked Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu many more questions about the Black Warrior Institute. Both of them told Huwang Xiao all they knew.
The Black Warrior Institute had existed for more than thirty million years!
When Huwang Xiao heard Zhao Shu say that the Black Warrior Institute was established more than thirty million years ago by a master sword cultivator, he was astounded. He had assumed, in the beginning, that the Black Warrior Institute was at most several million years old, however, its long foundation was beyond his imagination.
Even so, what Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu knew about the institute was extremely limited to things like the current principal, Grand Elders, such and so on.
They were aware that in every disciple selection process, the institute would send the registered participants to a place call Deepwood Star to hunt for demonic beasts, loitering demons, and other monsters as a process of elimination. The first one hundred participants with the highest scores would pass the test.
In general, those who managed to enter top one hundred were Ninth Order, Tenth Order Saint realm experts and above!
It took a while for Huwang Xiao to recover from this shock. Saint realm Ninth Order, Tenth Order, and above?!
Following the Black Warrior Institute’s rules of not accepting those over two hundred years of age, didn't that mean that all these geniuses managed to break through all the way to Ninth Order Saint realm, Tenth Order Saint realm, and above, in less than two hundred years?
If that was true, in the whole Martial Spirit World surface, other than Huwang Xiao, there was no other genius that would fit that requirement.
In the Martial Spirit World, if one managed to step into the Saint realm within three hundred years of cultivation, they would already be considered a genius among geniuses, and even those were few in number. Forget about breaking through all the way into the Ninth or Tenth Order in less than two hundred years of cultivation!
Duan Ren, for example, the legendary emperor of Snow Wind Continent, had spent more than one thousand years cultivating, but he had yet to reach the Eight Order Saint realm, much less Ninth Order or Tenth Order.
Putting it in the crudest manner, before the geniuses inside the vast Black Tortoise Galaxy, Duan Ren was poop, even less than the mud beneath one’s feet.
Moments later, Huwang Xiao excused Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu.
“Honestly, you need not belittle yourself.” At some point, Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi’s voice sounded, “There are more than a hundred and twenty thousand world surfaces in the Black Tortoise Galaxy, filled with great talents and monstrous geniuses, but you can definitely be placed in the top ten within the last ten million years of history.”
Placed in the top ten within the last ten million years of history! This was Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi’s evaluation of Huwang Xiao. If these words were to spread in the Black Tortoise Galaxy, it would cause a great uproar.
In ten million years of history, top ten! What did that concept encompass?!
Not even the current Black Warrior Institute’s Principal could claim the same! One must know, the Black Warrior Institute chang
ed its Principal every fifty to sixty thousand years. Including the current Institute Principal, there had been over five hundred generations of principals. And every appointed Institute Principal was the cream of the crop, outstanding geniuses that overshadowed their generation of top geniuses. Not even the current Black Warrior Institute Principal would dare to claim that he could garner a top ten spot amongst the over five hundred predecessors!
Much less the other prominent forces in the Black Tortoise Galaxy.
Each genius from sects or big families that were recognized as prominent forces in the Black Tortoise Galaxy has astonishing talents.
Huwang Xiao shook his head after hearing Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi’s evaluation, obviously dissatisfied with the evaluation received.
‘Only top ten?’
If it was only top ten within the Black Tortoise Galaxy, then what about the Azure Dragon Galaxy? What about the White Tiger Galaxy, and also the Vermillion Bird Galaxy? With the four big galaxies, where would he be placed? Ranked forty?
Then leaving these four big galaxies to the countless galaxies governed by other Divine World Surfaces?
The Dragon Emperor smiled a little helplessly seeing Huwang Xiao shaking his head, “You brat! Do you think the number one spot is as simple as sunbathing? Not even the first Black Warrior Institute Principal dared to say that he was the number one person, above all!”
Huwang Xiao smiled sheepishly, asking, “What are your thoughts about the Black Warrior Institute?”
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi instantly understood the meaning of Huwang Xiao’s words.
“The Black Warrior Institute has existed for more than thirty million years, its accumulated resources are terrifying, cultivating there would be beneficial to you. The divine grade spirit pellets and divine rank techniques are countless, moreover, if you become of Black Warrior Institute disciple, this identity itself would create a lot of convenience in moving around the Black Tortoise Galaxy.”
Huwang Xiao nodded in agreement, those were facts.
What Huwang Xiao was keen on was the identity of a Black Warrior Institute disciple. He killed Star Sword Sect’s Young Noble Absolute Kill, and the Ying Family’s Ying Tian, sooner or later these two parties would find out that this matter was done by him. If he had the identity of a Black Warrior Institute disciple, at least on the surface, neither the Star Sword Sect nor the Ying Family would dare deal with him blatantly.
“Say, what ranking could I get if I register to participate in the selection?” Huwang Xiao asked casually, more of out curiosity.
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi replied, “Relying on your current strength, you definitely can easily pass the test, but it might be a little difficult to get the first place. Top three is most likely.”
“Top three?” Huwang Xiao was surprised. He half expected the old dragon to say that he could get the top spot, but… only top three?
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi chuckled, “Yes, your talent is heaven-defying, but your period of cultivation is a little too short, less than thirty years, whereas some of the participating geniuses have spent close to two hundred years of their lives in cultivation, their foundation is deeper than you think. Some might even have advanced into the God Realm. These geniuses’ God Realm strength is definitely not a level that Deities Templar’s Ying Tian can compare with.”
Huwang Xiao fell silent.
“But then again, geniuses that cultivated for no more than two hundred years and yet are able to advance into God Realm are definitely less than three.” Dragon Emperor added, “The year when I registered for the test, I coincidentally ran into two monstrous geniuses that broke through into the God Realm.”
Huwang Xiao was stunned. The meaning of his words was that Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi was also a disciple of the Black Warrior Institute?!
“Indeed, I’m also one of Black Warrior Institute’s disciples. That year, I took the second place.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi’s reminiscence was laced with a taste of bragging
Participating in the Black Warrior Institute selection test, being able to stand out from billions of people, snatching the second spot, indeed it was something to feel proud about.
“Who took first place?” Huwang Xiao couldn’t resist asking. Even Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi only managed to snatch the second place, it made him morbidly curious about the first place scorer.
“A genius disciple from the Jiang Family.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi recalled, “The Jiang Family is one of Black Tortoise Galaxy’s prominent forces.”
As for what that Jiang Family disciple was called, Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi did not mention.
Ch.522
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi did not share the name of the person who took first place that year and Huwang Xiao chose not to pursue the topic further.
Still, there were three years left until the next Black Warrior Institute enrolment selection, giving Huwang Xiao ample time, hence he decided to stay and cultivate in the Martial Spirit World for the time being. He aimed to break through to peak late-Tenth Order Sain realm before the time arrived for the Institute’s disciple selection.
In this time’s selection process, his aim was not the top three spots, but the first place!
First place!
The rewards for the first place, second place, and third place were of a different magnitude altogether. Furthermore, the first place would provide Huwang Xiao with certain prerogatives in the institute.
This was an additional reward given by the Black Warrior Institute to the first place holder in every disciple selection.
Since he had already turned the Ghost Domain upside down, for his next training, Huwang Xiao chose the Origin Forest. He had subjugated the Poison Corpse Scarabs inside the Origin Forest, and the Ancient Dragon Clan ruins were also found in the Origin Forest. A place that existed since the ancient times, he believed there would surely be half-step God Realm demonic beasts lurking in the deeper parts of the forest.
Three months later, deep inside the Origin Forest.
An enormous crocodile approximately six hundred meters in length, and several meters thick plummeted to the ground from high altitude. There was a large gaping hole in the middle of its skull, nary a sign of life could be detected from it.
Huwang Xiao floated down from midair, his feet touching the ground in front of the lifeless giant crocodile. A light flick from the Blades of Asura in his hand, digging a beast core out with ease.
This was a giant crocodile covered in thick golden scales, hence its name, Golden Scaled Croc, a demonic beast that retained its ancestral bloodline with the strength of a peak half-step God Realm.
After taking out its beast core, Huwang Xiao sat down cross-legged to refine the beast core on the spot.
One hour later, he stood up, having completely refined the energy inside the beast core.
During these three months spent inside the Origin Forest, he killed seven half-step God Realm as well as two peak half-step God Realm demonic beasts. At this point, Huwang Xiao was too lazy to be bothered with those peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm beasts. Only beast cores from half-step God Realm and above could bring some small amount of benefit to him.
In these several months of cultivating the Treasure Dragon Protective Shield Art, his True Dragon Physique was visibly strengthened, speeding up his demonic energy absorption rate. His rate of purifying the demonic energy through the Dragon Pearl also saw drastic improvements.
In the past, refining a half-step God Realm beast core would take him three to four hours, but now he could do it within one hour.
Looking at the Golden Scaled Croc corpse lying in front of him, Huwang Xiao released the Poison Corpse Scarabs from the Linglong Treasure Pagoda. These little critters had been continuously transforming and evolving at rapid speed in recent days due to the abundant supply of half-step God Realm demonic beast corpses. Each small Poison Corpse Scarab’s strength was now on par with a Tenth Order Saint realm warrior.
Several tens of thousands of Tenth Order Saint
realm level warriors could easily kill a peak half-step God Realm master.
Days passed and now it was Huwang Xiao’s fourth month in the Origin Forest, stopping above a waterfall in a certain deep area of the forest.
By now, it was safe to say that nearly all half-step God Realm and above demonic beasts had been killed by Huwang Xiao, refined and absorbed, turning into part of his strength. Therefore, staying any longer here would be meaningless.
With that thought in mind, his silhouette flickered into a blur, making his way out from the Origin Forest.
Just as he appeared back in the Southern Hill Estate, Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu came to report about the completion of the Huwang Clan Manor’s reconstruction.
“The Huwang Clan Manor is ready?” Huwang Xiao was pleasantly surprised.
When he gave the task to rebuild the Huwang Clan Manor to Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu, the deadline was one year, but merely ten months had passed since then.
Huwang Peng and Su Yan were overwhelmed with joy when the news reached their ears and they were ready to move back to the Huwang Clan Manor on that very day. Watching his parents’ jubilant and enthusiastic expressions, Huwang Xiao was utterly powerless, hence, gathering his parents and siblings, they departed to the new Huwang Clan Manor on the same day.
This time, each of them rode on a peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm level demonic beast, reducing the traveling time they needed to reach the Huwang Clan Manor in the Luo Tong Kingdom.
Everyone wore stupefied expressions as they jumped off the backs of their mounts to the ground staring at the new Huwang Clan Manor that looked more like an imperial palace with its layers upon layer of buildings, blossoming flowers and sounds of singing birds….
It took a moment for them to recover from the shocking sight before proceeding to enter through the main doors.
The Huwang Clan Manor’s main entrance was over fifty meters tall, wide enough to accommodate two horse carriages passing through them at the same time, resembling the imperial city gates in splendor.