by Shian Jeen
The group continued to walk in along the corridors.
Along the way, lush shrubs and trees adorned the structures, fragrant flowers danced in the gentle breeze, gurgling water flowed endlessly from the rock mountain. The garden pavilion pillars were decorated with life-like carvings inlaid with precious gemstones, yet it still exuded a trace of warmth amidst the magnificence.
The old parts of the Huwang Clan Manor weren’t demolished, instead, they were repaired and re-decorated to look as good as new.
Huwang Xiao nodded his head, very satisfied with the results. Of course, Huwang Peng, Su Yan, and the others liked the new environment very much too.
“You have done well.” Huwang Xiao turned over, praising Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu who were following at the back.
Both Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu were finally able to breathe in relief after hearing Huwang Xiao’s compliment. In these ten months, they had literally squeezed out every idea and effort possible to rebuild this Huwang Clan Manor. Even upon completion, they were still worried that the Sovereign or the Huwang Family might find it less than satisfactory.
With the manor readied, the next order of things would be selecting the guards and maids. Other than the few guards and maids who followed the Huwang Family from way back, the newly selected ones were all Martial Spirit World’s Tenth Order Saint realm experts and above, placed in every corner to ensure the safety of the Huwang Clan Manor. All in all, Huwang Xiao picked three hundred Tenth Order Saint realm experts, not too much, and not too little.
He would leave the Martial Spirit World in the coming days, therefore the Huwang Clan Manor’s defense needed to be up to par.
Lastly, Huwang Xiao placed the Ghosts and Devils Flag above the Huwang Clan Manor’s airspace, enveloping the entire Huwang Clan Manor and the mountain behind it into the array formation, releasing the numerous peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm ghost creatures that he subjugated in the Ghost Domain to guard the formation flag in the center.
Later, with these many peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm ghost creatures and the three hundred experts of Tenth Order and above guarding the place, they had the chance of holding the fort even if the enemy was a God Realm master.
Although the Ghost and Devils Flag was placed in the airspace above the Huwang Clan Manor, it integrated into the surrounding space, and thus, if not triggered by any ghostly energy, everything in he Huwang Clan Manor as well as the back mountain appeared just like any other place. Not even a God Realm master could tell any difference.
With everything in place, Huwang Xiao held a grand banquet, inviting experts from all four corners of the Martial Spirit World.
The two months following that were mostly spent with his family, passing peaceful days in cheer and laughter.
...
The bright moon hung brilliantly in the dark sky.
Huwang Xiao stood on a mountain peak at the back of the Huwang Clan Manor, seemingly looking at the rolling waves in the distance. Shi Xiaofei stood beside him, quietly watching him.
She already knew that the man in front of her had decided to leave the Martial Spirit World in the morning. She too spent the last two months in the Huwang Clan Manor, and it was the happiest two months of her life.
“Big brother Huwang, have you really decided to participate in the Black Warrior Institute disciple selection?” More time passed before Shi Xiaofei finally spoke.
Huwang Xiao nodded, his hand reached out to hold Shi Xiaofei’s petite hand, grasping it firmly.
Although there were still two years left before the Black Warrior Institute was open for registration, he felt that continuing to stay in Martial Spirit World had no way of helping him advance to peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm before then.
According to his rough estimation, for him to break through to peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm, he would need to refine at least one hundred half-step God Realm beast cores.
No doubt, he Martial Spirit World did not have that many half-step God Realm demonic beasts.
Consequently, he could only bring forth the day of departure.
Ch.523
“Big brother Huwang, will you return?” Shi Xiaofei’s beautiful eyes gazed sadly at Huwang Xiao, already teary and red-rimmed.
Huwang Xiao’s fingers lovingly caressed Shi Xiaofei’s soft, long hair, coaxing in low whispers, “Silly girl, of course I will return. After becoming a Black Warrior Institute’s inner disciple, I will definitely return.”
According to Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi, as long as he stepped into the God Realm, he would be qualified to become a Black Warrior Institute’s inner disciple. The institute did not restrict the freedom of an inner disciple. At that time, Huwang Xiao would be free to come back to the Martial Spirit World. With his cultivation speed, it shouldn’t take him long to achieve it.
Shi Xiaofei let out a giggle, which turned into peals of laughter hearing Huwang Xiao’s promise that he would return once he became a Black Warrior Institute’s inner disciple. Her laughing face was soul-stirring.
Huwang Xiao suddenly reached out, pulling Shi Xiaofei into his embrace, causing her to blush all the way to her ears. In Huwang Xiao’s embrace, she felt safe, warm, and comfortable.
“You must work hard too, you have an innate Buddha Physique, if you can awaken the internal Buddhism energy, then your cultivation will soar, improving by leaps and bounds. Who knows, maybe you’ll reach the Highgod Realm even faster than me.” Huwang Xiao teased.
Shi Xiaofei was born with an innate Buddha Physique, moreover, it was the strongest kind amongst the known Buddha Physiques, called Pure Luminance Enlightened Buddha Physique. He knew this because Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi told him.
At the moment, however, Shi Xiaofei had yet to awaken her internal Buddhism energy, thus unable to display the potential of her Buddha Physique. Once she awakened it later, her cultivation speed would be horrifying.
Nevertheless, awakening the internal Buddhism energy could only rely on the person herself, Huwang Xiao couldn’t help even if he wanted to.
“Big brother Huwang, I definitely will.” Shi Xiaofei tilted her head up to look at Huwang Xiao, determination shining in her beautiful eyes.
Night gradually gave way to daylight.
The rising sun’s brilliance was reflected on the sea surface as waves after waves washed up on the shore.
When morning came, Huwang Xiao and Shi Xiaofei made their way back to the Huwang Clan Manor.
By this hour, everyone had gathered in the Huwang Clan Manor’s new main hall in a gloomy atmosphere, knowing that Huwang Xiao would be leaving the Martial Spirit World.
Seeing the two of them walking in, everyone stood up.
Huwang Xiao signaled everyone to sit as he began reminding them one by one what they should take note of after he left the Martial Spirit World.
In the future, the Starcloud Continent would be overseen by Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu, the Ten Directions Continent would be taken care of by the Violet Spirit Devourer Monkey Huwang Xiaoyong, as for the Snow Wind Continent, Huwang Xiao assigned it to his future father-in-law, the Blessed Buddha Emperor, Shi Fantian. Lastly, the Bedlam Lands would be looked after by one of the demonic beast subordinates of his, a peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm.
Huwang Xiao instructed each one of them with great detail.
...
Three hours later, before the Huwang Clan Manor’s grand front entrance, Huwang Xiao glanced at the faces of his parents, younger brother Huwang Xiaohao, younger sister Huwang Min, Shi Xiaofei, the Heaven Swallowing Beast Lil’ Tian, Zhao Shu, Zhang Fu, and the rest. He then turned around and leaped to the sky, disappearing from everyone’s sight.
Su Yan watched Huwang Xiao’s shadow disappear in a flash from her eyes and tears started falling from her teary eyes. This scene reminded her of the time from more than twenty years ago when Huwang Xiao was just a small child, leaving the Huwang Clan Manor.
In the blink of an eye, more than two decades had passed.
“Alright, let’
s go back.” Huwang Peng hugged his wife’s shoulder in a consoling manner, sounding a little somber himself, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to Long’er. Didn’t he promise that he’ll return once he becomes an inner disciple of the Black Warrior Institute.”
In these years, never once did their son disappoint them.
Su Yan nodded.
…
At this point, Huwang Xiao had reached the sky’s highest point. Under his feet were the Martial Spirit World’s seas and mountains spanning to the horizon. The initial transmission array built in the Martial Spirit World was destroyed in the Great Fiendgod War, which was why Huwang Xiao had to rely on his own strength to leave, tearing through the Martial Spirit World’s natural barrier and chaotic space layer to reach the outer space.
Huwang Xiao continued to tear through space as he flew higher up, the vigor qi around him easily tore apart the natural barrier in the higher atmosphere. Just like this, Huwang Xiao continued to fly higher and higher, reaching the chaotic space layer.
In the chaotic space layer, natural-formed lightning ran rampant, fire, and blacksand filled his sight.
Regardless of their strength, early-level Saint realm experts or mid-level Saint realm experts, no one would look lightly on these lethal natural-formed streaks of lightning and blacksand, but Huwang Xiao was nonchalant, unperturbed as these streaks of lightning, fire, and blacksand hit his body. Instead, he used this chance to temper his True Dragon Physique.
Very soon, he reached the center of the chaotic space layer.
“Little Huwang brat, this chaotic space layer contains both the time and space laws. Although it's a little chaotic, if you can stay here in the center to cultivate, it would bring great benefits to you when you’re breaking into the God Realm.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi said.
Hearing this, Huwang Xiao did not hesitate at all, sitting cross-legged on the spot. As expected, in mere moments, Huwang Xiao already sensed the time and space laws contained within the chaos.
Huwang Xiao remained like this for an entire month, comprehending traces of the time and space laws.
In the chaotic space layer, the flow of energy was extremely violent. It could easily tear apart an average high-level Saint realm expert’s body, but when these violent flows brushed past Huwang Xiao, he remained still.
One month later, Huwang Xiao stood up.
Judging based on appearance alone, Huwang Xiao looked no different from one month before, but only he knew that his comprehension toward the time and space laws had increased several folds, which also enhanced his attack power.
“Really not too bad, your comprehensive ability is stronger than I expected.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi generously gave a word of praise, “With your talent and comprehensive ability, you will definitely be able to break through to God Realm within ten years’ time.”
“Ten years is too long.” Huwang Xiao remarked.
“Ten years is still too long?” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi was rendered speechless. “In the top ten thousand of the Black Tortoise Galaxy’s monstrous geniuses, they could cultivate from Xiantian to peak half-step God Realm in less than a hundred years, however, from peak half-step God Realm to God Realm, they spent much more than a hundred years!”
“You’re only a late-Tenth Order Saint realm now, being able to break through into the God Realm within ten years, this speed is absolutely first in the entire Black Warrior Institute!”
Late-Tenth Order Saint realm, peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm, half-step God Realm, peak half-step God Realm, only after that would one arrive at the God Realm!
In ten years’ time at that! This speed could indeed be hailed as number one in the whole black Tortoise Galaxy.
In his time, Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi took close to two decades to climb from peak half-step God Realm to God Realm.
Huwang Xiao gave a sheepish smile, but not a sound came from him. Moments later, he began to tear through the chaotic space layer, continuously moving up until all of a sudden his body trembled, feeling light like a load was taken off his body. Scanning around, all he could see around him was a vast space filled with stars, infinite.
Silent, spacious and empty, faraway, primeval.
This was Huwang Xiao’s first impression of this vast, boundless space.
Lowering his eyes to look at the Martial Spirit World below him, he breathed in deeply. There was a feeling of novelty, leaving the Martial Spirit World for the first time. He felt a little excitement as well as uncertainty.
A short moment later, Huwang Xiao managed to calm down his emotions.
Looking around at the vast space, he thought ‘Where shall I go next?’ He posed this question to Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi.
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi thought for a moment before speaking, “Head to the Central Starfield.”
“Central Starfield?” Huwang Xiao was dazed for a moment.
“Right, the Central Starfield. The Black Warrior Institute holds its registrations every time in the Central Starfield. Flying at your current full speed, it will still take you slightly over a year to reach that place. Moreover, the Central Starfield has many shops, when you arrive there you can straight away buy half-step God Realm beast cores to refine so you can breakthrough to peak late-Tenth Order Saint realm.” Dragon Ao Taiyi revealed.
Ch.524
“What, more than a year!?”
Hearing Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi say that reaching that so-called Central Starfield would require more than a year’s time while flying at full speed, he was flabbergasted. At his current strength, going at full speed, he was way faster than any First Order God Realm warrior.
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi snorted, “What’s so strange about this? The galaxy is so vast, not even a Highgod Realm master could say for sure how big it is. A duration of a little more than one year is still due to its close distance to the Martial Spirit World, if the Martial Spirit World was located on the edge in some remote position of the Black Tortoise Galaxy, who knows if you could even arrive at Central Starfield in three years’ time.”
This made Huwang Xiao feel a little down. More than a year’s time!
Spending more than a year’s time to rush all the way there? There were a little over two years left until the deadline for the registration, Huwang Xiao was unwilling to waste half of that time in that way.
“Actually, flying across the galaxy is a good training for you. While flying in the boundless space, you can take advantage of the abundant galaxy force to temper your True Dragon Physique further. Moreover, there exists a type of lightning energy in the galaxy, absorbing this energy would cleanse your soul force.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi added.
“This lightning energy can cleanse the soul?” Huwang Xiao was stunned. Even some of the most precious divine grade spirit pellets were unable to cleanse the soul.
When humans were born, their soul and body alike had impurities, and these impurities affected a person’s cultivation path. For a cultivator, the clarity of their soul determined their cultivation achievements.
A person with high soul clarity would assuredly reap better results in their cultivation path, for such person was more likely to enter into an enlightenment state during cultivation. Hence, their results would far exceed several hundred times, even a thousand times those of cultivators that had not experienced any enlightenment.
“That’s right. This lightning energy can cleanse the soul.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi continued, “This lightning energy is hidden deep within space, it's definitely not something an average person is capable of absorbing, and only a certain group of people that possess top unique physiques are able to absorb and refine it.”
Huwang Xiao’s eyes showed obvious doubt.
Only those that possess top unique physiques? Could it be that he too possessed a unique physique?
As if knowing the doubt swirling in Huwang Xiao’s mind, Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi explained, “Every part of your True Dragon Physique was built by the Dragon Pearl and true dragon essence
. Among the three thousand unique physiques under the heavens, the top one hundred unique physiques can be considered as pinnacle unique physiques among the three thousand. And amongst these three thousand unique physiques, the True Dragon Physique is ranked fourth place!”
Huwang Xiao was agape with shock.
He had no idea that his True Dragon Physique was actually a unique physique, moreover, one that was ranked fourth!
Fourth!
“What did you expect? Otherwise, would I ever say that your talent can enter top ten in the last ten million years of the Black Tortoise Galaxy?” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi chided. “Still, a person’s own talent and comprehension ability are crucial as well. In the past, I’ve come across a true freak of a genius. He doesn’t have any of the listed three thousand unique physiques, but his comprehension ability was extremely scary, regardless what kind of cultivation techniques or battle skills they threw at him, he merely needed to look at them once to learn them.”
“Learned them at a glance?” Huwang Xiao was astonished.
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi nodded, “Correct, that’s why his cultivation speed was extremely terrifying, he merely used one hundred and ten years to break through to God Realm.”
Huwang Xiao felt humbled, it seemed like his knowledge of this vast galaxy was too shallow.
“Those three thousand unique physiques, what are the top three ones?” He couldn’t resist asking, he was curious which three kinds of unique physiques were able to rank higher than his True Dragon Physique.
But Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi sounded hesitant, “This… you will know once you reached the Central Starfield. There is no use knowing about it now, but your True Dragon Physique was achieved under special circumstances, there are slight differences to the known innate True Dragon Physique. The potential of your physique is hidden, so even a Highgod Realm master would not be able see that you have the True Dragon Physique.”
Huwang Xiao choked, he didn’t expect the Old Dragon to suddenly withhold information about the top three unique physiques, hanging his appetite. But knowing that his True Dragon Physique could be hidden from the Highgod Realm masters’ scrutiny comforted him.