Blue Phoenix

by Tinalynge

  Neither of the two men moved. Their attacks so far had proven to be useless, so their only choice was to try other means. Hui Yue stored the Sword of the Icy Tempest in his Universe Box and quickly changed to his wolf-form. His body was bursting with energy, and his speed was increased greatly while in this form.

  Launching himself as fast as the wind he arrived at the side of the Nightcrawler Sect's youth and his arm came down from high up. His claws were as sharp as razors, and it was clear that if anyone came into contact with them, then they would end up being seriously wounded.

  Anyone present could feel doom looming above the youth. Although they could not feel even a hint of Ancestral Worldpower behind the attack, it seemed as ferocious as the sword which had been used before. As the claws descended, a ripping sound was heard.

  The young man managed to avoid Hui Yue's claws by mere inches but moments after he felt how the clothes on his arm were shredded to pieces.

  Hui Yue did not let up. Instead, he moved forward as fast as he could as he followed the Nightcrawler Sect's youth all over the stage. One was constantly retreating while the other advanced but neither gained the upper hand.

  Hui Yue was frustrated. No matter how much he pushed his speed, no matter how much he merged with the wind, it was impossible for him to catch up with the expert who could teleport from shadow to shadow.

  Sighing deeply, Hui Yue came to a standstill in the middle of the stage. He was breathing heavily as it had required quite a bit of him to charge after the youth for as long as he had, but the youth was also paler than before. His skin now had a sickly gray color to it. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and his eyes were narrowed slightly, but they never left Hui Yue for even a moment. It was clear that he was ready to teleport at a moments notice if Hui Yue rushed after him once more.

  Hui Yue had tried to use the dao of gravity as well, but he found that it had little effect when the youth was able to teleport and merge with the shadows that were all around.

  It was not only Hui Yue who felt rather powerless, but the expert from the Nightcrawler Sect was also feeling quite apprehensive. He could not get into melee range of Hui Yue as he would be shredded into pieces, but running was also not a good plan as he would not be able to run indefinitely.

  On the other hand, his most powerful attacks had proven useless against Hui Yue, and even his most profound cage of darkness was useless. With this being the case, what should he do now?

  Although they both should have been feeling tired and exhausted, Hui Yue and the Nightcrawler Sect's youth were both immersed in their feelings of excitement. Both felt that they had finally found someone who could draw out their potential.

  Having a good rival was just as important as having good friends, and this was something both Hui Yue and this youth had lacked all their lives. Though Hui Yue was somewhat better off as he had the threat of An He constantly looming over him. He constantly faced danger and the threat of being destroyed, which made him grow at an astonishing speed, but he also lacked a true rival with whom he could have a friendly relationship with.

  'Okay, I have done most of what I could do. I admit he is my true nemesis. Being incapable of closing in on him makes things much harder, so I will leave it to you,' Hui Yue sighed to Lan Feng, and the phoenix displayed a brilliant smile as he took over control of their body.

  Suddenly, the aura of Hui Yue abruptly changed. This was something which shocked everyone present, and the most shocked was Yanluo. His eyes widened at first before they narrowed. Confusion could be seen within his eyes before they quickly returned to their normal calm appearance. Yanluo finally understood what was happening and a knowing smile spread on his lips, "I see... So that is where your phoenix has gone off to," he mumbled to himself, yet no one seemed to hear what he said.

  It was not only Yanluo who was shocked about the aura of Hui Yue changing so much, everyone was, but no one was more stunned than his opponent.

  Hui Yue's body returned to its human form and moments after, feathers started to sprout from his body. He morphed into the form of a massive blue phoenix which screeched loudly and took to the sky.

  The temperature in the entire area instantly rose as the feathers on the phoenix were lit with blue flames. The sight was simply breathtakingly beautiful, and soon flames ignited everywhere on the stage. blue flames appeared all over the stage, some hovering in the air, others laying on the ground.

  The higher into the air Lan Feng flew, the more the flames appeared all over the stage, and soon they exploded one after another.

  Lan Feng flew in circles high in the air a few times before he turned downward and descended. He was a bird, but his entire body was now made out of blue flames, not one feather could be seen. The display was simply brilliant.

  "The Phoenix Descent, the main technique of the Vermilion Bird, and we also have the Nine Heaven’s Tribulation Lightning, the technique used by the Demon Lord... These two, man and phoenix, are truly mysterious," Yanluo mumbled to himself while stroking his chin in amusement.

  The phoenix was spectacular and eye-catching, but no one other than Yanluo understood what was going on. Did Hui Yue have a third bloodline or was this some sort of dao? Was it perhaps an Ancestral Worldpower Skill which made it possible for him to change his appearance and merge with energy?

  But no matter how they looked at it, it was odd. This was a fire attack, and it was not just Ancestral Worldpower. It had to have a dao behind it, but which kind of dao could display such a magnificent attack without also relying on an Ancestral Worldpower Skill?

  Still, it was obviously impossible for Hui Yue to have three bloodlines, of this they were all positive, but no one had any inkling of what was going on.

  Pei Ze had been recording everything that was happening and sending it directly to the elders of the sect. The elders watched everything back in Youdu, their faces filled with shock. They were incapable of refraining from gasping, and Pei Ziqi even clutched her chest in surprise when they saw this outstanding attack. Even these elders who were far more skilled than Hui Yue and Pei Ze had no idea how such a thing was possible.

  Blue flame after blue flame shot towards the Nightcrawler Sect's youth, but he narrowly escaped every single one of them.

  "Let’s see how you escape my phoenix descent!" Lan Feng yelled as he dove down. His wings were constantly growing in size, and dazzling flames were everywhere around him as the temperature in the whole area started soaring rapidly.

  Lan Feng was now so large that he spanned the entire stage as he descended. Now it was impossible for the youth to avoid this attack as every part of the stage was bathed in flames. Shortly after, a massive explosion boomed outwards as Lan Feng slammed into the stage.

  The barrier that Yanluo had raised earlier was still present, but cracks started appearing on the surface of it as the volatile flames soared to the sky.

  Everything was covered in blue flames. The entire stage was bathed in flames, and everyone held their breath as Hui Yue, and the Nightcrawler Sect's youth were both covered by the flames. This was the attack which would determine the winner.

  If the Nightcrawler Sect's youth was incapable of withstanding this attack, then he would lose, but it seemed like Pei Yue had poured all his Ancestral Worldpower into this attack to make it as all encompassing and powerful as it was. After this, they would not be able to continue the fight.

  The flames slowly died out, and the audience could make out that a figure was standing in the dying flames. Only one person was left standing, and this caused everyone to hold their breath. Their hands were clenched, and their eyes were wide open. No one dared to blink as they all waited to see just who was left.

  Even Yanluo had to admit that he was curious about who had been left standing. The aura in the area was a complete mess. The flames had caused even the soul energy in the air to become chaotic. It was impossible to tell who it was that was still standing as both Hui Yue's and the Nightcrawler Sect's youth's auras were present, but one co
uld not pinpoint their location, neither the condition they were in.

  The person everyone saw standing suddenly coughed and blood flew from his mouth, as he staggered forward, but he refused to give in and collapse.

  It was soon possible to see the white hair of the young man who was standing in the middle of the stage. His eyes blazed with fighting spirit, and his entire body was covered with wounds.

  When the explosion happened, stones had burst forth from the ground. The impact caused Hui Yue quite a bit of damage, and one could see thousands of cuts on his body and face. His hair was dishevelled, and his hands were clenched tight as blood streamed from his palm.

  In the end, the one person who had remained conscious during the fight was Hui Yue, but his entire body was about to give out. Still, his willpower was so outstanding that he refused to give up. He was half unconscious, but the sliver of consciousness that was left refused to give up. It kept replaying the moment Wang Ju Long had thrown herself in front of him, and it was for her sake that he kept conscious.

  "We have our winner! The new Judge of Hell is Pei Yue from the Celestial Sword Sect!" Yanluo stood up and announced after which he clapped his hands.

  Everyone else around the arena stood up. All of them had expressions filled with reverence and amazement as they nodded their heads, clapped hard, and discussed with their friends about what a breathtaking match they had just watched.

  The announcement was the last thing Hui Yue heard before the world turned black around him. He collapsed just moments after but a smile was evident on his face, and he seemed much more relaxed than he had been ever before. Looking at him, it was as if he was no longer burdened by the death of Wang Ju Long. He had finally taken the first step towards resurrecting her.

  "Guards, take these two outstanding experts and place them in their rooms. When they wake instantly alert us." Yanluo continued to order. Alongside Wei, another guard stepped forward. They carried the two experts back to their rooms and placed them in their beds.

  Wei looked at Hui Yue with amazement in his eyes. "I am very proud to be a guard of Yanluo," he said to the unconscious young man. "But even so, I think it is time for me to ask for a transfer. Now that you are in Diyu, I would like to stay by your side. I am sure life would be much more interesting that way."

  Wei knew that Hui Yue could not answer, but he had already made the decision on his own. The smile on his face was brilliant, and he laughed at himself for a moment, "It seems the future will not be so boring any longer."

  Chapter 589 - Second Judge of Hell

  * * *

  Chapter 589: Second Judge of Hell

  Hui Yue was unconscious for a full three days, and during these three days, massive changes happened in the city.

  Yanluo sent some of his personal guards alongside a few flood dragons to Youdu where they picked up the elders of the Celestial Sword Sect who were staying there waiting to hear how Pei Ze and Hui Yue had fared in the trials.

  The news about the new judge spread over all of Diyu like a wildfire. Within these three days, everyone knew that the new Second Judge of Hell was a youngster named Pei Yue and that he hailed from the Celestial Sword Sect.

  Many major experts within Diyu purchased recordings of the fight between the two top geniuses, and whether it was the nine tribulation’s lightning, the three bloodlines, or even the overpowered Phoenix Descent everyone was stunned silly; they all could not help but admire Hui Yue.

  Although Hui Yue was nowhere near the strongest expert in Diyu, he was without a doubt the most talented youth, and talent was often just as important as strength. If he were given time to grow, he would become a true monster later and with the protection of Diyu, and the Celestial Sword Sect, it was impossible for Hui Yue not to grow and become strong. That was of course as long as he did not make any silly mistakes during his training like going out to train on his own.

  The other nine Kings of Hell were all excited and rather pleased with the results of the tournament. Hui Yue had displayed incredible talent and also abilities that others could not comprehend; he had displayed two, maybe even three, bloodlines and outstanding Ancestral Worldpower Skills.

  He had also shown a connection with at least three daos. Although these daos were all categorized under different major daos, the fact that he was starting to comprehend so many was already quite superb.

  The Nightcrawler Sect's youth awoke before Hui Yue, and when he did, his eyes gleamed with excitement. He had finally found a rival! This made it possible for him to become an even more outstanding expert. If he continued to challenge Hui Yue, it was clear that one day he would become much stronger than he was now. This challenge alone had not only increased his Ancestral Worldpower but had allowed for him to comprehend many things about his world of darkness, cage of darkness, and daos that he had not noticed and realized before.

  Deep inside he could not help but feel grateful that Hui Yue fought with him. Although he had lost, it was a just loss. He did not feel agitated nor hostile towards Hui Yue.

  During the three days that Hui Yue was unconscious, Wei did not leave his side for even a moment. He stayed and guarded him as he was overcome with a mixture of emotions time and time again.

  Having become a member of Yanluo's personal guard was already amazing, and the achievement he was most proud of in all his life, however now he was in a position where he was considering giving it all up and becoming nothing but a simple guard under the Second Judge of Hell.

  The decision should not have been a hard one. Staying with Yanluo would allow him to gain access to more resources, it would allow him to gain more fame, and eventually, he would become a revered expert in Diyu.

  But considering the short time he had been together with Hui Yue, this young man had made wonders happen. He had managed to bring him to the underground marketplace; he had given him pills of clarity, and he had a strange air about him which made it very hard to dislike him. As a matter of fact, Wei found Hui Yue very likable and admirable. He was also shocked that this young man had actually managed to become a Judge of Hell.

  While everyone was busy preparing for the new judge to ascend the throne, Hui Yue was unaware of everything. He was in a big white world, where everything seemed to merge.

  He could feel his heartbeat and together with the heartbeat was the throbbing of the countless daos of the universe. They pressured his mind and tried to force their way inside.

  It was as if Hui Yue was in a world of his own; a world where the only thing that existed was him and the dao. Trying to understand just one dao was impossible, but focusing on more than one at a time was just as impossible.

  It seemed that although Hui Yue could feel the daos of the world, these daos were still out of his grasp. He stopped focusing on the outside world and instead looked inside himself.

  His body was shining with a gentle white light, but the feeling was completely different from before.

  The throbbing in his mind was many times more intense than it had been before, and he could feel the daos he had comprehended like rays of sunshine as they illuminated every part of his body.

  Although he had fully comprehended the daos, he felt that he was growing many times more familiar with them, and as he did, he also felt that the dao of gale that he had been trying to comprehend flooded his mind like water through a broken dam.

  As for how long he was within this wondrous state, Hui Yue did not know, but at some point, he woke up. His head was dizzy, and his eyes were spinning.

  The first thing that met his eyes was a white ceiling. He turned to look around and noticed that Wei was standing by his side, but his back was turned towards him, so he had yet to notice that Hui Yue had awakened.

  Sighing, Hui Yue tried to focus a little more, and after a brief moment, his dizziness subsided. He was now capable of looking straight ahead and focusing, and the moment the sigh escaped his lips, Wei turned to look at him. Joy filled his face as he saw that the young man had woken up.

&
nbsp; He instantly summoned an orb and mumbled something into it before storing it once more. Minutes after, Yanluo appeared in the room.

  He was all alone this time, but a great smile adorned his face, and his eyes were glistening with excitement. It was clear he had waited for quite some time for the news of Hui Yue's awakening.

  "Pei Yue greets King Yanluo," Hui Yue said with a hoarse voice as he slowly got to his feet and bowed to the ultimate expert.

  "Finally you woke you punk! It was about time! You have no idea how much trouble you've caused us all," Yanluo exclaimed, but although his words were harsh, a smile played on his lips, and he laughed heartily.

  "In another two days, you'll be crowned as the new Judge of Hell. After that, you will go to Youdu with me for a meeting with Master. As for what happens afterward, he will decide. He will also be the one answering every question that you might have about your dead beloved."