by Shian Jeen
Saint realm!
Hence, this time, he absolutely had to get the Great Thousand Technique! Regardless if it was through the auction or through other means!
While Yao Fei was rushing towards the City of Myriad Gods, on another side of a wasteland, a figure flickered, hovering in midair. This was exactly Huwang Xiao, who was journeying to the City of Myriad Gods.
Huwang Xiao surveyed the wasteland below, taking out a map from his sleeves.
“This should be the Savage Sanguine Wasteland.” Huwang Xiao studied the map, talking to himself.
This Bedlam Lands map was something Huwang Xiao asked Jiang Tianhua to prepare and although it wasn’t very detailed, it marked most of the important locations. Amongst them was this Savage Sanguine Wasteland.
The Savage Sanguine Wasteland was one of the stranger places in the Bedlam Lands. According to legend, tens of thousands of years ago, there was a massive city on this land, but two Saint realm experts battled here, causing mass destruction the city. A ruined city and both Saint realm experts fallen on this piece of land, in the last hundred thousand years, not a single leaf of grass could grow here.
Putting back the map, Huwang Xiao looked at the darkening sky and landed on a small hill in a quick sway. It was already late, thus he decided to stay here for the night before continuing tomorrow.
On the small hill, Huwang Xiao’s palm faced upward as a strong suction force appeared, gathering a stack of dead wood, a fire lit up with a single point of his finger. After building the fire, Huwang Xiao initiated the Instant Recovery martial ability, instantly recovering his depleted battle qi and internal force to full vigor.
As Huwang Xiao’s strength continued to rise, all three of his martial spirit abilities’ power grew stronger with him.
Then, Huwang Xiao spent some time practicing the Asura Tactics and the Body Metamorphose Scripture. As the night grew darker, the brilliant moonlight diffused like an ocean of blood mist over the Savage Sanguine Wasteland.
Since the two Saint realm experts had fallen here many thousands years ago, once night descended, this ocean of blood mist would appear, thus the name Savage Sanguine Wasteland appeared.
“Half a month left to the City of Myriad Gods auction.” Huwang Xiao calculated the time.
This trip to the City of Myriad Gods was solely for first grade spirit stones. The city was a monument left behind by ancient God Tribes, in the areas and space around the City of Myriad Gods were dwellings left behind by some God Tribes experts. Huwang Xiao wanted to try his luck and see if he could find one of these abandoned mansions. In general, there would be grade ten spirit pellets or even Heaven grade spirit pellets.
Counting the time, Deities Templar’s next disciple selection was no more than three years away. Huwang Xiao’s cultivation speed had always been amazing, yet it was still a far cry from breaking through to Saint realm within a three year period… unless he could find the legendary grade ten spirit pellet or Heaven grade spirit pellet.
Although the area around the City of Myriad Gods had numerous ancient God Tribes experts’ hidden spaces, the people that managed to find one were few and far in between, the chances less than one in a thousand.
Right at this time, a wind piercing sound traveled to Huwang Xiao’s ears. Turning around to look, he saw two people flying in his direction at high speed.
Ch.278
When the two people were close enough for Huwang Xiao to make out their features clearly, he was surprised. The other side consisted of a man and a woman; if Huwang Xiao remembered correctly, the woman was the Ghost Shadow Sect’s disciple. Huwang Xiao saw her once when he first arrived in Black Demon City. At that time, Sky Magi Sect’s Elder Deng Guangliang told him that this woman was very likely the Ghost Shadow Sect Patriarch’s disciple.
“Second Senior Apprentice-Sister, there’s someone over there.” The man was heard saying to the woman, a finger pointing at Huwang Xiao.
Though the night was dark, with blood-colored mist clouding the vision, Huwang Xiao had a campfire burning, which made his location all the more obvious.
The woman looked over in Huwang Xiao’s direction, but it seemed her eyesight was slightly worse than Huwang Xiao’s, being unable to discern his features clearly. After briefly hesitating, she said, “Let’s go over and have a look.” and flew straight toward Huwang Xiao.
Less than a hundred meters from Huwang Xiao, the woman finally saw his face clearly, and showed a surprised expression: “Him?” evidently, the woman too remembered Huwang Xiao, even though she only caught sight of him once.
“Second Senior Apprentice-Sister, you know this person?” The man asked out, baffled by her reaction.
The woman nodded her head, explaining, “A few months ago, I saw this person in Black Demon City, he was together with Sky Magi Sect’s Elder Deng Guangliang and Du Xin.”
By this point in time, both of them landed in front of Huwang Xiao, not too far away.
Elder Deng Guangliang was correct when he said this woman was likely to be the Ghost Shadow Sect Patriarch’s disciple, not only that, she was the most doted on by the Patriarch. Her name was Lifei.
The Ghost Shadow Sect’s Patriarch had twelve disciples in all, Lifei was second in seniority, but amongst the twelve disciples of Ghost Shadow Sect’s Patriarch, she was the strongest. The man was also one of Ghost Shadow Sect Patriarch’s disciples, ranked sixth in seniority, named Zhou Cheng.
The instant Zhou Cheng heard of Sky Magi Sect’s Elders Deng Guangliang and Du Xin, killing intent glinted in his eyes. Two years ago, his ring and index fingers on his left hand were broken by Deng Guangliang and Du Xin.
“Brat, what is your relationship with Sky Magi Sect’s Deng Guangliang and Du Xin?” Zhou Cheng approached Huwang Xiao, his face frosty.
Huwang Xiao was indifferent, “What my relationship with Deng Guangliang and Du Xin is, I’m not obliged to tell you.”
Zhou Cheng’s eyes narrowed with malice, no further words were spoken as a sudden deep scarlet glow broke out from his body. When the glow dimmed, a large sword hovered above Zhou Cheng’s head; with the large sword’s appearance, a silvery steel-like glimmer shrouded Zhou Cheng’s body. A turbulent sirocco swirled straight at Huwang Xiao.
Lifei did not expect Zhou Cheng to attack Huwang Xiao so suddenly, her mouth opened wanting to stop her junior-apprentice brother, but it was already too late, she could only watch Zhou Cheng’s sword light engulf Huwang Xiao. Lifei sighed and shook her head as she watched things unfold on the side. Sixth Junior-Apprentice Brother Zhou Cheng’s martial spirit possessed the strongest attacking powerㅡGreat Earth Giant Sword, combined with a high-grade Earth rank battle skill, Whirlwind Sword Tactic, even a late-Xiantian Sixth Order expert would be troubled facing Zhou Cheng. She could already imagine the scene where Huwang Xiao was split into two by the giant sword.
It was a pity, she had wanted to find out from Huwang Xiao how Sky Magi Sect and Blood Swallow School allied together to defeat Hu Han, and finally swallowing the Nine Fiend Sect. When she first met him, both Deng Guangliang and Du Xin were walking behind him, proving that his status should be quite high, perhaps he had some inside information.
As the sword light engulfed Huwang Xiao entirely, Zhou Cheng, in truth, was somewhat surprised that it was so easy to kill this person. It occurred to Zhou Cheng that this young man must have some skills since he dared to come to a place like the Savage Sanguine Wasteland alone. He didn’t expect that Huwang Xiao failed to receive one move from him.
“Pathetic, so you’re nothing but a weakling!” Zhou Cheng sneered coldly.
But just at his voice sounded, a beam of glaring blade light soared skyward, exuding an aura of annihilation, tyranny, and destruction as it instantly pulverized Zhou Cheng’s sirocco sword light. The Whirlwind Sword Tactic was broken, bursting like a bubble and dissipating.
The surroundings fell into immediate silence.
Lifei, standing on the side, was dumbfounded staring at Huwang Xiao hold
ing the Blades of Asura in his hands.
A dark crimson-black energy wound around Huwang Xiao where he stood, as it surged out in all direction like a tsunami, emanating a scary aura of slaughter that was enough to make hearts palpitate with fear.
Both Lifei and Zhou Cheng’s faces tightened feeling the tyrannical atmosphere and terrifying slaughter aura, especially Zhou Cheng, the look on his face was extremely bleak. Disregarding Lifei, Huwang Xiao slowly walked toward Zhou Cheng.
Watching Huwang Xiao approaching, Zhou Cheng awakened from his daze, “Kid, unexpectedly you indeed have some skills, but it’s better this way, more interesting. If you died merely from one move, I won’t feel satisfied killing you.” Bloodlust sparkled in Zhou Cheng’s eyes, the Great Earth Sword spun rapidly above his head, releasing a mysterious power.
His strength was amplified by this mysterious power and Zhou Cheng’s atmosphere climbed up at dramatic speed, becoming one third stronger than he was at the beginning. This was Zhou Cheng’s martial spirit innate ability, similar to Fei Hou’s Silver River martial spirit strengthening ability, both could enhance the owner’s battle qi strength, however, the enhancement rate was slightly weaker than Fei Hou’s.
Bellowing at the top of his lungs, Zhou Cheng’s body basked in resplendent sword light rays, transforming into a giant sword and launching another attack at Huwang Xiao, arriving right above Huwang Xiao’s head in the next moment, cutting down with full force. The giant sword hadn't arrived, yet the force was enough to raise stones to the air as they crumbled into stone dust.
Huwang Xiao glanced at the giant sword cutting down on him, but he did not receive it head on. Steering away with Phantom Shadow, Huwang Xiao left behind a blurred image, dodging the attack with ease.
Barely dodging the attack, a thunderous explosion came from the spot where Huwang Xiao stood a split second ago. Looking back, the giant sword left a hundred meter gash on the ground, opening a cliff. The whole small hill tremored, raising a curtain of dust several meters high.
Seeing Huwang Xiao dodge his second attack, Zhou Cheng was upset, “Kid, don’t dodge if you’ve got guts!” Before Zhou Cheng’s voice ended, the figure in front of him flickered. Huwang Xiao appeared within the close distance of a few meters from him, pupils glinting with a hint of iciness. His hands swung out the blades bereft mercy and hesitation.
Multiple blade lights turned into many chains, enveloping the surrounding space, overwhelming, radiating an aura of death.
Death God’s Chain!
Zhou Cheng was startled, his body swerved to the side, wanting to dodge, but despite his quick response, he found that no matter which direction or angle he turned to, there was no way to escape the pursuing chains. Suddenly, his movements were restricted, Zhou Cheng looked down and saw chains upon chains coiled around his body like hell serpents. A frigid energy that felt like it originated from hell seeped into his body through these nasty chains, invading his body like the venom of ten thousand serpents.
Zhou Cheng’s shrill scream rendered the night air.
Lifei stood blankly on the same spot. Everything happened too fast, the confident Zhou Cheng had just cut an abyss on the hill, yet faster than the blink of an eye, the situation was flipped over. Lifei quickly composed herself and was about to help Zhou Cheng when all the chains returned from all sides and angles, piercing right through Zhou Cheng’s body.
Lifei, who was about to help, stiffened. Time seemed to stop as well.
Zhou Cheng’s eyes rounded wide, bending his head to look at his perforated body filled with bloody holes. Losing all strength, he plummeted down to the ground.
“You!” Zhou Cheng pointed at Huwang Xiao.
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“Sixth Junior-Apprentice Brother!” Lifei cried out, dashing straight to Zhou Cheng’s side. Zhou Cheng’s reply was spewing out a mouthful of blood, splattering all over Lifei, his head hung lifelessly as he tumbled to the ground.
Lifei wiped the blood off her face blankly, it felt sticky and slightly warm to the fingers.
“Sixth Junior-Apprentice Brother, Sixth Junior-Apprentice Brother!” Lifei called out endlessly, but Zhou Cheng wouldn’t be giving any more responses.
In the distance, Huwang Xiao slowly approached.
The sound of Huwang Xiao’s footsteps jolted Lifei back to the present. She spun around, staring at Huwang Xiao, the blase calm in her eyes was already replaced with apprehension and wariness. She understood Zhou Cheng’s strength well, and this young man easily killed him, so vulnerable! Not to mention her, even her Master, the Patriarch of Ghost Shadow Sect couldn’t do it.
“You, what do you want?” Lifei bravely snapped at Huwang Xiao even as he was stepping back.
“Didn’t you want to know about my relationship with Sky Magi Sect’s Elder Deng Guangliang and Du Xin?” Huwang Xiao taunted.
Lifei stiffened.
“The truth is, the entire Sky Magi Sect and Blood Swallow School are under my control.” Huwang Xiao continued.
Lifei blanked for a moment, eyes widened in shock as the real meaning dawn on her: “You, you mean…!”
The Black Demon City’s new Castellan was Blood Swallow School’s Jiang Tianhua, this young man just said the entire Blood Swallow School and Sky Magi Sect were under his control, didn't that mean that the real master of Black Demon City was this black-haired young man?! Impossible!
Back when the Nine Fiend Sect Sovereign Hu Han was rumored to be dead, Black Demon City’s sudden change of master had caused the forces in surrounding cities to send people out to investigate the crust of the matter. Her master, Ghost Shadow Sect’s Patriarch also felt that there was something amiss. Now, this black-haired young man in front of her said that everything was orchestrated by him behind the scenes?!
Lifei couldn’t digest this fact.
“Black Demon City is fully under my control, next would be Blood River City.” Huwang Xiao added, “That is a certainty. Now, I’m giving you two options: one, submit to me, or two, die.” At the point when Zhou Cheng attacked, Huwang Xiao had decided, after all, his next target was to conquer Blood River City, he might as well start laying the groundwork now.
Huwang Xiao planned to first take over Ghost Shadow Sect, succeeding so would greatly ease the next part of his plan―taking over Blood River City’s Five Poison Cult. Frankly, with Huwang Xiao’s current strength, with the addition of Ghost Shadow Sect, destroying and subjugating the Five Poison Cult was not grandstanding.
Conquer!
Death!
Lifei’s expression changed again and again.
She could tell that this black-haired young man was not lying, and since he dared to reveal the truth, it also meant he wasn’t afraid of her escaping. If she tried, she would end up just like her Sixth Junior-Apprentice Brother, dead!
Her eyes glanced furtively at Zhou Cheng’s corpse on the ground… but, if she submitted, then…!
“You don’t have to worry about your Master. Soon, not only your Master, but the whole Ghost Shadow Sect and Blood River City will be under my control.” Huwang Xiao’s indifferent voice interrupted Lifei’s thoughts.
Lifei studied Huwang Xiao, from the black-haired young man’s facial expression and tone of voice, she detected absolute confidence in conquering everything.
Huwang Xiao did not add another word after that, only looking at the young woman; it would be best if this girl submitted willingly, otherwise, he had no option but to kill her. For Huwang Xiao, this didn’t affect his plans in taking over Blood River City. Just like how he was when he slowly ‘turned’ Sky Magi Magi Sect and Blood Swallow School’s Elders, unhurried, giving the other side ample consideration time.
Half an incense stick later, Lifei lowered the guard around her soul sea, allowing Huwang Xiao to brand a soul mark within. Huwang Xiao was secretly relieved when all was done, Lifei’s presence would be beneficial to his future plans in conquering Ghost Shadow Sect.
Subsequently, Lifei shared everything she knew about Ghost
Shadow Sect’s situation truthfully, not withholding information. One hour later, Lifei ended her report.
Huwang Xiao nodded, the information from Lifei clearly outlined the Ghost Shadow Sect’s internal situation to Huwang Xiao, and the Ghost Shadow Sect’s Patriarch should be an early Xiantian Eighth Order, comparable to Hu Han, the previous Nine Fiend Sect Sovereign. Apart from the Patriarch, there were four Xiantian Seventh Order experts, while the mid-levels Xiantian went up to about thirty over people.
However, what came as a surprise was that the Ghost Shadow Sect’s Patriarch actually nurtured a group of ghost shadow death messengers, thirty-eight people in total. Each one was at least a Xiantian Fourth Order and above, and the strongest was a peak late-Xiantian Sixth Order. When he requested Sky Magi Sect and Blood Swallow Sect to investigate Ghost Shadow Sect, this piece of information wasn’t included.
Still, water runs deep, it seems this Ghost Shadow Sect Patriarch was such a character, from Lifei’s report, Ghost Shadow Sect’s true force wasn't that much weaker compared the owner of Blood River City, Five Poison Cult. Huwang Xiao also found out from Lifei that Ghost Shadow Sect and Tornado Valley had secretly allied to deal with Five Poison Cult, and were in the midst of planning an attack in recent days to replace Five Poison Cult’s status in Blood River City.
A light shone in Huwang Xiao’s eyes.
“What were you two doing her in the Savage Sanguine Wasteland?” Huwang Xiao asked.
“We were tasked by Master to look for someone called Fan Encheng.” Lifei answered, “This person has with him a part of map left behind by a God Tribe master from the ancient era.”
“A partial map left behind by a God Tribe master from the ancient era!” Huwang Xiao was stunned.
“Yes.” Lifei asserted, “Apart from me and Sixth Junior-Apprentice Brother, Master, Senior Apprentice-Brother and Third Junior Apprentice-Brother are also here, in the Savage Sanguine Wasteland area. We pursued separately; Master on his own, me and Sixth Junior Apprentice- Brother in one team while Senior Apprentice-Brother and Third Junior Apprentice-Brother formed another team.”