by Shian Jeen
This Stage Ten beast core was taken from a peak late-Stage Ten demonic beast.
Expelling a few of his battle qi, the Thousands of Beast Cauldron flickered as a solid suction force came from inside the cauldron, swallowing the beast core in Huwang Xiao’s palm. Subsequently, the Heaven and Earth Returning Origins Array activated, and a lucent glow surrounded the Thousand Beast Cauldron as it shook. A mist of drinking water vapor steamed right out of the cauldron’s body, lasting for one hour prior to the 1000 Beast Cauldron quieted down.
A ray of dazzling light rushed away, and a thumb-sized, round blackish-yellow glossy nature pellet that exuded an aromatic fragrance flew out from the depth of the cauldron.
Delighted, Huwang Xiao waved his hand and a suction drive brought that small spirit pellet into his hand. In one swift flick, he popped that small circular pellet into his mouth area. He could instantly feel a warm energy distributing out inside his body.
Huwang Xiao sat down cross-legged, operating Asura Strategies to refine the pellet’s energy.
A short while later, Huwang Xiao stood up.
After absorbing the power from the thumb-sized spirit pellet refined from a peak late-Stage 10 beast core, Huwang Xiao determined it was at least at the high Grade Four Soul Dan level.
HIGH QUALITY Four!
Though a high Grade Four Spirit Dan may not be as valuable as high Grade Five Spirit Dan, it was still so scarce in supply that it might fetch a high price of at least thirty thousand gold in the auction houses.
And a peak late-Stage Ten beast core roughly cost about ten thousand gold coins on the market.
If a maximum late-Stage Ten beast core produced a higher Grade Four Spirit Dan, then what about a Xiantian level beast core? That would more than likely produce a Grade Five Nature Dan!
In Luo Tong Royal City, a Grade Five Spirit Dan had not been something one could buy even with gold coins. This is because the success in refining a Quality Five Heart Dan was too low.
In general, a Grade Five Spirit Dan needed fifty to sixty types of ingredients, each requiring a minimum age of two to three hundred years old. Even if all the ingredients gathered were of premium quality, something may go wrong during refining, causing failure. In the end, the chances of success were only fifty-fifty.
Huwang Xiao took a deep breathing.
Quality Five Spirit Dan was useful even for a Xiantian realm expert!
A Grade Five Soul Dan should have some value in Duanren Empire as well, right?!
But, within the next minute, Huwang Xiao’s eyebrows scrunched together.
Earlier, when he pushed his fight qi to support the cauldron for an hour’s time, it actually drained all his battle qi!
Since breaking through the Xiantian world, his netherworld fight qi was richer than an average Xiantian Second Order expert, yet he could only refine one high quality Four Nature Dan.
If he managed to hunt a Xiantian realm beast and obtain its beast core, didn’t which means that he would be sucked dry and become a mummy if he wanted to successfully refine a Grade Five Spirit Dan?!
He could only solve the problem when enough time came. Huwang Xiao sighed. After arriving to this realization, he made a decision to exit the historic battlefield.
On the outside, Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou were already waiting anxiously-Huwang Xiao had remained inside the ancient battlefield for three days and three nights.
Seeing Huwang Xiao come out, all three of them secretly discrete a sigh of relief.
In the next instant, Zhao Shu and Yu Ming displayed a shocked expression on the faces while staring at Huwang Xiao. With their keen eyesight, they immediately noted that there was a difference after Huwang Xiao arrived from practice compared to three days back.
“Sovereign, you’ve reached the Xiantian realm?!” The words flew out from Zhao Shu’s mouth.
Fei Hou was stunned. He quickly turned towards Huwang Xiao.
Watching the three encounters before him, Huwang Xiao smiled faintly, “I broke through accidentally.”
In Huwang Xiao’s opinion, it was indeed an accident. He didn't expect it would happen so fast.
However, to Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou’s ears, these words were just like a dizzying spell. He broke through accidentally?
A seventeen-year-old Xiantian world expert!
It would be a sensation in the Snow Blowing wind Continent if it was made known.
Even a Saint realm expert like Zhao Shu sensed deeply shocked.
Huwang Xiao then asked Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou how to deal with the problem of overdrawing battle qi while supporting the arrays within the cauldron when one was refining pellets.
None of the 3 thought too much about any of it, and Zhao Shu answered, “It could be substituted with heart stones.”
“Spirit stones?” Huwang Xiao’s eye lit up. This was his first-time hearing about spirit stones.
“Yes, Sovereign. Heart stones are created from accumulated religious energy over many years, a type of mined stone that contains real spiritual energy inside. Most Xiantian experts refining Grade Five Spirit Dan would use soul rocks to activate the arrays within the cauldron. Generally, a grade three spirit stone is sufficient to aid the refining process of one Quality Five Soul Dan.” Zhao Shu explained.
One grade three spirit rock could help refine one Grade Five Spirit Dan.
Zhao Shu continued to explain the different grades of nature stones. The grades were quality five, grade four, quality three, grade two, and quality one, with grade five being the lowest. Above quality one heart stone was heaven grade spirit stone.
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A single quality three soul rock was apparently sufficient to refine one Quality Five Nature Dan, whereas grade four and five nature stones could be used to refine a Quality Four Heart Dan and below. Grade two and quality one spirit stones were used in refining Quality Six and Grade Seven Spirit Dans.
However, the price of spirit stones did not come cheap: just one single grade three heart rock would usually cost somewhere around thirty thousand coins.
Considering a grade three spirit stone’s price was thirty thousand gold coins, level two spirit rocks were just a little intimidating, going up to fifty thousand coins.
Rather than feeling fear, Huwang Xiao was actually relieved instead. Grade two spirit stones at a price of fifty thousand gold coins sounded colossal, but for Huwang Xiao’s Nine Tripod Commerce, lacking gold coins was the least of his worries.
Thus without further delay, the four of these continued onwards in their trip.
Ten days passed and they were closer to their destination − the Duanren Empire.
Over the past ten days, Huwang Xiao swallowed one high Grade Four Spirit Dan and Fire Dragon Pearl per day, cultivating in the ancient battlefield.
Stabilizing his recent breakthrough, Huwang Xiao diligently practiced Asura Tactics and your body Metamorphosis Scripture at the same time, enhancing both of them simultaneously.
It was now night.
Huwang Xiao stood on a little barren hill. His right leg stepped out to the right and he lowered his body in a squat while his top torso leaned ahead. Both hands pressed down, supporting his weight. His head tilted up, breathing rhythmically the whole time.
This was the Body Metamorphosis Scripture Stage Ten: Crouching Tiger.
As he breathed in and out, religious energy rolled and surged towards Huwang Xiao. Multiple levels of white fog shrouded his number. As time used on, these layers of white fog became denser, as if they might solidify the within next moment. From a long way away, all anyone could see was an enormous pool of white fog.
“This is what Sovereign mentioned before, the so-called internal force cultivation technique?” Zhao Shu asked, position some distance away.
Fei Hou promptly responded, “That’s right, Left Custodian Zhao Shu.”
Yu Ming sighed in awe, “Is this internal force cultivation technique something that was crea
ted by Sovereign? It actually allows someone to cultivate without possessing a martial soul. If information about such a cultivation technique existed, it would cause a bloody storm in Martial Soul World.”
Zhao Shu nodded in agreement, “That’s true. Fei Hou, since Sovereign was prepared to move that Liquid Thunder Arts cultivation technique to you, you must be mindful not to leak it out.”
“Yes, Still left Custodian Zhao.” Fei Hou recognized respectfully, and then said, “Sovereign said he is working to improve two sets of internal force cultivation techniques. Once they are complete, he will pass these to Left Custodian Zhao Shu and Master.”
Zhao Shu and Yu Ming trembled hearing that-- the excitement was obvious using their eyes.
Both had already come to the conclusion that the main reason Fei Hou’s cultivation increased with such drastic velocity was because he practiced both fight qi and internal force simultaneously.
The darkness of night gradually receded.
In the first ray of light, Huwang Xiao ended his practice.
As he ended his Body Metamorphosis Scripture practice, Huwang Xiao fell into a ponderous disposition. Although cultivating Asura Tactics and Body Metamorphosis at the same time greatly improved his strength, practicing the methods individually was too troublesome and time consuming.
Inadvertently, this line of thought may be helpful for him to reduce the time it took to practice battle skills.
There were twenty-four hours in a day. Other than rushing on the road, most of Huwang Xiao’s time was divided between training Asura Methods and Body Metamorphosis Scripture.
“I question if the Asura Tactics and Body Metamorphosis Scripture could be initiated concurrently, practicing both at the same time?” this thought suddenly flashed through his brain.
If it was possible, then he could save a lot of time.
Thus, Huwang Xiao stood there trying to perform Asura Techniques and Body Metamorphosis Scripture at exactly the same time.
However, as he ran Asura Strategies and began to adjust his deep breathing, his fight qi halted flowing. At exactly the same time, the gathering of his internal force was fulfilled with a certain degree of unknown resistance.
About an hour later, Huwang Xiao stopped.
After experimenting to get more than one hour, Huwang Xiao was pleasantly surprised to find that both battle qi and internal force could be circulated simultaneously. Unfortunately, the duration didn't last long.
Although the duration was short, Huwang Xiao believed that if he persevered in this direction, he'd definitely be able to circulate both Asura Tactics battle qi and Body Metamorphosis internal force unimpeded at the same time.
This was akin to enough time he summoned the twin dragon martial spirits separately.
When he first attempted the separate summoning, both of his twin dragons appeared at once. Only with time and practice, again and again, do he effectively control their appearance, whether it was summoning an individual martial nature or both of these together.
“Sovereign!” Viewing Huwang Xiao got finished his practice, Zhao Shu and the rest flew over from where these were waiting.
Huwang Xiao nodded, and then his voice grew serious: “Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, I've two internal force cultivation techniques that I made with some revisions; I’m ready to move them to you, are you willing to cultivate them?”
Zhao Shu and Yu Ming blanked for another and were flooded with joy while nodding their mind in unison to show their willingness to learn. Both knelt right down to thank their Sovereign’s kindness.
Huwang Xiao told them to get up and passed two different units of cultivation techniques to Zhao Shu and Yu Ming.
The inner force cultivation techniques Huwang Xiao passed to Zhao Shu and Yu Ming were things he had obtained by luck in his previous life on Earth. As a whole, these two cultivation techniques could not be compared to the Body Metamorphosis Scripture, but in some aspects they weren’t any worse either.
While passing an internal force cultivation strategy to each of them, Huwang Xiao explained the problems that might be difficult to understand during their cultivation. The two had taken everything he said with utmost seriousness.
It was a few hours later before the band of four continued their journey.
Three times passed in roughly the same manner.
For days gone by three days, Zhao Shu and Yu Ming practiced according to the internal force cultivation techniques Huwang Xiao taught them. After a few short days of practice, to their delight, Zhao Shu and Yu Ming pointed out that their battle qi cultivation rate did indeed increase significantly.
Whenever they had questions about the techniques, they would seek advice and guidance from Huwang Xiao, helping to easily solve things that baffled them. It was as though his answers were a bright light at the end of a tunnel.
Today, the sun shone brightly in the sky, and Huwang Xiao and the other three were driving on beast mounts as they made their way through the mountains.
“Sovereign, estimating our speed, it'll be one more day before we arrive in Duanren Empire.” Zhao Shu informed to Huwang Xiao.
Huwang Xiao nodded.
One more day!
Even though they were arriving in Duanren Empire tomorrow, it could take another half a month for them to reach the Imperial City.
They were in the seventh lunar month. By the time they made it to the Imperial City, there would be about ten times left prior to the fight commenced, so the timing was just right.
I am hoping things in Luo Tong Royal City are fine. Huwang Xiao considered to himself.
With these several months of travel, the places they passed were mostly barren hills or the wilderness, and there hadn’t been any contact with Luo Tong Royal City.
But, the Big Sword Sect, Martial Ning Family, and Clear Cloud Pavilion were already destroyed, and there is still Marshal Haotian keeping an vision over things in Luo Tong Kingdom. Since that was the case, the safety of the Huwang Family should not be an concern.
One day later, the group finally arrived in Duanren Empire!
Entering Duanren Empire, Huwang Xiao could see many other folks from other kingdoms that came to participate in the Imperial City Battle exactly like him. Additionally, there were also experts from different forces that arrived to watch the battle.
The Imperial City Fight of Duanren Empire was an open event, therefore, royal families and forces nearby would come to watch the event.
Getting into Duanren Empire, Huwang Xiao, Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou did not dally, hurrying onward straight to Duanren Empire’s Imperial City.
Two weeks later, Huwang Xiao’s group attained their destination.
Standing in front of the Imperial City walls, Huwang Xiao’s mind went blank as he stared at the grand sight before him − the behemoth city gates and the colossal wall space.
The Luo Tong Royal City, Yuwai Royal City, and everything the royal cities he previously seen along the way while passing through some other kingdoms were nothing set alongside the Imperial City gates standing before his eyes. It had been similar to comparing a small mud brick house seated next to a palace.
The walls of Duanren Empire’s Imperial City boast a height of over a hundred zhang!
Exceeding one hundred zhang! Stupendous!
The people walking below the town walls were akin to ants that were crawling on the ground. Yes, ants that crawled on the floor.
Taking a look at Duanren Imperial City gates, Huwang Xiao felt very small. This feeling wasn’t limited to Huwang Xiao though, Fei Hou do as well.
Even though this is the second time Fei Hou saw the Imperial City gates, the shock he felt was still just like strong.
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Compared to Huwang Xiao and Fei Hou, Zhao Shu and Yu Ming were much more composed and calm.
It was not like that they had not seen Imperial cities grander than Duanren Imperial City.
Take the Asura’s Gate headquarters for
example. The Asura City itself acquired walls greater than this!
“Sovereign, shall we go in?” Occasions later, Zhao Shu spoke.
Huwang Xiao snapped out of his daze, and taking a deep breath, he nodded and said, “Let’s go ahead!” As he lifted his foot to the gate of Duanren Imperial City, Huwang Xiao cannot help but feel his blood boil with anticipation and enjoyment.
Duanren Imperial City!
Herein lies his goal!
Huwang Xiao desperately wished he could roar near the top of his lungs to the entire city: “Duanren Imperial City, I, Huwang Xiao, attended!”
Huwang Xiao’s group implemented the large audience getting into Duanren Imperial City, but when these were at the gates, they discovered each individual had a need to pay a hundred coins as an entry fee.
One hundred gold coins!
One hundred gold coins were enough to support a common household’s expenses for a year in the majority of the kingdom.
Walking along the Imperial City’s expansive streets, Huwang Xiao observed the surrounding shops as he strolled along in a leisurely manner.
The streets were built wide and spacious, approximately three to four hundred meters wide, and Huwang Xiao noticed that these wide streets were paved with the same kind of Shiny Marble Stone.
Bright Marble Stone was a kind of extremely hard stone in Martial Spirit World, even tougher than the Starlight Stone used to build Cosmic Star Academy’s main square. Obviously, the cost of these streets was a lot more than the price tag on Cosmic Celebrity Academy’s square.
One little bit of Shiny Marble Rock cost one thousand coins. The apparently limitless rows of streets within the Imperial City that spanned countless li were all paved with the same Bright Marble Stone. How many millions, tens of hundreds of thousands, or even hundreds of millions of gold were needed to build all of this?!
These streets in the Imperial City that were paved with Shiny Marble Stone emanated some sort of stately aura: domineering, wealthy, and brilliant, representing an empire without being garish.