by Translator: Pokka; Author: 我本纯洁 (I Am Pure); Licensed From: Migu
"Fine. You're no fun. You may leave now," said Xiang Shaoyun, who suddenly lost his interest.
He thought he would be able to provoke Ouyang Chuanqi into a bet, but it seemed Ouyang Chuanqi had been able to maintain his rationale. His plan of scamming an expert into joining the Overlord Legion would not succeed.
"I'll be waiting to see you come out," said Ouyang Chuanqi.
"Nope. Not leaving. I'll be waiting for death here. Look at the chaotic force fields. This place will collapse at any time," said Xiang Shaoyun stubbornly.
Ouyang Chuanqi's face twitched as he felt that Xiang Shaoyun was immersing too deeply in his acting.
"Fine. So long as you can leave easily and remove the Spatial Suppression Diagram, I will agree to your request," said Ouyang Chuanqi after some hesitation.
"For real?" Xiang Shaoyun grew excited.
"I, Ouyang Chuanqi, never go back on my words," said Ouyang Chuanqi as he slapped his chest.
"Good. Pay attention," said Xiang Shaoyun as a chakram appeared in his hand. As he circulated his astral energy, he slashed at the suppression wall formed by the Spatial Suppression Diagram.
The chakram erupted with power, but instead of colliding with the Spatial Suppression Diagram's wall, it brought Xiang Shaoyun and phased right through it. Ouyang Chuanqi watched on silently, his eyes wide open in shock and disbelief.
"Alright. I'm out," said Xiang Shaoyun nonchalantly.
"Y-you actually has a spatial saint weapon!" Ouyang Chuanqi said after recovering from his shock.
"Good eyes," said Xiang Shaoyun. He then sent the chakram flying toward the Spatial Suppression Diagram.
In a flash, the chakram arrived above the Spatial Suppression Diagram with a loud rumble. The Spatial Suppression Diagram was struck down, and the radiance around it immediately dimmed. At the same time, the suppression walls collapsed.
Xiang Shaoyun waved his hand, and he caught both the chakram and Spatial Suppression Diagram. With the Spatial Suppression Diagram in hand, he found that there were cracks on the diagram. It was probably near destruction.
"Come, Deputy Commander Ouyang. Consider this Spatial Suppression Diagram a welcoming gift from me. Take it! Don't stand on ceremony!" Xiang Shaoyun gave it to Ouyang Chuanqi without any hesitation.
When Ouyang Chuanqi saw the cracks on the Spatial Suppression Diagram, he did not know if he should laugh or cry.
"Thank you, Overlord," said Ouyang Chuanqi with a sigh.
He was used to life as a loner, yet he was suddenly scammed into a faction and was even appointed the deputy commander. He found it hard to adjust to his new status. In fact, with his strength, he could easily form a faction of his own.
Chapter 738: I'll Be the Deputy Commander
Ouyang Chuanqi was a man of his word. Since he had promised Xiang Shaoyun, he would not go back on his words. Of course, he still wouldn't make it so easy for Xiang Shaoyun.
"Overlord, since you want me to be the deputy commander, you need to show your strength to convince me, your new subordinate, right?" said Ouyang Chuanqi with a smile.
In short, he still wanted to see Xiang Shaoyun's true trump card, curious as to whether this trump card could make him accept his new leader wholeheartedly. He had heard about Xiang Shaoyun's admission of defeat in the fight with Xiao Xie.
In Ouyang Chuanqi's eyes, Xiao Xie was nothing. If so, how had Xiang Shaoyun suffered a defeat? He found the result hard to believe. In his opinion, Xiang Shaoyun had probably been holding back.
In fact, he guessed correctly, as Xiang Shaoyun had not fully shown his trump cards back then. Usually, those trump cards would only be shown when he intended to kill.
Xiang Shaoyun narrowed his eyes and gazed at Ouyang Chuanqi before replying, "Ok. Since you want to see my strength, watch carefully."
He unleashed the Nether Soul Domain, surrounding Ouyang Chuanqi with it. Ouyang Chuanqi scanned his surroundings calmly before saying in astonishment, "This is the Nether Soul Domain? You have the blood of the Imperial Nether Clan?"
"That's right. Almost all who have seen my Nether Soul Domain are dead," said Xiang Shaoyun.
He then closed in the space, trapping Ouyang Chuanqi. However, he did not bother using his chains. When Ouyang Chuanqi sensed the threat level matching a Sovereign, he finally understood how extraordinary Xiang Shaoyun was.
"Ok. I'll be the deputy commander," he agreed in a straightforward fashion.
Xiang Shaoyun then withdrew his Nether Soul Domain and said, "In truth, I feel you can still fight me in that situation. Why did you give up so easily?"
Inside the Nether Soul Domain, he had clearly sensed that Ouyang Chuanqi was an eighth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm cultivator. That was an incredibly shocking discovery. One ought to know that even Yu Ziyang, who ranked above Ouyang Chuanqi, was only a seventh-stage Dragon Ascension Realm cultivator.
And with the fact that Ouyang Chuanqi was also a prodigy, he was most likely capable of unleashing combat prowess matching a Sovereign. Coupled with the trump cards he might have, it was possible for him to break the Nether Soul Domain.
Waving his hand, Ouyang Chuanqi smiled. "I never fight a battle I'm not confident of winning. We'll fight after I grow some more."
Ouyang Chuanqi knew well how mystical the Nether Soul Domain was. Not only could it isolate the outside world, it could also use wondrous abilities to kill those trapped within.
Despite Xiang Shaoyun's lower cultivation level, he had an incredibly solid soul. It was clearly a well-tempered soul surpassing the souls of regular Emperors, which was why Ouyang Chuanqi did not wish to fight Xiang Shaoyun. He only had 50 percent confidence in winning this fight.
And since Xiang Shaoyun had the assistance of a saint weapon like the chakram, he probably had an even higher likelihood of winning. Taking all that into consideration, Ouyang Chuanqi decided to take a step back due to his stable personality. In any case, he had a positive opinion of Xiang Shaoyun. He reasoned that it might be a good idea for them to be friends.
"Sure. At that time, I will insist on having a match with you even if you refuse," said Xiang Shaoyun joyfully.
With a freak like Ouyang Chuanqi joining the Overlord Legion, they would enter another phase of rapid growth. Perhaps they would even have a chance to reach the level of the five major factions. Nobody would dare to easily provoke them anymore.
"Alright. This place is falling apart soon. Let's leave," said Ouyang Chuanqi as he flew away.
Xiang Shaoyun followed closely behind him. However, Ouyang Chuanqi seemed to become somewhat competitive and kept increasing his speed as if to see if Xiang Shaoyun could keep up with him.
Xiang Shaoyun did not disappoint him. With every step he took, he moved over one kilometer. It was as if the concept of distance did not exist for him. This was a demonstration of the second stage of footwork intent, shrinking space.
Upon reaching this stage, one would possess an inconceivable speed. Because of that, it was not a problem for Xiang Shaoyun to keep up with Ouyang Chuanqi.
Inwardly, Ouyang Chuanqi lamented, This fellow is really a freak.
Xiang Shaoyun's cultivation level was several stages lower, yet he was no slower than him. Ouyang Chuanqi had always been regarded as a genius among geniuses, but it seemed his talent was far below Xiang Shaoyun's. If Xiang Shaoyun had the same cultivation level as him, wouldn't he be completely surpassed?
The destruction of the Gleamstar Blessed Land finally began. Explosions erupted everywhere, turning numerous rocks into fine powder. The horned shell monsters wailed incessantly as they sank into a panic.
They madly attacked the intruders as they searched for the exit frantically. The intruders who had entered in search of gleamstar water became nervous and started fleeing without any delay.
"Run! Run! This place is going to fall apart soon!"
"Damn it! We haven't even found any gleamstar water! I am truly not resigned to leaving like this!"
"Cut the nonsense. Is the gleams
tar water or your life more important? Leave!"
"Let's go. I have already collected a few drops of gleamstar water. It's not enough, but I should be content."
...
A considerable number of people had gathered outside the restricted space. Those who managed to leave the space did not depart immediately. Rather, they only pulled some distance from the exit before stopping to wait for the other disciples to assemble so they could return to the Dragon Phoenix Academy together.
At the Overlord Legion’s assembly spot, those saved by Xiang Shaoyun were telling Tang Longfei what had transpired inside.
Tang Longfei exclaimed in alarm, "What? The Di Alliance trapped the overlord?"
"Th-that's right," a person replied while trembling. "H-he did it to save us. He willingly went inside the trap. I'm afraid things...bode ill—"
"Bastard! All of you are bastards!" Tang Longfei howled in anger before the person could finish his sentence.
"Di Alliance! I won't spare you!" Lady Shura roared with fury.
It was at this moment that the Di Alliance people appeared from the exit.
Situ Yan's provocative voice rang out, "Which slut is running her mouth off? Are you courting death?"
Her provocation attracted the attention of the Overlord Legion people. Instantly, the atmosphere became tense.
Chapter 739: His Lowly Life Is So Tenacious
After hearing about Xiang Shaoyun and seeing the Di Alliance people leaving safely, the Overlord Legion was filled with rage. They were all hot-blooded youngsters. Xiang Shaoyun was their leader, and with what had happened to him, it was as if their faces had been slapped. How could they let it slide?
As for the Di Alliance, they had long viewed the Overlord Legion with enmity. Moreover, they believed that the Overlord Legion could not pose a threat to them. Thus, they had always looked down on them.
The two factions had been hostile with each other, and Xiang Shaoyun's incident was akin to a fuse that would spark a war between them. However, with the Dragon Phoenix Academy elders around, they would not get their desired war here.
"Whoever wants to get into a fight, this elder will send you back inside. You can fight as much as you want in there," said a Dragon Phoenix Academy elder.
His voice reverberated throughout the air above the disciples, allowing each of them to hear him clearly. With that, the Overlord Legion and the Di Alliance shut their mouths, no longer daring to do anything.
Situ Yan did not forget to provoke them one final time before leaving with the Di Alliance. "Hmph. Consider yourself lucky. The next time we meet, you won't be this lucky."
"Who is that woman?" Tang Longfei asked someone beside him.
"She is probably the granddaughter of Elder Situ, a previous generation elder. She's also Di Lin's senior sister," someone replied.
"No wonder she's so arrogant. But we can't let this slide," said Tang Longfei as he gnashed his teeth.
He was clear of the hatred between Xiang Shaoyun and Di Lin. All along, Xiang Shaoyun had been showing a tough stance. Not even Di Lin dared to face him personally. And yet here, he had suffered a loss.
Tang Longfei was filled with sorrow, not knowing how he should explain this to his father. He only hoped that Xiang Shaoyun could create yet another miracle and survive from the fatal danger.
Perhaps it was because the Di Alliance was too eager to brag, but news of Xiang Shaoyun being trapped soon spread. It created a big commotion among the disciples.
"Xiang Shaoyun was trapped inside? Well, that makes things interesting."
"Is that even possible? Xiang Shaoyun is definitely stronger than Di Lin. How can he be trapped?"
"I heard the Di Alliance used a saint weapon to trap him. He won't be able to escape this time. What a pity."
"Xiang Shaoyun holds a nine-star physique, yet he was stubborn and insisted on training nine powers. What a waste of his potential. I suppose this end is a form of release for him."
...
Unsurprisingly, even after a large majority of the disciples left, Xiang Shaoyun was still nowhere to be seen. More importantly, signs of the Gleamstar Blessed Land breaking apart had already appeared with the cracks in the air. At any time, the restricted space would be completely destroyed.
The expressions of Tang Longfei, Lady Shura, and the others were ghastly. Even Han Chenfei, Han Qianwei, and Han Xuewei, who had left the restricted space not long ago, had ugly expressions when they heard the news.
They had not imagined that something would happen to Xiang Shaoyun during the mission. Unfortunately, they could do nothing but inwardly pray for a miracle. Just as the restricted space was about to collapse completely, Xiang Shaoyun and Ouyang Chuanqi charged out of the exit.
As the two approached the Dragon Phoenix Academy assembly point, they attracted the gaze of everyone there.
"Th-the overlord is back!" an Overlord Legion member gasped.
At that, the Overlord Legion grew excited. As for the Di Alliance, their members had expressions of disbelief, especially Di Lin and Situ Yan.
"I-impossible! The Spatial Suppression Diagram is a counterfeit saint weapon. Not even regular Sovereigns can break through its entrapment. How did Xiang Shaoyun manage to break free?" Situ Yan cried out in alarm.
Di Lin's eyes burned with fury as he said, "This damnable bastard! His lowly life is so tenacious!"
He had tried killing Xiang Shaoyun multiple times. Each time, he had failed. This was quite a big blow for him.
After Xiang Shaoyun and Ouyang Chuanqi arrived at the assembly spot, Xiang Shaoyun looked at Di Lin's group and smirked, "I'm really sorry to disappoint you. Remember to prepare a better saint weapon next time. The Spatial Suppression Diagram is quite terrible."
"You...you..." Situ Yan was so infuriated she almost spat blood. She couldn't even speak properly.
"You don't have to be so cocky. You can escape once, but you won't be able to escape twice," said Di Lin indignantly.
As a response, Xiang Shaoyun pointed at Di Lin and shouted, "Di Lin, get your ass out here. With everyone as witness, I hereby challenge you to a battle to the death. Do you dare accept my challenge?"
He spoke loudly, his voice clear for all to hear. The domineering presence he exuded caused everyone to feel fear in their hearts.
Xiang Shaoyun was no longer the same person. Every word and action of his emanated an extraordinary bearing. He was starting to show the qualities of an ambitious hero.
Nobody had seen the challenge coming. Now, everyone was waiting for Di Lin's response. This was not the first time Xiang Shaoyun had challenged Di Lin. Back then, Di Lin had avoided the challenge and had sent his subordinate Zhu Changchuang with the excuse that Xiang Shaoyun was not a worthy opponent.
Now that Xiang Shaoyun was challenging him right to his face in front of so many people, he no longer had a way out.
"Very well. I accept. We shall fight to the death," said Di Lin with a resolute look.
Previously, he had avoided the challenge because he lacked the confidence to win. Now, he had consumed a large amount of dragon liquid to reach fifth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm. Meanwhile, Xiang Shaoyun was still stuck at second-stage Dragon Ascension Realm. What was there to fear?
"Haha, finally, you're acting like a man. Not bad, not bad at all. Good, everyone here shall be the witness. We will fight to the death. Get your ass out here," said Xiang Shaoyun as he howled with laughter.
Just as Di Lin was about to step forth, the same academy elder spoke, "I shouldn't interfere in a challenge, but we have just left the restricted space. I need to bring you all back to the academy first. You should consider dueling once you're back at the academy."
The elder spoke as if he was giving them a choice, but the tone he used allowed no disobedience. It was at that moment that the restricted space completely collapsed.
Rumble! Rumble!
A series of terrifying explosions erupted as the empty space before the crater collapsed into itself, and cra
cks appeared on the ground. The scene was dreadful, as if the world was ending.
Even though the people from the Dragon Phoenix Academy had retreated far away, they could still sense the powerful explosions.
"Everyone, retreat. The shockwaves are coming," the elder commanded urgently.
Chapter 740: Refining Gleamstar Water
Due to the elder's objection and the restricted space's destruction, the duel between Xiang Shaoyun and Di Lin was forced to be postponed. They withdrew rapidly from the restricted space, while those who had not left were forever lost.
The Gleamstar Blessed Land mission had come to an end. A large majority of the Dragon Phoenix Academy disciples had returned with some gains. However, about one fifth of the participants had perished.
Everyone lamented the untimely death of those young prodigies. As for the survivors who had also returned with gleamstar water, they were considered to be fortuitous, capable of reaching even higher heights in their cultivation.
Led by the elders, the disciples quickly returned to the academy. And when they arrived at the academy, the duel between Xiang Shaoyun and Di Lin became everyone's focus. The two agreed to fight to the death at the arena in half a month. The academy would not interfere in life-or-death duels if both parties agreed.
Di Lin was ranked within the 30s on the Dragon Phoenix List and had great talent. He was also known as one of the freaks most likely to enter the top 10. At the same time, he was also the personal disciple of a previous generation elder, Elder Situ. He was a dazzling and extraordinary individual.
At first, more people thought that Di Lin had the higher chances of winning the match. However, after one particular news spread, the people changed their minds. The news said that An Lulu, also known as Lady Violence, had been bullied by Xiang Shaoyun.
Who was An Lulu?
She was the renowned Lady Violence. Not only was she strong, she was one of the four great guardians of the Crushing Sky. In the entirety of the academy, fewer than 10 people were capable of bullying her.
And yet, Xiang Shaoyun had bullied a woman that few dared to provoke. This news amazed the academy's numerous disciples. They had not expected that Xiang Shaoyun's combat prowess had already reached such a terrifying level.