Lu Kai was frightened looking at the two groups of the Tempest of Hell's cyclones enveloping over him. The crying sound emitted from them made his heart shiver!
Fearful, Lu Kai forced himself to move the four wings at his back, open and close. In an instant, his body spun around into an azure tornado, dodging away speedily.
Still, it was a step too late.
The two cyclones covered Lu Kai, clashing violently against the azure tornado.
"Boom!" a loud blast resounded.
The azure tornado dimmed and its speed slowed, revealing Lu Kai's body and his frightened eyes.
In the end, the azure tornado shattered away as the Tempest of Hell continued onwards; Lu Kai stumbled back again and again until he reached the edge of the battle stage. Tempest of Hell came right before him and dissipated.
Seeing the two cyclones finally dissipated just inches in front of him, it was as if his pores relaxed and cold sweat soaked back his back, dampening his robe.
Just now, he felt death's breath.
Death actually came so close to him!
Lu Kai panted heavily; looking at his right hand, he saw that the right half of his robe sleeve was shredded into pieces by Huang Xiaolong's attack. Cuts on his flesh had blood flowing out and fortunately, this was considered a superficial injury, not as traumatic as it could have been.
When his fright had passed, his complex gaze focused towards Huang Xiaolong. He knew that if it wasn't for Huang Xiaolong's mercy, most likely his right hand would be crippled by now!
"I lost!" Lu Kai breathed out and said to Huang Xiaolong. When the words came out, Lu Kai nearly stumbled down from the stage, looking like all of his energy was exhausted and overdrawn.
A commotion swept through the crowd in all directions of the stage.
Prince Lu Kai took the initiative to admit defeat! Voluntarily surrendering!
Someone who had broken through the Seventh Order, possessing a variation Sky Peng martial spirit, who in the end, lost to a peak mid-Sixth Order Huang Xiaolong!
In the Martial Spirit World, the myth a Sixth Order could never win over a Seventh Order was broken by Huang Xiaolong!
Everyone was caught in unbelievable and inconceivable shock.
Whereas up on the honored guest's main platform, each was immersed in their own thoughts.
King Lu Zhe sighed, "I did not expect even Kai'er is not Huang Xiaolong's opponent." Then, he turned to look at Marshal Haotian with a gratified expression, laughed, and said "Even more surprising is this Huang Xiaolong's martial spirit-- it's actually a Primordial Divine Dragon, the Black Dragon. I look forward to his achievement after winning the Academy's First Year competition and his journey to the Duanren Empire for the Imperial City Battle ah!"
What Lu Zhe said was heartfelt words; he was indeed looking forward to Huang Xiaolong's performance in the Imperial City Battle in the Duanren Empire. If he could get into the top ten places, not only is it the Academy's glory, it would also be the Luo Tong Kingdom's glory!
Marshal Haotian also laughed agreeably and said: "This one's wish is the same." Marshal Haotian held the same anticipation because he knew it wouldn't be just the Cosmic Star Academy and the Luo Tong Kingdom's glory, but it would also be the Asura's Gate honor and glory!
And with Huang Xiaolong participating in the Duanren Empire's Imperial City Battle, it would be the starting point of rebuilding the Asura's Gate glory once more.
After that, there was the battle between empires!
A long time later, Sun Zhang finally managed to calm down and he stood up. However, excitement and complicated feelings were still obvious on his face as he looked at Huang Xiaolong on the stage, saying "This battle, Huang Xiaolong wins! The First Year champion is Huang Xiaolong!"
The First Year champion, Huang Xiaolong!
When the crowd heard Sun Zhang announced the result, the Holy Hall broke out in a frenzy.
Li Lu laughed, Fei Hou laughed, and Marshal Haotian also laughed, not excluding the guards from the Marshal Mansion!
The atmosphere in the huge hall boiled up; Zhong Yuan, who was standing amongst the crowd, turned pale white and his eyes were filled with hate and fear as he stared fixedly at Huang Xiaolong on the stage.
Huang Xiaolong won! He got the first place in the First Year competition, then his bet with Huang Xiaolong…?
Zhong Yuan felt only bleak darkness before him.
Hearing Sun Zhang announced the result, Huang Xiaolong secretly breathed out in relief.
After a series of 'difficult' battles, he finally achieved his aim, to become the First Year champion!
Soon after that, the Second Year and Third Year classes also announced their winners, and the overall winner was somebody called Chen Cheng, from the inner court of Cosmic Star Academy; his strength had reached peak late-Tenth Order. Two months later, he would be heading to the Duanren Empire as Cosmic Star Academy's representative for this round of the Imperial City Battle.
The inner court of Cosmic Star Academy consisted of talented students selected from the Third Years and every year, the number of students there was capped at ten people.
After the total results were collected, it was time for King Lu Zhe and Sun Zhang to give out the rewards to Huang Xiaolong and the three other winners.
While giving out the rewards to Huang Xiaolong, it was inevitable that King Lu Zhe and Sun Zhang would speak words of encouragement.
Looking at the rewards in his hands, Huang Xiaolong's heart bounced a little with excitement.
One million gold coins!
One low-grade Earth rank cultivation technique and battle skill!
Most importantly, the high Grade Four Spirit Dan, Xingyao Dan!
With this Xingyao Dan, coupled with the cycad fruits he found in the Silvermoon Forest, his father, Huang Peng, can advance another order! Of course, Huang Xiaolong wouldn't swallow this Xingyao Dan himself; he had intended to give it to his Huang Peng all along.
With the end of the competition, after some days, he could return to the Huang Clan Manor.
After the rewards were given out, the crowd dispersed and walked away.
But, after most of the people had dispersed, Lu Kai came up to Huang Xiaolong and said, "I hope that next year we would have a chance to battle again!"
Next year? Huang Xiaolong nodded.
Next year, both of them would enter the Second Year class.
When the Holy Hall emptied out, Huang Xiaolong brought Fei Hou and the four Marshal Mansion guards and Li Lu out from the Academy back to Tianxuan Mansion.
Once back to Tianxuan Mansion, Li Lu chattered happily while hanging onto Huang Xiaolong's arm about how cool he looked when he defeated Lu Kai, Chen Qiang, and the rest on the battle stage.
Looking at Li Lu chattering happily, he could only go with the flow and let Li Lu tweet away for more than an hour before she was satisfied.
More than an hour later, Li Lu finally left Tianxuan Mansion.
After Li Lu had left, Huang Xiaolong called for Fei Hou and he took out the reward of one million gold coins and tasked Fei Hou with buying the neighboring courtyards around Tianxuan Mansion. The number of slaves had increased, making Tianxuan Mansion feel slightly crowded.
"Buy up the neighboring courtyards?" Looking at the pile of one million gold coins in front of him, he nodded his head, saying "Yes, rest assured Sovereign, this subordinate will go and handle this matter right away!"
As long as there were enough gold coins, he believed the owners would sell their places. Also, Fei Hou heard some of the courtyards close to Tianxuan Mansion belonged to the Generals under Senior Brother Haotian; it shouldn't be too difficult to convince them to sell.
When Fei Hou left, Huang Xiaolong returned to his room and started practicing the Asura Tactics.
According to previous years' rule, the next day after the competition, the winners of each class and year competition were to gather at the Academy square and they would be guided by Principal Sun Zhang and Vice-Principal Xiong Chu to the treasure land, Dragon Flame Valley to cultivate.
When Huang Xiaolong remembered Marshal Haotian's explanation that Dragon Flame Valley could refine the physique and improve the quality of battle qi, he couldn't help but look forward to it.
Since he cultivated the Asura Tactics, his referred to his battle qi that was laced with the netherworld spiritual aura as 'netherworld battle qi'. The quality of the netherworld battle qi can be considered as high amongst others; if he could further enhance it, one doesn't know what extent it can reach?
The darkness of the night gradually dispersed as sunlight streamed out in the morning sky.
Huang Xiaolong withdrew from his practice and came out from his room, feeling good. The tiredness from yesterday's battles vanished completely.
"Sovereign, there's good news!" Just when Huang Xiaolong walked into the main hall, Fei Hou ran in excitedly and spurted out, "Senior Brother got in touch with Master, and he reported about Sovereign to Master. Master is very happy and is rushing over to the Luo Tong Kingdom as fast as he can!"
"You managed to contact your Master!" When Huang Xiaolong heard this, he couldn't help but feel happy.
"That's right, Sovereign!" Fei Hou smiled and affirmed respectfully, "But, Master is still in the Mohe Kingdom, and to rush to here from the Mohe Kingdom will require around ten days or so."
'Ten days," Huang Xiaolong nodded his head softly. He had already waited for two years, another ten days of waiting matter not to him.
Yu Ming would arrive ten days later, and at that time, Huang Xiaolong could get the information about the Asura's Gate headquarters location from him!
However, Huang Xiaolong will be cultivating in Dragon Flame Valley for half a month. He would only come out after half a month's time after entering there. Therefore, when Yu Ming arrived, he would have to trouble him to wait a few days until he comes out from the Dragon Flame Valley.
After a while, Huang Xiaolong came to the Academy's square with Fei Hou; most of the class winners were already waiting there. Huang Xiaolong's presence naturally attracted their attention, causing all the students to look at him.
Maybe Huang Xiaolong didn't recognize these students, but no doubt, they recognized him.
Yesterday, during the Academy competition, Huang Xiaolong's performance was the most dazzling and eye-catching of all; it even curtailed the overall Academy number one, Chen Cheng's limelight.
Top grade twelve martial spirit!
Huang Xiaolong was forever engraved into Duanren Empire's history, not to mention the Luo Tong Kingdom!
In the midst of the student group, stood Lu Kai who lost to Huang Xiaolong and he had a complicated expression on his face as he looked at the young man smaller than him. Lu Kai was one of the fourteen First Year class winners, eligible to enter and practice in the Dragon Flame Valley.
Yesterday, after the competition ended, Principal Sun Zhang and Vice-Principal Xiong Chu gave Zhong Yuan his notice, emphasizing that he doesn't need to come to Cosmic Star Academy anymore. Don't come anymore! Zhong Yuan was expelled, and after being expelled, Zhong Yuan ran to his (Lu Kai's mother) sister and 'cried' for a very long time.
Moments later, Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu appeared on the square.
When the two of them arrived, they glanced around the group of students and their eyes lit up brightly like the stars when they spotted Huang Xiaolong. Their demeanor changed in the blink of an eye; the students actually saw Principal Sun Zhang and Vice-Principal Xiong Chu's mouths bloom into a smile that contained traces of the desire to please Huang Xiaolong, even nodding their heads.
Seeing this scene, the group of students felt envy and jealousy, including the overall Academy champion, Chen Cheng. Even he had never enjoyed such treatment.
And then, Sun Zhang opened his mouth and asked, "Xiaolong, did you sleep well last night?"
Did you sleep well last night? Everyone felt like fainting.
Even Huang Xiaolong was startled at the 'caring' question.
"It was okay." Huang Xiaolong nodded and said.
At this time, Xiong Chu also said to Huang Xiaolong with a grin on his face, "You're still a growing boy, you should eat and sleep well."
Growing boy? Eat and sleep well!
When the students heard this, they become even more speechless looking at Huang Xiaolong; if envy and jealousy could condense into a solid form, it would flow out from their eyes like water.
"Okay, since everyone is gathered, we will now bring all of you into the Dragon Flame Valley." Sun Zhang opened his mouth and said. His expression turned serious continued, "Remember, after going into the Dragon Flame Valley, don't run around arbitrarily!"
Don't run around arbitrarily? Huang Xiaolong's curious heart was stoked-- was there any unknown danger in Dragon Flame Valley?
Then, Huang Xiaolong, Lu Kai, and the rest of the students followed Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu and walked away from the square, heading towards the mountain behind the Academy. The Dragon Flame Valley was located in the Academy's back mountain.
Half an hour later, Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu brought the students to a valley.
In front of the valley, stood a ten meters high boulder; on the top part of the boulder, written in the ancient language, were three words: Dragon Flame Valley!
"I'm going to warn you again, one more time, after we enter the Dragon Flame Valley, no one is allowed to act rampantly!" Standing before the boulder that was the entrance into the valley, Sun Zhang reminded Huang Xiaolong and the rest of the students.
Heads nodded in obedience.
Only after seeing this did Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu guide them into the Dragon Flame Valley.
Not sure if it was a misperception, but the moment he stepped into the Dragon Flame Valley, his twin dragon martial spirits actually moved for a second. It was only for a second, and then they stayed still like nothing happened.
Thus Huang Xiaolong didn't think too much about it, moving forward with the rest of the students.
As they moved deeper into the Dragon Flame Valley, the surrounding temperature grew hotter; towards the end, Huang Xiaolong felt a prickling pain on his skin due to the high heat.
About fifteen minutes or so passed and Sun Zhang, Xiong Chu, Huang Xiaolong and the others came to a stop before a huge mouth to a cave. When they entered, an effusion of extremely hot heat blew against them.
About six to seven meters inside the cave, the two sides of the wall were smooth and flat. Every five meters, a bright stone was inlaid on the left and right side of the cave wall, lighting up the path.
Roughly one hundred meters in, they came before a stone door that was opened by Sun Zhang, revealing a ten square meter stone chamber within. In the middle of the stone chamber, was a five-pointed star array formation and nothing else inside the chamber.
"Zhang Yue, you go in!" Sun Zhang said.
Zhang Yue was the First Year Class One winner.
Following Sun Zhang's instructions, Zhang Yue went in and sat down in the middle of the five-pointed star array formation.
Then, Sun Zhang brought the remaining students deeper inside the cave.
Before every stone doors they came across, either Sun Zhang or Xiong Chu would open the door and one of the students would be instructed to go inside.
Soon, other than Huang Xiaolong, all the First Year winners already entered into a stone chamber. Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu came to a flight of stone stairs and they led the remaining students down to the second level of the cave.
On the lower second level floor, it contained many stone doors just like the floor above and the Second Year class winners were arranged to practice here.
Next, they went another level down where the Third Year class winners entered into their individual stone chambers.
Lastly, the remaining people were the First, Second, Third and overall first place winners. Huang Xiaolong's group of four were arranged into stone chambers at the ground level.
Prior to entering the Dragon Flame Valley, Sun Zhang briefly explained the logistics of the stone chambers to Huang Xiaolong and the students: the closer the stone chamber was to the vein, the higher and stronger the amount and purity of the dragon flame qi one can absorb through the array formation. Thus, cultivating in the lower levels would bring greater effect and furthermore, the four people on the fourth level can stay for half a month or fifteen days, but the students cultivating on the first, second and third level were only allowed five days' time.
This was the biggest advantage of winning the year category competition.
The stone door closed after Huang Xiaolong walked in, and he stepped into the middle of the five-pointed star-like array formation and sat in a lotus position. The array formation glowed brightly as he started to run the Asura Tactics; in the next moment, the twin dragon martial spirits in Huang Xiaolong's body suddenly flew out, floating in the stone chamber and a dragon's roar echoed in the chamber.
"This, what is happening? Huang Xiaolong was flabbergasted.
The twin dragon martial spirits were out of his control, flying out from his body by themselves. This kind of situation was a first for Huang Xiaolong.
At the same time, strong streams of fire qi flooded into the room from the ground below through the array formation, turning into many minuscule fire dragons filling up the stone chamber in the span of a few breaths.
It was as if Huang Xiaolong was sitting in a sea of fire. Then, the twin dragons opened their mouths and devoured these small fire dragons and Huang Xiaolong felt them enter into his body and he started to heat up.
As his martial spirits continued to swallow the endless fire qi, it coursed along Huang Xiaolong's meridians, flesh, bones, and everywhere else in his body and his battle qi surged within his meridians at the same time.
However, what happened next made Huang Xiaolong even more surprised. The twin dragons actually drilled into the ground as if there was something there that attracted them to go beneath the Dragon Flame Valley.
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