Watching the man effortlessly injure the Savage Green Bull Python with a single punch, the more powerful experts were amazed. This included one of the strongest; King of the Yuwai Kingdom – Fan Zhe.
"It's the Imperial Second Prince!"
"His Imperial Highness Second Prince, Duan Wuhen!"
Among the first individuals to shout in amazement were the Yuwai Kingdom's ministers and the envoys from the neighboring kingdoms.
"Duan Wuhen!" Huang Xiaolong looked at the stalwart figure on the lake surface. This is the Xiantian Ninth Order warrior, Duan Wuhen? His appearance was of a man in his thirties, with chiseled, sharp features that looked as if they had been carved out with a knife, giving off a cold and invisible pressure to those around him. Duan Wuhen did not exude any aura intentionally, but Huang Xiaolong who was standing one thousand meters away, still felt the pressure coming from Duan Wuhen. This pressure was accompanied by a kind of momentum that could pierce a hole in the sky.
The feeling Duan Wuhen gave off as he stood there was akin to a terrifying, magnificent treasure sword that would unsheathe from its scabbard at any moment.
Before the shocked eyes of everyone present, Duan Wuhen stood in the air with his hands at his back as he looked at the Savage Green Bull Python in the lake below: "Evil beast, I'm giving you two choices: one, become my spirit pet mount or two, die by my hand!"
The Savage Green Bull Python's enormous head emerged from the waters, its eyes glowering furiously at Duan Wuhen as it spoke in the human language, "Wanting me to be your pet mount? Damn humans… stop dreaming!" Its entire body left the water and floated up into the air above the Enlightenment Lake.
The two claws beneath the Savage Green Bull Python's belly were the size of small hills. One could imagine how massive the rest of its body was.
When it was floating above the Enlightenment Lake, the waters of the lake inexplicably whirled up like a tornado, winding around the Savage Green Bull Python's body. Huang Xiaolong noticed that ever since the water from the lake flew up, wrapping around the Savage Green Bull Python, it was actually absorbed by the Savage Green Bull Python. As more and more water was absorbed into its body, a layer of thick water armor emerged on top of its skin.
At the same time, the wound on its belly caused by Duan Wuhen healed rapidly right in front of everyone's eyes.
Even when he saw the Savage Green Bull Python's injury healing, Duan Wuhen portrayed a nonchalant attitude.
"Toppling Mountain, Flipping Seas!"
The moment the injury on its lower belly healed, the Savage Green Bull Python let out a thunderous roar! The Enlightenment Lake's water jetted to the sky and turned into gigantic waves, crashing into Duan Wuhen.
When these huge waves were directed at Duan Wuhen, it actually condensed into rows and rows of sharp, pointed teeth like the tip of a sword.
When these cold, sharp sword tip waves were mere inches from Duan Wuhen, he suddenly raised his hand and gently pointed forward. Just like that, with one gentle point, all the spiky waves that seemed unblockable bursted into drops of water, splashing down to the lake below.
The Savage Green Bull Python was surprised and shocked seeing his mighty attack broken in such a fragile manner under Duan Wuhen's finger. Its huge mass of a body lunged out, both claws swooping down on Duan Wuhen. The force exuded from the pair of terrifying claws squeezed the huge rocks and boulders around the lake, causing them to explode into pieces from the pressure.
Duan Wuhen looked up, watching the Savage Green Bull Python's claws whistling over as they pierced through the air. He clenched his hands into fists and struck out with an attack of his own.
Boom! Air blasted forth due to the force created by that fist strike.
The Savage Green Bull Python's enormous body was sent flying, crashing into a mountain some distance away. The mountain shook and stones crumbled, and gravel rolled down below like a landslide.
Duan Wuhen flashed and appeared beside the Savage Green Bull Python almost instantly. Shaping his palm like a knife, his hand slashed out.
A tragic scream escaped the Savage Green Bull Python's throat as it let out a final, dying breath. A pillar of blood spurted out vigorously, reaching more than three hundred meters high, dyeing the entire Enlightenment Lake and mountain peak in the area. As its body smashed into the lake, water splashed, setting off enormous waves.
The surrounding area was in absolute silence.
Watching the ease with which Duan Wuhen had killed the Savage Green Bull Python, their hearts were greatly shaken.
That was a true Xiantian level spirit beast. A Xiantian level spirit beast actually died in front of them in such a trivial manner!
A Xiantian level spirit beast was synonymous with disaster and terror in their eyes. At least, that was the impression they had been given.
After killing the Savage Green Bull Python, a suction force sprung from Duan Wuhen's hand and a glistening beast core was seen falling into his palm. The demonic qi from Xiantian level spirit beasts is a precious treasure for cultivators. Not only could it be refined into a pill to enhance one's cultivation, there were many other purposes for it too.
Putting the spirit beast core into his spatial ring, Duan Wuhen's silhouette dove into the water with a flash, splitting the waters of the Enlightenment Lake, disappearing from view in the bottom of the lake.
When Duan Wuhen disappeared, the top of the lake returned to its mirror-like calm surface.
The surrounding experts were immersed in their own schemes and desires.
Yet, even after a long time had passed since Duan Wuhen entered the lake, no one dared to be the first one to make their move.
Duan Wuhen's domineering manner of butchering the Savage Green Bull Python created a great deterrence factor; following behind Duan Wuhen's ass to grab treasure with him, isn't that simply suicidal?
Although a great treasure was very tempting, their little lives were more important.
Still, there were those who could not stand the allure of a great treasure. Someone finally took the lead and flew down into the Enlightenment Lake. Once one went, a second, third… all the way to a tenth followed!
The experts started to organize themselves into groups and entered the lake together.
"Sovereign, do we?" Seeing that so many people had made their moves, Fei Hou asked Huang Xiaolong for his opinion.
Huang Xiaolong replied with a solemn voice: "Okay, we're going down!" After he finished saying that, both he and Fei Hou flew over and dove into the lake.
The first thing they noticed was the icy coldness of the water.
Huang Xiaolong was a little puzzled– this Enlightenment Lake's water is so cold, like ice!
Coincidentally, they were in the summer season at the moment, but the Enlightenment Lake's water was as freezing as the dead of winter.
Approaching the bottom, Huang Xiaolong realized the lake was bigger than he had imagined. It was closer in size to an ocean than a lake, and it seemed to stretch in all directions endlessly without signs of the shore.
Huang Xiaolong was not a Xiantian expert, but by relying on his internal force and battle qi, he could stay three to four hours underwater with no problems.
After traveling along the lake bottom for some time, Huang Xiaolong said to Fei Hou: "We'll split up and search. If something happens, return to Fei Mansion and wait for me there."
"This…" Fei Hou hesitated.
"You don't have to worry about my safety." Huang Xiaolong was aware of Fei Hou's concerns so he continued to persuade him: "It's decided; I'll return to Fei Mansion within three days' time if nothing out of the ordinary happens."
"Yes, Sovereign!" Seeing Huang Xiaolong's insistence, Fei Hou dared not say anything more. Acknowledging Huang Xiaolong respectfully, he turned around and left in another direction.
After separating with Fei Hou, Huang Xiaolong continued eastbound.
When he was outside on the mountain peak, he could see the dazzling light of a Heavenly Treasure appearing, but when inside the lake there was no light whatsoever.
Half an hour later.
Huang Xiaolong was moving forward when a group of people suddenly appeared, blocking his path.
People from the Big Sword Sect!
Huang Xiaolong's eyes narrowed dangerously and he abruptly stopped.
At this time, the people from the Big Sword Sect also noticed Huang Xiaolong's presence.
Glaring at Huang Xiaolong, the cruel light in Lin Zhiren's eyes gleamed brightly as he released a vile laughter, "Really, when you're not looking, it comes right at you. Disciples of the Big Sword Sect, hear my command. Whoever kills this punk will be awarded a first tier task reward!"
First tier task reward!
"Yes, Sect Leader!"
Big Sword Sect Elders and disciples cheered, waded through the waters, and started attacking Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong's expression darkened. A black light burst out from his silhouette and as the Wings of Demon on his back flapped once, Huang Xiaolong streaked one hundred meters away in an instant.
"Don't let this punk escape!" Lin Zhiren bellowed angrily. He flashed with extreme speed, rapidly closing the distance between them.
Although Huang Xiaolong transformed using the Asura Physique, activating the Wings of Demon and Phantom Shadow ability to move at a speed on par with a mid-Tenth Order warrior, he couldn't easily escape his pursuer. Lin Zhiren was a peak late-Tenth Order warrior with half a step into the Xiantian realm. He caught up to Huang Xiaolong in no time.
Advancing to within ten meters of Huang Xiaolong, killing intent erupted in Lin Zhiren's eyes and he quickly slashed out with his long sword.
"Go die!"
The light from the long sword mutated into a roaring flood dragon and attacked Huang Xiaolong's back.
Just as that sword attack was about to tear into Huang Xiaolong's back, Huang Xiaolong's silhouette disappeared from Lin Zhiren's view in an unforeseen manner.
The sword missed its target, hitting the reefs several hundred meters away. Pieces of coral shattered and were washed away by the current.
"He disappeared? How could he disappear?!" After a moment of shock, Lin Zhiren screamed in a rage. The sound waves rippled underwater violently, and Lin Zhiren scanned the surrounding area with bloodshot eyes, appearing similar to that of an injured beast.
At this time, the Elders of the Big Sword Sect caught up to Lin Zhiren.
"Sect Leader, that brat is over there!" Suddenly, one of the Elders yelled, pointing a finger in a direction towards their front.
Lin Zhiren quickly looked over and noticed Huang Xiaolong's figure one thousand meters away.
"Doggy Huang, let me see where you can run to!" Lin Zhiren howled as he tore through the water, once again in pursuit of Huang Xiaolong. The Elders and disciples of Big Sword Sect followed without delay, participating in the hunt.
In less than a minute, Lin Zhiren had traversed more than half the distance, but when he launched another attack, Huang Xiaolong's silhouette eerily disappeared a second time, appearing another thousand meters away from the previous spot.
The same sequence repeated more than a dozen times. Every time Lin Zhiren caught up to Huang Xiaolong and attacked, Huang Xiaolong disappeared mysteriously. Lin Zhiren nearly turned mad with exasperation, and his fury seemed to radiate outward endlessly underwater.
The Big Sword Sect Elders and disciples following the chase were even more annoyed and irritated.
An hour later during the long chase, many of the disciples were panting out of breath.
In the water, the consumption of battle qi was larger than on land.
Huang Xiaolong was concealed within a separate space, observing the Big Sword Sect disciples the entire time. Following that, with the Blades of Asura in hand, he instantly slit the throat of a Big Sword Sect disciple.
This Big Sword Sect disciple was merely at early Ninth Order. It never crossed his mind that Huang Xiaolong could be hiding next to him and would attack him suddenly. After a brief moment of negligence, his throat was slit.
Fresh blood seeped out, dyeing the waters around him a crimson color.
"Ninth Junior Brother!" Some of the Big Sword Sect disciples exclaimed in shock.
They were furious but their reaction was too late. Huang Xiaolong was already one thousand meters away.
Each time they stopped to catch their breath, Huang Xiaolong would launch an attack with the Blades of Asura.
As another half hour passed, six Big Sword Sect disciples met their deaths under Huang Xiaolong's blades.
Watching these Big Sword Sect disciples die one after another by Huang Xiaolong's hands, Lin Zhiren was jumping in anger as he roared like a vengeful lion. A manic light shone in his gaze. He wished to chop Huang Xiaolong into mincemeat!
These six were core disciples, important individuals of the Big Sword Sect whom the sect raised with great effort and resources. But now six of them were dead!
Lin Zhiren's heart was bleeding while thinking of the loss.
Another two hours passed.
Huang Xiaolong sat cross-legged in a cave hidden among reefs at the bottom of the Enlightenment Lake, triggering his Instant Recovery ability. Within seconds, all his depleted battle qi was completely restored.
He had successfully killed eight Big Sword Sect disciples and escaped Lin Zhiren's dogged pursuit.
Fortunately, that old fellow Yu Chen was not in that group. If he was, Huang Xiaolong would have met a miserable end. Before a Xiantian Second Order, even if he could conceal himself within a pocket space, he wouldn't be able to flee or hide from Yu Chen.
However, if this goes on, I will have no choice but to return to land in an hour or so! Huang Xiaolong was muttered to himself. From the time they entered the lake, more than two hours had passed. In another hour or so, Huang Xiaolong would need to return to the surface for air.
"I wonder how Fei Hou is faring."
In the past two hours, ignoring the Heavenly Treasure itself, not even a fart could be found. What irritated Huang Xiaolong the most was the lack of response from the Linglong Treasure Pagoda.
"Could it be that the Heavenly Treasure was already subdued by someone else?" Huang Xiaolong's brows creased into a furrow.
It was said that Heavenly Treasures placed in the top ten rankings could only be subdued by people who had a grade thirteen martial spirit and above. Perhaps…? A name appeared in Huang Xiaolong's mind – Duan Wuhen!
Only Duan Wuhen had the highest probability of possessing a martial spirit at grade thirteen and above.
Thinking of the possibility, Huang Xiaolong's heart sank.
If it was as he surmised, his plan of breaking through the Xiantian realm within three years' time would be forfeit. Thinking one step further, if Duan Wuhen really got his hands on the Enlightenment Lake Heavenly Treasure, he could enter the Duanren Institute after returning to Duanren Empire, then search for and subdue the fourth-ranked Absolute Soul Pearl. After refining it, that would be yet another Heavenly Treasure in his grasp!
If things happened as Huang Xiaolong speculated, it would be troublesome for him.
However, as he was thinking of the sequence of events, the Linglong Treasure Pagoda inside Huang Xiaolong's body shook once...
"En, this is?!" Huang Xiaolong almost jumped with joy. He quickly stood up and hurried in the direction he just sensed.
A short while later, Huang Xiaolong stopped at a certain spot. According to what he sensed earlier, it should be right around there.
Huang Xiaolong looked around carefully at the surroundings. In the end, his eyes fell upon a mountain not far away. He moved closer and then halted before the mountain wall.
The mountain was roughly twenty meters wide, and there were carvings etched into the wall's surface. Huang Xiaolong studied them one by one and was surprised to find that these carvings depicted scenes of an ancient war. In that war, the participants had strange physical characteristics, and there were even races with two, four, and even six wings fighting and killing.
Giving the carvings on the wall a once over, Huang Xiaolong's attention finally focused on a brilliant golden circle carved above the battle scenes.
No matter how he examined it, this roundish circle looked a bit strange and conspicuous to Huang Xiaolong.
When Huang Xiaolong's gaze fell onto the brilliant golden circle, the initially quiet carving of the circle that was etched into the mountain wall suddenly shook in all directions, and a terrifying fluctuation flooded out from it.
This type of unique fluctuation was vaguely similar to the Linglong Treasure Pagoda yet subtly different at the same time, and it was definitely more powerful and even more terrifying than the atmosphere coming from the Linglong Treasure Pagoda.
The Linglong Treasure Pagoda in Huang Xiaolong's body shook violently, and just like the last time, Huang Xiaolong's twin dragon martial spirits flew out without being called and pounced onto the golden circle.
The moment Huang Xiaolong's black and blue twin dragons flew towards the golden circle ring, all the experts in the Enlightenment Lake vicinity could see the brilliant light piercing from the lake below.
Some dozens of li away, joy emerged on Duan Wuhen's strict when face seeing the resplendent pillars of light. He flashed, speeding in Huang Xiaolong's direction at breakneck speed, leaving only blurred afterimages of himself as he tore through space.
Other than Duan Wuhen, Big Sword Sect's Yu Chen, the Martial Ning Family's Ning Wang, and the Xiantian experts of the Yuwai Kingdom… all of these experts were rushing towards Huang Xiaolong's direction.
Detecting the strong aura descending on him from all directions, Huang Xiaolong had an ugly expression on his face, pushing his battle qi to the max. The black and blue dragons entwined around the golden circle ring wanting to return to Huang Xiaolong's body, but the golden ring suddenly vibrated with a hum, releasing a mysterious energy that repelled the twin dragons.
At this point, Duan Wuhen was less than ten li away.
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