"Heading to the Death Domain in search of the Bedeviled Spirit Bead?" Huang Xiaolong repeated in surprise.
The Death Domain was one of three of the Bedlam Lands' forbidden areas, also known as the Death Land. In that area, the death aura and demonic energy were extremely thick, covering entire miles. Putting aside the weaker Houtian realm warriors, even some early Xiantian realm warriors that entered the Death Domain would be bedeviled if they were just a little careless, turning into a half human half devil existence.
"Yes, the Blood Swallow School's Doyen, Jiang Tianhua, practices a battle skill called Devil Tribulation Finger and he needs the Bedeviled Spirit Bead for it." Chen Xiaotian added, "Thus Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang were sent to search for the Bedeviled Spirit Bead in the Death Domain."
Huang Xiaolong nodded.
The Bedeviled Spirit Bead was a type of rare bead formed from nature by gathering death aura and demonic energy, extremely beneficial to those cultivating dark types of battle qi or evil battle skills.
"In your opinion, has Jiang Tianhua advanced to the Eighth Order?" Huang Xiaolong's voice sounded solemn.
Chen Xiaotian contemplated the question and answered in a tone just as solemn, "Although the rumors circling outside claimed Jiang Tianhua to be a peak late-Xiantian Seventh Order, no one could confirm it, for no one has witnessed Jiang Tianhua's strength in the last decade. In this subordinate's estimation, it is very likely that Jiang Tianhua has already broken through to Xiantian Eighth Order."
"Xiantian Eighth Order." Huang Xiaolong repeated with a frown on his forehead.
He could easily suppress a peak late-Xiantian Seventh Order Chen Xiaotian after soul transforming with his twin dragon martial spirits, but Huang Xiaolong didn't have full confidence to be able to defeat a Xiantian Eighth Order warrior.
For high-level Xiantian warriors, the strength gap became more significant in every small stage they advanced. Although there was seemingly a small gap between Chen Xiaotian's peak late-Seventh Order strength and Jiang Tianhua's Eighth Order, strength wise, two, perhaps even three of Chen Xiaotian could not compete with a single powerful Xiantian Eighth Order warrior. Even amongst early Xiantian Eighth Orders, there was a distinction between strong and weak ones.
As the herald behind the Blood Swallow School, Jiang Tianhua's strength definitely ranked in the top few among Xiantian Eighth Order warriors.
Then, there was but one way: he had to break through to Xiantian Seventh Order as soon as possible. Huang Xiaolong weighed the chances, musing to himself. After breaking into Xiantian Seventh Order, Huang Xiaolong had full confidence to defeat Jiang Tianhua.
"When are Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang setting off to the Death Domain?" Huang Xiaolong looked inquiringly over at Chen Xiaotian.
"It should be within these two days." Chen Xiaotian answered.
"Good, continue to watch their movements and report to me once they left Black Demon City." Huang Xiaolong instructed. "Mn, you can withdraw now."
"Yes Young Lord!" Chen Xiaotian made a respectful salute, turned around, and left.
After Chen Xiaotian's silhouette disappeared, Huang Xiaolong once again entered the Xumi Temple, swallowed a drop of Geocentric Buddha Elixir and cultivated. It was imperative for him to break through to Xiantian Seventh Order if he wanted to ensure his success in defeating Jiang Tianhua in one fell swoop.
Once he entered the high-level Xiantian order, his strength would rise drastically. With Huang Xiaolong's twin dragon martial spirits, the Godly Xumi Art, and Asura Sword Skill, in the Bedlam Lands, he was an expert strong enough to rule in one direction.
The night passed quietly.
Huang Xiaolong stopped practicing the Godly Xumi Art, moving on to the Asura Tactics and the Body Metamorphose Scripture.
Ever since he refined the Godly Mt. Xumi, he had been taking a drop of Geocentric Buddha Elixir every day, improving his flesh and muscles. On the surface, Huang Xiaolong seemed the same, for no one could see the earth-shaking changes taking place inside his body, other than Huang Xiaolong himself.
His meridians were covered with a layer of tenacious golden film-like glow, spreading over and wrapping around his internal organs. If, before this, his internal organs were likened to hard granite, then his current improvement would shame the core of the hardest steel.
It could be said that Huang Xiaolong's physical defense was more shocking than an early-Xiantian Eighth Order's physique. Even if Huang Xiaolong just stood there and allowed Chen Xiaotian to land punches on him without countering, he would not suffer any real damage.
"Still, I need to find a way for Godly Mt. Xumi to produce a new supply of Geocentric Buddha Elixir." Looking at the ever diminishing cloudy white liquid in the tiny pond, Huang Xiaolong muttered to himself.
Before leaving Duanren Empire, he gave some Geocentric Buddha Elixir to his family. On top of the amount he used for his own cultivation, there wasn't much left, at most, it would only be enough to support him for no more than a year. Meaning to say, if Huang Xiaolong could not find a way that would allow the Godly Mt. Xumi to produce Geocentric Buddha Elixir within the next two years, his supply of Geocentric Buddha Elixir would all be gone.
A while later, Huang Xiaolong concentrated. Now, the crucial task was taking over Black Demon City. With the Black Demon City in his grasp, he could be considered as having established himself in the Bedlam Lands. After that, he would focus on finding a method for the Godly Mt. Xumi to generate more Geocentric Buddha Elixir.
At this moment, the Asura Ring on Huang Xiaolong's finger sparkled as he took out the Asura Sword Skill illustrations. He had mastered the sixth move: Eye of Reincarnation, thus it was about time he started training the seventh move. Huang Xiaolong studied the illustrations.
"Death God's Chain." Huang Xiaolong said the name out loud.
Death God's Chainㅡthat was the name of the Asura Sword Skill's Seventh move.
Huang Xiaolong continued to study the illustration, committing the flow of battle qi and the attack movements to his memory. Some time later, after he memorized them, Huang Xiaolong closed his eyes and recalled the details using mind visualization, repeating the moves many times over in his mind.
It was several hours later when Huang Xiaolong finally opened his eyes. His body moved, the Blades of Asura were already in his hands as he leaped up, swinging the blades in his hands to the front. Countless blade lights shot forward in rapid rotations, like a poisonous snake, like an electric drill, akin to angry dragons as they transformed into a pair of links of a crimson chain that struck out. The surrounding void where the chains shot past looked as if it was perforated through and through.
After the first attempt, Huang Xiaolong closed his eyes once again, remembering the feeling he had when he displayed the Death God's Chain.
Half an hour later, the blades in Huang Xiaolong's hands swung out a second time, creating a hail of spinning blade lights that turned into four links of a crimson chain, whipping out in the four directions.
When the attack subsided, Huang Xiaolong closed his eyes. Then, it was another attempt in after half an hour's time. One day passed quickly in this manner.
At the end of the day, Huang Xiaolong could already form twenty links of the chains when displaying the Death God's Chain. When attacking, the chains of blade light spun, being able to launch an attack from any direction and angle at any moment. According to the description written beneath the illustrations, once one reached the major completion stage, an attack from the Death God's Chain could cover a piece of heaven and earth, measuring tens of thousands li, in a dense forest of crimson chains that would slice and penetrate through everything in their path. The most terrifying element of the Death God's Chain was its ability to control the space within its area, locking everything in place.
When the night came, Huang Xiaolong stopped his training.
At this time, Chen Xiaotian came in to report that the two Elders of Blood Swallow Sect, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang, had left Black Demon City for their Death Domain mission.
Huang Xiaolong nodded. Finally, the two of them left the Black Demon City area. Thus, Huang Xiaolong, together with Chen Xiaotian acting as a guide, headed out from the Sky Magi Sect headquarters to 'pay a visit' to Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang.
Ten thousand li outside of Black Demon City, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang were passing through a chain of barren mountain ridges.
"Our the task in going to the Death Domain this time must absolutely succeed; we will definitely find a Bedeviled Spirit Bead for the Doyen. With it, our Doyen's Undying Devil Physique and Devil Tribulation Finger will finally reach major completion. Hmph, when that time comes, even the Nine Fiend Sect's Sovereign wouldn't be our Doyen's opponent. The day when our Blood Swallow School rules Black Demon City is close!" Li Yunhua laughed.
Hearing this, Liu Liyang laughed agreeably, "You're right! The first one we're gonna swallow up will be the Sky Magi Sect. If that Chen Xiaotian doesn't know what's good for him, he can only join the reincarnation line!"
"Later on, when our Doyen achieves major completion in his Undying Devil Physique and Devil Tribulation Finger, killing Chen Xiaotian will take nothing more than a flick of a finger." Li Yunhua laughed blatantly.
The moment Li Yunhua's laughter rang out, a cold snort sounded from the void. It came too abruptly, startling the two Blood Swallow School Elders. Alerted, both turned, backs facing each other as they scanned the surroundings warily, barking: "Who is it?! Roll out here!"
Before the vigilant eyes of Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang, two silhouettes emerged from the void, Huang Xiaolong and Chen Xiaotian, revealing themselves to Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang.
"Chen Xiaotian!" Both Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang were so shocked seeing one of the two people was Chen Xiaotian that they exclaimed aloud.
Even though both of them ridiculed how useless and vulnerable Chen Xiaotian would be in front of their Doyen, deep down they understood that regardless of their opinions, Chen Xiaotian was a peak late-Xiantian Seventh Order expert, one of the hegemons of Black Demon City.
Whereas the two of them were only late-Xiantian Sixth Order.
Almost immediately, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang's keen eyes noticed that Chen Xiaotian was actually walking half a step behind a black-haired young man, humble in demeanor, his body slightly lowered at the waist. Their sight hastily shifted onto Huang Xiaolong in astonishment.
Huang Xiaolong looked at them with cold nonchalance, "Kill Chen Xiaotian? Swallow the Sky Magi Sect?" Without waiting for a reply, Huang Xiaolong looked over to Chen Xiaotian, "I'll leave them to you, as long as they still have one breath hanging at the end."
Chen Xiaotian's eyes lit up hearing that and thanked Huang Xiaolong respectfully, "Thank you, Young Lord!" Earlier, when he heard them saying that if the Blood Swallow Sect's Doyen, Jiang Tianhua, wanted to kill him it would only take the effort of wriggling a finger, Chen Xiaotian had been suppressing the anger boiling in his veins. Because there was no order to act from Huang Xiaolong, he dared not charge ahead on his own. Now, with Huang Xiaolong's order, Chen Xiaotian shot forward with great élan, launching attacks on Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang at the same time.
"Young Lord?!" Catching the crucial term Chen Xiaotian used to address the black-haired young man standing in front of them, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang couldn't believe their ears. Before they could figure out what was happening, Chen Xiaotian's attack already reached in front of them.
Jarred back to their senses, both men raised their arms in defense. However, relying on their late-Xiantian Sixth Order strength, they were no match for Chen Xiaotian at all. In the first wave of attack, Chen Xiaotian already displayed his Windfist Flowing Fire Palm. A palm and fist combination, instantly suppressing Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang until they were unable to put up the slightest resistance, crashing down to the ground. Wind force blasted gravel and rock debris everywhere.
"Chen Xiaotian, stop!" Spitting out blood from his mouth, Li Yunhua hollered anxiously. Liu Liyang was angry and just as shocked as Li Yunhua.
Chen Xiaotian's feet landed gently on the ground. A contemptuous snicker sounded from his throat as he struck out another Windfist Flowing Fire Palm onto the two men's chest. Throughout the battle, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang were given no chance to summon their martial spirits out to soul transform. Screams reverberated in the air as bodies tumbled harshly on the jagged ground, sending rocks and dust flying everywhere. At the end, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang slammed heavily against two large boulders and slid down.
Huang Xiaolong's order stated that it was fine as long as they still had a breath in them, therefore, Chen Xiaotian did not hold back. Every attack was ruthless, venting fierce rage, pounding it into the two punching bags. Chen Xiaotian did not stop there, he sent them up to the air once again and continued to assault Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang in a torrent of fists and palms.
Ten minutes later, Li Yuhua and Liu Liyang sprawled half dead on the ground, turning into a pair of unrecognizable bloodied pulps, unable to even move their little fingers. Although Chen Xiaotian's attacks were ruthless, they were well-measured, guaranteeing that Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang would not die accidentally.
"Good, it's enough." Huang Xiaolong who had been watching at the side the entire time finally spoke.
Only after hearing Huang Xiaolong's order did Chen Xiaotian stop attacking, retreating respectfully behind Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong slowly strode towards the two bloodied men, peering down at their blood-stained swollen faces, he said, "I know you're very curious about my identity, you will know very soon. Let me tell you frankly, the Sky Magi Sect is already under my control now; Chen Xiaotian, Geng Ken, and all the Sky Magi Sect Elders have all submitted to me."
The two heavily injured and weakened Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang that couldn't even lift a pinky, suddenly snapped their eyes wide open, staring at Huang Xiaolong, as great waves of shock hit their hearts.
What?!
This black-haired young man had full control over the Sky Magi Sect?! Chen Xiaotian, Geng Ken, and all Sky Magi Sect Elders had all submitted to him?!
Their minds buzzed.
A brief moment later, two pairs of eyes fell on Chen Xiaotian's body. It was hard to believe, yet judging from Chen Xiaotian's earlier behavior in front of Huang Xiaolong, that respectful demeanor that was no different than a slave, Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang knew that Huang Xiaolong was speaking the truth.
However, how did this black-haired young man make Chen Xiaotian, Geng Ken, and the Sky Magi Sect's Elders submit to him? Why didn't the Blood Swallow School or Nine Fiend Sect receive any wind of something so big!?
"I'm giving you two a choice. One, like Chen Xiaotian, Geng Ken, and the others, submit to me, or two, death." Huang Xiaolong added.
Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang's expressions tightened.
"You're dreaming if you want us to submit!" Li Yunhua glared ferociously: "Impossible! Kid, kill us if you want, our Blood Swallow School will never let you go. Not only you, our Blood Swallow School will destroy the entire Sky Magi Sect!"
Huang Xiaolong's face sank. He shook his head, there'll always be some people that weren't aware of the direction in which the wind blows, then…! A hint of coldness shone in Huang Xiaolong's pupils, a finger pointed out as he raised his hand. Dark gray fog rolled out like rumbling storm clouds, strange dark creatures issued wails from its depth that pierced at the soul. A terrifying force burst out from the thick dark gray fog, enveloping Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang.
The Absolute Soul Pearl's heritage skill, the Absolute Soul Finger!
The appearance of the gray fog and the strange cries petrified Li Yunhua. Just as he was about to beg for mercy, the Absolute Soul finger imprint already pierced through the middle of his brows. Liu Liyang saw everything clearly from the side; the finger imprint pierced through his comrade's eyebrows and out from the back of his head. Blood and brain matter splattered out.
Li Yunhua stiffened, mouth agape as he tumbled sideways to the ground.
Liu Liyang's heart shivered staring at Li Yunhua's body and then at Huang Xiaolong again. He didn't expect Huang Xiaolong to be so decisive and ruthless, giving no second chances.
As these thoughts crossed Liu Liyang's mind, Huang Xiaolong slowly turned to him with piercing eyes, like a pair of swords. At this precise moment, a great shadow loomed over Liu Liyang's heart, body, and soul.
"I can give you time to reconsider. Think well before deciding, don't learn from him, opening his mouth recklessly." Huang Xiaolong then added: "But there's only one chance, live or die."
Liu Liyang's expression turned ugly beneath the blood stains.
Huang Xiaolong instructed Chen Xiaotian, "Deal with his corpse." Of course, Li Yunhua's corpse couldn't be left anywhere, all traces of evidence had to be erased.
"Yes, Young Lord!" Chen Xiaotian answered. A great suction force came from his palm and Li Yunhua's lifeless body flew up into the air. Then, Chen Xiaotian's fire battle qi burned brightly as he struck a Flowingcloud Fire Palm on Li Yunhua's corpse, incinerating it to gray ashes that scattered on the ground in just moment. Barely any time passed for the dust and sand blown by the wind to cover all traces.
Liu Liyang's expression turned from bad to worse, watching with his own eyes as Chen Xiaotian destroyed the evidence and the remains of Li Yunhua.
"I, am willing to… submit!" As the last traces of Li Yunhua's gray ashes disappeared, Liu Liyang made his decision.
Huang Xiaolong nodded, ordering Liu Liyang to release his soul sea for him to brand his soul sea with a soul mark.
Hearing Huang Xiaolong talk about branding his soul sea, another surge of tidal waves crashed at Liu Liyang's heart, but he had no other options. In the end, he obediently did as he was told, releasing his soul sea, allowing Huang Xiaolong to place his soul mark.
When all was done, Huang Xiaolong secretly breathed in relief, Liu Liyang's submission signaled the first step of incorporating Blood Swallow School and Sky Magi Sect.
Because Li Yunhua and Liu Liyang left Black Demon City on a task to look for the Bedeviled Spirit Bead in the Death Domain, their actions were safe. The Blood Swallow School's Doyen, Jiang Tianhua, wouldn't be suspicious for at least three to four months.
And within these three to four months, Huang Xiaolong had to make his way inside the Blood Swallow School before Jiang Tianhua became suspicious.
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