Almost immediately after returning to Tianxuan Mansion from the Guo Mansion, Huang Xiaolong activated the God Binding Ring and entered the ancient battlefield to cultivate.
For the time being, Huang Xiaolong concentrated on practicing his Asura Tactics instead of his battle skills, such as the Asura Sword Skills, Asura Demon Claw, Golden Linglong Body, and God Binding Palm, among others.
For Huang Xiaolong, strengthening his battle qi and breaking into the Xiantian realm was the only goal at the moment.
These battle skills were supplementary!
Moreover, his battle skills' power would not enhance much in one year's time.
As long as he was successful in breaking through to the Xiantian realm with his battle qi, his strength would increase by leaps and bounds.
Other than Asura Tactics, Huang Xiaolong allocated two hours every day to spar with Fei Hou, and if not with Fei Hou then alternatively with Marshal Haotian.
While sparring with these two mighty Xiantian experts, Huang Xiaolong's control and understanding in battle qi deepened.
Another nine days passed.
On this particular morning, Fei Hou and Haotian were beaming as they walked into Huang Xiaolong's yard, reporting: "Sovereign, Master gave word that he and Zhao Shu will arrive in one hour's time!"
"Oh, one more hour!" Huang Xiaolong was happy hearing this and drew in a deep breath, "Let's go to the Royal City gates!"
Huang Xiaolong might be the Asura's Gate Sovereign, but Zhao Shu was a Saint realm expert. With Zhao Shu arriving, it was common sense to Huang Xiaolong that he should go receive him at the city gates.
"Yes, Sovereign!" Fei Hou and Haotian answered. Neither one felt it was weird that Huang Xiaolong wanted to go and receive Zhao Shu at the city gates.
Even someone as exalted as the Duanren Emperor must show courtesy when meeting a Saint realm expert, moreover, Zhao Shu wasn't some ordinary early Saint realm expert.
Therefore, Huang Xiaolong stepped out of Tianxuan Mansion together with Fei Hou and Haotian and headed towards the city gates, waiting for Yu Ming and Zhao Shu's arrival.
Thinking they would soon be able to meet a Saint realm expert, both Fei Hou and Haotian were excited and their palms began to sweat from nervousness. As a Xiantian realm expert, both enjoyed immense respect and high-class treatment in the kingdom, especially Haotian, but before a Saint realm expert, crudely speaking, they were nothing. If this was the past, they wouldn't even have the qualifications to meet a Saint realm expert.
Not long after the three of them arrived at the city gates, two silhouettes appeared from the mountainous path in the distance.
Watching as these two silhouettes grew closer, three pairs of eyes lit up when they noticed Yu Ming!
Yu Ming was seen riding slightly behind a burly, robust man that appeared to be somewhere around his fifties. Both of them were riding on beast mounts that looked similar to a rhinoceros, but the difference was that these beast mounts had no tails. Instead, there was a sphere with a lustrous glow that resembled flames.
The distance between them and the city gates was still quite far, yet Huang Xiaolong, Fei Hou, and Haotian already felt the terrifying pressure emanating from that middle-aged man.
Huang Xiaolong knew this middle-aged man had to be the Asura's Gate Left Custodian, Zhao Shu!
The beast mounts Yu Ming and Zhao Shu were riding moved seemingly slow, but in fact were extremely fast. In just a few breaths, Yu Ming and Zhao Shu were within a several hundred meter range of Huang Xiaolong's position.
Upon closer inspection, Huang Xiaolong noticed that Zhao Shu's eyes were round and large, akin to an Iron Eagle's: sharp, cold, and unfathomable.
While Huang Xiaolong was observing Zhao Shu, Zhao Shu was doing the same to Huang Xiaolong. From the details of Yu Ming's report to him, he already guessed this tall youth of no more than twenty should be Old Sovereign's personal disciple, the one with the Asura Ring−Huang Xiaolong.
The three people waiting walked up to the approaching two.
Yu Ming and Zhao Shu dismounted from their beasts.
"Asura's Gate Elder, Yu Ming greets Sovereign!" Yu Ming said respectfully as he dropped before Huang Xiaolong, saluting on bended knee and in proper form.
On the other hand, Zhao Shu approached and bowed respectfully, and said to Huang Xiaolong "Asura's Gate Left Custodian Zhao Shu, greets Sovereign!"
In Asura's Gate, Saint realm experts only needed to bow in greeting to the Sovereign.
"Left Custodian Zhao Shu, Elder Yu Ming, please rise!" Huang Xiaolong swiftly moved forward to excuse them from such salutes.
At this time, Fei Hou and Haotian also came forward speedily, saying their greetings with great respect to Zhao Shu, "Asura's Gate disciple Fei Hou (Haotian) greets Left Custodian Zhao Shu!"
Zhao Shu nodded and let them rise.
Then, Fei Hou and Haotian turned towards their Master, bowing respectfully: "Master!"
Yu Ming nodded.
Without much of an exchange of words, everyone turned and headed in Tianxuan Mansion's direction.
On the way, Zhao Shu said to Yu Ming, "These two disciples of yours are not bad." Zhao Shu could easily see that both Fei Hou and Haotian's physiques and other aspects were much stronger than other warriors at the same level.
Yu Ming quickly replied respectfully, "Left Custodian Zhao Shu praises them too highly!"
The truth was, even Yu Ming himself was startled at the changes he saw in Fei Hou and Haotian.
However, after hearing Zhao Shu's words of praise, Fei Hou and Haotian were actually apprehensive rather than overjoyed.
At this point, Haotian admitted honestly, "Left Custodian, the truth is, we could achieve this level of cultivation all thanks to Sovereign's generosity."
"Oh?" This revelation was unexpected for Zhao Shu and Yu Ming.
Huang Xiaolong smiled, "I didn't do much except pass the both of them a set of cultivation techniques. Their achievements are the results of their own hard work."
Huang Xiaolong's words may have seemed modest, but at the same time, it indirectly confirmed what Haotian had just said.
This raised a strong curiosity in Zhao Shu and Yu Ming towards the cultivation techniques Huang Xiaolong passed to Fei Hou and Haotian.
A short while later, the group of people reached Tianxuan Mansion.
Back in Tianxuan Mansion, on the way to the main hall, the group of five ran into Huang Peng and Su Yan, and Huang Xiaolong solemnly introduced Zhao Shu and Yu Ming's identities to his parents.
Especially so when he was introducing Zhao Shu to them.
Though it was not the first time Yu Ming came to Tianxuan Mansion, Huang Peng and Su Yan had never met him prior to this. Hearing Huang Xiaolong state Yu Ming was Fei Hou and Haotian's Master, both were astonished.
Even though Huang Xiaolong did not clearly say Zhao Shu's identity when he introduced them to his parents, Huang Peng and Su Yan were awed when detecting the seriousness from their son's voice.
Their first reaction was to greet, "Senior Zhao Shu, Senior Yu Ming!"
Huang Peng and Su Yan were Huang Xiaolong's parents, Zhao Shu and Yu Ming dared not display any superior attitude and greeted Huang Peng and Su Yan in return.
Knowing their son had matters to discuss, they left the main hall to avoid disturbing them.
After Huang Peng and Su Yan left the hall, Huang Xiaolong inquired about what happened to Yu Ming in the last few years. If Yu Ming was not delayed, he would've returned to Luo Tong Kingdom six years ago.
Yu Ming quickly reported the events that happened to him these past years.
When Yu Ming left Snow Wind Continent, he needed to cross a place called Death Sea Gorge to return to Star Cloud Continent. While passing through Death Sea Gorge, he encountered a terrifying whirlpool, sucking him into another unknown space within Death Sea Gorge and became trapped inside of it for six years!
Six years later, a spatial crack formed which provided an opportunity for Yu Ming to escape.
Huang Xiaolong was flabbergasted hearing this.
Yu Ming was delayed for six years because of this?
A wry smile escaped Huang Xiaolong's face; he wasn't sure if he should say Yu Ming was lucky or unlucky. At that time, he thought Chen Tianqi found out about him and that Yu Ming was then locked up by him.
Fei Hou and Haotian were also dumbfounded hearing their Master's experience.
Understanding Yu Ming's reason for the delay, Huang Xiaolong changed the topic, "Left Custodian Zha Shu, Elder Yu Ming, have you ever heard of a Heavenly Treasure called God Binding Ring?"
"God Binding Ring!" Zhao Shu and Yu Ming were shocked at the sudden mention.