"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!"