Chapter 1877: It Turned Out To Be Him! . . .
Many Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors jumped out from various locations and leaped towards Huang Xiaolong with strong killing intent and lethal attacks. Huang Xiaolong mockingly snickered as he watched them. Did these people think he hadn't noticed them hiding in the vicinity?
In a split second, the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors drowned Huang Xiaolong in attacks, but more than a dozen figures had rushed out from Huang Xiaolong's side. These were none other than the other three odd beasts and fourteen Radiance Angels.
The three odd beasts and fourteen Radiance Angels launched into attacks the moment they appeared.
Undulating screams and shouts rang in the sudden chaotic situation as ten or so Violet Python Empire's Ancestors were swatted away by the three odd beasts, and the Radiance Angels' radiance swords pierced a dozen of them.
Gao Changran, Wang Fanning, and the three Black Wolf Race's Ancestors also joined the battle.
Only Lu Xiaoqing remained to 'protect' Huang Xiaolong.
Amidst the fighting around him, Huang Xiaolong took out four Great Brahma Sarira Pills and fed it into the Yin Crow Sect Chief and three Ancestors. He then activated the Heavenly Hall's power as he struck his palms on their chests to stabilize their deteriorating conditions. Then, he took out the Black Dragon Blood Jade Paste and refined it with his supreme godforce. The Black Dragon Blood Jade Paste turned into black light streams, drilling into the four people's bodies.
The Yin Crow Sect Chief and three Ancestors' crushed bones began to mend at speed visible to the naked eye.
Suddenly, a heaven-shaking rumble echoed through the mountains, accompanied by overwhelming destructive energy sweeping out in all directions.
Huang Xiaolong and Lu Xiaoqing retreated to the distance with the Yin Crow Sect's Chief and three Ancestors, watching one of the odd beasts fighting an intense battle with the Violet Python Empire's Great Emperor Huo Ye.
By this time, Huo Ye could no longer hide his shock. The situation had greatly strayed from what he had imagined. He hadn't anticipated a mid-Ninth Order Heavenly Monarch like Huang Xiaolong to have so many peerless experts as subordinates!
Four of them had the strength that rivaled him, a peak late-Tenth Order Emperor Realm expert!
Although Huo Ye had yet to step into the Sovereign Realm, he was just half a step away. Still, he was very confident that he could fight to a draw against the average First Order Sovereign Realm experts. However, these four monsters before him possessed similar levels of strengths....!?
These four monsters had the strength comparable to a Sovereign Realm expert? All four of them!?
As these thoughts raced through Huo Ye's mind, cries from the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors did not cease around him.
He had brought along more than half of the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors for this trip, but in a short few seconds, half of them had died!
Watching more of his own empire's Ancestors continue to die, terror and fury seized Huo Ye.
"Withdraw!"
Huo Ye bellowed furiously and struck out a powerful punch towards the odd beast, creating an opportunity for him to grab his son Huo Liuyun and disappear into the darkness in a flicker.
Hearing his order, the remaining Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors dispersed in a fluster.
The four odd beasts slapped a few more Ancestors to the ground, and when they tried to pursue others, Huang Xiaolong stopped them, "No need to chase."
His primary purpose this time was to retrieve the Yin Crow Sect's four people. Since he had achieved that, it was unnecessary to continue wasting time with Huo Ye's group.
Not to mention that it was difficult to kill someone with Huo Ye's strength.
This Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Great Emperor Huo Ye's strength was comparable to the Nine Yin Giant Corpse Tribe's Patriarch Shi Wushuang.
Looking at the littered corpses of Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors, Huang Xiaolong ordered indifferently, "Let's go."
The news of this battle would definitely raise a new storm through the Kingdom of Devil Beasts, and it was likely the Nine Yin Giant Corpse Trine's Old Ancestor Shi Ming, and the others would deduce something, so he needed to leave immediately.
Huang Xiaolong swiftly released the Tushita Flying Ship into the air and ushered everyone to board. The Tushita Flying Ship turned into a streak of light as it sped away, vanishing at the Blood Orchid Mountains' edge.
...
The night's tranquility remained unaffected despite the battle that had taken place earlier.
The Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's Ancestors' corpses soon disappeared into the bellies of prowling devil beasts.
Tonight, the blood qi around the Blood Orchid Mountains seemed thicker than usual.
As expected, in less than a day, the battle at the Blood Orchid Mountains swept across the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire like a hurricane.
A hundred million li away from the Blood Orchid Mountains was another stretch of dense forest. This forest was called the Third Devil Forest.
The Third Devil Forest was still within the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire's territory. Moreover, the Third Devil Forest was more famous than the Blood Orchid Mountains, for the Third Devil Forest was the land of devil souls.
Devil souls was a kind of creature within the Kingdom of Devil Beasts, a kind of creature that was extremely difficult to kill. Something that gave the Kingdom of Devil Beasts' experts a headache at the mention of it.
Needless to say, the Third Devil Forest was bigger than one could imagine. At this time, at the edge of the Third Devil Forest, the Devil-eyed Blue Lion's Great Emperor Lan Chong and several of the empire's experts were standing in the sky.
Lan Chong and the others' momentums completely deterred the surrounding devil souls from approaching them.
"It seems one side of the people who fought at the Blood Orchid Mountains should be them." Lan Chong stated solemnly.
The moment news of the Blood Orchid Mountains' battle spread, Lan Chong, activated the curse in his body to check the location of the Blue Soul's Curse in Huang Xiaolong's body. He found out that the Blue Soul's Curse was in the vicinity of the Blood Orchid Mountains. Therefore, he deduced the group who had fought the Fire Lightning Violet Empire's Great Emperor Huo Ye was the same group who had killed his son.
"It's them?!" Devil-eyed Blue Lion Empire's Ancestors exclaimed in alarm.
"Great Emperor, it is said that Huo Ye and his group were forced to withdraw. Some even say that the other group has four monsters with strengths comparable to peak late-Tenth Order Emperor Realm experts. If that is true, it would be difficult for us to capture them!" Ancestor Lan Pohan wore a solemn expression as he voiced his opinion.
Although Lan Pohan didn't want to admit it, despite being a peak late-Tenth Order Emperor Realm expert, which was the same as Huo Ye, his strength was slightly weaker in comparison.
Lan Chong frowned as he contemplated Lan Pohan's words. "It seems I have underestimated them."
"Great Emperor, what should we do now? How about we cooperate with Huo Ye? Or the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor, maybe the Silver Fox Great Emperor?" Ancestor Lan Xiufan suggested.
The Heaven Devouring Great Emperor was the Great Emperor of the second-ranked Heaven Devouring Empire. The Violet Python Empire, Heaven Devouring Empire, and Silver Fox Empire had always been on friendly terms.
Lan Chong shook his head and rejected the suggestion, "Based on their speed they would reach here in a few days. Even with the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor and Silver Fox Great Emperor's speed, they won't make it in time. So, our only option is to cooperate with Huo Ye."
"Right, Great Emperor, there is one more thing. I've heard some people claim that the black-haired young man has more than a dozen Radiance Angel subordinates. On top of that, all of them are twelve-winged Radiance Angels and above." Suddenly, Ancestor Lan Haibi interjected.
Everyone was stunned.
"All of them are twelve-winged Radiance Angels and above?!" Lan Pohan's eyes widened.
Lan Chong's face changed when he thought of something, "Could it be Huang Xiaolong?!"
Devil-eyed Blue Lion Race's Ancestors exclaimed, "The Nether King?!"
The Fiend God Emperor Palace's battle had even reached the ears of experts in the Devil World. Huang Xiaolong's twelve-winged and fourteen-winged Radiance Angels were no longer a secret.
Not to mention Huang Xiaolong had recently appeared at the Eternal Devil City and had bought the Tushita Flying Ship and Devil Holy Water from an auction. It didn't take a genius to guess that the person who had appeared at the Blood Orchid Mountains was Huang Xiaolong.
"It's him!" Lan Chong's face ashened unnoticeably.
At the mention of Huang Xiaolong, even Lan Chong, the Blue Lion Empire's Great Emperor, a Sovereign Realm expert, felt his heart quicken ominously.
But his ashened face warped as he laughed maniacally, "So, it's you, Huang Xiaolong!" He turned to Lan Pohan. "Didn't you say that Chiyou, Violent Lightning and others are at the Country of Dreams?"
The Country of Dreams was one of the vassals to the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire, located close by the Third Devil Forest.
Lan Pohan immediately understood Lan Chong's intention and replied, "Great Emperor wants us to leak the news to Chiyou, Violent Lightning, and the others? Just say Huang Xiaolong is at the Third Devil Forest? That we should be joining forces?"
Chapter 1878: Dragon Bear Valley . . .
Lan Chong smirked and nodded his head, "As long as we can kill Huang Xiaolong, so what if we have to join hands with Chiyou and Violent Lightning? I believe the Nine Yin Giant Corpse Tribe's Old Ancestor Shi Ming would be very willing to join our little party as well."
...
In the Country of Dreams' royal city, Chiyou stood among the opulent buildings like a towering mountain, grinning coldly, "The Third Devil Forest, Huang Xiaolong!"
"Master, could that Lan Chong be plotting some kind of scheme?" Qin Hongbao was baffled as he went on, "Why would Lan Chong tell us this news? The Kingdom of Devil Beasts has never borne well with us Devil Race."
"You are right, that Lan Cong is likely harboring some kind of ill-intent." Violent Lightning Archdevil, too, was feeling suspicious.
Chiyou chuckled softly, "Wasn't there a rumor sometime back about Lan Chong's son, Lan Bowei's death?"
Qin Hongbao, Violet Lightning Archdevil, and others' eyes lit up.
"Lord Chiyou means that Lan Bowei's death is related to Huang Xiaolong?" The Black Killer Sect's Chief Cui Huajie asked.
Chiyou nodded, "That is most likely how it went down."
"We should hurry to the Third Devil Forest and assemble with the Devil-eyed Blue Lion Empire's people!"
"We will wait in ambush for our little rabbit prey, Huang Xiaolong!"
...
On a certain mountain range within the Heaven Devouring Empire's territory, Shi Ming, who was completely enshrouded in a thick layer of death qi, looked at the message in his communication symbol.
"Great Lord, what...?" Fiend God Emperor Feng Chu stepped up and inquired cautiously.
Shi Ming threw the communication symbol to Feng Chu.
Feng Chu caught it and read the message within. He was surprised at first, then laughed happily, "Huang Xiaolong's at the Fire Lightning Violet Python Empire!"
The Massacring Gods Gate's Old Ancestor Chu Han accepted the communication symbol. After reading the content, he too was delighted, but soon he looked doubtful, "Lan Chong has a feud with Huang Xiaolong? Why would he leak news of Huang Xiaolong to us? Is there some kind of trick here?"
Shi Ming sneered, "He doesn't have the guts to lie to me. Get ready. We're heading to the Third Devil Forest now!"
"Huang Xiaolong is ours!"
"The Devil Holy Water, Yellow Springs Magic Robe, Heavenly Hall, that grandmist treasure city, and that Radiance Divine Scepter on him will belong to us!"
...
While Chiyou, Shi Ming, and others were rushing to the Third Devil Forest, intending to ambush Huang Xiaolong, Huang Xiaolong's group was rapidly approaching the place where the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race resided, on the Tushita Flying Ship.
Based on the route Huang Xiaolong had planned earlier, they would undoubtedly pass by the Third Devil Forest.
However...
Ten days later...
The Tushita Flying Ship stopped in the air above a sharp cliff.
At the bottom of the cliff was an extremely narrow opening that could only fit one person at a time. Deep into the opening was complete darkness. Black frigid energy rose from the narrow opening, and even Huang Xiaolong, who had the True Dragon Physique and Ascending Devil Physique, felt a chill.
Huang Xiaolong and the others quickly put on their fire element divine armors.
"Who would have thought that the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race's place would be hidden beneath such a cliff." Gao Changran lamented.
The Heavenly Dragon Bear was a very ancient race in the Kingdom of Devil Beasts.
Billions of years ago, the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race was known as one of the most overbearing and powerful races. In fact, they could be considered the hegemon of the Kingdom of Devil Beasts. Way before that, the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race was the uncontested overlord, equivalent to the nine empires' current leader, the Two-headed Devil Dragon Empire.
In truth, people dreaded the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race more than the current Two-headed Devil Dragon Empire.
In the Desolate Era, someone had described that if the Devil World's Archdevil Lord was Wu Tian, while the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race's Patriarch Cang Mutian was the Archdevil Lord of the devil beasts.
However, the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race's Patriarch Cang Mutian had suddenly gone missing later on. Some said Cang Mutian was already dead, while others claimed that Cang Mutian's cultivation had gone astray because of practicing some kind of technique. Regardless of these assumptions, Cang Mutian had never appeared again.
After Cang Mutian had gone missing, the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race had suffered suppressions from all around, and they were left with no choice but to live in seclusion.
In the last, ten billion years, members of the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race had never surfaced in the outside world. From the most powerful race, they had become the most mysterious and elusive race.
Even though many billion years had passed, the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race's prestige still existed, like an imprint in various forces' experts' minds.
"Our Black Wolf Race's Old Ancestor is the new Heavenly Dragon Bear Race Patriarch's disciple-in-name. The Old Ancestor told me this secret at the end of his life moments before Lan Pohan killed him. That's why I know where the Heavenly Dragon Bear Race lives." Lu Xiaoqing explained. "The Old Ancestor also told me the method to enter. There are layers of restrictions at the bottom of this cliff. Not even a Sovereign Realm expert can reach the destination by force."
"Not even a Sovereign Realm expert could pass through?" Gao Changran didn't really believe that.
Huang Xiaolong felt that statement was an over-exaggeration.
Lu Xiaoqing added, "Although I don't really believe it myself, that is what my Old Ancestor told me."
Huang Xiaolong merely nodded his head.
Although most of them didn't believe that the restriction formations below were that powerful, Huang Xiaolong and the others still proceeded according to Lu Xiaoqing's method as they flew down the cliff as a precaution.
The further down they got, the heavier the frigid qi became. Huang Xiaolong could almost feel his soul freezing.
Despite wearing a fire element divine armor with activated protective formations and swallowing fire element divine pills, Huang Xiaolong still found it hard to resist the frigid qi.
That was how Huang Xiaolong felt, and it was worse still for the peak late-Tenth Order Heavenly Monarch Realm Lu Xiaoqing. Her face was pallid like the snow, and she shivered as if she was dancing.
Seeing this, Huang Xiaolong tried to use Heavenly Hall's power to resist some of the frigid qi.
In the blink of an eye, holy light shone, spreading radiant energy.
With the Heavenly Hall's radiance energy enshrouding them, Huang Xiaolong immediately discovered the coldness from the frigid qi below had significantly diminished. Though it was still cold, it felt much better than before, and Lu Xiaoqing's complexion gradually recovered.
One hour later, after many twists and turns, a massive valley appeared before Huang Xiaolong's group. All the frigid qi had disappeared when they climbed above the valley. Here, it was warm and breezy, coupled with the refreshing floral fragrance coming from the valley below.
Though they had not entered into the valley, just looking from high air, the valley's scenery was breathtaking, like an otherworldly paradise.
However, they didn't get to enjoy it. Moments after Huang Xiaolong's group arrived above the valley, they heard sharp whistling sounds of winds as two middle-aged men appeared. Both were Emperor Realm experts; one was an early Tenth Order Emperor, while the other was a mid-Tenth Order Emperor.
"Who are you? What purpose you have in trespassing into our Dragon Bear Valley?" The mid-Tenth Order Emperor Realm middle-aged man's eyes were fixed on Huang Xiaolong's group as he demanded gruffly.
The Dragon Bear Valley was well hidden. Moreover, the outer entrance was guarded by layers of restrictive formations as well as the natural frigid qi barrier. Thus they had never expected outsiders to barge in.
"Senior, we are Lu Hong's descendants. We came to seek help from Patriarch Cang Yuan." Lu Xiaoqing took the initiative to step forward and explain as she took out a small token and presented it to the middle-aged man.
An eye-catching life-like dragon bear was engraved on the token's surface.
The middle-aged man took the token, and the stern expression on his face eased slightly. "So, you are Lu Hong's descendants." He then asked Lu Xiaoqing some questions. After verifying Lu Xiaoqing's identity, he was finally reassured and led Huang Xiaolong's group into the valley.
As Huang Xiaolong's group proceeded into the Dragon Bear Valley, numerous figures were rushing towards the Heavenly Dragon Bear Cliff. They consisted of Shi Ming, Chu Han, Chiyou, Lan Chong, and the rest.