“What the hell!” The Monster King was extremely shocked. He had never seen such a bizarre Secret Technique and he promptly tried to pull back. The Embodiment, on the other hand, grimly smiled before stretching his hand out and smacking it down on him.
But there was still a wide gap between their strengths, so the Embodiment could only helplessly watch the Monster King break free from the Heaven Devouring Domain and flee.
Meanwhile, the attack of the burly Great King was already about to reach Yang Kai.
“Don’t worry about me!” But then, Yang Kai shouted. Hearing this, the Embodiment, who was about to pull back its hand and help Yang Kai, instead pressed forward.
*Xiu…*
Suddenly, a streak of light flew over as a small bell appeared in Yang Kai’s hand. The bell was covered in rust and cracks, but the flowers, birds, beasts, mountains, and rivers carved on it were still distinctly visible.
Yang Kai stretched his hand out and lightly pushed the bell forward. His Emperor Qi surged as the small bell suddenly grew, reaching the height of an adult and blocking his front.
*Hou…*
The giant radiant illusory phantom happened to pounce at Yang Kai right at this moment, biting down hard on the big bell.
*Dang…*
A deafening knell that reverberated throughout the sky rang as a wave of ripples suddenly propagated outward with Yang Kai as the centre. The ripples seemed to contain extremely mysterious energy and all the creatures who heard the tolling, no matter whether it was Monster Kings or the Stone Spirit, all momentarily stagnated as they felt a sense of suppression bearing down on them.
The radiant giant tiger phantom was directly dispersed, reducing into a million specks of light before disappearing.
*Pu…*
The burly Great King spurted a mouthful of blood as he suddenly became listless and dispirited.
The giant tiger phantom was the full power blow activated using his Monster Core, so after having it scattered by the Mountains and Rivers Bell, the burly Great King had suffered a certain degree of backlash.
“The Mountains and Rivers Bell!” The burly Great King held his chest with one hand as he staggered back, the corners of his eyes madly twitching and he stared in a daze, unable to believe his eyes.
“The Mountains and Rivers Bell!?”
“That’s impossible!”
“Wasn’t it taken away by a Human a few tens of thousands of years ago? How can it appear here again?”
The crowd of Monster Race Masters were shocked as well while the Great Kings kept exclaiming; their eyes filled with surprise.
This couldn’t be helped though as the prestige of the Mountains and Rivers Bell was simply too big. In the beginning, it belonged to the Ancient Wild Lands, so as residents of the Ancient Lands, no one knew the horrors of the Mountains and Rivers Bell better than them.
In a flash, a look of fear appeared in the eyes of the Monster Kings.
They might not place any importance on a mere First-Order Emperor Realm Human, but if that Human had the Mountains and Rivers Bell and could control it as he wished, that was another matter.
No one wanted or had the guts to test the terrifying might of the Mountains and Rivers Bell.
With the bell in Yang Kai’s hand, the faces of the Monster Kings and Great Kings turned colder, but they also became more cautious with their movements.
Yang Kai raised the Mountains and Rivers Bell up high and shouted, “Follow me!”
The Stone Spirits finally reacted. Taking advantage of the chaos the Monster Kings had been thrown into, they rushed towards Yang Kai, gathering by his side.
“I will kill anyone who tries to stop us!” Yang Kai, holding the Myriads Sword with one hand and raising the Mountains and Rivers Bell with the other, aggressively shouted, turning to look towards a certain direction before flying to that side.
The Monster Kings hovering in that direction gawked at Yang Kai and the Mountains and Rivers Bell, dumbfounded, but seeing Yang Kai leading the Stone Spirits towards them, they were completely startled.
Before they could make way, Yang Kai had already lifted the Myriads Sword before hitting it hard on the Mountains and Rivers Bell.
*Dang…*
The resonating knell from the bell almost formed a visible shock wave, sweeping towards the Monster Kings blocking the road ahead, suppressing space itself everywhere it passed through.
The faces of the Monster Kings drastically changed as they hurled all kinds of curses at Yang Kai, but how could they dare to hesitate? They immediately dispersed, narrowly avoiding the oncoming shockwave.
Just as they retreated, Yang Kai, leading the group of Stone Spirits, rushed through the gap between them with an unbearable insolence, encountering no resistance.
Every Monster King’s face was extremely ugly, while the Great Kings’ expressions were so cold and gloomy that one could shave off a layer of frost from them.
Almost the entire high-end strength of the Ancient Lands’ Monster Race was gathered here, yet a puny Human was able to come and go as he liked. Once word about this got out, none of them would be able to lift their heads.
But Yang Kai was radiating an intense murderous intent that no one wanted to be the first to test. Who knows what the consequences of attacking the Mountains and Rivers Bell would be? The condition of the burly Great King wasn’t hidden from them; he was dispirited and constantly coughing blood, and this was obviously not just the effects of backlash from his technique being broken. If they really fought head-on with this bell, perhaps not even a dreg of them would remain.
The disarray in the Monster Race Masters allowed Yang Kai to take the Stone Spirit Clan safely out of their encirclement and he was just about to escape into the wild.
But right then, Yang Kai, who was leading the charge, suddenly had his pupils shrink as he blankly stared in a certain direction.
The Stone Spirits, who were closely following him, instinctively felt a dreadful feeling slowly rising in their hearts.
*Weng…*
The world suddenly shook as tiny little black spots appeared on the horizon.
In the blink of an eye, those tiny little black spots were already within visible distance. Meanwhile, four fearsome pressures came bearing down from the sky. With these four approaching Yang Kai and his group, they all felt as if ten thousand mountains were weighing down on him. Letting out a muffled groan, Yang Kai was having difficulty even breathing smoothly.
“Divine Spirits!” Yang Kai looked on at the four figures that had appeared over the horizon with bulging eyes, his face as gloomy as could be.
He only needed a little time to put the Stone Spirit Clan back into the Small Sealed World, then he could use his teleportation ability to easily escape from here.
However, before the four Divine Spirits, even a little time was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
Yang Kai’s figure suddenly came to a halt, along with the Stone Spirit Clan, their eyes filling with despair.
They knew that since the four Divine Venerables had returned, they would not be able to escape today.
Elder forced a bitter smile, “Little Brother, my Stone Spirit Clan has brought you a lot of trouble!”
Had he and Mu Na not tricked Yang Kai into bringing them to the Blood Gate, how could he be facing a catastrophe like this today? It was indeed true that they had brought a lot of trouble to Yang Kai, causing Elder to feel bogged down with guilt.
“Elder, it’s too early to say anything before we have reached a conclusion,” Yang Kai pursed his lips and shook his head, sweeping a gaze over the four Divine Venerables.
His stay in the Ancient Lands might not have been too long, but it wasn’t a short one either. During this stay, Yang Kai had often heard about the four Divine Venerables, the true overlords of the entire Ancient Wild Lands!
[Fan Wu, Luan Feng, Cang Guo, and Shi Huo…]
Four names flashed in Yang Kai’s heart as he swept his gaze over these four faces.
“Hm?” Luan Feng suddenly narrowed her eyes as she asked, sizing Yang Kai with a little surprise, “Kid, where has this Queen… seen you?”
[Kid…]
Yang Kai’s brow twitched; however, thinking about it for a moment, he realized that someone as strong as her, who had lived for who knows how many years, was quite qualified to address him as such.
Yang Kai wryly smiled and replied, “About ten years ago, Junior had the honour to catch a glimpse of Madam’s elegance on Clear Jade Mountain outside Maplewood City. I’m afraid Madam would not recall such an insignificant encounter.”
Naturally, everything he said had really happened. When he was escaping from Blue Feather Sect with Liu Xian Yun, heading towards Maplewood City, an infant Luan Feng had appeared in Clear Jade Mountain. Many cultivators came searching and hunted it, but in the end, the Luan Feng who stood before him now appeared and annihilated everyone with her World Extinguishing Black Flames.
At that time, it was Yang Kai’s first encounter with a Divine Spirit that was really alive. Back then, what he had seen was Luan Feng’s true form, but now she was in human form. However, in this world, there was only one Divine Spirit Luan Feng. Naturally, Yang Kai knew that this beautiful woman was that massive black bird that he had seen back then.
Hearing this, Luan Feng’s beautiful eyes flashed with a gleam before she lightly nodded, seemingly having some impression of him.
“Lady Feng, do you know him?” Fan Wu indifferently asked.
Luan Feng replied, smiling, “We just met once, that’s all. I didn’t expect that he could grow to this extent in just ten years. I guess his talent is pretty good. He might become a powerful figure in time.
“Hmph!” Cang Guo sneered and glared at Yang Kai with ill-intentions, “Only those who manage to grow up can be considered true Masters.”
“The Mountains and Rivers Bell is actually his. It seems that his opportunities weren’t small,” Fan Wu’s face turned cold, staring at the Mountains and Rivers Bell in Yang Kai’s hands.
The four of them were lured away by someone using the Mountains and Rivers Bell and were still somewhat annoyed by this. At this moment, they knew that the Mountains and Rivers Bell belonged to Yang Kai, so of course their faces wouldn’t look good as it was like Yang Kai had managed to trick all of them.
“Little brat, how do you want to die?” Shi Hou suddenly took a step forward as a near tangible pressure came rushing from the front. Even with the Mountains and Rivers Bell protecting him, Yang Kai still felt extremely uncomfortable.
[I’m afraid things won’t end well today,] Yang Kai felt bitter and astringent.
The Stone Spirit Elder interjected in a reverberating voice, “Sir Shi Hou, this Little Friend was kidnapped by this Elder and forced to act as he did. Today’s matter has nothing to do with him. If you can let him go, my Stone Spirit Clan’s fate will be entirely up to your discretion.”
Shi Huo sneered, “It’s too late for that. Over the years, this King has tried multiple times to make you submit to me, but you didn’t even consider my generous offer. Now, when you are at the end of your rope, you actually want to bargain with this King? You think that this King will agree?”
Elder’s face turned bitter, not knowing what to say. Stone Spirits were basically not good with words.
Shi Hou coldly shouted, “Today, your Stone Spirit Clan will either submit to me or be exterminated. As for this brat… since he dares to trick this King, even the Heavens won’t be able to save him!”
“Trick… when did that happen?” Elder looked confused. Apparently, he was unaware that Yang Kai had used the Mountains and Rivers Bell to concoct the plan of luring the tiger from the mountain.
The Divine Venerables had ruled the Ancient Lands for so many years, but today, they had been humiliatingly tricked by a Human using the Mountains and Rivers Bell. When this matter was brought up, their faces turned extremely ugly. If this Human was strong enough, there would be some room for discussion, but he turned out to be just a First-Order Emperor.
Shi Hou had no intention of explaining either. With his identity and status, he naturally disdained to explain too much and just arrogantly stated, “Submit or be destroyed, Elder, it’s your choice. You have ten breaths to decide!”
Elder stated in a heavy voice, “This Elder just said that as long as Sir can let this Little Friend go, my Stone Spirit Clan is willing to surrender!”
“You don’t have any say in this. You are not qualified to bargain with this King!” Shi Huo waved his hand, impatience covering his face.
The Elder looked at the other three Divine Venerables and bitterly asked, “Sirs and Madam, do you also have such intentions?”
Elder looked at Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo’s faces with hope, one after another, but he was ultimately disappointed. The three had stoic looks on their faces, expressing nothing.
“He’s just one Human, why would Sirs and Madam make things difficult for him?” Elder angrily asked.
The other three Divine Venerables remained silent, but Shi Hou replied with a cold snort, “Elder, don’t be stubborn. If not for your Stone Spirit Clan and this King having some common origins, this King would have no choice but to exterminate your clan for today’s matters. This King is already showing kindness by sparing you. You shouldn’t try to reach out for a yard after taking an inch!”
Elder wanted to say something but Yang Kai suddenly intervened, “Elder, agree with him, don’t worry about me.”
Elder shouted in a low voice, “This incident was caused by my clan and we have put Little Friend in a lot of trouble. If word got out, my clan would never be able to lift their heads in public.”
Xiao Xiao, who was standing beside him, also vigorously shook his head. Obviously, he didn’t want Elder to discard Yang Kai.
Yang Kai helplessly heaved a sigh before whispering, “I would have already left if I was alone; however, it’s not too late to leave now. Take care of yourselves, I’ll be leaving first!”
Saying so, he manipulated the local Space Principles and his figure disappeared into thin air.
Since it had been confirmed that the Divine Venerables just wanted to subdue the Stone Spirit Clan and didn’t want to ruthlessly kill them, Yang Kai was able to rest assured. In the current situation, the Stone Spirit Clan would definitely not be able to leave, so all he could do was protect himself first. In a hurry, he didn’t have the time to even collect the Embodiment into the Small Sealed World.
However, the Embodiment also had the body of a Stone Spirit, so it wasn’t in any danger with the Stone Spirit Clan. After escaping from here, Yang Kai would find a way to get the Embodiment back. He would even find a way to take the Stone Spirit Clan away from this place where they were bound to always be in trouble.
This bizarre scene left Shi Huo, who had been keeping an eye on Yang Kai, in a daze. Apparently, he still couldn’t figure out what just happened.
Fan Wu’s eyes flickered with a bright gleam as he exclaimed, “A Spatial Divine Ability!”
Just as he spoke, his figure suddenly made a sharp turn and he thrust his finger towards a certain point in the void.
Immediately, a groan was heard as a figure mysteriously appeared out of thin air. At this moment, Yang Kai looked in Fan Wu’s direction in shock.
He didn’t expect that this Divine Spirit would actually be able to force him out of the void.
Their eyes met only for a moment, with Fan Wu’s face being as tranquil as an ancient well. It was hard to tell what was going through his mind from his expression. Yang Kai ground his teeth and tore space again, his figure phasing out and disappearing in the next moment.
Luan Feng’s pretty eyes darted left and right before she opened her mouth wide and breathed out a jet of black flames. The black flames slithered through the air like a nimble black snake, shooting into the void before disappearing.
A moment later, a strange cry rang out as Yang Kai appeared, cutting a sorry figure. He was being chased by the World Extinguishing Black Flames and was unable to shake them off.
Cang Guo sneered and said, “This boy’s teleportation ability is pretty good, but unfortunately, his strength is still lacking a little.”
Fan Wu indifferently stated, “If he were allowed to grow even a bit more, I’m afraid he would be able to come and go freely even in front of me. No one would be able to stop him then. The Dao of Space is truly remarkable.”
*Dang…*
Suddenly, a deafening knell resounded. At the critical moment, Yang Kai had summoned the Mountains and Rivers Bell in front of him, blocking the World Extinguishing Black Flames. After the knell, the World Extinguishing Black Flames, that could burn anything in the world, suddenly went out.
Standing in the air, a pale Yang Kai stated, grinding his teeth, “Sirs and Madam teaming up to deal with this Junior is truly an honour.”
Anyone could hear the sarcasm in his words, but whether it was Fan Wu or Luan Feng, they didn’t look ashamed. Fan Wu rather replied, “It’s natural to use extraordinary means to deal with extraordinary people. There is no need for any sarcasm.”
Yang Kai sneered outwardly, but his heart had already hit rock bottom.
He hadn’t expected for his Teleportation Secret Technique to be useless before the Divine Spirits. This had cut off all his routes of retreat. Today, things were really not looking good for him.
“Human brat, this King also doesn’t want to bully you with numbers, but it’s not impossible to let you live. If you waste your cultivation and leave the Mountains and Rivers Bell, you may leave the Ancient Lands,” Shi Huo stared at Yang Kai, but his eyes kept wandering to the Mountains and Rivers Bell, filled with greed.
Elder snapped after hearing this, “Sir, how is having him cripple himself any different from killing him?”
Shi Huo turned his head and stated in a freezing cold voice, “Elder, don’t challenge this King’s patience anymore. This King has been tolerating you long enough, if you keep acting stubborn, don’t blame this King for teaching you a lesson.”
Elders quickly added, “He is the guest of my clan. My clan has dragged him into today’s affairs. Sir, if you want to do anything, direct it to my clan!”
Shi Huo agreed, grimly smiling and nodding, “Alright, since Elder refuses to realize the errors of his ways, then this King will educate you on showing proper respect.”
As he said this, he let out a roar before transforming into a twenty-metre tall stone giant, similar to the Stone Spirit Clan. However, Shi Huo’s stone giant form appeared much more vicious than the Stone Spirit Clan. His entire body was covered in black flames, which looked quite similar to Luan Feng’s World Extinguishing Black Flames. What’s more, there were sharp thorn-like protrusions on the surface of Shi Huo’s body, giving him an extremely violent and fearsome look. The aura around him made others extremely uncomfortable and seemed to have an effect of suppressing the mind.
Having revealed his true form, Shi Huo sneered and contemptuously stated, beckoning towards the Elder, “All of you can come at me together, this King will let you taste what the gap in our strength is first hand.”
These words were too insulting. Every member of the Stone Spirit Clan was a top Master and a natural-born fighter. They couldn’t bear Shi Huo’s provocation and immediately roared in anger as they charged him without waiting for the command.
Even if Elder wanted to stop them, there was nothing he could do at this moment. He could only grit his teeth and join the attack as well.
In an instant, twelve enormous stone giants were entangled together. It looked like twelve mountains were colliding with each other. Their fists danced against each other, knocking each other back and forth. Their fight caused the sky to shatter and the world to turn upside down.
All the Monster Kings’ eyes trembled. A contest of pure strength like this was extremely rare. They have fought with the Stone Spirit Clan just now, so they knew how difficult these stone giants were to deal with. But Shi Huo was fighting the entire Stone Spirit Clan alone; this scene was extremely shocking.
“Hahaha!” Shi Huo arrogantly laughed as the dark flames on the surface of his body burned more and more fiercely.
While the punches were exchanged back and forth, the attacking Stone Spirit Clan endlessly complained to themselves. They couldn’t even get close to their enemy and when their attacks occasionally did land on Shi Huo, the sharp protrusions on his skin made them injure themselves more than they injured him.
*Hong…*
During the melee, a Stone Spirit was knocked flying by Shi Hou and crashed straight to the ground, leaving a huge pit.
Before the Stone Spirit could crawl back out of the pit, Fan Wu raised his hand and shot a seal straight towards the Stone Spirit that found its target right away.
The struggling Stone Spirit knelt down on the ground, not even having the strength to stand up.
“Secure him!” Fan Wu coldly snorted.
A few Monster Kings immediately flew over, surrounding the Stone Spirit who had been struck by the seal. Each of them returned to their true form and clawed and bit at him, restraining him right then and there.
“Hou!” The Stone Spirit was unwilling, but having been hit by Fan Wu’s seal, eighty percent of his strength was locked up. Also, he was restricted by a few Monster Kings in their true forms, so how could he have the strength to move?
All he could do was kneel down on one leg on the spot, looking at the sky with a look of unwillingness hanging on his face.
*Hong…*
Another Stone Spirit was knocked away by a tremendous force, smashing into the ground and leaving behind an enormous pit. Fan Wu did the same again; he shot out a seal, and before he even gave the order, a few other Monster Kings rushed forward to suppress the Stone Spirit.
*Hong hong hong…*
Stone Spirits were sent flying, one after another. The battle of an entire clan against the Divine Spirit, Shi Huo, actually was completely one-sided. The Monster Kings were bedazzled and gratified at the sight of this.
Among the four Divine Spirits, only Shi Huo could defeat the Stone Spirit Clan with such brutal and direct methods. Except for him, neither Fan Wu, nor Luan Feng or Cang Guo could accomplish this. Not to mention others, even the three Divine Spirits weren’t as good as him when it came to pure strength. But if they were really compared, Luan Feng was the strongest, with Fan Wu as second, and Cang Guo and Shi Huo almost on par.
However… Shi Huo’s Stone Monster form was like the Stone Spirit Clan’s Stone Giant Form. He was born with rock-hard skin but had an extra support of Monster Fire as compared to the Stone Spirit Clan. Also, his entire body was covered in sharp spikes, giving him an added advantage in close combat.
When it came to endurance, Divine Spirit Shi Huo was almost the same as the Stone Spirit Clan.
When it came to strength, Shi Huo was above the Stone Spirit Clan.
Who had the advantage was quite obvious even without fighting. At this moment, the Stone Spirit Clan wasn’t Shi Huo’s opponent even with their entire clan taking action together.
Ten Stone Spirits plus Yang Kai’s Embodiment were all wiped out in less time than it would take to drink a half cup of tea by Shi Huo. After each Stone Spirit fell, they were sealed by Fan Wu and then restrained on the spot by the Monster Kings.
Each Stone Spirit kept roaring. Their faces filled with humiliation.
Shi Huo, on the other hand, stood arrogantly under the sky with eyes filled with disdain and contempt. Finally, he coldly gazed at Yang Kai.
In the previous battle, Yang Kai didn’t intervene not because he didn’t want to, but because Fan Wu’s Divine Sense had locked onto him, making him unable to move.
“Little brat, this King gave you a chance. Since you don’t want to cripple your cultivation, this King will send you to hell!” Just as he said this, Shi Huo punched in Yang Kai’s direction.
Yang Kai’s expression drastically changed and he promptly slapped the Mountains and Rivers Bell, causing the Ancient Exotic Artifact to instantly grow to the height of a human, protecting him. A deafening knell rang as a shockwave spread towards Shi Huo’s oncoming punch.
Shi Huo sneered, “If you were a Third-Order Emperor Realm and had that bell in your hand, this King might have some scruples, but unfortunately… you are only a First-Order Emperor. How much of its power can you even bring out!?”
Shi Huo didn’t even try to evade the oncoming shock wave and met it head-on.
*Kachaca…*
The shockwave visible to the naked eye was suddenly smashed apart. Although Shi Huo’s fist stagnated a little, it continued forward in the next moment and struck right on the Mountains and Rivers Bell.
Another knell rang as Shi Huo’s massive body quaked before he retreated a few steps.
Whereas Yang Kai’s chest violently heaved up and down as his blood and vitality were sent into turmoil by that tremendous force. He opened his mouth and spurted a mouthful of blood as his figure flew back.
“Worthy of an Ancient Exotic Artifact!” Shi Huo was overjoyed instead of getting angry, gulping hard as he stared at the Mountains and Rivers Bell that flew off together with Yang Kai; greed clearly filling his eyes.
A mere First-Order Emperor Realm Master could block his blow with the Mountains and Rivers Bell, so if he could conquer this treasure, he might even dare to fight with the Dragon Clan.
A dishevelled Yang Kai slowly lifted his head up at that moment, his eyes flashing with an almost imperceptible gleam as he rapidly formed a set of hand seals. The Mountains and Rivers Bell suddenly started spinning before it grew bigger than the size of a house, a powerful suppressive force suddenly bursting from it as it fell towards Shi Huo, who was approaching Yang Kai step by step.
“Be careful!” Cang Guo’s face changed drastically as he warned Shi Huo.
Shi Huo was also taken aback. Apparently, he hadn’t expected Yang Kai’s physique to be so strong that he hadn’t suffered any major injuries from his indirect blow just now. If it was any other First-Order Emperor Realm Master, he might have already lost his life.
The power to suppress the World itself caused Shi Huo to stagnate. Seeing the Mountains and Rivers Bell falling down on him, he hurriedly tried to escape, but it was already a little late.
*Hong…*
In front of everyone’s eyes, the enormous Mountains and Rivers Bell directly suppressed Shi Huo, perfectly encasing him.
“Hahaha!” Yang Kai broke into wild laughter, wiping the blood off the corner of his mouth and cheerfully shouting, “You might be stronger, but this Young Master is smarter!”
Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo’s faces turned ashen.
The Ancient Lands’ four Divine Venerables might not like each other, and even had some grudges between them, but generally speaking, their rise and fall were linked to one another; if one suffered, all suffered; if one prospered, all prospered.
After Shi Huo was suppressed by Yang Kai under the Mountains and Rivers Bell, the faces of the other three turned extremely unsightly. Shi Huo had also smeared mud on the faces of Divine Venerables. Although Yang Kai had relied on the Ancient Exotic Artifact to do this, he was still just a Human First-Order Emperor. In the eyes of the Divine Venerables, he was no different than an ant.
But now, Shi Huo has been suppressed by an ant. It was tantamount to a slap on their faces.
*Hong Hong Hong…*
Suddenly, deafening knells and furious roars came from inside the Mountains and Rivers Bell. Obviously, the enraged Shi Huo was bombarding the Mountains and Rivers Bell, trying to escape out of it.
But the World Suppression of the Ancient Exotic Artifact was beyond comparison. Even the Phoenix True Fire had been suppressed under this bell for tens of thousands of years, so despite being a Divine Spirit, Shi Huo was unable to do anything no matter how much he wanted. On the contrary, under his crazy attacks, the Monster Kings in the vicinity had their vitality sent into turmoil by the reverberating shockwaves. All of them had an uncomfortable look on their faces while Hu Li, the weakest of all, and the injured burly Great King even spurted mouthfuls of blood; their faces going completely pale.
Shi Huo, who was suppressed under the Mountains and Rivers Bell, was probably not feeling any better. The bell rings contained terrifying power and he was inside the Mountains and Rivers Bell, so he no doubt suffered the most.
“Shi Huo, stop!” Fan Wu coldly shouted.
Shi Huo probably also noticed that something was wrong and really stopped his crazy bombardment after hearing this, leaving only loud gasps coming from inside the Mountains and Rivers Bell. He was like a trapped beast, his breathing mixed with the sound of unmatched anger and murderous intent.
After having been suppressed by Yang Kai, his lungs were burning with flames of fury. He was like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.
“Little brat, your courage is quite big!” Fan Wu indifferently added, coldly glaring at Yang Kai, “Let Shi Huo out, or else you will definitely die!”
Yang Kai meaningfully grinned. His figure slightly staggering as he got to his feet and replied with a completely indifferent look on his face, “Sir, if you want to do it, you are more than welcome. This Young Master knows that he can’t escape before you. Since he can’t escape, he won’t even try.”
“Aren’t you afraid of dying?” Fan Wu coldly snorted.
Yang Kai coldly looked at him and indifferently stated, “It’s very easy for Sirs and Madam to kill me, but if you kill me… I’m afraid Shi Huo will be suppressed for many years to come. Maybe someday, someone will be able to subdue the Mountains and Rivers Bell, setting Shi Huo free, but definitely not any time soon.”
Just as he said this, the faces of the Divine Venerables completely sank.
Everyone knew that Yang Kai was right. When the Mountains and Rivers Bell was still in the Ancient Wild Lands tens of thousands of years ago, many had tried many times to subdue it, but none of them had succeeded. Finally, it was taken away by someone called Yuan Ding.
That was simply a disgrace!
Today, if they really killed Yang Kai, perhaps everything would happen just like he said; Shi Huo would remain suppressed under the Mountains and Rivers Bell until someone conquered this Ancient Exotic Artifact someday and released him.
Luan Feng narrowed her beautiful eyes and asked, “Kid, you are young, why do you put the word death so easily on your lips. Let Shi Huo go and we can discuss terms.”
Yang Kai sneered, “When I was leaving before, it was Sirs and Madam who insisted on keeping me here. Now, you want to talk everything out? This Young Master feels quite insecure.”
When Fan Wu and Luan Feng heard this, their expressions turned a bit unsightly. They felt as if they had lifted a rock only to drop it on their feet.
Taking a deep breath, Luan Feng asked, “Then how will you feel secure?”
Yang Kai raised his brow and looked left and right before replying, “Let me take the Stone Spirit Clan away from here first. When I’ve reached a few thousand kilometres from here, I will take back the Mountains and Rivers Bell and let Shi Huo out. In that case, maybe I will feel a little safe.”
As long as he could put a few thousand kilometres between him and the Divine Spirits, Yang Kai was confident he could escape together with the Stone Spirit Clan. At that time, no one would be able to stop him.
Fan Wu rebuked, “Don’t you think you are going overboard with your request? If it’s just you leaving, this King can turn a blind eye, why would you want to drag the Stone Spirit Clan too?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Sir, there are thirty-two Monster Kings and eight Great Kings under you. Adding the Stone Spirit Clan is like adding flowers to a bouquet, and a forcefully picked melon isn’t sweet. Why do Sirs and Madam insist on this? Rather than forcing the Stone Spirit Clan to be loyal to you, isn’t it better to let them be free? I think the Elder will be grateful for this. If Sirs and Madam encounter any trouble in the future, they might even help you out.”
Fan Wu contemptuously smiled and stated, “What trouble would this King even run into?”
Yang Kai earnestly replied, “Life is full of ups and downs, who can guarantee anything?”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Fan Wu indifferently asked as the smile receded from his lips.
Yang Kai didn’t reply, but a firm look appeared on his face.
Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo looked at each other as their Divine Senses surged; they seemed to be communicating with each other.
Yang Kai remained calm, at least on the surface, but his heart was crazily pounding like a drum inside.
He was now using the Mountains and Rivers Bell to suppress Shi Huo. Although he had found himself a slim chance of survival, who knows whether these three Divine Venerables would care for Shi Huo’s life or not. Perhaps if they wanted Shi Huo to be suppressed here forever, they would even take the initiative to kill him. At that time, all Yang Kai would be able to do is make a last stand.
The hope was slim, but it was better than surrendering without a fight.
Just when Yang Kai was internally panicking, Fan Wu gazed at him again, as if he had reached some consensus with Luan Feng and Cang Guo.
Yang Kai’s nerves immediately became taut as he gazed back.
“This King…” Fan Wu indifferently agreed, “Agrees to your conditions.”
Hearing this, Yang Kai immediately heaved a sigh of relief. He couldn’t help but rejoice after having escaped this disaster. In any case, Fan Wu was a Divine Venerable, so since he had said it, he would definitely not regret it.
“However…” Fan Wu switched the topic, making the relieved Yang Kai nervous again, “This King also has a condition.”
Yang Kai’s face turned ugly as he hesitatingly asked, “What’s the condition?”
“This bell…” Fan Wu pointed at the Mountains and Rivers Bell and stated in a firm voice, “Needs to stay here.”
The Mountains and Rivers Bell was too dangerous. The Divine Venerables were unable to conquer it, and once it fell into the hands of the outsiders, it was also a threat to them. Yang Kai with just a First-Order Emperor Realm cultivation was able to suppress Shi Huo.
If it was a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, it wouldn’t be impossible for all four of them to be suppressed under the Mountains and Rivers Bell. So, no matter what, the Mountains and Rivers Bell must remain here. If they couldn’t subdue it, they didn’t want others to have it either.
Yang Kai’s eyes widened as he stated, gritting his teeth, “Sir, isn’t this request too domineering?”
Fan Wu coldly snorted and stated, “You lot have committed a capital offence by trespassing the Blood Gate Restricted Area. This King has left you way out where you keep your lives and your freedom. You should be grateful for that and not try to bargain again.”
Luan Feng also added, “At the end of the day, an artifact is an external thing that’s not connected to your body. Kid, don’t you think leaving it in exchange for a dozen lives is worthwhile?”
Cang Guo also slightly smiled and stepped in too, “Not to mention, this bell belongs to the Ancient Lands. Now, it’s simply returning to its original owner.”
“That is the truth!” Fan Wu agreed with a slight nod.
Yang Kai almost crushed his teeth while grinding them in anger. No one knew the power of Mountains and Rivers Bell better than him; after all, he had spent more than a year in the Shattered Star Sea to subdue this Ancient Exotic Artifact. If he were to hand it over just like that, it would be equivalent to wasting that year’s worth of time and also losing an important trump card. It was a very big loss.
But Luan Feng was also right. Ultimately, artifacts were external aides and not part of his body. Compared with his own life and the Stone Spirit Clan’s future, it was really nothing.
The most important thing was… he couldn’t twist his arms and thighs now. If he didn’t agree, Shi Huo would be unable to get out of his trap, but it would be disastrous for him too, and the Stone Spirit Clan’s future would also be fraught with worries.
“Alright,” Yang Kai muttered, his voice filled with reluctance, “I can leave the Mountains and Rivers Bell here, and allow you to manage it. But sooner or later, this Young Master will personally come and retrieve it.”
Cang Guo sneered and disdainfully rebuked, “Shamelessly boasting!”
He didn’t deny that Yang Kai’s aptitude was pretty good and he had a great chance of becoming a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master in the future, but if they could get the Mountains and Rivers Bell in their hands, then in order to face them all, Yang Kai would first have to become a Great Emperor.
Fan Wu also shook his head with a smile, obviously not taking Yang Kai’s words to his heart, “Since you have agreed, remove your Soul Imprint from this bell. Don’t try to play any tricks, this King will personally monitor you and if he finds something wrong, don’t blame this King for being merciless.
“Sir, you must be joking!” Yang Kai immediately shouted, “If I release my Soul Brand now, wouldn’t Shi Huo try to take my life after he comes out?”
Luan Feng couldn’t help but smile as she assured, “You are quite careful, but don’t worry, with us here, Shi Huo won’t treat you like that.”
Yang Kai shook his head and stated, “I won’t believe it unless you make him swear.”
Fang Wu and the others’ faces immediately blackened, secretly feeling like Yang Kai wasn’t playing by the rules. With their identity and status, they would keep their words, but to their surprise, this brat was declining with all sorts of excuses, which was infuriating them.
Immediately, Shi Huo’s furious shout came from inside the Mountains and Rivers Bell, “Bold! Little brat, what right do you have to make this King swear!”
Yang Kai stated with a straight face, “If you don’t have any ill intention, what’s the harm in swearing? Is it that Sir Shi Huo will really try to take my life once you come out? If that’s the case, then Sir, be prepared to be suppressed inside forever. Suppressing you for a lifetime in exchange for this Junior’s life is a small price to pay.”
“You are angering this King!” Shi Huo roared menacingly from inside the Mountains and Rivers Bell, pounding and shaking it as he shouted, “Little Brat, you’d best not let this King out, otherwise, the first thing I will do is kill you!”
As soon as he said this, Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo’s faces turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
Just now, Yang Kai said that he was afraid that Shi Huo would trouble him after coming out, and now, Shi Huo actually said just that. Furthermore, judging by his tone, he wouldn’t rest until he had taken care of Yang Kai. Only someone totally ignorant would say such things in this situation.
“Shi Huo, enough with the nonsense!” Luan Feng couldn’t help but shout, lest Shi Huo say something beyond irredeemable.
Yang Kai pointed at the Mountains and Rivers Bell with a look of horror and added, “Sirs and Madam, did you hear him? How could I dare to lift my Soul Imprint from the Mountains and Rivers Bell!? Although this Junior’s life may not be worth much, I don’t want to die in vain either!”
Fan Wu gazed at Yang Kai and replied, maintaining a stoic face, “Shi Huo has a very stubborn temperament. It’s impossible to make him swear. You can forget about this; however, I can promise you that he won’t trouble you after coming out.”
Yang Kai snorted and stated, “You are you, and he is he, how can you tell what’s on his mind?”
Fan Wu looked at the Mountains and Rivers Bell and shouted, “Shi Huo, tell him.”
The Mountains and Rivers Bell sunk into silence before Shi Huo’s reluctant voice resounded, “Alright, this King isn’t going to argue with a little brat.”
“Good enough?” Fan Wu looked at Yang Kai again.
Yang Kai forced a smile and stated, “It’s just a word, a play with words, nothing more, nothing less. I still don’t feel safe. Why not let me take the Stone Spirit Clan a few thousand kilometres away first…”
“That’s absolutely impossible!” Fan Wu looked impatiently, “If you feel that you can’t accept this King’s condition, then we can only let Shi Huo be suppressed, and you… will stay here forever as well.”
Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, so if he was really allowed to withdraw a few thousand kilometres, Fan Wu wasn’t sure he could stop him from fleeing, so how could he agree to this condition?
Yang Kai’s face turned ugly as he asked, “Is there no room for discussion?”
Fan Wu slightly raised his hand and stated, “I will give you three breaths to consider. After three breaths, this King will kill you. Think quickly!”
Yang Kai grit his teeth as a look of humiliation appeared on his face. He was rarely forced to this degree, but today, he was really pushed into despair.
Fan Wu continued to raise his hand, his aura growing more and more dangerous.
Seeing that he was about to make a move, Yang Kai heaved a sigh and finally relented, “I agree.”
Fan Wu lightly nodded, not the least bit surprised; after all, no one wanted to play with their life. He then stoically said, “Let Shi Huo out first.”
Yang Kai made a hand seal and stretched his hand out. Immediately, the enormous Mountains and Rivers Bell rose with a thrum, revealing Shi Huo’s figure. Shi Huo’s entire body was covered in blazing black flames, and his eyes were filled with incomparable anger.
Yang Kai was as vigilant as he could be. Once he noticed Shi Huo having any ill intentions, he would immediately suppress him again. Suppressing him before was just a fluke. Now that Shi Hou was prepared, he had little chance of success.
Fortunately, Shi Huo just glared at him and let out a cold snort, not making any moves.
“Remove your Soul Imprint,” Fan Wu urged.
Yang Kai took the Mountains and Rivers Bell back, looked at it for a while, before his Divine Sense surged as he erased his Soul Imprint on the Mountains and Rivers Bell.
The small Mountains and Rivers Bell burst with a flash of light before it became incomparably quaint.
Yang Kai casually threw it towards Fan Wu.
Fan Wu flicked his wrist to receive the Mountains and Rivers Bell, but the instant he tried to take it into his sleeve, a tremendous force emanated from the bell, making him unable to catch it.
With a bang, the Mountains and Rivers Bell fell to the ground, quaking the ground for a moment. It then remained completely still, as if it had taken a root there.
“The Ancient Exotic Artifact has a well-deserved reputation!” Fan Wu’s eyes flickered with shock. Even if the Mountains and Rivers Bell was ownerless, he couldn’t pick it up. In this world, perhaps only the one who was acknowledged as its Master could control it at will.
Suddenly, violent energy fluctuations originated from somewhere.
“Shi Huo, what are you doing!” Luan Feng exclaimed at the same time.
Fan Wu’s face slightly changed as he looked up. To his surprise, Shi Huo was charging at Yang Kai with a ferocious grin on his lips. His fist covered in blazing pitch-black flames smashed down at Yang Kai as he shouted, “Little Brat, surrender your life!”
Yang Kai’s face drastically changed. Although he had been paying attention to Shi Huo, he hadn’t expected a Divine Spirit to go back on his word so shamelessly. After seeing Yang Kai’s Soul Imprint on the Mountains and Rivers Bell removed, he actually didn’t hesitate to attack him.
Caught by surprise, Yang Kai didn’t even have the time to dodge.
The scorching energy radiating from the fist seemed to be able to melt anything within several meters of it and the power behind it seemed capable of cracking the world.
*Hong…*
As the punch came down, Yang Kai grunted before he was smashed straight into the ground, his figure completely disappearing from sight.
“Hou!”
The Stone Spirits angrily roared, their eyes turning red with rage, especially the Embodiment. Watching Yang Kai smashed into the ground, the energy in their enormous bodies immediately surged, but they were restrained by many Monster Kings at the moment so they were unable to break free.
“Shi Huo! Do you know what you are doing!?” Luan Feng shouted, grinding her teeth, her pretty face colder than the ice.
Fan Wu and Cang Guo’s faces were also extremely ugly.
They had just sworn that they would let Yang Kai leave alive, but they hadn’t expected Shi Huo to renege on their promise. He was blinded by anger and ignored their credibility.
Once the word of this spread, how would the Monster Kings under them view them? How would they stand tall in the Ancient Lands in the future? The people with the highest combat power were gathered in the Ancient Lands here, and several dozen pairs of eyes were currently fixed on them.
“It’s over, it’s over…”
The nearby Xie Wu Wei’s face turned pale. He almost went limp and slumped down on the ground.
Even if he was a Monster King comparable to a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, he couldn’t help falling into despair at the sight of this scene. Although he had been far behind the four Divine Venerables, he had arrived here quite a while ago and had constantly been on edge about Yang Kai’s safety. He was secretly rejoicing for having escaped the catastrophe, seeing Yang Kai reach an agreement with the Divine Venerables, but who would have thought that Shi Huo would go back on his word and sneak attack a First-Order Emperor Realm boy!
Xie Wu Wei was Yang Kai’s Soul Slave, so his life and death was tied to Yang Kai’s. Once Yang Kai died, he would have to part with his life too.
[It’s really over! I’ve been killed by that brat Yang Kai!] Xie Wu Wei looked sad and angry. [If I knew this would happen, I would have rather chosen to die in the Ten Thousands Spirits Tomb. At least I would get to die in the final resting place of all the Ancient Lands residents. I wouldn’t be lonely after death!]
[It couldn’t be any worse! I’m going to die here for no reason and won’t even get a proper burial.]
But very soon, Xie Wu Wei noticed that something wasn’t right.
Because he wasn’t dead. He touched his body in disbelief and could clearly feel his heart beating. Suddenly, his pupils contracted as if he had realized something and he hurriedly looked towards the enormous pit.
[If I’m alive, then Yang Kai is alive too.]
[But how is that possible? How is he still alive after being sneak-attacked by a Divine Venerable?]
“Shi Huo!” Fan Wu shouted, word by word, grinding his teeth, “He had already agreed to remove the Soul Imprint from the Mountains and Rivers Bell. Why did you kill him!? Can’t you be a little tolerant?”
“Tolerant?” Shi Hou coldly snorted. The scorching flames over his body receded as he stated, “This King only knows an eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth. That brat dared to suppress this King with the Mountains and Rivers Bell. His death isn’t worth pitying!”
He turned his head and asked, suddenly turning his gaze at the three Divine Venerables, “Why, are you going to fight with this King for that brat? Give me a break, that brat is dead, and the dead are worthless.”
Although his words were offensive, they were undeniably true. What value did a dead person hold? What was the point of falling out with Shi Huo for a dead human boy?
“You shouldn’t have done this!” Fan Wu stated in a calm and composed manner. He wasn’t sorry about Yang Kai’s death, but was angry about Shi Huo discrediting them. When one’s status and strength had reached to their level, their word became more important than their lives.
“Alright, alright!” Cang Guo immediately intervened to mediate, “Since things have already happened, it’s pointless to blame him. We were wrong in this matter. Let’s bury… this human with honour.”
It seemed that giving Yang Kai a burial was the highest honour they could offer …
Luan Feng lightly nodded before sighing and proposing, “This kid should be a peerless genius. This Queen will take care of this. He will definitely not be treated poorly.”
Fan Wu nodded, fiercely glaring at Shi Huo. Whereas Shi Huo just stood there with an indifferent expression on his face. Rather he smiled and stated, “I got my revenge, it feels good!”
At this moment, the several Divine Venerables seemed to have sensed something as they looked towards a certain direction together.
Immediately, they saw a figure rushing over. Judging by the figure, it belonged to a woman, only, her cultivation wasn’t that strong, only Third-Order Dao Source Realm.
And closely following behind her was another figure with the cultivation of Second-Order Emperor Realm.
Two figures, one ahead and one behind, were quickly approaching, with the woman in the lead looking extremely anxious.
The group of Monster Race Masters in the outer ring tried to stop them, but they were knocked down by the Second-Order Emperor.
In a flash, the two figures had rushed over.
*Shua shua…*
Both of them abruptly came to stand still in the air. The woman in the lead looked at the enormous pit below with a look of disbelief. All of sudden, she started crying as tears rolled down her cheeks and fell down to the ground like pearls.
The woman in the rear was unkempt, messy, and wearing tattered and dirty clothes.
These two had rushed into the place where the Monster Race was gathered, rushed to the front of the four Divine Venerables. Their suicidal act had left many Monster Race members in surprise.
“Ruo Xi…” Embodiment, looking at the figure in the air, sighed with an astringent look on its face.
No doubt, Ruo Xi had suddenly rushed over after seeing Yang Kai sneak-attacked by Shi Huo, throwing all caution to the wind.
And the one, who came with her, was undoubtedly the Ice Heart Valley’s Third Elder.
The Third Disciple stood behind Ruo Xi with a ferocious look hanging on her face, making weird noises. She looked as if she was a beast defending its territory, warning others not to approach.
However, when Fan Wu glanced at her just once, the Third Disciple trembled as she shrank into a ball.
Before everyone’s eyes, Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly rushed to the bottom of the enormous pit, knelt down and desperately started digging through the mud with her hands, tears kept rolling down her cheeks as she kept whimpering, “Sir, Sir…”
She was so aggrieved that she kept choking on her words. She seemed to have lost her mind, not even using her Source Qi. She was just using her hands to dig as mud kept flying around her.
In the blink of an eye, her soft and tender fingers had turned bloody, but it seemed as if she could not feel any pain as she kept desperately digging.
Her sadness and desperation had reached a new extreme. They seemed to have turned tangible and slowly spread into the surroundings, affecting many Monster Race Masters and the restrained Stone Spirit Clan. Her tears had a faint redness in them, as if she wasn’t shedding pure tears but a mixture of blood and tears.
“Don’t leave Ruo Xi, Sir, don’t leave…”
Her blood and tears had blurred her vision. Zhang Ruo Xi couldn’t see at all, but her hands never stopped moving, trying to rescue Yang Kai from the ground.
“This little girl…” Fan Wu narrowed his eyes and frowned, staring at the back of kneeling Zhang Ruo Xi. Feeling quite complicated.
“I guess she has a very deep relationship with that kid, but her strength is pretty low,” Luan Feng also heaved a sigh. What could a Third-Order Dao Source Realm do here? The weakest Monster King here had the cultivation of Mid Twelfth-Order, and Peak Eleventh-Order Monster Commanders were just about everywhere.
“Hmph!” Shi Huo, glancing at Zhang Ruo Xi, suddenly coldly snorted as he stretched his hand out to grab her.
He had gone back on his word and killed Yang Kai by sneak attack, but now, a Human woman had suddenly appeared where Yang Kai was buried and was doing as she wished. Wasn’t this tantamount to insulting him?
Ruo Xi was completely unprepared and was directly pinched by that enormous palm.
Shi Huo, who was twenty meters tall, was pinching Zhang Ruo Xi as if he was pinching a doll.
As she was pulled further and further from Yang Kai, Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly came to her senses. She looked up, staring at Shi Huo with her pretty red eyes, who was sizing her up. She struggled hard, kicking and punching the arm as she shouted, “Let me go, I beg you, let me go. I want to save Sir, Sir is still alive, I want to save him!”
But her strength couldn’t be compared with Shi Huo’s. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t even shake him.
Shi Huo rebuked with a sneer, “You so-called Sir has died without a burial, your efforts are meaningless.”
Ruo Xi shook his head, shedding tears like rain, “I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it! Sir is still alive, Sir surely has not died!”
Shi Huo angrily shouted, “Little girl, you keep this up and this King will pinch you to death!”
Ruo Xi grit her teeth and suddenly raised her hand. Immediately, a square seal appeared out of thin air.
Ten Thousand Beasts Seal!
Suddenly, wisps of jet-black energy shot out of the seal as dense Yin Qi permeated into the surroundings. Ghastly cries and wails soon followed as those jet-black wisps transformed into Monster Beasts of different shapes and sizes.
“Beast Souls!” Shi Huo raised his brow, looking at the seemingly illusory Monster Beasts in surprise.
With his insight, he could naturally tell that these things were Beast Souls.
Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo’s brows slowly rose as well. They were Divine Venerables of the Ancient Lands, so everyone from the Monster Race was their subordinate. As such, so many Beast Souls popping out from Zhang Ruo Xi’s Ten Thousand Beasts Seals made them a little angry; after all, every Monster Race Master served them, and even if they died, their Beast Souls should not be blasphemed by being sealed inside a Human artifact.
This was an artifact that the Ancient Lands Monster Race could definitely not tolerate.
In the brief moment the Four Divine Venerables were distracted though, tens of thousands of Beast Souls had poured out of the Ten Thousands Beasts Souls. Furthermore, their number was still increasing and the energy fluctuations from each and every Beast Soul were quite astonishing, so even comparable to Monster Kings present here.
“Where did so many Beast Souls come from!?” Shi Huo’s face finally changed.
If the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal only had a few hundred Beast Souls, it was nothing to fret over. It could be interpreted as a result of her sealing Beast Souls after killing Monster Beasts for many years. But among these tens of thousands of Beast Souls, there were many Twelfth-Order Monster Beast Souls…
This was a bit shocking. Furthermore, by the looks of it, there were still many Beast Souls sealed inside the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal.
“Little girl, you didn’t venture into the Ten Thousand Spirits Tomb, did you?” Shi Huo had a whimsical thought.
While speaking, he slapped the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal as the power of a Divine Spirit burst forth. Struck so, the Ten Thousands Beasts Seal crazily flashed as its spirituality was greatly damaged.
At the same time, the tens of thousands of Beast Souls that had flown out of the seal also returned, unable to unleash any of their might.
The gap in their strength was too wide. Even if Ruo Xi had resorted to the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal, she didn’t pose any threat to Shi Huo.
Shi Huo flicked his arm, throwing Zhang Ruo Xi away as he stated, “This little girl’s artifact is strange, I’m going to check it.”
Luan Feng lightly nodded before stretching her hand out, drawing Zhang Ruo Xi over to her and restraining her so she couldn’t move.
Meanwhile, Shi Huo fiddled with the Ten Thousands Beasts Soul, pouring his Divine Sense into it to investigate. Suddenly, his face changed as he cried in shock, “Millions of Beast Souls!”
“What!?” Fan Wu and the others’ looked shocked as well.
Much to their surprise, millions of Beast Souls were inside the Ten Thousand Beasts Soul, but where did these millions of Beast Souls come from? Everyone was instantly aware of the problem here. In the entire Star Boundary, apart from the Ancient Wild Lands, there was no other place that could provide millions of Beast Souls, and even in the Ancient Wild Lands, there was only one place where there were millions of Beast Souls.
Ten Thousand Spirits Tomb!
Did this little girl really enter the Ten Thousand Spirits Tomb? Was Shi Huo’s random guess actually correct?
“Little girl, what’s your name?” Luan Feng, looking at the struggling Zhang Ruo Xi, asked in surprise.
Zhang Ruo Xi didn’t answer her, rather she was still trying to escape back to the pit. But before Luan Feng, how could she leave? Even moving her limbs was an extravagant hope.
*Huala…*
Suddenly, a strange noise drew everyone’s attention. The next moment, they saw a bloody hand emerge from the pit. That hand looked as if it had stretched straight out from Hell and it was radiating a dark and cold aura.
Shi Huo’s eyes instantly bulged.
Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo also looked in that direction in surprise.
Many Monster Kings and the group of Stone Spirits were also dumbfounded.
“I knew you were alive, I knew it,” Xie Wu Wei murmured. At this moment, his emotions were rising up and down like a roller coaster, alternating between nervousness and excitement.
But very soon, Xie Wu Wei slapped his thigh in annoyance. He couldn’t help but curse in his heart, “Stupid, since you were alive while everyone thought you were dead, why didn’t you stay hidden? Why do you have to reveal yourself? Such foolishness is killing me! Why is this King’s life so bitter!?”
“He’s still alive!?” Shi Huo stood gawking at the hand that emerged from the mud, dumbfounded. He couldn’t wait to pluck his eyes out and stretch them forward to get a clearer picture.
“What is this kid?” Luan Feng was also dumbfounded. She was shocked by Yang Kai’s tenacious vitality.
A First-Order Emperor Realm Human was sneak-attacked and punched straight into the ground by Shi Huo, yet he was still alive and kicking.
In front of everyone’s eyes, the emerged hand suddenly retracted before a deafening explosion occurred. The mud covering the pit blew up as a figure staggered out from the pit. The figure broke into a violent fit of coughing as blood dripped from all over it.
The figure was none other than Yang Kai.
The weeping beauty, Zhang Ruo Xi, stared ahead in a daze with her reddened eyes. She went limp and collapsed on the ground, tightly covering her mouth as she uncontrollably choked, her soft and tender shoulders violently shaking.
She didn’t dare to cry, fearing that her cries would affect Yang Kai.
“Shi Huo!” Yang Kai clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles went white. He grit his teeth, staring at the barbed stone giant, his eyes burning with flames of fury.
If he hadn’t used his Nihility Secret Technique and exiled himself into the Void at the critical moment, not even a shred of his skin might have been left after taking that punch.
Even using Nihility hadn’t completely negated the effects of Shi Huo’s attack. That fearsome blow had even affected the local space, and before the remainder of this wild energy could be dispersed, Yang Kai’s Nihility Secret Technique was disrupted, resulting in the remaining energy from Shi Huo’s attack injuring him.
A dignified Divine Spirit going back on his word was still barely acceptable, but actually using a sneak attack on a foe many times weaker than himself had greatly angered Yang Kai.
“Little brat, you’re pretty tenacious! You are the first one to survive after taking a blow from this King!” Shi Huo stood there, not looking the least bit guilty or ashamed of sneak-attacking Yang Kai. Instead, he just played with the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal as he contemptuously stared at Yang Kai.
Seeing the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal, Yang Kai couldn’t help but be startled. He looked around and very soon found Zhang Ruo Xi.
He had no idea what Ruo Xi was doing here, but he was hit by vertigo when he faintly heard Ruo Xi’s cries.
At this moment, Ruo Xi was on her knees, her delicate hands covering her mouth, her tender body constantly trembling, shedding a stream of joyful and anxious tears.
She must have been deeply shocked by what just happened.
Yang Kai took a deep breath as the hostility and the anger in his eyes gradually dissipated. His clenched fists also loosened up as he then turned his gaze in Fan Wu’s direction before speaking, “Shi Huo has gone back on his words and sneak-attacked me, but I’m not arguing with him over this. According to our agreement, I have removed my Soul Imprint from the Mountains and Rivers Bell. Now, I need to take my friends away. Divine Venerables, you don’t have any objections, right?”
Fan Wu’s eyes flashed as he agreed with a nod, “No objections!”
Although his tone was plain, some appreciation could be found in his eyes. Just now, he too had noticed the thick murderous intent in Yang Kai’s eyes. Anyone who was sneak-attacked and almost lost his life would probably be blinded by rage.
Not everyone could suppress such wild anger and adapt to circumstances so quickly.
The fact that Yang Kai could stifle his emotions and choose the optimal solution in this situation showed his incredible mental fortitude.
This was the wisest and only choice available to him here. If Yang Kai let his anger rule him at this moment, it would be tantamount to trying to break a stone with an egg. Only he would suffer in the end.
Upon getting Fan Wu’s reply, Yang Kai nodded slightly. Just when he was about to beckon to Zhang Ruo Xi though, Shi Huo said coldly, “You can leave with the others, but this little girl must stay.” He pointed at Zhang Ruo Xi and spoke in an unquestionable tone.
Yang Kai’s expression changed as he glowered at him and snarled, “Why should we listen to you?”
Shi Huo tossed the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal in his hand up and uttered in an aloof manner, “It’s because of this. She was brazen enough to seal millions of Beast Souls from our Ancient Lands inside, so she must explain herself to the Monster Race and be held accountable for this crime.”
Upon hearing what he said, most Monster Kings at the scene agreed with him. Nobody wanted their Soul to be refined into an artifact by a Human and to be used as a mindless weapon. Apparently, Zhang Ruo Xi’s Ten Thousand Beasts Seal had caused public outrage.
Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo frowned. Although they knew that Shi Huo was basically finding fault with Yang Kai, what he had just said was also sensible. As members of the Monster Race themselves, they were not in any position to refute him.
It seemed that this issue couldn’t be resolved easily on this day. Apparently, Shi Huo was set on killing Yang Kai. They knew that Shi Huo was someone who would seek revenge for the slightest grievance, but they didn’t expect that he would be so petty. The reason he was harping on this issue was simply that Yang Kai had suppressed him using Mountains and Rivers Bell previously.
He couldn’t kill Yang Kai in the previous sneak attack, and no matter how thick-skinned he was, he couldn’t possibly lose all face by launching another sneak attack. However, the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal’s appearance had given him one more chance to achieve his goal.
“How do you want to punish her?” Yang Kai’s gaze turned cold. It was an extremely difficult decision for him to give in to Shi Huo. He would have to ignore the fact that Shi Huo had oppressed him as someone much stronger and older by shamelessly launching a sneak-attack on him. If it wasn’t obvious he could not triumph in this situation, given Yang Kai’s temperament, he would have battled it out with Shi Huo even if it meant losing his life.
However, Zhang Ruo Xi, the Stone Spirit Clan members, and the Third Disciple were all here. If he really confronted Shi Huo, all of them would die, which was why he could swallow down his grievances. However, he didn’t expect that Shi Huo would still not be willing to let them off.
Just then, Shi Huo snorted, “Whoever dares to commit such blasphemy against the Monster Race in our Ancient Lands must die!”
“She must die!”
“Don’t let her off!”
“Kill her!”
All the Monster Kings started roaring as they appeared utterly incensed. It was as though Zhang Ruo Xi had done something that deserved the harshest condemnation.
The blood on Yang Kai’s face hadn’t dried up yet as he swept a cold glance over all the Monster Kings and eventually stared fixedly at Fan Wu.
In a dispassionate manner, Fan Wu added, “This little girl isn’t part of the promise. Since she has violated our taboo, she has to stay in the Ancient Lands.”
Although he despised Shi Huo for his contemptible behaviour, he was a Divine Venerable of the Ancient Lands in the end, so he wasn’t willing to disappoint the other Monster Kings.
“Haha…” Yang Kai suddenly laughed hysterically as he sneered at all the Monster Kings and spoke in a cold voice, “Truly wonderful! Several dozen peak Twelfth-Order Masters and Four Great Divine Spirits are all ganging up to kill a young girl barely twenty years of age! Many thanks for showing me the true colours of the Monster Race living in the Ancient Lands!”
Upon hearing his mockery, some members of the Monster Race flared up and snarled, “What did you say?”
The expressions of Fan Wu and the others were dark; however, just like what Yang Kai had said, if the news that so many Masters were using their authority and strength to punish a young girl was to spread out, it would be a great embarrassment to them.
“Sir, please ignore me! Please just leave me here!” Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly shouted, her gaze filled with anxiety, “Leave this place immediately!”
Upon realizing the problem, she felt extremely regretful and thought that she had dragged Yang Kai into this mess. If she didn’t summon the Ten Thousand Beasts Seal, such an incident wouldn’t have happened.
Yang Kai turned to look at her and shook his head slowly.
Zhang Ruo Xi started bawling and spoke in a choking voice, “Sir, it has been Ruo Xi’s greatest honour to have been raised by you! Ruo Xi could not have been happier being able to serve you for so many years. The only regret Ruo Xi has is that she has always held you back instead of helping you. Ruo Xi cannot accompany you by your side anymore, so you must take good care of yourself!”
Yang Kai’s expression changed drastically as he exclaimed, “Ruo Xi, what are you trying to do!?”
Without replying to him, Zhang Ruo Xi swept a glance over Shi Huo and the other Monster Kings before eventually staring fixedly at Fan Wu, her gaze, which was drenched in tears, suddenly turning cold as she spoke in a grim and resolute voice, “Since I’ve violated the Ancient Lands’s taboo, I’ll atone for my crime with my life. I hope that will settle the wrath in all of your hearts; however, if you still make things difficult for Sir after my death, I’ll transform into the most horrible ghost and retaliate against all of you! I swear I shall haunt you all for the rest of your lives and take every chance to curse you to death!”
The expressions of all the Monster Kings changed when they heard this and even Fan Wu and the other Divine Venerables were shocked. It was apparent to them that Zhang Ruo Xi was trying to ensure Yang Kai’s safety by sacrificing herself, which went to show how steadfast her determination was.
She was willing to make such a pledge before her death, and if her wish wasn’t granted, she would really turn into a horrible ghost and harass all of them. At that instant, all the Monster Kings felt a sense of coldness down their backs.
Zhang Ruo Xi turned her head and looked dazedly at Yang Kai, her tears slipping down her face as the light of longing and reluctance shone within them. In a choking voice, she uttered, “Sir, if there is an afterlife, Ruo Xi would still be willing to serve you!”
As soon as she finished her words, she raised her hand and circulated her Source Qi on her palm before palming towards the top of her skull. If she managed to hit herself with her palm, she would definitely lose her life.
“Damn it!” Yang Kai widened his eyes in shock as he made a move and disappeared from the spot.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Shi Huo sneered and stepped forward before he struck the Void with his dark flaming fist.
With a loud boom, Yang Kai’s figure appeared again, his bones cracking as his vitality churned chaotically. After spitting a mouthful of blood, he roared uncontrollably as he was gripped by a sense of excruciating pain. Before he even landed on the ground, he disappeared in mid-air again.
Shi Huo snorted, “Your Space Divine Ability is indeed elusive, but I can still see some leftover traces with my eyes!”
Upon finishing his words, he threw a kick in the air, upon which Yang Kai appeared again as he fell to the ground, rolling in the dirt.
“Shi Huo!” Yang Kai bellowed as he stopped himself from tumbling and leaped to his feet. With bloodshot eyes, he glowered at Shi Huo as his fury permeated the air. He just wanted to save Zhang Ruo Xi, but such a simple wish couldn’t be granted as Shi Huo blocked his teleportation twice.
After Yang Kai finished speaking, Shi Huo suddenly appeared above Yang Kai’s head and knocked him down with a punch. Following that, he pressed his foot against Yang Kai as though he was stepping on an ant.
*Pu…*
Upon being stepped on, Yang Kai sprayed out a mouthful of golden blood. With difficulty, he turned his head to look at Zhang Ruo Xi in despair. After he was stopped by Shi Huo several times, he had already missed the best chance to save her and was extremely worried that she had already lost her life.
The excruciating pain he felt in his body was unbearable, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt in his heart. It was as though countless knives were jabbed into his chest at the same time, causing him to suffocate.
Zhang Ruo Xi was a soft-spoken, shy, and obedient young girl who was extremely loyal to him. She left the Zhang Family in Maplewood City with him and ventured into this beautiful yet dangerous world, but before she could truly experience its magnificence, she lost her life here in this place.
At that moment, Yang Kai hated himself for being weak. At the same time, he regretted the fact that he allowed the young girl to tag along and let her experience all the dangers of this world. She should have stayed in the Zhang Family and looked for a husband. After that, she would raise her own children and spend the rest of her life with her family in peace.
Warm liquid slid down from the corner of his eyes as his vision blurred. Yang Kai could still see that Zhang Ruo Xi was facing him on her knees, and her hand was now right above the top of her head; however, her wrist had been grabbed by another hand.
“Hahaha!” Yang Kai was startled for a moment before he started laughing hysterically. It was as though he was over the moon, his joyful laugh in stark contrast with the perilous situation he was in.
Shi Huo’s expression darkened as he exerted more force with his leg, upon which Yang Kai stopped laughing and sprayed out more golden blood. Still, through clenched teeth he shouted, “Senior Luan Feng, I owe you a favour!”
The person who had stopped Zhang Ruo Xi from killing herself was Luan Feng, who was standing right behind her. Given Luan Feng’s power, Zhang Ruo Xi would never be able to kill herself without Luan Feng’s permission.
With a conflicted expression, Luan Feng scolded, “Mind your own business.”
Yang Kai was about to be killed soon, but he still told Luan Feng that he owed her a favour, which was basically useless. Even if he managed to survive, such a favour was probably worthless.
Luan Feng was simply moved by Zhang Ruo Xi’s determination and didn’t have the heart to watch such a tragedy happen. After all, she was a woman too, despite being a Divine Spirit, she still had a sentimental side.
“Let me go!” Zhang Ruo Xi obstinately raised her head and glowered at Luan Feng, who was so powerful that even cultivators in the Third-Order Emperor Realm had to back down when confronted by her. However, at that moment, Zhang Ruo Xi appeared utterly incensed, her lips bleeding as she tried to struggle out of her grip as she snarled, “You evil woman! Let go!”
Luan Feng dispassionately uttered, “Even if you kill yourself, your Sir won’t be able to leave alive, so what point is there in sacrificing yourself?”
She had figured out that Shi Huo had never intended to let Yang Kai off, as he was someone who would seek revenge for the slightest grievance.
Zhang Ruo Xi was startled for a moment before she seemed to comprehend her situation and pleaded in a choking voice, “Senior, please have mercy and save Sir. I will do anything for you in exchange, just please save him…”
Of all the people at the scene, only the remaining three Divine Venerables had the capability to stop Shi Huo. Zhang Ruo Xi had figured this out, which was why she decided to plead with Luan Feng now.
Luan Feng looked down at her and uttered impassively, “Didn’t you just say I’m an evil woman?”
Upon hearing that, Zhang Ruo Xi immediately raised her other hand and slapped herself forcefully as she replied, “I should have minded my language. Senior, please have mercy and forgive me ignorance. Please save Sir…”
The sound of Zhang Ruo Xi slapping herself was loud as she didn’t go easy on herself. After a few slaps, her cheek had swollen, and the corner of her mouth was drenched in blood; however, she exerted more force every time she slapped herself, as though she couldn’t feel pain. While the faces of the Monster Kings watching twitched while the Stone Spirit Clan growled but were powerless to help her.
Zhang Ruo Xi could even sacrifice her life for Yang Kai, so it was nothing for her to slap herself.
“What are you doing?” Luan Feng frowned and reached out her free hand to bind Zhang Ruo Xi on the spot. Her cultivation far exceeded Third-Order Emperor Realm Human, so it was easy for her to restrict Zhang Ruo Xi’s movements.
Having been completely suppressed, Zhang Ruo Xi couldn’t even move a muscle, let alone utter a word. Her hand was still up in the air, and her tears had stopped streaming down her face.
“Hey you, can you be considered a man at all? A young girl has to beg and slap herself for your sake! You’re indeed just an ant, how laughable!” Shi Huo snorted as he stepped harder on Yang Kai, as though he was enjoying a marvellous show.
*Kacha…*
The sound of bones breaking could be heard again as Yang Kai grit his teeth and suppressed the excruciating pain. Upon choking down the blood in his mouth, he glared at the stone giant before his eyes and bellowed, “Shi Huo, if you want my life, you take it, but you must let Ruo Xi and the other Stone Spirit Clan members leave first. After that, you can do whatever you want to me!”
“Does an ant have the right to negotiate with me?” Shi Huo snorted and landed a kick on Yang Kai’s ribs, sending him flying.
*Pa…*
With his figure battered all over, Yang Kai fell to the ground with a thud.
Having been bound to the spot, Zhang Ruo Xi tried her hardest to look in Yang Kai’s direction with a gaze that was filled with despair and sorrow. With her tears all drained, her eyes were slowly turning bloodshot. The redness in her eyes seemed to contain a special power that was silently permeating this place.
However, at this moment, everyone’s attention was on Yang Kai and Shi Huo, so no one noticed the odd transformation in Zhang Ruo Xi. Even Zhang Ruo Xi herself had failed to notice it as her heart was slowly filled with resentment and the blood in her veins started boiling.
“What?” Shi Huo frowned and extended his hand, upon which Yang Kai, who was rolling on the ground, was sucked towards him. With his head tilted, Shi Huo took a look at Yang Kai and uttered in amazement, “There’s something strange about your body…”
A mere First-Order Emperor Human should have lost his life by now after being tortured by Shi Huo in such a way; however, Yang Kai was still alive and kicking. Although his aura had diminished a little, his vitality was still ample.
“Shi Huo, don’t force me!” Yang Kai growled like an enraged beast.
Shi Huo arched his brow and laughed, “So, what if I want to force you? Do you think you can kill me?”
As Shi Huo spoke, he brandished his huge fist and punched Yang Kai’s body repeatedly.
*Peng, Peng, Peng…*
Each of Shi Huo’s punches carried the weight of a mountain, and the sound of Yang Kai’s bones cracking could be heard clearly as it swung violently in mid-air. Nevertheless, having been restricted by Shi Huo, Yang Kai couldn’t even struggle out of his grip, so he had no choice but to receive this beating passively.
The corners of Yang Kai’s eyes had split open and blood started streaming down his head. His handsome face had completely swollen, so it was hard to recognize that he was even human. His hair was in a mess, and his entire body was soaked in blood because of Shi Huo’s assault. At that moment, he was battered and in an utterly sorry state, which he had never experienced before since he embarked on his cultivation journey.
*Hong…*
Shi Huo landed another fist on Yang Kai, causing the bones in his legs to break. Yang Kai fell on his knees, but his back remained as straight as a spear.
The other Monster Kings looked at Yang Kai with conflicted expressions. Although there were many present, it was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Even though they were from different races, and that Yang Kai had caused them a lot of trouble, these Monster Kings were still moved by Yang Kai’s resoluteness in the face of such torture. They thought that he was indeed a real man.
In comparison, Shi Huo appeared petty and arrogant due to his shameless behaviour. He could have killed Yang Kai without much effort, so what was the point of him torturing this young man in such a way?
Nevertheless, Shi Huo was one of the Four Great Divine Venerables. Although the Monster Kings were not pleased with him, they didn’t have the guts to express dissent here. Hence, they could only glance at Yang Kai with respect and sympathy. Even though Xie Wu Wei wanted to plead for leniency on Yang Kai’s behalf, he knew that he would be dragged into this as well if he dared to step forward.
“Shi Huo, enough!” Fan Wu yelled with a dark expression.
“There is no glory or honour in torturing an opponent who is so much weaker than you are,” Fan Wu snorted as he couldn’t tolerate Shi Huo’s behaviour anymore, “If you want to kill him, just end it quickly, stop doing such pointless things.”
Hearing this, Shi Huo scoffed. Although he appeared reluctant, he still grasped Yang Kai’s hair and lifted his head.
At this moment, Yang Kai’s entire face was swollen and drenched in blood, so it was hard to identify his eyes and nose. There were two slits on the places where his eyes were supposed to be, out of which a faint light could be seen.
Glancing over at Zhang Ruo Xi, Yang Kai somehow managed to put on a grin. At that instant, Zhang Ruo Xi felt her entire body trembling as her blood transformed into tears and streamed down from her eyes. The tears on her cheeks looked like two traces of blood, which was utterly hideous.
She had served Yang Kai for many years, so she knew full well what powers and trump cards he possessed. In fact, he wasn’t powerless to resist. He had the sealed power of an Ancient Demon, the power of the Sealed World Bead, as well as his Golden Divine Dragon Source.
She believed that if he utilized all these powers, even if he couldn’t defeat Shi Huo, he could still flee from this place; however, while he was being tortured by Shi Huo, he didn’t even try to use those powers at all. Even when his life was hanging by a thread, he still didn’t bring out his trump cards.
In fact, she knew that it was all because of her. Once Yang Kai fled from this place, the other members of the Monster Race would not let her off. [So, I’ve dragged Sir into a mess once again. Over the years, I’ve always been a burden to him. Why can’t I help him in any meaningful way?]
The resentment she felt was enough to make the sea boil, and the fury that was rising within her seemed capable of destroying the Heavens and shattering the Earth. A sense of ferocity flushed out of her tender body as she transformed from an obedient girl into someone completely different in that instant.
“Hm?” Sensing this odd transformation in Zhang Ruo Xi’s aura, Luan Feng scowled and took a glance at her. Upon seeing her bloodied tears, she couldn’t help but heave a sigh. If possible, she wanted to save Yang Kai; however, by doing so, she was bound to offend Shi Huo. After some deliberation, she knew which option was the wiser.
“Release Ruo Xi and the other Stone Spirits. I won’t resist!” Despite the fact that Yang Kai’s hair was grabbed by Shi Huo, he raised his head as his swollen eyes beamed with a cold glare. He was making the last attempt. As long as Zhang Ruo Xi and the other Stone Spirit people could leave first, he would have nothing to worry about, thus enabling him to fight with Shi Huo with his full strength.
Exasperated, Shi Huo sneered, “Do you still think you can fight back? Don’t worry, after I kill you, I’ll also send that girl to Hell to keep you company!”
Upon finishing his words, Shi Huo sent his fist to Yang Kai’s face. He didn’t hold back his power with this strike, as he had intended to end Yang Kai’s life. Having tortured Yang Kai for so long, he had managed to see the despair and resentment behind Yang Kai’s gaze, so his fury had subsided significantly. Paired with Fan Wu’s warning, he realized that it was time to send Yang Kai off, so he wasted no more time.
Yang Kai’s heart sank when he was faced with the attack. Just when he was about to use his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique, he heard someone shrieking on the other side.
“No!” The voice was filled with unbearable despair and panic, paired with a sense of unparalleled fury and murderous intent.
“What?” Luan Feng was shocked as she looked down at Zhang Ruo Xi. The young girl was supposed to be under her complete control, not able to speak or even move a finger; however, just now, she somehow managed to shout.
[How is that possible?]
*Kacha…*
An invisible seal suddenly broke apart at that instant. The restriction Luan Feng had placed on Zhang Ruo Xi was destroyed, causing the former’s entire body to tremble.
At the same time, Zhang Ruo Xi, who was kneeling on the ground, could feel an indescribable force awakening from her bloodline as her hair flew up into the air despite the fact that it was a windless day. Like the waking of a Dragon that had slumbered for aeons, she opened her eyes slowly and an aura gushed out of her body that sent shockwaves across all Four Great Divine Venerables, causing them to stare at her in astonishment.
“What’s going on with her?” Fan Wu exclaimed.
Shi Huo’s hand stopped in mid-air as he stared fixedly at Zhang Ruo Xi with his flaming eyes. For some reason, an instinctive fear seemed to be rising within him. It was as though he had come across a natural predator, just like how a mouse would react when it saw a cat.
In the end, he failed in his attempt to strike Yang Kai with his fist.
Yang Kai was also dumbfounded as he tried very hard to widen his swollen eyes to take a glance at Zhang Ruo Xi. He wondered just what was going on with her.
“AAHH!” Zhang Ruo Xi looked up at the sky and shouted. It was as though she couldn’t control the turbulent force in her body anymore as her clothes flailed madly.
The expression on Luan Feng’s alluring face changed as she hurriedly flew away from the young girl, gripped by a sense of anxiety as she stared fixedly at her.
*Weng…*
The entire world seemed to tremble as a humming sound echoed through the air. Suddenly, two drops of blood streamed out of Zhang Ruo Xi’s eyes, but they didn’t drop to the ground. Instead, they flew in a particular direction as though they had been guided by some mysterious force.
Everyone was attracted to the two drops of blood as they looked dazedly at them. Right before their eyes, the two drops of blood flew at lightning speed towards a certain spot.
When looking in the direction the two drops flew, Fan Wu narrowed his eyes and exclaimed, “The Blood Gate!”
Unexpectedly, the two drops of blood were flying towards the Blood Gate. No one knew when it began, but the Blood Gate, which had remained still for aeons, was now boiling as bubbles of different sizes were formed on its surface.
“Does this girl have something to do with the Blood Gate?” Cang Guo asked in shock.
Fan Wu shook his head slowly. Despite his experience and knowledge, he couldn’t figure out what was going on.
*Xiu…*
The two drops of blood accelerated and shot into the Blood Gate, thus disappearing from everyone’s sight.
*Hong…*
All of a sudden, a beam of scarlet light shot out of the Blood Gate and penetrated Zhang Ruo Xi’s body, causing her to shudder uncontrollably. At the same time, she stopped growling as her long hair fell back down. Still on her knees, she hung her head low and remained unmoving, as though she was a dead person.
Shocked, Yang Kai hurriedly scanned her body with Divine Sense, only to find that her vitality was raging. However, at this moment, Yang Kai almost couldn’t recognize her, as her aura was completely different now, as though she had transformed into an entirely different person.
“What’s going on? This is…”
“Oh, no! The Blood Gate’s restrictive power has been reactivated!”
“Sirs, we’d best leave now! There might be unforeseen dangers!”
All the Monster Kings started exclaiming. In the past, they could never have gotten so close to the Blood Gate, always staying more than ten kilometres away from it. Only recently had the Blood Gate’s mysterious suppressive field disappeared, allowing them to approach it.
However, the mysterious power seemed to have returned, causing all the Monster Kings to feel suppressed in an instant, and as time passed, the suppressive power was growing increasingly stronger.
Obviously the Divine Venerables had noticed this as well. Their cultivations were much more powerful than the peak Twelfth-Order Monster Kings present, but in just a short period of time, they felt their strength suppressed to just that of a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master.
In other words, at this moment, any Third-Order Emperor Realm Human Master would be just as powerful as they were.
Over the years, they had come near the Blood Gate several times to study it, so they knew how horrible this suppressive power could be, so they were well aware that this was just the beginning. When the suppressive force reached peak intensity, it could suppress their strength to a point where it was lower than the Emperor Realm.
“All of you, leave first!” Fan Wu waved his hand and ordered.
Although the Monster Kings were fairly powerful, they were still no match for the Four Great Divine Venerables. If they stayed there any longer, their lives would be at risk. Upon receiving the order, the Monster Kings and the Great Kings hurriedly fled this place as though they had been pardoned for their sins. Before they left, they also made sure to bring the subdued Stone Spirit Clan members with them.
In just a short moment, only the Four Great Divine Venerables, Yang Kai, Zhang Ruo Xi, and the Third Disciple were left. The cultivations of the Four Great Divine Venerables were exceptional, so although they had been suppressed by the Blood Gate’s power, they weren’t in danger at the moment. On the other hand, Yang Kai, Zhang Ruo Xi, and the Third Disciple were not from the Ancient Lands, nor were they members of the Monster Race, which was why they were unaffected by the restrictive power.
At this moment, everyone’s attention was on Zhang Ruo Xi. The young girl still remained on her knees with her head hung low, though her violent aura had subsided. However, a force that was awakening in her petite figure caused the Four Great Divine Venerables to be frightened.
“Bloodline Power!” Yang Kai’s gaze brightened as he had figured out what was going on. Zhang Ruo Xi’s Bloodline Power had always been a mystery, one Yang Kai had wanted to help her unravel eventually, but had not been able to find any clues about.
Previously, when he came across the Bustling World Great Emperor, Duan Hong Chen, the latter seemed to have figured out something, but the old man insisted on acting mysterious and didn’t share any information with Yang Kai. This caused the latter to be on tenterhooks. Although Yang Kai was frustrated at the time, there was nothing he could do about it.
However, Yang Kai had never expected that Zhang Ruo Xi’s Bloodline Power would awaken one day because of him when she experienced extreme anger and despair, causing her to crave for absolute power.
“What are you muttering about?” Shi Huo lowered his head and glared at Yang Kai. He could faintly hear Yang Kai speaking, but he didn’t hear it clearly because all his focus was on Zhang Ruo Xi.
“None of your damn business,” Yang Kai shot him a disdainful glance and sneered.
“Little Brat, you must be sick of living!” Shi Huo bellowed.
“Don’t make things even more complicated now!” Fan Wu suddenly yelled with a furious expression. The extraordinary transformation Zhang Ruo Xi was going through caused him to feel uneasy as he knew that it was caused by what happened to Yang Kai. If Yang Kai were to die now, they couldn’t predict what kind of transformation this young girl would undergo.
Whatever secrets were held in her body, Fan Wu couldn’t take it lightly since the Blood Gate was involved.
Shi Huo shook his head with displeasure, but he didn’t dare to find fault with Yang Kai again.
Yang Kai also didn’t want to keep provoking Shi Huo. To him, if Shi Huo still wouldn’t let him off, he would just have to fight him. The reason he continued to bear with it just now was that he wanted Zhang Ruo Xi and the Stone Spirit Clan to evacuate first.
Turning his head, Yang Kai focused on the current situation and called out gently, “Ruo Xi… Ruo Xi…”
Despite Yang Kai calling out to her more than a dozen times, she remained unmoving, which caused him to frown.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Cang Guo gulped as he appeared extremely wary. With his strength, he wouldn’t show any fear even if a Great Emperor had personally arrived. Even if he couldn’t defeat a Great Emperor, he was confident he could still flee; however, gazing at the seemingly delicate young girl who was on her knees in front of him now, he found himself to be instinctually terrified.
Luan Feng and Fan Wu traded glances as they could see the shock and anxiety in their eyes. In an impatient manner, Shi Huo uttered, “I have to kill her. I don’t like this feeling…”
As he spoke, he stepped towards Zhang Ruo Xi. However, after he took only two steps forward, Zhang Ruo Xi, who had remained silent this entire time, suddenly said in a low voice, “I understand now.”
“Hm?” The Four Great Divine Venerables stared at her in confusion.
Zhang Ruo Xi slowly raised her head with an icy cold expression on her pretty face, her bloodshot eyes sending a chill down the Four Great Divine Venerables’ spines.
“Ruo Xi…” Yang Kai was dumbstruck. He had spent many years with Zhang Ruo Xi, but he had never seen her looking like this before. Was she still the Zhang Ruo Xi he knew, even in this state?
The young girl let out a gentle breath as she got to her feet in an elegant manner and flicked the dust on her clothes away. Then, she turned around to stare at Shi Huo coldly and parted her red lips to confirm, “You lump of stone, did you just say you want to kill me?”
Shi Huo stiffened upon meeting her dispassionate gaze as his entire body was gripped by a sense of coldness. However, ten kilometres away, those Monster Kings were still looking in their direction, so he grit his teeth and snapped back, “So what if I did?”
Zhang Ruo Xi nodded and stopped talking before shifting her attention to Yang Kai. As their gazes met, Yang Kai frowned because he was worried about her; however, before he could ask any questions, Zhang Ruo Xi looked away, as though she didn’t even recognize him.
Yang Kai’s heart sank when he saw this as he didn’t understand what transformation she had gone through. At that instant, he found her to be unfamiliar, but at the same time, he felt utterly sorry for her.
Zhang Ruo Xi raised her hand suddenly, summoning something into her palm. It was a translucent and beautiful jade sphere that was radiating some faint traces of Space Principles.
“The Space Spirit Jade!” Yang Kai frowned as he didn’t understand why Zhang Ruo Xi would suddenly take out the Space Spirit Jade at this point. It was a Zhang Family heirloom that Yang Kai had kept for a long time. He only passed it back to Zhang Ruo Xi just before entering the Ancient Lands because he felt she was powerful enough to explore the mysteries hidden within the Space Spirit Jade now. By doing so, perhaps she could unravel the secret behind her bloodline.
However, she hadn’t been able to discover anything, so he didn’t expect that she would take it out at this moment. While Yang Kai was gazing at her curiously, Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly flicked her wrist, upon which, the Space Spirit Jade transformed into a beam of light and shot towards the Blood Gate. In an instant, the beam of light integrated with the Blood Gate and added a layer of white to its red surface.
The next moment, images that depicted a paradise kept flashing in the air above the Space Spirit Jade. The flashing of these images was accompanied by a deafening creaking.
It was like a door that had been shut for a very long time was slowly being opened, and a wave of horrifying aura began wafting out from behind it.
“The Blood Gate’s key! It’s the Blood Gate’s key!” After Fan Wu observed the sight for some time with a frown, his expression changed drastically as he exclaimed in shock and stared at Zhang Ruo Xi with widened eyes as he yelled, “Why do you have the Blood Gate’s key?”
Luan Feng couldn’t help but cover her mouth as she looked dazedly at the Blood Gate and muttered, “The Blood Gate is opening…”
*Hong Long Long…*
Finally, the sound of the door opening was heard. Behind the Blood Gate, a translucent and beautiful sight could faintly be seen. It was as though a palace had been erected there, but the sight was so surreal that it left all bewildered.
“The Blood Gate’s key?” Yang Kai was amazed as a myriad of expressions came over him. He had studied the Space Spirit Jade for quite some time, but he had never expected that it was actually a key that could unlock the Blood Gate.
Taking this new information into consideration though, the beautiful images that kept flashing in the air above the Space Spirit Jade they saw just now were likely the landscape beyond the Blood Gate, and that palace was the legendary Divine Spirit Palace.
“Why do you think I have the Blood Gate’s key?” Zhang Ruo Xi uttered in a dispassionate and flat tone. However, Fan Wu couldn’t help but take a few steps back and turn pale, as though he had just heard the devil’s voice.
Zhang Ruo Xi raised her hand towards the Blood Gate, as though she was summoning something from it.
*Xiu…*
A beam of light shot out of the Blood Gate, one which Zhang Ruo Xi grabbed as it arrived at her hand.
*Zheng…*
The sound of a sword humming was heard. It was then that everyone came to the realization that it was a beautifully crafted sword that had shot out of the Blood Gate. The blade was polished and reflective, with a hilt that was carved with Dragons and Phoenixes. At the end of the hilt was a red tassel that waved about as if it was alive.
With the sword in her hand, Zhang Ruo Xi’s aura suddenly surged, her aura now as imposing as a peak Third-Order Emperor.
*Huala…*
All of a sudden, a lifelike illusory phantom emerged behind Zhang Ruo Xi.
Yang Kai widened his eyes as he stared dazedly at this illusory phantom. Although he had seen this image many times before, he was still astounded every time he laid eyes upon it.
It was an illusory phantom of a gigantic woman whose long hair cascaded down her. With her head raised slightly, she appeared impassive. This woman looked somewhat similar to Zhang Ruo Xi. With a huge sheathed sword in her hands, she was standing quietly behind Zhang Ruo Xi, as though she was her elongated shadow.
“Heaven’s Order Sword!” Unable to hold it in anymore, Fan Wu exclaimed as the colour drained from his face.
“You’re a descendent of Heaven’s Order?” Luan Feng’s alluring face turned ashen as she felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
On the other hand, Cang Guo was trembling uncontrollably and almost couldn’t support his own weight. Shi Huo’s mind turned blank as he almost collapsed to the ground.
As Divine Spirits, they had inherited their ancestors’ Source Strength as well as their memories, so they knew better than anyone how terrifying Heaven’s Order was.
In the era when Heaven’s Order existed, it was the most trying time for all Divine Spirits. Ninety percent of them were killed by her, and countless Divine Spirit Sources had been sealed inside the Divine Spirit Palace that was behind the Blood Gate, never to see the light of day again. This was why all Divine Spirits feared Heaven’s Order, always worried about their own safety.
In fact, against Divine Spirits, Heaven’s Order was more powerful than even Great Emperors. Though, this was limited to Divine Spirits, which made her their natural enemy.
Both Phoenixes and Dragons were no exception, as she had killed many Dragons in her lifetime.
Although the Four Great Divine Venerables in the Ancient Lands were Divine Spirits as well, they were still much weaker than True Dragons. Even the Dragons were no match for Heaven’s Order, let alone these Divine Venerables. That was why, when they realized that Zhang Ruo Xi was Heaven’s Order’s descendant, they turned completely pale in fright, as though the end of the world had arrived.
“Fan Wu… don’t go spouting nonsense…” Cang Guo gulped as he looked dazedly at Zhang Ruo Xi, who had transformed into a completely different person. In a trembling voice, he uttered, “Are you sure she is a descendant of Heaven’s Order?”
Fan Wu forced a smile and replied in a bitter voice, “You’ve also inherited your ancestors’ memories, so don’t you recognize that sword?”
Cang Guo was rendered speechless, as Heaven’s Order Sword was exactly what Heaven’s Order used as her primary weapon. From the memories they had inherited, they knew that the sword had been sealed behind the Blood Gate. The reason they cordoned off this area and never allowed anyone to come close to this place wasn’t that they were worried about Monster Race members obtaining Source Strength and being reborn as Divine Spirits.
No, their worry was that the Heaven’s Order Sword would re-emerge in this world. Now, their biggest worry had become reality.
It wasn’t that someone had barged into the Blood Gate and brought the Heaven’s Order Sword out, but it was summoned by a Human girl in her early twenties. Only Heaven’s Order and her descendants were capable of wielding the Heaven’s Order Sword. With that sword in her hand, Zhang Ruo Xi’s identity could not be clearer.
“It’s all over…” Cang Guo muttered. Their biggest worry had come true. Heaven’s Order Sword had reappeared, and the bloodline of Heaven’s Order’s descendant had awakened. From now on, there wouldn’t be a single peaceful day for any Divine Spirits anymore. The people who would face her wrath first were undoubtedly the Four Great Divine Venerables at the scene.
“Heaven’s Order’s descendant…” Yang Kai was dumbstruck, as he had never expected that Zhang Ruo Xi was the descendant of the legendary Heaven’s Order, who was the natural enemy of all the Divine Spirits.
The revelation was so shocking that he still couldn’t come to his senses after some time. Soon though, he thought of something. After they entered the Flowing Time Temple in the Four Season Land, Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly disappeared for some time. When she appeared again, she was clad in the Pink Clouds Phoenix Robe, a priceless defensive Emperor Artifact.
Zhang Ruo Xi told him that it was a guy called Qiong Qi who gifted it to her. Qiong Qi was one of the most ferocious among the Ancient Divine Spirits, so Yang Kai had never understood why such a powerful creature would give Zhang Ruo Xi such a precious artifact. Now, he realized that Qiong Qi must have sensed her Bloodline Power, which was why the beast hadn’t dared to make things difficult for her. He must have also realized that her bloodline would awaken if she was pushed into a crisis, and when that happened, Qiong Qi would find himself in a perilous situation.
On the other hand, Duan Hong Chen must have figured it out as well, but he wouldn’t dare to reveal such an important secret. All the signs suggested that Zhang Ruo Xi was undoubtedly a descendant of Heaven’s Order.
“I see…” Yang Kai put on a bitter smile. Things had developed to a point that had exceeded his imagination, as he had never expected that he would be so flabbergasted after Zhang Ruo Xi’s Bloodline Power awakened.
“You!” Zhang Ruo Xi shot Shi Huo a glare and spoke in a cold voice, “Tell me, how do you want to die?”
Shi Huo shuddered as his face warped in fear. The flickering flames in his eyes suggested that he was extremely anxious. Just some time ago, he had no regard for Zhang Ruo Xi whatsoever, as he could easily kill a Human girl in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm with a snort; however, the girl before his eyes now was able to make him feel uneasy and fill his heart with despair.
He had revealed his intention of killing Zhang Ruo Xi just now, and he had tortured Yang Kai for a very long time, so he was certain that she must completely resent him now. The Monster Race members and the other Divine Venerables might be able to survive this calamity, but he was certain he had no future.
Upon realizing this, Shi Huo threw all caution to the wind and decided to double down, pushing his dark flames madly as he shouted, “So what if you’re a descendant of Heaven’s Order!? I am the descendant of an Ancient Divine Spirit, how are you able to kill me before you even grow up?”
After he barked at Zhang Ruo Xi, he turned to look at Fan Wu and the others as he uttered, “My fellow Divine Venerables, Heaven’s Order is the common enemy of all the Divine Spirits, and her power is capable of suppressing all of us. If all of you still want to rest easy at night, why don’t you join me and nip her descendant in the bud before she becomes stronger?”
Yang Kai’s expression darkened when he heard that as he sized up the other three Divine Venerables anxiously.
Just like what Shi Huo had said, the Bloodline Power within Zhang Ruo Xi had just awakened, so it wasn’t certain how powerful she was. However, the powers of these Divine Venerables were unquestionable. Once they joined forces, Zhang Ruo Xi might not be able to counter them.
Cang Guo appeared tempted, apparently swayed by what Shi Huo had said. On the other hand, Fan Wu and Luan Feng didn’t give any reaction, so it wasn’t certain what was on their minds. Their reactions were not missed by Cang Guo as well, and after giving it a thought with a frown, he shook his head slightly and suppressed the impulse in his heart.
Shi Huo’s heart sank when he saw that and snarled, “Are you really willing to give her time to grow? Don’t you understand that when she becomes stronger, all Divine Spirits in the world will live a life that is worse than Hell?”
Naturally, Fan Wu and the others understood that as well. When Heaven’s Order walked the world in the past, all Divine Spirits hid in fear from her, worried she would find them and take their Sources before killing them.
It wasn’t until Heaven’s Order suddenly went missing hundreds of thousands of years ago that these Divine Spirits slowly emerged again. Shi Huo’s words were indeed sensible, but Fan Wu and the others didn’t have the guts to confront Zhang Ruo Xi.
Faced with someone with Heaven’s Order’s bloodline, they were instinctively wary and terrified. Even if they wanted to deal with Zhang Ruo Xi, they didn’t have the courage to do so.
Fan Wu directly closed his eyes and stayed clear from this. Apparently, he wasn’t willing to offend Zhang Ruo Xi.
On the other hand, his intention was to let Shi Huo test the waters first. If Zhang Ruo Xi, as Heaven’s Order’s descendant, turned out to be less powerful than she appeared to be, it wouldn’t be too late for them to make a move. However, if she had inherited all of Heaven’s Order’s abilities, then Shi Huo would be the best guinea pig.
“Fine then!” Shi Huo snorted and swept a mocking glance over Fan Wu and the others before he uttered loudly, “Since that’s the case, I’ll end her life on my own. You don’t have to thank me afterwards!”
Upon finishing his words, he growled as his already gigantic figure seemed to expand once more, growing twice as large as before. His entire body was engulfed in dark flames, and his eyes were burning with rage. The ground seemed to have melted because of the heat, and the atmosphere around that place turned scorching hot.
*Deng, Deng, Deng…*
Shi Huo charged forward and reached Zhang Ruo Xi in just three steps. He raised his right arm as he was aiming to strike her with his humongous fist.
“From today onward, there won’t be any more descendants of Heaven’s Order!” Shi Huo grinned as his aura turned violent. He had never been kind-hearted; otherwise, he wouldn’t have slaughtered all of those from the Black Tortoise Sect twenty thousand years ago. It all happened because when one of their disciples was travelling around the world, he came across Shi Huo and offended him because he didn’t know who the latter was. Nevertheless, in retaliation, Shi Huo went to the Black Tortoise Sect and killed all ten thousand members of that Sect.
Judging from how he tortured Yang Kai on this day, it was apparent that he was a ruthless individual that was worse than the infamous ominous beast, Qiong Qi. As his gargantuan fist flew towards Zhang Ruo Xi, the wind pressure that came with his attack caused her hair and clothes to fly out behind her.
Fan Wu widened his eyes in that instant and stared fixedly at them, wanting to determine whether this Heaven’s Order descendant was as powerful as she appeared to be. Luan Feng and Cang Guo held their breaths as well.
The Third Disciple exclaimed and covered her eyes, as though she didn’t dare toover time watch what would happen next. At the same time, Yang Kai shouted, “Ruo Xi, watch out!”
Under everyone’s gazes though, Zhang Ruo Xi just stood there without showing any intention of making a move. She didn’t try to evade the attack, nor did she attempt to defend herself. Faced with the strike that was powerful enough to shatter worlds, she appeared unfazed as her expression was completely calm. Standing in front of the gigantic Shi Huo, she looked as small as an ant, which was a stark contrast to the attacker.
Shi Huo was elated that she remained unmoving, exerting more force with his fist as he sneered, “Weak!”
He could already envision the sight of Zhang Ruo Xi being crushed to death by him. If he could kill her, all the Divine Spirits in this world would owe him a favour, a huge favour. By then, everyone in the Ancient Lands, including Fan Wu and the other Divine Venerables, wouldn’t dare to disobey him.
“Kneel down!” Just as the huge fist was about to hit her, Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly tucked her hair behind her ear and parted her lips to utter these two words lightly.
“What?” Fan Wu was startled. Luan Feng and Cang Guo were also rooted to the spot as they glanced at each other, thinking to themselves, [Did we hear that right? Did this little girl just demand that Shi Huo kneel down? Even if she’s really Heaven’s Order’s descendant, and her bloodline has awakened, she’s still just a little girl. Was she originally this haughty? Her enemy is Divine Spirit, Shi Huo.]
*Weng…*
Just then, the Blood Gate started humming as a mysterious force flooded out from it. Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Guo grunted as their expressions changed drastically. Under this strange force’s suppression, the Divine Spirit Sources in their bodies shook violently and their minds filled with soul-wrenching fear. They almost fell to their knees right then and there, as though they couldn’t even support their own weight.
Fortunately, they managed to stabilize their figures and not embarrass themselves at the last moment; however, the actual target of the mysterious force, Shi Huo, wasn’t so lucky. His colossal fist stopped just a palm length from Zhang Ruo Xi, his flames almost burning her hair. Nevertheless, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t advance his fist even the slightest bit further.
His expression changed from stunned to shocked, and his legs turned to jelly as he fell on his knees in front of Zhang Ruo Xi.
“Ahh…” Fan Wu and the others gasped in utter astonishment.
They could feel that this force that had suppressed Shi Huo didn’t come from Zhang Ruo Xi, but rather from the Blood Gate. Still, it was obvious that this force was being controlled by this young girl before their eyes.
She was able to force a Divine Spirit, Shi Huo, to kneel down on the ground with ease. In other words, it wouldn’t take her much effort to suppress the other three Divine Venerables.
At that instant, Fan Wu and the other Divine Venerables were drenched in cold sweat. Cang Gou was especially glad that he didn’t agree to Shi Huo’s request and join forces with him, for if he had, he would also have been humiliated and forced to his knees right now.
“He really knelt down…” The Monster Kings ten kilometres away widened their eyes as their jaws dropped. On the other hand, the Stone Spirits, who had been subdued by them, appeared excited and gleeful.
The Embodiment suddenly grinned and demanded, “Release us immediately if you don’t want to die; otherwise, all of you will suffer a horrible death!”
The Monster Kings and the Eight Great Kings were shocked upon hearing this threat, and after trading glances, they hurriedly backed away from the Stone Spirits as they didn’t dare to go hard on them anymore.
Even someone as powerful as Shi Huo was forced to kneel down in front of Zhang Ruo Xi, which was why these Monster Kings didn’t dare to be haughty anymore. They were extremely worried because they didn’t know what punishments awaited them.
After that, the Stone Spirit Clan and Embodiment cracked their limbs and got to their feet before they turned attentively to the sight that was ten kilometres away from them.
On the other side, Shi Huo, who was still on his knees, couldn’t believe what had just happened. The dark flames in his eyes flickered as he was on the brink of a breakdown.
He was a Divine Spirit as well as one of the Four Great Divine Venerables of the Ancient Lands, but now, he was forced to kneel down with a single command from a young girl. This kind of humiliation was intolerable for him.
He roared hysterically as he tried to get to his feet; however, a glowing red layer suddenly engulfed his entire body and suppressed all his strength, causing him to be unable to move a muscle.
*Zheng…*
Zhang Ruo Xi pointed her Heaven’s Order Sword at Shi Huo’s chest. Following her movement, the clouds in the sky seemed to have turned turbulent as the huge female illusory phantom behind her made a move.
The illusory phantom suddenly unsheathed her huge sword and pointed it in Shi Huo’s direction, her alluring face completely dispassionate.
“World Force!” Fan Wu paled as he looked up at the sky and felt a bitter taste in his mouth. If he still doubted how much of Heaven’s Order’s power Zhang Ruo Xi had inherited and to what extent he could resist just now, such ideas were completely snuffed out by this sight. The only thing he needed to consider now was how to survive under Zhang Ruo Xi’s wrath.
World Force fluctuated after the sword was unsheathed, which went to show that Heaven’s Order’s bloodline in Zhang Ruo Xi had completely awakened. Given enough time, she would become the new Heaven’s Order, the worst nightmare for all the Divine Spirits.
“W-What are you doing?” Shi Huo’s expression changed drastically as he exclaimed. Realizing just how massive the difference between their powers was, he couldn’t stay calm anymore. His flaming eyes appeared uneasy and fearful as he yelled, “I’m Divine Spirit Shi Huo, don’t you even think about killing me!”
“Divine Spirit Shi Huo, you are indeed a powerful being, but you are also cruel and revel in slaughter and death. As Heaven’s Order’s descendant, I’ll now take your Divine Spirit Source and seize your Divine Spirit Power. I hope all the Divine Spirits in this World will learn from this lesson,” Zhang Ruo Xi uttered impassively with an emotionless expression.
“What?” Shi Huo widened his eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice, “You want to seize my Divine Spirit Source?”
Without replying to him, Zhang Ruo Xi slowly pushed out her Heaven’s Order Sword. At the same time, the huge illusory phantom mirrored her actions and stabbed her gigantic sword into Shi Huo’s body.
Shi Huo’s figure was extremely sturdy, so even other Divine Spirits like Fan Wu and Luan Feng couldn’t harm him easily if they made a move against him. His body was even tougher than those of the Stone Spirit Clan.
Despite that, his figure now looked as frail as a piece of tofu when faced with the Heaven’s Order Sword. Zhang Ruo Xi didn’t seem to have exerted any real force with her thrust, but her sword easily pierced right into Shi Huo’s chest.
“No!” Shi Huo wailed as he stared at his own chest with widened eyes. Flustered, he yelled, “No! You can’t take away my Source! I’m Divine Spirit Shi Huo, I refuse to accept this!”
*Chi, Chi, Chi…*
The sound of Heaven’s Order Sword piercing Shi Huo echoed clearly, causing Fan Wu and the others to turn pale. By just listening to the sound, it was as though they could feel the same excruciating pain of that sword piercing their bodies.
Luan Feng trembled uncontrollably as her back was soaked in cold sweat.
“No, no! Madam, I know I was wrong. Please give me a chance to correct my ways! I’ll never do evil things again!” Seeing that he couldn’t stop his Source Strength from leaking out of his body, Shi Huo hurriedly begged for mercy.
He was a Divine Spirit with extreme pride in himself. If it weren’t because he was left with no choice, he wouldn’t have yielded. The sight made Fan Wu and the others feel distressed.
However, Zhang Ruo Xi was unfazed as she continued pushing her Heaven’s Order Sword into Shi Huo’s body until only the hilt was shown.
“It’s no use regretting now. You crossed a line you never should have,” a ferocious glint flashed across Zhang Ruo Xi’s gaze as she clenched the hilt.
*Hong…*
A booming sound was heard as Shi Huo’s chest and back exploded, forming a long hole through his body. Shi Huo shook violently as he lost all that was left of his imposing manner.
When Zhang Ruo Xi pulled back her Heaven’s Order Sword, something that looked like a heart was also drawn out. The heart was still beating vigorously, making thudding sounds, seemingly containing immense power.
“It’s Shi Huo’s Source.” Fan Wu turned completely pale as he staggered. A single glance was all it took to recognize that the thing in Zhang Ruo Xi’s hand was Shi Huo’s Source. Without it, Shi Huo would regress from a Divine Spirit to just an ordinary Monster Beast.
Luan Feng and Cang Gou were so shocked that they could hardly breathe as their chests felt incredibly heavy.
Through the memories they had inherited from their ancestors, they had already learned that Heaven’s Order was capable of seizing a Divine Spirit’s Source; however, those were just memories in the end, incomparable to witnessing such a feat with their own eyes.
Besides Heaven’s Order and her descendants, no one else in this world could easily take away a Divine Spirit’s Source.
Shi Huo’s life was basically over. Even if he managed to survive without his Source, he would become a cripple. At that moment, he could be seen kneeling on the ground in a dazed state, the hole in his chest looked hideous as the dark flames around his body had been completely extinguished. His aura appeared weak, as his cultivation had now probably dropped below the Twelfth-Order.
Then, Zhang Ruo Xi wielded her sword, which flashed in the sunlight, whereupon Shi Huo’s tremendous figure collapsed to the ground and broke into countless pieces of rock. With his vitality all gone, he no longer existed in this world.
After that, Zhang Ruo Xi shot a glance at Fan Wu, Luan Feng, and Cang Gou, causing their hearts to leap to their throats. With horrified expressions, they couldn’t help stepping backwards. Now, they were most afraid that Zhang Ruo Xi would make a move against them.
Judging from what happened to Shi Huo, if Zhang Ruo Xi wanted to kill them, they wouldn’t even stand a chance of escaping. The restrictive power coming from the Blood Gate was horrifying, and they were powerless to resist it. Perhaps the suppressive power only targeted Divine Spirits though as Yang Kai and the Third Disciple didn’t seem affected at all.
Fortunately, Zhang Ruo Xi only shot them a cold glance before she put the sword back into the sheath. All of a sudden, Heaven’s Order Sword and the huge illusory phantom behind her disappeared at the same time.
Fan Wu and the others heaved a sigh of relief. Although they didn’t know what Zhang Ruo Xi’s intention was, her actions suggested that they were safe for now.
Following that, Zhang Ruo Xi turned to look at Yang Kai. At this moment, Yang Kai appeared utterly battered. This was probably the biggest loss he had suffered in his life. His clothes were caked with dried blood, and his face was so swollen that he could barely open his eyes. Golden blood was still streaming down from his head, and the bones in both of his legs had been shattered. Unable to get to his feet, he could only sit on the ground, completely paralyzed.
When their gazes met, Yang Kai flashed a bitter smile at her. He wasn’t certain whether Zhang Ruo Xi’s transformation was a good or bad thing. In comparison, he preferred the soft-spoken and obedient Zhang Ruo Xi of the past. The Heaven’s Order’s descendant before his eyes now appeared unfeeling; moreover, her gaze and temperament were utterly foreign to Yang Kai.
After a moment of silence, Zhang Ruo Xi raised her hand again, upon which a beam of light shot out of the Blood Gate. Fan Wu and the others turned pale again and stared in that direction.
The last time Zhang Ruo Xi raised her hand, the Heaven’s Order Sword flew out of the Blood Gate. What would it be this time?
To their surprise, what Zhang Ruo Xi obtained wasn’t any weapon, but rather a delicious-looking scarlet spirit fruit that a rich aroma wafted from, involuntarily inducing hunger in all who smelt its scent.
Then, Zhang Ruo Xi flickered towards Yang Kai before she crouched down and passed the spirit fruit to him.
Without taking it, Yang Kai looked dazedly at her for a moment before asking, “Are you Ruo Xi?”
Zhang Ruo Xi nodded slightly as she replied gently, “Sir, it’s me. Eat this first. It can help you recover faster.”
“You…” Yang Kai appeared shocked.
“Sir, I’m still Ruo Xi, and this fact will never change,” as she spoke, the coldness and indifference in her eyes melted and was replaced by the kind of warm light Yang Kai was familiar with.
“Hahaha!” Yang Kai started laughing as he could finally set his mind at ease. Only then did he take the spirit fruit from Zhang Ruo Xi and examine it, a moment later exclaiming in shock, “A ten-thousand-year-old Phoenix Blood Fruit!”
He didn’t expect that the spirit fruit Zhang Ruo Xi had summoned out of the Blood Gate was a ten-thousand-year-old Phoenix Blood Fruit. This was one of the rarest spirit fruits in the world because the blood of a Divine Spirit Phoenix was required to cultivate the tree it grew from. The Phoenix Clan was at the top of the hierarchy among all Divine Spirits, so hardly anyone in the world could challenge them, let alone kill them and take their blood.
It took all the Blood Essence of a Divine Spirit Phoenix to cultivate a Phoenix Blood Fruit Tree, after which it would then take ten thousand years for the tree to flower, then another ten thousand years for fruits to ripen from those flowers. In terms of the level of rarity, it was even more precious than the Extraordinary Treasure Lotus Yang Kai had come across in the Four Season Land.
Unexpectedly, now, a Phoenix Blood Fruit was right before his eyes, and it was Zhang Ruo Xi who nonchalantly summoned it out of the Blood Gate. Apparently, there must be a Phoenix Blood Fruit Tree behind the Blood Gate that was cultivated by Heaven’s Order after she killed a Phoenix Clan member and harvested their blood.