by Shian Jeen
Receiving a confirmation from Huwang Xiao, Meng Xia jumped to his feet, his voice urgent: “Brother, please wait here for a moment, coincidentally our President is in the Black Warrior City these few days, I’ll immediately go invite our President over!”
Transactions of double digits in the billions far exceeded his scope of authority.
A short while later, Meng Xia returned, following behind an elegant looking middle-aged man. This elegant looking middle-aged man was the Azure Sea Firm’s President, He Zexin.
When He Zexin arrived, his footsteps paused slightly out of surprise seeing Huwang Xiao. Then he laughed good-naturedly, saying, “I was wondering who could it be on the way over here, so it is the Black Warrior Institute Principal’s cherished disciple, Brother Huwang Xiao ah!”
A few years back, He Zexin attended the Black Warrior Institute Principal Feng Yang’ apprenticeship ceremony for his youngest disciple, hence He Zexin was able to recognize Huwang Xiao at a glance.
‘Black Warrior Institute Principal’s cherished disciple Huwang Xiao?!’ Meng Xia, who was following behind He Zexin, felt like a thunder clapped in his brain. His eyeballs widened to the size of a fist staring at Huwang Xiao. Only now did Meng Xia know Huwang Xiao’s identity.
The following procedures went smoothly knowing who Huwang Xiao was. A short while later his Asura Ring was packed with a little over 11 billion Xuanwu coins.
When business was concluded, Huwang Xiao and Azure Sea Firm President He Zexin exchanged a few polite sentences before Huwang Xiao left, sent off by Meng Xia and He Zexin personally.
“I didn’t expect this Huwang Xiao to be so cherished by Institute Principal Feng Yang to this extent, actually giving him so many spirit stones!” Meng Xia looked at Huwang Xiao disappearing back as he said this.
“With Huwang Xiao’s monstrous talent, gaining the Institute Principal’s love is normal.” He Zexin added, “Instead, I’m feeling jealous of Feng Yang for receiving such an excellent personal disciple ah!”
Obviously, both of them assumed that Huwang Xiao’s many high grade one spirit stones were given by the Black Warrior Institute Principal to his cherished disciple.
From the Black Warrior City’s Azure Sea Firm branch, Huwang Xiao went to Changzhi City’s Azure Sea Firm branch. Meeting with Supervisor Fang, Huwang Xiao was informed that there were three owners who were agreed to sell, the prices they requested were 200 million higher than their purchase price. Three properties, a total of 6.8 billion.
Huwang Xiao waved his hands without saying a word, 6.8 billion Xuanwu coins flowed out like a milky way river from the void. It was like the undulating stirrings of first love in Fang Qunzheng’s heart. The bright glittering sparkles nearly blinded his eyes.
Ch.576
A long, long time later, Fang Qunzheng was finally able to pull his eyes away from the sparkling ‘waterfall’. Repressing the astonishment he felt, he proceeded to handle the paperwork for the three properties around the Divine Fort Residence.
When the contract and other procedures were done, Huwang Xiao gave another billion for the furniture.
Very soon, Fang Qunzheng’s subordinates sent another batch of three hundred Warm Winter Jade beds and other miscellaneous furniture.
Even as the Azure Sea Firm’s supervisor, Fang Qunzheng felt goosebumps crawling on his skin using 1 billion of Huwang Xiao’s money to purchase furniture.
1 billion ah! This sum could buy the entire residence he was living in now.
On the other hand, this made him even more curious about Huwang Xiao’s identity. Adding the Divine Fort Residence into the calculation, Huwang Xiao had more or less spent close to 10 billion in his branch. Being able to take out 10 billion without batting an eye proved that Huwang Xialong’s identity wasn’t so simple.
After buying the three properties around the Divine Fort Residence, Huwang Xiao did not make any major renovations, he merely ordered people to open three archways linking the three properties to the Divine Fort Residence. With that, the Divine Fort Residence had expanded almost threefold in size.
The expanded Divine Fort Residence was more than enough to accommodate over two hundred people comfortably. Indirectly, it also became Changzhi City’s largest residence.
Even so, Huwang Xiao did not plan to recruit any guards. Although Zhao Shu, Zhang Fu, and the others’ strengths were on the lower side on the Cloudsea Mainland, more than anything else, they were loyal. Each and every one that followed Huwang Xiao all the way here was absolutely loyal.
Then again, in the Cloudsea Mainland’s Changzhi City, there wasn’t any danger, whether Zhao Shu, Zhang Fu, and the rest were slightly weaker or slightly stronger wasn't a crucial point.
After the Divine Fort Residence expanded, Huwang Xiao once again gave his parents a billion each, and a hundred million Xuanwu coins each to his sister, brother, and Shi Xiaofei.
After all, what Huwang Xiao did not lack most was money. Anything that could be bought with money was not an issue.
Only when all of this was done could Huwang Xiao consider the Huwang Family fully settled, and such, for the next three months, he stayed inside Yard No.1 in the Misty Rain Mountain Range, cultivating with every effort to enhance his strength.
With Huwang Xiao’s current strength, within the ranks of the Black Warrior Institute’s inner disciples, he could definitely be considered within the top three. But to Huwang Xiao, this level was far from enough.
Just like the incident with the Ying Family. If it weren’t for his Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother Liu Yun and Third Senior-Apprentice Sister Qi Wen lending a hand, at his current strength level there was no way he’d be able to save his family.
Simply point to any one of the Ying Family’s Elders and Huwang Xiao still wouldn’t be an opponent. Forget about personally annihilating the entire Ying Family!
At the moment, high-levels God Realm was still too far-fetched for Huwang Xiao, his target was to break through to Fourth Order God Realm at the earliest possible. If he possessed a Fourth Order God Realm strength, he had the confidence to kill those two Ying Family Elders even without both senior-apprentices’ help.
In these three months, other than the Asura Tactics and the Godly Xumi Art, Huwang Xiao mainly focused on improving the Ancient Puppetry Art, Soul Mandate, and the Treasure Dragon Protective Shield Art. Moreover, the Treasure Dragon Protective Shield Art diagram formation inside his body was growing increasingly clearer with each passing day.
Huwang Xiao ended his closed-door practice at the end of three months.
In this time’s closed-door practice, although Huwang Xiao did not advance to late-Second Order God Realm, he did reach peak mid-Second Order God Realm. If he continued to progress at this speed, he believed that within a month’s time, he could advance to late-Second Order God Realm.
Coming out from his own yard, Huwang Xiao made a trip to Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother Liu Yun’s immortal cave, the Peerless Palace.
Every Black Warrior Institute’s inner disciple was given a cultivation yard, whereas the elite disciples and above were allowed to select a peak and arrange it to their individual preference, building their own immortal cave.
In short, an entire mountain peak belonged to one person!
Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother Liu Yun’s immortal cave was located in the Peerless Peak, quite a distance away from the Misty Rain Mountain Range. Huwang Xiao flew at breakneck speed, arriving at the Peerless Peak two days later.
Toward this youngest-apprentice brother’s arrival, Liu Yun was very happy and welcomed him warmly. In fact, this was the first time Huwang Xiao paid him, the Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother, a visit since Institute Principal Feng Yang received him as a personal disciple.
Liu Yun even opened a good jug of wine that he brewed himself.
The two of them drank the day and night away, talking about cultivation, the galaxy’s many families, relationships, and the Black Warrior Institute.
Among the Institute Princip
al’s several personal disciples, Huwang Xiao was closest to Liu Yun, especially after the incident with the Ying Family, he felt indebted to Liu Yun.
“Fourth Junior-Apprentice brother, that Jiang Bi is close to returning from his outside task, in the next two days at most.” Liu Yun added, “You must be careful, Jiang Bi is the leader of the inner disciples, his strength is definitely not weak, having broken through to Fourth Order God Realm. Moreover, he has a unique physique, the Arhat Golden Buddha Physique. A late-Fourth Order God Realm is not necessarily his opponent. You wounded Li Dufeng, so he will definitely come and make trouble for you.”
Huwang Xiao nodded, and smiled reassuringly, “Yes, Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother, but don’t worry, it’s not that easy if that Jiang Bi wants to harm me.”
Arhat Golden Buddha Physique? If it was half a year ago, Huwang Xiao might be a little less confident facing Jiang Bi, but now, he had a little confidence.
Liu Yun fixed his stare on Huwang Xiao for a second before shaking his head in laughter, “I really don’t know how you kid cultivate. Admittedly my talent is astounding, however, when compared to a freak like you, I’m just mud on the ground. Oh yeah, there’s one more thing Master wanted me to tell you. The upcoming inner disciple assessment is in five years’ time, and there’s something different this time compared to the last assessment.”
The outer disciples' assessment was conducted once every three years, while the inner disciples’ assessment was held every thirty years. There were still five years left to the coming inner disciples' assessment.
Huwang Xiao smiled, asking, “What is different? Don’t tell me the rewards have been doubled again?”
Liu Yun laughed, “That I don’t know, however, the possibility is high. According to what Master said, in this time’s inner disciples’ assessment, the Azure Dragon Institute will send over their inner disciples as well. On the surface, it’s called building friendly relations, but I’m afraid things are not as simple as that. They might be targeting you.”
The Black Tortoise Galaxy had the Black Warrior Institute, whereas the Azure Dragon Galaxy had the Azure Dragon Institute, and the Azure Dragon Institute held the same status in the Azure Dragon Galaxy as the Black Warrior Institute did in the Black Tortoise Galaxy.
That took Huwang Xiao by surprise. First of all, he didn’t expect the Azure Dragon Institute's inner disciples to be spectating their institute’s inner disciple assessment.
“Targeting me?” A slight frown creased Huwang Xiao’s forehead.
Liu Yun nodded, “Correct. Due to the amazing talent Junior-Apprentice brother has revealed, not only Azure Dragon Galaxy, even the White Tiger Galaxy, and Vermillion Bird Galaxy’s multiple super forces have begun to take notice of you. This time, the Azure Dragon Institute members are coming over under the pretext of spectating our inner disciple assessment. At that time, they will surely find a way to suggest a friendly competition with you. If they find an opportunity, they might even gravely wound you!” A cold glint flickered as he said the last part.
“How is the Azure Dragon Institute’s strength?” Huwang Xiao asked. He was somewhat informed about the forces within the Black Tortoise Galaxy, but toward the Azure Dragon Galaxy, White Tiger Galaxy, and Vermillion Bird Galaxy, what he knew was very limited.
Liu Yun’s smiling face grew solemn, “Very, very strong!” He literally used two ‘very’ before continuing, “Among the four great institutes, the Azure Dragon is the strongest. Regardless of their inner disciples or elite disciples, Elders or even Grand Elders for that matter, at every level, their strength is above our institute by several notches. Within the Azure Dragon Institute, they have several monsters, and each of their talents does not lose to Gudu Leng’s, not even to yours!”
“The strongest among them is the one called Xiang Mingzhi, hailed as the strongest genius talent since the establishment of the Azure Dragon Institute. He is also the Azure Dragon Institute Principal’s personal disciple. With less than a hundred years of cultivation, he’s already a Fourth Order God Realm master!”
Ch.577
‘Xiang Mingzhi, Azure Dragon Institute Principal’s personal disciple.’ Huwang Xiao uttered the phrase inwardly like a mantra. Reaching Fourth Order God Realm in less than a hundred years of cultivation was indeed an awe-inspiring talent.
He himself couldn't say with certainty that he could reach Fourth Order God Realm within a hundred years of cultivation without the ability to summon the Gates of Hell to cross over to practice in a higher realm environment.
“Moreover, this Xiang Mingzhi has always kept a low profile, Fourth Order God Realm could be only what he’s willing to show on the surface, his real strength might have already reached the Fifth Order God Realm.” Liu Yun added.
Huwang Xiao nodded.
“Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother, do you know if our institute has a female disciple named Li Lu?” Huwang Xiao suddenly asked.
These years, Huwang Xiao no longer forced matters related to Li Lu, which was why he did not actively seek news about her. For the past twenty odd years, Li Lu had been a beautiful memory in his heart, and that was all there was to it now, a beautiful memory.
“Li Lu?” Liu Yun thought for a moment, then shook his head in reply, “Never heard of her.”
Huwang Xiao frowned, even Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother didn't know? If Li Lu was really here in the Black Warrior Institute, with her talent, it seemed impossible for Liu Yun not to have heard of her. Could it be that the information Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu received was false? That Li Lu was not in the Black Warrior Institute?
Pondering the matter briefly, Huwang Xiao asked again, “Then does Eldest Senior-Apprentice brother know if any of our Grand Elders received a personal female disciple in the last few years?”
Liu Yun shook his head, “No.” Then he added as an afterthought, “The Wang Na couple took in an adopted daughter four years ago, but her name isn’t Li Lu.”
“Not Li Lu?” Huwang Xiao mused.
“Right, her name is Chen Ying.” Liu Yun said.
Chen Ying… Huwang Xiao was puzzled, repeating the name to himself.
Half a day later, Huwang Xiao left Liu Yun’s Peerless Peak, heading toward the Supreme Harmony Hall.
In the Black Warrior Institute, regardless of outer disciples or inner disciples, they were given a monthly allowance of Black Warrior Greater Strength Pellets and some spirit stones. In the few years he was here, Huwang Xiao had never come to collect his. Huwang Xiao might not be lacking in money, however, the Huwang Family did need the Black Warrior Greater Strength Pellets.
Every month, Huwang Xiao could take a hundred Black Warrior Greater Strength Pellets. Now, four years had passed, there were close to four thousand pellets he could take. With these four thousand Black Warrior Greater Strength Pellets, he could greatly increase the Huwang Family’s strength in the short term.
When Huwang Xiao was flying toward the Supreme Harmony Hall, a golden sphere of light was also heading in the same direction at incredible speed. This golden sphere of light was extremely eye-catching, beneath the sunlight, it was like a second golden sun that suddenly descended down in the Supreme Harmony Hall.
Before the dazzling golden sphere of light even arrived, the air surrounding the Supreme Harmony Hall was surging with muffled blasts. The disciples around the Supreme Harmony Hall were still in a daze, but the golden sphere of light already ‘crashed’ into the hall in a resounding boom. When the golden light dissipated, it revealed a tall silhouette within.
It was a young man! Both of his arms were bare and exposed, with a golden cloak secured around his shoulders. Arrogant, condescending, and domineering. On the young man’s left cheek was a faint blade scar that seemed to add a rough masculine charm.
“It’s Senior Brother Jiang Bi!”
“Senior brother Jiang Bi is back!”
“I heard that Senior Brother Jiang Bi took a task half a year ago, to kill the Six Blueface Ghosts in the Ghost Abyss, I won
der if he succeeded!”
When the disciples around saw who the young man was, they were shocked and excited.
That young man that made a grand entrance was none other than the leader of the inner disciples’ Great Ten, Jiang Bi!
Jiang Bi ignored all the buzz around him, walking straight into the hall. An invisible whelming murderous aura spread from his body, causing the outer disciples and inner disciples near him to give way in apprehension.
When he came toward the task counter, he removed six bodies out from his spatial ring, flinging them onto the counter. All six bodies exuded strong ghostly aura.
“It’s the Six Blueface Ghosts! Senior Brother Jiang Bi really succeeded in killing those Six Blueface Ghosts!”
“According to rumors, each of the Six Blueface Ghost has the strength of a late-Fourth Order God Realm, Senior Brother Jiang Bi actually managed kill all six of them. Senior Brother Jiang Bi’s strength is high to such a degree!” The surrounding disciples were shocked and thrilled, making noise in the hall.
Before the large gathered crowd, Jiang Bi smoothly collected the reward for this task. Just when Jiang Bi was about to turn and leave, several silhouettes were flying toward him from the right, whistling through the wind. In the blink of an eye, the group had descended down in the Supreme Harmony Hall.
When the group of people saw Jiang Bi, all of them looked stunned.
“Big brother Jiang Bi, you’re back!” The person in front of the group exclaimed in delight, quickening his steps toward Jiang Bi.
This person was Li Dufeng.
Jiang Bi nodded and his eyes swept over Li Dufeng’s arms. He had already heard about Li Dufeng’s arms being broken by Huwang Xiao almost the second he returned.
“Big brother Jiang Bi, this time you definitely must help me. That Huwang Xiao actually broke my arms in public, he’s being wildly arrogant and not putting anyone in his eyes, that damn bastard!” Li Dufeng complained the instant he arrived next to Jiang Bi, “I can’t swallow this humiliation!”
