by Shian Jeen
Huwang Xiao nodded and had them call in the four hundred Patriarchs and Ancestors from the four galaxies.
After the over four hundred Highgod Realm masters entered the Huwang Clan Manor’s main hall, Huwang Xiao did not bother with any pleasantries and went straight to the point, telling them to submit to him.
Of course, Huwang Xiao employed the stick and carrot method, providing remuneration according to the person’s cultivation. First Order Highgod Realm master would receive one sacred grade immortal spirit stone on an annual basis, moreover, it would be mid-sacred grade immortal spirit stone!
As for Second Order Highgod Realm masters, it would be two mid-sacred grade immortal spirit stones; so on and so forth.
Initially, several Patriarchs and Ancestors were extremely upset listening to Huwang Xiao ordering them to submit, but when they heard that a First Order Highgod Realm master could receive one mid-sacred grade immortal spirit stone, all of them turned red from excitement.
But in the next second, Huwang Xiao stated that those submitting to him must be branded with a soul mark, causing everyone’s excitement to be extinguished like throwing cold water over fire.
No doubt, a sacred grade immortal spirit stone was extremely tempting, but no one would be willing to leave their life in another’s hand.
Huwang Xiao’s gaze swept over those in the hall, continuing with an indifferent cold voice, “Those unwilling can leave anytime, I will not hinder you. However, whoever steps out of this hall will never have the chance to take a single step in ever again.”
Everyone’s face tightened.
“Huwang Xiao, we can agree with you placing a soul mark on us, however, a single sacred grade immortal spirit stone is too little for a First Order Highgod Realm master to serve you for a year,” All of a sudden, a voice broke the heavy atmosphere, “We want ten, and Second Order Highgod Realm should get twenty pieces every year!”
“That’s right, we want ten each year!” Another voice chimed in, adding, “If not, we’ll rather submit to the Fortune Gate like the Vermilion Bird Institute Principal!”
“Yes, we’d rather go submit to the Fortune Gate!”
Many present Highgod Realm Patriarchs and Ancestors were surprised, their eyes looking left and right looking for the owners of the voices who seemed to come from all corners of the hall, so much that one could hardly determine who was speaking.
Huwang Xiao remained indifferent. His right hand suddenly extended, pushing at a particular location in the air.
Three miserable shrieks rang in the hall at the same time as three figures were sent flying out from the group of people, with blood spurting out from their mouths.
These three people were none other than Crimson Devil Shi Jiutian, Flaming Devil Ruan Ji, and Gorb Fiend Wang Han.
All three of them had fear in their eyes looking at Huwang Xiao. The Illusive Devil’s Voice was an ancient sound technique which, when executed, caused their voices to blend with the surrounding space, making it hard for others to pinpoint the speaker’s location.
But how did Huwang Xiao find them?
“Huwang Xiao, what is the meaning of this?” Crimson Devil Shi Jiutian quickly concealed his fear with indignation, angrily shouting, “We from the Devil Domain Mainland came to submit to you, yet you attacked us out of nowhere, despicable!”
Huwang Xiao watched Crimson Devil Shi Jiutian’s stubborn act, then he snorted, revealing his impatience. A soul force sword flew directly at Shi Jiutian.
Flaming Devil Ruan Ji and the others watched as Crimson Devil Shi Jiutian suddenly stiffened and tumbled to the floor, no longer breathing. Small gasps sounded in the hall, causing the group of Highgod Realm Patriarchs and Ancestors to feel a chill blowing down their necks.
“Weren’t you three clamoring for ten and twenty sacred grade immortal spirit stones every year, otherwise you’d rather submit to the Fortune Gate?” Huwang Xiao looked at Flaming Devil Ruan Ji, and Gorb Fiend Wang Han, “How about now?”
“We’re willing to submit, we hope Master will show clemency and not kill us.” Flaming Devil Ruan Ji and Gorb Fiend Wang Han knelt down and pleaded.
Watching this scene, many unwilling Patriarchs and Ancestors hurried to announce their submission to Huwang Xiao, no longer daring to play any tricks.
Without delay, Huwang Xiao proceeded with branding these Highgod Realm masters’ souls, completely holding their lives in his hands.
After giving out the remuneration he had promised, he had them leave the hall.
However, sitting in the main hall, there was a deep frown on Huwang Xiao’s forehead after those people left. Even though his overall forces weren’t considered weak after adding these people, it was still far from being able to go against a super force like the Fortune Gate that possessed a long heritage.
Therefore, he urgently needed to increase his own strength.
The question was, where could he find more godheads that belonged to dead Heavenly Gods? Where should he go to find rare treasures like the lightning dragon spiritual vein?
Huwang Xiao inevitably arrived at the Ascending Moon Old Man’s yard to inquire if he knew where he could go in order to enhance his strength in the shortest amount of time.
The old man answered without hesitation: “Go to the City of Devils.”
“City of Devils?” Huwang Xiao was surprised. ly, before he killed Yelu Chufei, during soul-scouring he discovered that the Yelu Family’s Ancestor was in the City of Devils.
In fact, not only the Yelu Family’s Ancestor, the Beitang Family’s Ancestor was there as well.
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“Going to City of Devils can help enhance my strength in a short time?” Huwang Xiao asked the Ascending Moon Old Man.
Although he had some information about the City of Devils from Yelu Chufei’s memories, it was very limited.
The Ascending Moon Old Man nodded, “If there is a place in hundreds of thousands of galaxies that can help enhance one’s strength in a short amount of time, the first on the list would be the City of Devils, while the second one is the Path to Hell.”
“The City of Devils, the Path of Hell.” The was a glimmer of anticipation in Huwang Xiao’s eyes.
“Yes, the City of Devils and Path to Hell.” The old man continued, “It is said that the City of Devils is a remnant city left behind by an ancient Devil King, inside of which is a Hellion Tower going up twelve floors. Passing each floor entitles the challenger to a great reward; the higher the floor, the greater the reward you will receive.”
“The Hellion Tower.” Huwang Xiao was stunned.
The Ascending Moon Old Man went on, “This Hellion Tower is a place of limitless treasures. It is said that it existed even before the City of Devils was built, and the City of Devils has been standing for three hundred million years.”
“Three hundred million years!” Huwang Xiao’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Didn't this mean that the Hellion Tower could be four hundred million years old? Five hundred million years? Perhaps even longer!
“The Hellion Tower has a total of twelve floors, how are the rewards for each floor?” Huwang Xiao asked. This was the point he was most concerned with.
The Ascending Moon Old Man shook his head, “I’ve only passed the first two floors, so those are the only rewards I know about. But, from what I’ve heard, as long as one passes the ninth floor, the reward is a Heavenly God’s godhead. Other than that, there are even more shocking treasures, however, passing the ninth floor is just too difficult. In the last several hundred years, the number of people who passed the ninth floor can be counted with two hands.”
Huwang Xiao was genuinely shocked. With the Ascending Moon Old Man’s strength, he merely passed the first two floors?
Watching Huwang Xiao’s shocked expression, the old man explained as if he guessed what his little disciple was thinking, “The truth is, challenging this Hellion Tower does not fully rely on one’s strength. It isn't necessarily true that the stronger
you are the higher you can go.”
“Oh?” Huwang Xiao was curious now.
The Ascending Moon Old Man went on, “The most important element in challenging the Hellion Tower is one’s talent. The higher your talent is, the higher you can reach.”
“Talent!” Huwang Xiao’s eyes lit up. Challenging the Hellion Tower actually relied on one’s talent! Based on his three supreme godheads’ potential…!
Huwang Xiao’s excited expression did not escape the Ascending Moon Old Man’s eyes. Shaking his head, he said to Huwang Xiao, “Little Huwang brat, I know what you’re thinking. Your talent is indeed monstrous, a rare genius that appears once in millions of years, but challenging the Hellion Tower is a different matter. In so many years, there has only been one person who managed to pass the tenth floor!”
“Only one?” Huwang Xiao sucked in a breath of cold air.
The Ascending Moon Old Man nodded, “Yes, that person is the ancient Devil King who built the City of Devils, he’s the only one who successfully passed the tenth floor. It is said that, when he passed the tenth floor, his reward was a ten-million-years-old Devil Fruit!”
A ten-million-years-old Devil Fruit!! A feverish gleam shone in Huwang Xiao’s eyes.
A treasure of this level...!
Although Huwang Xiao didn't know what kind of spiritual fruit the Devil Fruit was, he was sure it was a precious and rare treasure.
A three-million-years-old medicinal herb was already extremely rare in the world, one could already imagine the value of a ten-million-years-old spiritual fruit and the amazing energy contained inside.
“No one has ever stepped onto the eleventh and twelfth floors, much less pass them.” The Ascending Moon Old Man added, “Hence no one knows about those rewards. Some guessed it might be a hundred-million-years-old spiritual fruit, others said it could be a supreme divine pellet, some claimed it to be a supreme heritage.”
A hundred-million-year-old spiritual fruit!
A supreme divine pellet!
A supreme heritage!
Unknowingly, Huwang Xiao was clenching his fists.
“Passing this Hellion Tower relies on the extent of one’s talent, does that mean anyone can attempt to challenge it? Whether it be a Saint realm or God Realm cultivator?” Huwang Xiao asked.
The Ascending Moon Old Man shook his head as he spoke, “That is not the case, the challenger must at least be a Highgod Realm master, because the Hellion Tower entrance can only be opened with the challenger’s own godforce.”
Initially, Huwang Xiao planned to bring Shi Xiaofei together with him to try passing the Hellion Tower, but now that he heard the old man’s explanation, he smothered that thought.
“Then, one can challenge the Hellion Tower any number of times?” Huwang Xiao asked another question.
The Ascending Moon Old Man said, “Not really. Every person has two attempts, but the second time’s difficulty would be higher than the first time. Naturally, the rewards of each floor would also be much greater.”
Huwang Xiao sucked in a breath of cold air.
Subsequently, he asked a few more questions related to the Hellion Tower and the Path to Hell. The Ascending Moon Old Man told Huwang Xiao all he knew about these two places.
The most powerful force in the City of Devils was the ancient devil race, the descendants of the very same Devil King after generations of thriving prosperity.
Other than this ancient devil race were the scattered forces of other galaxies’ sects and families, such as the Wangu Clan, Fortune Gate, Mu Clan, the Dark Elf Tribe, Tempest Academy, and even the Giant Tribe.
However, the power of those branch forces wasn't really that strong.
The ancient devil race allowed the Wangu Clan, Fortune Gate, and other forces to establish a branch at the City of Devils, but their power was kept in check, holding the City of Devils’ highest authority in their hands.
That Hellion Tower was also guarded by the ancient devil race. Although they allowed anyone to challenge the it, they must first pay ten top divine grade spirit stones.
Huwang Xiao noted these details in his mind.
“Then what about the Path to Hell?” Huwang Xiao asked.
Since the City of Devils had the Hellion Tower, did the Path of Hell also have something like it?
However, the Ascending Moon Old Man shook his head, “The Path to Hell is extremely dangerous, its other name is Path of No Return. According to rumors, once one enters the Path of Hell, it would be hard to come out alive. Among tens of thousands of cultivators that enter, only one person can come out alive. I advise you not to go.”
This advice only stoked Huwang Xiao’s curiosity further.
“This Path of Hell, what dangers does it hold?” Huwang Xiao couldn’t resist asking.
The old man explained, “This Path to Hell resembles a lair of countless evil spirits. Rumor has it that it's actually the entrance to Hell’s Ghost Plane. No one knows if this is true, for no one has ever reached the end. Although there are countless evil spirits roaming in the Path to Hell, there are also countless million-year-old herbs and spiritual fruits. Some people claim that there are even ten-million-years-old and above medicinal herbs in the depth of that place, as well as other precious treasures.”
The end of this Path to Hell was actually the entrance to Hell’s Ghost Plane? Huwang Xiao was genuinely surprised by this piece of information.
The Asura Tactics that he cultivated allowed him to summon the Gate of Hell that led straight to the Asura Plane. However, the Asura Plane and the Ghost Plane were two different realms.
It had been a long time since Huwang Xiao summoned the Gate of Hell and entered the Asura Plane, but it was done for a reason; although the Asura Plane’s spiritual energy was extremely tempting, a great help in enhancing his cultivation speed, it was still a higher realm, the risk was too high.
“The Path to Hell.” Huwang Xiao muttered to himself, if there was a chance, he would like to see the end of this Path to Hell.
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Still, all of that needed to wait until after his wedding.
Huwang Xiao decided to make a trip to the City of Devils after his wedding one and a half months later to challenge the Hellion Tower.
A while later, he left the Ascending Moon Old Man’s yard, entering the Heavenly Mountain’s manor.
Currently, his parents, siblings, relatives, Shi Xiaofei, the Blessed Buddha Emperor Shi Fantian, and the rest were staying inside the Heavenly Mountain. The amazing level of spiritual energy there was beneficial to their cultivation, but most important of all, even if the Fortune Gate masters came, as long as it wasn't a Tenth Order Highgod Realm, Huwang Xiao needn't worry for his family’s safety.
With the several Highgod Realm subordinates under him guarding the Huwang Clan Manor, even a Ninth Order Highgod Realm master wouldn't be able to break the Heavenly Mountain’s barrier formations once activated.
Of course, if the Fortune Gate really sent a Ninth Order Highgod Realm master to deal with him, Huwang Xiao could have the Heavenly Mountain conceal itself and flee, his family and friends’ safety wouldn't be jeopardized.
Huwang Xiao appeared in the main hall of the Heavenly Mountain’s manor. He then spent some time talking with his parents and Shi Xiaofei before entering a concealed space, continuing his cultivation.
Before the Alchemist Grandmaster Grand Competition, he had to strive for a breakthrough to Seventh Order Highgod Realm, only then would he have a chance to defeat Fang Chu’s Master, Sun Yi.
He was pressed for time, that short period of less than ten years was far from sufficient for him to grow stronger. He needed to invest every second he could in improving his strength.
Huwang Xiao activated his four divine fires, when all of a sudden from the void above him, a stream of shimmering gray energy flowed down, entering his body, which his three supreme godheads then devoured, converting it into godforce. All three of his godheads shook after they made contact with that energy, emitt
ing a radiant light.
Huwang Xiao was startled, ‘This is?’
What exactly was that shimmering gray energy? It had such high quality, many times higher than the energy contained in the lightning dragon spiritual vein he had refined. Even his three supreme godheads showed such a vigorous reaction as they absorbed it.
That lightning dragon spiritual vein was formed from countless years of accumulating the spiritual energy of a higher realm, yet this shimmering gray energy’s quality was many times higher than that. Huwang Xiao couldn't begin to imagine the source of that energy.
But he quickly suppressed the amazement in his heart, once again stimulated the four divine fires, which caused a stream of shimmering gray energy to flow out from the void into his body.
In his soul sea, his three supreme godheads shone brightly.
This time, Huwang Xiao could clearly sense the source of this shimmering gray energy, it was coming from the Divine World instead of the lower realm.
What exactly was that spiritual energy?
Huwang Xiao had read almost all the records in the four galaxies’ institutes, but he still hadn't the slightest clue about what kind of spiritual energy would emerge after the four divine fires merged.
A while later, Huwang Xiao suppressed these headless thoughts, fully focusing on stimulating the four divine fires and absorbing the shimmering gray energy coming from the void.
This time, the stream of shimmering gray energy was thicker, about the size of a thumb.
Huwang Xiao increased his effort in stimulating the four divine fires. That stream of shimmering gray energy continued to flow out from the void, devoured by his three supreme godheads like a famished person did with food.
The radiant light from Huwang Xiao’s soul sea extended outside of his body, expanding, becoming ever more fascinating.
The day passed in the blink of an eye.
Huwang Xiao slowly opened his eyes.
After a day of absorbing the shimmering gray energy, he felt a significant improvement in his cultivation, especially the godforce within his three supreme godheads which seemingly went through some kind of changes, becoming purer and more powerful.
