"Going together is exactly what I"ve been looking for. I just so happen to be not too clear on the Black Turtle Territory." Su Xing smiled.
Only then did Zhao Hanyan"s expression warm up: "However, This Princess actually is not very clear either."
"Right, is that Lingdong Countess a Star Master?" Su Xing suddenly remembered this question. Since she liked competing against Zhao Hanyan, could it be she was a Star Master?
"She is not a Star Master." Zhao Hanyan pursed her lips. "But perhaps her Elder Brother is."
Seeing Su Xing was very interested, Zhao Hanyan said: "Ye Lingxi"s elder brother Ye Futu1 is also a very interesting person."
"What do you mean?"
"He was a genius in the study of martial arts ever since he was little. Originally, his name was Ye Tianci,2 and he obtained Prince Shen Wu"s Divine Sword and other inheritances. Afterwards, he nearly died from his obsession with training. After he awoke, his cultivation had deteriorated into a cripple"s. Thus, he changed his name to Ye Futu. Afterwards, This Princess heard he was silent for a very long time. After the Star Duels began, rumor had it that he had possibly already signed a Star Duel Covenant…Because a Star Duel Covenant can make anyone become a Star Cultivator. Ye Futu perhaps wants to make a comeback. You had best be on guard about him." Zhao Hanyan faintly said.
Su Xing nodded. In the case a person who had pa.s.sed through life and death and fell from grace received an opportunity to change his fortunes, indeed they would be a frightening opponent. "Do you know about his Star General?" Su Xing asked.
"Ye Futu all along has not yet shown his face. This Princess has only heard this from Ye Lingxi." Zhao Hanyan shook her head.
"Wrapping himself in mystery, huh. It seems he should have some capital." Su Xing smiled. "Hanyan, just how many more Star Masters does your Great Liang Dynasty have? Might as well just tell me."
"According to what This Princess knows, there are only four, myself, Zhao Heng, Prince Feng Wu"s Gong Caiwei, Prince Shen Wu"s Ye Futu. Originally, This Princess" third brother was also, however, he was too inferior and has already lost the qualifications."
"There is another prince?"
"Not all the princes would be willing to send their own daughters into the Star Duels." Zhao Hanyan harrumphed.
"From the way you say it, Emperor Liang is actually very courageous." Su Xing praised. The eldest princess and second crown prince each partic.i.p.ating in the Star Duels honestly was no small matter.
Zhao Hanyan"s expression mockingly looked at Su Xing. Glancing at him from head to foot, her eyes brightly glittered: "That said, your cultivation actually progressed very quickly, unexpectedly already reaching Supercl.u.s.ter Stage? Did you have some happy encounter?" Zhao Hanyan"s brows rose. Thinking back to when she originally saw Su Xing, their cultivations were but separated by several levels. Now, Su Xing had already nearly caught up to her. This truly was unbelievable.
Contracting eight Star Generals, Su Xing actually felt this cultivation still counted as slow: "Hanyan, you surprisingly already reached the peak of Supercl.u.s.ter Middle Stage, which is also rather formidable."
Zhao Hanyan softly harrumphed. To have her current cultivation with a Prehistoric Spirit Treasure the likes of the Purple Smoke Confusing Sky Lantern, even if she had this, she was about to be overtaken by Su Xing. However, the Ling Yan Princess did not carefully delve into thinking about this too much. Now that the Third Phase was already about to conclude, according to the conventions of the previous Star Duels, after Evil Smiting Hall pa.s.sed, Star Masters" cultivations would all advance by leaps and bounds. Before the Fourth Phase commenced, next was the time for Star Masters to exhaust all possible means to advance their cultivations. "Never mind, you seemed to have so many Star Generals. Hmph, you are an anomaly. This Princess is disinclined to think about it."
Su Xing said. "Let"s go to the Black Turtle Territory right now. Time is already short."
"En."
…
Oppressive footsteps resounded in the dark s.p.a.ce.
Great Saint Starkiller walked past the black corridor, his expression very grave. Great Blade Guan Ying followed behind him, her expression also very grim. Lining the pa.s.sage, the dark purple torches lengthened the pair"s shadows, appearing on the wall like demons baring their fangs.
It was as if every detail of the pa.s.sageway was full of evil and insolence.
The pair walked to a gate. The man guarding the gate coldly glanced at them. His cultivation had surprisingly reached Supervoid Stage. The grand Supervoid Cultivator unexpectedly watching over the gate made the atmosphere appear even more heavy.
The main hall was a s.p.a.ce full of purple fire. Gorgeous scripts decorated the entire room from top to bottom. These scripts were arranged according to some sort of pattern. Several meter wide black chains were very conspicuous, just like a pitch-black python extending straight to the very top of the main hall, to a platform sheltered by a black canopy.
Upon closer inspection, one would notice that the giant chains currently trapped a figure. The wide chains made that figure appear somewhat stooped. Two men and two women stood beneath the platform, each emitting an aura that would make one feel ice-cold to the bone, as if they would shudder with just a glance from them. These four had cultivations that were Supervoid Middle Stage and above.
"Devil Ancestor!!"3
Great Saint Starkiller reverently said.
To be able to have so many Supervoid Cultivators stand guard, across all of the Black Turtle Territory, there was only one capable of doing so, the Black Turtle Territory"s first Devil. Reportedly, he already comprehended the peak of Supervoid, the Devil Ancestor Black Underworld4 entering Transforming Star of Annihilation
Guan Ying was expressionless. Star Generals never showed more respect to anyone beside their own contractor, let alone that she was the Brave Star.
"Great Saint Starkiller, This Ancestor wishes to speak to you alone." From behind the canopy came an aged voice.
Great Saint Starkiller listened. He glanced at Guan Ying.
Guan Ying snorted, her expression not at all happy. She turned around and left the main hall. In her heart, she actually did not wish to see the thing coming next that would make her feel ashamed.
"Fancy that the one who is the chief of the Five Tiger Generals, the one with a Four Star Destined Weapon would unexpectedly be slain."
"What are you doing still acting arrogant here. Truly, you make people upset."
The four Supervoid Cultivators coldly said.
Great Saint Starkiller did not dare quibble.
Only after she left did the Devil Ancestor Black Underworld say: "This Ancestor hears you suffered defeat in Evil Smiting Hall." His voice was very soft, but the feeling within made Great Saint Starkiller have a sort of powerful pressure. Great Saint Starkiller broke into a cold sweat and lowered his head: "It was Your Servant"s fault. Your Servant did not antic.i.p.ate the Harm Star would unexpectedly have a Star Master and even reach the Heaven Earth Dark Yellow realm."
"En?"
There was soft laughter, somewhat inquisitive.
Great Saint Starkiller knelt on the ground, in fear and trepidation: "Your Servant requests Devil Ancestor for atonement. Next time Your Servant encounters that man, Your Servant definitely will take revenge and wipe out this grudge."
"This Ancestor has exhausted everything to nurture you, for the sake of allowing you to become the chief of the Star Duels. No one in Liangshan Continent can contend with you, but you nevertheless were defeated, making This Ancestor somewhat surprised. Could it be that This Ancestor has treated you too unkindly? Is this what you believe? Great Saint Starkiller?"
"Devil Ancestor is kind. Your Servant has undying grat.i.tude. Even if Your Servant must work like an ox, work like a horse, Your Servant will repay Devil Ancestor endlessly." Great Saint Starkiller promptly made clear his mind.
"The Devil Star Palace has nurtured you for the purpose of obtaining the overlordship of these Star Duels. This is not a request. It is a requirement. From the beginning of the Star Duels, you must far surpa.s.s all other opponents. This is the dream of the Devil Star Palace, but you unexpectedly were killed out of Evil Smiting Hall by someone else. What else should This Ancestor say?"
"There absolutely will not be a next time. Your Servant asks Devil Ancestor to be at ease!" Great Saint Starkiller solemnly vowed.
"This Ancestor does not need this kind of flower in a mirror, moon reflected in a lake roundabout promise…"5 Devil Ancestor Black Underworld"s voice was serene as a dagger. "Ming Die,6 give that thing to him."
"As you command."
A graceful woman bound in black nodded and daintily advanced. In her palm was a black stone, like a mult.i.tude of glittering stars yet emitting a fiendish Devil Qi. Even with Great Saint Starkiller"s current Supercl.u.s.ter Stage cultivation, he felt it was very unbearable.
"This is the Nine Nether Devil Star Stone.7 Have your Star General forge it into her Star Weapon." Devil Ancestor Black Underworld said.
"Nine Nether Devil Star Stone!" Great Saint Starkiller"s pupils shrunk. The Nine Nether Devil Star Stone could be said to be the divine item of the Black Turtle Territory"s Devil Cults. Weapons with the Nine Nether Devil Star Stone forged into them could render targets that were cut down in so much pain they would wish they were dead, suffering every possible torment. Afterwards, they would become supreme resentment, and the user could absorb this power and become even stronger. However, the Nine Nether Devil Star Stone at present was clearly different.
If this was used to kill a Star General…"The more Star Generals the Star Weapon kills, the more powerful Star General"s Destined Star Weapon will become, even being able to be placed above an upgraded Star Weapon." Ming Die explained.8
Great Saint Starkiller was delighted. Was this not saying that in the future, when Guan Ying killed a Star General, she could simultaneously upgrade her Star Weapon. This practically was super-defiant of the natural order. "Many thanks, Devil Ancestor…" Suddenly, Great Saint Starkiller"s expression was somewhat hesitant: "But Guan Ying"s personality is unyielding. Your Servant does not know if she would use this Devil Star Stone…" The Nine Nether Devil Star Stone would make the slain opponent suffer worldly pain. As far as the righteous and strict Brave Star was concerned, perhaps it was hard to accept.
"Ridiculous, how could the grand Star Generals still be able to retain some benevolence?" Ming Die rebuked: "If she does not dare abide, you just use Command Enforcement. By the time Guan Sheng tastes the power of the Nine Nether Devil Star Palace, she naturally will know that no one in this generation"s Star Duels is her opponent!"
Hearing the woman"s displeasure, Great Saint Starkiller hastily nodded in acknowledgment.
"Great Saint Starkiller, you are dismissed for now. Properly go prepare for the coming Black Nether Temple!"9
"As you command, Disciple takes his leave."
After Great Saint Starkiller left, Ming Die turned her head back, saying: "Devil Ancestor, although this Brave Star is the chief of the Five Tiger Generals, that personality honestly does not possess the disposition for ruthlessness. As Ming Die sees it, that Guan Ying is perhaps disloyal."
"Is this not even better? Seeing the renowned Brave Star raised into a killing tool for our Devil Sect, heh, heh, the Liangshan Maiden"s expression must be very marvelous." Another man softly spoke.
"Enough. You all may also take your leave. This Ancestor is tired."
Devil Ancestor Black Underworld calmly said.
"By your will"
…
Su Xing and Zhao Hanyan flew towards the limits of the sea together. This flight was non-stop for seven days and seven nights. Different from the Azure Dragon Territory"s fertile lads, the Black Turtle Territory"s greatest characteristic was the extreme number of bodies of water. Various kinds of islands stood in great numbers. Its topography was broken up by the seas and islands into an extreme mess. It was for this reason that the absolutes in Liangshan Continent"s powerful aquatic Demon Beasts dwelled in the Black Turtle Territory"s deep seas.
The Black Turtle Territory"s ley lines were far from as prosperous as the Azure Dragon Territory"s. For this reason, cultivators here trained exploiting the blood, bone, and even the organs and Demon Pellet10 of Demon Beasts. Demon Pellets and the like were very common in the Black Turtle Territory, and it was because of this that the Black Turtle Territory"s Devil Cults were extremely prosperous.
Pa.s.sing by every sort of crisis on the limitless sea, Su Xing and Zhao Hanyan finally saw the outer sea of the Black Turtle Territory.
Cross Island.11
The island"s entirety was shaped like a cross, thus it got its name. On the islands were scattered dozens of homes of island dwellers. This was the first checkpoint island for those of the Azure Dragon Territory entering the Black Turtle Territory. After entering these grounds, that Cross Island"s topography pointed in the four directions, making clear the four directions that cultivators could thoroughly enter the Black Turtle Territory.
Continuously flying a course of seven days and seven nights, Su Xing and Zhao Hanyan were extremely exhausted. They were in urgent need of replenishment of their spiritual powers.
Cross Island just so happened to have a weak ley line.
Su Xing and Zhao Hanyan glanced at each other, and then they descended towards the island with tacit understanding.
- 浮屠, his name literally means “paG.o.da,” but he has nothing to do with the Buddha Kingdom ↩
- 天賜, lit. bestowed by the Heavens ↩
- 魔祖 ↩
- 玄冥魔祖 ↩
- 鏡花水月, unrealistic views ↩
- 冥蝶, lit. Underworld b.u.t.terfly ↩
- 九幽魔星石 ↩
- To explain it more clearly, what this stone does is bypa.s.s the need for materials to upgrade Star Weapons. Instead, this stone forcibly increases the power of the weapon by using the soul of a slain Star Maiden as the catalyst. In theory, even if Guan Sheng’s weapon to remain at Four Star, if she killed enough Star Generals, her weapon would still rival Five Star and higher. However, as you will see in future chapters, this power is heavily corrupting, downright evil, and most foul. ↩
- 玄冥聖殿 ↩
- 妖丹 ↩
- 十字島 ↩