Immortal and Martial Dual Cultivation - Chapter 422-430

Chapter 422: Disposing Stolen Goods

If Xiao Chen wanted to compete in perseverance, his opponent would definitely win. He had to knock him back in one breath. 

Xiao Chen's eyes widened, and the purple Qi whirlpool in his dantain spun rapidly. He merged his physical strength and Essence, and the force in his fist increased explosively.

"Boom!"

The suddenly increase knocked Jiang Zimo back five steps before he slowly came to a stop.

The shattered stones floating in the surrounding fell as well.

The exchanged had ended. Jiang Zimo did not follow up with another more. He looked utterly calm; he did not even have to regulate his Essence before he walked over to Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen withdrew his fist and relaxed, regulating his Essence slightly as he did so. After that, the surging aura in his body calmed.

When Xiao Chen saw Jiang Zimo looking at ease, like he had only sent out a casual strike, Xiao Chen could not help but feel curious about the Cultivation Technique he practiced.

Jiang Zimo cupped his hands in respect and said, "Not bad! You are the first within our generation to knock me back with one punch."

Xiao Chen smiled bittered, "How is that not bad? I had used my full power. Looking at your relaxed demeanor, you probably only used twenty percent of your strength."

Jiang Zimo smiled as he explained, "You don't have to be so humble. I used my full power as well. It's just that my Cultivation Technique is a little special. Even if I am beaten to death, I will still look this relaxed."

Xiao Chen smiled at this statement. This person's words were interesting. He seemed to be rather broad-minded, and his temperament suited Xiao Chen.

However, this Cultivation Technique was really strange. The aura and might displayed when using twenty percent and full power were different; there would be different levels of exhaustion as well.

No one would use their full power from the beginning. If they did, they would not last long, and their Essence would immediately drain.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Xiao Chen, Perhaps the amount of time Jiang Zimo can last using his full power is equivalent to me maintaining twenty percent of my strength.

If that is the case, Jiang Zimo's Cultivation Technique is extremely horrifying.

Jiang Zimo continued, "Your strength definitely meets the requirements. It is their loss that they did not send you an invitation. I have not asked for your name yet. Which nation and sect are you from?"

Xiao Chen cupped his hands and said, "Xiao Chen of the Great Qin Nation. Currently sectless."

As Jiang Zimo repeated Xiao Chen's name, he found it somewhat familiar. However, he could not recall where he heard it. "Brother Xiao Chen, how about this? On the seventeenth of the next month, if you have the time, visit the backyard of the Clear Spring Inn. I think you will be interested. Coincidentally, I have a recommendation letter I can give to you."

Clear Spring Inn…isn't that the inn Xia Xiyan is staying in? Did Jiang Zimo and Xia Yiyan come for the same purpose? 

Xiao Chen did not bother to think about this for now. He looked up at the impressive and imposing Jiang Zimo. He felt suspicious as he inquired, "Speaking of which, this is the first time we have met, right? Why are you so cordial?"

Jiang Zimo laughed and said, "Are you afraid that I will set a trap for you? Let's put it this way; I will not force you or persuade you. On the seventeenth of the next month, if you are interested, take some time to take a look. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. I will take my leave first.

"That's right; those Tiger Fiends will probably ambush you later. Do go easy on them."

Jiang Zimo turned around and leaped back into the restaurant. Xiao Chen did not linger either. He headed for the largest shop in the city.

---

In the restaurant, at a table beside a window, a silver-haired girl stared Xiao Chen's back, deep in thought.

The silver-haired girl had a pretty face. She looked like an elf of Xiao Chen's previous world. However, her silver eyes contained no emotion; they appeared extremely cold.

When the silver-haired girl saw Jiang Zimo return, she asked anxiously, "Zimo, who is that? Which sect is he from?"

Jiang Zimo looked at the silver-haired girl's anxious expression and felt astonished. This was the first time he had seen her so concerned about another person.

"Xinya, do you recognize this person?"

The silver-haired girl shook her head. She said, "He has a very similar aura to someone I once knew, but they look different."

Jiang Zimo nodded and said, "He is Xiao Chen. He looked pretty strong but is not affiliated with any sects."

When the silver-haired girl heard this, she felt somewhat disappointed. She said softly, "Oh, it looks like I recognized the wrong person. The one I know has the surname Ye."

---

There were many shops in the city catered to cultivators. Xiao Chen stopped in one of the largest shops. The shop had a simple atmosphere and was built of wood.

There were many people going in and out; it was very bustling. The words 'Flowing Wind Pavilion' adorned the signboard in gold. Xiao Chen followed the crowd and entered.

The shop was massive. Xiao Chen looked around and saw all sorts of goods in the hall on the first floor.

There were racks specifically for Spirit Weapons, containing row upon row of various weapons. All grades and ranks of Spirit Weapons were present. There were even hundreds of Profound Ranked Spirit Weapons and above.

Next to the Spirit Weapons was the shelf for all types of Battle Armor. Along with the Spirit Weapons, they formed a circular area for weapons.

The weapons zone lay in the middle of the hall. The shelves along the walls contained all sorts of Herbs and Medicinal Pills.

The items were very well organized. Xiao Chen felt like he was in a supermarket of his previous life. The only difference was that it looked more ancient and natural.

"Young Hero, are you here for Spirit Weapons or Battle Armor? Or perhaps you are here to order a custom weapon? Our shop is one of the few partners of the Heavenly Craft Manor in the Ancient Desolate Land. No matter what you want, we can make it."

When a manservant saw Xiao Chen looking around the weapons zone, he quickly rushed forward with a smile and greeted him warmly.

When this manservant mentioned the Heavenly Craft Manor, he radiated pride. It was as though working with the Heavenly Craft Manor was an incredibly impressive feat.

Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, "I am not here to buy, but I have things to sell. Does the Flowing Wind Pavilion accept them?"

The manservant's smile did not change as he said, "Yes, we do!. Go up that staircase. After you pass the treasure pavilion on the second floor, you will arrive at the third floor where we have specially trained appraisers. I guarantee that Young Hero will not suffer a loss there."

There were very few people in the treasure pavilion. It was less than half the size of the hall on the first floor. With one glance, Xiao Chen knew why.

The treasure pavilion sold all sorts of Cultivation Techniques and Martial Techniques. There were also some early Inferior Grade Secret Weapons, some precious Medicinal Pills, and all sorts of valuable ores.

These items were very expensive. Only a small portion of cultivators could afford such things.

Xiao Chen continued climbing the stairs and arrived at the third floor of the Flowing Wind Pavilion. Compared to the second floor, there were even fewer people there.

The third floor was also quieter; it did not have the noise and bustle of the first floor. All the people simply waited in silence. Xiao Chen sat on a wooden chair, and a servant girl immediately came and poured him tea; their service was excellent.

Xiao Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then, he asked that servant girl, "How long do I have to wait before my turn?"

The servant girl smiled and answered, "Young Hero, the appraisal hall of the Flowing Wind Pavilion will only entertain three customers and any given moment to ensure fairness. Some treasures are easy to appraise and some are very difficult. It is hard to measure the time taken."

Looking around and counting the number of people waiting, it seemed like it would take at least two hours. Xiao Chen set down the teacup and closed his eyes to doze off.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen had a lot of patience. He did not find the wait boring. Some people near him could not bear the boredom and started chatting with each other.

"Have you guys heard? The Holy Fire Manor's Seventh Elder Qing Feng led a group of people to the Demon Battlefield to kill a Blood Demon. In the process, three half-step Martial Monarchs died. After killing the peak high-rank Blood Demon with much difficulty, someone robbed him," suddenly, someone mentioned the recent events from the Demon Battlefield.

The Holy Fire Manor was a considerably famous power in the southern islands. When someone mentioned the Holy Fire Manor, it captured the attention of some people waiting in the hall.

A cultivator in yellow garments asked, "When did that happen? Why have I not heard anything about it?"

"He he, it happened a week ago. Of course, you have not heard about it. So far, the news only spread throughout Boulder Island and the headquarters of the Holy Fire Manor, the Holy Fire Island. However, it will probably soon spread throughout all of the southern islands," the cultivator in green, who spoke initially, proudly proclaimed.

"Who is so powerful to rob the peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core from under the noses of ten-odd half-step Martial Monarchs? He must be at least of the Martial Monarch realm."

The cultivator in green garments laughed, "Your guess is very wrong. Think about it. Why would Martial Monarch cultivators want a peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core? They have already opened their sea of consciousness. If they wanted, they would need a Blood Demon General's Demon Core. The Demon Core of regular Blood Demon is useless to them."

"Then it must be another peak half-step Martial Monarch. He probably needed a peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core to open his sea of consciousness."

The cultivator in green garments continued to laugh, "Wrong again. The one who snatched the Demon Core away was merely an Inferior Grade Martial King. Not only did he snatched the Demon Core, but he also grabbed the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures from the hands of the Blood Demon and the corpses of three half step Martial Monarchs. He stole all the benefits of that battle."

"How can it be? How could an Inferior Grade Martial King do all this under the noses of so many half-step Martial Monarchs?"

"That is absolutely impossible. You must be exaggerating."

The few people at the side shook their heads. They obviously did not believe the cultivator in green.

The cultivator in green garments smiled faintly and did not try to defend himself. "It is up to you whether you want to believe me or not. Soon, you will know the truth."

This topic continued for a while until someone brought up a new topic, "The Trial of the Ancient Desolate Tower seems to be starting again. I wonder how many people will qualify to participate this time?"

"I guess that there will be more people than previously. There are simply too many geniuses in this generation. It is going to be hard for the Great Jin Nation to continue monopolizing the top spots in the Five Nation Youth Competition."

"That might not be so. The Great Jin nation has the most Spirit Veins in the Tianwu Continent. They have even more geniuses than the others. It is going to be challenging for the other four nations to occupy the top ten."

"Let's see the results of the Ancient Desolate Tower. If someone can make it to the Ancient Desolate Tower's seventh floor, there might be a chance of that happening."

"It's difficult. Aside from the people from the Thunder Emperor's era, no one has ever made it to the seventh floor in the past few thousand years. Right now, the geniuses of this era are only budding. We will have to wait for at least ten years."

Chapter 423: Assaulting the Villains?

The Trial of the Ancient Desolate Tower is about to begin? Does that have something to do with Jiang Zimo and Xia Xiyan? Xiao Chen opened his eyes.

Interest flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. He intended to ask more about it but… 

"Young Hero, it is your turn."

At this moment, a pretty young girl came over and spoke to him softly.

It looks like I can only let it go for now. However, I now have a clue of the Ancient Desolate Tower. It should be easy to learn more later. Xiao Chen got up and followed the servant girl into the room ahead.

When the cultivator in green saw Xiao Chen get up, he was deep in thoughts as he watched his back. Earlier, he had not noticed Xiao Chen.

However, now that the cultivator in green garments saw Xiao Chen's backs, he started thinking.

He is wearing white robes and is an Inferior Grade Martial King. He looks to be younger than twenty. Unfortunately, I did not see him carrying a saber. He must have it in his spatial ring.

The cultivator in green muttered to himself. "I should follow him closely. If he is a bladesman, chances are is that he is that person."

---

Within the appraisal hall, an old man took a sip of tea. When he saw Xiao Chen enter, he smiled and said, "My humble self is the Flowing Wind Pavilion's Old Ma. If Young Hero intends to sell something, please take them out to show me."

Xiao Chen nodded but said nothing. He pointed his Universe Ring in an empty space in the hall and a large pile of objects tumbled out.

When the sound stopped, a one-meter-high pile of miscellaneous items appeared in the middle of the hall. Old Ma nearly spat the tea he was drinking.

Old Ma managed to stop himself from spilling the tea as he said with a somewhat unsightly expression, "Little Brother, are you here to mess around? Do you know what kind of place my Flowing Wind Pavilion is? How dare you show me a pile of trash?"

Clearly, the other party did not think that all of these items were valuable. He felt that Xiao Chen was here to make a fool of him.

Xiao Chen sat down calmly and said, "You will know if it is really a pile of trash or not when you take a look for yourself."

When Old Ma saw Xiao Chen's confident manner, he hesitated. He squatted down in half disbelief and casually picked up a bottle of Medicinal Pills.

Old Ma opened the bottle, and a fragrance wafted out. He sniffed it, and his expression changed. He said, "This is a Rank 6 Medicinal Pill. If a Martial Saint uses one, it can increase their cultivation greatly. It is worth ten thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones."

Right after Old Ma spoke, he quickly picked up a yellowing secret manual. This was an Inferior Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique. It could be used up to the Martial King realm. It was worth a hundred thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones.

"There are ten Inferior Grade Earth Ranked Spirit Weapons here! This is a three-hundred-year-old Snow Ginseng! Here is a Battle Armor, and this is a Superior Grade Earth Ranked Martial Technique. There is an Inferior Grade Secret Treasure here as well!"

With each sentence Old Ma uttered, his expression changed further. How was this a pile of trash? He had judge these items wrong.

Although each individual item was not extremely valuable and could not stir any interest in him, with the number of items here, their total value would be astonishing. There were at least a thousand items.

For so many miscellaneous items to appear on one person, he had to have either robbed a strong clan or killed many high ranked cultivators.

Old Ma felt astonished. Xiao Chen seemed no older than twenty. Regardless which was the case, the strength of his youth was unfathomable. He was not as simple as he looked.

Old Ma no longer dared slight Xiao Chen as he had before. He stood up and cupped his hands, "I am sorry for the previous offense. This old man judged too hastily. I hope that Little Brother will forgive me."

Xiao Chen said indifferently, "Never mind; just help me appraise these quickly. I am only interested in business and nothing else."

Of course, it was not realistic to rely on only Old Ma to appraise everything.

Old Ma called over a servant girl and gave her some instructions. After an hour, ten young appraisers emerged from the back door of the appraisal hall.

Old Ma explained, "I have summoned them from the other branches. Don't look down on them for being young. They should have no problems appraising your items."

Xiao Chen nodded and did not object.

After two hours and the arduous effects of the eleven appraisers, all of the miscellaneous items had been appraised.

The ten appraisers from the branches took their leave, and soon, only Old Ma and Xiao Chen occupied the hall.

Old Ma handed over a list and said to Xiao Chen with a fatigued expression, "Little Brother, take a look. The total value is three million Inferior Grade Spirit Stones. If you change them to Medial Grade Spirit Stones, it would be 25,000. You understand the reasons already, I believe."

Xiao Chen looked through the list and expressed no objection. Xiao Chen was indeed aware. Naturally, he would not say anything.

Old Ma smiled gently and said, "That is good. Take out your Ancient Desolate Pass, and we will sign the contract. After that, we can give you the Spirit Stones immediately.

Xiao Chen was stunned. He did not expect to need the Ancient Desolate Pass when making such a transaction. He could not help but feel a little depressed, "I do not have an Ancient Desolate Pass yet. Can we still complete the transaction?"

Old Ma frowned slightly. Clearly, he was somewhat astonished. Unexpectedly, this youth is new to the Ancient Desolate Land. He has not even made an Ancient Desolate Pass.

"This makes things slightly difficult. It is not that this old man wants to make things difficult for you, but without an Ancient Desolate Pass, the tax you have to pay for such a large transaction is quite substantial," Old Ma explained gently.

Since it was a problem of money, it was easy to deal with. Xiao Chen said, "How about this? Follow the list and write it as 25,000 Medial Grade Spirit Stones. However, I will only take twenty thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones."

This transaction of miscellaneous items was an unexpected income for Xiao Chen. It did not matter if he earned more or less. If he had to make an Ancient Desolate Pass, that would make things problematic.

Old Ma immediately understood. He understood Xiao Chen's generosity. Thinking about it, he had probably obtained these goods by killing others and was in a rush to get rid of them.

However, Old Ma reminded, "Think about it carefully. It does not take much time to make an Ancient Desolate Pass. You will save five thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones by doing so."

Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "There is no need. I have made up my mind."

After the two signed the contract, Old Ma revealed boxes of Spirit Stones and gave them to Xiao Chen to count. With a casual sweep of his Spiritual Sense, he sensed that the number was correct. So, he tossed them into his Universe Ring.

Xiao Chen's Universe Ring had far more available space now. The number of Medial Grade Spirit Stones now reached at least 150,000. Furthermore, he had millions of Inferior Grade Spirit Stones and a hundred extremely valuable Superior Grade Spirit Stones.

Xiao Chen walked out of the appraisal hall and looked around. He noticed that the cultivator in green had not left yet. Furthermore, when that cultivator saw him, his eyelids twitched.

That's weird. Normally, most people only take fifteen minutes to conclude their transactions. Logically, he should have left long ago.

Xiao Chen noticed that the other cultivators who chatted earlier were all gone, replaced by cultivators he had not met.

He knows about the matters on Boulder Island. He must be suspicious of me, Xiao Chen paid attention to him and headed downstairs without any change in his expression.

Not long after Xiao Chen left, his Spiritual Sense picked up on a figure following him stealthily. It was the cultivator in green.

This person is a Superior Grade Martial King. If he makes a sneak-attack, it will be some threat to me. However, there is no need to worry since I have already noticed him.

Coincidentally, he knows about the Ancient Desolate Tower. If he has ill intentions against me, I can capture and question him.

Thinking of this, the corners of Xiao Chen's lips curled up. He walked forward unhurriedly, pretending he knew nothing. 

Soon, Xiao Chen found a rather desolate alley. When he noticed the sparse number of people and desolate environment, he nodded. I'll do it here.

"Bang!"

Just at this moment, two Tiger Fiend cultivators suddenly jumped out from both sides. They were tall and stout. Soon, they surrounded Xiao Chen.

These Fiends were over two meters tall. They blocked the sunlight and cast a large shadow. They were the Tiger Fiends Xiao Chen had offended earlier.

The Tiger Fiend who Jiang Zimo had chased away earlier emitted killing Qi from his entire body. He walked over to Xiao Chen and smiled coldly, "Brat, I told you to hand over a thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones, but you refused. Now, I will cripple your legs and force regret down your throat."

"Is that so? Unfortunately, you are not capable of such a thing."

Xiao Chen smiled faintly, Jiang Zimo had guessed correctly. With the flip of his hand, the Lunar Shadow Saber in his Universe Ring instantly appeared in his grasp.

The four Tiger Fiends were Medial Grade Martial Kings. When working together, they were quite strong.

Unfortunately, with one glance, Xiao Chen could tell that they were not the core cultivators of the Fiends. They did not have strong Cultivation Techniques or Martial Techniques. If Xiao Chen used his full power, they did not stand a chance.

After fifteen minutes, the four Tiger Fiends lay on the ground, mourning pitifully. Wounds of various sizes covered their bodies, occasionally flickering with electricity.

In compliance with Jiang Zimo's request, Xiao Chen was not too heavy-handed. The injuries looked horrifying, but they were not severe. He only taught them a lesson.

"Scram! I will only comply with Jiang Zimo's request once. Don't let me see you again."

Xiao Chen returned the Lunar Shadow Saber to its sheath as he snorted coldly.

The few Tiger Fiends felt relieved of a huge burden. They knew they had kicked an iron board. They scurried up and fled.

"Not bad. Excellent Saber Techniques. You fought one against four and still held an overwhelming advantage."

The cultivator in green stood on the alley wall. Xiao Chen had not noticed his arrival. The sunlight shone from behind him, obscuring his appearance.

Xiao Chen smiled faintly, "After following me for so long, you finally could not resist."

The cultivator in green shrugged his shoulder non-committedly. He was not surprised that Xiao Chen had noticed him. He asked, "Were you on Boulder Island a week ago?"

Xiao Chen did not reply. He simply took out the peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core and said, "You must be looking for this!"

The cultivator in green smiled and said, "Very good; you can die now. I will hand your head over to the Holy Fire Manor for a reward. That would be the best way to maximize your value."

After the cultivator spoke, he leaped down from the wall. Then he sent out two sharp fist winds at Xiao Chen as he dropped.

Xiao Chen drew his Lunar Shadow Saber again, and electric light flickered on the snow-white blade. Xiao Chen hacked the fist winds apart with his saber.

"Giant Whale Palm!"

The cultivator shouted, and faint mist filled the ally. The ground turned soft and waved like water.

Xiao Chen became unsteady and started moving with the water.

What a powerful state of water. This person is no ordinary Superior Grade Martial King. No wonder he is so confident.

Chapter 424: Wild Dance of Whales

A huge whale formed by Essence appeared behind the cultivator in green. Then it launched itself forward with the palm strike.

The colossal whale opened its mouth wide and revealed cold, sharp teeth as it rushed at Xiao Chen.

The cultivator was very confident in this palm strike. He believed that with this palm strike he could kill Xiao Chen quickly.

He already practiced this to perfection. Furthermore, he comprehended the state of water. With these two factors, this move would achieve 120 percent of its original might.

Not only was this move powerful, but its strong, mysterious phenomenon could also break the other party's Movement Technique, making him unable to dodge.

Several cultivators stronger than the cultivator in green had suffered under this palm. Even if an Inferior Grade Martial King could block it, he would sustain severe injuries.

Xiao Chen circulated his energy and rooted himself firmly to the ground. In an instant, he increased his weight by fifty thousand kilograms. He anchored himself firmly where he stood and did not move at all.

When Xiao Chen saw the huge whale flying towards him, he did not dare be careless. He exhibited his state of thunder to its limits and thunder crashed above them in the sky.

"Wukui Shakes the Heavens!"

Xiao Chen shouted and hacked vertically with his Lunar Shadow Saber. The divine Wukui Tree loomed like a mountain as it crashed down on the approaching whale, carrying a boundless electric force as it did so.

Within the Wukui Saber Techniques, Wukui Shakes the Heavens was the powerhouse for clashing head-on. There were no tricks to it; it merely turned the vast state of thunder into a strong force.

The stronger the state and the thicker the Essence, the mightier this move would become.

Since the other party wanted to clash head-on, Xiao Chen would give him this opportunity. He wanted to see whose strength would prevail in the end.

"Bang!"

The huge whale made from Essence clashed with the divine Wukui Tree. A strong force immediately dispersed throughout the surroundings. Thunder and waves roared, and the walls around the alley collapsed.

The whale made of Essence held on for a while before scattering. However, Xiao Chen's Wukui Tree had only dimmed but did not disappear.

The Wukui Tree landed on the ground and the ground that had previously moved like water calmed. Xiao Chen's attack had broken the other cultivator's state of water as well.

The cultivator in green grew very pale. He fell back by several steps before slowing. He could not believe that Xiao Chen had managed to break his move.

The cultivator suppressed the surging Essence in his body as he smiled coldly, "You have some strength. No wonder you could snatch that Demon Core. However, you will still die!"

"Wild Dance of Whales!"

A wave of water instantly appeared on the ground. It was not an illusion caused by a mysterious phenomenon. Instead, it was a real wave.

Xiao Chen noticed that his pants had become wet as a result, and he frowned slightly. He pushed off the ground, wanting to leap away. However, he discovered that there seemed to be a pair of invisible hands holding his feet in the water.

Behind the cultivator, his Essence formed into hundreds of massive whales. They roared, and when their aura combined, it was overwhelming.

"This Wild Dance of Whales is the equivalent of an Inferior Grade Heaven Ranked Martial Technique. I can only use this once every three months. Unless you have the strength of a half-step Martial Monarch, you can forget about breaking through. Just die!"

He laughed maniacally as the school of whales covered the sky and headed for Xiao Chen.

At the critical moment, Xiao Chen removed the blue strip of cloth on his forehead.

The scarlet throne mark on his forehead immediately appeared. Xiao Chen's aura suddenly changed.

The state of massacre started to merge with the state of thunder. The Lunar Shadow Saber alternatively flickered between purple and red.

"Ka ca!"

A saber light flashed through the water and chopped the invisible hands grabbing Xiao Chen's feet in half.

"State of massacre!"

The cultivator in green garments quickly increased the speed of his whales. The aquatic mammals suddenly accelerated.

Xiao Chen grasped his saber with both hands and activated the Blood Flame Shoes. His figure flashed as he weaved through the pod.

The saber light containing the killing Qi of the state of massacre danced around. Every time it slashed, it shattered a massive whale.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions rang out in that narrow space. The berserk water-attributed energy crashed violently.

Xiao Chen executed his Azure Dragon Cloud Soaring Art to its extreme. Afterimages followed him as he darted through the alley. He relied on the Blood Flame Shoes to boost his speed to Mach 3.5.

Xiao Chen managed to dodge the instant a huge whale exploded. He appeared to dance on the surface of the sea in the middle of a berserk storm. However, none of the waves hit him. Instead, he hacked down on every one of them. The boundless electric light, as well as the state of massacre, seemed to suppress the ferocious waves.

"Damn it! He has comprehended two states at the same time. Furthermore, he is so fast."

As the cultivator in green saw Xiao Chen hack apart his whales, horror colored his expression.

The cultivator hesitated for a moment. However, he glanced in a particular direction and decided to persevere. Fortunately, he had prepared for this battle beforehand.

The cultivator knew about Xiao Chen's escape from the hands of fifteen half-step Martial Monarchs. Thinking about it, he should be one of the genius-level cultivators who could defeat those of higher cultivation realms.

Hence, when the cultivator in green decided to follow Xiao Chen, he had used a messenger bird to inform his companion. As long as he could hold on until his companion arrived, this brat would be finished.

A peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core was worth this risk. Whether he sold it or used it to open his own sea of consciousness, it was extremely valuable.

Thinking of this, the cultivator's expression slowly became resolute. When Xiao Chen killed the final huge whale, the cultivator's figure flashed.

The cultivator in green sensed where Xiao Chen was as the sound of wind roared next to his ears. Then, he attacked from a strange angle from behind.

Xiao Chen did not turn around. He sent out a strange arc of light from his saber, flickering between red and purple. It formed a hemisphere and enveloped him.

"Bang!"

The palm wind of the cultivator struck the light, and it exploded. A shockwave blasted his body back.

Xiao Chen took advantage of this opportunity to spin around. He looked at the pale-faced cultivator and said calmly, "Since you're not trying to flee, you must have companions coming!"

Xiao Chen's comment startled the cultivator, but he did not dignify that statement with a response. He simply charged forward again.

Xiao Chen had read the answer in the other party's eyes. He said indifferently, "You overestimate yourself. You don't even qualify to challenge me before you have comprehended your state of water to its peak."

Lightning crackled as Xiao Chen took a great stride forward. He rushed forward with a surging aura and substituted defense with offense.

The berserk force, combined with the boundless state of massacre, completely suppressed the cultivator in green. He had no other choice but to retreat.

"Pu ci!"

When Xiao Chen found an opportunity, he thrust his saber forward and broke past the weakest spot of his opponent's palm wind, leaving a wound in his chest.

"Hack!"

After getting in a strike, Xiao Chen did not give his opponent any time to react. He quickly used the simplest of the eight Basic Saber Techniques.

"Pa!"

In the time for a spark to fly, just before the saber struck the cultivator's chest, he clapped his hands. He captured Xiao Chen's blade between his palms, halting his attack.

Xiao Chen smiled coldly to himself, You are really brave to use your bare hand to catch my saber. Lightning! Strike!

The electric light, infused with the state of massacre, exploded. Instantly, it broke through the Essence covering the cultivator's palms.

When the electricity broke through, the cultivator's palms swelled. Xiao Chen continued to push down with his saber, and the saber light struck his opponent's inner vest.

"Zi! Zi!"

Scarlet electricity crackled and flickered on the saber, elongating into a long electric light. With the aid of the state of massacre, it easily broke through the inner vest.

The attack lacerated the cultivator in green's flesh, leaving a deep wound on his chest.

Xiao Chen stepped forward and placed his saber on his opponent's neck a moment before he could flee.

"If you don't want to die, don't move. Answer my questions!"

"Ti da! Ti da!"

The cultivator's wound was deep to the bone, blood spilling to the ground relentlessly. He had an extremely pained expression but did not show much fear.

"Do you think I will believe you? If you want to kill me, just do it. I have already come to realize that, if I do not climb on the corpses others to rise, another will kill me, and I will become their stepping stone."

This person had a pretty good awareness. However, Xiao Chen was confident of obtaining his answers. He pressed the saber against the other party's neck and leaned forward.

"Do you think you have a choice? Answer my question, and you might buy some time. Maybe your companions will arrive in time to rescue you. If not, I will kill you now."

The saber broke the skin, and blood trickled down his throat. With death so close at hand, the cultivator in gave in to his fear. Xiao Chen's final words sparked hope within him.

If the cultivator in green garments could buy enough time, his companion might be able to save him, "What is your question?!"

"Very good. What's up with the Ancient Desolate Tower? Tell me about it in detail," Xiao Chen demanded with a calm gaze.

When the cultivator heard this, he could not help but sigh in relief. He originally thought that Xiao Chen would ask him about some secrets. It turned out that he wanted to know about this. In that case, there was no need for him to resist.

There was a stone tower that had existed for an unknown amount of time in Desolate City. Rumors said that it had been there since the Ancient Era.

There were many mysterious things in the tower. There were strong Martial Techniques, mysterious Secret Treasure, profound Cultivation Techniques, and even Holy Weapons falling from the sky.

Cultivators could find what they could only dream of there. If one cultivated in the tower, their cultivation speed would increase significantly.

There were a total of nine floors. The further one climbed, the more benefits one could gain. Furthermore, the strangest thing was that the stone tower only allowed people under the age of 25 to enter.

Once the bone age surpassed the limits, no matter what cultivation one had, even the Martial Emperor realm, one could not enter. It was like a land of fortuitous encounters specifically prepared for geniuses.

The cultivator in green continued, "Of course, it is difficult to enter the tower. The Ancient Desolate Tower only opens once every two years. You need to undergo examinations from some external organization and then fight for the limited number of spots. Finally, you need to face the test of the Ancient Desolate Tower itself."

"Hu chi!"

Just as Xiao Chen was about to ask about how to qualify to take the examination, a golden dart suddenly flew towards Xiao Chen's forehead.

The golden dart was utterly brilliant like a miniature golden sun. It hurt Xiao Chen's eyes.

Chapter 425: Second Layer of the Firmament Body Tempering Art

The golden dart was oddly fast, reaching Mach 4. Furthermore, it carried an overwhelming force, containing an earth-shattering aura.

It did not feel like a dart, but a sword that could pierce through the nine heavens.

Everywhere it passed, it pierced the air like paper, leaving behind a long tear.

Xiao Chen felt a dangerous aura. He quickly activated the black-winged Blood Flame Eagles on the Blood Flame Shoes, and his speed instantly reached Mach 4 as he dodged to the side.

"Xiu!"

A body quickly descended, chasing the dart. Then, he grabbed the golden dart as well as the cultivator in green before rushing back with lightning speed.

Xiao Chen was about to pursue them when he felt the auras of a few half-step Martial Monarchs from the city. They were heading for him, moving swiftly.

Thinking about it, the city management had probably sensed the fight and were coming to investigate.

Not wanting to incur more trouble, Xiao Chen quickly left in another direction.

"Qin Pengyu, why did you not help me to kill him?!" the cultivator in green questioned his companion after his rescue.

The cultivator called Qin Pengyu fiddled with the golden dart in his hand and smiled faintly, "We should go back first. I can only use my Golden Flash once a day. Furthermore, the City Lord Residence's people will arrive soon. Let's not speak about that now. Have you verified that it is him yet?"

The cultivator nodded and said, "I have verified it. I saw him take out the peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core."

When Qin Pengyu heard the words 'peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core,' greed flashed in his eyes. He said, "That is good. Watch him for now. After he leaves the city, we will attack. You can use the time to recuperate as well."

"Give me one month. When I have comprehended my state of water to the limit, I will kill this brat personally," the cultivator in green viciously declared.

---

In Heavenly Spring City, Xiao Chen spent some Inferior Grade Spirit Stones and found a courtyard catered for cultivators.

Aside from the bedroom, this kind of courtyard also had a dedicated cultivation room, a dueling ground for practicing Martial Techniques, and all sorts of equipment for tempering the body. One could even hire a training partner.

Xiao Chen took out the Firmament Body Tempering Art while in the cultivation room. His strength had finally reached 150,000 kilograms of force. Now that he had dealt with the mess in his Universe Ring, it was time to cultivate this Firmament Body Tempering Art.

As for news about the Ancient Desolate Tower, Xiao Chen managed to glean enough information to have a rough idea from the cultivator in green garments.

Without a doubt, that was a place all geniuses needed to go. Although he did not know how could he gain entry, one of the basic requirements had to be his strength.

Without being strong enough, even if Xiao Chen knew how to get in, he would not pass the examinations.

As for the seventeenth of the next month, the situation at the Clear Spring Inn that Jiang Zimo had mentioned could be something closely related to the Ancient Desolate Tower. Xiao Chen was somewhat interested in checking it out now.

However, before that, the most important thing was to increase his strength. At this moment, Xiao Chen was not confident of defeating Jiang Zimo.

It would be difficult to become stronger by advancing to Medial Grade Martial King in such a short period. This was because Xiao Chen had a much firmer foundation than others.

Compared to other Inferior Grade Martial Kings, most of their Essence was a pool of water. Regular geniuses were a gushing river. As for Xiao Chen, his Essence was like a vast ocean.

Unless Xiao Chen compared himself to a peak genius, very few could surpass him. Relying on only the Heaven Ranked Cultivation Technique, the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation, he had already left many people in the dust.

Furthermore, Xiao Chen had consumed many Spirit Herbs from the herb garden on Qianren Island. This resulted in Xiao Chen possessing far more Essence than others.

All of this made advancing in cultivation realms difficult for Xiao Chen. It was like a large and tall building. The foundations that he had laid were far deeper than others by several times.

To build up to the fifth floor, the time Xiao Chen would have to spend was also far more than others. However, once he achieved the same height, he could contain more people.

Hence, for now, Xiao Chen prepared to focus on tempering his physical body, focusing on cultivating the Firmament Body Tempering Art.

The Firmament Body Tempering Art had a total of twelve layers. The first three layers were the foundation. They focused on strengthening the bones, flesh, and meridians.

The fourth layer would start to increase the Vital Qi in a cultivator's body. Every three layers represented a major hurdle. Once one surpassed it, their Vital Qi would massively increase.

Xiao Chen closed the Firmament Body Tempering Art secret manual and sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, closing his eyes.

Xiao Chen started to circulate the Vital Qi in his body in the manner described by the Firmament Body Tempering Art. He formally started to cultivate this Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique.

Essence and Vital Qi were different. There was a common saying; when cultivators did not use their Essence, they used their Vital Qi. In reality, everyone, even regular people who did not cultivate, had Vital Qi. It was just a matter of how much.

However, only those who cultivated Body Tempering Cultivation Techniques could control their own Vital Qi proficiently like Essence, making it move throughout the body to achieve the effects of tempering the body.

Such cultivators could even release their Vital Qi outside their bodies, doing things like splitting mountains, shattering rocks, or flying. Of course, one could only achieve feats like these by reaching a deep level of cultivation.

After three days, Xiao Chen successfully broke through to the Firmament Body Tempering Art's first layer. All of his joints started crackling, growing more resilient and unbreakable.

At the same time, Xiao Chen's bones experienced a tremendous change. From the inside to the outside of the bones, everything started wriggling. This felt extremely painful.

It felt like someone jabbed the bones with a needle. For Xiao Chen, it felt like there were thousands of needles stabbing his bones relentlessly.

Xiao Chen clenched his teeth as he did his best to endure this anguish, not letting his mind collapse.

The pain lasted an hour before it slowly ended. Finally, a warmth quickly spread throughout his bones.

That warmth swept away all of the previous pain, making Xiao Chen feel very comfortable. When looking carefully, one would discover that Xiao Chen's previously delicate body became more robust.

The angles of Xiao Chen's face were sharp as if his face had been carved of stone. He was exceptionally handsome.

Xiao Chen managed to endure the process. He continued to ride his success and started to cultivate the Firmament Body Tempering Art again, trying to break through to the second layer.

The first layer tempered the bones, and the second tempered blood. 'Blood' referred to the blood, flesh, and skin, not blood alone.

As time crawled by, Xiao Chen cultivated through the nights and days. With the Fasting Pill, he did not even have to stop for food.

Time went by in the blink of an eye; another ten days had passed. Finally, Xiao Chen reached the point of almost breaking through to the Firmament Body Tempering Art's second layer.

The second layer was different from first, the tempering of bones. Tempering the blood and flesh did not involve much pain, but there was an unbearable itch.

All of the muscles attached to his bones squirmed restlessly. This made one feel fidgety and tempted to abandon making the breakthrough.

Xiao Chen's expression twisted like he was both smiling and scowling at the same time. His flesh looked like countless worms wriggled beneath his skin.

Xiao Chen guarded his mind and did his best to calm down, trying to forget that unbearable itch.

Such a state continued for two hours before it stopped. Xiao Chen had nearly given up.

This feeling was even more unbearable than the gut-wrenching pain from before. No wonder most of the cultivators on the continent were unwilling to cultivate the physical body.

Such torture could cause most cultivators to lose sight of their goals.

Xiao Chen succeeded in breaking through to the second layer. The flesh under his skin experience and tremendous change. However, there did seem to be too many differences on the surface.

The only difference was that the muscle mass of Xiao Chen's four limbs had increased. This made his previously seemingly delicate figure look more firm.

Next was the third layer. The third layer cultivated the meridians. It was also the most important layer of the foundations.

Meridians were the base of all cultivations. If the meridians were crippled, the cultivator would be crippled. No matter how talented he was, he would not be able to display any of it.

Tempering the meridians would be greatly beneficial to a cultivator. When the meridians became more resilient and broad, one could circulate more Essence and not fear his meridians bloating and breaking.

The might of all Martial Techniques would increase by a level. These were merely just the visible benefits. There were still several benefits that were inconspicuous.

The breakthrough to the third layer was not something one could prepare for and break through in one breath.

Rather, one had to slowly broaden the meridians, using extreme care in every step. One could neither be too impatient or overly cautious.

If one were too impatient, they might injure the meridians, crippling themselves. If one were overly cautious and did too little, the cultivator might not achieve the intended effect, only wasting time.

One had to maintain their focus every moment of the day, exhausting great amounts of their spirit. They could not stop broadening and tempering the meridians.

After half a month, Xiao Chen finally opened his eyes. He appeared exhausted, and his eyes were sunken; there was no spirit left in him.

However, in the depths of Xiao Chen's eyes, there was an unconcealed joy. After persevering half a month, he finally saw some results.

Xiao Chen finally broke through to the third layer of the Firmament Body Tempering Art. He spent more than twenty days to lay the foundation for the Firmament Body Tempering Art.

What remained was the continuous consolidation of Xiao Chen's cultivation. Then, he could prepare to break through to the fourth layer at any time.

Although there was a big difference between himself and Bai Lixi, who took one month to cultivate through to the fourth layer and broke through to the fifth layer, Xiao Chen was still satisfied with his progress.

It seems like, with the aid of the Flowing Light Marigold, Xiao Chen's comprehension abilities had increased significantly. Otherwise, he would have definitely used more then twenty-odd days to cultivate to the third layer successfully.

Xiao Chen stood up with some difficulty. He thought of going out for a walk to recover his spirit. Unexpectedly, he took a single step and fell over.

Xiao Chen struggled to keep his eyes open but eventually lost to his exhaustion. He fell asleep on the floor.

The high-intensity focus for half a month had exhausted more spirit than Xiao Chen expected. Even with his strong Mental Energy, he could not withstand it.

In reality, at this level, Xiao Chen was the only person who would cultivate day and night as he did. Any other cultivator from the same generation could not achieve such a thing.

Xiao Chen slept for two days and two nights before he woke up. By then, he had recovered most of his spirit.

"Rumble...rumble…!"

Xiao Chen was so hungry that his stomach rumbled loudly. Xiao Chen sat on the ground and smiled bitterly, "The effects of the Fasting Pill ended a few days ago. I need a bath and a big meal."

Xiao Chen got up and walked out of the cultivation room. He arrived at the front yard and shook the bell. Soon a pretty servant girl arrived outside.

An especially strong power ran this courtyard catered to cultivation. They provided all sorts of services. Naturally, food and hot water were not missing from the list.

Of course, there was a condition. One had to spend Spirit Stones. If one spent enough, they could even provide a courtyard with dense Spiritual Energy not inferior to that of the Heavenly Saber Pavilion.

Chapter 426: Martial King Training Partner

The servant girl looked at Xiao Chen and said, "Young Hero, what are your orders?"

Xiao Chen said softly, "Prepare some hot water for me and a nice meal. That's right; call a training partner over as well."

The servant girl remembered everything. After Xiao Chen finished speaking, she followed up, "What cultivation realm of training partner do you want? Different realms and grade possess different rates."

Xiao Chen thought for a while before saying, "Peak Superior Grade Martial King."

The servant girl felt mildly startled. Peak Superior Grade Martial King…this youth is clearly only an Inferior Grade Martial King. Isn't he overestimating himself by seeking a training partner two grades above his cultivation realm? 

Seeing the servant girl's delayed reaction, Xiao Chen frowned slightly. He asked, "What's wrong? Are none available? In that case, a Superior Grade Martial King will do as well."

"No, no, that's not it. They are available, but you have to wait for a while. The charge is ten thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones for fifteen minutes," the servant girl replied quickly after she recovered her wits.

Ten thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones, that was not expensive for a peak Superior Grade Martial King.

Xiao Chen took out a wooden box filled with Inferior Grade Spirit Stones and handed it over. Then, he said, "As long as someone comes, I don't mind waiting for a while."

The servant girl counted the Spirit Stones and placed them in her own spatial ring. After that, she left to make the necessary preparations.

The hot water arrived first. As Xiao Chen soaked comfortably in the bath, his entire body relaxed.

After Xiao Chen's bath, he cleared away all the fatigue accumulated from cultivating for almost a month. He felt more spirited and refreshed after that.

As Xiao Chen changed his clothes, he hesitated for a moment as he was about to wear the Clear Wind Robes.

Xiao Chen had not hesitated because the clothes were unclean. Such Secret Treasures had functions to keep them clean, so they were normally cleaner compared to something washed. They could even mend holes on their own.

There were no problems wearing this for ten years.

The crux was that the color was eye-catching. Many had recognized Xiao Chen in the Flowing Wind Pavilion because of this get-up. Hence, the cultivator in green followed him.

After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen used a technique within the Shapeshifting Spell to color the clothes blue.

As for changing his appearance, Xiao Chen did not even consider it. He did not like doing that. Furthermore, things had not escalated to that level yet. It was just a mere Holy Fire Manor.

After Xiao Chen emerged, a feast spread across the table in the room. After not eating for so long, Xiao Chen was ravenous. He finished all the food voraciously like a tornado sweeping through a town.

After Xiao Chen digested the food, he slowly made his way to the courtyard. A middle-aged man with a cold and imposing aura in tight robes stood there, waiting for him for an unknown period already.

Xiao Chen felt the opponent's aura and verified that he was indeed a peak Superior Grade Martial King. However, he did not know if this cultivator had practiced his state to Great Perfection.

"My humble self is Liu Yu. Can we begin now?" the middle-aged man said with an indifferent expression. His measured up Xiao Chen and paid him no further attention.

He is merely an ordinary Inferior Grade Martial King. He is not worth my time.

Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Yes, we can begin."

Liu Yu took out an hourglass and placed it upside down on the table. As the sand trickled down, he smiled as he said, "My time is limited. You should tell me what you want me to do quickly. I am only familiar with bare fist fighting; weapons are out of the question."

A cultivator who fought with his bare fist suited Xiao Chen's needs. He said, "Punch me with your full power, and that will do."

Liu Yu was astonished. He even suspected that he might have heard wrong. Is this brat joking? What if I kill him accidentally?

This was not the first time Liu Yu had received such a request. However, if he punched an Inferior Grade Martial King with his full power, that was just asking for death.

"Don't overthink this. I am confident of dealing with it," Xiao Chen said when he saw Liu Yu's hesitation.

Xiao Chen's physical form had achieved Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone. Now, his body had been born anew again by a Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique. His defense and resilience had increased significantly.

There was a pressing need for Xiao Chen to know how strong his defenses were. Only then would he have a better estimation of his abilities during a fight.

Xiao Chen would be more aware of which attacks he had to dodge and which he did not, counterattacking instead.

Liu Yu said nothing else. He took up a stance and prepared to attack.

Since Xiao Chen had asked for it, Liu Yu would grant it. However, he only used forty or fifty percent of his strength. If he really killed Xiao Chen, it would be difficult to account for his actions. It would suffice to teach him a bitter lesson, teaching him not to be so arrogant.

"Hu chi!"

Liu Yu shouted a warcry, and his aura exploded. A strong wind blew. In that instant, the fallen leaves and dust flew into the air.

Liu Yu stepped forward and punched violently at Xiao Chen's chest, carrying along a fist wind as he did so.

"Bang!"

As expected, the attack did not knock Xiao Chen back. Instead, Liu Yu felt like he had punched an iron wall, pain shooting up his arm.

When Liu Yu saw Xiao Chen had not moved an inch and remained calm, astonishment filled his face.

How can it be? Even though I did not use my full power, there would be more than enough to deal with an Inferior Grade Martial King, someone whose cultivation is two grades lower.

Furthermore, Liu Ru had not felt any fluctuations of Essence from the other party. Xiao Chen had blocked his punch using only his physical body.

Xiao Chen frowned slightly and said, "Why did you not use your full power?"

Liu Yu took three steps back. His expression turned grave as he said, "As you wish. Don't blame me for being too heavy-handed."

Liu Yu raised his aura to its limits and shouted a warcry. He leaped into the air and punched, his fist carrying a strong force.

Liu Yu created a long tear in the air as a piercing sonic boom rang out. Its aura was incredibly frightening.

Xiao Chen focused himself as he circulated his Vital Qi and prepared to receive this punch.

"Boom!"

A thunderous explosion rang out when the fist wind struck Xiao Chen. His body shook for a bit, but his feet did not move.

The surging Essence exploded across Xiao Chen's chest. The resultant wind fluttered his hair and clothes ceaselessly.

Xiao Chen closed his eyes and checked his body's condition. He discovered that his internal organs had shifted a little, but it was not a big problem.

Thinking about it, Xiao Chen's skin, flesh, and bones had blocked most of the Essence's force. He had completely blocked this move.

Xiao Chen opened his eyes. He did not wish to waste any time. He continued, "This time, hit me continuously with your full power. You can use Martial Techniques. Start with Yellow Ranked Martial Techniques first."

Over time, the rank of the Martial Techniques increased until they reached Superior Grade Earth Ranked Martial Techniques.

After that, Liu Yu infused his state and tried for a few times. Only then did Xiao Chen start to feel tired and called him to stop.

After the round of testing, Xiao Chen was now aware of his limits. Without the use of states, he could easily withstand the attack of a Superior Grade Earth Ranked Martial Technique.

If Xiao Chen continued to fight head-on after a state was used, he could, at most, withstand three strikes before he received severe injuries.

"You can leave after you receive one of my punches. Remember to defend with your full power. Do not be careless."

Liu Ru nodded and held his arms up in a cross guard. He no longer had the careless mentality of when they began.

Xiao Chen had already astonished Liu Yu far too much. If he were careless, the youth might even severely injure him.

Xiao Chen clenched his fist tightly, and his bones started cracking. He gathered all the Vital Qi in his body.

The purple Qi whirlpool spun quickly. Xiao Chen's Essence flowed through his broad meridians and quickly to his hand.

After Xiao Chen's meridian's broadened, the amount of Essence he could move instantly had increased by at least twenty percent. Xiao Chen felt pleasantly surprised by this.

"Xiu!"

Without pausing, Xiao Chen clenched his fist tightly. The instant his Vital Qi and Essence merged, he punched.

Xiao Chen wanted to know, at his current stage, what amount of power he could bring forth in an instant was. How strong would it be?

"Boom!"

A surging force stuck Liu Yu. He felt both his arms tremble, and the intense force blasted him back.

"Sou! Sou! Sou!"

Liu Yu flew backward through the air for several dozen meters. After he landed, he continued stepping back before he could stabilize himself.

Liu Yu felt pain in his arms; both were broken. His bones had snapped in half. He would not recover without half a month of rest.

Liu Yu's expression became horrified. He thought to himself. That was 350,000 kilograms of force. This fellow did not even spend time storing up energy. He can strike with 350,000 kilograms of force in an instant.

In the end, Liu Yu had still underestimated Xiao Chen. If he had truly defended with everything he had, his arms would not have broken. He had completely lost this time.

Widening my meridians can indeed increase my explosive power. In the past, after merging my Vital Qi and Essence, I could only achieve 250,000 kilograms of force. Now, it has increased by one hundred thousand kilograms.

The Firmament Body Tempering Art lives up to its name as a Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique, Xiao Chen revealed a happy expression.

When Xiao Chen saw Liu Yu's broken arms, he took out three thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones and said, "I'm sorry. I caused these injuries. Consider this compensation!"

Liu Yu's pale face finally revealed a smile. He swept the Spirit Stones into his Spatial Ring and said, "Thank you, Brother! I will take my leave now!"

After that, Liu Yu left quickly in search of someone who could heal him.

Xiao Chen looked outside the courtyard and muttered, "The seventeenth is the day after tomorrow. If I run into Jiang Zimo, I should have a fifty percent chance of defeating him. I should have enough strength now to go to the Clear Spring Inn.

"However, before I go there, I have to settle something first. I have to get an Ancient Desolate Pass."

Xiao Chen now realized the importance of the Ancient Desolate Pass. Not only could he save Spirit Stones when paying the entry toll, but he also needed it to make transactions in the shop.

Even now, as Xiao Chen stayed at this cultivation courtyard, he paid significantly more Inferior Grade Spirit Stones because of his lack of an Ancient Desolate Pass.

Xiao Chen finally understood that without the Ancient Desolate Pass, there would be a lot of inconveniences.

Xiao Chen called over the servant girl and asked for the location of the Heavenly Extermination Union. Then, he left the courtyard.

---

In an inn located in Heavenly Spring City, the cultivator in green and Qin Pengyu chatted at a table on the second floor.

"This brat has hidden in a cultivation courtyard for close to a month already. I wonder how much longer he will remain in hiding? If the Holy Fire Manor's people find him first, we will gain nothing."

The cultivator in green took a big gulp of wine as he spoke depressedly.

Qin Pengyu, who sat across from his companion, clearly seemed more relaxed. He smiled coldly and said, "Just relax. The Holy Fire Manor will not uncover news of him anytime soon. Furthermore, he cannot hide in the cultivation courtyard forever."

The after they separated from Xiao Chen, they immediately went to look for a clan specializing in information trade. They spent a large sum to track Xiao Chen's whereabouts and started a long wait.

The cultivator in green smiled sinisterly, "One month! Although my state of water has not reached the limits yet, my Medial Grade Earth Ranked Autumn Water Art has reached the seventh layer. If I meet that brat again, I can deal with him in ten moves."

Chapter 427: Ancient Desolate Pass

When Qin Pengyu heard that, he felt mildly startled. Most Medial Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Techniques only had seven layers. Given what the other party had said, that meant that he had cultivated a Medial Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique to its limits.

That is not easy to deal with. Although the Superior Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique I cultivate has nine layers, I have only cultivated to the eighth layer so far. I am still a distance from the ninth layer.

I do not have much of an advantage regarding Cultivation Technique. I have to think of something else.

Seeing Qin Pengyu remain silent, the cultivator in green smiled coldly. He knew exactly what the other was thinking.

The cultivator rapped on the table with his finger; his eyes squinted slightly. He looked at Qin Pengyu and said, "I advise you to abandon all other thoughts. Let's just kill this brat together and split the loot honestly. Don't forget; this brat still has many other treasures on hand."

Qin Pengyu smiled embarrassedly, "Why would I think that? You are overthinking. This brat is not easy to deal with. If we are divided, we both might die at his hands."

The cultivator in green snorted coldly, "It's good that you know that!"

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

At this moment, a skinny, shifty-eyed man came up to the second floor. He looked around and immediately spotted the two.

That man pretended to walk over coincidentally. Then, he passed the two a note surreptitiously. After walking around the inn for a while, he left.

The cultivator in green said, "The people from the Wind Whisperer Hall are quite cautious. Even a manservant is so vigilant. No wonder they have established a firm footing in the Heavenly Spring City."

Qin Pengyu opened the note. After he finished reading it, he revealed a faint smile, "According to the latest news, the brat has emerged. He is currently rushing to the Heavenly Extermination Union."

The cultivator in green's eyes lit up. He smiled and said, "This brat should be going to make an Ancient Desolate Pass. The last time I went to the Flowing Wind Pavilion, I coincidentally head that, because a white-clothed youth did not have an Ancient Desolate Pass, he lost out on a lot of Spirit Stones."

After Qin Pengyu used his Essence to crush the note into dust, he muttered, "Making an Ancient Desolate Pass is more problematic than in other places. He has to complete a mission first. So, he has to leave the city."

---

The branch of the Heavenly Extermination Union in the city was easy to find. It sat next to the City Lord Residence. It was a vast, circular building significantly taller than the City Lord Residence.

Even when looking from a distance, it was easily visible. However, the City Lord Residence was not. This clearly displayed the importance of the two.

Many people moved through the wide entrance. However, people only entered; no one came out. Although there were a lot of people, it was not chaotic at all.

Every floor above the second had eight large windows. Occasionally, cultivators would fly out from them. It seemed like that was the exit of the Heavenly Extermination Union.

Xiao Chen explained his purpose to a receptionist on the first floor. After that, the receptionist led him to a counter on the second floor.

"Unexpectedly, you want to make an Ancient Desolate Pass in Heavenly Spring City. We will follow the old rules, then. The mission wall is there. Head over and pick one," the old man behind the counter said with an apathetic expression.

Xiao Chen looked towards where he pointed. He saw seven walls of different colors standing tall. Many cultivators surrounded each wall.

The old man continued, "You are a Martial King. You don't have to bother looking at the white wall; you can only pick from the walls behind that."

Earlier, the receptionist had roughly explained the rules to Xiao Chen. If he had made the Ancient Desolate Pass in out of the periphery cities of the Ancient Desolate Land, like the Underworld City that he had initially entered, he would only need to register his identity. However, after he entered the Heavenly Extermination Lake, the procedure to obtain an Ancient Desolate Pass would be different on every island.

The rule in Heavenly Spring City was to complete a mission for the Heavenly Extermination Union for free. Of course, the requirement of the mission would not be very high.

However, Xiao Chen had no regrets. Since he was here already, he would take it easy.

The first wall, the white wall, had the most cultivators around it. Their cultivations were all rather low, mostly Martial Saints.

When Xiao Chen got to the second wall, the blue wall, most of the missions there were already taken. The remaining ones required a lot of effort.

After looking at the wall for a long time, Xiao Chen tore off a mission notice.

'Collect ten Illusionary Yin Grass. Mission Reward: five hundred Medial Grade Spirit Stones.'

The Illusionary Yin Grass was one of the main ingredients of the Traceless Poison Pill. Peak Rank 6 Spirit Beasts, the Dazzling Shadow Panthers, would be guarding its location.

The Dazzling Shadow Panther was not very strong, but it was particularly skilled at hiding. Furthermore, they often worked in pairs. They were not easy to deal with.

As the rewards of this mission were not high, the notice had remained on the wall for several days.

However, Xiao Chen would have no difficulty in completing this mission. He had the assistance of his Spiritual Sense. The most problematic aspect of the Dazzling Shadow Panther was its stealth. This was not something he would find challenging.

Without its advantage of stealth, the Dazzling Shadow Panther would merely be a peak Rank 6 Spirit Beast.

When the old man behind the counter received the mission notice that Xiao Chen handed over, his pathetic expression warmed. He smiled as he said, "This is a rather challenging mission. If you can complete this, you will have helped us out. Leave your surname behind and a drop of blood. After you complete the mission, we will give you the Ancient Desolate Pass."

After Xiao Chen did as instructed. He took the mission list and leaped out of the window.

The Illusionary Yin Grass was west of the city, in the inner valley of the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range. This saved Xiao Chen a lot of trouble.

After Xiao Chen left the city, he rushed towards the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range. This mission was rather simple, so he did not think of making any plans.

Xiao Chen intended to head there directly and use strength to clear the mission.

---

Back in the city, Qing Pengyu and the cultivator in green watched expressionlessly as Xiao Chen left.

The cultivator in green said, "According to the Wind Whisperer Hall, he chose the mission of picking Illusionary Yin Grass. The location has already been verified. However, this brat's Mental Energy is very strong. I'm afraid he will discover us before we can get close enough."

The last time the cultivator in green had followed Xiao Chen, his opponent discovered him before he could attack. So, he was quite worried about this.

Qin Pengyu took out two bottles of medicinal pills. He smiled confidently, "I prepared for this long ago. This is the Medicinal Power made from Mouse Tail Grass. All we have to do it to spread this on our bodies and even a Martial Monarch will not sense us."

The cultivator in green immediately revealed a pleased smile, "You really are invested in this. With this Medicinal Powder, the brat will definitely die."

"If I don't pay for bait, how can I catch a big fish? Let's go; don't let him get too far ahead of us."

---

Forest covered the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range. However, it was no more than two thousand meters high. Instead, it covered a large expanse, stretching out over several hundred kilometers.

Xiao Chen spent four hours before he finally found the valley containing the Illusionary Yin Grass. With a quick sweep of his Spiritual Sense, he immediately found the Illusionary Yin Grass.

"Surprisingly, there are at least a dozen Dazzling Shadow Panther around. That is like a small tribe. No wonder no one bothered to take this mission."

Xiao Chen withdrew his Spiritual Sense. He felt somewhat astonished. It seemed like all of the cultivators here were quite experienced.

However, there was plenty of Illusionary Yin Grass here. There was more than enough for Xiao Chen to pick ten, so his efforts would not be in vain.

Invisible figures wandered around the Illusionary Yin Grass.

These figures did not even leave footprints behind, making it impossible for people to track them with the senses available to a normal human. This aspect made it difficult for regular cultivators to deal with the Dazzling Shadow Panthers.

The Dazzling Shadow Panthers have all gathered. Even a half-step Martial Monarch would have some issues dealing with this. I have to think of a way to separate them.

Xiao Chen casually punched the ground and stone shards of various sizes immediately flew up. Xiao Chen took out his carving knife and starting carving carefully.

Soon, dozens of remarkable lifelike stone eagles gathered around Xiao Chen.

"Life Bestowal Spell!"

Xiao Chen used both of his hands to form hand seals as he shouted. The stone eagles on the ground immediately came to life. They flapped their wings hard as they launched themselves towards the group of Dazzling Shadow Panthers.

"Sha! Sha!"

A lot of noise suddenly echoes through the valley. Under the eagles' attacks, the group of Dazzling Shadow Panthers turned chaotic. Unknowingly, two Dazzling Shadow Panthers had been lured over to Xiao Chen.

By the time they destroyed the eagles, they had wandered several kilometers from the valley. Xiao Chen smiled faintly. He drew his Lunar Shadow Saber and revealed himself.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Loud sounds came reverberated as an electric light flashed. Without the advantage of stealth and numbers, Xiao Chen did not have to expend much effort to kill them.

Forty-five minutes later, two dead Dazzling Shadow Panthers covered the ground. Xiao Chen dug out their Spirit Cores and continued similarly killing Dazzling Shadow Panthers.

Four hours later, the valley was void of Dazzling Shadow Panthers. Now, they were nothing more than Spirit Cores sitting snugly in Xiao Chen's Universe Ring.

Xiao Chen took out an Inferior Grade Spirit Stone and quickly replenished the recently exhausted Essence. Then, he quickly prepared to pick the Illusionary Yin Grass.

However, just before Xiao Chen made a move, the Massacre Throne in his sea of consciousness trembled lightly.

Xiao Chen's expression turned grave. He held the Lunar Shadow Saber in front of him, staying on guard.

Xiao Chen scanned the area a thousand meters around him several times. Eventually, he finally found the hidden Qin Pengyu and cultivator in green hiding in a tall tree.

No fluctuating energy came from the two. It looked like they used some kind of medicine to prevent Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense from detecting them.

Xiao Chen smiled coldly. His Spiritual Sense was different from regular Mental Energy. The difference was the visuals. Unless there was a special Secret Treasure, no one could avoid his detection.

Qin Pengyu put away the Golden Flash in his hand. He frowned and said, "This fellow is too sensitive to killing Qi. He has probably discovered us already."

"Never mind. Now that he is within a thousand meters of us, he cannot flee. We will deal with him with a frontal assault."

The two revealed themselves. They jumped down from the tree and headed for Xiao Chen.

"Sou! Sou!"

The figures of the two flashed through the air. In three breaths, they closed the distance.

The cultivator in green looked at Xiao Chen and smiled coldly, "We have waited very long for you. You will regret not killing me that day."

Xiao Chen ignored the cultivator's words. Instead, he settled his gaze on Qin Pengyu. The dart from that day had left a deep impression.

If it were not for the Blood Flame Shoes, he would not have dodged the attack. However, Xiao Chen could now knock away that dart with one saber strike.

Qing Pengyu said indifferently, "Little Brother, if you hand over the peak high-ranked Blood Demon's Demon Core and the Secret Treasures, we can part peacefully. At such a young age, you still have plenty of unexplored potential. A dead genius is no longer a genius."

Xiao Chen laughed and said, "A dead genius is indeed no longer a genius. However, you are not qualified to say such things."

Chapter 428: Sidetracked from the Mission

"How stubborn! Giant Whale Palm!"

When the cultivator in green saw that Xiao Chen would not agree, he immediately launched the killing move he had prepared.

The air filled with an aqueous light and ripples appeared on the ground as if it had become water. It moved up and down like waves. The cultivator in green had merged his state into his Martial Technique.

The huge whale made of Essence was very detailed; even the wrinkles on its skin were visible. Its sharp teeth flickered with a cold light. It looked extremely realistic.

Xiao Chen squinted slightly. The Essence of this cultivator in green had become stronger by at least a level compared to the previous month.

Unfortunately for the cultivator in green, he had chosen to attack Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen's improvements in the past month were greater than his. He was destined to fail miserably.

The pure state of thunder continuously infused into the Lunar Shadow Saber. Surging Essence poured out relentlessly.

After Xiao Chen broadened his meridians, the amount of Essence he could move in an instant had increased by about twenty percent. Naturally, the might of his Saber Techniques had increased significantly as well.

As Xiao Chen swung the saber, the electricity on the saber crackled. Countless bolts of electric light shot from the saber.

Strands of purple light tore through the air. The power of thunder spread out. The entire space felt covered in a layer of electric light.

The hidden weapon in Qin Pengyu's hand gave off 'zi zi' sounds as it flashed with a purple electric light. The electricity shocked his hands until they were numb.

"How strong is this brat's state of thunder? Why does it seem like it is suppressing the state of water?"

Qin Pengyu mumbled with some astonishment as he circulated his Essence and got rid of the electric light.

Xiao Chen shouted and stomped on the ground. His Essence merged with his physical strength, instantly achieving 350,000 kilograms of force.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The ground that moved like waves on the sea instantly stilled. The entire mountain could not stop shaking.

This stomp had broken the cultivator in green's state of water in an instant.

"Break!"

Xiao Chen tilted to the side. Then, he stabbed the huge whale in its right side with his saber. His feet kept moving as his saber drew a long line of electric light down the body of the whale.

The electricity flickered and crackled ceaselessly. Every time it flickered, the light of the huge whale dimmed significantly. By the time Xiao Chen removed his saber, the whale had exploded with a loud sound. Xiao Chen's Essence surged and neutralized the shockwave generated.

Instead, the cultivator in green was knocked back several steps. Qin Pengyu was also knocked back.

"Kill!"

Xiao Chen focused his gaze. His feet did not stop moving. He carried an overwhelming momentum and a boundless might of thunder as electricity covered his body. He looked like a thunder god rushing forward.

The cultivator in green revealed a greatly startled expression. He had not expected Xiao Chen, who needed some time to destroy his whale a month ago, to destroy his strengthened huge whale with even more ease. He had not even used his state of massacre.

The cultivator in green stabilized himself. As he watched Xiao Chen surge towards him with a blazing aura, he did not dare hold back.

The cultivator in green raised his aura to the limit and shouted a warcry. He stepped forward and sent out six palm strikes with lightning speed.

With each palm strike, the cultivator in green sent out, a colossal whale made of Essence appeared from nowhere. He sent a total of six palm strikes, creating six whales. They moved in a line and crashed towards Xiao Chen violently.

"Five Toxin Soul Breaker!"

Qin Pengyu, who had been silent for a while, finally made his move. His figure flashed in the air five times, and five multicolored darts flew at Xiao Chen from different angles.

The multicolored lights were different from each other. They looked incredibly strange. Clearly, they were toxic. The angles which he had fired them from was odd, and they were incredibly fast.

The five darts' movements complemented each other. After dodging one dart, another would follow. They moved very fast, and the angles they were thrown from were ingenious. There was no way to dodge them all.

At this moment, there were six huge whales with strong auras moving forward in a line. If Xiao Chen were not careful, it might result in a chain explosion. The might of six whales exploding was easy to imagine.

Behind Xiao Chen were five darts that he could not dodge, forcing him to clash head-on. All of his paths of escape were sealed; he could not flee.

Xiao Chen revealed a sullen expression and quickly tried to think of ideas. Within a breath, he imagined thousands of scenarios in his mind and quickly made a decision.

"Ding dang! Ding dang!"

Xiao Chen executed the Icefire Flowing Cloud Arrow. His figure moved in a circle and created a huge storm of electricity. This instantly knocked the five toxic darts away.

"Chi! Chi!"

The toxic darts pierced many trees. A black Qi spread out, and the trees started withering.

When the cultivator in green saw the situation, he only laughed. After dealing with the darts, Xiao Chen could not dodge his chain of whales. The power of six whales exploding was something even half-step Martial Monarchs would dare to go against.

Qin Pengyu's expression became slightly sullen, but he did not become careless. A golden dart appeared in his hand. He pushed off the ground and landed in the top of a big tree, preparing to make a move at any time.

After knocking back the five toxic darts, the huge whale arrived to less than a meter from Xiao Chen. There was simply no time to dodge.

The surging auras merged, making breathing difficult. The fierce aura caused Xiao Chen's hair to flutter messily.

"Ka ca!"

Xiao Chen returned the Lunar Shadow Saber to its scabbard and stuck it into the ground.

An illusion of a tiger and a dragon appeared and spiraled around Xiao Chen's body. Their roars resounded fiercely.

Xiao Chen clenched his fingers tightly and took a deep breath as he watched the huge whales arrive. Then, he punched out, one after another.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Sounds of explosions rang throughout the valley. Huge pits instantly appeared in the ground as dust and dirt flew into the air.

However, the chain explosion that the cultivator in green had expected did not happen. Every time Xiao Chen destroyed a whale, he could use his body to stop the Essence from spreading.

Every time Xiao Chen destroyed a whale, he did not show any intentions of retreating. He simply plowed forward and sent out six punches.

"Wild Dance of Whales!"

Seeing Xiao Chen emerge unhurt from the cloud of dirt and dust, the cultivator did not hesitate to use his killing move.

The black-winged Blood Flame Eagle on the Blood Flame Shoes lit up, and Xiao Chen's speed instantly increased by twenty percent, allowing him to move at Mach 4.

As Xiao Chen rushed forward, he raised his leg and kicked the right side of the cultivator in green's head.

"Bang!"

The half executed Wild Dance of Whales instantly broke. The cultivator vomited a mouthful of blood as his body flew into the air.

Using the might of a Medial Grade Secret Treasure, the speed and strength of Xiao Chen's kick had reached the limits of a Martial King. Even a half-step Martial Monarch would not dare claim he could block it.

The cultivator in green landed in the dirt and seemed to have stopped breathing. The force of the kick had destroyed half of his brain.

The brain was a weak point of humans. After one side was destroyed, naturally, he died. A ball of red light instantly poured into the space between Xiao Chen's eyebrows.

Given the other party's talent, without a good fortuitous encounter and the longer time went on, the further the distance he would be from Xiao Chen.

From the very start, Xiao Chen had never considered him a danger. Even when he killed the cultivator in green with a kick, he felt nothing.

"Xiu!"

A strong sense of danger assaulted Xiao Chen. A dazzling golden miniature sun appeared from nowhere behind him. That light was so dazzling that one could not look at it directly.

Qin Pengyu's Golden Flash that could achieve Mach 4 finally appeared. Earlier, he saw Xiao Chen use the Secret Treasure on his feet.

Qin Pengyu felt sure that Xiao Chen could not use it twice in a row within a short period. So, he did not hesitate to make his move.

Xiao Chen closed his eyes and turned around. He landed beside the Lunar Shadow Saber and grasped the hilt, drawing the weapon.

All of his movements seemed as fluid as water. They seemed utterly natural.

A dazzling purple light exploded out from the saber. It seemed even more dazzling than the golden light.

"Ka ca!"

The golden light extinguished, and there was a crunching sound. The golden dart split into two and landed on the ground.

Horror filled Qin Pengyu's face. He had never expected Xiao Chen to slice his offensive peak Inferior Grade Secret Treasure in half.

How much explosive force is required to split an attack moving at Mach 4 in half? 

Qin Pengyu was horrified in his heart. He did not care whether the cultivator in green was dead or not; he simply turned and fled.

Suddenly, Xiao Chen opened his eyes. A bloody hole instantly appeared on the left side of Qin Pengyu's chest. Blood gushed endlessly.

Qin Pengyu's wound burned with a purple flame, stopping the Essence from treating the wound. In his panic, he did not care about the wound and continued to flee.

"You think you can run?!"

Xiao Chen snorted coldly, and a miniature sword flew out of his palm. A basketball-sized wound appeared on Qin Pengyu's chest, and he slowly fell.

Xiao Chen retrieved the spatial rings. However, he could not be bothered to check them; he simply tossed them into the Universe Ring. He still had work to do. So, he continued to pick the Illusionary Yin Grass.

------

The largest inn in the city, the Clear Spring Inn, did not conduct any business on the seventeenth of this month. They left a signboard at the entrance stating that they were closed for business.

Two rows black-clothed cultivators stood in front of the entrance. Occasionally, youths stepped forward and handed over an invitation before entering the inn.

On the street, a large crowd had formed at two sides. They did not understand what was going on. However, based on the atmosphere, something big was about to happen.

"The person who just entered seemed to be Xia Xiyan of the Great Xia Nation's Thousand Sword Pavilion. This girl is one of the Thousand Sword Pavilion's rare geniuses. At the age of sixteen, she comprehended sword intent. She is one of the outstanding talents of the Great Xia Nations. She is a top contender for the top twenty positions in the next Five Nation Youth Competition."

"There is also Ding Fengchou and Jin Wuji of the Great Chu Nation's Heavenly Sword Gate. These two have arrived as well. They are part of the top hundred in the previous Five Nation Youth Competition."

"The people from the Great Tang Nation's Beast Taming Abode have arrived too. That person seems to be the second disciple of the Beast Taming Abode's leader. He is very strong, and he is also a first-rate expert in the Great Tang Nation."

"That person is the Holy Fire Manor's Young Manor Lord, Leng Yun. Among the younger generation in the southern islands, his strength ranks fourth. He is unexpectedly here as well. What event is this? How mysterious!."

As the surrounding crowd watched these youths hand over an invitation and enter, they discussed them. The feeling that something big was about to happen grew stronger.

Those entering the Clear Spring Inn were outstanding geniuses of the various nations. Aside from the Great Jin Nation, there were many geniuses from the other four.

"Could this be something to do with the opening of the Ancient Desolate Tower? The Ancient Desolate Tower opens once every three years. I think it's about time for it to open again!" someone in the crowd suddenly thought of something and shouted excitedly.

Chapter 429: Nine Sun Sword; Thunder Wind Sword Flash

"That has to be right. Otherwise, there would not be so many youths here. However, the number of people invited this time might be at least three times the previous time."

"This era of cultivation has begun. In the past ten-odd years, these geniuses had grown up. Naturally, the Heavenly Extermination Union would end up inviting more people."

"The only unknown is the topic of the examination this time. Will there be more spots this year?"

The other people all gave their opinions as well. Everyone was sure that the situation at the Clear Spring Inn was related to the Ancient Desolate Tower.

In the broad backyard of the Clear Spring Inn, a large arena had been set up in the center. It was several hundred meters wide. Some tables and chairs circled the arena.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Two young swordsmen with unfathomable strength exchanged moves in the arena.

Intense shockwaves spread into the surroundings as the weapons clashed.

When the shockwaves reached the edge of the arena, a formless barrier halted their progression. Ripples appeared in the surrounding space of the arena.

It turned out that a barrier covered the arena's surroundings. This allowed the cultivators to exchange moves with each other with their full power and not have to worry about their overwhelming strength destroying the surrounding buildings.

"Thunder Wind Sword Flash!"

"Nine Sun Sword!"

"Boom!"

The two shouted war cries and raised their auras to their peaks. They both used their killing moves. As their surging sword Qi clashed, an unending chain of explosions rang out.

Sword Qi flying around chaotically covered the arena. There were also boundless sword images. The two danced around in the storm of attacks and sent dozens of moves before coming to a stop.

The two stood firmly on the ground, the chain of moves resulted in a draw. They no longer desired to continue. Furthermore, this was not the time to reveal their true moves.

"Lu Chunsheng, after not seeing you sword for three years, it is still as sharp as before. However, I only used seventy percent of my strength. In the next Tianwu Rankings, you will not feel as relaxed anymore."

The cultivator in long gray robes sheathed his sword. He seemed very confident.

The swordsman called Lu Chunsheng smiled faintly, "Zuo Tiancheng, don't think that you are the only one who did not fight at full power. I only used fifty percent of my strength."

Just at this moment, Ding Fengchou and Jin Wuji walked in from outside.

When the two entered the backyard, the cultivators in the arena immediately looked over. They focused their gazes on Ding Fengchou.

When the two felt Ding Fengchou's sword intent, they immediately revealed cautious gazes. In the depths of his eyes, they could sense a raging fighting spirit.

Ding Fengchou's sword intent pressed forward, unconcerned with consequences. The two in the arena unexpectedly had to work together to resist and push their auras back at him.

Ding Fengchou raised an eyebrow, and the surging sword intent in his body rushed into the sky. It seemed as though swords hummed in the air.

Despite fighting one against two, Ding Fengchou was not at a disadvantage. He slowly stepped forward, and his sword intent blazed even stronger, suppressing Lu Chunsheng and Zhuo Tiancheng.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Surprisingly, even after the two of you worked together, you cannot suppress Ding Fengchou. Ding Fengchou, it looks like you have had a good harvest in the Deep Sea."

A loud, forthright laugher came from outside of the backyard. A young man with an elegant figure and playful smile on face slowly walked into the backyard.

When Jin Wuji saw who it was, his expression changed slightly. It was the Beast Taming Abode's Pei Shaoxuan, one of the top hundred in the previous Tianwu Rankings.

This cultivator had defeated Jin Wuji at that time. He had not even lasted three moves and was thrown from the arena miserably. He somewhat feared this person.

When Pei Shaoxuan saw Jin Wuji, he mocked, "Why did you bring trash to such a grand event? Ding Fengchou, are you not afraid of embarrassing the Heavenly Sword Gate?"

When Jin Wuji heard this, he raged in his heart. If he had not feared the strength of the other party, he would have lashed out at him.

Ding Fengchou withdrew his sword intent and looked at Pei Shaoxuan. He smiled faintly and said, "Even you First Senior Brother does not dare speak to me like that. Pei Shaoxuan, have you forgotten that sword strike already?"

Pei Shaoxuan's face sank. He remembered the sword that had struck his chest. He replied in a cold voice, "Don't worry; no matter how strong you have become, I will pay back the debt of that sword strike this time."

The two people in the arena walked down somewhat miserably. In the previous Tianwu Rankings, they had found defeat at Ding Fengchou's hands.

After two years of effort, the distance between them and Ding Fengchou had unexpectedly grown larger.

"I have to get a spot in the Ancient Desolate Tower this time. Otherwise, there will no longer be a chance to overtake him."

The two both muttered to themselves. Only the Ancient Desolate Tower, or a fortuitous encounter, could guarantee their strength would rise quickly in a short period, allowing them to surpass Ding Fengchou.

As time crawled by, the number of people in the backyard increased. Soon, most of the tables were full.

The hundred-odd people in the backyard looked for people they knew and started chatting in soft voices.

After a while, four old men walked into the backyard. The one leading them swept his gaze through everyone. All of the chatting immediately stopped.

This old man faintly emitted a formless aura. He was a true-blue Martial Monarch.

The three people beside him were not simple either. They all were half-step Martial Monarchs, also considered experts.

"Old Li, it seems like not everyone is here yet. The Myriad Fiend Palace's Jiang Zimo and Mu Xinya have not arrived." After one of the people at the side looked around, he said respectfully to the old man leading them.

Old Li walked to a table in the center and sat down there. He said indifferently, "Let's wait a while then. If Jiang Zimo does not come, there will be a lot of rumors."

All of the geniuses present started to feel excited. These four people were the upper echelons of the Heavenly Extermination Union. They were also the people in charge of this Trial of the Ancient Desolate Tower.

Up until now, the method of selection had been a mystery. Everyone waited in anticipation.

Outside the Clear Spring Inn, Jiang Zimo and Mu Xinya occasionally looked around as if searching for someone.

Mu Xinya withdrew her gaze and said somewhat disappointedly, "Zimo, it looks like that person you mention will not be coming."

Jiang Zimo smiled helplessly, "Never mind; that was the first time we met. He probably thought that I harbored bad intentions. Let's go. Let's not make the others wait too long.

---

On a rather desolate mountain in the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range, injuries covered Xiao Chen as he stood in a tall tree looking very miserable. He clutched an Illusionary Yin Grass as he gasped for breath.

The Inferior Grade Secret Treasure inner vest on his chest was incredibly tattered and had completely lost its Spiritual Energy. An extremely horrifying wound decorated his chest.

The wound was so deep that bone was visible. Even breathing caused Xiao Chen pain. If not for the protection of this inner vest, this wound might have split him in half.

Xiao Chen placed the Illusionary Yin Grass in his Universe Ring and said with a tired expression, "That Dazzling Shadow Panther King should have stopped chasing me already."

One day ago, Xiao Chen had finished off the two Superior Grade Martial Kings. He was in high spirits as he prepared to sweep the valley clean of Illusionary Yin Grass.

Who knew that, right after he picked ten stalks of Illusionary Yin Grass, he would receive a vicious sneak-attack.

That was a Dazzling Shadow Panther King. It was unknown how long it had lived and how many Illusionary Yin Grass it had eaten. Xiao Chen could not detect it with his Spiritual Sense.

Earlier, as Xiao Chen was about to pick the Illusionary Yin Grass, the killing Qi that he had sensed had not belonged to Qin Pengyu or the cultivator in green. Instead, it came from this Dazzling Shadow Panther King.

Actually, Xiao Chen should have thought of it long ago. With Qin Pengyu's cultivation, he was far from having that dense a killing Qi.

Xiao Chen could only blame himself for having too much faith in his Spiritual Sense. In the end, there was a Dazzling Shadow Panther King that he could not detect with his Spiritual Sense.

Thus, the situation devolved into a tragedy. The first attack of the Dazzling Shadow Panther King tore apart Xiao Chen's inner vest, leaving a large gash on his chest.

This compromised Xiao Chen's combat prowess. Furthermore, he could not sense the other party's location. The Spirit Beast had caught him off guard, and he had suffered injury after injury.

If it were not for Xiao Chen's body being tempered by a Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique, the Dazzling Shadow Panther King would have torn him to shreds long ago.

Xiao Chen sent out many clones and used all of his trump cards. After spending an entire day trying to flee, he finally managed to escape from danger.

After that, Xiao Chen casually tossed aside the inner vest and bandaged his wounds. Then, he placed a Medicinal Pill in his mouth and started to treat his injuries.

After this lesson, Xiao Chen no longer dared to be careless no matter when it was.

即便是被神识确定了安全的地方，自身的警惕也不能放松，Even Even if Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense verified that it was safe, he could not let down his guard.

This world was so vast. There was no telling whether there was a cultivator who had a tool for evading Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense. If such a cultivator pursued him, it would not be as easy to flee.

After about 7 minutes, most of Xiao Chen's wounds had healed. He summoned the silver warship and quickly headed back to the Heavenly Spring City.

When Xiao Chen saw the sun blazing above, he felt somewhat anxious. Today was the seventeenth, and it was now past noon.

Xiao Chen did not know if he could rush to the Clear Spring Inn. If he missed this opportunity, he could suffer a great disadvantage.

If Xiao Chen missed this kind of fortuitous encounter, which most geniuses attended, he would be left far behind in cultivation.

Xiao Chen was originally already behind regarding cultivation. If he wanted to catch up after missing out, it would become even harder.

Furthermore, based on what the cultivator in green had said, the Ancient Desolate Tower was a place that even the geniuses from the Thunder Emperor's era needed to go. Xiao Chen really did not want to miss it.

Xiao Chen moved at full speed and finally arrived at the Heavenly Spring City after an hour. He rushed towards the Clear Spring Inn.

The inn looked like before; its business flourished. Sounds of people eating, drinking, and chatting filled the place. It did not look like some major matters had just occurred.

Xiao Chen felt suspicious. He stopped a waiter and casually tossed him a Medial Grade Spirit Stone. Then, he asked, "Was there a girl called Xia Xiyan or a man call Jiang Zimo here?"

The waiter received the Medial Grade Spirit Stone and said happily, "You must be here to ask about the Ancient Desolate Tower selection. However, you are too late. The Heavenly Extermination Union has already led these people to Longyang Island."

Xiao Chen was somewhat disappointed, but he continued to ask, "In that case, were Xia Xiyan and Jiang Zimo together?"

"Naturally, they left together." The waiter paused for a moment before continuing, "However, the Jiang Zimo you mention stood outside for a long time, delaying the Heavenly Extermination Union by two hours, He offended many of the outstanding talents there."

Xiao Chen walked out of the Clear Spring Inn and looked up at the sky. He was certainly disappointed.

Chapter 430: Might of the Heavenly Extermination Union

Jiang Zimo had already done everything he could. Unfortunately, Xiao Chen was not as lucky. He was fated to have nothing to do with this Ancient Desolate Tower.

Xiao Chen smiled helplessly, "It looks like the Ancient Desolate Tower does not welcome me. In just making an Ancient Desolate Pass, unexpectedly, a Dazzling Shadow Panther King had attacked me."

Xiao Chen calmed himself and walked over to the Heavenly Extermination Union branch. Since there were no more chances, he should not remain dispirited.

Not entering the Heavenly Extermination Union did not mean Xiao Chen could not reach the peak of cultivation. Regardless of the situation, he could not let this affect his mental state.

Today, there were more people entering the Heavenly Extermination Union than when Xiao Chen had arrived yesterday. This was quite surprising.

When the old man behind the counter saw Xiao Chen, he had a surprised look. He received the Illusionary Yin Grass from Xiao Chen and smiled, "Brat, your strength is pretty impressive. You managed to escape from the Dazzling Shadow Panther King."

Xiao Chen's expression changed. He said angrily, "You knew about it? Why did you not tell me about the Dazzling Shadow Panther King? I could have died!"

The old man waved it off. He had an innocent look as he smiled, "Young man, don't be so quick to anger. Did you ask me about it?"

Xiao Chen felt very depressed. This concerned his life. Even if he had not asked, the old man should have warned him.

The old man was just acting dumb. Since Xiao Chen could not do anything about it, he could not be bothered. He said, "Stop speaking nonsense, and just give me the Ancient Desolate Pass!"

The black-robed old man laughed. Then he took out a white medallion and handed it to Xiao Chen. He said, "All newly made medallions are the same rank. However, even though your mission did not have any reward, the mission is recorded in there."

Xiao Chen received the medallion and looked at it. The white medallion had the words 'Heavenly Extermination Union' carved on the front and his name on the back.

After the black-robed old man handed Xiao Chen the Ancient Desolate Pass, he took out an engraved card. He said, "This engraved card is an extra reward from me. After all, this Illusionary Yin Grass mission was somewhat of a headache for us. You have helped settle this problem for us."

"What is this?" Xiao Chen asked, feeling suspicious as he looked at the old man.

The old man used the engraved card and rapped it on the table gently. He smiled and said, "What is this? It is what you want most at the moment."

Xiao Chen could not help but laugh hoarsely. He looked at the old man with interest and smiled, "Interesting, do you know what I want the most now?"

The old man casually responded, "The Ancient Desolate Tower,"

Xiao Chen's expression shifted. He did even bother to think about how the old man knew. He pointed at the card and asked, "This thing can get me into the Ancient Desolate Tower?"

The old man shook his head and said, "No, it can only give you a chance to compete fairly with the rest. Do you know why you did not receive an invitation from the Ancient Desolate Land?

"It was because your cultivation is too low. White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen, you are quite famous in the Great Qin Nation. The upper echelons of the Heavenly Extermination Union noticed you long ago.

"However, at that time, your cultivation was too low. Even now, you are only an Inferior Grade Martial King. For you to receive an invitation, the minimum requirement is Medial Grade Martial King.

"As for whether to give you an invitation or not, the Heavenly Extermination Union split into two factions and discussed for a long time. You are very lucky. I happened to be a part of the faction that supports you."

Xiao Chen did not expect that there were so many issues with just getting a small invitation. He said, "So, the reason you did not remind me when I took the Illusionary Yin Grass mission is that it is a test?"

The old man nodded. He said, "That's right. In reality, to get this Ancient Desolate Pass, you can complete any of the ordinary missions there. However, no matter what you chose, I would have pushed this mission onto you.

"You have not disappointed me. If you can flee from the hands of the Dazzling Shadow Panther King, you are definitely strong enough."

Xiao Chen felt as if he had found something he had lost. He originally thought that the Ancient Desolate Tower was something out of his reach. He had not expected a chance that was more reliable than Jiang Zimo.

Xiao Chen stretched his hand out, wanting to take the engraved card. However, the old man was in no rush to give it to him. He smiled and said, "Don't blame me for not warning you this time. Receiving this card just means you have a chance. It does not guarantee entry into the Ancient Desolate Tower. The examinations involved might result in your death."

Xiao Chen did not hesitate to take the engraved card. He said resolutely, "Don't worry; I know my limits. Tell me the details."

The black-robed old man muttered to himself for a while before he told Xiao Chen the rules for this round of selection in detail.

This time, there were too many geniuses in the four great nations and the Ancient Desolate Land. Even after they restricted it to Medial Grade Martial Kings below the age of 24, there were still thousands of contenders.

There were at least triple of the previous time. Hence, they now held two rounds of selection. Previously, they only held one.

The geniuses from the four great nations were divided into four groups. Then, they were led to the four main islands of the different groups in the Heavenly Extermination Lake.

The first round of required sixty victories in the Rank A wrestling rings of the main island's Wrestling City. Everyone had a hundred attempts.

The old man said, "The Rank A wrestling rings are only second to the Rank S wrestling rings. Aside from half-step Martial Monarchs and above, cultivators of any realm and Demonic Beasts can appear. Furthermore, one needs to obtain these sixty victories within six days."

To complete the task within six days, they had to fight at least ten matches in a day. Furthermore, the opponents of these ten matches would not be much weaker than themselves.

Xiao Chen thought to himself, Given this, probably half of the people will be eliminated in the first round.

The old man continued, "After the first round, the remaining cultivators will gather in Desolate City.

"After that, they will undergo fights in arenas and accumulate points. The top twenty contenders will qualify to enter the Ancient Desolate Tower."

By choosing only twenty out of at least a thousand geniuses, the odds were pretty low. One could imagine how intense the fights would be.

Xiao Chen felt somewhat suspicious as he asked, "Why are the geniuses of the Great Jin Nation not invited to the Ancient Desolate Tower?"

This time, those invited were the cultivators of the other four great nations and the clans of the Ancient Desolate Land. None were geniuses of the Great Jin Nation. Xiao Chen had been suspicious about this for a while.

The old man smiled. After he explained, Xiao Chen understood.

Aside from the Great Jin Nation, the other four nations had a pitiful amount of Spirit Veins. The density of the Spiritual Energy in those places was a far cry from what was available in the Great Jin Nation.

As a result, in every round of the Five Nation Youth Competition, the top hundred of the Tianwu Rankings were mostly from the Great Jin Nation.

The further up the rank, the number of people from the four nations lessened. As for the top ten contenders, cultivators from the Great Jin Nation dominated almost every round.

As for cultivators from the other four nations, no matter how impressive their talent was, few could break through the limitations they faced and move into the top twenty.

"As for the governing force behind the Heavenly Extermination Union, the Myriad Fiend Palace occupy half, and the four great nations occupy the other half. The Great Jin Nation is not involved in any way. Given that the Great Jin Nation holds an overwhelming advantage and suppresses them, would they allow them into the Ancient Desolate Tower?"

Xiao Chen said with some disbelief, "Are the geniuses of the Great Jin Nation that strong?"

The old man's expression turned grave as he said, "They are stronger than you imagine. With your current strength, you would find it hard to enter the top five hundred of the Great Jin Nation's younger generation."

Xiao Chen did not refute; he acknowledged this point as well. However, it did not discourage him overmuch.

All the while, Xiao Chen never thought himself as worse than others, not even the geniuses from the Great Jin Nation. All he needed was time.

With enough time, Xiao Chen could trample these people under his feet and rise up from the rest in this era of genius cultivators.

"That is enough nonsense from me. I shall not go on. Go to the Wrestling City and hand this card to the Heavenly Extermination Union leading the group. He will make arrangements for you," The old man waved his hand and dismissed Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen did not linger. He took his leave and quickly flew towards Longyang Island.

Longyang Island was the core of the southern group of islands. It was like the provincial capital of the Great Qin Nation. It was more than 2,500 kilometers away from Heavenly Spring Island.

Xiao Chen looked at the map and muttered to himself, "Jiang Zimo and the others should have only left about six hours ago. Given the number of people, they should not be very fast. Maybe I can catch up to them."

After Xiao Chen left the city, he flew into the sky and removed his blue headband.

"Xiu!"

With a thought, a red light lit up. The scarlet Massacre Throne appeared from nowhere. A thick layer of scarlet clouds churned under the throne.

The Massacre Throne only exhausted the state of massacre contained within and could maintain a very fast flying speed.

If Xiao Chen did not care about exhausting the state of massacre, the highest speed he could achieve was Mach 4. In the future, when the state of massacre advanced, its speed could increase further.

However, Xiao Chen normally needed the state of massacre for combat. If he exhausted it by flying, then he would be weaker in fights. Hence, normally, he would not use the scarlet throne for flying.

However, the current situation was urgent. Xiao Chen could not care so much about this. He sat on the throne and soared into the clouds.

Strong winds blew from the front. Xiao Chen leaned on the armrest and supported his chin, looking very relaxed.

After all, Xiao Chen did not need to exhaust any Essence. All he needed to exhaust was the scarlet pool inside the throne. As he had obtained it by killing others, it was not connected to him.

To avoid meeting other cultivators and attracting unnecessary trouble, Xiao Chen flew to a height of at least ten thousand meters.

As Xiao Chen rushed forward at full speed, the scarlet pool in the throne visibly shrank.

After flying for a long time, when a small portion of the scarlet pool remained, Xiao Chen recalled the scarlet throne into his sea of consciousness.

It was not easy to replenish the scarlet fluid. If he used it all, it would be quite difficult to replenish. Fortunately, Xiao Chen had arrived at Longyang Island.

Even if Xiao Chen did not catch up with Jiang Zimo's group, there was no need to push himself. It was best to reserve some of the state of massacre as a backup.

Xiao Chen slowly descended, and the silhouette of a huge island appeared before him. This was the main island of the south, Longyang Island.

The number of cultivators in the air increased. Most of them moved in groups of two or three as they rushed towards the island.

Xiao Chen looked around and discovered that all of the cultivators coming to the Longyang Island headed in the same direction.

Their aim was the famous Wrestling City of Longyang Island. It was a city made of wrestling rings of various sizes. Violence and blood filled the entire city.

Chapter 422: Disposing Stolen GoodsIf Xiao Chen wanted to compete in perseverance, his opponent would definitely win. He had to knock him back in one breath.Xiao Chen's eyes widened, and the purple Qi whirlpool in his dantain spun rapidly. He merged his physical strength and Essence, and the force in his fist increased explosively."Boom!"The suddenly increase knocked Jiang Zimo back five steps before he slowly came to a stop.The shattered stones floating in the surrounding fell as well.The exchanged had ended. Jiang Zimo did not follow up with another more. He looked utterly calm; he did not even have to regulate his Essence before he walked over to Xiao Chen.Xiao Chen withdrew his fist and relaxed, regulating his Essence slightly as he did so. After that, the surging aura in his body calmed.When Xiao Chen saw Jiang Zimo looking at ease, like he had only sent out a casual strike, Xiao Chen could not help but feel curious about the Cultivation Technique he practiced.Jiang Zimo cupped his hands in respect and said, "Not bad! You are the first within our generation to knock me back with one punch."Xiao Chen smiled bittered, "How is that not bad? I had used my full power. Looking at your relaxed demeanor, you probably only used twenty percent of your strength."Jiang Zimo smiled as he explained, "You don't have to be so humble. I used my full power as well. It's just that my Cultivation Technique is a little special. Even if I am beaten to death, I will still look this relaxed."Xiao Chen smiled at this statement. This person's words were interesting. He seemed to be rather broad-minded, and his temperament suited Xiao Chen.However, this Cultivation Technique was really strange. The aura and might displayed when using twenty percent and full power were different; there would be different levels of exhaustion as well.No one would use their full power from the beginning. If they did, they would not last long, and their Essence would immediately drain.Suddenly, a thought occurred to Xiao Chen,Perhaps the amount of time Jiang Zimo can last using his full power is equivalent to me maintaining twenty percent of my strength.If that is the case, Jiang Zimo's Cultivation Technique is extremely horrifying.Jiang Zimo continued, "Your strength definitely meets the requirements. It is their loss that they did not send you an invitation. I have not asked for your name yet. Which nation and sect are you from?"Xiao Chen cupped his hands and said, "Xiao Chen of the Great Qin Nation. Currently sectless."As Jiang Zimo repeated Xiao Chen's name, he found it somewhat familiar. However, he could not recall where he heard it. "Brother Xiao Chen, how about this? On the seventeenth of the next month, if you have the time, visit the backyard of the Clear Spring Inn. I think you will be interested. Coincidentally, I have a recommendation letter I can give to you."Clear Spring Innisn't that the inn Xia Xiyan is staying in? Did Jiang Zimo and Xia Yiyan come for the same purpose?Xiao Chen did not bother to think about this for now. He looked up at the impressive and imposing Jiang Zimo. He felt suspicious as he inquired, "Speaking of which, this is the first time we have met, right? Why are you so cordial?"Jiang Zimo laughed and said, "Are you afraid that I will set a trap for you? Let's put it this way; I will not force you or persuade you. On the seventeenth of the next month, if you are interested, take some time to take a look. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. I will take my leave first."That's right; those Tiger Fiends will probably ambush you later. Do go easy on them."Jiang Zimo turned around and leaped back into the restaurant. Xiao Chen did not linger either. He headed for the largest shop in the city.---In the restaurant, at a table beside a window, a silver-haired girl stared Xiao Chen's back, deep in thought.The silver-haired girl had a pretty face. She looked like an elf of Xiao Chen's previous world. However, her silver eyes contained no emotion; they appeared extremely cold.When the silver-haired girl saw Jiang Zimo return, she asked anxiously, "Zimo, who is that? Which sect is he from?"Jiang Zimo looked at the silver-haired girl's anxious expression and felt astonished. This was the first time he had seen her so concerned about another person."Xinya, do you recognize this person?"The silver-haired girl shook her head. She said, "He has a very similar aura to someone I once knew, but they look different."Jiang Zimo nodded and said, "He is Xiao Chen. He looked pretty strong but is not affiliated with any sects."When the silver-haired girl heard this, she felt somewhat disappointed. She said softly, "Oh, it looks like I recognized the wrong person. The one I know has the surname Ye."---There were many shops in the city catered to cultivators. Xiao Chen stopped in one of the largest shops. The shop had a simple atmosphere and was built of wood.There were many people going in and out; it was very bustling. The words 'Flowing Wind Pavilion' adorned the signboard in gold. Xiao Chen followed the crowd and entered.The shop was massive. Xiao Chen looked around and saw all sorts of goods in the hall on the first floor.There were racks specifically for Spirit Weapons, containing row upon row of various weapons. All grades and ranks of Spirit Weapons were present. There were even hundreds of Profound Ranked Spirit Weapons and above.Next to the Spirit Weapons was the shelf for all types of Battle Armor. Along with the Spirit Weapons, they formed a circular area for weapons.The weapons zone lay in the middle of the hall. The shelves along the walls contained all sorts of Herbs and Medicinal Pills.The items were very well organized. Xiao Chen felt like he was in a supermarket of his previous life. The only difference was that it looked more ancient and natural."Young Hero, are you here for Spirit Weapons or Battle Armor? Or perhaps you are here to order a custom weapon? Our shop is one of the few partners of the Heavenly Craft Manor in the Ancient Desolate Land. No matter what you want, we can make it."When a manservant saw Xiao Chen looking around the weapons zone, he quickly rushed forward with a smile and greeted him warmly.When this manservant mentioned the Heavenly Craft Manor, he radiated pride. It was as though working with the Heavenly Craft Manor was an incredibly impressive feat.Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, "I am not here to buy, but I have things to sell. Does the Flowing Wind Pavilion accept them?"The manservant's smile did not change as he said, "Yes, we do!. Go up that staircase. After you pass the treasure pavilion on the second floor, you will arrive at the third floor where we have specially trained appraisers. I guarantee that Young Hero will not suffer a loss there."There were very few people in the treasure pavilion. It was less than half the size of the hall on the first floor. With one glance, Xiao Chen knew why.The treasure pavilion sold all sorts of Cultivation Techniques and Martial Techniques. There were also some early Inferior Grade Secret Weapons, some precious Medicinal Pills, and all sorts of valuable ores.These items were very expensive. Only a small portion of cultivators could afford such things.Xiao Chen continued climbing the stairs and arrived at the third floor of the Flowing Wind Pavilion. Compared to the second floor, there were even fewer people there.The third floor was also quieter; it did not have the noise and bustle of the first floor. All the people simply waited in silence. Xiao Chen sat on a wooden chair, and a servant girl immediately came and poured him tea; their service was excellent.Xiao Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then, he asked that servant girl, "How long do I have to wait before my turn?"The servant girl smiled and answered, "Young Hero, the appraisal hall of the Flowing Wind Pavilion will only entertain three customers and any given moment to ensure fairness. Some treasures are easy to appraise and some are very difficult. It is hard to measure the time taken."Looking around and counting the number of people waiting, it seemed like it would take at least two hours. Xiao Chen set down the teacup and closed his eyes to doze off.Fortunately, Xiao Chen had a lot of patience. He did not find the wait boring. Some people near him could not bear the boredom and started chatting with each other."Have you guys heard? The Holy Fire Manor's Seventh Elder Qing Feng led a group of people to the Demon Battlefield to kill a Blood Demon. In the process, three half-step Martial Monarchs died. After killing the peak high-rank Blood Demon with much difficulty, someone robbed him," suddenly, someone mentioned the recent events from the Demon Battlefield.The Holy Fire Manor was a considerably famous power in the southern islands. When someone mentioned the Holy Fire Manor, it captured the attention of some people waiting in the hall.A cultivator in yellow garments asked, "When did that happen? Why have I not heard anything about it?""He he, it happened a week ago. Of course, you have not heard about it. So far, the news only spread throughout Boulder Island and the headquarters of the Holy Fire Manor, the Holy Fire Island. However, it will probably soon spread throughout all of the southern islands," the cultivator in green, who spoke initially, proudly proclaimed."Who is so powerful to rob the peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core from under the noses of ten-odd half-step Martial Monarchs? He must be at least of the Martial Monarch realm."The cultivator in green garments laughed, "Your guess is very wrong. Think about it. Why would Martial Monarch cultivators want a peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core? They have already opened their sea of consciousness. If they wanted, they would need a Blood Demon General's Demon Core. The Demon Core of regular Blood Demon is useless to them.""Then it must be another peak half-step Martial Monarch. He probably needed a peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core to open his sea of consciousness."The cultivator in green garments continued to laugh, "Wrong again. The one who snatched the Demon Core away was merely an Inferior Grade Martial King. Not only did he snatched the Demon Core, but he also grabbed the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures from the hands of the Blood Demon and the corpses of three half step Martial Monarchs. He stole all the benefits of that battle.""How can it be? How could an Inferior Grade Martial King do all this under the noses of so many half-step Martial Monarchs?""That is absolutely impossible. You must be exaggerating."The few people at the side shook their heads. They obviously did not believe the cultivator in green.The cultivator in green garments smiled faintly and did not try to defend himself. "It is up to you whether you want to believe me or not. Soon, you will know the truth."This topic continued for a while until someone brought up a new topic, "The Trial of the Ancient Desolate Tower seems to be starting again. I wonder how many people will qualify to participate this time?""I guess that there will be more people than previously. There are simply too many geniuses in this generation. It is going to be hard for the Great Jin Nation to continue monopolizing the top spots in the Five Nation Youth Competition.""That might not be so. The Great Jin nation has the most Spirit Veins in the Tianwu Continent. They have even more geniuses than the others. It is going to be challenging for the other four nations to occupy the top ten.""Let's see the results of the Ancient Desolate Tower. If someone can make it to the Ancient Desolate Tower's seventh floor, there might be a chance of that happening.""It's difficult. Aside from the people from the Thunder Emperor's era, no one has ever made it to the seventh floor in the past few thousand years. Right now, the geniuses of this era are only budding. We will have to wait for at least ten years." Chapter 423: Assaulting the Villains?The Trial of the Ancient Desolate Tower is about to begin? Does that have something to do with Jiang Zimo and Xia Xiyan?Xiao Chen opened his eyes.Interest flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. He intended to ask more about it but"Young Hero, it is your turn."At this moment, a pretty young girl came over and spoke to him softly.It looks like I can only let it go for now. However, I now have a clue of the Ancient Desolate Tower. It should be easy to learn more later.Xiao Chen got up and followed the servant girl into the room ahead.When the cultivator in green saw Xiao Chen get up, he was deep in thoughts as he watched his back. Earlier, he had not noticed Xiao Chen.However, now that the cultivator in green garments saw Xiao Chen's backs, he started thinking.He is wearing white robes and is an Inferior Grade Martial King. He looks to be younger than twenty. Unfortunately, I did not see him carrying a saber. He must have it in his spatial ring.The cultivator in green muttered to himself. "I should follow him closely. If he is a bladesman, chances are is that he is that person."---Within the appraisal hall, an old man took a sip of tea. When he saw Xiao Chen enter, he smiled and said, "My humble self is the Flowing Wind Pavilion's Old Ma. If Young Hero intends to sell something, please take them out to show me."Xiao Chen nodded but said nothing. He pointed his Universe Ring in an empty space in the hall and a large pile of objects tumbled out.When the sound stopped, a one-meter-high pile of miscellaneous items appeared in the middle of the hall. Old Ma nearly spat the tea he was drinking.Old Ma managed to stop himself from spilling the tea as he said with a somewhat unsightly expression, "Little Brother, are you here to mess around? Do you know what kind of place my Flowing Wind Pavilion is? How dare you show me a pile of trash?"Clearly, the other party did not think that all of these items were valuable. He felt that Xiao Chen was here to make a fool of him.Xiao Chen sat down calmly and said, "You will know if it is really a pile of trash or not when you take a look for yourself."When Old Ma saw Xiao Chen's confident manner, he hesitated. He squatted down in half disbelief and casually picked up a bottle of Medicinal Pills.Old Ma opened the bottle, and a fragrance wafted out. He sniffed it, and his expression changed. He said, "This is a Rank 6 Medicinal Pill. If a Martial Saint uses one, it can increase their cultivation greatly. It is worth ten thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones."Right after Old Ma spoke, he quickly picked up a yellowing secret manual. This was an Inferior Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique. It could be used up to the Martial King realm. It was worth a hundred thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones."There are ten Inferior Grade Earth Ranked Spirit Weapons here! This is a three-hundred-year-old Snow Ginseng! Here is a Battle Armor, and this is a Superior Grade Earth Ranked Martial Technique. There is an Inferior Grade Secret Treasure here as well!"With each sentence Old Ma uttered, his expression changed further. How was this a pile of trash? He had judge these items wrong.Although each individual item was not extremely valuable and could not stir any interest in him, with the number of items here, their total value would be astonishing. There were at least a thousand items.For so many miscellaneous items to appear on one person, he had to have either robbed a strong clan or killed many high ranked cultivators.Old Ma felt astonished. Xiao Chen seemed no older than twenty. Regardless which was the case, the strength of his youth was unfathomable. He was not as simple as he looked.Old Ma no longer dared slight Xiao Chen as he had before. He stood up and cupped his hands, "I am sorry for the previous offense. This old man judged too hastily. I hope that Little Brother will forgive me."Xiao Chen said indifferently, "Never mind; just help me appraise these quickly. I am only interested in business and nothing else."Of course, it was not realistic to rely on only Old Ma to appraise everything.Old Ma called over a servant girl and gave her some instructions. After an hour, ten young appraisers emerged from the back door of the appraisal hall.Old Ma explained, "I have summoned them from the other branches. Don't look down on them for being young. They should have no problems appraising your items."Xiao Chen nodded and did not object.After two hours and the arduous effects of the eleven appraisers, all of the miscellaneous items had been appraised.The ten appraisers from the branches took their leave, and soon, only Old Ma and Xiao Chen occupied the hall.Old Ma handed over a list and said to Xiao Chen with a fatigued expression, "Little Brother, take a look. The total value is three million Inferior Grade Spirit Stones. If you change them to Medial Grade Spirit Stones, it would be 25,000. You understand the reasons already, I believe."Xiao Chen looked through the list and expressed no objection. Xiao Chen was indeed aware. Naturally, he would not say anything.Old Ma smiled gently and said, "That is good. Take out your Ancient Desolate Pass, and we will sign the contract. After that, we can give you the Spirit Stones immediately.Xiao Chen was stunned. He did not expect to need the Ancient Desolate Pass when making such a transaction. He could not help but feel a little depressed, "I do not have an Ancient Desolate Pass yet. Can we still complete the transaction?"Old Ma frowned slightly. Clearly, he was somewhat astonished.Unexpectedly, this youth is new to the Ancient Desolate Land. He has not even made an Ancient Desolate Pass."This makes things slightly difficult. It is not that this old man wants to make things difficult for you, but without an Ancient Desolate Pass, the tax you have to pay for such a large transaction is quite substantial," Old Ma explained gently.Since it was a problem of money, it was easy to deal with. Xiao Chen said, "How about this? Follow the list and write it as 25,000 Medial Grade Spirit Stones. However, I will only take twenty thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones."This transaction of miscellaneous items was an unexpected income for Xiao Chen. It did not matter if he earned more or less. If he had to make an Ancient Desolate Pass, that would make things problematic.Old Ma immediately understood. He understood Xiao Chen's generosity. Thinking about it, he had probably obtained these goods by killing others and was in a rush to get rid of them.However, Old Ma reminded, "Think about it carefully. It does not take much time to make an Ancient Desolate Pass. You will save five thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones by doing so."Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "There is no need. I have made up my mind."After the two signed the contract, Old Ma revealed boxes of Spirit Stones and gave them to Xiao Chen to count. With a casual sweep of his Spiritual Sense, he sensed that the number was correct. So, he tossed them into his Universe Ring.Xiao Chen's Universe Ring had far more available space now. The number of Medial Grade Spirit Stones now reached at least 150,000. Furthermore, he had millions of Inferior Grade Spirit Stones and a hundred extremely valuable Superior Grade Spirit Stones.Xiao Chen walked out of the appraisal hall and looked around. He noticed that the cultivator in green had not left yet. Furthermore, when that cultivator saw him, his eyelids twitched.That's weird. Normally, most people only take fifteen minutes to conclude their transactions. Logically, he should have left long ago.Xiao Chen noticed that the other cultivators who chatted earlier were all gone, replaced by cultivators he had not met.He knows about the matters on Boulder Island. He must be suspicious of me,Xiao Chen paid attention to him and headed downstairs without any change in his expression.Not long after Xiao Chen left, his Spiritual Sense picked up on a figure following him stealthily. It was the cultivator in green.This person is a Superior Grade Martial King. If he makes a sneak-attack, it will be some threat to me. However, there is no need to worry since I have already noticed him.Coincidentally, he knows about the Ancient Desolate Tower. If he has ill intentions against me, I can capture and question him.Thinking of this, the corners of Xiao Chen's lips curled up. He walked forward unhurriedly, pretending he knew nothing.Soon, Xiao Chen found a rather desolate alley. When he noticed the sparse number of people and desolate environment, he nodded.I'll do it here."Bang!"Just at this moment, two Tiger Fiend cultivators suddenly jumped out from both sides. They were tall and stout. Soon, they surrounded Xiao Chen.These Fiends were over two meters tall. They blocked the sunlight and cast a large shadow. They were the Tiger Fiends Xiao Chen had offended earlier.The Tiger Fiend who Jiang Zimo had chased away earlier emitted killing Qi from his entire body. He walked over to Xiao Chen and smiled coldly, "Brat, I told you to hand over a thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones, but you refused. Now, I will cripple your legs and force regret down your throat.""Is that so? Unfortunately, you are not capable of such a thing."Xiao Chen smiled faintly, Jiang Zimo had guessed correctly. With the flip of his hand, the Lunar Shadow Saber in his Universe Ring instantly appeared in his grasp.The four Tiger Fiends were Medial Grade Martial Kings. When working together, they were quite strong.Unfortunately, with one glance, Xiao Chen could tell that they were not the core cultivators of the Fiends. They did not have strong Cultivation Techniques or Martial Techniques. If Xiao Chen used his full power, they did not stand a chance.After fifteen minutes, the four Tiger Fiends lay on the ground, mourning pitifully. Wounds of various sizes covered their bodies, occasionally flickering with electricity.In compliance with Jiang Zimo's request, Xiao Chen was not too heavy-handed. The injuries looked horrifying, but they were not severe. He only taught them a lesson."Scram! I will only comply with Jiang Zimo's request once. Don't let me see you again."Xiao Chen returned the Lunar Shadow Saber to its sheath as he snorted coldly.The few Tiger Fiends felt relieved of a huge burden. They knew they had kicked an iron board. They scurried up and fled."Not bad. Excellent Saber Techniques. You fought one against four and still held an overwhelming advantage."The cultivator in green stood on the alley wall. Xiao Chen had not noticed his arrival. The sunlight shone from behind him, obscuring his appearance.Xiao Chen smiled faintly, "After following me for so long, you finally could not resist."The cultivator in green shrugged his shoulder non-committedly. He was not surprised that Xiao Chen had noticed him. He asked, "Were you on Boulder Island a week ago?"Xiao Chen did not reply. He simply took out the peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core and said, "You must be looking for this!"The cultivator in green smiled and said, "Very good; you can die now. I will hand your head over to the Holy Fire Manor for a reward. That would be the best way to maximize your value."After the cultivator spoke, he leaped down from the wall. Then he sent out two sharp fist winds at Xiao Chen as he dropped.Xiao Chen drew his Lunar Shadow Saber again, and electric light flickered on the snow-white blade. Xiao Chen hacked the fist winds apart with his saber."Giant Whale Palm!"The cultivator shouted, and faint mist filled the ally. The ground turned soft and waved like water.Xiao Chen became unsteady and started moving with the water.What a powerful state of water. This person is no ordinary Superior Grade Martial King. No wonder he is so confident. Chapter 424: Wild Dance of WhalesA huge whale formed by Essence appeared behind the cultivator in green. Then it launched itself forward with the palm strike.The colossal whale opened its mouth wide and revealed cold, sharp teeth as it rushed at Xiao Chen.The cultivator was very confident in this palm strike. He believed that with this palm strike he could kill Xiao Chen quickly.He already practiced this to perfection. Furthermore, he comprehended the state of water. With these two factors, this move would achieve 120 percent of its original might.Not only was this move powerful, but its strong, mysterious phenomenon could also break the other party's Movement Technique, making him unable to dodge.Several cultivators stronger than the cultivator in green had suffered under this palm. Even if an Inferior Grade Martial King could block it, he would sustain severe injuries.Xiao Chen circulated his energy and rooted himself firmly to the ground. In an instant, he increased his weight by fifty thousand kilograms. He anchored himself firmly where he stood and did not move at all.When Xiao Chen saw the huge whale flying towards him, he did not dare be careless. He exhibited his state of thunder to its limits and thunder crashed above them in the sky."Wukui Shakes the Heavens!"Xiao Chen shouted and hacked vertically with his Lunar Shadow Saber. The divine Wukui Tree loomed like a mountain as it crashed down on the approaching whale, carrying a boundless electric force as it did so.Within the Wukui Saber Techniques, Wukui Shakes the Heavens was the powerhouse for clashing head-on. There were no tricks to it; it merely turned the vast state of thunder into a strong force.The stronger the state and the thicker the Essence, the mightier this move would become.Since the other party wanted to clash head-on, Xiao Chen would give him this opportunity. He wanted to see whose strength would prevail in the end."Bang!"The huge whale made from Essence clashed with the divine Wukui Tree. A strong force immediately dispersed throughout the surroundings. Thunder and waves roared, and the walls around the alley collapsed.The whale made of Essence held on for a while before scattering. However, Xiao Chen's Wukui Tree had only dimmed but did not disappear.The Wukui Tree landed on the ground and the ground that had previously moved like water calmed. Xiao Chen's attack had broken the other cultivator's state of water as well.The cultivator in green grew very pale. He fell back by several steps before slowing. He could not believe that Xiao Chen had managed to break his move.The cultivator suppressed the surging Essence in his body as he smiled coldly, "You have some strength. No wonder you could snatch that Demon Core. However, you will still die!""Wild Dance of Whales!"A wave of water instantly appeared on the ground. It was not an illusion caused by a mysterious phenomenon. Instead, it was a real wave.Xiao Chen noticed that his pants had become wet as a result, and he frowned slightly. He pushed off the ground, wanting to leap away. However, he discovered that there seemed to be a pair of invisible hands holding his feet in the water.Behind the cultivator, his Essence formed into hundreds of massive whales. They roared, and when their aura combined, it was overwhelming."This Wild Dance of Whales is the equivalent of an Inferior Grade Heaven Ranked Martial Technique. I can only use this once every three months. Unless you have the strength of a half-step Martial Monarch, you can forget about breaking through. Just die!"He laughed maniacally as the school of whales covered the sky and headed for Xiao Chen.At the critical moment, Xiao Chen removed the blue strip of cloth on his forehead.The scarlet throne mark on his forehead immediately appeared. Xiao Chen's aura suddenly changed.The state of massacre started to merge with the state of thunder. The Lunar Shadow Saber alternatively flickered between purple and red."Ka ca!"A saber light flashed through the water and chopped the invisible hands grabbing Xiao Chen's feet in half."State of massacre!"The cultivator in green garments quickly increased the speed of his whales. The aquatic mammals suddenly accelerated.Xiao Chen grasped his saber with both hands and activated the Blood Flame Shoes. His figure flashed as he weaved through the pod.The saber light containing the killing Qi of the state of massacre danced around. Every time it slashed, it shattered a massive whale."Boom! Boom! Boom!"Explosions rang out in that narrow space. The berserk water-attributed energy crashed violently.Xiao Chen executed his Azure Dragon Cloud Soaring Art to its extreme. Afterimages followed him as he darted through the alley. He relied on the Blood Flame Shoes to boost his speed to Mach 3.5.Xiao Chen managed to dodge the instant a huge whale exploded. He appeared to dance on the surface of the sea in the middle of a berserk storm. However, none of the waves hit him. Instead, he hacked down on every one of them. The boundless electric light, as well as the state of massacre, seemed to suppress the ferocious waves."Damn it! He has comprehended two states at the same time. Furthermore, he is so fast."As the cultivator in green saw Xiao Chen hack apart his whales, horror colored his expression.The cultivator hesitated for a moment. However, he glanced in a particular direction and decided to persevere. Fortunately, he had prepared for this battle beforehand.The cultivator knew about Xiao Chen's escape from the hands of fifteen half-step Martial Monarchs. Thinking about it, he should be one of the genius-level cultivators who could defeat those of higher cultivation realms.Hence, when the cultivator in green decided to follow Xiao Chen, he had used a messenger bird to inform his companion. As long as he could hold on until his companion arrived, this brat would be finished.A peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core was worth this risk. Whether he sold it or used it to open his own sea of consciousness, it was extremely valuable.Thinking of this, the cultivator's expression slowly became resolute. When Xiao Chen killed the final huge whale, the cultivator's figure flashed.The cultivator in green sensed where Xiao Chen was as the sound of wind roared next to his ears. Then, he attacked from a strange angle from behind.Xiao Chen did not turn around. He sent out a strange arc of light from his saber, flickering between red and purple. It formed a hemisphere and enveloped him."Bang!"The palm wind of the cultivator struck the light, and it exploded. A shockwave blasted his body back.Xiao Chen took advantage of this opportunity to spin around. He looked at the pale-faced cultivator and said calmly, "Since you're not trying to flee, you must have companions coming!"Xiao Chen's comment startled the cultivator, but he did not dignify that statement with a response. He simply charged forward again.Xiao Chen had read the answer in the other party's eyes. He said indifferently, "You overestimate yourself. You don't even qualify to challenge me before you have comprehended your state of water to its peak."Lightning crackled as Xiao Chen took a great stride forward. He rushed forward with a surging aura and substituted defense with offense.The berserk force, combined with the boundless state of massacre, completely suppressed the cultivator in green. He had no other choice but to retreat."Pu ci!"When Xiao Chen found an opportunity, he thrust his saber forward and broke past the weakest spot of his opponent's palm wind, leaving a wound in his chest."Hack!"After getting in a strike, Xiao Chen did not give his opponent any time to react. He quickly used the simplest of the eight Basic Saber Techniques."Pa!"In the time for a spark to fly, just before the saber struck the cultivator's chest, he clapped his hands. He captured Xiao Chen's blade between his palms, halting his attack.Xiao Chen smiled coldly to himself,You are really brave to use your bare hand to catch my saber. Lightning! Strike!The electric light, infused with the state of massacre, exploded. Instantly, it broke through the Essence covering the cultivator's palms.When the electricity broke through, the cultivator's palms swelled. Xiao Chen continued to push down with his saber, and the saber light struck his opponent's inner vest."Zi! Zi!"Scarlet electricity crackled and flickered on the saber, elongating into a long electric light. With the aid of the state of massacre, it easily broke through the inner vest.The attack lacerated the cultivator in green's flesh, leaving a deep wound on his chest.Xiao Chen stepped forward and placed his saber on his opponent's neck a moment before he could flee."If you don't want to die, don't move. Answer my questions!""Ti da! Ti da!"The cultivator's wound was deep to the bone, blood spilling to the ground relentlessly. He had an extremely pained expression but did not show much fear."Do you think I will believe you? If you want to kill me, just do it. I have already come to realize that, if I do not climb on the corpses others to rise, another will kill me, and I will become their stepping stone."This person had a pretty good awareness. However, Xiao Chen was confident of obtaining his answers. He pressed the saber against the other party's neck and leaned forward."Do you think you have a choice? Answer my question, and you might buy some time. Maybe your companions will arrive in time to rescue you. If not, I will kill you now."The saber broke the skin, and blood trickled down his throat. With death so close at hand, the cultivator in gave in to his fear. Xiao Chen's final words sparked hope within him.If the cultivator in green garments could buy enough time, his companion might be able to save him, "What is your question?!""Very good. What's up with the Ancient Desolate Tower? Tell me about it in detail," Xiao Chen demanded with a calm gaze.When the cultivator heard this, he could not help but sigh in relief. He originally thought that Xiao Chen would ask him about some secrets. It turned out that he wanted to know about this. In that case, there was no need for him to resist.There was a stone tower that had existed for an unknown amount of time in Desolate City. Rumors said that it had been there since the Ancient Era.There were many mysterious things in the tower. There were strong Martial Techniques, mysterious Secret Treasure, profound Cultivation Techniques, and even Holy Weapons falling from the sky.Cultivators could find what they could only dream of there. If one cultivated in the tower, their cultivation speed would increase significantly.There were a total of nine floors. The further one climbed, the more benefits one could gain. Furthermore, the strangest thing was that the stone tower only allowed people under the age of 25 to enter.Once the bone age surpassed the limits, no matter what cultivation one had, even the Martial Emperor realm, one could not enter. It was like a land of fortuitous encounters specifically prepared for geniuses.The cultivator in green continued, "Of course, it is difficult to enter the tower. The Ancient Desolate Tower only opens once every two years. You need to undergo examinations from some external organization and then fight for the limited number of spots. Finally, you need to face the test of the Ancient Desolate Tower itself.""Hu chi!"Just as Xiao Chen was about to ask about how to qualify to take the examination, a golden dart suddenly flew towards Xiao Chen's forehead.The golden dart was utterly brilliant like a miniature golden sun. It hurt Xiao Chen's eyes. Chapter 425: Second Layer of the Firmament Body Tempering ArtThe golden dart was oddly fast, reaching Mach 4. Furthermore, it carried an overwhelming force, containing an earth-shattering aura.It did not feel like a dart, but a sword that could pierce through the nine heavens.Everywhere it passed, it pierced the air like paper, leaving behind a long tear.Xiao Chen felt a dangerous aura. He quickly activated the black-winged Blood Flame Eagles on the Blood Flame Shoes, and his speed instantly reached Mach 4 as he dodged to the side."Xiu!"A body quickly descended, chasing the dart. Then, he grabbed the golden dart as well as the cultivator in green before rushing back with lightning speed.Xiao Chen was about to pursue them when he felt the auras of a few half-step Martial Monarchs from the city. They were heading for him, moving swiftly.Thinking about it, the city management had probably sensed the fight and were coming to investigate.Not wanting to incur more trouble, Xiao Chen quickly left in another direction."Qin Pengyu, why did you not help me to kill him?!" the cultivator in green questioned his companion after his rescue.The cultivator called Qin Pengyu fiddled with the golden dart in his hand and smiled faintly, "We should go back first. I can only use my Golden Flash once a day. Furthermore, the City Lord Residence's people will arrive soon. Let's not speak about that now. Have you verified that it is him yet?"The cultivator nodded and said, "I have verified it. I saw him take out the peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core."When Qin Pengyu heard the words 'peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core,' greed flashed in his eyes. He said, "That is good. Watch him for now. After he leaves the city, we will attack. You can use the time to recuperate as well.""Give me one month. When I have comprehended my state of water to the limit, I will kill this brat personally," the cultivator in green viciously declared.---In Heavenly Spring City, Xiao Chen spent some Inferior Grade Spirit Stones and found a courtyard catered for cultivators.Aside from the bedroom, this kind of courtyard also had a dedicated cultivation room, a dueling ground for practicing Martial Techniques, and all sorts of equipment for tempering the body. One could even hire a training partner.Xiao Chen took out the Firmament Body Tempering Art while in the cultivation room. His strength had finally reached 150,000 kilograms of force. Now that he had dealt with the mess in his Universe Ring, it was time to cultivate this Firmament Body Tempering Art.As for news about the Ancient Desolate Tower, Xiao Chen managed to glean enough information to have a rough idea from the cultivator in green garments.Without a doubt, that was a place all geniuses needed to go. Although he did not know how could he gain entry, one of the basic requirements had to be his strength.Without being strong enough, even if Xiao Chen knew how to get in, he would not pass the examinations.As for the seventeenth of the next month, the situation at the Clear Spring Inn that Jiang Zimo had mentioned could be something closely related to the Ancient Desolate Tower. Xiao Chen was somewhat interested in checking it out now.However, before that, the most important thing was to increase his strength. At this moment, Xiao Chen was not confident of defeating Jiang Zimo.It would be difficult to become stronger by advancing to Medial Grade Martial King in such a short period. This was because Xiao Chen had a much firmer foundation than others.Compared to other Inferior Grade Martial Kings, most of their Essence was a pool of water. Regular geniuses were a gushing river. As for Xiao Chen, his Essence was like a vast ocean.Unless Xiao Chen compared himself to a peak genius, very few could surpass him. Relying on only the Heaven Ranked Cultivation Technique, the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation, he had already left many people in the dust.Furthermore, Xiao Chen had consumed many Spirit Herbs from the herb garden on Qianren Island. This resulted in Xiao Chen possessing far more Essence than others.All of this made advancing in cultivation realms difficult for Xiao Chen. It was like a large and tall building. The foundations that he had laid were far deeper than others by several times.To build up to the fifth floor, the time Xiao Chen would have to spend was also far more than others. However, once he achieved the same height, he could contain more people.Hence, for now, Xiao Chen prepared to focus on tempering his physical body, focusing on cultivating the Firmament Body Tempering Art.The Firmament Body Tempering Art had a total of twelve layers. The first three layers were the foundation. They focused on strengthening the bones, flesh, and meridians.The fourth layer would start to increase the Vital Qi in a cultivator's body. Every three layers represented a major hurdle. Once one surpassed it, their Vital Qi would massively increase.Xiao Chen closed the Firmament Body Tempering Art secret manual and sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, closing his eyes.Xiao Chen started to circulate the Vital Qi in his body in the manner described by the Firmament Body Tempering Art. He formally started to cultivate this Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique.Essence and Vital Qi were different. There was a common saying; when cultivators did not use their Essence, they used their Vital Qi. In reality, everyone, even regular people who did not cultivate, had Vital Qi. It was just a matter of how much.However, only those who cultivated Body Tempering Cultivation Techniques could control their own Vital Qi proficiently like Essence, making it move throughout the body to achieve the effects of tempering the body.Such cultivators could even release their Vital Qi outside their bodies, doing things like splitting mountains, shattering rocks, or flying. Of course, one could only achieve feats like these by reaching a deep level of cultivation.After three days, Xiao Chen successfully broke through to the Firmament Body Tempering Art's first layer. All of his joints started crackling, growing more resilient and unbreakable.At the same time, Xiao Chen's bones experienced a tremendous change. From the inside to the outside of the bones, everything started wriggling. This felt extremely painful.It felt like someone jabbed the bones with a needle. For Xiao Chen, it felt like there were thousands of needles stabbing his bones relentlessly.Xiao Chen clenched his teeth as he did his best to endure this anguish, not letting his mind collapse.The pain lasted an hour before it slowly ended. Finally, a warmth quickly spread throughout his bones.That warmth swept away all of the previous pain, making Xiao Chen feel very comfortable. When looking carefully, one would discover that Xiao Chen's previously delicate body became more robust.The angles of Xiao Chen's face were sharp as if his face had been carved of stone. He was exceptionally handsome.Xiao Chen managed to endure the process. He continued to ride his success and started to cultivate the Firmament Body Tempering Art again, trying to break through to the second layer.The first layer tempered the bones, and the second tempered blood. 'Blood' referred to the blood, flesh, and skin, not blood alone.As time crawled by, Xiao Chen cultivated through the nights and days. With the Fasting Pill, he did not even have to stop for food.Time went by in the blink of an eye; another ten days had passed. Finally, Xiao Chen reached the point of almost breaking through to the Firmament Body Tempering Art's second layer.The second layer was different from first, the tempering of bones. Tempering the blood and flesh did not involve much pain, but there was an unbearable itch.All of the muscles attached to his bones squirmed restlessly. This made one feel fidgety and tempted to abandon making the breakthrough.Xiao Chen's expression twisted like he was both smiling and scowling at the same time. His flesh looked like countless worms wriggled beneath his skin.Xiao Chen guarded his mind and did his best to calm down, trying to forget that unbearable itch.Such a state continued for two hours before it stopped. Xiao Chen had nearly given up.This feeling was even more unbearable than the gut-wrenching pain from before. No wonder most of the cultivators on the continent were unwilling to cultivate the physical body.Such torture could cause most cultivators to lose sight of their goals.Xiao Chen succeeded in breaking through to the second layer. The flesh under his skin experience and tremendous change. However, there did seem to be too many differences on the surface.The only difference was that the muscle mass of Xiao Chen's four limbs had increased. This made his previously seemingly delicate figure look more firm.Next was the third layer. The third layer cultivated the meridians. It was also the most important layer of the foundations.Meridians were the base of all cultivations. If the meridians were crippled, the cultivator would be crippled. No matter how talented he was, he would not be able to display any of it.Tempering the meridians would be greatly beneficial to a cultivator. When the meridians became more resilient and broad, one could circulate more Essence and not fear his meridians bloating and breaking.The might of all Martial Techniques would increase by a level. These were merely just the visible benefits. There were still several benefits that were inconspicuous.The breakthrough to the third layer was not something one could prepare for and break through in one breath.Rather, one had to slowly broaden the meridians, using extreme care in every step. One could neither be too impatient or overly cautious.If one were too impatient, they might injure the meridians, crippling themselves. If one were overly cautious and did too little, the cultivator might not achieve the intended effect, only wasting time.One had to maintain their focus every moment of the day, exhausting great amounts of their spirit. They could not stop broadening and tempering the meridians.After half a month, Xiao Chen finally opened his eyes. He appeared exhausted, and his eyes were sunken; there was no spirit left in him.However, in the depths of Xiao Chen's eyes, there was an unconcealed joy. After persevering half a month, he finally saw some results.Xiao Chen finally broke through to the third layer of the Firmament Body Tempering Art. He spent more than twenty days to lay the foundation for the Firmament Body Tempering Art.What remained was the continuous consolidation of Xiao Chen's cultivation. Then, he could prepare to break through to the fourth layer at any time.Although there was a big difference between himself and Bai Lixi, who took one month to cultivate through to the fourth layer and broke through to the fifth layer, Xiao Chen was still satisfied with his progress.It seems like, with the aid of the Flowing Light Marigold, Xiao Chen's comprehension abilities had increased significantly. Otherwise, he would have definitely used more then twenty-odd days to cultivate to the third layer successfully.Xiao Chen stood up with some difficulty. He thought of going out for a walk to recover his spirit. Unexpectedly, he took a single step and fell over.Xiao Chen struggled to keep his eyes open but eventually lost to his exhaustion. He fell asleep on the floor.The high-intensity focus for half a month had exhausted more spirit than Xiao Chen expected. Even with his strong Mental Energy, he could not withstand it.In reality, at this level, Xiao Chen was the only person who would cultivate day and night as he did. Any other cultivator from the same generation could not achieve such a thing.Xiao Chen slept for two days and two nights before he woke up. By then, he had recovered most of his spirit."Rumble...rumble!"Xiao Chen was so hungry that his stomach rumbled loudly. Xiao Chen sat on the ground and smiled bitterly, "The effects of the Fasting Pill ended a few days ago. I need a bath and a big meal."Xiao Chen got up and walked out of the cultivation room. He arrived at the front yard and shook the bell. Soon a pretty servant girl arrived outside.An especially strong power ran this courtyard catered to cultivation. They provided all sorts of services. Naturally, food and hot water were not missing from the list.Of course, there was a condition. One had to spend Spirit Stones. If one spent enough, they could even provide a courtyard with dense Spiritual Energy not inferior to that of the Heavenly Saber Pavilion. Chapter 426: Martial King Training PartnerThe servant girl looked at Xiao Chen and said, "Young Hero, what are your orders?"Xiao Chen said softly, "Prepare some hot water for me and a nice meal. That's right; call a training partner over as well."The servant girl remembered everything. After Xiao Chen finished speaking, she followed up, "What cultivation realm of training partner do you want? Different realms and grade possess different rates."Xiao Chen thought for a while before saying, "Peak Superior Grade Martial King."The servant girl felt mildly startled.Peak Superior GradeMartial Kingthis youth is clearly only an Inferior Grade Martial King. Isn't he overestimating himself by seeking a training partner two grades above his cultivation realm?Seeing the servant girl's delayed reaction, Xiao Chen frowned slightly. He asked, "What's wrong? Are none available? In that case, a Superior Grade Martial King will do as well.""No, no, that's not it. They are available, but you have to wait for a while. The charge is ten thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones for fifteen minutes," the servant girl replied quickly after she recovered her wits.Ten thousand Inferior Grade Spirit Stones, that was not expensive for a peak Superior Grade Martial King.Xiao Chen took out a wooden box filled with Inferior Grade Spirit Stones and handed it over. Then, he said, "As long as someone comes, I don't mind waiting for a while."The servant girl counted the Spirit Stones and placed them in her own spatial ring. After that, she left to make the necessary preparations.The hot water arrived first. As Xiao Chen soaked comfortably in the bath, his entire body relaxed.After Xiao Chen's bath, he cleared away all the fatigue accumulated from cultivating for almost a month. He felt more spirited and refreshed after that.As Xiao Chen changed his clothes, he hesitated for a moment as he was about to wear the Clear Wind Robes.Xiao Chen had not hesitated because the clothes were unclean. Such Secret Treasures had functions to keep them clean, so they were normally cleaner compared to something washed. They could even mend holes on their own.There were no problems wearing this for ten years.The crux was that the color was eye-catching. Many had recognized Xiao Chen in the Flowing Wind Pavilion because of this get-up. Hence, the cultivator in green followed him.After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen used a technique within the Shapeshifting Spell to color the clothes blue.As for changing his appearance, Xiao Chen did not even consider it. He did not like doing that. Furthermore, things had not escalated to that level yet. It was just a mere Holy Fire Manor.After Xiao Chen emerged, a feast spread across the table in the room. After not eating for so long, Xiao Chen was ravenous. He finished all the food voraciously like a tornado sweeping through a town.After Xiao Chen digested the food, he slowly made his way to the courtyard. A middle-aged man with a cold and imposing aura in tight robes stood there, waiting for him for an unknown period already.Xiao Chen felt the opponent's aura and verified that he was indeed a peak Superior Grade Martial King. However, he did not know if this cultivator had practiced his state to Great Perfection."My humble self is Liu Yu. Can we begin now?" the middle-aged man said with an indifferent expression. His measured up Xiao Chen and paid him no further attention.He is merely an ordinary Inferior Grade Martial King. He is not worth my time.Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Yes, we can begin."Liu Yu took out an hourglass and placed it upside down on the table. As the sand trickled down, he smiled as he said, "My time is limited. You should tell me what you want me to do quickly. I am only familiar with bare fist fighting; weapons are out of the question."A cultivator who fought with his bare fist suited Xiao Chen's needs. He said, "Punch me with your full power, and that will do."Liu Yu was astonished. He even suspected that he might have heard wrong.Is this brat joking? What if I kill him accidentally?This was not the first time Liu Yu had received such a request. However, if he punched an Inferior Grade Martial King with his full power, that was just asking for death."Don't overthink this. I am confident of dealing with it," Xiao Chen said when he saw Liu Yu's hesitation.Xiao Chen's physical form had achieved Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone. Now, his body had been born anew again by a Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique. His defense and resilience had increased significantly.There was a pressing need for Xiao Chen to know how strong his defenses were. Only then would he have a better estimation of his abilities during a fight.Xiao Chen would be more aware of which attacks he had to dodge and which he did not, counterattacking instead.Liu Yu said nothing else. He took up a stance and prepared to attack.Since Xiao Chen had asked for it, Liu Yu would grant it. However, he only used forty or fifty percent of his strength. If he really killed Xiao Chen, it would be difficult to account for his actions. It would suffice to teach him a bitter lesson, teaching him not to be so arrogant."Hu chi!"Liu Yu shouted a warcry, and his aura exploded. A strong wind blew. In that instant, the fallen leaves and dust flew into the air.Liu Yu stepped forward and punched violently at Xiao Chen's chest, carrying along a fist wind as he did so."Bang!"As expected, the attack did not knock Xiao Chen back. Instead, Liu Yu felt like he had punched an iron wall, pain shooting up his arm.When Liu Yu saw Xiao Chen had not moved an inch and remained calm, astonishment filled his face.How can it be? Even though I did not use my full power, there would be more than enough to deal with an Inferior Grade Martial King, someone whose cultivation is two grades lower.Furthermore, Liu Ru had not felt any fluctuations of Essence from the other party. Xiao Chen had blocked his punch using only his physical body.Xiao Chen frowned slightly and said, "Why did you not use your full power?"Liu Yu took three steps back. His expression turned grave as he said, "As you wish. Don't blame me for being too heavy-handed."Liu Yu raised his aura to its limits and shouted a warcry. He leaped into the air and punched, his fist carrying a strong force.Liu Yu created a long tear in the air as a piercing sonic boom rang out. Its aura was incredibly frightening.Xiao Chen focused himself as he circulated his Vital Qi and prepared to receive this punch."Boom!"A thunderous explosion rang out when the fist wind struck Xiao Chen. His body shook for a bit, but his feet did not move.The surging Essence exploded across Xiao Chen's chest. The resultant wind fluttered his hair and clothes ceaselessly.Xiao Chen closed his eyes and checked his body's condition. He discovered that his internal organs had shifted a little, but it was not a big problem.Thinking about it, Xiao Chen's skin, flesh, and bones had blocked most of the Essence's force. He had completely blocked this move.Xiao Chen opened his eyes. He did not wish to waste any time. He continued, "This time, hit me continuously with your full power. You can use Martial Techniques. Start with Yellow Ranked Martial Techniques first."Over time, the rank of the Martial Techniques increased until they reached Superior Grade Earth Ranked Martial Techniques. After that, Liu Yu infused his state and tried for a few times. Only then did Xiao Chen start to feel tired and called him to stop.After the round of testing, Xiao Chen was now aware of his limits. Without the use of states, he could easily withstand the attack of a Superior Grade Earth Ranked Martial Technique.If Xiao Chen continued to fight head-on after a state was used, he could, at most, withstand three strikes before he received severe injuries."You can leave after you receive one of my punches. Remember to defend with your full power. Do not be careless."Liu Ru nodded and held his arms up in a cross guard. He no longer had the careless mentality of when they began.Xiao Chen had already astonished Liu Yu far too much. If he were careless, the youth might even severely injure him.Xiao Chen clenched his fist tightly, and his bones started cracking. He gathered all the Vital Qi in his body.The purple Qi whirlpool spun quickly. Xiao Chen's Essence flowed through his broad meridians and quickly to his hand.After Xiao Chen's meridian's broadened, the amount of Essence he could move instantly had increased by at least twenty percent. Xiao Chen felt pleasantly surprised by this."Xiu!"Without pausing, Xiao Chen clenched his fist tightly. The instant his Vital Qi and Essence merged, he punched.Xiao Chen wanted to know, at his current stage, what amount of power he could bring forth in an instant was. How strong would it be?"Boom!"A surging force stuck Liu Yu. He felt both his arms tremble, and the intense force blasted him back."Sou! Sou! Sou!"Liu Yu flew backward through the air for several dozen meters. After he landed, he continued stepping back before he could stabilize himself.Liu Yu felt pain in his arms; both were broken. His bones had snapped in half. He would not recover without half a month of rest.Liu Yu's expression became horrified. He thought to himself.That was350,000 kilograms of force. This fellow did not even spend time storing up energy. He can strike with 350,000 kilograms of force in an instant.In the end, Liu Yu had still underestimated Xiao Chen. If he had truly defended with everything he had, his arms would not have broken. He had completely lost this time.Widening my meridians can indeed increase my explosive power. In the past, after merging my Vital Qi and Essence, I could only achieve 250,000 kilograms of force. Now, it has increased by one hundred thousand kilograms.The Firmament Body Tempering Art lives up to its name as a Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique,Xiao Chen revealed a happy expression.When Xiao Chen saw Liu Yu's broken arms, he took out three thousand Medial Grade Spirit Stones and said, "I'm sorry. I caused these injuries. Consider this compensation!"Liu Yu's pale face finally revealed a smile. He swept the Spirit Stones into his Spatial Ring and said, "Thank you, Brother! I will take my leave now!"After that, Liu Yu left quickly in search of someone who could heal him.Xiao Chen looked outside the courtyard and muttered, "The seventeenth is the day after tomorrow. If I run into Jiang Zimo, I should have a fifty percent chance of defeating him. I should have enough strength now to go to the Clear Spring Inn."However, before I go there, I have to settle something first. I have to get an Ancient Desolate Pass."Xiao Chen now realized the importance of the Ancient Desolate Pass. Not only could he save Spirit Stones when paying the entry toll, but he also needed it to make transactions in the shop.Even now, as Xiao Chen stayed at this cultivation courtyard, he paid significantly more Inferior Grade Spirit Stones because of his lack of an Ancient Desolate Pass.Xiao Chen finally understood that without the Ancient Desolate Pass, there would be a lot of inconveniences.Xiao Chen called over the servant girl and asked for the location of the Heavenly Extermination Union. Then, he left the courtyard.---In an inn located in Heavenly Spring City, the cultivator in green and Qin Pengyu chatted at a table on the second floor."This brat has hidden in a cultivation courtyard for close to a month already. I wonder how much longer he will remain in hiding? If the Holy Fire Manor's people find him first, we will gain nothing."The cultivator in green took a big gulp of wine as he spoke depressedly.Qin Pengyu, who sat across from his companion, clearly seemed more relaxed. He smiled coldly and said, "Just relax. The Holy Fire Manor will not uncover news of him anytime soon. Furthermore, he cannot hide in the cultivation courtyard forever."The after they separated from Xiao Chen, they immediately went to look for a clan specializing in information trade. They spent a large sum to track Xiao Chen's whereabouts and started a long wait.The cultivator in green smiled sinisterly, "One month! Although my state of water has not reached the limits yet, my Medial Grade Earth Ranked Autumn Water Art has reached the seventh layer. If I meet that brat again, I can deal with him in ten moves." Chapter 427: Ancient Desolate PassWhen Qin Pengyu heard that, he felt mildly startled. Most Medial Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Techniques only had seven layers. Given what the other party had said, that meant that he had cultivated a Medial Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique to its limits.That is not easy to deal with. Although the Superior Grade Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique I cultivate has nine layers, I have only cultivated to the eighth layer so far. I am still a distance from the ninth layer.I do not have much of an advantage regarding Cultivation Technique. I have to think of something else.Seeing Qin Pengyu remain silent, the cultivator in green smiled coldly. He knew exactly what the other was thinking.The cultivator rapped on the table with his finger; his eyes squinted slightly. He looked at Qin Pengyu and said, "I advise you to abandon all other thoughts. Let's just kill this brat together and split the loot honestly. Don't forget; this brat still has many other treasures on hand."Qin Pengyu smiled embarrassedly, "Why would I think that? You are overthinking. This brat is not easy to deal with. If we are divided, we both might die at his hands."The cultivator in green snorted coldly, "It's good that you know that!""Dong! Dong! Dong!"At this moment, a skinny, shifty-eyed man came up to the second floor. He looked around and immediately spotted the two.That man pretended to walk over coincidentally. Then, he passed the two a note surreptitiously. After walking around the inn for a while, he left.The cultivator in green said, "The people from the Wind Whisperer Hall are quite cautious. Even a manservant is so vigilant. No wonder they have established a firm footing in the Heavenly Spring City."Qin Pengyu opened the note. After he finished reading it, he revealed a faint smile, "According to the latest news, the brat has emerged. He is currently rushing to the Heavenly Extermination Union."The cultivator in green's eyes lit up. He smiled and said, "This brat should be going to make an Ancient Desolate Pass. The last time I went to the Flowing Wind Pavilion, I coincidentally head that, because a white-clothed youth did not have an Ancient Desolate Pass, he lost out on a lot of Spirit Stones."After Qin Pengyu used his Essence to crush the note into dust, he muttered, "Making an Ancient Desolate Pass is more problematic than in other places. He has to complete a mission first. So, he has to leave the city."---The branch of the Heavenly Extermination Union in the city was easy to find. It sat next to the City Lord Residence. It was a vast, circular building significantly taller than the City Lord Residence.Even when looking from a distance, it was easily visible. However, the City Lord Residence was not. This clearly displayed the importance of the two.Many people moved through the wide entrance. However, people only entered; no one came out. Although there were a lot of people, it was not chaotic at all.Every floor above the second had eight large windows. Occasionally, cultivators would fly out from them. It seemed like that was the exit of the Heavenly Extermination Union.Xiao Chen explained his purpose to a receptionist on the first floor. After that, the receptionist led him to a counter on the second floor."Unexpectedly, you want to make an Ancient Desolate Pass in Heavenly Spring City. We will follow the old rules, then. The mission wall is there. Head over and pick one," the old man behind the counter said with an apathetic expression.Xiao Chen looked towards where he pointed. He saw seven walls of different colors standing tall. Many cultivators surrounded each wall.The old man continued, "You are a Martial King. You don't have to bother looking at the white wall; you can only pick from the walls behind that."Earlier, the receptionist had roughly explained the rules to Xiao Chen. If he had made the Ancient Desolate Pass in out of the periphery cities of the Ancient Desolate Land, like the Underworld City that he had initially entered, he would only need to register his identity. However, after he entered the Heavenly Extermination Lake, the procedure to obtain an Ancient Desolate Pass would be different on every island.The rule in Heavenly Spring City was to complete a mission for the Heavenly Extermination Union for free. Of course, the requirement of the mission would not be very high.However, Xiao Chen had no regrets. Since he was here already, he would take it easy.The first wall, the white wall, had the most cultivators around it. Their cultivations were all rather low, mostly Martial Saints.When Xiao Chen got to the second wall, the blue wall, most of the missions there were already taken. The remaining ones required a lot of effort.After looking at the wall for a long time, Xiao Chen tore off a mission notice.'Collect ten Illusionary Yin Grass. Mission Reward: five hundred Medial Grade Spirit Stones.'The Illusionary Yin Grass was one of the main ingredients of the Traceless Poison Pill. Peak Rank 6 Spirit Beasts, the Dazzling Shadow Panthers, would be guarding its location.The Dazzling Shadow Panther was not very strong, but it was particularly skilled at hiding. Furthermore, they often worked in pairs. They were not easy to deal with.As the rewards of this mission were not high, the notice had remained on the wall for several days.However, Xiao Chen would have no difficulty in completing this mission. He had the assistance of his Spiritual Sense. The most problematic aspect of the Dazzling Shadow Panther was its stealth. This was not something he would find challenging.Without its advantage of stealth, the Dazzling Shadow Panther would merely be a peak Rank 6 Spirit Beast.When the old man behind the counter received the mission notice that Xiao Chen handed over, his pathetic expression warmed. He smiled as he said, "This is a rather challenging mission. If you can complete this, you will have helped us out. Leave your surname behind and a drop of blood. After you complete the mission, we will give you the Ancient Desolate Pass."After Xiao Chen did as instructed. He took the mission list and leaped out of the window.The Illusionary Yin Grass was west of the city, in the inner valley of the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range. This saved Xiao Chen a lot of trouble.After Xiao Chen left the city, he rushed towards the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range. This mission was rather simple, so he did not think of making any plans.Xiao Chen intended to head there directly and use strength to clear the mission.---Back in the city, Qing Pengyu and the cultivator in green watched expressionlessly as Xiao Chen left.The cultivator in green said, "According to the Wind Whisperer Hall, he chose the mission of picking Illusionary Yin Grass. The location has already been verified. However, this brat's Mental Energy is very strong. I'm afraid he will discover us before we can get close enough."The last time the cultivator in green had followed Xiao Chen, his opponent discovered him before he could attack. So, he was quite worried about this.Qin Pengyu took out two bottles of medicinal pills. He smiled confidently, "I prepared for this long ago. This is the Medicinal Power made from Mouse Tail Grass. All we have to do it to spread this on our bodies and even a Martial Monarch will not sense us."The cultivator in green immediately revealed a pleased smile, "You really are invested in this. With this Medicinal Powder, the brat will definitely die.""If I don't pay for bait, how can I catch a big fish? Let's go; don't let him get too far ahead of us."---Forest covered the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range. However, it was no more than two thousand meters high. Instead, it covered a large expanse, stretching out over several hundred kilometers.Xiao Chen spent four hours before he finally found the valley containing the Illusionary Yin Grass. With a quick sweep of his Spiritual Sense, he immediately found the Illusionary Yin Grass."Surprisingly, there are at least a dozen Dazzling Shadow Panther around. That is like a small tribe. No wonder no one bothered to take this mission."Xiao Chen withdrew his Spiritual Sense. He felt somewhat astonished. It seemed like all of the cultivators here were quite experienced.However, there was plenty of Illusionary Yin Grass here. There was more than enough for Xiao Chen to pick ten, so his efforts would not be in vain.Invisible figures wandered around the Illusionary Yin Grass.These figures did not even leave footprints behind, making it impossible for people to track them with the senses available to a normal human. This aspect made it difficult for regular cultivators to deal with the Dazzling Shadow Panthers.The Dazzling Shadow Panthers have all gathered. Even a half-step Martial Monarch would have some issues dealing with this. I have to think of a way to separate them.Xiao Chen casually punched the ground and stone shards of various sizes immediately flew up. Xiao Chen took out his carving knife and starting carving carefully.Soon, dozens of remarkable lifelike stone eagles gathered around Xiao Chen."Life Bestowal Spell!"Xiao Chen used both of his hands to form hand seals as he shouted. The stone eagles on the ground immediately came to life. They flapped their wings hard as they launched themselves towards the group of Dazzling Shadow Panthers."Sha! Sha!"A lot of noise suddenly echoes through the valley. Under the eagles' attacks, the group of Dazzling Shadow Panthers turned chaotic. Unknowingly, two Dazzling Shadow Panthers had been lured over to Xiao Chen.By the time they destroyed the eagles, they had wandered several kilometers from the valley. Xiao Chen smiled faintly. He drew his Lunar Shadow Saber and revealed himself."Boom! Boom! Boom!"Loud sounds came reverberated as an electric light flashed. Without the advantage of stealth and numbers, Xiao Chen did not have to expend much effort to kill them.Forty-five minutes later, two dead Dazzling Shadow Panthers covered the ground. Xiao Chen dug out their Spirit Cores and continued similarly killing Dazzling Shadow Panthers.Four hours later, the valley was void of Dazzling Shadow Panthers. Now, they were nothing more than Spirit Cores sitting snugly in Xiao Chen's Universe Ring.Xiao Chen took out an Inferior Grade Spirit Stone and quickly replenished the recently exhausted Essence. Then, he quickly prepared to pick the Illusionary Yin Grass.However, just before Xiao Chen made a move, the Massacre Throne in his sea of consciousness trembled lightly.Xiao Chen's expression turned grave. He held the Lunar Shadow Saber in front of him, staying on guard.Xiao Chen scanned the area a thousand meters around him several times. Eventually, he finally found the hidden Qin Pengyu and cultivator in green hiding in a tall tree.No fluctuating energy came from the two. It looked like they used some kind of medicine to prevent Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense from detecting them.Xiao Chen smiled coldly. His Spiritual Sense was different from regular Mental Energy. The difference was the visuals. Unless there was a special Secret Treasure, no one could avoid his detection.Qin Pengyu put away the Golden Flash in his hand. He frowned and said, "This fellow is too sensitive to killing Qi. He has probably discovered us already.""Never mind. Now that he is within a thousand meters of us, he cannot flee. We will deal with him with a frontal assault."The two revealed themselves. They jumped down from the tree and headed for Xiao Chen."Sou! Sou!"The figures of the two flashed through the air. In three breaths, they closed the distance.The cultivator in green looked at Xiao Chen and smiled coldly, "We have waited very long for you. You will regret not killing me that day."Xiao Chen ignored the cultivator's words. Instead, he settled his gaze on Qin Pengyu. The dart from that day had left a deep impression.If it were not for the Blood Flame Shoes, he would not have dodged the attack. However, Xiao Chen could now knock away that dart with one saber strike.Qing Pengyu said indifferently, "Little Brother, if you hand over the peak high-ranked Blood Demon's Demon Core and the Secret Treasures, we can part peacefully. At such a young age, you still have plenty of unexplored potential. A dead genius is no longer a genius."Xiao Chen laughed and said, "A dead genius is indeed no longer a genius. However, you are not qualified to say such things." Chapter 428: Sidetracked from the Mission"How stubborn! Giant Whale Palm!"When the cultivator in green saw that Xiao Chen would not agree, he immediately launched the killing move he had prepared.The air filled with an aqueous light and ripples appeared on the ground as if it had become water. It moved up and down like waves. The cultivator in green had merged his state into his Martial Technique.The huge whale made of Essence was very detailed; even the wrinkles on its skin were visible. Its sharp teeth flickered with a cold light. It looked extremely realistic.Xiao Chen squinted slightly. The Essence of this cultivator in green had become stronger by at least a level compared to the previous month.Unfortunately for the cultivator in green, he had chosen to attack Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen's improvements in the past month were greater than his. He was destined to fail miserably.The pure state of thunder continuously infused into the Lunar Shadow Saber. Surging Essence poured out relentlessly.After Xiao Chen broadened his meridians, the amount of Essence he could move in an instant had increased by about twenty percent. Naturally, the might of his Saber Techniques had increased significantly as well.As Xiao Chen swung the saber, the electricity on the saber crackled. Countless bolts of electric light shot from the saber.Strands of purple light tore through the air. The power of thunder spread out. The entire space felt covered in a layer of electric light.The hidden weapon in Qin Pengyu's hand gave off 'zi zi' sounds as it flashed with a purple electric light. The electricity shocked his hands until they were numb."How strong is this brat's state of thunder? Why does it seem like it is suppressing the state of water?"Qin Pengyu mumbled with some astonishment as he circulated his Essence and got rid of the electric light.Xiao Chen shouted and stomped on the ground. His Essence merged with his physical strength, instantly achieving 350,000 kilograms of force."Bang! Bang! Bang!"The ground that moved like waves on the sea instantly stilled. The entire mountain could not stop shaking.This stomp had broken the cultivator in green's state of water in an instant."Break!"Xiao Chen tilted to the side. Then, he stabbed the huge whale in its right side with his saber. His feet kept moving as his saber drew a long line of electric light down the body of the whale.The electricity flickered and crackled ceaselessly. Every time it flickered, the light of the huge whale dimmed significantly. By the time Xiao Chen removed his saber, the whale had exploded with a loud sound. Xiao Chen's Essence surged and neutralized the shockwave generated.Instead, the cultivator in green was knocked back several steps. Qin Pengyu was also knocked back."Kill!"Xiao Chen focused his gaze. His feet did not stop moving. He carried an overwhelming momentum and a boundless might of thunder as electricity covered his body. He looked like a thunder god rushing forward.The cultivator in green revealed a greatly startled expression. He had not expected Xiao Chen, who needed some time to destroy his whale a month ago, to destroy his strengthened huge whale with even more ease. He had not even used his state of massacre.The cultivator in green stabilized himself. As he watched Xiao Chen surge towards him with a blazing aura, he did not dare hold back.The cultivator in green raised his aura to the limit and shouted a warcry. He stepped forward and sent out six palm strikes with lightning speed.With each palm strike, the cultivator in green sent out, a colossal whale made of Essence appeared from nowhere. He sent a total of six palm strikes, creating six whales. They moved in a line and crashed towards Xiao Chen violently."Five Toxin Soul Breaker!"Qin Pengyu, who had been silent for a while, finally made his move. His figure flashed in the air five times, and five multicolored darts flew at Xiao Chen from different angles.The multicolored lights were different from each other. They looked incredibly strange. Clearly, they were toxic. The angles which he had fired them from was odd, and they were incredibly fast.The five darts' movements complemented each other. After dodging one dart, another would follow. They moved very fast, and the angles they were thrown from were ingenious. There was no way to dodge them all.At this moment, there were six huge whales with strong auras moving forward in a line. If Xiao Chen were not careful, it might result in a chain explosion. The might of six whales exploding was easy to imagine.Behind Xiao Chen were five darts that he could not dodge, forcing him to clash head-on. All of his paths of escape were sealed; he could not flee.Xiao Chen revealed a sullen expression and quickly tried to think of ideas. Within a breath, he imagined thousands of scenarios in his mind and quickly made a decision."Ding dang! Ding dang!"Xiao Chen executed the Icefire Flowing Cloud Arrow. His figure moved in a circle and created a huge storm of electricity. This instantly knocked the five toxic darts away."Chi! Chi!"The toxic darts pierced many trees. A black Qi spread out, and the trees started withering.When the cultivator in green saw the situation, he only laughed. After dealing with the darts, Xiao Chen could not dodge his chain of whales. The power of six whales exploding was something even half-step Martial Monarchs would dare to go against.Qin Pengyu's expression became slightly sullen, but he did not become careless. A golden dart appeared in his hand. He pushed off the ground and landed in the top of a big tree, preparing to make a move at any time.After knocking back the five toxic darts, the huge whale arrived to less than a meter from Xiao Chen. There was simply no time to dodge.The surging auras merged, making breathing difficult. The fierce aura caused Xiao Chen's hair to flutter messily."Ka ca!"Xiao Chen returned the Lunar Shadow Saber to its scabbard and stuck it into the ground.An illusion of a tiger and a dragon appeared and spiraled around Xiao Chen's body. Their roars resounded fiercely.Xiao Chen clenched his fingers tightly and took a deep breath as he watched the huge whales arrive. Then, he punched out, one after another."Bang! Bang! Bang!"Sounds of explosions rang throughout the valley. Huge pits instantly appeared in the ground as dust and dirt flew into the air.However, the chain explosion that the cultivator in green had expected did not happen. Every time Xiao Chen destroyed a whale, he could use his body to stop the Essence from spreading.Every time Xiao Chen destroyed a whale, he did not show any intentions of retreating. He simply plowed forward and sent out six punches."Wild Dance of Whales!"Seeing Xiao Chen emerge unhurt from the cloud of dirt and dust, the cultivator did not hesitate to use his killing move.The black-winged Blood Flame Eagle on the Blood Flame Shoes lit up, and Xiao Chen's speed instantly increased by twenty percent, allowing him to move at Mach 4.As Xiao Chen rushed forward, he raised his leg and kicked the right side of the cultivator in green's head."Bang!"The half executed Wild Dance of Whales instantly broke. The cultivator vomited a mouthful of blood as his body flew into the air.Using the might of a Medial Grade Secret Treasure, the speed and strength of Xiao Chen's kick had reached the limits of a Martial King. Even a half-step Martial Monarch would not dare claim he could block it.The cultivator in green landed in the dirt and seemed to have stopped breathing. The force of the kick had destroyed half of his brain.The brain was a weak point of humans. After one side was destroyed, naturally, he died. A ball of red light instantly poured into the space between Xiao Chen's eyebrows.Given the other party's talent, without a good fortuitous encounter and the longer time went on, the further the distance he would be from Xiao Chen.From the very start, Xiao Chen had never considered him a danger. Even when he killed the cultivator in green with a kick, he felt nothing."Xiu!"A strong sense of danger assaulted Xiao Chen. A dazzling golden miniature sun appeared from nowhere behind him. That light was so dazzling that one could not look at it directly.Qin Pengyu's Golden Flash that could achieve Mach 4 finally appeared. Earlier, he saw Xiao Chen use the Secret Treasure on his feet.Qin Pengyu felt sure that Xiao Chen could not use it twice in a row within a short period. So, he did not hesitate to make his move.Xiao Chen closed his eyes and turned around. He landed beside the Lunar Shadow Saber and grasped the hilt, drawing the weapon.All of his movements seemed as fluid as water. They seemed utterly natural.A dazzling purple light exploded out from the saber. It seemed even more dazzling than the golden light."Ka ca!"The golden light extinguished, and there was a crunching sound. The golden dart split into two and landed on the ground.Horror filled Qin Pengyu's face. He had never expected Xiao Chen to slice his offensive peak Inferior Grade Secret Treasure in half.How much explosive force is required to split an attack moving at Mach 4 in half?Qin Pengyu was horrified in his heart. He did not care whether the cultivator in green was dead or not; he simply turned and fled.Suddenly, Xiao Chen opened his eyes. A bloody hole instantly appeared on the left side of Qin Pengyu's chest. Blood gushed endlessly.Qin Pengyu's wound burned with a purple flame, stopping the Essence from treating the wound. In his panic, he did not care about the wound and continued to flee."You think you can run?!"Xiao Chen snorted coldly, and a miniature sword flew out of his palm. A basketball-sized wound appeared on Qin Pengyu's chest, and he slowly fell.Xiao Chen retrieved the spatial rings. However, he could not be bothered to check them; he simply tossed them into the Universe Ring. He still had work to do. So, he continued to pick the Illusionary Yin Grass.------The largest inn in the city, the Clear Spring Inn, did not conduct any business on the seventeenth of this month. They left a signboard at the entrance stating that they were closed for business.Two rows black-clothed cultivators stood in front of the entrance. Occasionally, youths stepped forward and handed over an invitation before entering the inn.On the street, a large crowd had formed at two sides. They did not understand what was going on. However, based on the atmosphere, something big was about to happen."The person who just entered seemed to be Xia Xiyan of the Great Xia Nation's Thousand Sword Pavilion. This girl is one of the Thousand Sword Pavilion's rare geniuses. At the age of sixteen, she comprehended sword intent. She is one of the outstanding talents of the Great Xia Nations. She is a top contender for the top twenty positions in the next Five Nation Youth Competition.""There is also Ding Fengchou and Jin Wuji of the Great Chu Nation's Heavenly Sword Gate. These two have arrived as well. They are part of the top hundred in the previous Five Nation Youth Competition.""The people from the Great Tang Nation's Beast Taming Abode have arrived too. That person seems to be the second disciple of the Beast Taming Abode's leader. He is very strong, and he is also a first-rate expert in the Great Tang Nation.""That person is the Holy Fire Manor's Young Manor Lord, Leng Yun. Among the younger generation in the southern islands, his strength ranks fourth. He is unexpectedly here as well. What event is this? How mysterious!."As the surrounding crowd watched these youths hand over an invitation and enter, they discussed them. The feeling that something big was about to happen grew stronger.Those entering the Clear Spring Inn were outstanding geniuses of the various nations. Aside from the Great Jin Nation, there were many geniuses from the other four."Could this be something to do with the opening of the Ancient Desolate Tower? The Ancient Desolate Tower opens once every three years. I think it's about time for it to open again!" someone in the crowd suddenly thought of something and shouted excitedly. Chapter 429: Nine Sun Sword; Thunder Wind Sword Flash"That has to be right. Otherwise, there would not be so many youths here. However, the number of people invited this time might be at least three times the previous time.""This era of cultivation has begun. In the past ten-odd years, these geniuses had grown up. Naturally, the Heavenly Extermination Union would end up inviting more people.""The only unknown is the topic of the examination this time. Will there be more spots this year?"The other people all gave their opinions as well. Everyone was sure that the situation at the Clear Spring Inn was related to the Ancient Desolate Tower.In the broad backyard of the Clear Spring Inn, a large arena had been set up in the center. It was several hundred meters wide. Some tables and chairs circled the arena."Boom! Boom! Boom!"Two young swordsmen with unfathomable strength exchanged moves in the arena.Intense shockwaves spread into the surroundings as the weapons clashed.When the shockwaves reached the edge of the arena, a formless barrier halted their progression. Ripples appeared in the surrounding space of the arena.It turned out that a barrier covered the arena's surroundings. This allowed the cultivators to exchange moves with each other with their full power and not have to worry about their overwhelming strength destroying the surrounding buildings."Thunder Wind Sword Flash!""Nine Sun Sword!""Boom!"The two shouted war cries and raised their auras to their peaks. They both used their killing moves. As their surging sword Qi clashed, an unending chain of explosions rang out.Sword Qi flying around chaotically covered the arena. There were also boundless sword images. The two danced around in the storm of attacks and sent dozens of moves before coming to a stop.The two stood firmly on the ground, the chain of moves resulted in a draw. They no longer desired to continue. Furthermore, this was not the time to reveal their true moves."Lu Chunsheng, after not seeing you sword for three years, it is still as sharp as before. However, I only used seventy percent of my strength. In the next Tianwu Rankings, you will not feel as relaxed anymore."The cultivator in long gray robes sheathed his sword. He seemed very confident.The swordsman called Lu Chunsheng smiled faintly, "Zuo Tiancheng, don't think that you are the only one who did not fight at full power. I only used fifty percent of my strength."Just at this moment, Ding Fengchou and Jin Wuji walked in from outside.When the two entered the backyard, the cultivators in the arena immediately looked over. They focused their gazes on Ding Fengchou.When the two felt Ding Fengchou's sword intent, they immediately revealed cautious gazes. In the depths of his eyes, they could sense a raging fighting spirit.Ding Fengchou's sword intent pressed forward, unconcerned with consequences. The two in the arena unexpectedly had to work together to resist and push their auras back at him.Ding Fengchou raised an eyebrow, and the surging sword intent in his body rushed into the sky. It seemed as though swords hummed in the air.Despite fighting one against two, Ding Fengchou was not at a disadvantage. He slowly stepped forward, and his sword intent blazed even stronger, suppressing Lu Chunsheng and Zhuo Tiancheng."Ha! Ha! Ha! Surprisingly, even after the two of you worked together, you cannot suppress Ding Fengchou. Ding Fengchou, it looks like you have had a good harvest in the Deep Sea."A loud, forthright laugher came from outside of the backyard. A young man with an elegant figure and playful smile on face slowly walked into the backyard.When Jin Wuji saw who it was, his expression changed slightly. It was the Beast Taming Abode's Pei Shaoxuan, one of the top hundred in the previous Tianwu Rankings.This cultivator had defeated Jin Wuji at that time. He had not even lasted three moves and was thrown from the arena miserably. He somewhat feared this person.When Pei Shaoxuan saw Jin Wuji, he mocked, "Why did you bring trash to such a grand event? Ding Fengchou, are you not afraid of embarrassing the Heavenly Sword Gate?"When Jin Wuji heard this, he raged in his heart. If he had not feared the strength of the other party, he would have lashed out at him.Ding Fengchou withdrew his sword intent and looked at Pei Shaoxuan. He smiled faintly and said, "Even you First Senior Brother does not dare speak to me like that. Pei Shaoxuan, have you forgotten that sword strike already?"Pei Shaoxuan's face sank. He remembered the sword that had struck his chest. He replied in a cold voice, "Don't worry; no matter how strong you have become, I will pay back the debt of that sword strike this time."The two people in the arena walked down somewhat miserably. In the previous Tianwu Rankings, they had found defeat at Ding Fengchou's hands.After two years of effort, the distance between them and Ding Fengchou had unexpectedly grown larger."I have to get a spot in the Ancient Desolate Tower this time. Otherwise, there will no longer be a chance to overtake him."The two both muttered to themselves. Only the Ancient Desolate Tower, or a fortuitous encounter, could guarantee their strength would rise quickly in a short period, allowing them to surpass Ding Fengchou.As time crawled by, the number of people in the backyard increased. Soon, most of the tables were full.The hundred-odd people in the backyard looked for people they knew and started chatting in soft voices.After a while, four old men walked into the backyard. The one leading them swept his gaze through everyone. All of the chatting immediately stopped.This old man faintly emitted a formless aura. He was a true-blue Martial Monarch.The three people beside him were not simple either. They all were half-step Martial Monarchs, also considered experts."Old Li, it seems like not everyone is here yet. The Myriad Fiend Palace's Jiang Zimo and Mu Xinya have not arrived." After one of the people at the side looked around, he said respectfully to the old man leading them.Old Li walked to a table in the center and sat down there. He said indifferently, "Let's wait a while then. If Jiang Zimo does not come, there will be a lot of rumors."All of the geniuses present started to feel excited. These four people were the upper echelons of the Heavenly Extermination Union. They were also the people in charge of this Trial of the Ancient Desolate Tower.Up until now, the method of selection had been a mystery. Everyone waited in anticipation.Outside the Clear Spring Inn, Jiang Zimo and Mu Xinya occasionally looked around as if searching for someone.Mu Xinya withdrew her gaze and said somewhat disappointedly, "Zimo, it looks like that person you mention will not be coming."Jiang Zimo smiled helplessly, "Never mind; that was the first time we met. He probably thought that I harbored bad intentions. Let's go. Let's not make the others wait too long.---On a rather desolate mountain in the Heavenly Spring Mountain Range, injuries covered Xiao Chen as he stood in a tall tree looking very miserable. He clutched an Illusionary Yin Grass as he gasped for breath.The Inferior Grade Secret Treasure inner vest on his chest was incredibly tattered and had completely lost its Spiritual Energy. An extremely horrifying wound decorated his chest.The wound was so deep that bone was visible. Even breathing caused Xiao Chen pain. If not for the protection of this inner vest, this wound might have split him in half.Xiao Chen placed the Illusionary Yin Grass in his Universe Ring and said with a tired expression, "That Dazzling Shadow Panther King should have stopped chasing me already."One day ago, Xiao Chen had finished off the two Superior Grade Martial Kings. He was in high spirits as he prepared to sweep the valley clean of Illusionary Yin Grass.Who knew that, right after he picked ten stalks of Illusionary Yin Grass, he would receive a vicious sneak-attack.That was a Dazzling Shadow Panther King. It was unknown how long it had lived and how many Illusionary Yin Grass it had eaten. Xiao Chen could not detect it with his Spiritual Sense.Earlier, as Xiao Chen was about to pick the Illusionary Yin Grass, the killing Qi that he had sensed had not belonged to Qin Pengyu or the cultivator in green. Instead, it came from this Dazzling Shadow Panther King.Actually, Xiao Chen should have thought of it long ago. With Qin Pengyu's cultivation, he was far from having that dense a killing Qi.Xiao Chen could only blame himself for having too much faith in his Spiritual Sense. In the end, there was a Dazzling Shadow Panther King that he could not detect with his Spiritual Sense.Thus, the situation devolved into a tragedy. The first attack of the Dazzling Shadow Panther King tore apart Xiao Chen's inner vest, leaving a large gash on his chest.This compromised Xiao Chen's combat prowess. Furthermore, he could not sense the other party's location. The Spirit Beast had caught him off guard, and he had suffered injury after injury.If it were not for Xiao Chen's body being tempered by a Heaven Ranked Body Tempering Cultivation Technique, the Dazzling Shadow Panther King would have torn him to shreds long ago.Xiao Chen sent out many clones and used all of his trump cards. After spending an entire day trying to flee, he finally managed to escape from danger.After that, Xiao Chen casually tossed aside the inner vest and bandaged his wounds. Then, he placed a Medicinal Pill in his mouth and started to treat his injuries.After this lesson, Xiao Chen no longer dared to be careless no matter when it was.Even Even if Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense verified that it was safe, he could not let down his guard.This world was so vast. There was no telling whether there was a cultivator who had a tool for evading Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense. If such a cultivator pursued him, it would not be as easy to flee.After about 7 minutes, most of Xiao Chen's wounds had healed. He summoned the silver warship and quickly headed back to the Heavenly Spring City.When Xiao Chen saw the sun blazing above, he felt somewhat anxious. Today was the seventeenth, and it was now past noon.Xiao Chen did not know if he could rush to the Clear Spring Inn. If he missed this opportunity, he could suffer a great disadvantage.If Xiao Chen missed this kind of fortuitous encounter, which most geniuses attended, he would be left far behind in cultivation.Xiao Chen was originally already behind regarding cultivation. If he wanted to catch up after missing out, it would become even harder.Furthermore, based on what the cultivator in green had said, the Ancient Desolate Tower was a place that even the geniuses from the Thunder Emperor's era needed to go. Xiao Chen really did not want to miss it.Xiao Chen moved at full speed and finally arrived at the Heavenly Spring City after an hour. He rushed towards the Clear Spring Inn.The inn looked like before; its business flourished. Sounds of people eating, drinking, and chatting filled the place. It did not look like some major matters had just occurred.Xiao Chen felt suspicious. He stopped a waiter and casually tossed him a Medial Grade Spirit Stone. Then, he asked, "Was there a girl called Xia Xiyan or a man call Jiang Zimo here?"The waiter received the Medial Grade Spirit Stone and said happily, "You must be here to ask about the Ancient Desolate Tower selection. However, you are too late. The Heavenly Extermination Union has already led these people to Longyang Island."Xiao Chen was somewhat disappointed, but he continued to ask, "In that case, were Xia Xiyan and Jiang Zimo together?""Naturally, they left together." The waiter paused for a moment before continuing, "However, the Jiang Zimo you mention stood outside for a long time, delaying the Heavenly Extermination Union by two hours, He offended many of the outstanding talents there."Xiao Chen walked out of the Clear Spring Inn and looked up at the sky. He was certainly disappointed. Chapter 430: Might of the Heavenly Extermination UnionJiang Zimo had already done everything he could. Unfortunately, Xiao Chen was not as lucky. He was fated to have nothing to do with this Ancient Desolate Tower.Xiao Chen smiled helplessly, "It looks like the Ancient Desolate Tower does not welcome me. In just making an Ancient Desolate Pass, unexpectedly, a Dazzling Shadow Panther King had attacked me."Xiao Chen calmed himself and walked over to the Heavenly Extermination Union branch. Since there were no more chances, he should not remain dispirited.Not entering the Heavenly Extermination Union did not mean Xiao Chen could not reach the peak of cultivation. Regardless of the situation, he could not let this affect his mental state.Today, there were more people entering the Heavenly Extermination Union than when Xiao Chen had arrived yesterday. This was quite surprising.When the old man behind the counter saw Xiao Chen, he had a surprised look. He received the Illusionary Yin Grass from Xiao Chen and smiled, "Brat, your strength is pretty impressive. You managed to escape from the Dazzling Shadow Panther King."Xiao Chen's expression changed. He said angrily, "You knew about it? Why did you not tell me about the Dazzling Shadow Panther King? I could have died!"The old man waved it off. He had an innocent look as he smiled, "Young man, don't be so quick to anger. Did you ask me about it?"Xiao Chen felt very depressed. This concerned his life. Even if he had not asked, the old man should have warned him.The old man was just acting dumb. Since Xiao Chen could not do anything about it, he could not be bothered. He said, "Stop speaking nonsense, and just give me the Ancient Desolate Pass!"The black-robed old man laughed. Then he took out a white medallion and handed it to Xiao Chen. He said, "All newly made medallions are the same rank. However, even though your mission did not have any reward, the mission is recorded in there."Xiao Chen received the medallion and looked at it. The white medallion had the words 'Heavenly Extermination Union' carved on the front and his name on the back.After the black-robed old man handed Xiao Chen the Ancient Desolate Pass, he took out an engraved card. He said, "This engraved card is an extra reward from me. After all, this Illusionary Yin Grass mission was somewhat of a headache for us. You have helped settle this problem for us.""What is this?" Xiao Chen asked, feeling suspicious as he looked at the old man.The old man used the engraved card and rapped it on the table gently. He smiled and said, "What is this? It is what you want most at the moment."Xiao Chen could not help but laugh hoarsely. He looked at the old man with interest and smiled, "Interesting, do you know what I want the most now?"The old man casually responded, "The Ancient Desolate Tower,"Xiao Chen's expression shifted. He did even bother to think about how the old man knew. He pointed at the card and asked, "This thing can get me into the Ancient Desolate Tower?"The old man shook his head and said, "No, it can only give you a chance to compete fairly with the rest. Do you know why you did not receive an invitation from the Ancient Desolate Land?"It was because your cultivation is too low. White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen, you are quite famous in the Great Qin Nation. The upper echelons of the Heavenly Extermination Union noticed you long ago."However, at that time, your cultivation was too low. Even now, you are only an Inferior Grade Martial King. For you to receive an invitation, the minimum requirement is Medial Grade Martial King."As for whether to give you an invitation or not, the Heavenly Extermination Union split into two factions and discussed for a long time. You are very lucky. I happened to be a part of the faction that supports you."Xiao Chen did not expect that there were so many issues with just getting a small invitation. He said, "So, the reason you did not remind me when I took the Illusionary Yin Grass mission is that it is a test?"The old man nodded. He said, "That's right. In reality, to get this Ancient Desolate Pass, you can complete any of the ordinary missions there. However, no matter what you chose, I would have pushed this mission onto you."You have not disappointed me. If you can flee from the hands of the Dazzling Shadow Panther King, you are definitely strong enough."Xiao Chen felt as if he had found something he had lost. He originally thought that the Ancient Desolate Tower was something out of his reach. He had not expected a chance that was more reliable than Jiang Zimo.Xiao Chen stretched his hand out, wanting to take the engraved card. However, the old man was in no rush to give it to him. He smiled and said, "Don't blame me for not warning you this time. Receiving this card just means you have a chance. It does not guarantee entry into the Ancient Desolate Tower. The examinations involved might result in your death."Xiao Chen did not hesitate to take the engraved card. He said resolutely, "Don't worry; I know my limits. Tell me the details."The black-robed old man muttered to himself for a while before he told Xiao Chen the rules for this round of selection in detail.This time, there were too many geniuses in the four great nations and the Ancient Desolate Land. Even after they restricted it to Medial Grade Martial Kings below the age of 24, there were still thousands of contenders.There were at least triple of the previous time. Hence, they now held two rounds of selection. Previously, they only held one.The geniuses from the four great nations were divided into four groups. Then, they were led to the four main islands of the different groups in the Heavenly Extermination Lake.The first round of required sixty victories in the Rank A wrestling rings of the main island's Wrestling City. Everyone had a hundred attempts.The old man said, "The Rank A wrestling rings are only second to the Rank S wrestling rings. Aside from half-step Martial Monarchs and above, cultivators of any realm and Demonic Beasts can appear. Furthermore, one needs to obtain these sixty victories within six days."To complete the task within six days, they had to fight at least ten matches in a day. Furthermore, the opponents of these ten matches would not be much weaker than themselves.Xiao Chen thought to himself,Given this, probably half of the people will be eliminated in the first round.The old man continued, "After the first round, the remaining cultivators will gather in Desolate City."After that, they will undergo fights in arenas and accumulate points. The top twenty contenders will qualify to enter the Ancient Desolate Tower."By choosing only twenty out of at least a thousand geniuses, the odds were pretty low. One could imagine how intense the fights would be.Xiao Chen felt somewhat suspicious as he asked, "Why are the geniuses of the Great Jin Nation not invited to the Ancient Desolate Tower?"This time, those invited were the cultivators of the other four great nations and the clans of the Ancient Desolate Land. None were geniuses of the Great Jin Nation. Xiao Chen had been suspicious about this for a while.The old man smiled. After he explained, Xiao Chen understood.Aside from the Great Jin Nation, the other four nations had a pitiful amount of Spirit Veins. The density of the Spiritual Energy in those places was a far cry from what was available in the Great Jin Nation.As a result, in every round of the Five Nation Youth Competition, the top hundred of the Tianwu Rankings were mostly from the Great Jin Nation.The further up the rank, the number of people from the four nations lessened. As for the top ten contenders, cultivators from the Great Jin Nation dominated almost every round.As for cultivators from the other four nations, no matter how impressive their talent was, few could break through the limitations they faced and move into the top twenty."As for the governing force behind the Heavenly Extermination Union, the Myriad Fiend Palace occupy half, and the four great nations occupy the other half. The Great Jin Nation is not involved in any way. Given that the Great Jin Nation holds an overwhelming advantage and suppresses them, would they allow them into the Ancient Desolate Tower?"Xiao Chen said with some disbelief, "Are the geniuses of the Great Jin Nation that strong?"The old man's expression turned grave as he said, "They are stronger than you imagine. With your current strength, you would find it hard to enter the top five hundred of the Great Jin Nation's younger generation."Xiao Chen did not refute; he acknowledged this point as well. However, it did not discourage him overmuch.All the while, Xiao Chen never thought himself as worse than others, not even the geniuses from the Great Jin Nation. All he needed was time.With enough time, Xiao Chen could trample these people under his feet and rise up from the rest in this era of genius cultivators."That is enough nonsense from me. I shall not go on. Go to the Wrestling City and hand this card to the Heavenly Extermination Union leading the group. He will make arrangements for you," The old man waved his hand and dismissed Xiao Chen.Xiao Chen did not linger. He took his leave and quickly flew towards Longyang Island.Longyang Island was the core of the southern group of islands. It was like the provincial capital of the Great Qin Nation. It was more than 2,500 kilometers away from Heavenly Spring Island.Xiao Chen looked at the map and muttered to himself, "Jiang Zimo and the others should have only left about six hours ago. Given the number of people, they should not be very fast. Maybe I can catch up to them."After Xiao Chen left the city, he flew into the sky and removed his blue headband."Xiu!"With a thought, a red light lit up. The scarlet Massacre Throne appeared from nowhere. A thick layer of scarlet clouds churned under the throne.The Massacre Throne only exhausted the state of massacre contained within and could maintain a very fast flying speed.If Xiao Chen did not care about exhausting the state of massacre, the highest speed he could achieve was Mach 4. In the future, when the state of massacre advanced, its speed could increase further.However, Xiao Chen normally needed the state of massacre for combat. If he exhausted it by flying, then he would be weaker in fights. Hence, normally, he would not use the scarlet throne for flying.However, the current situation was urgent. Xiao Chen could not care so much about this. He sat on the throne and soared into the clouds.Strong winds blew from the front. Xiao Chen leaned on the armrest and supported his chin, looking very relaxed.After all, Xiao Chen did not need to exhaust any Essence. All he needed to exhaust was the scarlet pool inside the throne. As he had obtained it by killing others, it was not connected to him.To avoid meeting other cultivators and attracting unnecessary trouble, Xiao Chen flew to a height of at least ten thousand meters.As Xiao Chen rushed forward at full speed, the scarlet pool in the throne visibly shrank.After flying for a long time, when a small portion of the scarlet pool remained, Xiao Chen recalled the scarlet throne into his sea of consciousness.It was not easy to replenish the scarlet fluid. If he used it all, it would be quite difficult to replenish. Fortunately, Xiao Chen had arrived at Longyang Island.Even if Xiao Chen did not catch up with Jiang Zimo's group, there was no need to push himself. It was best to reserve some of the state of massacre as a backup.Xiao Chen slowly descended, and the silhouette of a huge island appeared before him. This was the main island of the south, Longyang Island.The number of cultivators in the air increased. Most of them moved in groups of two or three as they rushed towards the island.Xiao Chen looked around and discovered that all of the cultivators coming to the Longyang Island headed in the same direction.Their aim was the famous Wrestling City of Longyang Island. It was a city made of wrestling rings of various sizes. Violence and blood filled the entire city.