Chapter 1041: Chapter 1040: Exchange of Skills_1
In the vast plain lay a fortress built of multicolored stones, sprawling across the land and encompassing hundreds of mountain peaks. The sunshine cast upon its surface a brilliant array of purples and reds, giving it a stunning yet fatally dangerous beauty.
This was none other than the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace, one of the top forces of the Western Sea Islands.
In recent years, the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace had been anything but peaceful, mainly due to the return of the leader of the Qin Building, Fu Zongming, who often came to cause trouble. His power was not inferior to that of the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor, and after several major battles between the two, the mountains near the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace had been leveled.
However, the situation had taken a turn in recent days.
Because the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace had given birth to a second Martial Emperor of the Void Origin Realm, the Holy Elephant Poison Emperor.
Even though he had just entered the initial phase of the Void Origin, Fu Zongming was still very wary of the Holy Elephant Poison Emperor and dared not to provoke him carelessly. What if he left and the enemy attacked the Qin Building immediately after?
As for seeking cooperation with the Nine United Gates like the last time (Chapter 794), it was regrettable that the Nine Unions Martial Emperor had been killed several years ago by other Martial Emperors of the Void Origin Realm over a dispute for a treasure.
"Let’s wait a bit longer, Zi Lin will soon break through to the Void Origin Realm, and then I won’t have to hold back."
Ling Jingsi’s eldest disciple, Jin Zilin, was nearly five hundred years old and, thanks to the surge in spiritual energy between heaven and earth, had already touched the barrier of the Void Origin Realm, with a breakthrough imminent.
"Senior Brother, I don’t know when I will be able to rescue you, but I won’t give up!"
Fu Zongming made a silent pledge to himself.
As if by some psychic intuition, deep underground within the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace, within an Array System of the Void Origin Realm, a figure bound by the Dragon Binding Rope suddenly opened his eyes.
Those eyes, deep and profound, perhaps due to being in darkness for many years, radiated an icy and sharp aura. Yet within that sharpness, there was a trace of perplexity.
The stronger the spiritual power of a martial artist, the more accurate their intuition, and often, this is no empty talk. Ling Jingsi, who had once received the teachings of Shi Xuanzhong, possessed spiritual power far exceeding that of ordinary people. Today, he had a premonition that something significant was about to happen.
It was not sadness or despair, but a kind of excitement he had not felt in a long time. Ever since he had seen the son of Younger Brother Shi more than ten years ago, he hadn’t felt this way.
Could it be... that an old friend was coming to visit?
For some reason, the face of a stunningly handsome young man suddenly appeared before Ling Jingsi. But if it truly was that youth, it would be far too dangerous. What if he were discovered?
The once excited Ling Jingsi couldn’t help but become anxious once again.
Meanwhile, outside the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace, an elegant figure in a blue robe was slowly landing on the ground.
Shi Xiaole looked at the stone fortress in front of him with a reflective expression.
He still remembered sneaking in more than ten years ago, having to disguise himself as the Illusionary Poison Real Person, walking on thin ice within, fearing discovery. But now...
"Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor, come out and meet me."
A terrifying Sword Qi suddenly enveloped the entire Thousand Darkness Poison Palace, and in an instant, everyone in the palace was trembling, their faces pale with fear.
"I am Thousand Ghosts; may I ask which senior has graced us with their presence."
A colorful figure rapidly shot forth from the activated Void Origin Array System, dissipating the rainbow aura surrounding him. It was an ordinary-looking old man with a beard falling to his chest, none other than the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor.
The moment he saw the young man in the blue robe, the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor’s heart skipped a beat.
Blue robe, white hair at the temples, and a swordsman so young with such extraordinary martial prowess was surely not an unknown entity. His identity was clear without further thought.
But what he couldn’t understand was why such a figure, who turned the Martial World upside down, would come to the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace so unexpectedly.
"Take a look at this."
Shi Xiaole casually tossed something over.
The Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor took it over, a peach talisman that felt almost intangible to the touch, as though one couldn’t grasp a solid object. It was indeed the Thousand Darkness Poison Command only a Senior Brother could possess. He immediately exclaimed, "May I ask where my Senior Brother is, Kirin Sword Emperor?"
Shi Xiaole said, "Let’s talk about the specifics later. For now, I want you to release Ling Jingsi."
"May I know what is the relationship between the Kirin Sword Emperor and Ling Jingsi?"
"You don’t need to know that."
The expression of the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor changed.
The other party had come demanding the release of a severe criminal he had imprisoned for many years without even giving a reason, which was simply too disrespectful towards both him and the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace.
It should be noted that in order to capture Ling Jingsi in those days, he and the Emotionless Whip Emperor and the Bloody River Blade Emperor had to use talismans, poisons, and various Array Systems, and they only succeeded with extreme difficulty.
Moreover, releasing Ling Jingsi could leave an enormous hidden risk for himself and the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace because of their deep-seated grudges; there was no guarantee that the other side would not seek massive retaliation.
However, the other party was a Kirin, and he also presented the command talisman of his Senior Brother, so an outright refusal seemed inappropriate. The Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor forced a smile and said, "Kirin Sword Emperor, may I take a moment to consider? Ling Jingsi is suspected of plotting against my Senior Brother, how can I, as a Junior Brother, simply..."
Shi Xiaole interrupted him directly, "The fact that I have the token has already proven everything. Ling Jingsi did not plot against your Senior Brother."
In fact, Shi Xiaole knew that the reason the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor had made his move in the past was partly for his Senior Brother, but what he truly cared about was probably the treasure Ling Jingsi had found in the ruins.
However, Shi Xiaole, considering the feeling of loyalty of the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor, hadn’t immediately coerced him. If the other side knew what was good for them, he did not want to completely fall out with them.
The face of the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor was ashen.
It was the first time he had been so aggressively pressed; if he yielded, wouldn’t he become a laughing stock in the martial world of the Western Seas? Yet he dared not antagonize the other party recklessly.
The person standing before him was a ruthless star, who, at the slightest disagreement, had slaughtered more than forty warriors of the Void Origin Realm. Who knew if over the past year, the man had further improved?
As a second-rate Earthly Realm Martial Emperor, he was no match. Even if he had the protective grand Array System, at most he could only ensure his own safety. But could he really live forever as a coward?
Due to the distance and the fact that the incident at Sword Evaluation Elegant Mountain wasn’t widely sensationalized, and because there was no gathering place for the martial world in the archipelagoes of the Western Seas, the news about Shi Xiaole’s battle with the Six-Transformed Ghost Emperor had not reached here yet.
Otherwise, the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor probably wouldn’t be so hesitant.
Faced with the choice between losing face and making enemies, the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor squeezed out an extremely forced smile and said, "I’ve long heard of the extraordinary swordsmanship of the Kirin Sword Emperor. I would be bold to request a lesson, as a friendly spar. Afterwards, I will release Ling Jingsi immediately. What do you think about this, Sword Emperor Shi?"
The Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor had thought it through clearly. To surrender without doing anything would be too humiliating, and even worse in spreading the word. At the very least, he must fight once.
In that case, even if he were defeated, others would not say much. If, by some chance he did not lose, he could say that he had fought on par with the Kirin in one move, and then he could step on this advantage to enhance his reputation.
Shi Xiaole looked at the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor, and the gaze made the latter’s back chill. Then, Shi Xiaole faintly smiled and said, "Alright, I’ll grant you this."
Inside the Thousand Darkness Poison Palace, countless pairs of eyes widened.
An old bald man was especially alert, for it was none other than the recently advanced Holy Elephant Poison Emperor.
"Master, can our lord handle a single strike from the Kirin?"
A disciple at his side asked with a fluctuating tone, having an answer in mind that of course could not be articulated.
"Not necessarily."
The Holy Elephant Poison Emperor shook his head.
Apart from him, very few probably knew that the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor possessed two top-tier Mid-Quality No Gang Spiritual Armors. Although an Earthly Realm Martial Emperor could break through Mid-Quality Spiritual Weapons, if the two pieces were overlaid, the difficulty of breaking through their defenses would increase significantly. Plus, with the Thousand Ghosts Poison Emperor’s unpredictable Flying Skill and defenses, there might just be a chance to withstand a strike from the Kirin.
