Chapter 362: Chapter 361: True Meaning of Ferocious Evil
The magma wave lasted about a quarter of an hour before it ended.
Half the sky turned bright red as the clouds disappeared, then the black mineral dust mixed in the magma spread across the world, plunging the surroundings of Flame Cloud City into darkness.
After another night, someone finally found the courage to venture into the Flame Cloud Mountain Range, only to find that everything had changed beyond recognition.
Nearly half of the numerous volcanic craters had vanished, and those that remained were like dull spikes, seemingly burning at any moment.
Traces of magma burns covered everything.
The bodies of the powerful figures who didn’t manage to escape were completely obliterated, utterly evaporated from this world.
Some people, however, suddenly became excited.
That was because after every magma wave, the magma sea beneath the mountain range would be churned up, and a large amount of weapon embryos that had been stored at the bottom would emerge.
These weren’t just ordinary or superior weapon embryos.
The fact that they managed to survive in the bottom of the magma sea for so long meant that at the very least, they were decade-old weapon embryos. In the previous few magma waves, there had even been thirty or fifty-year-old weapon embryos.
"Quick, inform our sect and ask them to send more people."
"The emergence of precious weapon embryos is imminent. Tell the sect to spare no cost and come here as fast as possible."
In Flame Cloud City, white pigeons soared into the sky, one after another.
All the major top-tier sects had set up branches here to compete for the resources of the weapon embryos.
After all, weapons also played a part in their power. From the perspective of the sects, improving weapons was the quickest and most efficient way to enhance the overall strength of the sect.
Of course, apart from delivering messages, all the major sects were also investigating the causes of the magma wave eruption. Everything happened so mysteriously that they would not be at ease if they didn’t look into it.
...
A figure entered the Flame Cloud Mountain Range after the eruption.
It was Shi Xiaole.
He traversed through the mountains, lamenting the insignificance of human power in the face of nature.
On the other hand, recollections of the magma wave rolled in his mind, and his heart quivered as though it had touched something. It felt like he was just a layer of veil away from discovering a secret.
In the mountain range, volcanoes frequently erupted with magma. This was a delayed reaction from the wave, and it would subside within a few days.
Shi Xiaole searched for a long time and finally stopped in front of a group of volcanoes.
Their eruptions were strikingly similar to a magma wave, but with less than a tenth of the power. With a leap, Shi Xiaole plunged into the center of the volcanoes. Using his internal power to protect himself, he sat down cross-legged.
Using the Sword Heart to cut away all distractions, he felt the ruthlessness of the magma and the will to destroy everything. His mental power turned into thin threads, following the magma to its depths.
Shi Xiaole felt as if he had merged with the magma, devoid of joy or sorrow, splashing in the sky, and dissolving in the earth.
Fortuned as he was, he finally figured out what he was connecting with.
The True Intent.
His Fierce Kill Intent Realm had already reached the edge of breakthrough, and the eruption of the magma wave gave Shi Xiaole the most vivid lesson. He realized the cruelty of nature, the ferocity and the intention to annihilate everything.
He intended to insert himself into nature, touch the will of nature with ruthlessness, feel it, clarify it, understand it, and finally convert it into his own will!
Shi Xiaole forgot everything. His robe was scorched and riddled with holes, but he didn’t notice. His pulse, his heartbeat, seemed to resonate with the rhythm of the magma splashing.
"I have been one step away from realizing the True Intent for ten years. This time, I must succeed."
At the same time Shi Xiaole was contemplating the True Intent, the man in black, Ma Dongming’s senior brother, was also roaming in the Flame Cloud Mountain Range. He was comprehending the Intent of Fire and had already reached the verge of completion.
Unfortunately, as one of the top-level intents in the advanced realm, the Intent of Fire was too pure. It was extremely difficult to advance to the True Intent of Fire.
Without a special chance, it would be impossible to advance in a lifetime.
The exciting thing was, the eruption of the magma wave unexpectedly gave him inspiration. He felt that as long as he held on to this inspiration and constantly deepened it, he would have a chance to realize the True Intent of Fire.
By then, not to mention Fire Cloud State, even looking at the whole eight states, how many opponents would he have?
With a grave expression on his face, the man in black lingered by each volcanic crater for a while before moving on, like he was under some kind of obsession. Many people noticed him and gave him a wide berth, not wanting to provoke this notorious tough guy in Fire Cloud State.
Late at night on the second day, the volcanic eruptions became particularly intense, and a lot of black rocks appeared in the magma.
A great number of weapon embryos had been born!
Upon seeing this, countless high-level fighters waiting inside the Flame Cloud Mountain Range soared into the air, reaching out frantically.
Although there were numerous weapon embryos, the ones of truly high quality were still in the minority. As such, bloodshed broke out in the Flame Cloud Mountain Range, which was ten times more intense than previous incidents.
It seemed that the terrifying magma wave had been forgotten by the survivors.
Conflicts and battles broke out periodically. Soon afterward, word spread that an Elder of the Lingjian Sect had acquired a thirty-year weapon embryo, which caused quite a stir among the public.
A thirty-year weapon embryo, once crafted into a weapon, would surely exceed the sharpness of a superior curious weapon and could even match up to thirty percent of the power of a low-grade Spiritual Weapon.
Although the increase might seem small, sometimes, a slight difference could determine a victory or provide an opportunity for survival.
Everyone was risking their lives like madmen.
In the following days, decade-old and twenty-year-old weapon embryos successively fell into the hands of known figures.
When high-level fighters from the top-tier sects who had received the news rushed over en masse, along with martial artists who had heard the news, the battle for supremacy officially entered its climax.
The Lingjian Sect, Sealing Blade Sect, and Earth Profound Sect, among other top powers, all had their respective gains, each obtaining no less than one thirty-year weapon embryo. The Lingjian Sect was the luckiest as they even obtained a fifty-year weapon embryo before a large number of high-level fighters arrived.
Outside a series of volcanoes, pieces of magma erupted frequently, and a few half-red, half-black rocks fell from time to time. This caused a frenzy among the dozens of high-level fighters nearby.
"Brother Ma, there is a saying that those who arrive first get served first. You are not playing by the rules."
The man was speaking, but his actions were not slow. He lashed out with nine successive sword shadows, enveloping Ma Dongming.
"About who comes first and who comes last, only the weak obey. Whoever is tougher gets the good stuff."
The man was Chen Fei, the 69th-ranked ’Shadow Swordman’ of the Martial World. Despite having an injured right hand, Ma Dongming fiercely fought back, not hesitating to exchange injuries for injuries, and forced Chen Fei to retreat continuously, losing his first move advantage.
After struggling for dozens of moves, Ma Dongming successfully obtained a thirty-year Weapon Embryo.
"You’re ruthless!"
Chen Fei retreated to a distance, his eyes unwilling.
Just now, there were five Weapon Embryos appearing here altogether. Aside from three of poor quality, the remaining two, one was of fifty-year grade, and one was of thirty-year grade.
No one dared to vie for the fifty-year grade one because it had been claimed by Fei Yu, the second-ranked ’Empty-handed Master’ in the Martial World. Chen Fei had originally planned to compete for the thirty-year grade one, taking advantage of Ma Dongming’s injury, but he fell short.
Fei Yu looked at Ma Dongming. He really wanted to snatch his Weapon Embryo too, but thinking of his Senior Brother, he ultimately did not make a move.
Whoosh!
Just as everyone was preparing to leave, a fluctuation suddenly came from the group of volcanoes.
This fluctuation was not particularly tremendous, but it seemed sentient, carrying a fierce madness that wanted to destroy everything. As soon as it passed through everyone’s bodies, including Fei Yu, they couldn’t help but shiver, their hairs standing on end.
"Finally understood it."
Within the group of volcanoes, Shi Xiaole opened his eyes.
His green shirt was ragged, but there was a glint of excitement in his eyes that came after exhaustion.
After half a month, he had finally completely mastered the essence of the Fierce Kill Intent Realm, and had sublimated it into True Fierce Kill Intent.
Although it was only 10%, Shi Xiaole clearly felt that as long as he slightly exerted it, his heart seemed to be full of an impulsive and willful desire to destroy everything, with nothing that could stand in his way.
Pulling out his green shirt from the system space and putting it on, Shi Xiaole flew out from the group of volcanoes.
In the past half a month, he had been eating dry food stored in the system, which was very plain. Now, his only thought was to have a hearty meal.
But when he saw a fleeing figure, he changed his mind.
"Think you can get away?"
Fast as a gust of wind, Shi Xiaole blocked Ma Dongming’s path.
"Young hero, my Senior Brother is the ranked third ’Fiery Fist Marquis’ Xiu Qing on the Martial World list. How about we call it even, for our past disagreements?"
Knowing the terror of Shi Xiaole’s Flying Skill and that he could not escape, Ma Dongming decided to lower his posture, an unprecedented smile even appearing on his face.
With the menacing reputation of his Senior Brother, it should be enough to intimidate this youngster.
"Being able to bend and stretch, you truly are a grown man. Now I really want to kill you."
Slowly drawing out his Redfire Sword, Shi Xiaole stabbed it forward.
"Damn you, my Senior Brother won’t let you go!"
Seeing that Shi Xiaole was unyielding, Ma Dongming gave up on his pretense and wanted to make a move, but he suddenly found that in front of Shi Xiaole’s sword, he did not muster the courage to fight.
His will was invisibly shattered by the opponent.
The True Fierce Kill Intent was after all a profound true intent. Even at just 10%, it was equivalent to two to three-tenths of common true intent. With its aid, the power of Shi Xiaole’s swordsmanship had nearly doubled.
In particular, the True Fierce Kill Intent targeted the will of the human body. Under its oppression, the opponent often loses their courage before the fight, making it difficult to display their full strength.
It can be said that even if Shi Xiaole used the Death Claiming Thirteen Sword now, it would be enough to kill a large number of peak masters in the Spiritual-Passage Realm.
Swoosh!
With the sword returning to its sheath, Shi Xiaole reached out and his hand caught the box containing the thirty-year Weapon Embryo from Ma Dongming’s body.
"What a fierce sword!"
Chen Fei watched with a shudder in his soul.
The sword was not aimed at him, but the Fierce Kill Intent in the swordsmanship made him feel as if he was going through the same ordeal. If he were to replace Ma Dongming, he was likely to die even faster.
Everyone was shocked by Shi Xiaole’s swordsmanship that they even overlooked the Redfire Sword in his hand.
"Young friend, you’re truly amazing. I admire you."
Fei Yu laughed heartily and walked away.
No matter whether Shi Xiaole’s strength was comparable to his own, Fei Yu only knew that he absolutely did not want to deal a few blows with this young man. This was his body’s instinctive reaction.
"He sure left quickly."
Not caring about these people, Shi Xiaole rushed towards the edge of the Flame Cloud Mountain Range.
...
"A Centennial Weapon Embryo, it’s actually a Centennial Weapon Embryo!"
An Elder from the Lingjian Sect held a red-hot stone in his hand, breathing slightly quickly.
A Centennial Weapon Embryo had only appeared once for hundreds of years; this was the second one. The first time it appeared, someone used it to make a sword, the power of which almost matched a low-grade Spiritual Weapon!
It can be said that a single Centennial Weapon Embryo is worth at least three, no, five fifty-year Weapon Embryos.
The Lingjian Sect masters around were also overjoyed. Before they could speak, the Lingjian Sect Elder hurriedly put away the Weapon Embryo and prepared to leave.
But at this moment, everyone’s vision blurred, and a man dressed in black appeared in front of them.
