Chapter 951: 950 Chapter 24 Buildings (Added for ’poonlo’, 7/10)_1
In a secluded and remote cave.
Shi Xiaole, with a flick of his sword finger, created honeycomb-like holes in the interior of the cave, silent and breathless, reaching a staggering depth of tens of kilometers.
If someone were to measure with a detector, they would find that each hole maintained consistent width from start to finish, as if meticulously drilled and polished by hand.
Not a trace of Sword Qi lingered within the entire cave, signifying that Shi Xiaole’s understanding of the sword technique had reached such a high level that it could be summoned or dismissed at will, without any waste of Vigorous Air.
"My current strength has increased by about thirty percent," he said.
Before entering the cave, Shi Xiaole’s strength was considered top-tier among Human Realm Martial Emperors. Now, he suspected his prowess was not inferior to the likes of the Ghost Prison Blade Emperor at his peak.
Not in a rush to leave, Shi Xiaole took the opportunity to delve into the Congenital Rupture Invisible Sword Qi, the Saintly Spirit Sword Technique, and the Sacred Heart Technique once more, as combat was a hobby and a profound interest in the martial arts.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
"After all, it’s a top-tier martial art. Though my aptitude has improved by more than fifty percent, it’s unrealistic to thoroughly master it in one go," he reflected.
In half a month’s time, Shi Xiaole deepened his understanding of the three top-tier martial arts. However, there was still quite a distance before he could be considered initiated.
Shi Xiaole was not discouraged. He already knew from the notes that cultivating top-tier martial arts was the dream of many Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors and that most were fortunate to practice them, but very few ever mastered them in their lifetimes.
He was only at the Divine Border Realm, so there was no need to rush.
After enhancing all he could, Shi Xiaole took a moment to adjust himself and, retrieving a fresh blue robe from his system space, he donned it and stepped out of the cave.
The mountain ridges were much less radiant with treasure light and had become especially quiet. For three days in a row, Shi Xiaole hadn’t encountered a single living person.
Until the fourth day.
A figure swept by in the distance and paused upon seeing Shi Xiaole. He did not approach. Instead, Shi Xiaole took the initiative to stop him.
"Kirin!"
The man was of average build, a large sword slung across his back, with a rather peculiar complexion.
Shi Xiaole remembered that this man was one of the six Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors who had first vied for the treasures outside the pavilion and was only slightly less powerful than the Mysterious Heart Blade Empress and the Thunderbolt Martial Emperor.
"Why the hurry? What’s happened?" Shi Xiaole inquired.
The Lotus Sword Emperor hesitated momentarily. Ordinary Terrestrial Immortals daring to question him like that would face a hundred different punishments, but Shi Xiaole was no ordinary individual. His battle with Wudao Xuan had already spread among the denizens of the Heaven King Tomb.
In the view of the Lotus Sword Emperor, Shi Xiaole’s power wasn’t necessarily stronger than his, but it wasn’t much weaker either, barely qualifying them as equals.
With that thought, the Lotus Sword Emperor revealed a smile and said, "Kirin, you’ve recovered quickly from your injuries. You probably don’t know, but just over half a month ago, two pillar of precious light ascended to the sky. Now almost everyone in the Heaven King Tomb has gathered at those two locations."
"Do you know where those two pillars of light are located?"
"Hehe, there’s a great chance there, but it’s also very dangerous."
The Lotus Sword Emperor did not purposely conceal information, and immediately revealed the whereabouts and details of the two treasure lights.
Their competition over treasures was nothing more than a common occurrence and did not personal enmity. There was no need to offend Shi Xiaole when no interests were at stake.
Besides, in one of those treasure locations, filled with Earthly Realm and Human Realm Martial Emperors, the Lotus Sword Emperor himself had been eliminated. The other place, believed to contain even stronger beings, was likely filled with Heavenly Realm Martial Emperors. He did not think Shi Xiaole would gain any advantage there, and was pleased to play the good Samaritan.
"So that’s how it is," said Shi Xiaole after giving the man a glance, before flying off. Given that the man hadn’t ambushed him that day, Shi Xiaole naturally wasn’t going to stir up trouble and bully him.
But the Lotus Sword Emperor’s eyes flickered.
He recalled the glaze box Shi Xiaole carried, not knowing what treasure it contained. After hesitating a long time, he still decided not to attack. Apart from whether Shi Xiaole had used it or not, even if he hadn’t, it would have been hard for him to snatch it with his power.
Shaking his head, the Lotus Sword Emperor took flight in another direction.
The competition at that place was too fierce to avoid injury was lucky. Instead of trying his luck there, it would be better to try elsewhere, where he might stumble upon some treasures.
Following the Lotus Sword Emperor’s directions, Shi Xiaole traveled east for several 2-hour periods and arrived at a strange spot surrounded by water on all sides, with a solitary peak rising steeply in the middle.
At the base of the mountain, there were two irregular entrances. Judging from the emanating aura, the left one seemed to be at the Human Realm Martial Emperor level, while the right was much stronger, likely, the Earthly Realm Martial Emperor level.
"This place suits me better," Shi Xiaole decided as he looked toward a fog-shrouded plain in the distance. It was said that all the Heavenly Realm Martial Emperors had gathered there and that the light from the treasures that had emerged on the day of their appearance was ten times greater. Yet with his current strength, going there would be akin to suicide. Fortune was good, but one must suit oneself first.
As he pondered, a powerful light rushed towards him, Shi Xiaole instinctively defended himself with all his might, and was immediately sucked into the left entrance by the light gate.
...
This was a slightly dark world, where sparse holes floated above, casting patches of light.
The path occasionally widened or narrowed, with rows of low and staggered mountain silhouettes on both sides. Walking among them, one felt as though they had entered a monochrome ink painting.
Gusts of Vigorous Air drifted by from time to time.
About a 2-hour period later, from afar, Shi Xiaole caught sight of various pavilions, some three-storied and some two-storied.
These pavilions had peculiar shapes: some resembled knives, others swords, some looked like halberds, and some like axes, all different kinds, standing far apart on the land, each guarding its own territory.
Shi Xiaole counted them; there were a total of twenty-four.
"Light Martial Blade Emperor, coming here numerous times is of no use."
"How would I know if I don’t try!"
Below the knife-shaped pavilion, two figures filled with dense blade Qi faced each other from a thousand feet away. When their momentum reached its peak, the man known as Light Martial Blade Emperor took the initiative to strike with his blade, creating a scene of fantastical blade lights as he fiercely attacked the figure in front of him.
"Spirit Void Shatter!"
Regardless of the fantastical blade lights enveloping him, Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor squatted down, his thighs and calves forming a right angle, using a layer of invisible blade Qi to defend himself all around.
Just as the invisible blade Qi was about to wear thin, Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor suddenly burst forth, unleashing the blade light he had stored with ninety percent of his strength. It was like an arc of illusory moonlight, easily exterminating everything in front of him. The blade light extended continuously, engulfing Light Martial Blade Emperor as well.
"Light Martial Style!"
Instead of retreating, Light Martial Blade Emperor countered with an offensive move.
"You are no match for me, Annihilating Dragon!"
As if he had anticipated it, Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor changed his move midway, altering from a chop to a slice. A gloomy black dragon emerged from his blade, brutally knocking Light Martial Blade Emperor away.
"If I remember correctly, Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor has only entered Divine Blade Tower a few days ago, and it seems his mastery of blade techniques has already advanced."
"These twenty-four towers each represent a sect that perished long ago; the towers must contain a large amount of martial arts scriptures. It makes sense that Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor has improved."
Seeing Light Martial Blade Emperor defeated, the faces of several Blade Emperors in the distance showed displeasure.
To enter one of the twenty-four towers, one must defeat the other competitors. Among all the Blade Emperors, Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor was the strongest. His move, Annihilating Dragon, ranked eighteenth on the list of humans, and he was a top expert among the Human Realm Martial Emperors of the Daxia Dynasty.
Having entered the tower first to comprehend its teachings, Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor had clearly grown stronger. Given this, where would that leave the other Blade Emperors?
"If it weren’t for that kid..."
One Blade Emperor, missing his left leg and with a long, narrow face, made a ferocious expression; it was Ghost Prison Blade Emperor. In his mind, if it were not for being sneak attacked by Shi Xiaole, reducing his strength by two to three tenths, he himself should have had a good chance.
At worst, if he couldn’t enter Divine Blade Tower like the others, he could attempt the other towers, try to gain enlightenment through analogy, which was always better than having nothing to comprehend.
Shifting his gaze, Ghost Prison Blade Emperor suddenly froze, then after snapping out of it, his mouth twisted into an extremely cruel grin, and a rolling murderous aura surged into the sky.
The other Blade Emperors, including Light Martial Blade Emperor and even Earth Destroyer Knife Emperor, who was preparing to return to Divine Blade Tower for further comprehension, were all drawn by the commotion, looking in the direction of Ghost Prison Blade Emperor’s gaze, and soon discovered a lone figure approaching from a distance.
The newcomer was dressed in a brand-new, well-fitting green robe, with a slender and upright figure, and a face that was exceptionally handsome, a rarity in the world. A lock of white hair on each temple added to his already ethereally elegant demeanor, making him appear even more detached and carefree.
"Could this young man be the widely rumored Kirin?"
"The number one talent from the Flying Horse Dynasty?"
Some people are hard to recognize merely through rumors, but Shi Xiaole’s appearance was too distinctive. Even if there were others with white hair, wearing green robes, and carrying long swords, they could never emulate the aura that was inherent in him.
Shi Xiaole was so handsome that one glance was enough to tell he was Shi Xiaole.
"I heard that this young man once fought Wudao Xuan and did not show any signs of weakness?"
"Wudao Xuan didn’t use the Power of the Selfless Sacred Bone. Once he uses it, he could likely defeat this young man, but even so, this young man is quite formidable."
There were many people around the cool pavilion that day, and since everyone had their own circles and friends, it was inevitable to sigh and talk about the great battle, and thus the news naturally spread.
A considerable number of people believed that Shi Xiaole was probably not a match for Wudao Xuan, but regardless, they could not deny that the other party was indeed a peerless genius.
Discovering the other party at this moment, let alone the Blade Emperors near Divine Blade Tower, even the Martial Emperors of the Void Origin Realm preparing to challenge the experts inside the other towers turned their gaze this way.
"This damned kid..."
Below the Fanjing Tower, the Dwarf Emperor, missing his left arm, had a sinister look in his eyes, filled with killing intent. With a whoosh, he crossed a distance of ten thousand meters and arrived below Divine Blade Tower.
Just like Ghost Prison Blade Emperor, he dreamt of chopping Shi Xiaole into pieces. If it wasn’t for him, with his strength, he should have been able to enter one of the towers and gain a great opportunity.
"Seems like there’s going to be a good show."
Thunderbolt Martial Emperor smiled, not approaching. The eyesight of a Martial Emperor in the Void Origin Realm far surpassed that of ordinary people. Standing tens of thousands of meters away, they could still see everything that needed to be seen clearly.
Others, such as Yan Si, Yan San, and other acquaintances, also looked on with strange expressions.
"Boy, I swore that the next time I see you, I would tear you to pieces."
Amidst a fierce shout, Ghost Prison Blade Emperor glared at Shi Xiaole, his blade momentum skyrocketing wildly.
