Chapter 807: Rock of Origin
Xiao Chen and the others relaxed their expressions before they stood up. They could see the horror in one another’s eyes.
In that instant, the auras of at least twenty Martial Emperors had swept over them. When these demonic geniuses stared at Kunlun Mountain now, they found it even more unfathomable.
Martial Emperors were very rare. However, there were more than twenty of them on this mountain. Just thinking about the hidden experts made everyone’s scalps go numb.
It looked like this Kunlun Mountain did indeed have the Rock of Origin beneath it. With such strong forces here, even if the Demon Monarchs came, they would not be able to force their way in.
Xiao Chen swept his gaze around and noticed an indistinct fervor flash in that mysterious swordsman Duan Yi’s eyes.
Since the group was about to go and soak in the Heavenly Dew Divine Spring, everyone would be excited. However, this person’s gaze clearly had something more to it.
Like Xiao Chen, this person also came from a lower realm. However, he kept a low profile in the first two years, cultivating in an unremarkable Rank 8 sect.
Duan Yi only rose to fame in the recent half year after defeating one of the seven giants. This victory attracted everyone’s attention and caused his name to spread.
However, that time happened to be the golden period where the lower-realm geniuses were rising up, so no one was suspicious of a genius suddenly coming into prominence like that.
When Duan Yi felt Xiao Chen’s gaze, he turned around and smiled gently. His expression seemed at ease and did not appear flustered at all.
Then he turned around and very naturally started chatting with the elder from his sect.
Xiao Chen withdrew his gaze and did not bother himself with this. With so many Martial Emperors stationed on Kunlun Mountain, Duan Yi would not dare to do anything, unless he was planning to commit suicide.
The warship slowly circled and eventually stopped at a flat platform around halfway up the main peak. A flickering door of light stood on the ground.
On a few stone platforms before the door of light were five Martial Emperors, one for each race: human, Fiend, Deity, Ghost, and Corpse.
After seeing such a scene, even a fool could guess that this place, which the five races worked together to guard, the place behind the door of light, should be the Heavenly Dew Divine Spring.
Not far from this flat area was a stairway going upwards. Seen from a distance, the steps were uncountable, and the end of the flight was indiscernible, hidden in the clouds as it was.
Xiao Chen looked around and saw that the warships of the Fiend Race, Ghost Race, and Corpse Race had already arrived. The only one missing was the Deity Race’s warship.
No younger-generation demonic geniuses were visible on the three warships. They should have all gotten off already.
At the stone platform below, the human Martial Emperor saw the Martial God Palace’s warship and nodded slightly to the quasi-Emperor in official robes. Then he immediately closed his eyes.
The quasi-Emperor said in a deep voice, “The ten of you, follow me down. The others, don’t move around. Just remain here.”
“Sou!”
When the quasi-Emperor made a casual sweeping motion, a force pulled the younger generation up. Xiao Chen and the others could not resist at all. By the time they regained control of their own bodies, they already stood on the platform behind the human Martial Emperor.
This happened so fast that it felt like teleportation. Xiao Chen and the others could not comprehend the strength of a quasi-Emperor, which was simply incredible to them.
Looking around, the Fiend Race, Ghost Race, and Corpse Race Martial Emperors also had ten young demonic geniuses with deep auras and flickering sharpness behind them.
When comparing the geniuses of the other three races, one would discover that the auras they emitted were different.
The younger generation of the Fiend Race released a berserk and ferocious aura without holding back as if they would explode at any moment.
The younger generation of the Corpse Race all had black faces. Their skin looked as tough as iron and as lifeless. Only their eyes showed a withdrawn ferocious light. They measured up the newly arrived Xiao Chen and his group with ill intentions.
As for the Ghost Race, they appeared lifeless like the Corpse Race cultivators. However, they were even more silent and reserved.
If one were to describe the Corpse Race as lifeless, that only referred to their countenance. The berserkness and frenzy of their auras were no less than the Fiend Race’s.
In that case, the Ghost Race were thoroughly lifeless. Their appearances gave no signs of any lifeforce. Their pale faces looked as still as water like they were just graven images.
Coincidentally, there were people whom Xiao Chen recognized among the young demonic geniuses of the three races.
From the Fiend Race, there was the Little Heavenly Monkey, Feng. From the Corpse Race, there was Wang Can, from whom Xiao Chen snatched the Death Throne. From the Ghost Race, there was the girl in a red dress, who had been in that Eight Ghost Palanquin.
When Xiao Chen first appeared, the first two immediately shot over gazes filled with enmity. However, the Little Heavenly Monkey was more patient; his look only lasted an instant.
As for Wang Can, his enmity-filled gaze never faded away. He even looked at Xiao Chen with despisal.
Unlike those two, the girl in a red dress never looked at Xiao Chen at all, from start to end.
The younger generation of the Deity Race was not here yet, so the door of light would not open for now. The other races appeared inured to the Deity Race’s tardiness; they did not seem too surprised.
“There is really a lot of familiar faces here. Xia Houjue, we are about to enter the Heavenly Dew Divine Spring. Do you dare to wager with me?”
Behind the Fiend Race Martial Emperor, a tall and sturdy, bare-armed, coarse youth with faint lion markings on both cheeks stepped out as he addressed Xia Houjue mockingly.
The human Holy Scions had long since gone outside the Tianwu Domain to adventure. They could be considered somewhat famous in the entire Kunlun Realm. Thus, they would have established many ties of gratitude and hatred.
Clearly, this genius cultivator from the Fiend Race had a history with Xia Houjue.
Shui Lingling whispered into Xiao Chen’s ear, “The one who stepped out is the Golden Lion Race’s Tu Ze. He is considered the third strongest of the Fiend Race’s younger generation. Xia Houjue defeated him once in a secret realm in the Profound Domain. He has the bloodline of a Spirit Fiend.”
There were a hundred Fiend Ancestors from the Ancient Era. These Fiend Ancestors were powerful Sovereign Martial Emperors, some of whom had passed down their bloodline. The descendants of these people would surpass most of the geniuses in the same generation. At the same time, they would have some natural talent.
These bloodlines were known as Spirit Fiend Bloodlines in the Fiend Domain. They were somewhat like the human race’s Sovereign Noble Clans, which had survived for several tens of thousands of years; they had plenty of resources.
Xia Houjue smiled coldly. He immediately stepped out and said, “Do you think I am afraid of you? Speak! What is the wager?”
Tu Ze smiled confidently and said, “It is very simple. This place is not very suitable for a big fight. You and I will just exchange moves without using Heavenly Sage Laws. I will not take my Fiend form, and you will not use your Holy Beast Martial Spirit.
“We will compete that way, and the loser will give the winner five thousand Black Astral Coins.”
One Black Astral Coin was equal to a hundred ordinary Astral Coins, so five thousand Black Astral Coin equaled five hundred thousand Astral Coins. Given the status of the two, that was not a significant sum.
The stakes were not important. The crucial point was the great embarrassment of losing before so many geniuses.
Xia Houjue felt hesitant. This Tu Ze clearly came prepared, waiting for him for a long time.
However, if Xia Houjue refused before so many people, it would be like he was admitting to cowardice. If this were to spread, his reputation would take a huge hit.
If I use only my strength, I won’t be at an absolute disadvantage. I should have no problem holding my own. Even if I lose, as long as I don’t get defeated too badly, it will be fine.
After all, everyone knows that a human’s physical body is much weaker than a Fiend’s physical body.
Thinking this, Xia Houjue answered directly, “Gladly.”
Tu Ze laughed loudly and said heavily, “Xia Houjue, you are truly reckless. Let’s see how you embarrass yourself today.”
After Tu Ze spoke, he stomped firmly off the ground. His figure flashed, and the air friction produced a loud piercing sound. Then, he sent a punch at Xia Houjue’s face.
Xia Houjue felt something was off. However, his opponent’s fist had already arrived before his face. He did not have much time to think as he skillfully sent out a palm strike.
He wanted to strike the side of Tu Ze’s fist, to use technique to deflect the punch.
“Pa!”
When this palm strike struck that fist, it gave off an ear-shattering sound. However, Tu Ze’s fist did not deviate at all.
This result startled Xia Houjue. His palm felt sore like it had smashed into a mountain.
Tu Zu’s strength surpassed Xia Houjue’s by too much. Using technique to cope with it would be impossible.
The fist arrived already. Xia Houjue had no choice but to quickly extend his left arm and block to shield his face, trying to make it through this move.
“Ka ca! Ka ca!”
The sound of bone crunching reverberated. Tu Ze’s punch, with an unknown amount of force behind it, directly broke the bones in Xia Houjue’s forearm.
Without diminishing in strength, the punch continued forward and struck Xia Houjue’s face through his left arm, sending him tumbling backwards.
Tu Ze chuckled and took another step forward, throwing another punch at Xia Houjue.
With his left forearm broken, Xia Houjue paled. Clearly, it was incredibly painful. He twisted his body in midair and performed two flips on the ground, dodging this punch.
“Bang!”
When the punch landed on the ground, cracks extended out from the impact point. Pieces of rock flew everywhere.
Because he underestimated his opponent’s strength, Xia Houjue ended up at an absolute disadvantage. He had to keep dodging Tu Ze’s attacks, not having any time to breathe.
After ten moves, Tu Ze found an opportunity and kicked Xia Houjue’s chest, knocking him back.
This blow contained a berserk force. Xia Houjue had no other choice but to use his Quintessence to neutralize this force before he could stand stably.
In ten moves, Tu Ze forced Xia Houjue to use Quintessence and kicked him back. Xia Houjue even fell over on his face, looking as miserable as possible.
His expression turned incredibly sullen at the sight of cultivators of every race all focusing their attention on him from all directions.
This time, Xia Houjue completely embarrassed himself. He tossed out a ring containing five thousand Black Astral Coins to his opponent. Then he silently walked to the back of his group.
After Tu Ze caught the ring, he smiled happily. “I managed to achieve a Rank 1 Sage Body half a month ago. Now, my punch can reach one thousand tons of force. Xia Houjue, you are truly reckless for daring to compete with me using the physical body.
“You lost to me in ten moves. Some Holy Son you are. You are not even worth a dog’s fart.”