Chapter 245 : Xuanwu Divine Art
Chapter 245: Xuanwu Divine Art
“Still standing there dazed? Hurry and help!”
That black-clad First Grade expert grew more alarmed the longer he fought, and roared angrily, “If we don’t join forces to kill this woman, none of us will leave this place today.”
At this point, he finally stopped referring to himself as “this seat.”
His companion, a Second Grade man, seemed to awaken from a dream and drew his sword. However, he did not dare approach, only slashing out a sword qi from afar.
Such an attack could only serve to harass the opponent at best.
Not far away, Yu Haitang saw this Second Grade man make a move, her eyes flickered slightly, yet she did not seem intent on stopping him.
When that black-clad Second Grade saw his sword strike fail, he turned and shouted angrily, “Deng Ziyang, don’t just stand there like a fool, go help Second Senior Brother!”
In that instant when he turned his head, a figure suddenly appeared before him out of thin air.
His reaction could not be considered slow. The moment he sensed danger, he immediately raised his sword to block.
Clang!
The treasured sword in his hand snapped into two pieces. From his crown down to his abdomen, a long line of blood appeared, nearly splitting him into two halves with that single strike.
“Ah—”
He let out a shrill scream. With one sword, he had already suffered a grievous wound.
At that moment, a sword tip suddenly emerged from his chest.
“You—”
He turned abruptly, eyes filled with venomous resentment, staring at the Deng Ziyang who had ambushed him from behind. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to die at the hands of such an insignificant junior disciple.
After finishing him with one sword, Deng Ziyang did not linger. Dragging the corpse, he quickly retreated into a nearby cave, vanishing in moments.
Naturally, no one cared about infighting between two disciples of the Nine Demon Sect.
At this moment, that black-clad First Grade, taking advantage of Chen Ming striking down his companion, let out a furious roar. From the space between his brows seeped a bead of crimson blood—none other than the Blood God Bead.
The moment the Blood God Bead appeared, an overwhelming terror surged into the hearts of everyone present, as though they had encountered their natural enemy.
That blood-red bead radiated an aura of dread—it was a power beyond the First Grade.
Chen Ming felt a wave of evil, filthy spiritual impact crash into him. His head boomed, momentarily dizzy.
“Got you!”
The black-clad First Grade laughed wildly, “Go to hell!”
He drove the Blood God Bead straight toward Chen Ming.
This was sheer suppression by realm. Using the Blood God Bead as a medium, this man amplified his divine sense tenfold, converting it into an indiscriminate attack that assaulted the opponent’s mind.
So long as the Blood God Bead touched him, it would instantly drain him of blood essence and kill him on the spot.
Buzz!
At that moment, the Taiyue Sword in Chen Ming’s hand lit up with an earthen-yellow glow, shaking off the filthy, evil spiritual assault.
His mind instantly cleared. He once again invoked the ninth layer of the Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens, appearing behind the black-clad First Grade, and with a single sweep of his long sword, blood sprayed forth.
“No—”
The black-clad First Grade roared furiously. Even after his head was severed, he did not die immediately, his headless body lunging toward Chen Ming.
Chen Ming struck once more, shattering the man’s heart into dust.
【You have slain an LV93 enemy, gaining 1.8 million experience points.】
After confirming that the man was truly dead, Chen Ming cautiously eyed the Blood God Bead. He watched as it abruptly turned and pounced on the black-clad First Grade’s corpse.
In an instant, the body shriveled into a dry husk, while the blood-red bead rolled onto the ground, gleaming with sinister light.
Everyone present felt their scalps tingle. This Nine Demon Sect was even more grotesque than the legends—its cultivation not only consumed life but even devoured its own after death.
They were all martial prodigies, arrogant and ambitious, destined at least for First Grade, with hope of Divine Repository Realm in the future. Naturally, none of them would ever consider cultivating such an evil art.
Chen Ming thought for a moment, then decided to collect the bead. He did not touch it with his hand but used the Taiyue Sword to lift it into a jade box.
After all, the corpse of a Divine Repository Realm expert lay here. If the Blood God Bead were left unchecked, who knew if it might consume that corpse and forge some horrific monster.
Buzz… buzz…
The Taiyue Sword seemed to protest, unwilling to touch such a vile object.
Chen Ming carefully soothed it, channeling a strand of true essence through the Nurturing Artifact Art. Only then did it quiet down, sending him a thread of joyful intent.
He sheathed the Taiyue Sword, then turned to Yu Haitang and said, “Many thanks, Miss Yu, for covering me.”
He made no mention of how she had stood idle, watching him risk death just moments ago.
With her personality, the fact that she hadn’t struck him while allying with the Nine Demon Sect was already fortune enough.
Yu Haitang’s gaze shifted as she smiled faintly, “Sister truly has remarkable means. With but Second Grade cultivation, you slew a First Grade across realms. Such strength is rare under heaven. Before long, Sister will surely be famed across the land.”
At her feet, Jin Yu lay, his life or death uncertain.
Moments earlier, when he had tried to flee upon sensing danger, she had captured him.
Chen Ming said, “A First Grade of the demonic path is hardly worth mention. With your strength, it would not have been difficult for you to deal with him as well.”
This was no mere courtesy. Within the Cult of Eternal Life, disciples of the Nine Demon Sect were the weakest. They could flaunt themselves at lower grades, but upon reaching Third Grade, they were often no match for peers of the same level.
After all, their strength was not forged through bitter cultivation, and their combat techniques lacked refinement. They relied solely on suppressing others with realm advantage.
Of course, even if they were weak, a gap of one great realm was still vast. To cross realms and kill them was proof of monstrous talent—nearly invincible among peers.
Chen Ming changed the subject, “The urgent matter now is to interrogate this man and find a way out of here.”
“Hahaha—”
Suddenly, Jin Yu, lying on the ground, burst out laughing wildly. “Want to leave this place? Dream on! Stay here and be buried with me, hahaha…”
His words drew curses from the injured survivors.
Chen Ming frowned. This man had clearly lost his mind. If he had truly resolved to drag everyone to their deaths, there might be nothing they could do.
After all, the soul fragment of the Undying Demon Venerable had already been extinguished. Chen Ming could no longer devour his soul to search his memories.
Suddenly, he glanced at Yu Haitang. Seeing her calm and confident, he said, “Looks like Miss Yu knows how to leave this place.”
Yu Haitang said, “This is a Secret Realm. As long as one among us becomes its master, leaving will be easy.”
He asked, “And how does one become the master of this Secret Realm?”
“Very simple.”
As she spoke, Yu Haitang suddenly kicked out, striking Jin Yu’s throat dead on, killing him instantly. Then, with a flick of her hand, an object flew out from his bosom and landed in her palm.
It was a dark red token, seemingly carved of some kind of jade.
When Chen Ming saw it, his heart stirred. This jade token looked somewhat similar to the one Xie Jianqiu had carried…
Yu Haitang smiled. “Once the previous master dies, one only needs to leave an imprint on the token to become the master of the Secret Realm.”
A flash of azure true essence lit up the token in her hand, glowing dark red.
With a wave, everyone else present vanished.
Toying with the token, Yu Haitang said, “Alright, the irrelevant ones are gone. Now we can talk.”
“Talk about what?”
Chen Ming’s face remained calm, but tension stirred within. Had she recognized him?
“No need to be nervous, Sister. I only want to ask—can you share Senior Jin’s martial art with me? I will surely repay the favor.”
So that was her aim.
Chen Ming exhaled quietly. “You jest, Sister. Where would I have such a martial art?”
Yu Haitang said, “Since you obtained the Taiyue Sword, you are naturally Senior Jin’s successor. If I’m not mistaken, Senior Jin would have left his cultivation art within the spirit of his divine weapon. You need only look, and you will know.”
Could it be so?
Chen Ming tried to communicate with the spirit of the Taiyue Sword. Sure enough, he received affirmation. Suddenly, a cultivation method flowed into his mind.
When Yu Haitang saw her standing there motionless, eyes unfocused, she knew at once she was receiving the inheritance of the Mysterious Earth True Art.
For a while, she would not wake.
Yu Haitang’s figure suddenly flashed and disappeared, heading deep into the cave.
…
Not long after, Yu Haitang appeared outside a cavern hundreds of meters deep. Inside sat Deng Ziyang. She said, “Congratulations, on breaking through to Second Grade.”
At Deng Ziyang’s brow, a rounded Blood God Bead was slowly merging. Opening his eyes, he looked at her coldly. “You’re not afraid people will discover your collusion with the fiends of the Nine Demon Sect?”
“What is there to fear? At worst, I can always join the Cult of Eternal Life.”
Deng Ziyang dismissed her words. Nothing this woman said could be trusted. “What do you want from me?”
“This time, an accident occurred. Your Second Senior Brother’s Blood God Bead was taken by that Yuan Ziyi who appeared from nowhere. Without it, you cannot advance to First Grade. Are you confident you can refine that old Jin’s corpse?”
Deng Ziyang glanced at the token in her hand and sneered, “If I say I cannot, would you let me go?”
Yu Haitang said flatly, “If you wish to leave, I can send you out right now. You are his friend, after all. I would rather not see the world lose yet another who remembers him.”
Deng Ziyang was silent for a moment, then spoke gravely, “Rest assured. What I promised, I will fulfill. Once I refine that Divine Repository corpse, I will certainly help you eliminate Pan Zhiyuan.”
Yu Haitang looked deeply at him, then turned and left.
This was their pact. Back in the Fire Element Space, had she not shielded him, weak as he was then, Deng Ziyang would have been killed on the spot.
This time too, it had been he who warned her in advance of the Nine Demon Sect’s conspiracy.
The two had agreed to play along.
Only, the sudden appearance of Yuan Ziyi had disrupted their plans.
Fortunately, things had still gone largely in their favor.
So long as she obtained the Mysterious Earth True Art, this trip had not been in vain.
Whether Deng Ziyang could ascend to First Grade would depend on his own fortune.
Moments later, Yu Haitang returned to the pool. Yuan Ziyi still stood there, vacant-eyed.
Nearly a quarter of an hour later, she finally stirred, clearly having received the inheritance.
Yu Haitang said, “Well? I didn’t lie to you, did I?”
Chen Ming nodded. “This Xuanwu Divine Art I can give you, but on one condition.”
In the intent transmitted from the Taiyue Sword, this art bore precisely this name.
Yu Haitang said, “Speak.”
“I want the first three layers of this art.” Chen Ming continued before she could reply, “And don’t tell me you don’t have them. You schemed so hard to obtain this cultivation. There’s no way you’d risk coming here for an incomplete art.
“With your talent and cultivation, facing such danger, you would never pursue something missing its foundations. I am certain, Miss Yu, that you do not lack the missing layers, am I right?”
Yu Haitang’s gaze toward this woman grew more and more peculiar. “You seem to know me quite well?”
“Then, does Miss Yu agree to my condition?”
“Of course. No matter how one looks at it, this deal favors me.”
“In that case, all the better.”