Chapter Twenty-Two: News of the Yanhuang Divine Sword, Late Stage of the Earth Spirit Realm

This fluctuation was incredibly intense, akin to the surge of emotion a dying man, having trekked through a desert for days, feels upon catching sight of a water source.

"What is this?"

Huo Qing frowned. He felt a faint, lingering sensation that the Ancestral Sword was guiding him forward.

"Over there?"

Huo Qing’s gaze fixed on a corner. There was no trace of spiritual energy there; it was covered in dust, clearly a place long neglected by everyone.

Carrying his doubts, Huo Qing walked over.

Hum!

As he drew closer, the vibration of the Ancestral Sword grew increasingly violent. The resonance was so strong that it made Huo Qing’s very heart tremble.

Tap...

Huo Qing finally arrived before a stone pedestal. It was a circular surface upon which lay a piece of red paper radiating a searing heat. On the paper were intricately complex, obscure patterns, and from it, a faint, sharp sword aura emanated.

"What is this?!"

Huo Qing stared fixedly at the paper, his heart filled with uncontrollable shock.

Boom!

As if a deafening roar had erupted from within his body, the Ancestral Sword took flight uncontrollably. On its mottled blade, one of the ten empty grooves lit up!

It was the crimson, sword-shaped emblem in the very center!

"This is... the Yanhuang Divine Sword from the Primordial Divine Swords?!"

Huo Qing felt as if his heart had skipped a beat. He stared intently at the winding lines on the red paper, finally discovering a fierce, fiery-red longsword at the end of them.

The area around the lines was filled with mist, obscuring his view.

That fiery-red longsword looked as though it were forged from the flames of chaos, its entire body radiating a terrifying heat. Just by staring at it, Huo Qing felt as if his own heart were about to ignite.

"This is a map to the Yanhuang Divine Sword!"

A tempest raged in Huo Qing’s heart. He had never expected that the Spirit Value Hall of the Canglan Sword Sect would actually sell something of this nature!

"To think that I would find news of a Primordial Divine Sword so soon after entering the Canglan Sword Sect..."

Huo Qing muttered to himself, his heart filled with irrepressible ecstasy. Once he found the Primordial Divine Sword, it meant he could finally wield the Ancestral Sword!

Everything he possessed was bestowed upon him by the Ancestral Sword; naturally, he was filled with anticipation for the power he would command once he truly held it in his hands!

He shifted his gaze to check the price, and his expression immediately froze.

Thirty thousand spirit values!

This was tens of times more expensive than even those Grade Four spirit arts!

"Why didn't I think to have them exchange all their spirit crystals for spirit values for me earlier..."

Huo Qing rubbed his forehead, feeling quite helpless.

"It seems that from now on, besides cultivation, my focus must shift toward earning spirit values."

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Huo Qing exited the hall.

"Next, I should proceed with creating the Demon-Slaying Pill and break through to the late stage of the Earth Spirit Realm as soon as possible. That way, I won't have to risk my life whenever I face someone in the late stage of the Heaven Spirit Realm."

Taking a deep breath, Huo Qing took out the materials required for the Demon-Slaying Pill and prepared to begin.

...

In a quiet courtyard.

"What? You mean to tell me that the three of you combined couldn't defeat that Huo Qing?!"

Zhang Mingyuan slammed his hand onto the table, his eyes widening as he stared in disbelief at Yan Hao and his two companions who had come to report.

The three of them looked listless and dejected.

"Yes, Big Brother. That Huo Qing’s spiritual energy seems to contain an extremely sharp sword aura. The moment we made contact with him, it invaded our bodies, causing excruciating pain."

Li Qing and Chen Feng, upon hearing this, felt a surge of anger mixed with expectation. They hoped that Zhang Mingyuan would take action and teach Huo Qing a harsh lesson.

Zhang Mingyuan’s expression was one of uncertainty. According to their account, they had been completely defeated by Huo Qing in just two moves. Even if they had cheated, it shouldn't have been that exaggerated.

"Could this guy actually have some real skill?"

Zhang Mingyuan muttered.

"Big Brother, what do you think?"

Zhang Mingyuan narrowed his eyes and let out a cold sneer.

"I want to see for myself whether he really has talent or if he is relying on some special cheating method. Rest assured, anyone who wants to hurt someone under me, Zhang Mingyuan, must pay the price!"

Zhang Mingyuan’s eyes were filled with killing intent. He was considered a once-in-a-century prodigy in his own family; for Huo Qing to dare show such disdain for him, he wanted to see exactly where this guy got his confidence!

Hearing this, the three of them were overjoyed, sneering in their hearts. Huo Qing, now that a Heaven Spirit Realm middle-stage expert is coming for you, you should be kneeling and begging for mercy! I don't believe that no matter how monstrous you are, you can fight across an entire major realm!

Once you are kneeling before Big Brother Zhang begging for mercy, I will take back everything I lost. Not only that, I will make you apologize to me in person!

Yan Hao grinned cruelly.

...

In the quiet courtyard, black energy was currently swirling, and dark spiritual energy rose up, accompanied by an unpleasant, rotting stench that spread throughout the area.

In the center of the black mist, Huo Qing sat cross-legged, gritting his teeth. Sweat dripped from his forehead; he was clearly enduring immense pain.

At one moment, he snapped his eyes open and snatched up the black medicinal pill at his feet, swallowing it.

As the pill entered his mouth, a chilling sensation began to permeate his body. The Black Demon Energy within him trembled violently, finally being forced toward the tips of his ten fingers.

"Seal!"

Huo Qing let out a low shout. The sinister Black Demon Energy reacted like snow meeting a scorching sun, rapidly collapsing and eventually vanishing without a trace.

"Phew... finally done..."

Huo Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead, a look of joy appearing on his face.

After sealing this Black Demon Energy, he could use the Black Demon Finger at will in the future without worrying about a backlash.

"However, this thing still has a limit on its uses. Once the Black Demon Energy is consumed, it needs to be replenished. If I hadn't been in such a rush to return that day, I would have gone directly to the Black Demon Abyss to retrieve more."

He shook his head with regret. The Black Demon Finger was a powerful trump card that could often produce unexpected results; he didn't want to give it up easily.

Furthermore, he was very curious to see the fully mastered Black Demon God Body.

"I'll find another chance."

Huo Qing stood up, but his brow suddenly furrowed as he discovered that the spiritual energy within his body was surging uncontrollably.

Feeling the turbulent spiritual energy like a rising tide, the corner of Huo Qing’s mouth curled slightly. It seemed that his breakthrough to the late stage of the Earth Spirit Realm was about to happen naturally.

He had been constantly battling and challenging his limits, and the spiritual energy in his body had long since met the criteria for a breakthrough. Combined with the immense spiritual energy bestowed upon him by the Ancestral Sword, this breakthrough would inevitably be another massive increase in his strength.

He sat cross-legged within a waterfall of spiritual energy, allowing his body to withstand the violent onslaught. Under this constant scouring, the spiritual energy within him became increasingly formidable.

At a certain moment, the vortex of spiritual energy in his dantian suddenly contracted, then exploded outward. Huo Qing’s body shuddered, and a sense of clarity washed over his mind like rippling water.

"Success!"

Huo Qing stretched, and a series of crisp cracking sounds echoed from his body.

"Time to check the Mission Hall."

Huo Qing pondered for a moment before stepping out of the courtyard gate.

"Huo Qing, I sincerely invite you to join my faction. Are you really unwilling?"

A somewhat earnest voice suddenly came from behind him, and Huo Qing stopped in his tracks.