Immortal Martial Emperor

The Enchanting Python was incredibly fast.

Its cavernous mouth was just about to bite Hong Yu’s head off.

Off to the side, Feng Xue Xin’s eyes were glazed over. Under the Enchanting Python’s Enchantment Technique, he was unable to react in time.

"CRUNCH!"

The Enchanting Python flashed past.

Its massive, sharp teeth pierced through Hong Yu’s body. With a twist of its own body, it ripped his head clean off and swallowed it whole.

"HISSS!"

The Enchanting Python hissed toward the sky.

It was incredibly excited!

In fact, as the Overlord of this Poisonous Fog Swamp, the Enchanting Python had always followed its own code for hunting: it did not kill the strong!

The Enchanting Python was extremely cunning. It would only strike opponents it felt it could clearly hunt and kill.

As for those it wasn’t confident in defeating, it would simply choose to remain submerged in the Poisonous Fog Swamp.

Or it would flee far away!

This time, facing Hong Yu and Feng Xue Xin, the Enchanting Python was actually a little hesitant. The auras emanating from the two made it feel wary, and it hadn’t planned to attack.

But...

...there was an aura fluctuation on Hong Yu that it found extremely alluring.

That was precisely why the Enchanting Python had decided to attack Hong Yu.

"HISSS!"

The Enchanting Python writhed in excitement, plunging headfirst into the swamp. It thrashed its massive body, sending clumps of mud flying into the air.

High on its victory, the Enchanting Python swam through the swamp.

A moment later, its head poked out of the swamp again.

"Hiss?"

The excited Enchanting Python froze.

Its cold eyes stared blankly, looking forward in stunned disbelief.

Before it, Hong Yu—who should have been dead—had reappeared in the air, smiling as he watched it.

"ROAR!"

The Enchanting Python let out another startled roar and charged.

Hong Yu conjured a Primordial Gang Hand and, with a "SWOOSH," seized the Enchanting Python.

The Enchanting Python used its Enchantment Technique again. As Hong Yu’s mind went blank, the python lunged, its cavernous mouth once again tearing his head off. Blood gushed like a fountain as the python writhed in excitement and dove back into the mud.

It thrashed and rolled about in exhilaration.

A few moments later...

The Enchanting Python reemerged, its eyes once again filled with confusion and terror.

Because there, before it, Hong Yu had appeared again, completely unharmed.

"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!"

The Enchanting Python was on the verge of a breakdown.

’How could Hong Yu, whose neck I bit clean off, have appeared again? How is he still alive?’

’How is this possible?’

However, after it had repeated the process of "killing" Hong Yu for the sixth time, only to see him standing unharmed before it for the seventh, the Enchanting Python was hysterical. It dove frantically into the mud, trembling uncontrollably, and didn’t dare come out again.

「Meanwhile.」

In the air dozens of meters away, Feng Xue Xin stared in astonishment and confusion at the large creature trembling in the swamp. "Junior Brother Hong... Hong, what in the world is going on?"

How could Feng Xue Xin not be confused?

Just moments ago, he had watched as Hong Yu was about to be killed by the Enchanting Python. But at the critical moment, Hong Yu had somehow, as if by a stroke of luck, pulled him away and out of the python’s attack range.

Then, he saw the Enchanting Python acting as if it had gone mad.

One moment it would charge out of the swamp, snapping its jaws at empty air, and the next it would be thrashing about in the mud. This repeated several times until it was finally hiding in the swamp, trembling. How could he not be bewildered?

Hong Yu laughed. "Senior Brother Feng, this is a new Pupil Technique I’ve mastered: Maze City!"

"Pupil Technique? Maze City?"

Feng Xue Xin was taken aback.

He had naturally heard of Pupil Techniques before. Some Spiritual Power Cultivators were accustomed to finding a conductor, or a medium, to channel their Spiritual Power and launch attacks.

For example, Prince Zhui Ri’s medium for his Spiritual Power was those two blue wheels of light.

Pupil Techniques were a type of Secret Technique that used the eyes as the medium for Spiritual Power attacks.

Pupil Techniques were also divided into several categories, such as the auxiliary-type ’Clairvoyance’, Hong Yu’s previously purely offensive Ice Divine Blade, and now his Maze City, an Illusion Technique-type Pupil Technique.

"Actually, I created this Maze City in a flash of inspiration while watching the Enchanting Python’s attack!" Hong Yu said with a smile.

The Enchanting Python’s Enchantment Technique was, in fact, a type of Pupil Technique.

It was just that the Enchanting Python’s Pupil Technique was clearly quite crude, merely creating an illusion for its opponent and paralyzing them.

But Hong Yu’s Illusion Technique, Maze City, was completely different!

His Pupil Technique, Maze City, focused more on combining illusion with reality.

Just like what happened to the Enchanting Python. After being caught in Hong Yu’s Pupil Technique, Maze City, it had been stuck in the memory of that single moment.

Even though Hong Yu and Feng Xue Xin had long since moved from their original spot.

In the Enchanting Python’s eyes and consciousness, Hong Yu and Feng Xue Xin were still there.

It was relying on memory and instinct, trapped in an Illusion Realm, endlessly repeating its memory of that instant and attacking again and again.

Of course, if the Enchanting Python’s Spiritual Power was stronger than Hong Yu’s, it would have been able to break through Maze City’s illusion.

If its Spiritual Power were many times stronger than Hong Yu’s, it could even have used it to counterattack and trap Hong Yu in Maze City instead.

"Holy crap, you son of a— you’re awesome now!" Feng Xue Xin clapped his hands together, exclaiming excitedly.

Now that Hong Renjie was dead, the Blood Curse on him had naturally vanished. Plus, with Hong Yu having promised to help him return to the Cyan Nether Sword Sect and rescue Luoo Xiaoguai, Master Xin’s foodie instincts were gradually taking over his reason again.

Hong Yu was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Master Xin laughed heartily. "Next time we find something delicious, but there’s not much of it, hit me with Maze City while I’m eating so I can enjoy it a few more times!"

Hong Yu was speechless. He nearly cursed out loud: ’Are you serious?!’

After the two traded a few jabs, they followed the perception of their Spiritual Plates and found the golden key in the swamp.

With the key in hand, the two of them walked side-by-side on the air, heading toward the exit of the Illusionary Forest.

The total area of the Illusionary Forest wasn’t that large.

At their speed, they soon reached the edge of the Illusionary Forest. Yao Yueye and Jian Chen were already waiting there, along with several other powerhouses.

The four of them exchanged nods.

Yao Yueye glanced at Hong Yu before closing his eyes to rest, but Hong Yu could sense a strong fighting spirit radiating from him.

The corners of his lips curved up slightly. Looking at Yao Yueye ahead, Hong Yu also felt a trace of excitement and irrepressible anticipation. ’Yao Yueye, the recognized number one genius of the Southern Ten Nations, a First Transformation Heavenly True Dragon Demon Fiend. I wonder if there’s still any gap between us?’

Thinking back to a few days ago, outside the gates of Yaoyue City, Yao Yueye had been high and mighty, like a mortal representative of the deities, so arrogant he wouldn’t even deign to glance at him.

But now, times had changed!

His own strength had already conquered Yao Yueye, even making this lofty First Transformation Heavenly True Dragon Demon Fiend, who looked down on everyone, personally challenge him.

This change in identity and status was precisely the result of strength.

"So that’s Hong Yu?"

"Stop staring. Be careful or he’ll get angry and kill you with a single strike."

"No way, he can’t be that tyrannical, can he?"

"Don’t forget what happened with Prince Zhui Ri, one of the Four True Dragons. Someone just accidentally dripped some vegetable juice on his clothes, and he cut off both of the person’s hands."

The group of powerhouses muttered amongst themselves, secretly sizing Hong Yu up from the corners of their eyes before quickly lowering their heads.

Hong Yu rubbed his nose, feeling a bit helpless.

Even now, he still didn’t quite understand why some so-called geniuses or powerful people could bully others so matter-of-factly.

At least... in Hong Yu’s mind, no similar thoughts had ever arisen.

’Do what I should do, and strive for what I need to achieve.’ That was Hong Yu’s most fundamental way of thinking at the moment.

’The top four from the Southern Ten Nations Martial Competition will be able to go to the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom to participate in the True Dragon Ranking Battle. Those who rank in the top one hundred in the True Dragon Ranking Battle will represent the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom in the Southern Border Holy Assembly.’

A sharp light glinted in Hong Yu’s eyes. ’Only by placing in the top one hundred at the Southern Border Holy Assembly can I participate in the Five Domains Holy Assembly. If I want to borrow the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom’s regional Teleportation Array, I have to rank in the top one hundred at the Southern Border Holy Assembly at the very least!’

This wasn’t Hong Yu being needlessly modest.

It was just that the entire Southern Border was far, far too vast!

Powerhouses like Xiahuang Shang, a Fifth Transformation Heavenly True Dragon, were already in the Primordial Embryo Realm long ago.

He had gotten too late of a start.

Just as the Master of White Cloud Peak and the Netherworld Mansion Lord had said, his talent and late start had put him too far behind others. With his current strength, among the several hundred alliances in the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom, he would probably only rank in the middle to lower tiers.

Even if you calculated four people per alliance, that would still mean over a thousand people would be heading to the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom, and many alliances had even more members.

If he wanted to participate in the Southern Border Holy Assembly, he had to, at the very least, break into the top one hundred among all these people!

’If I want to break into the top one hundred in the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom, I’ll have enough confidence as long as I can raise my cultivation to the Late-stage Primordial Core Realm. But...’

Hong Yu rubbed his nose, a little helpless. ’If I want to break into the top one hundred at the Southern Border Holy Assembly, I’d have to break through to the Primordial Embryo Realm. But... that seems a bit difficult!’

Just then, a voice came from the void, interrupting Hong Yu’s thoughts.

"Congratulations, you have all completed the second stage, the Illusionary Forest. The third stage will be a test for you, but also an opportunity and a reward!"

The faint voice spoke calmly. "This stage is called the ’Fallen Tower.’"

"The Fallen Tower?"

Hong Yu was stunned.

Everyone else looked just as bewildered.

Space trembled slightly, and a massive tower slowly materialized before them.

"Everyone, please enter the tower!"

Hong Yu and the others entered the Fallen Tower side-by-side.

「Meanwhile...」

Inside the Array’s control center, Xiahuang Shang was assigning opponents to the powerhouses in the Fallen Tower according to their respective results.

Only Hong Yu and Yao Yueye were left. Xiahuang Shang looked at the two Spiritual Plates in his hand, hesitating.

Hai Cangtian, who was standing to the side, glanced over and fixed his eyes on one of the Spiritual Plates with a sinister grin...

"Aiya, what’s there to hesitate about? Just give this one to Hong Yu!"

Before anyone could react, Hai Cangtian snatched the Spiritual Plate and assigned Hong Yu’s opponent in the Fallen Tower.

Gazing at that Spiritual Plate, Xiahuang Shang frowned, his expression turning grim...

"Hai Cangtian, do you know what you’re doing? Are you trying to get Hong Yu killed?"