Immortal Martial Emperor

"Did I fail?"

A flicker of despair and bitterness flashed in Hong Yu’s eyes.

’Relying on the Heart of Tai Sui to quickly break through to the Peak of the First Layer of the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique was my only chance of survival.’

But now...

’I’ve only managed to cultivate the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique to the Late First Layer. There’s still a gap to the Peak Realm.’

But on the Martial Dao, the slightest deviation can lead you a thousand miles astray.

The subtle gap between the Late Stage and the Peak was enough to extinguish his only chance of survival.

"How could this be?"

Hong Yu felt a wave of sorrow, his face etched with bitterness.

"No, until the very end, there’s always a sliver of hope! The heavens can’t possibly want me dead. There must still be a chance!"

Hong Yu suddenly clenched his fists.

His Spiritual Power had been rising so continuously that he had ignored the excruciating pain in his chest. Now that the increase had stagnated, the sharp, stabbing pain erupted like a bursting dam.

Fortunately, Hong Yu was a man of great perseverance.

Gritting his teeth, he rallied his spirit and used the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique to send his Spiritual Power into the Heart of Tai Sui.

He searched again and again, but found nothing.

Hong Yu’s heart gradually sank.

"Wait..."

At the brink of despair, Hong Yu’s eyes suddenly lit up. ’I remember the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique mentioning that some special types of Spiritual Power are undetectable. They can be hidden anywhere. This type of Spiritual Power can even be stronger than the Spiritual Power within the core, but it’s mostly in a dormant state.’

The type of Spiritual Power mentioned in the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique is actually what people often call intuition—or to be more precise, a ’Sixth Sense’!

Legend has it that some people are born with the ability to seek fortune and avoid disaster, able to sense danger before it arrives.

This is because a portion of the hidden Spiritual Power in their bodies has awakened, giving them a stronger intuitive sense than ordinary people.

However, this type of Spiritual Power is very difficult to control; it tends to be more of an instinctual behavior.

Ordinary powerhouses can’t even fully master the core Spiritual Power they can control, so who would have the mind to study this hidden, dormant Spiritual Power?

Only a peerless expert of Spiritual Power, like the one who created the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique, would delve into and research this field. Hong Yu had only found the theory intriguing and given it a few extra glances before, but unexpectedly, it had now become his lifeline at this critical moment!

’The Thousand-Year Tai Sui itself was enormous. Before it formed the Heart of Tai Sui, it moved purely on instinct. So, its body should also contain hidden Spiritual Power. But guiding this Spiritual Power out to be devoured will be incredibly difficult...’

Given the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s immense size, just refining the Spiritual Power within it would likely take a great deal of effort.

And time was what Hong Yu lacked most.

Hesitating, Hong Yu frowned. ’I wonder if that will work.’

After some thought, Hong Yu decided to give it a try.

"Xingchen reverse, Heaven and Earth Star River..."

As the vast Spell was cast, the Star River within his left Cyan Eyes began to slowly turn.

Streams of blue Spiritual Energy flowed out from the ninety-nine blue Xingchen on the outermost ring, forming a long river of blue starlight.

BUZZ! BUZZ!

Under Hong Yu’s guidance, the vast Spiritual Energy seeped into the body of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

The Spiritual Power transformed into tens, even hundreds of thousands of fine threads, pouring into the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s body to search.

This Spiritual Power was extremely potent and sharp. Wherever it passed, it effortlessly located the dormant Spiritual Power distributed throughout the Tai Sui’s body.

’Excellent! Now, it’s time to devour and absorb to my heart’s content!’

Hong Yu gasped in excitement.

The Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique and the Star River both began operating at their absolute limit.

The Celestial Martial Origin Star at the center of the Star River, in particular, spun with frantic speed. One rotation, two rotations... In the blink of an eye, it was spinning so fast its trajectory was a blur. The only thing discernible was that the ninety-nine blue Xingchen on the outermost ring were growing ever more brilliant and dazzling.

Within his eye, a deep blue hue flashed intermittently, like a phantom blue dragon.

"Hm? It’s really working! The devouring has begun!"

His eyebrows shot up. Hong Yu was beside himself with excitement.

He had thought his last sliver of hope was gone, only for the tables to turn so dramatically.

’Given the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s immense size, the latent Silent Destruction Spiritual Power within its body is likely even more terrifying than that in the Heart of Tai Sui. Breaking through to the Peak of the First Layer of the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique should be no problem.’

Moreover...

’With the reserves of latent Spiritual Power in the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s body, will I really stop at just the Peak of the First Layer?’

Even Hong Yu himself wasn’t sure anymore.

BZZZZZ!

His Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique was constantly improving, having already reached the critical point of the Late First Layer, on the verge of a breakthrough.

But just then, the Star River within his left Cyan Eyes suddenly played the part of Cheng Yaojin, disrupting everything!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Star River’s rotation speed increased a full tenfold as it began to snatch the massive amount of Spiritual Power being drawn from the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

Under this thieving assault, the blue lights within the Star River grew more and more numerous.

From the initial ninety-nine, the number had now grown to one hundred and fifty-three.

And it was still increasing!

This devouring process lasted for three full days and nights. It wasn’t until the fourth day that the frantically spinning Star River finally slowed down, as if it had eaten its fill.

By now, the number of pale blue Xingchen on the Star River’s periphery had reached a terrifying nine hundred and ninety-nine!

BUZZ!

The Star River quietly stopped spinning, and the entire expanse trembled.

A clear feeling suddenly arose in Hong Yu’s mind.

His Spiritual Power had undergone a transformation, a fundamental metamorphosis like a golden-scaled fish turning into a dragon.

’When there were ninety-nine blue ice stars, my Spiritual Power was comparable to the Late-stage Celestial Soul Realm. The Ice Divine Blade was enough to instantly kill a Mid-stage Celestial Soul Realm powerhouse, and even Zheng Tian would have been affected to some extent.’

’Now that it has grown again to a massive nine hundred and ninety-nine Xingchen, if I use the Ice Divine Blade, I’m afraid even an Early-stage Primordial Core Realm expert would be affected!’

Filled with excitement and confidence, Hong Yu took a deep breath. ’Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique, break through!’

BUZZ!

The Star River spun once more, and propelled by a massive amount of Spiritual Power, the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique broke through again.

Peak of the First Layer...

And it was still rising. In his mind, upon the Star River Celestial Spirit Bone, a golden Hexagram slowly condensed.

Hong Yu’s entire body trembled as the Hexagram fully formed.

He slowly opened his eyes, a look of shocked ecstasy in them. "The Second Layer of the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique?"

The Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique has nine layers in total. When each layer is cultivated to Perfection, a Hexagram Spiritual Brand is imprinted upon the Soul.

Since Hong Yu’s Soul was under the Shelter of the Star River Celestial Spirit Bone, the Hexagram Spiritual Brand naturally formed on it.

He felt stronger than ever before. With just a glance, his Spiritual Power would unconsciously swirl in his eyes, allowing him to perceive every minute detail and grasp the true nature of things.

He could even seem to hear the babbling stream outside, right through the corpse of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

"This feeling... it’s like everything is under my control!"

Hong Yu took a deep breath, his heart wild with joy.

Although he had expected the amount of latent Silent Destruction Spiritual Power in the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s body to be immense, he never imagined it would allow him to directly break through to the Second Layer of the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique.

Of course, Hong Yu was also aware that this was most likely inextricably linked to his Star River Spirit Bone.

「After a long while...」

Hong Yu slowly stood up. The vast Spiritual Power from his left eye gathered in his chest, weaving a net of Spiritual Power that enveloped his heart and all other vital organs.

This was the method he was using to maintain his bodily functions.

’With my current strength, I can now instantly kill a Late-stage Celestial Soul Realm cultivator without relying on trump cards like the Ice Divine Blade or the Senluo Seal!’

Hong Yu murmured, ’Even a Peak Powerhouse of the Celestial Soul Realm, I could kill using ordinary Martial Skill. However, if I were to face Primordial Core Realm experts like Xue De and Wang Ba, I’m still not strong enough. Not unless I can break my Elemental Power Cultivation through to the Peak of Celestial Soul Realm and also break through to the Seventh Transformation of the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique...’

At this thought, Hong Yu decided to leave the body of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

Arriving in the cavern outside...

A ghastly Leng Yi came from all sides, but Hong Yu’s eyes widened as he stared, dumbfounded, at the dazzling array of Elemental Ore surrounding him.

"Holy crap! There’s enough Elemental Ore here for me to break through to the Second Layer of the Primordial Gang Fighting Technique and reach the Primordial Core Realm!"

Hong Yu clenched his fists in excitement, but then said pensively, ’However, I’ve only comprehended one type of True Martial Arts Intent, the Vibrating Rune Technique. Now isn’t the best time to break through. I should wait until I’ve comprehended other True Martial Arts Intents—at least two that can complement each other—before I make my move.’

True Martial Arts Intent is one of the key factors in measuring the strength and potential of a Primordial Core Realm expert.

Some geniuses could even comprehend several True Martial Arts Intents while in the Celestial Soul Realm before breaking through to the Primordial Core Realm. Hong Yu was unwilling to be one of the weaklings who only possessed a single one.

’Right, I can have the Godslaying Spear try to devour the corpse of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui. In the meantime, I should cultivate the Primordial Gang Fighting Technique to the Perfection of the First Layer as quickly as possible and raise my cultivation to the Peak of Celestial Soul Realm.’

’Once I break through to the Peak of Celestial Soul Realm, I can start charging toward the Seventh Transformation of the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique. At that time, my injuries will surely be completely healed!’

With a flick of his fingers, the Godslaying Spear shot out and bored into the body of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

A faint golden light could be seen flashing on the Godslaying Spear, and the part of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s corpse where it was embedded gradually began to shrivel.

"It’s really working!"

Hong Yu let out an excited low growl, his eyes glinting with a strange light.

Even with its First Layer of the Seal unopened, the Godslaying Spear was already of Spirit Level Middle Grade quality. If he could open the First Layer of the Seal, its power would certainly rise to another level, which would be even more helpful for increasing his own strength!

’Next, I’ll focus all my efforts on the Primordial Gang Fighting Technique. After I break through, it’ll be time to settle my scores and take my revenge...’

Hong Yu took a deep breath, and the look in his eyes grew increasingly sharp, like a blood-stained blade...

"Wang Ba, Xue De, Wang Fei, Qi Tianbao... all of you, wash your necks and wait for me!"