Supreme Sword Exalt

Suddenly, their feet hit something hard. They arrived at the deepest part of this cavern. At the very center was a small pool about a zhang wide. Red liquid churned nonstop, lightning dancing around it like dragons and serpents, casting a red glow over most of the cavern.

The demoness appeared deep in thought. “This cavern should be the core of the Golden Lightning Beast. Who would’ve thought that even after so many years, a trace of yang lightning power still remains!”

Gu Han lamented, “Such a powerful creature died here...”

Sweeping his gaze around, he soon spotted a few broken jade talismans on a worn stone platform. They contained neither secret techniques nor divine powers, but only ordinary storybooks about talented scholars and beautiful maidens, love and hate, passion and resentment...

Judging by the size of the stone platform, there had to be quite a few placed there before, but now only this much remained.

Gu Han was speechless. So that’s where Yan Qi got that overly literary tone of his! He was completely poisoned by these things!

Finding such things within a literal beast's core was a bit strange, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Pushing down his doubts, he then came to the fire pool.

Feeling the waves of craving, he leaped straight into the fire pool. Forget whether I’m unlucky or not. I’m getting stronger first!

In an instant, an unbearably scorching heat spread through him. Even with a first-stage Indestructible Sword Physique, he still cracked inch by inch, countless fissures appearing all over him.

Enduring the pain, he immediately activated the Indestructible Sword Physique technique. Countless bolts of lightning surged through the cracks. Despite having less depth than heavenly lightning, the yang lightning had more dominance and ferocity.

As electricity coursed through him, traces of yang lightning qi kept flowing into him, fusing seamlessly with his flesh and blood. His strength rapidly increased again.

As time passed, he sank deeper and deeper into the pool. The scorching heat grew fiercer, while the lightning grew stronger. A fleeting and shadowy figure even appeared briefly.

***

The demoness grew a bit bored outside. Thus, she picked up the jade talismans and started reading them, occasionally letting out a soft sigh.

If only he and I could have a perfect ending like the ones depicted in these stories... How wonderful that would be...

***

As more and more barbarians entered the area, the vital qi within the Great Lu Mountains grew increasingly intense. Sang Ge’s group was naturally the strongest. Even the usually ferocious demonic beasts were trembling in fear, not daring to make the slightest sound.

The large man’s gaze showed a trace of confusion. “Young Master, you were right. He did flee into the Great Lu Mountains. Even though people kept spotting his tracks at first, no one had seen him for the past half day. We even found the place where he last fought, but there was simply no trace of him.”

Sang Ge remained expressionless. “He’s definitely still here. No matter how powerful he was, any fight would leave a disturbance. Since we can’t find him now, it seems he’s gone into hiding.”

Just then, another person flew over from a distance. “There seems to be a very strange place a few hundred li ahead! Many are heading there. Shall we go take a look?”

“Strange?”

The barbarian nodded. “Yes! According to those from the smaller tribes, there’s a patch of gray mist there. It seems to have hallucinogenic properties. Even people at the Heavenly Tribulation realm might not be able to get out once they enter.”

Sang Ge’s heart stirred. “Let’s go take a look!”

He came from a big tribe, so he had no interest in the flesh and blood of the demonic beasts here. In fact, his understanding of the Great Lu Mountains was less than that of the smaller tribes.

***

In the thick of the gray mist, Yan Qi slithered back and forth, carrying Ah Man and Tai Ji on his back. Originally, Tai Ji didn’t have long left to live since she had accumulated hidden injuries for too long. However, the Emerald Condensation Pill solved that. Although she still seemed somewhat aged, her posture had straightened considerably, and her spirit was much better than before.

She kept lecturing Ah Man, “Remember! That benefactor saved me, saved you, and gave you the barbarian inheritance. You must never do anything to wrong him!”

In truth, she knew a bit more than Ah Man. She had long guessed that Gu Han came from the Great Flame Empire. Nevertheless, since she came from the lowest rung of society, she didn’t know much about war and wasn’t interested in it. All she knew was that her own kin had taken everything from her. They killed her husband, treated her and her son as lesser, and drove them from their home.

Ironically, it was the supposed enemy who had helped them time and time again. That alone was enough for her.

Ah Man nodded heavily. “Right! I’ll remember that!”

The barbarian ancestor inheritance wasn’t so easy to digest. Despite absorbing only a trace of vital qi, he was about to break through the Essence Gathering realm. His demeanor grew increasingly simple and profound, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He seemed like a completely different person. Only the trace of innocence deep in his eyes remained the same.

Yan Qi sighed dejectedly. “Ah Man, Ah Man, you’ve really hit it big. When you become a big shot later, don’t forget me.”

Ah Man said with complete seriousness, “I won’t. You’re my friend. If it weren’t for you, we would’ve died long ago. I will definitely repay you.”

Yan Qi sighed wistfully. “Enough said. Back in the day, your grandfather saved my life. I may be a demonic beast, but I understand the principle of repaying kindness. If you make it big, just give me a chance to undergo the heavenly tribulation! Even if only once, I want to face it with my head held high.

“Among demonic beasts, I’m also a tough and unyielding good man. But what rotten luck... I’ve spent half my life curled up in this tiny place, with no place to pour out my passion... Fortune is fickle, fate is cruel...”

Ah Man scratched his head. “Aren’t you a python? Shouldn’t your blood be cold?”

Yan Qi flew into a rage. “Look here! You’re not even a big shot yet, and you’re already talking back to me. When you’ve got real power, are you going to want to eat my flesh too—”

Suddenly, waves of vital qi descended. They soon found themselves surrounded by dozens of expert barbarians. Only top-tier Heavenly Tribulation realm cultivators could move freely within the gray mist.

“Spare me, my lords!” Yan Qi’s blood went cold. He shrunk, quickly pressing his head against the ground. “My meat is sour, stinky, and tough. I’m not tasty at all!”

“It can talk?” A seemingly high-ranking barbarian stepped forward. He pinned Yan Qi down with a strand of vital qi, nearly crushing the snake’s internal organs. “Even better! Did you come from inside?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

“Did you see anyone? He’s very easy to recognize, he’s not a barbarian!”

Yan Qi shook his head wildly as tears streamed down. “No, no! My cultivation level is too low. I can’t even take human form. I never dare to wander around inside, so I don’t know much about the situation there either!”

He cursed inwardly. Ugh! A bunch of stinking barbarians! All they want to do is eat my flesh and bully me! But I'm tough, unyielding, and just! I do look down a little on that senior for being somewhat of a kept man, but he’s different from them! He spoke very gently, didn't use his cultivation to bully me, and even gave me pills! I will never betray him!

The barbarian’s expression turned cold, and his vital qi surged. “Worthless! Then why are you still alive?!”

Yan Qi begged pitifully, “Spare me, spare me! My lord, spare me!”

Another barbarian stopped that man and pointed at Ah Man. “Wait! Something’s off with this kid!”

The previous barbarian looked at Ah Man, his expression turning grave. “Something’s not right!”

Normally, as the lowest class among the barbarians, Ah Man wasn’t even worth a second glance. But now, Ah Man’s vital qi was far too pure. In fact, it was even purer than theirs, which was very off.

The barbarian was about to examine him more closely, when another dozen or so figures descended. Sang Ge had arrived.

***

Inside the fire pool in the cavern, Gu Han sank deeper and deeper. Strangely, the further down he went, the less intense the scorching heat and lightning felt. There was even a faint trace of yin cold qi.

Just then, he fully sank to the bottom of the pool with a soft sound. The bottom of the pool was hollow! It seemed to have existed for a very long time. The pool floor had long grown weak and brittle. As luck would have it, his light touch had cracked it open.

From the tip of his foot, a fierce yin cold qi shot straight into him. Immediately, yang lightning and yin malevolent qi met and intertwined, and he began to explode.

His scalp went numb as he didn’t dare imagine it. Oh no! I didn’t think earthly malignant qi would be hidden at the bottom! Two extremely contrasting types of qi colliding... Some “fortune” this is! This isn’t just unlucky, this is a death sentence!