Stranger Danger

Chapter 758: Dark Overlord

“It’s done, miss.”

Cui Qiuyuan dumped the corpses on the ground and seemingly glanced at Ye Qing. However, he looked away so quickly and masterfully that most people would not be able to tell if it was on purpose.

Ye Qing knew it was on purpose. Cui Qiuyuan’s killing intent had skewered like a blade during that brief moment. He paid him no heed though.

“Mm.”

Murong Xianxian replied noncommittally. Suddenly, the volcano shook violently, and what seemed like an infinite stream of lava and fire shot into the sky. The deadly elements did not fall to the ground, however. Instead, they floated in the air and circled around the volcano. It looked magnificent.

A couple of breaths later, the lava and fire slowly gathered together and condensed into a pocket-sized volcano. It landed snugly on Murong Xianxian’s palm. Despite its size, Ye Qing could sense its immense power.

After putting away the volcano, Murong Xianxian took them to the Western Geng Metal Pavilion. At this point, it became clear that the woman did not care for the treasures stored inside the buildings. It was the natural essences that she was after.

The Northern Gui Water Palace was a lake, the Eastern Yi Wood Garden was a forest, the Southern Li Fire Tower was a volcano, and the Western Geng Metal Pavilion was a tall, massive stele that was covered in swords.

According to Murong Xianxian, the Western Geng Metal Pavilion was where the world’s most famous swords were stored. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived at its location, the stele had collapsed, and the swords were nowhere to be found.

Unfortunately for the looters, they failed to recognize the most valuable item of them all: the natural essence of Geng Metal. Murong Xianxian took it as well.

“Are we going to the Central Wu Earth Hall next?” Ye Qing asked after Murong Xianxian claimed the Western Geng Metal Pavilion.

Before Murong Xianxian could answer, the wind howled, the ground suddenly shook more violently than ever before. It was like a high magnitude earthquake had struck the entire Demonbearer Abode, and space itself was shattering from the continuous impact.

The next moment, the churning earth began converging at a single point. Over time, it became a huge mountain.

The mountain was tall like a sword that pierced through the clouds above. At the peak was a bright yellow palace that shone golden. It looked like a second sun as it was suspended high up in the sky and filling the entire Demonbearer Abode with golden light.

“That mountain…”

Ye Qing furrowed his brow. According to the memories he received from Ning Xiliu, the Dark Overlord Li Hentian had passed away on that very mountain.

“Miss, is that…?” Qu Langhuan asked with a stunned expression.

“That is the Central Wu Earth Hall. Greenish yellow forms the foundation, and the earth forms the hall. That is why it was named the Central Wu Earth Hall.”

Murong Xianxian’s face was etched with clear interest. “To think that someone is able to find the Central Wu Earth Hall. I suppose not all of the invaders are useless after all!”

As if on cue, five people appeared above the Central Wu Earth Hall. Murong Xianxian stared at them while asking, “Who are they?”

“They are the Sun Sovereign, Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows, Laughing Buddha, Madman Chu, and Xu Xiu,” Cui Qiuyuan answered. “Sun Sovereign, Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows and Laughing Buddha hail from the Demonic Mountain, the Way of Taiping and the Maitreya Sect respectively. They are all sects of the Nine Dark Ways, and everyone is a named warrior on the Earth Champions Ranking.”

“Of the three, Sun Sovereign is the strongest and ranked twenty-first on the Earth Champions Ranking. Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows is next and ranked thirty. Laughing Buddha is the last and ranked fifty-ninth.”

Cui Qiuyuan then looked at Madman Chu and Xu Xiu. “As for those two, Madman Chu is an independent warrior, whereas Xu Xiu is the Northern Spear King of Chu.”

“As an independent warrior, Madman Chu has no background or patron to call to his name. A free and uninhibited soul, he does whatever he wants without regard for societal norms. He could be good or bad depending on the circumstances, and he is ranked thirty-third on the Earth Champions Ranking.”

“Although his rank is technically lower than Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows’, Madman Chu is a body-tempering Grandmaster. In a fight to the death, Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows would lose for sure.”

“As for the Xu Xiu, he is a military commander who is famed for his godly spear techniques. That is why they call him a spear king.”

“Hmm. That old man and the rat-like bastard lurking in the shadows are probably at the end of their martial journey unless they stumble upon a massive opportunity,” Murong Xianxian remarked while staring at Sun Sovereign and Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows. “As for the remaining three, they are all extraordinarily talented, and they have not yet reached the end of their paths. Madman Chu and Xu Xiu especially—one of them proved their way through strength, and the other through slaughter—are quite impressive.”

No one in the group thought that Murong Xianxian was talking about of her ass. Although she was a pale shadow of herself, she was still a Sage. There was no reason to doubt her insight.

Ye Qing was especially concerned to find out that Madman Chu was a body-tempering Grandmaster just like him.

For a time, the four Truemen and one Grandmaster in the sky simply stared at the golden palace without saying anything. Then, Sun Sovereign took one look at the others and flew toward the palace at high speed.

Suddenly, Sun Sovereign hit something and was sent flying even faster. While he was busy arresting himself, the clouds stirred unnaturally, and an ominous rumbling resounded throughout the world.

Sun Sovereign’s complexion went from blue to red. He stared at the golden palace with a severe expression on his face.

“Who dares to trespass into the Central Wu Earth Hall?”

An angry shout reverberated throughout the world, and a man wearing silken robes stepped out of the entrance.

The man was tall, muscular, and in possession of a singular and majestic face. His steps were dominant like that of a tiger or a dragon, and unshakeable like a bottomless abyss. It felt as if he alone belonged to the heavens, while everyone else only deserved to exist underneath his feet.

“He’s… the Dark Overlord!”

The man hadn’t revealed his name, but the same thought crossed everyone’s mind at the same time. Only the Dark Overlord could possess such bearing. Only the greatest man of Spring and Autumn eight hundred years ago could look so magnificent.

Murong Xianxian’s eyes grew a little unfocused a little when she saw the man in the sky. She was also wearing a complicated expression on her face.

Of course, everyone was aware that this Dark Overlord was just a wisp of the original’s spiritual intent and not the real thing. Even so, not a single person dared to underestimate him.

“Are you the Dark Overlord?” Sun Sovereign asked while clasping his fist in salute.

“It is I,” Li Hentian answered while still walking toward the Sun Sovereign. “Who are you people?”

“It is an honor to meet you, Dark Overlord!” Sun Sovereign, Madman Chu, Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows and more saluted him. “We are—”

“Forget it. I am not interested in your identities.”

Li Hentian interrupted them before they could finish. “All who dares to trespass into the Central Wu Earth Hall must die!”

As soon as he finished, Li Hentian took another step forward and appeared right in front of the Sun Sovereign with a low rumble. He then thrust his palm forward.

Sun Sovereign reacted quickly and engulfed himself in a ball of scorching light. It was so hot it felt like a third sun had appeared in the sky.

Li Hentian could not seem to feel it, however. He continued to stretch his palm forward as if he was going to smack away the sun with his bare hand.

He succeeded. The palm strike sent Sun Sovereign crashing through a massive patch of clouds.

After repelling the Sun Sovereign, Li Hentian turned to Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows next and ran along the stars toward him. He curled his fingers like talon and made a grab for the Trueman.

Having seen what just happened to the Sun Sovereign, Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows did not think he could do better. He vanished into his shadows and attempted to escape.

A scornful look appeared on Li Hentian’s face. He abruptly clenched his outstretched hand, and a deafening thunderclap broke out. Every space within a hundred meters of him suddenly exploded and churned like a lightning pool.

Sakyamuni Myriad Shadows was forced right out of his shadow. His face looked deathly pale as if he had just taken a huge blow.

Li Hentian brought his foot down, and the distorted space abruptly flipped upside down and crashed into Laughing Buddha, Madman Chu and Xu Xiu. The trio were attempting to ambush him from behind, but Li Hentian had seen through their ploy instantly. Laughing Buddha’s Maitreya dharma was crushed into smithereens as a result.

While this was going on, Li Hentian landed a knifehand strike on Madman Chu’s fist. Li Hentian did not move, and Madman Chu crashed into Xu Xiu. For a time, the two warriors tumbled helplessly across the sky like tumbleweeds.

“You dare covet the treasures of the Central Wu Earth Hall with such puny strength? The foolishness!” Li Hentian crossed his arms in front of his chest and scoffed.