Chapter 13: Unexpected, Ferocious, Water‑Gu Great Heavenly Demon King!

In the blink of an eye, all the members of the Hu Han Gang were cut down by Chen Zheng, leaving only corpses.

A thick, acrid stench of blood filled the air, and blood, shattered bones and mangled organs splattered everywhere.

The arena fell into dead silence.

So quiet it was terrifying.

No one could utter a word.

Everyone even held their breath carefully, fearing that any sound would draw Chen Zheng's attention and have him punch them to death.

Chen Zheng was unbelievably strong!

"Brother Chen… are you truly Physical Body Seventh?"

Li Qiu stared at Chen Zheng's upright, spear‑like figure, his heart trembling.

Like the others Chen Zheng had killed, he was also at the Ninth Spirit‑Communing Realm, able to use his mind to see the vitality state inside a person's body.

Back on the ship he had secretly observed Chen Zheng and noted that his organs were refined, yet there was no "membrane" under the skin that a Physical Body Eightfold Warrior would have.

Hence he concluded that Chen Zheng was Physical Body Seventh.

But the power Chen Zheng now displayed completely overturned his understanding.

A Seventh killing a Ninth is like killing a chicken; even if he isn't a Tenfold Warrior, he's not far off.

Could Chen Zheng's realm be a fake?

No!

Legend says that some disciples of the Great Immortal Sect are exceptionally gifted, able to refine their physical bodies to the strength of seven or eight horses, even ten Xuan‑Huang fiery horses, making cross‑boundary battles as simple as eating and drinking.

Perhaps Chen Zheng is a disciple from that great sect!

With that thought, Li Qiu suddenly understood.

Li Rong thought of the same thing, turned and met Li Qiu's gaze, and both saw deep shock and a hint of joy in each other's eyes.

How lucky the siblings were, to have met a peerless genius of the Great Immortal Sect!

Only they didn't know whether Chen Zheng belonged to the Taiyi Sect, the Feathered Ascension Sect, or was a disciple of Wan Gui Immortal Island…

"Ah, what a pity!"

While the Li siblings were delighted by their speculation, Chen Zheng sighed, clutching his wrist.

Pity what?

Li Qiu was startled, then suddenly understood.

Chen Zheng, a truly upright man, having killed so many members of the Hu Han Gang today, must feel a heavy conscience.

He, a bit restrained, advised, "Brother Chen… Young Master, those people wanted to kill you; if you had to strike back, don't feel regret."

"Indeed, Young Master Chen, killing these people is upholding the heavens' justice."

Li Rong gave a faint smile, but her face was still smeared with the black‑faced man's blood and organ fragments, making her look grotesque.

Chen Zheng was speechless and gave no reply.

The siblings had over‑speculated.

He was lamenting the blood lost from the bodies of the Hu Han Gang members.

Those were resources for his own cultivation.

He resolved to devise a way to kill without bloodshed to avoid waste.

"You…"

Chen Zheng looked at the over‑thirty terrified demon hunters, preparing to tell them to leave quickly, not to be an eyesore here.

He still needed to seize time to absorb blood for cultivation.

But before he finished, as soon as they met his gaze, they were instantly terrified, their faces turning pale.

"M‑Master, spare me!"

Plop!

Some even knelt, begging for mercy, kowtowing like crushing garlic.

Seeing more people inclined to kneel, Chen Zheng, helpless and unwilling to waste words, snapped, "Night is falling soon; if you don't go sleep on the boat, what are you shouting for? Get out!"

Whoa!

The demon hunters trembled violently, scattered like startled birds, and within a few breaths ran away cleanly, even abandoning the captured monster corpses.

Chen Zheng then looked at Li Qiu and his sibling, his expression softening, "Li Brother, you both return to the boat as well."

Li Qiu tried three or four times to help him, but all because of Xu Guanshi, he couldn't really assist.

Yet he still liked that person enough to offer some favors in return.

But not now.

Li Rong hesitated, "Young Master Chen, aren't you going back?"

Chen Zheng shook his head, "I need to dig pits to bury these corpses, lest they rot and stink."

"Young Master, need help? I'm very strong…" Li Rong asked tentatively again.

Chen Zheng coldly refused, "The people I kill, I must bury with my own hands."

"Fine."

Seeing Chen Zheng's 'no‑one‑approach‑me' demeanor, she felt a bit disappointed.

The siblings left.

But before leaving, Li Qiu whispered a piece of information to Chen Zheng.

It was that the Hu Laoda of the Hu Han Gang turned out to be the nephew of Wang Guanshi's wife, who was in charge of this operation at the Treasure‑Gathering Tower.

This relationship surprised Chen Zheng.

Yet, on further thought, it made sense.

Otherwise, even with Hu Laoda's great power, he would not dare let his subordinates cross the Ju Ju Bao Lou Lou to demand a toll from the monster hunters.

"First find a place to boost strength," Chen Zheng shook his head, saw no one around, and swiftly began moving the corpses into the Chaotic Space.

He didn't leave the monster corpses left by the monster hunters untouched either.

Though they were all beasts equivalent to the Seventh or Eighth Fold of the Mortal Body, of little use, perhaps a little more would let him breakthrough.

The site was quickly cleaned up by him.

He casually found a hidden spot at the foot of the mountain, took out a corpse, and, with practiced ease, drew its blood to cultivate.

As corpse after corpse was drained into a dry husk, the blood he drew linked his 108 demon hollows inside, forming the character "Nether."

The massive blood essence continuously transformed within the Nether character, flowing into his limbs and bones.

This time, the blood essence not only refined his Mortal Body but also condensed a membrane beneath his skin.

As the membrane formed, he smoothly advanced to the Eighth Fold of the Mortal Body, the Divine Valor Realm.

When a warrior cultivates the Mortal Secret Realm to the eighth fold, the most typical sign is a thick membrane growing under the skin.

This membrane, like oxhide, greatly boosts the Mortal Body's resistance to blows, making ordinary swords and spears hard to penetrate.

This novel you to.

Otherwise it cannot be called "Divine Valor."

The membrane inside Chen Zheng's body is far from insignificant.

If one looks inward with the spirit, one will find that this membrane is not only tougher, thicker, and denser than that of ordinary Divine Valor warriors, but also bears a layer of dark gold, exuding both nobility and dominance.

This breakthrough also brought a sizable power boost, granting him the strength of six Xuan‑Huang Fiery Horses.

It should be known that the Tenth Fold of the Mortal Body is called Divine Transformation, and ordinary warriors of this realm possess the power of five horses.

Yet Chen Zheng, only at the eighth fold, already exceeds the strength of typical Divine Transformation warriors, indicating how massive his foundation is.

The sturdier his foundation, the greater the chance of attaining the Shen Tong Mi Jing in the future.

After cultivating the Shen Tong Mi Jing, his magical power will be more robust than that of ordinary cultivators.

He will also live longer.

Normally, a Tenth‑fold Divine Transformation warrior over a hundred years old will see their Qi and blood decline, bodily functions wane, and they will pass away around one hundred fifty to sixty years old.

Yet with Chen Zheng's current condition, even without further cultivation, his Qi and blood won't decline at 130 years, and he won't die even at 180 years.

This is the benefit of cultivating the Nether King True Body.

In fact, Chen Zheng's Nether King True Body has only been brushed, like someone practicing the Divine Elephant Prison Strength, whose first giant‑elephant particle hasn't even awakened.

For the Nether King True Body to truly enter the hall, a long road still remains.

However, for now, Chen Zheng on this deserted island already has the qualification to fear no one, and can act without restraint.

Within the entire Chen family, no one can match him anymore; even Family Head Chen Xingye cannot.

The day he returns to Jin Yu Island will be the time to crush Chen Mo.

Whoever tries to stop him, he will behead.

"We should go up the mountain to find that Thunder Beast and Hu Laoda."

Half an hour later, Chen Zheng emerged from the hidden thicket.

Under the night sky, he hurried up the mountain.

Yet when he reached the summit, the situation there greatly surprised him.

There was not a single person on the mountain.

At the summit there was a cave entrance about three or four people tall, its interior pitch‑black and bottomless.

In front of the cave lay a series of footprints, as if indicating that Hu Laoda and his subordinates had entered it.

The previous black‑faced man said Hu Laoda and his party were on this mountain.

Yet Chen Zheng had been at the foot of the mountain all along and hadn't heard anyone descending.

So Hu Laoda and his group entered the cave and haven't emerged yet?

Chen Zheng pondered briefly and did not rush into the cave.

He chipped a stone from the cliff wall and tossed it into the cave.

Dong— dong— dong!

Inside, the sound of the stone rolling continued for about a dozen breaths.

Roar…

Then a beast roar echoed from the cave, like thunder.

It seemed the Thunder Beast was inside, waiting for him to enter and hunt.

Chen Zheng's expression changed slightly, and without hesitation he turned and leapt down the mountain in a few bounds.

When the roar came from the cave, he vaguely sensed a strange aura drifting from the entrance.

He is unusually sensitive to such a scent.

Because he himself carries it, concealed within his body using the Nether King True Body's breath‑conserving technique.

It was unmistakably demonic aura.

"Damn, that human boy's yang vigor is so rich, it would be delicious to eat, yet he's so cautious and ran away. Should we go out and chase him?"

"If he doesn't fall for it, fine; these dozen‑plus are enough for us for now, let's let him live a bit longer."

"Indeed, when the Water Gu Great Heavenly Demon King leads his army to descend from the outer‑realm starry sky onto the Forty‑nine Islands, they will also be devoured by us."

"Not only him, but all life on the Forty‑nine Islands will be completely devoured by us. We will use the Forty‑nine Islands as a base, gradually gnaw away the Great Northern Ocean, and contend with the Ten Sects of the Immortal Path, the Seven Veins of the Demonic Path, and the Five Sects of the Beast Path, …"

Shortly after Chen Zheng left, a mournful, eerie howl rose from deep within the dark cave, like an owl's night cry.

(End of Chapter)