Chapter 191: On the Eve of the Storm

Niu Man, his whole body numb, was embedded in the stone pillar, motionless for half a day.

The armor's defensive power was superb; Wu Tie's punch was so overbearing that Niu Man didn't suffer the slightest injury.

Although his body was unharmed, Niu Man's state of mind was nearly shattered by Wu Tie's punch.

That was, how terrifying, a punch.

Impossible to block.

Cannot be blocked.

Even when the punch landed, Niu Man instinctively felt boundless despair. When Wu Tie's punch struck his body, Niu Man even felt he was a pitiful egg about to be smashed into yolk by a great iron hammer…

Such a terrifying punch was fundamentally not the attack power that Wu Tie's displayed strength should have had when he and Niu Man grappled three days earlier.

Had Wu Tie concealed his strength three days ago?

No, in these three days, within that ancient ruin, Wu Tie had inexplicably gained countless strength.

Niu Man stood dazedly embedded in the stone pillar, allowing dozens of scouts around to stare at him from afar.

Gigantic stone stalactites kept falling from the high sky, shaking the nearby ground, and in some places came shrill wails—those of people who hadn't dodged in time, crushed beneath the falling stalactites.

After a long, long while, Niu Man finally shuddered, struggling out from among the stalactites. He stood on the ground; a stalactite happened to land on his head, shattered by the two stout horns on his helmet, yet his body didn't move an inch.

The scouts nearby who witnessed this scene saw their pupils shrink to pinpoints.

This armor is no mere ornament; it is a truly formidable defensive treasure.

Several experts of the Blood Curved Blade turned into streams of light and rushed here; from afar they loudly shouted, conveying Old Blade Wind's order, commanding Niu Man to hurry back and report to Old Blade Wind.

Niu Man answered in a dazed voice, spread his legs, and strode thunderously toward the Blood Curved Blade's encampment.

In Wu Tie's stone fortress, Wu Tie narrowed his eyes, gazing in the direction Niu Man had been blown to, then smiled and looked at Tang Qi: "Niu Man… is thick-skinned and sturdy, and with that armor protecting him, he should be fine."

"Chief, would you like to try my fist?" Wu Tie grinned, showing his teeth.

Tang Qi shuddered, then with a wave of his hand a set of gleaming golden armor instantly enveloped him. As chief of the War Hall, he naturally also received a set of battle armor bestowed by Old Blade Wind.

However, unlike the strength-oriented Niu Man, Tang Qi follows a light, agile path, so his armor, like Wu Tie's, only protects his upper body with a breastplate and a skirt armor, he has a light helmet on his head, and arm and leg guards on his arms and shins—nothing more.

He gave a dry laugh, shook his head at Wu Tie: "Spear Grandpa, you're joking; I came here with no ill intent, just curiosity… I roughly understand, Spear Grandpa, your strength has increased greatly in that ruin."

After a few hearty laughs, Tang Qi stepped back out of Wu Tie's reception hall.

"Well, then I won't disturb you further, Spear Grandpa… rest well. These maidens are all lovely and graceful; feel free to enjoy them."

Tang Qi smiled brightly.

Wu Tie twisted his mouth, bringing out the same old line again: "What slender arms and legs, flat chest and small butt, no scales on his body…"

Tang Qi's face twitched with a grimace; he helplessly glanced at Wu Tie, then turned and hurried away.

Different races have vastly different aesthetic views; there's really nothing to be done about it.

Tang Qi had just left Wu Tie's stone fortress when he and Niu Man were summoned by Old Blade Wind, who then launched into a torrential tirade.

Even outside Old Blade Wind's stone fortress, his furious roar could be heard.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?"

"Are you going after Spear Grandpa? Is that it?"

"No! You're coming for me, coming for me."

"Do you think I don't understand your intentions? What do you want to do?"

"You don't trust me as your elder brother…… You think I, as the elder brother, have concealed things from you and will mistreat you!"

"If you think that way, do you deserve what I've given you—these divine armors and divine weapons?"

"You know, for these treasures, I endured how much suffering in that ruin?"

"You haven't suffered a bit, yet you've received these divine armors and divine weapons."

"Are you still not satisfied? Do you still want more?"

"Fine, then I'll give you this seat—will that be all right? The chief's position of the Blood Curved Blade, I'm yielding it to you… can you hold it steady?"

Old Blade Wind's tirade here quickly reached the ears of all the senior members of the Blood Curved Blade.

"Of course… merit deserves reward, contribution demands benefit—we Blood Curved Blade have always done this for years. As your elder brother, when have I ever shortchanged you brothers?"

"This time, for the task at hand, you must do it well… I won't shortchange you, aside from these divine armors and divine weapons… I won't shortchange you; there are even better things awaiting you."

"But… without merit, without having made a contribution, just forget it."

"Wanting more benefits for no reason… do you think our Blood Curved Blade is a charitable hall?"

After the lecture, Niu Man and Tang Qi, faces grimy, were kicked out of their own stone fortress by Old Blade Wind.

Subsequently, Old Blade Wind issued an order: Niu Man and Tang Qi disobeyed his commands, neglected their duties, and instead harassed the newly appointed Vice Chief of the War Hall, Spear Grandpa—this violated the Blood Curved Blade's household rules and statutes.

Therefore, the two were deprived of all dividends for the coming year; in the next year, they couldn't even hope to get a single gold coin.

Tang Qi and Niu Man, faces grim, hastily gathered men, following Old Blade Wind's order to organize troops and manpower.

The senior members of the Blood Curved Blade, too, because of Old Blade Wind's outburst, each became honest and dutiful, busily following his laid-out plan.

Wu Tie's place also grew quiet; for several days, no one came to spy on anything.

Within a few days, Wu Tie secluded himself in the fortress's secret chamber, frantically training; every second, two or three, three or four strands of light on his Layered Heaven Lock were melted and broken by magical force, and every second, new cosmic truths fused into his whole body.

Every second, Wu Tie's strength grew, surging upward.

Physical strength, magical cultivation, soul vigor, blood essence, divine abilities, arcane potency—everything, everything, was rapidly increasing.

The Primordial Scripture combined with the Abundant Harvest Tree is like a meeting of golden wind and jade dew—surpassing countless mortal delights!

Dozens of low-grade primordial grasses hovered before Wu Tie.

Drop after drop of crystal-clear juice continually seeped from the surrounding primordial energy vortex, eventually forming a small pool that submerged those low-grade primordial grasses.

The Abundant Harvest Tree's miraculous power activated; these low-grade primordial grasses began to grow, to swell, to twist… originally merely ordinary ninth-grade lava grasses, they underwent a complete transformation in their deepest structure.

Eighth-grade tempered gold grass… seventh-grade fire sparrow grass… sixth-grade yellow dust grass…

In just a few days, several stalks of lava grass actually changed their category outright; while their grade rose, their very species underwent a complete transformation…

As time passed, dozens of sixth-grade yellow dust grasses glistened all over, like yellow amber cast, countless tiny specks of dust swirled around the leaves, and each yellow dust grass grew to over three feet tall.

Normal yellow dust grass, even after a thousand years of nurturing, can at most reach only one foot two inches.

The marvel of the Abundant Harvest Tree can be seen in this.

When Wu Tie had been in secluded cultivation for the fifth day, dozens of sixth-grade yellow dust grasses began to change color from their roots and stems, the roots and stems gradually turning a pale jade-green hue, and a refreshing coolness that seeps into the heart and spleen continually flowed out from the leaves.

The earth-attributed sixth-grade yellow dust grass seems poised for another mutation in its category.

Just then, a small iron bell in the secret chamber rang suddenly, and a maid's gentle voice came through a dedicated speaking tube.

"Spear Grandfather, the Chief has sent word for you to accompany him to meet the three leaders of the Gold Nether Spirit."

Wu Tie's eyes widened sharply.

A flash of fire light in his pupils, Wu Tie gathered the dozens of transforming yellow dust grasses, shouldered the White Tiger Split, and strode out of the secret chamber.

Is it about to begin?

Wu Tie hasn't paid attention to the movements of the Blood Curved Blade these days.

He has no foothold in the Blood Curved Blade, nowhere to gather news, and cannot possibly discover whatever schemes the Blood Curved Blade may have.

But no matter what Old Knife Wind does—whether joining forces with the Gold Nether Spirit to first pacify the Black Serpent Domain, or first eliminating the Gold Nether Spirit then moving against the Black Serpent Domain—Wu Tie's goal remains simple: destroy the Gold Nether Spirit and annihilate all its enemies.

Wearing the armor gifted by Osiris, two huge metal wings tightly compressed against his back, his boots contacting the ground, a steady stream of thick, solid power fed back, making Wu Tie's steps ever more vigorous and strong.

Each of his steps seemed like an iron stake driven hard into the earth, steady and resonant, as stable as a great mountain.

Old Knife Wind led six masters of the Life Pool Realm, with nearly a hundred Blood Curved Blade elites of the Chonglou Realm following behind, standing before a stone fort and smiling at Wu Tie: "Spear Grandfather, you've come… looking at your spirited appearance… I wish all the brothers of our Blood Curved Blade were like you."

Old Knife Wind's words carried a hidden meaning.

Wu Tie grinned, saying nothing.

The Blood Curved Blade elders behind Old Knife Wind simply acted as if they hadn't heard his remarks.

All like what Wu Tie has shown these days?

Eh, he ignores everything, does nothing, wholeheartedly cultivates in the secret chamber; as soon as the boss gives a call, he immediately rushes out to charge into battle……

To Old Knife Wind, he naturally hopes his subordinates are all such reckless fellows.

But for the Blood Curved Blade brothers… they still have some aspirations.

"Let's go, today I have arranged a face-to-face talk with the three leaders of the Gold Nether Spirit…… we two sides can't keep fighting blindly." Old Knife Wind glanced at Duolia standing beside him, his triangular eyes narrowing into a line, and he smiled.

"Of course, everyone should also thank Duolia, for it is thanks to his mediation that we can meet smoothly…… you know, those three old fogeys over there, heh heh, each has a terrible temper, tsk tsk."

The group set off.

Old Knife Wind took the lead, stepping on a wisp of Blood Light that drifted slowly forward, a huge blood-colored curved blade slowly rotating above his head.

The others also each displayed their divine abilities, closely following behind Old Knife Wind.

Their escape technique was swift—just the time of a moment—and the group arrived at the front line where the Blood Curved Blade and the Gold Nether Spirit were fighting.

The crisscrossing trenches on the ground were blown apart in sections, everywhere were severed limbs and broken arms, each side had a slave army of over three thousand facing off before the trenches, thousands of dwarves and rat-people chitter-chattering, brandishing blades and spears, shouting at each other.

On one side of the two slave armies, on a small earthen mound, there lay a long table, on one side a large chair, on the other side three large chairs.

Old Knife Wind led his retinue straight to the small earthen mound, sitting squarely and steadily on a large chair on one side.

After about the time it takes to finish half a cup of tea, the mushroom forest opposite swayed, three masses of black qi accompanied by a hundred or so cultivators drifted slowly over here.

As they neared the mound, the three masses of black qi suddenly contracted, revealing three long-faced individuals with drooping eyebrows, small noses, small eyes, thin lips, naturally bearing an ill-fated pallid youthful appearance.

The three youths wore white long robes, their cuffs embroidered with gold, silver, and copper threads respectively, each depicting a ferocious demonic face.

Surely, these are the three leaders of the Gold Nether Spirit: the Gold Ghost, the Silver Ghost, and the Copper Ghost.

On the chests of their long robes, they wore huge badges that almost occupied their entire chests—black qi roiling, a white skeletal hand reaching out from the black qi, its palm clutching several blood-stained gold coins.

Wu Tie's gaze swept over the crowd behind the Gold, Silver, and Copper Ghosts.

He instantly spotted Sun Zuo.

Sun Zuo today wore a brand-new python-skin armor, draped in a black cloak, holding a long, thin snake-headed wooden staff, his bearing lofty and arrogant, an air of invincibility.

Clearly, thanks to Duolia's prophetic arts, this fellow has broken through to the Life Pool Realm, and his status among the Gold Nether Spirit has risen accordingly.

Although, this fellow is the weakest of the weak among Life Pool Realm cultivators.

But his cultivation is genuine; compared to an ordinary Chonglou Realm cultivator, he counts as a minor expert—in other words, this fellow possesses the strength to dominate a battlefield!

Being able to follow behind the Gold, Silver, and Copper Ghosts here shows that this fellow has been recently prosperous and favored.

Planting the White Tiger Split into the ground, Wu Tie lightly rubbed its shaft with both hands, secretly calculating: if he were to rush forward and punch Sun Zuo to death with one blow, wouldn't that scene be lively?

Of course, killing Sun Zuo is one matter; his hunting team members under him also cannot be let off.

More importantly, he still needs to capture alive the high-ranking members of the Gold Nether Spirit to interrogate them about certain matters.

Wu Tie's face darkened.

He thought of Grey Master.

He didn't know whether Grey Master was dead or not; he needed to get a definite piece of information.

The Gold, Silver, and Copper Ghosts stepped lightly, like three paper figures, floating to the seats and sitting down.

Old Knife Wind and the three of them stared at each other—you glare at me, I glare at you—for a long while; finally, Old Knife Wind gave a light cough.

"Let's set some rules, with all these friends watching from every direction."