"After appraisal, it should be the Heaven-Shadow Stone, but the box has not been opened, and the integrity of the crystal stone cannot be guaranteed. Do you still want to claim it?"
"Give it to me," Xu Zimo took the box.
The old man then began recording it down.
Leaving the Rare Treasures Pavilion, Xu Zimo lowered his head to glance at the box in his hand.
The box was white, nothing particularly special.
Only the crystal stone inside, a transparent nine-faceted shape, had mysterious power surging within.
He brought the Heaven-Shadow Stone back to South Goose Mountain, then took out a massive crystal chest.
Inside the crystal chest lay a battle robe. Xu Zimo stretched out his right hand, gently stroking the chest.
After a long while, he finally placed the Heaven-Shadow Stone into the indented part of the crystal chest.
At once, a rainbow-like light flashed, and the crystal chest began to dissolve at a speed visible to the naked eye.
As the chest dissolved, the battle robe’s infernal aura surged to the skies.
The battle robe was entirely black-purple, of gilt quality, with black-purple stripes flickering constantly.
On the high collar were embroidered several grim, ferocious faces, each with distinct features.
Other places were covered in demonic seals.
The cape behind the robe was blood-red, faintly imprinted with the figure of a demonic throne.
At the moment the crystal chest melted away,
The battle robe soared into the sky, rushing directly toward Xu Zimo.
At the instant it touched his body, Xu Zimo only felt a warm power surging through him.
The demonic robe automatically fitted itself onto him, and the demonic energy within his body instantly erupted.
Even his Hell-Suppressing Demon Physique faintly showed signs of being activated.
Within his meridians, spiritforce transformed into infernal energy, gilt-black-purple stripes flowing.
The red cape whipped violently with the fierce wind. Xu Zimo stood atop South Goose Mountain.
His long hair flowed, his eyes pitch-black, infernal energy mingled with the meaning of the Grand Dao, as if spanning across antiquity.
Through endless distance, his gaze fell into Baili City.
Behind him, his new Shadow Tyrant trembled, seemingly excited, begging to join the battle.
Xu Zimo felt that at this moment, what he lacked most was just a background soundtrack.
With a wave of his right hand, a colossal figure of Chaos emerged from the void.
Boundless immortal might reverberated in the heavens above.
Now Chaos had long stepped into the Zenith Immortal realm. With the Grand Dao laid before it to comprehend, even the dullest person would achieve no small accomplishments.
"Boss," Chaos looked at Xu Zimo and spoke.
"To Baili City," Xu Zimo stepped into the sky, standing atop Chaos’s head, his tone calm.
"As you command," Chaos roared, leaping down from South Goose Mountain.
……………
"Say, among the younger generation of True Martial Sacred Ground, who is the strongest?" A few new disciples sat together, discussing curiously.
"Among the younger generation, of course it’s the Holy Son. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have become Holy Son."
Someone beside them replied.
"But the Holy Son hasn’t returned for a long time. I’ve been here so long and have never seen him."
The previous speaker questioned, "Besides, recently, the reputation of our Holy Son hasn’t been good. People are clamoring to crusade against him."
"Right, I feel lately there have been many more people near the sect. Every time I return, it’s as if countless eyes are watching us."
"The sect has many powerhouses. For us, sitting frogs at the bottom of a well, it’s unimaginable."
Just as they were chatting idly, suddenly a loud "boom" exploded not far away.
The sound was so loud it nearly burst their eardrums.
Even the aftershock of the explosion almost blew them away.
"What kind of monster is this?" Someone looked at Chaos and shouted. "Could someone be attacking my True Martial Sacred Ground?"
"Don’t joke, what force would dare be so bold?"
"Look, on that monster’s head, there’s someone!"
Someone shouted, and immediately everyone looked up.
A man in black robes, crimson cape as red as blood, his body shrouded in demonic clouds, stood there.
"Where is Ruhu?" Xu Zimo called out lightly.
"Here," Lin Ruhu also shouted, stepping into the air from not far away.
His battle robe was primarily blue, with black accents, the chest patterned like dragon scales, glowing with azure light.
Especially on his arms, scarlet-eagle shoulder armor covered them, and a massive tiger head gleamed at his collar.
Tiger stripes circled around the tiger-head armor, the scarlet eagle matched with blue light, his waist bound with the Silken Barbarian Treasure Belt. He stepped into the air, arriving before Chaos.
"Where is your Darksky Tiger?" Xu Zimo asked.
He remembered when he and Lin Ruhu each took a Darksky Tiger, naming them Situ Gou Dan and Zhuge Cui Hua.
Time had flown, and in a blink, those days had long passed.
As soon as Xu Zimo finished speaking, a beastly roar echoed.
The colossal body of the Darksky Tiger arrived with blood and wind.
Its massive pupils stared darkly at Lin Ruhu.
Lin Ruhu leapt onto its back, laughing loudly.
"Today, you and I fight side by side. We’ll flatten Baili City and to hell with the Demon-Slaying Alliance. Take Baili Xiao’s head and use it as a wine cup!"
The two beasts stood on either side, soaring toward Baili City.
As they passed the gates of True Martial Sacred Ground, Sacred Ground Xiao in white robes, his sword singing across the seas, called out loudly, "Holy Son, what is your purpose?"
"To slay Baili, to trample the Demon-Slaying Alliance," Xu Zimo answered loudly.
"And if you never return?"
"Then I never return."
The two massive beasts’ silhouettes gradually disappeared on the horizon, leaving only the sound of their hearty laughter.
The joys and sorrows of life, revenge and righteousness, nothing more than this, nothing more...
……………
"Sigh," Sacred Lord Xiao exhaled softly.
"Why does the Sacred Lord sigh?" An old voice sounded nearby.
The figure of the Third Grand Elder slowly walked over.
"I had no reason to keep him," Sacred Lord Xiao said.
"Why keep him?" the Third Elder countered.
"You let your grandson go with him. Isn’t that supporting his choice?" Sacred Lord Xiao asked.
"I told Ruhu not to get involved. I said, after some years, I’d give him my position as Third Grand Elder. By then, anything he wanted would be within reach," the Third Elder chuckled. "Do you know how he replied?"
"How?"
"He said I’m old, that I can’t understand this world. True Martial Sacred Ground has been peaceful for a hundred thousand years. We’ve only been living under the shade of our ancestors, sitting on mountains waiting for death."
The Third Elder wasn’t angry, only chuckled.
"He also said, as a man in this world, one must have boundless ambition, to stand atop the world, to see scenery others cannot. Otherwise, life is too cowardly, too dull. As for life and death, let it be." The Third Elder played with a sword in his hands and continued smiling, "This sword, if it never leaves its sheath, whether it’s a treasured sword or divine sword, it’s still just a sword. But once unsheathed, blood splattering three feet, dyeing millions of lives, anyone who sees it must avoid it."