Chapter 874: Activating the Central Formation
Zhou Yao’s entire person was sent flying backward from the force that the broken sword tip brought, crashing into the palace wall behind him. Rubble slid to the ground as the hall shook.
Blood flew like arrows in the air, splattered all over the floor.
Following the faint splattering sounds was heavy silence all around.
Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi watched Zhou Yao crashing into the wall then sliding to the floor with blood spurting out from his chest like a crimson pillar, failing to react for a long time. Even so, they still found it hard to accept the fact that the person lying there was Zhou Yao.
Zhou Yao had comprehended the dao of slaughter and his killing sword drew praises from various seniors, yet now, he actually lost to an unknown black-haired young man?
Moreover, he was only a mere late-Second Order Highgod Realm!
In truth, You Wuye were just as astounded as Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi. Although he guessed that Huang Xiaolong could most likely defeat Zhou Yao, You Wuye did not expect him to be defeated so quickly.
“Hand over the key.” Huang Xiaolong said as he stepped toward Zhou Yao, no changes to his expression.
In Wangu Yanhui, Mu Qi, and You Wuye’s eyes, Zhou Yao’s killing sword was terrifying, but in Huang Xiaolong’s eyes, it was too fragile to mention, just too weak!
Regardless of cultivation techniques, battle skills, and even whatever dao he had comprehended, strength was the foundation.
No matter how high as one’s comprehension was, it still couldn't completely compensate for the lack in strength.
Before Huang Xiaolong had advanced to the Highgod Realm and condensed his own godhead, his physical body’s toughness was already frightening, comparable to a late-Third Order Highgod Realm master. Now, his body went through a complete change, as if it was rebuilt, even Huang Xiaolong himself couldn't say for sure how powerful his current physical body was.
The one hundred and eight Heavenly God realm lightning dragon bone shards that he had refined not long ago had greatly strengthened Huang Xiaolong’s flesh and bones even further.
In fact, just now, he didn’t even use a thread of his godforce, purely his physical strength!
Just his physical strength alone was comparable to the power of a Fourth Order Highgod Realm master!
Watching Huang Xiaolong stride toward Zhou Yao, Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi regained their senses from the overwhelming shock. They unconsciously took several steps back, clearly drawing a line between themselves and Zhou Yao, as if afraid that Huang Xiaolong would misunderstand and think they were in the same group.
At this time, Zhou Yao slowly climbed to his feet, glaring at Huang Xiaolong with a ferocious expression, “Hehe, you want me to hand over the key? Dream on! Punk, kill me if you have the guts! If you don’t kill me, once we leave this place, I will absolutely kill you and use your blood as an offering to my killing sword!”
Huang Xiaolong’s gaze became chilling cold, “You really think I dare not kill you? Since I dared to kill Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji, I don’t mind adding you to the list.”
‘What?!’
Wangu Yanhui, Mu Qi, and Zhou Yao all tensed up hearing this, they naturally knew of Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji. By now, all participating disciples knew that those two had fallen.
The two of them actually died in this black-haired young man’s hands!
Then this person was...! Simultaneously, a name flashed in the three people’s minds—Huang Xiaolong!
“You’re Huang Xiaolong?!” Zhou Yao blurted out loud.
Huang Xiaolong didn’t answer, the coldness in his voice thickened, “I’m saying this for the last time, hand over the key. I'll give some face to the Zhou Clan and let you live, otherwise I'll kill you take the key myself.”
Zhou Yao hesitated again and again.
Earlier, he was confident that this black-haired young man wouldn't dare to kill him because he had Zhou Clan behind him, but now, when he knew that Huang Xiaolong was the same person who killed Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji, his confidence vanished.
No one really wanted to die.
In the end, under Huang Xiaolong’s chilling gaze, Zhou Yao took out a small-sized sword from his spatial ring.
The surface was this small sword was densely inscribed with ancient talisman symbols. These talisman symbols were all Divine World script and Huang Xiaolong couldn't understand what they meant, but he understood that this small sword was probably crucial in activating the formation.
Zhou Yao literally threw the small sword at Huang Xiaolong, indignation and unwillingness clung to his heart.
“Huang Xiaolong, I will remember this.” Zhou Yao gave Huang Xiaolong a look filled with hatred before flying away, leaving the hall.
Huang Xiaolong still allowed Zhou Yao to leave despite the obvious threat in his words. The Zhou Clan behind Zhou Yao was still a giant to the current Huang Xiaolong, so unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't kill Zhou Yao and provoke the entire Zhou Clan.
As for Yelu Tianfeng and Beitang Wuji, a deep grudge between Huang Xiaolong and the Yelu Family had already existed before the tournament, hence, killing them was only a matter of fact.
Of course, the biggest reason was the fact that he was confident in being able to deal with both Yelu and Beitang Families. Although both families were the hegemons of their native galaxies, they were far from the giant Zhou Clan.
After Zhou Yao left, Huang Xiaolong looked at Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi, “Since activating the central formation requires five keys, only when all five have been gathered will they be effective. Let’s wait for the remaining two people, what do you two think?”
Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi nodded quickly, seemingly apprehensive, “Sure.”
Having witnessed Huang Xiaolong’s terrifying strength, neither of them felt like objecting.
What if Huang Xiaolong suddenly changed his mind and became interested in the keys in their hands? They would only end up like Zhou Yao, handing over the key and leaving empty-handed in a sorry state.
Seeing that Huang Xiaolong wasn't planning on making a move on their keys, Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi were secretly grateful.
At the same time, a bitter feeling rose in Wangu Yanhui’s heart, thinking of the ranking list. From the start of the tournament until this moment, he had been proud and confident of the fact that no one amongst the participating disciples was his match, the first place was his without a doubt.
But now...
After he had seen Huang Xiaolong’s strength, he had no hope of taking the first place. Based on Huang Xiaolong’s current strength, before the tournament ended, it would be easy for him to surpass Wangu Yanhui’s points.
If Wangu Yanhui could think of this, Mu Qi naturally could too. Mu Qi’s head was filled with the scene of Huang Xiaolong defeating Zhou Yao in one move, repeatedly.
If defeating Zhou Yao only required a single move, what about himself?
The hall was so silent that a pin drop would sound like a thunderclap.
Everyone in the hall waited patiently, sitting in meditation. Huang Xiaolong did not speak, and the other three dared not speak.
Half an hour later, those in the hall could hear the sound of whistling wind.
Both Wangu Yanhui and Mu Qi breathed heavily in relief.
The four people in the hall turned to look, seeing two figures appearing in their line of sight. When they could clearly see their faces, Wangu Yanhui, Mu Qi, and You Wuye were surprised.
“Fang Chu!”
“Lu Dongwei!”
The two figures were none other than Fang Chu of Fortune Gate, ranked second on the list, and Lu Dongwei who was forced out of the top ten by Huang Xiaolong, currently at the 11th place.
When Fang Chu and Lu Dongwei arrived at the hall, the two of them were also surprised seeing the four people present.
Fang Chu and Lu Dongwei took a quick glance around the hall, finally stopping on Huang Xiaolong. Each of them showed a different reaction.
Lu Dongwei was mainly surprised, whereas Huang Xiaolong detected a fleeting but strong killing intent from Fang Chu. Even though Fang Chu concealed it almost immediately, it did not escape Huang Xiaolong’s senses.
Huang Xiaolong’s brows furrowed slightly, he and this Fortune Gate’s Fang Chu had never met before and had no opportunity to form any feuds, so to speak. Then why did the other party reveal such strong killing intent toward him?
On the surface, Huang Xiaolong remained calm.
“Since we're all here, shall we take out our keys and activate the formation?” Wangu Yanhui spoke but his eyes seemed to seek consent from Huang Xiaolong.