"There's news about Deities Templar?" Huang Xiaolong's surprise was instantly overridden by joy.
Zhao Shu nodded his head while saying, "According to what Duan Ren said, this Deities Templar only emerged in the last one hundred years or so. But they behave mysteriously, not even Duan Ren knows where their headquarters is. All he knows is that the Deities Templar master is a woman with unfathomable strength. Every ten years, Deities Templar selects ten disciples on Snow Wind Continent. What they claim is, those that are selected to be disciples of Deities Templar have the opportunity to cultivate in the Divine World!"
Because Huang Xiaolong could not stand hearing the pet name 'Lil Monkey, he made Zhao Shu change the way he referred to Duanren Emperor.
"What?! Divine World?!" Huang Xiaolong was so astonished that his eyes widened into two round moons.
Does this world have a different dimension called Divine World?
In his previous life on Earth, there were different types of world's written in fantasy novels, such as Immortal Realm and Divine Realm. But that was all fairy tales.
Zhao Shu nodded affirmatively, adding: "In fact, this Martial Spirit World that we live in is merely a low-grade dimension. There exists many living dimensions of higher grade than Martial Spirit World, and the Divine World is one of many. But, to travel to Divine World, one must open a space tunnel that connects to the Divine World. I did not expect that this Deities Templar could actually open such a space tunnel!"
Zhao Shu's expression grew solemn as he continued, "However, to open up a space tunnel to the Divine World is not something within the average Saint realm experts' capability. Even for a peak late-Saint realm Tenth Order expert, it is still a herculean effort. Unless several peak late-Saint realm Tenth Order experts worked together, and with the help of an ancient sacred array, only then would there be a possibility of opening a space tunnel to the Divine World! Other than that, only a God Realm master could accomplish this!"
Huang Xiaolong was greatly taken aback after Zhao Shu's explanation. From this, Deities Templar's strength was overwhelmingly evident.
"When is Deities Templar expected to hold the next disciple selection?" On the spur of the moment, Huang Xiaolong asked.
Zhao Shu was surprised but then reacted swiftly, "Six years later, not more than seven. From what Duan Ren said, one of their conditions for disciple selection is that one must possess a superb talent martial spirit, and the other condition is that the candidate's strength must reach Xiantian Tenth Order and above.
Xiantian Tenth Order and above!
Huang Xiaolong's brows deeply furrowed.
Nonetheless, it was impossible for him to break through to Xiantian Tenth Order in the span of six years' time. Not disregarding the possibility of him obtaining the Absolute Soul Pearl, as fast as his cultivation speed may increase to, it would still be far from achieving that condition!
Wanting to enter Deities Templar was of course not for pursuing cultivation, but for Li Lu!
Putting aside his emotions, Huang Xiaolong continued to ask information about Deities Templar from Zhao Shu.
Zhao Shu answered one by one, however, the information he got from Duan Ren wasn't much to begin with. Therefore, what Zhao Shu could answer for Huang Xiaolong was limited as well.
A short while later, Zhao Shu withdrew.
Darkness slowly blanketed the sky in an ink black cover.
Tonight was a moonless night, the heavens above looked like nothing more than an ocean of unfathomable darkness.
Huang Xiaolong stood outside his yard, staring into this dark void.
Images of Li Lu flashed one after another in his mind; the lovely dimples on her cheeks when she laughed, sweet and beautiful. Those large eyes held an alluring charm that rendered one incapable of looking away.
Three years had passed since Huang Min's explanation regarding Li Lu being whisked away by that beautiful woman. In these three years, whenever he took a break from cultivation during the deepest hours of the night, he would think of Li Lu.
Three years, yet Li Lu's face did not fade into the abyss of time. Instead, her appearance became clearer in his mind. It was only now that he finally realized Li Lu was deeply ingrained in his heart.
"Li Lu." Huang Xiaolong said her name softly.
A sudden pain tugged at his heartstrings. He shouldn't have allowed that Deities Templar woman to bring Li Lu away that year. Despite so, he couldn't have stopped it no matter how much he wished to. Not to mention that time, he was still powerless even now. That beautiful woman was at least a Saint realm expert. With the Deities Templar at her back, if she wanted to take away one person, the entire Snow Wind Continent's empires were probably powerless to stop her, what more someone like Huang Xiaolong?
Power!
Strength!
In the end, power and strength determine everything!
The mounting pressure of Asura burst forth from Huang Xiaolong's body, an aura of slaughter filled the yard in the moonless night.
In the next moment, a bright light flickered and a golden token appeared on his palm.
This golden token was given to Zhao Shu by Duan Ren. With this, Huang Xiaolong was free to enter and leave Duanren Institute's inner division compound.
Absolute Soul Pearl!
Regardless what hurdles blocked his way, he must find the Absolute Soul Pearl, borrowing the power from these three Heavenly Treasures to speed up his cultivation speed and strength.
Morning arrived with the resplendent sunlight shining, caressing one's skin and providing warmth.
Huang Xiaolong stepped out from the Southern Hill Estate and headed in Duanren Institute's direction.
Arriving in Duanren Institute, Huang Xiaolong walked straight towards the inner division area. The inner division grounds were different when compared to the outer division in that there were guards at the entrance.
When Huang Xiaolong wanted to enter, a guard squad quickly blocked his path.
The guard squad consisted of eleven guards and was led at the front by an expert who looked like a forty-something middle-aged man with a goatee.
The goatee middle-aged man scrutinized Huang Xiaolong with cold eyes, "Little punk, as the Institute's outer division student, are you not aware that outer division students are not allowed to enter the inner division area? Trespassers are punished with ten slashes by the knife!"
Ten slashes by the knife!
Meaning the trespassing person who stepped into the inner division area would be punished with ten cuts from a knife. And it was a prerequisite that the tip of the knife should be pierced through the body each time to be considered as complete.
"Go, strip this kid's clothes off and let him have a taste of the ten knives punishment!" The goatee middle-aged man looked over his shoulder to the back of him, ordering one of the guards.
"Yes, Captain Yang!"
When that guard was about to step out, Huang Xiaolong raised one of his arms up, revealing a shiny golden token. Huang Xiaolong's action obstructed that guards' vision entirely, causing him to stagger backward.
The rest of the guards were astounded as they stared at the golden token in Huang Xiaolong's hand.
"The Great Emperor's Golden Token!"
"This is the Great Emperor's Golden Token, no mistake!"
The goatee middle-aged man was also stupefied as he looked dazedly at the shiny golden token.
"Greeting Lord Bearer of the Golden Token!"
Before he could recover his senses, the rest of the guards had knelt down in respectful salute.
Regardless of who it was, seeing the person holding the Golden Token, everyone must kneel in salute and be referred to as Lord Bearer of the Golden Token. This rule was set down by Duan Ren himself.
Awakened from his daze, the goatee middle-aged man quickly knelt down: "Greeting Lord Bearer of the Golden Token!"
Huang Xiaolong nodded and slowly strode into the inner division. However, when he passed next to the goatee middle-aged man, he said, "Your goatee grew nicely, Captain Yang [1]? It goes well with your name!"
The goatee middle-aged man was stunned for a moment before the expression on his face turned ugly and awkward, not daring to refute Huang Xiaolong while his subordinates laughed secretly behind him.
Not until Huang Xiaolong's figure disappeared from sight did the guards get up. The goatee middle-aged man's eyes glinted with an icy sharpness as he stared the young man's backㅡHuang Xiaolong!
He was at Duanren Square, watching the Imperial City Battle, thus it wasn't strange he could recognize Huang Xiaolong.
Half an hour later, the goatee middle-aged man appeared inside a solitary secluded courtyard.
"You're sure it was Huang Xiaolong?" Standing with his back towards the goatee middle-aged man, Yao Fei questioned.
"Yes, Heartless Young Noble. I can guarantee it was Huang Xiaolong!" The goatee middle-aged man answered respectfully.
Yao Fei's eyes emanated piercing coldness, "Golden Token in his hands? How did he come into possession of Duan Ren's Golden Token? Perhaps it was Duan Wuhen using it to attract this little punk, thus giving his own Golden Token to him?"
There were only two Golden Token's in the entire Duanren Empire. One was in Duan Ren's hands, while the other was held by Duan Wuhen.
"You did well, go and get two Soul Strengthening Dan from Heartless Hall." Yao Fei said and waved him away.
Soul Strengthening Dan, mid-Grade Five Spirit Dan.
"This one thanks Heartless Young Noble!" The goatee middle-aged man was overjoyed. Expressing his thanks, he turned and left.
Note:
Captain Yang 羊队长 and goatee 羊须 shares the same character. A pun on his name and appearance.