As they traveled, Huang Xiaolong asked Zhao Yucheng about matters related to the upcoming Ghost Refining Sect Master succession ceremony. Although what Zhao Yucheng knew was limited, from their conversation, Huang Xiaolong was able to gather that it wasn't just the Spiriting Demon Gates that received the order, other first rank forces also received it.
To Huang Xiaolong, this was a piece of good news.
The higher the number of people who attended, the less conspicuous Huang Xiaolong would be, increasing his chances of rescuing the Ascending Moon Old Man.
Two days later, led by Zhao Yucheng, Huang Xiaolong arrived at the Spiriting Demon Gates.
One thing he did not expect was the fact that the Spiriting Demon Gates was built in the middle of a primeval forest. Clusters of high and low buildings weaved between ancient towering trees.
The Spiriting Demon Gates prohibited outsiders from entering their grounds, but with Zhao Yucheng's Elder status, those patrolling Spiriting Demon Gates disciples dared not block their way. Although they dared not block Zhao Yucheng and Huang Xiaolong's way, one of them was sent to quickly inform the Elder on duty.
Thus, a short while after Huang Xiaolong appeared in the Spiriting Demon Gates, a figure flew toward them from their front, halting Zhao Yucheng and Huang Xiaolong in their steps.
This person blocking their path wore the same Spiriting Demon Gates' Elder robe as Zhao Yucheng's. He had a bear of a figure with a long face and small eyes. His face truly resembled a giraffe's face.
"Du Yuan, what is the meaning of this?!" Zhao Yucheng's face darkened in an instant, speaking in a low threatening tone.
Ever since Zhao Yucheng injured this Du Yuan in the last Spiriting Demon Gates internal competition, they had been butting heads everywhere.
Du Yuan chuckled, laced with menace as he glanced at Huang Xiaolong before turning back to Zhao Yucheng, saying, "Zhao Yucheng, it's not like you don't know that our Spiriting Demon Gates prohibits outsiders from entering the grounds unless they have the Patriarch or Ancestor's token."
Zhao Yucheng's expression turned ugly.
Du Yuan turned to Huang Xiaolong again, his voice hardened, "Brat, you've heard me! Without the Patriarch or the Ancestor's token, no outsider is allowed to enter our Spiriting Demon Gates, you can get lost now. Otherwise you're deliberately trespassing into our Spiriting Demon Gates' territory, you know the consequences!"
Get lost!
Hearing Du Yuan actually telling Huang Xiaolong to get lost, Zhao Yucheng became ashen, anxiously interjecting, "Du Yuan, you…! This Senior is here to see our Patriarch and Ancestor, immediately give way!"
Du Yuan laughed instead at Zhao Yucheng's words, "Huh, what did you say? Just this skinny brat wants to see our Patriarch and Ancestor? Zhao Yucheng, do you think any stray cats or dogs you bring inside are qualified to meet with our Patriarch and Ancestor?"
At this time, Huang Xiaolong who had been quiet so far suddenly raised his hand and made a grabbing motion with his fingers. An overpowering force pulled Du Yuan right up to Huang Xiaolong, lifted into the air by his neck.
Du Yuan was outraged and shocked at the same time, but his body's godforce was suppressed by an unknown force, unable to struggle at all.
"You mongrel, release me now, how dare you come to my Spiriting Demon Gates..." Du Yuan roared, but before he could finish what he wanted to say, Huang Xiaolong exerted some force, crushing his neck. Subsequently, strands of godforce flowed into his body, shattering Du Yuan's godhead, erasing him from existence.
Without another look, Huang Xiaolong threw the body to the side.
The Spiriting Demon Gates' patrolling disciples were dumbfounded seeing a corpse wearing the Elder robes falling down on them. All of them were frozen in place from shock, forgetting to react.
Zhao Yusheng was pale as a corpse, it happened so fast that it failed to register in his brain until it was too late.
"Go on." Huang Xiaolong nudged Zhao Yucheng.
"Yes yes yes, Se-Senior, please, please, this way!" Zhao Yucheng snapped back to his senses, nodding fearfully, feeling flustered.
Zhao Yucheng and Huang Xiaolong left, yet for a long time, the patrolling disciples were still rooted where they were.
A short while later, Zhao Yucheng brought Huang Xiaolong to their Patriarch's cultivation palace. However, their arrival was also blocked at the entrance by the guarding disciples. One of the disciples said, "The Patriarch and Ancestor are discussing important matters, they aren't not seeing anyone right now."
Huang Xiaolong walked straight in as if he did not hear him.
Just as that disciple wanted to reprimand Huang Xiaolong, he realized to his horror that his entire body was out of his own control, unable to move even a finger. He couldn't utter a sound.
Watching Huang Xiaolong stride in without a care, Zhao Yucheng's heart constricted with anxiety. Unable to think of a solution, he gritted his teeth and chased up to Huang Xiaolong, entering as well.
Inside the palace hall, the Spiriting Demon Gates' Ancestor Gao Yuan and Patriarch Fan Yuxiao were in the midst of discussing the upcoming Ghost Refining Sect Master succession ceremony when a flustered Zhao Yucheng swaggered in behind a black-haired young man.
After a split second of being caught off guard, the two most distinguished people in the Spiriting Demon Gates were enraged.
"Insolent! Zhao Yucheng, who gave you the guts to barge in here?!" The Spiriting Demon Gates Patriarch Fan Yuxiao bellowed.
Zhao Yucheng flinched, turning bloodlessly white. He was kneeling, stammering, "Patri-arch, I'm wronged ah, it's, it's…" After what seemed half a day of 'it's', Zhao Yucheng pitifully found that he didn't know how to answer.
Right at this moment, there was a reaction from Patriarch Fan Yuxiao's communication talisman. When he took it out and checked, his face darkened, a piercing cold glint appeared in his eyes as he glared daggers at Huang Xiaolong, "Brat, you really have guts! Trespassing into my Spiriting Demon Gates and killing an Elder!"
Just now, he received a disciple's report that the black-haired young man had killed Elder Du Yuan.
Hearing what Fan Yuxiao had said, Ancestor Gao Yuan rose to his feet, godforce surging around him. His eyes narrowed coldly, "Mid-Eighth Order Highgod Realm? Should I say you're courageous to make trouble in my Spiriting Demon Gates with this level of strength? Little runt, which sect are you from!" His divine sense was locked onto Huang Xiaolong, if Huang Xiaolong dared to make any move, he would not hesitate to end Huang Xiaolong's life there and then.
Gao Yuan himself was an early Tenth Order Highgod Realm master, it was only natural for him not to put a mere mid-Eighth Order Highgod Realm runt in his eyes.
Zhao Yucheng was unable to see through Huang Xiaolong's cultivation. He had assumed that Huang Xiaolong was a Tenth Order Highgod Realm master, but hearing from his Ancestor's mouth that he was just a mid-Eighth Order Highgod Realm master, his hanging heart relaxed. Then, he quickly stated: "Patriarch, Ancestor, this brat has just entered the Path to Hell from outside!"
"Oh, from outside." The small feeling of scruple Patriarch Fan Yuxiao had was wiped away, the look in his eyes growing increasingly icy.
Initially, had Huang Xiaolong been a Grand Elder of other first-rank forces in the Path to Hell, Fan Yuxiao might need to consider it twice before killing him, hut now, all that was irrelevant.
"Ancestor, Patriarch, I happen to know that this brat has a kind of secret art that can devour yin souls!" Zhao Yucheng spilled out, trumpeting his meritorious deed.
Zhao Yucheng saw Huang Xiaolong devour those yin souls before and assumed it was due to a certain art he cultivated.
"An art that can devour yin souls!" Both the Spiriting Demon Gates' Patriarch and Ancestor trembled with ecstasy.
They knew very well that one of the reasons why the Ghost Refining Sect Master was so powerful was precisely because they cultivated an art that allowed them to devour the yin souls of ghost beasts and Yin Ghosts!
In this Path to Hell, what they didn't lack were ghost beasts and Yin Ghosts. As long as they acquired an art that could devour yin souls, it was equal to coming into possession a horrifying amount of cultivation resources; possessing a peerless method that could increase their strength at rapid speed ah!
The Spiriting Demon Gates' Ancestor was generous in his praise, "Elder Zhao, after I detain this runt and scour his soul, if it is proven that there is indeed such an art, you can freely choose ten items from the Spiriting Demon Gates' treasury!"
Zhao Yucheng beamed, "Many thanks, Ancestor!"