Huang Xiaolong felt it was funny that the Ghost Refining Sect Master would use such an excuse to 'blackmail' him into sparing his life.
Huang Xiaolong was slowly walking toward the Ghost Refining Sect Master, not speaking a word until he was standing right in front of him, "I can spare your life if you want."
The Ghost Refining Sect Master was stunned, then rejoiced as he asked, "Truly?"
Huang Xiaolong nodded sincerely, "As long as you open your soul sea and let me brand you with my soul mark."
The joy that had risen to the Ghost Refining Sect Master's face suddenly froze, as if he had fallen into an eternal ice cavern. He blurted out faster than he could think: "Never!" He then glared at Huang Xiaolong, "You motherf*cker, you played me!"
Huang Xiaolong shook his head, looking amused, "Looks like you don't agree to this condition. Since it's like that, you can't blame me." With that said one thousand arms appeared again from Huang Xiaolong's back, mercilessly striking.
Enraged, the Ghost Refining Sect Master mustered his remaining strength to retaliate.
…
Half an hour later, Huang Xiaolong watched emotionlessly as the Ghost Refining Sect Master's body slowly tumbled to the ground. Inwardly, he heaved heavily in relief. What he had been afraid of the most was the Ghost Refining Sect Master choosing to blow up his godhead in desperation, but fortunately, it did not happen. Or better said, Huang Xiaolong did not allow it to reach that stage.
However, the Ghost Refining Sect Master couldn't be considered dead, as Huang Xiaolong merely swallowed all of his blood essence and godforce, then sealed him.
With a wave of his hand, Huang Xiaolong sent the unconscious Ghost Refining Sect Master into his Asura Ring.
At this time, the Devil King's Palace gates opened as Li Lu, the Ascending Moon Old Man, and the Spiriting Demon Gates' Patriarch flew out.
"Sissy fudges! Little Huang brat, I really thought you were done in by the Ghost Refining old man's heavenly lightning beads earlier, you didn't see the heartbroken tears I was shedding!" Just as he appeared, the old man already started clamoring.
Huang Xiaolong snorted half-heartedly, "From your expression, I really can't tell how heartbroken you were."
The old man grinned sheepishly, "That was earlier, this is now. Didn't you win? Of course this old man is happy and ecstatic for you."
Everyone burst into laughter.
The four of them went back inside the Devil King's Palace. After collecting all the divine pills from the great hall, the group left the palace, flying out from the Sea of Hell.
Six days later, Huang Xiaolong's group had left the Sea of Hell.
"Little Huang brat, where should we go now?" The Ascending Moon Old Man was the first to ask.
"To the Ghost Refining Sect!" Huang Xiaolong's eyes glinted at his own plan.
"The Ghost Refining Sect?" The other three did not expect this answer.
Huang Xiaolong nodded in affirmation.
"Kid, you really want to go to the Ghost Refining Sect ah? Even though you are strong, there are numerous masters there, not to mention the layers of ancient godly formations!" The Ascending Moon Old Man said, worrying about Huang Xiaolong's safety.
The Ghost Refining Sect had ruled over the Path to Hell for countless millennia, they must have an astonishing heritage they relied on. Could Huang Xiaolong alone fight against the entire Ghost Refining Sect?
Huang Xiaolong smiled, "Don't worry, old man, I have confidence!"
Had it been a couple of years back, Huang Xiaolong wouldn't risk it, but now, he believed that what he planned to do wouldn't be a problem.
However, Huang Xiaolong was in no hurry to reach the Ghost Refining Sect, thus their group traveled during the day, while at dusk they would stop to rest, enjoying some good wine. Naturally, as they drank wine, Huang Xiaolong's roast meat had become an essential companion.
It was more than a month later when the four of them passed through the Nightmare Forest and arrived at the Ghost Refining City.
When Huang Xiaolong's group appeared above the Ghost Refining City, the entire city entered a state of martial law.
Teams of Ghost Refining Sect disciples were strictly patrolling every corner.
"Enemy invading!"
Just as Huang Xiaolong, the Ascending Moon Old Man, Li Lu, and Fan Yuxiao appeared in the air above the city, they were discovered by several Ghost Refining Sect masters. In the blink of an eye, numerous cultivators encircled the four of them from various directions, layers and layers of people.
"Huang Xiaolong!" One of the present Grand Elder exclaimed in shock when he saw Huang Xiaolong's face.
This time around, Huang Xiaolong did not disguise his features.
When other Ghost Refining Sect masters heard the Grand Elder's words, all of them were stunned. They knew very well that their young lord and the Infernal Ghost Messenger fell to their current worse-than-death situation because of this Huang Xiaolong. Based on their young lord and the Infernal Ghost Messenger's strength, neither of them could fight off Huang Xiaolong, what's more themselves.
"Everyone, don't be afraid!" A Ghost Refining Sect Grand Elder managed to compose himself in a short time, speaking out to calm his companions, "As strong as Huang Xiaolong might be, he's still only one person. Our Ghost Refining Sect has more than ten thousand experts, why would we need to fear him?"
At the Grand Elder's snapping remark, the other Ghost Refining Sect cultivators quickly calmed down as well.
"From the Sect Master's order, whoever kills Huang Xiaolong shall be the new Infernal Ghost Messenger and will be rewarded with a great number of divine pellets and beauties!" An Enforcement Hall Grand Elder stirred the crowd, "Everyone attack together, kill Huang Xiaolong!"
"That's right, even if we can't kill him, as long as we can tie him down here and wait until the Sect Master returns, Huang Xiaolong will dead just the same!"
"Last time the Sect Master pursued Huang Xiaolong, he managed to escape by luck. This time, we must absolutely not let him escape again!"
In a short moment, the Ghost Refining Sect masters started attacking Huang Xiaolong, their emotions running high, greatly motivated.
Huang Xiaolong sneered as he watched this. He indicated to Li Lu and the others to stand behind him and don't move around as one thousand arms spread out from his back, executing the Fifteenth Move of the Dragon God, Unrivaled Myriad Dragons at the swarm of people coming at him.
In an instant, divine dragons filled the sky.
The first hundreds of Ghost Refining Sect masters attacking Huang Xiaolong were knocked downward, half embedded into the ground like sharp pikes, yet Huang Xiaolong's attacks continued — the Earthen Buddha Palm, the Absolute Soul Finger, the Great Void Divine Fist, and his longtime Blades of Asura.
Buddha luminance cast a golden light in the sky even as devils howled and great fist imprints shattered the surrounding space.
Several hundred more Ghost Refining Sect masters plummeted from the sky, but Huang Xiaolong had precise control over the amount of force he exerted. He did not kill these people, yet it was enough to render them powerless to resist
Each of Huang Xiaolong's attacks would reduce the other side's count by several hundred.
At the beginning, these Ghost Refining Sect masters did not notice the impact as they continued to rush forward recklessly, but when more and more of Ghost Refining Elders and Grand Elders of Seventh Order and above were sent flying by Huang Xiaolong or embedded deep into the ground, some of them finally began to notice the horrifying situation they were in. Their actions slowed or stopped altogether.
Soon, even the disciples noticed the eerie situation. Apprehension filled their hearts, their feet subconsciously shifted back.
Huang Xiaolong surveyed the tight encirclement that suddenly backed away from him, sneering. A light flashed from one of his hands as he took out the Ghost Refining Sect Master.
"Sect Master!"
"It's the Sect Master!"
"The Sect Master actually fell into Huang Xiaolong's hands! He is gravely injured on top of that! No, that's not possible!"
When the Ghost Refining Sect masters recognized the dried, shrunken body that Huang Xiaolong held to be their very own Sect Master, waves of denial rang throughout the crowd, heads shaking in disbelief.
"You lot can see it clearly with your own eyes, your Sect Master has been subdued and his life is in my hands. He lives if I want him to, and he dies when I want him to!" Huang Xiaolong's cold gaze swept over the disciples, "All Ghost refining Sect disciples, listen up! Those who don't want to die, submit to me, or you will end up just like your Sect Master!"
At this point, Huang Xiaolong's Archdevil Supreme Godhead's devouring power circulated. Right before these disciples, he turned the Ghost Refining Sect Master into a real, dead and shrunken corpse, then blasted him into dust with a punch!
There was not the slightest chance for the Ghost Refining Sect Master to return.