Chapter 92 - 53-62

Chapter 53 ~ Second Gray Cloud City (2)

Liu Xing began to walk, trying to act normally. But every person he saw, whether walking or riding in carriages, whether sweaty and dirty or dressed in fine clothes, stared at him with wide eyes.

As he walked, people parted from the street, as if Liu Xing was a terrifying menace that couldn't be disturbed. Seeing this, Liu Xing wasn't surprised. Most people had never seen a cultivator before, and even if they had, they knew better than to mess with one.

The bustling market suddenly fell quiet as Liu Xing walked through the streets. The aroma of spices and the sight of colorful fabrics faded into the background as whispers began to spread.

"A-a cultivator," a man in blue clothes with white trim whispered, his voice trembling with awe.

"Did you see? He descended from the sky. I heard they can fly, but to think it's true..." another voice added, filled with wonder.

"I think he used a treasure to fly. I've seen cultivators from the Xia clan before, and they fly by riding swords."

The whispers spread like wildfire. Men and women, grandparents and children, everyone whispered and occasionally pointed at him, their fingers shaking with excitement or fear.

"Is he from the Xia clan?"

"No, the Xia clan always wears yellow robes. He's wearing a purple robe."

"Is he perhaps from the Purple Moon Sect?"

Someone snorted. "The Purple Moon Sect is a mighty sect. There's no way a cultivator from that sect would come here. Even if they visited our empire, they'd only go to the capital. This city is too shabby."

Liu Xing was, in fact, from the Purple Moon Sect. But he decided not to correct them and just walked straight ahead. It was actually kind of awkward. He felt like a monkey paraded through the streets, becoming a spectacle that made people point at him. Liu Xing was tempted to bolt, but doing so would attract more attention. Since he needed to ask around to pinpoint where the treasures he needed to gather were, it was better to just walk normally.

Several moments later, when Liu Xing was in a part of the market where the street was too narrow and crowded, forcing people to squeeze around to create a path for him, two men who looked like guards rushed out from the crowd. They wore armor with intricate tiger carvings that gleamed in the sunlight.

"Who dares to enter this city without a permit? Even a cultivator needs to meet us, the city guards, to enter!" A man with tanned skin and a muscular body, as well as piercing eyes, shouted at him. His voice boomed over the murmur of the crowd.

"That's right! Moreover, it's forbidden to fly above the city! People who break this rule need to be fined!" A younger man, around Liu Xing's age, also shouted. He was skinny and pale, but so tall that everyone, even Liu Xing, only reached his shoulder. His long shadow stretched across the packed dirt road.

Sensing the commotion, the people around started to squeeze out more, trying to back away. The air grew thick with tension.

Liu Xing wondered if he was in trouble. Maybe landing in the middle of the market wasn't so wise. Still, there was nothing he could do now. Moreover, since he had found two city guards, he could ask them about the certain stone he needed to find.

"I apologize," Liu Xing said, his voice calm and measured. "My name is Liu Xing, and I'm a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect. I didn't know such rules existed in this city. I promise I won't break this law again."

"He said he's from the Purple Moon Sect," someone from the crowd whispered, their voice filled with awe.

"That mighty sect? They say each and every disciple there is a genius! Each year, our Twelve Sun Empire has to compete for five places so our youngsters can participate in the entrance ceremony!"

"I heard this year no one from our empire passed the test. Not even the crown prince!"

As the whispers grew louder, Liu Xing eyed the two guards in front of him. He tried to use the Purple Moon Sect name to subtly intimidate the guards. As people said, the Purple Moon Sect was a great sect. Most people wouldn't dare to offend him. He also tried to be as polite as possible to smooth things over. Since the two guards now knew his name and his sect, and he promised not to break the laws again, surely they would let him go.

The tall, skinny man glanced at his companion, his eyes wavering, while the tanned man licked his lips, looking intimidated, but there was still sharpness in his eyes.

"Let him go. Do you want to offend him?" shouted an old man from the crowd, his wrinkled face contorted with worry.

"Yeah, he's from the mighty Purple Moon Sect. Surely there's an exception for him," a plump woman in a yellow robe called out, her voice carrying over the murmurs.

There was more agreement from the crowd, and Liu Xing nodded to all of them, his face a mask of calm.

"Silence!" shouted the tanned man, his voice cutting through the noise. "I'm a city guard. It's my duty to follow the rules. There are no exceptions. What if he's a demonic cultivator? What if he's lying? Wearing a purple robe doesn't mean someone is from the Purple Moon Sect."

"T-that's right!" agreed the tall man, his voice less certain. "No exceptions."

"Is there any way for me to prove my identity to you?" Liu Xing asked, reaching into his robes. He pulled out a wooden token shaped like a cloud and showed it to them. "Is this enough?"

The two guards focused their eyes on the token, which seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light. The tall man then whispered to his companion. His whispers were quiet, and amidst the murmuring people, Liu Xing almost didn't hear him.

"What if he really is a Purple Moon Sect disciple?"

The tanned man didn't answer. Instead, he approached Liu Xing and examined the wooden token closely, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized every detail.

He then nodded. "That token looks genuine."

Liu Xing sighed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Then I assume this matter is over?"

"Yes, but you still need to be fined. After all, the law is the law. No exceptions. And as an example so no other cultivator breaks the law, we've decided to make an example of you. Your fine will be ten times higher. It's a hundred gold coins!"

The crowd gasped, as if they'd heard Liu Xing needed to pay with his limbs. But for Liu Xing, that was actually very cheap. He didn't have any coins on him. He only had spirit stones that he'd taken from the Shadow Wolf Gang, and a spirit stone was worth around a hundred thousand gold coins.

But Liu Xing began to think that maybe these two guards weren't driven solely by duty. Perhaps there was an aspect of extortion here. While a hundred gold coins was cheap, he didn't want to be bullied.

Still, if he refused, the situation could very well escalate.

Liu Xing sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "All right. I'll pay." He fished out a spirit stone and flicked it to the tall man. As the spirit stone sailed through the air, catching the sunlight and sparkling brilliantly, Liu Xing felt strange. He was a broke cultivator, yet he didn't feel remorse paying a spirit stone just for two city guards. Probably because this spirit stone wasn't earned by himself. Instead, he had stolen it.

The tall man fumbled to catch it, and when he succeeded, he opened his hand and blinked several times when he saw a round blue stone that faintly glowed, pulsing with an inner light.

"Are you messing with us? My friend said a hundred gold coins, not a shiny rock!" the tall man said, his voice rising in pitch.

The tanned man's eyes widened at the sight of the spirit stone, looking as if they might pop out of his head. His lips trembled, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Then, as if he'd seen an emperor, he dropped to his knees, his head bowed low.

"This city guard was wrong! I'm sorry if I offended you, esteemed cultivator," he said, his voice quavering.

Liu Xing's eyebrow rose. What was he talking about? Why the sudden change in behavior?

"This Gao Yangdo apologizes from the depths of his heart," the guard continued. "When I heard you were from the Purple Moon Sect, I felt doubtful. The Purple Moon Sect is a great sect, and many people impersonate being a disciple from there. When I saw your token, fifty percent of my doubt vanished, and when you paid a measly fine of a hundred coins with a spirit stone worth a hundred thousand gold, the doubt disappeared! There's no way an impersonator would pay a fine, let alone use a precious spirit stone to pay it! You're truly a Purple Moon Sect disciple."

After he said that, the crowd erupted into commotion. Every person, from child to grandparent, widened their eyes in shock.

"Have I gone mad? Did the guard say that stone is worth a hundred thousand gold coins?!" someone exclaimed.

"I've never seen a hundred gold coins before. How much is a thousand gold coins worth?" another voice chimed in.

"You could buy half a city with that much money!" said a man with a bushy mustache. He then dropped to his knees, which prompted the youngsters to his left and right to do the same. This created a chain reaction where everyone suddenly knelt, as if they were in the presence of the wisest emperor of mankind.

Liu Xing licked his lips, realizing the situation was spiraling out of control. He needed to leave as soon as possible.

"Since I've paid the fine, may I go?" Liu Xing asked politely, his voice steady despite the chaos around him.

"Certainly!" the tanned man shouted, his head still bowed.

"All right. Before I go, do you know where a big stone in the shape of an inverted triangle is located? My reason for coming to this city is to see that rock."

Chapter 54 ~ Inverted Pyramid (1)

"An inverted triangle rock?" The tan man muttered, turning to his companion, who shook his head while still kneeling.

Unexpectedly, a chubby, bald kid in the crowd, wearing bright blue clothes, piped up. "Oh, I know that rock! My friend says it's the Fat Lin rock."

"The Fat Lin rock! Of course!" The city guard exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "It is indeed a massive inverted triangle rock, but you can only see the whole thing if you dive into the river. From above, it looks like an arena in the middle of the water. A man nicknamed Fat Lin discovered it about a dozen years ago."

Liu Xing nodded, his curiosity piqued. "Where's it located?"

"If you follow the river east, you'll find it," the guard replied, gesturing towards the horizon.

That rock was a landmark that could help him locate three important hidden treasures in this city. If Liu Xing found that rock, he'd find the Ethereal Pearl nearby, and then he'd easily find the other two.

"All right, thank you," Liu Xing said. He summoned his invisible gun and activated his Lightning Cloak technique. Gasps and exclamations erupted from the crowd as sparks danced across Liu Xing's skin.

"He's covered in lightning!"

"God! He's a thunder god!"

Liu Xing ignored them and prepared to bolt. He was pretty sure there were rules about using techniques in the city, but since he'd already paid a fine, he figured he might as well break one more law to get away quickly.

Just before jumping, Liu Xing decided to warn the people around him.

"People of Second Gray Cloud City. Listen carefully. My sect, the Purple Moon Sect, is holding a race right now. Thousands of disciples are running around trying to find treasures. While I'm the first to arrive in this city, there's no doubt others will come. I warn you all to stay away if you see a disciple from my sect. Not everyone values mortal life, and some might kill without hesitation. Be careful and stay safe."

After delivering his warning, Liu Xing kicked off the ground and soared straight into the sky. Looking down, he saw many people pointing up at him, their faces a mix of awe and fear.

His warning came from the depths of his heart. Many cultivators saw mortals as insignificant as ants, and Shen Ye was the most recent example. Since there was a real possibility other disciples from his sect would come to this city, Liu Xing hoped his warning would prevent anyone from foolishly offending his fellow disciples, especially the two guards.

Summoning his shield, Liu Xing kicked it and flew vertically like a bird, the wind whipping through his hair.

As he soared above the city, Liu Xing checked the sun's position to ensure he was heading east. The Fat Lin rock was submerged in the river, so he needed to stay close to the water.

With his incredible speed, Liu Xing traversed the city so quickly that within minutes, the man-made buildings disappeared from view. The landscape transformed into a sea of trees, winding roads, and dense bushes, punctuated by rocks jutting from the ground.

As he flew, Liu Xing wondered how far he was from the sect. The people around here still knew about the Purple Moon Sect, but Liu Xing doubted they understood its true size and power.

He leaped from his shield and turned his head. Behind Second Gray Cloud City loomed a gigantic mountain, its white peak clearly visible against the cloudless sky. Liu Xing had crossed that mountain to arrive here from Mystic Moon City, and he doubted normal people could traverse it. While there was nothing particularly interesting there, the forest creeping up the mountain was full of towering trees, treacherous cliffs, and wild beasts. If not for his new shield allowing him to move in a straight path, even Liu Xing might have gotten lost in that forest.

Shaking off these thoughts, Liu Xing continued his journey. He flew like an arrow above the wide, blue river that snaked through the landscape.

Deciding to slow down, he ran along the riverside, afraid he might miss the Fat Lin rock. The riverbank was littered with large, jagged rocks, and Liu Xing wondered if the mountain behind the city was volcanic. After all, these massive boulders had to come from somewhere.

Liu Xing leaped from rock to rock, sometimes landing on flat surfaces, other times springing off pointed peaks. He came across a small waterfall, its misty spray refreshing his face as he jumped over it.

After hopping from rock to rock for about five minutes, Liu Xing finally spotted the Fat Lin rock. It truly looked like a submerged arena, as if long ago, people had built a raised platform that had been flooded over time.

After taking off his shoes, Liu Xing landed on top of it, the cool water submerging his feet up to his calves. With bare feet, he could feel the rock's surprising smoothness.

Liu Xing walked around the smooth rock. It was about twenty meters wide, yet it didn't cover the entire river.

"What a weird rock," Liu Xing muttered, his brow furrowed in confusion.

It didn't look natural, and Liu Xing couldn't be certain of its purpose. Shaking his head, he set aside unnecessary thoughts. This was the landmark he'd been looking for, which meant the Ethereal Pearl was probably nearby.

Jumping to the riverbank and landing on a flat rock, Liu Xing removed his robe. He needed to swim, and while his robe had self-cleaning and quick-drying features, swimming in it would hinder his movement.

After tucking the robe into a gap between two rocks, Liu Xing dove into the river. Instantly, he felt the refreshing water embrace him, its coolness a stark contrast to the warm air above. Liu Xing opened his eyes, looking around the underwater world. The bright sunlight penetrated the clear water, revealing a vibrant ecosystem. Schools of fish darted around him, their scales glinting in the filtered light. Submerged logs covered in bright green moss and swaying river plants created an otherworldly landscape.

Swimming around, he repositioned himself to face the inverted triangle rock. From above, it had looked like an arena, but from below the surface, Liu Xing could see its true shape.

An upside-down pyramid.

The rock was almost white, untouched by moss or algae. The tip of the pyramid touched the riverbed, and Liu Xing wondered why it didn't topple over. There was nothing visibly holding it in place.

Liu Xing treaded water and tried to sense the qi around it, suspecting that a cultivator had created this pyramid. But even if that were true, he couldn't feel any qi emanating from it. In fact, the area around the pyramid seemed devoid of qi entirely.

Liu Xing's head was full of questions, but while the pyramid intrigued him, he didn't forget about the pearl he was searching for.

Swimming around, Liu Xing searched for the pearl. He had assumed that since the Ethereal Pearl was a treasure, it would be easy to find. But Liu Xing quickly realized that he was wrong. Instead of sensing one strong qi signal, he picked up dozens of subtle spots that caught his attention.

He carefully explored each one, digging into the muddy riverbed and turning over smooth stones. His fingers combed the underwater terrain, searching for any sign of the Ethereal Pearl.

Despite the lack of a clear signal, Liu Xing remained confident. The pearl had to be nearby, and he was determined to find it. It was only a matter of time and perseverance.

As Liu Xing dug a hole in the riverbed, sensing a qi spot there, he felt his lungs tighten. He swam upward and broke the surface, gasping for air. The sun's warmth caressed his face as he emerged from the cool water.

Liu Xing was about to dive again when he heard some strange noises. A whimper, a "thud thud" sound, and laughter. Looking around, he traced the source to a bush beside the river. Narrowing his eyes, Liu Xing swam toward the bush. He had a hunch about what he might find, and he suspected he wouldn't like it one bit.

Chapter 55 ~ Inverted Pyramid (2)

Liu Xing pulled himself from the water, his pants clinging to his skin, and he pushed through the lush bushes, their leaves rustling softly, and stumbled into a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, two boys, each around seven or eight years old, caught his attention. One boy sat on the chest of the other, his weight pinning the smaller child to the ground. The boy on top wore a yellow sleeveless shirt with black trim, his golden hair gleaming in the sunlight. He laughed joyfully as he punched the boy beneath him, as if it was the most entertaining activity in the world.

The boy on the ground covered his face with his small hands, but his efforts were futile. His cheeks and forehead were red and swollen, and a dark bruise was forming along his jaw. It looked as if he had been punched hard enough to fall, then pummeled mercilessly by the golden-haired boy. Seeing this, Liu Xing pressed his lips together. He knew all too well how it felt to be helplessly beaten like that.

"What are you doing?" Liu Xing called out.

The golden-haired boy stopped punching and turned to face Liu Xing. His eyes flashed with annoyance, but he remained perched on the other boy's chest.

"Who are you? How dare you interrupt me?" the boy demanded, his chin tilted up.

"I'm Liu Xing, and I dare because you're doing something I hate," Liu Xing replied.

The boy snorted. "What? I'm only tapping his face." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "More importantly, do you know who I am? I'm Xia Hongyi, the young master of the Xia clan. Shouldn't you kneel and kiss my feet for disturbing my fun?"

"Why would I do that? Even if it would make me immortal, I wouldn't kiss your feet," Liu Xing said, his gaze drifting to the boy still on the ground. The child's hands trembled as he covered his face, and tears glistened at the corners of his eyes. "You should stand up and let him go."

"Why?" Xia Hongyi narrowed his eyes. "Who are you to order me around? I'll sit wherever I want, put my fist wherever I wish, and I'll put my feet wherever I want." He stood up and raised his right foot, clearly intending to stomp on the other boy's face. As the foot descended, Liu Xing realized the young bully was serious.

In a flash, Liu Xing moved. He arrived beside Xia Hongyi and kicked the descending foot, making it land on the ground near the other boy's ear with a dull thud.

Xia Hongyi turned to Liu Xing, his eyes blazing with fury. "Are you deaf?" he shouted. "I said I'm Xia Hongyi, the young master of the Xia clan!"

"So what? What right do you have to stomp on this kid?" Liu Xing pointed at the boy who was now trying to get up, but Xia Hongyi quickly stomped on his left hand, pinning him down.

"Of course I have the right! I'm a cultivator, while he's merely a mortal!"

"Is that so?" Liu Xing swept at the bully's feet, sending him tumbling. 

As Xia Hongyi landed on his backside, his eyes widened in disbelief. The other boy scrambled to his feet, shot a grateful look at Liu Xing, and darted into the bushes. Xia Hongyi glared at the retreating boy before turning his fierce gaze on Liu Xing.

Liu Xing quickly assessed the situation. From what he'd heard in the city, he knew of the Xia clan's existence. This boy was probably telling the truth about being a young master, given that he was indeed a cultivator, albeit only at the first stage of the Lock Opening realm.

"You're courting death!" Xia Hongyi shouted, lunging at Liu Xing with his small fist.

Liu Xing didn't bother to dodge. The fist connected with his belly, but the impact was weak.

"You need to hone your qi sense more. I'm a cultivator too."

Xia Hongyi jumped back and looked up and down at Liu Xing, trying to figure him out. Seeing him, Liu Xing was reminded of the bullies from his sect. Most of the bullies were mean, and this boy seemed to be no different. But Liu Xing wondered if there was more to it. Maybe this boy wasn't just being cruel for no reason. Liu Xing wanted to know why a kid would act like this.

"Why were you bullying that kid? Did he do something wrong to you?" Liu Xing asked, adjusting his stance. Before acquiring his gun, he had been skilled in martial arts, favoring palm strikes until he learned the Lightning Palm Technique.

Xia Hongyi lunged again, aiming for Liu Xing's belly. Liu Xing easily deflected the fist to the side. Taking advantage of the boy's surprise, he swept Xia Hongyi's feet out from under him once more. The young bully scrambled to his feet, creating distance between them. His eyes glared at him, but Liu Xing could see a hint of fear in his expression.

"I'll ask you again, did that boy do something to you?"

Xia Hongyi snorted. "His existence is wrong. I'm Xia Hongyi, the future patriarch of the Xia clan. He's Xia Weiyuan, a worthless orphan adopted by my clan and given our surname. He has no talent for martial arts or cultivation. Should I leave such trash alone?"

Xia Hongyi attacked again, feinting a punch to Liu Xing's belly before attempting to sweep his legs. Liu Xing allowed the feets to connected, but his legs remained firmly planted.

"You're strong. Stronger than me. But you'll die with my next attack!" Xia Hongyi declared, jumping back.

The young bully began gathering qi in his fist, the energy moving sluggishly. In a real fight, Liu Xing wouldn't have allowed him to complete the preparation, but he decided to let the boy try. Liu Xing could see that Xia Hongyi's arrogance likely stemmed from his high status in the clan and getting everything he wanted. When he mentioned that Xia Weiyuan's only crime was existing and being adopted, Liu Xing suspected the true motivation behind the bullying. Jealousy was often enough to drive cruel actions.

While he couldn't fully understand Xia Hongyi's heart, Liu Xing knew the pain of craving a father's attention only to see it wasted on another child. There was a reason why William had ended up in a place like Indonesia, of all places in the world, and that reason was his father.

"Do your parents pay special attention to Xia Weiyun?"

At those words, Xia Hongyi faltered for a moment. He quickly gritted his teeth, anger flaring in his eyes, and the sluggish qi in his fist moved a bit faster. Liu Xing knew his words had struck a nerve.

"Tiger Fist!" Xia Hongyi shouted, leaping at Liu Xing. A faint golden tiger image shrouded his fist.

Seeing this attack, Liu Xing realized it was far stronger than what a first-stage Lock Opening cultivator should be capable of. He concluded that either the fist technique was above Base Grade or it was enhanced by a bloodline.

Liu Xing channeled his qi into his fist and executed a normal punch. Their fists collided, golden light spreading through the clearing and a gust of wind rippling outward. For a fraction of a second, their attacks seemed equal, but soon Xia Hongyi's power dwindled until there was nothing left. Their fists remained connected, like two people sharing a fist bump.

"My name is Liu Xing, and I will give you a piece of wisdom. What you did before is a waste of time. If you want your parents' attention, bullying Xia Weiyuan is the last thing you should do. Your parents pay special attention to him, and if they find out that you've been bullying Xia Weiyuan, your relationship with them will only get worse. Instead of hurting others, focus on yourself. Become stronger, smarter, and wiser. Try to win your parents' hearts by being the best version of yourself."

Chapter 56 ~ Inverted Pyramid (3)

Liu Xing's family got along well. As a genius, his father and clan put all their resources into him. William, on the other hand, didn't have a good relationship with his parents. They were mostly absent from his life. By giving Xia Hongyi some advice, he was projecting a bit of himself onto Xia Hongyi.

"Shut up!" Xia Hongyi shouted. He leaped forward, his fist aimed at Liu Xing's face. "You don't know me!"

Liu Xing sidestepped gracefully, his movements fluid like water. He struck Xia Hongyi's chin from below with his palm. The impact wasn't too strong, but it was enough to rattle Xia Hongyi's brain. The young boy's eyes rolled upward, and he fainted. Liu Xing caught him with both hands.

He held Xia Hongyi for a moment, observing the youth's face, then he carefully lowered him to the ground. Understanding that his lecture probably wouldn't change Xia Hongyi, Liu Xing decided it was enough. He had said what he wanted to say.

Liu Xing walked over to the river, where the sunlight made the water shimmer. He jumped in and let the cool water surround him. He pushed thoughts of Xia Hongyi aside and concentrated on finding the Ethereal Pearl as quickly as possible.

For about another hour, Liu Xing searched, his eyes scanning the murky depths for any sign of the elusive Ethereal Pearl. The search was taking too long, and Liu Xing began to doubt whether the pearl was still there. While he trusted the information from the interface, he knew it could be wrong, but before moving on, there were three spots he needed to check.

The first spot was between two large boulders at the base of the river. These were the only boulders near Fat Lin's rock, which made Liu Xing wonder why. 

Floating in front of the two boulders, their surfaces slick with algae, Liu Xing considered his options. Since he had spent so much time checking the river, he decided to destroy the boulders instead of digging around them.

Liu Xing summoned his gun in his left hand. He poured qi into it, creating six bullets. He then infused the first bullet with the Exploding Fist technique and pulled the trigger.

The bullet flew through the water like an underwater missile, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake. When it touched the boulder, it exploded brilliantly, sending shards of rock flying everywhere and clouding the water with mud.

Liu Xing waited for several moments before swimming toward the destroyed boulder. Though visibility was poor, he could still feel the qi spot emitting energy. Following that sensation, he found himself in a hole where the boulder had been destroyed.

When he saw the source of the qi spot, he clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"Another wood stump," he muttered underwater, bubbles escaping from his mouth.

It was the sixth stump he had found under the river. While not every spot contained a tree stump, Liu Xing wondered why these stumps emitted qi. After pondering for only a few seconds, he moved to the next spot.

On the side of the river, there was a small gap emitting qi. The feeling was the same as the tree stump, but to be sure, he dug around it with his lightning blade for a moment.

After creating a hole in the riverbank, he found another tree stump. He sighed, bubbles rising from his mouth.

"To the last spot," he muttered.

Liu Xing swam toward the base of Fat Lin's rock. In hindsight, he realized he should have searched here first. But he remembered the logic behind his decision: there were many qi spots in this river, and the one at the bottom of the inverted pyramid was weaker.

Swimming downward, Liu Xing followed the pyramid to its tip. As he descended, the water grew colder and darker. He could see that only a small section of the tip touched the ground. The tip of the pyramid had sunk perhaps only half a meter, making him wonder why it hadn't toppled to the side.

Arriving at the bottom of the river where the pyramid touched the riverbed, Liu Xing started to dig around it. He realized his actions could make the pyramid finally topple. If it fell, it would block the river, so Liu Xing decided he would destroy the pyramid later to prevent flooding.

He dug for several minutes, circling the tip of the pyramid. Amazingly, the structure didn't budge even a bit. Even when Liu Xing removed all the dirt around the tip, it didn't flip to the side. Finally, he successfully dug a hole around the pyramid's tip and found that it wasn't touching the ground at all. Instead, it rested on a black pearl the size of a marble, which touched the base of the river.

When Liu Xing saw the black pearl, he couldn't hold back his smile. "Finally! The Ethereal Pearl!"

This pearl was one of the treasures he needed to find in the city. The interface's description of the pearl was simple:

Description: A pearl that can hold a large amount of qi.

While at first glance it seemed like just a qi battery, the key was in the words "large amount." He didn't know how much it could hold, but surely, his entire qi as a sixth-stage Lock Opening cultivator could be easily stored inside. The reason he chose to retrieve this pearl was its high potential to boost his fighting power. He imagined storing not just normal qi, but qi that he had reabsorbed from the bullets. Liu Xing suspected the result would be glorious.

Calming his mind, Liu Xing swam around the black pearl, trying to assess how to take it, as it was connected to the tip of the inverted pyramid.

Soon, Liu Xing decided not to overcomplicate the matter. He summoned his gun and activated his trusty lightning blade. In the water, arcs of electricity swam around him. A small school of fish nearby suddenly went limp and floated to the top of the river, shocked to death. Liu Xing didn't mind the collateral damage and slashed at the tip of the pyramid connected to the black pearl. When his blade touched the pyramid, he felt resistance, as if he were cutting through solid stone. Even though he didn't cut through the tip of the pyramid completely, it was enough to separate the small bit connected to the Ethereal Pearl.

Liu Xing's hand snatched the Ethereal Pearl like a cobra striking its prey. Soon, he had his fingers wrapped around the pearl. The black orb felt cold in his hand, as if it were made of ice. Though black, it was shiny and perfectly round. The little bit of light that penetrated the water reflected off the pearl, making it look like a solar eclipse.

With the Ethereal Pearl secured, Liu Xing swam upward, aiming for the surface. As he ascended, he thought about finding the next treasure. The first one he needed to get was called the Red Wings of Stability. When activated, it would give them a pair of red wings that, while unable to make the user fly, could make the user and everything they touched become more durable. It was a handy treasure he needed to defeat a cultivator in the Core Splitting realm.

As he broke the surface, Liu Xing looked around to assess his surroundings. When he rotated his body, he saw two people on the riverbank where he had left Xia Hongyi. The first was Xia Hongyi himself, sporting a black eye as if someone had punched him. When he saw Liu Xing, he smiled cruelly. Beside him stood a man who looked older than Liu Xing. The newcomer wore a black sleeveless shirt that showed off his muscular arms. His tan skin and tough face were framed by long red hair that swayed in the breeze like a lion's mane. On his right arm, he wore a shiny golden gauntlet that gleamed in the sunlight. He looked at Liu Xing like a lion eyeing its prey.

"My name is Xia Shizi," the red-haired man said, his voice deep and commanding. "I've heard you bullied my nephew."

Liu Xing swam to the shore and pulled himself from the river. He opened his mouth to respond. "I didn't bully him. I gave him some wisdom."

"Bullshit!" Xia Shizi shouted.

As he shouted, Liu Xing felt the earth beneath his feet tremble. At first, he thought it was the effect of Xia Shizi's shout. But he soon realized it wasn't. Xia Shizi was on the cusp of breaking through to the Core Splitting realm, but he wasn't powerful enough to make the world tremble with just his anger.

As the trembling grew stronger, Liu Xing's heart raced. What was happening?

Chapter 57 ~ Inverted Pyramid (4)

As if to answer Liu Xing's questions, Fat Lin's rock suddenly emerged from the river and floated higher and higher. The water on top of the inverted pyramid fell from its sides, creating a temporary waterfall. Soon after, the inverted pyramid floated several meters above the surface of the water. As it floated in the air, Liu Xing realized how big the pyramid was.

The pyramid then began to segment, multiple lines appearing as if the pyramid was slashed horizontally several times with a long sword. Then, each segment started rotating clockwise, making it look like a giant spin top. But there was one segment that wasn't spinning, and it opened itself, revealing a giant yellow eye bigger than Liu Xing.

That yellow eye observed Liu Xing silently, then narrowed. Suddenly, it transformed into a yellow grotesque mouth, with hundreds of black tongues, thousands of razor-sharp teeth, and in the roof of its mouth, thousands of little yellow eyes. Each eye looked like it hated Liu Xing from the depths of its heart.

Seeing this giant inverted pyramid with a bizarre mouth and eyes, Liu Xing's heart started beating faster. Fat Lin's rock was a spirit beast! Liu Xing tried to sense the qi of this spirit beast, trying to gauge its power, but when he sensed nothing, he felt his heart trying to leap from his chest. He couldn't feel a thing! It was as if this spirit beast had no qi, which was absolutely wrong.

The inverted pyramid began to scream. Its scream was horrible, like thousands of wailing children, and a shockwave spread in every direction.

Then, a yellow ball of light formed in front of its mouth. Seeing this, Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak and jumped. A yellow laser that exploded when it touched the ground obliterated the spot where Liu Xing had stood.

Liu Xing landed on top of a big boulder several meters away. He observed the newly created hole. It was deep and wide, and it glowed with a red hue like the ground had melted to become lava. Seeing this, Liu Xing concluded that its attack was strong, but not too strong. It at least confirmed for Liu Xing that this spirit beast's cultivation was not so high he couldn't sense its qi. More likely, it had a mechanism to hide its qi.

Liu Xing licked his lips. It was obvious this spirit beast was angry because he took the Ethereal Pearl. To think a thing with the name Fat Lin's rock would be a spirit beast. In hindsight, it was really obvious.

Liu Xing had two options here. Fight or flee. The easiest choice was to flee. After all, Liu Xing already had the Ethereal Pearl. But it wasn't wise. This spirit beast would follow him, and it would rampage, endangering Second Gray Cloud City. Moreover, this slumbering spirit beast had woken up because of him, so he needed to be responsible and put it to sleep again.

Liu Xing began to smile, his heart racing. He wasn't a fighting junkie, but he wanted to test how strong he was now, especially with his new shield and Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

"All right," Liu Xing nodded. His heart started beating faster and faster. "Let's dance!"

With his Lightning Cloak active, Liu Xing kicked the boulder as hard as possible, making it explode into smithereens. Liu Xing launched himself like lightning striking from a dark cloud, his right hand gleaming with a lightning blade.

In the air, Liu Xing extended the blade and slashed vertically, trying to split the spinning inverted pyramid in two. When his blade was only several meters from touching it, it suddenly bent. Instead of a straight blade that would cut the spirit beast, it bent around it, as if the lightning blade didn't want to touch it.

The spinning pyramid created a yellow ball in front of its mouth the size of a barrel. Thousands of black tongues held it like tiny babies hands holding a burning sun. And then, with a mighty push, that yellow ball flew like an arrow toward the flying Liu Xing.

Liu Xing retracted his lightning blade and swung his hand, splitting the ball in two. Liu Xing knew that the ball would explode, so he rotated his body, summoned his shield, and jumped as hard as he could. He flew straight like a rocket to the sky when the ball really exploded. That explosion created a shockwave that made the river churn, and yellow light made the bending trees and toppling boulders glow yellow.

Gravity pulled Liu Xing downward, and seeing that strong attack, Liu Xing's mind suddenly reminded him about Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi. He didn't know what their intention was, but Liu Xing didn't want them dead and becoming collateral damage.

His eyes scanned everything, and he finally saw Xia Shizi running frantically with wide eyes, shouldering Xia Hongyi, whose eyes were open so wide they might pop. They must have been surprised, and Liu Xing was thankful they didn't die in that attack.

The inverted and spinning spirit beast flew toward him like a spaceship, and Liu Xing licked his lips.

"Since my lightning blade isn't working on you, how about this?"

Liu Xing pointed his gun toward the spirit beast. He infused the bullets with Exploding Fist and fired six bullets rapidly. These six bullets flew so fast they looked like they were flying together.

Seeing the bullets, the spirit beast shouted like thousands of hungry pigs, and it opened its grotesque mouth. Thousands of black tongues stretched outside like tree branches, creating a large shield to defend itself.

When the six bullets hit this newly created shield, six explosions occurred at the same time, creating six holes in that shield. It screamed again, yellow eyes located inside the roof of its mouth staring at him with hatred.

Liu Xing summoned his shield and launched himself from it. He flew through the hole he created and appeared in front of its mouth. From this close, Liu Xing realized the mouth was big, like the mouth of a wide cave.

Liu Xing aimed his gun toward the mouth and shot six bullets infused with Exploding Bullets. Before the bullets hit, he jumped toward the sky, eyes looking down, and saw the mouth explode. Yellow blood and remains of black tongues and yellow eyes flew everywhere, splashing in the river surface and painting the nearby boulders and trees yellow.

Liu Xing glanced at his gun, focusing on the six green strips on its side. When he didn't see a faint glow around the strips, Liu Xing knew that the fight was not over.

Ignoring the wailing of the spirit beast, Liu Xing shot six times again, this time infused with normal Lightning Palm. He aimed for the section on top of the spirit beast, where people thought it was an arena. When his six bullets were only several meters from the spirit beast, Liu Xing sharpened his eyes to see what would happen and saw that his bullets suddenly traveled alongside the surface of the spirit beast before shooting to the back of the spirit beast, as if there was a spatial barrier that made every attack bend around it.

Seeing this, Liu Xing understood that its defense mechanism was kind of strong. Liu Xing believed only attacks with great power could pierce it, but this spirit beast was not undefeatable. After all, while its body was protected, its mouth full of tongues and eyes was not. He suspected it didn't protect its mouth because it was the primary way to attack.

"If that's all the tricks it has, then the winner of this fight is already decided," Liu Xing smiled a ferocious smile.

The spirit beast, seeing Liu Xing smile, screamed again, but Liu Xing saw a hint of fear in its thousand eyes.

Liu Xing kicked his shield and moved like true lightning.

***

Xia Hongyi stood atop the highest branch in a tree, trying to see the fight that occurred, and his uncle stood beside him. His face was aloof as ever, but on this rare occasion, even he could see the fear in his uncle's eyes.

He looked into the distance, where a giant spin top was wailing and screaming and shooting condensed light from its mouth, sweeping everything around it. Trees, ground, river, everything was destroyed and flying and churning away like a deadly hurricane pulling all things toward it.

Seeing this, Xia Hongyi felt profound fear in his heart. His heart beat so fast that he felt his chest would explode, giant beads of sweat drenched his back, making him feel sick, like he had a fever. Even his teeth were chattering, expressing the true fear that he felt.

Around the giant spin top, blue lightning moved, as if to create a lightning prison. The sounds of explosions didn't stop even for a bit, like the rumbling of angry dark clouds, spewing thousands of thunderbolts. From afar, it looked like a hurricane fighting angry lightning. The spin top tried to ram itself into the lightning, shooting condensed light at it, even using its branch-like appendages that came out of its mouth to create a net to trap its opponent. Everything was ignored by that cultivator, Liu Xing. He moved so, so fast that the condensed light didn't even touch his afterimage, and the branch-like appendages were slashed by a long lightning blade that cut everything like tofu.

Chapter 58 ~ Xia Hongyi (1)

Xia Hongyi gasped for air, his heart pounding as he recalled his encounter with the monster. He wanted nothing more than to run home and hide, but his legs trembled, refusing to cooperate. If not for his uncle's kindness in carrying him to safety, he'd still be in danger.

"Xia Hongyi."

"Y-yes, uncle?" Xia Hongyi stuttered.

"Did you try to set me up? To get me killed?"

Xia Hongyi's eyes widened. "W-what are you talking about, uncle? You're my family, and I respect you. I'd never set you up!"

His uncle's piercing gaze settled on him. "That mark on your left eye. He didn't punch you there."

"He did hit me on the chin," he finally admitted. "But he didn't touch my eye." The black eye he sported was actually self-inflicted.

After Liu Xing had knocked him unconscious with a blow to the chin, Xia Hongyi had awakened feeling deeply ashamed, filled with hatred and a desire for revenge. Though arrogant, he knew he couldn't beat Liu Xing. So he had punched himself in the eye, rushed to his uncle's training ground, and spun a false tale. His uncle, a stoic man rarely seen due to his constant travels to cultivate and refine his martial skills, tended to dote on Xia Hongyi. After he said that someone had hit him in the eye, his uncle marched straight to where Liu Xing was and prepared to confront him.

"Tell me about your meeting with him again," Xia Shizi demanded. "This time, no lies."

"All right," Xia Hongyi replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He recounted the whole story. How he had seen Xia Weiyuan sneaking around the clan compound like a thief, then disgracing the Xia clan by trying to modify the simple yet elegant Golden Tiger Punch.

Xia Hongyi, offended by this, had attacked him, intending to demonstrate the true might of the Xia clan's fighting style.

"That's when Liu Xing showed up," he continued, describing their fight and the wisdom Liu Xing had imparted before knocking him out.

As he finished his tale, a deafening explosion rocked the air, making Xia Hongyi's ears ring. The spinning top-like spirit beast suddenly burst into thousands of tiny fragments. Xia Hongyi's eyes widened again. That spirit beast had seemed invincible, yet it had shattered like glass struck by his uncle's fist.

Before he could process this, each shard transformed into an upside-down triangle with a single eye at its center. They hovered around Liu Xing before rushing toward him like a swarm of angry wasps, each shooting a concentrated beam of yellow light. The beams formed a cage around Liu Xing. But Liu Xing moved with incredible speed, zigzagging between the attacks and slicing through each miniature spirit beast with his blade of lightning.

"Was he right?" his uncle asked, breaking the tense silence.

"About what?"

"About your feelings toward your father and Xia Weiyuan."

Xia Hongyi clenched his jaw, tempted to lie, but the thought of betraying his uncle's trust held him back. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to nod, feeling the weight of his decision settle heavily on his shoulders.

"All right. Let's leave this place."

Xia Hongyi decided to ask the question that had been nagging at him. "Is he stronger than you, uncle?"

"Yes. Comparing me to him is like comparing a pebble to a mountain." His uncle answered without hesitation.

Xia Hongyi couldn't believe it. "Surely you're exaggerating. You're just a step away from the Core Splitting realm. "

Xia Shizi gazed at the distant battle, then shook his head. He hoisted Xia Hongyi onto his shoulder and leaped from the branch where they stood. When they landed, Xia Shizi set Xia Hongyi down, and they ran between swaying trees, their leaves rustling violently from the shockwaves of Liu Xing's fight.

As they ran, his uncle finally spoke. "Have you heard of the Purple Moon Sect?"

Xia Hongyi's mind froze for a moment. A sudden realization struck him. "Don't tell me Liu Xing is a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect?"

"Indeed," his uncle replied, his tone serious. "There are rumors of disciples of this sect suddenly roaming the entire continent. My contacts have mentioned some kind of race or test taking place. There's also talk of a powerful cultivator arriving in our city. I assume that's the one who's fighting the spirit beast right now."

Xia Hongyi's mind went blank. The Purple Moon Sect is a mighty sect. Xia Shizi, the most brilliant Xia clan member in several generations, could have become a patriarch if he wanted, and even he hadn't been accepted as a disciple by that sect.

"In that sect, a master of the Core Splitting realm is merely a disciple."

"No way!" Xia Hongyi exclaimed. In the Twelve Sun Empire, a Core Splitting cultivator was as rare as a dragon's horn.

"But the most terrifying thing isn't how many masters they have, it's how strong each disciple is. That man, Liu Xing, is merely at the sixth stage of the Lock Opening realm, but his power far surpasses his stage."

Another shocking revelation made Xia Hongyi's head spin.

"You're lucky to be alive," his uncle added.

Xia Hongyi stopped running and sucked in a deep breath. His uncle also halted, leaning against a moss-covered boulder.

Xia Hongyi was used to being the most important person in the room. Only when his uncle or father were present did he take second place. That's why he dared to do whatever he wanted without considering the consequences. Beating Xia Weiyuan had seemed as inconsequential as squashing a bug. But in doing so, he had encountered someone who could have ended his life with a mere gesture.

And yet, he hadn't died. Instead, he had been given wisdom.

"Xia Hongyi," his uncle called, and he turned to face him.

"Do you really hate Xia Weiyuan for monopolizing your father's attention?"

Xia Hongyi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. He remembered Xia Weiyuan's sloppy kicks and punches, which his father met with smiles and encouragement. Meanwhile, when Xia Hongyi executed a punch or kick with perfect form, he didn't even get a nod.

Xia Hongyi nodded to his uncle. "Yes."

"There's a reason why your father treats Xia Weiyuan that way. But I think his kindness goes too far. That doesn't mean I agree with you bullying Xia Weiyuan."

"That adopted kid is so annoying. I can't help myself."

"Still not a good reason," his uncle said, his voice firm. "Do you want to be strong? Liu Xing saw you bullying Xia Weiyuan. From your story, I can tell he hates bullies. And yet, instead of killing you, he gave you a piece of wisdom."

"He told me to be strong, smart, and wise. To be a better version of myself. That way, I'd get my father's attention," Xia Hongyi added.

Xia Shizi nodded, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "I think he saw something in you, Xia Hongyi."

"Do you think so?" Hope crept into Xia Hongyi's voice.

"Yes. After me, you have the most potential to unlock our bloodline."

Xia Hongyi's heart raced. In the past, the Xia clan hadn't lived in the Twelve Sun Empire, but in the west, in the area now controlled by the Heavenly Thunder Sect. Legend said that his clan once rivaled that sect in power. Xia Hongyi had thought it was just an exaggeration. But if there was any truth to the story, unlocking his bloodline could make him a peerless genius in the entire Twelve Sun Empire. Perhaps he could even join one of the five great sects.

"I can teach you," Xia Shizi said, his voice low and serious. "You can become my disciple."

Xia Hongyi's eyes widened. Many in the clan had sought to be Xia Shizi's disciple, but all had been denied. 

"As long as you follow my direction, I will teach you everything. What do you say?"

Xia Hongyi realized this was the most important decision of his life. He had potential, talent, and now an opportunity to become stronger. But accepting this offer would change his life completely. Xia Shizi disliked being confined to the clan compound. He preferred to travel, train, challenge others, and fight spirit beasts. If Xia Hongyi became his disciple, he would live that way too.

Be strong. Be smart. Be wise. Be a better version of yourself.

The words echoed in his mind as he contemplated his future.

Chapter 59 ~ Xia Hongyi (2)

"I accept," Xia Hongyi finally said.

There would never be another chance like this. And if Liu Xing was right, following his wisdom would surely win his father's affection.

"All right then, disciple," his uncle replied, nodding. He pointed toward the distance, where the sounds of wailing, crackling thunder, and flashing light still echoed. "Watching that fight makes my heart boil. Let's pack. We need to leave as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

Xia Hongyi took a step, thinking this was the first step toward greatness, the path that would make him the strongest in the Xia clan, garner respect from everyone, and especially his father.

But as Xia Hongyi walked with his chest puffed out and eyes shining, his gaze fixed on his uncle's back, he saw something impossible—his uncle's head suddenly flew off, severed from his body. Red hair, once draped below his shoulders, fell to the ground along with the body.

His mind froze, unable to process what he had just witnessed. He watched in horror as his uncle's head arched through the air, trailing blood in its wake.

When the head landed on the ground in front of him, crimson blood bloomed from the neck, Xia Hongyi's heart pounded faster and faster. His brain struggled to decipher what could possibly be wrong with what he was seeing, and a sharp, painful sensation suddenly gripped his heart, as if something was squeezing it.

Xia Hongyi suspected it must be a dream. It had to be. There was no way this could be real. His uncle couldn't have just died like that. There was nothing around that could have killed him.

Instincts screaming, Xia Hongyi frantically looked around, searching for the cause of his uncle's demise. Then he saw it--the culprit.

Hanging from a branch by a rope around its neck was a grinning man. His smile was unnaturally wide, as if it might tear the upper part of his head off. His face was red, like a drunkard's, with brown eyebrows and purple hair. His ears resembled orange fruits, and his teeth looked like wriggling maggots. He flailed his hands and feet, which were made of yellow snake-like, and peeking from the clothing on his torso was a hand with an eye in its palm. The creature swung and smiled, as if Xia Hongyi's uncle's death was the most amusing thing in the world.

Seeing this abomination, Xia Hongyi's heart leapt to his throat. Though the head and torso resembled a man, Xia Hongyi knew it wasn't human. It felt like a spirit beast, one with unimaginable power.

Then he saw the second monster emerge from the ground, right under his uncle's lifeless body. It resembled a giant worm, with a soft, pink, segmented body. But it was massive, and it had a humanoid face, complete with eyes, a mouth, and a big red nose. Faces lined its back, each one twisted in horror, as if many people were trapped inside the worm and pushing their faces from the inside in a desperate attempt to escape.

Once the creature fully emerged from the earth, it stood on two limbs that resembled hands. Its right knee had a yellow eye that stared coldly at Xia Hongyi, as if the creature were an emperor and Xia Hongyi nothing more than an ant.

Seeing these two spirit beasts, Xia Hongyi trembled like a newborn fawn. His teeth chattered as though he were freezing, and every instinct screamed at him to flee.

The hanging man untied the rope from the tree branch, and with his snake-like arms, he dropped to the ground near his uncle's body, whipping his hand around and sending his uncle's arms flying.

"H-hands. D-disgusting," it croaked in a choppy, hoarse voice.

The worm creature opened its mouth wide, then lunged toward his uncle body, swallowing both it and the ground beneath it.

Seeing this, Xia Hongyi turned and bolted. His feet pounded the ground as fast as they could, his qi surging through his body in a frenzy. He had to escape from these monsters. They had killed his uncle without him even realizing it--there was no hope of survival unless he could get back and ask Liu Xing for help.

Suddenly, Xia Hongyi felt weightless, as if he was flying in the sky like a bird. But something was wrong, because he couldn't fly. That's when he realized he was truly flying, but only as a head. Looking down, he saw his body falling to the ground.

His mind couldn't comprehend what had just happened, and the world quickly faded to black.

***

Liu Xing walked through the remains of the inverted pyramid spirit beast, his steps squelching in the mud mixed with yellow blood. He accidentally stepped on a tiny eye, no bigger than a marble, and it popped like stepping on jelly.

Looking around, he found the area around him almost completely flattened, riddled with holes and scattered pieces of the pyramid. There weren't many trees, boulders, or even grass, leaving the landscape devastated and barren.

Not far from where he walked, Liu Xing noticed a large hole, the water from the river was flowing into it, and in the future, there would be a lake there. That hole marked the spot where he had finally had enough of his enemy, which had split itself repeatedly, forcing him to unleash attacks from the Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

As he looked around, He hoped the altered landscape wouldn't change the environment too much and that, within a few years, the area would become green again.

"Where's my robe?" Liu Xing muttered, glancing around. Before he had dived into the water to retrieve the Ethereal Pearl, he had tucked his robe between two large boulders. When that Fat Lin's rock decided to attack, he hadn't cared about his appearance and fought bare-chested. But the battle must have sent his robe flying somewhere.

Luckily, he hadn't left his spatial bag behind. The bag, tied securely with a golden rope, was still fastened around his waist, keeping all his precious belongings, including the treasures he had acquired, safe.

Still, Liu Xing felt the need to find his robe. It had been incredibly convenient--he rarely had to wash it, and it held a certain nostalgic value for him.

So, he searched the area, hoping the robe had gotten caught in a tree or was sticking out from the ground. But after almost half an hour of searching, Liu Xing realized the purple robe was probably gone for good, and he would have to accept it.

Liu Xing sighed. "Well, it looks like I need a new robe."

With his money, he could buy a good set of clothes, though Liu Xing doubted they would have the same self-cleaning properties as his old robe.

Summoning his gun, Liu Xing checked the green strips along the side of it. Six stripes glowed softly, confirming that the pyramid creature was truly dead.

"All right, let's find a good place to cultivate," he said to himself.

He was reminded again that he needed a method to cultivate while on the move, but since there was nothing he could do about it now, he set that thought aside and searched for a place to cultivate.

A few minutes later, he found a suitable spot. After leaving the area destroyed by his battle with the spirit beast, he arrived at a pleasant clearing with a large boulder, as big as an elephant, in its center. Liu Xing hopped onto the boulder and sat cross-legged, placing his gun in his lap before beginning to absorb the qi from the bullets.

The process was smooth, and the qi flowed into his consciousness without much fanfare, entering his final lock as naturally as a child returning home to their mother. Before long, Liu Xing had finished cultivating.

Standing up, Liu Xing checked the position of the sun and tried to recall where Fat Lin's rock was. He then reminded himself of the details about a treasure known as the Red Wings of Stability.

The Red Wings of Stability was the next treasure he had chosen to retrieve. This treasure could create small fire wings on the user's back. While the wings didn't grant the ability to fly, they significantly enhanced the user's durability.

He summoned the interface to double-check his information:

Name: Red Wings of Stability

Location: Near Second Gray Cloud City

Description: This treasure was created by the Burning World Sect. It's said that the treasure was made for a noble's son from the Phoenix Empire who had lost control of his bloodline. The main function of this treasure is to enhance the user's durability. When activated, it creates small fire wings on the user's back.

Chapter 60 ~ Frog (1)

Name: Red Wings of Stability

Location: Near Second Gray Cloud City

Description: This treasure was created by the Burning World Sect. It's said that the treasure was made for a noble's son from the Phoenix Empire who had lost control of his bloodline. The main function of this treasure is to enhance the user's durability. When activated, it creates small fire wings on the user's back.

Additional Info 1: The durability effect is suspected to apply to almost everything, including other people, inanimate objects, and even other treasures.

Additional Info 2: While the exact location is unknown, if someone walks from the inverted triangle rock near Second Gray Cloud City to the north, they will find a barrier that holds this treasure.

Additional Info 3: This treasure is guarded by a spirit beast.

This treasure has more information compared to others, which suggests either it is more valuable, or the one who gathered this info put in considerable effort. Whatever the case, Liu Xing is grateful to whoever compiled this information.

Scanning the area around him, Liu Xing tried to find the barrier. A barrier is usually hidden and only activates when attacked, but Liu Xing had heard of barriers that are always active and visible. The most famous one is the barrier that protects the entire Verdant Mountains Sect. It resembles a soap bubble glowing under sunlight.

"Looks like there's no barrier around here. Alright, let's follow the directions in the entry," Liu Xing muttered to himself.

He leaped back to the place where he had fought earlier. It took him some time to determine where he had found the Ethereal Pearl, but when he did—near the newly created lake—Liu Xing turned his body north and began walking.

He wanted to run, but fearing that the barrier wouldn't appear if he moved too quickly, he opted for a brisk walk instead. As he walked, he kept checking his surroundings.

The area around the river was full of boulders and thick with trees, and as he moved further north, the trees grew taller and larger. At first, Liu Xing walked among black trees with lush green leaves that emitted a sweet, floral aroma. But after walking for about half an hour, the trees around him grew even bigger, their trunks covered fully by moss. The ground became damp, and swarms of bugs and mosquitoes began to buzz around him. This forest reminded him of some rainforests he had seen in Indonesia.

As he walked, Liu Xing wondered about the shape of the treasure he was searching for. Unlike other treasures he had come across, this treasure's name didn't indicate its shape, only its effect. Liu Xing suspected it might be a small item worn by the user, like a ring, bracelet, or necklace. Although he didn't know for sure, he hoped it was something inconspicuous. After all, he intended to wear it during the race, and if it was something that attracted attention, like a tiara, he would be embarrassed to use it. But he would still wear it, as it would enhance the durability of his body as well as his treasure, primarily his Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

The Thunderstrike Gauntlets he wore were an amazing treasure. But even though they were powerful, as evidenced by his last fight, they weren't strong enough to defeat a Core Splitting cultivator. That's why he needed to get his hands on the Red Wings of Stability, so that he could make the Thunderstrike Gauntlets more durable and hold more qi. After all, he wanted that Heaven Grade technique.

Feeling slightly more energized at the thought of finally obtaining the Heaven Grade Technique, Liu Xing quickened his pace.

After about half an hour, he finally saw what he was looking for.

In front of him was a wide lake, surrounded by tall trees that seemed to guard it. In the center of the lake was a small island with a tree growing on it. The tree had pink leaves and bore red fruits that almost resembled human hearts. Each fruit pulsed, expanding and contracting rhythmically, as if they were real hearts.

Swimming in the lake were dozens of crocodiles, each with black skin, and small black trees growing on their backs. These trees swayed gently, even though there was no strong wind, as if dancing to a tune that Liu Xing couldn't hear.

Liu Xing scanned the area for something that resembled a treasure, particularly around the small island with the pink leaves and red heart-like fruit, but he didn't see anything that looked like a treasure. Despite this, Liu Xing knew he was in the right place. The lake emerged suddenly before him as he walked through the dense forest. Its appearance so abrupt that it felt as though he had stepped into another world. Liu Xing was certain now—he must be inside a hidden barrier.

He closed his eyes and tried to sense the qi around him, searching for a hint of energy that would lead him to the treasure. When he felt a strong qi emanating from beneath the lake, Liu Xing opened his eyes and blinked several times.

Liu Xing was genuinely surprised by what he sensed. He had needed to search thoroughly to find the Ethereal Pearl, as it didn't emit much qi, but this treasure was emitting a peculiar qi that felt... stable. Normally, qi felt like wind or mist—something intangible. While most qi felt cold when it touched his body, some had different sensations, like the prickling energy from spirit beasts or the peculiar aura he felt around other cultivators. The qi from the bottom of the lake felt like the warmth of a rock heated by the scorching sun, moving lazily, like thick syrup.

Liu Xing had no doubt that this qi came from the treasure he sought, but he also sensed that it was encasing something with a familiar prickling qi.

The information from the interface had mentioned that this treasure was guarded by a spirit beast. The crocodiles swimming around were low-stage spirit beasts, and when he first arrived, Liu Xing had thought the interface might have been wrong. But now it seemed the spirit beast mentioned was actually lurking within the lake.

Liu Xing submerged his face into the water and opened his eyes. The lake was dark, and even with his cultivator's vision, he couldn't see much. However, he could make out the shape of a spirit beast right beneath the small island in the middle of the lake. It seemed that the island wasn't a real island but the tip of a horn belonging to a giant spirit beast. From the silhouette, the creature appeared to be a giant frog crouching at the bottom of the lake. Its two eyes were red as blood, with stylized sun patterns in their irises and retinas.

At first, Liu Xing thought about how cool and beautiful its eyes were. But when those two red eyes focused on him, Liu Xing realized they weren't beautiful—they were terrifying. The world around him suddenly darkened, as if night had descended, and ripples started striking his face like whips.

The frog, which had been slumbering in the lake, suddenly stood on its hind legs, and as it rose, Liu Xing realized it was even bigger than he had imagined.

Pulling his face from the water, Liu Xing saw the true form of the spirit beast emerge from the lake. Its face was that of a frog, with red skin and eyes gazing at him as if he were a mere insect. Its horn, dozens of meters long, seemed to pierce the sky. Its torso resembled a human's, but its hands and feet were blue, looking like octopus tentacles. The creature continued to rise, water cascading from its body like waterfalls.

Standing up, Liu Xing had to tilt his head back to meet the giant frog's gaze. The creature was as tall as a skyscraper, its massive horn disappearing into the sky, where Liu Xing could only see a small splotch of pink from the distance. Despite its terrifying size and form, Liu Xing wasn't fazed. As a cultivator, what mattered was not size or appearance, but strength and cultivation realm. And this frog was only at the seventh stage, not even on the cusp of a breakthrough.

Still, he needed to be careful. Though it was in the same realm as him, there were fire wings sprouting from its back, indicating that it was wearing the Red Wings of Stability somewhere on its body.

Chapter 61 ~ Frog (2)

Liu Xing tried to sense where the treasure was hidden. The stable qi encased the entire body of the frog-like creature. Whether it's the blue tentacles sprouting from its shoulders, its feet made of dozens of more blue tentacles, its humanoid torso, and its frog head. Liu Xing cannot pinpoint where the treasure is, but he had a guess, though.

This spirit beast had likely hidden the treasure inside its body, which posed a problem. Liu Xing didn't know how fragile the treasure was, so a careless attack could destroy it—especially with his main attack, explosive bullets.

The frog's cheeks bulged, as if it were holding something in its mouth, and then it croaked. The sound was deafening, scattering the wind as if in fear. Nearby crocodiles submerged themselves into the lake, while some trees closed their leaves and roots began emerging around their bases, creating holes that caused the trees to sink into the earth.

Watching this, Liu Xing realized that the spirit beast was instructing the surrounding creatures to hide, indicating that it was intelligent. Could this spirit beast be reasoned with?

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, one of its tentacles suddenly lashed out at him. It moved so fast it made the air crackle, arcing like a wicked whip intent on splitting him in two.

In a fraction of a second, Liu Xing summoned his gun and activated his Lightning Cloak and leaping into the air. The blue tentacle smashed into the ground where he had just stood, sending grass and earth flying everywhere.

"Seems like you're eager to fight."

More tentacles shot toward him. Liu Xing summoned his shield and jumped higher into the sky, bringing himself face-to-face with the frog. Its red eyes, with a stylized sun pattern, narrowed as it glared at him.

"I intend to take the treasure you're using," Liu Xing declared.

Unexpectedly, the frog snorted, then croaked as if it were speaking. A ripple of wind struck Liu Xing's face, and he understood its words. "A worm like you has no right to talk to me. Die and become nourishment for my army."

The frog's mouth suddenly opened, and its pink tongue lashed at him. Liu Xing summoned his shield and dodged to the side, only to be met by another blue tentacle attempting to strike him from the side. Seeing this, Liu Xing inhaled deeply.

It seemed this spirit beast couldn't be reasoned with. The chance of it willingly giving up the Red Wings of Stability was slim, and since Liu Xing now knew its intentions, he couldn't hesitate.

He needed to kill this spirit beast.

Liu Xing activated his lightning blade and twisted his body. As the blue tentacle approached, he swung his blade, intending to cut it. Although the creature was using the Red Wings of Stability, it was still only at the seventh stage of the Lock Opening realm, and Liu Xing's blade should have been able to slice through it. But when the lightning blade connected with the tentacle, it shattered like glass. The tentacle struck him in the stomach, nearly folding him in half.

Liu Xing's eyes widened as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He shot through the air like a meteor, crashing into the ground with such force that the ground erupted around him. Dizzy and disoriented, he saw three tentacles descending on him and quickly jumped back into the sky. The tentacles slammed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

In the sky, more tentacles came at him. Liu Xing summoned his shield and bounced around like a rubber ball. The frog, frustrated by its missed attacks, increased the number of tentacles to six, then nine, and then twelve. Liu Xing dodged left and right, leaping higher into the air.

He rotated his body until he was upside down, then kicked off his shield, launching himself downward. Another tentacle approached from his right, and Liu Xing aimed his gun, firing bullets infused with Exploding Fist.

The tentacle exploded into smithereens. More tentacles followed, and Liu Xing fired rapidly, destroying each one.

The frog croaked angrily as Liu Xing hit the surface of the lake and dove into the water. Inside the water, his speed slowed down and he could see the silhouette of tentacles all around him.

As he swam, Liu Xing thought that this frog was stronger than he had anticipated, and he needed to fight with everything he had. Initially, he had avoided using bullets infused with Exploding Fist, fearing they might destroy the Red Wings of Stability. But it seemed his lightning blade was too fragile to be effective, leaving his gun as his only reliable weapon.

Underwater, Liu Xing saw dozens of blue tentacles swimming around, ready to strike. He assessed that the frog had hundreds of tentacles, and the reason it had attacked with so few was that it had underestimated him.

As he pondered his next move, three tentacles lashed at him from different directions. Liu Xing aimed his gun and fired. The tentacles in front of him and to his left exploded, but surprisingly, the one on his right, which glowed with an orangish hue, remained intact. Using his shield, Liu Xing launched himself upward, breaking the water's surface. He summoned his shield and kicked off it, propelling himself backward, and soon he landed on the ground on the side of the lake.

"Weak," the frog croaked.

As it spoke, Liu Xing noticed hundreds of blue tentacles, each as thick as a tree trunk, wriggling out from its shoulders. Each tentacle glowed with an orange hue, and Liu Xing realized that these tentacles were much stronger than before, possibly able to withstand his bullets.

Licking his lips, Liu Xing acknowledged that this frog was stronger than any opponent he had faced, including the pyramid. But he still believed he had a chance.

Liu Xing aimed his gun at the frog. The gun, already invisible, began spreading its invisibility to his body.

Seeing him start to disappear, the frog croaked and lashed out with dozens of tentacles. They came from all angles, forming a net that guaranteed a hit.

Liu Xing leaped toward the net, spotting a small gap shaped like a square about a meter wide. He made his body as straight as possible, arms and legs pressed tightly to his sides. As he passed through the gap, Liu Xing summoned his shield and jumped off it. Unexpectedly, a tentacle lashed in his direction even when he was invisible.

His eyes widened. Could this frog see through his invisibility? Liu Xing twisted his body, summoned his shield, and kicked off it, flying horizontally. The tentacle sliced through the air, creating a wind current, but Liu Xing noticed it missed by several meters.

"So that's it."

The frog didn't see him—it saw his shield. Liu Xing had never considered this scenario before, where he was invisible, but his shield was not. A smart opponent could pinpoint his location based on the shield's position. Still, Liu Xing could use this to his advantage.

He summoned his shield again, positioning it face-up toward the sky. But instead of jumping from the front of the shield, where the green gem was, Liu Xing kicked its side, propelling himself horizontally. As expected, the frog lashed out with seven tentacles vertically, like seven blue swords trying to cleave the world. But Liu Xing wasn't in their path, so the tentacles struck nothing.

Smiling, Liu Xing realized he could outsmart his opponent with this trick. The frog would assume he was jumping using the front of the shield, but he could use its edge or even its back as a pedestal, making his movements unpredictable.

Liu Xing summoned his shield again and kicked its side, flying straight toward the frog's shoulder. The creature whipped the air where it assumed Liu Xing was, but there was nothing there. 

As his momentum slowed, Liu Xing observed the back of the frog. From this vantage point, he could see the fire wings extending several meters to the sides. Liu Xing aimed his invisible gun at the spot between the fiery wings, infusing bullets with Exploding Fist, and pulled the trigger six times.

The bullets hit their target, and six explosions erupted from the frog's back, causing it to sway. It snapped its head toward him and unleashed hundreds of blue tendrils, each as thick as a tree and intent on decimating Liu Xing.

Liu Xing summons his shield and zigzags between the blue tentacles. He used the front of the shield, the back, and the side to jump, trying to create confusion. Getting an idea, Liu Xing jumps toward the frog's face, but he lets the tentacles hit his shield.

When a blue tentacle hit his shield, there was a resounding crack, and his shield shot like a rocket toward the surface of the lake. Immediately, all of the tentacles focused on attacking his shield. This frog probably thought that he had been hit, but instead, Liu Xing was right in front of him.

Chapter 62 ~ Frog (3)

Infusing his bullets with Exploding Fist, Liu Xing fired six shots directly into the frog's right eye. Instantly, the bullets struck and exploded simultaneously. The frog let out a deafening wail that seemed to shake the world, its tentacles thrashing toward him as if it knew Liu Xing was right in front of its face.

Seeing the approaching tentacles, Liu Xing decided to take a risk. He created six bullets, absorbed the qi, and channeled this pure energy into the gauntlet on his right hand. He repeated the process three times until a white ball of lightning the size of a basketball materialized in front of his palm.

The blue tentacles were now just a few meters from tearing his body. He would die if he did nothing, but instead of dodging, Liu Xing unleashed a palm strike.

Instantly, an explosion of white light erupted, blinding the surroundings. A pillar of lightning, about ten meters in diameter, shot from his hand toward the frog. When it hit the creature's face, the frog's head jerked back, releasing a scream so loud that the world seemed to tremble, like the sound of a thousand frogs being boiled alive. The frog staggered, its massive body teetering as it began to fall. The tentacles that had been attacking Liu Xing changed direction, desperately trying to hold up the giant body to prevent its collapse.

As his attack finished and gravity pulled him toward the lake, Liu Xing caught a glimpse of the frog's face. The right side was gone, as if something massive had taken a bite out of its head. The flesh around the wound sizzled and burned, red blood gushing out, mixed with a slimy pink liquid.

The left side of its face twisted in fury. Its eye, with a distinct sun-like pattern, spun rapidly, resembling a miniature black hole. The frog croaked, and Liu Xing knew it was enraged.

Still, Liu Xing grinned ferociously. Though disappointed that the attack hadn't killed the frog in one strike, he now knew it was effective. A normal attack from the Thunderstrike Gauntlets would consume a third of his qi, but with his gun, the qi expenditure was drastically reduced. The key point was that Liu Xing could fire many similar attacks.

"Bastard!" the frog croaked. "I'll tear you apart!"

The frog's tentacles writhed around its shoulders, solidifying and merging. Soon, instead of thousands of tentacles, the frog had four blue arms—two on each shoulder. The arms were scrawny, like limbs without bones, just meat, each hand sporting eight fingers. Seeing this, Liu Xing wondered what these hands could do. They looked weak compared to the thousands of tentacles. But then, the four hands began rapidly forming hand seals, with fingers interlocking and palms meeting.

Liu Xing's heart raced. No way. No way!

There were many ways to activate techniques. The most popular was the qi cycling method, followed by talismans or formations, and more. Hand seals were usually used for complex techniques that the qi cycling method alone couldn't handle, or for activating ancient methods. Liu Xing had never imagined seeing a spirit beast using a technique, let alone hand seals!

The hands stopped moving, each pair of palms pressed together. The frog's eyes spun so fast and its long horn began emitting a red hue.

Instantly, the horn exploded into millions of pink leaves. Liu Xing noticed several red spots and realized they were hearts floating amid the swarm of pink leaves. The horn was gone, replaced by a barren tree atop the frog's head, as if it were dying.

Liu Xing focused on the million pink leaves growing denser, encasing him as he continued to fall. From the outside, it would look like a giant pink ball materializing above the lake.

Liu Xing was still invisible, but the swarm of pink leaves seemed to sense his general position, trying to trap him inside a shrinking prison. The leaves spun faster and faster, and Liu Xing suspected he would be shredded to bits if he didn't act.

Liu Xing filled his gun with qi bullets, reabsorbed the energy, and channeled it into his right gauntlet. Summoning the shield and standing on it, he adjusted his stance and unleashed a palm strike. A white light spread from his right hand and a concentrated bolt of lightning, several meters in diameter, shot out from his hand, scorching the pink leaves in front of him and tearing a huge hole in the prison.

Seeing a successful escape route, Liu Xing jumped through the hole and out of the pink prison.

As he successfully escaped, the frog took wide strides, crossing the small lake instantly. Its two upper hands were still connected, but the lower two were free. One of the hands formed a fist and came hurtling toward him.

Seeing this, Liu Xing summoned his shield and jumped. The fist passed beneath him as if he had leaped over a moving blue train. The fist slammed into the shield, then the pink prison, scattering the leaves like agitated wasps.

Rotating in the air, Liu Xing charged his Thunderstrike Gauntlets once more and fired a thousand lightning bolts at the frog's face. The attack wasn't concentrated, but when it hit, arcs of electricity danced across its face, causing the frog to croak in pain.

A pink leaf accidentally struck Liu Xing's right cheek. The impact snapped his head to the side, and he spat a mouthful of blood as he began spinning wildly. As the world spun around him, his brain rattled, Liu Xing realized these leaves were incredibly dangerous. Though they flew at the speed of a normal bird, their power was surreal—his cheek felt as if it had been hit by a rocket.

Liu Xing landed on the shore of the lake, his face turned toward the sky. The pink leaves swarmed the sky, searching for him. As they spread wider, a few drifted down, closing in on his position.

He stood up and zigzagged around, dodging the dangerous pink leaves. Liu Xing suspected his normal Lightning Palm would be enough to destroy each leaf, but he also knew that destroying some would likely reveal his position to the frog.

As he moved, Liu Xing tried to think of how to end this fight, and the only solution he could come up with was using his Thunderstrike Gauntlets. Still, seeing the frog still moving even after half its head was destroyed, Liu Xing realized its weakness wasn't in its head.

While he pondered where to strike, the frog suddenly leaped into the sky. It soared so high that, for a moment, Liu Xing thought it was trying to escape. But soon, the frog began to fall and contorting its body like a giant cannonball and frog crashed into the lake. Water splashed everywhere, waves rippling from the center, and artificial rain began falling from the sky. The frog stood up and snapped its head left and right. When its gaze locked onto Liu Xing's direction, it stopped and croaked.

"There you are!"

The frog must have seen the water soaking Liu Xing's entire body, revealing his position even though he was still invisible.

The frog pointed at him, and the leaves sped toward him like thousands of military drones intent on killing him.

Liu Xing darted left and right as fast as he could. When ten leaves appeared in front of him, Liu Xing used a lightning blade to slash through them. He expected the slashed leaves to fall, but instead, they continued flying toward him, their numbers doubling.

Seeing this, Liu Xing aimed his gun at each leaf and started blasting. He used the normal variant, each bullet creating a hole in the leaves, finally bringing them down.

As he moved left and right, up and down, he fired relentlessly, but with each passing second, more leaves swarmed him. Until, at a certain point, when Liu Xing stood in a clearing in front of the lake, he realized he couldn't run anymore. The pink leaves floated around him, leaving no gaps to escape.

Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing channeled absorbed qi into his gauntlet and unleashed thousands of lightning bolts, destroying some of the leaves and creating a gap to escape. Liu Xing shot toward the frog, which was swinging its index finger like a conductor orchestrating the leaves.

Liu Xing realized this situation was bad. If he kept dodging, eventually one of the leaves would hit him, and then the rest would swarm him. He aimed his gun at a floating heart nearby, thinking it might be controlling the leaves. He fired, and the bullet pierced the heart, causing it to fall—but nothing happened. The leaves kept coming. Liu Xing was pretty sure that heart was doing something, but he wasn't sure what.

As he flew toward the frog, he fired several bullets infused with Exploding Fist. Each bullet hit the frog's torso, causing a series of explosions that pushed the creature back. But as the smoke cleared, Liu Xing didn't see a wound or even a mark on its humanoid torso.