West Mountain of Beiluo.

Trial PaG.o.da.

The frightening force of the knife shred the dense forest below the paG.o.da. The trees were hacked down, falling on the ground with loud bangs and setting the whole valley quaking.

Nie Changqing pa.s.sed through the trees, waving his arms. He controlled the butcher knife from afar and unleashed menacing force.

Five mysterious creatures in the Internal Organs Realm wore round masks. Their eyes under the masks were cold and emotionless.

They also controlled the butcher knife without touching.

With intense energy…

Nie Changqing fought the five of them alone. Suddenly, the single butcher knife multiplied into five.

The five knives dashed toward the five mysterious creatures.

Nie Changqing fought to his heart's content and gained a deeper understanding of his knife skills. The five mysterious creatures were not as strong as Nie Changqing, yet their combat skills was far superior to his.

Perils beset Nie Changqing. The butcher knife emitted sparks like shooting stars in the night sky.

Nie Changqing realized the exact reason for his disadvantageous position.

“Is it because of the way I control my strength?”

Nie Changqing's eyes brightened up. Learning from the five mysterious creatures, he brought all of his strength into action effectively without wasting time.

As it continued, he suddenly discovered that his butcher knife was more and more powerful.

Even his kill move, Royal Knife…

Also became more forceful. With one chop, Nie Changqing cut one of the mysterious creatures, along with his weapon, into half!

With a breach point, Nie Changqing got to be more untamed and ferocious like a river running to the east.

The butcher knife in his hand turned more violent. The dense forest was lit up by the gleams reflected by the knife.

The other four mysterious creatures who freshly entered the Internal Organs Realm met their deaths under Nie Changqing's butcher knife as well.

By the time the last mysterious creature died…

Nie Changqing was covered in blood. He held the butcher knife with one hand and leaned against an old tree.

He had a more profound understanding of his knife skill now.

He even felt a terrifying consciousness in his body that wanted to slash everything.

“The knife spirit.”

Wearing a stubbly beard, Nie Changqing's lips curled up slightly.

He could feel the knife spirit indistinctly before. But it was only just now that he really grasped the knife spirit that truly belonged to him.

It was as if a giant boulder weighed down on his heart was broken by his knife.

The Trial PaG.o.da…

Nie Changqing finally started to understand the purpose of the Trial PaG.o.da.

Just as the Young Master told him, it was a place to help people make breakthroughs.

“Congratulations on finis.h.i.+ng the fifth level of the Trial PaG.o.da. You gained one chance to comprehend the Origin…”

A voice came to Nie Changqing's head just when he was packing up after the fight.

Nie Changqing was stunned and raised his head.

He saw clouds rolling in the wind above his head.

The voice of the great Dao transmitted from the sky and enveloped Nie Changqing in an instant.

Nie Changqing felt like he stepped in a surreal world.

He felt the elements the Young Master mentioned before.

The blazing fire, cool water, solid earth, exuberant wood, and invincible metal…

Were these elements?

He could only be qualified to enter the Golden Elixir Realm and the Heavenly Lock Realm when his Spirit Qi developed elements.

Nie Changqing sat down with his legs crossed. Fire, water, earth, wood, and metal corresponded to each tempered organ. Even so… the five elements were only the basics. Beyond the basics, there were other elements like wind, ice, and light.

The other elements, however, were not as apparent as the five basic elements.

Nie Changqing frantically absorbed the information of the Origin like a sponge.

The newly developed knife spirit became stronger and stronger as he felt and comprehended the Origin.

“What kind of element should I develop?”

Sensing the elemental energy floating in the air, Nie Changqing fell silent.

Elemental energy actually didn't matter much to people like Nie Changqing, who comprehended the knife spirit.

It could still increase his power to some extent.

Nie Changqing eventually chose “metal.” The element of invincibility was a great suit for people who used knives.

Bang!

A golden light shone from the sky. The Spirit Qi in Nie Changqing's Qi Core surged right away and intertwined with the golden light in an endless stream…

Like two kinds of Qi coalesced.

Above the dense forest…

Nie Changqing suddenly opened his eyes that were sparkling with golden light.

He lifted the butcher knife in his hand. The golden gleam of the knife came down abruptly as his Spirit Qi was boiling.

A ravine that was 500 meters long appeared on the ground!

The boiling Spirit Qi in Nie Changqing's body calmed down slowly.

Nie Changqing quietly watched the narrow gorge. The force of the knife was so much more intense when blended with the metal element.

No wonder the Young Master said that they would only have the chance to enter the Heavenly Lock Realm when they developed elements…

Because tempering the five internal organs was only building a foundation. They could only forge ahead after developing elemental Spirit Qi.

The voice of the great Dao disappeared, so did the colorful glow in the sky.

It was a mess in the dense forest.

Nie Changqing stood in place, his blood-stained robe flapping in the wind.

A white formation emerged underneath his feet. The peculiar stairs extended to the sixth level.

However, Nie Changqing didn't continue.

He exited the Trial PaG.o.da.

At the bottom level of the Trial PaG.o.da…

The word “five” above Nie Changqing's head slowly became “six.” He then opened his eyes.

Even though he was injured inside the Trial PaG.o.da, his real body was sitting upright on the pouf, unscathed.

The remarkable Trial PaG.o.da made Nie Changqing admire Lu Fan even more.

Everything the Young Master brought to them was extraordinary and magical.

He stood up from the pouf and saw Ni Yu, Ning Zhao, and other people were still trying out the Trial PaG.o.da. Nie Changqing didn't stay for long.

He walked out.

Meanwhile, on Beiluo Lake Island, Lu Fan sensed Nie Changqing the moment he stepped out of the paG.o.da.

Using his Spiritual Sense, Lu Fan transmitted his voice to Nie Changqing.

Nie Changqing was surprised. He was going to look for the Young Master, yet Lu Fan found him first.

It looked like… Lu Fan had something in mind again.

Imperial City of the Great Zhou.

Snow acc.u.mulated and blanketed the dreary long street of the Imperial City.

In front of the imperial garden…

The army pressed onward.

Tantai Xuan didn't ride a horse. Holding the weapon, he walked to the imperial garden along with Jiang Li, who was donning a silver armor.

Jiang Li had mixed feelings.

Yuwen Xiu found the scene oddly familiar. How could Jiang Li not feel the same kind of deja vu?

When Zhao Kuo rebelled last time, Yuwen Xiu also used the Black Dragon in the imperial garden as his trump card. He turned the tables around at the last minute and crushed the revolt.

However, at that time, Jiang Li was protecting the young emperor. He was a witness to the event.

Now…

Jiang Li was part of the great revolt.

Tantai Xuan's scarlet cape flapped in the wind. He held the weapon and didn't hide from afar, unlike what he used to do. Even though the infamous Black Dragon of the Great Zhou Dynasty was in the imperial garden, Tantai Xuan still stepped forward with determination.

Carrying the giant ax and s.h.i.+eld, the Overlord led the Xiang Family's Army and tramped behind Tantai Xuan.

In front of the imperial garden…

The Xiang Family's Army and the Western Liang Army were approaching.

The Black Dragon Guard steadily lost ground.

Yuwen Xiu faced everyone with his back. Stroking the Black Dragon gently, he looked arrogant and uncompromising.

The Overlord stared at the Black Dragon solemnly. He sensed threatening energy from the young emperor's beast.

The Black Dragon was powerful!

Much more so than the dragon in the Dongyan River.

Nevertheless, the Overlord wasn't afraid. The Demonic Qi immediately started to madly surge with every step he took. He was like a giant demon's head glaring at the Black Dragon.

The Black Dragon sprang out. The dragon's claws smashed the ground, and broken stones flew in all directions.

Much to the Overlord's surprise, the Black Dragon wasn't targetting them.

It aimed at the Black Dragon Guard nearby.

With one swift bite, the Black Dragon ate a Black Dragon Guard, blood spraying high in the air.

The Overlord's pupils contracted.

Tantai Xuan, Jiang Li, and others also trembled in fright.

All of them had heard the rumors that the young emperor was feeding people to the Black Dragon. But such a scene happened right in front of their eyes still made a tremendous impact.

Yuwen Xiu really allowed the Black Dragon eat human?!

This lunatic!

This demonic dragon!

The Black Dragon Guards were stupefied.

They didn't expect Yuwen Xiu, who had trained them, would let the Black Dragon devour them at its will. What a traumatic effect it had on their minds!

What on earth were they fighting so hard for?

An evil creature like this?

Dumbfounded by the scene, some Black Dragon Guards even forgot to resist.

Straight away, the imperial garden lapsed into the h.e.l.l on earth.

With an angry roar, the scales on the Black Dragon's cheeks stood up and vibrated. Drops of blood fell from it.

The bulges on the black dragon's head wriggled…

As if something was about to break out.

The Overlord focused his eyes and shouted abruptly, “The Black Dragon is having a breakthrough before the battle!”

He held the giant ax and s.h.i.+eld and charged forward forcefully. With one foot stamping on the ground, he leaped into the air. The black Demonic Qi wrapped around his body.

He threw himself at the Black Dragon.

The Black Dragon howled and tried to smash him with its sharp claw.

The Overlord used the s.h.i.+eld to ward off the attack.

Bang!

The tremendous force pressed the Overlord on the ground. Legs sticking into the snow, the Overlord raised the ax in his hands and chopped hard on the dragon's claws, yet only struck sparks!

The Black Dragon had extraordinary defense!

The Black Dragon bellowed in rage as the bulges on its head continued writhing. It flung several incoming soldiers of the Xiang Family's Army away with its tail.

Tantai Xuan watched gravely from the distance.

He remembered the dream again. In the dream… he bathed in dragon's blood and decapitated the Black Dragon with his own hands.

It was this Black Dragon in front of him!

However, that was only a dream.

Tantai Xuan couldn't move any closer to the menacing Black Dragon in real life.

Even the Overlord was having difficulties trying to withstand the demonic dragon's attack.

Yuwen Xiu watched the fight with excitement.

The Black Dragon was his trump card—his last and only resort…

The Black Dragon helped him turn the tide in the past. And now, it was still his last hope to win this war.

The Black Dragon was the only thing in the world that wouldn't fail him!

“I will denounce the world for the world has betrayed me!”

Wearing the golden armor, Yuwen Xiu clenched his fists.

Roar!

The Black Dragon exhaled a fiery blast and gulped down all the Black Dragon Guards.

The bulges on the Black Dragon's head finally broke.

Sharp thorns grew out of it. The inky dragon's thorns gleamed coldly, and the Black Dragon's energy rose rapidly.

Bang!

The Spirit Qi of Heaven and Earth coalesced on the Black Dragon's body uncontrollably.

An extremely powerful burst of energy was cast out of the Black Dragon's mouth. It shot at the Overlord like a black ball of fire.

Dragon's Breath!

The ground in the imperial garden was badly charred in a moment.

The Overlord moved horizontally. Although he was used to enduring beatings, he didn't dare to withstand the Dragon's Breath with his body.

The sweltering heat might even melt the Overlord!

“The power of elements!”

The Overlord was stunned.

On top of that, the Black Dragon opened its mouth. A round and smooth black pearl floated out.

The shadows of the wailing souls of the deceased flashed on the surface of the black pearl.

The black pearl floated in and out of the Black Dragon's mouth. It seemed that it was about to become the Dragon Pearl Golden Elixir!

The Overlord was left aghast.

The evil dragon was going to break into the Golden Elixir Realm right this moment. Unbelievable!

Golden Elixir Realm… It was above the Internal Organs Realm.

The Overlord didn't dare let this evil dragon succeed.

They would certainly lose the war they waged against the Great Zhou once the evil dragon achieved the breakthrough!

n.o.body under the sun would be able to beat the Black Dragon of the Golden Elixir Realm unless the person in White Jade City took action.

Yuwen Xiu burst into a loud laugh next to the pond.

He laughed heartily. The Black Dragon didn't disappoint him indeed!

He stared at the Overlord, Tantai Xuan, and Jiang Li…

“You all took advantage of me!”

“Everyone thinks I'm a pushover. I haven't had one easy day ever since I sat in this throne!”

“Now that I have stabilized the Great Zhou and am about to initiate a new era, you come to overthrow everything I have built!”

“Why?!”

“Why do you all bully me?” Yuwen Xiu shouted in a croaking voice.

The Overlord didn't respond to Yuwen Xiu. He lunged at the Black Dragon and swung his ax. The terrifying force coalesced and rushed forward!

The Black Dragon, however, didn't pay attention to him. It swallowed the dragon pearl and jumped far away.

The force of the ax hit the Black Dragon hard, yet only left a white mark with a clanking sound.

The Overlord's face changed a little.

Tantai Xuan looked at Yuwen Xiu with an inscrutable look.

Did Yuwen Xiu affect the Black Dragon or did the Black Dragon affect Yuwen Xiu?

“You once had Jiang Li and the Master, the best men in the world to a.s.sist you. Have you ever thought about why they left you? When the Master died in battle and Jiang Li was imprisoned…”

“The game is over for the Great Zhou,” Tantai Xuan said.

“You shut up! What did I do wrong?”

“Why would I make such a decision if the Master didn't leave for Dongyang County and Jiang Li didn't resign?”

Yuwen Xiu raised the Emperor's Sword in his hand. The brilliant, golden Emperor's Sword was pointed directly at Tantai Xuan in the distance.

Jiang Li sigh, “Your Majesty, why would I resign if I wasn't disappointed?”

He looked at the Black Dragon again and said, “The Black Dragon is evil. It's a heinous crime of you to raise the Black Dragon… The Great Zhou had good fortune, which was all wasted by you.”

“You have no right to criticize me. No one has the right to criticize me,” Yuwen Xiu said, holding the Emperor's Sword.

“Black Dragon! Kill! Kill them all!”

“The world is ours!”

“The eight Dragon Gates all need to bow down before my Black Dragon!” Yuwen Xiu said.

In the sky…

Playing with the dragon pearl, the Black Dragon seemed to hear Yuwen Xiu's order. The dragon's horns and teeth gleamed coldly as it opened the mouth.

The Overlord immediately felt tremendous, mountainlike pressure.

All of a sudden…

The Black Dragon stopped roaring.

Its dragon scales stood on end. It turned its head and looked at the direction of the Dragon Gate.

They saw…

A person stood in front of the Dragon Gate.

His white robes blew in the wind. His face was covered in a stubbly beard.

With a butcher knife stuck at his belt, he darted a glance at Yuwen Xiu, who was in the golden armor, and then looked briefly at the Black Dragon in the distance. He pursed his lips and said, “Bow down before the Black Dragon…”

“You make me laugh.”