The White Bone Sovereign Banner Pact

Cold Ice was a genius among the Yasha race, born in the ancient times. At twenty-two, he had reached the Deathless Longevity realm; at eighteen, the Fish-Leap realm; and at forty, the Perfected Man realm. After three hundred years of secluded cultivation, he finally entered the Earth-Penetrating realm and became a powerful Yasha Emperor. Such prodigious talent was exceedingly rare in the entire history of the Yasha race. He was considered one of the most likely to break into the Half-Ancestor realm.

But in the following millennia, he forever stagnated at the Earth-Penetrating realm, never making another breakthrough. Still, he remained one of the most powerful Yasha Emperors under the Yasha Half-Ancestor.

When the Yasha Half-Ancestor saw him now, he was first stunned, then his nose nearly twisted with rage. The mightiest Yasha Emperor had become a fat pig with a huge head and big ears, a body of pure white, flabby flesh quivering, filled with terror.

"Damn it… what happened?!" The Yasha Half-Ancestor was going mad. His most powerful subordinate returning in such a tragic state was like a slap to his own face.

"Ancestor, save me…" Cold Ice was on the verge of tears.

The Yasha Half-Ancestor's eyes glowed with seven-colored light, dreamlike and illusory. His entire being seemed ethereal and unfathomable. Divine radiance enveloped Cold Ice.

Cold Ice's obese body kept shifting and transforming for a full fifteen minutes, but in the end, his form still could not recover.

"This is not a curse—this is the Great Prophecy Art!" the Yasha Half-Ancestor said gravely. "Someone has actually mastered this divine ability. Very fearsome! This kind of divine art exists only in the Curse World and among Buddhists. I have no way to deal with it for now. I need to slowly refine that strange power; it will take half a month to restore you."

Xiao Chen and the others in the Nine Provinces were dumbfounded.

"Hahaha…" Jin Sanyi laughed uncontrollably, nearly forgetting his own recent embarrassment of being turned into a peerless beauty.

That a dignified generation of Yasha Emperor should be routed… It all felt surreal. Everyone looked at the Ji Gong Buddha with strange expressions.

This slovenly Buddha was devilishly eccentric and absolutely not to be provoked!

At the horizon, a five-colored phoenix burst with rainbow radiance, drifting in like a patch of colored cloud. Behind it followed a young phoenix, struggling to keep up.

With a flash of light, two beauties, one large and one small, landed. The young woman who had transformed from the five-colored phoenix had bright eyes and white teeth, while the little girl transformed from the young phoenix was innocent and lively, looking around like a curious baby.

Xiao Chen vaguely felt a sense of familiarity.

"This is my elder sister, and this is my niece," Huo Niao introduced them to Xiao Chen.

"It’s you…" Xiao Chen suddenly remembered that these were old acquaintances. Years ago, in the southern wilderness of the World of Immortality, he had met them. At that time, Keke had mischievously tried to rob their phoenix nest and was punished by the Phoenix Maiden to do ten-odd days of hard labor. Back then, this little beauty was still inside the phoenix egg.

"We meet again," the Phoenix Maiden nodded to Xiao Chen.

The five- or six-year-old little girl looked at him curiously. Pure-blood phoenixes grew very slowly; so many years had passed and she was still a little lass.

Now Xiao Chen finally understood that Huo Niao’s identity was extraordinary. It was said that the five-colored phoenix was the royal clan of the phoenix race. If Huo Niao’s sister was a royal, then Huo Niao’s father might indeed be as Jin Sanyi had said—a being of immense background.

"Bad, bad, bad bird, you really did invite a phoenix clan expert…" Jin Sanyi squinted his peach-blossom eyes, sizing up the two phoenix women.

Just then, the void silently split open, and a woman completely shrouded in black mist stepped out.

Jin Sanyi stiffened, then introduced her to Xiao Chen: "This is a supervisor from our organization. She thinks the White Bone Sovereign Banner is promising and wants to take this deal."

The mysterious woman from the assassin organization was like a block of ice wrapped in black mist, exuding a chilling aura. She tore open a spatial dimension and invited Xiao Chen in for a private talk.

In the end, an agreement was reached. The assassin organization would eliminate two king-level enemies for Xiao Chen, and Xiao Chen would pay them with the White Bone Sovereign Banner. The banner was not handed over immediately; the payment would only be made after success. Of course, Xiao Chen also paid a deposit—twenty Yin Wood Ginseng Fruits.

It could not be said whether this was a loss or gain. A supreme treasure that required a Half-Ancestor’s long years of refinement to become sentient was naturally rare in the world. Normally, each Half-Ancestor would only have one or two such items. Obtaining one from another would certainly grant a great boost in personal strength.

As for killing Earth-Penetrating realm emperor-level experts—they were the old masters of every race. The deed itself was not impossible, but the consequences that followed would be severe.

Soon, the Defiant Dragon King tore through the void and arrived to find Xiao Chen and the others.

Behind him, demonic clouds blotted out the sun, and evil winds howled, as if a demon god had emerged from the world.

A colossal creature ten zhang long rode the wind and clouds, tearing through the air. The boundless murderous aura made it hard for anyone’s spirit to find peace. It looked like a jackal, covered in ink-black scales, surrounded by blood mist, demonic energy soaring to the heavens.

Yazi—the legendary Yazi! A direct descendant of the Ancestral Dragon.

"A single meal of kindness must be repaid; the slightest grievance must be avenged." Revenge inevitably meant bloody slaughter. Because it presided over killing, its image was often carved on deadly weapons.

This was an absolute giant among ancient beasts, a demon god famed throughout the ages. Its power had undoubtedly reached the Earth-Penetrating realm; it was a Yazi Emperor.

The sudden appearance of such a great expert instantly relaxed everyone. Even if they truly faced five king-level experts, they would definitely have the power to fight.

Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Chen’s gathered forces had become this formidable.

Two Yasha Emperors entered the Nine Provinces together. As powerful as they were, they disdained to hide their tracks. From overseas they entered the Nine Provinces and swaggered to Mount Tai, viewing the ancient inscriptions left by sages of the past.

To them, killing Xiao Chen, a mere Perfected Man, was nothing to take seriously. From the marrow of their bones they showed contempt—a trivial task easily accomplished by any emperor-level expert.

But while they were lingering on Mount Tai, they suddenly discovered that the "ant" had appeared before their eyes.

The two Yasha Emperors smiled contemptuously and said, "Courageous to show up here—but also very stupid. Go ahead: slit your own throat and scatter your three souls and seven spirits."

It was naked disdain, like a god looking down on an ant, their life and death decided with a few casual words.

Xiao Chen was not angered. He said very calmly, "I don’t want to ruin Mount Tai. We’ll meet in the East Sea."

"Blather!" One Yasha Emperor’s expression turned impatient. "A mere Perfected Man dares to talk so big? Do you think you have the strength to face us? I can crush you within a foot’s distance—no need to change battlegrounds. Accept your death."

As he spoke, one Yasha Emperor reached out a hand. It grew to the size of a house and shot toward Xiao Chen like lightning.

Shua—

Xiao Chen used the Eight Aspect Extreme and instantly fled dozens of li away.

"You have some skill. Since we’ve met today, we’ll take your life now," the two Yasha Emperors said with the arrogance of rulers. They stepped through the void, crossing space to pursue. Before long, they arrived over the East Sea.

"Oh? You have allies?" The two Yasha Emperors sneered, unconcerned. "No one can save you."

The Yazi Emperor tore through the void like a demon god, slowly advancing. His body seemed cast from molten iron, his scales gleaming with a cold light, exuding a soul-shaking power.

"Hahaha… hahaha…" The Ji Gong Buddha suddenly clasped his hands together and laughed heartily.

Jin Sanyi, Niu Ren, and the others were overjoyed and joined in the laughter, ready to witness the birth of two fat pigs.

But the Ji Gong Buddha abruptly shut his mouth, "swallowing" the word "pig" forcefully. It left everyone deeply uncomfortable.

"Buddha, please spit out that word! We’re all suffering with you. Just ‘enlighten’ those two arrogant Yasha Emperors right now—that would be truly satisfying!"

The slovenly Buddha had an aloof, transcendent air, like a worldly sage, and said, "Boring, no challenge. I’m saving my energy to enlighten a Half-Ancestor."

"Ah… enlighten a Half-Ancestor?"

"Turn a Half-Ancestor into a pig-head?!"

Everyone was stunned, then immediately excited. In a little over ten days, Xiao Chen would fight the Half-Ancestor. If this Buddha could shine then, just imagining it was thrilling.

At that moment, the Yazi Emperor charged forward, actually wanting to fight the two Yasha Emperors alone. His colossal body erupted with heaven-shaking demonic flames.

The two Yasha Emperors finally changed expression. A fellow emperor of the Earth-Penetrating realm could no longer be underestimated.

"Kill!"

The great battle erupted.

Yazi’s ten-zhang frame shattered heaven and earth. His physical prowess was comparable to a Tyrant Dragon or Lion King Dragon. In a sense, he too was a Dragon King. Each time he swung his giant claws, the void annihilated instantly. The destructive power was astonishing, enough to make even same-realm emperors turn pale.

How could a dragon son of slaughter be an easy opponent? His combat power was terrifying!

Chi—

Yazi turned into a black light. His ten-zhang demon body shrank to over two meters in height, and his speed increased dramatically—so fast it was almost beyond tracking. His right claw swept out, and blood flew. He tore a horrific wound in one Yasha Emperor’s abdomen, blood gushing.

Too fast!

It was hard for anyone to catch his tracks. The Yazi Emperor was like black lightning, fighting two emperor-level enemies without falling behind at all.

This was a demon god of slaughter!

Three emperors, like three bolts of lightning, interwoven in the void, their figures impossible to distinguish.

Suddenly, a sword flashed across the sky!

Without any sound, the void silently shattered. A woman wrapped in black mist appeared abruptly near the three experts. A pitch-black longsword in her hand shot out dazzling light, instantly piercing through one Yasha Emperor’s chest.

An assassin!

A peerless assassin!

Her timing was perfect—she had severely wounded an emperor-level expert, a feat of incredible difficulty!

That Yasha Emperor’s green hair stood on end. He roared and flew backward, blood soaring into the sky.

"Dare to ambush me? I’ll make you pay a terrible price!"

One had to admit that an emperor-level expert’s strength was beyond imagination. Even with his heart shattered by a single sword stroke, he instantly repaired the wound to perfect condition and charged toward the female assassin.

Two groups of emperor-level experts clashed above the East Sea—a battle that made heaven collapse and the sea flow backward. Azure waves rose a thousand zhang, waves ten thousand fold, and the clouds in the sky were all shaken apart.

"Oh, another one has come." At this moment, the old skeleton emperor Lian Po smiled and looked into the distance, but now he had been turned into a milk-white-faced pretty boy by the rogue Buddha. Such a smile seemed awkward and rather resembled Jin Sanyi’s style.

Just then, a streak of white light suddenly shot toward the Yazi Emperor. It was a snow-white skeleton, a bone knife cleaving down on Yazi.

Definitely an emperor-level expert!

Lian Po left an afterimage on the spot, blocking the skeleton emperor’s path. His right hand gripped the bone knife like a vise, preventing it from pressing down even a fraction.

The emperor from Skeleton Island was greatly startled. When he saw the milk-white-faced youth before him, he sneered, "What pretty boy is this?"

The former great general, a being of heroic might and strength, had been turned into such a sight by his rogue friend. Not being mentioned was bad enough, but being ridiculed like this made Lian Po squint his eyes with a smile.

Crack—

The bone knife snapped into two. Lian Po, like a thousand-armed deity, manifested a thousand arm afterimages and struck toward the skeleton emperor with speed too dazzling to follow.

Gaba—

The sound of breaking bones rang out.

"You!" The skeleton emperor was furious as one of his ribs was dislocated by the "pretty boy."

Gaba—

The sound of joints cracking again. The skeleton emperor’s shoulder blade was dislocated, and one arm immediately hung limp.

Gaba—

That arm was torn off, and the finger bones, arm bones—all were disassembled.

Even among emperor-level experts, there were distinctions of rank. Lian Po was so powerful that even his peers trembled. In less than half a quarter-hour, he had completely dismantled the skeleton emperor!

Even the skull was opened, the fire seed exposed and sealed in the sky.

A powerhouse nearly chasing the Half-Ancestor realm! Lian Po’s strength shocked everyone.

Niu Ren, Jin Sanyi, Liu Mu, and the others were dumbfounded. That Buddha was already devilishly eccentric enough, and this quietly powerful master was equally formidable—both were practically demonic beings.

In the sky, several hundred bones leaped like musical notes, rising and falling as Lian Po tapped them.

Using a skeleton emperor’s bones as an instrument was truly a shocking display.

"For the sake of you being a fire seed being, I won’t make things difficult for you."

Lian Po had tormented a powerful skeleton emperor until he could almost cry but could not. Finally, he released the fire seed sealed in the void and tossed the pile of bones back.

The skeleton emperor, as if granted amnesty, used his fire seed to gather the scattered bones and fled without looking back.

On the other side, the Yazi Emperor had completely defeated one Yasha Emperor, sending him fleeing in panic. The Yasha Emperor who had been fighting the female assassin, upon seeing Lian Po’s methods, turned pale and fled without a fight. The assassin pursued him.

Five emperor-level experts had entered the Nine Provinces to take Xiao Chen’s life. In the end, four had retreated in defeat, and only the never-seen Yasha Emperor remained.

In the following days, he did not appear—clearly intimidated.

And at this moment, Tianwaitian and Renwairen appeared, their voices resounding like metal: "If any emperor-level expert dares to chase Xiao Chen before the duel, we will kill without mercy!"

"Shoes torn, hat torn, the cassock on my body is torn. You laugh at me, he laughs at me, with a fan in my hand—Namo Amitabha!"

The slovenly Buddha Ji Gong roamed happily through the nine provinces, as his song described: ragged all over, always smiling, a vagabond in the world of men.

Half a month had passed, and the Nine Provinces were buzzing. The duel between Xiao Chen and the Yasha Half-Ancestor was set for tomorrow.

Morning sunlight scattered its brilliance, making the dew on the green leaves and flowers glisten like pearls, rolling with dreamlike colors.

A new day had arrived. Mount Kunlun was packed with people.

Xiao Chen would duel the Yasha Half-Ancestor!

Tianwaitian and Renwairen both appeared, standing beside Xiao Chen, waiting for the other party.

Undoubtedly, the four worlds were watching. A Perfected Man daring to challenge a Half-Ancestor, and the Half-Ancestor actually responding—this battle was absolutely extraordinary, drawing attention from all sides.

At the very least, several Half-Ancestors had come in person—that was the most conservative estimate. As for other experts, it was impossible to guess how many strong ones had gathered.

Among the mountains of Kunlun, the old Yasha finally appeared. His expression was as calm as an ancient well, but the Half-Ancestor’s pressure made it impossible to look directly at him.

"Have you chosen your burial ground? I’ll crush you and end this quickly."

He regarded Xiao Chen as nothing, but no one felt he was arrogant—after all, he was a Half-Ancestor, standing at the very peak of the pyramid.

Though he clearly did not take Xiao Chen seriously, everyone felt this was only natural.

Ant, crawling worm… that was the Yasha Half-Ancestor’s assessment of Xiao Chen.

"The Forbidden Sea of the World of Immortality, inside the King Ship."

Xiao Chen calmly announced the place of the duel.

The Yasha Half-Ancestor’s contemptuous expression suddenly froze, as if he had swallowed a scorpion.

The experts surrounding Mount Kunlun all erupted in an uproar.

"Hahaha… hahaha…" At that moment, the Ji Gong Buddha suddenly appeared beside Xiao Chen, clasping his hands together and looking at the Yasha Half-Ancestor, laughing heartily.