Pursuit of the Truth

There was an endless amount of rumbles at the spot where the three Dao Slaves were fighting against the yellow dragon in the sky. They were trying to break free of the yellow light’s confinement and descend to the area where the others were fighting, but the yellow dragon’s exhausted roars only made the yellow light become stronger. Clearly, the yellow dragon had brought out all the power it could possibly muster.

Yu Xuan’s face was as pale as ashes. There was a thick wave of Abyss Death Aura spreading out from her body and circling around the area, causing others to be unable to see what was happening within her spot clearly. However, there were continuous booming sounds coming out from the place, and it was a telling sign as to how intense the battle was between that Dao Slave and Yu Xuan.

However, she wasn’t a cultivator in the Third Step to begin with, which was why the medicinal core she had devoured made her suffer an incredibly powerful backlash. At that moment, it could be said that she was fighting while gritting her teeth and persevering even though she was completely drained of her strength.

She had no idea why she was doing this, either. If this was just a business deal, then she should not be so persistent about fighting, but every single time she wanted to give up and have the yellow dragon take her away, Su Ming’s joyful smile when he was with his senior brothers would appear in her head.

There was a gentle and affectionate feeling within that smile that made Yu Xuan feel warm, and she was reluctant to part with it.

”Xuan Xuan, do you know why I gave you this name?”

Yu Xuan’s most precious memory lying in the depths of her heart rose in front of her eyes at that moment. It was the only memory that could keep her company on the lonely nights in her cold house.

”My good daughter, don’t be so mischievous now. Once I finish making this leather shirt, you won’t be at the losing end of the stick when you go out and fight those other children again.

”I have to leave. I have to go to a place very far away from here. Xuan Xuan, don’t cry… Remember what I told you before. Your name means that you must be strong and not be sad…”

Yu Xuan did not know why her most precious memory in her life would emerge during this fight.

’Perhaps it’s this warmth that made me love this place… and it’s making me not want to leave.’ Tears fell from Yu Xuan’s eyes.

”Mother…” she mumbled. She ignored the backlash she was suffering and the numb feeling that was gradually creeping into her body. She continued pushing her body past its limits, resolutely not allowing the Dao Slave to leave the Abyss Death Aura.

As the booming sounds from the Undertaker of Evil’s Spear’s explosion faded away outside the hundred lis Rune around the ninth summit and underneath the places where the yellow dragon and Yu Xuan were fighting against their opponents, Dao Slave 19 and Dao Yuan’s bodies were revealed above the sea.

”Who are you?!”

For the first time since Dao Slave 19 stepped into the land of Berserkers, he did not immediately obey and acknowledge Dao Yuan’s command. Instead, he stared at Su Ming and asked slowly as he panted.

To him, the intelligence possessed by the young man standing before him was something that he rarely saw within others, and it was this guile of his that had managed to hurt Dao Slave 19 so badly even though the young man was at an extreme disadvantage. After all, this Berserker was only at the Second Step, and it was a telling sign of how strong he was to be able to do such a thing.

Morning Dao Sect should be trying to take in such a person instead of engaging him in a fight to the death, but all of this had become impossible due to Dao Yuan’s hobbies and actions.

’I have to kill this person and not let him have the chance to grow. If he’s capable of reaching the Second Step in the land of Berserkers, then someday in the future, he might possibly become… the second Lie Shan Xiu!’

A barely noticeable glint appeared in Dao Slave 19’s eyes. As he circulated his cultivation base in his body, he wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming.

”Perhaps this is a misunderstanding…” Just as he started to speak, Dao Yuan immediately let out a furious roar by his side.

”Dao Slave 19, shut up! I’m ordering you now to attack immediately! Kill him! KILL HIM!”

Dao Yuan glared Su Ming with a crazed look in his eyes. He had only been injured twice in his life. The first time had been by Su Ming’s spear and sword, and the second time… was also because of Su Ming. This brought his hate for Su Ming to a level where he was deaf to all reason.

Dao Slave 19’s expression changed, but he did not bother with Dao Yuan. He smiled towards Su Ming, and just as he was about to speak while still having his fist wrapped in his palm, a glint appeared in Su Ming’s eyes. He had completed his fusion with the Welcoming of Deities, and at that moment, he took a step forward without a single word.

He was able to tell that the Dao Slave was stalling time. Besides the injuries the Dao Slave had sustained, the shredding of his Constellation Robe would have brought a huge suppression of his power by the laws in the land of Berserkers. Su Ming had expected this beforehand, which was why he could tell that the Dao Slave wanted to stall for time to heal himself and wait for the other four Dao Slaves to come to his aid.

Su Ming could figure out this sort of thing with just one glance. He had not attacked just now and given the Dao Slave the span of a few breaths to recover because he had been fusing with the Welcoming of Deities. Now that the fusion was complete, he would absolutely not give the other any time to recover.

The moment Su Ming charged forward without a single word, Dao Slave 19’s expression changed. He knew that this young man had figured out his actions. As his eyes sparkled, Dao Slave 19 lifted his right hand and seized the air. An endless amount of wind charged forward and gathered into a long green whip on his palm.

With a single move, the long whip in his hand swept through the air sideways and charged towards Su Ming. At the same time, the Dao Slave formed a seal with his left hand and pointed forward. An illusory starry sky immediately manifested before him. That sky covered an area of three thousand feet, and the starlight shining from within it instantly reached a blinding degree.

However, it was incredibly clear that Dao Slave 19 no longer possessed power in the Third Step. A huge, invisible power descended on his body that suppressed him, and without the Constellation Robe blocking this power, the Dao Slave… could only summon power that was equivalent to the middle stage of the Second Step.

Dao Yuan was completely unaware of this, and he was causing a frenzied ruckus on the side, but in the blink of an eye, his clamorous and unbridled voice fell silent, replaced by a sharp intake of breath followed by a piercing scream.

Even the Dao Slave’s expression completely changed during that instant.

This was because once Su Ming took his third step forward, his body swelled up. As the area around him distorted, he took his fourth step forward, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a Candle Dragon possessing a snake’s body which was ten thousand feet tall!

The gigantic body, crimson scales, the presence that was filled with mighty a pressure, and the capturing of souls which belonged solely to the Candle Dragon was Su Ming’s transformation after he took in the Welcoming of Deities!

Candle Dragon!

The instant a roar that shook the skies tumbled out from the Candle Dragon’s mouth, Su Ming’s power could no longer be categorized using the Berserkers’ levels of cultivation. At that moment, his power was without equal, and he also possessed the complete set of the Candle Dragon’s inborn divine abilities. As a rumble that signaled the tearing of space reverberated in the air, the Candle Dragon that was Su Ming swept its gigantic tail sideways towards Dao Slave 19 with an astonishing momentum.

Booming sounds echoed in the air as the Candle Dragon’s tail crashed into the wind whip. Another bang shot up into the air, and as it resounded, the whip instantly crumbled. At the same time, the Candle Dragon’s tail against the three thousand feet starlight.

As an even louder bang rang out, the three thousand feet starlight completely disintegrated, and the Candle Dragon’s tail turned into a bloody mess. Yet even as it was falling apart, it still continued sweeping sideways and charging towards Dao Slave 19 as well as Dao Yuan who was behind him.

”Candle Dragon!”

As Dao Slave 19’s expression changed drastically, he grabbed Dao Yuan and quickly retreated. At the same time, a sharp whistle tumbled out of his mouth.

That whistle seemed to contain a divine ability, which made the air before him distort as he retreated before turning into circles of waves that looked like the ripples on the surface of water. All of it was trying to block the gigantic tail charging over.

Booming sounds shook the sky as the Candle Dragon’s tail swept sideways, and it broke all the ripples in the illusory surface of water before landing on Dao Slave 19’s retreating body.

The Dao Slave’s eyes went wide. He coughed up a huge mouthful of blood and used the massive power provided by the tails’ momentum to retreat at an even faster speed while dragging Dao Yuan in tow. The Dao Slave’s heart was in shock at that moment. This enemy from the Berserkers had caused wariness to appear in his heart. The youth had an endless variety of divine abilities and Enchanted Treasures, and he was incredibly intelligent. His plans were ingenious, and he could even transform into the ferocious Candle Dragon that could destroy worlds.

If Dao Slave 19 was thinking this way, then it was even more so for Dao Yuan. He was almost scared out of his wits. With a pale face, he looked at the gigantic creature Su Ming had transformed into, and he suddenly began to regret taking this trip.

Su Ming knew that he could not stay too long in the form of the Candle Dragon and that he was badly wounded. Once he swiped his tail sideways, he lifted the head of his gigantic body and opened his mouth wide to suck in a deep breath. Just as he was about to use the Candle Dragon’s inborn divine abilities to devour Dao Slave 19 and Dao Yuan, a furious roar came from behind him.

It was… from Dao Slave 21, who was fighting against Yu Xuan!

Dao Slave 21 charged towards Su Ming without a second thought. Yu Xuan coughed up blood behind him and staggered backwards with a face as pale as that of a corpse. She had done everything that she could and had taken up a lot of Dao Slave 21’s time, but this was already her limit.

In fact, she had even used her own life… but she still could not continue holding him back.

As she fell back, she coughed up blood once again and tears fell from her eyes. There was a slightly absent-minded look on her face, and she was the only one who could hear her mother’s gentle voice ringing in her ears from her memories.

”Xuan Xuan, you must stay strong… I’m about to go to a place far, far away. I wish you happiness… I wish that my daughter will be happy throughout her whole life…”

”Mother…” Yu Xuan mumbled.

If Dao Slave 19 and Dao Yuan had not been in danger, Dao Slave 21, who had broken out of the confinement from Abyss Death Aura, would have definitely captured Yu Xuan first, but he was currently worried about Dao Yuan, and hence did not bother with the woman he’d just fought. With the fastest speed he could muster, he appeared beside the Candle Dragon that was Su Ming. When he lifted his right hand, his entire arm looked as if it had disappeared and was replaced by an array of stars. It fused together with the stars on his robe, and he pushed his palm towards the Candle Dragon.

Madness appeared in Su Ming’s eyes. All the plans he had concocted previously had finally got him this chance, yet a fine line existed between what one planned and what could be achieved. Sometimes something would occur to alter all plans.

At that moment, as Su Ming was threatened by that palm strike coming at him from behind he activated all of the Candle Dragon’s power without any hesitation. He opened his mouth and sucked in a breath. Instantly, Dao Yuan and Dao Slave 19’s bodies started flying back against their will.

But at that moment, Dao Slave 21’s palm struck the Candle Dragon’s head.

As a shocking boom reverberated in the air, Dao Slave 19’s body turned into a long arc and was devoured by the Candle Dragon that was Su Ming, but there was not enough time to devour Dao Yuan as well. The dragon’s body fell to pieces from the strike.

Once that happened, the Welcoming of Deities disintegrated and was completely destroyed. Su Ming’s body revealed itself, and he retreated swiftly while coughing up blood.

Dao Yuan’s body was trembling violently due to his fear, but he did not stop shouting, ”Kill him, skin him, tear out his bones, seal his soul! KILL HIM!”

Dao Slave 21’s eyes were bloodshot. He could sense that Dao Slave 19’s presence had disappeared. A wave of anger and sorrow filled his heart and body, and he charged straight at Su Ming.