Jun Changxiao simply tested the Supreme Overlord Spear, but its true power could only be determined through actual combat.
Of course.
He planned to keep this weapon for himself for now, and later give it to a disciple skilled in spear techniques, such as Long Ziyang.
“Sigh.”
The System said, “Working ourselves to death to forge equipment, only for the host to take it all in the end. The core disciples are totally just tools.”
“No choice.”
Jun Changxiao said helplessly, “Only they can enter the Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm.”
If not for these damned restrictions, he would definitely grind dungeons every day, farm equipment every day, until when fighting enemies he could casually pull out eighty-one Supreme-grade artifacts and loudly ask, “Scared or not?”
“Qingyang.”
“Take your fellow disciples to challenge the Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm more often.”
“Yes!”
After Li Qingyang left the great hall, he began notifying Xiao Zuiji and the others, and established a schedule of once every seven days.
“No problem.”
Ye Xingchen expressed his agreement.
He didn’t care about the equipment drops from the secret realm; he only cared about having a satisfying battle.
It must be said that after consecutively fighting Lü Bu and Xiang Yu, Night Emperor’s understanding of martial dao grew stronger and stronger, vaguely glimpsing a trace of heavenly secrets.
Li Qingyang and Xiao Zuiji and the others had similar feelings, but because it was only a trace, it was difficult to provide substantial help. The distance to stepping into the Half-Step Heavenly Secret Realm could only be described as unreachably far.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
Seven days later, Li Qingyang and the others came to challenge again.
They didn’t choose Xiang Yu, but selected Bai Qi, another SS-rank Heroic Soul, and ended up getting thoroughly beaten and wiped out.
“No good.”
“This one’s too strong, we’ll switch next time!”
After recovering, everyone entered the Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm again. First they defeated Yagyu Jubei, then conquered the Five Tiger General Huang Zhong, and finally selected an SS-rank hero, King Arthur. After a bitter struggle, they finally defeated him and obtained one Supreme-grade Sword in the Stone.
“This sword’s not bad either.”
Jun Changxiao shook his head and said, “Too bad I already have a Supreme-grade immortal sword, so…” He looked at Lu Qianqian and asked, “Want it?”
“Give it to Second Senior Brother.”
“Alright then.”
Jun Changxiao tossed the Sword in the Stone to Li Qingyang, saying, “This sword is yours now.”
“Thank you, Sect Master!”
Li Qingyang caught the sword, treasuring it dearly.
His dedicated weapon was also a sword, but currently its level couldn’t quite keep up with his realm, so using a Supreme-grade sword artifact was undoubtedly the best choice.
“Junior Brother Ye.”
Li Qingyang walked out of the great hall, smiling. “Want to spar?”
“Sure!”
…
On the training grounds.
The two core disciples stood several zhang apart, each summoning the weapon equipment they obtained from the Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm.
“Third Senior Brother.”
Li Fei squatted at the sidelines and asked, “Who will win between Second Senior Brother and Senior Brother Ye?”
Su Xiaomo cupped her chin, analyzing, “If they had no weapons, Senior Brother Ye’s chances would be better, but now… hard to say.”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
At this moment, Ye Xingchen and Li Qingyang began fighting.
One rode the Red Hare charging back and forth across the grounds, the other wielded the Sword in the Stone with steady precision—very difficult to judge who had the upper hand.
Jun Changxiao placed his hand on a pillar of the great hall, watching the two disciples fight back and forth. “Although Xingchen has much equipment, none surpasses the Immortal grade. Qingyang’s Sword in the Stone is Supreme grade though, so he should be able to gain the advantage soon.”
Sure enough.
After dozens of exchanges, relying on the Supreme-grade Sword in the Stone and his steady fighting style, Li Qingyang gradually gained the upper hand.
“Boom!”
After fighting a while longer, Ye Xingchen withdrew his Sky Piercer Halberd and said, “No fun, not fighting anymore!”
“…”
Su Xiaomo and Li Fei’s mouths twitched.
This guy probably realized he was being suppressed by equipment, and if he kept fighting he’d lose, so he actively found himself a way out.
“Junior Brother Ye.”
Li Qingyang cupped his fists. “You’re too kind.”
He didn’t feel smug about it, because he deeply understood that this was just sparring between fellow disciples. In a life-or-death battlefield, even with the Supreme-grade Sword in the Stone, he might not be Junior Brother Ye’s match.
…
Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm.
Li Qingyang and the others challenged it for the Nth time.
Since they had defeated A-rank and S-rank Heroic Souls many times, the secret realm granted them permission to challenge an SSS-rank Heroic Soul.
“…”
Su Xiaomo said helplessly, “We already struggle extremely hard against SS-rank, going after higher rank will definitely get us crushed.”
“Only the weak.”
Ye Xingchen said, “Would retreat.”
“Fine.”
Su Xiaomo steeled her heart. “Then let’s challenge SSS-rank.”
Everyone stood before the activated wall and after careful consideration, selected a Heroic Soul.
“Whoosh!”
The scene before their eyes changed, and they found themselves in a seemingly real, seemingly illusory immortal realm with a floating pond nearby filled with lotus flowers.
“Ah ha…”
At this moment, a lazy voice rang out, “Who disturbed my nap?”
Everyone turned to look and saw on a lotus flower in the pond, a child about five or six years old wearing a belly warmer lying there.
“Phew!”
Su Xiaomo breathed a sigh of relief. “Sure enough, just like the portrait, just a little brat.”
When they were initially discussing, they’d planned to choose Three Eyes or the staff-wielding monkey, but they looked too imposing, too scary, so they selected the shortest hero from the wall paintings.
“Little brat?”
“Are you talking about me?”
Su Xiaomo looked down to find the little guy standing in front of him, looking up with a smile and showing two rows of white teeth. His heart immediately felt ominous…
“Boom!”
Suddenly, the child punched him in the chin.
“Bang—” Su Xiaomo had absolutely no reaction, didn’t even feel pain before he vanished on the spot.
“Junior Brother Su!”
Li Qingyang cried out in alarm.
The usually low-key He Wudi’s eyes filled with shock.
Although SS-rank Heroic Souls were also very strong, wanting to instantly kill Su Xiaomo by surprise was nearly impossible, yet this SSS-rank Heroic Soul actually…
“Aha.”
The child yawned, staggered back a few steps, and said, “You’re all too weak, not qualified to challenge me, so…” He sat cross-legged on the ground, one hand propping up his chin. “All of you get lost.”
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
In an instant, Li Qingyang, Ye Xingchen and the others all shattered into nothingness, appearing in a sorry state outside the Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm. Looking at each other, their hearts roiled with shock.
“My god!”
Li Fei said incredulously, “Too strong!”
“This level of Heroic Soul isn’t something our current cultivation can contend with. At the very least we’d need to step into…” He Wudi said seriously, “The Heavenly Secret Realm!”
“Sigh.”
Su Xiaomo clutched his chin. “Let’s just obediently fight S-rank and SS-rank instead.”
Being wiped out by a single sentence made them very unhappy, but they could only accept reality, since their strength didn’t allow for any fantasies.
“Oh?”
After Jun Changxiao learned his disciples challenged an SSS-rank Heroic Soul, based on Su Xiaomo’s description of the appearance, he judged, “Sitting in a lotus flower? Could it be Nezha?”
“If that’s the case.”
“SSS-rank Heroic Souls should be categorized as the Mythological series.”
Based on the Heroic Souls encountered previously, Gousheng basically understood the Heavenly Prestige Secret Realm’s Heroic Soul rank classification.
“By the way.”
“Is there Monkey Bro?”
Jun Changxiao looked at Su Xiaomo, who answered, “There’s a monkey!”
“Snap.”
Gousheng walked down and patted his shoulder. “I need Monkey Bro’s weapon, so I’m counting on you all.”
Su Xiaomo’s mouth twitched. “That little brat wiped us all out with one sentence. The monkey’s ranked even further back on the wall paintings—one sneeze could probably blow us to death.”
“Do your best.”
Jun Changxiao gave an encouraging look. “You can do it!”
“Beep beep!”
At this moment, the Eternal came with an alarm message.
Jun Changxiao returned to the cockpit and saw densely packed light points approaching on the star map. He quickly enlarged the view, his brows furrowing slightly. “More of Heavenly Demon Emperor’s subordinates? How did they find me?”
“Whoosh—”
The Eternal’s tail fins sprayed scorching light, then merged into the depths of the void.
Jun Changxiao temporarily had no plans to clash head-on with Heavenly Demon Emperor, so he could only choose to leave, relying on speed to completely shake them off.