Holy Fist
Chapter 426 - 215 Killing Makes One Stronger_2

Chapter 426: 215 Killing Makes One Stronger_2

"Star Water Sect’s Fang Chao, victorious!"

The black-clothed referee immediately announced the result of the match.

The combatants descended from the stage, leaving the audience somewhat unsatiated. At the Fierce Bird Sect’s domicile, upon hearing from Jian Feng, Bai Xiao learned of Shen Can’s charging move dubbed the Zhe Blade Technique. It was named for the notion of accumulating force while lying dormant, gathering all of one’s aura into the blade before the fight. Once unleashed, the first few seconds of blade light, akin to a dragon, typically allowed for a swift defeat of the opponent within a few exchanges. When used aptly, even foes of near-equal strength could be instantly overwhelmed!

Yet Fang Chao’s overall power completely overran Shen Can.

Even with the momentum from the Zhe Blade Technique in those few formidable seconds, he couldn’t take down Fang Chao. And as his momentum waned, he was quickly defeated.

Bai Xiao watched the strategic play between the two on the arena, feeling his horizons had been broadened again.

Indeed, exposure to different schools of thought and Secret Martial arts would bring about novel insights. And these insights could well be the sustenance for his astonishing wisdom. With the right timing and sufficient accumulation, Bai Xiao might be able to make breakthroughs like the last time when he comprehended the Copper Statue Technique’s "Bell Resonance" mystery.

Then came the fourth match.

There wasn’t much to pay attention to; both contestants were the weakest among the top eight.

The competition wrapped up around five o’clock in the afternoon.

The many factions proceeded to leave the Baihua Club and headed to their respective accommodations.

Around half-past five in the afternoon, in a secluded park.

The great sun slanted westward, and through the clouds, its remnants cast scattered gold tinged with crimson upon the pond’s surface. Rippling water reflected shimmering, irregularly elongated beams of light. The water plants on the edges could just be seen swaying.

On the bank stood two tall figures, their shadows stretched obliquely.

"Master, you have arrived."

Xie Yang’s face bore an expression of inexplicable fanaticism, and he breathed heavily.

"Oh? As I recall, previously you only addressed Ghost Mask as Master. How come you’ve transferred that title to me now?" Bai Xiao’s face was expressionless...

"No, you are the true epitome of Fear!"

"I don’t pledge loyalty to the person Ghost Mask, but to the stronger Fear! All that talk before was merely to sway others. I can sense from you that pure, primordial Fear – the million-year screams resonating! Its intensity, that abyssal darkness... far surpasses Ghost Mask!"

Xie Yang gesticulated with his fists, his eyes wide and rims slightly reddened.

He appeared to be overwhelmed by some emotion, almost losing himself in it.

Watching this scene, agitation flowed beneath Bai Xiao’s eyelids.

The situation unfolding before him could partly be attributed to Xie Yang’s genuine thoughts; however, another reason was the Demon Bird Secret Book!

In the Octagonal Arena of the Dark World fighting competition, he discovered that the Demon Bird Secret Book seemed to rank exceptionally high among Fear Secret Techniques. Xie Yang’s cultivation of the Blood Snake Secret Martial was completely suppressed by Bai Xiao’s fear aura with just a touch. It was as if orders were established within their bloodlines!

Afterward, when he defeated Xie Yang, he effortlessly planted a devil’s seed in his heart, turning him into something like a puppet slave to a certain fighting style. Moreover, this influence from the Demon Bird Secret Book seemed vastly different from previous instances when Bai Xiao defeated Xing Lie and He Xiang. The difference between the two, akin to that between kin and foreigners, was clear and transformative.

"How do you feel now?"

Bai Xiao activated the Demon Bird Secret Book, and his eyes slowly darkened.

He asked the man before him, Xie Yang.

"I feel fantastic, never been better!"

Xie Yang extended a hand, his fingernails kept scratching his temple as if it were itchy. His brain seemed to tremble, his cerebral fluid churning.

"I feel like... my cultivation of Ghost Snake Secret Martial seems to be evolving! Under your influence, Master, it’s undergoing tremendous changes!"

He panted heavily, feeling as if a tiny black seed in his mind took root in the core of the Blood Snake Secret Martial, its roots growing wildly, the resultant pain and itch maddening.

Unconsciously, Xie Yang scratched his temple until it bled.

But he seemed oblivious to his surroundings, his gaze empty as he looked ahead, muttering to himself, "The blood snake has grown wings, black wings at that!"

Subconsciously, Xie Yang employed his blood-colored Secret Martial Technique. Just as Bai Xiao had seen in the arena, a massive blood-colored scaled python burst forth from the rolling black miasma emanating from his body. However, a black spot like an eye appeared at the brow of the python, and in the middle of its body sprouted a pair of wings that seemed to belong to some ferocious bird of prey.

The wings suddenly unfurled, the sound of their feathers clashing was like the wailing of ghosts and howling of wolves.

With a gentle flap, the blood snake soared into the sky, whipping up a hurricane of fear.

"Master, I also feel, it seems that through the black eye evolved on the brow of the blood snake, I can absorb the fear of those I defeat! And then nourish my spirit with the fear and cries of those weaklings!"

Xie Yang burst into mad laughter, his whole demeanor slipping into a frenzy.

Bai Xiao stroked his chin, immediately realizing that the black eye evolved by the blood snake was the demon seed he had imprinted into Xie Yang’s consciousness. After pondering for a moment, Bai Xiao quickly understood. The Demon Bird Secret Book he cultivated ranked extremely high among fear-inducing Secret Martial Techniques, confronting other Secret Martial Artists who practiced lower-level fear Secret Techniques was just like an apex predator coming across its food.

The defeated become imprinted with the demon seed, and curiously become another form of punch bag slaves for Bai Xiao. Controlled by the Demon Bird Secret Book, they also gain some similar abilities due to the influence of the Demon Bird. For instance, Xie Yang could absorb the fear of those he defeats to nourish his spirit, a process that requires mediation by the demon seed, from which Bai Xiao could intercept a part!

The ratio between the two was about thirty to seventy.

Seventy percent was Bai Xiao’s!

"Is this the true method of using the Demon Bird Secret Book?"

He felt like he had opened some sort of Pandora’s box.

Controlling lower-level fear Secret Martial Cultivators.

Fear Secret Martial Cultivators defeat others to absorb fear in order to grow stronger.

Seventy percent of the fear is intercepted by Bai Xiao to nourish his spirit!

This was much faster than culturing alone! So far, Bai Xiao had only left demon seed influences on four people and his mental attributes had increased only a slight bit. If there was a huge organization of fear Secret Martial Cultivators under him, he could simply profit from it, gaining benefits without the need to cultivate himself.

"The Ghost Face Organization, within it are many fear Secret Martial Cultivators. Even the leading Ghost Mask is one of them. If I can take control of this organization, not only can I fulfill the activation conditions for the Martial Arts Hall Master’s occupation, but I can also secure a continuous channel to enhance the Demon Bird Secret Book and mental attributes..." Bai Xiao’s eyes flickered, a certain idea in his mind becoming irresistible.

He looked at the excited Ghost Snake Xie Yang and began to give orders.

Ghost Snake Xie Yang, as an undercover agent, was to return to the Crimson Ghost Face. In a few days, at the Eastern Martial Arts Exchange Conference, he would deceive the other members of the Crimson Ghost Face Organization one by one, and Bai Xiao would then subdue them with lightning-fast moves! A quiet switch, acquiring real control covertly!

Of course, this was just an idea.

The specifics would require further discussion when the time came.

It was past six o’clock in the evening, and the sky was growing dim.

"Go."

Bai Xiao waved his hand.

"Yes, Master!"

Ghost Snake Xie Yang said with utmost loyalty, then suddenly turned around.

His black figure instantly disappeared into the woods.

At seven o’clock in the evening, at the Huali Hotel, in a room on the eighth floor.

In the bathroom, a wooden barrel was placed precisely in the middle, filled with a concentrated black, steaming medicinal decoction, swaying at two-thirds of the barrel’s height. Bai Xiao took one last look at the Giant Statue Technique, stripped off his clothes, and walked naked into it, sitting down amid the sound of splashing water.

He took a deep breath, his eyes burning bright as he looked ahead.

With a call from his heart, a red light flickered.

"Dark Red!"