Martial Conquest of the Nine Desolates
Chapter 426 - 422: The Bizarre Youth

Chapter 426: Chapter 422: The Bizarre Youth

In the Underground World, Nangong Xingyu did not take action, letting Xiao Ye step forward to search for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures within the main trunk of the Blood Demon Tree.

The main trunk of the Blood Demon Tree had been split open, oozing thick, sticky blood.

Xiao Ye reached in and fumbled around before extracting a bead only the size of a fingernail, emitting a sinister blood-red glow.

Xiao Ye looked it over for a long time but couldn’t discern any special features about the bead; it appeared very ordinary.

"Brother Nangong, what kind of Heavenly Material or Earthly Treasure is this?" Xiao Ye asked.

Since Nangong Xingyu was aware of the Blood Demon Tree, he would certainly know the origin of the bead.

"This bead is the essence of the Blood Demon Tree, known as the Blood Demon Pearl. It was very famous in ancient times. A Void Martial Realm Expert, upon ascending to King Martial, could resist part of the King Tribulation’s might by holding this bead in their mouth,"

"For those monstrous geniuses who face exceedingly powerful King Tribulations, it is indeed a treasure of great significance," Nangong Xingyu said with a profound meaning in his voice.

"This..." Hearing Nangong Xingyu’s explanation, a fierce light burst in Xiao Ye’s eyes, filled with excitement.

The Cultivation Technique he practiced was the Four Emperor Skills, and even during his ascent to the Void Martial Realm, it had triggered Heavenly Tribulation. If he were to ascend to King Martial, the King Tribulation would certainly be far stronger than that of other Martial Artists, truly unprecedented.

And for him, this Blood Demon Pearl was extremely useful.

Thinking this, Xiao Ye found himself in a dilemma holding the Blood Demon Pearl. Without Nangong Xingyu, he surely would have missed out on such a treasure.

But now there was only one Blood Demon Pearl, how should he divide it? To simply put it in his pocket without discussion was not something he had the thick skin to do; who wouldn’t desire a treasure like the Blood Demon Pearl?

Nangong Xingyu seemed to see Xiao Ye’s predicament and said with a slight smile: "You keep the Blood Demon Pearl. I am confident in overcoming my own King Tribulation without the aid of external forces, so this thing is of no use to me."

"Moreover, you were the main force in killing the Blood Demon Tree, so taking the Blood Demon Pearl is completely justified."

Hearing Nangong Xingyu say this, Xiao Ye looked at him gratefully, no longer hesitant, and took the Blood Demon Pearl. Having journeyed together since the Kingdom Battle, he owed too much to Nangong Xingyu.

He made up his mind that once he reached the peak of Martial Arts, he would surely repay these acts of kindness.

"Brother Xiao, Brother Nangong!"

Just at that moment, a familiar voice rang out. Xiao Ye looked toward the sound and saw Prince Donghuang and the East Emperor’s Princess crawling out from a crack in the Underground World.

Both were covered in dust and looking very disheveled; the Prince Donghuang’s robes were torn, his body stained with blood, and he was also injured.

"Brother Donghuang!" Xiao Ye was thrilled and hurried over with Nangong Xingyu.

Having witnessed the Blood Demon Tree’s strength, he had feared that Prince Donghuang and the others had already met with misfortune.

"Brother Xiao, Brother Nangong, run quickly, there is a very terrifying Demon Tree here. Not only is it powerful, but it even took away my Void Artifact."

"If we hadn’t hidden in this crack and taken Turtle Breath Pills, even with the life-saving treasure bestowed by the emperor, our father, we would not have survived," the Prince Donghuang hurriedly said, his face filled with urgency.

Nangong Xingyu laughed and pointed behind him: "The Demon Tree you’re talking about, is it that one?"

Hearing this, Prince Donghuang turned his head and was immediately stunned, disbelief coloring his face: "How... How did it die?"

Nangong Xingyu chuckled lightly and explained the events that had transpired, making the East Emperor’s Princess look at Xiao Ye with continuous admiration.

"To kill this Demon Tree, one would need at least the strength of the Eighth Level Virtual Martial, but you, kid, are only at Virtual Martial Level 4..."

"Monster, you’re truly a monster!" Prince Donghuang said with complete shock, thoroughly impressed by Xiao Ye.

"Brother Donghuang, tell me, what exactly happened?" Xiao Ye changed the topic and asked.

So Prince Donghuang sat on the ground and slowly recounted their experiences in the Second Zone of the Talent Cemetery that he and the East Emperor’s Princess had encountered.

It turned out that the Second Zone was not much different from the First Zone, the only difference being the stronger and more numerous ancient Genius Heroic Spirits and corpses encountered.

However, the South Emperor’s Prince had deployed his Virtual External Embodiment, and somehow lured the Blood Demon Tree to the Second Zone, where it devoured all the ancient geniuses, descended into the Underground World, and attacked the young people from the Four Great States who had come here.

It was a disaster, with two hundred directly killed by the Blood Demon Tree, and the rest, because they had already left the Underground World, were spared.

The Prince Donghuang and the Princess, being in the Underground World at that time, inevitably came under attack and were gravely injured. They managed to hide in a crevice of the Underground World, took Turtle Breath Pills to enter a state of feigned death, and had only just awakened moments before.

"It indeed was the work of the South Emperor’s Prince. Why did none of the Ten Great Forces of Central State intervene? Do they really want to watch all the young talents from the Four Great States die out?" After hearing the account, Xiao Ye emitted an overwhelming murderous intent.

Hearing this, the Prince Donghuang sneered: "Those lofty figures don’t care about the life and death of people like us. Plus, I surmise that the South Emperor’s Prince might have been favored by someone already, considered a genius of Central State. That’s why he’s so emboldened, and no one has come to question him."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ye’s gaze turned exceedingly cold, his heart turning stone-cold.

Ignoring the forces that so recklessly endangered their lives, Xiao Ye certainly wouldn’t foolishly join them, only to risk his life for others.

"However, I will continue to brave the Talent Cemetery, not to join those Ten Great Forces, but to take the life of the South Emperor’s Prince!" Xiao Ye clenched his fists and inwardly declared.

Subsequently, the four did not continue on their way, but began to rest in the Underground World.

All the Ancient Geniuses here, including the Controller of the Second Zone, had been eradicated. There was no danger at all, making it an excellent place to rest. If they proceeded further, the four would have to separate again due to the differences in their rankings from the first challenge.

Hence, staying here was the wisest choice.

Xiao Ye took out a High Grade Essence Stone, consolidating his Virtual Martial Level 4 Cultivation. After all, he had been forcefully elevated an entire level by the Emperor’s Divine Ability, which was not achieved through his own hard cultivation, and therefore his foundation was not solid.

As for Prince Donghuang and the East Emperor’s Princess, they were both busy recovering from their injuries.

After spending two days in the Underworld, the four continued on their journey.

The visibility here was very dark; the ground was covered with a heap of white bones, which crumbled into dust easily upon being stepped on.

After walking for six hours, Xiao Ye and company saw a glimpse of light ahead, reinvigorating their spirits, and they quickened their pace.

Through a winding passage, the four emerged from the other side of a grand canyon and were greeted by an endless plain.

At the edge of the plain, there was a White Jade Square just like in the First Zone.

"We’re finally out," Xiao Ye said with a smile, then looked back at the grand canyon with a sudden realization.

Indeed, the Second Zone was extremely dangerous. They had to pass through this canyon, and if the Ancient Geniuses blocked both ends, they could directly encircle and suppress them.

The dangers of the Second Zone, with the added advantage of the terrain, made it much harder to pass through compared to the First Zone. By then, it was feared that even without interference from the South Emperor’s Prince, the number of Four Great State Talents who died would not be any less than now.

Xiao Ye somewhat understood why the Ten Great Forces of Central State had not interfered.

Next, without pausing, Xiao Ye and company crossed the vast White Jade Square and directly entered the Third Zone.

The sky in the Third Zone was even more gloomy, dense leaden clouds covered the heavens, and gusts of Yin Wind cut like blades. Even Xiao Ye’s strong Physical Body struggled to withstand it, forcing him to raise his defenses as he advanced.

Far off in the distance, massive tombstones reaching twenty meters high stood like mountain peaks upon the earth, emitting a faint golden glow, which was extremely eerie.

A very somber atmosphere was spreading among Xiao Ye and the others. They could feel that the Third Zone was far from simple.

Moreover, no one knew whether the South Emperor’s Prince had laid traps in this zone.

"Are you also Young Talents participating in the Dynasty Battle?" Just as the four were nearing the first tombstone, a hearty voice rang out.

Xiao Ye looked toward the sound to see a Green-robed Youth with long hair and a spear in hand approaching them. With a single step, he closed the distance to ten paces away, his speed astonishing, with a powerful aura exuding from him.

"He can actually withstand the Yin Wind here with his Physical Body, without needing any defense!" Xiao Ye’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning grave.

In every aspect, this Green-robed Youth was extraordinary.

"I am Tong Zhan, a West State’s Genius. Having been separated from my companions, may I join you on your journey? It’s good to have someone to rely on along the way, and don’t worry, I have no intention of harming anyone."

The newcomer had a familiar air, with a bright smile spreading across his face.

"Tong Zhan?" Xiao Ye, Nangong Xingyu, and Prince Donghuang exchanged glances, puzzled.

In their view, someone like Tong Zhan must certainly be very powerful and should have stood out during the first stage of the Dynasty Battle. Why did they have no recollection of him?

Encountering a youth so suddenly in the Third Zone felt strange to everyone.

Faced with Tong Zhan’s inquiry, Nangong Xingyu and Prince Donghuang both looked to Xiao Ye, for he was the strongest among their team at the moment.

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Ye then nodded and said, "Sure, let’s continue the journey together."

Tong Zhan’s smile widened upon hearing this. "Don’t worry, following you will be to your advantage, not harm."

Soon, Tong Zhan proved his words through his actions.

When Xiao Ye and the others encountered ten Ancient Corpses in the Third Zone, Tong Zhan rushed out first. His spear moved like a dragon, and within a few breaths, he had effortlessly destroyed all the Ancient Corpses.

"So powerful!" Xiao Ye’s heart shuddered.

Those ten Ancient Corpses appeared to have the strength of at least Virtual Martial Level 5, yet Tong Zhan dealt with them so easily.

"He absolutely has the strength of a Prince Level, perhaps even beyond!" Xiao Ye internally exclaimed.

(Can everyone guess who this Tong Zhan might be? Surely, the revelation will be quite the shock.)