The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

The pheasant was in extremely bad condition; the penetrating wound in its left shoulder was still bleeding, the knife wound on its chest was deep enough to expose bone, and its face was as pale as paper.

But his eyes remained sharp as knives.

"Sir, you need immediate treatment!"

The priestess Ye Ling hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.

The pheasant-tailed jacana waved its hand in refusal.

"No need. The murderer fled northwest; we must catch him."

"But your injury..."

"The Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl is more important than my life."

The pheasant-tailed jacana interrupted coldly.

"That is the foundation of our Water Barbarian tribe; it must never fall into the hands of outsiders."

Lek couldn't help but say.

"But that murderer was able to fight you to a standstill, so his strength is extraordinary. With our abilities..."

"Therefore, we need more people."

The water pheasant looked at the wild feather offering.

"Send a signal to summon all the powerful water spirits of Demon Cloud Ridge to gather here."

Priestess Ye Ling's expression changed.

"Sir, this...this will expose our whereabouts and cause unnecessary trouble."

The pheasant's eyes flashed with fierce light.

"I said, at all costs!"

"But."

“No buts!”

The pheasant suddenly roared, aggravating its wound and coughing up blood, but its eyes became even more piercing.

"Do you know what's hidden inside the Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl? It's a secret technique passed down through our Water Barbarian clan for thousands of years! If an outsider deciphers it, our clan will be in grave danger!"

Upon hearing this, Priestess Ye Ling was shocked and finally realized the seriousness of the matter.

"I will issue the summons immediately."

Without further hesitation, he took out an ancient animal bone horn from his bosom.

The pheasant nodded and turned to Lek.

"You take three men and continue tracking the killer, but don't alert him. Leave markers along the way. The rest of you stay here with me and wait for reinforcements."

"Yes!"

Lek accepted the order and immediately mustered his men to set off.

The Wild Feather Priest raised the animal bone horn to his lips.

As he channeled his inner energy, a deep and resonant horn sound echoed through Demon Cloud Ridge, penetrating the dense forest and reaching far into the distance.

As soon as the bugle call ended, responses came from afar.

First, a long howl rang out from the east, followed by the sound of drums from the west, and finally, horns sounded from the south and north, one after another.

On the other side, Jiang Xuan's breathing was heavy, like a broken bellows, and his chest heaved violently.

He had a deep, bone-revealing wound on his right shoulder, and blood had soaked half of his robe.

The wound on my left leg, inflicted by the poison ivy, began to turn black, and every step I took felt like being pricked by a million steel needles.

"Those bastards from the Bloodthirsty Camp, they're quick on their feet!"

The curses of the pursuers came from behind.

Jiang Xuan gritted his teeth, grabbed a handful of crimson fruits from his storage ring, and stuffed them into his mouth.

The fruit was unbearably bitter, yet a surge of heat quickly spread throughout the body.

He disregarded the medicinal properties and forced himself to continue fleeing forward.

The bronze whistle hanging on his chest swayed constantly as he ran; it was the Bloodthirsty Camp's distress signal. Once blown, they could immediately escape danger, but it also meant being eliminated from the camp.

"I'd rather die than admit defeat."

Jiang Xuan's eyes flashed with ruthlessness as he forcefully shoved the whistle back into his collar.

The trees ahead suddenly thinned out, and a desolate, crimson mountain range came into view.

The ground was barren, and white smoke constantly billowed from the cracks in the exposed rocks, filling the air with a pungent smell of sulfur.

"A volcanic area?"

Jiang Xuan paused slightly, but the sounds of the pursuers behind him grew closer.

He had no choice but to drag his injured leg into this land of death.

A wave of heat hit me, and the rocks under my feet were incredibly hot.

Jiang Xuan's boots started to smoke, but he dared not stop.

As the altitude increased, breathing became increasingly difficult, and the scenery in front of me began to appear double.

When he finally reached the top of a red mountain, he discovered that it was a volcanic crater.

Hundreds of meters below, golden-red molten lava churned and roared, the heat waves distorting the air.

"It's over."

Jiang Xuan stumbled and stopped at the edge of the crater. Rocks rolled down and were instantly swallowed by the lava.

Just then, a rough roar came from the foot of the mountain.

"Boy, you have nowhere to run! Hand over the Holy Pearl, and I'll spare your life!"

Jiang Xuan turned around and saw twelve barbarian warriors surrounding him in a fan shape.

The leader, Lek, was nearly two meters tall, with blood-red totems painted on his face, and held a bone knife that gleamed coldly.

"Take one more step forward, and I'll throw the Holy Pearl down!"

Jiang Xuan suddenly pulled out a blue bead from his pocket and pretended to throw it towards the volcano.

The moment the bead appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and a thin layer of frost even formed on the edge of the crater. Lek and the others' expressions changed drastically, and they all stopped in their tracks.

"The Celestial Water Sacred Pearl!"

Greed and apprehension flashed in Lek's eyes.

"Boy, do you know that's a sacred artifact of my race? Hand it over, and I swear in the name of the warriors of the Witch Barbarian Clan, I'll let you leave!"

Jiang Xuan sneered.

"The first lesson the Bloodbath Camp taught me was never to believe the enemy's oaths."

He deliberately extended the sacred pearl further towards the crater.

"Back off! Or we'll all be wiped out!"

The two sides reached a stalemate.

Jiang Xuan leaned against the crater, cold sweat constantly dripping from his forehead.

His vision grew increasingly blurry, and he knew his strength was about to run out.

Just at this critical moment, a dark figure suddenly darted out from behind the rocks on the side!
"careful!"

Lek shouted.

Jiang Xuan felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and a deep wound that exposed bone appeared, from which blood gushed out.

He instinctively tightened his grip, but the sacred bead still flew out of his hand!

"No."

In a flash, Jiang Xuan leaped forward and caught the Sacred Pearl before it fell into the molten lava.

The attackers missed their target and could only watch helplessly as Jiang Xuan fell into the volcano.

"Japonica! You idiot!"

Enraged, Lek punched the attacker, sending him flying several meters.

The pheasant crashed into the rock, spitting out a mouthful of blood, but then grinned maliciously.

"That kid's definitely going to die anyway, and the Holy Pearl will remain intact in the lava. We can just come back for it when the volcano goes dormant!"

Just as Lek was about to lash out, an old voice came from behind him.

"madness."

The Wild Feather Priest had appeared behind the group at some point, his withered fingers pointing towards the crater.

"The Celestial Water Sacred Pearl is an ancient artifact passed down through our clan, born from the depths of the endless sea. Its most wondrous feature is its ability to protect its wielder from being instantly engulfed by volcanic lava."

"What?"

Lek's eyes widened.

"That kid might still be alive?"

The sacrificial offering was made with a nod.

"The Holy Pearl will form a protective barrier, but it will only last for a maximum of three days. And..."

His eyes were filled with worry.

"Only those who have reached the level of a Warrior can venture into molten lava without being incinerated by the intense heat."

Everyone fell silent. There wasn't a single expert of the Warrior level in the entire Demon Cloud Ridge.

"Then we..."

Lek looked at the crater with resentment.

"wait."

The wild feather priest sat cross-legged.

"If he emerges with the Sacred Pearl within three days, it will be the will of Heaven. Otherwise..."

He closed his eyes.

"That will be the time when the sacred artifact returns to the Earth's core."

At the base of the volcano, on a protruding black rock, Jiang Xuan lay, his entire body enveloped in a layer of azure light.

The surrounding magma retreated as if it had encountered a natural enemy, forming a vacuum zone outside the halo.

The Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl in his hand continuously released icy energy, which seeped into his body through the wound.

Jiang Xuan's body twitched intermittently while he was unconscious.

Dreams flooded in.

He witnessed the day the mine prison collapsed, and amidst the towering flames, the always taciturn boy pulled him out of danger.

"Survive"

The boy's last words before he was buried by falling rocks echoed in his dream.

The scene shifts to Xia Zhi's serious face as he hangs the bronze whistle around his neck.

"Live well."

The dream became increasingly chaotic, finally settling on a pair of cold, golden vertical pupils.

Deep within those pupils, it seemed as if an endless ocean was churning.
"what!"

Jiang Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, panting heavily.

The scorching air filled my lungs, bringing a burning pain.

He then realized where he was: at the bottom of a volcano, surrounded by surging and roaring lava. The crimson magma climbed the rock walls like a giant beast, threatening to swallow him at any moment.

"I'm alive"

Jiang Xuan looked down at his hands and found them enveloped in a layer of azure light. The light rippled like water, completely isolating them from the high temperature outside and instead bringing a slight coolness.

"The Celestial Water Sacred Pearl!"

He hurriedly looked into his mind and saw that the precious pearl was rotating around the Gate to Heaven, emitting a soft blue light.

With each spin, a fine rain of light fell, seeping into his limbs and bones.

"I see."

Jiang Xuan suddenly realized.

"The Gate to Heaven attracted the Holy Pearl, and the power of the Holy Pearl protected me from the lava."

Moreover, the light rain was rapidly healing his injuries.

Jiang Xuan could clearly feel that the broken bones were reconnecting, the damaged meridians were being filled with spiritual energy, and even the slightest muscle damage was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Such powerful healing abilities!"

Jiang Xuan was shocked.

"No wonder those powerful water spirits risked their lives to retrieve this item."

He recalled his decision before jumping into the volcano. If he hadn't noticed the Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl's special reaction to high temperatures, he would never have chosen this seemingly certain death. Now it seemed he had made the right gamble.

"We must hurry."

Jiang Xuan looked around. Although the molten lava was blocked by the halo, it was still getting closer.

"Those people won't give up easily; they'll find this place sooner or later."

He sat cross-legged and began to circulate the "Dongxuan Devouring Wilderness Scripture." The moment the technique was activated, it resonated wondrously with the Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl. Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the Gate to Heaven trembled, releasing wisps of chaotic energy that mingled with the blue light of the Sacred Pearl.

"This is."

Jiang Xuan was surprised to find that his cultivation speed was several times faster than usual. Spiritual energy surged into his body like a river flowing into the sea, flowing endlessly through his meridians.

Every acupoint was greedily absorbing energy, and the bones beneath the skin emitted subtle popping sounds, undergoing some kind of transformation.

"The Sacred Pearl and the cultivation technique complement each other!"

Jiang Xuan understood and focused even more intently on guiding the flow of spiritual energy.

He could feel that his cultivation level was improving at an astonishing rate, and he was just one step away from breaking through.

Deep within Demon Cloud Ridge, dark clouds surged.

Shi Yu squatted on a protruding rock, his fingertips tracing a bloodstained bone fragment, his eyes solemn.

Not far away, Li Qiu was wiping his battle sword, the blade reflecting the excitement in his eyes.

Something's not right.

Shi Yu suddenly spoke.

"The Wuman tribe has sent too many young experts this time, and their strength is greater than ever before."

Li Qiu grinned, his fighting spirit surging.

"Isn't that even better? It'll be perfect for a good, satisfying kill!"

Shi Yu glanced at him and shook his head.

"Don't be impulsive. They're clearly after the Bloodthirsty Camp; they want to use this war zone assessment to make a name for themselves by stepping on us."

Li Qiu didn't take it seriously and picked up his sword.

"What are you afraid of? We'll cut them down one by one!"

Shi Yu frowned.

"Our mission is to survive the assessment, not to fight or be violent."

Li Qiu wanted to retort, but seeing Shi Yu's cold expression, he finally snorted and said no more.

Ning Meng emerged from a mountainous area, his body stained with undried blood.

His gaze shifted slightly as he noticed a dense sound of footsteps approaching from afar, faintly mixed with the low growls characteristic of the Water Barbarians.

"The Water Barbarians... are gathering in the west?"

He withdrew his gaze and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"It's none of my business."

The other trainees in the Bloodthirsty Camp also noticed the anomaly.

"The Water Barbarians are making quite a commotion; there's probably something good in the west."

One of the students said in a low voice.

"Who cares? Don't get involved, or you'll get dragged into it."

The other person sneered.

Not everyone thinks that way.

Deep in the dense forest, Qi Can and Mu Lengxin both saw the greed in each other's eyes.

"The Water Barbarians have come out in full force; they must have treasures!"

Qi Can licked his lips.

Mu Lengxin smiled sinisterly.

"We might as well fish in troubled waters and make a quick buck."

Without further hesitation, the two stealthily headed west.

Meanwhile, above the crater.

The pheasant-tailed jacana stood on the edge of the cliff, staring intently at the churning lava below.

Two days have passed, and his injuries have healed, but his anxiety is growing day by day.

"My lord, our men have sealed off an area within a ten-mile radius."

A Shui barbarian warrior knelt on one knee to report.

"Even if that kid manages to get out alive, he won't be able to escape!"

A drop of pale blue water condensed at the pheasant's fingertip, sizzling in the high temperature.

Where are those scum from the Bloodthirsty Camp?

"They were still watching from the ridge three miles away, like a flock of vultures waiting to scavenge the corpses."

The soldier spat.

"Should I send someone with me?"

“No need.”

The water pheasant crushed the water droplets, and the icy mist instantly evaporated.

"Taking action now will only allow the imperial cultivators to reap the benefits."

He suddenly turned his head, and in the distance, golden light shimmered faintly in the clouds.

"See that? Three waves of royal airships have already arrived."

The magma suddenly surged violently, spewing out a column of fire several meters high. The heat wave blew away several rocks, but the water pheasant remained motionless, its black robe covered in fine ice crystals.

"Be careful, sir!"

The soldiers hurriedly erected a water curtain barrier.

The water pheasant sneered.

"This temperature."

Before he could finish speaking, his pupils contracted sharply. A streak of azure light flashed across the depths of the magma, disappearing in an instant.

"Go and invite Wild Feather to perform the sacrifice."

The pheasant's voice suddenly turned somber.

"Just say I smelled a mouse."

At the bottom of the volcano, Jiang Xuan sat cross-legged on a solitary rock surrounded by lava.

His body was surrounded by azure spiritual energy, which completely blocked the incoming heat waves.

The Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl floating in front of his chest had shrunk by more than half and was transforming into wisps of pure energy that merged into his dantian.

"The fourth spiritual energy vortex is complete!"

Jiang Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils blazing with azure light. The spiritual energy within his body, after undergoing four rounds of tempering, had taken on a translucent, glass-like quality.

The originally violent spiritual energy was now as gentle as a stream, yet it surged through the meridians with a thunderous sound.

He formed a sword shape with his fingers, and a streak of blue light flashed across the rock face. (End of Chapter)