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

There was no earth-shattering explosion, yet the rocks crumbled away, revealing smooth, mirror-like surfaces.

"Is this the ethereal quality?"

Jiang Xuan stared at his fingertips. Legend has it that spiritual power is divided into nine grades, and ethereal is a quality possessed only by those in the top three grades.

He suddenly clenched his fist, and fine lines appeared on his body. This was the sign of the "Outer King" recorded in the "Dongxuan Tunhuang Jing", a perfect resonance between his physical body and spiritual power.

The magma suddenly boiled, and dozens of fire snakes rushed out.

Jiang Xuan neither dodged nor flinched, letting the flames lick his body.

Strangely, the flames were assimilated by spiritual energy the moment they touched the skin, turning into scattered blue fireflies.

"It's time to go up."

He looked up at the faint light overhead, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Aren't some people getting impatient?"

The atmosphere around the volcano grew increasingly tense as powerful water spirits surged in, completely surrounding the volcano.

They wielded bone spears, wore scale armor, and had a chilling killing intent in their eyes.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, the imperial cultivators and experts from other branches of the Wuman tribes were also quietly lying in wait, wary of each other, yet tacitly maintaining restraint.

A pheasant-tailed jacana stands on the edge of a volcano.

His injuries had long since healed, but his inner anxiety was growing stronger.

"What on earth is that kid up to? Did he really die at the bottom of the volcano?"

He cursed under his breath, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

Just then, the Wild Feather Priest walked slowly over, leaning on his snake-headed staff, followed by two Water Barbarian warriors carrying a suit of armor that gleamed coldly.

"My lord, this is the Frost Armor, which can withstand molten lava for half an hour."

The Wild Feather Priest's hoarse voice carried a hint of coldness.

"Put this on and go downstairs to bring back that kid's body."

A look of joy crossed the pheasant's eyes as he reached out and ran his hand over the surface of the armor, the biting cold making his fingertips tingle.

Good stuff! Half an hour should be enough!

He grinned and quickly donned his armor. The moment the Frost Armor covered his entire body, a pale blue halo swirled around him, and tiny ice crystals condensed in the surrounding air.

"Remember, we need to see the person alive or dead."

The Wild Feather Priest squinted his cloudy eyes.

"We must uncover the secret about that kid."

Before the words were finished, the sound of falling rocks suddenly came from the crater. Everyone looked up sharply and saw a figure standing on the rock wall reflected in the lava, his black robe fluttering in the wind.

"Jiang Xuan?!"

The pheasant's pupils suddenly contracted.

The Wild Feather Priest trembled violently, his snake-headed staff slamming heavily to the ground.

"Kill him! Now!"

Jiang Xuan's lips curled into a cold smile, and his figure vanished abruptly.

Before the Wild Feather Priest could react, a hand covered in black scales gripped her throat.

"Old man, you talk too much."

Jiang Xuan's voice was cold and sharp, and his five fingers suddenly clenched.

"Crack!"

With a crisp cracking sound, the Wild Feather Priest's eyes widened as the snake-headed staff clattered to the ground.

His body was flung dozens of feet away like a rag doll, crashing heavily into the rock wall, blood gushing out along the cracks.

The pheasant gasped, cold sweat seeping from its back beneath its frost armor.

In just a few days, the other party's aura has surged to this extent!
He instinctively took a half step back, his ice crystal spear trembling.

"You...you borrowed the power of the Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl?"

The pheasant-tailed jacana's voice was strained, and the blood vessels beneath its blue skin were clearly visible.

Jiang Xuan did not answer, but a cruel smile appeared on his lips.

He swayed, leaving only a blur in his wake.

"not good!"

The water pheasant hastily raised its spear, and its frost armor burst forth with a blinding blue light.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, Mizukiji was sent flying backward, a clear fist-shaped dent appearing on his chest armor.

He spat out a mouthful of blue blood, his eyes filled with horror. If his armor hadn't automatically protected him, that punch would have killed him!

"Run! We must inform the clan chief!"

The water pheasant lost all will to fight and turned to fly down the mountain.

Jiang Xuan coldly watched the pheasant's fleeing figure, without giving chase.

His gaze shifted to the foot of the mountain, where a dense crowd of powerful water demons had gathered and were swarming toward the crater.

"You've come at the perfect time."

Jiang Xuan licked his lips, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

"It's time to pay for the pursuit these past few days."

He made a grasping motion with his right hand, and a jet-black battle blade, its edge gleaming with blood, appeared out of thin air. The blade trembled, emitting an excited hum, as if it craved to drink blood.

Meanwhile, behind several hidden rocks near the volcano, a dozen human cultivators were observing with bated breath.

"That's... Jiang Xuan?"

A tall, thin young man stared wide-eyed.

"Which quarterly assessment did the Bloodthirsty Camp achieve first place?"

"How can it be!"

Qi Can, whose face was full of scars, gritted his teeth and said.

"The Water Barbarians mobilized over a hundred elite troops just to annihilate him?"

Mu Lengxin narrowed her long, narrow eyes.

"Judging from his aura, he's at least at the peak of the Spirit Sea Realm! He's much stronger than he was back in the Blood Slaughter Camp!"

Everyone gasped in shock upon hearing this. It must be understood that Jiang Xuan had only just entered the Spirit Sea Realm during the Blood Slaughter Camp's assessment; how long had it been?
"Hmph, they must have used some kind of evil trick."

Qi Can said sourly.

"Just wait and see, those totem warriors of the Water Barbarians are no pushovers."

Before he finished speaking, deafening shouts of battle erupted from the foot of the mountain.

Hundreds of powerful water barbarians surged up the hillside. Their skin was in varying shades of blue, their bodies were tattooed with various ferocious beast totems, and they wielded strange weapons, exuding a menacing aura.

"It's the Hundred Hunting Corps of the Water Barbarians!"

someone exclaimed.

"It is said that they once killed three experts at the Spirit Abyss Realm!"

Jiang Xuan stood on the edge of the volcano, his robes billowing in the fierce wind. Facing the surging enemy, he not only did not retreat, but instead took the initiative to meet them head-on.

"kill!"

The first water barbarian warrior to rush forward brandished a serrated greatsword, its totem patterns glowing with a blinding blue light. Wherever the blade passed, the air was torn apart with a sharp whistling sound.

Jiang Xuan didn't stop walking, casually swinging his Broken Army Battle Blade.

A head flew into the air, and the headless corpse took a few more steps forward before crashing to the ground.

Jiang Xuan formed his left hand into a claw and precisely tore off the totem pattern on the opponent's chest, putting it into his pocket.

"The first one."

His voice was eerily calm, as if he had just picked a wildflower.

This scene thoroughly enraged the Water Barbarians.

More warriors roared and charged forward, their weapons gleaming coldly, and the light from their bursts of spiritual skills illuminated the crater with a dazzling array of colors.

A bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket descended from the sky, striking Jiang Xuan directly on the head.

Without even looking, he swung his sword upwards, the crimson blade cleaving the lightning in two, and with undiminished force, split the priest who controlled the lightning in two.

Jiang Xuan weaved through the enemy ranks.

With each flash of the blade, a powerful Water Barbarian fell.

His movements were concise and efficient, without a single superfluous action, like a precise killing machine.

"Stop him! Use a combined attack!"

A priest wearing a bone crown shouted sternly.

Instantly, more than twenty water barbarian warriors quickly formed a formation. The totem patterns on their bodies echoed each other, weaving together in the air to form a huge blue light net that enveloped Jiang Xuan.

"Little tricks."

Jiang Xuan sneered, and the Po Jun Battle Blade suddenly burst forth with a dazzling blood-red light.

He gripped the knife with both hands and delivered a simple, unadorned downward slash.

As if the sound of tearing cloth rang out, the light net that was strong enough to trap a Spirit Abyss Realm expert was actually cleaved open with a huge gap.

Jiang Xuan shot out from the gap like lightning, his blade flashing like a rainbow, instantly beheading three priests. "The third, the fourth, the fifth."

With each number he called out, a body fell. Blood stained the volcanic rocks, and steam rose with a rusty smell.

The cultivators watching from afar were completely stunned.

"Is this...is this even human?"

The tall, thin young man swallowed.

"A combined attack formation of twenty people, broken just like that?"

Mu Lengxin's face was gloomy.

"How come his spiritual power seems inexhaustible? From the beginning until now, every strike has been at full strength!"

Qi Can's eyes burned with jealousy.

"It must be the Heavenly Water Sacred Pearl! The Water Barbarian Clan's most prized treasure, and he actually got his hands on it."

On the crater, the battle has reached a fever pitch.

Jiang Xuan was like a tiger among sheep, leaving a trail of blood and gore wherever he went.

Although the Water Barbarians outnumbered and outmatched him, they were no match for him. The Broken Army Blade, soaked in blood, had its blood-stained patterns growing ever more vivid, as if it were about to come alive.

"A devil! He's a devil!"

A young water warrior broke down, dropped his weapon, and turned to flee.

This action triggered a chain reaction, causing the once fierce water warriors to scatter.

They are not afraid of death, but even the bravest warriors would tremble in fear when faced with an unkillable monster.

"No retreat! The clan leader is on his way!"

The Bone Crown Priest roared, and a beam of blue light shot out from his scepter, killing the deserter on the spot.

But the fear was already uncontrollable.

The water warriors would rather face the punishment of the priests than confront the unkillable demon.

Jiang Xuan's blade was too fast and too ruthless; every strike precisely claimed a life.

"Useless! All of you are useless!"

The bone-crest priest trembled with rage and slammed his scepter heavily onto the ground.

"Lord Mizukiji will be here soon, you cowards!"

Before the words were finished, a sharp, long howl came from the foot of the mountain.

The pheasant-like creature shot forward like an arrow, followed by dozens of powerful figures.

"All Wu and Man tribes, heed my command!"

The pheasant's voice is cold.

"This man slaughtered our warriors; today he will be torn to pieces!"

The Fire Barbarian warriors were wreathed in crimson flames, the Gold Barbarian warriors had skin that gleamed with a metallic sheen, the Wood Barbarians were surrounded by vines, and the Earth Barbarians' feet trembled beneath their feet.

More than fifty elites from various ethnic groups surrounded Jiang Xuan, their killing intent soaring to the sky.

"Hahaha!"

The water pheasant laughed wildly.

"Jiang Xuan, today is your death day!"

Jiang Xuan wiped the blood from his face, his Broken Army Blade pointing diagonally at the ground, the blood dripping from the tip of the blade making a hissing sound on the scalding rock.

"You bunch of small fry?"

"Arrogant!"

The Fire Barbarian's prodigy, Yan Jin, roared, his fists igniting with raging flames.

"Watch me burn your bones to a crisp!"

Yan Jin made the first move, his flames transforming into a giant python that lunged at Jiang Xuan.

At the same time, the sharpened form of the Golden Barbarian was as fast as lightning, and his metallic fist went straight for Jiang Xuan's back.

Minshan of the Wood Barbarian tribe manipulated vines to wrap around Jiang Xuan's legs, while Baxun of the Earth Barbarian tribe summoned a giant rock fist that smashed down from the sky.

The pheasant-tailed jacana did not rush to attack, but instead observed coldly, waiting for the best opportunity.

Faced with attacks from all directions, Jiang Xuan's eyes were filled with solemnity.

The Breaking Army Blade drew a blood-red arc, severing the giant fiery python, while simultaneously twisting its body to avoid the deadly punch from the Sharpened Extreme.

But the vines had already wrapped around his left leg, and the giant rock fist crashed down.

"boom!"

Dust billowed up, and a large crater was smashed into the ground. The barbarian warriors watching the battle cheered, but the cheers soon ceased.

Amidst the smoke and dust, Jiang Xuan knelt on one knee, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, yet he still gripped the Broken Army Blade tightly in his hand.

His left arm hung limply, clearly broken, but his gaze remained frighteningly calm.

"That's all."

Jiang Xuan stood up, and his left arm made a "crack" sound as the bones reset.

Yan Jin's expression changed.

"Is this guy a monster?"

Don't give him a chance to breathe!

The water pheasant finally made its move, forming hand seals, and a water tornado appeared out of thin air, mixed with sharp ice crystals, and attacked Jiang Xuan.

The five prodigies simultaneously launched their strongest attacks. The five forces of fire, metal, vines, rock, and ice water intertwined to form a net of death, sealing off all of Jiang Xuan's escape routes.

The imperial cultivators watching from afar held their breath.

"It's over. No matter how strong Jiang Xuan is, he can't withstand the combined attack of the five top geniuses."

"Should we lend a hand?"

"Are you courting death? Those are the elite troops of the various Wu and Man tribes; going up there will only be suicide for us!"

In the center of the battlefield, facing an overwhelming barrage of attacks, Jiang Xuan suddenly closed his eyes.

The blood-red patterns on the Broken Army Blade writhed wildly, as if they were about to detach from the blade.

"What is he doing? Has he given up resistance?"

"Sharpening is extremely puzzling," he said.

But the next second, a chilling aura erupted from Jiang Xuan's body.

The moment he opened his eyes, it was as if stars were falling and everything was annihilated in his pupils.

"A falling star."

Two simple words, yet they sound like a death sentence.

The Broken Army Blade emitted a clear and melodious whistle, its blade light cascading like a silver river, causing stars to fall.

The attacks of the five prodigies shattered before this blade of light.

The flames of Yan Jin were cut in two, a thin line appeared on his extremely sharpened metal body, the vines of Minshan were broken inch by inch, the giant rock fist of Ba Xun collapsed with a bang, and the water tornado of the Water Pheasant was directly evaporated.

Time seems to stand still at this moment.

What happened?

A spectator in the distance stammered a question.

No one answered.

All eyes were fixed on the center of the battlefield.

With a soft "crack," the extremely sharpened metal body split open from the middle, and blood gushed out.

Immediately afterward, a line of blood appeared on Yan Jin's forehead, and his body was split in two. Min Shan, Ba Xun, and Shui Zhi also froze on the spot, then collapsed at the same time, each of them fatally wounded precisely in the throat.

One strike, five kills!

"This is impossible!"

The bone-crest priest's face was ashen, and his scepter clattered to the ground.

Jiang Xuan stood with his sword in his arms, his clothes soaked in blood, fluttering in the hot wind.

His gaze swept across the surroundings with disdain, as if a king were looking down upon ants.

"The Star-Gathering Style truly lives up to its reputation."

Jiang Xuan thought to himself, enduring the excruciating pain churning within his body.

His internal organs felt as if they were being pierced by thousands of steel needles, and his soul was being torn apart in agony.

The "Star Gathering Style," one of the three ultimate moves in the first part of the "Heavenly Origin Blade Technique," is far more powerful than one can imagine, even if one only grasps its basics.

The entire battlefield fell into dead silence.

Near the crater, corpses littered the ground, and blood mist filled the air.

Those originally arrogant and domineering witch warriors were now all frozen in place, staring blankly at the five corpses.

"Lord Mizukiji...is he dead?"

"Lord Yan Jin was cut in two with a single stroke?"

"How...how is this possible!"

Whispers spread through the witch-barbarian camp. (End of Chapter)