Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 166 Taking Control of the Giant Axe Arena

It took Ling Xuan more than thirty years to fuse the Purple Abyss Star Ring.

During this period, almost all of his clones concentrated their consciousness into his main body.

The Zhouheng avatar, located in the cosmic sea, had long ago taken refuge in the Celestial Temple—under the protection of this top-tier palace treasure, it slowly sailed towards its destination.

Fortunately, after leaving the God-Slaying Abyss, the dangers on the road lessened considerably. In addition, traveling with top-tier palace treasures, they rarely encountered troublemakers like Yin Tuo. They arrived at the inner domain of the spaceship without much trouble along the way.

"We've finally arrived." Ling Xuan looked at the sixteen towering stone pillars in front of him and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Each stone pillar is thousands of light-years tall, pitch black, with faint dark patterns swirling around its surface, resembling the spine of an ancient demon god, forcefully supporting a twisted and strange space.

Inside the space, countless huge secret chambers are scattered throughout, each a self-contained domain and corresponding to a black token—only the holder of the token can enter the secret chamber.

The stone pillar exuded an endless force of will, and the closer one got, the more terrifying the pressure became; even more strangely, the closer one got to the stone pillar, the faster time seemed to flow.

The only area in the entire space where teleportation is impossible is the area near the black-patterned stone pillar due to spatial condensation; all other areas allow for free teleportation.

This place is not only a haven for the strong who venture into the depths of the spaceship to rest and cultivate, but also a natural arena for honing their will.

A vast array of enormous rocks revolves around the black-veined stone pillars like star trails, much like the Earth orbiting the sun, endlessly drawing arcs in the void.

Unlike Luo Feng, who was guided by the Lord of Swallow Eagle when he first arrived at the Black Pattern Stone Pillar Space, Ling Xuan knew nothing about the situation here, and the Lord of Xuangu had not left a single word indicating the specific stone pillar.

He could only rely on his memory to choose a stone pillar that did not contain the strongest being in the universe, and quietly proceeded forward.

The magnetic field has only one objective: to retrieve the supreme treasure, the battle axe, along with numerous relics and the map of the cosmic vessel, left behind by the Ancient Lord in the stone pillar. It does not wish to cause any unforeseen complications.

He acted directly as a clone of the universe.

The space surrounding the black-patterned stone pillar had not yet solidified. With a thought, Ling Xuan transformed into a streak of crimson light, instantly traversing an endless distance and landing steadily on a rock that was flying around the pillar.

His crimson, flame-like energy body stood out conspicuously in the dark starry sky, immediately attracting the attention of the powerful figures around him.

"Hmm? An energy-type life form? Or a red flame form? I've never seen one before. Is it a newly ascended universe master from the primordial universe era?" A deep, trembling voice rang out. The speaker was a giant soft-bodied creature covered in dark brown scales. Dozens of tentacles covered with suckers extended from its body, each with a shimmering compound eye embedded at the end, staring intently at Ling Xuan's flame body.

"This special life form is quite bold. It dares to teleport and rush in on its first visit to the Black-Patterned Stone Pillar. Isn't it afraid of accidentally entering a dangerous area occupied by powerful individuals?" Another powerful individual, who was only a skeleton and was holding a bone staff, spoke with a hint of disdain.

"As you all may not know, this is the Void Blade Master of the Primordial Universe Human Hong Alliance, whose strength is quite formidable." A Universe Master from the Primordial Universe spoke up at the right moment, revealing Ling Xuan's identity.

"Oh? For a newly appointed universe master to be described as 'powerful', it seems he truly has something special about him." Upon hearing this, the curiosity in everyone's eyes intensified, and the discussions became no longer subdued.

The space within the Black-Patterned Stone Pillar is one of the few safe zones within the spaceship. Powerful individuals come here to cultivate and hone their will, or to rest and recuperate. Unless they are mortal enemies with whom a fight to the death is inevitable, they will never resort to violence lightly.

Of course, some mentally ill or crazy people are exceptions.

Therefore, the crowd merely discussed the matter and showed no intention of taking any action.

Ling Xuan ignored the surrounding discussions, his gaze fixed on the black-patterned stone pillar in front of him.

The space ahead was frozen solid like amber due to the power of the stone pillar, making it impossible to teleport. They could only fly slowly using their physical bodies.

With a swift movement, crimson flames, accompanied by faint spatial fluctuations, flew towards the stone pillar.

Not long after flying out, Ling Xuan truly felt the magic of this space.

The further you fly, the faster time seems to flow, as if an invisible hand is speeding up the gears of time; the surrounding pressure of will also becomes heavier, crushing your consciousness like Mount Tai pressing down on you.

As he approached the stone pillar, more and more eyes were cast his way, and the surprise and apprehension among them grew stronger.

"Is this Lord of the Void Blade really that powerful? The impact of the will here has reached the limit of the Lord of the Universe, and he was able to withstand it without changing his expression on his first visit?" A green-haired woman exclaimed in disbelief.

"Didn't they say that the Lord of the Void Blade only became the Lord of the Universe not long ago? How come his willpower is already so terrifying?" someone couldn't help but ask, his tone full of doubt.

"Hey, this primordial universe era is full of monsters!" a knowledgeable old man sighed. "First, there was the human Yan Emperor, who could fight against the strongest in the universe after cultivating for more than five thousand years. Then there was the Golden Wall Lord, who withstood the Yan Emperor's attack with his physical body as soon as he broke through to the Universe Venerable. Now there is the Void Blade Lord, who has just advanced and whose willpower has reached the limit of the Universe Lord. It's really incomprehensible."

"However, compared to the Flame Emperor and the Golden Wall Lord, this Lord of the Void Blade is actually more 'normal,' except that his will is a bit stronger." Someone tried to calm himself down, but his tone was somewhat forced.

"What do you mean it's just that his will is stronger?" someone immediately retorted, raising their voice several decibels. "Haven't you heard? The Lord of the Void Blade fought against Yin Tuo and the Lord of Black Fiend in the God-Slaying Abyss, and he killed the Lord of Arrow Evil with a single strike! That strength definitely places him firmly at the top level of the Universe Lords!"

"What? He could actually kill the Arrow Demon Lord in an instant?" The crowd was in an uproar. "I've heard that the Arrow Demon Lord is quite powerful. Two Universe Lords have fallen at his hands. He's incredibly ruthless!"

"My god, just how strong must this Void Blade Master be?"

You should know that every powerful cultivator who can reach the level of the Lord of the Universe has several trump cards to protect their lives.
Furthermore, with powerful figures from various factions banding together and supporting each other, it is difficult to kill someone even if their strength far surpasses that of the other party.

The fact that the Lord of Arrow Demon was able to kill two Universe Lords has already proven his formidable strength and superb skills. Yet, such a figure couldn't even withstand a single strike from the Lord of Void Blade—his domineering power is unimaginable.

In an instant, the way everyone looked at Ling Xuan's back changed completely; awe replaced curiosity, and no one dared to underestimate him anymore.

Everyone secretly categorized the Lord of the Void Blade as a powerful figure on par with the Lord of Chaos City, and resolved never to provoke him.

Just then, a slightly flippant voice came from the crowd: "Killing the Lord of Arrow Evil with a single strike? That's interesting."

The speaker was a man with three faces and eight arms. He watched Ling Xuan's departing figure, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth, "Perfect timing, I've just entered the Cosmic Sea and need some whetstones to hone my secret techniques."

As soon as he finished speaking, he moved and flew towards the black-patterned stone pillar, his eyes fixed on the crimson flame-like figure in front of him, his fighting spirit growing stronger.

……

The atmosphere at the highest meeting of humankind was solemn and serious.

The Lord of Chaos City, his eyes blazing, spoke first, breaking the silence of the conference room: "Emperor Yan, what exactly happened in the Ruins Abyss?"

Everyone was extremely concerned about the changes in the Ruins Abyss, as it not only produced treasures and had abundant mineral resources, but was also located at the border of the Hong Alliance and the Zerg Alliance, making it of extraordinary strategic significance.

Ling Xuan remained calm, nodded slightly, and said unhurriedly, "I obtained a palace treasure in the Ruins Abyss. In my judgment, it is very likely a supreme treasure of the highest level." His tone was firm, exuding confidence.

Given his current strength and status within his clan, possessing and using the most powerful treasure is well-deserved, unlike Luo Feng who faced the predicament of being forced to hand over the treasure.

"A supreme treasure?!" Upon hearing this, the Lord of the Desolate Mirror's eyes widened instantly, unable to hide his joy, and his voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, "Since the Primordial Ancestor was suppressed, our human race finally has another supreme treasure to guard us!"

Upon hearing this, a slight commotion arose in the conference room, and the other universe lords all showed joy and cast congratulatory glances at Ling Xuan.

Just as Ling Xuan had expected, no one suggested that he hand over this treasure to the creator of the giant axe.

"Hehe." The Giant Axe Founder couldn't help but laugh out loud, his eyes full of satisfaction as he looked at Ling Xuan. "You brat, you're really lucky! I've been struggling in the cosmic sea for nearly a trillion epochs and haven't even seen a shadow of a supreme treasure. But you've gotten one right here in our human territory. I'm so envious!"

His words carried a hint of teasing, but there was not a trace of jealousy in them.

Back when the Chaos Abyss was first created, the Lord of Chaos City and others ventured into it. They had explored the mysterious depths of the Abyss, but faced with the void fluctuations emanating from the Purple Abyss Star Palace, they gained nothing, only managing to acquire a few ordinary treasures. For powerhouses of their caliber, this trip was practically a wasted effort.

Ling Xuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly smile, and he seized the opportunity to say, "Master, your disciple is so lucky, that's a blessing for our human race! Maybe one day, your disciple will actually be able to find you a handy axe!"

His words, though seemingly casual, actually contained a hidden meaning and were a blatant hint.

The founder of the giant axe waved his hand, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes, but he didn't take the words to heart, assuming it was just Ling Xuan joking: "Alright, then your master will be waiting for your good news!"

In his view, the supreme treasures are extremely rare. Ling Xuan just obtained one, and now he says he can find another supreme treasure, the giant axe, that is the most suitable for him. This is simply a fantasy. Does he really think the primordial universe is his own backyard, where he can easily get whatever he wants?
"Let's get back to the main topic and talk about the Void Abyss." The founder of the Giant Axe smiled and steered the conversation back to the main point. "If the Void Abyss can no longer produce supreme treasures, then there's no need for you to stay and oversee it. On the other hand, the Lord of Void Gold has been overseeing our Giant Axe Arena headquarters for many years. Perhaps you could go and take over from him and change shifts."

Ling Xuan gently shook his head and explained, "The Ruins Abyss was originally formed because of my supreme treasure, and all the supreme treasures within it were spewed out by it. Now that I have put away this supreme treasure, it will naturally no longer produce supreme treasures there."

The exact levels of the Ziyuan Star Palace remain a mystery, but since successfully recognizing its master, Ling Xuan has learned some hidden information.

It turns out that the Ziyuan Star Palace produces treasures of varying values ​​every so often, similar to how Luo Feng's Star Tower produces Sealed Stars, Calamity Armor gives birth to Armor Beads, and Original Soul produces Soul Beads.

However, the treasures produced by the Ziyuan Star Palace are more special, not limited to a specific type, and are of greater value.

"Oh? Your supreme treasure has such a miraculous property that it can produce other treasures? This is truly an unexpected delight!" The Lord of Void Gold's eyes lit up as he said with a smile.

If Ling Xuan himself doesn't need these treasures, he can use some of them to cultivate outstanding younger generations in his clan, which would undoubtedly be a great help to the long-term development of the human race.

Moreover, the thought of Ling Xuan taking over his place at the Giant Axe Arena headquarters filled the Lord of Void Gold with anticipation.

The atmosphere at the following meeting became increasingly lively.

After in-depth discussions, everyone finally decided that in the hundreds of millions of years to come, Emperor Yan Lingxuan would succeed the Lord of Void Gold and take charge of the Giant Axe Arena headquarters.

With Ling Xuan's status as the personal disciple of the founder of the Giant Axe and the second strongest human, he is more than capable of handling all matters in the Giant Axe Arena.

After leaving the meeting, Ling Xuan immediately brought up the virtual screen and swiftly swiped his finger to send an email to Venerable Qian Yue.

The content was straightforward and clear, with a touch of lighthearted banter: "Next, I'll be taking over the reins of the Giant Axe Arena from the Lord of False Gold. I'm short of a capable little secretary, so hurry up and get ready to come help me."

The email had just been sent successfully, and within half a minute, Qianyue's reply popped up quickly.

She not only responded immediately, but also very cooperatively attached a photo—in the photo, she had taken off her silver armor and put on a black bodycon dress.

The skirt clung tightly to her rounded hips, outlining a smooth waist-hip curve; she wore a white shirt with the collar slightly open, revealing her delicate collarbone, and the sleeves were rolled up to her forearms, exposing her fair wrists; her silver hair was styled into a low ponytail, hanging over her shoulders, and her originally cool phoenix eyes curved in front of the camera, carrying a hint of sly smile, a completely standard "secretary outfit," but because of her own temperament, it had a touch of fatal allure.

Ling Xuan stared at the incredibly alluring photo, a smile playing on his lips. He turned to look at Puff, the catgirl perched on his shoulder, and teased, "Oh no, Puff, you're going to lose your job."

Puff instantly sensed the danger, her voice filled with panic as she rushed forward and tightly hugged Ling Xuan's hand, afraid of being abandoned: "Master, no!"

His anxious look was entirely due to his fear of losing his position.

"Haha, just kidding." Ling Xuan was amused by its reaction, raised his hand and gently rubbed Puff's little head, his tone soothing, "You are my thoughtful little housekeeper, how could I not want you?"

After the joke, Ling Xuan's smile faded, and his expression turned serious. He instructed Puff, "From now on, you must carefully receive and organize all kinds of information about the Giant Axe Arena. The teacher has entrusted me with this important task, so I can't let him down."

He decisively assigned the task, behaving like a typical "capitalist," outsourcing the basic work to the intelligent life form Puff.

Puff immediately straightened up, raised her hand in a standard salute, and said firmly and energetically, "Master, please rest assured, leave everything to Puff!"

P.S.: My stomach was hurting terribly, so I took some medicine and went to bed early, forgetting to update. I only remembered I hadn't updated when I woke up in the middle of the night from the pain.

(End of this chapter)