Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 167 Lord of the Heavenly Hammer
However, taking over the power of the Giant Axe Arena from the Lord of False Gold is not something that can be done in a day or two.

As one of the five top human powers, the handover of the Giant Axe Arena is not as simple as Ling Xuan going in and then the Lord of Void Gold coming out.

Therefore, Ling Xuan decided to go to the Cosmic Sea first to deal with the three troublemakers, the Black Fiend Lord, and vent his anger, while also picking up Zhou Heng's clone.

The supreme treasure, the giant axe, on Zhou Heng's clone must not be lost.

……

The crimson flame body of Zhou Heng's clone sped through the void, always followed by a figure—a man with three faces and eight arms, surrounded by pale purple energy fluctuations, his aura deep yet carrying a deliberate arrogance.

"How long are you going to follow me?" Ling Xuan finally stopped, his crimson flames surging slightly, his tone full of undisguised rudeness.

“Lord of the Void Blade, there’s no need to be angry.” The man wasn’t annoyed at all. Instead, he took two steps forward, his face beaming with a warm smile, and introduced himself, “I come from the Purple Moon Holy Land. You may call me Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.”

"Lord of the Heavenly Hammer, please speak frankly." Ling Xuan's gaze swept over the other party.

He was not far from the secret room, but he did not show any sign of looking for anything.

The supreme treasure, the giant axe, is too precious. If it were exposed, not only would it be difficult to take it away smoothly, but it would also likely attract the covetousness of the strongest beings in the universe. This is also an important reason why his true self came to the Cosmic Sea.

In the era of Luo Feng in later years, the Black Pattern Stone Pillar Space was guarded by three of the strongest beings in the universe year-round; although it is unknown how far back that time is now, for the strongest beings in the universe, this period of time is but a blink of an eye, and those three have most likely already settled here.

If it weren't for the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer's constant harassment, he could have quietly found the secret room containing the corresponding token and taken the treasure without anyone noticing.

"Hehe, to be honest." The Lord of Heavenly Hammer's enthusiasm grew even stronger. "I heard that the Lord of Void Blade is a newly promoted Universe Lord of the Primordial Universe, and he is currently very powerful. A few days ago, he even killed the Lord of Arrow Evil in the God-Slaying Abyss. Coincidentally, I am also a newly promoted Universe Lord of the Purple Moon Holy Land. So I would like to have a friendly exchange with you and learn a few moves from you."

"Not interested." Ling Xuan refused without hesitation.

How could he not know the details of the two holy lands?
Although the two holy lands have gone through countless cycles of reincarnation, their progenitors were only at the level of Void True Gods, and their small universes had limited capacity, so the number of universe masters remained constant.

Only when the old masters of the universe fall can those powerful individuals trapped in the Venerable Realm have a chance to break through, and they must go through fierce competition to obtain a spot.

Therefore, the so-called "newcomer" Lord of the Heavenly Hammer is actually an old monster who has endured countless epochs in the Venerable Realm. His realm has long reached the level of the Lord of the Universe. He is only missing the divine power of a small universe to enhance him. He has even honed the fourth-order ultimate secret technique to its extreme. He is by no means as simple as he appears on the surface.

"Lord of the Void Blade, you probably can't refuse." The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer suddenly laughed, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Although I don't know why you came to the Black Patterned Stone Pillar space, you've been looking around and deliberately avoiding other powerful figures, clearly you're looking for something—could it be that you obtained a relic left behind by some powerful figure and are going to retrieve some treasure? And that treasure must be incredibly precious, right?"

Ling Xuan's heart sank.

This old monster is indeed difficult to deal with; he saw through his purpose at a glance.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He suppressed his killing intent and said coldly, "I just don't like having some unknown, powerful stranger by my side when I'm cultivating."

"Oh? Is that so?" The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer clearly didn't believe it, his tone so certain that it brooked no argument. "Then let me guess, could that treasure be a supreme treasure of the highest order?"

He didn't consider the most powerful treasures; that was too far-fetched, and even he wouldn't dare to dream of such a thing. However, he was certain that what Ling Xuan wanted to obtain was anything but ordinary.

"Heh, you're courting death." Ling Xuan was furious. He raised his Heaven-Slaying Blade and unleashed a crimson blade aura with the power to tear through the void, heading straight for the face of the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.

"Looks like I guessed right." The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer calmly dodged to the side, leisurely swinging his hammer to block the blow. "But don't worry, as long as you obediently fight me, whatever treasure you want, I'll keep it a secret for you. How about it?"

"You really think you've got me cornered." Ling Xuan raised an eyebrow, gently rotating the Heaven-Slaying Blade in his hand. The blade sliced ​​through the air, emitting a low hum, as if responding to its master's anger, ready to unleash its ultimate divine power at any moment.

"Otherwise what?" The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer laughed even more smugly. "If you don't want to fight, you can hide in your top-tier palace treasures, and I really can't do anything to you. But the treasure you're looking for is still inside this black-patterned stone pillar, isn't it? You can't just hide forever and never come out."

He was certain that Ling Xuan wouldn't give up the treasure, which is why he dared to threaten him like this.

After all, for beings like them who possess endless lifespans, there's no need to risk their lives to break through like the madmen of the first reincarnation era, nor is there any need to play that crazy trick of "if you can't live, then you can't live well either."

With no hope of breaking through and no lifespan limit, all he sought was spiritual fulfillment, and fame was precisely the best way to satisfy that spiritual pursuit.

Ling Xuan suddenly laughed, but there was no warmth in his laughter, only a bone-chilling coldness.

He tightened his grip on the Heaven-Slaying Blade, causing the blade to gleam even brighter. A chilling imperial aura was brewing, ready to unleash a strike that could obliterate the Great Dao at any moment: "Lord of the Heavenly Hammer, you've certainly made a good plan. But you've forgotten one thing—you may be able to decide when this battle begins, but you have no right to decide when it ends."

The smile on the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer's face froze, and the pale purple energy around him suddenly turned fierce: "You mean, you want to fight me to the death?"

“There’s no need for a fight to the death.” Ling Xuan slowly raised the Heaven-Slaying Blade, its tip pointing directly at the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer. “But since you insist on sparring, I’ll play along. Just don’t beg for mercy like a stray dog ​​if you lose later—after all, you were the one who provoked me first.”

"Arrogant!" The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer was completely enraged. All eight of his arms moved at the same time, and two enormous warhammers appeared out of thin air in his hands. Pale purple energy surged into the hammers like a tide. "I'd like to see just how much you, a mere brat from the Primordial Universe, are capable of to say such a thing!"

"Then we'll wait and see." Ling Xuan said no more, and suddenly exerted force with his feet. The crimson flames propelled his figure like a rocket, and the Heaven-Slaying Blade, with the power to split the heavens and the earth, slashed heavily towards the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.

Wherever the blade energy passed, a thin crack was torn in the void, and even the rocks that were rotating around the black-patterned stone pillar were shaken and shifted slightly.

The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer was equally decisive, gripping his warhammer tightly with both hands and slamming it down on the blade energy.

The two warhammers met in mid-air, forming a purple energy barrier. With a loud clang, the energy ripples spread out like a whirlwind the moment the blade energy collided with the barrier, and countless tiny rock fragments were swept into it and turned into dust.

Immediately afterwards, the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer stepped into the void and rushed towards Ling Xuan like an arrow released from a bow. His warhammer swung with a storm of attacks, each strike containing earth-shattering power.

Ling Xuan's Heaven-Slaying Blade, wreathed in endless crimson flames, resembled an ancient fiery dragon breaking free from its cage, carrying the power to incinerate the heavens as it fiercely slashed towards the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.

On the blade, the shadow of an ancient emperor seemed to appear and disappear, emanating an extreme imperial might that caused the surrounding void to tremble. The space was as if it were being wantonly kneaded by an invisible giant hand, rippling with layers of twisted distortion.

At this moment, the Heaven-Slaying Blade seemed to have merged with Ling Xuan's will, fully assisting its master in fighting off powerful enemies.

Upon seeing this, the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer roared, his voice booming like a bell, the rolling sound waves shattering the surrounding floating boulders.

He swung the warhammers with both hands, his movements sweeping and powerful, each swing carrying immense force, like an ancient giant splitting mountains and earth. The two warhammers danced in his hands with ferocious force, the air currents they generated forming two purple tornadoes. Wherever they passed, the void was shattered, revealing deep black cracks, like the jaws of ferocious beasts, ready to devour everything.

This hammer blow, carrying immense force, seemed poised to smash a massive hole in the universe; its power was terrifying.

Seeing this, Ling Xuan did not retreat but advanced, stomping his left foot in the void and shooting out like an arrow.

The aftershocks of this single clash have already spread across a range of several light-years. Under the terrifying impact of this energy, the surrounding stars have all deviated from their orbits, some of them were directly shattered, turning into countless meteorite fragments that drift into space.

Although the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer launched a fierce attack, he gradually lost ground in the face of Ling Xuan's terrifying sword aura.

Every attack he launched was precisely blocked or skillfully dodged by Ling Xuan with the blade of his sword, but Ling Xuan's counterattacks were like a persistent ailment, making them impossible for him to defend against.

Ling Xuan moved with the agility of a ghost, each swing of his Heaven-Slaying Blade creating a strange and deadly arc.

The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer was secretly shocked. He had never imagined that this newly promoted Lord of the Universe would be so much stronger than him in close combat techniques.

But he had cultivated in the Purple Moon Holy Land for countless cycles of time, and had finally gotten the chance to break through and gain experience. How could he possibly give in so easily?
At that moment, he roared and mobilized all his divine power, wielding the two warhammers so tightly that they formed an impenetrable defensive barrier.

Purple divine power surged around him, like two rushing purple rivers, tightly protecting him within them.

At the same time, he kept searching for Ling Xuan's weaknesses, trying to find a way out in this fierce battle.

As his divine power circulated wildly, the surrounding universe began to distort, forming small spatial vortexes that sucked in all the surrounding matter.

Ling Xuan's lips curled into a cold smile, and the attack of the Heaven-Slaying Blade in his hand became even more fierce.

He lightly touched the void with his feet, his figure closing in on the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer like lightning. His blade flashed, and he unleashed several sword energies containing earth-shattering power.

The blade energy crisscrossed, like a giant net of death, enveloping the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.

Each blade of energy contained powerful divine energy fluctuations. Wherever it passed, space was shattered and fragmented, and even distant nebulae were deformed by this force.

The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer's expression changed drastically. No longer caring about holding back, he unleashed the power of his warhammer to the extreme, attempting to break through the blockade of the sword energy.

He swung his warhammer wildly, his purple divine power clashing with Ling Xuan's crimson blade energy, unleashing bursts of dazzling light.

Each clash of energies triggered a violent spatial tremor, causing the surrounding spatial rifts to widen continuously. Some small spatial fragments were directly annihilated into nothingness under the impact of this powerful force.

Ling Xuan's movements became increasingly graceful, and the trajectory of his Heaven-Slaying Blade became more and more unpredictable.

He sometimes attacks like a dragon emerging from the sea, launching attacks from unexpected angles; at other times, he flashes like a phantom, instantly appearing behind the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer to deliver a fatal blow.

Although the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer gradually became overwhelmed by his attacks, he held firm to his defensive line thanks to his rich combat experience and tenacious willpower.

He constantly adjusted the rhythm of his warhammer swings, using its immense power to fend off Ling Xuan's attacks while simultaneously looking for an opportunity to counterattack.

He seized an opening in Ling Xuan's attack, swung his warhammer fiercely, and smashed it toward Ling Xuan's head.

This strike gathered all his strength, moving with lightning speed, tearing the air apart instantly and producing a sharp whistling sound.

Wherever the warhammer passed, space seemed to be compressed into a straight line, and the surrounding light was distorted. Ling Xuan's eyes sharpened, and he quickly returned to defense with his Heaven-Slaying Blade.

"Clang!" Another earth-shattering roar rang out as the Heaven-Slaying Blade and the warhammer collided once more. The powerful recoil nearly sent the Heaven-Slaying Blade flying backward, but his expression remained calm and composed.

He suddenly swung his arm, and a powerful divine force flowed from the Heaven-Slaying Blade into the warhammer, causing the master of the Heavenly Hammer to stagger back several steps.

This shockwave caused ripples to spread throughout the surrounding universe, and the dark energy within the spatial rift surged even more violently.

Taking advantage of the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer's unstable footing, Ling Xuan flashed forward once again.

He raised the Heaven-Slaying Blade high in his hand, the crimson flames on its blade burning fiercely, as if to ignite the entire universe.

"Prepare to die!" Ling Xuan roared, and the Heaven-Slaying Blade, carrying boundless power, slashed fiercely towards the chest of the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.

This strike gathered all of Ling Xuan's sword intent, compressing the space around the blade into nothingness, forming a huge black void, as if it were about to devour the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer.

The Lord of the Heavenly Hammer stared wide-eyed in horror, feeling the terrifying power of the strike.

But he did not give up the fight. He fought with all his might, crossing his warhammer in front of his chest in an attempt to block the fatal blow.

He mobilized all his divine power and poured it into the warhammer. The surface of the warhammer instantly shone with a rich purple light, which contrasted sharply with Ling Xuan's crimson sword light.

Under this light, the surrounding fragments of broken space and distorted light intertwined, forming a bizarre yet spectacular scene.

With a deafening roar, the Heaven-Slaying Blade struck the warhammer with tremendous force.

The power of this strike was terrifying, directly blasting the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer away. His body streaked across the vast space like a meteor, finally crashing heavily into a huge rock in the distance.

The rock shattered into countless fragments instantly under the powerful impact, scattering in all directions.

However, the Lord of the Heavenly Hammer was, after all, a veteran powerhouse, and even after suffering such a severe injury, he still put up a tenacious resistance.

He struggled to his feet from the rubble, his eyes still flashing with resentment and fighting spirit.

"Indeed impressive. Although I didn't go all out in the battle just now, I still lost 1% of my divine power."

(End of this chapter)