Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 202 Obtained a Mount
Upon hearing this, Ling Xuan looked in the direction of the Lord of Yanxu with great interest. As expected of a fire-attribute beast god like himself, his intelligence and mind were indeed interesting.

He was very interested in this proposal.

If this naturally born beast god could truly submit to the human race, it wouldn't be unacceptable.

The Hongmeng is an alliance led by humans and composed of other life forms.

Moreover, the most precious part of the Beast God's body is not the physical materials used to refine supreme treasures.

There are plenty of materials for refining supreme treasures, and many of them are better than the physical body of the Beast God.

Most importantly, they can be used to cultivate young human geniuses and to enhance the physical strength and gene density of even the weakest human beings.

This is the most precious part.

Seeing that Ling Xuan remained silent, the Lord of Yanxu spoke with a hint of urgency: "Emperor Yan, killing me will only bring you temporary benefits; keeping me alive will provide you with a continuous stream of resources and add a Universe Lord-level combatant to the Hong Alliance. Why not? I know I have offended you before, Emperor Yan, and even had conflicts with the human race, but those were all misunderstandings. I am willing to dedicate the rest of my life to serving the Hong Alliance, I only ask that you spare my life!"

After listening, Ling Xuan fell into deep thought—the Lord of Yanxu's words were indeed reasonable.

Killing the opponent only yields a corpse; keeping them alive, however, provides a long-term supply of resources and strengthens the Hong Alliance.

Whether this innate beast god is truly submitting remains to be seen and requires further testing.

His eyes narrowed, and his tone was chilling: "You've got a good plan. But why should I trust you? If I let you go, and you turn around and collude with the demon race or other groups to turn against us, wouldn't I be raising a tiger to cause trouble?"

The Lord of Yanxu fell silent, a silence tinged with a helpless absurdity.

After a long while, he smiled bitterly and transmitted his voice: "Emperor Yan is joking. If I wanted to escape, why would I offer myself up? The primordial universe is vast. If I intended to hide, it would be no easy task for you to track me down."

Ling Xuan nodded slowly upon hearing this; what he said made sense.

The primordial universe spans billions of light-years, and if the Lord of Yanxu truly wanted to hide, it would indeed consume a great deal of his energy.

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he remembered the unpredictable changes that would occur after a cosmic powerhouse broke through, and said coldly, "You don't mean to use my human race's protection to break through to become the strongest in the universe, and then turn around and take revenge, do you?"

"I would never dare!" the Lord of Yanxu hurriedly defended himself, his tone filled with genuine fear. "How difficult it is to become the strongest in the universe! Over countless eons, only a handful have succeeded. Even if I were to break through by chance, what would I amount to in front of you, Emperor Yan? Your Heavenly Eye strike can even pierce through the most powerful treasures. If I were to betray you, wouldn't that be the same as courting death?"

“That makes some sense.” A golden pattern flashed across Ling Xuan’s fingertip, but the warning grew stronger. “But you’d better remember what I said today. If you dare to betray the human race, I guarantee you’ll never want to know what will happen to you.”

"Yes, yes, yes!" The Lord of Yanxu agreed repeatedly, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement, and his tense will relaxed a bit.

The next second, a blazing fire suddenly lit up the desolate star field ahead, and a fiery red dragon that was 100,000 kilometers long broke through the fog. Its scales were like solidified lava, and each scale was filled with a scorching halo of law. The flames swirling between its horns even scorched and distorted the void. The entire dragon seemed to be the embodiment of the original law of fire and space.

Upon seeing this, Ling Xuan's heart stirred, and he instantly teleported, landing steadily on the dragon head, which was as broad as a mountain range.

"Lord of Yanxu, let's go back to the human realm."

"Yes." The Lord of Yanxu responded obediently, showing no resistance to the figure above him.

When he decided to surrender, he was prepared to endure humiliation. He even agreed to regularly offer his flesh and blood. So what was being ridden by Emperor Yan?
This universe is a dog-eat-dog world. Without a powerful backer, the beast god's fate will be the same as the other seven beast gods who have already fallen.

Moreover, the Flame Emperor is incredibly talented. Even the strongest being in the universe, like the Dream Demon Ancestor, who has the most powerful treasures protecting him, could only resort to empty words in front of the Flame Emperor.
Becoming Emperor Yan's mount might be its glorious side in the future.

With this thought, the Lord of the Flame Ruins felt incredibly clear-headed. He swung his dragon tail violently, creating a towering wave of fire. The Lord of the Flame Ruins, carrying Ling Xuan, transformed into a crimson meteor and sped towards the core area of ​​the human territory.

The stars along the way trembled under that terrifying primal pressure, and even the spatial ripples of the dark universe were dyed a fiery orange-red.

After multiple teleportations and continuous flight, the massive dragon body of the Lord of the Flame Ruins finally crossed the border of human territory and smoothly entered the core area of ​​the human race.

Soon, a dark shadow that blotted out the sky suddenly appeared above the headquarters of the Giant Axe Martial Arts Arena.

The fiery red dragon scales gleamed like lava under the sunlight, and the fiery primordial power swirling between the dragon horns even scorched the clouds above the headquarters, instantly enveloping the entire continent.

The core continent of the Giant Axe Arena, which houses the headquarters of the strongest of humanity's five peak powers, is suffering from unprecedented chaos.

Venerable Qianyue was meditating with his eyes closed in the central training ground, surrounded by a faint purple light.

For countless eons, she had been assisting her senior uncle at the headquarters of the Giant Axe Martial Arts Arena, never once considering venturing out on her own. Occasionally, she would enter the Purple Abyss Star Palace, seek private guidance from her senior uncle, and then begin her seclusion with a radiant face.

She wore a tight-fitting silver-purple battle dress, the hem of which barely covered her upper thighs, making her long, straight, and fair legs even more striking; her waist was slender as a willow, and the full curves of her chest were faintly visible under the dress, even the rise and fall of her breath had a breathtaking beauty.

Noticing the abnormality above her head, she suddenly opened her eyes and looked up, just in time to catch a glimpse of the sky-covering fire dragon's figure, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

That pure power of the fire and void primordial laws, carrying the savage and bloodthirsty will unique to innate beast gods, instantly made her gasp for breath.

"Warning! The Primordial Beast God is attacking!" Venerable Qianyue's shout resounded throughout the headquarters with divine power, his voice clear yet carrying an undeniable authority.

As the cosmic overlord of the Giant Axe Arena, she knew all too well that if such an entity were to launch an attack, the entire headquarters could be razed to the ground.

The members of the Giant Axe Arena in the public area below were in complete chaos.

As soon as the Iron Wall Venerable stepped out of the cultivation room, before he could even process the situation, he was forced to kneel on one knee by the overwhelming pressure. The dark golden battle armor on his divine body creaked under the weight.

Although he was the personal disciple of the founder of the giant axe and his strength was among the top among the Venerables, he did not even have the right to resist when facing a Primordial Beast God of the Universe Lord level. He could only clench his fists tightly and feel the divine power surging within his body.

"Quickly send a message to Emperor Yan!" someone shouted hoarsely.

"Has this Beast God gone mad? How dare he trespass into the core territory of humanity!" Another Venerable's face turned pale.

"What's the panic! The headquarters of the Giant Axe Arena is personally overseen by His Majesty the Flame Emperor! This beast god daring to come here is simply courting death!" Some calmer individuals, remembering the Flame Emperor's presence, forcibly steadied themselves, yet still couldn't help but stare at the fire dragon overhead, their eyes filled with apprehension. Panicked shouts rose and fell, and the entire continent's defensive array instantly activated.

Countless beams of Dao Laws surged from the array's core on the ground, weaving into a massive net of light in mid-air, attempting to block the fire dragon from approaching.

But as soon as the net of light touched the oppressive aura emanating from the Lord of the Flame Ruins, it trembled slightly like a fragile spider web, struggling even to maintain its shape.

Just as everyone was filled with unease, the golden figure on the dragon's head slowly raised its hand, and a gentle yet penetrating voice resounded throughout the entire continent: "Flame Ruins, enough. The Giant Axe Arena is my teacher's training ground, not a place where you can run wild."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange, calming power, instantly suppressing all the commotion.

The Venerables on the continent subconsciously stopped what they were doing and looked up at the dragon head—that figure wearing a golden imperial robe, with golden patterns flowing around his body and a faint golden mark between his eyebrows, was none other than Emperor Yan Lingxuan.
"Yes." Upon hearing this, the Lord of Yanxu immediately restrained his violent aura, and even the fire-sky source power swirling around his dragon horns dimmed slightly.

It felt a little uneasy.

After being taken as a mount by Ling Xuan, seeing that no one dared to stop it along the way, it inexplicably began to float, forgetting that this was the territory of the founder of the giant axe, and almost caused trouble.

Venerable Qianyue suddenly stood up straight, her beautiful eyes sparkling, and her previously tense expression softened instantly.

Looking at the imposing figure on the dragon's head, her heart raced involuntarily. She subconsciously straightened her skirt and strode towards the edge of the training ground. Her silver-purple battle skirt billowed with her movements, revealing a section of her fair legs, and her pert buttocks outlined an alluring curve as she walked.

The Lord of Flame Ruins cooperated by slowing down, and the massive dragon body hovered steadily above the continent. The pressure it originally emitted was greatly reduced, and it no longer exerted pressure on those below.

Ling Xuan looked down at the stunned crowd below, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "This is the Lord of the Flame Ruins, the Heavenly Fire Void Beast God, who has voluntarily surrendered to our human race and will henceforth be a member of the Hong Alliance."

As soon as he finished speaking, Venerable Qianyue strode to the square at the edge of the continent, looked up at Ling Xuan, and said in a voice that was just the right amount of respect and joy: "Uncle-Master! You're back! Just now, I didn't recognize you and thought it was an enemy attack. I was very rude."

As she spoke, she slightly curtsied, her long legs pressed together beneath her silver-purple battle skirt, her posture elegant, and the curves of her chest becoming even more pronounced as she lowered her head.

Ling Xuan looked down at Venerable Qian Yue, a gentle glint in his eyes, and nodded slightly: "It's alright, it's just that the commotion in Yanxu was too great, no wonder you were so nervous."

He turned to the Lord of Yanxu and transmitted his voice, "Lower the height a bit more, so as not to block the light from the headquarters."

With the Lord of Yanxu's gentle approval, the massive dragon slowly descended until its head was level with the plaza before coming to a steady stop.

Seeing this, the surrounding Venerables gradually relaxed and gathered around the edge of the square, curiously observing the Lord of Yanxu.

This was the first time they had ever been so close to a primordial beast god, and seeing how obedient the beast god was to Emperor Yan like a pet, their awe of Ling Xuan deepened even further.

Venerable Qianyue raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the docile, lowered dragon head of the Lord of Yanxu before returning to Ling Xuan. He parted his lips slightly and asked softly, "Uncle-Master, you must be tired from your journey. Would you like to rest for a while?"

As she spoke, a faint smile played on her lips, and her eyes, with their gentle and lively expressions, perfectly blended grace and vivacity, like a warm spring breeze soothing tense hearts and easing the remaining tension around her.

Seeing his beautiful junior disciple's charming yet respectful demeanor, Ling Xuan couldn't help but laugh heartily, his eyes full of approval: "Perfect timing, it's been a long time since I've given you any guidance. With your talent, a little more instruction might just make you the next universe master of my Giant Axe Arena."

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master." Upon hearing this, Venerable Qianyue's cheeks flushed slightly, and he nodded gently in response. His figure under his silver-purple battle skirt became even more upright, and even the faint light of the spatial laws surrounding him seemed a bit lighter.

Ling Xuan turned to look at the Lord of Yanxu, who was still lying on the square, and his tone regained some of its majesty: "Yanxu, shrink your divine body and enter my Ziyuan Star Palace to await orders. You are not allowed to come out and move around without permission."

"Yes." The Lord of Yanxu hurriedly agreed. His enormous dragon body instantly emitted a faint light, and in just a few breaths it shrank to a few meters in length, transforming into a fiery red stream of light that burrowed into the huge and majestic purple palace in the center of the Giant Axe Arena headquarters.

It showed no resistance whatsoever to entering the Purple Abyss Star Palace.

If Emperor Yan wanted to deal with it, he wouldn't have needed to go through such a roundabout way; on the contrary, this "stay-at-home" lifestyle was exactly what it wanted.

The innate beast god spends most of its long lifespan in slumber. If it weren't for the frenzy of hunting beast gods launched by various races in the universe, why would it have to hide in the east and west?
Now that things have finally returned to normal, it's a wish that has been fulfilled.

The earth-shattering commotion at the Giant Axe Arena could not escape the notice of the spies from various races lurking on the edge of human territory.

Soon, the news that "humanity has gained the voluntary surrender of the Fire God of the Void, Lord of the Flame Ruins, after the Wind God" spread like thunder throughout the entire primordial universe.

"Damn humans! How come they can subdue the innate beast gods one after another!" In the Dream Ancestor Secret Realm, the Dream Demon Ancestor's angry roar caused the secret realm space to distort, and countless pale purple mists surged and churned in the roar.

On the other side of the universe, deep within a perilous place known as "Prison," atop a mountain built from billions of bones, the situation is entirely different.

This place is the ancestral mountain of the Prison Clan, which has existed since the beginning of the primordial universe. It is filled with endless killing and plundering. Every life that can survive here is a strong person who has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"Humanity is becoming increasingly aggressive."

A humanoid figure clad in silver armor, its body a patchwork of silver and black, spoke softly. Its crimson eyes were filled with solemnity, and the sharp scorpion tail behind it unconsciously swayed slightly, creating ripples in the space—it was none other than the Demon Ancestor, the strongest being in the universe from the Prison Clan.

"Already possessing two of the strongest beings in the universe, and now with the emergence of such extraordinary talents as the Flame Emperor and the Lord of Extreme Yang, it's only a matter of time before they become the strongest beings in the universe. Especially the Flame Emperor Ling Xuan, whose talent is probably far beyond any other lyricist I've ever seen. Becoming a being like the Primordial Ancestor, who can shake the universe, is probably not far off."

The Demon Ancestor's voice carried an undisguised solemnity.

"Demon Ancestor, what are you worried about?" Beside the Demon Ancestor, a pitch-black throne tens of thousands of kilometers high suddenly emitted a muffled sound. The surface of the throne was covered with ancient and eerie patterns, which turned out to be the manifestation of a special life form - the Prison King, the oldest cosmic lord of the Prison Clan.

Before the Demon Ancestor broke through to become the strongest in the universe, he was the strongest of the Prison Clan. He was both the mentor who guided the Demon Ancestor and his comrade-in-arms. Even now that the Demon Ancestor holds a prestigious position, he still maintains great respect for him.

“Prison King, what worries me is that if Ling Xuan really becomes a figure like the Primordial Ancestor, the structure of this primordial universe will probably collapse completely.” The Demon Ancestor explained, his tone filled with anxiety. “Have you forgotten how arrogant and domineering humans were when the Primordial Ancestor was alive? Their territory was several times larger than it is now. Those territories were bestowed upon them by the primordial universe at the beginning of the human race’s birth.”

"They were all wiped out and plundered by those warmongering human races! This Yan Emperor is now even more powerful and domineering than the original ancestor. Once he becomes the strongest being in the universe, possessing the power to kill those of equal strength, he will act without restraint. Without any supreme treasure to protect me, I fear my life will be in danger before him. Even now, facing the giant axe, I feel my fate is uncertain."

"So what?" The Prison King's voice was somewhat nonchalant, the patterns on his throne glowing slightly. "Humans are neighbors with the four top races: the Demon Race, the Mechanical Race, and the Insect Race. Let them fight amongst themselves. My Prison Clan's territory is mostly located in the 'Prison' and the surrounding dangerous areas, separated from the human race's territory by billions of light-years. With the three races blocking our way and countless powerful races' territories in between, even if humans want to expand, the three races will stand in our way."

(End of this chapter)