Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 205 Enjoyment
"Hahaha—" A burst of hearty laughter suddenly echoed from within the secret realm, piercing through the void and reverberating at the entrance, instantly overshadowing the dispute between the Prison Clan and the Demon Clan.

Immediately afterwards, two figures, one in green and one in red, emerged side by side from the seven-colored halo. They were none other than the Lord of Lancang and the Lord of Lieyang, Cao Benqi, who had seized the supreme treasure.

Lord Lanzang held a treasure that shimmered with a bright white light in his hand. His body was surrounded by a steady and heavy azure energy, showing no signs of distress. Beside him, Cao Benqi held a crimson-gold halberd, but there was no smile on his face, and a hint of tension was hidden between his brows.

"Sigh, are you four waiting here specifically for us, master and disciple?" Lord Lan Cang was in a good mood, his tone full of teasing. His gaze swept over the disheveled appearance of Lord Shi Sha and the others, and he played with the supreme treasure in his hand. His relaxed and carefree attitude made the demon and prison clan experts itch with their teeth.

The Lord of Stone Fiend stared at the treasure, his Adam's apple bobbing, before finally speaking in a gruff voice: "Hmph, we are outmatched in skill, and this time my Prison Clan concedes defeat."

He has always been a bachelor, and although he was unwilling to accept defeat, he would not engage in a sore loser-like entanglement.

"Lan Zang! Don't be so smug!" Lord Meng Wan gritted his teeth, his beastly eyes filled with rage. "My demon race will get our revenge sooner or later!"

He couldn't swallow this insult. He was just one step away from eliminating humanity, but the Prison Clan's rash move ruined everything.

"Hahaha! Good!" Lord Lan Cang laughed loudly, his tone full of magnanimity. "I'm waiting for your demon race to come and get their revenge! By the way, let me add one more thing—I will be in seclusion at the Giant Axe Arena headquarters for the next period of time. If the four of you want to spar, you are welcome to come and challenge me anytime!"

These words were tantamount to a public provocation. The faces of the Lord of Mengwan and the Lord of Mohu instantly turned red. With the Yan Emperor personally overseeing the headquarters of the Giant Axe Martial Arts Arena, even the most arrogant among them dared not be arrogant in front of the Yan Emperor.

The two exchanged a glance, snorted coldly, turned around and teleported away without saying a word, leaving only two hasty afterimages.

The Lord of Stone Fiends and the Lord of Blood Chains did not linger. The Lord of Blood Chains took a deep look at the treasure in the Lord of Lan Cang's hand, gave the Lord of Stone Fiends a wink, and the two of them turned into two streams of light and disappeared into the void.

Outside the secret realm, only Lord Lanzang and his apprentice Cao Benqi remained.

Lord Lan Cang laughed heartily a few more times, then turned to look at Cao Benqi, his tone much gentler: "Benqi, you did very well this time, preventing those old guys from having a chance to ambush me." As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at the void, "I transferred some treasure points to you. You can go to my human race's treasury later and choose a few treasures that suit your taste."

Although Cao Benqi was his personal disciple, the Lord of Lanzang respected Cao Benqi, who was already the Lord of the Universe, and did not use him for nothing.

The treasure points he received this time were worth half the value of that domain treasure, which he considered an extremely generous reward.

After all, Cao Benqi was just the one who took the beatings most of the time. In reality, he was the one who restrained and fought against the powerful members of the demon and prison clans. In the end, the stalemate was broken thanks to his full efforts, and he was also the one who knew about this treasure.

After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze away and continued to examine the treasure in his hand, completely unaware that Cao Benqi's expression had subtly changed behind him.

Cao Benqi's hands, hanging by his sides, clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white, and the handle of the halberd became slightly hot from his grip.

He maintained a respectful demeanor, nodding slightly: "Thank you, teacher."

But deep down, a strong sense of resentment was already churning within him.

"Damn old man!"

Cao Benqi cursed inwardly, "I was the one who put in the most effort in this battle for the treasure! Shi Sha from the Prison Clan and Mo Hu from the Demon Clan focused almost all their firepower on me. I withstood the siege of four powerful figures until the old man broke through the stalemate, and what did he do? He only gave me this little bit of treasure points to get rid of me? This treasure should have been mine!"

He recalled how he had narrowly escaped death several times in the secret realm. If it weren't for the powerful treasures like the Flame God Halberd and the burst of his innate secret technique that allowed him to break through, he probably wouldn't know who would have gotten the treasure.

The Lord of Lancang only needed to focus on picking up the scraps throughout the process, but in the end, he casually attributed most of the credit to himself, without even mentioning the ownership of the treasure. This injustice was like a thorn stuck in Cao Benqi's heart, making his dissatisfaction with the Lord of Lancang grow stronger. A cold and fierce glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

Lord Lanzang remained oblivious to the disloyalty of his disciples behind him, still immersed in the joy of obtaining the supreme treasure, and said with a smile, "Let's go back to the Giant Axe Arena!"

"Yes, Master." Cao Benqi replied in a low voice, taking a step to follow the Lord of Lanzang. However, his steps were a beat slower, and the shadow of the crimson-gold halberd fell to the ground, leaving a long, chilling trail.

The seven-colored halo at the entrance to the secret realm gradually dissipated, and the void returned to calm, as if the fierce struggle had never happened.

But only Cao Benqi himself knew that the treasure cherished by the Lord of Lancang, and the resentment of being slighted, had already planted a dangerous seed in his heart.

……

The master and disciple flashed with light and transformed into two streaks of light that pierced through the dark universe, crossed billions of star rivers, and finally landed steadily above the continent of the Giant Axe Martial Arts Arena headquarters.

Below, buildings stand side by side, and the air is filled with the calm and composed aura unique to human powerhouses, a stark contrast to the perilous nature of the secret realm.

Soon, a magnificent palace came into view—the Purple Abyss Star Palace, located at the heart of the continent.

The palace was made of purple-gold, like a celestial emperor, with purple aura filling the night. Even from tens of thousands of kilometers away, one could feel the pressure emanating from this supreme treasure. However, this pressure had been deliberately restrained, and it had become more solemn and approachable.

Now, Ling Xuan has long used this palace as his office, while also setting aside most of the space for human powerhouses to exchange ideas and discuss matters, with a constant stream of people coming and going.

Lord Lanzang and Cao Benqi strolled leisurely along the jade passage into the hall. The wall lamps on both sides of the passage emitted a soft glow, casting long shadows of the two men.

As soon as you step into the central hall, a huge red figure immediately fills your field of vision.

A fiery red dragon was coiled on the jade platform in the center of the hall. Its scales were like solidified lava, and a faint power of fire and space emanated from its horns. Even with its eyes closed in rest, it exuded the majesty of a natural beast god.

"The Lord of Yanxu?" Lord Lanzang's pupils constricted as he instantly recognized the giant beast.

He had been busy vying for treasures in the secret realm and knew nothing about the outside world. Now, seeing this legendary innate beast god appear in the Purple Abyss Star Palace, he was filled with surprise.

How could such a being obediently stay in the palace of the human race?

Hearing someone call its name, the dragon slowly raised its eyelids, its golden dragon eyes sweeping over Lord Lanzang, its voice carrying a hint of laziness: "Lanzang, it's you."

As soon as it finished speaking, it closed its eyes again, its dragon tail gently sweeping across the jade platform, giving off an air of "do as you please, don't bother me," showing no intention of entertaining its guest.

Seeing that the Lord of Yanxu was unwilling to say more, the Lord of Lanzang shook his head helplessly and could only search for relevant information in the virtual universe himself.

Within moments, the news of the Lord of Yanxu surrendering to the human race and joining the Hong Alliance became clear in his mind.

"Hahaha! That was exhilarating! Absolutely exhilarating!" Lord Lan Cang clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his eyes filled with delight. "Today, not only did we obtain a top-tier domain treasure, but we also learned that Lord Yan Xu has joined my Hong Meng's ranks. This is a double blessing, truly gratifying!"

He became more and more excited as he thought about it, completely unaware that Cao Benqi's face was gradually darkening beside him.

Cao Benqi's hands, hanging by his sides, clenched quietly, his knuckles turning white.

He was already resentful about the ownership and reward of the treasure, and now, hearing that Ling Xuan had made such a contribution, his gloom deepened. Ling Xuan was already the most dazzling genius of the human race, and now, with the help of a primordial beast god, his position would only become more secure, while his own efforts had never received the recognition they deserved. This disparity felt like needles pricking his heart. "Teacher, I have something to attend to and need to leave temporarily." Cao Benqi took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and tried his best to make his tone sound calm.

He really didn't want to stay here any longer, watching others enjoy the glory while highlighting his own frustration.

Lord Lanzang was immersed in joy when he heard this. He casually waved his hand and said with a smile, "Benqi, you can go ahead and do what you need to do."

He was completely oblivious to the unusual tone in his disciple's voice, and didn't think much about the reason for Cao Benqi's sudden departure.

Cao Benqi nodded slightly, then turned and walked out of the hall.

The moment he stepped out of the hall, he subconsciously glanced back at the Lord of Flame Ruins, who was perched on the jade platform, and then at the treasure in the hands of the Lord of Lan Cang. A complex light flashed deep in his eyes.

There was jealousy, resentment, and a hint of barely perceptible coldness.

He then quickened his pace, and his figure quickly disappeared at the end of the passage, leaving only a slightly hurried silhouette.

As soon as Cao Benqi's figure faded from the surveillance of the Giant Axe Martial Arts Arena headquarters, a strange purplish-black mist rose around him.

As the light swirled, a dark armor covered the divine body, and a mask covered most of the face, revealing only a pair of eyes that gleamed with an eerie light.

"Master Zuoshanke insists that I kill ten Universe Lords, but how easy is it to kill Universe Lords?" He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white under his armor, his heart filled with frustration.

Previously, even when they joined forces with the Lord of Lanzang to besiege and kill them, they failed to capture any of the alien powerhouses. Now, to kill them all by himself is simply a pipe dream.

"It's a pity that the Mountain Dweller knew that the Lord of Lanzang was my teacher." He swept his sinister gaze across the void, "Otherwise, that old bastard Lanzang..."

The words reached his lips and he swallowed them back.

As the personal disciple of the Lord of Lanzang, this identity is both a protection and a shackle. If he dares to commit the heinous act of killing his master, even the Mountain Guest would not dare to protect him. At that time, the Flame Emperor will definitely kill him without any mercy.

"The Thorn Ring Alliance, the Piao Peak Alliance... these peripheral forces' universe lords are the safest targets." Cao Benqi searched for information on those alien universe lords in the virtual universe to select targets.

"The Chaotic Territory, this place is not bad." Cao Benqi finally locked onto a target.

Within the Thorn Ring Alliance, there is a powerful clan called the Black Pattern Clan. Their leader, the Blade Master, is only at the second tier and lacks any powerful treasures. If they act quickly enough, they can definitely eliminate the Thorn Ring Alliance before they can react.

Once he found a suitable target, he set off immediately.

After arriving at the territory of the Thorn Ring Alliance and spending some time there, they finally located their target on the edge of the Thorn Ring Alliance's territory.

This second-order universe lord is currently overseeing the clan's rare mineral veins.

The region where the Black-striped Clan lives is extremely barren, with very few life-bearing planets, unlike the elite races like humans who occupy this most fertile region.

This mineral vein is already considered the most valuable asset in the clan.

The Black-Striped Clan trades with other clans in the Thorn Ring Alliance using this mine to obtain other resources.

"I choose you." The Lord of the Northern Prison moved, transforming into a streak of purple-black light that darted through the meteorite cluster.

A purplish-black mist churned around him, and the phantom of the Northern Prison became increasingly clear. As soon as that signature evil aura spread, the master of the patterned blade in the mine suddenly opened his eyes, and black and gold patterns instantly covered his entire body.

"Lord of the Northern Prison?!" The Lord of the Patterned Blade's voice was filled with disbelief and horror. He suddenly summoned his treasured battle blade, its blade gleaming with a cold, sharp light. "You dare to trespass on my Black Pattern Clan's mine! Aren't you afraid of the wrath of the Thorn Ring Alliance?"

As the ruler of the universe of a small or medium-sized race, he had long heard of the reputation of this ruler of the universe hunter, and at this moment he felt his scalp tingle.

"The Thorn Ring Alliance?" Cao Benqi sneered, his voice as harsh as metal scraping. "By the time they realize it, you will have already become nourishment for my Northern Prison."

Upon seeing this, the Lord of the Patterned Blade immediately turned and ran, giving the opponent absolutely no chance.

"Hahaha, once I've got my eye on you, don't even think about escaping. Just wait to die!" The Lord of the Northern Prison sneered as he chased after them.

The two quickly left the Black-Patterned Clan's mine, one after the other.

The Lord of the Blades glanced back and discovered that the Lord of the Northern Prison had suddenly vanished.

But the next second, Cao Benqi appeared tens of thousands of kilometers in front of the Blade Master, carrying the Flame God Halberd disguised as a spear. The spear tip was wrapped in purplish-black energy and pierced straight towards the Blade Master's chest.

This thrust was as fast as lightning, carrying the power to tear through space. Wherever the spear swept, even the meteorites in the ore vein shattered instantly.

The Master of the Patterned Blade reacted extremely quickly, holding his black-patterned battle blade horizontally in front of his chest. With a loud clang, the spear and the battle blade collided, and the energy shockwave spread like a tsunami, extending for light-years along the mineral vein, instantly leveling the mining stations along the way.

He felt a tremendous force coming from the battle blade, and his divine body was shaken back thousands of kilometers. His divine power surged continuously, but he quickly regained his footing.

"Lord of the Northern Prison, do you really want to offend my Thorn Ring Alliance?" A trace of solemnity flashed in the eyes of the Blade Master, who then manipulated the black and gold patterns into countless blades, which enveloped the Lord of the Northern Prison from all directions.

Each of these blades is thousands of kilometers long and sharp enough to cut through the divine body of an ordinary universe master, covering an area spanning two light-years, leaving no room for the opponent to dodge.

The Lord of the Northern Prison remained completely calm. He wielded his long spear, creating layers of spear shadows. Purple-black energy adhered to the spear, forming an impenetrable defensive circle. At the same time, his figure flickered continuously, and with the power of the Flaming God Halberd, he easily blocked most of the blades. Occasionally, a few blades would break through his defenses, but they were blocked by his armor.

"Your swordsmanship is strong, but it can't hurt me!" he shouted coldly, suddenly accelerating as his long spear transformed into a streak of purple-black light, heading straight for the master of the patterned blade.

The master of the patterned blade quickly adjusted his stance, black and gold patterns wrapped around the battle blade, the power of the blade's aura increased sharply, and it clashed with the long spear once again.

With a loud "boom," energy ripples spread out, and the two simultaneously recoiled to create distance before charging at each other again, engaging in a fierce battle.

With his superb weapon skills and speed advantage, the Lord of the Northern Prison constantly suppressed the enemy, sometimes thrusting and sometimes sweeping, each attack of his long spear coming from a tricky angle; the two fought fiercely, their energy fluctuations continuing to spread.

However, less than a quarter of an hour into the stalemate, several powerful auras suddenly appeared from afar, rapidly approaching this place.

(End of this chapter)