Hodan realized that reaching the peak required struggle. Destroying the Four Divine Beasts Clan required struggle, too, and finding a way home would take struggle as well. Thinking of all the things in this world, Hodan spoke up. "Let's call it 'Zhengdu.' From today onward, that will be its name."
"Zhengdu? Zhengdu? Not bad." Huoxie nodded. In this world, you had to fight for everything you wanted. The name suited the blade, and it also reflected Huoxie's hopes for Hodan. As a Peak Asura, Huoxie naturally didn't want his friend to fall too far behind him.
By naming the blade Zhengdu, Hodan had shown his resolve to reach the peak. With that determination and his talent, Huoxie knew Zhengdu wouldn't go to waste in Hodan's hands.
Still, Huoxie warned him, "Zhengdu doesn't have a flashy edge, and its exterior looks worn. It won't attract anyone's attention. The blade is made from Black Obsidian Gold Iron fused with the marrow of a Red-Winged Flame Dragon. It was extraordinary from the moment it was forged. Even without being nourished by divine power, it's no worse than a High-God Artifact. With just a little nurturing from you, it should be able to accompany you all the way to the peak."
"I made Zhengdu based on your palm lines, body, and other details, so it's perfectly suited to you. But it's extremely heavy. You'll need to be at least a Seven-Star Fiend to wield it nimbly."
"Even if you can't wield it nimbly yet, keep it with you and get used to its weight as soon as possible."
"Your body should be close to reaching the level of a High-God Artifact after this tempering. Make sure to spend more time nourishing it, too. That'll make it easier for you to wield Zhengdu."
"Thank you, Senior. I'll remember your words," Hodan said respectfully. "May I ask what I owe you for this?"
Even between brothers, accounts should be settled clearly. Though Hodan had helped Huoxie, he didn't want to spend their friendship like currency. He was already planning for the road ahead.
Huoxie waved a hand. "All right, just call me Big Brother Huoxie. If it weren't for you, who knows when I would've reached Paragon? And who knows how much longer I would've been stuck in this godforsaken place?"
"Besides, you're just a little fellow who's only recently become a Highgod. What could you possibly offer me as payment? You know what a weapon for an Asura costs. And do you really think there's anything I can't get now, as a Paragon, besides something at the Chief Sovereign level?"
Hodan was caught off guard. He hadn't expected Huoxie to see right through him.
"Enough, enough. I already told you to call me Big Brother," Huoxie continued. "You're planning to go out and gain experience, right?"
"Yes, Big Brother Huoxie." Hodan accepted Huoxie's offer of brotherhood. Countless gods across the planes dreamed of becoming sworn brothers with a Paragon.
Huoxie thought for a moment, then took a necklace and a suit of leather armor from his Space Ring and tossed them to Hodan. "These two pieces of equipment are yours. They'd just gather dust if I kept them."
Huoxie explained, "The necklace is a Soul Defense Divine Artifact. I made it myself. It can withstand about three soul attacks from a Peak Asura, and a Six-Star Fiend can't break through its defenses."
"The leather armor was made from my shed hide, combined with quite a few other materials. It can't compare to a Sovereign Artifact, but it's one of the finest High-God Artifact armors."
After a moment's thought, Huoxie took out a token. He carved his unique mark onto it, then imprinted it with his soul aura—the aura unique to a Paragon—and tossed it to Hodan.
"These two pieces of equipment should keep you reasonably safe. If things get bad, just give them my name. This token proves you're my friend. I doubt many people in this world would dare slight a Paragon."
"Of course, I hope you'll solve problems with your own strength. That's the only way you'll grow quickly. And I don't want you abusing my reputation to run wild. Remember that."
Hodan was stunned by Huoxie's generosity. One of the items was a rare Soul Defense Divine Artifact capable of withstanding a Peak Asura's attacks. The other was the Material Defense Artifact he desperately needed. Though it couldn't compare with a Sovereign Artifact, it was made from the hide Huoxie had shed from his body, which rivaled a Sovereign Artifact in strength. Its defenses were no small matter; it was one of the finest Material Defense Artifacts around.
With these two pieces of equipment, Hodan should be safe as long as he didn't provoke a peak expert. Even if he did, their defenses would give him enough time to call on Huoxie's name.
More importantly, the token bore the aura of Huoxie, a Paragon. It was an invaluable symbol of their friendship.
"Thank you, Big Brother Huoxie. I'll make good use of these and won't bring shame on you." Hodan gratefully accepted the equipment and token.
After Hodan had taken them, Huoxie said, "Come on, let's get out of here. We'll stay at Silvermoon's place for a while."
Huoxie had spent hundreds of billions of years in this barren place, where not a blade of grass grew. He'd wanted to leave for ages, but his oath had kept him there. Now, with Hodan's help, he had finally become a Paragon. He couldn't wait to leave this godforsaken place.
Huoxie put everything he planned to take into his Space Ring. Looking at the place where he'd spent hundreds of billions of years, he was eager to leave at once, but now that the moment had come, he couldn't help feeling a little reluctant.
"Big Brother Huoxie, Flame Mountain isn't going anywhere. If you like it here, you can always come back and stay a few days," Hodan said.
Huoxie laughed heartily. "You're right."
Then he brought out his Metal Lifeform, and Hodan flew inside after him.
On the way there, it had taken Hodan and the Silvermoon Fiend half a month. On the way back, Huoxie tested the speed he could achieve with his Willpower as he traveled at full speed. They reached Silvermoon City in less than three hours.
As a peak expert, Huoxie naturally had something like a Fiend Badge. His was a seven-star "Judge" badge from the Heavenly Realm.
But as a Paragon, Huoxie simply piloted his Metal Lifeform straight to the City Lord's Mansion. The Prefecture Guards didn't dare stop him—and they couldn't have stopped him anyway. Judging by the speed of the Metal Lifeform, its passenger was unquestionably a powerful expert.
People like that weren't ones low-ranking soldiers could interfere with. Whatever changes came to their leadership, as long as they didn't get involved, they could at least keep their lives.
The guards at the City Lord's Mansion saw the Metal Lifeform heading straight toward them at astonishing speed and hurriedly reported it to the Silvermoon Fiend.
The Silvermoon Fiend even thought an enemy had come for him, or that some powerful expert had arrived to challenge him for his position as city lord.
To Silvermoon's surprise, as soon as he stepped outside the City Lord's Mansion, he saw Hodan and Huoxie emerge from the Metal Lifeform.
Silvermoon hurried forward, delighted. "Hodan, you're back! Big Brother Huoxie, how did you get out of Flame Mountain?"
"Hahaha! Becoming a Paragon meant the oath could no longer bind me, so of course I could leave. I'm here to stay with you for a while. What, you don't welcome me?" Huoxie laughed.
"Of course I do, of course I do!" Silvermoon hurriedly welcomed Huoxie and Hodan into the City Lord's Mansion.
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