Slaying a Dou Emperor

"The Black Skull Tomb lot sure haven't lost their knack for barking like dogs!"

The Xia Lan Order gathered at the cliff's edge and gazed down at the mass of people below. Standing to Yun Zimo's left and slightly behind him, Ren Xia mocked them without the slightest courtesy.

"Heh, Blind Ren, you actually dared to show your face! Our tomb master is here, and today we'll wipe out your lousy Xia Lan Order!"

The man who had been shouting so brazenly earlier wore a half-mask of a ghost. On the other half of his face, a hideous scar like a centipede writhed faintly as he sneered, making him look terrifying!

The Black Skull Tomb's Dou King—Half-Ghost!

Yun Zimo stood silently at the cliff's edge in a black robe, his left hand resting on the long sword at his waist as he sized up the Black Skull Tomb's people below.

The Black Skull Tomb had brought only around fifty people, all wearing ghost masks. The one seated in the center must be the Black Skull Tomb Master, right?

The Black Skull Tomb Master sat on the Skull Coffin Throne. His face was a dark red, covered in patterns. Though he looked thin and frail, he was unquestionably a Dou Emperor.

Half-Ghost stood beside him in a grayish-white robe. It seemed to be stained with specks of dirt, yet the marks drifted and shifted like living things. Behind him were three Dou Spirits, along with a full complement of Da Dou Shis. This lineup was already formidable!

"Early-stage Dou Emperor, late-stage Dou King..."

Yun Zimo weighed the situation. These two were no match for those two useless Dou Kings Feng and Tu. This would probably be a fierce battle!

"Six Dou Spirits, and only two are high-level. Looks like we'll need to end this quickly!"

Yun Zimo glanced at the six people beside him. It seemed they'd have to get serious this time!

Blue-white battle armor flowed over his body like water, even covering his bamboo hat and cloak with a layer of fine blue-white patterns.

"Each of you take on one Dou Spirit. Ren Xia, have three of your people hold off that Dou King. I'll handle the Black Skull Tomb Master!"

"Leave the rest to the other members of the Xia Lan Order..."

After giving his orders, Yun Zimo leaped into the air and clapped out a cloud of white mist. The mist drifted across and shrouded all of Jiu Ling Cliff.

"This mist will interfere with your perception! Everyone, be careful!"

Seeing this, the Black Skull Tomb Master shouted and leaped into the sky. His black robe billowed around him like a great roc spreading its wings. Thick black mist poured out and met the clouds, hissing sharply.

Zero, now dressed in white, and the other members of the Xia Lan Order moved through the white mist, short swords in hand, seeking out the Black Skull Tomb's masked fighters like ghosts.

The six Dou Spirits of the Xia Lan Order also engaged their opponents in fierce battle. The Black Skull Tomb Master and Yun Zimo hovered in the sky, facing off. Both sides knew that the fighting below was nothing more than a sideshow.

The outcome of the battle rested in their hands alone!

"Lan Fengzi, I've heard of you. That fool Blood Butcher died at your hands!"

Though the Black Skull Tomb Master's face looked ferocious, his voice was surprisingly warm and pleasant.

"Honored tomb master, I'm flattered you remember a nobody like me."

Yun Zimo's voice was low and hoarse. If not for the blue-white armor covering him, he would have looked more like the Black Skull Tomb Master himself.

"Though I never cared much for that traitor Blood Butcher, he was always making trouble for the Blood Sect, our old rival. It's a shame he died just like that. Killing you will at least put that regret to rest..."

The Black Skull Tomb Master shook his head and spoke softly. His gray hair, falling over his shoulders, stirred without a breeze. The strange patterns on his dark red face slowly writhed, while black mist churned behind him, making him look like a hellish demon ready to devour its prey.

"Draw Ground as Prison!"

"Raging Gale!"

Yun Zimo stopped wasting words. His hands flashed through seals, and his long sword sprang from its sheath, soaring through the sky like a rainbow piercing the sun.

The sword split into countless images, a dense rain of shadows weaving around the Black Skull Tomb Master and trapping him.

Sword Qi and fierce winds surged like a hurricane, whirling and roaring as they tore at the Black Skull Tomb Master in the center.

Yun Zimo had no patience for talk. He opened with two Profound-tier Dou Techniques, aiming to finish the fight quickly!

"Undying Holy Stele!"

As the sword shadows bore down, the Black Skull Tomb Master swept his sleeve. A pitch-black tombstone as tall as a man appeared in midair and settled above his head. Yin winds howled as it descended, blocking the Sword Qi tornado's assault.

"Extreme Wind: Sunset Shine!"

"Extreme Wind: Meteor Kill!"

Before the Black Skull Tomb Master could react, another phantom sword formation swept across the sky. Two beams of white light, brilliant to the extreme, shot from the horizon and crashed down upon him in an instant!

The tombstone above the Black Skull Tomb Master's head groaned with a series of cracking sounds, as though it could bear no more. In less than half a breath, it shattered and exploded.

"Yin Coffin Seeking Path!"

The Black Skull Tomb Master gave a low shout. A phantom coffin appeared and snapped shut around him. An earth-shaking explosion rang out, and the violent shock waves instantly swept away the black-and-white mists that filled the sky!

The fighters below also scattered, each side returning to where they had come from in perfect understanding.

The real fight had begun! There was nothing more for them to do...

"You dared to destroy my ghost robe!"

The Black Skull Tomb Master looked at his tattered robe, fury rising in his eyes!

"Black Skull Throne!"

"Death God Scythe Staff!"

His furious shout rang out. Seated upon the skull throne amid billowing black mist, the Black Skull Tomb Master raised the black scythe in his hands high above his head!

A phantom scythe staff dozens of yards long swept through the air, tearing through layer after layer of cloud before descending toward Yun Zimo.

"Sword Falling Galaxy!"

Countless blue sword shadows gathered behind him. Yun Zimo's face had gone pale beneath his mask, but he still formed a seal with his hands, directing the river of Sword Qi as it converged into a dragon!

The sword dragon roared through the air and slammed into the scythe staff!

At the point where they met, rings of clouds exploded. The violent hurricane drew the eyes of every faction in the surrounding area.

"Beneath my sword!"

A voice, cold enough to freeze the blood, rang out. The Black Skull Tomb Master's mind wavered for an instant. He heard a single sword's hum by his ear, then saw three sword-bearing figures gently raise their blades.

"All Beings Equal!"

An inexplicable force of intimidation swept over him. His soul was absolutely suppressed, and the Black Skull Tomb Master's reaction slowed by half a beat.

Thirty-six streaks of sword light pierced through him, pinning his body and soul firmly in the air. When he finally broke free with all his strength, all he could see was that single, heaven-spanning ray of sword light!

"Boom!"

The Black Skull Tomb Master exploded. The blast not only carved out a vacuum, but sent ripples across the surrounding space.

Invisible clouds of energy surged upward, raising layer upon layer of soundless wind that twisted space and thundered into the sky.

Even Jiuling Palace, beside the cliff, collapsed with a crash under the force of the impact!

"Surrender, and you'll be spared!"

Yun Zimo's cool voice came from the sky. Everyone on both sides stared blankly, while the Black Skull Tomb's people wore expressions of terror.

"Master! Avenge the tomb master!"

One of the Black Skull Tomb's Dou Spirits suddenly turned red-eyed, faced the Black Skull Tomb disciples, and raised his arm with a shout. But before he could finish, a streak of sword light came slashing down over his head!

"Whoosh!"

One sword killed the Dou Spirit who had been shouting for revenge. Yun Zimo had no patience now for their theatrics about preferring death to surrender.

After cowing the Black Skull Tomb's people, Yun Zimo sealed the Dou Qi of its strongest fighters, including Half-Ghost. Then he flew off alone toward Black Skull City!

A day later, news that the Black Skull Tomb, an old-guard power in the Black-Corner Region, had been wiped out and that the Xia Lan Order had taken up residence in Black Skull City spread across the region!

And the name Lan Fengzi, the man who had slain a Dou Emperor while only a Dou King, naturally became famous far and wide. But among the powerhouses of the Black-Corner Region, he was known as Madman Lan...

"That boy, honestly..."

Inside Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy, Great Elder Su Qian tossed the news of Lan Fengzi killing the Black Skull Tomb Master onto his desk. He couldn't help laughing, yet at the same time, he felt a chill of alarm.

He hadn't expected Yun Zimo to be the Xia Lan Order's most mysterious Grand Commander. Jia Nan Academy had exhausted every means of investigation over the past few years without uncovering the Grand Commander's identity. They had even listed him as one of the Black-Corner Region's most unpredictable threats. Who would have thought that...

"Send someone to offer our congratulations. It'll also give those restless fools a warning!"

Su Qian gazed toward the eastern part of the Black-Corner Region. It couldn't hurt to build a friendly relationship with them. Who knew when it might come in handy?

"Oh? That useless Ku Lou is dead?"

Hearing that the Black Skull Tomb Master, Ku Lou, had died, the young man in an extravagant alchemist's robe gently set down the scroll in his hand. He revealed a handsome yet somewhat cold and sinister pale face.

"Yes, Master. The Black Skull Tomb was also wiped out by that Xia Lan fellow."

A gaunt, ghostlike figure spoke softly from the shadows.

"Do we need to..."

"Heh, leave him be. We in Feng City only do business..."

The young man spoke softly, then picked up the scroll and returned to his focused study.

"The Black Skull Tomb was wiped out? Who would dare do such a thing to my dearest friend? I'll have to go see this old friend off myself!"

At the Blood Sect's headquarters, Blood Sect Master Fan Lao licked the traces of blood at the corner of his mouth. He looked so grief-stricken that anyone who didn't know better might have thought he and the Black Skull Tomb Master were sworn brothers...

While the various factions were on the move, each with their own schemes, Yun Zimo sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion in Black Skull City. His cultivation had reached its most critical step!

The Earth Tier Low Grade technique passed down by his ancestor revolved wildly inside him. The aura around his body climbed higher and higher until, at one moment, it seemed he heard a drop of water fall into a lake.

A perfectly rounded, unified intent drifted through the air. Yun Zimo's tightly closed eyes snapped open!

"Dou King, Great Perfection!"

At that moment, an unprecedented sense of fulfillment rose from the depths of his heart. An indescribable light flickered in Yun Zimo's eyes.

His essence, energy, and spirit had all reached their utmost perfection!

The Dou Emperor realm was right within reach!