The First Speaker (Please Bookmark and Vote)

The stronger the opponents, the shorter the time it took to determine victory or defeat.

However, in order to complete the special check-in mission, Zhou Hao was in no hurry to unleash the ultimate form of the upgraded Heaven-Piercing Shuttle.

Although Hong possessed a domain, he had too little experience fighting Mental Power Masters of the same Planetary level. It was rare for him to encounter such a formidable Mental Power Master as Zhou Hao, so his interest was piqued, and he likewise did not fully unleash his power.

Thus, sometimes one pursued while the other evaded, and sometimes their weapons clashed head-on.

The battle looked incredibly fierce.

Yet neither of them had used their full strength.

Their battle also drew a large number of Councilor-level experts who had rushed over after hearing the news. After all, such a spectacle was rare. Though everyone knew that the eight Wood Essence Crystals floating on the underground river would ultimately belong to either Zhou Hao or Hong and had nothing to do with them, no one left.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The brief weapon clashes sent muffled thunder rolling through the air. The underground river churned with waves, while countless rocks around them shattered and fell into the river.

Hong's arms had begun to go numb, yet a look of exhilaration appeared on his face. Ever since the Great Nirvana had ended, it had been a long time since he had sparred so intensely.

Zhou Hao's head was buzzing as well. With every attack from Hong, the recoil of the Heaven-Piercing Shuttle transmitted into his consciousness. After dozens of impacts had accumulated, his head began to ache, and the speed at which he controlled the Mental Power Weapon gradually slowed.

Still, he had been keeping track of the time.

Almost there. Only a few dozen more seconds until two minutes are up! Zhou Hao endured the headache and gritted his teeth.

With a boom.

The Heaven-Piercing Shuttle's form collapsed, but Hong did not take the opportunity to close in on Zhou Hao. Instead, he smiled and said, "We've sparred enough. It's time for me to experience your strongest sword-light attack. Lei Zi lost to that move, so I really want to test its power!"

As he spoke, he stared at the Mental Power Weapon that was gradually gathering.

As soon as his words fell.

The other Councilors all turned toward Thor in shock.

Thor rubbed his bald head and glared back at them one by one. "What are you looking at? Even a Beast Emperor died at this guy's hands. What's so strange about me losing to him?"

The Ice Snow Emperor, who had originally felt somewhat aggrieved, immediately felt relieved. Even Thor had lost, so being utterly crushed was nothing to be ashamed of.

Ice Mountain, Liu He, and the other Councilors also felt much more at ease.

In the now wider underground river passage, Zhou Hao hovered in the air and smiled. "Fine. Since you want to see it, Hong, I'll grant your wish!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The curved blades gathered and rang out with metallic collisions. Above the swiftly flowing underground river, the fan-shaped form of the Heaven-Piercing Shuttle soon appeared. Its seventy-two golden patterns were especially conspicuous in the dim passage.

Hong's expression instantly became incomparably grave.

He knew that the Beast Emperor had died beneath the power of this very move.

He tightly gripped his spear, and the black domain around him contracted. Madness flickered in his eyes. "Come!"

During the Great Nirvana, Hong had risen to prominence so quickly not only because of the Ancient Civilization Relics, but also because of his pursuit of and obsession with martial arts.

"Be careful!"

Zhou Hao gave a low shout as seventy-two streams of Mental Power shot out from his consciousness and rapidly extended toward the golden patterns.

As the golden patterns lit up.

The intricate secret patterns on all 1,008 curved blades instantly linked together.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Like a rain of swords, the seventy-two small golden swords of the fan-shaped Heaven-Piercing Shuttle swept toward Hong in a furious barrage.

When the small golden swords pierced into the black domain, it was as if they had entered a swamp. Their speed dropped frantically, yet they still shot forward at terrifying speed.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Hong gripped the spear with both hands. His entire body was like an unyielding mountain of rock as he blocked every small golden sword formed from the curved blades.

But each time he blocked one, his shoulders trembled a little more.

By the fifty-first sword.

Hong's body began to retreat uncontrollably. The web between his thumb and forefinger split open under the violent impact, and blood dripped down without pause.

"As expected of the strongest sword light capable of killing a Beast Emperor. Impressive!" His voice was resounding, but sweat the size of beans streamed down his forehead. Clearly, he was holding on by gritting his teeth.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

When the sixty-eighth small golden sword struck.

Hong could no longer withstand it and was blasted dozens of meters away.

A figure shot out like lightning and blocked Hong's path. Purple lightning flashed, knocking away all four of the remaining small golden swords.

It was Thor who had stepped in. He glared at Zhou Hao as though saying, You little brat, couldn't you hold back a little?

Zhou Hao also flashed forward and said apologetically, "Once I unleash it, I can't stop it either."

"Cough, cough... pfft!" Hong coughed up several mouthfuls of blood and raised a hand. "It's fine. I'm fine. I lost this time. I never expected a Mental Power Master to be this powerful after using a secret technique!"

A system notification immediately sounded in Zhou Hao's mind.

Ding! Special check-in mission completed. Reward: first level Flame Domain, Flame Law talent!

He suppressed his excitement and looked at Hong, who was getting back to his feet. "If you had erupted with your full strength earlier, I wouldn't have had the chance to use that attack."

He was telling the truth.

Hong, who possessed the Light Domain, was already incredibly fast. If he erupted under the amplification of his domain, he could catch up to Zhou Hao in the blink of an eye.

Once they engaged in close combat.

Zhou Hao could only defend passively.

Of course, Controllers like him, capable of unleashing the ultimate form of a Mental Power Weapon at the Planetary level, were rare even in the universe.

If Zhou Hao had possessed two Mental Power Weapons, he could likewise have defeated Hong.

Hong shook his head with a smile. "A loss is a loss. From now on, you're the world's strongest expert—and the First Speaker!"

Thor said speechlessly, "I only came to watch the fun, and now I've become the Third Speaker!"

At that, he looked at Zhou Hao and lowered his voice. "Kid, let's put off that fight we agreed on for now. Once I improve my strength, I'll come find you again!"

"Up to you." Zhou Hao smiled, then flashed over to the Wood Essence Crystals and stored them in his Space Wristwatch.

Hong and Thor watched enviously.

Those were eight Wood Essence Crystals!

The other Councilors were also extremely jealous, but Zhou Hao had even defeated Hong. Naturally, they did not dare say anything.

"Everyone, disperse and hurry up to search for more Wood Essence Crystals!" Thor shouted.

Jia Yi and the other Councilors did not linger any longer and soon disappeared.

Hong was in great need of Wood Essence Crystals, and he could not help saying, "There are still quite a few good things at the Limit Martial Hall headquarters. You can come anytime."

Zhou Hao secretly laughed. He had nearly picked the Limit Martial Hall headquarters clean already. Even if he went, there would not be much good left to exchange for.

Still, he replied, "All right, I'll go. Good luck to you both. I'll continue searching for Wood Essence Crystals."

After saying that, he quickly moved along the edge of the wide passage.

Watching Zhou Hao's retreating back, Thor suddenly felt a toothache. "This kid's strength is rising far too fast. I'm afraid it'll be hard for me to beat him in the future!"

Hong nodded and smiled. "As long as you improve step by step, there'll always be a day when you win."

Time slowly passed.

From midnight until five o'clock the next morning, none of the major factions discovered another Wood Essence Crystal.

Yet most of the Councilors still had not given up searching.

Zhou Hao was naturally among them, though his purpose differed from the others'.

Sizzle—

One curved blade after another sliced through the thick rock layer as if it were tofu.

Zhou Hao knew Babata was certainly using the spacecraft's Mental Power waves to influence him at this moment, so he relied entirely on intuition as he walked along the rock passage.

After walking for about half an hour.

He suddenly felt a sharp pain beneath his foot. His heart jolted, and his gaze immediately dropped.

Sure enough.

At the spot where he stood lay a palm-sized, blood-red fragment.

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