Long Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

After leaving Slaughter City, Jiang Mingyang felt as though he had forgotten something. He frowned.

Then he slapped his forehead. He had nearly forgotten the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent—his little brother was still waiting!

It was not that Jiang Mingyang had forgotten the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent existed.

But after the Asura God King's descent, he had been so excited that he felt as though he were floating.

And since he had not encountered the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent on Hell Road, he had unconsciously put it out of his mind.

But why had he not encountered it? By all rights, the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent should have been on Hell Road.

As Jiang Mingyang pondered the question, he returned to Hell Road.

It did not take him long to figure it out.

With the Asura God King's descent, the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent had probably been scared half to death and had not dared to show itself.

That was why he had not run into it.

Once back on Hell Road, Jiang Mingyang activated Divine Slaughter's Domain and began searching a wide area for the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent.

Before long, a serpent with nine protrusions across its head and back appeared within Jiang Mingyang's Divine Slaughter's Domain.

Each protrusion resembled a bright red mushroom, with what looked like blood flowing inside it.

The serpent was also at least ten meters long.

Jiang Mingyang's eyes lit up. Ha! Little darling... here I come.

When the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent saw Jiang Mingyang approach and sensed the aura of the Slaughter Domain radiating from him, it instinctively tried to flee.

But it found that no matter what it did, it could not escape Jiang Mingyang's Slaughter Domain.

After all, Jiang Mingyang had Divine Slaughter's Domain and could use Soul Skills on Hell Road. How could he fail to subdue a mere Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent?

It was destined to be a crushing fight...

Before long, the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent's nine fleshy growths burst at once, sending nine streams of golden-red liquid shooting out.

The liquid merged in midair, then contracted into a golden-red orb no larger than a fist.

Jiang Mingyang put the orb away and left, satisfied. His training journey had ended perfectly.

On the way, Jiang Mingyang began considering what to do with the Hundred Thousand Year Snow-Eyed Eagle Soul Bone.

The Hundred Thousand Year Snow-Eyed Eagle Soul Bone Tang Chen had given him was a right leg bone.

From the moment he received it, Jiang Mingyang had not hesitated. Of course he would absorb it.

For one thing, a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone was something one could encounter only by chance, never by seeking it out.

For another, the Snow-Eyed Eagle Soul Bone was a reasonably good match for him. He could certainly absorb it.

As for the possibility of finding a better right leg bone in the future...

To begin with, the Asura God Trial might give him a chance to replace a Soul Bone.

And realistically, if he later obtained a better right leg bone but could not absorb it, that would be a great pity.

Even so, he could not stake everything on the future.

Absorbing a better Soul Bone would undoubtedly give him greater potential.

Jiang Mingyang naturally had to take his future potential seriously. But so long as he did not damage that potential, turning it into strength was what mattered most.

Potential without strength made someone a genius, but that did not mean potential was all that mattered.

A genius was a genius because he could turn potential into strength and become a master.

Geniuses earned respect because they might become formidable one day.

After careful consideration, Jiang Mingyang decided to absorb the Soul Bone.

It was a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, after all. He was unlikely to find a better right leg bone than the Snow-Eyed Eagle Soul Bone.

Still, Jiang Mingyang planned to wait until he returned to Heaven Dou Imperial City to absorb it.

Having someone watch over him while he absorbed a Soul Bone would make him much safer if anything unexpected happened.

Absorbing a Soul Bone alone was too risky.

At the same time, Jiang Mingyang had reached level sixty in Soul Power, so he needed to hunt a Soul Beast at least fifty or sixty thousand years old.

Hunting such a Soul Beast was no problem for Jiang Mingyang.

The real problem was that absorbing its Soul Ring would be extremely dangerous without someone to protect him.

Thus, when choosing between returning to the Heaven Dou Empire Capital first and heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a Soul Beast, Jiang Mingyang chose the capital.

He could also see his dear Qianqian again.

In the Heaven Dou Empire Capital, a young man who seemed full of sunshine and easy confidence slowly appeared... though "boy" might have been the better word.

Unlike the other ministers, he entered the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace without anyone stopping him.

He had no appointment. Perhaps he received such treatment because he was a duke of the Heaven Dou Empire?...

In Mingde Hall, the eunuch beside Qian Renxue saw Jiang Mingyang arrive and hurriedly led the guards out of the hall.

Qian Renxue had promoted this eunuch after ascending the throne while disguised as a man. He had served her for years and knew when to make himself scarce.

After all, back when Her Majesty had still been the Crown Prince, the two of them had already...

With a relationship like theirs, a reunion after so long apart was surely sweeter than a honeymoon!

When Qian Renxue saw Jiang Mingyang, her eyes reddened. She smiled and said, "You... you're back?"

Jiang Mingyang smiled, climbed the steps to the imperial throne, and gently drew her into his arms. "Mm. I'm back!"

Qian Renxue gave his shoulder a hard smack and glared at him. "Hmph... I thought I'd be left a widow!"

Jiang Mingyang smiled at her adorable expression and gently kissed her vivid red lips without a word.

Qian Renxue had only been worried about him. She was not truly angry.

As Jiang Mingyang's hands began to wander, her eyes grew hazy. She looked at him, her cheeks faintly flushed.

Their clothes came off one piece at a time, and the distance between them slowly vanished.

When the Grand Ancestor first ascended, the Destruction God King invited him to drink.

They went together to a small pavilion, where wine and food had been laid out: a plate of green plums and a vessel of warmed wine.

The two gods sat facing each other and drank to their hearts' content.

When they were half-drunk, dark clouds gathered, and rain threatened to fall.

Even the fine raindrops took the shape of divine dragons.

Mingyang and Destruction leaned against the railing to watch.

Destruction said, "Do you know the ways in which a dragon can change?"

Mingyang said, "Not in detail."

Destruction said, "A dragon can be great or small, can rise or hide; when great, it raises clouds and breathes mist, and when small, it conceals its form within a shell;

"When it rises, it soars through the universe; when it hides, it lurks beneath the waves.

"Now spring is deep, and the dragon changes with the season, much as a man who has achieved his ambitions ranges freely across the four seas.

"Of all creatures, the dragon may be likened to the heroes of this age. You have traveled far and wide, Mingyang, and must know its heroes. Name a few, if you please."

Mingyang said, "I have only just ascended. How would I know its heroes?"

Destruction said, "No need for such modesty."

Mingyang said, "Through your favor, I have gained a place at court. But I truly know little of the heroes beneath heaven."

Destruction said, "Though you have only just ascended and have not seen them, you must have heard their names."

Mingyang said, "The God of Emotion governs the world's emotions. Could he be called a hero?"

Destruction laughed. "The path of emotion is but a lesser path."

Mingyang said, "The Sea God governs the four seas. Could he be called a hero?"

Destruction laughed. "The Sea God is your subject. He does not belong on the list."

Mingyang said, "Goodness and Evil hold high seats over all beneath heaven. Could they be called heroes?"

Destruction clapped his hands and laughed. "Admirable though they are, they fall short when measured against the myriad worlds."

Mingyang said, "Apart from them, I truly do not know."

Destruction said, "A hero harbors great ambitions in his breast and sound strategies in his belly. He holds the workings of the universe within him and aspires to swallow heaven and earth."

Mingyang said, "Who could live up to that?"

Destruction pointed first at Mingyang, then at himself. "Of all the heroes beneath heaven today, there are only you and me!"

Startled by his words, Mingyang let the spoon and chopsticks in his hand fall to the ground.

Just then, as the rain was about to begin, thunder crashed.

Mingyang calmly bent to pick up his chopsticks. "A single thunderclap has such power."

Destruction laughed. "Does a great man fear thunder too?"

Mingyang said, "A God King once said that swift thunder and fierce winds demand a change of countenance. How could I not fear them?"

"Grand Ancestor Discusses Heroes"