Obtaining the Mysterious Pearl

As the Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son and the Lingtian Holy Son fought, the mysterious pearl began to glow white, on the verge of emerging. The onlookers were growing restless.

They waited for a chance to strike and seize it, but the presence of the two combatants was overwhelmingly powerful. The currents it generated kept the crowd from taking so much as a step past the boundary.

The force in the air kept blasting into the ground as well. Anyone who went up now would probably be blasted to nothing in an instant.

Quan Anwang, who had been endlessly boasting about his business, stopped and said to Yuan Zhexian, "Fellow Daoist, I don't think anyone here stands a chance of getting that mysterious pearl this time.

"The Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son and the Lingtian Holy Son are too strong. There's no way to get involved, and even if someone did get the pearl, they'd be hunted endlessly by those two holy lands.

"It's not worth it, not worth it. Let's look for opportunities elsewhere."

Ding...

"Host, host..."

"What is it, System?"

"Emergency mission: host, you must obtain that mysterious pearl. Completing the mission will award 200,000 mission points. Do you accept?"

"Hm?" Yuan Zhexian had originally planned to leave, but upon hearing the system, he took a closer look at the mysterious pearl about to emerge, trying to see what was different about it.

The pearl looked quite ordinary on the outside. It gave off no spiritual power and had no presence whatsoever.

The more ordinary it looked, the stranger Yuan Zhexian found it. By all rights, almost everything that had emerged in this canyon secret realm so far had been a rare treasure. Something this ordinary shouldn't have been here.

He quietly activated his Double Pupils, hoping to peer into its inner essence.

Inside the mysterious pearl were a few wisps of white immortal Qi. It contained immortal Qi.

What's this? An immortal artifact!

Yuan Zhexian was astonished. Immortal artifacts could now be said to be almost extinct throughout the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.

A single immortal artifact could let a Great Emperor powerhouse overpower a Supreme Great Emperor and even contend with a Mythical Great Emperor. Such was the might of an immortal artifact.

But that was impossible. This secret realm was clearly just a Great Emperor's inheritance site; it couldn't contain an immortal artifact. Moreover, the immortal might released by an immortal artifact was definitely more than this secret realm could withstand. If that immortal might were unleashed, everyone present would probably be crushed to dust in an instant.

"System, what exactly is this thing? You're so anxious about it that you even issued an emergency mission."

"Host, I can't answer that question for now. Once you accept the inheritance here, you'll naturally understand."

"Do you accept?"

"All right, I accept."

Quan Anwang was still talking to Yuan Zhexian when he turned and saw that Yuan Zhexian, who had been listening to his advice, had vanished.

Then Yuan Zhexian appeared in a flash between the two combatants.

The two immediately stopped fighting and looked at Yuan Zhexian. The Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son spoke first. "Who are you? Did this bitch invite you here to deal with me?"

The Lingtian Holy Son shot back, "I was going to kill you, you heartless wretch, myself before taking the mysterious pearl. I don't need anyone's help, so why would I invite someone to deal with you?"

Watching the two continue to provoke each other, Yuan Zhexian gave an awkward smile. Then he said, "I don't care about your love-hate struggle, but I'm taking that mysterious pearl. Once I have it, you two can carry on."

When the two heard the words "love-hate struggle," it was as though he had struck a sore spot.

Fierce looks appeared in their eyes. Their presences surged, and they charged at Yuan Zhexian to kill him.

Seeing someone join the fight, the spectators stopped watching and flew in to join the battle, hoping to seize the mysterious pearl.

Quan Anwang, meanwhile, stood motionless where he was and muttered to himself, "I'm just here to watch the show. Staying alive is what matters, keeping my little life is what matters."

As more and more people joined the fighting, a massive melee broke out. Yuan Zhexian's expression turned cold as he watched their numbers grow.

He rose into the air and looked down at the crowd. Then he said, "I'll give you three breaths. Anyone who hasn't left after three breaths..."

"Dies!"

The crowd froze for a moment, then jeered, "Who do you think you are? A taboo monstrous genius? Or the Yuan Clan's Divine Son? There are more than a hundred people here, and you think you can take us on?"

"Three!"

"Exactly! Who do you think you are? If everyone spat once, it would drown you, and you're giving us three breaths? Are you crazy?"

"Two!"

"Cut the crap. Let's kill this arrogant, self-important bastard first."

"One!"

Yuan Zhexian said coldly, "Those who stayed, it's too late to leave now." Then he spoke softly to the dozen or so people nearby. "Bind!" The Heavenly Origin Scripture's Binding Technique took effect.

A series of screams suddenly rang out from the dozen or so people he had bound. Each of them looked as though they were being gripped by an enormous invisible hand.

Their bodies began to compress and change, little by little, crushed out of shape. At last, amid their piercing screams, their bodies exploded one after another with a series of bangs.

Countless clouds of blood mist mixed with flesh and blood drifted slowly down from the sky. In everyone's eyes, Yuan Zhexian was no longer the man who had been smiling at the start, but a demon who seemed to have come from Hell.

His ordinary, unremarkable face swept coldly across the crowd. Everyone his gaze passed over, regardless of cultivation, felt in that instant as though their souls were being torn from their bodies. Even the Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son and the Lingtian Holy Son were no exception.

They would probably be unable to forget those icy, terrifying eyes and that bloody sight for a long time to come. Yet all of that was merely their fantasy. The moment they chose not to leave, death was destined to descend.

Those who had chosen to leave were immensely relieved, inwardly glad they had made a decision that saved their lives. They then retreated dozens of miles away to watch the battle.

Yuan Zhexian fixed his gaze on the Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son and the others and said coldly, "I gave you a chance, but you didn't treasure it. Now, be on your way."

Someone appeared from who knew where and charged at Yuan Zhexian, shouting as he came, "Don't think you're invincible just because you took care of a few small fry. Die!"

The people who had stayed looked at the man charging toward Yuan Zhexian and said in surprise, "The Nether Blood Holy Land's Holy Son! I hear he has the Berserk Physique, one of the top eighty among the three thousand physiques. Once he goes berserk, his physical strength multiplies."

Yuan Zhexian's expression turned displeased at the Nether Blood Holy Son's audacity in challenging him.

He threw a punch. He was using only his physical strength; he had no desire to draw on the power of the Supreme Bone and Chaos Physique to kill a few inconsequential people. That would have been a terrible waste.

Seeing Yuan Zhexian's punch coming, the Nether Blood Holy Son sneered. As he charged, he activated his Physique of Berserk and threw a punch to meet Yuan Zhexian's.

The Nether Blood Holy Son was also a peerless monstrous genius. Over the years, he had fought hundreds of life-and-death battles, both great and small.

Every time, he had relied on his Berserk Physique and berserk power to crush his enemies. He had absolute confidence in his physical strength. As he saw it, Yuan Zhexian was courting death by confronting him with pure physical strength instead of using spiritual power.

The two fists met, producing a tremendous explosion in the air. The blast drove the crowd back again and again, and they couldn't even open their eyes.

When the currents and smoke from the explosion dispersed, Yuan Zhexian alone stood in the air. The Nether Blood Holy Son had actually vanished.

The crowd was stunned.

Then one of them said, "No, wait!

"The Nether Blood Holy Son didn't vanish. That man blasted him to nothing with a single punch. There's not even a bone left!"

"Hiss..."

The crowd drew sharp breaths, their faces filled with fear.

The Nether Blood Holy Son had definitely been one of the strongest people present. He also had the Berserk Physique, one of the three thousand physiques, which made his physical strength exceptionally formidable. Yet this man had blasted him to nothing with one punch. It was terrifying.

At that moment, the Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son looked at Yuan Zhexian fearfully and said,

"Sir, if you want the mysterious pearl, we'll gladly give it to you. Would you allow us to leave?"

Yuan Zhexian pursed his lips and smiled faintly. To the crowd, his smile was like a demon's.

Then he shook his head. "If you'd known it would come to this, why did you do it? I gave you three breaths to leave, but none of you did. Now... it's too late."

He threw a punch at the Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son. It looked utterly ordinary, but the Divine Son felt as though his body had been immobilized. He wanted to move but couldn't budge an inch.

When Yuan Zhexian's punch landed, the Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son's eyes widened sharply. Filled with terror, he slowly fell, dying with his eyes still open. Yuan Zhexian waved a hand, and a ball of flame reduced the Divine Son, his eyes still open in death, to ashes.

Then he looked coldly at the others and asked, "Who else wants to leave? The Godfall Pavilion's Divine Son is what awaits you. Don't call me ruthless. I gave you a chance, and you threw away your own chance to live. Now let me see what abilities you have that make you think you can obtain the mysterious pearl."

Seeing that Yuan Zhexian was about to go on a killing spree, the crowd didn't know what to do. The terrifying strength he had just displayed had shaken them deeply, and their hearts had long since been filled with fear. They could neither stay nor leave.

Then one of them said, "We're dead either way. We might as well all attack together. We might still have a sliver of a chance to live." With that, the hundred or so people remaining charged madly at Yuan Zhexian.

Yuan Zhexian didn't want to waste any more time. A holy sword appeared in his hand, and he spoke a few words. "Four Immortal-Slaying Swords-Immortal-Ending Sword Formation."

A massive sword formation barrier enveloped the entire battlefield. An enormous ancient divine sword radiating golden sword light stood at the center of the formation.

Then earth-shaking peals of thunder rang out around the enormous divine sword, and countless bolts of lightning streaked across the sky. Terrifying pressure bore down on everyone present.

The might of the Immortal-Ending Sword Formation filled every heart with terror. They struggled inwardly, trembling as they helplessly endured the pressure.

Yuan Zhexian pointed his sword at the crowd and spoke a single word. "Go!" Countless terrifying rays of sword light and innumerable dreadful bolts of lightning appeared around the enormous divine sword and shot toward them.

The Lingtian Holy Son drew on the utmost of his power to form a small barrier against the golden sword light. At the same time, he exclaimed in shock, "The Four Immortal-Slaying Swords?

"The Yuan Clan's peerless sword art. You're from the Yuan Clan?"

Before he had finished speaking, the golden sword light shattered the small barrier and struck him. The Lingtian Holy Son spat blood and dropped to one knee.

Watching the others struck one after another by the sword light and vanish between heaven and earth, he felt increasingly helpless. He gritted his teeth and burned his essence blood. "Illusory Moon Hidden Escape." His entire body turned into a streak of light and fled into the distance, vanishing from the battlefield.

Yuan Zhexian saw the Lingtian Holy Son burn his own essence blood and escape using the Illusory Moon Spirit Heaven's forbidden technique, but paid him no further attention. If he had wanted to kill the Lingtian Holy Son, there was no way the man could have escaped.

He simply didn't want to waste time. The people left on the battlefield were desperately using all their strength to resist the golden sword light and terrifying lightning.

To Yuan Zhexian, it was all futile. Whether with protective barriers, various spiritual treasures, or divine armor, these people tried everything they could to withstand the Immortal-Ending Sword Formation.

Death was not frightening, but the helpless despair before death and the heart-rending screams were the most frightening things of all. In the end, the countless rays of golden sword light and innumerable bolts of lightning swallowed them all, killing everyone and leaving not even a corpse behind.

Looking at the battlefield, now cleared, Yuan Zhexian wasted no more words and immediately went to retrieve the mysterious pearl.

Once he had it, he looked at Quan Anwang, whose jaw was practically on the ground, and smiled faintly. Then, in a flash of golden light, he vanished.

When Quan Anwang came to his senses, he said, "Damn! I thought he was just some ordinary passerby, and I even wanted to trick him. I never expected him to be a big shot."

He shouted in the direction Yuan Zhexian had disappeared, "Big shot, I'm Quan Anwang! My inside information is the most reliable. If there's anything you want to know in the future, remember to come find me. I'll tell you for free..."

In a flash of golden light, Yuan Zhexian returned to the waterfall where he had met Jun Yichen before.

Ding...

"Congratulations, host. You obtained the mysterious pearl and completed the mission. Reward: 200,000 mission points."

Looking at the mysterious pearl before him, he couldn't wait to examine it. Even with his Double Pupils, he could only make out a few wisps of white immortal Qi inside. Then he sent the supreme power of his Supreme Bone into it, but there was no reaction at all.

Next, he used the Chaos Physique's power of Chaos, but the result was the same. It was like an enormous black abyss with no bottom in sight. With no other choice, he could only probe the system to see if he could coax any useful information out of it.

"System. System. System."

"I've been studying it for ages, and I haven't found anything. Just tell me what this thing is. Why were you so anxious for me to get it?"

"Don't give me that, host. With your current cultivation, you can't probe this object. You should be working hard to cultivate and improve your cultivation. Keep it up!"

Yuan Zhexian was speechless. "Damn. If you won't tell me, forget it. I'll use a secret technique to ask the Ninth Ancestor later. He'll definitely know what this mysterious pearl is."

Then the system said, "However, since this is the first time you've taken the initiative to flatter me today, I'll give you a little information."

"This object has something to do with becoming an immortal."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Damn... you might as well have said nothing."

"Sigh. Once I get the inheritance, I'll know what it is."

The system's voice sounded again. "If the host were to learn the mysterious pearl's purpose beforehand and give up, the host would bear immense karma from the myriad heavens in the future. Once you obtain the inheritance, you'll understand. Remember, no matter what, you must obtain the inheritance."

"I'm definitely going to obtain the inheritance. But for now, System, open the system shop."

"Is the host going to buy something?"

"Yeah. We've got a bit saved up now, so let's see if there's anything suitable to buy."

"Okay, host."

After the system shop opened, Yuan Zhexian examined it carefully. Just then, a conspicuous line in the visible category caught his eye.

Fatal Weakness, 250,000 mission points.

"System, what is this Fatal Weakness?" Yuan Zhexian asked in confusion.

"Host, as the name suggests, it lets you see other people's fatal weaknesses. It covers a person's cultivation techniques, life, body, and vital points. You can see every fatal flaw."

"This Fatal Weakness is seriously overpowered. Wouldn't that make me unbeatable before the fight even starts?"

"You're thinking too much, host. Each use costs a corresponding number of mission points. The stronger the target's talent and aptitude and the higher their cultivation, the more mission points it costs."

"Damn, there's a catch like that? Still, on second thought, this Fatal Weakness might really help me at a critical moment."

"All right, System, this one."

"Okay. Exchanging for Fatal Weakness costs 250,000 mission points. The host now has 24,000 mission points remaining."

* Sigh, back to square one in an instant. The revolution hasn't succeeded yet; I still have to keep working hard. *