Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Hei Becomes a Spirit
The distance was drawing nearer. Ahead lay a sea area known as The Other Shore Sea.
Once across this sea, one could behold the main body of the Fusang Tree. There, a colossal golden coffin rested, and within it slept the ancestor of the Golden Raven Clan.
He was Emperor Cheng, one of the ten great Golden Ravens of that era, and also the last survivor.
They pressed deeper into the area. Besides the initial group of Ancient Ferocious Beasts, there was almost no activity. Mighty enemies, ferocious beasts, taboos, seals, and the like seemed to have vanished. Wen Yuqing was puzzled.
Suddenly, a gleam of golden Divine Brilliance appeared on the distant horizon—it was a Golden Raven.
It flapped its wings, approaching at great speed.
Emperor Spirit slowed his pace.
Chen Pingping opened his eyes, watching the approaching Golden Raven. It was a young man, powerfully built, his upper body bare, muscles rippling like coiled dragons, exuding a palpable sense of strength.
He hovered in mid-air, looking down disdainfully at Chen Pingping and Wen Yuqing, and said casually, "This is my first time seeing you."
His words carried a profound meaning. Being young, witnessing Wen Yuqing barge in here for the first time was quite an experience for him.
Wen Yuqing remained silent.
"Step aside!" Chen Pingping laughed.
"A mere Human Clan cultivator dares to yell at me?" Jin Ling retorted coldly. With a PENG, he instantly spread his golden wings.
A slight flutter of his wings conjured a fierce wind, which condensed into a massive dragon. It opened its maw and lunged at Chen Pingping, its attack even containing Divine Power.
A Lord?
Before Chen Pingping could react, the little black dog, Hei, charged out. In that instant, it stood on its hind legs like a humanoid creature, a sharp sword materializing in its tiny paws. It swung the blade, unleashing a terrifying Sword Brilliance.
Dharma Principle, Sword Intent, and Power Path all intermingled within it.
In a flash, there was a sense of Perfection.
The Sword Brilliance tore through the sky, leaving a clear black rift in its wake.
This single sword strike shattered the giant dragon.
Chen Pingping’s jaw dropped. What in the world?!
Wen Yuqing was dumbfounded.
Earth Chicken exclaimed, "What the hell?"
It’s become a spirit! Dammit, this little black dog is becoming a spirit! Chen Pingping thought, astounded. Standing upright like a human, and with a swing of its paw, it unleashes Sword Brilliance...
Jin Ling, still reeling, hadn’t reacted when Hei’s second deadly strike descended.
It was still Sword Dao.
But this time, it was Five Elements Swordsmanship—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—all crashing down together.
PSCHT!
The overwhelming Sword Intent descended, giving Jin Ling no chance to resist, directly severing his golden wings.
The wings fell, and golden blood arced through the sky.
Jin Ling was stunned.
In the distance, the higher-ups of the Golden Raven Clan, observing the battle from above the sea, were also speechless.
Previously, they were confident that Jin Ling alone could kill Chen Pingping and repel Wen Yuqing. They never imagined that before Chen Pingping even acted, the little black dog by his side would unleash two Sword Brilliances—the first shattered Jin Ling’s attack, and the second severed his golden wings.
WOOF WOOF!
Hei stood with an imposing aura, its demonic eyes glinting, sword still in its paw. It stared at Jin Ling, seemingly trying to convey something.
Jin Ling, pale-faced and puzzled, asked, "What are you saying?" Then he turned to Chen Pingping. "What did it say?"
"Yeah, what did it say?" Wen Yuqing also didn’t understand.
"It said, ’Get lost!’" Chen Pingping replied after a moment’s thought.
"But didn’t it bark twice?" Jin Ling stared, incredulous.
"It said, ’Get lost, quickly!’" Chen Pingping reiterated.
In truth, I don’t know what Hei wants to express either, Chen Pingping mused, but given the tension of the moment, wouldn’t it be inappropriate not to say something?
Jin Ling, half-believing, asked, "What breed of dog is this?"
When Jin Ling asked that, Chen Pingping knew he was done for. He’s really asked for it now!
Hei seemed to take great offense to being asked "what breed of dog" it was.
Sure enough...
The humanoid Hei barked furiously, "WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!" Anger flared in its eyes as it charged, sword in paw.
The Abyss Sword Dao manifested at that moment.
A black vortex descended from the sky, and countless expressions of Sword Dao slashed down instantly.
Jin Ling cried out in terror, "Elder, save me!"
"You presumptuous fool! How dare you!" a furious shout came from behind Jin Ling.
A powerful member of the Golden Raven Clan was about to intervene.
Wen Yuqing’s expression filled with concern.
Chen Pingping tensed, ready for battle.
MOO!
Atop a hill, Lao Huang, the old ox, bellowed to the sky. His robust body trembled, yet he maintained his usual honest and simple appearance.
But at this moment, he was different. He felt deep, suppressed, and overwhelming.
Though not overtly displayed, every Golden Raven felt a terrifying pressure, as if facing a Demon Emperor.
The Golden Raven who had been about to act froze, his face etched with alarm.
Lao Huang walked forward, step by step.
Wen Yuqing was shocked. "Your Spiritual Beast..."
She had known Lao Huang was a Spiritual Beast, but she hadn’t realized just how powerful and terrifying he was. His mere bellow had intimidated the Golden Raven Clan.
ROAR!
Not to be outdone, the Emperor Spirit roared angrily, its demonic eyes shooting cold glints forward like sharp swords, though, of course, there were no formidable enemies directly in front of it.
Chen Pingping strode through the air, Lao Huang following closely. Arriving at the edge of the sea domain, he gazed at the Golden Raven Clan experts not far away and declared, "Those who block my path shall die."
His tone was concise, yet filled with undeniable determination. He simply stood there.
Hei continued its assault, crushing Jin Ling.
Lao Huang stood guard nearby, like an unshakeable mountain—deep, weighty, and fear-inspiring.
Behind them, the Emperor Spirit stood silently. Though it uttered no words, its very presence proclaimed its extraordinariness.
"That ox... it’s no ordinary ox."
"Damn it..."
"That dog... it’s no ordinary dog either."
"And there’s a creature like a Snow Ape behind him."
"Do we intervene?"
This was a grave question for the entire Golden Raven Clan.
Indeed, having lived for countless eons, the might of their clan was beyond the imagination of common folk. Even in their current decline, they weren’t a force Chen Pingping could easily bully.
However, it wasn’t Lao Huang that truly made them hesitate. Not long ago, an Elder of the Golden Raven Clan had divined the advent of an Emperor Realm expert—this was the real reason they dared not act rashly.
"Are there still Emperor Realm experts in the Nine Heavens?"
"I don’t know. Perhaps one from a bygone era."
"Do we still need to stop that woman from the Wen Dynasty?"
"Wait a little longer..."
"Jin Ling probably can’t wait much longer."
"..."
They could wait.
But Jin Ling had been struck by hundreds of Hei’s Sword Intents. His body was pierced, and his Demon Core, Zhou Tian circulation, and meridians were all damaged. The longer they delayed, the worse his condition could become...
"Forcibly intervening isn’t ideal either. That ox is exceptional, and then there’s Wen Yuqing with her Heaven Tao Divine Weapon; she could strike at any moment."
This statement served as a wake-up call to the Golden Raven Clan’s upper echelons.
An old man made a decision. He stepped forward and said, "Young friend, my Golden Raven Clan will no longer obstruct you. Please, release our young one."
Chen Pingping smiled and waved his hand, and Hei ceased its assault.
Jin Ling coughed up blood.
Chen Pingping raised his hand, pulling Jin Ling towards him. "Thank you!" he said, then casually tossed him back.
Jin Ling was furious.
He was a young genius of the Golden Raven Clan. Being suppressed and beaten by a mere dog was humiliating enough, but now he was being casually tossed around by Chen Pingping.
It was utterly unbearable.
Fortunately, he was too gravely injured to retaliate; otherwise, he likely would have activated his Bloodline Power to fight Chen Pingping for three hundred rounds.
"Let’s go!" The old man made a swift decision, not lingering.
"Elder, are we really letting them go?" Jin Ling ground his teeth, feeling deeply aggrieved.
"You couldn’t even defeat a dog. What more is there to say?" a young Golden Raven sneered, glancing sideways at him.
"..."
Jin Ling’s face stiffened.
If Golden Cicada, Emperor Tian, or the Emperor Son of the Purple Gold Divine Clan were here, they would surely sympathize with him and say, "Don’t feel too bad. We can’t beat it either."