Chapter 35: The “Third” Path

Huang Xue lightly landed on the ground as he turned to stare at the billow of dust coming from where the demon eagle had fell.

Before long, a furious shriek filled up the air. A strong wind blew out, revealing the battered figure of the Demon Eyed Eagle. Its eyes were red with fury as they locked onto Huang Xue’s body.

“Brother Yang Chen, have everyone surround the Demon Eyed Eagle and attack at the same time. While you guys distract it, I’ll quickly go land a fatal blow to its weak spot!” Huang Xue called out as he readied his fan.

While he did not truly require the help of others to deal with this evil beast, Huang Xue first did not want to draw too much attention to his battle prowess yet. And second, he wanted Yang Chen to gain more battle experience since he had determined the former to be one of his destined ones.

Yang Chen gave a serious nod as he ordered his group. Soon, Yang Chen’s group had surrounded the seemingly injured demon eagle and launched their most powerful attacks at it simultaneously!

Huang Xue stretched out his fan to his right. The Qi energy within his dantian sea began to surge as his aura rapidly strengthened.

“Noble Conquer of the Phantom!”

Swiping his fan once, a vicious Qi energy struck towards the demon eagle. Since Huang Xue was not at the Tian realm yet, his energy attacks could not materialise.

This was the first style of the Dream Feather Arts!

When attack landed on the beast, Yang Chen’s group also finished with their attacks as well! The Demon Eyed Eagle was pushed back before letting out a wretched cry!

But the evil eagle’s indignant cry did not last long before Huang Xue’s follow up attack crashed against its body.

“Mortal Waves!”

This was the second style of the Dream Feather Arts!

Huang Xue flicked his fan twice as powerful gusts of Qi energy swept towards the demon eagle, causing deep gashes of wound to appear on its body.

“The...the Demon Eyed Eagle was actually injured!” Someone cried out from the surrounding distant participants.

“To think he was able to injure a 9th staged Jie Hai beast when he’s still at the 7th stage...this Huang Xue is truly strong!”

“Haa….as one would expect from a direct descendant of the Shen Clan!”

The freshmen who had chosen to stay far away to watch the battles were now all discussing among each other in awe. Huang Xue’s performance had caused their youthful blood to boil with excitement!

*Shriek!*

Without giving it any time to recover, Huang Xue leaped towards the Demon Eyed Eagle as he flipped his open fan down upon the beast’s head!

“You may rest now. Descend of the King!”

Huang Xue murmured softly as his fan smashed down on Demon Eyed Eagle’s head...and shattered a half of its skull!

This was the third style of the Dream Feather Arts!

Blood and brain matters splattered across the air. The beast let out a final mournful cry before its body fell down on the ground with a large boom! It...had finally perished under the hands of Huang Xue!

“It’s....dead! He actually defeated a beast that had a higher cultivation than himself…”

“What a shocking strength! What were those fan moves that he used?”

“This Huang Xue is truly not simple at all...I was following him earlier so I saw how he easily put down those Temporal Di beasts and early Jie Hai beasts, but I never expected that he could even battle those above his level as well!”

The surrounding cultivators stared at Huang Xue with reverence and jealousy. Even Du Qianxin, Mei Hua, Ji Xiong, and company had retreated to a safer area after hearing the death cry of the Demon Eyed Eagle. While they tried not to show it, there was a visible look of deep surprise in their eyes when they turned to look at Huang Xue’s figure.

To battle against those of higher cultivation was easier said than done. It was something that only the absolute geniuses could achieve, and yet this Huang Xue before them...had done it!

Even for them, being known as great geniuses within their clans, they could at best fight against someone one stage higher than themselves.

The two other remaining evil beasts roared with anger as they turned and tried to attack Huang Xue. However, there was a certain distance gap between the two. And with the chains restraining them, the beasts had no way of reaching Huang Xue.

Yang Chen frowned as he looked at the demon eagle’s carcass. “To this Huang Xue was so abnormal...his cultivation base is probably on par with my second brother’s!”

At this time, after defeating the Demon Eyed Eagle, there was now an open path leading towards the portal. A gap in the monster’s formation had appeared.

Huang Xue was only person who was the closest to the portal. If he only took six steps forward, he could have entered through the gate and taken the first place of this freshmen competition!

However, Huang Xue did not walk into the portal. Instead, turning back to face Yang Chen, he said with a smile:

“I was only able to defeat this evil beast with the help of brother Yang Chen. Since that’s the case, why don’t brother Yang Chen head first into the portal?”

A silence suddenly descended upon the crowd.

Yang Chen’s men and the nearly two hundred cultivators who had been following Huang Xue a while back all stared at the white robed youth with a dumfounded expression. This was the second time something like this had happened.

The first time was when Huang Xue had unexpectedly gifted the Ember Blood fruit to Yang Chen. And now...Huang Xue was even offering the seat of the freshmen champion to him! Why was he doing all this? What is the relationship between these two?!

Yang Chen’s mouth was slightly open in confusion as he stared back at Huang Xue. “Just...what is he planning? I do not believe he would want to give up being the first person to enter the portal that easily...there must be some unknown danger or catch to this!” He thought cautiously.

As if predicting Yang Chen’s mind, Huang Xue then said: “Do not worry, brother Yang Chen. I have no ill will in offering this first place. I just think it’s only right for brother Yang, who had greatly helped me in defeating this beast, to go first. I can guarantee you in the name of my family that there is no malicious intent.”

After hearing Huang Xue’s words, Yang Chen hesitated for a moment before he stepped forward with a smile. “Since that is case, brother Huang Xue, I will really have to thank you for letting me this time! But I, Yang Chen, is not a petty person. Seeing that brother Shen is willing to give up his first seat for me, you are now a true brother of mine! In the future, whoever dares to offend you, will be equivalent to offending me and my Yang clan!”

The crowd once again burst in murmurs when they heard Yang Chen’s declaration. It seems Yang Chen and Huang Xue were unexpectedly on good terms on with one another, and now, it was fully confirmed!

Huang Xue smiled and did not say anything as he allowed Yang Chen to pass by him. But in his mind, he was thinking wryly to himself: “Damn brat, sounding so great. A mere 5th Jie Hai stage seedling acting as if he’s a big tree already! Whatever, whatever, this irksome character is perfect for my purpose as of now so I won’t argue with you…”

As Yang Chen passed through the portal, a yellow illusionary number ’1’ appeared above it.

After sending off Yang Chen, Huang Xue did not enter the gate himself, but rather sat down on the spot to meditate. A pressuring aura began to emanated from his body. At the same time, strange red gases began to surround Huang Xue until the open path had been completely shrouded in it!

Faint killing intent could even be felt within it, causing many freshmen to back away in dread of the strange mist.

Seeing that Huang Xue was blocking the only safe path to the portal, many cultivators had a depressed look on their face.

Originally, they had wanted to charge into the portal through the path that Huang Xue had carved out. But now, with Huang Xue personally obstructing the way, that scheme was made impossible.

That person must be cultivating a mystical technique within the red mist, and none of them dared to enter for fear of disturbing the former and causing their own death...This, was the thought that was now running through the minds of everyone present.

“Hehe, want to use me to get through? If you’re not the ones I’m looking for, then fat chance of that happening! But don’t worry, I’m not that unreasonable. If anyone of you brats have the courage to still enter the portal even while under my aura, I won’t stop you..” Huang Xue thought as an ‘evil’ smile spread across his face.

Since he had no desire for any of the items inside the Six Ocean Sect’s Underwater Treasure Palace, Huang Xue did not enter it. Instead, he had chose to replace the defeated demon eagle as a ‘new’ trial for the freshmen!

After all, Huang Xue had always believed that those who deserve what’s coming to them shall be properly rewarded, be it positively or negatively.

Thus, he had took the task upon himself to replace a section of the trial for the freshmen. His own trial would be that of ‘courage’, as opposed to brute strength of fighting against the other two evil beasts.

Those who are courageous enough to attempt entering the portal through the red mist, while risking the notion of death, are those whom Huang Xue approved of. Only in danger could one hope to find fortune.

As such, unknowingly, out of the three possible paths, a new ‘third’ obstacle had been created before the gate…..