Manhuang Realm – deep night.
Though Manhuang Realm was vast, its moon was small and dim. As night deepened, temperature plummeted — bone-chilling cold. Snowflakes drifted, sky froze over — nature's cruelty.
Perfect time for shady deeds.
No one more representative than Lan An's trio.
"This is Man Hero Cemetery?" Lan An gazed ahead — unable to hold back his question.
In his view: overlapping mountains, towering peaks, lush valleys, dense forests, volcanoes, rivers, waterfalls — every landscape imaginable. Without the countless coffins and thick mist — he'd think he'd wandered into some blessed paradise.
Coffins came in all sizes — hanging from trees, laid along slopes, submerged in swamps — mysterious to the extreme.
"Correct. Manhuang Realm's civilisation far surpasses Yuelong Star Realm. They can craft treasures that travel the stars. Across eras — they've faced invaders from other planets. Heroes who fell defending against foreign enemies are buried or entombed here by descendants — considered an honour!" Wu San Niang nodded, sighing.
Lan An was stunned — felt like science fiction, interstellar war. But he knew it was real.
Ju Ba Tian had reached Yuelong Star Realm via spaceship. Yuelong had mysterious formations linking other planets. Inter-world wars weren't fantasy.
Thinking this — he recalled Chen Jiang's intel from Heavenly Secret Pavilion: Yuelong's great calamity came from outside… Sudden worry filled him…
"Stealing heroes' bones — is that okay?" Dan Mengji asked.
"Of course not. If discovered — endless pursuit!" Wu San Niang said casually.
Lan An's mouth twitched — stroking his ring: "Stealing a female hero's bones suits her body. Better than some random nobody's frame!"
"Exactly. Manhuang history produced many female heroes. We'll pick an excellent skeleton for Mengji!" Wu San Niang agreed.
Dan Mengji was touched — said no more. As a former Tribulation expert — her mindset far surpassed normal. She cared nothing for "karma" or "immorality".
"Let's go!"
Wu San Niang waved — the three officially entered Man Hero Cemetery.
"Huh? People here?" Lan An spotted shadowy figures in the mist — surprised.
SWOOSH…
Before he could react — two figures charged. Massive thousand-jin axes swung at his head.
"Not human?" Lan An punched — sending them flying. No life aura — realised they weren't living.
"Zombies! Most formed from mass graves of soldiers — no individual tombs. Deeper in — layers of dangers. Some like setting traps around ancient graves. Be careful!" Wu San Niang warned — shattering a zombie.
Lan An understood. Even war dead had hierarchy — only great contributors got proper tombs…
"Master — have you been here before?" Lan An asked while walking. Zombies kept charging — creating considerable noise.
"Why would I come?" Wu San Niang rolled her eyes charmingly. First time for her too — all knowledge from rumours.
Not far in — a half-buried wooden coffin. Tombstone densely engraved:
"Earth Tiger General, Mid Seventh-Turn Body Cultivator. Died after killing three Mid Harmony invaders from Storm Realm. Age 2969…"
Lan An nodded — detailed info. Made descendants remember ancestors' deeds.
"Found a suitable one for Mengji yet?" Lan An pondered — asking. The cemetery was massive — reading every tombstone would take forever.
The mist was special — blocking his probing. Only vague distant shapes visible — impossible to scan all at once.
Wu San Niang bonked his head: "You think this is my backyard? Search properly!"
Lan An chuckled — they'd be here a while. He glanced around — most tombs male. Gender imbalance in Manhuang had existed for ages…
"Young Master — pick that!" Kim Nhi's eyes gleamed — pointing excitedly.
"Huh? What is it?" Lan An followed her direction.
On a mound-like grave — high up grew a pitch-black flower radiating eerie aura. Powerful energy within — strange howling sounds around it.
"Mengji — what plant?" Lan An asked in surprise.
"Yin Qi Flower — Peak Spirit-Rank herb. Only grows in extreme yin locations. Treasure for cultivators using Yin energy!" Dan Mengji — Eighth-Rank Alchemist — answered instantly.
"Perfect — exactly what Su Mi needs!" Lan An was delighted. Weakness Sight carefully scanned the mound — no danger. He leaped up — easily plucking the Yin Qi Flower…
Suddenly — change!
From the seemingly quiet earth — a powerful soul shot out — instantly invading Lan An's body…
"Heh heh heh — after countless years — this seat can finally seize a body and revive!"
Inside Lan An's mind — a sinister laugh rang — full of excitement.
"Master…" Man-Chicken saw danger — anxious to help.
"No problem — he's fine!" Wu San Niang smirked.
"Seize my body?" Lan An inwardly laughed.
"Heh heh — kid, decent body. Be obedient — let me devour your soul. I'll use this body to dominate the world!" The soul laughed arrogantly.
In life — he had been Eighth-Turn — fell in great war. A wisp of remnant soul survived — nourished by cemetery's yin and soul fragments over eons — gradually strengthening. Finally ready to possess and revive.
This kid was his unlucky target.
"Seize me? Who gave you the guts, dog?" Lan An sneered.
"Arrogant brat — when I ruled — you were still liquid!" The soul raged. In life — proud Eighth-Turn.
Without giving Lan An chance — the soul erupted — trying to devour Lan An's soul, seize control.
At that moment — Soul Warming Lotus in Lan An's dantian spun rapidly. Pure soul force surged — slamming into the invading soul…
"AAAAA — PAIN! IT HURTS!"
A wretched scream. Lan An's eyes turned cold — sneering:
"Soul Search!"
"How… is this possible?!"
Feeling his soul being devoured — the invader panicked. If he had a body — he'd have pissed himself.
In body-cultivation-only Manhuang — his soul had only grown strong due to special conditions. Yet this nameless kid's soul was hundreds of times stronger…
No need for Immortal Evolution Scripture refinement — Soul Warming Lotus alone sufficed.
Soon — Lan An opened his eyes — joy within. He had obtained the soul's memories — laughing heartily:
"Haha — sleepy and someone sends a pillow. I should thank you!"
"Good harvest?" Wu San Niang asked excitedly.
"Not bad — full memories. Much deeper understanding of Man Hero Cemetery and Manhuang Realm!" Lan An nodded — smile uncontainable — recounting the info.
The invader was an ancient Body Cultivator from Manhuang's distant era. Back then — Giant Race, Giant Han, Giant Demon were rising — not yet dominant. Giant Race hadn't fallen to ruin.
That era — Manhuang Realm was ruled by Manhuang Sacred Ground — unified the planet, supreme.
Before them — the three Giant races were fireflies to the moon.
But times changed. Manhuang Sacred Ground fought a great war against a powerful force from another planet — both sides heavily wounded. Sacred Ground gradually perished.
After its fall — Giant Race, Giant Demon, Giant Han rose — claiming supremacy.
One could see how terrifying Manhuang Sacred Ground once was — naming itself after the entire planet.
"Really?" Even Wu San Niang was surprised — this info wasn't widely known.
"Even better — from his memories, I found a perfect skeleton for Mengji. She'll be satisfied!" Lan An smiled mysteriously.
"Whose?" Dan Mengji asked curiously.
Under their curious gazes — excitement flashed in Lan An's eyes. He took a deep breath — enunciating:
"Manhuang Sacred Ground's Saintess!"
…
Yuelong Star Realm.
"Blood Five — Late Harmony Realm. Who wants to fight him?"
Tian Wanbao asked again — eyes drifting to Rear Palace, clearly hoping they would continue.
Three rounds fought — one 2v2 — Yuelong led 3–1. Rear Palace contributed most — naturally favoured.
Five more wins — 8 out of 15 — victory secured.
But before the women could react — a cloaked figure calmly stepped out from Yuelong's side.
"Heavenly Kill?"
Confidence surged in Yuelong experts' eyes. Seven Kills Cult assassin — not a joke. Rank 2 on Golden Board — once rated higher than Poison Man. Ghost-like assassination, countless feats of killing above his realm. Strength unfathomable.
Of course — many glared hatefully. Their friends or family had been killed by Seven Kills Cult for money. They hoped he and Blood Five would perish together.
"Hmph — take off that mask. I don't like killing faceless cowards!" Blood Five said arrogantly.
Heavenly Kill said nothing — vanished instantly.
"So fast!"
The crowd gasped. Faster than Tian Yedao's Golden Wings. Less than one percent could track him.
Tian Yedao left golden trails — Heavenly Kill left nothing.
Only Demon — hidden behind black energy — deep eyes easily followed Heavenly Kill's movement.
"So what if you're fast?" Blood Five sneered — standing still, unafraid.
Suddenly — an invisible scythe-blade appeared behind him — stabbing through his body.
SHINK…
"Success?" Many were stunned — too easy?
"Heh heh — got you!" Blood Five laughed viciously — hand grabbing the blade piercing him.
"Not good!" Heavenly Kill inwardly alarmed — instantly releasing the blade, vanishing into space again.
Assassin instinct — failed assassination, retreat, wait for next chance.
"What happened? The blade clearly went through him!" Less knowledgeable spectators were confused.
"Blood Five's body isn't normal!" Thai Ling Laoren frowned.
"Heh heh — want to assassinate me? Too green!"
Blood Five laughed smugly. Before everyone's shocked eyes — bones suddenly pierced through his flesh. Countless bone branches rapidly extended — forming a spiderweb covering the sky, radiating sinister killing intent.
Bone after bone burst from his body. Blood Five became a war machine — bone branches strong enough to pierce space, searching every direction for Heavenly Kill.
"Bone Cultivator!"
Tian Wanbao and Tribulation experts instantly recognised it.
This man was a Bone Cultivator — and cultivated an extremely powerful Bone Art. He could freely grow bones at will — far beyond a normal human skeleton.
"No wonder Heavenly Kill's blade did nothing. To kill a powerful Bone Cultivator — you must shatter his bone frame. Peel off all his flesh — he still lives!" Dan Tianxing said gravely.
The crowd suddenly understood — no wonder Blood Five never feared close-range assassination.
CLANG CLANG CLANG…
After searching — several bone branches struck Heavenly Kill in hiding. Countless bone blades shot toward him…
Heavenly Kill was forced to parry — metallic clashes ringing out.
"Shadowless Step!"
Heavenly Kill silently activated — body moving at blinding speed, slipping through space layers, far outpacing the pursuing bones — closing in on Blood Five again.
"Seven Kills Slash!"
Scythe-blade danced — one slash but seven overlapping images, mysterious and unpredictable — giving the illusion seven blades struck from all directions.
Immense power — space sliced apart — aiming to crush Blood Five's skull.
Even using this powerful move — Heavenly Kill's body remained hidden, only one arm visible from space — showing how terrifying his concealment was.
The crowd nodded in approval. Seven Kills Slash — one of Seven Kills Cult's famous assassination arts. Real and fake mixed — hard to defend. Many famous experts had died to it.
"Haha — before absolute defence, speed means nothing!" Blood Five laughed leisurely — thought moving.
Countless bones mobilised — weaving layer upon layer into bone armour completely encasing him like an egg.
CLANG CLANG…
Seven Kills Slash struck the bone armour — deafening metallic clashes, space exploding around — but only leaving a few cracks. Blood Five stood firm as a mountain.
"Die!"
Blood Five wasn't only defensive — laughing ferociously. Several bone swords grew from the armour — stabbing toward Heavenly Kill's exposed arm.
Heavenly Kill grew solemn — forced to retreat into space again.
"Not good… Blood Five's Bone Cultivation likely surpasses his Spirit Cultivation. Heavenly Kill has speed and stealth advantage — but can't penetrate Blood Five's defence!" Tian Wanbao frowned — analysing.
Blood Five was dual Spirit-Bone cultivator. His displayed Late Harmony Realm was a ruse — his true trump card was Bone Cultivation.
"Keep hiding! Let's see how long you can run?" Blood Five fully unleashed both powers.
Thousands of bone branches chased Heavenly Kill — now coated in blood energy, turning crimson — power greatly increased.
Blood Five became a true war machine — standing still, controlling thousands of bone branches from his body.
Yet Heavenly Kill — worthy of Golden Board rank 2 — used speed and concealment. Bones found him multiple times — but he always slipped away gracefully.
Seeing the deadlock — the crowd exchanged glances:
"Could this round… end in a draw?"
…