Strongest War Emperor

"Hmph, that hack Xu Daolin was just enough to scratch an itch for me. Even if he didn’t die this time, he’s only got half a life left. The next time I run into him..."

"I was asking if your face still hurts," Nalan Ziyun said, taking a deep breath. "I... I didn’t mean to hit you. Who told you to touch me... to touch me *there*? I swung my hand completely by instinct."

"..." Shen Lang shrugged. "I didn’t even feel it. I’m thick-skinned."

Pfft! Nalan Ziyun couldn’t help but laugh. "So you finally admit you’re thick-skinned."

"Yep," Shen Lang grunted in acknowledgment. He didn’t care whether he was thick-skinned or not. ’How could you get by in this world if you weren’t?’

Seeing him admit he was thick-skinned so readily, Nalan Ziyun was taken aback.

"Are you running a fever? You agreed so quickly when I called you thick-skinned," Nalan Ziyun asked, looking at him strangely.

"Tsk, women are so troublesome. No matter how a man answers a question, you’re never satisfied." Shen Lang shook his head repeatedly and closed his eyes again, which infuriated Nalan Ziyun so much she silently made threatening gestures at him for a long while.

As soon as he focused his mind inward to inspect his body’s condition, Shen Lang could clearly feel that his meridians had become significantly tougher after the medicinal power had circulated through them!

He felt that the strength of his physical body had once again increased remarkably.

While this Nine Immortals Lingzhi was certainly no match for the Life Energy circulating within Shen Lang’s body, it was still an exceedingly rare and precious treasure that one could only hope to stumble upon by chance.

As he silently felt out his enhanced strength, all the joints in Shen Lang’s body immediately began to crackle and pop.

’Even with such a significant increase in strength, it would probably still be difficult to slay that Netherworld Wolf King with a single strike.’

’The Netherworld Wolf King’s fur is as hard as iron, and it has a protective film formed from condensed Demon Power on the outside of its body. Even at my current level—Spirit Martial Realm Second Heaven and having comprehended Sword Intent—I still lack what it takes to kill it with one blow.’

Throughout this journey, Shen Lang had come to regard the Netherworld Wolf King as his ultimate benchmark. Every time his cultivation or strength increased, he would measure himself against the Wolf King.

If he could kill the Netherworld Wolf King, he would be invincible below the Xuanwu Realm!

’The Withered Wood Revives Spring Pill’s primary effect is supposed to be healing. I never expected that with the addition of the Nine Immortals Lingzhi, it would have such a powerful effect.’

’Under the scouring of this medicinal power, I naturally broke through to the Spirit Martial Realm Second Heaven.’

’The medicinal power of those few Profound Celestial Clear Spirit Pills is several times greater than this Withered Wood Revives Spring Pill. When my sister and the others take them, it might even be possible for them to raise their cultivation to the Peak of Qi Martial Realm in a short time, and maybe even break through to the Spirit Martial Realm with my help.’

’Unfortunately, my Divine Thought is still too weak right now. Otherwise, if I had used this Nine Immortals Lingzhi to directly refine an Emperor Level Elixir, its medicinal power would be several times stronger than it is now.’

At this thought, Shen Lang shook his head repeatedly and let out a wry smile.

Elixir Pills were divided into many levels, such as ordinary pills, Spirit Pills, Mystic Pills, Emperor Pills, and so on. Each of these was further divided into First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades.

Shen Lang had exerted a colossal effort to refine these Elixir Pills. At the final moment, his Divine Thought was completely depleted, his body was severely injured, and he had nearly coughed up three liters of blood.

In the end, he had barely managed to get the Withered Wood Revives Spring Pill and the Profound Celestial Clear Spirit Pill to reach Profound Level Fifth Grade. There was no way they could have reached the Emperor Level.

This was only possible because he had recently broken through to the Spirit Martial Realm. Otherwise, he would have been stuck at Profound Level Second or Third Grade at best.

Meanwhile, Nalan Ziyun gave Shen Lang a deep look, then stood up on her own and began to look around.

"Hey, where on earth are we? It’s so beautiful..." Nalan Ziyun’s smile grew wider and wider as she gazed all around.

Without lifting his head, Shen Lang said indifferently, "There’s nothing here, just a bunch of fog. What’s so beautiful about it?"

Nalan Ziyun gave a dazzling smile but said nothing more.

’Silly boy, it’s because it’s just you and me here...’ Nalan Ziyun said in her heart.

At that moment, Nalan Ziyun felt utterly refreshed in body and mind, and her mood was euphoric. But to avoid arousing Shen Lang’s suspicion, she could only keep a cold expression on her face and continue looking around.

Shen Lang shook his head slightly and asked in his mind, "Wentian, the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron is currently suspended in mid-air in the abyss, tightly bound by the Cannibal Flower from the cliff’s edge. How can we get out of this?"

Zuo Wentian’s voice immediately sounded in Shen Lang’s mind: "The Cannibal Flower is nothing to worry about. Even if Master can’t fully control the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, destroying the Cannibal Flower would be as easy as flipping a palm."

"However, to move the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron to the opposite cliff or back up above the abyss, Master will probably have to try communicating with the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron himself and then control its movement with your Divine Thought. Even at my level, I’m incapable of moving the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron even a single inch."

He continued, "Of course, there is a simpler way. The two of you, Master, could just leave the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, and I could use my own power to send you up to the cliff."

Shen Lang pondered for a moment before saying, "Forget it. Let me try a few more times. The Heaven-Sealing Cauldron is my treasure, after all. I won’t be satisfied if I don’t give it a good try. Besides, your Soul Power is too weak. Every bit of power you use weakens you further... Unless it’s absolutely necessary, it’s better that you don’t act."

"Yes, this disciple understands."

Closing his eyes, Shen Lang began to communicate with the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

He didn’t know when it started, but he felt that the connection between him and the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron had deepened somewhat.

Before, the connection between them was just a single, slender thread. Relying on that one thread, Shen Lang couldn’t do anything besides summon the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

But now, it was completely different. When he sensed it, there were actually three threads!

With this, controlling it was much easier than before.

’Strange. Could it be that my connection with the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron has started to deepen because I’ve been communicating with it frequently these past few days? If so, I’ll definitely have to make a point of using the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron more often in the future.’

Thinking of this, Shen Lang held his hands up as if holding up the sky, and the Spiritual Power within his body surged frantically from his palms into the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

"Blast these Cannibal Flowers apart!"

Following Shen Lang’s mental roar, the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron—suspended in the abyss and tightly wrapped by the Cannibal Flower like a Big Zongzi—suddenly released a powerful burst of light!

Then, with a soft BANG, the arm-thick vines of the Cannibal Flower were instantly blasted into flying ash that scattered into the air, leaving not a single trace behind.

’Holy crap, that was intense!’

Shen Lang, with his eyes closed, "watched" everything happening outside and was greatly astonished.

Immediately after, the image of Hong Yu appearing by the grave surfaced in his mind.

That time, it seemed Hong Yu had wanted to enlighten him, so she appeared with her face veiled and tapped the small cauldron on his chest with her finger.

The moment the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron emerged, Hong Yu’s body struck the edge of the small cauldron, and she immediately let out a muffled grunt and was sent flying backward.

Shen Lang didn’t think much of it at the time, but thinking back on it now, it felt incredibly unbelievable.

Ten years ago, Hong Yu was already a Peak Xuanwu Realm Powerhouse, her true strength surpassing even that of Yuwen Huaji.

Later, she died in battle but was revived by the Life Spiritual Liquid inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

For the past ten years, with that Life Energy in her body, her cultivation has likely reached the King Martial Realm or even higher by now.

With such powerful cultivation, she was actually knocked back with a muffled grunt by the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron...

’Oh no, I wonder how badly Sister Hong Yu was injured. Judging by what the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron just did—even though I fed it my Spiritual Power, it was just too heaven-defying... No, I have to gather the Seven-Star Begonia sooner and go back! As soon as I get back, I’ll go check on Sister Hong Yu’s grave!’

Thinking of this, Shen Lang drove his Divine Thought to control the three threads connecting him to the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, and began to maneuver the cauldron in the direction of the Dark Forest.

Zuo Wentian’s words had been no exaggeration. Even with three threads of connection, Shen Lang still felt that the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron was as immense as a mountain, impossible to move even half an inch!

If Shen Lang weren’t inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, moving it wouldn’t be difficult.

But now that he was inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, trying to control its flight was more hopeless than trying to move a mountain...

’Damn it, you’ve already acknowledged me as your master! If I can’t even move you a single bit, wouldn’t that be a joke!’

Shen Lang was furious. He refused to give up after one failure and frantically drove his Divine Thought, trying to move the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

On the other side, Nalan Ziyun saw him sitting with his eyes closed, sweat pouring down like rain. Realizing he might be at a critical point in whatever he was doing, she quietly sat down and watched him with concern, not making a sound.

It seemed like half an hour had passed, and yet it also felt like a thousand years.

Suddenly, Shen Lang felt the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron tremble slightly. It was just a tiny movement, but he detected it.

’It finally moved! It finally moved!’

Shen Lang nearly leaped up and shouted for joy.

’There’s a chance! Keep going!’

Every time he completely exhausted his Divine Thought, Shen Lang would lie down and cultivate for half a day before continuing. Finally, he was able to move the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron inch by inch.

It left him utterly exhausted.

Although the speed was incredibly slow, after countless attempts at moving it, Shen Lang was thrilled to discover that his connection to the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron now consisted of six threads!

Moreover, in less than a day, his Divine Thought had grown much stronger!

’Manipulating the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron can actually strengthen my Divine Thought!’ This accidental discovery made Shen Lang ecstatic.

Just then, Nalan Ziyun said, a little excitedly, "Ha, I finally get it! We’re inside your Magical Treasure, and you’ve been trying so hard to move it! Hahaha!"

Shen Lang rolled his eyes and said, "I’ve been struggling with this all day, and you only just figured it out now. The saying ’big boobs, no brains’ really does have some truth to it."

"You bastard, are you trying to die?!" Nalan Ziyun’s expression changed in a flash. One moment she was beaming, the next her willow-like eyebrows shot up and her face turned fierce.

"I’ve been working hard here for a whole day while you just sat there watching. Are you really so bored your balls hurt? You could be refining the medicinal power in your body to raise your cultivation, or healing your injuries. Oh, I forgot, you don’t have any balls..."

"Who says I don’t have balls!" Killing Intent filled Nalan Ziyun’s eyes.

"Hmph, you really are something else. You have to win every argument, don’t you? Do you have balls? Do you? Hahahaha..."

"I have a beautiful face," Nalan Ziyun said with a dazzling smile.

"..." Shen Lang’s laughter stopped abruptly.

Only a fool argues with a madman, and only a madman argues with a fool.

Arguing with a woman makes you both a fool and a madman...

Shen Lang understood this logic when it was already too late.

Because Nalan Ziyun added with a cold smile, "Do you know what your face looked like when you were desperately trying to move this Magical Treasure earlier?"

"Don’t want to," Shen Lang replied bluntly, sensing something bad was coming.

But Nalan Ziyun paid him no mind. She shook her head smugly and said triumphantly, "It looked like... like you were squatting on the toilet... Hahahaha!"

"Damn it!" Dark lines appeared all over Shen Lang’s face, and he almost lost control.

’Damn it all, you think this is easy for me? I was putting every ounce of my strength into moving the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron!’

’And she says it looked like I was taking a crap...’

’Forget it, business first. I can’t afford to provoke her, but can’t I at least avoid her?’ Shen Lang buried his head and continued to activate the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.

But this Heaven-Sealing Cauldron was truly heaven-defying. Even later, when the connection between Shen Lang and the cauldron had grown to ten threads, activating it to move was still as slow as a snail; it would only shift a few meters after a long time.