Chapter 6: The Black Yao Ancestral God

"So delicious?" Ji Ning picked up a bone-in piece of meat roughly the size of his arm and took a bite. A wave of comfort washed through his entire body, and he shuddered with pleasure.

"Zhui dragon meat is among the top ten delicacies in the entire Da Mo territory. Zhui dragons can't be farmed; they're only found in dangerous places... Catching them isn't easy," the Golden Scale soldier Li Hao said with a smile. "I spend most of my Chaos Nectar on food." For Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals, other pleasures came easily, but truly exquisite delicacies were hard to come by.

A group of Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals ate and drank, chatting happily. Ji Ning grew familiar with them.

After about an hour of eating and drinking...

"Li Hao!"

"Li Hao!"

A thunderous roar rolled through the air, echoing all around.

"Hm?" The Ancestral Gods who had been enjoying their meal all stopped.

"He's here." The golden-armored soldier Li Hao stood up.

"Forget the rest of the food, but take the zhui dragon meat with us. We'll eat it slowly." The soldiers quickly stored away the zhui dragon meat. They had been eating it bite by bite, unwilling to rush—that would be wasting such a delicacy.

"Captain, you really didn't need to bother with that Black Yao."

"Right, that fool Black Yao cost over twenty soldiers their lives last time. What's wrong with a few words?"

"An idiot."

The other soldiers cursed.

"Since I said it, I'll fight him. Am I afraid of him?" Li Hao sneered. "Let's go."

"Let's go."

The soldiers followed Li Hao out.

"What's going on? Who is this Black Yao you're talking about?" Ji Ning followed along, asking the chubby Ancestral God Bai Wu beside him.

Bai Wu curled his lip and said, "Black Yao was once a captain, but he was too arrogant and reckless. Not long ago, during a clash with the Black Lotus Empire, his arrogance led to the deaths of twenty-three soldiers under his command. Twenty-three Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals! The Misty Rock Star Lord learned of it and demoted Black Yao to an ordinary Silver Scale soldier. But the dead had many friends, so Black Yao stirred up public anger. Our captain once cursed him out, leading to a conflict and today's duel."

"Oh." Ji Ning nodded.

"Black Yao is arrogant, but he's truly strong," Bai Wu said quietly. "Among the captains of the Misty Rock Army, those stronger than him can be counted on one hand."

...

As they talked, the group of Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals returned to the training ground, where many had already gathered, mostly to watch.

"That tallest one is Black Yao," Bai Wu said.

Ji Ning looked. Black Yao wore silver scale armor, but his body was long and thin, with four arms. His exposed skin was pitch black, and his narrow eyes gleamed gold, carrying a natural sneer. He spoke coldly: "Li Hao, you fool think you can teach me a lesson? Today I'll show you how wide the gap between us is."

"Less talk." Li Hao's face was icy.

"According to Misty Rock Army rules," Black Yao stepped forward, sneering, "duels are bets. What treasures can you wager? I'll take whatever you offer."

"One hundred bottles of Chaos Nectar," Li Hao said coldly.

"Oh? You're really willing to part with that. It wasn't easy to save up so much Chaos Nectar, was it? Since you're giving it to me, how can I refuse? I accept." Black Yao licked his lips.

Among the Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals present, some were close to Li Hao, others were just watching.

Black Yao came alone, clearly without friends.

...

Black Yao and Li Hao, both Ancestral Gods, soon clashed.

"Haha, you think you can fight me?" Black Yao's four arms wielded four large hammers, glowing with earthy yellow light, heavy as mountains. Each strike was profound and domineering. Though many disliked Black Yao, they had to admit his strength was extraordinary, rare even among captains.

"Hmph." Li Hao held two long shuttles, moving like a phantom. With a furious snort, he manifested six arms, each holding a shuttle.

"Useless. I can't even be bothered to use divine abilities." Black Yao was wildly arrogant.

"Fall!"

"Fall!"

"Fall!"

Black Yao swung his hammers with狂暴 ferocity, each strike earth-shattering. Fortunately, the training ground had array restrictions, allowing Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals to fight freely. The Misty Rock Star Lord was happy to see his subordinates compete, as long as no one died.

Li Hao withstood six hammer blows, but on the seventh, he spat blood and flew backward.

"Bang." Black Yao followed instantly, smashing a hammer into Li Hao's chest. Though protected by golden scale armor, the hammer's impact was immense, shattering Li Hao's chest. Black Yao's hammer crushed Li Hao's chest, then another hammer pressed against his head. "You lost, fool." He stomped on Li Hao's face, smashing it to pulp.

Whoosh~

Divine power quickly gathered in the distance, reforming Li Hao's divine body.

"Black Yao!" Li Hao's face turned pale with rage. Having his face stomped to pulp—how could he not be furious?

"Black Yao, the captain lost, but that's going too far."

"Black Yao..."

The soldiers under Li Hao were all enraged.

"In a duel, as long as there's no death, anything goes, right?" Black Yao looked puzzled. "I smashed his chest and crushed his head. He's an Ancestral God, so he won't die. I didn't break the rules. Even if you report to the Misty Rock Star Lord, I'm not guilty."

"Damn it."

"Damn it." The soldiers' faces turned ugly with anger.

Ji Ning watched in awe. These Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals controlled their power with exquisite precision, wasting nothing. Both Black Yao and Li Hao were stronger than the Heartforce Lord.

The chubby Ancestral God Bai Wu, standing beside Ji Ning, stepped forward. The surroundings quieted as all eyes fell on Bai Wu. He said coldly, "I'll duel you."

"You?" Black Yao sneered. "A Silver Scale soldier? I can't be bothered to bully you."

"Aren't you a Silver Scale soldier too?" Bai Wu said icily. "What, still think you're a Golden Scale soldier? If you've forgotten, take a good look at the armor you're wearing."

Black Yao's face changed, clearly stung. Arrogant as he was, even after demotion, he still compared himself to Golden Scale captains. He stared coldly at Bai Wu: "Fine. Since you're so eager to give me treasures, why would I refuse? If you duel me, don't offer less than fifty bottles of Chaos Nectar."

"If I lose, I'll give you my Nine Star Azure Spirit Hook." Bai Wu's body shifted, manifesting six arms, each holding a hook.

"A set of Nine Star Azure Spirit Hooks? I won't cheat you. I'll count it as sixty bottles of Chaos Nectar," Black Yao said.

"Good." Bai Wu's voice was cold.

"Bai Wu..."

"Bai Wu, don't."

"That Black Yao is no pushover."

The other companions sent telepathic messages urging him to stop.

...

In the distance, other Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals watched.

"Black Yao is still very strong, ranking among the top Golden Scale captains. Li Hao lost; this Bai Wu is foolish to step up."

"Bai Wu is doomed."

"Li Hao, talk some sense into your brother. Losing a set of Chaos treasures like that isn't worth it," a watching soldier called out deliberately.

...

Captain Li Hao also sent a telepathic message: "Bai Wu, I'll swallow this loss. I'll get my revenge when I'm stronger. Going in now is just giving him treasures. It's not worth it."

But Bai Wu ignored him and walked straight toward Black Yao.

Black Yao sneered.

"Bang."

"Whoosh."

Two streaks of light clashed instantly.

"This Bai Wu is quite strong." The watching Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals were surprised, as Bai Wu's strength was at the peak Ancestral God level, matching Black Yao for a time.

"Bai Wu... broke through?" Li Hao showed a hint of joy.

"Brother Bai Wu, stomp his face!"

"Brother Bai Wu, teach him a lesson!" The soldiers on Li Hao's side shouted excitedly.

The chubby Bai Wu, with six arms holding hooks, easily deflected the hammer's猛烈 blows, his fat body wobbling like a meatball, effortlessly dispersing the force.

"Haha, you've got some skill to dare fight me, but it's useless." Black Yao's heavy hammers suddenly vanished, replaced by six thin swords in his hands.

Swish.

Black Yao's long, thin body moved like a ghost, his thin swords疯狂 attacking Bai Wu. The shift from狂暴 to eerie—two completely opposite styles—stunned the onlookers. Bai Wu soon fell into a disadvantage.

"Bang." Bai Wu was kicked, spitting blood as he flew backward.

"He lost." The soldiers on Li Hao's side shook their heads.

"Alas..."

The watching Ancestral Gods and Ancestral Immortals also shook their heads.

Swish.

Suddenly, a black streak of lightning flashed, catching Bai Wu and dodging aside.

"Hm?" Black Yao, who had been about to brutally trample his opponent, stopped and frowned at the distant silver-scale youth holding Bai Wu, then setting him down.

"You lost, no need to keep humiliating him," the silver-scale youth said.

"Bai Wu, hand over your Nine Star Azure Spirit Hooks," Black Yao sneered.

Bai Wu gritted his teeth and waved his hand, sending six divine hooks flying. Black Yao caught them triumphantly and laughed loudly, pointing at Li Hao, Bai Wu, and the others: "I've been in a bad mood lately, and you come offering yourselves for me to trample. How satisfying! And I get treasures too. Look at your eyes... Haha, if you want to duel me, I'm always ready. Why would I refuse gifts?"

"I want to duel you." A voice rang out abruptly.

Black Yao looked in surprise at the silver-scale youth standing beside Bai Wu.

"You?" Black Yao laughed. "Silver Scale soldiers these days are all so arrogant, daring to..."

"You're a Silver Scale soldier too," the youth said.

Black Yao's face darkened.

"If the bet is too small, I can't be bothered," Black Yao said coldly.

"If it's too big, I'm afraid you won't accept," Ji Ning replied.