Soul Emperor Martial God

"Sub Hall Master?" Xiao Yi frowned.

"I, Yi Xiao, do indeed have important matters to attend to, and unless there's an emergency, I shall take my leave."

Xiao Yi thought to himself that he had never met that particular Sub Hall Master before. Being summoned to Northern Mountain City without explanation, he had no idea what the matter entailed.

"General Executor Yi Xiao, wait," the Chief Steward urged, "The Sub Hall Master has summoned you hastily; there's likely an emergency."

"Moreover, killing Old Monster Yougu is currently the highest reward task in Northern Mountain County."

"The Task Points for the mission amount to 200,000; the reward money, as high as ten million silver taels."

"I do not have the authority to exchange it for you here; you must personally go to Beishan City to claim it."

"This..." Xiao Yi hesitated for a moment.

The reward money was immaterial, but the Task Points were too substantial to forsake.

"Alright," Xiao Yi nodded in agreement.

With his current speed at Controlling the air, a trip to Northern Mountain City would take no more than half a day.

It would be best to see what was the matter and then return to the Sky-splitting Sword Sect.

Just then, a staff member approached.

"General Executor Yi Xiao, here is your Token; your promotion process has been completed."

The staff member respectfully returned the Token to Xiao Yi.

"Thank you," said Xiao Yi with a nod, accepting the Token.

Then, in a flash, he disappeared from the Demon Hunting Hall, ready to head to Northern Mountain City.

Whoosh—a figure followed behind, it was the Chief Steward of the Demon Hunting Hall.

"The Chief Steward is going too?" Xiao Yi asked.

The Chief Steward said with a wry smile, "The Sub Hall Master has commanded; you always vanish without a trace, mysteriously."

"This time, I must personally take you to Northern Mountain City, to prevent you from disappearing halfway again."

Xiao Yi frowned inwardly but said nothing.

His Purple Flame Fire Wings flapped vigorously as he took off into flight.

The Chief Steward's pupils constricted, and he muttered to himself in amazement, "What a fast speed."

He hurriedly followed after.

...

Half a day later, the two arrived at the Demon Hunting Hall in Northern Mountain City.

No sooner had they landed,

than a few staff members surrounded them.

Of course, some of the Demon Hunters inside also noticed the pair.

"Huh, isn't that the person in charge of the Demon Hunting Hall of the Eighteen Cities of Eastern Desolate?"

"That one beside him, seems to be... that mask, unmistakable, it's Purple Flame Yi Xiao."

"Damn it, this bastard finally shows up."

"During such a severe Beast Tide more than half a month ago, he was nowhere to be seen."

"Now that the Beast Tide has receded for quite some time, he finally appears nonchalantly, what a coward."

"Silence!" the Chief Steward shouted, "Since when is it your place to make unfounded criticisms of General Executor Yi Xiao?"

The Demon Hunters shrank back and swiftly departed on their own.

A few staff members quickly stepped forward and said, "Both Chief Stewards, the Sub Hall Master invites you."

Xiao Yi nodded and followed the staff members into the Inner Hall.

There were already two people waiting inside the Inner Hall,

A middle-aged man, and an elderly man.

"Ah." Upon seeing the elderly man, Xiao Yi secretly scorned in his heart—wasn't this the charlatan who had duped my Task Points before?

"Greetings, Sub Hall Master," Xiao Yi greeted the middle-aged man with a clasped fist.

"Uh." The middle-aged man was naturally the Northern Mountain County King.

Hearing this, he was instantly taken aback.

"You've made a mistake, boy," the elderly man said with a teasing laugh.

The Chief Steward from Eastern Desolate quickly said, "General Executor Yi Xiao, this man here is the Sub Hall Master."

"Oh?" Xiao Yi turned to the elderly man, puzzled, "You've been promoted?"

"Promoted? I've always been the Sub Hall Master," the elderly man said irritably.

Seeing Xiao Yi's confusion,

the Sub Hall Master explained once more.

"Our encounter two years ago was just a joke I played on you; let's not delve into that now."

"Let me ask you, did you kill Old Monster Yougu? And where did you encounter him?"

"Demon Beast Forest, Ten Realms Destruction Formation," Xiao Yi simply said these few words.

"Demon Beast Forest, Ten Realms Destruction Formation?" Both the Sub Hall Master and the Northern Mountain County King furrowed their brows.

Being astute, they already grasped the implications of Xiao Yi's words.

"I see," said the Northern Mountain County King with a cold gaze, "No wonder this Beast Tide was on such a massive scale."

"It was Old Monster Yougu instigating the demon beasts, slaughtering Martial Artists, using the Ten Realms Destruction Formation to elevate his Cultivation."

"However, he is an Earth Origin Realm Martial Artist, yet you managed to kill him."

"You truly are a remarkable young man."

"You flatter me too highly, County King," Xiao Yi said, clasping his fist in a salute.

The Northern Mountain County King waved his hand and said, "I'm not flattering you. Several months ago, Sub Hall Master Nie Rushan had already mentioned you to me."

"During the last Beast Tide, you stemmed the overwhelming tide."

"Such a feat should not go unrecognized."

"This time, everyone thought you didn't go to resist the Beast Tide; unexpectedly, you were the first to enter the Demon Beast Forest to investigate the situation."

"If you hadn't killed Old Monster Yougu, the Beast Tide wouldn't have possibly retreated so suddenly."

"Another great merit should be recorded."

"With two major contributions, how would you like this king to reward you?"

The Sub Hall Master interjected, "Let's put the matter of rewards aside for now."

"Right now, there's something more important for you, Yi Xiao, to do."

"What is it?" Xiao Yi asked.

"The grand alchemy competition of the entire Flame Martial Kingdom," said the Sub Hall Master.

"This is a competition among talented Alchemists and also a grand opportunity for geniuses from various counties to make a name for themselves."

"Not interested," Xiao Yi shook his head.

"Yi has pressing matters, and I'd appreciate it if the Sub Hall Master could conclude the task quickly; I am eager to leave."

"Not interested?" The Sub Hall Master gave a bitter smile.

"Indeed." The Northern Mountain County King, however, spoke in approval, "So young, yet so capable, yet indifferent to fame and fortune, very good."

"However, our Northern Mountain County contestants keep losing, one after another."

"If this continues, Northern Mountain County will become the laughing stock of the surrounding forces."

"Will you really just sit back and do nothing?"

Xiao Yi hesitated; at this moment, he wanted to return to the Sky-splitting Sword Sect first.

He couldn't explain why, but he just had an intuition, a pull to rush back to the Sword Sect.

At the very least, to report his safety.

Just as he was about to refuse.

The room's door was violently thrust open with brute force.

Everyone in the room was shocked.

The Northern Mountain County King and the Sub Hall Master were discussing official matters; who would dare to barge in so presumptuously?

The newcomers were a young man and a middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man carried himself with the stride of a dragon and the stance of a tiger, exuding an extraordinary aura.

But his domineering and mocking face was quite distasteful.

The young man had a grim look of sarcasm on his face, a sneer that seemed to speak volumes.

"Black Jade Prince, don't you think it's impolite to burst in like this?" asked the Northern Mountain County King coldly.

This middle-aged man was the Commandery Prince from Black Jade County, neighboring Northern Mountain County.

"You're joking, Northern Mountain County King," laughed the Black Jade Prince. "It's not like you were discussing anything secret; what's the harm if we come in?"

"Besides, I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I heard you were at the Demon Hunting Hall, so naturally, I came to look for you."

"Looking for me? What for?" the Northern Mountain County King frowned.

"Of course, to ask when you'll admit defeat." The Black Jade Prince laughed heartily. "The alchemy competition has been going on for days, and you haven't won a single match."

"In a few more rounds, we'll be entering the finals."

"Seems like you have no hope left. Better to concede early."

The Northern Mountain County King's face grew cold, "It's too early to say such things now, and you need not bother yourself with the affairs of the Black Jade County."

The Black Jade Prince scoffed, "Northern Mountain County King, it's not that I've come to mock you."

"It's just that, as you know, your Alchemists are too weak."

"Contestants from other counties, including our Black Jade County's genius Alchemists, are unwilling to compete with them."

"They say it's a disgrace and uninteresting."

"Old friend Northern Mountain County King, I've already told them not to be so overbearing."

"Your Alchemists don't want to be so useless."

"But, as you know, those geniuses are all very proud."

"I can't stop them; hence, I'm here to see if we can stop making it difficult for the Alchemists from other counties."

The Northern Mountain County King's face was as dark as water, "Black Jade Prince, it seems it's you who are making it difficult for me now."

"That's not the case, Northern Mountain County King," the young man beside the Black Jade Prince stepped forward and said.

"We're merely stating the facts here. Who doesn't know that your Northern Mountain County's Alchemists are the most useless?"

The young man was named Zhou Long, the top genius Alchemist of Black Jade County.

At a young age of only twenty-five, he was already ranked Fifth-grade.

"What 'top disciple of Sky-splitting Sword Sect' Ye Ming, a complete joke."

"If that's the highest alchemy level in your Northern Mountain County, your Sky-splitting Sword Sect might as well close down early."

"You…" The Northern Mountain County King and the Sub Hall Master's faces were black enough to drip water.

At that moment.

A faint voice rang out.

"You're very arrogant," said the speaker, who was Xiao Yi.

"Who are you? I was speaking to the Northern Mountain County King; when is it your turn to interject?" Zhou Long's face was full of displeasure.

"Yi Xiao," Xiao Yi simply replied.

Then he looked at the Northern Mountain County King and asked, "The competition, when does it start?"

The Northern Mountain County King's face lit up, "It starts tomorrow. As long as you get through, the day after tomorrow will be the finals."

"Two days, good," Xiao Yi nodded. "I shall participate in this grand alchemy competition."

...

...

Second update.