Chapter 302: Liu Changkong, the Lord of Tianluo Palace
"Alright, it's just a small punishment. No need to look at me like that. Now, go about your business, and in the future, be more mindful. Don't provoke just anyone you come across," Xiao Tiance remarked lightly.
As he spoke, he turned to Wansui, the Lord of Spirit Sword Mountain.
"Mountain Lord Wansui, does Iron Sword City have a teleportation array?"
Wansui, though curious about where Xiao Tiance planned to go, was eager to have him leave Spirit Sword Mountain's territory. The sooner, the better. Bowing respectfully, he replied:
"Yes, yes, Lord Tiance! Iron Sword City may not be one of the largest cities on the Tian Cang Continent, but it does have a teleportation array. Shall I take you there now?"
Wansui's eagerness to see Xiao Tiance leave was almost palpable. Xiao Tiance, however, didn't mind. If Wansui hadn't interfered earlier, he wouldn't have been beaten into such a state.
"Fine. Lead the way," Xiao Tiance replied with a faint smile.
A Menacing Arrival
Just as Wansui turned to guide him, the sky in the distance suddenly filled with ominous, roiling blood red clouds. A terrifying aura surged toward them.
"Why is that madman here?" Wansui muttered, his expression darkening.
Xiao Tiance also paused, gazing at the approaching crimson clouds with calm, sharp eyes. His expression betrayed no concern.
In stark contrast, Liu Yuansheng and the two Sixth Star Sovereigns flanking him lit up with excitement.
The Lord of Tianluo Palace, Liu Changkong, had arrived. Their long awaited reinforcements had come.
Liu Yuansheng almost opened his mouth to taunt Xiao Tiance. However, recalling Xiao Tiance's expressionless calm, he thought better of it. After all, if his father's peer, Wansui, couldn't withstand Xiao Tiance, Liu Changkong might also struggle.
In moments, the blood red clouds closed in, halting just a few hundred meters away. Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the clouds morphed into the figure of a middle aged man.
With a single step, the man, Liu Changkong, appeared beside Liu Yuansheng.
"Hahaha! To think there's someone on the Tian Cang Continent who dares disrespect my Tianluo Palace. You've got courage!" Liu Changkong laughed, his voice loud and imposing.
However, the sharp glint in his eyes betrayed his true intentions he wasn't here to negotiate.
The Encounter
"Greetings, Lord!" The two Sixth Star Sovereigns bowed respectfully.
"Father!" Liu Yuansheng exclaimed, rushing to Liu Changkong's side.
Liu Changkong's gaze swept over his subordinates before he snorted coldly. "Disgraceful! I'll deal with you later."
Turning his attention to Wansui and Xiao Tiance, Liu Changkong's expression hardened. However, Xiao Tiance remained calm, his demeanor unshaken as their eyes met.
After a moment, Xiao Tiance shook his head and sighed.
"I had planned to pay Lord Liu a visit later, but since you've come to me, why wait? Let's settle this today."
As Xiao Tiance spoke, his aura surged. In an instant, his strength advanced from the early to late stage of the Eighth Star Sovereign realm.
Shock and Disbelief
"Impossible!"
Wansui's eyes widened in disbelief. He had sensed Xiao Tiance's strength earlier firmly at the early stage of the Eighth Star Sovereign level. How had it increased so quickly?
Unbeknownst to Wansui, Xiao Tiance's recent use of the Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression Array had accelerated the conversion of the Dou Qi within him into spiritual energy crystals, pushing his power to new heights.
Liu Changkong's Misjudgment
Liu Changkong, upon sensing Xiao Tiance's current strength, frowned and turned to Wansui.
"Mountain Lord Wansui, what's the meaning of this? A mere late Eighth Star Sovereign how could you not protect my son from him? Or has Spirit Sword Mountain grown tired of our alliance?"
His words carried a mixture of reprimand and suspicion. For him, it was inconceivable that someone of Xiao Tiance's level could threaten both Wansui and his son without there being ulterior motives.
Before Wansui could respond, Liu Yuansheng hurriedly interjected:
"Father, don't! Please don't make a move! Lord Tiance is a Master Level Spirit Array Grandmaster! Just moments ago, Mountain Lord Wansui was subdued by one of his arrays. He even had to offer a Major Divine Ability to appease him!"
Wansui's Frustration
Hearing this, Wansui flushed with embarrassment and shot Liu Yuansheng a glare. He had hoped Liu Changkong might share in his misfortune, but Liu Yuansheng had ruined any chance of that.
"Hmph. Liu Changkong, why don't you try regaining face for yourself?" Wansui snapped, clearly displeased.
Meanwhile, Xiao Tiance's expression remained indifferent. He had no intention of letting Liu Changkong escape a lesson.
Liu Changkong's Hesitation
Liu Changkong's expression shifted. The combined warnings from Liu Yuansheng and Wansui forced him to reassess the situation.
His gaze fell on Qinghou, the golden bodied figure standing silently by Xiao Tiance's side. Despite Qinghou's passive demeanor, his presence exuded an overwhelming sense of danger.
Unlike Wansui, Liu Changkong was a body cultivator a warrior who honed his physical form as his primary weapon. As a result, he instinctively recognized Qinghou's unmatched physical strength, even without overt displays of power.
A Shocking Realization
At the same time, Liu Changkong noticed something even more unsettling: Xiao Tiance himself.
Though Xiao Tiance had only revealed the aura of a late Eighth Star Sovereign, his physical presence radiated an oppressive force that sent shivers down Liu Changkong's spine.
"This… this man's physical body… is stronger than mine," Liu Changkong realized with mounting dread.
"I must apologize, Lord Tiance. I spoke out of turn earlier. Please forgive me. To demonstrate my sincerity, I am willing to offer one Great Divine Ability and one Lesser Divine Ability as reparations. I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold this against me."
The crowd was stunned.
This was Liu Changkong, the infamous "Blood Shura" and "God of Slaughter," known across the Tian Cang Continent for his tyrannical reputation. And yet, here he was, bowing and apologizing!
Even when faced with the Academy Head of Tianshang Academy, a Lower Earth Sovereign, Liu Changkong had remained defiant despite losing. Yet today, he offered reparations of his own accord.
It was unheard of.
Xiao Tiance's Reaction
Opposite him, Xiao Tiance frowned. He had intended to teach Liu Changkong a lesson today. However, after one glance at Xiao Tiance and Qinghou, Liu Changkong had immediately backed down.
"So, Lord Liu has no intention of continuing this fight?" Xiao Tiance asked, his voice calm.
"You jest, Lord Tiance," Liu Changkong replied, his tone filled with forced humility. "I misunderstood the situation earlier and failed to control my temper. Now that I've reflected on my actions, I wouldn't dare oppose you."
His words were polite, and his attitude had changed entirely from his previous hostility.
Both Liu Changkong and Wansui were figures who could bend and yield as the situation demanded, displaying the traits of true power players. Liu Changkong, in particular, had gone from a brash, battle hungry posture to acting like a docile lamb.
Xiao Tiance Presses
"Lord Liu, you are too modest. Perhaps you should reconsider. Who knows? Maybe you'll win. After all, I'm just a late stage Eighth Star Sovereign. With your strength, you might crush me with a single palm," Xiao Tiance teased with a smile.
"No, no, no, Lord Tiance. Please don't make such jokes!" Liu Changkong quickly waved his hands in denial. "I wouldn't dare raise my hand against you. While your surface strength is indeed at the late Eighth Star Sovereign stage, I specialize in physical cultivation, which gives me a unique sensitivity to powerful physiques."
He continued, "If I'm not mistaken, your body contains another energy besides spiritual energy one that is suppressing your true potential. Once it's fully converted into spiritual energy, your strength will surely rise to an extraordinary level. So, no, Lord Tiance, I wouldn't dream of fighting you."
Wan Sui's Shock
Hearing this, Wansui was stunned. "Could it be true? Does Lord Tiance really have..." His mind raced, and he dared not complete the thought.
Meanwhile, Xiao Tiance glanced at Liu Changkong in surprise. Liu Changkong's perceptiveness was impressive. Xiao Tiance had deliberately refrained from concealing his strength, but the fact that Liu Changkong could detect the residual Dou Qi within his body was remarkable.
Xiao Tiance's Praise
"Lord Liu, you have a sharp eye. You're the first person to discern the changes within my body." Xiao Tiance clapped his hands lightly in approval.
"You flatter me, Lord Tiance," Liu Changkong replied modestly. "I was able to notice your condition because I encountered someone with a similar situation a young woman."
Liu Changkong's words piqued Xiao Tiance's interest.
"Oh? A young woman?"
Liu Changkong Explains
**"Yes, but her condition was different from yours. The energy within her body hadn't been converted into spiritual energy yet, leaving her indistinguishable from an ordinary person.
If I may speculate, your recent conflict with my son and his companions might have something to do with her, correct?"**
Liu Changkong's deduction displayed his sharp intellect. It was clear why he commanded a position of power. With just a few clues, he had pieced together much of the situation.
Xiao Tiance Confirms
"You're correct. That young woman is mine," Xiao Tiance said bluntly, his tone deep and firm.
"I see. Then, Lord Tiance, I suppose you are not a native of the Great Thousand World?" Liu Changkong asked respectfully. "The woman I encountered once mentioned that she came from the Dou Qi Continent, a lower plane of the Great Thousand World."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance's brows furrowed. "How would she mention such a thing?" he thought.
Seeing Xiao Tiance's reaction, Liu Changkong quickly clarified.
**"Lord Tiance, please don't misunderstand. I only know this because the woman appeared suddenly in one of Tianluo Palace's valleys. She was spotted by one of my female disciples.
Although she was initially treated as a guest, some subordinates in one of my branch halls grew greedy, intending to capture her because of her beauty.
Despite lacking strength, the woman possessed incredible speed and the ability to instantly deploy spiritual arrays, which allowed her to kill several Sovereign level cultivators before escaping.
Eventually, before I could act, she was taken by the Nine Colored Sky Swallow Python Clan."**
Xiao Tiance Relents
Liu Changkong's explanation eased Xiao Tiance's frown. The account seemed credible. He reasoned that if he retrieved Medusa from the Heavenly Serpent Continent in the future, the truth would reveal itself.
"Very well. I'll take your word for it, Lord Liu. But if I discover later that your words were false, Tianluo Palace will cease to exist," Xiao Tiance warned coldly.
"Rest assured, Lord Tiance. If I've lied, I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit," Liu Changkong replied earnestly.
To prove his sincerity, he retrieved two scrolls from his storage treasure and handed them to Xiao Tiance.
Inspecting the Divine Abilities
Xiao Tiance inspected the scrolls.
Lesser Divine Ability: Berserk Art
This ability enhances one's combat power by collecting and refining the blood of spiritual or divine beasts. However, it has a significant drawback after using the technique, the user temporarily falls into a weakened state. It is clearly a life saving and high risk ability.
Great Divine Ability: Spirit Assimilation Physique
This ability allows the user to rapidly absorb the surrounding spiritual energy to enhance their physical strength without side effects. It is a powerful skill, ideal for both survival and combat.
Xiao Tiance noted similarities between this ability and the Refining Spirit Hand, the Great Divine Ability Wansui had offered earlier. Both seemed to come from the same ancient relic.
After reviewing the scrolls, Xiao Tiance stored them in his spatial ring and nodded.
Parting Words
"Well done, Lord Liu. Your sincerity is evident. I'll accept this offering," Xiao Tiance said.
"Thank you, Lord Tiance!" Liu Changkong replied, bowing deeply.
(Chapter End)
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on February 2, 2026.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1