"Chu Yu said expressionlessly."
"Even if my Qi family member struck first, he didn't hurt you, yet you crippled his lower body and Dao Wheel. Is there no matter that cannot be talked through peacefully? Why resort to such vicious methods!"
"If I put a blade to your mother's neck and say I'm going to kill her, but I haven't actually chopped her head off yet, would you not only be unangry, but actually sit down and have a cup of tea to talk things through with me?" Chu Yu said.
"You..."
The Qi family elder turned ashen, pointing a trembling finger at Chu Yu, shaking all over with rage.
As an elder of the Qi family, he was a man of great prestige and respect; when had he ever been subjected to such insults.
"Brash brat, so arrogant and defying! Today I will rid the world of a ruthless scourge like you!"
As the words fell, the elder struck directly, releasing a palm imprint blazing with golden light and covered in runes, aiming straight for Chu Yu!
Chu Yu gave a cold snort, throwing a punch that shattered the air and carried a devouring force, clashing head-on with the elder's palm.
Bang!
A muffled sound echoed from the collision of fist and palm. The elder let out a miserable scream as the webbing of his hand burst open and the bones shattered. In that single instant, the spiritual energy and Dao force gathered in his palm were completely devoured.
"What kind of..."
Before the elder could finish, Chu Yu's figure flickered like a ghost, appearing right before him.
His speed was terrifyingly fast, the result of two days of relentless battles and trials against fierce beasts.
Bang!
With a single palm strike to the elder's forehead, fresh blood sprayed from his facial orifices as his cultivation and Dao Wheel were utterly devoured by Chu Yu.
"Eighth Elder!"
A heart-rending cry broke from the lips of the Qi family members, who stared fixedly at Chu Yu with a mix of hatred and terror.
Everyone present changed color in shock. The young man's terrifying strength—capable of finishing off an Eighth Layer of Inscription Realm powerhouse in just two moves—was simply unimaginable.
"Qi family, is it? Now, I order you to charge into the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's cave. Those who disobey, die!"
The complexions of the dozen or so Qi family experts shifted drastically. Earlier, their companions had forced this young man toward the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's cave; they never expected him to now turn the tables and force them to march to their deaths in the beast's lair.
"This kid plays hardball!"
"The Qi family has really run into a tough wall this time!"
A murmur of exclamation rose among the crowd, many unable to hold back a sharp intake of breath.
Bang!
Suddenly, a muffled sound rang out. An Inscription Realm Qi family expert offered virtually no resistance before his head exploded beneath Chu Yu's fist.
"Faster. I don't have that kind of patience!" Chu Yu said coldly.
"Let's fight him to the death!"
Two individuals shouted, both Fifth Layer of Inscription Realm powerhouses with surging spiritual energy and billowing Dao force, as they lunged at Chu Yu.
The Swallowing Dao Wheel emerged, casting sheets of black runes that engulfed the pair. Piercing screams rang out, and within moments, two corpses hit the ground.
Someone tried to flee, but couldn't outpace Chu Yu. Utilizing the Sky-Swallowing Beast's divine technique, his hand pierced through the runner's back like the beast's sharp claws, blood gushing like a spring.
Trembling with fear, the remaining dozen Qi family experts had no choice but to take step after step toward the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's cave.
The Purple-Eyed Flame Lion let out continuous low growls. Chu Yu's eyes narrowed slightly; he could see that the beast was severely injured, highly cautious, and extremely wary. Otherwise, given its savage nature, it would have lunged directly at anyone daring to approach the cave.
"Walking too slowly. Let me give you a push!"
Chu Yu said indifferently, grabbing a Qi family expert and flinging him toward the beast's cave.
Bang!
With a terrifying strength exceeding a hundred thousand catties, Chu Yu hurled the man straight to the entrance of the cave.
This completely infuriated the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion, which lashed out with a massive paw.
The Qi family expert let out a despairing scream, dashing desperately toward the cave.
Boom!
The paw came crashing down, sending mud and rocks flying in a tremor. The man narrowly dodged the blow and scrambled into the cavern.
"Roar!"
The Purple-Eyed Flame Lion opened its jaws and spewed a wave of intense flames, followed by piercing screams from within the cave.
The shrieks caused the complexions of everyone watching to shift drastically. Expressionless, Chu Yu treated the remaining dozen Qi family members like lead balls, hurling them in one after another.
Miserable cries echoed endlessly as the Qi family experts perished beneath the beast's claws one by one.
At that moment, Chu Yu moved. With ghostly, unbelievable speed, he leapt into the air. Taking advantage of the moment the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion lunged at three Qi family members, he threw a fierce punch straight at the beast's head.
Facing this Ninth Layer of Inscription Realm Purple-Eyed Flame Lion, Chu Yu did not underestimate his foe. Channeling all his strength, he unleashed the surging devouring force into this single punch.
Boom!
A startling crash rang out as the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion was sent flying backward, slamming heavily against the cliffside. The rock face shattered, sending rubble scattering before the beast crashed to the ground.
The blow left the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion bloodied and its head ringing.
Giving the beast no time to catch its breath, Chu Yu rushed forward and delivered another punch!
"Roar!"
Driven mad, the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion let out a roar that shook the surrounding forest. It swept out a paw wreathed in cascading runes, blazing with fierce fire and scorching heat as it struck toward Chu Yu.
Boom!
The moment they collided, it felt like a giant boulder crashing into a volcano, kicking up a visible shockwave of terrifying force.
Chu Yu let out a muffled grunt as the blood in his veins surged. Even severely wounded and having taken a blow already, the sheer power behind the beast's paw remained frighteningly strong.
Without retreating half a step, he let out a great shout and drove his fist straight toward the beast again.
Bang, bang, bang...
A series of muffled impacts echoed out. Amidst looks of utter shock, Chu Yu and the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion engaged in a fierce, brutal battle.
Chapter 8: Immortal Spirit Treasure, Condensing the Burning Heaven Dao Wheel
Like a humanoid beast, Chu Yu fought the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion blow for blow, drawing blood with every punch, a sight that made the hearts of all present leap into their throats.
"To engage a Ninth Layer of Inscription Realm fierce beast in hand-to-hand combat using human flesh alone—this kid is completely insane!"
"His physical body actually rivals the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's. He's simply a monster!"
"I reckon he's walking into his doom and is no match for the beast. It won't be long before he dies beneath its claws."
...
Shocked gasps rippled through the surrounding crowd. Such a magnificent battle captivated everyone, who stared at the combatants, terrified of missing a single detail.
Yet, almost no one favored Chu Yu. Although they recognized his formidable strength, that Ninth Layer of Inscription Realm Purple-Eyed Flame Lion possessed a terrifying, fearsome power!
"When two tigers fight, one is bound to die or be injured. There must be astonishing treasures in the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's cave! Get ready to rush inside at any moment—don't let anyone else beat us to the prize!"
"Once that kid dies, we'll go in for the kill and finish off the beast. This time we're really going to strike it rich!"
Whispers spread among certain individuals, their eyes gleaming with greed.
Boom!
Another loud crash echoed as the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's body was sent hurtling back, slamming hard into the cliff face.
Covered in blood—some from the beast, some his own—with a fierce and formidable aura, Chu Yu straddled the beast's neck and rained down punches upon it!
Bang!
The blow cracked the beast's skull, making its eyes bulge as its massive head slammed heavily into the ground, sending mud and stone flying to create a large crater.
The Purple-Eyed Flame Lion wailed, struggling with its dying breath, but it had little strength left.
"Die!"
Chu Yu shouted sternly, bringing another fierce punch down upon the beast's head.
With that strike, the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion finally perished completely. Devouring force surged wildly from Chu Yu's hands, absorbing the beast's cultivation and Dao Wheel.
A torrential wave of spiritual energy and Dao aura poured into his body, pushing his realm and cultivation directly to the peak of the Inscription Realm.
Chu Yu stood up, his body marked by numerous wounds—some deep enough to expose bone. With a flash, he darted straight into the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion's cave!
"The Purple-Eyed Flame Lion is dead?"
"That kid actually killed the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion!"
Cries of disbelief erupted as everyone widened their eyes in profound shock.
Having assumed Chu Yu was bound to perish beneath the beast's claws, no one had anticipated such an outcome.
"Having killed the beast, the kid must be severely wounded and at the end of his tether!"
Someone shouted, and a fierce look flashed in the eyes of many as they scrambled toward the cave.
Inside the cavern, the sight of the ground littered with Fire Spirit Stones brought a flash of wild joy to Chu Yu's eyes.
There were well over a hundred of these Fire Spirit Stones, of exceptionally high quality and equivalent to medicinal herbs of the third grade and above.
There were also a dozen pieces of Fire Spirit Pith, comparable to sacred herbs of the fifth grade and above.
For Chu Yu at this moment, this was a considerable fortune.
At the very center of the cave, a crimson-red longsword was stuck upright into the ground.
This sword was extraordinary—unrivaled in sharpness and radiating intense heat, surpassing any spirit treasure Chu Yu had ever laid eyes on.
Compared even to Chu Lingfeng's Kyushu Heavenly Emperor Sword, it likely did not fall short.
"This is an Immortal Spirit Treasure!"
Inside the Samsara Ancient Pagoda, the Sky-Swallowing Beast's voice echoed in his mind.
"An Immortal Spirit Treasure?"
Chu Yu was momentarily startled, followed by a surge of sheer disbelief.
In the Primordial Ancient World, weapon grades ranged from low to high: Ordinary Spirit Treasures, Innate Spirit Treasures, Ancient Spirit Treasures, primordial spirit treasures, and Immortal Spirit Treasures.
No wonder that Purple-Eyed Flame Lion had refused to leave, even at the cost of its life.
Without hesitation, Chu Yu stepped forward, gripped the hilt of the longsword, and pulled it free.
Boom!
A towering wave of crimson flames erupted from the sword, instantly engulfing Chu Yu's entire body.
The searing pain forced a roar from his throat, and immediately after, an even more terrifying trial struck: a massive wave of spiritual soul energy assaulted his mind directly.
In an instant, Chu Yu felt as though his head was splitting open and his very soul was being torn apart.
Fortunately, Chu Yu held firm. The fierce soul assault came and went with violent speed.
Moments later, an inexplicable connection formed between him and the longsword, and a flood of information poured into his mind.
Burning Heaven Sword!
Such was the name of the sword, and as the Sky-Swallowing Beast had stated, it was indeed an Immortal Spirit Treasure!
Simultaneously, a scorching rush of ambient spiritual energy and Dao aura gushed from the Burning Heaven Sword, causing Chu Yu's cultivation to surge by a massive margin.
Within his body, alongside the Primal Force, Samsara Force, and Devouring Force, a new element manifested: Fire Dao Force.
Right at that moment, over a hundred cultivators rushed into the cave. Seeing Chu Yu's body covered in burns and recalling the roars they had heard moments earlier, they looked at him with gloating expressions.
"Hahaha, brat, haste makes waste! Charging in here so impatiently, you've run into a big problem now, haven't you!"
An elder laughed loudly, staring with a malicious glint at the Burning Heaven Sword in Chu Yu's hand.
The sharp, scorching aura radiating from the sword alone was enough to reveal it as an exceedingly rare spirit treasure.
"It looks like you're heavily wounded. If you don't want to die, hand over that spirit treasure!"
"You and what army?"
Chu Yu said with utter disdain. With a lightning-fast flash, he slashed directly at the elder with his sword.
Sensing the terrifying power of that single strike, the elder's face turned pale with horror. Wasn't the opponent supposed to be severely injured? How could he still possess such astonishing combat prowess?
There was no time left for the elder to ponder. In his panic, his Dao Wheel emerged, shining with golden light to form a golden flood dragon that met the incoming blade.
Bang!
The very instant they collided, the golden flood dragon shattered, and the Burning Heaven Sword pierced straight through the elder's chest.
"He killed him in a single strike! How is that possible?"
"Why does it feel like he's not severely injured at all, but rather has become even more terrifying!"
...
The numerous powerhouses gasped in shock. Before entering the cave, all of them had harbored intentions of finishing off Chu Yu, but now, faced with a freak who could slay an Eighth Layer of Inscription Realm expert with one sword, every single one of them lost their courage.
Yet, Chu Yu had no intention of letting these people go.
Sweeping the Burning Heaven Sword in an arc, he unleashed a torrent of scorching, razor-sharp sword qi that surged toward them.
Piercing screams rang out as dozens of Inscription Realm powerhouses were slain by the sword qi in a flash.
"What a fine Burning Heaven Sword!"
With a cold look in his eyes, Chu Yu raised his hand and struck with another sword.
"Young hero, spare my life!"
"We have no grievances between us, why must you resort to total slaughter?"
"We don't want any of the treasures here; we only beg you to spare our lives!"
...
The remaining dozens of experts pleaded for mercy, their faces drained of color and driven to near despair.
Swish!
The sword descended nonetheless, and more than half of the remaining people were cut down by the sword qi.
Chu Yu's gaze remained merciless; had his own strength been lacking, these people would not have shown the slightest hesitation when moving in to kill him.
With another flash, two more sword strikes fell, wiping out the final dozen individuals.
Inner calm settling in, Chu Yu took a deep breath. Despite his own heavy injuries, he had gritted his teeth and pushed through to slaughter these hundred-odd Inscription Realm experts.
Yet his harvest was immense: aside from the Burning Heaven Sword, he had obtained over a dozen top-tier Fire Spirit Stones and the storage spirit vessels of a hundred-plus people.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he checked the storage vessels and found quite a few medicinal pills for treating injuries. Consuming them yielded a quite favorable effect.
Having recognized Chu Yu as its master, the Burning Heaven Sword bestowed upon him the Burning Heaven Technique.
Chu Yu began to cultivate the technique. A dense Fire Dao aura swept out from the Burning Heaven Sword, pouring straight into his body.
Within his meridians, the Fire Dao Force grew increasingly potent, gradually manifesting a crimson-red circle hovering above his crown.
This was the precursor to condensing a Dao Wheel!
Before long, the Dao Wheel reached completion!
Boom!
A towering inferno erupted from the Dao Wheel, wildly scorching the air with a terrifying heat capable of melting mountains.
The moment the Dao Wheel formed, Chu Yu's realm and cultivation soared.
Second Layer of Inscription Realm!
Third Layer of Inscription Realm!
He vaulted forward by two entire realms in one go.
"The Dao Wheel is formed. I shall call it the Burning Heaven Dao Wheel!"
Opening his eyes, Chu Yu curled the corner of his mouth into a satisfied smile.
This was his fourth Dao Wheel. The Sky-Swallowing Beast had indeed spoken the truth: having awakened the Primal Ancient Body, the number of Dao Wheels he could condense went far beyond three.
By this time, Chu Yu's injuries had mostly healed. Emerging from the cave, he skinned the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion, selected the finest cuts of meat for roasting, and feasted heartily alongside the Sky-Swallowing Beast.
Being a fierce beast of the Ninth Layer of Inscription Realm with an extraordinary bloodline, its flesh and blood contained a rich vitality, making it a rare medicinal feast.
After eating, Chu Yu could feel that his remaining injuries had healed by more than half. The burn wounds on his skin were beginning to shed, revealing healthier, lustrous skin underneath, as if he had undergone a profound transformation.
Just then, a group of twenty or thirty people appeared in the Crimson Flame Valley, speeding rapidly toward their location.
Spotting Chu Yu, the group quickly surrounded him. Upon seeing the scattered limbs and the corpse of the Purple-Eyed Flame Lion, their expressions shifted to shock.
"Ninth Prince? Shouldn't you be at the King Wu Manor? Why are you here?"
A young woman cried out in alarm, her eyes widening with disbelief.
What made it even more unthinkable was that amidst so many deaths and the fall of a Purple-Eyed Flame Lion, only Chu Yu had survived!
Hadn't the Ninth Prince Chu Yu lost his imperial bone and his shattered Dao Wheel, reducing him to a cripple?
How on earth had he survived this brutal slaughter?
"Lin Wan'er!"
Chu Yu's gaze turned cold. The Lin family was considered a prominent clan in the Chu Kingdom, answering to the Third Prince Chu Lingfeng, and Lin Wan'er was the most brilliant prodigy of the family.
The head of the Lin family even harbored thoughts of marrying Lin Wan'er to Chu Lingfeng as a concubine.
"Are you so surprised that this prince escaped the King Wu Manor?" Chu Yu said.
Lin Wan'er's expression shifted before a fierce look replaced it. "Ninth Prince, since I've run into you after your escape from the King Wu Manor, I have no choice but to invite you back to give the Emperor an explanation!"
"What do you Lin people take yourselves for? What qualifications do you have to arrest this prince?" Chu Yu snapped angrily.
"Ninth Prince, if you refuse, the Lin family will have no choice but to take you back by force!"
Lin Wan'er declared. Capturing the Ninth Prince would be an absolute merit for the Lin family; even if the Emperor of Chu bestowed no reward, the Third Prince Chu Lingfeng would remember their service.
Once Chu Lingfeng ascended the throne, the Lin family could rise in a single bound to become one of the greatest clans in the Chu Kingdom!
"In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Chu Yu said coldly, an intense killing intent radiating from his body.
The next moment!
The Primal Dao Wheel, Samsara Dao Wheel, Swallowing Dao Wheel, and Burning Heaven Dao Wheel all manifested at once, unleashing a terrifying fluctuation that swept wildly across the area.
"These are Dao Wheels?"
"Four... four Dao Wheels?"
"How is this possible? Dual Dao Wheels are already a rarity in this world—how could he manifest four Dao Wheels!"
...
Cries of utter disbelief burst from the members of the Lin family, every single one of them struck with shock!
Chapter 9: News Spreads, The Imperial Capital of Chu Shaken
"Chu Yu, you actually re-condensed your Dao Wheels?"
Lin Wan'er stared with wide eyes, her face filled with sheer disbelief!
A Dao Wheel was the foundation of one's cultivation. Once shattered, the foundation was completely destroyed, making it impossible to re-condense, leaving one confined to the Moulding Self Realm for the rest of their life.
Throughout the Chu Kingdom, even an ordinary person knew this fact.
Not only had Chu Yu re-condensed a Dao Wheel, but four of them had appeared all at once—it sounded like sheer fantasy.
Yet, being a prodigy of the Lin family, Lin Wan'er regained her composure quickly, a murderous intent surging in her eyes. If Chu Yu was not eliminated early on, he would undoubtedly become a grave threat to the Third Prince in the future.
"Since his realm is still low, strike together and kill Chu Yu to prevent any future trouble!" Lin Wan'er commanded.