Invincible Over the World

16: Chapter 16: Breaking through Fourth-Stage 16: Chapter 16: Breaking through Fourth-Stage Just as he approached the body of the Big Flower Python, the Soul-devouring Purple Monkey leaped onto the python’s head and, with a swipe of its claws, tore open a blood hole and extracted a small earthy-yellow bead.

Seeing this earthy-yellow bead, Huang Xiaolong’s eyes widened.

A Demon Core?!

Generally speaking, there was only a one in ten-thousand chance for middle-level demon beasts to condense a Demon Core; only those above the seventh rank, high-level demon beasts, were guaranteed to have one.

And yet, there was one inside this fourth-stage Big Flower Python!

This fourth-stage Demon Core, if sold on the market, was worth at least two or three hundred Gold Coins.

At this moment, the Soul-devouring Purple Monkey came to the Big Flower Python’s belly and once again dug out two thumb-sized, disgustingly green items with a swipe of its claws.

Snake Gallbladder!

Huang Xiaolong’s eyes shone brightly.

The gallbladder of a fourth-stage demon beast like the Big Flower Python was a great tonic, which when ingested, not only could enhance one’s Fighting Energy but also strengthen the body!

The Soul-devouring Purple Monkey dug out the snake gallbladders and handed them to Huang Xiaolong.

Giving a squeaky smile, the monkey then opened its mouth and swallowed the fourth-stage Demon Core just like that.

“Ate it?!” Huang Xiaolong exclaimed in surprise.

A demon beast’s Demon Core, which accumulated the beast’s Demon Essence Power, was not pure Demon Essence Power; it had to be combined with other Spiritual Medicines and refined into a pill before it could be safely ingested.

If a cultivator directly consumed it, the violent Demon Essence Power would cause their body to explode and die.

But now, this little Soul-devouring Purple Monkey managed to swallow the Demon Core directly without any problems!

Huang Xiaolong was somewhat speechless.

After a while, he turned his head back to look at the several-hundred-pound body of the Big Flower Python on the ground, thought for a moment, and then, without dealing with it, took the Soul-devouring Purple Monkey and returned to the Huang Family Manor.

Back at the Huang Family Manor, Huang Xiaolong had the manor guards buy some wine.

He then broke open the snake gallbladders, mixed them with the wine, and drank the concoction.

After it went down, it was initially ice-cold, but then a warm current surged continuously.

Huang Xiaolong quickly started to circulate the Asura Technique to refine the medicinal power of the snake gallbladders.

A night passed.

When Huang Xiaolong woke up, his eyes brightened with joy.

His cultivation of Fighting Energy had greatly improved overnight, the effect of one snake gallbladder equating to half a month of his strenuous cultivation.

Huang Xiaolong had a feeling that his breakthrough to the fourth stage was imminent!

The barrier to the fourth stage was thinning, and he could break through at any moment.

He got up from the Cold Jade Bed and, just as he had put away the bed into the Asura Ring, he heard the voice of his younger sister Huang Min outside the courtyard, “Big brother, big brother!”

Huang Xiaolong was slightly surprised; it had just begun to dawn, and his little sister was already looking for him, so he wondered what it was about as he walked out from his room.

“Big brother, father and mother want you to go to the Main Hall,” said Huang Min as she came in.

“The Main Hall!” Huang Xiaolong was puzzled.

The family only gathered there to discuss major matters.

Exiting the courtyard, Huang Xiaolong arrived at the Main Hall and saw that his parents were already there, as well as his uncle Huang Ming, Huang Wei, and all the family elders.

As Huang Xiaolong entered, everyone in the Great Hall looked his way, their expressions varied, and Huang Wei glared at Huang Xiaolong with venomous hatred.

“Father, mother,” Huang Xiaolong greeted as he approached Huang Peng and Su Yan, and then he sat down.

Huang Peng and Su Yan looked at their son, nodding with smiling eyes.

Just then, outside the hall, Huang Qide and Li Mu entered, followed by Li Mu’s granddaughter Li Lu.

Seeing Li Mu and Li Lu, Huang Xiaolong had a hunch about the matter.

Sure enough, after Grandfather Huang Qide took his seat, he glanced around the Great Hall and then began with a smile, “Today, I have gathered everyone here to tell you that from now on, our Huang Family Manor and the Li Family shall be joined by a marriage alliance.”

“Betrothal,” there was a small commotion in the Great Hall, yet the crowd was not very surprised since rumors of the matter had already spread.

Upon hearing this, Huang Wei’s face lit up with joy; then, Huang Qide followed up with a smile, “That’s right, it’s our Huang Family Manor’s Huang Wei and the Li Family’s Li Lu’s engagement.”

All the elders in the hall stood up, “Congratulations, Manor Master!”

“No, I don’t agree!” Suddenly, a voice rang out.

The abrupt sound startled everyone, and as they turned to look, it was none other than Li Lu, who was sitting beside Li Mu.

“Lu’er, you!” Li Mu was about to scold her when Li Lu spoke again, “No, Grandfather, I don’t like this Huang Wei!” As she said this, she suddenly turned her head to point at Huang Xiaolong, “I like him; if I’m to be engaged, I want to be engaged to him!”

Suddenly, the Great Hall fell dead silent.

Expressions on people’s faces became varied and colorful.

Huang Ming and Huang Wei, who had just been smiling, now had their smiles freeze awkwardly, their faces looking as unpleasant as could be, especially Huang Wei, whose complexion turned red with rage as he stared at Huang Xiaolong, his eyes filled with a hatred that seemed as if he wanted to devour Huang Xiaolong whole.

Huang Xiaolong was equally astonished as he looked at Li Lu, who was pointing at him.

“Absurd!” After a moment of astonishment, Li Mu shouted angrily.

Li Lu pouted her lips, her eyes firm, “Grandfather, I’m not being absurd; I’m serious, I like him!” Li Lu looked at Huang Xiaolong, “He looked so handsome when he was fighting!”

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaolong and the rest couldn’t help but feel torn between laughter and embarrassment; just because Huang Xiaolong looked handsome beating up Huang Wei at yesterday’s annual gathering, did Li Lu now ‘like’ Huang Xiaolong and refuse to marry anyone but him?!

Li Mu was also at a loss whether to laugh or cry, but no matter how much he scolded, Li Lu insisted on choosing Huang Xiaolong, not Huang Wei.

“Brother Qide, this…!” In the end, Li Mu looked helplessly at Huang Qide.

This matter had already been decided, and announcing it now was just a formality, but now!

After pondering for a moment, Huang Qide replied with a smile, “Then let’s wait another two years.”

Li Mu nodded; that was all he could do.

Seeing that the matter was ‘ruined’ by Huang Xiaolong, Huang Wei glared at him with even more venom in his eyes, while Huang Xiaolong sat there with an indifferent expression.

He was well aware of Huang Wei’s hatred towards him, but he didn’t take it to heart.

After a while, the crowd dispersed.

Huang Xiaolong left the Main Hall and parted ways with his parents, returning to his own courtyard to continue his cultivation, eager to see what Soul Skill he would acquire after his Martial Soul’s first transformation upon breaking through to the Fourth-stage.

Soon, five days passed.

That night, Huang Xiaolong sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed, operating the Asura Technique while Nine Netherworld Dark Energy surged down continuously from the void, and his Two-headed Snake Martial Soul fervently devoured it.

The Nine Netherworld Fighting Qi roared through his meridians, assaulting the Fourth-stage barrier over and over.

Just like his previous Second Rank and Third Rank breakthroughs, persistent cultivation efforts finally tore a gap in the Fourth-stage barrier, which then widened.

Fourth-stage breakthrough!

However, as Huang Xiaolong achieved his Fourth-stage breakthrough, suddenly, his Two-headed Snake Martial Soul’s light intensively brightened, and streams of blue and black light shot towards the heavens.

An odd cry, resembling yet not resembling a dragon’s roar, echoed as the heads of the Two-headed Snake Martial Soul split apart, turning into a blue snake and a black snake!

No, to be precise, they were not blue and black snakes because after the split, both creatures grew four claws under their bellies, and their scales had transformed, appearing like Dragon Scales.