Chapter Sixty-six: The Forty-sixth Spear Technique—Dominating Tremor

Chapter Sixty-Six: The Mystery of Zhenba’s Origins and the Forty-Six Forms of the Nine-Dragon Halberd

With the misunderstanding between Li Hao and Zhenba resolved, Lin Xueyou finally grasped the general sequence of events. Discovering that Princess Lu Yao remained innocent, she realized her suspicions of the princess had been unfounded. Lin Xueyou’s own tangled, unsavory thoughts were known only to herself and the heavens, with not a soul aware of them. Now that she understood the true cause of everything, she had successfully disguised those shameful notions in her heart, tossing them away as mere rubbish.

At this moment, Lu Yao and Zhenba were deeply shaken upon learning that Li Hao possessed such an extraordinary avatar. Lin Xueyou, observing their surprise, allowed the corners of her lips to curl into a profound smile, thinking, "If you’re so astonished to learn of just one avatar, I wonder how you’d react if you knew Li Hao has eight more roaming outside."

Li Hao simply nodded sincerely, without mentioning the eight other avatars. He said this was merely an avatar, and didn’t clarify whether it was one among several. His words gave the impression there was just one, yet hinted at more, thus misleading Lu Yao and Zhenba, who failed to realize the existence of other avatars.

Earlier, both Li Hao and Zhenba had fought with all their might. Li Hao attacked Zhenba in anger, while Zhenba, having battled three others in half an hour, was already drained, with sixty percent of his strength spent, leaving him powerless against Li Hao. Though Li Hao was five minor realms below Zhenba, the chaotic primordial force infused into his supreme Formless Body compensated for a realm’s gap. With the Nine-Dragon War Halberd assisting him, another gap was bridged. As Li Hao’s realm rose through external support, Zhenba’s fell with ongoing combat. Thus, the battle ended with Zhenba, six realms superior, defeated.

Even so, Zhenba was astonished by Li Hao’s strength. Had Zhenba been at his peak, Li Hao—who had not yet mastered the Nine-Dragon War Halberd techniques—could at best have fought him to a draw. To truly defeat Zhenba at his strongest, Li Hao would have needed to recall all nine avatars. To utterly crush Zhenba, he would have to master the first stage of the Nine-Dragon Halberd: Eighteen Sweeping Forms.

The Nine-Dragon War Halberd comprises forty-six forms, the distilled essence of countless laws comprehended by Lord Liyang over millennia. These forty-six forms are divided into three stages: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The Heaven stage is the Twelve Forms of the Divine Dragon in the Sky; the Earth stage is the Sixteen Forms of the Divine Dragon Entering the Sea; and the Human stage is the Eighteen Sweeping Forms.

These three stages represent three levels. The first level: Eighteen Sweeping Forms. The second: Sixteen Divine Dragon Entering the Sea Forms. The third: Twelve Divine Dragon in the Sky Forms.

The Eighteen Sweeping Forms are: First, Dragon Traverses the Plains; Second, Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail; Third, Divine Dragon Turns Its Head; Fourth, Two Dragons Play with the Pearl; Fifth, Three Dragons Compete; Sixth, Four Dragons Face the Sun; Seventh, Five Dragons Run Side by Side; Eighth, Six Dragons Turn; Ninth, Seven Dragons Dance Wildly; Tenth, Eight Dragons Encircle the Mountain; Eleventh, Nine Dragons Judge; Twelfth, Ten Dragons Descend; Thirteenth, Ten Dragons Travel Together; Fourteenth, Ten Dragons Reveal Themselves; Fifteenth, Ten Dragons Look Back; Sixteenth, Ten Dragons Rage; Seventeenth, Ten Dragons Take Position; Eighteenth, Ten Dragons Unite.

The Sixteen Divine Dragon Entering the Sea Forms are: First, One Dragon Enters the Sea; Second, Two Dragons Play in the Water; Third, Three Dragons in the Shallows; Fourth, Four Dragons Gaze at the Sea; Fifth, Five Dragons Boast; Sixth, Six Dragons Compete; Seventh, Seven Dragons Slash in Fury; Eighth, Eight Dragons Dance Together; Ninth, Nine Dragons Calm the Sea; Tenth, Ten Dragons Shield; Eleventh, Ten Dragons Emerge; Twelfth, Ten Dragons Are Trapped; Thirteenth, Ten Dragons in Purgatory; Fourteenth, Ten Dragons’ Remains; Fifteenth, Ten Dragons Annihilated; Sixteenth, Ten Dragons Destroy the World.

The Twelve Divine Dragon in the Sky Forms are: First, One Dragon Ascends; Second, Two Dragons Play Among Clouds; Third, Three Dragons Trap the Sun; Fourth, Four Dragons’ Heavenly Power; Fifth, Five Dragons’ Heavenly Punishment; Sixth, Six Dragons Encircle the Moon; Seventh, Seven Dragons Share the Sky; Eighth, Eight Dragons Imprison; Ninth, Nine Dragons Question Heaven; Tenth, Ten Dragons Punish Heaven; Eleventh, Ten Thousand Dragons Look Back; Twelfth, Ten Thousand Dragons March Together.

Li Hao, having successfully found Lu Yao—the one he worried about most—felt much relieved. He soon split off more avatars, joining his other eight to search for news of other friends.

Having finished these arrangements, Li Hao said to Lin Xueyou and Lu Yao, “Sister Xueyou, Sister Yao, let’s go together to find our two brothers and Sister Xuemei, as well as Kuihu and the others.”

Lin Xueyou and Lu Yao replied in unison, “Alright.”

Then Li Hao turned to Zhenba, “Brother Zhenba, are you willing to accompany us?”

“Of course, so long as you don’t mind, I’ll join you,” Zhenba replied, his eyes shining like those of a man seeing his beloved. Naturally, Zhenba didn’t fancy Li Hao; rather, after years wandering alone, he wished for like-minded friends. This affection was that of a kindred soul longing for true companionship.

On their journey, Li Hao finally voiced the doubt in his heart, “Brother Zhenba, just call me Li Hao, don’t address me as benefactor. By the way, on the day of registration, I saw you being insulted by several youths. I even mistook you for a servant of the Treasure Palace. Why didn’t you fight back?”

Lin Xueyou, unaware of the prior history between Li Hao and this downtrodden young man, was intrigued by Zhenba. Hearing Li Hao’s question, both she and Lu Yao grew curious about Zhenba’s past, patiently awaiting his answer.

With Li Hao’s words, Zhenba replied, “Then I’ll call you Young Master Li Hao.”

He continued, “Young master, you may not know, but I am not from this place. My homeland is far away, called the Flowing Light Star Domain.”

At this, Zhenba fell into painful memories. Li Hao and his companions noticed his sadness and refrained from pressing further. Zhenba recalled, shook his head, and forced a bitter smile.

His actions puzzled Li Hao, Lin Xueyou, and Lu Yao.

Zhenba proceeded, “About fifteen hundred years ago, I was born in the Flowing Light Star Domain. Back then, humanity ruled over six great clans: the Ice Qilin Clan, the Sacred Fire Tiger Clan, the Illusory Fox Clan, the Dark Dragon Clan, the Flowing Light Roc Clan, and the Earth Martial Clan. The Ice Qilin Clan led the others in growing dissatisfied with human rule. Eventually, the six clans united to pressure humanity, forcing a decisive battle.”

As Zhenba spoke and recalled, Li Hao, Lin Xueyou, and Lu Yao listened with bewilderment, unable to see how this related to the fallen Zhenba before them, yet patiently awaited his explanation. He paused, organized his thoughts, and continued:

“That domain-wide conflict was fought to spare billions in the Flowing Light Star Domain from disaster. It was decided that the outcome would be settled by the strongest at the Realm of Heaven and Earth.

Each clan and humanity selected their champions. To prevent devastation of the domain, they agreed to battle in the cosmic void outside the star domain. The fight lasted six years. Such titans battled earth-shatteringly, but neither side gained the upper hand. When it ended, all returned to the star domain, and the races signed a pact of equality.

Eighty percent of the champions were gravely injured. After the pact, they retreated to their small worlds to heal.

At the domain’s weakest moment, formless, shapeless demons invaded, confusing the hearts of all beings and amplifying their desires until they slaughtered one another, dying unnatural deaths. In ten years, the domain was destroyed. Those strong enough to emerge from seclusion were helpless, unable to trust any being, each fighting alone.

My father was about to succeed his position when disaster struck. Seeing the destruction as inevitable, he fled the Flowing Light Star Domain and met my mother along the way. They ultimately stayed together. After escaping, my father devoted himself to cultivation and reflection.

Later I was born. My father, fearing harm to my mother and me, decided to return alone in search of a way to defeat those formless demons. He left us when I was just born, leaving my mother and me to depend on each other. When I was ten, my mother was harassed by several villains. Determined to die together, she killed three or four of them but sustained incurable wounds. With her constant longing for my father and worry for me, her health worsened.

She passed when I was sixteen, vanishing into nothingness. At the time, I was young, and had just broken through to the Wandering Realm, often bullied and insulted by peers, alone and powerless, unable to contend with the scions of great families.

Whenever I dealt with one, two more would come. If I handled two, three arrived. Eventually, elders backed them, forcing me to survive in humiliation. At eighteen, after killing several bullies, I left the place where my mother died.

Later, as I was pursued, I accidentally drifted into the cosmic void. I felt I would be torn apart by spatial storms; at my limit, a mysterious powerhouse saved me and brought me here.

That mysterious figure asked, ‘Do you wish to return to your Flowing Light Star Domain, find your father, save your world, and fulfill your destiny?’ I replied, ‘Of course, but now I am destitute, staring at the sky day and night, knowing neither my father nor my home. I am as insignificant as an ant; how could I contend with heaven?’

The figure said, ‘If you wish to change your fate, there is a way. In a month, there will be a selection tournament here. Within it lies a great opportunity. Grasp it well, and you may alter your destiny.’

I was curious—how did this mysterious person know everything about me, my father, and the future?

So I asked, ‘Senior, how do you know all this?’ He answered with a cryptic phrase: ‘The workings of heaven cannot be divulged. What you should not know, you will not know. What you should know, you will learn, whether you wish to or not.’

Yes, those were his words.

Li Hao, Lu Yao, and Lin Xueyou found these words equally enigmatic.

I asked him, ‘Why should I trust you?’

He said, ‘Do you have any other choice besides trusting me?’

Thinking it over, I realized he was right. Besides betting on him, I had no alternative. For the sake of success in the tournament, I endured humiliation and caution. My heart was weighed down by countless troubles, feeling powerless, wondering why fate was so cruel. I approached the mysterious stranger with skepticism and little hope, which led to the scene you witnessed that day, young master.

As Zhenba spoke, he felt awkward under the gaze of two beautiful women and a handsome youth. He scratched his head, making matters worse as his hair became a tangled bird’s nest.

He tidied his garments, glanced at the three by his side, and felt even more embarrassed. He alone was dressed in ragged, filthy clothes.