Old Grudge

In less than a week, Qai did indeed emerge from cultivation emitting the initial Sky stage of the Sage realm Qi aura.

Qai was all smiles when he came out of his room.

'From hereon cultivation would be doubly slower,' he said to himself.

It had been a common knowledge in the cultivation world that if a cultivator was able to cross from the Expert to Sage realm, most would only reach the Sky stages in the Sage realm.

That was most probably because most of the known Supreme grade pills would no longer have much effect in the Sky stages of the Sage realm.

And that was why, reaching the Heaven stages of the Sage realm would already be considered fortuitous.

And that was why Emperors were only a handful and crossing that realm was deemed as shaking the heavens.

Qai was thus the fourth Sky stage Sage in the Shu family—the first to reach the stage was Shu Wei followed by Shu Wu and Elder 'Fatty' Lu.

In the Shu family head's case, after Shu Wei broke through to Sage realm after a very long slumber in the Expert realm, his cultivation became unbelievably faster. And at present, he was at the peak of Sky stage. But the two elders, Shu Wu and 'Fatty' Lu, were both in the initial Sky stage like Qai.

"Hmmm," Liu Hei mumbled with a smile upon seeing Qai.

Qai then greeted the spouses and thanked them once again for the miraculous pill. With his current level and age, he could be compared with most disciples of great clans and sects.

"It's about time," Liu Hei said. "Everyone should be ready."

The chief librarian relayed that the plan was simple.

While he would openly challenge the Poison King in a one-on-one death match, his wife would just support him and see to it that none of the clan's lackeys do some dirty tricks.

And by the time many in the Black Shadow Clan would come and watch, Qai and his group would go the the clan's prison cells and stables first and release all the demonic beasts.

That way, chaos would ensue in the territory as the demonic beasts would undoubtedly go on a rampage. And only by then, that Qai and his group could safely infiltrate the main palace and look for the recipe.

Qai quickly agreed with the plan and wished Liu Hei the best of luck in facing off the famed Poison King.

"You don't have to worry about me," Liu Hei said. "When we first exchanged blows with him, I was still a half-step Emperor."

The old chief librarian then grinned and glanced at his wife.

"He had no idea what my Emperor skill is," he said.

Thereafter, their group started preparing all the necessary healing and support pills they might need. And when everything was ready, they proceeded to the 'Shadow' territory that same day.

***************

"Quick," a Black Shadow Clan cultivator nervously exclaimed. "Tell the elders an Emperor is causing some trouble outside."

The Black Shadow Clan had only two Emperors—and the few elders they had were mostly in Heaven stages of the Sage realm.

And if not because of the backing of a major sect, the Black Shadow Clan's total power would only be equal with many of the other clans in the city.

At present, the other emperor of the clan was not in Sun City. And that was why, the sudden appearance of a mid Earth stage Emperor, and making a ruckus at that, was indeed troublesome.

Outside the walls of the clan's territory, Liu Hei had been wreaking havoc with some of the clan's elites.

'Wabooom.'

"Bring your Sect Master here," Liu Hei angrily yelled.

'Baaaaaam.'

"Tell him I am challenging him to a death match."

All the Sky stage sages trying to contain Liu Hei could not stop him.

'Baaaaaaam,' 'baaaaaaaam.'

Being an emperor, even Liu Hei's normal sword attacks imbued with Void element were obviously not something to be ignored.

It should also be noted that long after the spouses left their clan, Liu Hei, unlike his wife, no longer pursued the 'Forgery' cultivation path—he only equipped up to 'Profound Forgery' skill. Meaning, all his Sage realm skills were no longer occupational skills.

But even without exposing any offensive skills, all the elites fighting against Liu Hei were clearly outmatched.

Eversince, Liu Hei broke through to mid Earth stage of the Emperor realm, he felt that his strength was doubled. But that was really the case in the Emperor realm—every level was like a different 'stage' altogether. And that was why, Liu Hei finally had the courage to challenge the Poison King since they were now equal in terms of strength.

"Tell your coward master to show himself."

'Wabaaam.'

Against few Sky stage Sages, it was as if the old emperor were simply toying with them.

"Who dares invade in my Black Shadow Clan."

The Poison King, Teng Gui, finally appeared.

"At last..," Liu Hei suddenly stopped attacking, "..you showed yourself."

The Poison King intently looked at the figure of the intruder and eventually realized who it was.

"Ah," Teng Gui sarcastically said. "If it isn't my old 'friend' Liu Hei.. aren't you courting death!?"

"Hmmp," Liu Hei harrumphed. "I have an old grudge to settle."