Firmament Sword

Xu Luo traveled across the Sect Continent with Huo Wanchong and the other two. Along the way, they encountered many others who had also come from the Ancient Race Continent. The four of them kept a low profile, wearing bamboo hats that made it difficult for others to see their faces. As a result, no one recognized them as members of the Huo Family.

Despite this, Huo Wanchong and the other two still looked grim. They felt no goodwill toward these people who also hailed from the Ancient Race Continent.

Xu Luo, however, was perfectly calm. He didn’t care how many people came. As long as he could find the opportunity to awaken his Dubhe Star Soul, he would ensnare and kill them all, even if twice as many showed up!

”Everyone says Beidou’s Eighth Star is on the Sect Continent, but we’ve been traveling all this time and I haven’t heard a single piece of news about it. Instead, all these people from the Ancient Race Continent are flocking here...” Huo Wanchong grumbled with a frustrated look.

”Heh, Beidou’s Eighth Star may be bold, but with things being so tense right now, he won’t show himself easily. We just need to wait for news from the Ancestor’s divination,” Huo Wanyu said from the side.

”Every time the Ancestor performs a divination, it takes a great toll on him. To be honest, I don’t want to rely on him completely,” Xu Luo said, his expression grave.

Huo Wanhua sneered inwardly, thinking: ’You’re no saint yourself. You’re just using the Ancestor’s divination ability for your own benefit. What’s the point of saying all these nice things in front of us?’

Of course, Xu Luo didn’t care what Huo Wanhua was thinking. He had to maintain his image as a model disciple of the Huo Family. That way, no matter what happened, he would always have a way to defend himself.

”By the way, Young Master Feng, has the Ancestor given you any more news recently?” Huo Wanchong asked, looking at Xu Luo.

Xu Luo shook his head slightly. ”Performing a divination isn’t so easy. Besides... do you really think the Ancestor, who has lived for countless years, wouldn’t consider something that even we can easily figure out?”

”Are you saying... the Ancestor might suspect us... of taking Beidou’s Eighth Star for ourselves?” Huo Wanchong’s expression turned solemn.

Huo Wanyu and Huo Wanhua also looked uneasy. Indeed, faced with Beidou’s Eighth Star, anyone would be tempted by selfish desires. How could the old Ancestor, who had lived for so long, not think of something so simple?

”So, by your meaning, Young Master Feng... is it possible the Ancestor has other arrangements?” Huo Wanyu asked quietly from the side.

Xu Luo nodded. ”Naturally. That’s why I said, if possible, we don’t have to rely on the Ancestor. Since Beidou’s Eighth Star is on the Sect Continent... he’s bound to show up sooner or later!”

”In that case... does this mean we won’t be getting any useful information from the Ancestor?” Huo Wanhua’s face fell. He had been sticking close to Huo Feng precisely... to be the first to get news about Beidou’s Eighth Star. But now, that seemed like a vain hope.

Xu Luo glanced at Huo Wanhua and said lightly, ”That’s not certain. We’re all disciples of the Huo Family, after all. The Ancestor will still give us the information we’re meant to have.”

Huo Wanhua’s eyebrow twitched. ”Why don’t we split up to search?” he suggested. ”We can agree on a way to stay in touch and contact each other periodically. If you get any news, Young Master Feng, you can notify us at any time, and we’ll regroup.”

Huo Wanyu and Huo Wanchong were both hesitant. Huo Wanchong said, ”I don’t think that’s a good idea. Among the experts who came from the Ancient Race Continent this time, many are stronger than us. If we split up, I’m afraid Young Master Feng... won’t be safe.”

”That’s right. Our main mission is to protect Young Master Feng. Beidou’s Eighth Star is important, but protecting Young Master Feng... is even more important!” Huo Wanyu added.

To these two, obtaining Beidou’s Eighth Star would be for the best, but if they couldn’t... then sticking close to Huo Feng became the most important thing. Once Huo Feng rose to power in the future, their own status... would immediately rise with the tide!

This point was clear to Huo Wanchong, Huo Wanyu, and even Huo Wanhua, who harbored other ideas in his heart.

It was just that Huo Wanchong and Huo Wanyu placed more importance on Huo Feng, while Huo Wanhua valued Beidou’s Eighth Star more!

Huo Wanhua was an ambitious man, but for many years, he had kept this ambition deeply hidden in his heart, never letting it show.

In the Huo Family, he was from a side branch. Even if he cultivated to the supreme Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm, it would be difficult for him to ever truly become part of the Huo Family’s core. At most, he could serve a term as an Elder, and then his descendants would remain a side branch... always a side branch!

But if he could find Beidou’s Eighth Star and refine it... he could step directly into the Saint Realm!

At that time, even if the Ancestor knew he had refined Beidou’s Eighth Star, for the sake of the family, he wouldn’t do anything to him!

After all, what’s done would be done. Killing him would be pointless, but keeping him alive would raise the Huo Family’s overall strength by a huge margin!

And once he stepped into the Saint Realm... who in the entire Huo Family would dare look down on him, Huo Wanhua, just because he was from a side branch?

Then, whether they were the Patriarch or the Elders, wouldn’t they all have to be subservient before him? His descendants... would be the direct lineage of the Huo Family!

Who would dare deny it?

Deep down, Huo Wanhua didn’t believe a word Huo Feng said. He believed that since Huo Feng was so favored by the Ancestor, he must have received information about the general location of Beidou’s Eighth Star.

The only reason he wasn’t saying anything was because he wanted to take it all for himself!

’It must be so!’

Therefore, Huo Wanhua had proposed this suggestion. He wanted to secretly follow Huo Feng. Then, the moment he found out where Beidou’s Eighth Star was, he would kill Huo Feng immediately!

’Without a trace, who would dare say Huo Feng’s death had anything to do with me?’

With his plan laid out in his mind, Huo Wanhua smiled and said to Huo Wanchong and Huo Wanyu, ”I think you’re both worrying too much. The entire Sect Continent is in a state of panic right now, with everyone searching for traces of Beidou’s Eighth Star. Besides, not many people on the Ancient Race Continent have actually seen Young Master Feng, but plenty of people know us. So, if we’re talking about danger, Young Master Feng is actually in more danger with us around!”

These words made both Huo Wanchong and Huo Wanyu fall silent.

He was right. On the Ancient Race Continent, many people knew the three of them from the ”Wan” generation, but very few had actually seen Huo Feng.

By now, almost everyone knew that the Huo Family was the first to search for Beidou’s Eighth Star. If they wanted to find the star, they first had to find someone from the Huo Family.

Although they had been wearing bamboo hats to hide their faces, everyone knew this wasn’t a long-term solution. Once their identities were exposed, danger... would follow close behind!

”Wan Huo has a point,” Xu Luo said. ”Why don’t we split up for now? It’s not like we’ve heard anything from the Ancestor anyway. When I get some news, it won’t be too late to contact you then.”

”If that’s the case, then let’s plan to meet up in one of these cities.” Huo Wanchong pointed to a map of the Sect Continent and suggested to Huo Feng.

”Alright.” Xu Luo glanced at it, saw that the cities were all in a line, and nodded slightly. ”Then you three take care as well!”

”You too, Young Master Feng!” the three men said in unison.

Then, the four of them parted ways. Xu Luo watched the three men disappear, thought for a moment, and then quickly departed in another direction.

...

Meanwhile, after circling around, Huo Wanhua returned to the place where the four had separated. He focused his senses there for a moment, then sped off in the direction Xu Luo had disappeared.

Xu Luo wasn’t moving very fast. He was waiting for Huo Wanhua.

Xu Luo knew that Huo Wanhua would definitely come back for him!

From the very beginning, Xu Luo had never trusted anyone from the Huo Family, including Huo Wanchong and Huo Wanyu. The two of them seemed loyal only because their desires were different!

If they had the same ambition as Huo Wanhua, he believed they wouldn’t hesitate to discard any feelings of kinship.

As for Huo Wanhua, Xu Luo didn’t particularly hate him, but he certainly didn’t like him either. It was impossible for Xu Luo to have any goodwill toward the Huo Family.

Xu Luo’s original plan was to find an opportunity to make the three Huo Family members fight with others from the Ancient Race Continent. That way, with countless witnesses, their deaths would have nothing to do with him.

But he hadn’t expected Huo Wanhua to be so treacherous, targeting him this early on.

”Trying to take advantage of me comes at a great price,” Xu Luo muttered to himself as he walked slowly.

As Xu Luo walked, he intermittently left behind traces of his aura—not so strong as to arouse Huo Wanhua’s suspicion, but not so weak that he’d be afraid of Huo Wanhua losing his trail.

Huo Wanhua appeared even sooner than he had expected.

”Hehe, Young Master Feng, you’re not moving very fast, are you? And... your skill at concealing your aura is really quite poor. It seems there’s something fishy about you managing to escape from Beidou’s Eighth Star so many times!” Huo Wanhua’s triumphant voice came from behind Xu Luo.

Xu Luo turned around, a surprised expression on his face as he looked at Huo Wanhua. ”Wan Huo... why are you here? What... what do you mean by that?”

”Shut your mouth! You... a spoiled brat, a wet-behind-the-ears child, you dare call me by my name? You’re not worthy!” Huo Wanhua’s face was stern as he stared coldly at Xu Luo. ”What do I mean? My meaning is simple! Either die, or obediently answer my questions and cooperate with me!”

”Huo Wanhua, you’ve gone too far! A mere member of a Huo Family side branch dares to speak to me like this? Do you... have no regard for the family laws? Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you to the Ancestor?” Xu Luo’s face darkened as he stared coldly at Huo Wanhua.

At the mention of the Ancestor, Huo Wanhua’s expression stiffened for a moment. Then, he gave a cold laugh. ”Report me? Heh... you’d have to get the chance first, Young Master Feng. Since I dared to do this, it proves I have enough confidence! And don’t expect anyone to come save you. Huo Wanchong and Huo Wanyu... I’ve already killed them!”

”What?” This time, Xu Luo was genuinely stunned. His brows knitted together as he stared at Huo Wanhua. ”I don’t believe you!”

”You don’t believe me?” Huo Wanhua sneered. Then, he pulled two corpses from his Storage Ring and tossed them in front of Xu Luo. ”Then what are these?”