Chapter 374: Advancing the Celestial Cloud Sword
Chapter 374: Advancing the Celestial Cloud Sword
A crimson blade light erupted from the courtyard where Li Wu had landed.
The slash extended over a thousand meters, dyeing the sky within a radius of several kilometers in a crimson hue.
After the blade light faded, the Earth Bear and the Ninth Apostle who had stood in its path were utterly annihilated, leaving nothing behind.
The might of a single strike was truly terrifying!
Of course, such a terrifying strike did not come without a cost.
The price was that Li Wu had almost depleted the energy he had extracted from Tsukimaki Kouraku's body.
And since this energy belonged to someone else, unless he could find another Tsukimaki Kouraku to draw from, he couldn't regenerate it.
In other words, after such a terrifying strike, Li Wu would most likely be unable to execute another one.
However, Li Wu still considered it a worthwhile trade.
Using Tsukimaki Kouraku's energy to take out two Peak Rank King-level opponents was a fair deal.
The only regret Li Wu had was that the Ninth Apostle died too cleanly, leaving nothing behind.
After expending such a significant cost and defeating such a formidable opponent, the lack of dropped equipment made Li Wu feel a bit disappointed.
"Hmm, that's odd. This guy was the highest leader of Region 12.
Now that I've cut her down, it means there shouldn't be anyone stronger than her in Region 12, right?"
Li Wu's eyes lit up with realization.
If that was the case, could he do as he pleased in Region 12? With this thought, Li Wu turned to search for someone nearby.
Soon, Li Wu locked his gaze onto Number 67, whose legs were trembling as he tried to escape.
Seeing himself targeted again, Number 67 shuddered, his smile looking even worse than a cry.
He never imagined that after enduring until the Ninth Apostle arrived, she would be cut down by Li Wu immediately.
Now, just as he had regained his freedom, he was once again in Li Wu's grasp.
Li Wu, having captured Number 67 again, didn't bother with idle chatter.
He swiftly killed everyone around except for Number 67, then pulled him along.
"Let's go. Take me to your Region 12 headquarters."
What could Number 67 say at this moment? What could he possibly say? He obediently led Li Wu to the Zero Organization's base in Region 12.
On the way there, Number 67, in a desperate attempt to save his life, resumed his previous fawning demeanor.
He flattered Li Wu incessantly.
"Your might is unparalleled, sir. I knew from the start that the Ninth Apostle was no match for you.
Even a half-step Epic like the Ninth Apostle couldn't withstand your power. You're not far from becoming an Epic-level powerhouse yourself."
"However, Epic-level powerhouses are not uncommon within the Zero Organization. The Five Grand Apostles are all Epic-level, and even among the Apostles, there are many of that caliber.
Killing the Ninth Apostle might cause some trouble when the news spreads.
You might need my help.
I know the Ninth Apostle's communication method with headquarters, and I'm willing to buy you some time."
...
Indeed, Number 67 was repeating the same act he had performed earlier.
Despite having been fooled once before, Li Wu's face remained cheerful, and he readily agreed.
This assurance made Number 67 feel more secure, and he worked even harder to assist Li Wu.
He became the most qualified guide, leading Li Wu on a six-hour journey at full speed to the Zero Organization's headquarters in Region 12. Number 67 facilitated Li Wu's smooth entry through the layers of security checks, bringing him to the Ninth Apostle's office.
"Sir, this is the den of that Ninth Apostle woman. She usually works and cultivates here. Unless there's something urgent, she rarely leaves this place."
Number 67 spoke with utmost respect.
Li Wu nodded and walked in with Number 67.
Upon entering the den, Li Wu was taken aback.
He was surprised by both the den's interior design and what he saw inside.
From the decor, the place didn't resemble the lair of a sinister organization's leader; instead, it felt more like a young woman's love nest.
The space was not large but was adorned with a warm and elegant touch, making it exceptionally comfortable.
Not only was Li Wu surprised, but even Number 67 was taken aback upon entering, as this was his first time inside, and he had never known that the cruel and ruthless Ninth Apostle had such a gentle side, like a young woman's heart.
What puzzled Li Wu even more was a group photo hanging in the den.
Li Wu recognized both individuals in the photo.
The woman, needless to say, was the Ninth Apostle, whom Li Wu had just cut down, leaving not a hair behind.
The other person was even more familiar to Li Wu.
In the photo, he appeared much younger and more handsome, his eyes deep and seemingly carrying a hint of unshakable sorrow, and even a trace of unspoken apology.
Needless to say, this was none other than Li Wu's old man.
Seeing this photo, Li Wu's mind went blank.
"What should I do? I think I just killed my dad's old flame."
Li Wu was a bit flustered and worried about what would happen if his old man found out.
But then, he had a thought.
Wait a minute, this doesn't seem to be his fault, does it? Lu Wu is the victim here.
It was that woman who made the first move.
Besides, a man without a son, no matter how many previous wives he had, should be less important, right? Lu Wu tried to reassure himself, but he still felt uneasy. So, he went to remove the photo.
If something were to happen in the future, this might just save his life.
Hmm, the first gain from exploring the old nest.
Evidence of Lu's scandalous past!
After taking the photo, Lu Wu's keen eyes meticulously scanned the entire old nest.
As a man who had experienced near-death, his eyes were the ultimate treasure-hunting tool, capable of seeing through anything.
With the help of these eyes, Lu Wu quickly discovered a secret room within the 9th Apostle's old nest.
The secret room seemed to serve both as a treasure storage and an office.
Inside, Lu Wu found some of the 9th Apostle's cherished treasures and some confidential files of the Zero Organization.
"Not a bad haul!"
It must be said that as the former head of Region 12, the 9th Apostle had accumulated considerable wealth.
Among the items, Lu Wu found a book, a 1619 version of a book, and a look that couldn't be wrong!
There were over ten items hidden in this secret room, but to Lu Wu's disappointment, most were related to evil energy. Only two items seemed unrelated.
A bone and a ring.
...
Name: Unknown Skeleton
Grade: Epic
Description: A bone that has condensed energy from an epic-level summoned beast. It is an excellent material, possibly beneficial for your little skeleton.
...
"Oh right, I do have a little skeleton at home."
Lu Wu remembered this attribute and recalled that he indeed had a little skeleton.
"Come to think of it, it's been so long since I last saw it. I actually miss it a little."
Despite having forgotten about it for a long time, Lu Wu didn't feel the slightest embarrassment as he spoke.
He put the bone into his pocket and then examined the ring's attributes.
...
Name: Broken Space Ring
Grade: Golden
Description: A broken and unusable space ring, extremely difficult to repair. It's basically useless.
...
This dampened Lu Wu's excitement.
The 9th Apostle had treasured this ring.
Lu Wu had thought it was something valuable, but it turned out to be just a useless golden-grade item.
"Why would she hide such trash?"
As Lu Wu pondered this, the system provided an answer.
PS: The ring seems to be imbued with the energies of land, sea, and sky.
Ah, Lu Wu now understood the situation.
"What a scumbag!"
Lu Wu spat and took the ring to examine it.
He needed a space ring, so he decided to see if it could be repaired.
"It's challenging, but not impossible."
Lu Wu searched among the items related to evil energy and found a metal piece. He absorbed the evil energy from it, leaving the 67th Apostle stunned. Then, Lu Wu used a tempering skill he had obtained from Sun Kong, a skill he hadn't used in a long time.
After about half an hour, Lu Wu managed to repair the ring and even improve its quality significantly.
"Done!"
After finishing, Lu Wu put everything from the secret room and his own belongings into the space ring, completing his exploration of the 9th Apostle's old nest.
Once he was done, Lu Wu turned his gaze upon the 67th Apostle.
The 67th Apostle shuddered under Lu Wu's calm gaze.
"Master, please don't kill me. You still need..."
"Pfft!"
Before the 67th Apostle could finish his plea, Lu Wu swiftly beheaded him with a single sword strike.
"Sorry, but you know too much."
After dispatching the 67th Apostle, Lu Wu did not immediately leave the base. Instead, he took out two divine weapons, the Celestial Thundercloud Sword and the Flowing Blade of Fire.
"Things have escalated to this point, so I might as well go all out."
Lu Wu began to work.
He activated the Celestial Thundercloud Sword to absorb the energy of the Flowing Blade of Fire.
This task was challenging, as the Flowing Blade of Fire was an epic-level sacred artifact.
Even though its owner was dead and the sword itself was in a state of unconsciousness, there was still a two-level gap between it and the Lord-level Celestial Thundercloud Sword.
When Lu Wu started the absorption, he felt immense pressure.
In the past, absorbing the energy of a sacred artifact with the Celestial Thundercloud Sword was like using a giant straw to suck up a drink.
Now, it was like using a tiny straw, one that was also pinched, making the process extremely difficult.
Fortunately, Lu Wu had a hidden ace up his sleeve—the energy of Tsukimaki Koura.
Although the previous sword strike had depleted most of Koura's energy, there was still a tiny bit left.
With this remaining energy, Lu Wu managed to deceive the Flowing Blade of Fire into releasing its energy, allowing the Celestial Thundercloud Sword to absorb it.
Once the Flowing Blade of Fire opened up, massive amounts of energy began to flow into the Celestial Thundercloud Sword.
The once-dull sword began to regain its brilliance...
(End of Chapter)
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