Chapter 225: The Strongest Man

Chapter 225: Chapter 225: The Strongest Man

With Yi Xiaoyao’s declaration, "The Cloud Transformation Sect is no more," everyone could finally let go of the anxiety that had been plaguing them since the beginning.

It was finally over!

This thrilling, world-shaking battle finally drew to a close with the felling of the Cloud Transformation Sect’s experts, one after another.

After the battle, the more than four hundred Golden Core Realm Peak Yin Corpses all knelt in unison, paying homage to Yi Xiaoyao, who hovered in the sky above.

"From this day forward, we pledge to follow you, Sir!"

These Yin Corpses understood that to ordinary people, they were nothing but monsters. Even if they left the Ancient Tomb Space, they would never be able to integrate into human society. It was far better to follow someone as powerful as Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao was rather surprised. When he brought these Yin Corpses out, he had promised them their freedom after they completed a single task. He never expected them all to want to follow him.

After all, these four hundred Yin Corpses were all at the Golden Core Realm Peak. Such a force was a terrifying prospect in the Great Shang Dynasty. One could only imagine how powerful they would be if they formed their own faction.

However, Yi Xiaoyao’s ambitions did not lie here. ’Next, I’m going to the Great Xia Empire to find Yun Mengling. These Golden Core Realm experts will be nothing there. I might as well leave them here.’

"There is no need for you to follow me. However, you are welcome to establish your own sect here in Cloud Transformation Valley."

Yi Xiaoyao said to the assembled Yin Corpses, "But you must not bring harm to the mortal world. Otherwise, the fate of the Cloud Transformation Sect today will be your fate in the future."

The Yin Corpses voiced their assent in unison and then asked Yi Xiaoyao to choose a leader from among them.

A flock can’t be without a leader. Yi Xiaoyao naturally understood this, but it still posed a difficult problem for him.

Just as Yi Xiaoyao was agonizing over the decision, a familiar voice called out from the crowd below.

"Me! Sir, I’ll be their leader!"

The crowd parted to form a path, and Corpse Nineteen squeezed through, shouting up to Yi Xiaoyao with a grin.

Yi Xiaoyao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "Corpse Nineteen, haven’t you already returned to the Bo Family?"

"Sir, don’t even get me started!"

Corpse Nineteen looked exasperated, then gave a bitter smile. "My younger brother... he’s a stubborn old fossil now. He actually lectured me—his own older brother—as if I were his grandson!"

"Times have changed. I suppose I can’t go back. So, birds of a feather, you know? I figured I might as well come here and try my hand at being a leader."

Having said his piece, Corpse Nineteen looked at Yi Xiaoyao with an eager, ingratiating smile.

Yi Xiaoyao shook his head with a smile. He could just imagine how the old ancestor of the Bo Family must have lectured Corpse Nineteen.

’Still, this works out well. No matter what, Corpse Nineteen is connected to a major power like the Bo Family. That gives him some backing. He’s the most suitable person to lead this group of Yin Corpses.’

"Very well! From this day on, Cloud Transformation Valley shall be renamed Yinfeng Valley, and the position of Valley Master shall be filled by Corpse Nineteen!" Yi Xiaoyao announced to everyone below.

He wasn’t just announcing this to the Yin Corpses. He was announcing it to the whole world. The Cloud Transformation Sect, and even Cloud Transformation Valley itself, were now gone for good.

Now, there was no Cloud Transformation Valley. There was only Yinfeng Valley.

As the Yin Corpses accepted their new roles, the vast crowd of cultivators gathered there erupted into a storm of excited discussion.

They had all witnessed the annihilation of the Cloud Transformation Sect and the birth of Yinfeng Valley. None of them could forget the world-shaking battle, and they all struggled to calm their racing hearts.

Only at dusk did the cultivators, who had come from far and wide, begin to disperse.

The very next day, news of the battle exploded across the entire Great Shang Dynasty. From the highest-ranking ancestors of the great powers to the common folk—men, women, and children—everyone knew that the Cloud Transformation Sect had been annihilated.

"That Yi Xiaoyao, he cleaved a giant mountain with a single slash, strode into the Cloud Transformation Sect, and with a wave of his hand, summoned over four hundred Golden Core Peak subordinates who slaughtered the sect’s disciples to the last man!"

"Then, Yi Xiaoyao soared into the sky! With his Cultivation at the First Realm of the Nascent Soul Realm, he slew every last one of the Cloud Transformation Sect’s Nascent Soul experts. He even killed three of the sect’s old monsters, all of whom were at the Ninth Realm of the Nascent Soul Realm!"

...

In taverns, on the streets, in back alleys, within sect walls... conversations like this could be heard everywhere.

In every location, someone who had witnessed the world-shaking battle would be describing it in vivid detail, surrounded by a large, captivated audience listening with expressions of sheer excitement and fervor.

"What? Yi Xiaoyao single-handedly wiped out the number one sect, the Cloud Transformation Sect?"

"Gods! That’s unbelievable!"

"From what I’ve heard, that Yi Xiaoyao is only eighteen years old, but he’s already reached the First Realm of the Nascent Soul Realm in his Cultivation!"

"And he did it while only at the First Realm of the Nascent Soul Realm! He killed ten of the Cloud Transformation Sect’s Nascent Soul Realm experts, and three of them were even at the Ninth Realm!"

"So young and so powerful... he’s a demonic genius!"

Everyone who heard the tale of the battle was left reeling, their faces a mixture of utter disbelief and fervent excitement.

"Ruoxue, what are you spacing out about?"

A young man nudged Tang Ruoxue, who was standing beside him, after listening to the story of Yi Xiaoyao’s battle.

Then, his face filled with awe and excitement, the young man grinned at Tang Ruoxue. "That Yi Xiaoyao... he’s my hero! From now on, he’s my goal. I’m going to work toward his level, step by step, and get stronger!"

Tang Ruoxue looked at the young man, who was nearly bursting with frenzied excitement, and her own expression was complicated.

At this moment, she couldn’t even begin to fathom what, exactly, she had missed out on.

...

Legends may fade with the passage of time, but Yi Xiaoyao’s battle was destined to be eternal.

For this world-shaking battle had been recorded in the historical annals of the Great Shang Dynasty, to be told and retold for a thousand ages.

Furthermore, the annals lauded Yi Xiaoyao as the most demonic genius the Great Shang Dynasty had seen in a thousand years, and its strongest man!

"The strongest man in the Great Shang Dynasty!"

Yi Xiaoyao gazed at the title in the annals, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Then, his gaze shot toward the heavens, the glint in his eyes seeming to pierce the sky itself. "One day, I will become the strongest man in the world!"

"Haha, I guess that makes us pretty lucky, being brothers and friends with the ’future strongest man in the world’!"

Jin Sanbao and the others, who were gathered around a stone table drinking with Yi Xiaoyao, all burst out laughing.

Just then, Elder Yan walked out of the house. Hearing the laughter from the table, a gratified smile appeared on his old face.

"Alright now, you’ve all been drinking all night. That’s about enough."

Elder Yan chided them with a smile, then turned to Yi Xiaoyao. "Carefree, the Hall Master wants you to pay him a visit after you’ve rested. Don’t forget."

Yi Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. ’Looks like Elder Yan’s complexion has improved a lot since he took that Longevity Pill.’

"Alright, I’ll head over now."

With that, Yi Xiaoyao said a quick farewell to his friends, then stood up and left.

...