Chapter 233: The Loving Seventh Peak

That night, the Seventh Peak, which had remained unchallenged since the arrival of the Seven Sect Alliance's prodigies, finally welcomed its first challenger. The challenger was Huang Yikun from the Mysterious Nether Sect of the Seven Sect Alliance!

From a distance, Huang Yikun was a striking figure in his purple robe adorned with gold threads. Under the moonlight, he exuded an extraordinary elegance and a cold, arrogant demeanor. His aura was like a rainbow, and all four of his Life Flames were activated, making him seem ablaze with towering infernos, as if an entire world was burning within his body. Particularly, his right hand, adorned with a red glove, seemed to draw in all the surrounding light. Even the moonlight from the sky appeared to converge continuously onto his right hand at that moment. All of this made him appear exceptionally imposing and dazzling as he stood on the steps of the Seventh Peak.

"Just the Seventh Peak," Huang Yikun remarked casually. He ascended the steps slowly and deliberately, even taking the time to admire the moonlit mountain scenery. However, he felt a slight sense of unease. The Seventh Peak was eerily quiet. Despite it being nighttime, there were no lights visible, nor any aura of disciples permeating the mountain. It was as if the mountain itself was deserted. This was unlike the challenges he knew, where other peaks would have large crowds of disciples observing. He had sent a formal challenge in advance, expecting a large number of disciples to watch, but at this moment, the Seventh Peak was utterly empty.

"They must be afraid of losing and don't want anyone to see it," Huang Yikun sneered. He walked step by step to the middle of the mountain, where his first challenge target for the night resided.

On the Seventh Peak, it was the Third Prince. Huang Yikun's plan was to spend the entire night challenging, starting with the Third Prince, then the Second Prince, and finally the Eldest Prince. He intended for these night battles to cause a sensation by morning.

As he drew closer, he finally saw a figure. It was a young man leaning against a beautiful woman's chest on a large rock. He wore a purple Taoist robe and a tall white hat embroidered with the character "Forbidden" on his head. His entire body was gaunt, as if hollowed out by excessive indulgence. It was indeed the Third Prince. Beside the Third Prince were several exotic maidservants, massaging his legs. They constantly flirted with each other, exchanging glances, and occasionally gasping seductively, their sounds lingering in the air.

Noticing Huang Yikun's arrival, the Third Prince looked up, his eyes marked by noticeable dark circles, and smiled. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for ages."

Huang Yikun glanced at the Third Prince and abruptly stopped. He sensed something was wrong, and an unprecedented wariness appeared in his eyes. He found himself unable to discern the Third Prince's true strength. The "Forbidden" character on his hat seemed to be a seal. At the same time, for some reason, he felt a chill down his spine, as if a venomous snake was staring at him. This "venomous snake" gave him a strong sense of danger. He had only experienced this feeling when encountering certain protectors, which caused his breathing to quicken slightly. Especially when his gaze swept over the maidservants, he found the one whose chest the Third Prince was resting on to be somewhat familiar.

The next instant, Huang Yikun's eyes widened. He recognized her as a cultivator from the Grand Preceptor Immortal Sect, and specifically, one of the three female cultivators who had come to the Seven Blood Eyes, the one with four Life Flames. Yet, at this moment, there was no arrogance about her. Instead, she gazed at the Third Prince with complete reverence and utter obedience. This sight made Huang Yikun gasp. He felt his challenge had been somewhat rash. He took a few steps back and let out a dry laugh. "I'm not quite ready today. I won't challenge now. Farewell, farewell."

As Huang Yikun was about to leave, the Third Prince vanished from his spot and instantly reappeared in front of Huang Yikun, grasping his right hand. This speed made Huang Yikun's pupils contract, and his face changed drastically as his right hand was seized. What horrified him even more was his utter inability to resist, as if he were merely a chick before the Third Prince. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and he quickly spoke. "What are you doing?!"

"Don't be nervous. How much money did you bring this time?" the Third Prince asked with a smile.

Huang Yikun was startled. Seeing his reaction, the Third Prince raised an eyebrow. "You're quite impolite. Alright, let me explain. You probably can't defeat me, but I know things are tough for you in the Mysterious Nether Sect. We're all essentially on the same side; we don't make things difficult for each other. It's all business. I won't cheat you. The market price is ten million spirit stones. Give them to me, and I'll concede. And don't worry, I'll make sure this works out perfectly for you. I can publicly declare that I lost to you, and I can even give you a commemorative photo."

"How great would it be for you to return gloriously?"

Hearing this, Huang Yikun's eyes widened, and he instinctively shook his head. The Third Prince chuckled, appearing open to negotiation. Seeing Huang Yikun shake his head, his smile didn't falter, but his next words caused Huang Yikun's mind to reel. "It's fine if you don't agree. We can still discuss it. Your finger looks nice; it can serve as payment."

With that, before Huang Yikun could even struggle, the Third Prince simply snapped off his index finger with a loud *crack*. The moment a piercing scream erupted from Huang Yikun, the Third Prince waved his hand. A powerful force instantly spread out, sweeping Huang Yikun far away and depositing him onto the mountain steps. With a thud, Huang Yikun spat out blood, his face pale and filled with horror. As he was about to look up, the Third Prince's chuckling voice reached his ears. "You win. No need to see you out."

Huang Yikun shuddered at the words, then looked down at his radiant right hand. What were once five fingers were now four. A wave of sorrow and indignation surged within him. "This is robbery!"

The intense grief made Huang Yikun's vision dim and blurry. The thought of losing one of the five fingers he had meticulously cultivated throughout his life made his heart bleed. He dared not go back to demand it; the Third Prince's terrifying presence filled him with dread. In his indignation, he swayed, about to fly away, but then remembered that flying was forbidden on all peaks of the Seven Blood Eyes. This made him even more miserable, so he could only start walking down the mountain. He no longer wanted to be on the Seventh Peak.

As he walked, he saw someone. It was a tall, muscular woman sitting cross-legged on a stone chair not far away. Her physique was not only towering but her muscles seemed ready to burst, with bulging veins clearly visible. Most striking was the massive sword impaled beside her, which was truly startling. Over a *zhang* long and a full foot wide, the sword was entirely black and exuded an astonishingly murderous aura. This was none other than the Second Prince, who had received Huang Yikun's challenge that night. This sight sent a violent shock through Huang Yikun's heart, bringing him to a halt.

The moment he stopped, the Second Prince opened her eyes, revealing a cold gleam as she looked at Huang Yikun. In that instant, her entire body erupted with monstrous vital energy, creating a storm that engulfed the surroundings. "Half-step Golden Core physical body!" The storm hit him, making the apertures in his body tremble. A peerless ferocity exploded violently as the Second Prince stood up.

"How is this possible? Can humans even achieve this? This is a level of physical cultivation that even those exotic races naturally gifted in body tempering might not reach! She isn't cultivating Life Flames but nourishing her body with apertures, solely pursuing the path of body refinement! I've never heard of any disciple in the Seven Sect Alliance achieving this!"

Huang Yikun trembled all over. Seeing the Second Prince, radiating monstrous vital energy, approach him, he felt that the woman before him was invincible and unparalleled, so he quickly cried out. "Wait!"

Before he could finish speaking, the Second Prince was already close, her great sword sweeping horizontally and descending in a single strike. A resounding roar echoed in all directions. A stick of incense later, Huang Yikun spat out blood, his body covered in bruises. He was swept away, and after landing in the distance, he was filled with extreme indignation, running wildly without looking back. His right hand had lost another finger; now only three remained.

Meanwhile, at the summit of the Seventh Peak, inside a pavilion, two figures stood: Master Seven and his servant. Master Seven was also watching the battle, and seeing the outcome, he sighed deeply. "The Third One is a mercenary fellow; he'd sell his dignity for a mere broken finger! And the Second One, she just... well, she's lucky. Last month, she sent me a message saying she picked up a Golden Core expert from the Great Peng clan, specializing in body refinement. The fellow was flying fine in the sky when a Flaming Phoenix happened to pass by, causing him to crash and die. She then successfully swallowed his Golden Core without exploding, and instead, she ascended. Only she would believe such a story. Do you believe it?"

The servant beside him remained silent, a tempest brewing in his heart, unable to speak for a long while.

At the same time, Huang Yikun, who was frantically fleeing down the mountain steps, continued to spit out blood. His expression was a mix of distress and indignation. Looking at his radiant hand, now with only three fingers remaining, he felt an urge to cry. "I shouldn't have come to challenge them! This is too much bullying!"

"A physical body at the half-step Golden Core realm! In the Seven Sect Alliance, barely anyone dares to provoke that! I already conceded, yet she still attacked! Moreover, none of the princes on this Seventh Peak are good people; they hide their true abilities too well. The Third One is like a venomous snake I can't see through; I'd believe it if he were a Golden Core expert. And the Second One possesses terrifying, extreme brute strength. And they all snapped off my fingers!!!"

Amidst his grief and indignation, Huang Yikun, his face bruised, reached the foot of the mountain and was about to leave. But the next instant, he suddenly looked up, staring ahead. On the mountain path ahead, a young man in a gray Taoist robe approached. He was eating an apple and waved at Huang Yikun, a wide smile on his face. "Yikun, what happened? Did my Second One beat you up?"

"Who are you?!" Huang Yikun instantly trembled, his scalp nearly bursting. His keen intuition sensed a terror in the person before him that surpassed both the Third and Second Princes. In his eyes, this person seemed not human at all, but a malevolent, bizarre entity clad in human skin.

"You don't recognize me? Your brother, Huang Lingfei, and I are good friends. Didn't he ever mention me?" the Captain asked, looking at Huang Yikun in surprise. "Don't be nervous," the Captain said, seeing Huang Yikun's tension. He sighed, a hint of shared resentment in his eyes. "You must have been beaten by the Second and Third Ones. They're really too much." The Captain shook his head, looking indignant, and casually handed Huang Yikun a few pills.

But Huang Yikun's vigilance remained. His breathing was rapid; he wanted to leave but dared not, all while guessing the other's identity. "The Eldest Prince..."

"Don't call me that; it's too formal. Just call me Senior Brother. I'm different from the Second One, the Third One, and some other guy." The Captain's smile was bright and gentle as he spoke.

"Senior Brother..." Huang Yikun hesitated, then murmured softly.

"That's better. Don't worry. Come, I'll see you down the mountain," the Captain said with a smile.

"No need, I can..." Huang Yikun's heart trembled even more.

"Alright then, I won't escort you. Oh, by the way, I'll trouble you, Junior Brother, to give me the payment for those pills just now. One finger will be enough." The Captain licked his lips, and a blue glow flashed in his eyes. Faintly, his own face appeared within his pupils, eyes closed, yet with a ferocious expression conveying immense hunger.

This hunger radiated from the Captain's body. Upon sensing it, Huang Yikun's mind reeled, and an indescribable life-or-death crisis arose within him. Seeing the Captain approach, he sharply recoiled. Before he could escape, his vision blurred, followed by a *crack*, and his three fingers became two. The Eldest Prince had bitten off one.

Amidst his screams, he disregarded his bitten finger and fled frantically. Seeing this, the Captain weighed the radiant, purplish-gold finger in his hand and smiled slightly. "This child isn't fun at all. My little Ah Qing is much more amusing."

On the mountaintop, Master Seven watched the scene and nodded in satisfaction. "Among all the disciples, this Eldest One is the most reasonable!"

The servant beside him remained silent, unsure what to say, as he couldn't see any reason in the Eldest Prince's actions.

"However, this isn't fair. The Eldest, Second, and Third Ones all have fingers now, so the Fourth One shouldn't be without." Master Seven suddenly spoke, raising and waving his right hand.

Instantly, Huang Yikun, the Mysterious Nether Sect prodigy who had frantically reached the foot of the mountain and was utterly terrified by the Captain, was suddenly swept up by a gust of wind descending from the sky, his heart filled with a mixture of immense grief and terror. His mind experienced an unprecedented turmoil, and just as he felt his soul about to scatter, this irresistible gust of wind directly flung him towards Port 176.

The next moment, Huang Yikun's body crashed with a thud, landing right in front of the Gate of the Hunter's Department at Port 176. Before he could make sense of his surroundings, Huang Yikun, whose body felt like it was falling apart and whose mind was hazy, heard a clear, surprised voice of a young girl from behind him. "Who's this, suddenly dropping in front of me? Are you trying to ambush me? Hmph, so sneaky, clearly not a good person. Little Skin, suppress him!"

Huang Yikun instantly snapped awake. A heart-stopping sense of crisis exploded within his mind, and without hesitation, he instinctively tried to flee. But it was too late. In an instant, a colossal tentacle appeared out of thin air, erupting with Golden Core power, sweeping him up with devastating force. Moreover, he was shaken by the Golden Core aura within the tentacle, causing him to spit out blood and fall into an unconscious state of suppression. Before losing consciousness, he vaguely heard the girl's voice echoing beside him. "Not bad, not bad. Perfect to send to Brother Xu Qing for experiments."