The Steward Demonic Emperor

The silent cave was a mess.

Zhuo Fan was still sitting on the hard stone floor, his face no longer contorted with pain. After a bitter fight to the death against the ninth heaven dragon power, it ended in Zhuo Fan's favor, taming all its savagery in this prolonged battle.

Zhuo Fan's soul was compressing now, bit by bit, with the dragon power roaming at its center in the form of a dragon; on the cusp of fusion.

The fusion progressed as a hazy fog covered his soul and the compression continued.

Hum~

Then, the hazy fog broke with the dazzling light coming from within and unleashing a strong force making Zhuo Fan's soul bathe in the light.

After his soul got covered by the five colored lights, Zhuo Fan's mind was still as grave as earlier.

Zhuo Fan himself was sitting there like a statue.

Roar!

But then draconic roars came from within his mind, from within the colored light, followed by four claws and a thousand meter long dragon.

The prismatic light stuck to its body, forming its scales. It's mighty visage instilled power and dignity.

Zhuo Fan opened his now draconic eyes and unleashed a howl at the sky.

The mighty dragon power pulverized anything it touched, shaking even Impermanence Five's barrier.

And with it, the elders themselves.

Elder She spoke for everyone when he relayed his shock, "The power of the heaven dragon soul is so amazing even as it has just formed! The only reason Vicissitudes Barrier still stands is because sir lends the earth dragon soul. The kid is a true gem!"

"Ha-ha-ha, true. It's my first time seeing the heaven dragon soul as well and I must say, it truly is one mighty force." Elder Yuan nodded.

Zhuo Fan calmed down after that, feeling out the changes in him.

His eyes wandered about the wrecked cave as the dazzling dragon soul turned them into draconic eyes.

It only went to show that the fusion was a smashing success and Zhuo Fan had remained himself. The dragon soul fused with his soul and took its form.

So even if his body would be crushed, plastered or pulverized, his soul would just fly away to steal another body. The sole ability of Ethereal Stage!

Speaking of soul power, he had left Radiant Stage way behind him. It was like giving his soul an armor. But a Radiant Stage against an Ethereal Stage was like a three year old against a seven feet tower of muscle.

Though in Zhuo Fan's case, it'd be like a tower of muscle inside a three year old.

Destined to give one some nasty surprises; death included.

"Ha-ha-ha, 1st layer of Radiant Stage and 1st layer of Ethereal soul. I'm an abomination in the truest sense!" Zhuo Fan chuckled.

Not even he fathomed that this advancement would bring about such bizarre changes.

Then again, since he wasn't exactly an orthodox cultivator, it was a given.

Hum~

The space rippled and a red glow came out from his Dantian.

The bloody glow shone everywhere and rotted anything it touched.

Faltering, Zhuo Fan entered meditation at once, only to find his Blood Infant was in the Radiant Stage too.

Blood Infant was a spirit of this world and in the Radiant Stage it had a dreadful soul power, exponentially better than your average expert.

It could even turn into a blood blade rending an Ethereal Stage expert's soul into nothing.

Blood Infant became more and more horrifying as it grew in cultivation. It was this sole reason that made Saint Patriarch Blood Demon such an awesome figure in the Sacred Domain.

This surprise filled him with confidence in fighting an Ethereal Stage expert.

With dragon soul by his side and the Blood Infant sneaking in a few hits, who could touch him?

Elder Yuan made a sign and the earth dragon soul returned to him. He held his beard while chuckling, "Now that the heaven dragon soul has taken form, all is settled. Release the barrier."

"Yes, sir!" The five bowed.

But the flash of red beat them to it, slamming into the barrier and staggering them.

Ugh!

Shaking, Elder She groaned and earned Elder Yuan's odd gaze, "What's wrong?"

"The punk made a soul attack and took us by surprise." Elder She's face was twisted in horror.

Elder Yuan shook his head, "Ha-ha-ha, it's fine. He was just testing out heaven dragon soul's power."

"T-that's not it."

Elder She continued, "The first wave was indeed the heaven dragon soul's might, but the second one was filled with malice and darkness. It's like two opposite souls! "

[Say what?!]

Elder Yuan frowned, deep in thought. [Does that mean the kid is hiding more secrets?]

Boom!

A huge noise came from the cave and shook the Impermanence Five into stepping back five times.

Each of these elders showed their surprise in an odd way.

Elder Yuan asked, "What is it this time?"

Elder She needed a long time to gather his wits.

"The kid… broke our barrier."

Elder Yuan was flabbergasted.

[H-how…]

These five were 4th layer Ethereal Stage experts that combined could handle a 6th layer expert. How did it come to having their barrier popped like a balloon?

Heaven dragon soul was strong and all, but not that outrageous.

[Just what kind of secrets are you still hiding, kid?]

Elder Yuan sighed.

Unaware that Zhuo Fan was stumped as he was by the effect. The place where he was had long since stopped being a cave.

A hundred meters around him, there was not a single thing. Everything had turned to dust the instant it got in range.

"Divine Eye of the Void's 4th stage, absolute domain, Space Crusher!" Zhuo Fan's right eye had four golden halos flashing.

He not only got a heaven dragon soul, his Blood Infant was upgraded, now having an unheard of soul power and even his Divine Eye of the Void got an upgrade.

It was a universal move, perfect for when one was in danger, annihilating everything within a hundred meters with intense vibrations.

He'd kill without leaving anything behind.

No matter what armies were sent for him, nothing could touch him. [Heavenly Emperor's power lived up to the legend.]

Zhuo Fan grinned and his confidence soared in having one more ace to deal with experts. With his safety guaranteed, he'd have no fear left.

It even tore through the barrier just now.

In this hundred meter area, he was the king, god even!

[All Emperor level arts are mystical and godlike, ha-ha-ha…]

Cackling inside, Zhuo Fan strutted out. When he had arrived it was a perfectly neat cave and now it was an odd hole.

As everything within was turned to dust.