Chapter Seventy-Eight: Miluo Island

"Did you... did you kill him?" Yuki stared wide-eyed in disbelief as Qiankun returned, calm and indifferent.

Qiankun met her gaze and nodded serenely. "Yes, I killed your husband. I suppose you must hate me now, don't you?"

"Hate?" Yuki paused, then shook her head, her expression complex. "No, perhaps I should thank you. You've finally set me free. I no longer have to live under Rod's shadow, suffering endlessly."

"That's good," Qiankun replied with a slight nod, turning to leave without further ado.

Watching his departing figure, Yuki called out anxiously, "Qiankun, are you really leaving just like that? Weren't you looking for a map?"

"There's no need. Hell may be vast, but it isn't so large that I would lose my way," Qiankun answered coolly, his form flickering before vanishing into the distance.

Yuki stood for a while, lost, gazing after him. At last, she shook her head with a bitter smile and returned to her castle.

The clear, faintly purple sea water shimmered, and even in this boundless ocean of starry mist, the calm could be broken by waves three feet high. The endless, pale violet waters, the gossamer veils of mist, the cool vapor rising—such sights brought a refreshing peace to the soul.

Amid the fog-laden Starry Mist Sea, a streak of light sped through the haze. It was Qiankun, leaving Blue Star Island and making his way across the sea.

Suddenly, as he rushed forward, Qiankun noticed that the thin fog ahead was threaded with countless bolts of lightning, snaking like electric serpents. Soon, these serpents multiplied and spread, spanning a thousand miles in the blink of an eye—Qiankun, of course, was caught in their midst.

A deep rumble echoed as the electric serpents and mist coiled together. In the sky, a massive vortex formed from the swirling lightning and fog, covering an expanse of ten thousand miles. The colossal vortex of lightning blazed in the night, illuminating Qiankun's silhouette within.

Wreathed in lightning, Qiankun remained standing steadily in the air, as if the raging energy could not harm him in the slightest. Bathed in thunder, he actually closed his eyes slowly, letting his body absorb the power of the storm, drawing even more lightning to himself. At the heart of the vortex, surges of lightning crashed down in torrents upon him.

For months, Qiankun stood quietly in the vortex, eyes closed, until suddenly an intangible wave of the world's laws descended. The gathered lightning within the vortex seemed to draw back slightly, no longer as violent. Concentrated lightning elemental energy gathered above Qiankun's head, coalescing into what resembled a divinity crystal ringed with electric light.

Thus, Qiankun became a god on the path of the laws of lightning. Once more, he chose to split his soul, swiftly forming a lightning god avatar beside him.

"This place is perfect for comprehending the mysteries of lightning," Qiankun mused, gazing upward at the continuing storm. With a thought, he allowed his lightning avatar to merge back into his body, a faint smile curling his lips. "And by absorbing the energy here, I can further temper my true form, making my body even stronger. It seems I'll have to train in seclusion here for some time."

So, Qiankun put his journey on hold, devoting most of his time to seeking out lightning vortices and delving into the profound mysteries of the lightning laws.

Decades passed in the blink of an eye. On a desolate islet in the Starry Mist Sea, Qiankun sat cross-legged on the shore, drawing down bolts of lightning from the mist above. His entire body glimmered with a faint golden light, an obscure, surging aura emanating from him.

By now, Qiankun had reached the level of a mid-ranked god in the laws of lightning, and had begun fusing the deeper mysteries. His other divine avatars had also made progress: his water god avatar, after the earth avatar, became the second to achieve high god rank, mastering five mysteries and beginning the fusion of the six great mysteries of water.

But of all his gains over these decades, Qiankun prized most the tempering of his body by the sea's lightning energy, which had rendered his physical form even harder than most high-grade divine artifacts. Such a formidable body would be a rarity in any plane.

Exhaling softly, the golden radiance around him receded as Qiankun opened his eyes. He stretched, rolled his shoulders, and gazed into the distance, murmuring, "It's time to move on. Hell is filled with powerful beings—a perfect place to temper oneself. Only by contending with the strong can my cultivation progress more smoothly. The Starry Mist Sea... I hear there's a formidable Asura on Miluo Island."

Miluo Island was a lush, green place, dotted with towering trees and filled with fresh air that lifted the spirit. Qiankun arrived alone and quietly, observing the distant castles, grand restaurants, and the bustling crowds on the wide streets. There were elves with pointed ears and green skin, whale warriors with scales on their faces—beings of every shape and kind.

Though those who attained godhood could take on a human form, the aesthetics of some unique races differed from humans; even after transforming, they would retain features they were proud of, such as the tails of foxfolk or the scales of sea clans.

Having spent so long cultivating at sea, Qiankun finally allowed himself a moment of leisure. After touring the island, he entered a beautiful, luxurious restaurant, ordered a feast, and indulged himself. Truly, the cuisine of Hell was far more exquisite and delicious than that of the Yulan Continent, thanks to the many rare and unique ingredients found only in Hell.

After his meal, Qiankun left the restaurant and made his way alone toward Miluo Island's most renowned Battle Arena.

The Battle Arena covered more than a hundred miles, with seating for several million. The audience was strictly forbidden from fighting; anyone caught would face the merciless blades of the island's guardian warriors. To enter and watch, each person had to pay a hundred inkstones.

The arena was divided into three tiers: the High God Battle Arena, the Mid God Battle Arena, and the Low God Battle Arena. There was only one High God arena, but three each for the mid and low ranks.

Qiankun headed straight for the High God Battle Arena, not to spectate, but to fight. The best way to meet the Asura patriarch of the Bagshaw family, Mosi Bagshaw, was to achieve a hundred consecutive victories in the High God arena and be invited to the secret grounds of the Western Isle.

Qiankun signed up for the High God battles and waited in the entry corridor. Soon, he heard the host's rousing, passionate call: "...Now, let us welcome our next challenger!"

With a swift movement, Qiankun entered the arena, greeted by a tide of excited cheers. His opponent appeared: a woman nearly two meters tall, powerfully built like a man. She had long brown hair, and though her physique was robust, her curves were striking. Nevertheless, her size lent her an odd air.

Wielding a dark golden spiked mace, she charged at Qiankun. The mace glowed with earthy yellow light as she swung it at him, the force trembling the very air.

"A High God who cultivates the laws of earth?" Qiankun was mildly surprised. He shook his head, drew his black greatsword, and with a casual, seemingly effortless parry, sent her weapon flying. She tumbled from the arena, coughing up blood.

For each new challenger, Qiankun dispatched them with a single, non-lethal move. Though he killed no one, the atmosphere in the arena grew ever more feverish, as if reaching a boiling point.

Ten matches passed swiftly, and Qiankun achieved ten straight victories. To continue, he would have to wait until the next day. Thus, to reach one hundred wins would require ten days.