Chapter 844: At Death’s Door

Since the Three Judicator Families took control of the Eternal Islands, they have governed the Eternal Kingdom in turns, each holding power for 60 years.

For more than two thousand years, nothing major has happened.

However, during the 60 years under the rule of the Golden Family, major events have occurred frequently, and now a powerful adversary has invaded. The entire Eternal Kingdom is left with only the strongholds of the three Judicator Families, King Island, and Demon Island, while other islands have been occupied by the enemy.

The clan leaders of the Three Judicator Families are furious.

They attributed all the blame to Stephanie.

"The current situation of the Eternal Kingdom is all caused by Ye Xiu, and the reason Ye Xiu possesses such abilities and strength, the three clan leaders have a responsibility."

Stephanie stubbornly defended:

"26 years ago, if the three clan leaders hadn’t insisted on initiating the ’Dragon God Totem Experiment’ plan, all the current events on the Eternal Islands would not have happened. If there is guilt, the three clan leaders are much guiltier than I am."

Bang!

The first person to question Stephanie slammed the table and rebuked:

"We initiated the ’Dragon God Totem Experiment’ plan for the future of the Three Judicator Families, and you failed to unmask Ye Xiu as Huang Quan and verify Ye Xiu’s strength, which is your dereliction of duty."

In the dimly lit room, a sharp voice rang out:

"Ye Xiu’s strength is unfathomable, and although he hasn’t fully awakened the Dragon God Totem, he can easily slay Stephanie’s clone, proving he possesses the power to challenge the Three Judicator Families. Such a formidable opponent is due to Stephanie’s negligence, and she must bear responsibility."

Seeing two of the clan leaders attacking her, Stephanie glanced at her own Golden Family’s clan leader.

If even her own clan leader forced her to take responsibility, she would likely be consigned to utter cold exile and completely ousted from the Three Judicator Families’ core circle.

"Stephanie not only doesn’t need to take responsibility, she’s not only blameless, but she also deserves credit."

The Golden Family’s clan leader finally spoke, and before the other two clan leaders could inquire, he continued:

"Although Stephanie’s negligence sparked the war in the Eternal Kingdom and led to the loss of Nameless Island and a clone,

she, through this, learned that Ye Xiu is Huang Quan and that Ye Xiu possesses the strength to threaten the Three Judicator Families, which is a great achievement;

At a crucial moment, Stephanie severed ties with Kristina, essentially planting an undercover agent beside Ye Xiu, allowing us to keep track of Ye Xiu’s movements at all times, which is another great achievement;

When Stephanie’s clone’s ’Dragon Flute’ was snatched by Ye Xiu, he would undoubtedly be curious why the Dragon Flute can restrain the Dragon God Totem. Once he plays the Dragon Flute, he’s done for, a third great achievement."

Upon hearing this, Stephanie’s eyes lit up, silently praising her clan leader’s wisdom. She hadn’t realized she had accomplished so much.

The other two clan leaders did not press further after listening to the Golden Family’s clan leader.

A sharp voice rang out: "We cannot be certain if or when Ye Xiu will play the Dragon Flute, so before that, Stephanie, your primary task is to send someone to retrieve the items from the Library Pavilion and the Treasure Pavilion."

Stephanie nodded: "I will arrange it after the meeting adjourns."

...

Nameless Island, inside the bedroom of the Hatred Mountain Castle.

Ye Xiu had just taken a nice bath and was sitting cross-legged on the bed, playing with the Dragon Flute:

"Can this thing really restrain the Dragon God Totem?"

In the past, if someone claimed there was something in the world that could restrain the Dragon God Totem, Ye Xiu definitely wouldn’t have believed it.

But from the moment he first laid eyes on the Dragon Flute, he felt a sense of unease.

This thing gave him a strong sense of crisis.

"Should I give it a blow and try it out?"

Ye Xiu hesitated immensely.

The Three Judicator Families surely have more than just this one Dragon Flute. Without firsthand experience of the Dragon Flute’s power, he couldn’t research a countermeasure for it.

This would place him in an absolutely passive position in future battles with the Three Judicator Families.

But!

What if playing it would instantly doom him?

"Damn it, I’ll risk it!"

After much hesitation, in order to free himself from the control of the Three Judicator Families, Ye Xiu decided to take the risky test.

First, he set up a formation in the bedroom.

Then he cautiously played the Dragon Flute:

"Wooooo..."

Thump!

In the instant the piercingly unpleasant sound of the Dragon Flute rang out, Ye Xiu felt as if his head was caught in a door, kicked by a donkey, shelled like a cannon, struck by lightning.

His mind descended into utter chaos, his brain buzzing uncontrollably.

The next moment, Ye Xiu suddenly felt indescribable pain throughout his body, as if each and every cell was suffering, spasmingly pained.

It was so painful that his face turned pale, drenched in sweat, his whole body convulsing, foam at the mouth.

His Martial Prowess completely lost control, wildly coursing through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

"Steady! Stay steady, stay steady..."

Ye Xiu cried out vehemently in his heart, using his remaining shred of rationality, and his indomitable willpower, forcibly channeling and controlling the raging Martial Prowess within his body to prevent an explosion.

Yet every single cell in his body was in pain.

It was too painful!

The pain was gradually bereaving Ye Xiu of his rationality, his consciousness starting to blur, his Martial Prowess once again spiraling out of control.

"No..."

Ye Xiu bellowed with a ferocious expression:

"I cannot die!"

"I haven’t avenged yet, I haven’t slaughtered the bastards who killed my mom and grandparents, I can’t die..."

"I promised Qin Qing an unprecedented wedding, I promised to accompany Qin Qing for a lifetime, I cannot break my promise..."

"If I die, Qin Qing would be killed too, Qin Qing’s parents, my uncles, my cousins, the brothers who’ve followed me for ten years, they’d all be killed, I can’t die, I can’t die, no..."

Though Ye Xiu’s rationality had collapsed, his willpower stubbornly held on by instinct, continuing as is would lead to his body bursting into oblivion.

However, just then, the Life Totem activated by itself, a stream of cool energy merged into Ye Xiu’s rampaging Martial Prowess, spreading throughout his body.

Ye Xiu’s rationality returned, if only a sliver!

"Is this the ability of the awakened Third Stage Life Totem?"

Ye Xiu was ecstatic, enduring the intense pain in every cell, actively directing the Life Totem’s energy to traverse within his body.

"That was close!"

"I had never been able to grasp the abilities of the Second and Third Stage Life Totems, yet, it turns out, it can actually counteract the harm inflicted by the Dragon Flute."

"Although the Life Totem can counteract the damage caused by the Dragon Flute, it’s too slow. Once the Dragon Flute sounds, I’ll immediately lose the power to resist. If the Life Totem doesn’t restore me, the enemy could slay me."

"I must figure out how to deal with the Dragon Flute; only then can I remain undefeated."

"But, what’s the principle that allows the Dragon Flute to counter the Dragon God Totem?"

As Ye Xiu routed the Life Totem’s energy to alleviate the pain in every cell, his peripheral vision suddenly caught the brightening outside the window.

It was already dawn!

"Oh no!"

Ye Xiu suddenly remembered he instructed Kristina to summon the island’s Martial Artists, and if Kristina returned at this moment...

While he was still agonizingly weak and lacking in battle strength.

If Kristina harbored murderous intent, wouldn’t he be finished?

Ye Xiu hurriedly donned his clothes despite the intense pain wracking his body, staggeringly leaving the bedroom with a backpack on his back, shouting:

"Sword Fanatic, Sword Fanatic..."