Xiang Shaoyun's trip to the goldmen territory had proceeded smoothly. He managed to introduce Lady Shura to Prince Edoli, getting the prince's promise to look out for her. Moving forward, she would be able to freely cultivate here.

The goldmen territory was much better than the territory controlled by the Dragon Phoenix Academy in the Vicious Steel Mist. Moreover, many gold elemental resources grew in their territory, and it was a paradise for any gold cultivator.

Xiang Shaoyun left immediately after he was done. Lady Shura wanted to follow him back, but he insisted that she stay. In any case, he was going to leave soon. It did not matter if she stayed with him for a few more days.

She accompanied him all the way until the teleportation formation. As he was leaving, she shouted, "Overlord, you must wait for me. I will forever be yours!"

He turned around, hugged her, and gave her a long, suffocating kiss. The kiss seemed to reach for the depths of her heart, giving rise to an intense desire to give all of herself to him.

He let go of her and said, "Don't think too much about this. This is only a momentary separation. We will meet again soon."

He then entered the formation and returned to the academy with the wolfman.

Instead of returning to the academy, he visited the angels next. He met the high priest and had a short chat with the priest before leaving. Next, he headed for the Castle of Darkness. The overseers in the academy ignored him. They knew that he was given half a month to wrap things up in the academy. Once the time was up, he would have to leave.

Many in the academy were still feeling regretful for him. Someone with such an excellent physique and had successfully fused nine powers would definitely become a top expert in the future. Nobody knew if expelling someone like that would be a boon or bane for the academy.

Xiang Shaoyun returned to the Castle of Darkness, and he could still sense the power of darkness everywhere. However, the ambient dark energy was far inferior compared with the dark origin energy in his body.

As the astral cosmos sea was slowly turning corporeal, the clump of dark origin energy in it stopped degrading, allowing him to periodically extract some of it to strengthen his dark star. He would have no lack of dark energy before reaching the Soul Foundation Realm. The clump of dark origin energy provided an energy that was much purer than what he could get from herbs and spirit crystals. 

While Xiang Shaoyun was on his way to the Castle of Darkness, he encountered Xiao Xie, who had once challenged him there. Back then, Xiao Xie was a peak fifth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm cultivator. Now, he was already at the mid eighth-stage. His advancement speed was impressive, and it was obvious he had been suppressing his breakthrough before this. He had only resumed his advancement after entering the primary-grade battleground.

One should never look down on his strength as an eighth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm cultivator. Apart from him being able to punch above his weight, the black qilin serving as his mount was also a capable combatant. When the two worked together, they could unleash terrifying might. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been known as one of the freaks.

Seated atop his handsome mount, Xiao Xie asked, "Xiang Shaoyun, I heard you had been expelled?"

"That's right. I'll be leaving in a few days," answered Xiang Shaoyun.

Although the two had fought before, Xiang Shaoyun held no enmity for Xiao Xie. As far as he was concerned, their fight was merely a competition between youngsters. There was no grudge between them. In truth, that was how Xiao Xie felt as well. In fact, the two seemed to have a certain level of understanding of each other.

"Since that is the case, why don't we have a spar here and decide a victor between us?" said Xiao Xie, his battle intent surging.

Although Xiang Shaoyun had conceded during their previous fight, Xiao Xie did not consider it a win. He had a feeling that Xiang Shaoyun wasn't even trying his best. Now that Xiang Shaoyun was strong enough to fight Zhan Wushuang evenly, Xiao Xie wanted to pit himself against Xiang Shaoyun, temper himself, and see who was better.

Xiang Shaoyun hesitated slightly before answering, "Forget it. I don't have the time for that now."

He wanted the fight as well, but the matter concerning Scarlet Flame Monarch was more important. He did not want to waste any time.

"I know you're short on time. Why don't we decide the victor in three moves?" Xiao Xie proposed.

Xiang Shaoyun's eyes gleamed with a sharp glint as he agreed, "Ok. Let's end it in three moves!"

As their auras surged in preparation for battle, the disciples cultivating nearby noticed them and started observing from afar.

"It's Xiang Shaoyun and Xiao Xie in a fight. I thought Xiang Shaoyun had been expelled? Why can he still enter this place?" someone asked in confusion. 

Someone else said, "Who knows. Maybe there's some other reason for this. Let's watch this fight first. Xiang Shaoyun can fight Zhan Wushuang evenly, but can he defeat Xiao Xie?".

The people there were still doubtful whether Xiang Shaoyun had truly been expelled, but more of them were more concerned about the result of the incoming battle. Neither Xiang Shaoyun nor Xiao Xie attacked first. The two freaks looked at each other, their eyes burning with an intense battle intent as though there were sparks where their gazes met.

Just because they were standing there did not mean they weren't already fighting. They were actually competing against each other with their willpower, trying to see who was the one with thicker battle intent. Only by attacking after overwhelming the opponent's battle intent would one be able to obtain victory in one move.

Xiao Xie's willpower was comparable with a second-stage Sovereign's, but when he tried to crush Xiang Shaoyun's willpower, he found that Xiang Shaoyun had boundless willpower. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do anything to Xiang Shaoyun.

As the two increased the intensity of their willpower, it was as though the presence of a Sovereign was sweeping through their surroundings. Pebbles flew everywhere, and dust filled the air.

"Kill!" When Xiao Xie pushed his willpower to the maximum yet still failed to do anything, he decided to start attacking. He lifted his black saber and swung it at Xiang Shaoyun.

The slash seemed capable of severing rivers, and even the space around the trajectory of his blade stilled. The slash carried with it boundless dark energy that instantly reached Xiang Shaoyun's chest, as though it was going to slit his chest with one move. This was a clean and direct slash.

Just as the attack was about to hit, Xiang Shaoyun's eyes shone brightly, as though a divine radiance was swirling within his eyes. A true dragon soared out behind him and roared, and both his arms transformed into two miniature dragons that looked incredibly formidable. The two dragons crossed each other and smashed the incoming attack into nothingness. This was the might of Xiang Shaoyun's Dragonscale Arm technique.

"Take my second slash, Severing All Life!" Xiao Xie continued immediately with his second slash. He leaped into the air, his saber intent spreading everywhere as dark radiance rippled from him and covered the sky. Finally, he brought his saber down, creating a wailing sound as though mourning the end of all life.