Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 492 - 475: Not of Blood

The four chatted late into the night. Zhou Leng and Molten Hammer left and headed towards the fortress.

Halfway there, a group of people approached.

"Zhou Leng," Zhao He greeted with a smile.

"Second Young Master Zhao," Zhou Leng responded.

"How did you get a spot in the Divine Blood Lava?" Zhao He and his followers looked curious, some even looked resigned.

Going in and out of the Spiritual Lake in the Demon Spirit World was one thing, but to enter the Steel Dwarves’ Divine Blood Lava as well.

For a Martial Artist, the value of the Divine Blood Lava was even higher than the Spiritual Lake in the Demon Spirit World.

Zhou Leng said, "I was lucky. I had gotten a small contribution from the Ancient King’s Treasure before."

"This ’small’ contribution of yours seems anything but small," Zhao He looked at Zhou Leng, fully understanding that the martial arts resources Zhou Leng hid were incredibly terrifying.

Not to mention anything else, just from the Tree-man World, Demon Spirit World, and Dwarven World he encountered, along with known facilities like the advanced exhibit, it far exceeded the descendants of ordinary Grandmasters, and could only be something a Martial Saint’s family might obtain.

He understood that resources were just the surface, and the forces behind the control of these resources were Zhou Leng’s true trump card.

Molten Hammer said, "Don’t flatter him, he’s just really lucky."

Zhao He asked, "You wouldn’t happen to have a Battlefield Shield Order too, would you?"

"Not quite," Zhou Leng didn’t say no.

Molten Hammer thought to himself that these Human Race members were indeed more treacherous than one another.

Zhao He said, "If I help you get a Battlefield Shield Order, how about you join the Zhao Family? I’ll find a way to let you marry my cousin Zhao Nandi, or any suitable girl from the Zhao Family."

Zhao He’s followers were stunned, but then immediately understood.

Zhao He was anxious.

Back in the Tree-man World, he discovered that Zhou Leng could train in the first batch. He wanted to get closer, but because of Aiden, he gave up trying to recruit him.

Later, he repeatedly found Zhou Leng entering the Spiritual Lake, and once again in the advanced exhibit, beginning to regret his previous actions.

Unexpectedly, even in a trial as high-level as the Divine Blood Lava, he encountered Zhou Leng again.

When Mountain and River Origin had called Zhou Leng’s name earlier, Zhao He had already heard it and had been waiting all this time.

This time, Zhao He didn’t want to miss out again.

If they could enter the Great Battlefield together with Zhou Leng, the gains could far exceed imagination.

Zhou Leng was silent for a moment and said, "Thank you for your gracious invitation, Second Young Master Zhao, but unfortunately, I, Zhou Leng, am merely a slightly talented Martial Artist and don’t deserve to be a member of the Zhao Family."

"I believe in my judgment," Zhao He said.

"Let me think about it," Zhou Leng said.

Zhao He saw that it would not work and sighed, "Alright, think it over some more. I hold the Giant Dragon’s Battlefield Shield Order. The Great Battlefield is about to open. If you want to join and can’t find me in Dragon Country, you can come to Dragon Mountain to find me. We still have an opportunity to cooperate."

"There will definitely be a chance," Zhou Leng said.

Zhou Leng bid farewell to Zhao He and entered the fortress with Molten Hammer.

Molten Hammer glanced back at Zhao He and whispered, "Since Saint Zhao’s demise, the reputation of the Zhao Family has been declining day by day. Keep your distance from them."

Zhou Leng asked in surprise, "Is it true that Saint Zhao has fallen?"

"Of course, although the Zhao Family has kept it a secret, the major forces actually know it clearly."

Zhou Leng sighed and said, "In fact, we in Dragon Country could probably guess it too. Saint Zhao hasn’t appeared for a long time. And in recent years, it seems the Zhao Family has completely changed."

Molten Hammer said, "After all, he’s not the biological son of Saint Zhao. Changes are hardly surprising."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Zhou Leng looked at Molten Hammer incredulously.

Molten Hammer whispered, "Saint Zhao’s several children all died on the battlefield. That Zhao Hao is actually Saint Zhao’s adopted son. Think about it, why did all the other children fight on the battlefield frequently while Zhao Hao was the only one allowed to stay at home? Because he is the son of Zhao Saint’s cousin. Saint Zhao didn’t want his cousin’s line to come to an end."

"How likely is that?" Zhou Leng was hearing such explosive news for the first time.

"Seventy percent, not particularly certain," Molten Hammer said.

"It’s said that Saint Zhao has a biological granddaughter, so they couldn’t allow an outsider to be the patriarch. However, Saint Zhao’s character is different from others; he truly doesn’t care about bloodline," Zhou Leng said.

"That’s what everyone says on our side," Molten Hammer said.

"Then it should mostly be rumors, this news is too shocking," Zhou Leng couldn’t process it for a moment.

"There are even more shocking things..."

"Foolish Hammer!" a dwarf shouted from a distance.

"Silly Helm!" Molten Hammer ran towards the dwarf in front. The two Steel Dwarves held hands, hopping and laughing together.

Molten Hammer introduced Zhou Leng to his friends here, and they made a racket deep into the night before finally falling asleep.

Early the next morning, Divine Blood Mountain continuously roared, the volcanic crater spewed black smoke like a massive mushroom rising into the sky, spreading in all directions.

A familiar Grandmaster Dwarf appeared with a large team of dwarves.

"The Divine Blood Lava trial is starting. Everyone line up properly and behave, or I’ll pierce your butts! Damn it, everyone is taller than me."

Zhou Leng and Molten Hammer had just stepped out of the fortress gates, looking towards this Dwarf Grandmaster.

Wearing a horned helmet, with two large, bright, round eyes, looking both imposing and cute, the baby-faced Steel Dwarf Grandmaster was the Giant Furnace.

When Zhou Leng had previously visited the Dwarven World, he had met the Giant Furnace, who was the one who helped pick this reward of Divine Blood Lava.

The Giant Furnace hitched up his pants, cursing for a while, and when he saw Zhou Leng and Molten Hammer, he quickly ran over.

"You brat, I haven’t seen you for over six months, how did you get so buff?" The Giant Furnace looked up, his face full of smiles.

"Greetings, Senior Giant Furnace."

"No need to be so polite with me..." The Giant Furnace looked at Molten Hammer and tapped his forehead with his index finger, making him step back half a step.

"Look at Zhou Leng, and then look at yourself, you’re nothing."

Molten Hammer was red with embarrassment and dared not say a word. If he dared to speak, he’d definitely be smashed into the ground.

The Giant Furnace laughed, "Last time in the Lava Hall, you shone brightly. This time, going into the Divine Blood Lava, you must surpass the other races and bring glory to us Steel Dwarves. In the recent decades of Divine Blood Lava, as long as there are Alien Races, we Steel Dwarves haven’t taken first place, and sometimes even failed to keep top three, it’s really embarrassing."

"Revitalizing the glory of the Steel Dwarves is a duty we cannot shirk!"

The Giant Furnace was overjoyed and pointed at Molten Hammer’s forehead again, saying, "Learn something! Look at Zhou Leng’s cultural level, his words make my blood boil, makes me want to stab you to death."

Molten Hammer wore a bitter expression, thinking, if your blood is boiling, go kill some Beastmen, why stab me?

In the distance, people from various races looked at Zhou Leng and the Giant Furnace, some glanced and then looked away, others were extremely surprised.

Especially Aiden and Zhao He, they could only understand half, having their subordinates translate the conversation between the two.

After hearing the translation, Zhao He whispered, "Giant Furnace is a descendant of the Demigods, even a grandchild. In the Human Race, he ranks just below a few people like Chen Shouhu, so why is he on such good terms with Zhou Leng? It’s like treating Zhou Leng as his own kin."

A dwarf-language proficient attendant said, "Not just kin, based on some language habits of the dwarves, the Giant Furnace treats Zhou Leng as a peer, and a peer of very high status, occasionally using respectful terms."

"Respectful terms? Even if Chen Shouhu was here, the Giant Furnace wouldn’t use respectful terms," Zhao He said.

"I guess, during the previous Ancient King’s Treasure trial, Zhou Leng made great contributions for the Steel Dwarves, thus obtaining a high title. No other explanation makes sense."

Zhao He nodded, saying, "That explains it."

"Last night when you tried to recruit him, I thought you were lowering yourself too much, but now it seems your foresight is far superior to ours."

The attendants nodded lightly.

Zhao He was full of helplessness.

Zhou Leng has status and strength, which is worth celebrating.

But with too much status, the Zhao Family either cannot recruit him, or if they do, it would require a huge price.

In earlier times, this wouldn’t be an issue, but now, the Zhao Family may not be willing to offer enough.

Aiden and his subordinates, looking at Zhou Leng chatting and laughing with the Giant Furnace, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

They knew the Steel Dwarves’ temperament.

If Aiden had truly formed a great feud with Zhou Leng before, his Divine Blood Lava spot would surely be sabotaged by the Steel Dwarves.

Many trial takers left their attendants and headed to the place designated by the Giant Furnace.

The Giant Furnace didn’t have time for them, happily chatting with Zhou Leng.

Whoosh...

A strange vibration came.

Everyone looked over.

A pitch-black Giant Dragon was flying in from afar.

"It’s the Spine-headed Demon Dragon..."

The flying Spine-headed Demon Dragon was entirely black and gold, with a massive dragon head, and wings like clouds.

On its back grew two small black dragon heads.

"It’s Deep Dark Fury, the first in the youth battle, and now it has an extra head."

"Oh, so it’s him. Then the first place in the Divine Blood Lava trial definitely belongs to him."

Many trial takers frowned, with Deep Dark Fury coming, it was likely a preparation for the Great Battlefield, which would be a big problem in the upcoming Great Battlefield.

Zhao He looked at Deep Dark Fury and said, "What do you think Deep Dark Fury’s Martial Arts Index is roughly?"

"Hard to say. The Bone Forging Stage Martial Arts Index ranges from 21 to 25, Muscle Stage ranges from 26 to 30. You are at the Great Innate, top Muscle Stage, with a Martial Arts Index of 30..."

Zhao He calmly said, "It’s 29."

"Right, right, your Martial Arts Index isn’t that high, just 29, not quite Great Innate. Deep Dark Fury, it is said, exceeded 20 even before entering Innate while still in the Vitality Stage. Now, considering it’s in the Bone Forging Stage, as a Son of a Demi-God, it advances a small realm equivalent to the Muscle Stage. The Starry Sky Bloodline advances another small realm, which makes it Great Innate. In practical combat ability, it might be half a small realm above the average Great Innate, but slightly weaker than a newly promoted Grandmaster."

"Estimating, Deep Dark Fury’s Martial Arts Index is about 30.5. As for Aiden and some other Great Innates, it’s just 30."

"Although it’s only 0.5 higher, its actual strength could probably take down four or five Aidens."

Zhao He said, "Once it enters the Great Battlefield, if it achieves any gains, raising to the Muscle Stage, its Martial Arts Index could soar to the high 30s, even near 40, reaching formal Grandmaster levels."

"There’s no helping it, a Starry Sky Bloodline combined with being the Son of a Demi-God is just too powerful."

Deep Dark Fury slowly landed, its face stern, it said nothing, surveying the entire area.

Many people instinctively bowed their heads slightly, especially the Demon Race, who actively approached to greet.

Deep Dark Fury raised its head, ignoring them.

Some noticed that Deep Dark Fury occasionally glanced towards where the Giant Furnace was.

The Giant Furnace quietly asked Zhou Leng, "Why does Deep Dark Fury keep looking at you? That’s not normal."