"Alright, I'll take my leave first."
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, be cautious!"
Ye Fan didn't linger. He merely nodded at Jiang Chen and gradually withdrew into the distance.
'The treasure forged by the blood-hued beasts is of immense importance to Ye Fan!'
'So, he isn't truly departing, but rather concealing himself first, allowing me to deplete the creatures' strength, and then seizing the opportunity to claim the treasure!'
'In essence, Ye Fan desires to be the unassuming bystander who profits from the conflict of others!'
'Hehe! If I weren't aware that you were the protagonist, I might actually trust you!'
Jiang Chen inwardly scoffed while outwardly offering a subtle nod.
Subsequently,
Ye Fan retreated slowly, vanishing into the dense foliage.
Jiang Chen feigned ignorance of Ye Fan's intentions and removed the storage artifact from Li Teng's body.
Li Teng was already deceased.
The divine sense defense of his storage artifact naturally dissipated as a result.
Jiang Chen explored with his divine sense.
He quickly uncovered numerous cultivation methods within the storage artifact.
Among them, besides the Azure Jade Sect's methods, there was even a Heavenly Origin realm cultivation method!
Moreover,
The spiritual plants gathered by Li Teng were also present.
Combined with various resources he had previously acquired, his wealth and assets were quite substantial!
'Hehe!'
'These opportunities are mine now!'
The corner of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up, and with a wave of his hand, a fire incinerated Li Teng's remains to ashes. Then, he summoned a breeze to disperse the ashes.
Having completed these tasks,
He carried his bloodied sword and proceeded towards the location of the thirteen colossal beasts.
His pace was unhurried.
He appeared to be extremely cautious.
A kilometer behind him,
'I should be beyond his divine sense detection range now.'
Ye Fan navigated the forest, gauging the distance between himself and Jiang Chen mentally.
For added precaution,
He traveled several hundred to a thousand meters more before seeking refuge in a tree hollow.
'Turtle Breath Concealment Secrets!'
Seated cross-legged in the tree hollow, Ye Fan's hands fashioned hand-seals, employing a unique method to obscure his aura.
In mere moments,
The fluctuations of his cultivation base and various auras vanished without a trace.
But that wasn't all.
He proceeded to activate multiple additional methods to further conceal his aura and presence.
In the blink of an eye,
Ye Fan merged into the darkness, rendering himself nearly undetectable.
"At this level,"
"With the divine sense strength of an average Mysterious Platform realm cultivator, it would be impossible to locate me!"
"Hmph, Jiang Chen, not only do you harbor a profound enmity with me, but you also aim to seize my treasures today. Just wait and witness how I'll vanquish you!"
"..."
Ye Fan murmured through clenched teeth.
Then, he exited the tree hollow and advanced in the direction of Jiang Chen.
Simultaneously,
'Ye Fan should be making his way back now, right?'
'Hmm, I can't sense him at the moment. It's likely because he has concealed his aura.'
'His ace in the hole must be connected to his cultivation methods. I presume he has practiced multiple methods to obscure his aura.'
Jiang Chen contemplated as he feigned carrying his sword and approaching the monsters.
In reality,
He had already activated the Spirit Condensation Bianstone Jade, initiating the condensation of a more powerful divine sense!
Shortly,
An augmented divine sense radiated outward.
Gradually, Jiang Chen detected a hazy figure trailing several hundred meters behind him.
Based on the silhouette, it was Ye Fan!
'As anticipated, he followed!'
Jiang Chen smirked inwardly and feigned ignorance, persisting in his forward motion!
Soon,
He neared the thirteen blood-colored humanoid monsters.
At this juncture, the weakened humanoid monsters continued to consume the pus and decayed flesh on the ground, not even sparing those immersed in the mud.
They were in a marginally better state than when they initially began disintegrating.
But it was only a slight improvement.
Perhaps it was because the pus and decayed flesh lacked any real 'nutritional value.'
"Ten at the Early-stage Mysterious Platform realm."
"Three at the Middle-stage Mysterious Platform realm."
"With my current strength, I can easily vanquish them."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly, wielding the top-grade Spiritual Awakening realm sword bestowed by Feng Jun, and sprang into action in a flash!
Whoosh!
The afterimage sliced through the air, producing a powerful rupturing sound!
"Roar!!"
The thirteen monsters instantly detected the approaching Jiang Chen, each turning their heads and emitting fierce roars!
"Void Rainbow Third Sword Style, Flowing Wind!"
Jiang Chen penetrated the horde of monsters, brandishing his long sword, and unleashed a succession of sword shadows.
However,
He did not exert his full strength.
Instead, he displayed a combat prowess marginally superior to that of an average Middle-stage Mysterious Platform cultivator.
Consequently,
He metamorphosed into a nimble figure, darting in and out amidst the thirteen monsters, engaging in relentless combat!
"Roar!"
Monster after monster unleashed enraged growls.
One after another, colossal and grotesque arms crumbled like pillars, furiously assailing Jiang Chen.
Boom!
In virtually an instant,
The forest spanning several hundred meters in radius was leveled, utterly devastated!
"Clear Sky Flash!"
Jiang Chen exhibited astonishing speed, and his long sword fiercely penetrated the weakest of the blood-colored monsters!
"Roar!"
The monster emitted a pitiful, half-human, half-beast-like cry, with blood surging from its body!
But it didn't perish!
Continuing to brandish its razor-sharp claws like divine weapons, it ferociously lunged at Jiang Chen!
"I'll dodge again!"
Jiang Chen lightly tapped his feet, sidestepping the assault.
Suddenly!
Six colossal arms from behind forcefully lashed at him!
Above his head, an even more potent and fearsome pair of arms plummeted from the sky!
"Ah, that was quick! I must dodge!"
Jiang Chen contorted his body, narrowly evading the monsters' coordinated attack.
He made the battle appear incredibly arduous through his calculated performance.
Yet, whenever he neared a crisis, he managed to reverse the situation!
Not far off.
Concealed in the shadows, Ye Fan observed the scene, a trace of a smile flickering in his eyes.
Jiang Chen and the thirteen monsters were locked in a war of attrition.
This was precisely the outcome Ye Fan desired most!
Once both parties were nearly spent, he planned to intervene, slay Jiang Chen, and avenge his family.
Afterward, he would eliminate the weakened monsters with ease and seize the advantage!
Time steadily progressed.
Jiang Chen ceaselessly battled the thirteen monsters, and eventually, he managed to 'struggle' and defeat the feeblest six.
All at once.
Only seven monsters remained.
These remaining seven were also considerably debilitated by him; their combat prowess was notably diminished, and they posed virtually no threat.
Hence.
'Now is the time.'
Jiang Chen thought to himself, feigning a pallid complexion and adopting lethargic movements.
In the remote forest's shadows.
'He's nearly finished!'
Excitement gleamed in Ye Fan's eyes as he took a step, cautiously advancing from the front.
Shortly after.
He reached the optimal position to strike!
Yet he saw Jiang Chen, 'valiantly fighting,' momentarily unleashing formidable power, eliminating two more monsters.
Immediately following.
He darted toward the fallen creatures, and it was evident that he intended to gather the treasures left by the slain monsters before making his escape!
"Jade Harmony Mist Veiled Sword!"
A radiant gleam filled Ye Fan's eyes as he gripped his longsword, lunging forward in an instant!
His speed was astoundingly swift!
Comparable to the Late-stage Mysterious Platform realm!
The potency of the sword technique in his grasp was far beyond anything the mere Middle-stage Mysterious Platform realm could rival!
Furthermore.
His target was presently weakened, likely only equivalent to the Early-stage Mysterious Platform realm.
The chasm between the two was immense.
Ye Fan was confident that he could eliminate Jiang Chen with a solitary strike!
As the adage goes, easier said than done.
In an instant, Ye Fan arrived at Jiang Chen's side, his longsword descending like a lightning bolt.
However, just at that moment!
"Alright, I'll take my leave first."
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, be cautious!"
Ye Fan didn't linger. He merely nodded at Jiang Chen and gradually withdrew into the distance.
'The treasure forged by the blood-hued beasts is of immense importance to Ye Fan!'
'So, he isn't truly departing, but rather concealing himself first, allowing me to deplete the creatures' strength, and then seizing the opportunity to claim the treasure!'
'In essence, Ye Fan desires to be the unassuming bystander who profits from the conflict of others!'
'Hehe! If I weren't aware that you were the protagonist, I might actually trust you!'
Jiang Chen inwardly scoffed while outwardly offering a subtle nod.
Subsequently,
Ye Fan retreated slowly, vanishing into the dense foliage.
Jiang Chen feigned ignorance of Ye Fan's intentions and removed the storage artifact from Li Teng's body.
Li Teng was already deceased.
The divine sense defense of his storage artifact naturally dissipated as a result.
Jiang Chen explored with his divine sense.
He quickly uncovered numerous cultivation methods within the storage artifact.
Among them, besides the Azure Jade Sect's methods, there was even a Heavenly Origin realm cultivation method!
Moreover,
The spiritual plants gathered by Li Teng were also present.
Combined with various resources he had previously acquired, his wealth and assets were quite substantial!
'Hehe!'
'These opportunities are mine now!'
The corner of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up, and with a wave of his hand, a fire incinerated Li Teng's remains to ashes. Then, he summoned a breeze to disperse the ashes.
Having completed these tasks,
He carried his bloodied sword and proceeded towards the location of the thirteen colossal beasts.
His pace was unhurried.
He appeared to be extremely cautious.
A kilometer behind him,
'I should be beyond his divine sense detection range now.'
Ye Fan navigated the forest, gauging the distance between himself and Jiang Chen mentally.
For added precaution,
He traveled several hundred to a thousand meters more before seeking refuge in a tree hollow.
'Turtle Breath Concealment Secrets!'
Seated cross-legged in the tree hollow, Ye Fan's hands fashioned hand-seals, employing a unique method to obscure his aura.
In mere moments,
The fluctuations of his cultivation base and various auras vanished without a trace.
But that wasn't all.
He proceeded to activate multiple additional methods to further conceal his aura and presence.
In the blink of an eye,
Ye Fan merged into the darkness, rendering himself nearly undetectable.
"At this level,"
"With the divine sense strength of an average Mysterious Platform realm cultivator, it would be impossible to locate me!"
"Hmph, Jiang Chen, not only do you harbor a profound enmity with me, but you also aim to seize my treasures today. Just wait and witness how I'll vanquish you!"
"..."
Ye Fan murmured through clenched teeth.
Then, he exited the tree hollow and advanced in the direction of Jiang Chen.
Simultaneously,
'Ye Fan should be making his way back now, right?'
'Hmm, I can't sense him at the moment. It's likely because he has concealed his aura.'
'His ace in the hole must be connected to his cultivation methods. I presume he has practiced multiple methods to obscure his aura.'
Jiang Chen contemplated as he feigned carrying his sword and approaching the monsters.
In reality,
He had already activated the Spirit Condensation Bianstone Jade, initiating the condensation of a more powerful divine sense!
Shortly,
An augmented divine sense radiated outward.
Gradually, Jiang Chen detected a hazy figure trailing several hundred meters behind him.
Based on the silhouette, it was Ye Fan!
'As anticipated, he followed!'
Jiang Chen smirked inwardly and feigned ignorance, persisting in his forward motion!
Soon,
He neared the thirteen blood-colored humanoid monsters.
At this juncture, the weakened humanoid monsters continued to consume the pus and decayed flesh on the ground, not even sparing those immersed in the mud.
They were in a marginally better state than when they initially began disintegrating.
But it was only a slight improvement.
Perhaps it was because the pus and decayed flesh lacked any real 'nutritional value.'
"Ten at the Early-stage Mysterious Platform realm."
"Three at the Middle-stage Mysterious Platform realm."
"With my current strength, I can easily vanquish them."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly, wielding the top-grade Spiritual Awakening realm sword bestowed by Feng Jun, and sprang into action in a flash!
Whoosh!
The afterimage sliced through the air, producing a powerful rupturing sound!
"Roar!!"
The thirteen monsters instantly detected the approaching Jiang Chen, each turning their heads and emitting fierce roars!
"Void Rainbow Third Sword Style, Flowing Wind!"
Jiang Chen penetrated the horde of monsters, brandishing his long sword, and unleashed a succession of sword shadows.
However,
He did not exert his full strength.
Instead, he displayed a combat prowess marginally superior to that of an average Middle-stage Mysterious Platform cultivator.
Consequently,
He metamorphosed into a nimble figure, darting in and out amidst the thirteen monsters, engaging in relentless combat!
"Roar!"
Monster after monster unleashed enraged growls.
One after another, colossal and grotesque arms crumbled like pillars, furiously assailing Jiang Chen.
Boom!
In virtually an instant,
The forest spanning several hundred meters in radius was leveled, utterly devastated!
"Clear Sky Flash!"
Jiang Chen exhibited astonishing speed, and his long sword fiercely penetrated the weakest of the blood-colored monsters!
"Roar!"
The monster emitted a pitiful, half-human, half-beast-like cry, with blood surging from its body!
But it didn't perish!
Continuing to brandish its razor-sharp claws like divine weapons, it ferociously lunged at Jiang Chen!
"I'll dodge again!"
Jiang Chen lightly tapped his feet, sidestepping the assault.
Suddenly!
Six colossal arms from behind forcefully lashed at him!
Above his head, an even more potent and fearsome pair of arms plummeted from the sky!
"Ah, that was quick! I must dodge!"
Jiang Chen contorted his body, narrowly evading the monsters' coordinated attack.
He made the battle appear incredibly arduous through his calculated performance.
Yet, whenever he neared a crisis, he managed to reverse the situation!
Not far off.
Concealed in the shadows, Ye Fan observed the scene, a trace of a smile flickering in his eyes.
Jiang Chen and the thirteen monsters were locked in a war of attrition.
This was precisely the outcome Ye Fan desired most!
Once both parties were nearly spent, he planned to intervene, slay Jiang Chen, and avenge his family.
Afterward, he would eliminate the weakened monsters with ease and seize the advantage!
Time steadily progressed.
Jiang Chen ceaselessly battled the thirteen monsters, and eventually, he managed to 'struggle' and defeat the feeblest six.
All at once.
Only seven monsters remained.
These remaining seven were also considerably debilitated by him; their combat prowess was notably diminished, and they posed virtually no threat.
Hence.
'Now is the time.'
Jiang Chen thought to himself, feigning a pallid complexion and adopting lethargic movements.
In the remote forest's shadows.
'He's nearly finished!'
Excitement gleamed in Ye Fan's eyes as he took a step, cautiously advancing from the front.
Shortly after.
He reached the optimal position to strike!
Yet he saw Jiang Chen, 'valiantly fighting,' momentarily unleashing formidable power, eliminating two more monsters.
Immediately following.
He darted toward the fallen creatures, and it was evident that he intended to gather the treasures left by the slain monsters before making his escape!
"Jade Harmony Mist Veiled Sword!"
A radiant gleam filled Ye Fan's eyes as he gripped his longsword, lunging forward in an instant!
His speed was astoundingly swift!
Comparable to the Late-stage Mysterious Platform realm!
The potency of the sword technique in his grasp was far beyond anything the mere Middle-stage Mysterious Platform realm could rival!
Furthermore.
His target was presently weakened, likely only equivalent to the Early-stage Mysterious Platform realm.
The chasm between the two was immense.
Ye Fan was confident that he could eliminate Jiang Chen with a solitary strike!
As the adage goes, easier said than done.
In an instant, Ye Fan arrived at Jiang Chen's side, his longsword descending like a lightning bolt.
However, just at that moment!
