Chapter 413: Making a Move
Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense had caught sight of the corpse of a half-step Martial Monarch. It looked like the miserable cry that those people spoke of was real.
Xiao Chen glanced up. The number of cultivators standing in the air numbered over a hundred.
These people all maintained calm gazes and withdrawn auras. They stayed still as they watched the situation on the battlefield. It seemed as if the dust that filled the air could not obstruct their vision.
Martial Kings could fly in the air. However, if they wanted to stay in the air for a long time, they would exhaust a significant amount of Essence.
Obviously, the cultivators in mid-air had higher cultivations than the ones on the ground.
Obviously, once the battle ended, those rushing down from the sky would be faster than those on the ground.
The Martial Kings on the ground wanted to hover in the air as well. However, they could not keep up with the exhaustion of Essence. This resulted from their difference in strength.
Xiao Chen continued to look around, looking for Bai Lixi. Eventually, he found the robust cultivator about a thousand meters northeast.
Several cultivators with strong auras stood around Bai Lixi. He spoke to these people in whispers. It looked like he had found his companions and would take action with them.
Xiao Chen retracted his gaze and casually found a stone from which to carve an eagle. Then he spoke softly, executing the Life Bestowal Spell.
"Hu!"
An eagle appeared below Xiao Chen, slowly carrying him into the sky. Undoubtedly, the sky was a better place to make a move from.
When the few cultivators beside him heard the activity, they inspected Xiao Chen's cultivation. They could not help but laugh, "This brat overestimates himself. It is not that easy to stay in the air."
"If we could go up, we would have done so long ago. He is truly ignorant. He thought that, by riding on something, others could not touch him."
"Just watch the excitement. After all, it will still take some time for the battle to end. Just enjoy the show."
Mockery appeared on their faces as these cultivators watched Xiao Chen fly higher. Anticipation filled their gazes.
Some people even had a ferocious gleam in their eyes; they hoped that Xiao Chen would be severely injured so they could take advantage of him.
When Xiao Chen heard this, he was somewhat astonished. It looked like the situation was not as he had expected. Aside from Essence exhaustion, the other cultivators had other reasons for not hovering in the air.
Never mind. I'll deal with the situation as it unfolds. Xiao Chen did not fear anyone under half-step Martial Monarch. Even if he could not match up to some peak Martial Kings, he could easily flee.
"Brat, is this somewhere you can be? Scram!" Xiao Chen had just stopped as a bald cultivator flew over.
When the other cultivators in the air heard the bald cultivator, they all looked over. Interest colored their expressions.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! This brat is dead for sure. Of all the places to be, he chose Shi Feng's territory. That fellow is famous for his violence."
"He must be new. Shi Feng is pretty famous in the south side of the Ancient Desolate Land."
When they cultivators on the ground saw Xiao Chen fly to the bald cultivator's side, they all laughed.
As Xiao Chen stood on the eagle, he held the Lunar Shadow Saber. He gazed calmly at the bald cultivator in front of him.
The sky was spacious. However, cultivators had already occupied the good vantage points.
If Xiao Chen wanted to find a good spot, he had to knock someone down. At the same time, he had to demonstrate his strength to deter others from launching any attacks. The person before him not only had a good position, but Xiao Chen also considered him to be the best candidate for establishing his might.
The bald cultivator, Shi Feng, had a ferocious appearance. He held at large saber in his hand and emitted killing Qi from his whole body.
As Xiao Chen remained silent, the murderous intent in Shi Feng's eyes grew more intense. He said coldly, "I will say it again; this is my territory. Scram now!"
When the other peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air felt Shi Feng's killing Qi, they all thought, This brat on the eagle is going to die.
Several hundred cultivators came to this area. However, only a hundred qualified to occupy the airspace. For Shi Feng to be one of them, his strength was clearly not that of a regular Superior Grade Martial King.
It would be too simple for Shi Feng to deal with an Inferior Grade Martial King.
Shi Feng's expression turned sullen as his killing Qi seemed to solidify and spread through his surroundings. A murderous intent appeared in his eyes as he glowered Xiao Chen.
"Since you did not treasure the chance I gave you, die!"
When Shi Feng saw that Xiao Chen had no intentions to retreat, he roared ferociously. He pushed off the air, and his figure flashed, leaving after images.
"Berserk Dragon Burst!"
A flame lit up on Shi Feng's saber and formed a blue dragon. The dragon spiraled around the saber quickly as it roared. Unexpectedly, a trace of dragon's might appeared.
"What a strong Berserk Dragon Burst, Shi Feng's comprehension of the state of fire has deepened. Now, he can infuse the dragon might in his body into his Saber Technique."
"This move's might can compare to a peak Earth Ranked Martial Technique. There is no way that white-robed brat can block it. We should move quickly and prepare to grab his corpse."
The alert cultivators leaped behind Xiao Chen and Shi Feng. No one dared lag behind.
Dragon might…Xiao Chen thought to himself. It was indeed as Xiao Chen had guessed. The Martial Technique of this Shi Feng relied on dragon might.
This made things easy. If Xiao Chen had picked another peak Superior Grade Martial King, he might have had to expend a lot of effort and not dealt with his opponent within a short period.
However, as for this Shi Feng…. The Azure Dragon was an ancient Holy Beast. It was the ancestor of all dragons. Using dragon might before Xiao Chen was like seeking death.
Xiao Chen grasped the Lunar Shadow Saber with his left hand and stood calmly on the eagle. Just as the Berserk Dragon Burst surged towards him, he sent his right hand forward and spread his fingers to form an open palm. With a thought, the Azure Dragon tattoo on his right arm came to life; it slowly crawled across his skin.
"Boom!"
The berserk flaming blue dragon started shaking intensely. The entire saber trembled.
Shi Feng felt that the dragon might in his body seemed to have sensed something terrifying. It trashed in his body, and no matter what he did, he could not calm it.
Xiao Chen shouted a warcry and thrust his palm forward. The moving Azure Dragon on his arm emitted a loud dragon roar.
"Bang! Bang!"
Two crunching sounds resounded. The flaming blue dragon spiraling around the saber suddenly shattered. The saber also shattered and fell to the ground.
Shi Feng vomited a mouthful of blood. His body was like a kite with a broken string, falling to the ground.
Shi Feng became frighteningly pale. The dragon might he had painstakingly cultivated for decades unexpectedly scattered in a moment. Without a year or two, it would not recover back to its original state.
Shi Feng crawled up from the ground. He revealed an incredulous expression. He gazed at Xiao Chen with eyes full of fear. Then, without a word, he fled.
Shi Feng moved very fast. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight.
Within the battlefield, strong winds still blew wildly, and dust filled the air. Cracks of thunder and the horrifying energy never ceased for an instant.
However, all of the cultivators two thousand meters outside the battlefield stared, their jaws hanging open. They were speechless; the place fell utterly silent.
How can this be? This white-robed brat easily broke a peak Earth Ranked Martial Technique with one palm strike. Furthermore, that palm strike did not seem to contain any might.
This white-robed brat simply scared away a peak Superior Grade Martial King with a gentle palm strike. How strong is he exactly?
However, the crux of the problem was that, although Xiao Chen's aura seemed thick, he was indeed only an Inferior Grade Martial King.
Even if Xiao Chen had cultivated a peak Cultivation Technique and obtained nourishment from all sorts of natural treasures, he should only be able to reach a draw with Shi Feng. It seemed impossible for him to scare his opponent away with one palm strike.
Doubts appeared in everybody's minds. They could not understand what had happened.
The people on the ground waiting for entertainment were even more horror-stricken. If even Shi Feng were not a match for Xiao Chen, they certainly would not come close.
Xiao Chen withdrew his palm and glanced at the ground, at the cultivators waiting to grab his corpse. He smiled faintly and sent out a palm strike.
"Retreat!"
A strong wind blew, and eight peak Medial Grade Martial Kings were startled as they scattered and fled.
What a joke, this palm strike could easily defeat Shi Feng. How could they dare face it head-on?
However, after a while, the horrifying energy they expected did not arrive. Nothing had happened.
Xiao Chen withdrew his right hand, and the Purple Thunder True Fire in his eye started to gather. He looked at the people on the ground and smiled, "Sorry, that was just a joke. Unexpectedly, the people who came for my corpse are so cowardly."
So, it had only been a joke. The eight people on the ground sighed in relief. Although they were angry in their hearts, they did not dare behave as unbridled as before.
"Hu chi!"
Just at this moment, Xiao Chen suddenly made a move. A purple arrow flew from Xiao Chen's right eye.
The hair of a Medial Grade Martial King ignited as a result.
"Hot! Hot! My hair! My hair…" That person was startled and started to hit his head frantically, trying to extinguish the flames.
However, the other seven took a deep breath of cold air, afraid. The hair and the forehead were only a small distance apart. Such a feeling did not need an explanation.
When they looked at the white-robed youth on the eagle again, they saw that he had a calm expression as he smiled faintly. Clearly, he seemed very casual about it, very relaxed.
The seven said nothing, fleeing quickly. If this person were upset, the next target of those strange purple flames would not be hair.
When they realized that they had mocked Xiao Chen and even had vicious intentions of launching attacks after he was injured, they did not dare remain.
After this move, many cultivators clearly saw Xiao Chen fire an extremely fast flame arrow. It seemed completely different from that strange palm strike from earlier. They could feel his strength.
This youth did indeed qualify to stand in the air. Everyone withdrew their gazes and continued to watch the center of the battlefield. However, they all listed Xiao Chen as someone very dangerous.
Chapter 414: Frantic Self-Detonation
Bai Lixi smiled faintly and said, "This brat is always surprising people."
"Bai Lixi, do you know that youth?" Bai Lixi's companion beside him asked.
Bai Lixi's expression did not change as he nodded gently, "I know him. He is the White Robed Bladesman. We can stop staring at the battlefield. As long as we follow this brat, I can guarantee there to be no danger. We can even gain some small benefits."
"Really?!"
Bai Lixi laughed and said, "It is up to you whether you believe me or not. I will only say one thing. The biggest winner on Qianren Island was this brat. Even the Bloody Bladesman, the Slaughterer of Thousands, and the others had not gained as much as him. They could not even compare to his scraps."
The few people behind Bai Lixi whispered to each other. Their expressions displayed their doubt of Bai Lixi's words. They obviously did not believe him.
However, Bai Lixi merely laughed and ignored these people. Regardless what others thought, he had made up his mind.
The battle seemed incredibly intense already. The strong winds blowing had not ceased in the least. Everyone anxiously waited for the moment the battle ended.
"Ah…."
Just at this moment, another sharp, miserable cry came from the battlefield. Everyone's chest turned cold. Another half-step Martial Monarch had just died.
"Indeed, a peak high-rank Blood Demon has horrifying strength. Half-step Martial Monarchs who usually move around with ease have suffered two fatalities today."
"These half-step Martial Monarchs are truly fearless. They should have fled after they met a peak high-rank Blood Demon. If they die, it would be very unfortunate."
"What do you know?! Half-step Martial Monarchs are not truly Martial Monarchs. For them to advance to Martial Monarch, aside from clearing all sorts of requirements and needing sufficient Essence, the most important thing is to open the sea of consciousness, increasing the strength of their Mental Energy.
"If their Mental Energy is not strong enough, they can never break through the barrier to Martial Monarch. Out of this group, several of them are approaching the limits of their lifespan. If they do not stake their all on this, they will not have any more opportunities."
With the death of another half-step Martial Monarch, the crowd started discussing again after a moment of silence.
"Secret manuals that temper Mental Energy are the rarest secret manuals on the continent."
"A peak high-rank Blood Demon normally only appears in the core region of the Demon Battlefield. That is where even a Martial Monarch would not dare tread casually. Now that they found a peak high-rank Blood Demon in the inner region, how could they give it up?"
When the cultivator who voiced his doubts earlier heard this, he finally understood why this group of half-step Martial Monarchs risked their lives like this.
When Xiao Chen heard this, he pondered on it. They were reaching their limits. If they did not risk their all, they would not have any more chances.
Hence, even though they know the danger, even if they have to face this group of cultivators with malicious intentions after vanquishing the Blood Demon, this group of half-step Martial Monarchs had no other choice. They could only stake their all on this.
As time slowly passed, another three half-step Martial Monarchs died. The group of eighteen had now reduced to thirteen.
After fighting for so long, the aura of the peak high-rank Blood Demon had weakened significantly. His initial berserk and overwhelming aura, which had been felt from ten kilometers away, could no longer cause any pressure to the people two thousand meters away.
As the sun set in the west, the Blood Demon approached his limits. After all, a peak high-rank Blood Demon could not defeat a group of close to twenty half-step Martial Monarchs.
---
In the center of the battlefield, a black-robed old man with an overwhelming aura and a sword in his hand said with a grave expression, "We are almost there. We few will stop him from self-detonating. Old Ge, Old Huang, Old Chang, and Old Mu, we will leave the incoming cultivators to you."
After a pause, the old man continued, "I will hold on to the Demon Core first. After everything is over, we will split it evenly. Does anyone have any issues with this plan?"
"Old Qin, rest assured. Everyone trusts the credibility of the Holy Fire Manor," the six people he had named replied. They obviously trusted this old man without question.
Actually, this group of people had come to the Demon Battlefield before. Old Qin had been the organizer everytime they did so.
This person's credibility, plus the power behind him, was the reason they would not squabble internally and fight with each other. Everyone trusted him.
A few people surrounded the black-clothed Blood Demon. He emitted black smoke, and the baleful aura in his eyes felt overwhelming. He roared ferociously. He had wanted to use a secret technique to flee several times, but the cultivators had blocked his path.
Wounds of varied sizes that covered the Blood Demon quickly healed. However, the healing speed was far slower than the rate at which he collected new injuries.
Numerous killing moves with overwhelming force struck the Blood Demon. His lifeforce diminished rapidly; he was approaching his limits.
"I'm not resigned to this! After a thousand years, I finally broke through. Yet, you despicable group of humans caused my thousand years of effort to go to waste! If I have to die, then everyone will die with me!"
The black-clothed Blood Demon seemed to turn mad as he spoke with a maniacal expression. His skin started to swell quickly.
Old Qin's expression remained unchanged. His deep eyes maintained their calm. He said, "Very good. He is going to self-detonate. Take action now!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Suddenly a strong energy burst forth from the middle of the battlefield. It caused the red clouds above to tremble and turn into a scarlet whirlpool of clouds.
The whirlpool formed hurricanes. Many people could not open their eyes due to the wind.
An overwhelming, baleful aura hid in the wind; it felt like a malicious spirit moving through the crowd. Those with weak willpower fell instantly.
"That Blood Demon is about to self-detonate!"
When the crowd felt that surging energy, they became very excited. This fight had finally reached its end.
Regardless of the results, the group of half-step Martial Monarchs was bound to be exhausted. At that time, they could not hold back so many people attacking together.
"Chi!"
However, just as that energy had almost reached its peak, ten resplendent lights of various colors scattered the whirlpool in the sky. It vanished without a trace.
The battle ended. The strong wind that had blown for so long finally came to a stop; the dust settled.
Xiao Chen muttered to himself, "They managed to stop him from self-detonating. It looks like this group of half-step Martial Monarchs was quite prepared."
"Boom!"
The moment the dust settled, a dazzling multicolored light fired out from the Blood Demon. All sorts of Secret Treasures flew into the air.
At a rough count, there were at least a hundred Secret Treasures. Of which, two or three of were the rarely seen peak Medial Grade Secret Treasures.
Only humans could use Secret Treasures. Demons collected Secret Treasures so they could attract the attention of humans and kill them while they were distracted.
In order to attract more humans and eat their hearts to improve their strength, Demons had to collect many Secret Treasures. The stronger Blood Demons had many horrifying Secret Treasures.
"They are Secret Treasures. He was worthy of being a peak high-rank Blood Demon. He had unexpectedly collected so many Secret Treasures."
"Ha! Ha! We have not waited here in vain. With so many Secret Treasures, it's all worth it now."
"Hurry up! The Blood Demon is already dead. If we don't advance now, there will be no more chances."
Naturally, the cultivators who had waited for so long would not want to miss this chance. If they allowed that group of half-step Martial Monarchs to react, it would be too late.
"Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!"
Countless figures rushed towards the center of the battlefield. All of the cultivators looked extremely excited, as though they had already obtained the Secret Treasures.
The peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air rushed to the ground. Using their advantageous position, they led the pack.
Xiao Chen stood quietly on the eagle. He maintained a calm expression. He did not rush forward with the others.
The atmosphere of the crowd had already influenced Bai Lixi. However, just before he rushed forward, he saw Xiao Chen, unmoving. So, he stopped as well.
"Bai Lixi, go quickly. If we are any slower, we will not snatch anything."
"Indeed! There may be many Secret Treasures, but there are more cultivators than Secret Treasures. If we are late, we will not even get the lousiest Secret Treasure."
Bai Lixi's gaze was resolute as he said, "No need. You can go first. Be careful. Those half-step Martial Monarchs are not easy to deal with."
"Bai Lixi, you are too cowardly. Half-step Martial Monarchs are scary. However, how could half-step Martial Monarchs who has exhausted their strength fighting the whole day hold back so many people?"
"Ha! Ha! In that case, we will go first. You can wait here alone. When you don't get anything, don't be jealous."
A few people laughed and flew forward. They all did not take Bai Lixi's words to heart.
Bai Lixi also laughed bitterly; he did not say anything. Anyway, he trusted his instincts. Since Xiao Chen had not moved, he definitely had his reasons.
"Sou! Sou! Sou!"
When the crowd arrived a thousand meters away from the center, suddenly, six old men appeared. They wore blank expressions as their clothes fluttered without any wind.
Their auras were frighteningly powerful. They did not feel like cultivators who had fought for the whole day. It seemed like they had saved their strength and had not exhausted themselves at all.
When their auras combined, it felt like a tall mountain pressing on the advancing cultivators, making it difficult to breathe.
"No good. They are peak half-step Martial Monarchs in their optimal states," When they felt the auras of the six, the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings did not hesitate to flee.
Strong wind, lightning, frost, flames, earth wall, and white mist…six different attributed states from the six half-step Martial Monarchs spread throughout the surroundings.
In an instant, the storm of energy that had stopped stirred up once again. All kinds of energy intertwined. Even the air became a sharp, killing weapon as it exploded out continuously.
Hundreds of cultivators could not retreat in time, and the berserk energy blasted them back and ripped them to shreds. The few cultivators who managed to escaped were severely injured; their flesh was torn apart as they fell to the ground.
Only a handful of cultivators with defensive peak Inferior Grade Secret Treasures had barely escaped unscathed. However, the Secret Treasures shattered and became useless.
Because Bai Lixi's companions had advanced a moment later, they had not noticed the situation ahead. By the time they reached the front line, they coincidentally ran into the first wave, the strongest attacks. They did not even have the chance to flee. They were blasted apart, left without a complete corpse.
Half-step Martial Monarchs…what was a half-step Martial Monarch? They were cultivators who had cultivated for a long time as Martial Kings. Their states and Essence had reached the very summit of what Martial Kings could achieve.
Chapter 415: Two Dogs Strive for a Bone, and a Third Runs Away With It
With sufficient Mental Energy, one could open their sea of consciousness and step into the Martial Monarch realm. They would become one of the few experts on the continent.
Half-step Martial Monarchs had raised their states and cultivation to the limits already. With a Martial Monarch and above coming out, they were unrivaled.
Killing Medial Grade Martial Kings or Superior Grade Martial Kings felt as easy as killing dogs to half-step Martial Kings. The only thing that might cause them trouble was the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air.
As for the others, it was no longer a problem of quantity but quality. With their strength, no matter how many attacked, it would not make a difference.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The six elders stepped forward another hundred meters and made another move. With the influence of their various peak states, the normally ordinary Martial Techniques became killing moves. Many cultivators lost their lives on the spot.
The old man in the middle stopped and looked at the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings with their auras raised to their limits hovering in the air. He frowned slightly and muttered, "Everyone, just go back to where you came from. These are not yours. Don't try to reap without sowing. Otherwise, well…I don't have to tell you what the consequences will be."
The hundred peak Martial Kings stayed in the air with expressionless faces as they watched the Secret Treasures flying everywhere. Clearly, they did not wish to leave.
One of them said coldly, "Unexpectedly, there are still the six of you who have not made a move yet. No wonder a newly advanced peak high-rank Blood Demon could kill three of you. However, the six of you will not be sufficient to monopolize these Secret Treasures."
"In the worst case, both the fish dies and the net breaks; no one will get anything. The baleful aura of a peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core is overwhelming. Without strong willpower, it will be difficult to extract. If you don't let us get the Secret Treasure, we won't let you get the Demon Core."
"That's right; you can take the Demon Core and leave. If you want to stop us from getting the Secret Treasures, that is impossible. We will not return empty-handed."
The hundred peak Superior Grade Martial King stood in the air; their auras were withdrawn as they retorted. For a moment, both sides entered a stalemate.
If no one gave way, an even more intense fight would begin.
The Medial Grade Martial Kings and ordinary Superior Grade Martial Kings were already afraid. They had retreated to two thousand meters from the half-step Martial Monarchs.
When these Martial Kings saw the hundred peak Superior Grade Martial Kings holding their ground, they all slowly grew excited. As they watched the Secret Treasures flying around, desire appeared in their eyes.
When Bai Lixi saw the situation before him, he heaved a sigh of relief. He focused on cultivating the physical body. Before Great Perfection, he could not compete with other cultivators in speed.
If Bai Lixi rushed in, even if he could retreat, he could be covered in injuries.
Xiao Chen continued watching the Secret Treasures flying through the air; he focused on the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures. The other Inferior Grade Secret Treasures could not catch his eye.
Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense continued to observe that group of people. When Old Qin spoke to the six, Xiao Chen had immediately checked on the conditions of these six people.
These six people had not exhausted themselves at all. Their purpose was to prevent the current situation. The person called Old Qin had made a decisive move.
Even if someone died, Old Qin wanted to preserve the strength of these six. Thinking about it, the power behind him had to be immense. Otherwise, he would not have suppressed these six and would get into trouble.
Xiao Chen looked at the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures in the air. Then, he looked at the nervous group of people. After that, he took out a sculpture from the Universe Ring. He seemed to have already formulated a plan.
There was a deep red Demon Core in the middle of the Blood Demon's corpse. It gave off a strange red light, bathing the surrounding in scarlet. At the same time, it contested an indistinct, formless barrier.
---
A hundred meters away from the Demon Core, Old Qin and the others had varying numbers of bleeding wounds.
However, despite their tired faces, they all had blazing eyes; they looked excited. Even so, they still maintained their rationality. They did not allow their desires go to their head. One of them seemed worried as he asked, "Old Qin, you have exhausted most of your Essence, and you are injured. Can you the attacks of the baleful aura?"
"This Blood Demon died with a lot of resentment. I believe that the attacks of the Demonic Core's aura will be stronger than a regular peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core."
Old Qin snorted coldly, "If you think that your Mental Energy is stronger than mine, you can try. You don't have to speak such nonsense with me."
When the others heard this, they quickly said, "Old Qin, that's not what we meant. Naturally, your Mental Energy is the strongest amongst us. We are just a little worried for you."
When Old Qin heard this, he smiled coldly, "This old man's Mental Energy is only a step shy of opening the sea of consciousness. After spending some effort, I should still be able to accomplish this."
As Old Qin was about to step into the red light, he heard the exchange between the group of peak Superior Grade Martial king and Old Ge. His expression became malevolent as he said, "Tell Old Ge just to grab the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures. Let them have the rest. After we settle this, we will make them pay a hundredfold. We will allow them some benefits for now."
After Old Qin spoke, he turned around without looking back and stepped into the red light. The moment he stepped in, countless illusions appeared before him.
All sorts of horrifying scenes appeared before Old Qin. It was difficult for him to differentiate illusion from reality. He felt as if he had descended into hell, and a malicious spirit loomed, waiting to swallow him.
Old Qin maintained his calm; his eyes appeared peaceful. He sharpened his Mental Energy into a blade and sliced through the illusions.
However, that baleful aura was challenging to deal with. Old Qin's Mental Energy could not break through it completely. Resentful spirits, malevolent spirits, and vengeful spirits continued to pour out relentlessly. It was just a hundred meters away, but every step felt arduous. Sweat poured from his forehead. He was obviously struggling.
---
The hundred peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the sky stared at the six old men on the ground with cold expressions.
Their auras were withdrawn as they grasped their weapons tightly, preventing these six from attacking. Regardless of the situation, their opponents were half-step Martial Monarchs.
If they fought any of the old men one-on-one, they would not even last a hundred moves; they would even find it difficult to flee unscathed. The only thing they could rely on was their advantage of numbers.
As for the cultivators scattered on the ground, they could not match up to the half-step Martial Monarchs. They did not even qualify to speak of conditions.
In fact, these people had not expected six half-step Martial Monarchs who had not exhausted themselves at all. Otherwise, they would not have rushed forward so recklessly.
"Hurry up and make a decision. Give us the Secret Treasures, and the Demon Core is yours. Stop trying to buy time," one of the half-step Martial Monarchs in the air said impatiently. He was obviously uneasy.
Once the half-step Martial Monarchs obtained the peak Superior Grade Demon Core, they no longer had anything to fear from the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings.
"Make your decision quickly. Stop dawdling."
"Stop dragging this out. Worst case scenario, we both lose out. No one will gain anything, and you all can forget about advancing to Martial Monarch in this lifetime."
The patience of the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air slowly diminished. If they continued to wait, they would not obtain anything.
"Scram quickly. If you take another step forward, we will kill you without hesitation!"
The six old men wore grave expressions. They did not have any intentions of giving in to these threats. More than a hundred Secret Treasure would be a large fortune wherever they went. How could they just give it away?
Furthermore, there were three Medial Grade Secret Treasures. Even for half-step Martial Monarchs, not all of them had Medial Grade Secret Treasures. It was all the more reason they could not give those up.
The atmosphere became very volatile. The air seemed to thicken. If felt like it would explode the moment anyone made a move.
Just at this moment, an old man came flying over. He gently whispered something into Old Ge's ear.
Old Ge's expression changed slightly. After he muttered to himself for a moment, he spoke to the crowd in the air, "Aside from the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures, the rest is yours."
"You are too naive! A Medial Grade Secret Treasure is the equivalent of several dozen Inferior Grade Secret Treasures. Do you think we are fools?!"
"You still intend to monopolize all the benefits? Do you think we are monkeys?" The crowd was not satisfied. A few more short-tempered cultivators wanted to make a move.
Old Ge said coldly, "What are you thinking of doing? Don't be reckless."
"Chi! Chi!"
Just at this moment, the cry of an eagle suddenly came from the air. The cry was deafening like it was meant to attract everyone's attention.
All of the cultivators, including the seven half-step Martial Monarchs, could not help but look to the sky.
They only saw an eagle spreading its wings and casting down a huge shadow. It flew rapidly towards the scattered Secret Treasures in the air.
"It's that white-robed brat! He is snatching the Secret Treasures! Is he crazy?!" the people below exclaimed.
Old Ge's expression changed greatly. He emitted killing Qi from his entire body. The surrounding air moved and created a tornado as he said coldly, "You're seeking death!"
Old Ge waved his hands and fired an extremely dense energy.
"Boom! Boom!"
The remaining six half-step Martial Monarchs made a move about the same time as Old Ge. The torrent of sharp attacks flew towards the eagle.
At the same time, the peak Superior Grade Martial King cursed. This brat was too dishonest. He unexpectedly dared to snatch Secret Treasures alone before they had any chance to act.
All types of sharp killing moves were launched simultaneously. They instantly turned into thousands of dense attacks, covering the sky as they surged towards the eagle.
Frost, flames, saber Qi, sword Qi, fist wing, sword lights…there was a wide variety and not just one of each.
With such an onslaught of attacks, even a half-step Martial Monarch could not a dodge and would not dare clash head-on against this bombardment.
It was like the principle of ants biting an elephant to death. Furthermore, Xiao Chen was not an elephant.
Thus, in the crowd's opinion, Xiao Chen would have to be mad to do something so attention-grabbing.
As for the eagle carved from stone, it instantly shattered under the countless attacks. It first shattered into fragments, then dust. Eventually, it completely vanished from this world.
However, there was no one on the eagle, only three incredibly spiritual wooden sculptures. The instant the eagle shattered, the strong and chaotic energy tossed them high into the air.
The finger-sized wooden sculptures did not seem to have any weight. The shockwave generated by the explosion tossed them several thousand meters into the sky, allowing them to evade the horrifying attacks.
"Is he dead yet? With so many attacks, this brat has probably been blasted till nothing is left of him."
Chapter 413: Making a Move
Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense had caught sight of the corpse of a half-step Martial Monarch. It looked like the miserable cry that those people spoke of was real.
Xiao Chen glanced up. The number of cultivators standing in the air numbered over a hundred.
These people all maintained calm gazes and withdrawn auras. They stayed still as they watched the situation on the battlefield. It seemed as if the dust that filled the air could not obstruct their vision.
Martial Kings could fly in the air. However, if they wanted to stay in the air for a long time, they would exhaust a significant amount of Essence.
Obviously, the cultivators in mid-air had higher cultivations than the ones on the ground.
Obviously, once the battle ended, those rushing down from the sky would be faster than those on the ground.
The Martial Kings on the ground wanted to hover in the air as well. However, they could not keep up with the exhaustion of Essence. This resulted from their difference in strength.
Xiao Chen continued to look around, looking for Bai Lixi. Eventually, he found the robust cultivator about a thousand meters northeast.
Several cultivators with strong auras stood around Bai Lixi. He spoke to these people in whispers. It looked like he had found his companions and would take action with them.
Xiao Chen retracted his gaze and casually found a stone from which to carve an eagle. Then he spoke softly, executing the Life Bestowal Spell.
"Hu!"
An eagle appeared below Xiao Chen, slowly carrying him into the sky. Undoubtedly, the sky was a better place to make a move from.
When the few cultivators beside him heard the activity, they inspected Xiao Chen's cultivation. They could not help but laugh, "This brat overestimates himself. It is not that easy to stay in the air."
"If we could go up, we would have done so long ago. He is truly ignorant. He thought that, by riding on something, others could not touch him."
"Just watch the excitement. After all, it will still take some time for the battle to end. Just enjoy the show."
Mockery appeared on their faces as these cultivators watched Xiao Chen fly higher. Anticipation filled their gazes.
Some people even had a ferocious gleam in their eyes; they hoped that Xiao Chen would be severely injured so they could take advantage of him.
When Xiao Chen heard this, he was somewhat astonished. It looked like the situation was not as he had expected. Aside from Essence exhaustion, the other cultivators had other reasons for not hovering in the air.
Never mind. I'll deal with the situation as it unfolds. Xiao Chen did not fear anyone under half-step Martial Monarch. Even if he could not match up to some peak Martial Kings, he could easily flee.
"Brat, is this somewhere you can be? Scram!" Xiao Chen had just stopped as a bald cultivator flew over.
When the other cultivators in the air heard the bald cultivator, they all looked over. Interest colored their expressions.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! This brat is dead for sure. Of all the places to be, he chose Shi Feng's territory. That fellow is famous for his violence."
"He must be new. Shi Feng is pretty famous in the south side of the Ancient Desolate Land."
When they cultivators on the ground saw Xiao Chen fly to the bald cultivator's side, they all laughed.
As Xiao Chen stood on the eagle, he held the Lunar Shadow Saber. He gazed calmly at the bald cultivator in front of him.
The sky was spacious. However, cultivators had already occupied the good vantage points.
If Xiao Chen wanted to find a good spot, he had to knock someone down. At the same time, he had to demonstrate his strength to deter others from launching any attacks. The person before him not only had a good position, but Xiao Chen also considered him to be the best candidate for establishing his might.
The bald cultivator, Shi Feng, had a ferocious appearance. He held at large saber in his hand and emitted killing Qi from his whole body.
As Xiao Chen remained silent, the murderous intent in Shi Feng's eyes grew more intense. He said coldly, "I will say it again; this is my territory. Scram now!"
When the other peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air felt Shi Feng's killing Qi, they all thought, This brat on the eagle is going to die.
Several hundred cultivators came to this area. However, only a hundred qualified to occupy the airspace. For Shi Feng to be one of them, his strength was clearly not that of a regular Superior Grade Martial King.
It would be too simple for Shi Feng to deal with an Inferior Grade Martial King.
Shi Feng's expression turned sullen as his killing Qi seemed to solidify and spread through his surroundings. A murderous intent appeared in his eyes as he glowered Xiao Chen.
"Since you did not treasure the chance I gave you, die!"
When Shi Feng saw that Xiao Chen had no intentions to retreat, he roared ferociously. He pushed off the air, and his figure flashed, leaving after images.
"Berserk Dragon Burst!"
A flame lit up on Shi Feng's saber and formed a blue dragon. The dragon spiraled around the saber quickly as it roared. Unexpectedly, a trace of dragon's might appeared.
"What a strong Berserk Dragon Burst, Shi Feng's comprehension of the state of fire has deepened. Now, he can infuse the dragon might in his body into his Saber Technique."
"This move's might can compare to a peak Earth Ranked Martial Technique. There is no way that white-robed brat can block it. We should move quickly and prepare to grab his corpse."
The alert cultivators leaped behind Xiao Chen and Shi Feng. No one dared lag behind.
Dragon might…Xiao Chen thought to himself. It was indeed as Xiao Chen had guessed. The Martial Technique of this Shi Feng relied on dragon might.
This made things easy. If Xiao Chen had picked another peak Superior Grade Martial King, he might have had to expend a lot of effort and not dealt with his opponent within a short period.
However, as for this Shi Feng…. The Azure Dragon was an ancient Holy Beast. It was the ancestor of all dragons. Using dragon might before Xiao Chen was like seeking death.
Xiao Chen grasped the Lunar Shadow Saber with his left hand and stood calmly on the eagle. Just as the Berserk Dragon Burst surged towards him, he sent his right hand forward and spread his fingers to form an open palm. With a thought, the Azure Dragon tattoo on his right arm came to life; it slowly crawled across his skin.
"Boom!"
The berserk flaming blue dragon started shaking intensely. The entire saber trembled.
Shi Feng felt that the dragon might in his body seemed to have sensed something terrifying. It trashed in his body, and no matter what he did, he could not calm it.
Xiao Chen shouted a warcry and thrust his palm forward. The moving Azure Dragon on his arm emitted a loud dragon roar.
"Bang! Bang!"
Two crunching sounds resounded. The flaming blue dragon spiraling around the saber suddenly shattered. The saber also shattered and fell to the ground.
Shi Feng vomited a mouthful of blood. His body was like a kite with a broken string, falling to the ground.
Shi Feng became frighteningly pale. The dragon might he had painstakingly cultivated for decades unexpectedly scattered in a moment. Without a year or two, it would not recover back to its original state.
Shi Feng crawled up from the ground. He revealed an incredulous expression. He gazed at Xiao Chen with eyes full of fear. Then, without a word, he fled.
Shi Feng moved very fast. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight.
Within the battlefield, strong winds still blew wildly, and dust filled the air. Cracks of thunder and the horrifying energy never ceased for an instant.
However, all of the cultivators two thousand meters outside the battlefield stared, their jaws hanging open. They were speechless; the place fell utterly silent.
How can this be? This white-robed brat easily broke a peak Earth Ranked Martial Technique with one palm strike. Furthermore, that palm strike did not seem to contain any might.
This white-robed brat simply scared away a peak Superior Grade Martial King with a gentle palm strike. How strong is he exactly?
However, the crux of the problem was that, although Xiao Chen's aura seemed thick, he was indeed only an Inferior Grade Martial King.
Even if Xiao Chen had cultivated a peak Cultivation Technique and obtained nourishment from all sorts of natural treasures, he should only be able to reach a draw with Shi Feng. It seemed impossible for him to scare his opponent away with one palm strike.
Doubts appeared in everybody's minds. They could not understand what had happened.
The people on the ground waiting for entertainment were even more horror-stricken. If even Shi Feng were not a match for Xiao Chen, they certainly would not come close.
Xiao Chen withdrew his palm and glanced at the ground, at the cultivators waiting to grab his corpse. He smiled faintly and sent out a palm strike.
"Retreat!"
A strong wind blew, and eight peak Medial Grade Martial Kings were startled as they scattered and fled.
What a joke, this palm strike could easily defeat Shi Feng. How could they dare face it head-on?
However, after a while, the horrifying energy they expected did not arrive. Nothing had happened.
Xiao Chen withdrew his right hand, and the Purple Thunder True Fire in his eye started to gather. He looked at the people on the ground and smiled, "Sorry, that was just a joke. Unexpectedly, the people who came for my corpse are so cowardly."
So, it had only been a joke. The eight people on the ground sighed in relief. Although they were angry in their hearts, they did not dare behave as unbridled as before.
"Hu chi!"
Just at this moment, Xiao Chen suddenly made a move. A purple arrow flew from Xiao Chen's right eye.
The hair of a Medial Grade Martial King ignited as a result.
"Hot! Hot! My hair! My hair…" That person was startled and started to hit his head frantically, trying to extinguish the flames.
However, the other seven took a deep breath of cold air, afraid. The hair and the forehead were only a small distance apart. Such a feeling did not need an explanation.
When they looked at the white-robed youth on the eagle again, they saw that he had a calm expression as he smiled faintly. Clearly, he seemed very casual about it, very relaxed.
The seven said nothing, fleeing quickly. If this person were upset, the next target of those strange purple flames would not be hair.
When they realized that they had mocked Xiao Chen and even had vicious intentions of launching attacks after he was injured, they did not dare remain.
After this move, many cultivators clearly saw Xiao Chen fire an extremely fast flame arrow. It seemed completely different from that strange palm strike from earlier. They could feel his strength.
This youth did indeed qualify to stand in the air. Everyone withdrew their gazes and continued to watch the center of the battlefield. However, they all listed Xiao Chen as someone very dangerous.
Chapter 414: Frantic Self-Detonation
Bai Lixi smiled faintly and said, "This brat is always surprising people."
"Bai Lixi, do you know that youth?" Bai Lixi's companion beside him asked.
Bai Lixi's expression did not change as he nodded gently, "I know him. He is the White Robed Bladesman. We can stop staring at the battlefield. As long as we follow this brat, I can guarantee there to be no danger. We can even gain some small benefits."
"Really?!"
Bai Lixi laughed and said, "It is up to you whether you believe me or not. I will only say one thing. The biggest winner on Qianren Island was this brat. Even the Bloody Bladesman, the Slaughterer of Thousands, and the others had not gained as much as him. They could not even compare to his scraps."
The few people behind Bai Lixi whispered to each other. Their expressions displayed their doubt of Bai Lixi's words. They obviously did not believe him.
However, Bai Lixi merely laughed and ignored these people. Regardless what others thought, he had made up his mind.
The battle seemed incredibly intense already. The strong winds blowing had not ceased in the least. Everyone anxiously waited for the moment the battle ended.
"Ah…."
Just at this moment, another sharp, miserable cry came from the battlefield. Everyone's chest turned cold. Another half-step Martial Monarch had just died.
"Indeed, a peak high-rank Blood Demon has horrifying strength. Half-step Martial Monarchs who usually move around with ease have suffered two fatalities today."
"These half-step Martial Monarchs are truly fearless. They should have fled after they met a peak high-rank Blood Demon. If they die, it would be very unfortunate."
"What do you know?! Half-step Martial Monarchs are not truly Martial Monarchs. For them to advance to Martial Monarch, aside from clearing all sorts of requirements and needing sufficient Essence, the most important thing is to open the sea of consciousness, increasing the strength of their Mental Energy.
"If their Mental Energy is not strong enough, they can never break through the barrier to Martial Monarch. Out of this group, several of them are approaching the limits of their lifespan. If they do not stake their all on this, they will not have any more opportunities."
With the death of another half-step Martial Monarch, the crowd started discussing again after a moment of silence.
"Secret manuals that temper Mental Energy are the rarest secret manuals on the continent."
"A peak high-rank Blood Demon normally only appears in the core region of the Demon Battlefield. That is where even a Martial Monarch would not dare tread casually. Now that they found a peak high-rank Blood Demon in the inner region, how could they give it up?"
When the cultivator who voiced his doubts earlier heard this, he finally understood why this group of half-step Martial Monarchs risked their lives like this.
When Xiao Chen heard this, he pondered on it. They were reaching their limits. If they did not risk their all, they would not have any more chances.
Hence, even though they know the danger, even if they have to face this group of cultivators with malicious intentions after vanquishing the Blood Demon, this group of half-step Martial Monarchs had no other choice. They could only stake their all on this.
As time slowly passed, another three half-step Martial Monarchs died. The group of eighteen had now reduced to thirteen.
After fighting for so long, the aura of the peak high-rank Blood Demon had weakened significantly. His initial berserk and overwhelming aura, which had been felt from ten kilometers away, could no longer cause any pressure to the people two thousand meters away.
As the sun set in the west, the Blood Demon approached his limits. After all, a peak high-rank Blood Demon could not defeat a group of close to twenty half-step Martial Monarchs.
---
In the center of the battlefield, a black-robed old man with an overwhelming aura and a sword in his hand said with a grave expression, "We are almost there. We few will stop him from self-detonating. Old Ge, Old Huang, Old Chang, and Old Mu, we will leave the incoming cultivators to you."
After a pause, the old man continued, "I will hold on to the Demon Core first. After everything is over, we will split it evenly. Does anyone have any issues with this plan?"
"Old Qin, rest assured. Everyone trusts the credibility of the Holy Fire Manor," the six people he had named replied. They obviously trusted this old man without question.
Actually, this group of people had come to the Demon Battlefield before. Old Qin had been the organizer everytime they did so.
This person's credibility, plus the power behind him, was the reason they would not squabble internally and fight with each other. Everyone trusted him.
A few people surrounded the black-clothed Blood Demon. He emitted black smoke, and the baleful aura in his eyes felt overwhelming. He roared ferociously. He had wanted to use a secret technique to flee several times, but the cultivators had blocked his path.
Wounds of varied sizes that covered the Blood Demon quickly healed. However, the healing speed was far slower than the rate at which he collected new injuries.
Numerous killing moves with overwhelming force struck the Blood Demon. His lifeforce diminished rapidly; he was approaching his limits.
"I'm not resigned to this! After a thousand years, I finally broke through. Yet, you despicable group of humans caused my thousand years of effort to go to waste! If I have to die, then everyone will die with me!"
The black-clothed Blood Demon seemed to turn mad as he spoke with a maniacal expression. His skin started to swell quickly.
Old Qin's expression remained unchanged. His deep eyes maintained their calm. He said, "Very good. He is going to self-detonate. Take action now!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Suddenly a strong energy burst forth from the middle of the battlefield. It caused the red clouds above to tremble and turn into a scarlet whirlpool of clouds.
The whirlpool formed hurricanes. Many people could not open their eyes due to the wind.
An overwhelming, baleful aura hid in the wind; it felt like a malicious spirit moving through the crowd. Those with weak willpower fell instantly.
"That Blood Demon is about to self-detonate!"
When the crowd felt that surging energy, they became very excited. This fight had finally reached its end.
Regardless of the results, the group of half-step Martial Monarchs was bound to be exhausted. At that time, they could not hold back so many people attacking together.
"Chi!"
However, just as that energy had almost reached its peak, ten resplendent lights of various colors scattered the whirlpool in the sky. It vanished without a trace.
The battle ended. The strong wind that had blown for so long finally came to a stop; the dust settled.
Xiao Chen muttered to himself, "They managed to stop him from self-detonating. It looks like this group of half-step Martial Monarchs was quite prepared."
"Boom!"
The moment the dust settled, a dazzling multicolored light fired out from the Blood Demon. All sorts of Secret Treasures flew into the air.
At a rough count, there were at least a hundred Secret Treasures. Of which, two or three of were the rarely seen peak Medial Grade Secret Treasures.
Only humans could use Secret Treasures. Demons collected Secret Treasures so they could attract the attention of humans and kill them while they were distracted.
In order to attract more humans and eat their hearts to improve their strength, Demons had to collect many Secret Treasures. The stronger Blood Demons had many horrifying Secret Treasures.
"They are Secret Treasures. He was worthy of being a peak high-rank Blood Demon. He had unexpectedly collected so many Secret Treasures."
"Ha! Ha! We have not waited here in vain. With so many Secret Treasures, it's all worth it now."
"Hurry up! The Blood Demon is already dead. If we don't advance now, there will be no more chances."
Naturally, the cultivators who had waited for so long would not want to miss this chance. If they allowed that group of half-step Martial Monarchs to react, it would be too late.
"Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!"
Countless figures rushed towards the center of the battlefield. All of the cultivators looked extremely excited, as though they had already obtained the Secret Treasures.
The peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air rushed to the ground. Using their advantageous position, they led the pack.
Xiao Chen stood quietly on the eagle. He maintained a calm expression. He did not rush forward with the others.
The atmosphere of the crowd had already influenced Bai Lixi. However, just before he rushed forward, he saw Xiao Chen, unmoving. So, he stopped as well.
"Bai Lixi, go quickly. If we are any slower, we will not snatch anything."
"Indeed! There may be many Secret Treasures, but there are more cultivators than Secret Treasures. If we are late, we will not even get the lousiest Secret Treasure."
Bai Lixi's gaze was resolute as he said, "No need. You can go first. Be careful. Those half-step Martial Monarchs are not easy to deal with."
"Bai Lixi, you are too cowardly. Half-step Martial Monarchs are scary. However, how could half-step Martial Monarchs who has exhausted their strength fighting the whole day hold back so many people?"
"Ha! Ha! In that case, we will go first. You can wait here alone. When you don't get anything, don't be jealous."
A few people laughed and flew forward. They all did not take Bai Lixi's words to heart.
Bai Lixi also laughed bitterly; he did not say anything. Anyway, he trusted his instincts. Since Xiao Chen had not moved, he definitely had his reasons.
"Sou! Sou! Sou!"
When the crowd arrived a thousand meters away from the center, suddenly, six old men appeared. They wore blank expressions as their clothes fluttered without any wind.
Their auras were frighteningly powerful. They did not feel like cultivators who had fought for the whole day. It seemed like they had saved their strength and had not exhausted themselves at all.
When their auras combined, it felt like a tall mountain pressing on the advancing cultivators, making it difficult to breathe.
"No good. They are peak half-step Martial Monarchs in their optimal states," When they felt the auras of the six, the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings did not hesitate to flee.
Strong wind, lightning, frost, flames, earth wall, and white mist…six different attributed states from the six half-step Martial Monarchs spread throughout the surroundings.
In an instant, the storm of energy that had stopped stirred up once again. All kinds of energy intertwined. Even the air became a sharp, killing weapon as it exploded out continuously.
Hundreds of cultivators could not retreat in time, and the berserk energy blasted them back and ripped them to shreds. The few cultivators who managed to escaped were severely injured; their flesh was torn apart as they fell to the ground.
Only a handful of cultivators with defensive peak Inferior Grade Secret Treasures had barely escaped unscathed. However, the Secret Treasures shattered and became useless.
Because Bai Lixi's companions had advanced a moment later, they had not noticed the situation ahead. By the time they reached the front line, they coincidentally ran into the first wave, the strongest attacks. They did not even have the chance to flee. They were blasted apart, left without a complete corpse.
Half-step Martial Monarchs…what was a half-step Martial Monarch? They were cultivators who had cultivated for a long time as Martial Kings. Their states and Essence had reached the very summit of what Martial Kings could achieve.
Chapter 415: Two Dogs Strive for a Bone, and a Third Runs Away With It
With sufficient Mental Energy, one could open their sea of consciousness and step into the Martial Monarch realm. They would become one of the few experts on the continent.
Half-step Martial Monarchs had raised their states and cultivation to the limits already. With a Martial Monarch and above coming out, they were unrivaled.
Killing Medial Grade Martial Kings or Superior Grade Martial Kings felt as easy as killing dogs to half-step Martial Kings. The only thing that might cause them trouble was the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air.
As for the others, it was no longer a problem of quantity but quality. With their strength, no matter how many attacked, it would not make a difference.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The six elders stepped forward another hundred meters and made another move. With the influence of their various peak states, the normally ordinary Martial Techniques became killing moves. Many cultivators lost their lives on the spot.
The old man in the middle stopped and looked at the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings with their auras raised to their limits hovering in the air. He frowned slightly and muttered, "Everyone, just go back to where you came from. These are not yours. Don't try to reap without sowing. Otherwise, well…I don't have to tell you what the consequences will be."
The hundred peak Martial Kings stayed in the air with expressionless faces as they watched the Secret Treasures flying everywhere. Clearly, they did not wish to leave.
One of them said coldly, "Unexpectedly, there are still the six of you who have not made a move yet. No wonder a newly advanced peak high-rank Blood Demon could kill three of you. However, the six of you will not be sufficient to monopolize these Secret Treasures."
"In the worst case, both the fish dies and the net breaks; no one will get anything. The baleful aura of a peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core is overwhelming. Without strong willpower, it will be difficult to extract. If you don't let us get the Secret Treasure, we won't let you get the Demon Core."
"That's right; you can take the Demon Core and leave. If you want to stop us from getting the Secret Treasures, that is impossible. We will not return empty-handed."
The hundred peak Superior Grade Martial King stood in the air; their auras were withdrawn as they retorted. For a moment, both sides entered a stalemate.
If no one gave way, an even more intense fight would begin.
The Medial Grade Martial Kings and ordinary Superior Grade Martial Kings were already afraid. They had retreated to two thousand meters from the half-step Martial Monarchs.
When these Martial Kings saw the hundred peak Superior Grade Martial Kings holding their ground, they all slowly grew excited. As they watched the Secret Treasures flying around, desire appeared in their eyes.
When Bai Lixi saw the situation before him, he heaved a sigh of relief. He focused on cultivating the physical body. Before Great Perfection, he could not compete with other cultivators in speed.
If Bai Lixi rushed in, even if he could retreat, he could be covered in injuries.
Xiao Chen continued watching the Secret Treasures flying through the air; he focused on the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures. The other Inferior Grade Secret Treasures could not catch his eye.
Xiao Chen's Spiritual Sense continued to observe that group of people. When Old Qin spoke to the six, Xiao Chen had immediately checked on the conditions of these six people.
These six people had not exhausted themselves at all. Their purpose was to prevent the current situation. The person called Old Qin had made a decisive move.
Even if someone died, Old Qin wanted to preserve the strength of these six. Thinking about it, the power behind him had to be immense. Otherwise, he would not have suppressed these six and would get into trouble.
Xiao Chen looked at the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures in the air. Then, he looked at the nervous group of people. After that, he took out a sculpture from the Universe Ring. He seemed to have already formulated a plan.
There was a deep red Demon Core in the middle of the Blood Demon's corpse. It gave off a strange red light, bathing the surrounding in scarlet. At the same time, it contested an indistinct, formless barrier.
---
A hundred meters away from the Demon Core, Old Qin and the others had varying numbers of bleeding wounds.
However, despite their tired faces, they all had blazing eyes; they looked excited. Even so, they still maintained their rationality. They did not allow their desires go to their head. One of them seemed worried as he asked, "Old Qin, you have exhausted most of your Essence, and you are injured. Can you the attacks of the baleful aura?"
"This Blood Demon died with a lot of resentment. I believe that the attacks of the Demonic Core's aura will be stronger than a regular peak high-rank Blood Demon's Demon Core."
Old Qin snorted coldly, "If you think that your Mental Energy is stronger than mine, you can try. You don't have to speak such nonsense with me."
When the others heard this, they quickly said, "Old Qin, that's not what we meant. Naturally, your Mental Energy is the strongest amongst us. We are just a little worried for you."
When Old Qin heard this, he smiled coldly, "This old man's Mental Energy is only a step shy of opening the sea of consciousness. After spending some effort, I should still be able to accomplish this."
As Old Qin was about to step into the red light, he heard the exchange between the group of peak Superior Grade Martial king and Old Ge. His expression became malevolent as he said, "Tell Old Ge just to grab the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures. Let them have the rest. After we settle this, we will make them pay a hundredfold. We will allow them some benefits for now."
After Old Qin spoke, he turned around without looking back and stepped into the red light. The moment he stepped in, countless illusions appeared before him.
All sorts of horrifying scenes appeared before Old Qin. It was difficult for him to differentiate illusion from reality. He felt as if he had descended into hell, and a malicious spirit loomed, waiting to swallow him.
Old Qin maintained his calm; his eyes appeared peaceful. He sharpened his Mental Energy into a blade and sliced through the illusions.
However, that baleful aura was challenging to deal with. Old Qin's Mental Energy could not break through it completely. Resentful spirits, malevolent spirits, and vengeful spirits continued to pour out relentlessly. It was just a hundred meters away, but every step felt arduous. Sweat poured from his forehead. He was obviously struggling.
---
The hundred peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the sky stared at the six old men on the ground with cold expressions.
Their auras were withdrawn as they grasped their weapons tightly, preventing these six from attacking. Regardless of the situation, their opponents were half-step Martial Monarchs.
If they fought any of the old men one-on-one, they would not even last a hundred moves; they would even find it difficult to flee unscathed. The only thing they could rely on was their advantage of numbers.
As for the cultivators scattered on the ground, they could not match up to the half-step Martial Monarchs. They did not even qualify to speak of conditions.
In fact, these people had not expected six half-step Martial Monarchs who had not exhausted themselves at all. Otherwise, they would not have rushed forward so recklessly.
"Hurry up and make a decision. Give us the Secret Treasures, and the Demon Core is yours. Stop trying to buy time," one of the half-step Martial Monarchs in the air said impatiently. He was obviously uneasy.
Once the half-step Martial Monarchs obtained the peak Superior Grade Demon Core, they no longer had anything to fear from the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings.
"Make your decision quickly. Stop dawdling."
"Stop dragging this out. Worst case scenario, we both lose out. No one will gain anything, and you all can forget about advancing to Martial Monarch in this lifetime."
The patience of the peak Superior Grade Martial Kings in the air slowly diminished. If they continued to wait, they would not obtain anything.
"Scram quickly. If you take another step forward, we will kill you without hesitation!"
The six old men wore grave expressions. They did not have any intentions of giving in to these threats. More than a hundred Secret Treasure would be a large fortune wherever they went. How could they just give it away?
Furthermore, there were three Medial Grade Secret Treasures. Even for half-step Martial Monarchs, not all of them had Medial Grade Secret Treasures. It was all the more reason they could not give those up.
The atmosphere became very volatile. The air seemed to thicken. If felt like it would explode the moment anyone made a move.
Just at this moment, an old man came flying over. He gently whispered something into Old Ge's ear.
Old Ge's expression changed slightly. After he muttered to himself for a moment, he spoke to the crowd in the air, "Aside from the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures, the rest is yours."
"You are too naive! A Medial Grade Secret Treasure is the equivalent of several dozen Inferior Grade Secret Treasures. Do you think we are fools?!"
"You still intend to monopolize all the benefits? Do you think we are monkeys?" The crowd was not satisfied. A few more short-tempered cultivators wanted to make a move.
Old Ge said coldly, "What are you thinking of doing? Don't be reckless."
"Chi! Chi!"
Just at this moment, the cry of an eagle suddenly came from the air. The cry was deafening like it was meant to attract everyone's attention.
All of the cultivators, including the seven half-step Martial Monarchs, could not help but look to the sky.
They only saw an eagle spreading its wings and casting down a huge shadow. It flew rapidly towards the scattered Secret Treasures in the air.
"It's that white-robed brat! He is snatching the Secret Treasures! Is he crazy?!" the people below exclaimed.
Old Ge's expression changed greatly. He emitted killing Qi from his entire body. The surrounding air moved and created a tornado as he said coldly, "You're seeking death!"
Old Ge waved his hands and fired an extremely dense energy.
"Boom! Boom!"
The remaining six half-step Martial Monarchs made a move about the same time as Old Ge. The torrent of sharp attacks flew towards the eagle.
At the same time, the peak Superior Grade Martial King cursed. This brat was too dishonest. He unexpectedly dared to snatch Secret Treasures alone before they had any chance to act.
All types of sharp killing moves were launched simultaneously. They instantly turned into thousands of dense attacks, covering the sky as they surged towards the eagle.
Frost, flames, saber Qi, sword Qi, fist wing, sword lights…there was a wide variety and not just one of each.
With such an onslaught of attacks, even a half-step Martial Monarch could not a dodge and would not dare clash head-on against this bombardment.
It was like the principle of ants biting an elephant to death. Furthermore, Xiao Chen was not an elephant.
Thus, in the crowd's opinion, Xiao Chen would have to be mad to do something so attention-grabbing.
As for the eagle carved from stone, it instantly shattered under the countless attacks. It first shattered into fragments, then dust. Eventually, it completely vanished from this world.
However, there was no one on the eagle, only three incredibly spiritual wooden sculptures. The instant the eagle shattered, the strong and chaotic energy tossed them high into the air.
The finger-sized wooden sculptures did not seem to have any weight. The shockwave generated by the explosion tossed them several thousand meters into the sky, allowing them to evade the horrifying attacks.
"Is he dead yet? With so many attacks, this brat has probably been blasted till nothing is left of him."
