120-121(10.5k)
Chapter 120: Battle! Wu Yuan's Strength
In Jin Qing, possessing numerous treasures bestowed by the Great Jin royal family, and self-proclaiming to be on the verge of reaching the Celestial Rankings, he believed that with his physical prowess, he could sweep through the entire Ding Wu realm.
Initially, his plan was to let Chu Ping, Bu Yu, Chang Dong, and other skilled individuals explore the inner domain for treasures. He intended to wait until the fourth or fifth day before going on a hunting spree.
Despite his formidable strength, he realized that searching for treasures was not faster for him than for other Grandmasters. Moreover, engaging in bloodshed could easily result in casualties on the side of Great Jin.
However, the appearance of the "Wu Chamber" changed his perspective.
"Wu, a powerful and special type of 'Qi Refiner.' Their inheritance selects the heir, not necessarily based on strength," flashed through Jin Qing's mind.
Having had the privilege to read the 'Purple Palace Jade Records,' he had a profound understanding of ancient 'Qi Refiners' and knew a thing or two about the strength of Wu.
"I cannot let them be!"
"I cannot gamble on their inability to reach the center of the Wu realm, and I cannot gamble on them not entering the Wu Chamber," Jin Qing's gaze turned icy.
He was not clear about the requirements of the Wu Chamber's inheritance, and he had never seen the Wu Chamber. However, he knew one thing for sure - if the group of Grandmasters before him, especially those from the old Chu territory, truly obtained the Wu inheritance, it could become a disaster for Great Jin!
As for the treasures in the Chu Jiang Immortal Realm?
"Whether it's the Redwood Spirit Fruit or the Purplewood Spirit Fruit, they are of no use to me. I'll take fewer if that means taking fewer," Jin Qing quickly sorted out the consequences and made a final decision - eliminate all members of the old Chu alliance!
Even if he gained fewer treasures himself and failed to obtain the Wu Chamber's inheritance, he absolutely could not allow the enemy to get it!
Jin Qing, the former North King of the Great Jin royal family, was astonishingly strong in both action and decisiveness.
"Boom!"
While three teams, over a dozen Grandmasters, and nearly thirty top experts were still pondering the recent sound, contemplating what the 'Wu Chamber' might be, Jin Qing burst out silently.
At this moment, even the experts on the Great Jin side had not reacted.
It should be noted that the entire martial arts arena was about a mile long, approximately 500 meters. Each of the three teams occupied one corner, with the Great Jin team and the old Chu alliance team sitting diagonally across, about 700 meters apart.
With the instant burst speed of Grandmaster-level experts, under normal circumstances, it would take close to half a breath (six seconds) to cover the distance of seven hundred meters. However, Jin Qing almost instantly reached supersonic speed!
Too fast.
His movements were smooth and silent, without a trace of noise. It could be said that among the more than ten experts in the field, only one person truly reacted instantly - Wu Yuan!
The immense power of his spiritual sense and his exceptional realm made Wu Yuan's reaction far surpass that of other Grandmasters.
"So fast!"
"This speed! Not good!" Wu Yuan's expression changed instantly. This sudden burst of speed was much faster than his own.
In the blink of an eye, Wu Yuan deduced - Jin Qing's strength was terrifying, surpassing imagination!
Therefore.
Just a beat slower.
"Kill!" Wu Yuan immediately moved, lightning-like, rushing towards Jin Qing. However, his burst speed was clearly not as fast as Jin Qing's.
Couldn't stop the first wave!
...Swoosh! When Jin Qing rushed out nearly a hundred meters,
"It's Jin Qing!"
"So fast." Bu Yu and Chu Ping, these two Grandmasters, showed astonishment on their faces and then erupted, bursting out instantly to meet Jin Qing.
Retreat?
As Grandmasters renowned throughout the world, daring to enter the Chu Jiang Immortal Realm, they naturally had some confidence in themselves! If they didn't dare to engage in the first battle, how could they continue the rest?
Moreover, with only Jin Qing rushing up, would they retreat? If they retreated, the group of top experts behind them would die.
"Kill!" "Kill!" Chang Dong and the burly man 'Chu Jun,' just slightly slower, also burst out and followed suit.
"It's Jin Qing!"
"He charged over."
"Engage right from the start?" At this moment, Li Yan, Song Guang, and Tie Tuo also sensed it, but they did not act.
But soon, they discovered: "Zang Jing! Brother Zang Jing has also charged over."
Apart from Li Yan and the other Seven-Star Tower experts understanding the reason, Song Guang and Tie Tuo were a bit puzzled in this instant.
However, instinctively, they were unwilling to get involved in this unknown outcome battle.
"Kill!"
"Quick, support the Elder."
"Charge." In the Great Jin team, four Grandmaster-level experts, including Yue Shan, though a bit slower, immediately rushed without hesitation.
As for the numerous top experts from the two teams? Some hadn't reacted yet, while some had already retreated at the first moment, fleeing towards the edge of the martial arts arena.
Grandmaster-level experts, especially Grandmaster clashes!
Top experts?
Getting involved would be seeking death!
These top experts were well aware that their purpose in entering the Chu Jiang Secret Realm was only one - to find treasures, not to fight.
... The moment the indifferent voice disappeared, the entire martial arts arena descended into chaos. The three Grandmasters charged head-on; seven hundred meters?
In less than two seconds, the two sides collided.
"Die!" Only to see Jin Qing's entire body suddenly covered in layers of black scales.
His arms, face, legs, waist, chest, and hair, all completely covered, without a single gap, like an armored war god! Only his eyes and mouth had openings.
Swish! A black divine sword appeared in Jin Qing's hand, emitting a chilling aura, like a weapon wielded by a war god, swiftly thrusting towards the approaching Bai Jiang Wang, Chu Ping.
The divine sword moved soundlessly, as fast as lightning.
"So, so fast? And a spiritual weapon battle armor too!" Chu Ping's eyes flashed with a hint of shock and anger.
Too fast, this sword was faster than he had imagined.
He instantly understood.
Jin Qing had just concealed his strength.
"Get lost!" Chu Ping roared, and the clothes on his arms suddenly burst open, revealing powerful muscles. He swung his battle knife fiercely!
His battle knife was also a top-tier spiritual weapon!
The two Grandmaster-level experts collided instantly, and their two divine weapons also clashed head-on!
"Peng~"
As if a world-shaking explosion, a visible spherical shockwave formed, instantly impacting Jin Qing and Chu Ping, then spreading out in all directions like a tidal wave.
Hum~ The seemingly invincible metallic ground trembled slightly and then returned to calm.
The closest Master Bu Yu was swept by this shockwave, enough to make an ordinary person's body explode, but it only made her figure hesitate.
Hoo! Hoo!
The shockwave instantly swept over a hundred meters, but it had no effect on the Master-level experts approaching from several directions.
However, Chang Dong, Chu Jun, and even those who had not yet acted like Li Yan and Song Guang had changed their expressions.
Too terrifying!
Jin Qing's burst of strength just now was unbelievably strong because - along with the shockwave, Bai Jiang Wang, Chu Ping, was also sent flying!
He was like a streak of light, instantly blasted nearly ten yards away, tumbling violently on the metallic ground.
And then, just about to flip his body.
The frontal collision just now had put him at an absolute disadvantage.
Before he could react.
"Whoosh!" Like a black lightning bolt, another sword had already descended from the sky, directly stabbing towards Chu Ping's face!
It was Jin Qing!
The one who sent Chu Ping flying with a single sword, merely took a step back to dispel the impact, and his legs exerted force again, turning into a phantom, bursting out at supersonic speed towards Chu Ping.
Injure ten fingers rather than break one.
In Jin Qing's view, killing one was killing one!
In the blink of an eye.
"Boom!" Chu Ping erupted with astonishing potential, his waist and back suddenly exerting force, the whole person leaped forward, avoiding the almost fatal blow, and at the same time, the battle knife swung fiercely towards Jin Qing.
An astonishing scene unfolded.
Jin Qing, whose sword had not hit its target, completely ignored the terrifying slash coming his way.
The initially straight-stabbing sword suddenly changed course, resembling a venomous snake.
"Peng~" The battle knife viciously struck the Ironclad War God.
"Tear~" Like a silk thread, the sword pierced through the gaps in Chu Ping's helmet and armor, entering his neck with a hint of fear in his eyes.
"No!" Bu Yu glared angrily.
"My Lord, be careful!" The burly man Chu Jun widened his eyes involuntarily.
Jin Qing was forced to retreat to the side by this strike, but his divine sword brought forth threads of splattering blood.
A head flew!
A headless body continued its momentum and tumbled for a considerable distance, finally crashing to the ground, rolling for a while.
Bai Jiang Wang, Chu Ping, was dead!
This scene shocked all the Grandmasters and even the top experts from the three teams. The renowned powerhouse, Chu Ping, had just died like this?
However.
No matter how shocked everyone was, the bloodied head flying and the headless corpse already explained everything! This was the nature of martial clashes. Regardless of your noble status or world-renowned fame, when it comes to battle, life and death hang in the balance.
"The Elder is formidable!"
"Kill! Wipe them out!" Yue Shan and the other Great Jin experts were not only shocked but also excited and thrilled! In their eyes, Chu Ping, the most elite expert from the old Chu alliance, had died in a blink of an eye. Who else could stand against Jin Qing?
"My Lord!"
"Oh no, what should we do now?" On the old Chu alliance side, Grandmasters like Chang Dong, Chu Jun, and many top experts were not just shocked but also terrified.
Moreover, all the Grandmasters present, even those standing far away like Li Yan, Song Guang, and Tie Tuo, could see it.
Jin Qing! Something was off!
From the recent head-on collision, Chu Ping's burst of strength was undeniably formidable. Still, Jin Qing's eruption was even more terrifying, completely overpowering Chu Ping.
This was the same Jin Qing who couldn't break into the top ten of the Earth Ranking at his peak?
"This eruption definitely exceeded 800,000 catties! Stronger than the first on the Earth Ranking." Li Yan's eyes were cold, and there was a chilling aura all over him. "Is he a quasi-Celestial Ranking?"
Various parties were shocked.
And how fierce were the clashes between Grandmasters? Those Master-level experts were continuously moving at high speeds.
"Boom!" Three strikes from Jin Qing killed Chu Ping.
After enduring Chu Ping's fierce slash, as if unaffected, Jin Qing, in the midst of countless shocked gazes, with actions contrary to common sense, eerily floated and instantly approached Bu Yu, who was trying to escape.
Just now.
Bu Yu was slightly slower than Chu Ping, and the two of them planned to encircle Jin Qing with a certain level of understanding.
However, unexpectedly, Chu Ping was killed in just a few moves.
"Escape!" Bu Yu was shocked. After numerous life-and-death struggles, her intuition was exceptionally strong. She instantly understood that she couldn't win!
From Jin Qing, she saw the shadow of her junior brother - a quasi-Celestial Ranking!
Moreover.
Jin Qing had just endured Chu Ping's slash as if it were nothing, making Bu Yu understand that he was indeed wearing the legendary spiritual weapon battle armor!
"Swoosh~" The sword, like a poisonous snake, silently approached.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" As Bu Yu retreated, a gleaming sword radiance suddenly bloomed. The sword was like moonlight, with a captivating glow.
A top-tier spiritual weapon, the Moonlit Sword!
"Keng!" "Keng!" "Keng!" Terrifying clashes, two unparalleled powerhouses exchanged blows nearly ten times in an instant.
What a splendid swordsmanship duel.
Bu Yu, though retreating step by step, witnessed Chu Ping's death. Knowing that a direct confrontation was akin to seeking death, she focused entirely on defense.
With every collision, she would use the force to violently retreat.
It was both unloading force and dodging to buy time.
However, Jin Qing's sword technique was not only stronger than Bu Yu's but also faster. Wearing the spiritual weapon battle armor allowed him to go all out on the offensive.
His attacks were like a violent storm!
After almost a dozen clashes, Bu Yu felt a sense of instability, with the constant threat of imminent death.
At this moment, a figure cut through the sky.
"Go!" A fierce and ferocious shout!
"Swoosh!" A strange and eerie fiery-red blade light silently emerged from the darkness, fiercely slashing towards the Steel War God.
Accurate!
Fierce!
"This sword technique? It's that person in white!" Jin Qing's pupils slightly contracted. Without thinking, he swung his sword to block the incoming strike.
Although he had the protection of the spiritual weapon battle armor, he didn't want to take unnecessary hits.
Two figures.
One was a quasi-Celestial Ranking expert, with the force of heaven and earth infused into his body, and a single-arm fist strength approaching nearly 290,000, capable of erupting with 860,000 pounds of force under the influence of threefold strength.
The other had a single-arm fist strength of 240,000 pounds, gathering into one, carrying a momentum of impact. Under threefold strength, his power was equally terrifying.
Blades and swords collided!
"Boom~" Another terrifying shockwave erupted, more terrifying than any previous collision, spreading in all directions.
"Hmm?" Jin Qing's pupils contracted. He felt the tremendous force of this strike, containing a terrifying penetrating power, making his skin subtly ache, and his body involuntarily retreating backward.
Hoo!
The white-robed youth, wielding a fiery-red battle knife, rushed in with a terrifying aura, but as if hitting a steel plate, suddenly stopped.
"This blade?" Bu Yu's pupils contracted, staring at the fiery-red battle knife, then involuntarily falling on the white-robed youth.
She instantly understood.
It was Wu Yuan!
However, having witnessed Jin Qing slay Chu Ping with three strikes, Bu Yu couldn't help but be surprised at how Wu Yuan could send him flying with just one strike?
Though amazed at Wu Yuan's astonishing strength, Bu Yu didn't forget his fierce roar just now.
Swoosh!
Bu Yu swung her sword, her figure like a sharp arrow, suddenly sidestepping to avoid Jin Qing's direction, facing Yue Shan Zhong, who was charging towards her like lightning.
"The Supreme has arrived."
Wu Yuan felt slightly relieved. His gaze, like lightning, fell on the imposing figure covered in battle armor, resembling a war god. "Such a terrifying power, definitely exceeding 800,000 pounds!"
"In the Chu Jiang Immortal Realm, unable to utilize the power of heaven and earth, coupled with the significant reduction in the force mobilized by a top-tier spiritual weapon, the power a warrior erupts with is mainly from their own strength!"
"According to intelligence, this Jin Qing is over ninety years old, and his strength back in the day couldn't be this formidable." In an instant, various thoughts flashed through Wu Yuan's mind.
In the end.
Wu Yuan could only think of one possibility — quasi-Celestial Ranking!
Once a Grandmaster reaches the 'Unity Realm' and steps into the Celestial Ranking, the process, short if it's a few months or long if it's three to five years. During this process, physical qualities continuously improve, strength keeps increasing, known as 'quasi-Celestial Ranking.'
"You were clearly using a knife! Why did you start with a sword to deceive?"
"I'm killing the experts from the former Chu Alliance territory, but you rushed up first. Are you the Dark Blade of Hengyun Sect?" Jin Qing, covered in scale armor, stared at Wu Yuan with dead eyes, his voice muffled.
Echoing across the square.
Having said that, Jin Qing didn't wait for any response from Wu Yuan. His figure moved, like a lightning bolt, and he rushed towards Wu Yuan, the divine sword whistling down.
Whether it's the Dark Blade or not, Jin Qing doesn't care.
He only knows that if Wu Yuan dares to interfere, then — die!
"So fast!"
"In terms of strength alone, I am not his opponent. I must leverage my advantages." Wu Yuan's eyes were icy, his figure elusive as a ghost.
Retreating backward.
"Whoosh!" The battle knife, like lightning, instantly intercepted the black divine sword, but without a direct collision, it just touched and retracted.
Then he struck again.
"What a strange knife technique." Jin Qing felt extremely uncomfortable, as if powerful punches were hitting cotton with no force to vent.
"Ah! Damn it! Die!" Jin Qing's entire body faintly surged with blood and energy.
He directly used a secret technique!
Boom! His speed and strength immediately increased significantly, but the increase was not too large.
"Secret technique? I also have a secret technique!" Wu Yuan did not hesitate to use the two major secret techniques, "Thousand Mountains" and "Ghostly Movement."
What was shocking is that Wu Yuan's increase in strength and speed was even more pronounced, almost unbelievable.
"How is this possible?"
"That white-robed youth's secret technique seems to have greater power." The experts from all sides were shocked.
However, Wu Yuan knew in his heart that in terms of secret techniques, he was at a disadvantage.
But the secret technique itself forcibly amplifies the body's amplitude. For experts below the Grandmaster level, the effect is very obvious because their bodies are still relatively weak, far from reaching the limit.
The stronger the personal strength, the closer to the body's limit, the weaker the effect of the secret technique.
For Celestial Ranking experts, secret technique? Useless!
Although Jin Qing is not a Celestial Ranking expert, his body has gradually transformed towards Celestial Ranking. The effect of the secret technique is naturally greatly weakened.
As for Wu Yuan, his physical fitness is already formidable.
However, he is still far from reaching the limit of his body!
The result is that.
Both sides simultaneously used secret techniques, and the result was that Wu Yuan, who was originally at a disadvantage, managed to pull back some.
"Boom!" "Boom!"
Two peak powerhouses, one charging like a steel war god with overwhelming momentum, the other as agile and carefree as a white butterfly, evading the god of war's rapid attacks.
"If you have the ability, don't run!" Jin Qing roared angrily. Although the spiritual weapon battle armor was powerful, it also slightly affected agility.
His combat skills were exquisite, and he didn't care when facing Grandmaster level experts.
But against Wu Yuan, who is in the same realm, this slight impact was magnified infinitely.
"If you have the ability, take off the iron can." Wu Yuan's voice was indifferent, but his speed did not dare to slack.
The direct collision finally allowed Wu Yuan to witness the terror of the 'Spiritual Weapon Battle Armor,' which was simply unparalleled.
Midway through, Wu Yuan's slash hit the opponent's arm, but it couldn't shake it at all. Instead, he nearly got his head cut off by Jin Qing's counter sword.
This made Wu Yuan completely wake up and shift into full defense mode.
Jin Qing could make mistakes ten or a hundred times, but Wu Yuan couldn't afford a single mistake. A mistake would mean death!
"It's because my strength is not enough. If I could unleash an impact force of over a million pounds with one slash, with each collision, I could easily shake Jin Qing to death." Wu Yuan felt extremely frustrated.
This battle was the most frustrating one Wu Yuan had fought in years. However, Wu Yuan was unaware that his crazy battle with Jin Qing had deeply shocked masters like Bu Yu, Yue Shanzhong, Chu Jun, and Chang Dong, who were currently engaged in intense clashes.
Even the spectators like Li Yan, Song Guang, and Tie Tuo were dumbfounded.
No one expected that Wu Yuan could fight against the unparalleled Jin Qing to this extent. Although he was in an absolute disadvantage, he managed to hold his own against Jin Qing.
"Where did he come from?"
"The Elder just said this white-robed youth is the Dark Blade?"
"His strength is probably enough to rank first on the Earth Ranking!" The high-level experts of Da Jin were shocked, with a hint of fear and relief.
If it weren't for Jin Qing leading the team, they might have been swept away if they encountered Wu Yuan.
"King Baijiang Chu Ping died instantly."
"But this white-robed youth can fight Jin Qing for hundreds of rounds without showing signs of defeat?" Chu Jun, Chang Dong, and others were shocked.
"So powerful!"
"Wu Yuan, in just a few months, has progressed to such a level. Could it be that he has also reached the level of merging with heaven and man?" Bu Yu was both shocked and excited, generating various thoughts in her mind.
She speculated that Wu Yuan might have had a significant encounter.
However, regardless of the circumstances, such a genius belonged to Hengyun Sect.
Suddenly.
"Boom!" Jin Qing's speed and strength visibly weakened. The terrifying impact force diminished, and his swordsmanship became more restrained.
"Has the secret technique reached its limit?" Wu Yuan's eyes were cold, his figure as elusive as a butterfly, and the battle knife in his hand was like a flame. The blade whistled, guiding Jin Qing's swordsmanship to the side.
One used the secret technique.
The other continued to use the secret technique.
The gap in their strength and speed naturally narrowed, making it much easier for Wu Yuan, who had been on edge.
However, Wu Yuan still had no intention of killing the opponent. The spiritual weapon battle armor was too powerful. In each collision, Jin Qing seemed completely unaffected.
"My strength is still not enough to kill Jin Qing." Wu Yuan realized this: "My goal is to save Tai Shang and the others."
"But relying on me alone is not enough."
With Wu Yuan's peripheral vision, he naturally could perceive the entire battlefield. Not only he and Jin Qing were fighting, but Bu Yu, Chang Dong, Chu Jun, and other three Grandmaster-level experts were also madly clashing with the four Grandmaster-level experts from Da Jin.
They were also at a disadvantage.
"It's a pity that Chu Ping was too arrogant just now and actually collided head-on." Wu Yuan sighed inwardly: "Otherwise, there might still be hope in this battle."
If Chu Ping had survived, Wu Yuan could have restrained Jin Qing, and the other masters could have dealt with the situation more effectively.
When your strength is not enough, you have to find other ways.
"Brother Li Yan, Brother Song Guang, Brother Tie Tuo."
Wu Yuan's voice echoed powerfully, resonating in all directions: "If Da Jin wants to kill all the experts from the former Chu Alliance, do you think if all the experts from the former Chu Alliance are killed, they won't come after us next?"
In just a few simple sentences, the faces of Li Yan and Song Guang, who had been watching all along, changed slightly.
This was exactly what they were worried about!
The strength of Da Jin's side was already the strongest, and Jin Qing's revealed strength was even more terrifying. Even someone as powerful as Wu Yuan could only manage to restrain him.
If Da Jin's side were to kill Bu Yu, Chu Jun, and even Wu Yuan, what would be left for them?
There was no guarantee that the experts from Da Jin wouldn't have further designs.
Song Guang and Li Yan exchanged a glance.
"Senior Jin Qing!"
The also white-robed Song Guang suddenly surged forward tens of meters. Layers of silver scales appeared on his body, covering him like fish scales in an instant.
This scene surprised all the experts.
Spiritual weapon battle armor!
Another set?
"Please, Senior, show mercy." Song Guang's voice was imposing, carrying an astonishing deterrent: "Otherwise, don't blame us for joining the fight."
This statement shocked many experts on Da Jin's side.
A trace of coldness flashed in Jin Qing's eyes.
If it were just a few more Grandmasters, he wouldn't worry too much, but Song Guang being able to recognize the spiritual weapon battle armor had a completely different meaning.
It meant he could intervene in Jin Qing and Wu Yuan's battle.
Moreover!
Li Yan and Tie Tuo were not easy to deal with either.
Once they truly joined the fight, it might lead to heavy casualties on Da Jin's side!
"Stop."
Jin Qing's voice was indifferent, and a flowing sword light flashed as he suddenly retreated.
Swoosh!
Wu Yuan also drifted backward, choosing not to engage further.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Those who were in combat, such as Bu Yu, Chu Jun, Yue Shanzhong, quickly separated and moved towards Wu Yuan, Jin Qing, respectively.
Both sides faced each other from a distance of hundreds of meters.
"Elder."
Yue Shanzhong and others looked at Jin Qing, who only revealed his eyes. His divine sword hung down, devoid of any traces of blood.
A part of the scales on his head retracted.
Revealing Jin Qing's indifferent face, he stared fixedly at Wu Yuan, saying, "Very well! Whether you are the Dark Blade or not, since you've chosen to be my enemy, be prepared."
His gaze swept over Song Guang and Li Yan again, saying coldly, "Song Guang, for your sake, I'll spare them."
"But I remind you, don't be manipulated. The spiritual weapon battle armor is something that can make people turn green with envy!"
"We're leaving!"
Jin Qing flickered, directly leaving the martial arena, and Yue Shanzhong and the other four Grandmaster-level experts quickly followed.
A group of five.
Quickly disappearing into the sparsely wooded hills, flying towards the red soil mountains at the edge of the world.
As for the many top-notch experts?
Except for the top experts from the Seven Star Tower, the Star Pavilion, and the Nine Kills Mansion, the top experts from Da Jin and the former Chu faction had already separated in opposite directions as soon as the major battle began.
Their purpose in entering the Chu Jiang Immortal Realm was to seize treasures, not to engage in fights.
Fighting?
A Grandmaster-level expert could easily sweep them all away.
... Until the Grandmaster-level experts from Da Jin completely disappeared from sight.
Swoosh!
Only then did the burly man, Chu Jun, flash over and arrive next to Chu Ping's corpse. There was a hint of sadness on his face as he solemnly said, "My lord!"
Chu Jun was one of the two Grandmaster-level experts under Chu Ping's command.
Seeing this, everyone fell silent.
Wu Yuan sighed inwardly. Regardless of the overwhelming power, noble status, or exceptional talent, once dead, all that remained was a lifeless body.
After a while, Chu Jun collected Chu Ping's remains.
No one objected; after all, the most valuable one-grade divine weapon battle knife had been taken away by Jin Qing.
Hoo!
Chu Jun flickered back, his expression and demeanor almost back to normal, albeit with a hint of sorrow. Though he mourned, he understood that in life, one must look forward.
"Chu Jun, thanks for saving us." Chu Jun solemnly clasped his hands towards Wu Yuan, Song Guang, and Li Yan.
"No need to thank me."
Song Guang's fish-scale-like spiritual weapon battle armor retracted, revealing his head. He pointed at Wu Yuan, smiling, "If you want to thank someone, thank Brother Zang Jing. It was he who intervened and restrained Jin Qing; otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to act."
Zang Jing?
Upon hearing this name, Bu Yu, Chang Dong, and Chu Jun all reacted.
"Brother Zang Jing, Jin Qing just called you 'Dark Blade.'" Tie Tuo, the East Ancient Khan, was straightforward and asked directly, "Could it be that you are the Dark Blade wanted by Da Jin?"
Everyone looked at Wu Yuan, waiting for his answer.
"Yes!"
After a brief thought, Wu Yuan admitted, "I am the Dark Blade who killed Wang Huang. Li Yan knew about it, but I didn't disclose it to Song Guang and Brother Tie Tuo before. I was wrong."
"No need to worry."
Song Guang smiled.
"Haha, Brother Zang Jing, you're straightforward. I won't blame you." Tie Tuo, carrying a wolf-toothed club, laughed heartily.
Everyone present couldn't help but smile.
Only one person didn't laugh—Chang Dong.
"Dark Blade, we had some old grievances before."
Chang Dong unexpectedly took the initiative to speak with a humble attitude, "But my two disciples were at fault. It's not Dark Blade's fault. Today, Dark Blade saved me, and I am grateful."
The announcement by Yuan Hu Villa not to pursue the Dark Blade's responsibility was the first step.
Now.
Meeting the real person, bowing the head, showing humility was the second step.
"Hehe, Brother Chang Dong's meaning, I understand. I only hope that our grievances end here." Wu Yuan smiled.
Kill Chang Dong? Not difficult!
But what about Yuan Hu Mansion? With the strength of Heng Yun Sect, there was no way to quickly control it, only giving Da Jin an opportunity.
"Brother Dark Blade and Brother Chang Dong, resolving some grievances is a cause for joy and congratulations."
Song Guang smiled and said, "But I am curious about one thing, and I want to ask Brother Dark Blade. Are you a member of Heng Yun Sect? Or, are you—Wu Yuan?"
A silence fell!
Except for Bu Yu, who remained unchanged, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Everyone else looked at Wu Yuan. Even top experts like Wang Er and Wu San were curious.
The Dark Blade, a name known throughout the world! Wu Yuan's reputation was equally strong. In external rumors, a seventeen-year-old top-notch expert, what a genius.
Could these two be the same person?
Isn't that a Grandmaster at the age of seventeen?
"Hehe, Brother Song Guang is joking. I do have some connection with Heng Yun Sect." Wu Yuan smiled naturally. "However, I am not Wu Yuan. When that kid just joined the sect, I secretly protected him for a while."
"He's talented; given time, becoming a Grandmaster should not be difficult." Wu Yuan said casually.
Only admitting half of it.
This was also a plan that Wu Yuan had long thought of. The identity of the Dark Blade might not be concealable.
After all, it was well-known that the Dark Blade had obtained a Chu Jiang Token, and with his unhesitating actions just now, it would definitely raise suspicions.
But the relationship between the Dark Blade and Wu Yuan?
Not to mention that Song Guang had no evidence, even if the other party had ironclad proof, Wu Yuan would still deny it and not give anyone an advantage.
Seventeen years old, close to the Celestial Ranking?
Without absolute self-preservation strength, Wu Yuan was unwilling to attract such attention.
"Haha, it seems we've overthought it."
Song Guang laughed, "But thinking about it, with the strength of Brother Dark Blade in the top three or even the first on the Celestial Ranking, Wu Yuan, at only seventeen years old, no matter how talented, is probably not at such a level."
Other experts also nodded.
In fact, although many forces suspected that Wu Yuan might be the Dark Blade, the degree of suspicion was very low.
A Grandmaster at seventeen, they instinctively felt it was impossible.
"Brother Song Guang, you're too kind." Wu Yuan shook his head.
"But not overly so." Li Yan, who had not spoken, said softly, "That Jin Qing, who killed Prince Bai Jiang with a few moves, although there is the reason for Prince Bai Jiang's carelessness, his strength is probably far superior to Jin Huang."
"He might have stepped into the Unity Realm! Not far from the Celestial Ranking."
"Brother Dark Blade, without a spiritual weapon battle armor, but still entangled Jin Qing. If you had a spiritual weapon battle armor, it might have been evenly matched. I believe you're at the same level." Li Yan's gaze fell on Wu Yuan, full of admiration and a hint of awe.
This statement shocked everyone present.
The way they looked at Wu Yuan changed.
In the life-and-death struggle just now, everyone only felt that Jin Qing and Wu Yuan were formidable. Now that they calmed down and thought about it, they realized how terrifying the strength of these two individuals was.
It was not like Grandmaster-level experts at all.
In their minds, an idea emerged—close to the Celestial Ranking!
"At the same time, two individuals close to the Celestial Ranking appearing in one era is truly rare."
The East Ancient Khan, Tie Tuo, said in a low voice, "Brother Dark Blade, soon, you will probably shake the world and dominate Jiangzhou without any problem."
Wu Yuan shook his head, not responding.
He had to admit that whether it was Song Guang or Li Yan, they were indeed sharp-eyed individuals born in major forces.
"Everyone, the strength of the Dark Blade is not the focus now." Bu Yu suddenly spoke, "Let's discuss how to seize the treasure."
She didn't want Wu Yuan to explain more. The more he said, the more he would reveal.
"Seize the treasure?"
"The treasure might not be the focus, but the 'Wu Chamber,'" Song Guang whispered. "According to the information we received, there have never been records about the 'Wu Chamber' before."
"Moreover, don't forget, Chu Jiang Immortal Realm is just our term; its true name is 'Ding Wu Realm.'"
"So, I think the so-called 'Wu Chamber' contains treasures beyond our imagination!" Song Guang said solemnly.
People contemplated.
"I agree," Chang Dong suddenly spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse. "Consider this: Jin Qing has such formidable strength; he could have waited several days until we found a large number of treasures, then hunted us down. There was no need to immediately chase us."
"It would only bring more harm than good."
"He comes from the Great Jin Imperial Clan, and with his powerful strength, he likely knows the secret of the 'Wu Chamber.' He fears that we might obtain it, prompting him to act in advance." Chang Dong said solemnly.
Everyone present was astute.
After a brief analysis, they understood that Chang Dong and Song Guang's reasoning had some validity.
"Regardless of whether it's true or not," Wu Yuan said softly, "since that mysterious voice specifically mentioned it, the value of the Wu Chamber is probably greater than the two spiritual fruits."
"Moreover, according to the intelligence, the closer to the center of the Wu Realm, the more abundant the two spiritual fruits."
"So, let's explore the Wu Chamber first. The experts from Great Jin have taken the lead; time is of the essence." Wu Yuan scanned the crowd, "Are you planning to go separately or stick together?"
Upon hearing this, people hesitated.
Going separately increased the chances of obtaining treasures, but whether encountering experts from Great Jin or the inherent dangers of Chu Jiang Immortal Realm, the probability of death would be much higher.
Going together ensured safety, but with Wu Yuan's explosive strength, probably only Song Guang could contend with him.
"Why hesitate!"
"Let's arrive at the Wu Chamber at the earliest opportunity." Song Guang swept his gaze, "Once we understand the secret of the Wu Chamber, we can split up to search for treasures later."
"In addition."
"We don't have to travel entirely together."
"Dark Blade, I'll lead one team, and you lead another, parallel three miles apart. This way, we can find more treasures and quickly support each other if there's any danger." Song Guang said seriously.
Three miles?
With the speed of Grandmaster-level experts, they could cover that distance in the blink of an eye.
Soon.
Wu Yuan led Bu Yu, Chu Jun, and the others on one path, while Song Guang led Li Yan, Tie Tuo, Chang Dong, and the others on another.
The two teams quickly headed towards the direction of the Red Soil Mountains.
Many top experts? They had already dispersed, entering the outer domain to search for treasures.
They dared not enter the inner domain!
...
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The five top experts from Great Jin were speeding across the vast land, maintaining a speed of about three hundred meters per second.
From the martial arena to the center of the Wu Realm, it was about eight hundred miles!
At their speed, they had already approached the towering and endless red mountain range in a short time.
This mountain range, bare and with extremely sparse vegetation, looked like a red dragon under the dark clouds.
It was known as the Red Dragon Mountain Range or the Red Soil Mountain Range.
"Elder, just now, were you really not confident in winning?" Yue Shan Zhong, following behind Jin Qing, couldn't help but ask.
He felt somewhat stifled.
"If Song Guang joined the battle, I wouldn't be afraid!" Jin Qing's eyes were cold. "However, you guys might be killed."
Everyone fell silent.
"That young man in white is most likely the Dark Blade."
Jin Qing said coldly, "Apart from him, I can't think of any Earth-ranked Grandmaster who not only possesses the Chu Jiang Token but also would desperately save Bu Yu, and especially using a battle knife."
Yue Shan Zhong and the other Grandmasters nodded involuntarily. In this world, there weren't that many coincidences.
"However."
"If he is the Dark Blade, that would be too terrifying." Jin Qing shook his head again. "I suspect his skills are also close to Dao, entering the 'Harmony Realm.'"
Whenever he thought of their battle, the terrifying knife techniques, elegant body movements, his heart trembled. Too powerful.
Harmony between heaven and man meant not only controlling the power of heaven and earth but also an all-encompassing improvement in knife techniques, body movements, muscle, and bone coordination.
"Harmony between heaven and man?" Yue Shan Zhong and the others shivered at the thought. This meant that another Sky List expert was about to emerge.
"Don't worry about that Dark Blade for now!"
"Remember what I said." Jin Qing spoke in a low voice. "Rush to the center of the Wu Realm as fast as possible and enter the Wu Chamber."
"Remember."
"Whoever obtains the inheritance will be able to establish the fourth martial sanctum for our Great Jin!" Jin Qing emphasized solemnly.
"Yes." Yue Shan Zhong and the others' eyes lit up with fervor.
What is a martial sanctum?
There must be a Sky List expert presiding over it, like the Original Glow Palace or the Royal Clan's sacred grounds!
...
Time passed by in breaths.
Once fully opened, Chu Jiang Secret Realm lasted only five days, and the Wu Chamber required reaching it within three days.
Therefore, after Wu Yuan, Song Guang, and the others made their decision, they didn't dare to delay.
They rushed towards the center of the Wu Realm at the fastest speed.
In less than an hour, they had traveled over two hundred miles, crossed the towering thousand-zhang high Red Dragon Mountain Range, and truly entered the inner domain.
"Be cautious; there can be dangers at any time in the inner domain."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 121: The Assessment Ends! Please be the Lord of Jiangzhou
In the past, the Chu Jiang Empire's royal family repeatedly opened the "Chu Jiang Realm," leaving behind a large number of written records. With the demise of the Chu Jiang Empire, this information had long been scattered and known to various forces.
Therefore, the Grandmasters entering knew about the two great spiritual fruits and were well aware that the Red Soil Mountain Range faintly divided the entire realm into two large areas.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
"The Chu Jiang royal family explored the entire outer region and didn't discover a single spiritual fruit." As Bu Yu sped forward, she explained to Wu Yuan, "In the outer region, there are many common celestial treasures!"
"However, in the inner region, vast as it is, there are only two spiritual fruits."
"Clearly, there is a strange force controlling the entire Chu Jiang Realm, distinguishing between the inner and outer regions." Bu Yu said.
Wu Yuan nodded slightly. He was aware of this information beforehand.
In the outer region, there were countless celestial treasures. Why did Li Yan exchange items worth two million silver for two spots for top experts? Because it was worthwhile!
According to the information from the Hengyun Sect, acquiring celestial treasures worth over one hundred million silver was quite effortless for a top expert.
Of course, that was provided they could leave alive.
In the past, when only the Chu Jiang Empire explored, casualties were minimal, and the focus was on treasure hunting. This time? The outcome might be different.
Master-level experts like Wu Yuan would engage in combat in the inner region.
Top experts from the outer region also had the possibility of life-and-death struggles.
However, despite numerous celestial treasures in the outer region, their value couldn't compare to the two spiritual fruits in the inner region.
The two spiritual fruits were coveted and even drove Earth-ranked Grandmasters to madness.
Hongmu Spirit Fruit: Once consumed, it greatly increased a warrior's strength. Even an ordinary person could quickly acquire body qualities comparable to a top expert without any drawbacks. If a top expert consumed it, they would gain body qualities comparable to a Master. If an Earth-ranked Grandmaster consumed it, their physical strength would maintain its peak for an additional ten years. Any person could only consume two in their lifetime!
"In other words, if a Master Grandmaster at the age of one hundred consumes two Hongmu Spirit Fruits, they can maintain peak combat strength for an additional twenty years." Wu Yuan sighed inwardly, recalling the information he had read.
This was one of the reasons why Bu Yu, Chang Dong, and others desperately wanted to enter.
Of course, Hongmu Spirit Fruit, while miraculously preventing the decay of the physical body, couldn't preserve the spirit and immortality. It also couldn't directly enhance combat skills.
In other words, if an ordinary person consumed Hongmu Spirit Fruit, although their physical qualities skyrocketed, their combat awareness and skill levels would still need to be honed gradually.
"Hongmu Spirit Fruit is indeed miraculous, but it's only more potent than other celestial treasures. It entices Grandmasters, but it doesn't make them completely crazy." Wu Yuan thought, "The Purple Wood Spirit Fruit is the true treasure!"
Purple Wood Spirit Fruit: Known as the 'Soul Fruit' or 'Enlightenment Fruit' by many Grandmasters, it contains mysterious power that can greatly enhance the spirit of an Earth-ranked Grandmaster. It leads the Earth-ranked Grandmaster to comprehend the power of heaven and earth. A person can only consume three in their lifetime.
According to records left by the Chu Jiang royal family, if a Grandmaster could consume three Purple Wood Spirit Fruits, their chances of reaching the Sky List would be at least thirty percent.
Thirty percent might not sound like much, but in the world, each generation produced dozens of Grandmasters who eventually reached the Sky List. In the best scenarios, there were three or four Sky List experts, but in the worst cases, not even one Sky List expert would be born.
"Purple Wood Spirit Fruit is much more powerful than Concentration Pills. However, it probably won't be of much use to me." Wu Yuan thought.
In terms of spirit, Wu Yuan was confident that even Sky List experts might not necessarily surpass him.
In the intelligence reports, it was mentioned early on that the effects of the two spiritual fruits in the Chu Jiang Realm on Sky List experts were almost negligible.
Therefore,
Wu Yuan's previous plan to enter the realm was primarily for the sake of his family, to seize some Hongmu Spirit Fruits, especially for his mother.
"Sister has decent martial talent. With the full support of the sect, even if she can't become a top expert, there's hope she could become a second-rate expert, or at least a third-rate expert." Wu Yuan never expected his sister's martial achievements to be exceptionally high.
It's unrealistic.
Top experts are usually one in a hundred thousand.
As for his mother Wan Qin? Not to mention!
"Once they consume the Hongmu Spirit Fruits, Mother's body will transform, ensuring she can live peacefully up to a hundred years at least." Wu Yuan muttered to himself. "As for my sister?"
"No need to spend a lot of time tempering her body. If she has a passion for martial arts, dedicating herself to cultivating 'skills,' becoming a top expert won't be difficult, and there's even a slim chance of becoming a top-notch expert!"
"If my sister has no interest in martial arts, possesses formidable strength, and has the support of the Wu family, she'll have no problem living a prosperous life."
This was the path Wu Yuan arranged for his family.
A martial artist acts with a clear conscience.
If there were more Hongmu Spirit Fruits? He could create several more top experts for the Wu family, consolidating the family's position.
As for the sect?
"It shouldn't be difficult for the Supreme Elder to take two Hongmu Spirit Fruits for himself." Wu Yuan glanced at Bu Yu. "I'll try to obtain Purple Wood Spirit Fruits for the Supreme Elder."
Wu Yuan really hoped that Bu Yu could reach the Sky List!
"If Rain Supreme Elder breaks through, given her personality, she will probably guard the sect for a long time and won't easily leave the Central Plains. This can ensure the safety of my family and the Wu family for several hundred years." Wu Yuan muttered to himself. "In the future, when I explore the four seas, go to Xinzhou, and even farther lands, I can do it with peace of mind."
Since 'Heaven and Man are One,' the path to becoming a Qi Refiner had no more obstacles. On the way to Licheng Prefecture, Wu Yuan naturally thought about his future.
Compared to Rain Supreme Elder,
Sword Supreme Elder? Too unreliable!
"However, the appearance of the mysterious Witch's Room has disrupted the plan a bit." Wu Yuan thought silently. "I can only go and see first."
Witch's Room?
What's that? Wu Yuan didn't quite understand.
Swoosh! Swoosh! The speed of Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Chu Jun slowed down to 'a hundred meters per second,' moving across the somewhat desolate hills and ridges.
Not just them.
Several miles away, the four leading Grandmasters led by Song Guang also slowed down.
It wasn't that they were unwilling to speed up but rather—worried about ambushes.
"The vegetation in this inner region is sparser than in the outer region." Wu Yuan's gaze swept over the vast land, maintaining his divine sense, constantly trying to sense the surroundings.
No room for any slack.
The crimson-colored land resembled a wilderness.
Small hills undulated continuously, and occasionally, deep, unfathomable ravines, as if cut by a knife, penetrated deep into the earth.
These ravines weren't large, some narrow, spanning just over ten meters, while wider ones were no more than a hundred meters.
For Grandmasters, they could easily leap across.
However, the vegetation was extremely sparse, and sometimes, hundreds of miles would pass before any small grass could be seen. Looking into the distance, vague but enormous 'giant trees' could be seen, reaching up to a hundred meters, scattered across the vast land.
Very eerie!
These giant trees appearing in such a geographical environment were unreasonable.
"Giant trees, should be the 'tree demons' in the inner region, terrifying attack power, even more incredible vitality, much stronger than Grandmasters, each one can rival quasi-Sky List experts, don't provoke them." Bu Yu said softly.
Wu Yuan nodded lightly.
Within the Chu Jiang Realm, there were three major dangers in the inner region: tree demons, red soil assassins, and fruit guardians.
The strength of tree demons was the most terrifying, but as long as one stayed away from them within a three-mile radius, they wouldn't attack.
The key is, killing tree demons doesn't bring any benefits.
So, except for the first two times the Chu Jiang Empire's royal family entered and suffered heavy losses from the 'tree demons,' they didn't actively provoke them when they later entered.
On the way forward,
Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and the others cautiously moved across ravines and hills, avoiding tree demons.
In the blink of an eye, they had advanced dozens of miles.
"Another ravine." Wu Yuan's peripheral vision swept across a narrow dark valley several hundred meters long, quickly approaching.
Just as he was about to leap across—
Swoosh!
In that somewhat dim narrow valley, several dark-red streaks suddenly burst out like lightning towards Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Chu Jun.
At the tails of the three streaks, there were visible terrifying shockwaves!
Definitely an attack exceeding three times the speed of sound.
However,
After entering the inner region, why slow down the speed? It's because the Grandmasters are extremely vigilant! Fearful of sudden ambushes.
So, when the three streaks appeared,
Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Chu Jun sensed it instantly.
"Get out of the way!" The burly man Chu Jun shouted angrily, and a huge double-edged battle axe suddenly appeared in his palm.
The double-edged battle axe was extremely vicious!
It could chop, sweep, rotate, and, due to its huge blade, could also be used as a small shield to block attacks when necessary.
The large axe was raised to block in front of him.
"Boom!" An astonishing collision sound echoed, and Chu Jun felt his arm trembling. The whole person was thrown backward.
"Clang!"
Like the radiance of the moon, Bu Yu's expression was indifferent. The first time, she drew the 'Moonlance Sword' to directly block this red dark weapon.
The dark weapon changed direction due to the force, instantly flew into the adjacent sandy area, stirring up countless gravel.
With the eyesight of a Grandmaster, one could easily see.
The dark weapon was just about half an inch long, smooth and round, entirely dark red, resembling a long needle.
"Hoo!"
However, Wu Yuan's figure was strangely elusive, moving about an inch in the void, 'dangerously' avoiding this dark weapon.
Unable to use the power of heaven and earth, divine sense also couldn't go too far.
But at close range, the ability to control objects was not weakened. Moving oneself in the void was the power possessed by a strong spiritual sense.
"Red soil assassin? Such formidable stealth ability!" Wu Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold light.
With his powerful sense, he hadn't been able to detect it in advance.
However,
When the three flying needles shot out, accompanied by the violent shock of the air, Wu Yuan had instantly judged the opponent's hiding place.
"Swoosh!" Just as he landed, Wu Yuan's figure almost didn't pause at all. His legs suddenly exerted force, rushing sideways like a streak of light to one side.
He had rushed out nearly a hundred meters in an instant.
Suddenly—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the seemingly ordinary area, a burst of dust suddenly erupted, and then three figures fiercely rushed out.
They all had a human appearance.
All about two meters tall, wearing red masks, covered in light red robes. Standing there, they almost merged with the surrounding earth.
In their hands, they held identical red war knives, as if they were standard issue!
Three figures, as if carved from the same mold.
"Kill!" The red-robed figure in the center, with only a pair of light red eyes exposed, full of killing intent, roared out.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The three red-robed figures shot out like lightning simultaneously, forming a flanking posture from three directions, attacking Wu Yuan.
"Quick!"
"Dark Knife, be careful." Bu Yu and Chu Jun, although appearing a beat slower, were actually incredibly fast, rushing towards Wu Yuan like lightning.
Boom!
Wu Yuan, dressed in white and holding the Solar Blaze Blade, had already instantly collided with the three red-robed figures.
His figure flashed like a ghost. Wu Yuan had instantly avoided two fierce blade lights, and the Solar Blaze Blade in his hand flashed a flame-like blade light!
The Secret Art 'Qian Shan' erupted!
Triple extreme force!
"Puchi!" Blades intersected, and a head was sent flying!
A corpse heavily fell to the ground.
"Red Soil Assassins?" Wu Yuan's eyes were cold. "Base strength of 200,000 pounds, body strength in the Hard and Soft Realm?"
This was information Wu Yuan had obtained earlier.
Tree demons, not good at moving, but massive and vital, each with strength comparable to quasi-Sky List experts.
As for Red Soil Assassins, in terms of strength, they were at the bottom of the Grandmaster level.
"If they were solely focused on defense, it might take three to five moves to kill them. Dare they attack me?" Wu Yuan didn't care about such opponents.
Strength surpassed by a large margin!
Skill realm overwhelming!
Moreover, Red Soil Assassins had no armor defense; their only strength lay in their sharp blades.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Once again, lightning-fast figures intertwined. Accompanied by several dazzling blade lights resembling flames, two headless corpses lay on the ground.
Hoo!
Wu Yuan stopped, waving to put away the Solar Blaze Blade, looking down at the three headless bodies on the ground.
Their bodies and weapons were quickly disintegrating.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Two figures arrived, naturally Bu Yu and Chu Jun. Both of them were shocked to find that half of the Red Soil Assassin corpses on the ground had already disintegrated.
"What a terrifying sword technique!" Chu Jun exclaimed sincerely, looking at Wu Yuan with increasingly respectful eyes.
Full of awe.
Red Soil Assassins, in terms of strength, were not strong, but they were still at the Grandmaster level.
Three Red Soil Assassins joined forces.
And they were all killed by Wu Yuan in a flash?
If Chu Jun felt Wu Yuan was strong when they fought with Jin Qing before, now he realized the horror of Wu Yuan even more.
"Indeed, just like the information, whether it's tree demons or Red Soil Assassins, there's no benefit whatsoever." Bu Yu sighed lightly. "Once they die, they disintegrate without a trace. I really don't know how they were created."
"It's quite mysterious. They shouldn't be true life forms." Wu Yuan looked down at the three bodies, pondering.
However, when he killed these Red Soil Assassins,
From Wu Yuan's lower dantian palace, 'blood-colored mist' gushed out.
This further convinced Wu Yuan that the blood-colored mist originated from the Black Tower, not from the killings themselves.
Soon, the Red Soil Assassins completely disintegrated.
On this wilderness, aside from the countless gravel and dust stirred up by the previous violent actions of a few people,
There was no trace left.
"Even the hidden weapon has disintegrated." Wu Yuan glanced at the distance. The flying needle he had dodged was clearly embedded in the sandy soil.
Now there was no trace of it.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Not far away, several figures were rapidly approaching. It was none other than Song Guang, Li Yan, and others who had been not far apart.
"Brother Song Guang, Brother Li Yan, it's Red Soil Assassins. They've all been killed. Let's continue." Wu Yuan responded.
Immediately after that,
Wu Yuan continued forward with Bu Yu and Chu Jun.
... In this way, the two teams continued to move forward separately. Although they deliberately avoided tree demons, occasionally they would be attacked by Red Soil Assassins on the way.
Sometimes it was only one, sometimes two or three.
However,
Regardless of which team encountered them, they were all gathered by several Grandmasters, and even a Grandmaster. These Red Soil Assassins were naturally easily dealt with, with no casualties.
However, when they ventured three hundred miles into the inner region,
They finally encountered a major danger.
This time, more than thirty Red Soil Assassins appeared, and the one being besieged was the team led by Song Guang.
Even though Song Guang had maintained the 'Spiritual Weapon Battle Armor' all along and actively attacked in the first moment, killing one Red Soil Assassin in three moves,
However, there were simply too many Red Soil Assassins!
In terms of individual strength, even the weakest, Chang Dong, far surpasses the Red Soil Assassins. However, quantity can bring about a qualitative change.
The terrifying number of Red Soil Assassins, attacking together, made even Li Yan, who unleashed the strength of a Grandmaster, feel strenuous.
In less than a breath's time, Iron Tuo and Chang Dong, weaker in strength, were struck by the Red Soil Assassins' war blades, and blood splattered.
Though not fatal, the pressure they endured increased, and there was an imminent risk of losing their lives.
Critical moment!
Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Chu Jun rushed over.
Especially Wu Yuan!
"Splash!" "Splash!" "Splash!" His figure was as fast as lightning, and eerie blood-red blade lights flickered, each striking down a Red Soil Assassin!
The pressure on everyone engaged in the intense battle suddenly decreased.
In the end, more than thirty Red Soil Assassins were slaughtered, with Wu Yuan alone killing an astonishing eighteen.
While Song Guang had the Spiritual Weapon Battle Armor allowing him to focus on attacking, his killing speed was far from that of Wu Yuan.
A group of Grandmaster experts, panting, stood in place, surveying the gradually dissolving Red Soil Assassins around them.
Eventually, their gazes converged on Wu Yuan.
"Brother An Dao, this time you saved us," Li Yan shook his head with a sigh. "With so many Red Soil Assassins, without you, I'm afraid we would all have perished except for Brother Song Guang!"
"Indeed!"
"These Red Soil Assassins, individually, aren't much stronger than the top experts on the Human List, but there are just too many of them," Iron Tuo shook his head.
"Only Brother An Dao can crush them with absolute strength, turning their numbers into a joke!"
Everyone present nodded involuntarily, deeply impressed by Wu Yuan's strength.
"However, the number of Red Soil Assassins, why is it so high?" Song Guang frowned. "Could it be related to the Witch Room?"
"The number of Red Soil Assassins we've encountered is indeed quite high," Li Yan shook his head slightly.
According to the intelligence from the Chujiang Empire, when venturing into the inner region alone, one generally encounters Red Soil Assassins only four or five times in the first five days.
But for Wu Yuan and his team,
How long had they been inside? Just an hour! Yet, they had already been attacked three or four times, each time more ferocious than the last.
"Either it's because of our large group size, drawing in a large number of Red Soil Assassins," Bu Yu said softly, "or this situation is somewhat unique."
"Special situation?" Chang Dong sighed. "We've traveled several hundred miles and still haven't seen any signs of the two major spiritual fruits."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
Two major spiritual fruits?
They had just entered, and the inner region was vast. Normally, even with all the martial arts experts from the sects searching with all their might for five days, they would only find three to five spiritual fruits.
"Let's keep going."
"In this time, we've covered about five hundred miles," Wu Yuan said softly. "According to the map and information, we're only about three hundred miles away from the center of the Witch Domain."
"Yeah, let's go!"
"Let's go."
The group moved again, not forgetting that the team from the Great Jin Empire had set off earlier. Up to now, they had not sensed the traces of the Great Jin Empire's team.
...
The lifeless bodies of the Red Soil Assassins turned into invisible forces and merged into the earth, swiftly surging towards the depths of Ding Wu Realm.
"The practical assessment is over! Successfully passed!"
"Activate Plan One! All preparations are ready!"
"Inform the Realm Master, wake up." In the mysterious area deep within Ding Wu Realm, fluctuations spread throughout the entire Ding Wu Realm.
...
Swish! Swish! Swish! Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Chu Jun continued to move at high speed. Whether it was luck or some other reason, since the last encounter with more than thirty Red Soil Assassins, they hadn't been attacked again.
They smoothly progressed for hundreds of miles.
"Senior An Dao, I have a matter," Chu Jun suddenly spoke.
Unconsciously, his address for Wu Yuan had changed from "Brother An Dao" to "Senior An Dao."
It was because Wu Yuan's eruptive strength was too formidable.
Senior, sometimes referred to age, but more often indicated strength!
"Brother Chu, please speak," Wu Yuan said casually.
Although they hadn't been together for long, at least from appearances, Chu Jun seemed like an easygoing person.
"I wonder if Senior An Dao is from Jiangzhou?" Chu Jun asked.
"Of course," Wu Yuan replied.
Since they had openly declared their affiliation with Hengyun Sect, there was no need to conceal this information.
"That's good," Chu Jun gritted his teeth. "Senior An Dao, when we leave Chujiang Wonderland, would you be willing to take charge of the Baijiang Four Prefectures?"
"What are you saying?" Wu Yuan was slightly surprised.
Baijiang King Chu Ping, ruling the land of the Four Prefectures, was generally accustomed to calling these four regions the 'Baijiang Four Prefectures.'
"My lord has passed away. Although I am grieved, I must consider the people of the Baijiang Four Prefectures," Chu Jun spoke naturally and smoothly now that he had started. "Although there is still me and Wu Hongxuan, we are both ordinary Grandmasters. I understand that we don't have the ability to govern such a vast territory."
Wu Yuan understood.
On the side of Baijiang King, there were originally three Grandmasters, among whom Chu Jun and Wu Hongxuan were just ordinary Grandmasters, affiliated with Chu Ping.
"My family originally belonged to the Chujiang Empire and received the country's grace for generations," Chu Jun shook his head with a light sigh. "Therefore, when I saw my lord having hope for restoration, I came without hesitation to follow my lord."
Unfortunately, Chu Ping died!
"My lord has descendants, but without extraordinary martial power, he can't control the upheaval of heroes in troubled times," Chu Jun said solemnly. "The Great Jin Empire is watching closely. I've thought it over, and only if Senior An Dao takes charge of Baijiang can the Baijiang Four Prefectures possibly stabilize, preventing the Great Jin Empire and even the Linhai Four Provinces from daring to act recklessly."
Wu Yuan nodded slightly, "You make a valid point, but you should know that I am a member of Hengyun Sect. Inviting me to take charge would be like letting Hengyun Sect absorb the foundation of Baijiang King."
Wu Yuan spoke candidly, not hiding anything.
"Senior, you're joking," Chu Jun smiled bitterly. "Since the lord's death, I've understood that the Chujiang Empire is completely gone, with no hope left."
"Hengyun Sect and we share the same origin. Letting Hengyun Sect unify Jiangzhou is better than letting the Great Jin Empire invade."
"Moreover, if we don't surrender, does Senior An Dao and Master Bu Yu not have the desire to unify Jiangzhou?" Chu Jun shook his head.
(This chapter is complete)