CHAPTER 437: CHAPTER 436: KILLING YAN XIANG - PART 1

A signal was sent out, and before long, many Experts participating in the trial on the eighth layer were aware of Ling Chen’s exact location.

"Finally found that little beast!"

In the distance, Yan Xiang shuddered. "Mo Liqing, good. You didn’t betray me by trying to claim all the spoils for yourself. You didn’t act rashly, unlike Hu Xiong, that fool, who always did stupid things behind my back. I will reward you heavily. Let’s go! We must get there before others, kill Ling Chen, and seize his points and Dragon Vein Power."

As if he had gone mad, he pushed his Light Skill to its limit, rushing off into the distance, rapidly seeking Ling Chen.

"Son of the Saintess, Ling Chen has appeared! He’s on the eighth layer."

Numerous rumors spread through clandestine channels. Though initially secret, the news was passed from one person to another until it became public knowledge.

「Another area inside the Sky Demon Tower.」

Mo Liqing restlessly paced, waiting. He was anxious yet dared not approach Ling Chen’s vicinity.

Though he possessed the cultivation of The Master of the Sixth Realm, a full three levels higher than Ling Chen, he dared not make any rash moves.

This was because Hu Xiong, whose strength was comparable to his own, had learned a bloody lesson still vivid in his memory.

SWOOSH!

At this moment, a Light appeared in the Darkness, and the sound of breaking wind could be heard. More than a dozen figures appeared before Mo Liqing. It was none other than Yan Xiang, Chu Tiange, and their entourage.

"Yan Xiang, you’re finally here," Mo Liqing said hurriedly. "Look, Ling Chen is just ahead. I don’t know what he’s up to. The surroundings are filled with the Sword Intent he’s released. Should we venture deeper and kill him?"

"Nonsense!"

Yan Xiang squinted. "We’ve been looking for him for so long, isn’t it to kill him? Go!"

With that, Yan Xiang was the first to charge forward, entering the area enveloped by Sword Intent.

Mo Liqing, Chu Tiange, and the others immediately followed, one after another.

SWISH! SWISH! As Yan Xiang rapidly approached, the surrounding space grew turbulent. Chaotic streams of sword qi swirled about like headless flies, striking his body.

Ahead, increasingly dense sword qi condensed in the air before shooting towards them.

Although Yan Xiang and his group wouldn’t be killed by the sword qi, its sharpness could still inflict considerable injuries. The barrage of sword qi left them all quite battered.

"Damn it!"

Yan Xiang shattered the oncoming sword qi with his axe, his face turned livid. "These Trifling Tricks actually want to stop me? All of you, get behind me, form the Demon Dance Great Formation, and I’ll open the path!"

Saying this, Yan Xiang raised his Splitting Mountain Axe and swung it powerfully. The overwhelming True Qi tore a path through the space ahead, shattering the sword qi, preventing it from drawing near.

"Yes!"

Instantly, numerous young Experts from the Demon Way—the Green-faced Demon Sect, Bull Demon Sect, Leopard Demon Sect, and other Demon Way Experts—all united. Countless blasts of Air Energy surged and exploded mid-air. Amidst such a rampage, Ling Chen’s sword qi Domain was breached. Yan Xiang then saw a young Swordsman in black clothes sitting cross-legged at the center of the sword qi Domain. The youth, with a heroic bearing, appeared serene and composed as he contemplated the Sword Way.

"There he is!"

"Kill him!"

The moment they spotted Ling Chen, Mo Liqing, Chu Tiange, and the others immediately unleashed their ultimate techniques—blade gleams, sword qi, spear flashes, Fist Strength, and Hidden Weapons—all hurtling towards Ling Chen.

"Sword Intent Protection, Immovable as a Mountain!"

In the instant numerous attacks shot towards him, Ling Chen suddenly opened his eyes and slowly spoke these words.

The moment his words faded, a hemispherical sword qi Shield suddenly materialized around Ling Chen, defending him from all directions.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

A series of impacts resonated as the concentrated onslaught struck the sword qi Shield, merely causing faint ripples, surprisingly failing to shake it in the slightest.

"What?"

Mo Liqing and Chu Tiange were both incredulous. Their combined assault had no effect?

"Ling Chen! Your end is nigh! Sky Splitting Slash!"

Yan Xiang’s expression darkened as he hefted his giant axe and charged towards Ling Chen. A colossal phantom of a Barbarian Bull materialized above him, his True Qi drawn into his body.

He wielded his giant axe, a thousand zhang long, and without uttering another word, slashed down at the calmly seated Ling Chen.

BOOM!

When the giant axe struck Ling Chen’s Sword Intention Protective Cover, a sound like a great bell tolling resonated. In that instant, the giant axe failed to breach the Shield.

CRACK!

The next moment, a fissure appeared on the Sword Intention Protective Cover. The entire Shield then cracked further, shattering into countless fragments.

"Die, scum!"

Yan Xiang poured more strength into his strike, the giant axe arcing down straight for Ling Chen’s head, intent on dicing him.

CLANG!

Just as the giant axe was about to cleave Ling Chen, it struck a Treasure Sword, producing an ear-piercing metallic shriek.

Under those stunned gazes, Ling Chen’s Treasure Sword, seemingly fragile, had solidly blocked Yan Xiang’s giant axe. The Splitting Mountain Axe, though immensely heavy, could not be pressed down even a fraction further.

"What? Break for me!"

Yan Xiang’s eyes bulged as he strained with all his might, attempting to slay Ling Chen. However, the next moment, suddenly, CRACK...

The sword remained unscathed, but the Splitting Mountain Axe had cracked.

In the blink of an eye, fissures spiderwebbed across the entire Splitting Mountain Axe.

"Dragon Seeking Sword Technique—Prosperity and Decline!"

With a great shout, Ling Chen suddenly amplified his strength. With a single motion, the Splitting Mountain Axe split open and completely disintegrated.

As the Great Axe exploded, Yan Xiang stumbled backward. But Ling Chen’s sword qi, already at its zenith, had reached him, flashing past.

"You... Ling Chen... you..." Yan Xiang swayed, unable to remain steady, his eyes transfixed on Ling Chen. Suddenly, a thin red line appeared on his neck. The line visibly widened, then abruptly burst open.

Yan Xiang’s entire head flew into the air, blood fountaining like a geyser.

Ling Chen pressed a hand on Yan Xiang’s chest, unleashing a tremendous suction force and unceasingly absorbing the latter’s cultivation power.

Majestic True Qi, like ten thousand stampeding horses, surged endlessly within Ling Chen’s body, pouring into his Dantian. It flowed through all the meridians in his body like a hundred rivers converging into one, ceaselessly. His True Qi reserves rapidly increased, erupting in their entirety.

Ling Chen’s cultivation soared in one go to the Grandmaster Third Stage Peak. He directly reached the critical point for advancing to Fourth Stage Grandmaster, lacking only a slight opportunity to break through the bottleneck!