CHAPTER 439: CHAPTER 438 ONE AFTER ANOTHER_1

The Thunder Shadow Sword flew back and was gripped in Ling Chen’s hand. A formidable power still buzzed within it, nearly wrenching it from his grasp.

His pupils contracted. Ling Chen’s gaze fell upon the darkness ahead, where a figure reached out, grasped an Iron Stick, and then landed before Chu Tiange.

The man held the Iron Stick, his aura astonishing. He stood tall and imposing, looking down on all creation.

It was precisely Sikong Yi’s third disciple, Ao Tian.

This person’s cultivation had already reached the peak of the Great Master Seventh Realm, a completely different level from Yan Xiang.

"Excellent, Senior Brother Ao Tian! Your timing is perfect."

Chu Tiange was overjoyed to meet his savior. Ao Tian was a cut above Yan Xiang in strength; even if he couldn’t kill Ling Chen, he could definitely hold him off.

Ao Tian, gripping a thick Iron Stick, faced Ling Chen. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and a fierce grin spread across his face. "You killed Yan Xiang? And many other young Experts? You took their points, and now you’re ranked first, far ahead of everyone else. Once I kill you, I’ll be number one on the points leaderboard."

"So, you are Sikong Yi’s third direct disciple, Ao Tian," Ling Chen said calmly, his hands behind his back, making no move. "Before you, Yan Xiang also said he would take my points. But in the end, he just gave me quite a few. Do you wish to follow in Yan Xiang’s footsteps?"

"Arrogant!"

Ao Tian’s eyes were disdainful. "Don’t compare that trash Yan Xiang to me. Dying by your hand, he died in disgrace, without any honor to speak of. No one will pity his death."

"The Sect Leader has already issued a secret order, calling all of us disciples to kill you. Let me be the first to claim this immense merit!"

Suddenly, True Qi surged from Ao Tian’s body, thundering around him as his True Qi erupted violently. The long Iron Stick suddenly shot through the air, aiming straight for Ling Chen’s throat. The Iron Stick moved like a dragon, rushing forward. Initially, the image of the staff was a full ten zhang huge, but as it neared Ling Chen, it shrank progressively, eventually becoming ordinary-sized as all its power condensed.

This was the principle of concentrating the immense into the minute, and with the minute, overwhelming the great.

Ling Chen’s eyes blazed like torches as he thrust out with the Thunder Shadow Sword. Its tip clashed with the Iron Stick, which seethed with immense power.

CRACK!

A crack abruptly appeared on the Iron Stick, torn open by the Sword Light, and it flew back into Ao Tian’s hand.

"Bastard! You dare damage my weapon!"

Seeing the crack on his Iron Stick, Ao Tian flew into a rage, his hair standing on end like porcupine quills.

"Heavenly Punishment One Stick!"

Ao Tian gripped the Iron Stick with both hands and, like an ape, leaped high into the air, then smashed the staff down violently.

The image of the staff, as if spanning heaven and earth, materialized from the depths of the void and smashed down towards Ling Chen’s head.

Facing Ao Tian’s frenzied attack, Ling Chen remained calm and unhurried. He tilted the Thunder Shadow Sword in his hand and then suddenly slashed out.

"Fish and Dragon Hundred Transformations!"

Sword images before him shifted through countless forms in the air—dragons, tigers, rhinos, leopards, horses, fish... Myriad Images of the Forest, all-encompassing and ever-changing.

Finally, the sword images morphed into an ancient giant elephant, its hide thick and flesh tough, appearing before Ling Chen. Ao Tian’s Iron Stick smashed onto the giant elephant’s body as if hitting an iron wall, leaving only faint ripples, not even scratching its skin.

"Go!"

Ling Chen waved his Long Sword, and the ancient giant elephant charged forward, ramming into Ao Tian with lightning speed too fast for the ear to catch, sending him flying.

SPURT!

Ao Tian violently spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying. His Protective True Qi shield shattered, and his aura instantly weakened.

"Senior Brother Ao Tian!"

Chu Tiange roared, finding it hard to believe that Ao Tian, a Seventh-Level Grandmaster, had been defeated so easily, sent flying by Ling Chen. He was no match at all.

Ling Chen paid no heed, stepped forward, and slashed his Thunder Shadow Sword towards Ao Tian, intending to kill him.

"Stop right there!"

From another direction, a sharp cry suddenly rang out, and a figure shot over, emanating an incredibly powerful aura.

This figure possessed a heaven-piercing momentum, fierce and untamed. Standing two meters tall, he seemed capable of holding up the sky with a raised arm.

Sikong Yi’s second disciple, Gu Qingcang!

This man’s cultivation had clearly reached the Great Grandmaster Eighth Layer!

Ling Chen did not stop because of Gu Qingcang’s furious shout. His Thunder Shadow Sword continued its descent, about to slice Ao Tian in two.

At that critical moment, Ao Tian suddenly produced a small, round shield and held it before him.

CLANG!

A deafening clang resounded. Ao Tian’s small, round shield was directly caved in by the slash, but surprisingly, it did not shatter, having ultimately blocked Ling Chen’s Sword Light.

Even so, the penetrating Sword Energy knocked Ao Tian unconscious. He vomited blood, a large area of his chest caved in, and several bones shattered.

"Beast! You’re courting death!"

Gu Qingcang’s eyes nearly bulged out. In the Saint Witch Religion, no one had ever dared to ignore him like this! To dare try to kill Ao Tian right in front of him—Ling Chen had undoubtedly violated a major taboo of his, a capital offense.

"Domineering Fist of the Heavens!"

Enraged, Gu Qingcang instantly appeared behind Ling Chen. He raised his fist, from which an immense and majestic Fist Strength, powerful enough to shake the heavens, condensed. Before his fist, the air twisted and distorted, unable to withstand the pressure, and it exploded.

Ling Chen immediately turned. Activating the Ancient Saint King Battle Technique, his aura abruptly surged to the Grandmaster Fourth Realm. Above his head, the phantom of a Golden Giant Dragon began to coalesce, radiating endless Dragon’s Majesty.

"Controlling Dragon in the Sky!"

The Golden Giant Dragon swept down, brutally striking the colossal fist that seemed to tear through space. The giant fist was blasted apart, but the phantom of the Golden Giant Dragon was also shattered into countless fragments by the remaining Fist Strength.

"Demon Emperor’s Prison!"

After his offensive was shattered, Gu Qingcang attacked again. The True Qi from his palms spread out, coalescing into an Array Formation.

This Array Formation was based on a Demon Path Ancient Map. Its Array Eye opened in all directions, enveloping the ground and crushing the entirety of the Demon Way’s will in the area. An overwhelming pressure bore down from all sides. Gu Qingcang himself stood at the center of this Devil Path Ancient Array, reigning supreme, an imposing figure, as he successively unleashed various boxing techniques.

Within that Devil Path Ancient Array, Gu Qingcang’s movements were even more elusive and unpredictable. His fist techniques, like an iron staff striking east then west, left then right, erratic and unstable, grew stronger with each blow: Divine Dragon’s Swinging Tail, Flood Dragon Emerging from Water, Fierce Tiger Descending the Mountain, Heaven and Earth Overturned, Sun and Moon Losing Color.