CHAPTER 520: CHAPTER 520. THE TRUE CULPRIT

When Xian Fei ambushed Huang Zi, the five Mystic Stage cultivators she allegedly killed earlier, rose from their deaths. The five rushed toward Jiang Bo in concert. They performed simultaneous joint attacks.

This put Jiang Bo in an even worse situation than if the five had resumed their attacks earlier before Xian Fei intercepted them. This was because Jiang Bo was prepared for them. This time, he sensed their attacks too late. These attacks were too unexpected because they were carried out by people who were supposed to be dead.

Jiang Bo couldn’t block all the attacks. Some landed, which disrupted his concentration. At this critical moment, Da Niu charged in. Da Niu’s gigantic body slammed into him, throwing him off-balance. Da Niu then swung the stolen giant hammer, which struck him on the side.

The blow broke several of his ribs. It also threw him several meters away. He landed on the ground face-first. He was gasping for air because he had difficulty breathing. While still being tormented by the pain in his side, he turned around and faced the sky. What he saw was a large figure above him.

This figure was Da Niu. When Jiang Bo dropped to the ground, Da Niu jumped to the height limit he was allowed to, which was six meters. He fell back down while using a martial art that multiplied his weight by many times.

It was too late for Jiang Bo to escape. Da Niu’s two massive feet landed on him just as he flipped himself back up. His body sunk into the ground due to the weight. The ground cracked and caved in.

Even for a Peak Spirit Stage like Jiang Bo, he couldn’t withstand the massive weight. His body gave in. His internal organs were forced out through his mouth and bottom. Blood gushed from all his orifices, even his eyes popped out of their sockets due to the pressure. He died instantly.

*

Huang Zi watched the incoming spearhead. It was too late to move away. Not to mention the Qing Lion was grabbing one of his legs. His two hands came up and clasped the spearhead from opposite sides. His powerful strength managed to stop the spear before it stabbed into his head.

Suddenly, the pressure from the spear disappeared. This was because Huang Zhan had detached the spearhead from its shaft. Huang Zi was still holding the spearhead when Huang Zhan twirled the shaft. The chain that connected the shaft and the spearhead swirled around Huang Zi. Before he realized what was happening, the chain tightened around him. The chain bound his arms and his body. While his arms were incapacitated, Huang Zhan landed a kick in his stomach.

The kick was extremely hard. The force sent Huang Zi in one direction, while the Qing Lion, still biting Huang Zi’s leg, pulled in the opposite direction. The combined strength of the pulling and biting ripped Huang Zi’s leg apart. The crown prince fell backward with a missing leg.

"Aahhhh...!!!" The pain drove Huang Zi to exert more strength than he normally could. He heaved, and the chain binding him was broken apart.

"Hm...," Huang Zhan looked at his broken spear. It was useless now. He threw the spear away.

Huang Zhan returned his gaze to Huang Zi. The crown prince’s appearance was far from his usual lofty self. His hair was disheveled, his shirt was messy, and he was full of sweat. He was floating above the ground with a missing leg. Blood still dripped from the wound but not so much. He had stopped the bleeding using the meridian points technique.

Huang Zi turned to Xian Fei. She also didn’t look well. She had doused the fire burning her, but her body was full of burning wounds. She also suffered internal wounds from Huang Zi’s strike. Blood leaked from her mouth.

"Why...?" Huang Zi asked her.

"Hehe, why? Because she is my woman," Huang Zhan was the one who answered. He came to Xian Fei’s side and put his arm around her. She welcomed the embrace. She even rested her head on his shoulder like a lover would.

"You... Since when...?" Huang Zi asked.

"We were comrades when we first started out in the military many decades ago," Huang Zhan answered. "When I was given my own army, she wanted to join, but I forbid her. Instead, I asked her to transfer into a division primarily consisting of your supporters. I wanted her to work her way into becoming your trusted follower. She didn’t disappoint me."

"All for you, my love," Xian Fei uttered. "I’m glad I can rid myself of this farce and finally come to your side. How long have I waited for this moment."

"I feel the same," Huang Zhan said. The two kissed passionately.

"Ugh!" Huang Zhan was disgusted by this betrayal. He looked around. He was surrounded. Da Niu, the Qing Lion, and the five Mystic Stage cultivators positioned themselves in a circle with him at the center. There was no way out. Even if there was, he couldn’t complete this trial stage by himself, not with these enemies hunting him.

"Fuck!" He cursed loudly. Feeling defeated, he took the Escape Stone from his pocket and activated it.

To his consternation, nothing happened. He remained inside the pocket world.

"Hehehe..."

He turned to one who uttered the unnerving laugh. It was Huang Zhan.

"This... It can’t be... Is this your doing...? How...?" Huang Zi asked in confusion.

"Do you think it is a coincidence our teams end up inside the same trial stage?" Huang Zhan asked back.

"What do you mean...? Are you saying you intentionally chose the stage I am in?"

"Well, you being the first target is indeed a coincidence. But yes, I can intentionally enter a trial stage where a different team is occupying," Huang Zhan answered.

"How do you do that?" Huang Zi asked.

"I don’t feel like wasting my breath but consider this my way of respecting you as a brother," Huang Zhan said. "The reason I can intentionally enter a trial stage with another team in it is because I have someone outside operating the trial artifact in my favor."

"Impossible! Our clan has studied the trial artifact for generations. We never found a function that allowed us to do that."

"We never found it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist," Huang Zhan said. "It just means our knowledge and expertise regarding the artifact is lacking. Luckily, I stumbled upon someone who has sufficient expertise."

"Who?" Huang Zi asked.

"A war prisoner I confiscated after a raid on one of Kazhan’s tribes. This prisoner happened to be a native of Khode," Huang Zhan answered.

"Khode...," Huang Zi muttered.

"Khode, a country where most cultivators focused on specialized jobs," Huang Zhan said. "They are a country filled with high-level smiths, talisman masters, puppet makers, engravers, and formation sages. In terms of understanding ancient artifacts, their skill is unmatched. The war prisoner whom I happened to meet turned out to be a skilled expert in multiple jobs. After learning his background and skill, I enticed him with an offer."

"... You asked him to work for you in exchange for his freedom," Huang Zi conjectured.

"That’s correct," Huang Zhan confirmed. "I also befriend him. I gave him many rewards, making him a loyal ally. I placed him inside our Royal Palace. Thanks to his expertise, it didn’t take long for him to be noticed. His rise in rank granted him a place among the experts appointed to work on preparing the trial artifact."

Huang Zi gritted his teeth. "I never take you for a scheming one. I can’t believe you planned this since so long ago. This expert mole and that accursed bitch by your side. You have truly blindsided me."

"I thank you for your compliment," Huang Zhan chuckled. "Anyway, about this expert, he studied the artifact during the four years when he was told to prep the artifact for the trial. Of course, he did it without being noticed by others who shared his job. That is how good he is. Although he hadn’t completely mastered all the artifact’s functions, he learned enough to manipulate it slightly. Enough that he can give me a signal to mark which exit point brings me to a trial stage that already has another team in it. Unfortunately for you, yours happened to be the first we encountered."

"Tch! And he is also the reason why this escape stone can’t be used?" Huang Zi asked.

"Correct again," Huang Zhan answered. "Although the function to deactivate that stone is universal, meaning I also can’t use mine, but that’s okay. I do not need an escape. Hehe."

"So, what now? Are you going to murder me? Your own flesh and blood?" Huang Zi asked.

"Are you going to play the guilt card on me? You yourself murdered our first and third brothers," Huang Zhan said.

"I didn’t murder them! How many times do I have to say it? I have nothing to do with their deaths!!" Huang Zi shouted.

"Hehe, I was teasing you. I know you are telling the truth. Do you want to know why?" Huang Zhan asked.

Huang Zi froze. A foreboding comprehension came into his mind.

Huang Zhan displayed another wicked grin. He said, "I know you are not the one responsible for their deaths because I am the true culprit."