Xiao Chen looked at the corpses on the ground, a sight too cruel to behold. Several of them were people that he was familiar with. Not too long ago, they had chatted with each other and shared some happy times. In the end, these people died because of their greed.
Even so, that could not truly be considered greed. These people were just seeking opportunities to continue climbing on their journey to Emperor, turning into corpses that lined the path to Emperor.
Xiao Chen sized up the remaining group of old men. Then, he said, “Let me send you all back to the entrance.”
When the black-clad old man heard that, he felt very grateful, but he waved his hand and said, “There is no need. If we run at full speed, those bloodsucking monsters won’t be able to catch up to us. We were trapped this time because we got greedy and ended up trapped in this stone room, unable to come out.”
It seemed like there was more to the situation. So Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows and asked, “What exactly is the situation?”
An old man pulled out a stone chest, and when he opened it, it gave off an attractive dazzling light.
“Those are Essence Stones!” Yue Bingyun exclaimed out in shock, having immediately recognized its contents. She said, “There are a lot, at least one hundred of them.”
The black-clad old man said with some embarra.s.sment, “That’s not all. There are still several more stone chests behind. There are at least one thousand Essence Stones. Due to these Essence Stones, we fell out with each other, which gave those bloodsucking monsters an opportunity to surround us in this room.
“Otherwise, it would not have resulted in a situation where we could not even flee.”
Xiao Chen just realized that most of the injuries on these people were left by sabers, swords, punches, or kicks.
“Brother Xiao Chen, you saved our lives. We will not claim these Essence Stones. We will take our leave first. If you need any help in the future, just let this old man know.”
This matter had dealt a huge blow to these people, depressing them. After saying simple goodbyes, they left the stone room, only wanting to leave this cave quickly.
As Xiao Chen looked at the departing group of people and then the corpses on the ground, he felt a complex mishmash of emotions.
The path to Emperor was truly littered with corpses.
Outside this place, those quasi-Emperors were people of great influence. Anywhere they went, they received the highest honor and respect, able to become an overlord of an area.
However, that door, that divine and holy Emperor’s Door was simply too tempting. It caused people to forget about life and death in the relentless pursuit of it.
Will I fall on this path to Emperor one day? Will I become part of the boundless sea of corpses and bones, just an unremarkable wave to be stepped on by those that come after for them to proceed forward?
“What should we do with these Essence Stones?” Clearly, these Essence Stones tempted Yue Bingyun. This was a crystal that appeared alongside a King Spirit Vein. Even Martial Emperors would use them.
Naturally, Essence Stones would be even more useful to a quasi-Emperor’s cultivation. It would be strange if she was not tempted.
However, Xiao Chen did not dwell on it. He replied calmly, “Since you promised to help me deal with Bing Xuejian and Fei Lengyi, we will split these Essence Stones evenly.”
Yue Bingyun smiled and said, “Splitting this evenly is too much for me. I’m not that greedy. Just give me one chest.”
“I am really lucky. To think there are so many Essence Stones in this stone room! Hahaha! They are all mine, Shen Xiao’s!”
Suddenly, an unwelcome guest appeared at the entrance of the stone room. This was the infamous Smiling Saber Demon.
Xiao Chen’s and Yue Bingyun’s expressions involuntarily changed at the same time.
The Smiling Saber Demon was at the peak of Consummation quasi-Emperor. His strength was several levels higher than w.a.n.g Zhen’s, of the same level as Jin Liangqi’s.
The gap between Jin Liangqi and w.a.n.g Zhen was clear. At the testing stele at the Heavenly Cauldron Pavilion’s entrance, one had nine purple gems light up, and one had three.
“Scram. I have a principle. I will only give others one chance and never a second one,” the Smiling Saber Demon said with a cold smile as he put down his nine-ringed saber. The scars on his face twitched, and his ferocious face could make others tremble in fear.
Xiao Chen and Yue Bingyun discussed using voice projection. After a simple exchange, they quickly came to a decision, which consisted of only one word—kill!
The rainbow ribbon in Yue Bingyun’s hand flew quickly at the Smiling Saber Demon. The soft ribbon became as strong as a dragon in her hand yet as nimble as a swallow.
“You overestimate yourselves!”
The Smiling Saber Demon reached out and grabbed the ribbon, looking like he grabbed the neck of a dragon. Then, he gripped it tightly with both hands and yanked it back.
He wanted to pull Yue Bingyun over and kill her with one saber strike.
However, how could her move be so simple? Her pretty eyes turned cold as her right hand released the ribbon. Then, she formed hand seals with both hands.
Instantly, hundreds of ribbons of various colors shot towards the Smiling Saber Demon while Yue Bingyun flashed her hand seals. As the ribbons flew, her feet spun, and she suddenly leaped into an elegant dance.
The hundreds of ribbons fluttered irregularly, trapping the Smiling Saber Demon for a short time.
Xiao Chen took advantage of this opening. His figure flashed, and he ran on the ribbons, charging at the Smiling Saber Demon. The moment Xiao Chen drew his saber, he used one of his best skills—Flawless Bright Moon. At the same time, he unleashed his saber soul.
If he held back against such an opponent, he would be asking for trouble.
“Using a saber against me? You are too inexperienced!”
The Smiling Saber Demon laughed maniacally and used his nine-ringed saber to execute an Inferior Grade Profound Martial Technique.
“Bang!”
The two sabers clashed and produced countless sparks. The saber intent scattered everywhere and crushed some of Yue Bingyun’s ribbons into powder.
Xiao Chen pushed off with his feet and moved back three steps to once again stand on ribbons.
However, the Smiling Saber Demon, whose cultivation was higher than Xiao Chen’s, moved back a total of ten steps. His face filled with disbelief as he exclaimed, “Great Perfection saber soul! Brat, how did you comprehend your saber soul to Great Perfection?!”
By relying on a stronger saber soul than the Smiling Saber Demon’s, Xiao Chen emerged victorious in the first head-on clash. If not for his powerful saber soul, he would not have decided to fight this person.
However, even so, it would still be somewhat difficult to defeat a Consummation quasi-Emperor.
Xiao Chen and Yue Bingyun needed to end this fight quickly and not let it drag out.
Yue Bingyun did not remain idle. The instant the Smiling Saber Demon moved back, two ribbons moved nimbly like snakes and bound his feet.
Although the Smiling Saber Demon reacted very quickly to break the ribbons, this delay brought Xiao Chen another opportunity.
“Flawless Four Seasons!”
Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. One saber strike in four styles, cycling endlessly. This move carried a boundlessly sustained force. Of all of Xiao Chen’s Profound Martial Techniques, this was the strongest Martial Technique he had that he could sustain over an extended length of time. Furthermore, with every change in style, it became even more difficult to oppose.
Caught off guard, the Smiling Saber Demon lasted for only two seconds before getting forced back by Xiao Chen.
Furthermore, Yue Bingyun’s hara.s.sment came at appropriate moments, preventing the Smiling Saber Demon from storing up power and truly clas.h.i.+ng with Xiao Chen.
With the two’s tacit cooperation and Xiao Chen’s suppressive saber soul, they dominated the Smiling Saber Demon from the very start of the fight.
One side’s momentum flourished as the fight went on, while the other side’s momentum fell continuously. The Smiling Saber Demon went from full power to being unable to bring out even seventy percent of his combat prowess.
The Smiling Saber Demon might have a strong cultivation, but he could not bring it out as he pleased. This situation made him feel very depressed.
“d.a.m.n it! White-Robed Bladesman, don’t ever let me catch you alone.”
If this fight continued, the Smiling Saber Demon would end up dying here. So, after saying that, he dragged his wound-riddled body away, fleeing in a sorry state.
His condition startled all the Great Perfection quasi-Emperors that pa.s.sed him. Who could reduce the Smiling Saber Demon to such a state?
Xiao Chen sheathed his saber. After handing one chest of Essence Stones to Yue Bingyun, he carefully put the remaining nine chests away.
Right now, he was still far from the peak of Great Perfection quasi-Emperor. The arrival of these Essence Stones was like getting coal in a snowstorm. There was no need to stand on ceremony.
If Xiao Chen advanced to peak Great Perfection quasi-Emperor, he would not fear this Smiling Saber Demon at all, able to trounce him single-handedly.
After the two left, a figure slowly appeared in the pa.s.sageway. It was the Dark City’s Jiang Feng.
“What a great fellow! To think he actually hid his strength so deeply!”
As Jiang Feng watched the two leave, an inscrutable look flashed in his eyes. If he blindly sallied forth to fight Xiao Chen, he would probably get defeated. Furthermore, he would get badly defeated.
“This time, with Bing Xuejian and Fei Lengyi here, my chances of obtaining the Life and Death Art are probably zero. However, I did manage to obtain a lot of Essence Stones and a Medial Grade Profound Martial Technique. For now, I will go back and enter closed-door cultivation until I reach peak Great Perfection quasi-Emperor.”
Given Jiang Feng’s comprehension ability, he would not have difficulty merging his soul with the Heavenly Seal; doing so was just a matter of time. He was not in great need of the Life and Death Art. If he tried to s.n.a.t.c.h it away, he might end up losing his life. The risk would not be worth it for this small gain.
“After I come out of closed-door cultivation, I will settle the score with you!”
Jiang Feng coldly retracted his gaze and turned away, heading towards the entrance. He had already gained a lot on this trip and was satisfied.
However, Xiao Chen could not settle for what he had. He needed the Life and Death Art. Even if he had to clash with Bing Xuejian and Fei Lengyi—two horrifying characters—he had no other choice.
He had too little time left; he could not wait. He needed to get the Blood Sword Sovereign’s Secret Technique for condensing the Heart of an Emperor in advance.
For the remaining part of the journey, Xiao Chen stepped up his pace, which resulted in Yue Bingyin trailing behind somewhat. As he used Thunder Dragon Steps, his usage of it became increasingly exquisite, approaching Consummation and allowing him to move like a dragon.
With every step, he gave off electric light in every direction. Dragon roars rang out endlessly, and the flickering mysterious phenomenon stunned anyone who saw him.
By relying on the vigorousness of Thunder Dragon Steps, Xiao Chen, who continued to rush deeper into the cave, arrived at a vast stone room after half a day.
All the forks in the tunnels led to this place. Barring the unexpected, this was the true cultivation room of the Blood Sword Sovereign.
When Xiao Chen arrived, he saw not only Jin Liangqi but also the injured Smiling Saber Demon and the other Consummation quasi-Emperors, Bing Xuejian, and Fei Lengyi; they were all here.
However, the strange thing was not that the Consummation quasi-Emperors did not make a move, but that Bing Xuejian and Fei Lengyi did not, either. It was like something terrifying froze them in inaction.
Xiao Chen stared blankly for a moment. In the middle of the stone room were five decayed coffins emanating a horrifying b.l.o.o.d.y stench. These were vastly different from those bloodsucking monsters.
A prayer mat floated quietly in the air amid the five coffins, and a secret manual lay on the prayer mat. The words on the book’s cover were not clear, but everyone guessed that it was the highly antic.i.p.ated Life and Death Art.
The people present did not react to Xiao Chen’s arrival at all. A Great Perfection quasi-Emperor did not arouse their interest.