Three days later, the fatigued group finally walked out of the desolate plains of fire.
With Yi Ling leading the way, the group wound its way through many secret pa.s.sages. After one hour, a vast, majestic burial ground appeared before the group. A row of fiery-red sculptures lined both sides of the pa.s.sage. The air was extremely arid. It felt like their exhalations would take flame.
At the end of the road was a mysterious formation in a depression in the ground with a circular hole in the middle of this formation. As it was somewhat far away, it could not be clearly seen.
“This is the burial ground of the Fire Dragon General. Is this your destination?” one of the half-step Martial Emperors exclaimed with some shock.
The Fire Dragon General was one of the old Dragon King’s Eight Generals. Aside from the main burial ground, this was one of the eight most valuable burial grounds in the Distant Sea Dragon Grave.
However, it was said that Sovereign Martial Emperors were helpless before this burial ground. Could it be that Yi Ling and his group had the means to open the door of this burial ground?
Yi Ling smiled faintly and said, “You guessed right. However, I’m sorry, there are no prizes.”
“Pu ci!”
The five Martial Emperors attacked at the same time, each of them executing a killing move and mercilessly attacking the six half-step Martial Emperors and Xiao Chen.
The first one struck down was the half-step Martial Emperor who spoke. The red-haired middle-aged man hit him with a palm strike, and the half-step Martial Emperor immediately burned to ashes.
The other four Martial Emperors all made their moves as well. Although they each struck one person, they were unable to kill their targets instantly. The difference in strength was evident.
As for Xiao Chen and w.a.n.g Yuzhu, they had been keeping an eye out. When the other party exposed their murderous intent, the two quickly turned and fled, avoiding the first wave of attacks.
“Leave those two to me!”
A greedy look flashed in Old Hong’s eyes. He rushed in front of the other Martial Emperors and headed in the direction Xiao Chen and w.a.n.g Yuzhu had taken.
“Ye Chen, you really struck the nail on this. This group of Martial Emperors is deranged. What can they gain by killing a bunch of half-step Martial Emperors?”
While the two rushed away, w.a.n.g Yuzhu still could not understand. Originally, he thought that this mission would just be more difficult.
Unexpectedly, at the very end, the Martial Emperors personally tried to kill him.
No matter how w.a.n.g Yuzhu thought about it, he could not figure out why. How would these Martial Emperors benefit by killing them?
Martial Emperors had recruited half-step Martial Emperors to explore the ancient dragon graves in the past. Although the mortality rate was high, there had never been a situation where the Martial Emperors killed the half-step Martial Emperors.
Even if the Martial Emperors saw a treasure they wanted, they would just s.n.a.t.c.h it away. How could half-step Martial Emperors compete with Martial Emperors? The half-step Martial Emperors would just obediently hand the treasure over.
Of course, a monster like Ye Chen was an exception.
Xiao Chen said with a cold smile, “You are surprised by this? I do not find this surprising at all. During the second test, I could tell that those Martial Emperors were capable of anything from their cold and aloof expressions.”
“What should we do now? It is too difficult for us to get out alive with just the two of us,” w.a.n.g Yuzhu said worriedly.
Not to mention the ferocious beasts along the way, just the foggy area would trap them until they died.
“Don’t worry. Just follow me,” Xiao Chen replied calmly.
Suddenly, maniacal laughter echoed behind. “Brat, now that you know to run, it is too late. Weren’t you very c.o.c.ky earlier? Why are you running? If you have the courage, then stop. This old man will smash you to death with one hand.”
The maniacal laughter carried a heavy Emperor’s Might surging towards them overwhelmingly.
“Rumble!”
As the Emperor’s Might spread out, Old Hong’s maniacal laughter shaved off a layer of the ground and turned it into a wave-like storm heading for the two.
w.a.n.g Yuzhu’s expression changed. “Oh no! That old man chased over. It is going to be difficult to flee.”
While looking over their shoulders, the two saw Old Hong tearing s.p.a.ce with his hand and traveling through the void. Although each jump was not very far, his speed was faster than theirs.
Furthermore, there was the interference of the storm from behind. It was only a matter of time before Old Hong caught up with them.
There is just this fellow giving chase?
Xiao Chen opened his Heavenly Eye and looked back. Indeed, only Old Hong was on their trail.
He concluded that the other Martial Emperors were chasing the others.
“Masked brat, weren’t you very courageous? Daring to contest with me in front of so many people and embarra.s.sing me? Why are you running now?”
The rage that Old Hong suppressed in his heart all this time thoroughly erupted now. His roar sounded like thunder, inspiring panic. Anyone who heard this voice would hear the overwhelming killing intent in it.
“Whoos.h.!.+”
Xiao Chen closed his Heavenly Eye and turned around, stopping just like that.
This move startled w.a.n.g Yuzhu. “Ye Chen, have you gone crazy?”
Xiao Chen smiled faintly. Then, his expression turned serious, his eyes radiating murderous intent. “It is just a First Heaven Martial Emperor. Watch carefully as I slaughter this old fellow!”
Old Hong, who had been chasing Xiao Chen, suddenly sensed him stopping. His face lit up in joy as he said, “Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you really dare to stop. Do you really think that I can’t kill you?!”
After Old Hong finished speaking, he calculated the distance. Then, he took two steps forward, moving one kilometer with each step, before thrusting his sword out. He cut open a tear in s.p.a.ce and entered in a flash.
He intended to travel through the void and appear suddenly, killing Xiao Chen in one strike.
“Pu ci!”
Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows. He sensed a small tear in s.p.a.ce about ten meters away from him. This tear rapidly expanded, and in nearly the next instant, Old Hong leaped out from it.
Outside of Old Hong’s expectations, Xiao Chen did not seem surprised at his tearing s.p.a.ce open and suddenly charging out to kill him—as if Xiao Chen already antic.i.p.ated this long ago.
At some point in time, a war banner flickering with five different colored lights had appeared in Xiao Chen’s hand.
What Secret Treasure is that? Old Hong raised an eyebrow, feeling a bad premonition.
“I have been waiting for you for a long time. Die!”
Xiao Chen’s lips curled up slightly into a cold and cruel smile. The instant Old Hong leaped out of the spatial tear, Xiao Chen thrust the banner in his hand forward, taking the initiative to attack.
In the next moment, w.a.n.g Yuzhu saw a scene that he would never forget for life.
Suddenly, all the dark clouds in the sky scattered. Thousands of stars appeared in the pitch-dark night sky, materializing a beautiful and majestic scene.
Starlight in five different colors formed radiant pillars that suddenly descended from the sky. Then, a garish display appeared behind Xiao Chen, manifesting various gorgeous and dazzling scenes.
The scenes displayed flashed endlessly like they were illusions.
Xiao Chen wielded the Cycle Banner like a spear. With the five states merging and the boundless starlight it contained, the power of this strike reached its peak.
Old Hong could not react at all. He maintained his posture, with his sword held up, as he jumped down.
The tip of the spear stabbed into Old Hong’s chest. “Pu ci!” A bowl-sized black hole appeared there, smooth and level, with no imperfections.
“Punching a hole in s.p.a.ce! You are holding an Emperor Grade Secret Treasure! How can it be?!”
Old Hong looked at the wound in his chest and revealed an expression of horror. Never had he imagined that a Consummation quasi-Emperor could freely control the might of an Emperor Grade Secret Treasure.
If Old Hong had known that Xiao Chen could control an Emperor Grade Secret Treasure, even if he were one hundred times more courageous, he would not have dared to give chase.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly and said, “Don’t think that after advancing to Martial Emperor, you are unrivaled under the heavens. You are just a First Heaven Martial Emperor. Even the Primes I met before are not as arrogant as you!”
“Pa!”
Xiao Chen fiercely swung the banner, sending the Martial Emperor flying down from the sky. This was like a slap on Old Hong’s face, half of which was immediately ruined.
After Old Hong moved from that spot, a black hole still lingered in s.p.a.ce there for a long time—this was a true tearing open of s.p.a.ce. As for the spatial tear that Old Hong made earlier, it had long healed already.
Run!
After Old Hong landed, blood flowed continuously from his wounds. Only one thought existed in his head: to rejoin the red-haired Martial Emperor. Only then could he save himself. Given his current situation, he was not a match for Xiao Chen.
Despite the recovery ability of the Golden Emperor Body, the black-hole-like wound on his chest could not heal. His entire heart had vanished. If he did not quickly find a place to treat his injuries, he would die, even if Xiao Chen did not make a move.
After Xiao Chen executed his attack, he realized his mistake. He was too used to attacking the chest. However, for Martial Emperors, the chest was already no longer a vital spot. He had to attack the location of the Heart of an Emperor.
However, that did not matter. This old fellow could no longer fight. There was no way he could survive.
Xiao Chen unfurled the Cycle Banner, and the roar of surging waves boomed out. The entire s.p.a.ce started to fluctuate as well.
He aimed at where Old Hong had fled, then ferociously hurled the Cycle Banner in his hand.
The banner flew like a thrown spear. Instantly, the stars that covered the sky moved together with the Cycle Banner.
Starlight of five different colors descended, looking like colorful rain falling. Old Hong felt like he could not run. Right now, his physical body was not intact. He could not even use his Primordial Energy. s.p.a.ce fluctuated like water, resisting him.
He looked back, and the scene that met him would be the last thing he saw in this world.
Arriving like a meteor, the Cycle Banner stabbed the place where Old Hong’s Heart of an Emperor was. Then, it pierced through his body and pinned him to the ground.
Two moves to kill a Martial Emperor!
w.a.n.g Yuzhu felt somewhat dazzled. Did he see wrong? He rubbed his eyes, then looked carefully. Indeed, he had not seen wrong.
Old Hong, who kept saying arrogantly that he could easily kill Xiao Chen throughout the journey, ended up pinned on the ground, dead.
Motes of white light wafted out of Old Hong’s body. This white light was an incomparably pure white and contained dense and pure energy.
They were the indication of a Heart of an Emperor slowly dying. When the motes of light completely vanished, Old Hong would be thoroughly dead.
Now, Xiao Chen was spent. He had already depleted the ten strands of Primordial Energy to control the five states.
The drain on the Mental Energy in his sea of consciousness was even more horrifying. Every state carried vast Astral Energy. Furthermore, each of the various attributes was distinct and did not merge easily.
If Xiao Chen had not been careful, they might have exploded. At that time, instead of injuring his enemy, it might have ended up causing him harm and half-crippling him.
That dream-like strike was, in reality, a gamble with his life every time he used it.
Xiao Chen, quickly, go and absorb those bits of light. They are very useful to you. Hurry up. Don’t let them all scatter, Ao Jiao said urgently from the Immortal Spirit Ring.