As the ferocious roar echoed, the tension that had permeated this area was instantly shattered. The struggle in many eyes was supplanted by a dense greed; the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool held immense allure for all of them. However, without the guidance of the Spirit White Fox, it was utterly impossible to traverse through the array. Therefore… Though they well knew Nalan Yanran’s formidable power, the attraction of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool compelled them to take their chances.
*Thud!*
Just as the glint of covetousness emerged in everyone’s eyes, a low thudding sound suddenly reverberated. Instantly, to their astonishment, one figure who had rushed ahead became like a kite with snapped strings, flying back and viciously colliding against a massive tree. The force created several fist-sized cracks along its trunk, turning the towering tree precariously unstable.
*Plop!*
The figure plummeted to the ground, spewing blood immediately, his face paling at an alarming rate. Gazing towards where Xiao Yan was, a mixture of fear and venom could be discerned in his eyes.
This lightning-fast event unfolded before anyone could grasp what was happening. They only saw this unfortunate man suffer a severe blow right after he made the first move in breaking the strained atmosphere. That clearly indicated the attacker was none other than the aloof young man.
“Next time, there will be no holding back.”
After a slight halt, Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the tree gate and uttered these chilling words.
Hearing this, everyone gulped, the greed that had just surfaced now slightly diminished by apprehension. No one dared to make the first move again amidst their nervous exchanges.
“Should he enter the Mystic Array, you won’t get another opportunity until three years later. However, successfully breaching it might still leave us a narrow window. As long as we gain access to the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool, anything would be worth it. Our families and clans are bound to lavish attention upon us, providing far superior treatment. If we cower in dread, how can we ever achieve greatness?”
When everyone’s greed waned, a provoking, angry roar erupted once more.
In an instant, Xiao Yan’s eyes brimmed with frigid darkness, slowly turning his head, his gaze meeting the source of that voice—the same person from earlier. Meeting Xiao Yan’s cold glare, the speaker shivered, wiped the blood off his mouth, and stepped backward, sweeping the surroundings. Seeing the greed resurge among his peers, a sneer formed on his lips.
But even before that grim smile could fully spread across his face, it froze abruptly. He caught sight of the phantom-like shadow appearing before him, and Xiao Yan’s icy visage expanding rapidly within his vision.
As Xiao Yan materialized, the speaker’s pupils contracted, his swift reaction, characteristic of a Battle Emperor, kicked in, stamping the ground so forcefully that a stone pillar thrust upwards under his foot, launching him backward.
Feeling the wind rush past, he let out a sigh of relief. Roaring furiously, “What are you all hesitating for? Even if he is a Nine-Star Battle Emperor, we stand together!”
Abruptly, those words choked, and his floating form halted, his pupils narrowing drastically as he lowered his head. A hand engulfed in emerald-green flames had ruthlessly pierced through his chest, the intense heat ensuring not a single drop of blood stuck to it.
Despite slaying the figure, Xiao Yan’s countenance only hardened further, sensing the unrestrained hunger in the surrounding gazes.
Emerald flame exploded from his palm, instantly reducing the assailant’s body to ashes. Without pausing, Xiao Yan moved to stand beside Nalan Yanran, gripped her, and dashed toward the tree gate.
*BOOM! BOOM!*
Within seconds, the gap between them and the tree gate disappeared, but as he began to move, the earth outside rippled wildly, revealing giant, pointed wooden columns—formed from gathered dou qi—blocking the path completely.
Eyes narrowing as he gazed at the obstructive pillars, Xiao Yan waved his sleeves, unleashing a stream of emerald-green fire that disintegrated them. Simultaneously, he whipped out the Heavy Profound Scale.
Right after the pillars vanished, the ground trembled, and numerous sharp rocks jutted out at Xiao Yan’s feet.
“Be careful!” Nalan Yanran warned swiftly. As soon as she spoke, she felt herself pulled tightly, gliding swiftly over the spiky terrain, landing outside the tree gate.
A shrill cutting wind sounded as waves of potent energy surged towards both Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran.
Xiao Yan, unperturbed, clutched his scale and swung it powerfully, creating layers upon layers of impenetrable shields.
Multiple attacks hit, causing continuous cracking noises and diminishing the scales, yet they were endlessly replenished, forming an endless and dense shield.
The pitch-black shield enshrouded Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran, deflecting every fierce assault, merely stirring faint ripples. Xiao Yan’s prowess meant even these combined Dou Qi users couldn’t break his defense, which had a seamless continuity and feared no number.
When the last Dou Qi attack dissipated, everyone felt a chill. Even though he was a Nine-Star Battle Emperor, there were nearly twenty Battle Emperors here. Yet their joint attack couldn’t even breach his defenses?
Though formidable, achieving such feats even for a Nine-Star Battle Emperor was exceptionally challenging.
As the heavy scales gradually vanished, that chilling silhouette reappeared, his dark, unfeeling eyes lifting. Anyone locked under his stare felt the ominous gaze of a cobra.
“You go in first,” Xiao Yan spoke softly, his back to Nalan Yanran.
Nalan Yanran, taken aback, nodded obediently, “I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the Mystic Array. Be careful and don’t wander around.”
Xiao Yan gave a slight nod, and Nalan Yanran, clutching the white fox, carefully backed into the tree gate.
Seeing Nalan Yanran enter, Xiao Yan raised his Heavy Profound Scale, his body surging with emerald Dou Qi, pouring entirely into the scale, its color transforming from black to vivid green.
The crowd noticed the increasingly mighty aura of the Heavy Profound Scale, changing their demeanor. A few cautious ones began to retreat, finally grasping the true caliber of this seemingly youthful figure.
“A bit late to flee now,” Xiao Yan’s face bore a cold smirk, eyes sharpening abruptly as he swept his Heavy Profound Scale!
“Flame Wave Dividing Cut!”
The area lit up brilliantly as an immense emerald slash, like a bursting dragon, unleashed an ear-splitting shriek, tearing the ground apart and extending the chaos in the vicinity.
The slash, traveling with blistering speed, neared, and in panic, they mustered their Dou Qi, forming defenses.
*BAM! BAM! BAM!*
Continuous energy explosions thundered, mingling with agonized cries. Shadows slammed onto the ground, drawing lengthy tracks as they smashed through trees, wreaking havoc for miles.
Even peak-level Battle Emperors hesitated against Xiao Yan’s full-power attack. Lesser Battle Emperors, at best five stars, were decimated.
As the emerald light slowly dispersed and the shaking ceased, Xiao Yan gazed at the distant, broken figures. Faint groans of pain suggested a grave future awaited them.
Stowing away the Heavy Profound Scale, Xiao Yan turned toward the gate, then paused upon hearing an eerie chuckle.
“Hehe, young man, quite ruthless! Disposing of them all, huh? But creating such a mess, do you think you can just escape?”
Pausing mid-step, Xiao Yan turned to see a rather lecherous-appearing grey-robed elder perched above.
Battle Sect? Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. The elder’s sudden appearance had eluded even his soul-sensing abilities. Moreover, wasn’t there a restriction prohibiting overly powerful entities from entering here?
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