The red-haired man exuded a powerful aura as he hovered mid-air, gazing down at the trio below—Dongbo Xueying and his companions. Among them, the insect ancestor Batuchen, who resembled a humanoid giant insect, emanated an eerie and domineering presence, typical of an ultimate-level insect beast—a force not to be trifled with. The Sword Master, as a destruction-to-ultimate realm powerhouse, naturally carried a sharp, intimidating aura. Dongbo Xueying, however, made no attempt to conceal his presence, appearing the weakest of the three.
“Your Highness, judging by their auras, two of the three seem to be at the ultimate level,” the red-haired man transmitted back. “How should we proceed?”
“Two potential ultimate-level beings?”
“Is there any invincible existence from the Heartcontinent among them?”
A flurry of transmissions followed.
“The most renowned invincible figures of the Heartcontinent are not among them,” the red-haired man replied.
“Our intelligence is outdated. Who knows if any ultimate-level cultivators from the Heartcontinent have obtained supreme treasures? In my opinion, these three Heartcontinent cultivators… we could befriend them and make them our allies!”
“Let’s be cautious. Some Heartcontinent cultivators are downright malevolent—like the legendary Beast King of the Heartcontinent and the Primordial Night Ancestor, who are said to have devoured countless lives!”
“We’ve already fallen to this state. If this continues, our Bloodflame Clan may face extinction! This time, we must obtain the ‘Shadowspirit Fruit’ to elevate Your Highness’s strength. Only then can we reclaim our world and ensure our clan’s survival! The Shadowspirit Fruit is of immense value to us but nearly useless to these Heartcontinent cultivators. They won’t fight us for it.”
“Good! Befriend them and make them our allies. Ying Yi, go and make contact.”
“As you command, Your Highness.”
The decision was swiftly made.
Though the exchange seemed lengthy, the telepathic conversation was lightning-fast.
A figure streaked across the sky—a silver-haired woman clad in silver armor adorned with crimson patterns. She landed gracefully near Dongbo Xueying’s group.
“These are Heartcontinent cultivators, not our enemies. No need for hostility, brother,” the silver-haired woman said to the red-haired man before turning to the trio with a smile. “I am Ying Yi. Our team has entered this floating island in search of treasures. The island is fraught with dangers, and the Deathless Clan is relentless. If we join forces against them, we can venture deeper and secure greater rewards. What say you?”
Dongbo Xueying, the Sword Master, and Batuchen exchanged glances, quickly reaching a consensus.
In the world of Broken Tooth Mountain Range, the two dominant factions—the Deathless Clan and the natives—were both formidable. However, the natives, much like outsiders, possessed high intelligence and were open to cooperation despite their wariness. The key difference lay in their bloodline—rumored to carry traces of the Primordial Chaos lifeform.
“Very well. Your knowledge of the floating island surely surpasses ours. Cooperation benefits us all,” the Sword Master replied.
“Our leader awaits nearby. Please, follow me,” Ying Yi said, guiding them forward.
Soon, the two groups merged. While Dongbo Xueying’s team was prepared for trials, the Broken Tooth Mountain Range was never short of perils. Allying with the natives was a boon—especially since some native factions outright refused to work with Heartcontinent cultivators.
After brief introductions, Dongbo Xueying learned that the group was led by a figure addressed as “Your Highness”—Bloodflame Ji, a tall, handsome youth clad in azure robes.
“The Deathless Clan guards their territories fiercely,” Bloodflame Ji explained. “Invading their domain provokes attacks. But if we prove strong enough, they’ll cower. We’ll advance toward the island’s core. If you feel endangered, you may withdraw at any time.”
“We came prepared for danger. At worst, we lose a physical body,” Batuchen rasped.
“Excellent!” Bloodflame Ji grinned, his team’s demeanor warming toward the trio.
“Your courage is admirable. We envy Heartcontinent cultivators for their ability to wield avatars, daring to face even the deadliest threats,” Bloodflame Ji mused.
“Avatars are rare even in our realm,” Dongbo Xueying noted.
“Still rarer than ours. We’ve no path to cultivate them,” Bloodflame Ji sighed. Had they possessed such means, their plight might have been different.
“Shall we proceed?” the Sword Master interjected.
“Lead the way,” Bloodflame Ji offered.
With that, the sixteen natives took point, Dongbo Xueying’s trio following closely. Both groups remained vigilant, wary of the Deathless Clan.
Over an hour passed. Dongbo Xueying’s illusory world subtly avoided the natives to prevent conflicts. Yet, he noticed increasing numbers of Deathless Clan members lurking nearby.
“Stay alert,” Bloodflame Ji warned. “We’ve clashed with the Deathless Clan before. They know we’re formidable. But you’re new—expect them to target you first.”
“Thank you for the warning,” the Sword Master replied.
No sooner had he spoken—
Six shadowy figures erupted from the ground, lunging at the trio.
The ambush was sudden. Even the illusory world detected them too late.
“Scram!” Batuchen roared, his mouth grotesquely distending. A sonic wave rippled outward, staggering the shadows. His black robes disintegrated into swarms of insects, engulfing each attacker.
The shadows—black-skinned, death-tainted beasts—recoiled. Ultimate-level insect beasts wielded bizarre, unpredictable techniques. Since his deal with the Undying Underworld Emperor, Batuchen had grown even stronger.
The six shadows dissolved into black mist, vanishing.
“The robe transforms into insects? And they repelled six Deathless Clan members alone?” The natives gaped. Batuchen’s unorthodox methods shattered their preconceptions. None dared underestimate the odd-looking insect ancestor now.
“A force to reckon with,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “Even the Undying Underworld Emperor’s strike was blocked by that robe. Is it a treasure? Or pure insect essence?” As the first-ever fusion of an ultimate-level insect beast and cultivator in Heartcontinent history, Batuchen remained an enigma even to his companions.
“Impressive, Ancestor Batuchen,” Bloodflame Ji praised. “But this was merely a probe. The true threats are yet to come.”
The march resumed. The natives expertly navigated the island’s hazards, steering clear of dangers.
Suddenly—
A grotesque, fog-formed face loomed above, cackling with malice. Its laughter pierced souls, laden with murderous intent.
“They’re here,” Dongbo Xueying sensed the looming menace.
Whoosh! Dozens of shadows surged from the earth—over eighty percent assaulting the native team, while five (three humanoid and two beastly) targeted the trio.
…
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