Parting Ways, Abyss Calls

Xuanyuan Che's words fell, and the people from Eastern Xuan Academy had mixed reactions.

Yun Mengyao glanced at him with her cool eyes, not objecting, and simply said, "As you wish."

Thunder Roar Ravine naturally followed Xuanyuan Che's lead, rubbing his fists excitedly, "Whatever Junior Brother says, we'll do it! Old Shi will lead the charge!"

However, the disciples from the other peaks, especially those led by Xiao Chen, looked displeased.

Xiao Chen stepped forward, cupped his hands to Yun Mengyao and Xuanyuan Che, his tone polite but with clear distance, "Senior Sister Yun, Junior Brother Xuanyuan. The Myriad Races Battlefield is extremely dangerous, and our strengths are uneven. If we act together, we'll be too obvious a target, easily attracting powerful alien races to surround us, and we might miss opportunities scattered everywhere. In my opinion, it would be better to split up, each seeking opportunities to gain Battle Merit, and contact each other via Academy secret messages when necessary to provide mutual support. This way, we can maximize Eastern Xuan Academy's overall gains and advancement numbers."

His words sounded reasonable and considerate of the entire Academy. He subtly pointed out that Xuanyuan Che and his two companions were powerful and sticking together meant other disciples would get nothing but scraps, becoming mere spectators.

Several Core Disciples from other peaks nodded in agreement upon hearing this. They had their pride and didn't want to be subservient to the prodigies of Xuanqing Peak. They also wanted to prove themselves in such a grand event and seize their own opportunities.

Xuanyuan Che looked at Xiao Chen with a half-smile, knowing his intentions. It was simply that he felt if they followed Xuanyuan Che's group, all the credit would go to them. It would be better to lead his own team; if they achieved great results, it would highlight Xiao Chen's abilities and overshadow the fame of Xuanqing Peak.

"Senior Brother Xiao's words are not without reason," Xuanyuan Che nodded, unexpectedly not objecting. "Since that's the case, let's split up here. I wish Senior Brother Xiao and all the Senior Brothers and Sisters a smooth journey and bountiful gains."

Xiao Chen was surprised by Xuanyuan Che's swift agreement and paused for a moment before cupping his hands, "Thank you, Junior Brother Xuanyuan. I also wish the three of you a smooth journey and may you bring glory to Eastern Xuan!" He sneered inwardly, then led the disciples from the other peaks in a different direction, quickly disappearing at the end of the crimson wasteland.

"Junior Brother, you're just letting them go? That Xiao Chen, I think he..." Thunder Roar Ravine scratched his head, somewhat confused.

"Different paths, different plans," Xuanyuan Che said nonchalantly. "Forced melons aren't sweet. They have their path, and we have ours. Fewer people make things easier." A cunning glint flashed in his eyes.

Yun Mengyao said softly, "Xiao Chen is arrogant and calculating. It's better to separate, lest unforeseen issues arise along the way." Her Heavenly Heart Dao Body had a keen perception of people's good and evil, and she had no fondness for Xiao Chen.

Just then, a cold Sword Light streaked from afar and landed lightly before the three. It was Mu Qingxue.

She had clearly overheard the conversation and nodded slightly to Yun Mengyao and Xuanyuan Che, "I've informed my Master, and I wish to accompany you on this training expedition in the battlefield." Her gaze lingered on Xuanyuan Che, her Sword Intent resonating within her, her tone firm.

Xuanyuan Che grinned, "Welcome, welcome! With Sister Mu here, our team will be even more pleasing to the eye!"

Yun Mengyao also nodded, "Junior Sister Mu's swordsmanship is extraordinary. It's certainly good to travel together."

"Since they've left," Xuanyuan Che stretched lazily, his gaze turning towards the depths of the battlefield, "then, let's go find some real big game to play with."

A Mysterious Yellow Pavilion guest elder token appeared at his fingertips, and he injected his divine sense into it.

The token warmed slightly, and a faint stream of information flowed into his mind, containing a hidden coordinate within the Myriad Races Battlefield, along with a brief description: "Near Cang Mo Abyss, suspected ancient battlefield ruins fluctuating, powerful alien races gathered, extremely high risk, but potential for great opportunity."

Cang Mo Abyss...

"Follow me!" Xuanyuan Che identified the direction and moved like a phantom.

Yun Mengyao and the other two immediately followed. Yun Mengyao's movement was ethereal, while Mu Qingxue transformed into a sharp Sword Light, closely pursuing.

Surprisingly, Thunder Roar Ravine's body crackled with thunder, creating a massive spectacle. Despite relying only on his physical body, his speed was not slow.

The four of them sped towards the depths of the battlefield. The deeper they went, the more harsh and dangerous the environment became. Violent Spiritual Energy currents, hidden spatial rifts, and strange mental erosion appeared from time to time, and there were even natural deadly zones and traps.

The alien races they encountered also grew stronger. From the initial Xing Yuan Realm, they gradually encountered Wu Xiang Realm, and could even feel the terrifying aura emanating from Tai Xu Realm alien races.

These alien races had diverse forms and bizarre abilities. If an ordinary Academy team encountered a Tai Xu Realm alien race, they would likely have no choice but to crush their token and flee. However, Xuanyuan Che and the other three cooperated with increasing tacit understanding.

Xuanyuan Che was quite relaxed at the moment. Their team seemed to require no action from him. Yun Mengyao could always predict the source and method of danger in advance and issue warnings; Thunder Roar Ravine roared and stood at the forefront, using his ferocious thunderous power to confront powerful enemies and draw their fire; Mu Qingxue's sword struck like a dragon, her Guixu Sword Intent carrying destructive sword energy that could find the enemy's weakest points and inflict fatal damage.

The Battle Merit of the four continued to soar at a terrifying rate.

After traveling continuously for more than half a day, venturing an unknown distance into the battlefield, the surrounding environment had transformed from a wasteland into a vast, dark, and twisted forest.

The trees here seemed to be made of black iron and bone, exuding a cold and dead aura. Gray mist permeated the forest, severely reducing visibility and even suppressing divine sense.

"The mist here can erode divine sense and Spiritual Energy," Yun Mengyao warned, a faint white halo emanating from her body, enveloping the four and isolating them from the gray mist.

Xuanyuan Che, however, was unaffected. His Chaos Body was immune to all methods; this gray mist was no different from ordinary Spiritual Energy to him.

"We're almost there," Xuanyuan Che suddenly stopped, his gaze piercing through the dense gray mist towards the deepest part of the forest. There, he sensed an even deeper, more ancient destructive intent, extremely restless.

At the same time, more than one powerful aura lingered there. Besides alien races, there seemed to be... the aura of other cultivators? And they were engaged in a fierce battle!

"There's movement ahead. It seems someone arrived before us," Xuanyuan Che raised an eyebrow.

The four of them concealed their auras and silently crept towards the direction of the disturbance.

As they approached the depths, the energy fluctuations in the air grew more violent. Passing through the last patch of twisted, strange trees, the scene before them suddenly opened up.

In the center of the forest was a vast basin. In the center of the basin was a bottomless, giant black hole exuding a dense, dead aura – it was an edge fissure of Cang Mo Abyss!

Not far from the fissure, within ruins that were clearly an ancient battlefield, a fierce melee was unfolding.

One side consisted of seven or eight cultivators. Judging by their attire, they were disciples of Central Continent's True Martial Academy! Leading them was Zhou Qiankun, ranked fifteenth on the Earthly Rankings, who possessed the True Martial Hegemonic Body! They had formed a battle formation, radiating brilliant golden light, incomparably fierce, and were struggling to hold on.

Their opponents were three terrifyingly shaped alien races!

One, over ten zhang tall, resembled a giant ape but had three ferocious heads. Its body was covered in bone armor, and it wielded a black bone club. It was a Three-headed Demon Ape, its aura ferocious, having reached the late Tai Xu Realm!

Another floated in the air, composed entirely of countless pale skulls, with faint blue soul fires burning in its eye sockets. It was a Thousand Soul Skeleton Demon! This was an extremely rare mental attack type alien race, and its strength was comparable to the mid Tai Xu Realm.

The last one was the most bizarre! It appeared as a huge, constantly wriggling mass of black mud, with countless faces of humans and beasts struggling on its surface, emitting an extremely foul and corrosive aura! Wherever it passed, even the ground was eroded and dissolved! Its power fluctuations were surging abnormally, reaching the terrifying peak Tai Xu Realm, even faintly possessing the aura of a half-step Saint!

A Corrupt Swamp Evil Spirit!

On the True Martial Academy's side, although Zhou Qiankun was strong, he was only at the late Tai Xu Realm. With the True Martial Hegemonic Body, he could fight against a peak Tai Xu Realm.

The others were mostly at the Wu Xiang Realm cultivation level.

Facing three such powerful alien races, especially the Corrupt Swamp Evil Spirit, they were completely at a disadvantage, in constant peril. Two of them were already injured, and the battle formation's light was dimming, unable to hold on much longer.

"It's people from True Martial Academy. They're in big trouble," Thunder Roar Ravine exclaimed softly, his fighting spirit instantly soaring, crackling with lightning.

"Three Tai Xu Realm aliens, especially that Corrupt Swamp Evil Spirit, are extremely difficult to deal with. The True Martial Academy won't hold out for much longer."

Xuanyuan Che stroked his chin, his gaze, however, swept past the brutal battlefield and landed on the depths of the ancient battlefield ruins. There, a half-collapsed ancient altar was faintly visible. Something seemed to be enshrined on the altar, emitting faint, yet exceptionally pure and sacred energy fluctuations, completely out of sync with the deathly stillness of the surroundings.

"Interesting..." The smile on Xuanyuan Che's lips deepened. "Stealing kills, or stealing treasures? That is the question."

He glanced at Zhou Qiankun and the others who were struggling to hold on, then at the three rampaging aliens, and finally his gaze settled on the altar.

"Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother, Sister Mu," Xuanyuan Che suddenly spoke, "What do you think? Should we wait for them to mutually destroy each other, or... should we just go up and slaughter them all?"