Parting Ways, Abyssal Summoning

As Xuanyuan Che finished speaking, the people of Eastern Xuan Academy reacted differently.

Yun Mengyao cast him a sidelong glance with her cool eyes. She did not object, merely saying faintly, "As you wish."

Thunder Roar Ravine naturally followed Xuanyuan Che's lead. Rubbing his fists together, he said, "Whatever Little Junior Brother says, that's what we'll do! I, Old Shi, will lead the charge!"

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

Xiao Chen stepped forward and clasped his hands toward Yun Mengyao and Xuanyuan Che. Though his tone remained courteous, there was obvious distance in it. "Senior Sister Yun, Junior Brother Xuanyuan. The Myriad Races Battlefield is fraught with danger, and our strengths vary greatly. If we move together, our target will be too large. We could easily draw the siege of powerful foreign races, and we may also miss out on opportunities scattered across the land. In my view, we should split up, each seeking opportunities and hunting Battle Merit. When necessary, we can contact one another through the academy's secret communication and offer mutual support. That is the only way to maximize Eastern Xuan Academy's overall gains and the number of people who advance."

His words sounded perfectly reasonable, as though he were considering the academy as a whole. Yet he subtly pointed out that Xuanyuan Che's group of three was both powerful and tightly knit; if everyone stayed together, the other disciples might not even get a sip of the broth and could only become spectators.

Upon hearing this, several Core Disciples from the other peaks nodded in agreement. They had their own pride and were unwilling to cling to the prodigies of Xuanqing Peak. They also wished to prove themselves in such a grand event and fight for opportunities of their own.

Xuanyuan Che looked at Xiao Chen with a half-smile. How could he not see through his little scheme? Xiao Chen simply believed that if he followed the three of them, all the credit would go to them. It would be better to lead his own team; if he achieved outstanding results, he could better display his own ability and suppress Xuanqing Peak's limelight.

"What Senior Brother Xiao says is not without reason." Xuanyuan Che nodded, unexpectedly raising no objection. "In that case, let us part ways here. I wish Senior Brother Xiao and all my senior brothers and sisters smooth travels and abundant spoils."

Xiao Chen had not expected Xuanyuan Che to agree so readily. He froze for a moment before clasping his hands. "Thank you, Junior Brother Xuanyuan. I also wish the three of you a smooth journey and that you will spread Eastern Xuan's prestige!" He sneered inwardly, then led the disciples from the other peaks in another direction, quickly vanishing beyond the crimson wilderness.

"Little Junior Brother, you're really letting them leave? That Xiao Chen, I think he..." Thunder Roar Ravine scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together." Xuanyuan Che was utterly unconcerned. "A forcibly twisted melon is never sweet. They have their road, and we have our bridge. Fewer people make things easier." A sly gleam flashed through his eyes.

Yun Mengyao said softly, "Xiao Chen is proud and calculating. Separating is for the best, lest complications arise along the way." Her Heavenly Heart Dao Body possessed a keen perception of the good and evil within people's hearts, and she had no favorable impression of Xiao Chen.

Just then, a cool sword light swept over from afar and landed lightly before the three of them. It was Mu Qingxue.

She had clearly heard the conversation just now. Nodding slightly to Yun Mengyao and Xuanyuan Che, she said, "I have reported this to my master. For this battlefield trial, I wish to travel with you." Her gaze lingered on Xuanyuan Che as Sword Intent rang within her body, her tone resolute.

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

Yun Mengyao nodded as well. "Junior Sister Mu's swordsmanship is extraordinary. Traveling together is naturally a good thing."

"Since they've left," Xuanyuan Che said, stretching lazily as he looked toward the depths of the battlefield, "let's go find some real big game to play with."

A Mysterious Yellow Pavilion Attendant token appeared at his fingertips, and he poured his divine sense into it.

The token grew slightly warm, and a concealed stream of information flooded into his mind. It was the coordinates of a secret location within the Myriad Races Battlefield, along with a brief explanation: "Near the Cang Mo Abyss, there are suspected fluctuations from the ruins of an ancient battlefield. Powerful foreign races have gathered there. The risk is exceedingly high, but the opportunity may be equally great."

Cang Mo Abyss...

"Follow me!" Xuanyuan Che identified the direction, then moved, darting away like a phantom.

Yun Mengyao and the other three immediately followed. Yun Mengyao's movement technique was ethereal, while Mu Qingxue transformed into a sharp sword light and pursued closely.

What was somewhat surprising was that thunder exploded around Thunder Roar Ravine's body. Though he relied solely on his physical body, his speed was not slow despite the overwhelming display.

The four raced all the way toward the depths of the battlefield. The farther they went, the harsher and more perilous the environment became. Violent Spiritual Energy currents, hidden spatial rifts, and strange mental corrosions appeared from time to time. There were even naturally formed death zones and traps.

The foreign races they encountered along the way also became increasingly powerful. Starting from the Xing Yuan Realm, Wu Xiang Realm opponents gradually began to appear, and occasionally they could even sense the terrifying aura emitted by Tai Xu Realm foreign races.

These foreign races came in all shapes and possessed bizarre abilities. If an ordinary academy team encountered a Tai Xu Realm foreign race, they would likely have no choice but to crush their tokens and flee for their lives. Yet Xuanyuan Che's group of four worked together with increasing harmony.

Xuanyuan Che was remarkably at ease now. Their team seemingly had no need for him to act at all. Yun Mengyao could always foresee the source and manner of danger in advance and warn them aloud; Thunder Roar Ravine would roar as he charged at the very front, using violent thunderous power to confront formidable enemies head-on and draw their fire; Mu Qingxue's sword moved like a dragon, and the Sword Qi carrying Guixu Sword Intent's annihilating properties could find the enemy's weakest point and inflict lethal damage.

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

After racing continuously for more than half a day, they had penetrated an unknown distance into the battlefield. The surrounding landscape had already changed from wilderness into a vast, black, twisted forest.

The trees here seemed to be formed from black iron and bones, exuding a cold, lifeless aura. Gray mist filled the woods, reducing visibility to almost nothing, while even divine sense was greatly suppressed.

"This mist can erode divine sense and Spiritual Power." Yun Mengyao spoke in warning. A faint white radiance spread around her, enveloping the four of them and blocking out the gray mist.

Xuanyuan Che was entirely unaffected. His Chaos Body possessed Immunity to All Laws, and this gray mist was no different from ordinary Spiritual Energy to him.

"We're close." Xuanyuan Che suddenly stopped, his gaze piercing through layers of gray mist toward the deepest part of the forest. There, he sensed an even deeper and more ancient intent of destruction, one that was extremely restless.

At the same time, more than one powerful aura lingered there. Aside from foreign races, there seemed to be... the auras of other cultivators? And they were locked in fierce battle!

"There's activity ahead. Looks like someone got here before us." Xuanyuan Che raised a brow.

The four concealed their auras and silently crept toward the source of the disturbance.

The closer they drew to the depths, the more violent the energy fluctuations in the air became. Passing through the final patch of twisted, monstrous trees, the sight before them suddenly opened up.

At the center of the forest was an enormous basin. In the middle of that basin lay a colossal black hole that plunged beyond sight and exuded a dense, lifeless aura. It was an edge fissure of the Cang Mo Abyss!

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

One side consisted of seven or eight cultivators. Judging by their clothing, they were disciples of the True Martial Academy from the Central Continent! Their leader was none other than Zhou Qiankun, ranked fifteenth on the Earth Ranking and possessed of the True Martial Hegemonic Body! They had formed a battle formation, its golden light dazzling and its force tyrannical beyond compare, yet they were struggling bitterly to hold on.

Their opponents, however, were three foreign races with terrifying forms!

One was over thirty meters tall and resembled a giant ape, except it possessed three savage heads. Its entire body was covered in bone armor, and it wielded a black bone club. It was a Three-headed Demon Ape, its violent aura unmistakably at the Late Great Void Realm!

Another floated in midair, its entire body formed from countless ghastly white skulls, with ghostly blue soul-fire burning in their eye sockets. It was a Thousand Soul Skeleton Demon! This was an exceedingly rare foreign race specializing in mental attacks, and its strength was comparable to the mid Tai Xu Realm.

The final one was the strangest of all! It resembled an enormous mass of black mud that constantly writhed and changed shape. Countless agonized human and beast faces surfaced across it, exuding an extremely foul, corrosive aura! Wherever it passed, even the earth was eroded and melted away! Its power fluctuations surged wildly—it had actually reached the terrifying peak of the Tai Xu Realm, even carrying the faint bearing of a half-step Saint!

Corrupt Swamp Evil Spirit!

On True Martial Academy's side, Zhou Qiankun was strong, but he was only at the Late Great Void Realm. Relying on the True Martial Hegemonic Body, he could fight those at the peak of the Tai Xu Realm.

Most of the others were only at the Wu Xiang Realm.

Facing three such powerful foreign races, especially the Corrupt Swamp Evil Spirit, they were completely at a disadvantage. Peril surrounded them at every turn. Two people had already been injured, and the light of their battle formation had dimmed; they would not be able to hold on for much longer.

"They're from True Martial Academy. They've gotten themselves into serious trouble." Thunder Roar Ravine exclaimed in a low voice, his battle intent instantly soaring as lightning crackled around him.

"Three Tai Xu Realm foreign races, especially that Corrupt Swamp Evil Spirit. It's extremely difficult to deal with. True Martial Academy won't last long."

Xuanyuan Che stroked his chin, but his gaze passed over the brutal battlefield and fell upon the depths of the ancient battlefield ruins. There, he could faintly see an ancient altar that had partially collapsed. Something seemed to be enshrined upon it, emitting faint yet extraordinarily pure and sacred energy fluctuations that stood utterly at odds with the surrounding aura of death.

"Interesting..." The smile at Xuanyuan Che's lips deepened. "Should we steal the monsters, or steal the treasure? That is the question."

He glanced at Zhou Qiankun and the others struggling desperately, then at the three foreign races whose ferocity reached the heavens, before finally fixing his gaze on the altar.

"Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother, Sister Mu," Xuanyuan Che suddenly said, "what do you think? Should we wait until they cripple each other, or... go up there and slaughter them all outright?"