The sounds of figures slicing through the air swept over the forest. Looking into the distance from here, one could see a vast bank of mist rising between two peaks above the nearby Ice Valley.
The drifting mist shrouded the snow-white mountains. Such a wondrous sight, coupled with the fierce spiritual energy fluctuations constantly surging beneath it, naturally drew countless eyes.
By now, people who had sensed the strange phenomenon were rushing toward Ice Valley from every direction. From the divine soul realm to the spirit wheel realm, they already numbered over a hundred, and their numbers were still growing.
Those at the front could already make out the scene among the snowy mountains from afar, catching sight of Su Qing collecting the high-tier spirit beast essences.
Faced with such temptation, they naturally gave chase without the slightest hesitation.
Those who arrived later followed behind the earlier arrivals, learning the news as it spread by word of mouth.
These people paid little attention to Mu Chen and his companions, merely assuming they were another group who had arrived even earlier.
After a cursory glance, they passed them by without another thought and headed straight after Su Qing.
During the pursuit, some people also discerned Su Qing's current cultivation-the divine soul realm middle stage.
Thus, word that a youth at the divine soul realm middle stage was carrying two high-tier spirit beast essences swiftly spread throughout the Northern Cang Realm.
Such enormous temptation clouded their minds. Almost none of them stopped to consider how someone merely at the divine soul realm middle stage could have obtained two high-tier spirit beast essences.
Like crows and vultures catching the scent of rotting flesh, they gave chase.
Tang Qian'er watched the figures streaking through the sky. Even knowing that Su Qing possessed extraordinary strength, she could not help worrying.
You have to be careful, Su Qing.
Tang Qian'er clasped her hands tightly before her chest and prayed.
Beyond Ice Valley lay a stretch of barren mountains. There were scarcely any trees on the rolling peaks, only clumps of grayish-yellow weeds growing here and there.
In midair, a blue-green figure swept past several peaks in an instant, heading toward the heart of the Northern Cang Realm. It was Su Qing.
A purplish-gold mark adorned his brow, set against the young man's face, as crisp and clear as fine wine. It was strikingly handsome.
After absorbing the spiritual energy of Chu Lin and the others, along with that of the two high-tier spirit beasts, Su Qing's mark had already reached level eight. It was only a step away from level nine.
Behind Su Qing, figures hurtled over the barren mountains one after another with the fierce howl of wind, their wake whipping up dust and scraps of grass.
Su Qing stayed ahead of them at an unhurried pace without using any escape techniques. Every so often, he glanced back, as though afraid they might lose him.
And so, with one side fleeing and the other pursuing, Su Qing led them on a winding route around the barren mountains and into a lush green valley.
"You're pretty good at running!"
A young man at the head of the pursuers spoke with a crooked grin.
Su Qing ignored him. He simply stood silently in the center of the valley, as though waiting for something.
Seeing that Su Qing would not respond, the young man stopped making a fool of himself and began discussing matters with those around him.
"Hey, everyone. Those who got here early saw it clearly, right? This brat has two high-tier spirit beast essences on him. How are we going to divide them?"
The young man still wore his crooked grin as he spoke with a swaggering air.
"What? Old Pan, you want to keep them all for yourself?"
Another burly young man said coldly, "Naturally, everyone will have to rely on their own abilities."
"Brother Li is right."
At that moment, another smiling young man stepped forward. His eyes were narrow and long, like a fox's, making it impossible to read his gaze.
"But we'd better not start fighting among ourselves just yet. After all, anyone who can get his hands on two high-tier spirit beast essences can't be simple, can he?"
Toward the end, he turned the conversation toward Su Qing again, his words laced with ill intent.
All three had emerged from the Spirit Road with Quasi-King ratings. Their cultivation had also reached the late stage of the divine soul realm, placing them among the very best of the ordinary students.
By now, those present had divided into three factions led by these three, each occupying one side and enclosing Su Qing in the middle.
They eyed him like tigers watching their prey!
Su Qing remained where he was without speaking. His indifferent eyes swept over the crowd while his fingers trembled slightly beneath his sleeves.
Su Qing and the others remained locked in this standoff. Each of the three factions harbored its own hidden schemes, and none intended to make the first move.
Before long, two bursts of loud laughter came from outside the valley, and a short young man led several dozen people inside.
He had shifty brows and ratlike eyes, but his voice was hearty and booming as he declared with vigor.
"How could you leave me out of something this good!"
After speaking, he gave a furtive, sinister smile, scanned the crowd, and led his group into the encirclement around Su Qing.
Not long after he entered the valley, a tall, thin man with an icy air led another group inside.
He, too, first swept his gaze over everyone before speaking in a hoarse voice.
"The Yan Gang will naturally have a share of such rich pickings."
With that, he joined the encirclement as well.
At this moment, five factions had formed a ring around Su Qing. Every one of them stared fixedly at him, like a pack of hyenas.
Su Qing finally broke his silence. He raised his eyes to look into the distance and, seeing that most of his pursuers had gathered here, broke into a grin.
Su Qing looked at them with a bright smile, shook out his sleeves, and said, "Not to put too fine a point on it, but every last one of you here is trash!"
Before they could retort, Su Qing abruptly raised his left hand and snapped his fingers in the air.
The same old trick.
Transparent swords identical to those he had used to eliminate Yu Yue appeared before their brows. The difference was that this time, there were over four hundred of them.
Still, it was much the same overall. Had these people not each harbored their own schemes, hesitating to strike the rat for fear of breaking the vase, they would not have stood around awaiting death just as Yu Yue had.
Had they rushed him all at once, they might have caused Su Qing some trouble. But now, heh heh heh, they were merely a bunch of strutting clowns who thought far too highly of themselves.
The hundreds of sword phantoms stabbed down the instant they appeared. Among the three factions that had arrived first, no one escaped except the few at the middle and late stages of the divine soul realm.
Su Qing had gained some experience from using this move last time, so he had not placed any sword phantoms near those at the middle or late stages of the divine soul realm.
Instead, he had placed more than one sword phantom near each of those at the early stage of the divine soul realm, leaving them nowhere to dodge.
The sight of over a hundred streaks of light bursting forth together was nothing short of spectacular. Their brilliance illuminated the valley's rock walls, revealing the enchanting forms of exotic flowers and plants.
The leaders of the three factions that had arrived first now wore remarkably similar expressions. Their faces were as dark as angry mules', both furious and afraid-a truly comical sight.
As for the two factions that had arrived later, Su Qing had been forced to spare them because he had not had enough time to prepare, but their expressions were no better.
That was entirely because Su Qing had now drawn the Kunwu Sword. Sword energy erupted straight into the heavens, and a bitterly sharp sword aura enveloped the valley.
"Draw the Ground as a Prison!"
As Su Qing pronounced each word distinctly, lines of ink rose from outside the valley and wove themselves into a cage.
Shut the door and beat the dogs!
Su Qing looked at them with a smile, yet his eyes were utterly cold. He gave a scoffing laugh, feeling only that they were a bunch of ****.
But Su Qing was in no mood to sling insults now. He immediately swung his sword at them, flinging out dense sword intent like splashes of ink.
The slaughter began!