A day ago, Xiao Yan accidentally encountered three transformed magical beasts of the Origin Emperor level in a mountain range. These guys seemed to have just attacked and killed an alchemist who had entered the Cang Ridge Secret Realm. Xiao Yan secretly investigated and was surprised to learn that the magical beasts in the entire secret realm were very familiar with the procedures of the Pill Gathering. Many of the magical beasts that were allocated the Fragrance-Nurturing Pill had actually joined forces to form a counterattack team. They would set traps with the Fragrance-Nurturing Pill to lure outside alchemists close and then attack and kill them, thereby taking a share of the treasures on their bodies. Some even went so far as to specifically hunt down High-Level Alchemist carried the Fragrance-Nurturing Pill.
Upon receiving this information, Xiao Yan was shocked and began to ponder. The situation in the secret realm seemed to be different from what he had imagined. The magical beasts were no longer fighting individually; they had joined forces and formed a formidable force. It wouldn't be easy for them, as outsiders, to safely overcome this challenge.
Thinking of this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but worry about Xiao Siyu. However, after searching for a while, he coincidentally obtained two Fragrance-Nurturing Pill in succession. This time, Xiao Yan, who originally planned to bypass these people, found that these guys seemed to have more than one Fragrance-Nurturing Pill. In addition to the one he had just obtained from that woman, there must be at least three Fragrance-Nurturing Pill. This made Xiao Yan have to stop for a while.
Over the valley.
Xiao Yan's gaze quickly swept over the five people around him, then stopped on another person who had emerged from the forest.
This guy's cultivation level seemed to be the weakest among the five, appearing to have only recently entered the Four-Star Yuan Zong. He had brownish-green skin all over his body, limbs covered in bone spurs, and a tail that resembled a snake but wasn't quite, making him look rather ugly.
"You're the one!"
Xiao Yan smiled sinisterly, tilted the two giant rulers in his hands slightly, and with a slight leap, he vanished from his spot in an instant.
" Cao Xi, stop him!"
Just as Xiao Yan made a move, the guy diagonally opposite him suddenly shouted, and with a flick of his wrist, a bull-headed staff appeared in his palm. After spinning it violently, he hurled it heavily, aiming straight for Xiao Yan's head!
At the same time, the Cao Xi, which Xiao Yan had targeted, quickly raised its arms, and a row of sharp bone spurs several feet long immediately emerged from its limbs and sides. Then, it flipped forward, crossed and converged, and charged towards Xiao Yan without fear.
On the other side, the burly men with scythe arms and giant beast claws also attacked simultaneously. The enormous scythes, seemingly solid, spun in the sky and slashed down at Xiao Yan's head. At the same time, the beast claws grew to several times their previous size, descending from the sky with a heavy aura like Mount Tai pressing down, suppressing Xiao Yan.
The demon woman with a human head and a snake's body trembled as she slowly spat out a fang several inches long that emitted a purplish-black, sinister light. Heavy Origin Qi frantically gathered on it, and the demon woman's gaze towards Xiao Yan grew increasingly venomous.
The attacks of the group were ultimately over in the blink of an eye. Before the others could even get close, Xiao Yan's Heavy Xuan Ruler had already slammed heavily into the sharp bone spikes in front of him.
"Clang!"
The terrifying force was amplified by the Heavenly Flames. Even with the toughness of the Cao Xi's bone spurs, it barely managed to withstand the attack only by relying on the frantic surge of its internal Origin Qi, which merged into the bone spurs and formed a thick energy shield around its body.
Even so, the Cao Xi's bones still trembled violently, as if they were about to separate from its body.
The next moment, another deafening collision resounded from Xiao Yan's left. The bull-headed staff, which was inches away, was slammed into the thick blade of the Black Jade Ruler. The space violently rippled, easily knocking the bull-headed staff back. However, the Five-Star Yuan Zong who followed behind suddenly released a golden light that covered his body. He let out a roar like an old bull panting, stomped his foot hard on the other end of the bull-headed staff, and at the same time, the golden light spread rapidly across the staff like gilding, causing it to expand in size instantly. It then smashed down on Xiao Yan once again.
"Snort!"
Seeing the creature attack again, Xiao Yan showed no fear. He suddenly loosened his grip on the Heavy Xuan Ruler, and before the Cao Xi, whose face was contorted with tension, could even catch its breath, he stomped heavily on the ruler's edge. The astonishing force instantly sent the Cao Xi flying back, and several of its bone spurs were also broken.
At the same time, Xiao Yan had already grasped the Black Jade Ruler in both hands. Amidst the swirling Heavenly Flames, nine streaks of blazing fire shot out, clashing fiercely with the bull-headed staff. Terrifying energy ripples suddenly swept across the sea of fire, obscuring both objects from view. Then, a snow-white jade ruler shot out and collided with the giant scythe that had just approached the center of the flames. With the support of Origin Qi, the giant ruler actually shattered the incoming energy scythe. At the same time, the astonishing Origin Qi covering the scythe also sent the giant ruler flying backward, then uncontrollably plummeting towards the forest below.
Then, another figure rushed out of the sea of fire. Judging from the bull-headed staff in his hand, it was none other than the Five-Star Yuan Zong. However, at this moment, the expression on his face was extremely solemn. The attack of the Nine-Star Yuan Zong was indeed far more powerful than his own. His own all-out attack was so easily blocked by the opponent. Judging from the power of that Dou Technique, it had probably reached the category of Mid Intent Grade Dou Technique.
Only then did the enormous beast claw slam down, extinguishing all the remaining ripples of flame. The smile that had just appeared on the lips of the man holding the bull-headed staff was immediately followed by a drastic change in his expression.
"Wait a minute! Where's that kid?"
He gasped in surprise, only then realizing that Xiao Yan had vanished from where the giant beast's claw had struck!
"Pfft!"
Almost at the same time, the Cao Xi that had been defeated by Xiao Yan earlier suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, its body flying forward uncontrollably. A charred palm print about an inch deep was embedded in its flesh, instantly rendering it powerless.
"Whoosh!"
Almost the instant the Cao Xi's body shot out, a strange, slender streak of light pierced through its neck at an extremely fast speed, its power undiminished as it thrust towards Xiao Yan, who had just appeared behind it.
As for the Cao Xi, the purplish-black poison that pierced its neck seemed to have extremely strong corrosive properties. In the blink of an eye, it corroded its head and body into two pieces. The scarlet blood burst out of its body in a bizarre explosion, spreading into a large blood mist in the sky. The Cao Xi's aura completely dissipated.
This scene caused the other three people to reveal a look of horror in their eyes.
" Zi Qi! What do you mean by this?"
While the Five-Star Yuan Zong felt a chill run down his spine, he still shouted angrily. As for the other two, they exchanged glances and secretly moved a little closer to each other.
"Hehe, Brother Niu Kui, why are you so nervous? Although we agreed not to do evil to each other after joining forces, I cannot tolerate useless people under my command. The Cao Xi is dead, so be it. If we need more manpower later, we can find someone else to cooperate with. As for that person, he was caught off guard and suffered Heart-Devouring Poison from my attack. Even with the protection of the Heavenly Flames, he must have been seriously injured. After he dies, you can distribute the Storage Ring. What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, the Zi Qi Demoness merely gave a cold laugh, completely disregarding Niu Kui's anger. For them, immediate interests were paramount, and the current cooperation was, in essence, merely a formality; who would show any pity for the other?
At the end of her words, Zi Qi glanced at the other two with a seductive look, and they immediately lowered their heads and remained silent. Then she smiled with satisfaction, her narrow eyes looking towards where Xiao Yan was. Niu Kui also withdrew his gaze upon seeing this, but he became secretly alert and then turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan as well.
However, as the crimson blood mist gradually dissipated, a flickering flame was revealed. Behind the flame, Xiao Yan extended two fingers and gently picked out the slender fang that was enveloped in flames. He then blew on it lightly, and the fang, which shone with a faint blackish-purple light, quietly turned into ashes.
At this moment, the expressions on the faces of Zi Qi and Niu Kui opposite them gradually froze.