Chapter 730 The Pool of Dragon Blood
"Anma Divine Kingdom?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but roll his eyes after hearing this.
This sounds like a myth.
Jiang Bai didn't mind that he couldn't enter.
Because he also knew that not only the ancient martial arts world, but also the outside world had experienced several major upheavals, and the true masters had long since perished.
The idea of a divine kingdom is definitely nonsense. It's probably some secret place, but he can't enter it with his current strength.
His power is unparalleled now, but it was nothing in ancient times.
Leaving aside the Ancient Warriors Alliance, let's talk about the ancient martial arts world he knows best. Hundreds of years ago, there were quite a few Martial Kings among the ancient martial arts practitioners, including some like him who were intermediate-level Martial Kings.
Even earlier, there were more powerful high-level Martial Kings at the Great Star Rank, and there were even Martial Saints at the Lesser Heaven Rank.
That was a truly formidable master; he was far superior to those of the past.
Considering these ranks—Minor Star Rank, Middle Star Rank, Major Star Rank, Minor Celestial Rank, Middle Celestial Rank, Major Celestial Rank, and Supreme Celestial Rank—Jiang Bai is still far from reaching them.
Therefore, he had no complaints about it.
They were merely speculating about the former glory of the Ancient Warrior Alliance.
Jiang Bai would try to enter that door if given the chance.
Even if it's not possible, Jiang Bai won't force it; they can talk about it another time when there's an opportunity.
The key was what was in front of him; this pool of dragon blood had piqued Jiang Bai's interest.
"The Pool of Dragon Blood? What's that?"
Since Harry said they went through all sorts of trouble to get here for this so-called "Dragon Blood Pool," Jiang Bai was very curious about what it was.
Although it looks strange, it's just a blood pool about a meter square. What's inside that makes them so concerned?
"The Dragon Blood Pool is the sacred ground of our ancient warriors. Legend has it that when ancient warriors cultivate to a certain level, they can improve their cultivation by bathing in the Dragon Blood Pool. The five of us have been stuck at this stage for a long time. According to the secret records, as long as we can bathe in the Dragon Blood Pool, we can improve our cultivation and break into the true realm of ancient warriors. This is why we spared no expense to come here."
After hesitating for a moment, Harry said this to Jiang Bai.
This is a secret, and he is unwilling to say more unless absolutely necessary.
However, they have no one to rely on now. The only one they can depend on is Jiang Bai. Only Jiang Bai can deal with the twelve giant stone guards inside, as well as the mysterious central warrior statue.
So he had no choice but to reveal the secret.
"The Dragon Blood Pool, is it really dragon blood?" Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
As a Chinese person, I am particularly sensitive to the word "dragon," so I couldn't help but ask this question after hearing this.
"Legend has it that the supreme god Anma once raised a giant dragon. This pool of dragon blood is formed from the dragon's blood. Every year at the spring equinox, the dragon would drop a drop of blood into the pool, which would mix with the blood of other strange beasts to form the pool of dragon blood."
"As for whether it is true or not, we don't know. It may be, or it may not be. After all, that era is too far away. Many of our classics and historical materials have been lost in several major upheavals, so it is difficult to verify."
"According to our research, even if it is not dragon blood, it should be the blood of some powerful beast mixed with various other blood types, made using a secret method. Top-tier warriors can start bathing in it."
"According to our understanding, the Dragon Blood Pool is divided into six levels, with the higher the level, the more powerful it is, and each bath can bring about a qualitative change in a person."
"Although this is the lowest level, it is enough for us. If it were a higher level dragon blood pool, it would be worse. Our strength is insufficient, and if we entered it, we would immediately turn into blood."
"If Mr. Jiang agrees, you can be the first to bathe in the Dragon Blood Pool. Although you are not a member of the ancient warriors, you are still a powerful warrior, and entering it will bring you great benefits."
"It will not only increase your strength, but also make you youthful and long-lived, increasing your lifespan and power, and making you immune to all poisons. It is absolutely necessary for you!"
Upon hearing Jiang Bai's question, Harry quickly offered an explanation, conveying a sense of openness and willingness to share everything he knew.
Jiang Bai is his only hope now, so he has no choice but to do this.
As for others?
He completely ignored it, mainly the old man from the Ximen family, because that man was no longer important to him.
It's not worth wasting his time. As for Lieyang and Durant, two superhumans, even if they were allowed to enter the Dragon Blood Pool, they wouldn't dare to go in.
"I see... then it's worth a try."
After hearing this, Jiang Bai narrowed his eyes and said noncommittally, which was taken as an agreement.
He didn't know how powerful the African Ancient Warriors Alliance had once been, but the Dragon Blood Pool alone was enough to make people imagine all sorts of things. This was just the lowest of the six levels.
What does the higher level look like?
Just thinking about it is exciting.
"You all step back."
At Jiang Bai's command, everyone present stepped back, straightened their clothes, and Jiang Bai slowly walked out and entered the main hall.
The first step was that the main hall was completely silent.
The second step is the same.
The moment Jiang Bai took the third step, the twelve stone statues in the hall turned around and came to life, staring at him.
Although they had no expression or eyes, and were just a pile of stone statues, Jiang Bai still felt that they were watching him at this moment.
"Sinners who disturb the slumber of the gods, you will pay the price in blood."
The central statue, holding a broadsword, has a red light flashing in its eye sockets. It then slowly raises its sword and utters an ancient phrase.
As soon as he finished speaking, no more sounds came. Jiang Bai was greeted by twelve stone statues that leaped up.
"waste!"
Jiang Bai smiled disdainfully, unleashing the Dragon Elephant Prajna Palm. He leaped into the air, transforming into countless streams of light, and in an instant, he struck, punching each stone statue guard one by one, directly blasting them all apart.
The whole process took only a dozen seconds. The stone statues fell one after another. These stone statues were at most top-level experts, or even the best level. Their defense was abnormally strong, but not enough to make Jiang Bai fear them. Killing them did not take much effort and was completed in an instant.
As he dealt with the stone statue guards, the stone statue warrior wielding a two-handed greatsword charged forward, the broadsword flying through the wind, aiming straight for Jiang Bai's head.
Its speed and power are significantly improved compared to before.
After just one exchange, Jiang Bai was certain that this guy was an absolute master, in other words, he was on the same level as Yang Wudi.
Chapter 731 It's really awkward
In fact, this guy is much more troublesome than Yang Wudi.
Because of its abnormally strong defense, Jiang Bai dodged its attack and punched it. However, unlike the previous giant rock guards, it did not explode into stone.
The attacked area was covered with dense circular spider patterns and was somewhat damaged, but it was not a serious problem.
Such defensive capabilities are something Yang Wudi absolutely lacks.
Jiang Bai was certain that if it were Yang Wudi, he would be seriously injured immediately if he took such a hit.
However, due to the different body structure, this thing felt nothing, and even its speed was not affected in the slightest.
If Jiang Bai hadn't broken through last time, this thing alone would have been enough to slaughter them all, and extremely easily at that. Killing them wouldn't have been much more difficult than crushing a bunch of bugs.
This thing is much more troublesome than Nangong Xinghuo.
"Kill!" Jiang Bai roared and charged out again, putting all his strength into a punch aimed straight at his opponent's head.
Jiang Bai hadn't used his full strength earlier, and was somewhat careless, but now he was serious. He threw a punch straight at his opponent's head, the spot Jiang Bai considered the weakest.
"Boom!"
With a loud bang, the stone warrior shattered into pieces and crashed to the ground.
Jiang Bai landed steadily and breathed a sigh of relief.
He regretted his previous recklessness. Today's matter seemed simple, and Jiang Bai could easily push through, but in reality, it was extremely dangerous.
If Jiang Bai hadn't previously visited the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, where he gained benefits, obtained the palace's treasured bronze relic, and achieved an astonishing breakthrough, he would have been brutally killed if he had rashly come here, even if he had become a peerless master.
With everything resolved, Jiang Bai ignored everyone else and walked directly toward the so-called gate of the Anma Divine Kingdom. He reached out and waved his hand over the milky white halo, trying to enter. Unfortunately, he was pushed back by a force as soon as he got close.
After several attempts and exhausting all his efforts, Jiang Bai still couldn't get any closer, and he realized that he couldn't enter that place.
So he gave up, ignored them, took off his shirt, and stepped into the one-meter-square "Dragon Blood Pool".
Harry and the others watched, their lips twitching, but they dared not say anything.
Deep down, they didn't want Jiang Bai to enter the "Dragon Blood Pool." With each absorption, the pool's blood would decrease, and the stronger the person, the more blood would be lost.
Jiang Bai is undoubtedly a powerful person. His entry will greatly reduce the amount of Dragon Blood Pool.
Normally, they would never agree to that.
However, they had already made a promise to Jiang Bai, and although they could go back on their word now, they dared not. If Jiang Bai could torture and kill the stone statue guards, he could easily torture and kill them as well.
They had no power to resist Jiang Bai, and naturally had no say in the matter. So when they saw Jiang Bai ignore them and go straight in, Harry and the others looked embarrassed and their mouths twitched, but none of them dared to say a word.
She just stood there, staring longingly at Jiang Bai, hoping he would be more merciful and absorb less of her food.
However, to everyone's dismay, as soon as Jiang Bai entered, he was immediately enveloped in a warm sensation, as the Dragon Blood Pool completely submerged him.
This pool of dragon's blood, filled with fresh blood, not only had no smell of blood, but also a rich fragrance that was intoxicating.
Upon entering, Jiang Bai initially felt his body explode and the surroundings were scorching hot. However, after a short while, the warmth became like that of a mother's womb, making him unable to resist falling into a deep sleep. The two-meter-deep pool of dragon blood submerged Jiang Bai within it.
Jiang Bai felt countless scalding energies enter his body, nourishing his muscles and internal organs, causing them to flourish.
Jiang Bai's strength was already considerable, but he still felt his strength increasing, his muscle density increasing, and his whole body seemed to be completely renewed.
He continuously absorbed energy, growing ever stronger.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Jiang Bai opened his eyes, he knew he had completed the absorption. The blood energy from the scalding dragon blood pool entered his body, making him extremely powerful.
Before this, Jiang Bai had only entered the middle star level and become a mid-level Martial King, but his position was not stable. Now, not only is his position stable, but his whole body is full of power, which has pushed him to the peak of this level.
His strength surged, his body was full of vitality, he felt like he was forever young, his strength had increased at least twice, his defense had increased, and his lifespan had increased, undoubtedly bringing enormous benefits.
If I were to encounter my former self again, I could easily defeat him.
This demonstrates the power of the Dragon Blood Pool.
This made Jiang Bai extremely satisfied.
However, when he opened his eyes, he was shocked to find that Harry and the others had appeared in front of him at some point. Harry and the others had terribly gloomy faces, and the native warriors around him looked as if they wanted to devour him alive.
This puzzled Jiang Bai. What was going on? What did Harry and the others mean? How dare they give him that look?
So what if I used a little of your Dragon Blood Pool's blood? Do you have to give me that attitude?
This is what you promised before!
Then Jiang Bai glanced at Lie Yang and found that the old man was indeed covering his forehead and looking at him with an embarrassed expression. Following his gaze, Jiang Bai also felt a little embarrassed.
The Dragonblood Pool... Harry and his friends paid a huge price, summoned a large group of people to find the Dragonblood Pool, regarded it as a sacred object, and were even willing to fight against the shadow of Satan, betting everything on the Dragonblood Pool that the Ancient Warriors Alliance longed for.
At this very moment... he actually... he actually did it.
Even a fool would know that he absorbed it all himself.
This made Jiang Bai very embarrassed.
Well... how should I put it, he really didn't do it on purpose.
"Ahem, well... I don't know about this situation either. I didn't mean to." Jiang Bai coughed twice, responding with extreme embarrassment. After saying this, his face turned slightly red.
Harry and his friends invited him over to help, but what was the point of paying such a high price?
Isn't it all for this Dragon Blood Pool?
Now that you, Jiang Bai, have absorbed everything by yourself, what are they after?
Finding this place came at a great cost, with so many deaths and enormous profits. Countless experts were brought in, and the pressure of Satan's shadow had to be endured before this pool of dragon blood was finally found.
Now look what's happened. Jiang Bai went in alone and absorbed everything in one go. How can Harry and the others accept that?
Harry and the others looked grim and gloomy, which was understandable. Not to mention them, even Jiang Bai felt that this situation was quite embarrassing.
That doesn't make sense, classmate.
Chapter 732 The Shadow Approaches
In an instant, the atmosphere in the hall became extremely strange. Jiang Bai was extremely embarrassed, while Harry and the others had gloomy faces.
No one spoke; they remained silent there.
If it were anyone else, Harry and his friends might have already started doing things like killing people for blood and eating them to replenish their bodies.
Don't underestimate these old guys from the Ancient Warrior Alliance. They're ruthless and capable of anything.
This wretched place is teeming with cannibal tribes; one of these old guys might even have been a cannibal himself.
However, the fact that the person in front of them was Jiang Bai forced them to abandon this idea.
They had witnessed Jiang Bai's previous performance and knew they were no match for him. Moreover, now that Jiang Bai had bathed in the Dragon Blood Pool, they were even less of a match for him.
Faced with this situation, he could only swallow his anger and remain silent.
But they simply couldn't bring themselves to congratulate Jiang Bai with beaming joy.
Therefore, the atmosphere around us became extremely dull.
Everyone present was thinking about how to resolve this matter.
The best solution is no longer available; not a single drop of Dragon Blood remains in the Pool.
So what is the best solution now?
Jiang Bai wouldn't take any benefits from Harry and the others, or even offer any compensation?
This is undoubtedly the best choice.
But the question is... what's the point of Jiang Bai?
Lieyang didn't think Jiang Bai would spit out the meat he had already eaten.
Besides, it would be much simpler to just make him spit out the meat he's eating; it's very likely that a piece of flesh would have to be cut off from his body. Is that even possible?
Lieyang felt it was absolutely impossible!
She looked at Harry with some worry, afraid that he might make some unreasonable demands and cause Jiang Bai to turn his back on her, which would be really troublesome.
After a long silence, with no one responding to Jiang Bai's words, Harry finally opened his mouth and said in a heavy tone, "Mr. Jiang, about this matter..."
Just as he opened his mouth, a native warrior next to him suddenly cried out, pointing at Jiang Bai's feet and shouting, "What's that!"
This initially annoyed Harry, but he then looked in the direction the other person was pointing in surprise. He paused for a moment, then rubbed his eyes as if he had seen some precious treasure, his eyes shining brightly.
"Bloodstone! It's Bloodstone!"
When Harry looked over, the others also turned their attention to Jiang Bai's feet.
Soon, one of them exclaimed, his face full of excitement, and one sentence made Harry shudder with excitement.
Then, in an almost trembling voice, he said, "Mr. Jiang... could you please remove the stone from under your feet?"
These words startled Jiang Bai, who then glanced at Harry and the others in front of him in astonishment, not understanding what was going on. So he squatted down and took a deep breath of the scarlet gem on the ground.
The gemstone, which looks like a laughing fingernail, is of unknown material.
Upon handling it, a warm, smooth sensation immediately filled Jiang Bai's palm, a comforting warmth. He didn't know what it was, but judging from Harry and the others' behavior, it must be something special.
When Jiang Bai got his hands on it, he might have wanted to keep it for himself, but considering what had happened before, he was too embarrassed to do so.
It was handed to Harry, who carefully took it with both hands. As he held it in his palms, the people around him immediately crowded around, their faces full of tension. One of them exclaimed in surprise, "It really is a Bloodstone!"
"The sacred Bloodstone!"
Harry raised the gem and exclaimed in surprise. The surrounding native warriors knelt down, chanting some kind of slogan, as if performing some kind of religious ceremony, looking at the gem in Harry's hand with awe.
He lay prostrate on the ground, his face full of piety.
Jiang Bai and the others exchanged bewildered glances. Jiang Bai leaped up, dressed, and walked over. Harry and the others, their previous gloomy expressions gone, greeted Jiang Bai with beaming smiles, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for finding the Bloodstone for us."
"It's your good fortune that you absorbed the Dragon Blood Pool; let's leave it at that."
Jiang Bai really wanted to ask what this thing was.
However, in the end, I didn't say anything; I simply couldn't bring myself to ask.
If he were to ask, it would inevitably give the impression that he was coveting the Blood Essence Stone, which would be problematic.
This thing is clearly very important to Harry and his friends; it is their destiny to obtain it. Jiang Bai is not overly greedy.
He chuckled and didn't press the matter further.
After taking another look at the gate to the Kingdom of Anma, and confirming that they could not enter, the group left.
This trip to the temple was thrilling but safe. Apart from Jiang Bai, almost no one contributed anything. On the contrary, everyone gained considerable benefits. Everyone present was very happy and prepared to leave in high spirits.
But as soon as they stepped out of the temple, they were shocked to find a large, dark crowd gathered at the exit.
There were probably thirty or so of them. Their origins were unknown. They were all hidden in black robes, wearing gloves and masks, so their appearances were completely obscured. Just standing there, they exuded a chilling and sinister aura.
On the left side of their black clothes, on the chest, there was a withered hand with a flame leaping in the center. It looked like some kind of standard, but its origin was unknown.
"The Shadow of Satan!"
Durant's expression changed immediately. He looked at the team not far away with a wary expression, as if facing a formidable enemy.
As he finished speaking, the people around him were already ready for battle, their expressions solemn. The native warriors took the lead, and Harry and the others also prepared for battle.
Clumps of metal floated up around Durant, while flames surrounded Lieyang, and even Jiang Bai couldn't help but frown.
The reputation of the shadow of Satan is well-known, which speaks volumes.
"Hand over what you have, and we'll spare your lives."
The two groups moved slowly and met in the center of the vast, empty cave. One of them, an old man who was hidden in a black robe but not wearing a mask, came out and growled at Jiang Bai and the others in an extremely hoarse and sinister voice.
No one knew where this person came from. His face was deathly pale, without a trace of blood, and his body was withered, as if he were not a living person.
A cold light emanated from his small, triangular eyes, sending chills down the spines of those who looked at him.
"We got nothing!" Harry said in a low voice.
Instead of reacting to the other party's blatant robbery and immediately taking action, he cautiously uttered the following words.
Clearly, he was unwilling to fight these people unless absolutely necessary. Even though they had started to openly rob him, he still wanted to de-escalate the situation. Even with Jiang Bai, a high-level combatant, by his side, he was unwilling to engage in a direct confrontation.
Chapter 733 Hand it over
It's not hard to see that the shadow of Satan has put too much pressure on the Ancient Warrior Alliance. Even knowing that Jiang Bai is such a master, they are unwilling to break ties with him and prefer to avoid it rather than take action.
Unfortunately, Harry was willing to return the money, but the other party was unwilling to give up.
With a cold laugh, the old man said disdainfully, "This matter can be kept from others, but it cannot be kept from us. You have obtained the Blood Essence Stone, haven't you?"
His words caused Harry and the others' expressions to change drastically, and Jiang Bai himself was also full of curiosity, wondering how the other party knew this information.
This shouldn't be happening. They only just learned about the Bloodstone, and Harry and the others were quite surprised.
Even if they had an inside man among them, they shouldn't have found out so quickly.
This is not normal.
Jiang Bai was extremely curious about how these guys knew that Harry and his friends had obtained the Bloodstone.
"This is impossible! How could you know!" Before Jiang Bai could speak, someone had already spoken, their face full of surprise and disbelief.
I don't understand how the other party knew this information; this is not normal.
The person speaking was not from the Ancient Warrior Alliance, but Durant, the superhuman from Country A. Durant, who was full of surprise, looked completely incredulous.
He was present the entire time that the Bloodstone was discovered, and he didn't understand how the other party knew that Harry and his friends had obtained it.
"Heh, these things are just a small problem for the council's dark prophets. As long as we find the bloodstains and hair of any one of you, and know your destination, we will naturally know what benefits you have gained here."
"Unfortunately, we have bloodstain backups of the five elders of the African Ancient Warriors Alliance."
The other party chuckled, then his sharp eyes fixed on Harry as he coldly said, "I'm giving you a choice: hand over the Bloodstone now, or you'll all die!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai remained silent, standing there quietly with his eyes narrowed as he observed everything before him, waiting for events to unfold.
"That's right, we have obtained the Bloodstone, but we can't hand it over; it's our sacred relic!"
Jiang Bai didn't know what the Bloodstone was, but he knew it was definitely not simple and Harry and the others wouldn't hand it over easily. Sure enough, Harry refused outright.
"What holy relic? Don't give me that. This thing is also very useful to us, the Shadow of Satan. It's a mission assigned by the Council. Anyone who dares to stand in the way must die. If you don't want the African Ancient Warrior Alliance to be wiped out, you'd better hand it over!"
The other party snorted coldly and said disdainfully, unsurprised by Harry's rejection, but dismissive of it.
Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow at these words. What did they mean?
These guys... don't seem to take the African Ancient Warriors Alliance seriously.
These guys from the Ancient Warriors Alliance have ruled Africa for so long, don't they have any backup plans?
Even if this place is backward, it should still have some backup plans, after all, they used to have so many experts.
The sixth-grade dragon blood pool was the lowest grade, and even that required a top-tier expert to enter. Just how powerful would one become after bathing in the sixth-grade dragon blood pool?
Someone like that, who casually leaves behind some backup plans, must be quite something, right? And this guy in front of me, he just wants to wipe out the African Ancient Warriors Alliance?
What a boastful tone!
I really don't know where their confidence comes from.
Could it be because of the parliament he mentioned?
Jiang Bai noticed that his old friend mentioned the council several times while speaking, and his words were full of awe. Could this be the source of Satan's confidence?
"We, the Ancient Warriors Alliance, will never compromise, even to the death!"
Harry's face turned cold upon hearing this. He wasn't without support; he was already quite strong, not to mention that he had Jiang Bai, a great expert, backing him up.
What does he have to fear?
His only fear might be the power behind the shadow of Satan, but he couldn't care less about that now; the Bloodstone was a sacred object, of utmost importance to them.
If used properly, the five of them could be elevated to the level of true ancient warriors and become a true member of the ancient warriors.
More importantly, this item can help the Ancient Warrior Alliance create countless experts, which is of vital importance to them.
For this reason, it would be only right if a few of them died in battle.
As long as they can preserve the Bloodstone, their Ancient Warrior Alliance will have a chance to rise again.
If they lose this thing, they will be forever trapped in each other's shadow.
"Let's do it!"
The other party didn't waste any more words with Harry. At this point, saying more would be pointless, and he didn't expect to persuade Harry. After the other party expressed a clear attitude, he took action.
Behind him were more than thirty people whose bodies were now emitting a jet-black light that flickered continuously under the torchlight.
"Dark Battle Qi!" Jiang Bai judged the opponent's origin the moment they were about to make their move.
He had seen dark battle aura before, but that was the silver-level thunder battle aura of the Assassin's Guild. Now he had obviously seen another type of battle aura.
It looked eerie and terrifying, inspiring fear. Jiang Bai could clearly feel that the stones beneath the feet of these people seemed to have become loose, emitting hissing white smoke.
Being able to use battle qi means you're definitely a top-tier expert.
Damn, although not all of these thirty-odd people possessed the power of battle qi, at first glance it might seem that all thirty-odd people had dark battle qi, but upon closer inspection, it's estimated that only about a dozen of them possessed dark battle qi.
A dozen top experts... the sheer power of Satan's shadow is enough to make one's heart tremble.
No wonder he dared to talk to Harry like that; he must have some confidence.
"There are nine of you here: two ability users and seven warriors. I have fourteen top-tier warriors who can use dark battle aura! I also have three ability users. With me added to the mix, you have no chance of winning!"
The other party chuckled and said noncommittally.
The best approach is to avoid fighting altogether and subdue the enemy without a battle. What he wants is the Blood Essence Stone, not to fight to the death. The old man understood this very well.
So before taking action, he said something like this, hoping to make Harry and the others back down and hand over the item.
Then he achieved his goal this time.
Otherwise, even though he was confident of victory, there were nine top experts on his side who might launch a desperate counterattack, which could lead to unexpected losses and casualties, making it a losing proposition.
He said that just to be on the safe side, after all, although the shadow of Satan is powerful, it is not without enemies.
Chapter 734 You want to play with me?
"Ancient warriors never compromise!"
He was met with a cold remark from Harry.
If it weren't for Jiang Bai, I don't know if he would have had the confidence to say that.
I reckon there isn't one. Even if there were, the people around would probably turn against us.
Your Ancient Warriors Alliance benefits, while we only get a little money. Although it's said that if you take someone's money, you have to solve their problems.
But is it really worth risking your life for this?
My relationship with them is purely based on mutual benefit, not a life-or-death bond, so why risk my life?
However, even Durant, who was initially hesitant, has not chosen to compromise. Instead, he is full of confidence because they have Jiang Bai on their side, a fighter with incredible strength.
This is the source of their confidence.
"Let's do it!"
The other party gave a low shout, and the crowd behind them suddenly moved, rushing out one by one and heading straight for Jiang Bai and his group. This time it was not a bluff, but a real attack.
One by one, the experts leaped into the air, heading straight for Jiang Bai and his group, intending to annihilate them all.
Dark battle energy surged through the space in an instant, shattering rocks and corroding the ground. Jiang Bai and his group, not to be outdone, rushed out one after another.
With his blazing sun power activated, flames soared into the air and rushed towards the experts. Clusters of purple flames rose in the underground space, melting everything in their path.
As Durant activated his technique, metallic particles suddenly rose into the air, combined, and condensed into countless longswords that rushed straight towards the opponent.
They also have superpowered individuals over there. One of them controls plants. When he made his move, he threw out a seed, and countless vines grew and rushed towards them.
As a water-based ability user moved, water streams formed in the sky, enveloping those around them in an attempt to kill them.
The other one possessed spatial abilities, even more powerful than Gu Tengkong, whom Jiang Bai had seen before. In the blink of an eye, he had already rushed out and killed several native experts. His whereabouts were unpredictable and difficult to fathom. Jiang Bai felt that this guy was the most difficult to deal with among them.
The fighting here is fierce and full of tricks, while Harry's side is much simpler.
Their side was six against fourteen. There were no supernatural abilities or flashing lights; it was just a real, hard-fought battle. They were ancient warriors who relied on their physical strength, so there were no fancy moves.
Only a strong physique and superb ancient fighting techniques.
Aside from that, there were no other moves. The opponent's dark fighting spirit was rampant, and he could only use a few moves over and over again.
To be honest, Western warriors have always relied on combat skills and experience to fight, but that's not the main thing. The main thing is their physical strength. Battle aura plays an amplifying role, but it doesn't significantly enhance the art of combat.
The only one who was somewhat flashy was Ximen Tujun. After all, he came from an ancient martial arts family with a long history, and his moves were very elegant. Because his physical body was not strong enough, he made up for it with his moves, which gave him powerful attack power. He used quite a lot of moves there.
Overall, however, Harry and his group were at a disadvantage. The enemy outnumbered them, making it difficult for them to gain a fighting advantage in this situation.
They were already at a disadvantage after only a short time of fighting, and were being completely suppressed here.
Jiang Bai remained motionless because the elderly man who had spoken earlier hadn't moved an inch from beginning to end, standing there without budging.
Jiang Bai had a premonition that he was the main one. Since he didn't move, Jiang Bai naturally didn't move either, squinting at the old man not far away.
The other person also noticed Jiang Bai looking at him, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he squinted and smiled and nodded at Jiang Bai.
It seems that outside there is no bloodshed, but rather springtime and blooming flowers. Two strangers meet on the street and exchange friendly glances.
The other party responded with a polite smile, and Jiang Bai smiled back, creating an awkward atmosphere.
The surrounding rocks shattered, and fighting spirit surged. Jiang Bai stood there unmoved, while Harry and his group were already showing signs of defeat.
None of the top experts have died yet, but they are all wounded. As for the dozens of native warriors who followed them, they are all dead.
Several people also died on Satan's side; they were all low-level combatants.
These people might be considered experts by ordinary people, but compared to Jiang Bai and his group, they are utterly insignificant. They are unapproachable to ordinary people, but in front of true powerhouses, they are not worth mentioning.
Therefore, it was normal for there to be casualties; Jiang Bai didn't even bother to look at the injuries and deaths among them.
Below the highest level, all others are mere ants and not worth paying attention to.
"Aren't you going to make a move? They're almost at their breaking point."
Suddenly, the old man standing there spoke to Jiang Bai in a hoarse voice with a light laugh. As he spoke, he glanced at Harry, who was being attacked by two experts with dark battle qi not far away, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.
"It's not the right time yet, and they're not worth my time. If I were to take action... I doubt many of them would survive."
Jiang Bai stood there by himself, lit a cigarette, and took a puff.
The air in here wasn't very good. After taking a puff, Jiang Bai frowned, then threw away the cigarette in his hand and stomped it out.
Throughout the entire process, he maintained a remarkably calm and collected demeanor.
It was as if he was not affected by what was happening around him, and did not take anything in front of him seriously.
Indeed, that is exactly the case.
The battle before him was completely ignored by Jiang Bai. He wasn't even paying attention to these people. These people... were numerous and all top-tier experts, yet... they still didn't catch Jiang Bai's eye.
If we're talking about formidable creatures, those giant stone guardians are truly powerful, with astonishing defensive capabilities. If you were to unleash them all, Satan's Shadow and his gang might not be able to withstand them.
However, once they reached Jiang Bai's hands, they all shattered into pieces within a dozen seconds. These experts of Satan's Shadow were not necessarily more powerful than the giant stone guards from before.
"So, you're waiting for me to make a move?"
The old man looked at Jiang Bai with great interest. He was not much different from Jiang Bai. If it weren't for his thin and pale face, which made him look sinister and terrifying, he might have been a kind old man.
"You could say that. So, interested in trying it out?" Jiang Bai chuckled, showing no fear whatsoever.
He was very interested in playing with this extremely thin old man in front of him. Subconsciously, Jiang Bai already sensed that the other party was not simple.
If it weren't for the different cultivation systems, Jiang Bai might have already discerned the opponent's strength.
Jiang Bai was completely bewildered, only sensing the deathly aura surrounding the other party, but he couldn't discern the other party's level.
However... in short, it's quite dangerous, definitely much more dangerous than those dozen or so guys with dark battle aura before.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be enough to lead and intimidate them!
Chapter 735 Understanding My Good Intentions
"Forget it, I don't like to fight with young people. Let them handle it."
The other person paused for a moment after hearing Jiang Bai's words, then his expression became even more amused, and he said with a smile, but the smile looked awkward no matter how you looked at it.
It would be a waste of this old man's talent if he didn't go into making horror movies.
Just then, Harry screamed in agony as he was severely injured by a top-tier warrior with dark battle aura. The dark battle aura left terrifying corrosive wounds on his body, and he crashed to the ground.
In that instant, a powerful expert charged straight at Harry's head, seemingly gathering all his strength to kill him the moment he hit the ground.
The brief exchange was over, and they were clearly at a disadvantage, unable to hold on any longer. If Jiang Bai didn't intervene soon, Harry would be dead.
This made Jiang Bai frown. The next second, he made his move and appeared next to Harry in the blink of an eye. He threw a punch and collided directly with Harry's fist, which was covered in dark fighting spirit.
A scream of agony rang out as the opponent's fighting spirit was instantly shattered, his entire arm was smashed to pieces, and he flew backward, crashing to the ground unconscious.
Judging by his appearance, he's not far from death.
"A bunch of useless trash, their constant chatter is so annoying!"
Jiang Bai frowned and said, "Since we've already made our move, there's no need to stop." Jiang Bai suddenly attacked, heading straight for the other experts.
The screams of these "Shadow of Satan" masters filled the entire cave in an instant. Jiang Bai moved like a nimble ape, as fast as lightning, darting about and leaving behind dozens of figures in the blink of an eye.
However, a few moments later, the ground was covered with people lying on the ground, all of them seriously injured.
Fourteen top-tier warriors with dark battle aura and three superhumans lay on the ground, none of them able to get up.
This was only because Jiang Bai held back.
The shadow of Satan is very powerful, and it seems that there is some force supporting it.
Jiang Bai didn't want to offend them, not out of fear, but because it wasn't worth it for Harry and the others.
Jiang Bai's relationship with them was purely based on mutual benefit. They had no prior connection. He accepted their favors to help them, ensuring their high-end combat forces survived and that they received what they wanted. That was already more than enough.
It's not worth making enemies and risking your life for them, only to bring trouble upon yourself.
Jiang Bai already has quite a few enemies; he doesn't want to add another "Satanic shadow" whose true nature he can't figure out.
Therefore, he was still careful in his actions. Although the attack was very fierce, he did not really intend to kill the opponent, but only to severely injure them.
After Jiang Bai made his move, Harry's teammates were about to intervene, but unfortunately, they were stopped by Jiang Bai and the others.
With a wave of his hand, he stopped them. The group pressed their advantage, and he stood there quietly watching the old men who had spoken to him earlier. He squinted and smiled, "Well, I told you, if I make a move, you'll be in big trouble."
"You surprise me. To have such strength at such a young age, have you already broken through the limit? Reached the level of the real world?"
"It's really difficult. I'm quite surprised that you have such abilities at your age. Are you an ancient martial arts practitioner from the East? As far as I know, no one in your region has reached this level for many years."
"Besides, you are really young. To have reached such a level of cultivation at such a young age, in your words, means you have a bright future!"
The other person seemed to know a lot about the East, speaking fluently and confidently, and even in the last sentence, "a bright future," they said it in Chinese.
Judging from his words, he seems to know quite a bit about the East and even knows some basic Chinese.
What's even more interesting is that the old man didn't back down despite Jiang Bai's aggressive attack; he remained calm and composed.
Judging from his appearance, it seems that the power Jiang Bai displayed was still not enough to fill him with fear?
As for what he said about the "real world," Jiang Bai was completely confused and didn't understand what the old man was talking about or what he meant.
"Now that you know my cultivation level, then this matter... you should leave. I promised Harry and the others that I would help them, and I accepted their benefits. In our terms, it's like taking money to solve a problem."
"I will protect these people to the end. I have already given you enough face just now. Although I made a move, I did not kill them. Otherwise, your people would probably all be ashes by now."
"Understand my good intentions and leave!"
Jiang Bai responded calmly, saying the following words to the other party.
These were his true feelings. Subconsciously, he was unwilling to make enemies with the shadow of Satan, especially after he had shown some of his strength. The old man's unassuming performance made Jiang Bai even more unwilling to make enemies with him.
Because this means there will be endless trouble in the future.
"On their behalf, I thank you for your kindness." Upon hearing this, the old man bowed slightly to Jiang Bai, performing a 45-degree bow in apology, displaying considerable politeness.
"No need for much thanks, just leave. You should understand what I mean. I don't want to actually fight you. It wouldn't be a good thing for either of you."
"If you're willing, you can settle your scores with them however you like after I leave. Anyway... it's absolutely impossible for me to do that while I'm here!"
Jiang Bai chuckled and said that from the moment he opened his mouth, he and the old man in front of him had already taken control of everything. The two of them were the main characters here and controlled everything.
The conversation between the two people also determines everything.
As for Harry, who should have been one of the parties involved, he had no say at all. Lacking the strength, he had no right to speak here.
Harry and the others knew this, so they wisely kept quiet. Although their expressions changed slightly when Jiang Bai mentioned that they could cause trouble for the other party in the future, they ultimately remained silent.
They knew that if they spoke up now and angered Jiang Bai, the consequences would be very serious.
Based on Jiang Bai's behavior just now, there's no question of "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" for him. He can turn his back on people at any time if he wants.
Regardless of them, the people of Satan's shadow will not stop such a master.
Once Jiang Bai leaves, it will be the end for them.
So although they were dissatisfied with what Jiang Bai said, they didn't dare to utter a word and could only stand aside and wait for Jiang Bai and the old man in front of them to decide their fate.
"Hehe, it's rare to see such an interesting young person like you. If we hadn't met here in this way, I think we might have become friends."
After hearing Jiang Bai's words, the other party chuckled and did not leave. Although the people behind him stood up one by one with injuries, they showed no intention of leaving.
Chapter 736 Threatening Me?
"Become friends with you?" Jiang Bai felt a chill run down his spine after hearing this.
To be honest, Jiang Bai's impression of the old man wasn't too bad. He was calm and gentle, and seemed relaxed and easygoing, but he wasn't arrogant or disdainful of others.
If he were more normal, it wouldn't be impossible for him to become a close friend of Jiang Bai despite their age difference.
But is this old man normal?
The answer is clearly no.
This is not normal, not normal at all!
Damn it, look at that withered face, skin and bones, and those dark eyes. If he were lying there with his eyes closed, Jiang Bai would think he was a dried-up corpse. How could Jiang Bai be friends with someone like that?
Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
Let's forget about it.
Jiang Bai realized the other person had no intention of becoming friends and began to scrutinize their words.
What do you mean by that?
Jiang Bai narrowed his eyes, his tone unfriendly.
He could also tell that the other party did not intend to accept his good intentions, and that their behavior just now had already hinted at rejection.
"It's nothing. I just appreciate your kindness, but you have your responsibilities, and so do I."
"The decision of Parliament is not to be refused!"
"The council has already said that if we get the Bloodstone, then the Bloodstone will definitely belong to the council! I can't leave just because of a few words from you, a young man."
"The parliament will not allow it, the shadow of Satan will not allow it, and I myself... will not allow it!"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere around them changed once again. Jiang Bai, who was standing there, stretched his limbs, then looked at the old man in front of him, sizing him up with interest, and said with narrowed eyes, "So, you're prepared to fight me to the death?"
Although Jiang Bai was unsure of the other party's strength, he vaguely sensed that the other party was not simple.
However, they wouldn't leave just because of a few words from the other party, just as they wouldn't leave just because of a few words from Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai knew that a confrontation was inevitable.
However, judging from the situation, it shouldn't be a fight to the death.
"That's not quite right. I'm just telling the truth. To outsiders, the Shadow of Satan is incredibly powerful and the most formidable mercenary group. Apart from that damned Hand of God, no one can rival us!"
"But who could know that we are just a small branch under the parliament?"
"The orders of the thirteen members of parliament and His Excellency the Speaker are not to be refused by us."
"They are supreme! They cannot be defied."
"Unfortunately, the task of obtaining the Bloodstone was personally assigned by a senator."
"Therefore, no matter how great our losses are, no matter how strong our enemies are, we must obtain the Bloodstone!"
"Of course... young man, your strength and performance have piqued my curiosity, and I also think you are someone I can be friends with. I am not willing to fight you to the death!"
"Coincidentally, I also have a little bit of influence in parliament, though not much. It's nothing compared to that of that congressman, but this little bit of influence is enough for me to make some decisions that don't violate principles."
"I'll fight you. If you can defeat me, then I'll let you leave today. Afterwards, I'll go find those black devils from the Ancient Warrior Alliance on my own!"
"If you are no match for me, I will not harm you, and I may even let you leave with these black devils, as long as you make them leave behind the Bloodstone. What do you think?"
The old man squinted and smiled at Jiang Bai.
This surprised Jiang Bai. Was this old man really going to be friends with him?
But... should I suggest this guy get plastic surgery?
Damn, having a friend like that during the day is fine, but if he suddenly showed up at night, he could scare you so badly you'd have nightmares.
"Don't agree to him, he just wants..." Harry's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and he shouted this before Jiang Bai could speak.
He didn't want Jiang Bai to obey the other party because he had truly witnessed Jiang Bai's terrifying power and was confident in Jiang Bai's strength.
Harry wanted Jiang Bai to fight the enemy to the death here and wipe them all out. If the two of them only exchanged blows, it wouldn't be a good thing for them.
If Satan's shadow remains unharmed, it will come after them, and they may not be able to withstand it.
This can be seen from the lineup the enemy deployed today, and Harry knows that this is not the full power of Satan's shadow.
They still have some trump cards up their sleeves, not to mention the mysterious and unpredictable parliament that sends chills down your spine just by hearing about it.
The shadow of Satan is so powerful, yet it is only a small branch of them?
It's easy to imagine just how powerful this mysterious council truly is.
If Jiang Bai abandons his responsibilities, they will be in danger.
Even if we let them go today and allow them to return home unharmed.
Their future won't be easy either.
"Shut up!" Harry's words were met with an immediate rebuke from Jiang Bai.
How could Jiang Bai not understand what the other party was thinking?
But he actually did it, and the consequences were dire.
What does this have to do with Jiang Bai from beginning to end?
He's just doing his job, taking money to solve problems and protecting Harry and the others to get the Bloodstone!
Do we have to guarantee their continued prosperity?
They will fight to the end against the shadow of Satan and the parliament behind him.
Jiang Bai isn't stupid; naturally, he wouldn't do that.
Now that a decision has been made, it's not easy for others to talk nonsense and change anything. It's not Harry's place to say anything here.
Despite the presence of so many experts here, only two people have the right to speak: Jiang Bai and the withered old man in front of us.
Because only they have enough power to speak.
Everyone else is just an ant, a worthless piece of trash.
"Mr. Jiang, do you remember our deal? Although I don't want to say it, if you don't take action against them today, they will take action against us later. Once the African Ancient Warrior Alliance ceases to exist, how can our deal be guaranteed?"
"Without our suppression, those indigenous tribes will not abide by their agreement with you, and you will probably end up with nothing!"
After Jiang Bai reprimanded Harry, an elder from the Ancient Warriors Alliance spoke anxiously to Jiang Bai.
"Are you threatening me?" Jiang Bai turned his head, his tone unfriendly!
He hates being threatened, no matter when or where.
In Jiang Bai's view, what this guy was saying was clearly a threat!
A blatant threat!
"I'm just stating the facts. The benefits you receive are only because we still exist. If we didn't exist, there would be no threat at all."
Chapter 737 The Third Shadow, Marcus
The other side is determined to tie Jiang Bai to their chariot, hoping that Jiang Bai can wipe out the "Shadow of Satan" group here, severely damage them, and buy time for the Ancient Warrior Alliance.
However, this idea is rather clumsy.
This surprised Jiang Bai for a moment. Then he narrowed his eyes, a cold light flashing in them. He had really underestimated these little black guys. He hadn't expected them to have such a trick up their sleeve.
Upon closer reflection, it does seem to make sense.
Aside from the gold and diamonds given earlier, everything else was illusory—oil fields, mineral veins, etc.—which were all in the hands of various tribes. It was only through the immense pressure from the African Ancient Warrior Alliance that these things were able to reach Jiang Bai.
Without them, what about the indigenous people?
What kind of contractual spirit do you expect them to talk to you about?
They might turn on us at any moment.
No matter how powerful Jiang Bai is, he couldn't possibly have come here and slaughtered hundreds of tribes and millions of people.
Then he would truly be an enemy of the world.
He's practically the first executioner of the new century, which is definitely not a good thing.
Is it really worth it to confront the shadow of Satan and even forge a life-or-death feud with the council behind them, all for a little bit of profit?
Jiang Bai didn't think it was worth it.
Money can be earned back anytime. He is not the same as before. His businesses are spread all over the world. He will definitely develop bigger and stronger in the future. He can't just stay in China.
Making an enemy of such a mysterious organization is definitely not a wise move.
For a tiny bit of immediate benefit, Jiang Bai might have to pay several times or even dozens of times more in the future, which is something Jiang Bai cannot accept.
How to choose?
It's not hard to choose!
However, it was a little painful to ask him to give up like this, which is why Jiang Bai frowned and pondered.
"If that's the problem, then it's simple. If I win, I'll spare their lives. If I lose, when I cause them trouble in the future, I'll leave one or two survivors and make them fulfill their contracts."
The gaunt old man chuckled upon hearing this, and his words actually solved Jiang Bai's problem.
This caused the faces of the members of the African Ancient Warriors Alliance to change drastically, their expressions becoming extremely ugly.
If it weren't for their skin color, their faces would probably be completely black by now.
Jiang Bai glanced at the old man with surprise, not understanding what he meant and why he wanted to help him.
This is not normal.
Logically speaking, the two of them should be enemies from opposing camps, so why is he openly helping me? Does he really want to be my friend?
Jiang Bai felt uneasy, unsure of what the withered old man in front of him was thinking, and kept trying to figure out what the other was thinking.
It wasn't that Jiang Bai was overthinking things; it was simply that he wasn't familiar with the old man in front of him.
You can't see into someone's heart. Where in this world is there so much love without a reason?
Seeing Jiang Bai's suspicious look, the old man chuckled and then said in his deep, hoarse voice, "I, Marcus, never lie. I genuinely want to be your friend. Perhaps... after you leave here, we can become good friends."
"Satan's Shadow, the Third Shadow, Marcus?"
Upon hearing this, Harry's expression changed drastically as he looked at Marcus with a hint of fear in his eyes. Besides his teammates from the Ancient Warriors Alliance, Durant also showed the same expression.
Judging from the words, Marcus is infamous, but what does this Third Shadow mean?
Ranked third? Or is there some other explanation?
"It is said that Satan has seven shadows on earth, representing the seven original sins. These shadows are arranged in order to form the seven apostles on earth. Marcus in front of us is the third apostle, the third shadow according to rumors."
Lieyang leaned closer and said in a deep voice.
He then added, "I originally thought that the Seven Shadows of Satan should be seven top-notch masters, top-tier warriors or superhumans, but now it seems I was wrong."
Of course he was wrong. Jiang Bai hadn't met the others, but Marcus alone was enough to give him a headache. This guy was at least a figure who had surpassed the realm of top-grade masters and reached the ancient level.
Well, in his own words, he has become a part of the real world.
The other people are probably not simple either, especially the two ranked above him.
It seems that people outside the community don't have a deep understanding of the shadow of Satan.
"Apostles? Heh, the original seven deadly sins represent the seven rulers of hell. We are not qualified to be apostles of the seven rulers. We are just the most lowly servants. You said it yourself that it is just a rumor from the outside world. Since it is a rumor, it cannot be believed."
"But you're right, there are indeed seven of us. I'm ranked third in the shadow of Satan, so it's true that I'm the third shadow."
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and subconsciously narrowed his eyes.
According to this theory, there are at least seven people whose shadow of Satan can be compared to Marcus.
It goes without saying what level these seven people are at.
This news is truly chilling. How did these guys manage to gather so many experts?
Leaving aside the dozen or so top experts from earlier, the Seven Shadows alone would be enough to sweep across China.
This isn't normal!
Jiang Bai then shook his head, dismissing the ridiculous question from his mind.
Sweeping across China?
You're overthinking it. Let alone sweeping across China, they couldn't even wipe out the Nangong family.
If pushed to the brink, the Nangong family will open all their ice burial coffins and perish together with them. In that case, it's hard to say who will sweep whom aside!
Moreover, China is not only home to the Nangong family. There are twenty-seven families under the leadership of the four great families, as well as numerous sects. Who among them doesn't have some trump card?
Even if we take the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain as an example, if Jiang Bai didn't care about the cost, he could still produce a dozen or twenty top experts, or five, six, seven or eight peerless experts.
The only difference is their cards; they reveal their cards on the table, while China's cards are mostly hidden in the undercurrents.
At the same time, Jiang Bai understood why this guy was so arrogant.
The Shadow of Satan is indeed incredibly confident, so it's no surprise that he talks about wiping out the ancient African warrior alliance.
If they didn't have an old nemesis, "The Hand of God," constantly watching them and tying down most of their power, they probably wouldn't be wasting their breath on the Third Shadow, Marcus, right in front of them.
With a group of experts rushing in, Jiang Bai really couldn't say whether he could handle it.
Most importantly, who can guarantee that none of these seven shadows are masters who can rival Jiang Bai?
We don't need many, just one. If one person has this ability, Jiang Bai will be in big trouble.
Besides, there might be more than one. Marcus hasn't made a move yet, so who knows which level he belongs to? In any case, Jiang Bai can't quite figure him out; the two are from different systems.
Chapter 738 Necromancer?
"Let's get started."
Jiang Bai didn't mince words anymore. There was no point in saying anything more; the other party had already made a guarantee, so he could proceed with peace of mind.
Even if the other party doesn't make any guarantees, Jiang Bai will still take action, though he still won't necessarily go so far as to kill them.
Because that would be extremely unwise.
The ones with whom he has a grudge and conflict of interest are those little black guys from the Ancient Warrior Alliance. What does that have to do with Jiang Bai?
Jiang Bai was just a worker who took money to solve problems for others.
Jiang Bai made his move. After reminding the other party, he leaped out and rushed straight towards Marcus.
The other party chuckled, and with a wave of his hand, layers of white bones appeared out of thin air, encasing his entire body in layers of armor, with skeletal fangs, ferocious and terrifying.
As Jiang Bai was enveloped in the protective covering, a wall of bones suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his path. The jagged, interlocking bones formed a wall that impeded his way.
"Boom!"
With a loud bang, the wall shattered.
Various bones were scattered randomly. This thing was very hard; Jiang Bai felt a bit of pain in his hand when he hit it, but he still managed to break it. His initial impression was that it was even harder than the previous stone statue guardian.
After shattering the object, Jiang Bai did not slow down. A hint of surprise flashed in the opponent's eyes, and an ancient and mysterious tone rang out. The next second, walls of bone appeared, blocking Jiang Bai's path.
Immediately afterward, the ground beside the old man trembled, and white figures appeared one after another. One after another, skeletons holding weapons appeared out of thin air in the cave, led by two headless knights riding bone horses.
It was sinister and terrifying, headless, dressed in black armor, wielding a rusty longsword, and its entire body was shrouded in black battle aura, as it charged rapidly toward Jiang Bai.
"Damn it, what is this thing?!" Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously cursed. Without hesitation, he rushed forward and began to fight with this bunch of things.
Jiang Bai wasn't entirely ignorant; having been exposed to countless foreign cultural influences over the years, he naturally knew what these things were—skeleton soldiers, headless knights, bone walls…
Marcus's identity is now obvious.
Necromancer!
"Holy crap, this kind of forbidden profession actually exists! What kind of bastards are you hiding in the shadow of Satan? No wonder the Hand of God is clinging to you! If I were them, I'd fight you to the death!"
While dealing with the two headless knights and numerous skeleton soldiers, Jiang Bai roared at Marcus.
The Hand of God, rumored to be a secret power of the Holy See, originated from the Knights Templar. Naturally, it would not stand idly by in the face of such an evil profession.
In fact, during the Middle Ages, the Inquisition killed quite a few of these kinds of people.
Jiang Bai used to think that these things were just fabrications by people with ulterior motives. For example, the famous witch trials in the Middle Ages, in which so many people were burned and killed, and many people criticized the Holy See for its actions.
Now it seems there must be some hidden story behind this. Since there are such ghostly things as necromancers, how could there not be witches?
Since they exist, it's understandable that they were burned and killed.
However, it is impossible to know who is right and who is wrong.
However, their sinister and terrifying profession doesn't seem like that of good people. Compared to the glorious and righteous Holy See, it's self-evident which the people would choose.
"One day, they will pay for what they have done!" Marcus, who had been casting various necromancy spells and attacking Jiang Bai with the headless horseman, sneered and said disdainfully.
The flames of hatred flickered in his eyes.
Legend has it that necromancers, besides their evil methods, also possess remarkably long lifespans, with some necromancers living for hundreds of years.
Judging from his appearance, could Marcus be one of them?
Otherwise, why would they hate the Holy See to this extent?
Jiang Bai didn't pry into the other party's secrets because he couldn't care less at the moment.
He's currently locked in a battle with Marcus.
Those skeleton soldiers were actually quite vulnerable, not as easily defeated as one might imagine. They weren't as swift and decisive as people imagine, turning into dust the moment a weapon was swung at them.
In fact, they are quite powerful, incredibly strong, and remarkably tough. More importantly, they are immortal; unless you reduce them to dust, they will rise again in a short time.
Being missing limbs has no impact on them whatsoever.
Normally, a martial arts master can only handle one or two of them at most, which is already quite good. For ordinary people, encountering this kind of thing... well, they can only laugh it off.
Dealing with them was naturally no problem for Jiang Bai. With one punch, he could kill a whole bunch of them. Although they kept appearing and regenerating, they were gradually reduced under Jiang Bai's attacks.
The number of skeletons Marcus can summon here is not endless, and necromancers also need materials. These must have been brought over before, and they are becoming increasingly scarce.
The headless knights are the real troublemakers. Before they died, these two headless knights were definitely top-tier warriors, possessing dark fighting spirit. After their deaths, their spirit was refined, giving them immortality and increasing their power.
He's now vaguely considered to be half a peerless master.
More importantly, they are virtually immortal and possess astonishing defensive capabilities. In a true all-out battle, they could potentially wear down even a peerless master.
In addition, Marcus kept chanting spells, inflicting various negative effects on Jiang Bai, causing Jiang Bai's strength to decline rapidly.
With reduced speed, weakened power, and a weakened body, Jiang Bai's strength plummeted, which is why he couldn't break through quickly.
After fighting for a while, Jiang Bai tore the two headless knights to shreds. Ignoring the skeletons, he rushed to Marcus's side and grabbed the man's neck with one hand.
"Say just one more word, and I won't be polite."
Jiang Bai said this, and Markuz winked at Jiang Bai, spread his hands, and the next second the skeleton collapsed and the headless knight disappeared without a trace. The bad status on Jiang Bai's body also gradually weakened.
"My friend, I concede defeat. The loss of two headless knights is truly heartbreaking. However, I am very pleased to see a young master from the East like you. If possible... I think we can become friends."
Marcus could tell that Jiang Bai didn't have much ill will towards him, so he said this with a smile.
Raising an eyebrow, Jiang Bai asked noncommittally, "You're in such a hurry to be friends with me, you wouldn't be trying to turn me into your undead warrior, would you?"
"Uh, how could that be?" Marcus was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, his pale cheeks even turning slightly red, and he immediately denied it.
Jiang Bai cast a suspicious glance at this.
Damn, that expression... no matter how you look at it, it's... right!
Chapter 739 My Friends Aren't That Great
Ignoring Marcus, Jiang Bai released him, not worried that he would resort to any underhanded tactics. At such close range, Jiang Bai could kill him at any time.
As for his profession, Jiang Bai was very curious, but he did not feel that the world was chaotic or that his eyes had been opened.
Before this, Jiang Bai had met some sorcerers and learned about all sorts of strange and supernatural things. He had even seen a monster like Li Yaoji. So when he encountered a necromancer, Jiang Bai didn't feel that his life had been completely turned upside down.
Because it was overturned long ago.
He simply looked at the other party and said in a deep voice, "Have your men move aside. From now on, your affairs with the African Ancient Warriors Alliance are none of my business. I will only take them to a safe place. From now on, that's your problem."
"However, I hope you will not take any action before I leave."
"Of course, my friend, I swear in the name of the god of the dead."
The other party chuckled and indicated that they were willing to abide by their agreement with Jiang Bai.
As for how credible those words were, Jiang Bai didn't know, but judging from Marcus's appearance, he probably wouldn't do anything reckless for the time being.
As for the god of the dead that he worshipped, Jiang Bai scoffed at it.
Another evil god!
Ignoring him, he turned around, greeted Harry and the others, and left with several seriously injured people. Before leaving, he said goodbye to Marcus.
The other person asked kindly, "My friend, may I know your name? If I have time to go to the mysterious East in the future, I will come to find you."
Hearing this, Jiang Bai felt a chill. After thinking for a moment, he decided to reveal his identity and name. Then he led his group away without saying a word about what they did, their ages, or how they found him.
With their energy, as long as they know who they are, finding such a big goal as themselves is not difficult.
However, Jiang Bai did not welcome an old guy like Marcus to visit him; that was definitely not something to be happy about.
Just thinking about him entering his room, looking at the people around him, and figuring out how to turn them into ghosts sent a chill down Jiang Bai's spine.
Marcus and his group left in a hurry, while Marcus and his group remained motionless, as if to show their sincerity. Before leaving, Marcus told Jiang Bai that they would stay there for a day.
As for whether it was a genuine expression of goodwill or a deliberate attempt to investigate the gates of the Anma Divine Kingdom, Jiang Bai had no idea.
Whatever the reason, it has nothing to do with me anymore.
Jiang Bai was also very curious about the gate to the inaccessible Anma Divine Kingdom, but he didn't have enough strength to go in now.
Let Marcus and his group do their research if they want.
Jiang Bai was too lazy to pay attention to them. That thing was ultimately suited to the African Ancient Warriors Alliance, not to him. What did it have to do with him whether there were any problems or not?
A few hours later, when Jiang Bai emerged from the cave, he clicked his tongue. Although he was somewhat prepared, he still felt a little uncomfortable when he saw the sight of the creature.
The troops guarding the outside had indeed been wiped out. The cave entrance was littered with wreckage and debris, some of which were missing. It was likely Marcus who had taken them.
Not far away, there was also the wreckage of a plane that had been severely damaged.
Jiang Bai ignored the poor fellows and left with Harry and the others after they had a short time to heal their wounds at the east end.
The Bloodstone was indeed strange. Harry and the others sat around it, but within minutes they were back to normal. Jiang Bai could clearly see that it was radiating scarlet energy, and in an instant, their injuries were healed.
However, they did not use that energy on Durant and Suns.
Although the two guys were also injured, their injuries were not too serious. More importantly, Jiang Bai felt that these guys were unwilling to waste their energy.
Once their injuries had healed, Harry and the others didn't give Jiang Bai a very friendly look. They walked up to Jiang Bai with expressionless faces and said, "Mr. Jiang, we'll take our leave."
After saying that, he was about to leave without even saying goodbye to his old friend Lieyang, which made Jiang Bai frown and feel somewhat displeased.
He knew these guys were unhappy because he hadn't killed the people of Satan's Shadow earlier.
But why should Jiang Bai help them?
This was not part of the agreement!
When the other party didn't give him a friendly look, Jiang Bai didn't mince words and coldly replied, "I hope there won't be any problems with our agreement!"
The other party ignored him and turned to leave.
Jiang Bai frowned and coldly replied, "If any problems arise, I guarantee I'll personally wipe you all out without the Satan's Shadow people lifting a finger!"
Harry's words made the other person tremble. He turned around and said with a somewhat unpleasant expression, "Mr. Jiang, don't worry. Although you are unwilling to help us, we are still trustworthy, and our agreement with you will definitely stand."
"Unless our Ancient African Warriors Alliance truly ceases to exist because of your mercy!"
Hearing this, Jiang Bai chuckled and then suddenly said when the other party had leaped a hundred meters away, "Don't worry, you won't all die. Marcus promised me he'd spare one of your lives to work for me!"
This caused the group of people who had jumped up the hill to stumble and almost fall.
He paused for a moment before leaving again.
Jiang Bai laughed heartily at this. In truth, he didn't really believe Marcus's assurances. Those gloomy guys were clearly not good people, and their assurances were not very credible.
But Jiang Bai couldn't possibly fight to the death with the other party just because of this, could he?
The shadow of Satan is not to be trifled with, and Jiang Bai did not want to lose more than he gained.
If they keep their word, that's fine. But if they don't, Jiang Bai is temporarily helpless. However, he is still young and has many opportunities. He will eventually find a way to resolve the situation and recover these losses from them.
Leaving one of their opponents alive wouldn't be difficult for them, and Jiang Bai didn't think Marcus would be so irrational as to offend him for it.
As an incredibly shrewd and cunning necromancer, Marcus should know which choice would be most advantageous to them.
As he himself said, he is still young.
"Looks like your friend isn't all that great. He turns on you in no time. Is it our fault for not going to great lengths for them?"
After Harry left, Jiang Bai stood there and spoke to Lieyang noncommittally.
Lieyang blushed slightly and replied in a low voice, "We call ourselves friends, but it's mostly a relationship of mutual benefit. My relationship with them is just like the relationship between our country and our African brothers. How many of them are truly sincere?"
"In the end, it's nothing more than an exchange of interests."
"That's just how these guys from the indigenous tribes are."