Chapter 113: Discovered!
After landing, these squads immediately drew close together without prior agreement, their gazes guarded and vigilant as they surveyed their surroundings.
Waves of vigorous spiritual energy rippled around them. Some even directly produced spirit artifacts brimming with spiritual energy to protect their squads.
These people clearly had some understanding of this world. Finding no immediate danger, they temporarily relaxed.
The crowd eyed each other's figures, gazes sweeping back and forth, all filled with wariness and even hostility. As a result, despite there being several hundred people gathered on this massive rock, it did not become noisy.
Instead, an eerie silence prevailed!
The quiet did not last long. These people tacitly split apart and dispersed into the surroundings.
Among them was a twenty-man squad. The leading youth wore a fiery-red brocade robe, his blazing long red hair swaying with the wind. A crimson flame mark adorned his brow, making his whole person seem like a burning flame.
Even the air near him grew hot and dry. This was an expert of the flame path.
"The suppression here is actually this terrifying. Looks like the chances of that thing being here are very high!"
The youth frowned, sensing the suppressive force of this heaven and earth, and murmured quietly. Thinking of something, even with his status, he couldn't help but feel a heat in his heart.
"Elder Wu, how do you feel?" The youth turned his head and asked the old man at the forefront.
This elder was the strongest in the squad. Originally a Fifth-Grade Sovereign, but after entering this world, he was suppressed by the residual auras of Heavenly Sovereigns and Demon Emperors. It was unclear what his exact situation was now.
"Young Master, nothing serious. It's just that this world's suppressive force is too terrifying. This subordinate can only exert the strength of Fleshly Tribulation!" Elder Wu was very respectful toward the youth. Hearing his question, he answered deferentially.
"Only Fleshly Tribulation?"
Hearing the elder's answer, the youth frowned again. They'd explored such worlds before, but none had possessed such terrifying suppression as this realm.
"And the rest of you?" After receiving the reply, the youth looked to the remaining members. Upon getting their answers, it turned out almost all were at the Heaven-Connecting Realm. This greatly exceeded his expectations.
"Young Master, this precisely indicates a very high chance those things are here!" Elder Wu, however, remained calm. Since he could only exert the strength of Fleshly Tribulation, then everyone else was in the same boat. There was no gap, so it was acceptable.
Furthermore, their squad, composed entirely of Heaven-Connecting Realm experts, could be considered powerful among the many squads.
"Indeed. After traversing so many worlds, this one seems to hold the greatest hope." The youth immediately looked excitedly at this vast, desolate land. If they found those few items, his standing within the clan would definitely rise by a great margin.
Bolder still—if he obtained that lord's inheritance, then perhaps even the position of Young Clan Leader would be within easy reach!
In an instant, flames ignited in the youth's eyes—flames named desire.
Unaware that this world was about to become lively, Jiang Yun was still in closed-door cultivation.
As the energy cores at the center of the array slowly dissipated, Jiang Yun's trio's strength began to soar rapidly.
Jiang Yun didn't change much. He had been close to his original realm to begin with and merely reached the late stage of the Heaven Transformation Realm. Medusa reached the peak of the Heaven Transformation Realm, ultimately just a bit short of breaking through to the Heaven-Connecting Realm.
The one who improved the most was Zi Yan. She leaped from the early Heaven-Fusing Realm, crossing a whole major realm, and reached the early Heaven Transformation Realm. Now, all three had the strength of the Heaven Transformation Realm, providing even more security in this dangerous world.
With all three now at the same realm, Zi Yan was immediately delighted, while Medusa was somewhat frustrated—so close to recovering to the Heaven-Connecting Realm. This feeling was truly stifling.
After breaking through, the three immediately flew further into the ruins' interior.
"Something's coming!"
During flight, Jiang Yun, with his keen soul power, was abruptly startled. Reacting swiftly, he pulled Zi Yan and Medusa down toward the forest below, extending his soul power to isolate the trio's auras.
Indeed, after the three hid themselves, the sound of rushing wind suddenly arose from the not-so-distant sky. Soon after, figure after figure appeared in their field of vision.
In the sky not far away, figures rapidly broke through the wind. It was an eight-man squad. The lingering, undispersed ferocious aura around them clearly indicated they had just experienced a life-and-death struggle.
"People... living people!"
Seeing living people, Zi Yan and Medusa's eyes shook. They scanned the figures in the sky with shock. After all, this was a fragment of a continent; they themselves had come through a teleportation array.
During their days of exploration here, they had assumed this world held no living humans. They never expected people to appear.
"People from the Great Thousand World!" Sensing the questions from the two women beside him and gauging the eight people's strength, Jiang Yun spoke gravely.
People from the Great Thousand World could actually teleport here? Then this world was clearly not so simple.
And judging by their appearance, they were evidently prepared. A large question mark now appeared in Jiang Yun's mind.
If people from the Great Thousand World could come here, it was obviously not like him—stumbling upon this place by accident—but via precise coordinates. So, did this world hold some extraordinary secret?
Thinking of this, Jiang Yun's eyes immediately lit up. He shared this speculation with Medusa and Zi Yan.
Hearing this, the two women's eyes also brightened. Good stuff? They liked that very much!
"Capture them, and everything will become clear!" Medusa was as domineering as ever. If force could resolve it, she'd never waste words.
This proposal, for the first time, met no opposition from Zi Yan. As for the eight-man squad's strength, aside from the brawny man leading them—who was at the Heaven-Connecting Realm—the remaining seven were all at the Heaven Transformation Realm.
Doable!
"In a moment, leave those Heaven Transformation Realm fighters to me. Zi Yan, Medusa, you two stall that Heaven-Connecting Realm expert. Once I've dealt with the others, the three of us will join forces and capture him!"
Although cooperating with Medusa felt somewhat awkward, Zi Yan was not unreasonable. Knowing this was the optimal plan, she immediately nodded in agreement!
"Hey, don't you drag me down," Zi Yan said coolly, folding her arms across her chest, the pressure making her bosom appear even more magnificent.
"If you can't handle it, I won't be saving you," Medusa glanced sideways at Zi Yan, a trace of scorn flashing through her eyes. Think squeezing a little will let you surpass me?
Too naive!
"Boss, there's no one here. Could your senses have been mistaken?" In mid-air, one man spoke quietly to the leader.
The man furrowed his brow tightly, his doubtful gaze continuously scanning the surroundings. But all around was calm and still, without the slightest abnormality. This made even the leader lean toward the idea that his senses had indeed been wrong.
"Perhaps my senses were off. Let's go!" Finding nothing unusual, the man nodded and turned to leave.
"Myriad Thunder—Fall!"
Just as the man was about to depart, he suddenly whirled back around. Vast spiritual energy fluctuations swept outward. Blinding lightning bombarded the forest below indiscriminately.
"Rumble—"
"Swoosh—"
Three figures flew out from the forest—it was precisely Jiang Yun's trio.
"There really were people!"
Seeing figures indeed hiding below, the eight men cast admiring glances at their boss, then turned vicious glares toward Jiang Yun's group.
In the next moment, the crowd was captivated by Medusa and Zi Yan's appearances—especially Medusa, this woman who radiated an enchanting aura at every moment, stirring a nameless wicked fire in the hearts of all who looked.
The leading man, however, was not as weak-willed as his underlings. Sensing his own abnormality, he secretly grew wary. He knew that sometimes, greater beauty meant greater danger.
As a mercenary, keeping oneself calm was a necessary factor for a long life.
Moreover, if not for his cautious nature, having bombarded the forest below, he would never have detected anyone there. This level of concealment was something he admitted he couldn't achieve himself.
"Who are you?" Looking at the three with their outstanding demeanors, the man asked vigilantly.
"How did you discover us?" Facing the man's question, Jiang Yun did not answer, but instead asked curiously.
He considered his own concealment methods quite good. He hadn't expected to capsize in a ditch. This question had to be clarified, or else if it happened again in the future, wouldn't that put them at a disadvantage?
"Instinct!" The man looked at Jiang Yun, the leader, and said in a deep voice.
"I see." Nodding, Jiang Yun did not probe further. So it was an accident. Still, this level of vigilance... truly, one could not underestimate anyone.
"Boy, the boss asked you a question! Who are you?!" At this moment, a man in yellow robes among the crowd, after greedily sweeping his eyes over Medusa and Zi Yan and sensing their Heaven Transformation Realm cultivation, spoke viciously.
"Your gaze displeases this queen greatly."
Medusa looked indifferently at the man, her tone icy. In the next instant, she struck decisively. A roar resembling both a lion's and a tiger's rang out. A moment later, a nine-colored energy serpent surged toward the eight men.
"What nerve!"
Accompanied by furious roars, energy attacks shot toward the nine-colored serpent shadow.
"You two be careful. Stick to the plan!"
Jiang Yun instructed the two women. His figure moved, flickering, and in a flash, he abruptly appeared right before the group.
"Scorching Flame Palm!"
Pupils constricting, no time to marvel at Jiang Yun's terrifying speed, the leading man saw the monstrous flaming hand and shouted.
"Watch out!"
As his shout fell, he had already lunged out. His palm clenched, and a spear gleaming with lightning appeared. A skyward spear gleam shot toward the flaming hand.
"Boom—"
The group was forced back. Jiang Yun moved, vanishing from their sight once more. When he reappeared, he was already before the yellow-robed man, his gaze cold. Amidst the man's terrified eyes, he murmured.
"Sometimes, disaster doesn't just come from the mouth. The eyes can bring it too."
As his words fell, Jiang Yun's palm descended. Without even time to scream, the yellow-robed man's heart meridian was shattered by the palm strike. Jiang Yun smoothly took the storage bracelet from his wrist and let the body fall toward the ground.
"Old Five!"
Everything had happened in a flash. From the group being forced back to the man's death—only three to five breaths had passed.
This sent a chill through the others' hearts!
"Courting death!" The loss of a squad member immediately enraged the group. The opposing leader flew into a fury, his robes billowing. Vast spiritual energy swept out. In the next instant, his eyes dark and sinister, he barked: "Kill them!"
"Slash!"
Answering him was a dreamlike nine-colored sword slash. The sword energy tore through the sky. Its sheer, bone-chilling coldness made his expression change instantly. His hand clenched, and a black iron shield, shining with spiritual light, appeared before him.
Clang!
The sword energy stabbed fiercely onto the iron shield. Light flickered, and a deep gash appeared.
Seeing the deep sword scar on the shield, the man's eyelid twitched. Before he could regain his composure, a graceful figure had already darted ghost-like behind him. A Purple Crystal Dragon Spear was aimed straight for his back.
"Roar—"
The long spear shuddered, a majestic dragon's roar resounding. Purple light waves, like a torrent, howled from the spear tip, pouring down toward the man.
The cold gleam closed in. The man's expression shifted again; he had clearly sensed the astonishing lethality of the dragon spear in Zi Yan's hands. His figure instantly moved, and the thunder spear in his palm jabbed out rapidly, perfectly precise, meeting the tip of that cold gleam.
Clang!
Spear clashed with spear. Sparks flew. Razor-sharp, fierce shockwaves spread outward. The space around the two seemed to ripple with faint undulations. Violent spiritual energy even transformed into a hurricane, sweeping out from the spear tips.
"What the hell kind of power is this!"
The man's hand gripping the spear trembled. His face immediately twisted to a much more savage degree. He absolutely hadn't expected this seemingly delicate, great beauty opposite him to possess such terrifying strength. It was as if he were wrestling a giant dragon.
This definitely wasn't strength that the Heaven Transformation Realm should possess!
No time to ponder, the sharp, fierce gleam behind him struck once more, instantly making his face change color.
"Boss!"
Seeing their boss being beaten back and forth, struggling to cope against two Heaven Transformation Realm women, the remaining six men grew frantic. But the man before them was like an insurmountable mountain. That heavy, oppressive aura and terrifying flames left them barely able to fend for themselves.
"Bastard!"
One of them, a large man, roared. Wielding a giant axe, he blocked the giant flaming finger Jiang Yun sent with a flick. Gritting his teeth, he shouted fiercely: "Attack now!"
"Die for me!"
Just as his shout fell, a figure suddenly materialized behind Jiang Yun. It was another late-stage Heaven Transformation Realm fighter from their group. At this moment, he held two short spikes, moving like thunderbolts, lightning-fast, stabbing viciously at the vital points on Jiang Yun's back.
"Roar—"
Sensing the sharp threat behind him, Jiang Yun changed his hand seal. The Undying Sacred Flame transformed, and a fire dragon, bathed in flames, surged forth, pressing horizontally against the five men.
Simultaneously, his expression calm, he threw a backhand punch. Strange black light flickered along his arm. Without dodging or evading, he aimed directly for the opponent's short spikes.
Bang!
Jiang Yun's punch collided directly, clashing head-on with the opponent. The moment they met, it was like a mountain torrent bursting forth. Visible ripples of force spread outward.
"Pfft—"