Boss, I've always been loyal! Please spare me!
Baili Jingyun and his three companions fled in a panic, not daring to pause for even a moment.
Around them, the eyes of the crowd were all fixed on Jiang Yuqiong.
Every heart thrummed with a mix of fear and awe!
Two Soul Fusion Realm prodigies had been instantly slain, dying on the spot!
This little devil was downright terrifying!
His strength far surpassed countless other prodigies!
And he was so young!
Across the vast Three Thousand Domains, you'd be hard-pressed to find another monster like him!
At that moment, the two other Soul Fusion Realm youths—who'd abandoned their attack on Jiang Yuqiong at the last second—trembled with dread.
They couldn't fathom it.
If they'd recklessly joined the fray earlier, vying for the treasure, would they too have met a gruesome end at his hands?
The thought filled them with lingering terror!
"Let's go!"
After standing frozen for a moment, they turned and bolted into the distance, fleeing as fast as they could.
They feared that any hesitation might provoke the little devil to strike them down too!
Jiang Yuqiong paid them no mind.
His body radiated a dazzling divine glow, as if he were a peerless treasure forged by the heavens. Power surged within him, light piercing the nine skies!
Inside, torrents of energy roared through his veins, washing over every muscle and bone, crackling with faint pop-pop sounds.
"The power of an Innate Sacred Vein—not bad at all!"
Jiang Yuqiong closed his eyes briefly, savoring the changes in his body.
Devouring Baili Jinghong's Innate Sacred Vein had actually enhanced his already ferocious physique by a notch.
You had to admit, this martial vein was impressive!
Though it couldn't rival the Sun-Star Body or Heavenly Dragon War Physique, it was still powerful and rare!
Under the workings of his Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, the vein's energy was swiftly refined and absorbed.
To the onlookers, he seemed like a demon god incarnate, striking fear into their hearts!
"Boss… he's really from the demonic path!"
Hui Shoutao stammered, struggling to accept it.
"How could this be? Why would Big Bro cultivate demonic arts?"
"I can't believe it!"
Yang Xiao, Han Xuan, and the others wailed in dismay.
They'd been with Jiang Yuqiong for a while now. Sure, they'd taken their share of punches and kicks, but deep down, they admired and revered him.
Otherwise, they'd have found a way to escape long ago.
But now…
They'd just watched him devour Baili Jinghong's Innate Sacred Vein!
That was straight-up demonic path stuff!
It was more than they could stomach!
Even Feng Wuchou and Qin Yuxi felt their emotions churn, their minds a mess.
As the group wallowed in their confusion, Hui Shoutao spoke again, delivering a gut-punch question that shook them all.
"If Boss is from the demonic path, the Ancient Sky Sect won't let him off!"
"We've been running with him this long—won't we get dragged down too?"
His wide eyes darted to Qin Yuxi, Feng Wuchou, and the others.
The group fell into a dead silence, standing like wooden stakes rooted to the spot.
Hui Shoutao paced frantically.
"What do we do…"
"No way! We've got to run!"
He stopped abruptly, glanced at Jiang Yuqiong one last time, and bolted!
Feng Wuchou and the others were thrown into disarray.
But in a flash, a small figure flickered through the air.
Like a teleporting shadow, Jiang Yuqiong appeared behind Hui Shoutao, raised a foot, and delivered a solid kick to his backside!
With an "Oof!" Hui Shoutao faceplanted into the dirt, his head half-buried in the soil.
Who else could it be but Jiang Yuqiong?
He landed beside Hui Shoutao, his face darkening as a sinister grin spread across it.
"Jie jie jie… you've seen through my demonic identity!"
"Since that's the case, I can't let you live!"
"Your Heavenly Dragon War Physique outshines the Innate Sacred Vein by miles—perfect to be my next meal! Jie jie jie…"
Jiang Yuqiong's expression twisted into something menacing, as if he'd truly become a demonic fiend.
He gathered spiritual energy in his palm, grabbed Hui Shoutao by the scruff of his neck, and lifted him slowly into the air.
"Aaahhh! Boss, spare me!"
Hui Shoutao shrieked like a pig at slaughter.
"Boss, let me go!"
"I've been loyal to you—heaven and earth can vouch, the sun and moon can testify!"
"I swear on my grandpa's name, I won't breathe a word about your demonic ways!"
"Please, Boss, have mercy and let me off!"
Hui Shoutao flailed wildly, eyes squeezed shut, nearly scared out of his wits, his voice cracking with sobs.
Jiang Yuqiong held him up, barely stifling a laugh.
"They say the Heavenly Dragon War Physique is born for battle—growing braver and stronger with every fight!"
"But you've got it backwards! The more you fight, the more you cower!"
"Even the Gauls could hold out for a month—you? You're down in seconds!"
Hui Shoutao's antics had him cracking up.
After teasing him a bit longer, Jiang Yuqiong tossed him down. Hui landed with a thud, sprawled on the ground.
"I… I'm okay?"
Hui Shoutao sat there, dazed, for a good while before patting himself down and blinking in disbelief.
At the sight, Feng Wuchou, Qin Yuxi, Han Xuan, and the rest couldn't help but giggle—like a flock of roosters fresh off laying eggs.
Just as Boss said!
You've got the Heavenly Dragon War Physique—shouldn't you at least put up a fight?
This was just too pathetic!
The group laughed their heads off, and the earlier dread Jiang Yuqiong had stirred up melted away.
But a new question popped into their minds.
What the heck was this "Gauls" thing Boss mentioned?
Jiang Yuqiong gave Hui Shoutao one last glance before speaking slowly.
"Those who kill will be killed in turn!"
"Three are dead, but one got away!"
His gaze shifted to the distance.
Feng Wuchou and the others followed his line of sight. They knew he meant Murong Ce's escape route.
Four had entered the Divine Desolation Sky-Locking Formation earlier. Now Baili Jinghong, Gu Xiu, and Helian Cheng were dead—leaving only Murong Ce!
Suddenly, Jiang Yuqiong's figure blurred as he shot toward the horizon.
In moments, he vanished among the shadowed peaks.
A faint voice lingered in the air.
"I'm going to check it out!"
"You can follow or leave on your own!"
Feng Wuchou and the others stood there for a while, processing. He was off to hunt Murong Ce!
"Should… we go?" Han Xuan asked, uncertain.
"But is Big Bro really from the demonic path?" Yang Xiao's face twisted, torn.
Feng Wuchou mulled it over.
"If he were truly demonic, we'd all be devoured by now!"
"Let's go see!"
With that, he leapt into the air, chasing after Jiang Yuqiong's trail.
The others hesitated, then followed suit.
Murong Ce hadn't escaped long ago—he'd been the last to flee.
With Jiang Yuqiong's speed, it didn't take much time weaving through the rugged mountains to pick up his trail.
Without a word, the Sole Divine Wheel roared to life, crushing downward!
Boom!
A swath of peaks crumbled to ash.
Murong Ce's soul nearly fled his body. The little devil had caught up!
Gritting his teeth, light flashed in his hands as two talismans appeared.
One was the Ancient Sky Sect's teleportation talisman.
The other, a Ten Thousand Li Divine Travel Talisman, slapped onto his leg, boosting his speed to a blur!
Murong Ce wasn't ready to abandon the trial—he'd use these to shake off the pursuit!
In a frantic dodge, he evaded the Sole Divine Wheel's devastating strike!
Then, weaving through the jagged peaks, he darted and twisted, trying to throw Jiang Yuqiong off.
Two figures—one chasing, one fleeing.
Before long, they'd put vast distance between themselves and that palace.