Chapter 1209: Inner Circle
Xiao Chen hovered in the air and did not continue forward. He glanced around casually and noticed the distinct rings of various levels.
Amid the large groups of Demon mixed-bloods, the two in the air clearly stood out.
All the cultivators here gave off auras of the Deep Abyss Demonic World’s Demon Races, which contained indistinct Death Qi and Demonic Qi, to some degree.
Only Xiao Chen and Ao Jiao did not have a Demonic aura. Hence, it would be difficult for them not to stand out.
Ao Jiao pointed to the chain-wrapped stone stele and said, “That is the entrance to the Human-Demon Paradise.”
“Come, let’s go down!”
After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen felt that it was better to be closer. For some things, he needed to snatch the initiative.
The loss would be too great to bear if he missed out on the Flower of Life because he was slower in entering. It would be too late to cry then.
“Damn! Quick, look! Those two are really bold. Unexpectedly, they are going straight to the circle of half-step Martial Emperors!”
The destination of the two drew everyone’s gaze to them, who were already very eye-catching in the first place.
The dozens of people in the circle of half-step Martial Emperors also paid attention to the approaching Xiao Chen and Ao Jiao. Several of them revealed displeased expressions.
Joining this circle was not simple. Who did not want to be the first to enter the Human-Demon Paradise?
Who here did not understand the advantage of being among the first to enter?
However, not everyone had the strength to stand in this circle. Those who were not strong enough but entered it would only get tossed out in humiliation.
When Xiao Chen got closer and looked around, he found that there were about seventy or eighty people within one hundred meters of the stone stele.
Most of these people were half-step Martial Emperors. Aside from those who were occupied with something else, all the half-step Martial Emperors were probably here.
Besides half-step Martial Emperors, there were Consummation quasi-Emperors who had lived for several hundred years. Their auras were heavy, and their Law Energy was vast. The feeling they projected was like a mountain pressing down, a vastness like that of the depths of the sea; their strength was unfathomable.
Aside from these two groups, there were ten youths standing together in a small circle.
Xiao Chen discovered Dugu Ao’s figure among those ten as well as a purple-haired beauty who exuded an exotic mature charm.
Xiao Chen took a second look. That purple-haired beauty should have the bloodline of Eros Demons. Otherwise, she would not radiate such charm.
These ten were most likely the famous ten outstanding talents of the Human-Demon Sea.
After finding a clear area, Xiao Chen and Ao Jiao calmly landed there. It was like they did not know what circle they joined. They were perfectly composed, not showing any signs of nervousness at all.
When the two landed, everyone in that circle immediately looked at them.
However, their gazes landed on Xiao Chen only briefly before moving to Ao Jiao. Given her hot figure and youthful looks, it was hard for others not to stare at her.
“You know those two?” the purple-haired girl beside Dugu Ao asked after observing his expression.
Dugu Ao nodded and replied, “I know the man but not the girl.”
Smiling, the purple-haired beauty said, “Your friend is really similar to you, extremely bold. Unfortunately, he is only a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor, and yet he dares to stand here. Furthermore, he brought a beauty with him. This is like bringing a lamb into the circle of wolves, truly reckless.”
Dugu Ao’s lips curled up slightly. Not wanting to explain too much, he said, “Mu Xiyan, if you think that way, you will definitely suffer if you clash with him.”
Clearly disbelieving, Mu Xiyan said, “Is that so? There is already someone not willing to let this happen. Furthermore, it is an old pervert. I hope your friend is indeed as you described him to be. Otherwise, he will be in for a miserable time.”
Dugu Ao raised an eyelid and saw a half-step Martial Emperor, who had a bad reputation in the Human-Demon Sea, walking over to Xiao Chen and Ao Jiao.
Although this person appeared old, he still seemed spirited. He was rosy with health, and his eyes had an evil gleam, making anyone who saw it feel uncomfortable.
Ao Jiao frowned, and her face filled with disgust. Then, Xiao Chen stepped in front of her.
He had anticipated that trouble was inevitable, so he was not surprised. He did not fear a fight. After all, he needed to demonstrate his strength and prove that he was qualified to be here.
“Young man, this is not a place that you can just casually stand in. Leave your female partner behind, and you may go,” the old man said while looking at Xiao Chen with disdain.
“Old Man Feng is still as perverted as ever. This youth is in trouble.”
“Haha! He is not the one in trouble but his female companion. Old Man Feng is not interested in men.”
“I wonder where these two foreigners are from? The fortuitous encounters of this Human-Demon Paradise are useless to the cultivators of other races. Why are they here to join the excitement?”
“Joining the excitement is fine. However, he ended up standing somewhere he should not. Can’t he see that?”
The Demon mixed-blood cultivators never had a good impression of foreign cultivators. Furthermore, these foreign cultivators entered their circle for no apparent reason.
Even though Old Man Feng did not have a good reputation, no one said anything to stop him. Instead, they watched with the intent of finding an interesting show.
Xiao Chen sized up this Old Man Feng. He was not very strong, just an ordinary half-step Martial Emperor on the same level as Wang Yang.
Compared to the Bing Xuejian that Xiao Chen once saw at Black Water Island and the Jadeite Mountain Manor’s Manor Lord, he was significantly weaker.
Xiao Chen looked directly at the other party, not showing any intent to retreat. He said indifferently, “I am going to stand here. What are you going to do about it?”
Old Man Feng could not help being stunned. He had not expected Xiao Chen to adopt such an attitude, acting so carefreely and ignoring his words entirely.
“Since I am standing here, naturally I have the confidence to do so. I have no grudges or grief with you, so I advise you think this through carefully before you take another step forward. There are some places where one cannot stand, but there are also some people you cannot afford to offend!”
Xiao Chen’s gaze was like a sharp treasure saber. As he spoke, he took another step forward.
This step was like unsheathing a treasure saber suddenly by two centimeters.
Suddenly, the crisp hum of a saber resounded. The yellow sand and Xiao Chen’s white robes flew about. Xiao Chen’s entire aura instantly changed markedly.
Xiao Chen’s aura became extremely bright and incredibly sharp.
A strong wind kicked up from nowhere, sending the sand and dust flying into the air. Everyone within one hundred meters of the stone stele, including people who were initially not paying much attention to Xiao Chen, immediately showed stunned expressions. Clearly, they had not expected this white-robed youth to have such a terrifying and sharp aura.
The purple-haired beauty’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed in shock, “What a strong, sharp aura! That is not just for show, right?”
Old Man Feng’s heart sank. He had not anticipated running into a hard bone to chew the moment he succumbed to temptation.
After thinking about it carefully, Old Man Feng realized that what Xiao Chen had said was true. If Xiao Chen was not confident at all, Xiao Chen would not have had the courage to stand here.
However, Old Man Feng no longer had a way out. Everyone in the circle watched him. If he backed off at this moment, he would completely embarrass himself.
A bona fide half-step Martial Emperor retreating before a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor—what could be more laughable than this?
Old Man Feng smiled coldly and said, “Interesting. Just a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor, and you actually dare to turn things around and threaten me. This world is changing too fast, or am I too old already?”
“You are indeed too old already.”
When things turned sour, it would be useless to say anything more. So, after replying coldly, Xiao Chen stepped forward and directly threw a palm strike at this Old Man Feng.
When he sent out the palm strike, his body surged with Vital Qi. He instantly merged fifteen Dragon Force of Vital Qi with his Law Energy and attacked without any fancy moves.
“Gasp!”
The entire place fell silent. The white-robed youth whose cultivation was two cultivation grades lower than Old Man Feng’s actually chose to attack first.
This move clearly surprised Old Man Feng as well. However, he was richly experienced in battle after all. After his initial fluster, he calmed down.
Old Man Feng did not believe that a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor could bring out much strength when attacking so fast.
“Get out of here!”
When Xiao Chen charged over, Old Man Feng used half his strength and sent out a palm strike as well, also without pulling any fancy moves.
“Bang!”
In the clash between two palm strikes, the expected scene of Xiao Chen getting sent flying did not appear. Instead, the two drew even.
Which was to say, in that instant of eruption, the white-robed youth was no weaker than Old Man Feng.
The bigger surprise came later. The instant the two palm strikes met, the white-robed youth’s hair and clothes moved despite the absence of any wind.
“Ding! Ding! Dang! Dang!”
The clothes on Xiao Chen’s body and his fluttering hair sang like zither strings. A boundless saber intent spread out wildly together with this wondrous zither sound from his body.
Flawless saber Dao, the body is a saber!
This palm strike was the sharpest treasure saber in the world. When it was drawn, it was overbearing with unparalleled sharpness.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen’s simple palm strike contained so many tricks. Old Man Feng immediately suffered a disadvantage from this, his entire right hand hurting excruciatingly.
The energy that surged over was like many sharp sabers cutting into his flesh, skin, and meridians.
Although Old Man Feng’s strength was not weaker than Xiao Chen’s, this blow was incredibly painful. Daunted, he no longer dared to continue clashing with Xiao Chen.
A look of horror and rage flashed on Old Man Feng’s face as he retracted his hand, wanting to retreat.
“You want to leave? I already said it before. There are some people that should not be offended!”
The actions of the other party were completely within Xiao Chen’s expectations. His Thunder Dragon Steps, which had been storing up power for a while, erupted at full throttle.
Xiao Chen pushed off the ground ferociously and shot up into the air. A multitude of purple electric dragons surged out wildly from the ground.
This mysterious phenomenon formed a grand scene of dragons soaring around, allowing him to move extremely fast.
After shooting up, Xiao Chen landed a punch on the chest of Old Man Feng, who was trying to retreat. “Bang!” This blow completely buried Old Man Feng in the sand.
Xiao Chen landed on one knee with his fist pressed close to the ground. There was no sign of Old Man Feng above the sand at all.
The circle within one hundred meters of the stone stele fell utterly silent. No one had expected Old Man Feng to suffer so excessively for a moment’s carelessness.
After punching the other party into the sand, Xiao Chen withdrew his hand and stood upright. The multitude of purple electric dragons that the Thunder Dragon Steps materialized danced wildly behind him.
This mysterious phenomenon lent Xiao Chen a certain tyrannical aura, making him looked like a dragon of man, a king among dragons.
“Plop!”
Old Man Feng burst out of the sand. Xiao Chen looked down at him coldly but did not take advantage of the moment Old Man Feng came out, to continue attacking.
There was no need to do that. Both parties had already reached a very high level. Defeating Old Man Feng was very easy, but killing him was another story.
Furthermore, if the two fought endlessly, even if Xiao Chen emerged victorious, he would still end up suffering for it.