Chapter 1748
Chapter 1748 (Raw 1760):
Despite the bamboo-hat bladesman taking away the precious black Blaze Crystal, Senior Ma and the others did not dare to show any dissatisfaction.
Senior Ma and Leng Feng exchanged glances. Then, they stepped forward, wanting to establish a connection. If needed, it would be best if they could ally with the bamboo-hat bladesman.
Even if they could not ally, it would be good to make friends, preventing any clash from happening later.
"Might I ask for your noble family name and great name, also, which sect in the Central Great Realm you come from?"
The bamboo-hat bladesman snorted in laughter. He said indifferently, "Central Great Realm? I've never been there. Right now, I'm just a loose cultivator. Just call me Ananda."
[TL Note: The Chinese phonetics for the name Ananda is Ah Nan or E Nan. However, this was also the name for the Prince Ananda, who was a cousin and the closest disciple of the Lord Buddha, so I chose to translate it as Ananda instead.]
As the bamboo-hat bladesman spoke, his gaze swept over Senior Ma's team again.
This gave the bamboo-hat bladesman a clearer understanding of this team's strength.
When the bamboo-hat bladesman's gaze landed on Xiao Chen, a strange expression flickered in the eyes hidden under the conical bamboo hat.
However, this look passed in a flash, indiscernible to others.
"A loose cultivator?"
Both Leng Feng and Xiahou Feng were shocked. Since when was there such a heaven-defying character among the loose cultivators?
However, the world was vast. It was possible for some to run into great fortune.
Leng Feng followed up and invited, "Brother Ananda, you are alone. How about you join our team?"
The bamboo-hat bladesman Ananda smiled faintly and said, "There's no need."
With these simple words, the bamboo-hat bladesman left.
The bamboo-hat bladesman never thought of allying with Senior Ma and the others. Perhaps, he did not care about them at all.
After that bamboo-hat bladesman was far away, discussions rang out.
"What a young Star Venerate! His saber skills are really astonishing."
"Indeed. He almost chopped that black Flame Demon in half with one saber strike, and the saber Qi lingered in the wound. Even if he has not comprehended the complete Saber Dao, he should not be far off."
"I wonder where this expert came from."
Xiao Chen remained silent, pondering as he stared in the direction the bamboo-hat bladesman had taken.
This bamboo-hat bladesman's entire body was tightly covered; Xiao Chen could not make out anything distinctive.
Nonetheless, he found the bamboo-hat bladesman somewhat familiar for some reason, feeling that he had met this bladesman before.
However, there was no bladesman in Xiao Chen's memory that had such strength.
While Ye Zifeng definitely had such strength, he was much stronger than this, on the Holy-Venerate level.
Perhaps I saw wrong.
Xiao Chen started to doubt his instinct, as his memory had always been good.
He should not be mistaken and could not recall anyone. In that case, only his instinct could be the problem.
After a long time, Senior Ma said, "Everyone, be careful. It looks like it is not just us who discovered the dragon city. Who knows, there might be others. If we meet Rank 5 sect disciples…"
The sight of the bamboo-hat bladesman had caused the hearts of Senior Ma and the others to sink.
They no longer monopolized this place.
The appearance of the bamboo-hat bladesman meant that there would be others. Their dreams of monopoly evaporated.
If things were bad and they ran into Rank 5 sect disciples, not only would they miss out on fortuitous encounters, but they could only flee in all directions, leaving their survival to fate.
Continuing forward, Senior Ma's team destroyed another Flame Demon group. They explored the courtyards and pavilions around and obtained many benefits.
Some found ancient weapons, and some found ancient cultivation resources that managed to last until now. There were all sorts of things.
For these things to last for such a long time and still be able to reveal their brilliance after being cleaned, they definitely were excellent items.
Half a day later, rumbling came from the front as well as dense flames and the war cries of cultivators.
"Indeed, there are others."
"There are really a lot of people."
Senior Ma's expression immediately turned grave.
He did not fear meeting a lone expert like the bamboo-hat bladesman. What he feared was meeting a team like theirs.
"Let's go over and see."
No matter what, they should understand the situation and who the other side was first.
Before Senior Ma's team got close, a boiling heatwave surged over.
Up in front was a team, with similar numbers to Senior Ma's team, fighting a group of Flame Demons.
The Flame Demons here were even stronger. They were all at the Major Primal Core Realm. There was also a black Flame Demon that was a Star Venerate. This was incredibly terrifying.
Although the other team's members worked well with each other, under the attacks of the Star-Venerate-level black Flame Demon, the team's situation was bad. Several people died.
Blood leaked out and formed rivers, a very cruel sight.
"It's Senior Liu's team!" Leng Feng said when he clearly saw who the other team's leader was.
Senior Ma and the others heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they were not Rank 5 sect disciples.
Like Senior Ma's team, Senior Liu's team was very famous in the northern city of Dragon Flame City. However, Senior Liu's team was slightly weaker. The relationship between the two teams was not very good, but it was not bad, either.
"So, it is Senior Ma. We are all comrades of Dragon Flame City. Give us a hand."
Senior Liu's team was obviously at a disadvantage and was fighting a desperate battle.
Right now, the dragon city's environment was very complicated. Without having to think much, Senior Ma made his decision.
He ordered, "Go over and help."
If Senior Ma could obtain another helper, it would be beneficial for the journey after this.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
With that order, the people of Senior Ma's team immediately flew over and started fighting the Flame Demons.
Instantly, the pressure on Senior Liu's team decreased significantly.
Xiao Chen held up the Tyrant Saber, displaying no fear as he moved about. The more he used the Army Breaking Saber Technique, the more familiar with it he became.
Slowly, there were signs of the Army Breaking Saber Technique reaching peak consummation. As Xiao Chen executed the Saber Technique, he swept through his area alone, appearing very powerful and tyrannical. An invisible tyrant's might flooded the area, shocking everyone who noticed it.
"What a suave Saber Technique!"
"One man and one saber amid a ten-thousand-strong army, sweeping through the place fearlessly. Everything the saber points at breaks. Truly tyrannical!"
Several people from both teams were shocked by Xiao Chen's Saber Technique.
Xiao Chen's Movement Technique was very exquisite. Using the Fish Dragon Art, he moved about freely.
Although the enemy was ferocious, they posed no danger to Xiao Chen at all, leaving him with plenty of room to maneuver.
The truly strong enemy was the Star-Venerate-level black Flame Demon. However, Senior Ma, Senior Liu, Leng Feng, and the others worked together to handle it.
After a while, with both teams working together, they finally repulsed this group of Flame Demons.
The Star-Venerate-level Flame Demon found it hard to fight against so many with just its fists. It sustained significant injuries, so it turned into a clump of flame and fled in a sorry state.
Xiao Chen watched that black Flame Demon indifferently, paying attention to where it went, secretly keeping an eye on it.
That Senior Liu came over and expressed his thanks to Senior Ma. Then, he generously offered all of the Blaze Crystals from the Flame Demons' corpses to Senior Ma's team.
Senior Ma smiled casually but did not reject him.
Following that, the upper echelons of both teams started discussing an alliance.
Xiao Chen looked interestedly at the ground, entering deep thought.
The ground that was just covered in blood no longer showed much of a trace of it anymore. This baffled Xiao Chen.
He pondered this as he looked at the ground.
"Senior Liu, how long has it been since you entered this dragon city?"
"About one day. This dragon city is very strange, but everyone felt that there is something to gain, so we persisted. They want to kill their way to the Flame Demon headquarters to see what it is like."
The two teams had entered at nearly the same time.
Soon, the two teams showed signs of agreeing to an alliance to attack the main camp of the Flame Demon tribe together.
Xiao Chen, who was squatting on the ground, heard what Senior Ma and Senior Liu were saying. Then, he thought of something.
"This is strange. I have to make some preparations in advance."
Xiao Chen's figure flashed, and he silently vanished from this place.
Following that, Xiao Chen hunted the Star-Venerate-level Flame Demon that Senior Ma and Senior Liu injured.
After a while, he stopped on top of a courtyard wall and calmly looked at the ground below.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, a clump of flames came out of the ground. That injured Star-Venerate-level Flame Demon resumed human form. It coughed, appearing weakened.
Resolving the Mundane!
Xiao Chen jumped off the wall and did not hesitate to use his strongest killing move, the Mahāmāyā Abstinence Violation Saber Technique's Resolving the Mundane.
Since ancient times, sages were just passing travelers, ten thousand years of hopes and efforts in the mundane world coming to nothing. After resolving the matters of the mundane world, one would see Buddha and gain eternity!
Xiao Chen's heart was as calm as still water. At this moment, he surpassed the mundane. The seven emotions and six desires were absent.
He expressionlessly landed the saber, and the swastika on his forehead appeared. A Buddhist light lit up the place, but it contained no emotion or desire, only the eternally inextinguishable saber light.
Once the mundane heart was resolved, eternity remained.
That severely injured Flame Demon only had time to look up and reveal a horrified expression before this terrifying saber chopped it in half, killing it on the spot.
"Clunk!"
The Buddhist light purified the Flame Demon, leaving only a strange black crystal falling to the ground. Xiao Chen sheathed his saber and picked up the crystal.
After killing the enemy, he did not stop moving, immediately taking out his carving knife.
Then, he quickly started shaping the black Blaze Crystal. He was very focused, and his heart was like still water.
After a while, Xiao Chen transformed the black Blaze Crystal into a statue of the black Flame Demon.
He spat out some essence blood and let the black crystal absorb it. Then, he crushed many red Blaze Crystals in his hand.
Xiao Chen continuously refined and drew out the essence of the red Blaze Crystals, infusing them into the black crystal sculpture. It was like he poured blood into it, bringing it to life.
When he finished all this, he put away the exquisite sculpture in his hand and retraced his steps, rejoining the team.
The two teams had integrated into one, and several cultivators were currently searching the courtyards of the dragon city.
Hence, Xiao Chen's movements did not arouse any suspicions at all.
Who could have imagined that Xiao Chen had killed a Star-Venerate-level Flame Demon with one saber strike earlier?