Chapter 417: The Cicada Sheds its Carapace
Chapter 417: The Cicada Sheds its Carapace
A moment after the half-step Martial Monarchs recovered from their shock, they reacted. They were horrified. They quickly turned and chased after Xiao Chen, sending all sorts of attacks at Xiao Chen’s back.
After activating the Blood Flame Shoes, Xiao Chen’s speed reached Mach 3.5. By the time the half-step Martial Monarchs had recovered, he had already moved a thousand meters. He managed to dodge these attacks easily.
“That brat is back. He has the Medial Grade Secret Treasures. Capture him! We can’t let him escape!”
When the originally chaotic crowd suddenly saw Xiao Chen rush through them, they set aside their squabbles and tried to surround him.
Of course, Medial Grade Secret treasures held more allure than Inferior Grade Secret Treasures.
When Xiao Chen noticed these cultivators’ attempts to corral him, he merely smiled. He ignored them and executed the Roaming Dragon’s Nine Transformations, soaring into the air.
“Boom!”
Ten-odd sharp attacks struck Xiao Chen’s previous location. A huge pit appeared on the ground as a horrifying shockwave radiated throughout the area.
The cultivators who rushed forward were immediately blasted away.
The slower cultivators skidded to a stop. When they looked, they saw the group of half-step Martial Monarchs.
The half-step Martial Monarchs were furious, glaring at the crowd. Their auras were berserk, causing a surging tornado to rage through the area.
When the crowd saw that the half-step Martial Monarchs preparing to make another move, they scattered and fled.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
A torrent of attacks chased after Xiao Chen, who darted and dodged. The attacks shattered several of his clones. However, his true body managed to evade all of the attacks, not suffering any damage.
As the attacks infused with the various peak states colored the area, several pits of various sizes appeared in the ground.
Even the smallest pit was a hundred meters in diameter. Clearly, these half-step Martial Monarchs were outraged. When they attacked, they held nothing back.
“They must really hate him; the ground seems to be missing a layer. What in the world this fellow do to them?”
“Ten half-step Martial Monarchs attacking without care…even if he had obtained the Medial Grade Secret Treasures, there is no reason to chase him with such a force.”
“This white-robed brat is really courageous. First, he snatched three Medial Grade Secret Treasures from under their noses. Now, I don’t know how, but he offended the other half-step Martial Monarchs.”
The crowd dodged to the side. They felt confused when they saw the countless deep pits on the ground, the lingering energy, and the livid group of half-step Martial Monarchs.
When Xiao Chen flew past a crack in a huge rock, he waved his hand and three wooden sculptures, as well as the Medial Grade Secret Treasures beside them, flew into Xiao Chen’s hand.
“Why is one Medial Grade Secret Treasure missing?” Xiao Chen looked at the two Secret Treasures in his hand and frowned, doubtful.
When Xiao Chen looked back, he saw Bai Lixi’s stout figure holding a Secret Treasure and waving at him in the crowd with a smile.
If there anyone could see through Xiao Chen’s plan, it would be Bai Lixi, who had watched him all the while.
“Never mind, at least he left me with two. I should leave first.”
Xiao Chen placed the Secret Treasures into his Universe Ring and dodged the torrent of attacks coming at him, continuously moving forward.
“Young man, all you have to do is to drop the Demon Core, and I will let you go immediately. You can keep the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures and the corpses if my companions. My Holy Fire Manor will not cause you any trouble.
“Otherwise, no matter who you are or what powers you have behind you, you will not escape from the pursuit of the Holy Fire Manor.”
Old Qin’s vigorous voice reverberated everywhere within five kilometers. Everyone heard his message clearly.
“Damn it! This fellow is too daring. The Medial Grade Secret Treasures, the corpses of half-step Martial Monarchs, and the peak high-rank Blood Demon’s Demon Core, he actually monopolized them all.”
When everyone heard the old man’s words, they broke out in chaos. This fellow was too ruthless.
Then, they thought of themselves. They fought with each other for the sake of a few Inferior Grade Secret Treasures. Yet Xiao Chen managed to snatch those with the most value.
“What is disparity? This is a disparity. If this fellow escapes alive, he will be famous,” a peak Superior Grade Martial King sighed.
“However, even if he manages to escape, he would not have a good ending. The Holy Fire Manor has great influence in the southern islands of the Ancient Desolate Land. It is not wise to offend the Holy Fire Manor.”
Someone at the side laughed and said, “Your thinking is too simplistic. I remember who this fellow is. He is the recently famous White Robe Bladesman from the Great Qin Nation. In the past, when he first debuted, he offended half the noble clans in the Great Qin Nation.
“I wager that with his temper, the Holy Fire Manor would not be able to do anything to him. Just you wait. If Old Qin catches him, then all is well. Otherwise, the peak high-rank Blood Demon’s Demon Core, the treasures in his companion’s spatial rings, and the three Medial Grade Secret Treasures are gone for sure.”
Xiao Chen ignored Old Qin’s words as he continued forward. His opponents chased closely after him. Even with the aid of the Blood Flame Shoes, he could not shake these half-step Martial Monarchs.
As Xiao Chen had to dodge the torrent of attacks, he slowed down. If he allowed his opponent’s words to distract him, they would definitely catch him.
As for promises of letting him go after he dropped the Demon Core, Xiao Chen did not believe them.
“Old Qin, this fellow’s speed has reached Mach 3.5. It is not easy to catch him!” an old man huffed.
Old Qin moved as quickly as lightning as he flew. He said indifferently, “In that case, you can stay but forget about getting a share of the Demon Core.”
The moment Old Qin spoke, that old man did not dare retort. Even if he had to overdraw his Essence, he would not stop.
Xiao Chen repeatedly pushed off the ground as he executed the Azure Dragon Cloud Soaring Art to its limits. He looked like an Azure Dragon dancing across the earth.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
The half-step Martial Monarchs continued their pursuit from the air, raining down attacks furiously. Xiao Chen carefully dodged all of the attacks.
The horrifying energies of the attacks were frightening. If one accidentally hit him, Xiao Chen would fall.
“The attacks are too dense. If I carry on like this, one will hit me sooner or later. Furthermore, they slow me down. I have to find a way to disperse them.”
Xiao Chen tumbled across the ground. He mumbled to himself as he bounced up, and three wooden sculptures appeared in his hand.
“Life Bestowal Spell!”
Three white figures appeared around Xiao Chen. The moment they appeared, they immediately headed in three different directions. They looked exactly like the real one. Recognizing the true target was difficult.
Who in this world knew Xiao Chen the best? It was only Xiao Chen, himself. Hence, the sculptures that he had carved were quite realistic. They were nearly indistinguishable from the real one.
“Old Qin! What should we do? Which one should we chase?!”
When three more figures appeared, the ten-odd people chasing from the air stopped in confusion. When they used their Mental Energy to check, all four seemed real; they could not tell which was the real one.
Old Qin’s expression was sullen. After muttering for a while, he quickly made a decision, “This brat has many tricks. Screw it; split up and chase. We can let any of them escape. We cannot let this brat get away!”
The ten-odd people immediately split into four groups, each heading in a different direction.
Old Qin and an old man quickly chased after the real Xiao Chen. Old Qin was confident of a sixty percent chance that this was the real one.
However, Old Qin could not be certain either. He could not afford to think too much. The longer he paused to ponder, the further Xiao Chen would get. Hence, he could only make the decision to split up.
Now that only two remained, the densely packed attacks immediately lessened. Xiao Chen felt more relaxed. He waved his hand, and another wooden sculpture appeared. This was the sculpture of Ying Yue.
Normally, Xiao Chen could have reused these sculptures. However, he needed to sacrifice them, using them to lure away his pursuers to save his own skin. He tossed the sculpture, and Ying Yue instant held up her spear and blocked the two people behind with a blazing aura.
Old Qin’s expression changed slightly. He said in astonishment, “This is the Great Qin Nation’s First Princess. How can it be? No, that’s not right. This is a clone as well. Hold her off! I will continue after him!”
The old man beside him nodded. He said, “Old Qin, be careful. This fellow is full of tricks. You are already exhausted, so use caution.”
Old Qin snorted, “Be careful? He is merely an Inferior Grade Martial King. No matter how many tricks he has, I can squash him with one hand.”
Finally, only one person remained of the group that had initially chased him. Xiao Chen heaved a small sigh of relief.
A pillar of light descending from the sky appeared in Xiao Chen’s vision. He smiled faintly. He had finally reached the exit of the Demon Battlefield.
“Thinking of leaving? How can that be so easy?! Huge Sand Palm!”
Old Qin roared and smashed his palm towards the ground. The image of a huge palm appeared from thin air and instantly pressed itself to the ground.
“Hu chi! Hu chi!”
The hard ground instantly moved the waves on the sea.
“Boom!”
A massive hand of sand formed quickly. It was more than two hundred meters tall. When it spread its fingers, it covered the sky. In an instant, it enveloped Xiao Chen.
The sand hand cast an immense shadow, darkening Xiao Chen’s vision. Xiao Chen felt a dangerous aura and was startled by what his Spiritual Sense discovered in his surroundings.
This huge sand palm captured the timing very well. Old Qin had calculated his speed and enveloped him in that instant.
Once the five finger closed in, Xiao Chen would either die or suffer severe injuries under the horrifying pressure.
I have to escape quickly! Xiao Chen did not even have to think about it; he thrust Essence into the Blood Flame Shoes on his feet. Instantly, his body rushed uncontrollably to the only bright spot in his vision.
“Bang!”
The sand hand clenched its fingers, and a colossal explosion resounded. An energy, infused with the state of earth, surged to the ground.
Xiao Chen, who had just escaped, was caught off guard and got stuck. He vomited a mouthful of blood in the air and tumbled before he fell to the ground.
Old Qin became so pale that he looked frightening. There did not seem to be any blood in his face. Evidently, that earlier move had exhausted a lot of Essence.
When Old Qin saw Xiao Chen vomit a mouthful of blood but continuing to rush forward, he shouted angrily, “Damn it! I can’t believe he escaped! Sand Shackles!”
Old Qin landed on the ground and shouted. He stuck his right hand tightly to the ground.
The ground crested and fell in waves relentlessly. Xiao Chen felt the ground below him loosen, and he immediately sank into the earth.