144: crush

Almost the instant Xiao Zhuo plunged into the dark river, Zhao Xiange, who had been watching coldly, suddenly made his move.

As the Spirit Beast Pouch on his waist trembled, a 腥風撲面 (foul wind) assailed him.

A black-armored humanoid Puppet, gleaming with metallic cold light, shot out of the Void Realm, its iron boots crushing the scattered stones on the ground.

Three Zhao family Elders, covered in blood, forced their true Qi to rally, staggering as they charged forward once more.

Xiao Zhuo, in the dark river, held his breath and focused, his Divine Sense silently wrapping around the newly appeared black-armored Puppet.

A fierce Evil Qi seeped from the gaps in the black armor, and the black-armored Puppet vanished from its spot, leaving only afterimages tearing through the damp air.

A malevolent aura flashed across the Puppet's body, and the next moment, it appeared behind Qiao Zimo.

The hairs on Qiao Zimo's nape stood on end, and as his demon- 纹-covered right leg was about to retreat, a hand, like a demonic weapon, pierced through his back.

“Cough!” He coughed up half a lung fragment, his knotted muscles tensed as he spun around and swept his leg, the Puppet took a heavy blow, being directly sent flying, sparks showering like rain as it embedded into the rock wall.

The sound of green light breaking through the Void Realm followed, and as the eight-armed asura phantasm dissipated, seventeen emerald Flying Swords plunged into his flesh.

Qiao Zimo staggered a half-step in mid-air, his massive body slowly shrinking, falling towards the dark river.

Just then, a golden light erupted from the riverbed, and an dark-gold giant palm broke through the water, clamping the heavily injured pink-haired strongman in mid-air.

“Brother Zhao, what a move!” Xiao Zhuo walked to the shore, treading on the waves, the large hand behind him tightly gripping Qiao Zimo. “This black-armored Puppet can not only conceal its killing intent but also block Divine Sense probes; it is truly extraordinary.”

Zhao Xiange also leaped down from the demonic scorpion, slowly walking ten zhang in front of Xiao Zhuo and stopping: “Brother Xue’s methods are also impressive; I’m afraid they are not inferior to some of the Blood Palace’s inner disciples.”

As he spoke, the three Zhao family Elders had already floated into position, flanking Xiao Zhuo.

Seeing this, Xiao Zhuo’s brow slightly raised, and he coldly said: “According to our agreement, this person belongs to me, and the item belongs to you. What is Brother Zhao’s intention now?”

Before the last syllable faded, a strong gust of wind came from behind his head.

He backhanded and seized the attacking metal arm, exerting force with his palm, and the armor made of special metal in his hand was crushed, producing cracks.

“Hehe! Brother Xue, in this world, the victor takes all. I presume you were also seriously injured just now. How about you hand over the secrets on your person to me as well?” Zhao Xiange smiled, his eyes filled with the arrogance unique to a victor.

“It seems Brother Zhao’s appetite is a bit too big!” Xiao Zhuo had long anticipated Zhao Xiange’s sneak attack, yet his expression remained utterly calm.

A red light flashed in the black-armored Puppet’s eyes, and its other movable hand once again transformed into a sharp blade, stabbing towards Xiao Zhuo’s head.

Almost simultaneously, two more black-armored humanoid Puppets were released, attacking Xiao Zhuo along with the three Soul Transformation Elders.

The underground dark river suddenly boiled, and silver light burst forth in Xiao Zhuo’s eyes.

The space within a hundred zhang radius twisted and wrinkled like tightly crumpled silk.

The azure jade sword formation that Zhao Yuan had launched shattered into crystal dust in the spatial folds before it even got close.

“What?!” Zhao Xiange’s gasp was caught in his throat, and the three black-armored Puppets were all crushed in the grasp of a seemingly substantial dark-gold giant palm.

Xiao Zhuo’s left hand clenched, and the giant palm suddenly tightened, instantly crushing the three Peak Soul Transformation Puppets, which Zhao Xiange had exhausted his resources to create, into powder in its palm.

Zhao Xiange’s pupils widened; he didn’t even have time to feel the heartache.

The three Zhao family Elders had already rushed towards Xiao Zhuo, but suddenly felt their surroundings darken as a blood-colored space unfurled, enveloping them.

Their protective magical power instantly extinguished, and thousands of blood beads seeped from their pores.

Xiao Zhuo’s right palm lightly flipped, and the Vast Blue Blood Hand transformed into a hundred-zhang giant, crushing the three into a bloody mist, their essence blood being completely devoured before it even hit the ground.

“It’s your turn.” Xiao Zhuo shattered the Void Realm and instantly appeared before Zhao Xiange, the dark-gold patterns of the Purgatory Demonic Body already extending to his eyelids.

Zhao Xiange’s eyes showed terror, and nine shimmering Magic Treasures flew out of his Storage Pouch, propping up layers of defensive light screens in front of him.

“Clang!”

With a single punch, the nine layers of protective Magic Treasures Zhao Xiange had unleashed were torn apart like thin paper.

At a critical moment, a tortoise shell was released by Zhao Xiange, transforming into a half-human-tall shield in front of him.

“Boom!”

Xiao Zhuo’s fist slammed onto the tortoise shell, and Zhao Xiange, man and shell, was sent flying.

However, the tortoise shell remained completely unharmed.

“No… impossible!” Zhao Xiange, spitting blood from his seven orifices as he flew backward, was filled with disbelief. He never imagined that this blood sea was so powerful.

Xiao Zhuo took a step and reappeared in front of him.

Looking at Xiao Zhuo’s outstretched large hand, all of Zhao Xiange’s schemes vanished like smoke, leaving only intense fear. He shrieked: “My grandfather is an Integration Stage mighty figure! I am the sole heir of the Zhao family! If you kill me, you won’t escape either!”

“Foolish!” Xiao Zhuo chuckled, but his hand movements were without hesitation.

The moment his large hand grabbed Zhao Xiange, the Soul-Searching technique was already activated.

Just then, a terrifying power erupted from the depths of Zhao Xiange’s Sea of Consciousness. A black-robed Elder’s phantasm emerged from between his eyebrows, and a violent magical power instantly repelled Xiao Zhuo.

“Who dares to touch my Zhao family’s direct bloodline!” A furious roar issued from the phantasm’s mouth.

“He actually hid a Divine Thought Clone in his Sea of Consciousness?” Xiao Zhuo, repelled, his eyes flashed, showing a hint of interest.

Just then, the pale-faced Zhao Xiange pointed at Xiao Zhuo and roared: “Grandfather! It’s him! Quickly help your grandson kill him!”

“It’s you?!” The phantasm’s gaze fixed on Xiao Zhuo, and a massive killing intent enveloped him. With a raise of its hand, a black line suddenly flashed.

As demonic patterns surged around Xiao Zhuo, his body rapidly grew to three zhang, appearing as if cast from divine metal, dark-gold runes spreading over his body, transforming into ferocious red and black battle armor.

The black line struck the battle armor, emitting a series of grating “hissing” sounds, and sparks flew, leaving a crack that spanned his waist and abdomen.

But the next moment, the crack began to heal at a visible speed, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

“Integration Stage?” Xiao Zhuo’s mocking voice rang out from beneath the battle armor, “Nothing more than this!”

As his voice fell, Xiao Zhuo’s figure flickered, and the still-shouting Zhao Xiange exploded, even his demon infant was swallowed by Xiao Zhuo.

The phantasm Elder’s eyes were about to split open when he saw this: “You’re courting death!”

He clenched his right hand, and ten black lines shot out, rapidly sweeping towards Xiao Zhuo’s figure.

“Hmph! A mere Clone! I’ll cut you down too!” Xiao Zhuo’s figure, instead of retreating, advanced. A nine-foot black saber appeared, with lightning and black flames flickering on it, it was precisely the black saber he had obtained from Xiao Yan.

With the saber in hand, Xiao Zhuo directly unleashed dozens of Saber Qi, wreathed in black flames and purple lightning.

The Saber Qi and black lines collided, erupting in earth-shattering explosions that caused the rock walls and loose stones to continuously crumble.

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhuo’s figure, following closely behind the Saber Qi, had already advanced to the phantasm’s side, and he slashed out with his saber.

The Yin Yang Divine Thunder, following the saber’s edge, pierced into the phantasm’s body.

This Integration Stage Clone immediately showed signs of pain, and then burst apart.

A thousand li away, in the Zhao family ancestral land, three life soul lamps in the Hall of Life Souls exploded.

The guarding Elder had just entered the hall to check when he saw the soul fire on a gilded soul lamp in the center of the main hall also begin to tremble incessantly, scaring him witless. He frantically pulled out a communication jade talisman and sent a message.

The dark river returned to silence, only Xiao Zhuo, slowly recovering to his original state, walked step by step towards Qiao Zimo, who had long since fainted.

Zhao Xiange’s demon infant had been refined by him, and he also learned of a certain item that might exist on Qiao Zimo, which immediately piqued Xiao Zhuo’s intense interest.