191: intercept

Having completed his analysis of the Evergreen Immortal Power, Xiao Zhuo stood up. The barrier he had set up around him crumbled, and as his Divine Sense spread out, over a dozen combat fluctuations were relayed back to him.

However, these were all battles at the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation stages, fought over some millennium Spirit Medicine.

Stronger Cultivators must have already rushed towards the deeper parts of the Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm.

This was the periphery. Xiao Zhuo’s memory held a map of the Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm, pieced together by the Blood Palace over many collections. Although incomplete, he knew that truly good items would only appear in the Middle Stage Medicine Garden area at the very least.

Xiao Zhuo sensed briefly that to enter the Middle Stage Medicine Garden area, he would need to cross at least ten thousand li.

He leaped into the sky and took a step, his speed seemingly not fast, but in reality, each step covered a thousand zhang, like instantaneous movement. This was the exquisite footwork brought about by a deep understanding of Space Law. Even though the Space Law in this realm was suppressed, his basic application of it still far surpassed others.

Although his connection with Qiao Zimo was not clear, he could confirm that he was not currently in danger and was still approaching the Medicine Garden area.

Along the way, he occasionally perceived conflicts, whether for a millennium Spirit Medicine or due to old grudges, but he ignored them all. His goal was clear: the Middle Stage Medicine Garden.

Ten thousand li was but a brief moment under Xiao Zhuo’s feet.

As he delved deeper, the Evergreen Immortal Power in the air became richer and purer, while the poisonous miasma thinned out. The surrounding vegetation also gradually changed from ordinary Spirit Wood to rare treasures unseen in the outside world, often with Spirit Medicine ages of several millennia.

When he stepped out of the last dark ancient forest, his vision suddenly broadened.

A vast plain enveloped by a huge barrier came into view.

The barrier’s light screen flowed with runes interwoven with emerald green and silvery white, a manifestation of the unique Space Law and Life Law of the Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm.

Inside the barrier, it was no longer a single dense forest, but neatly arranged medicine plots, with crisscrossing paths dividing different areas. The rich, almost substantial, immortal Spirit Medicine fragrance could be faintly smelled even through the barrier.

This was the Middle Stage Medicine Garden area.

However, the entrance at this moment was not a pure land, but had turned into a bloody Asura Field.

The area in front of the barrier’s light screen was a mess, with three forces locked in a chaotic battle. The focus of their struggle was several ten-thousand-year Spirit Medicine, the nine-turn soul returning grass, shimmering with iridescent light and exuding potent Spiritual Qi, in a medicine plot near the entrance!

Its leaves were like carved jade, and its veins flowed with liquid-like vital light. It was the main ingredient for refining top-tier life extension Medicinal Pills.

The first group of people wore dark red robes, their Cultivation Technique bloody and domineering, clearly Demonic Path Cultivators. The young man leading them, an Early Stage Body Integration Cultivator, was activating a blood-colored bone banner, releasing rolling foul blood and Evil Qi, attempting to contaminate his opponents’ Magic Treasures.

They were being besieged by the second group of Cultivators, dressed in moon-white Daoist robes, with sharp Sword Qi. These Sword Cultivators cooperated seamlessly, their sword formation strict. The Middle Stage Body Integration Sword Cultivator leading them pointed his sword, and Sword Qi, like a Dragon, forced the Demonic Path Cultivators to retreat steadily.

But the most eye-catching was the third force. They were the fewest in number, only four people, yet they exuded a heart-palpitating pressure.

The leader was a young man, handsome but with a deep-seated arrogance. He wore a crimson-gold flowing flame battle robe, his aura as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea. He was, astonishingly, a Prodigy at the Early Tribulation Crossing Stage!

Behind him were three people, two Late Stage Body Integration Cultivators and one Peak Body Integration Cultivator, all with sharp eyes and extraordinary bearing.

The young man did not directly make a move, merely stood with his hands behind his back, coldly watching the two groups of people slaughter each other below, his gaze as if watching ants fight.

Xiao Zhuo’s appearance was like a piece of ice dropped into boiling water.

His figure appeared silently at the edge of the battlefield. His gaze directly bypassed the chaotic battle and landed on those few nine-turn soul returning grasses. He ignored the surrounding slaughter and walked straight towards the medicine plot.

“Stop! Where did this wild Cultivator come from, daring to snatch the Starfire Palace’s peaches?!” A Demonic Path Soul Transformation Cultivator, who was entangled with a Sword Cultivator, saw this and, thinking a Loose Cultivator had come to take advantage, sneered. He took a moment to fire a foul blood arrow at Xiao Zhuo’s back, intending to obstruct or even kill him.

Xiao Zhuo’s steps did not stop, nor did he even turn his head.

The blood arrow, powerful enough to pierce through mountains, disintegrated and vanished silently three feet from his body, as if it had hit an invisible wall of bronze and iron.

Immediately after, Xiao Zhuo flicked his finger.

“Poof!”

With a soft sound, the head of the attacking Demonic Path Soul Transformation Cultivator exploded like a ripe watermelon, red and white splattering everywhere. His headless corpse fell to the ground powerlessly.

The entire process was incredibly fast, as if merely crushing an ant.

This sudden change caused the chaotic battlefield to momentarily freeze!

All eyes instantly focused on Xiao Zhuo.

“Bastard! How dare you kill my Blood Fiend Sect Disciple! Die for me!” The Early Stage Body Integration Demonic Path young man was furious and shocked. He abandoned his entanglement with the Sword Cultivators, turned his blood-colored bone banner, and with monstrous foul blood and piercing ghostly wails, it transformed into a huge skeletal ghost claw, fiercely grabbing at Xiao Zhuo’s head. Its power was three points stronger than when he had dealt with the Sword Cultivators earlier.

Xiao Zhuo finally glanced sideways slightly, his eyes as indifferent as ice.

Facing the ghost claw, which would have made an ordinary Body Integration Cultivator flustered, he merely raised his right hand, splayed his five fingers, and pressed down on the huge grasping ghost claw from the air.

“Buzz—!”

A formidable and irresistible terrifying power was born out of thin air, as if the entire space instantly solidified and collapsed!

The skeletal ghost claw, condensed from foul blood and Evil Qi, could not even last half a breath. Like a sandcastle crushed by a giant mountain, it exploded with a bang!

The young man controlling the bone banner was struck as if by a heavy hammer, spitting out a large mouthful of fresh blood with a “wa” sound. His aura instantly withered, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable horror.

“This person is troublesome! Attack together!” The leader of the white-robed Sword Cultivators also perceived Xiao Zhuo’s terror. He let out a fierce shout, abandoned his suppression of the Demonic Path remnants, and with a sword art, seven Flying Swords transformed into seven streaks of dazzling light, forming a chilling sword formation. With a sharp roar that seemed to tear space, they attacked Xiao Zhuo.

Xiao Zhuo faced this sword formation, which was capable of obliterating a Late Stage Body Integration Cultivator, still without a ripple of emotion.

He didn’t even bother to unleash any Magic Treasures. Instead, his entire body’s Qi and blood suddenly surged!

“Boom!”

A visible wave of bloody Qi erupted from him as the center!

The seven dazzling Flying Swords collided with the Qi wave as if striking a divine mountain forged from Nine Heavens profound iron. They emitted deafening metallic clangs, their sword light instantly dimmed, and their spiritual essence wailed!

The seven Sword Cultivators all grunted simultaneously, their faces pale. The sword formation instantly broke, and the Flying Swords flew back. The two weaker Cultivators among them were even directly sent flying, spitting blood from the backlash.

He annihilated a Soul Transformation Cultivator with a flick of a finger, shattered a ghost claw with a press, and broke a sword formation with his Qi and blood!

The strength Xiao Zhuo displayed could no longer be described as merely crushing Soul Transformation Cultivators or suppressing Body Integration Cultivators; it was simply overwhelming destruction!

“Trash!”

The crimson-gold battle-robed young man, Chi Li, Young Lord of the Starfire Palace, who had been watching coldly, finally lost his patience for the show. The Young Lord of the Blood Fiend Sect was his subordinate, currently seizing treasures for him.

Now that Xiao Zhuo had made a move and his subordinate was no match, he naturally had to act!

His eyes shot out cold light, and a majestic pressure belonging to a Prodigy of the Undergoing Tribulation Stage erupted like a volcano, instantly covering the entire scene, making the surviving Demonic Path and Sword Cultivator Disciples tremble and almost suffocate.

“I didn’t expect such a remote and desolate place to hide a powerful Dragon from across the river? What a pity, you shouldn’t have been presumptuous in front of this Young Lord! And you certainly shouldn’t covet what this Young Lord has set his eyes on!” Chi Li’s voice was icy, carrying the absolute authority of a superior.

He took a step, and space seemed to shrink under his feet. In an instant, he crossed a hundred zhang distance, appearing in front of Xiao Zhuo.

“Hand over everything you’ve obtained, sever one of your arms, and kneel to beg for forgiveness, and this Young Lord may spare your lowly life!” Chi Li spoke from a position of superiority, his tone brooking no argument.