353: Do you want to die?

At the speed of this Evil Energy User.

In less than a second, it had already rushed to an extremely distant place.

"Come back!"

Almost the moment Xiao Shi noticed the Evil Energy User's retreat.

He let out a low growl.

He knew.

If he didn't stop it.

With the speed of the Evil Energy User, it would disappear from his sight and escape to a place he couldn't see within a few seconds.

At this moment, as he spoke.

The Evil Energy User, which was sprinting at an extremely fast speed, suddenly stopped.

It turned around.

Although its face, covered by numerous black scales, showed no expression, its crimson vertical pupils were filled with intense fear.

Despite its overwhelming urge to get away.

The fear in its heart made it dare not disobey Xiao Shi's words.

This scene instantly brought an indescribable shock to all the Martial Demon Realm cultivators who witnessed it.

They all widened their eyes.

Completely stunned, their minds blank.

It seemed that even the ability to think had stopped at this moment.

They only felt that everything was absurd.

Extremely unreal.

The scene before them was simply too shocking, even to the point of being horrifying.

Just moments before, as the Evil Energy User approached.

Xiao Shi's body was about to give way, almost exploding.

But then the Evil Energy User was suddenly scared away.

Being scared away was one thing.

But with a low growl from Xiao Shi, it was so scared that it didn't dare to continue fleeing.

"It already ran away, why call it back!?"

Some people expressed their incomprehension.

The oppressive feeling the Evil Energy User gave them was too intense, making them instinctively not want to face it, only wanting to stay away.

Soon.

Under Xiao Shi's command, the Evil Energy User.

Returned to stand before Xiao Shi.

However, this time it didn't stand as close to Xiao Shi, but stayed a few meters away, trembling.

Everyone could feel the Evil Energy User's fear of Xiao Shi, which made them even more shocked.

Xiao Shi gazed at the Evil Energy User before him.

He knew very well.

The reason this Evil Energy User harbored such intense fear of him was because the moon imprint on his glabella was formed by combining the Evil Energy User's evil soul with his own Yin Flame, creating a Flame Moon!

Under normal circumstances, an Evil Energy User does not only possess a body, but also an evil soul.

It just so happened that the Evil Energy User Xiao Shi encountered back then had its body and evil soul separated, and its evil soul was sealed.

Xiao Shi then refined the evil soul, combining it with his Yin Flame, to form this Flame Moon imprint.

The fear of this Evil Energy User now primarily stemmed from two aspects.

One aspect was the Yin Flame within Xiao Shi's Flame Moon imprint.

Xiao Shi had discovered back then that Yin Flame had a great restraining effect on Evil Energy Users, and Evil Energy Users had an innate fear of Yin Flame.

At that time, Xiao Shi mainly relied on Yin Flame to subdue the Evil Energy User's evil soul.

The other aspect was that Xiao Shi's Flame Moon imprint still contained the aura of the evil soul.

Although the evil soul had been refined by Xiao Shi.

Its aura still remained.

And the evil soul he refined came from the Evil Energy User ranked third on the Ten Evils Ranking!

In all aspects, it was far stronger than the current Evil Energy User.

At the same time, what Xiao Shi didn't know was... among Evil Energy Users.

There existed an extremely strict hierarchy.

Those low-tier Evil Energy Users would instinctively feel fear when encountering high-tier Evil Energy Users.

Although Xiao Shi didn't know this information before.

But based on his understanding of Evil Energy Users, he knew that this Evil Energy User... was definitely not on the Ten Evils Ranking!

If it were a Saint Realm Evil Energy User from the Ten Evils Ranking.

Then even an ordinary Saint would find it difficult to contend with it, let alone these Martial Demon Realm cultivators.

He originally intended to use the Yin Flame within the Flame Moon imprint and the aura of the evil soul to deter this Evil Energy User.

He himself didn't expect it to make this Evil Energy User so terrified!

As a result.

This crisis, which had originally brought despair to everyone and was destined to be insurmountable, was easily resolved with the manifestation of the Flame Moon imprint on Xiao Shi's glabella.

Under normal circumstances.

As this checkpoint transitioned from the Star Era to the Nether Moon Era.

Everyone had to kill this Evil Energy User to successfully pass this checkpoint.

This was also the most difficult checkpoint before entering the Holy Land.

If it weren't for Xiao Shi... all these Martial Demon Realm cultivators would surely perish here.

Not a single one would survive.

However, the current situation.

Was something no one had anticipated.

What should have been the most difficult checkpoint, now turned into the simplest... This made everyone feel as if they were dreaming.

Watching the Evil Energy User trembling before Xiao Shi.

After a long while.

They finally accepted this fact.

And among the crowd, Zhou Hong was the most excited.

When he passed the third trial with Xiao Shi, he had already sensed the other party's power and extraordinariness.

At that time, he had already decided to cling to this powerful figure.

Sure enough.

Whether it was solving the Sacred Giant Tree earlier, or now making this impossibly powerful Evil Energy User tremble in fear, Xiao Shi accomplished things that others couldn't, or even dared not imagine.

This also made everyone, amidst their mental shock.

Develop a strong curiosity about Xiao Shi's identity.

From beginning to end.

Xiao Shi's figure was covered by a black cloak.

They could only tell that he was a Martial Demon Realm cultivator of the Great Wu Dynasty through the forbidden aura on him, but they couldn't figure out who he was.

In their impression... the Great Wu Dynasty simply didn't have such a powerful Martial Demon Realm cultivator!

Xiao Shi did not pay attention to the guesses about his identity in everyone's hearts.

While leading everyone out of this checkpoint, he also checked the items that dropped after he killed the Sacred Giant Tree earlier.

This item held immense value and significance for him!

Because this was the item that dropped after his first kill of a Saint!

Xiao Shi knew deeply... there were not many Saint Grade treasures to begin with.

Even in the Myriad Treasure Pagoda, there were only three Saint Grade treasures.

After he exchanged for the fragment of the celestial compass, the Myriad Treasure Pagoda now only had two Saint Grade treasures available for exchange.

Coupled with the scarcity of Saints in the Tianwu Continent and the difficulty of killing Saints... even if Xiao Shi could obtain dropped items by killing, it would be difficult to kill Saints.

It could be said that every Saint Grade treasure was extremely crucial and important.

It was already difficult for a situation to arise where there were many items within a single realm, as in the past.

Even among the current Saints in the Tianwu Continent.

Not every Saint possessed a Saint Grade treasure.

Saints holding Saint Grade treasures were, on the contrary, extremely rare.

And Dao Lord Level treasures, above Saints, were even more self-evident.

Those were powerful divine artifacts that could influence a major force!

Like the Great Wu Dynasty after its decline.

Before Xiao Shi retrieved the eye of imperial judgment, the strongest treasure of the Great Wu Dynasty was only a Dao Lord Level treasure!

Xiao Shi took a deep breath.

With strong anticipation in his heart.

He looked at the item in his hand with a serious expression.

【Name: dao foundation】

【Type: Foundation Stone for Dao Creation】

【Grade: Saint Grade】

【Description: This is the basic and essential condition for creating a Dao.】

【Remark: By holding the dao foundation, you have the opportunity to create a Dao.】

...The entire item's information was very brief.

But its function and value were incredibly astonishing!

Xiao Shi knew deeply.

The key for the Saint Realm to break through to the Dao Lord Realm primarily lay in needing to wield a complete "Dao"!

However, the "Dao" in the Tianwu Continent was limited, so there were often Dao disputes among Saints.

This was the relevant information about Dao Lords that Xiao Shi obtained in the Demigod Land where the eye of imperial judgment was sealed.

It was just that he knew too little about "Dao."

Therefore, he couldn't assess its true value through the specific function of this item.

But from other aspects, he could glimpse the extraordinary power of this item.

According to the first kill rule.

If there was no over-level item drop, then what dropped would necessarily be the highest quality item within that realm.

That is to say.

This dao foundation was the top-tier among all Saint Grade items!

This reminded Xiao Shi of his first kill in the Martial Demon Realm, where the item dropped was the Hand of Refinement.

Although this item was Martial Demon Grade.

Its value and function were completely comparable to a Saint Grade treasure!

The dao foundation that dropped this time was also similar.

Although it was a Saint Grade item, its value was very likely already comparable to a Dao Lord Level treasure!

After all, this treasure would be related to a Saint advancing to a Dao Lord!

The Dao Lord Realm, as one of the top three realms in martial arts, had a negligible number of people who could enter it, regardless of the era.

The endpoint for most martial artists in martial arts was at most the Saint Realm.

Even a prodigy like Xiang Zizhen.

Had no hope of assaulting the top three realms.

Of course, the specific function and efficacy of this item would require Xiao Shi to understand "Dao" more deeply!

However, for him currently, it was still a bit distant.

His immediate priority was to quickly refine this special area and, by passing through it, break through to become a Saint in one fell swoop!

And so.

Everyone followed Xiao Shi forward.

In this final checkpoint, apart from the Evil Energy User, they encountered no other dangers along the way.

After they had traveled for a long time.

They finally reached the end of the checkpoint.

From a considerable distance.

They all saw Chu Tong ahead.

He had not moved out of this checkpoint but remained here, waiting.

This made everyone's faces sink.

No need to think to know.

Chu Tong stayed here for the exclusive items of this stage.

As they drew closer.

They all saw.

These exclusive items were blocked by a barrier, which was why he remained here and hadn't left.

Presumably, he wanted to wait until they cleared the stage, take these exclusive items, and then leave.

Regarding this.

Everyone's faces were filled with anger.

Extremely furious at Chu Tong's actions this time!

However, Chu Tong showed no hint of remorse.

He was quite surprised to see everyone arrive so quickly.

Especially when he noticed that only three people had died among them.

This left him both shocked and bewildered.

He had originally thought that even if this group could clear the stage, only one or two would remain alive in the end.

But the fact that so many people survived... made him very puzzled.

"Well done."

He praised in a condescending tone.

Although surprised in his heart.

However, this was also a good thing for him.

The more people who survived, the greater assistance he would receive.

As for everyone's emotions, he didn't care.

All these people had the taboos left by the Great Wu Crown Prince on them, so no matter how dissatisfied they were with him, they could only assist him and could not contend with him.

Moreover, he felt that his previous actions were only natural.

As the only candidate from the Great Wu Dynasty to refine this special area, he naturally had to preserve his strength for the final contention.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with his previous actions.

At this moment, as everyone arrived.

The barriers covering the exclusive items also slowly dissipated.

This indicated that they had successfully passed this checkpoint.

This checkpoint, like the previous ones, determined the number of exclusive items after passing based on the number of people who entered the checkpoint.

At the same time, because this checkpoint contained two different eras, the exclusive items here were also divided into two batches.

On the left were the exclusive items from the Star Era, and on the right were the exclusive items from the Nether Moon Era.

Their quantity was numerous.

The moment the barrier dissipated.

Chu Tong already smiled and turned to walk towards these exclusive items.

Because he arrived here before everyone else.

He had already observed these exclusive items earlier, and had already chosen the exclusive items he wanted, and he did not intend to take just one exclusive item.

He felt that since he had reached the final checkpoint, he naturally needed to take several exclusive items, so that he would have a greater advantage in the subsequent competition for the Holy Land.

But as soon as his foot moved.

"You are not qualified to take the exclusive items here."

A cold voice suddenly came from behind him.

Chu Tong's footsteps paused.

He turned to look at the person completely shrouded in a black cloak, whose figure was unclear, and wondered if he had misheard.

"What did you say?"

"You are not qualified to take the exclusive items here."

Xiao Shi repeated coldly.

This person hadn't exerted an ounce of effort from beginning to end, and upon seeing the Sacred Giant Tree, he immediately abandoned them.

Now, he actually had the audacity to want to take the exclusive items here?

Chu Tong's eyes narrowed slightly.

He gazed intently at Xiao Shi.

After sensing the taboo left by the Great Wu Crown Prince on the other party, his gaze also turned cold.

"Do you know what you're saying? Before entering this special area, the Great Wu Crown Prince had already made it very clear that your purpose here is to assist me. Even if I take all the exclusive items here, it's only right."

"You need to understand one thing, the right to distribute these exclusive items is mine to decide, not yours."

After speaking.

He directly ignored Xiao Shi and continued to turn and walk towards the exclusive items ahead.

"Do you want to die?"