47: Chapter 47 I was also trying to protect myself

"Charge! Kill that leader!" The dozen or so surviving guards had eyes nearly splitting from rage as they tried to break through the Earth-walking Dragon's defensive line.

But their attacks fell upon those Yao Beasts who were unafraid of death like mud cows entering the sea, instantly submerged by an even more violent counterattack. In the blink of an eye, several more mangled corpses were added.

The guards simply could not break through that solid defensive line composed of a dozen or so Late Qi Refining Stage Yao Beasts.

Just as they were trapped in this almost fatal situation and most people were prepared to die, a figure that no one had noticed moved.

Su Chengyuan had been blending into the crowd earlier, seemingly constantly dodging, but in reality, he was taking in the entire situation.

He originally didn't want to expose his strength, but if Zhao Shan died, this merchant caravan would be finished.

In this wilderness where there were no villages ahead and no inns behind, it would likely be as difficult as ascending to heaven for him to reach the Prefecture City alone.

Between two evils, choose the lesser.

"Boom—"

An irresistible pressure of Spiritual Qi, centered on Su Chengyuan, swept through the entire field with a bang!

Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining!

The Aura on his body no longer had the slightest restraint. That vigorous Aura, far exceeding all the Qi Refining Cultivators present, was like a silent volcano erupting at this moment!

"What?!" Zhao Shan, who was propping himself up with his blade against the ground, suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

That aloof young man, Lin Feng, was even more shocked and fell directly to the ground, his face blank with daze.

Under everyone's shocked gazes, Su Chengyuan took a step forward, his figure like lightning, actually taking the initiative to charge toward those dozen or so Red-armored Earth-walking Dragons guarding the leader!

"Roar!!!" Several Earth-walking Dragons roared, their huge bodies carrying a fishy wind as they pounced toward him.

Su Chengyuan was expressionless, both hands striking out.

His left hand was filled with cold air, and his right hand shone with brilliant golden light.

Dozens of Profound Ice Thorns flickering with a grim cold light and over a dozen refined and sharp Sharp Gold Fingers were actually released simultaneously!

That torrent of Spells poured down like a rainstorm, instantly enveloping the three Earth-walking Dragons charging at the very front.

Their hard bone armor was like paper under the penetration of the golden light, and then their flesh was frozen by the Ice Thorns. Their massive bodies crashed to the ground, unable to even let out a single wail.

He didn't stop at all, his figure weaving through the Yao Beast pack like a tiger entering a flock of sheep.

A green sword light lit up; the Medium Grade Magical Artifact water-severing sword was already in his hand.

Relying on his vigorous Spiritual Qi, wherever the sword light passed, heads rolled and blood sprayed.

Those Red-armored plates that were indestructible in the eyes of other Qi Refining Cultivators were as fragile as could be before his water-severing sword.

In just a few dozen breaths, those dozen or so Red-armored Earth-walking Dragons guarding the leader were actually slaughtered by him alone with his sword!

Blood stained the ground beneath his feet, but not a single trace of blood had touched his body.

Having done all this, he carried his sword and walked step by step toward that Earth-walking Dragon Leader slumped on the ground, unable to move.

The Yao Beast leader looked at the man before it who was like a god of slaughter, fear showing in its eyes.

It let out an unwilling roar, trying to open its mouth to spit out its final demonic power in a death struggle.

Su Chengyuan didn't give it the chance.

He was expressionless, the green light on the water-severing sword in his hand surged, and he moved with the sword, turning into a streak of light. Amidst the Yao Beast's final roar, he pierced its already injured head with one sword strike!

Spiritual Qi exploded, completely shredding its brain tissue.

In those crimson beast pupils, the violent and fierce light instantly froze and then completely dimmed.

"Rumble..."

Its mountain-like body gave one last twitch and then fell silent.

The whole place was dead silent.

Everyone's eyes were on that figure holding a Magical Artifact longsword, covered in blood, yet without even a corner of his clothes being messy.

The aloof young man Lin Feng, clutching his bleeding thigh, opened his mouth wide and forgot the pain.

The surviving guards and Loose Cultivators had expressions of utter disbelief on their faces.

Even Zhao Shan, who was prepared to fight for his life, froze in place, looking at Su Chengyuan and then at the corpse of the Earth-walking Dragon Leader, his eyes full of surprise and confusion.

He hadn't expected that a Cultivator at the Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining was actually hidden in his team.

The remaining beast pack lost its leader and immediately fell into chaos.

They let out bursts of uneasy growls, no longer as fearless as before, and began to turn around and flee into the darkness.

"Don't chase them!" Zhao Shan was the first to react, forcing his body up and shouting to stop several guards who subconsciously wanted to pursue.

He looked around the camp where blood flowed like a river, his eyes full of sorrow, and hoarsely ordered: "Everyone, immediately treat the wounded and count the casualties! Clean up the battlefield!"

The other Cultivators who had survived the disaster woke up as if from a dream upon hearing this.

The earth-shaking shouts of battle didn't ring out; instead, there were bursts of clanging sounds as Magical Artifacts hit the ground after their users lost strength, along with suppressed weeping and urgent calls.

They looked at the corpses of their companions all over the ground and then at the remains of those Yao Beasts, their faces full of complex expressions mixing grief and relief.

In the center of the battlefield, Su Chengyuan pulled out the water-severing sword, flicked off the blood, and silently put it back into his Storage Pouch.

He looked around and saw everyone's eyes focused on him, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Then, under everyone's reverent gazes, Su Chengyuan walked slowly to the corpse of the Earth-walking Dragon Leader and cleanly extracted that fist-sized Rank Two Yao Core that was flowing with firelight.

After doing all this, as if he had remembered something, he gave a light cough.

That powerful Aura of the Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining that had swept the field and was suffocating actually receded like a tide, retracting back into that plain and even slightly weak "Qi Refining Seventh Layer" appearance.

This operation practically wrote the four words "I am pretending" on his face.

He put away the Yao Core and stood silently to the side without saying much, as if the peerless powerhouse who had just slaughtered in all directions was merely an illusion.

The remaining guards and Loose Cultivators looked at each other, all seeing a hint of absurdity and realization in each other's eyes.

Zhao Shan dragged his tired body and slowly walked to Su Chengyuan.

His gaze was very complex, with gratitude, shock, and more of a sort of "not knowing whether to laugh or cry" inquiry.

He looked at the other party's "I'm just a Qi Refining Seventh Layer, believe me" expression and muttered in his heart: Does he think we're all blind?

"Brother Wang, great kindness cannot be expressed in words!" Zhao Shan solemnly cupped his fists in a salute toward Su Chengyuan, "If not for you turning the tide this time, everyone in our Four Seas Chamber of Commerce would probably have been buried here today."

"I owe you a favor today. If you need help in the future, as long as I can do it, I will never refuse."

Although he was in the Foundation Establishment Stage, facing Qi Refining Cultivators he felt superior, but Su Chengyuan's life-saving grace was real.

Moreover, judging by Su Chengyuan's current cultivation and combat power, advancing to Foundation Establishment was almost a certainty.

Furthermore, the Chamber of Commerce valued integrity and gratitude most, so there was no reason not to thank him.

Therefore, he no longer addressed him as "Fellow Daoist" but directly used the pseudonym Su Chengyuan used on the road, expressing recognition and closeness.

"Commander Zhao is too polite; I also did it for self-preservation," Su Chengyuan responded in a flat tone.

"Self-preservation?" Zhao Shan looked at him, a bitter smile appearing on his face as he shook his head, "If Brother Wang calls this self-preservation, then this Zhao's Foundation Establishment Realm was truly cultivated in vain." He mocked himself with a hint of emotion in his tone, "I didn't expect Brother Wang to be so deeply hidden, Qi Refining..."

He originally wanted to say Qi Refining Seventh Layer, but when the words reached his lips, he felt it was simply an insult to his own intelligence.