155: Demonic cultivators surround and kill, first attempt at devouring.
The Eighth Layer Earth Fiend Realm pressure of the One-Eyed Strongman, mixed with pure Devilish Qi, surged toward Ye Chen like a tide, attempting to crush his will before the fight even began. Behind him, the four Demonic Cultivators also spread out in a coordinated manner, forming a semi-circle that blocked Ye Chen's retreat toward the Rift Valley. The three Seventh Layer Earth Fiend Realm Bone-Spined Lizard Demons paced and lowled on the periphery, their crimson eyes darting between Ye Chen and the Demonic Cultivators, seemingly waiting for a chance to strike once both sides were exhausted.
With wolves in front and tigers behind, the situation was critical.
Ye Chen's expression remained calm, but he instantly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Facing five Demonic Cultivators who worked in perfect coordination and were familiar with the environment, plus three fierce monsters, the chances of winning were extremely low. Even if he could achieve a pyrrhic victory, it would surely alert even more terrifying existences and might even draw out unknown dangers from within the cave.
He had to finish this quickly, or... create Chaos!
"You want my things?" A cold arc curled at the corner of Ye Chen's mouth as his gaze swept over the giant axe in the One-Eyed Strongman's hand. "Let's see if you have the life to take them!"
Before his voice could fade, he moved! But the direction he charged was not toward any of the Demonic Cultivators, but rather—the three Bone-Spined Lizard Demons pacing on the flank!
This move caught everyone by surprise!
"Roar!"
Seeing Ye Chen proactively charging at them, the three Bone-Spined Lizard Demons were instantly enraged. Their thick limbs dug into the ground as they lunged at Ye Chen with a foul wind, their bloody maws wide and pale bone spines gleaming! The monsters' attacks were simple and violent, enough to tear through refined iron.
"Trying to use the monsters to escape? Foolish!" The One-Eyed Strongman instantly understood Ye Chen's intent and let out a sinister laugh. He did not pursue immediately, instead watching leisurely, planning to wait until Ye Chen and the monsters were both injured before stepping in to reap the rewards.
However, Ye Chen's true goal was not to lead the monsters to attack him, but... to lead the battlefield toward the Demonic Cultivators!
Just as he was about to collide with the three monsters, the steps beneath Ye Chen's feet shifted mysteriously. Enveloped in Chaos currents, his figure moved like a ghost in an incredibly bizarre refraction, passing right through the gaps in the three monsters' attacks! Simultaneously, he swung his sword in a backhand strike—not to attack the monsters directly, but to slash out a sharp Chaos Sword Aura aimed straight at the eye of the nearest Bone-Spined Lizard Demon!
Puchi!
The sword aura hit its mark with precision. Though not fatal, it completely enraged the monster! It let out a pained roar and charged recklessly in the direction the sword aura had come from—which was exactly where the Demonic Cultivators were standing!
The other two monsters were also triggered by their companion's frenzy. Combined with the faint Chaos aura on Ye Chen that made them feel instinctively uneasy and irritable, they also turned around and charged toward the group of Demonic Cultivators!
"Not good! This kid did it on purpose!" The One-Eyed Strongman's expression changed. He hadn't expected Ye Chen's movement technique to be so bizarre, and he certainly hadn't expected the boy to be able to provoke and guide the monsters so accurately!
"Stop these beasts!" he roared, forced to swing his giant axe to meet the bleeding, crazed Bone-Spined Lizard Demon.
The other four Demonic Cultivators were also thrown into disarray by this sudden turn of events, hurriedly using their various methods to withstand the charge of the other two monsters.
In an instant, the encirclement originally intended for Ye Chen was completely disrupted, with the Demonic Cultivators and the three Seventh Layer Earth Fiend Realm monsters locked in battle! The roars of monsters, the shouts of cultivators, the clashing of weapons, and the sounds of energy explosions rose and fell one after another.
Meanwhile, after successfully shifting the trouble onto others, Ye Chen did not stop for a moment. Like a leopard merging into the shadows, he dashed toward the broken stone pillars and the black mound in the center of the basin! His target was always the cave that had triggered the resonance of the chaos ancestral talisman!
"Bastard! Don't let him get away!" The One-Eyed Strongman knocked back the frenzied Bone-Spined Lizard Demon with an axe strike. Catching sight of Ye Chen's movements out of the corner of his eye, he bellowed in rage. Bracing himself to take a claw strike from the monster, he forcibly broke out of the fray. His body leaped up like a boulder thrown from a catapult, chasing after Ye Chen with a fierce wind! The other four Demonic Cultivators were pinned down by the monsters and could not escape for the time being.
The One-Eyed Strongman was extremely fast, his Eighth Layer Earth Fiend Realm cultivation exploding in full. Within a few bounds, he closed the distance to Ye Chen. Killing intent boiled in his eyes as he raised his giant axe high. Pitch-black Demonic Astral Power condensed on the blade, forming a terrifying axe shadow several meters long. With the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, it hacked down ruthlessly toward Ye Chen's back!
"Die for me! Earth-Rending Demonic Axe!"
This axe strike was launched in fury and possessed incredible power. Before the wind from the axe even reached him, the sharp pressure had already plowed a deep trench into the ground!
Feeling the life-threatening attack behind him, Ye Chen's gaze sharpened. Since there was no way to dodge, he would fight!
He spun around abruptly, the guixu sword slashing upward from below! Atop the blade, gray Chaos Gang Qi surged. It was no longer pure Guixu annihilation, but now carried a faint... essence of devouring and transformation! This was a new insight he had gained while refining Demon Cores and when the chaos ancestral talisman automatically converted Devilish Qi!
"Chaos Myriad Transformations — Devouring Essence!"
Clang—!!!
The giant axe and the longsword collided violently! The ear-piercing screech of the impact made one's eardrums ache!
The expected scene of Ye Chen being sent flying by the axe did not occur. The moment the violent Demonic Astral Power axe shadow touched the Chaos Sword Aura, it was like a stone sinking into the ocean. The terrifying power it contained was rapidly decomposed and devoured by the gray currents! Although a portion of the force still transferred through, making Ye Chen's blood surge and forcing him back several steps, it was far lighter than the One-Eyed Strongman had anticipated!
"What kind of devilry is this?!" The One-Eyed Strongman's pupils constricted. He felt as if his Demonic Astral Power had hacked into a swirling, eroding quagmire, with its power inexplicably weakened by more than thirty percent! Just what kind of Cultivation Technique was this kid practicing? It could actually devour his Demonic Astral Power?
His heart was filled with uncertainty, and his movements involuntarily faltered for a brief moment.
And that single moment of hesitation gave Ye Chen his chance!
"Judgment!"
Ye Chen suppressed the metallic taste in his throat, his eyes flashing with brilliant light. That grand and righteous Judgment True Intent once again merged into his sword. Seizing the moment when the opponent's mind was shaken and his old strength was spent while new strength had yet to rise, the guixu sword shot out like a venomous snake, stabbing straight for the One-Eyed Strongman's heart! The sword was as fast as a lightning bolt, and that point of ultimate darkness reappeared at the tip!
The One-Eyed Strongman's heart chilled. His years of combat experience made him instinctively pull back his giant axe, using the broad face of the blade like a shield across his chest.
Puff!
The tip of the guixu sword struck the face of the axe! There was no loud bang, only a muffled sound of penetration! That High Grade Spiritual Artifact giant axe, capable of withstanding attacks from the Ninth Layer Earth Fiend Realm, was actually pierced through with a small hole by the Guixu Sword Intent! The sharp, annihilating Sword Intent passed through the hole, striking directly at the One-Eyed Strongman's heart meridians!
"Argh!"
The One-Eyed Strongman let out a shrill scream and violently spat out a mouthful of blood. He stumbled backward, his face filled with pain and disbelief. He felt a deathly power spreading through his body, frantically eroding his life force!
He looked down at the small hole in his axe, filled with shock and rage, and an even deeper, bone-chilling cold rose from his heart. This kid was too bizarre! At the Fifth Layer Earth Fiend Realm, he could actually wound an Eighth Layer expert and even destroy his weapon!
Escape!
This thought uncontrollably surged into his mind. No Demon Core or precious sword was more important than his own life!
Without hesitation, he turned around and burned his blood essence, transforming into a streak of bloody light as he fled desperately toward the Rift Valley, not even caring for his four subordinates who were still struggling with the monsters.
Ye Chen watched the man flee but did not pursue. His own internal blood and qi were churning violently; forcibly devouring a portion of the opponent's Demonic Astral Power and executing the Judgment strike had taken a significant toll. He quickly took out a Demon Core obtained from a monster and held it in his hand. The chaos ancestral talisman rotated slightly, converting the pure Devilish Qi into Chaos Gang Qi to replenish his consumption.
He glanced toward the other side. Seeing their leader flee heavily wounded, the morale of the four Demonic Cultivators instantly collapsed. The three Bone-Spined Lizard Demons seized the opportunity, instantly tearing two of them apart while the other two were also in grave danger.
Ye Chen no longer paid attention to the battle over there and turned toward the cave on the black mound. The entrance was deep and dark, emitting an ancient and chaotic aura. The resonance from the chaos ancestral talisman became exceptionally clear and... active here.
He did not enter rashly. Instead, he sat cross-legged at the entrance, fully circulating his Cultivation Technique to recover his state. He didn't know what dangers lay inside the cave, so he had to enter in his best condition.
About half an hour later, Ye Chen opened his eyes. A brilliant light was contained within them, and his state had returned to its Peak. He stood up, glanced at the darkness in the cave entrance that seemed to swallow all light, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
His figure was instantly swallowed by the darkness.
Outside the cave, the last Demonic Cultivator was also torn apart by the Bone-Spined Lizard Demons. The three monsters devoured the flesh, their crimson eyes occasionally darting warily toward the silent cave entrance, yet they did not dare to approach it in the slightest, as if something they feared existed within.