Daqin Zhentiansi

Those exclamations that were enough to shake the hearts of others.

Those gazes, intertwined with complex emotions—greed, fear, apprehension, and ruthlessness—surged in from all directions like a tide.
However, it vanished silently within three feet of Zhang Yuan, without causing even a ripple.

He didn't even glance back at the chaotic crowd behind him, which resembled an anthill being breached by a flood.

His steps were as steady as an unyielding mountain, his figure as composed as an ancient rock, never pausing for even a moment for anything else.

"Let's go," Zhang Yuan said calmly.

A hint of excitement flashed across Cheng Yue's face. He nodded and followed Zhang Yuan closely, remaining silent about the commotion behind him.

The two walked side by side, like two indestructible giant ships, cutting straight through the rubble path formed by the ruins of the collapsed Sword Hill.

Broken sword blades, shattered crystals, and decaying bones turned to dust beneath his feet.

Their silhouettes gradually became clearer amidst the swirling dust, as they steadily strode towards the deeper and more dangerous core of the Rusty Sword Wasteland.

Watching Zhang Yuan's departing figure, countless onlookers were filled with a tremendous surge of emotions.

After the initial shock subsided, those who held awe developed an almost fanatical devotion.

The wary man's eyes flickered, his palms gripping the magical talismans tightly, his mind racing as he quickly calculated how to adjust his strategy to avoid this overly sharp and malevolent star.

The schemer was even more insidious, secretly tightening his grip on the communication jade talisman.

In particular, representatives of forces that already had a long-standing grudge against the Great River Sword Sect, or who had heard that their fellow disciples had suffered great losses at Zhang Yuan's hands.

A series of subtle, venomous gazes converged like night owls in the shadows of the crowd.

"We can't let this continue!"

"We must join forces! The chaos at the Sword Tomb presents a golden opportunity..."

"Notify the Blood Wolf Alliance: Target spotted! Rush to rendezvous!"

"Poison? Set up a trap? Or lure other ferocious creatures..."

Various conspiracies targeting Zhang Yuan quickly fermented in silent plotting.

The balance has been broken, and a more violent storm is brewing.

"boom--!"

Almost the instant Zhang Yuan and his companion completely disappeared from sight.

At the center of the collapsed Star Sword Formation ruins, a residual spiritual power that had been accumulating for an unknown period of time suddenly erupted!
It was as if the door to a long-sealed treasure vault had been shaken open!

A blinding, dazzling light shot into the sky.

Those were the astonishing number of exquisite sword fragments, rich in spiritual essence, a brief afterglow emanating from the core of the sword formation after its collapse!

Even if the sword left behind by the powerful soul of a cultivator is broken, its value is enough to drive most cultivators crazy!
In an instant, the brief silence was replaced by utter madness!

"Mine! I saw that blue-light sword first!"

"Get out of the way! All of you get out of the way! This area is under the Blood Shark Clan's control!"

"Kill! Loot!"

Greed instantly overwhelmed his fear of Zhang Yuan and his apprehension about the remaining power of the Star Sword Formation.

The cultivators who were originally just watching were now like sharks that had smelled blood, unable to restrain themselves any longer, and surged into the ruins like a boiling tide.

The light of swords, talismans, and magical artifacts suddenly shone brightly and then clashed and intertwined wildly.

The piercing screams, the furious roars, the splattering sound of blades piercing flesh, the cracking sound of bones shattering... instantly replaced the gasps of alarm, weaving together a cruel symphony of hell on earth!

Blood blossomed between the broken blades, and corpses fell like felled wheat among the rubble. The scene that had just barely maintained order was completely transformed into a field of indiscriminate slaughter!

Driven by the alluring glow of the gleaming sword fragments, everyone was taking desperate risks, creating a scene a hundred times more chaotic than the most savage beast carnage.

Amidst all this bloody chaos, Zhang Yuan and Cheng Yue strolled leisurely into the deeper, more twisted, desolate, and ominous region of the Rusty Sword Wasteland.

Not far.

Beneath a twisted cliff formed by jagged rocks, deafening shouts of battle, the clang of metal on metal, and mournful howls of demons mingled with violent energy fluctuations, rushing towards us like tangible shockwaves!

At the entrance to the canyon ahead, a scene of carnage unfolded!
Three distinct yet fiercely colliding waves of light and shadow are locked in a fierce battle.

One is a cultivator of the Immortal Path, whose signature purple lightning from the Qingling Thunder Sword Sect of Yangtian Continent tears through the air.

A series of violent, thunderous sword energies surged and roared, with thunderous explosions resounding endlessly. The sword energy of the first few people flickered and danced like electric snakes.

One was filled with overwhelming demonic energy, with the demonic cultivators of the Lichen Palace surrounded by eerie black mist.

Its figure appeared and disappeared intermittently, emitting unsettling shrieks. Poisonous mist, sinister fire, soul-stealing nails, and all sorts of vicious tricks emerged one after another, transforming into streaks of insidious and ruthless black light that attacked the opponent.

One of them wore a fiery red sword robe. They seemed to be slightly outnumbered and were sandwiched in the middle. Although they were struggling, they managed to form a fiery sword formation and barely held on.

The sword array was ablaze with flames, each strike carrying a scorching heat, clearly indicating that the user was no ordinary person.

The three forces, a melee of dozens of people, had only one target: the core ore of "Mysterious Iron Essence" that was emanating a deep and alluring light, about the size of a fist, with faintly mysterious patterns flowing through it, hidden in the crevices of the cliff!
Around the fissure where it was located, there were also many smaller pieces of black iron, which also contained amazing spiritual power.

Every ray of dim light seemed to be stirring the nerves of every cultivator present, making their eyes bloodshot with greed and slaughter!

"Zhao Zhou's fellow practitioner! Is he Zhao Zhou's senior brother?!"

A disciple in a fiery red sword robe, who had been blasted away by the thunder and fire sword energy and whose mouth was bleeding, spotted Cheng Yue and Zhang Yuan, who had just arrived at the valley entrance.

Cheng Yue's simple yet stylish outfit, reminiscent of Zhao Zhou's style, and the calm demeanor he exuded, made him seem like a beacon of light on the chaotic battlefield.

The disciple, as if grasping at a straw, shouted hoarsely, "Fellow Daoist Zhao Zhou! Come quickly to our aid! There is an unparalleled opportunity here! Let us seize the essence of Xuan Iron together! Slay demons and monsters! Our Cloud Moon Sword Sect will surely repay you handsomely!"

In the fierce struggle, the essence of the black iron seemed to be amplified by the aftershocks of the magic, its eerie light growing even more intense and scalding hot!

The valley was filled with deafening sounds of battle, and the stench of blood was so thick it was nauseating.

The battle has reached a fever pitch; everyone is fighting desperately, their eyes bloodshot with rage!
Every strike draws blood, every sword is deadly!
A demonic cultivator from the Lichen Palace, who had been hiding in a crevice in the shadowy cliff face and had been concealing his aura like a black rock, saw Zhang Yuan calmly surveying the battlefield, seemingly with no intention of joining the melee. Instantly, a sinister and cruel glint flashed in his eyes.

"Hmph! Stand by and watch? Let me bleed you and open your eyes!" This demonic cultivator was extremely arrogant about his concealment skills and speed of attack.

He was convinced that the opponent's strength was at most at the peak of the Grandmaster level, and at this moment, his mind was attracted by the three-way battle and the essence of the Xuan Iron, making him an excellent prey!
Once the evil thought arose in my mind, I hesitated for the second!

"Buzz!"

The demonic cultivator's figure seemed to completely merge into a wisp of suddenly rising, thick black smoke!

Silent and stealthy, faster than a ghost!
Under the perfect cover of the chaotic atmosphere of the battlefield, it is like a black venomous snake lurking in the mud, suddenly bursting out to devour people!

The target was aimed directly at Zhang Yuan's vital point on his side and back!

A dagger, a ghostly green color, carrying a strong, pungent stench, clearly coated with a deadly poison, gleamed with a chilling light, imbued with sinister and malevolent demonic energy. It drew a barely perceptible, thin black line through the air, stabbing out with ruthless precision! "Huh? Behind that rogue cultivator!"

"Watch out behind you! A sneak attack!"

In the chaos, a disciple of the Azure Spirit Thunder Sword Sect who was wielding demonic flames caught a glimpse of the dangerous black figure out of the corner of his eye and instinctively cried out in alarm!

In his view, the young man in black robes carrying a heavy sword would be pierced through by that dark green dagger in the next second!

Zhang Yuan, who was in the center of the danger, did not even turn his head back.

Even the center of gravity of the body did not shift at all.

It was as if that sneak attack, which was enough to make even a powerful expert in the Tongyou Realm panic and was vicious and deadly, was just a tiny speck of dust brushing against the corner of his clothes.

His right hand didn't even touch the hilt of the sword.

He simply swung his arm back very casually and naturally, as if shooing away a noisy mosquito.

The Azure Dragon Mace transformed into chains that covered the fist's edge.

There was no dazzling burst of true essence!

There was no earth-shattering roar!
There is only one ultimate, pure force that ignores all techniques, ignores all defenses, and crushes everything tangible and intangible!

It coalesced and exploded in an indescribable way as his fist was thrown!
“Pfft——!!!”

A very brief sound, like a leather bag filled with liquid being shattered instantly by a huge blunt object!

Then came something even more terrifying—"Bang!!! Boom!!!"

The demonic cultivator from the Lichen Palace who launched the sneak attack was struck head-on by an invisible, towering hammer, seemingly without warning!

He couldn't even let out a complete scream!
His body, along with the dagger gleaming with a ghostly green poisonous light, and even all the dark demonic energy protecting him, and the protective talismans he was trying to activate to save his life...

In the air, a foot away from Zhang Yuan's vest!

Without warning, completely and violently, it exploded!
The crimson, viscous blood mist, accompanied by countless pale, shattered bone fragments and pink flesh, resembled a giant balloon that burst open instantly, filled with a shower of blood and flesh!

In the most violent, direct, and shocking way—splashing and splattering!
It covered an area of ​​several meters in radius!

A few drops of scalding blood even splashed onto the faces of the cultivators who were fighting nearby!
A strong, pungent smell of blood, mixed with the stench of entrails, filled the air!

Dead!

Absolute silence!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

In the canyon, all those fighting and battling, whether it was the purple sword light of the Qingling Thunder Sword Sect disciples, the demonic flames spewed by the demon of the Lichen Palace, or the flames activated by the Zhao Zhou Yunyue Sword Sect disciples in their formation...

Their movements suddenly froze!
As if frozen by an invisible stream of ice!

A series of blank, terrified, and ghost-seeing gazes were fixed on the young man in black robes who was still in the "dusting" position and whose clothes did not even flutter.

however!
This scene, so bloody and domineering to the extreme, seemed to be the most precise signal, activating the ultimate terror sleeping in this deep valley!
The cliffs stained with the scalding demonic blood that had been splashed and splattered... came to life!
"Om...!!!"

A deep, muffled, yet incredibly powerful and soul-stirring hum suddenly rang out from underground!

It was as if millions of gears had begun to turn inside the mountain!
The towering, brown rock cliff face, covered with the bloody marks left by Zhang Yuan's fists, began to undulate violently and twist violently!

Large swathes of rocks, like peeling away rotten skin, fell with a thunderous roar!
The lines of the mountain are altered as if kneaded by an invisible giant hand!

The raised ravines formed scales!

The jagged rocks combine to form a ferocious claw!
In the reflection of countless eyes that suddenly contracted, filled with extreme terror and despair, the entire cliff that carried the "essence of black iron" and emitted an alluring eerie light, along with the largest "essence" core in its crevice, "melted" and disappeared like a dream bubble!
Instead, a colossal beast, its body seemingly cast from the purest black iron and gleaming with a cold metallic light, rose from the ground!

It resembles an ancient earth dragon, with its back arched and covered with layers of massive, angular, black iron armor, and its thick limbs like four giant steel pillars deeply rooted in the ground!

A massive tail, as thick as a log and covered with barbs of steel, could stir up a terrifying gust of wind with just a slight sway, sweeping large chunks of rock around it into dust!
What is most terrifying is its drooping head!
A pair of enormous, blood-red eyes were fixed on all living beings in the valley, burning with the most primal, savage ferocity that could destroy everything!

A terrifying demonic aura belonging to the peak half-step saint realm erupted like a tsunami!
It instantly destroyed all the air in the canyon!
Its tangible, ferocious power pressed down heavily on everyone's hearts!

Those with weaker cultivation suffocated on the spot!
"Mysterious Iron Devouring Rock-Devouring Beast!!!"

A disciple of the Azure Spirit Thunder Sword Sect squeezed out the name through gritted teeth, his voice distorted and filled with boundless fear, completely breaking down!
"It's a trap! That essence is bait! This monster is using a decoy to lure us into a fight!! Run!!!"

"Half-step Saint Realm! Run—!"

A piercing, inhuman scream instantly tore through the deathly silence!

Fear exploded like a plague!
All the cultivators in the valley were instantly annihilated!
The instinct for survival replaced all greed!
"Boom!"

The roar of the behemoth shook the entire rift valley, causing it to groan and tremble!

Its massive, barbed iron tail rose high, sweeping out with immense force like a collapsing mountain range!

"Boom! Boom!"

Two deep, loud thuds!

The protective spiritual light on the bodies of the two Qingling Thunder Sword Sect disciples and the three Lichen Palace demon cultivators who were unable to dodge in time shattered like eggshells!
Before he could even scream, he was smashed into two piles of mangled flesh!
Blood splattered everywhere!
A gigantic maw, reeking of blood and reeking like a bottomless abyss, suddenly opened wide!

A terrifying devouring force instantly enveloped the entire valley!

"No—! Help!"

The closest Yunyue Sword Sect disciples and a rogue cultivator who tried to escape by burrowing underground were held back as if by invisible chains.

With both feet off the ground, screaming in agony as it spun around, it was sucked into that bottomless, gigantic maw!
It vanished in an instant, leaving only a few abrupt chewing sounds!

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" Cheng Yue's expression was more solemn than ever before, and he had already made his move with lightning speed.

His movements were as fast as a ghost, and the ancient sword sheath in his hand seemed to come alive as he repeatedly struck out!
"Cang! Cang!"

Two crisp sounds!

Two invisible forces, imbued with a steady and resilient sword intent, precisely knocked away two millstone-sized boulders that had been swept up by the giant beast and were about to smash into a group of Zhao Zhou-dressed cultivators who were fleeing for their lives!

Those few people had just escaped the beast's bite and were still in shock. They hurriedly scrambled out of the valley.

In the chaos, two more demonic cultivators from the Li Chen Palace, who had been cornered by the giant beast, saw the abyss's gaping maw close at hand and felt the stench of blood rushing towards them. Their desperate fear instantly transformed into the most vicious madness!
"Let's risk it! We'll drag him down with us!"

"Get in here, you son of a bitch!"

The two men grinned savagely as they frantically unleashed their primordial demonic powers, causing their bodies to swell with black energy!

But instead of retreating or scattering and fleeing, they suddenly accelerated!
Like two shooting stars burning with dark demonic flames, carrying a fierce momentum of mutual destruction, they charged recklessly toward Zhang Yuan, who had just killed their fellow disciple with a single punch at the edge of the battlefield!
The intention couldn't be clearer—

Sacrificing its last burst of momentum, it slammed Zhang Yuan into the gaping, all-consuming maw of the Xuan Tie Devouring Rock Beast before dying! (End of Chapter)