Chapter 967: Chapter 966: Demon-Testing Stone_1
"Yan family leader, hand over the item obediently, and this old man might spare your life."
Following by Wudao Xuan’s side, the hunched old servant, who was also Elder Pu, appeared to be smiling warmly but was actually staring at the bloodied Yan Zhenning with a sinister face.
He had not expected the opponent to hide so deeply. With five top-tier experts and himself, six people in total, it had taken them a whole day and night to severely wound the opponent. Such a person must not be allowed to live!
A fierce killing intent flickered in the depths of Elder Pu’s eyes.
"Thinking of running?"
Seeing Yan Zhenning take flight, Elder Pu let out a mocking laugh. His aged hand reached out, capturing a piece of the Void Origin Realm like a prison, continuously compressing towards the center.
Yan Zhenning’s wounds, which had started to heal, burst open once again, and the scarce blood in his body gushed out.
These were no ordinary wounds, but contained the martial essence of the five great experts, constantly eroding Yan Zhenning’s tendons, bones, and even his foundation. If it were anyone else, they would have died many times over by now.
Yan Zhenning had a premonition that if this dragged on, even if he could save his life, his powers would be reduced to a tenth of what they were, and he would become a cripple.
But at the moment, even surviving was a luxury.
After Elder Pu made his move, a magnificent figure that seemed to burn the heavens and earth came from afar, bringing with it a vast sea of fire and blocking Yan Zhenning’s retreat.
On another side, water flowed like waves, and the torrential floods overwhelmed the wilderness. Above the deluge, the Heavenly Water Great Emperor stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression callously watching Yan Zhenning, who fought like a cornered beast.
A swath of night enveloped the sky, shrouding the west in darkness—the Dark Night Emperor had arrived.
To the north, a sword and knife were wielded by two elders riding the wind, their blade light and Sword Qi slicing the Void Origin Realm into sections. The elder on the left had a youthful face with white hair, whereas the one on the right lacked both arms.
These were the renowned Xuanhuang Elders of Daxia from thousands of years ago.
In the blink of an eye, Yan Zhenning was once again surrounded by six top experts.
The Nine Ancestors mud sculptures, containing the grand secrets of those from beyond the heavens, absolutely could not be revealed. Amidst despair, a tragic but heroic ardor of shouldering a heavy responsibility welled up in Yan Zhenning’s heart. He burst into laughter, "Even if Yan ends up fighting to the death, I will not let you rat-like creatures succeed!"
Blood bubbles started to froth from his body, popping and hissing, while his aura skyrocketed at an alarming rate.
"He’s preparing to exhaust his life’s essence in a final struggle, all of us attack together, don’t give him any time," ordered the Fire Emperor, who was the first to strike with his palm. Hearing this, the others didn’t dare to be outdone and simultaneously unleashed their secret techniques to strike at Yan Zhenning.
Soon, the horizon was filled with terrifying explosions, roars of anger, and sounds of fierce combat, audible for hundreds of thousands of meters around.
Passing Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors felt a chilling sensation through their bodies from merely being grazed by the aftermath and wished they could flee far away.
"On the day the Twenty-Fourth Floor opened, the gates to the Heavenly Realm also opened. Those must be the Heaven Realm Martial Emperors who escaped. Goodness, I wonder what they are fighting over?"
"It must be a marvel of the world, but it’s none of our business. Don’t join the commotion and risk losing your lives."
No one dared to linger, for fear of being caught in the crossfire.
To ordinary folks, the existence of Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors was something of legends, yet when they encountered those even stronger, their reactions were no different from those of ordinary people.
Class, it exists in every corner of the world.
Millions of meters away, Wudao Xuan and the Wind Thunder Blade Queen stood still together, not daring to advance any closer.
"Young Master, Elder Pu is over there," the Wind Thunder Blade Queen noted.
With the spiritual power of the Wind Thunder Blade Queen, her perceptual range was about six thousand meters under normal circumstances. But the ruckus today was so loud that even a deaf person would be awakened by it.
"Uncle Yan, what are you doing?" Yan Yuchai looked at Yan Da, who had sealed off her powers.
With a bitter smile, Yan Da responded, "The family leader ordered that should any misfortune occur, we must at all costs bring the young lady to safety. After today, you are free to punish me as you please."
He glanced in the direction of the bloody battle and faintly seemed to see the unrepentant figure of the family leader. He had said that his greatest regret was his daughter, and he couldn’t let anything happen to her.
With tears welling up in his eyes, Yan Da bit his lip, whisked Yan Yuchai away in the opposite direction of the fight. Yan Er, Yan San, and Yan Si followed silently behind.
A sigh echoed faintly at the tip of Yan Yuchai’s heart.
That man who was her father in name had never provided the protection and tenderness she deserved. He was more like a general, strict with his daughter, forcing her to be strong, pushing her to fend for herself at a tender age, and to endure hardships and treacheries in the perilous Martial World.
She could never forgive him for forcing her to cultivate the Heartless Thirty-Three Heavens, a martial art devoid of emotions and passions.
She suffered from amnesia and wandered to the Western Sea Archipelago, where she entered the tutelage of a master, until several years ago, when she was forcibly taken back by the Yan family and her memories were restored by her father’s profound abilities.
But there was no tenderness or emotion, all she received was cold orders and so-called missions.
Watching the man who might die any moment in the distance, Yan Yuchai felt no sorrow, only a vague sense of loss. Was that man, the cause of her tragedy, simply heading toward his end?
Who could she fiercely hate from now on?
An old man and a youngster walked along a mountain ridge, and in a moment, looked toward the distance at the battle that seemed to tear the world asunder.
"Shi Xiaole, do you want to go have a look?"
Uncle Wang chuckled, revealing his ghostly white teeth.
In the great war between good and evil that swept over the three major dynasties, he had roamed to the ends of the earth, slaughtering twenty-five warriors of the Void Origin Realm. He had always been a restless soul, and after being imprisoned for over six hundred years, the sight of battle made every cell in his body itch for action.
Watching the earth-shattering fireworks of fire and water, the darkness, the energy of blades and swords, and another two familiar auras in the distance, Shi Xiaole couldn’t help but ask, "Uncle Wang, how does your power compare to theirs?"
Uncle Wang chuckled haughtily, "Six people, one grievously injured. The remaining five are no match for me."
Shi Xiaole took a deep breath, "I owe that severely injured person a favor. I implore you, Uncle Wang, to lend your aid."
In the midst of a laugh that shook the heavens and earth, Uncle Wang took a step forward; his body had already traversed tens of thousands of meters. His withered hand reached down.
"Who dares? Get lost!"
The Heavenly Water Great Emperor’s spine went numb. His fatal water punch, initially aimed at Yan Zhenning, was redirected at the sky above.
The resulting clash between fist and palm instantly evaporated the condensed waves of water. The relentless force of the palm drilled into the Heavenly Water Great Emperor’s arm, and amidst his piercing screams, blood blossomed everywhere.
Retreating tens of thousands of meters away, the Heavenly Water Great Emperor clutched his arm, disbelievingly staring at the shabby old man who had descended from the sky.
After one move, the latter continued to throw heavy punches, targeting the Fire Emperor, Dark Night Emperor, and three others including Elder Pu, seeking to fight against multiple opponents alone.
The plain below was as if struck by an apocalyptic missile. A column of Vigorous Air, infused with the power of five great masters, pierced into the ground, followed by a moment of eerie silence.
Boom!!!
The earth shook ceaselessly. Centered on the column of Vigorous Air, a storm of sand and rocks burst outwards, creating a yellow dust curtain that covered the sky for tens of thousands of meters, obstructing both vision and mental perception.
Boom, boom, boom...
The explosive sounds continued unabated, each blast resembling thunder from the heavens. Shi Xiaole staggered backward again and again, his face paling, barely preventing internal injuries from the shockwaves.
"Who exactly are you?"
After dozens of exchanges, Uncle Wang was still holding his own with ease, not showing any sign of weakness against the likes of the Fire Emperor. His extraordinary prowess caused heart palpitations among the observers.
The Dark Night Emperor quietly stepped back, asking in a condensed voice.
"Release that man, and I’ll then give you a proper fight."
Uncle Wang laughed loudly, but when his gaze fell on Yan Zhenning, his brows furrowed slightly. He could easily see that the latter was in poor shape; without timely medical attention, he would surely become disabled.
Clang, clang, clang...
In the distance, ten thousand swords resonated together. The rolling Sword Qi, even from afar, caused the onlookers’ skin to tingle with pain as it pierced through the Dark Night Emperor’s curtain of night and the Fire Emperor’s sea of flames, creating countless holes.
"The Sword Worshiping Emperor!"
The Heavenly Water Great Emperor’s face drastically changed as he saw the middle-aged man in the distance, his sword intent stunning like a rainbow.
The top ten masters of Daxia were ranked, and the Heavenly Water Great Emperor was at best mediocre, while the Sword Worshiping Emperor, aside from the Daxia Martial Emperor, was unmatched, a reputation earned through battle!
What was worse, he had heard from Yan Zhenning that the Sword Worshiping Emperor owed him a favor. If he were to intervene on his behalf, coupled with the mysterious and unkempt old man, killing Yan Zhenning today would be difficult.
"Let him go,"
As expected, the Sword Worshiping Emperor just glanced at Yan Zhenning and immediately spoke.
The Fire Emperor and the others felt an immense pressure, their faces hesitant. Having witnessed Yan Zhenning’s terror, releasing him would leave them uneasy.
Suddenly, the shroud of night contracted and rushed back into the body of the man in black. Pale and taller than nine feet, he was the most mysterious Dark Night Emperor.
Looking at the Sword Worshiping Emperor and Uncle Wang, the Dark Night Emperor transmitted a message, "As a person of East Victory Continent, I believe neither of you should interfere in this matter."
Amidst the resonating Sword Qi that filled the sky, the Dark Night Emperor’s expression changed, yet he transmitted back a laugh, "Sword Worshiping Emperor, it’s not that I disregard you. It’s just that I have ample reasons."
He took out a chicken egg-sized square stone from his chest, its surface clear and unmarred, and transmitted, "This is a Demon-testing Stone. Sword Worshiping Emperor, as a participant in the grand plan against the demons, you should know the function of this stone."
The Sword Worshiping Emperor said nothing.
The grand plan against the demons spanned across the three major dynasties, backed by unimaginable power, and the Demon-testing Stone was a crucial element of that plan.
The stone was actually a kind of drug, secretly produced after thousands of years of research by several large organizations involved in the plan, with rumors saying it could detect outsiders.
"This is Yan Zhenning’s blood."
The Dark Night Emperor sneered. With a sweep of his hand, a wisp of blood landed on the Demon-testing Stone, turning the previously clear stone into a shade of deep red.
While the Fire Emperor and others were confused, the expression of the Sword Worshiping Emperor solidified, and when his gaze fell on Yan Zhenning once again, Yan Zhenning revealed a helpless bitter smile.
He knew some truths too. And to think, those people succeeded!
"You’ve saved me, but I should have been the one to kill you! Let’s consider our debt settled. If we meet again, my sword will show no mercy."
As his words fell, the Sword Worshiping Emperor had already vanished.
