Chapter 162
The three families martial artists were very displeased when the three outlaw groups rushed at them without any hesitation. They were the elite forces of the Seven Great Families, not opponents that the three outlaw groups should dare look down on. Nevertheless, the outlaws behavior right now showed otherwise.
Feeling as if they were being looked down upon, the three families forces boiled with anger. They wanted to show how scary the three families were to the outlaws and the Qingdao Sects members, who came charging without knowing their place. Motivated by that desire, they rushed toward their opponents.
The three families eight hundred martial artists and the Qingdao Sect and three outlaw groups one thousand one hundred martial artists clashed head-on on the vast plains. Despite being outnumbered, the three families forces believed that they could gain the upper hand through their relatively stronger martial arts. However, when the fight started, they quickly realized how mistaken they were. The three outlaw groups displayed much stronger martial prowess than expected and skills that did not fall far behind theirs.
When the Qingdao Sects martial artists, who were also nearly as strong as the three families martial artists, joined the fray, the three families forces began to be noticeably pushed back. The expression of the Absolute-Realm masters at the back distorted upon witnessing the scene. Without a significant difference in skills, it would be difficult for them to make up for their inferior numbers. The only way out of this situation was for the Absolute-Realm masters to play an active role.
It seems we have to step up to the plate, Huangfu Jian said. The other Absolute-Realm masters nodded in agreement.
Lets go.
They headed to the forefront to turn the tides of the battle. However, when they did, the three outlaw groups seventeen martial arts masters confronted them.
Only three of them were Absolute-Realm masters, and the rest were in the Upper Peak Realm. However, the latter exerted power that rivaled the former due to the Soul-Burning Invincibility Pills, making it seem as if they had seventeen Absolute-Realm masters.
The three families forces had ten Absolute-Realm masters. The outlaws three Absolute-Realm masters each fought one, while their Upper-Peak-Realm masters faced the remaining seven in pairs.
The three families masters could not help but be flustered when the outlaws martial arts masters, whom they thought were in the Upper Peak Realm, began to display Absolute-Realm strength. Although they paled in comparison to those who had truly reached the realm, the difference was insignificant. They also attacked in pairs, which increased the threat they posed to the three families Absolute-Realm masters.
Nevertheless, the three families Absolute-Realm masters had skills so outstanding that they were not greatly pushed back. They could not easily overwhelm the pair of Upper-Peak-Realm masters either, but at this rate, they would at least eventually emerge victorious.
Unfortunately, the longer their battle lasted, the more damage their forces suffered. It made them feel as if time was against them. On the other hand, impatience would do them no good in a confrontation between martial arts masters.
Stay calm! Dont forget that the more you rush, the more we will lose! Namgung Hwang shouted.
The three families forces were regrettably suffering more and more casualties, but their martial arts masters had to focus on the fight in front of them. Namgung Hwangs warning clearly worked. The other Absolute-Realm masters stopped being impatient and began to fully focus on their opponents.
This is why they are Absolute-Realm masters, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch, who was yet to participate in the fight, murmured with a stiff expression. He flew toward the three families Absolute-Realm masters soon after, having realized that their opponents would eventually gain the upper hand at this rate. He had to intervene and defeat them before they could seize the chance of victory.
The Death Shadow Demonic Monarchs first target was Huangfu Qiun the Extreme Thunder Mountain Fists. He was one of the Great Huangfu Familys Four Peerless Heavenly Kings. Even with two Captains of the Four Seas' Ten Great Warships attacking him, he was holding out quite well. No, he was not just holding out. He was gaining the upper hand as the battle went on. At this rate, Huangfu Qiun would eventually overpower them.
Fortunately, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch intervened. He approached Huangfu Qiun, who was focused on the two Warship Captains, from behind. When Huangfu Qiun noticed him, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch immediately launched an attack, leaving Huangfu Quin no means to escape.
In response, Huangfu Qiun clenched his teeth and exerted his full force. He unleashed the strongest martial art in his arsenal: the Heaven-Splitting Wasteland Blast. It was the last and ultimate technique of the Mountain-Splitting Fist Art. Blue thunder-like energy violently swirled around Huangfu Qiun and clustered into hundreds of fist energies. They then indiscriminately burst toward the two Warship Captains and the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch.
The Heaven-Splitting Wasteland Blast was an offensive and defensive skill that allowed the user to simultaneously unleash tens and hundreds of thunder-like fist energies from all over them. The two Warship Captains and the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch stopped attacking to block the countless projectiles that came pouring in their direction, causing deafening roars to resonate from three different directions.
Unable to defend themselves, the fist energies pushed away the two Warship Captains and mangled them all over. Although the Soul-Burning Invincibility Pill gave them Absolute-Realm martial prowess, they still could not block a real Absolute-Realm masters ultimate technique.
However, the same could not be said for the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch. The Death Shadow Demonic Monarchs Invincible Death Soul Sword Art unleashed vajra qi that penetrated through the thunder-like fist energy and shot toward Huangfu Qiun. Akin to a large gimlet, the vajra qi pierced through everything that blocked its way until it finally found its way into Huangfu Qiuns chest.
Cough!
Huangfu Qiun exhausted all his internal energy when he used the Heaven-Splitting Wasteland Blast, leaving him no strength to block the Death Shadow Demonic Monarchs attack. Huangfu Qiun fell forward with a hole in his chest and a look of disbelief on his face.
Witnessing his death amid their respective fights, the expressions of the three families Absolute-Realm masters stiffened. They never expected to lose an Absolute-Realm master so easily. To make matters worse, they could suffer the same fate as well. As soon as the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch joined the fray, the three families Absolute-Realm masters were forced to give up the upper hand.
After killing Huangfu Qiun, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch looked at the remaining Absolute-Realm masters and picked his next target: the Penta Tigers Saber Saint Peng Mun-Seok. Mun-Seok was fighting the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulins two Upper-Peak-Realm masters. The three families Absolute-Realm masters noticed where the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch was going despite dealing with their respective opponents.
If they let the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch intervene, Mun-Seok would be in danger. If he managed to kill Mun-Seok as well, then the rest of them would find themselves in an even direr situation. The balance of power had already tilted toward the Nine Celestial Demons Sect. At this rate, they would only suffer even more losses.
Everyone, retreat! This battle is no longer worth it, so lets get out of here for now! We can just marshal our forces later! Namgung Hwang shouted toward the other Absolute-Realm masters, who agreed with him.
The Absolute-Realm masters immediately evaded their opponents attack and fled. Mun-Seok also wanted to escape, but before he could, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch already blocked his retreat route. Mun-Seok used the Penta Tiger Destroyer Saber Art, one of the famed martial arts of the Hebei Peng Family. Five tigers jumped out from Mun-Seoks saber and attacked the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch, who in turn immediately swung his sword and unleashed five gimlet-like vajra qi.
The Death Shadow Demonic Monarchs vajra qi crushed the heads of all five tigers, the impact causing Mun-Seok to falter. Maximizing the gap in his defenses, the Seventy-Two Strongholds of Lulins Upper-Peak-Realm masters pushed into Mun-Seoks sides and fired vajra qi at him.
Mun-Seok hurriedly swung his saber from side to side, sending tiger-shaped vajra qi to black their attacks. The shockwave from the deafening blast shook Mun-Seok. As he did, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch dashed forward and tried to stab him in the chest.
Mun-Seok gritted his teeth and raised his saber to block the incoming attack, but the Death Shadow Demonic Monarchs sword split into two, avoiding Mun-Seoks saber and penetrating both sides of his chest at the same time.
Cough!
Mun-Seok stumbled and collapsed to the floor with an agonizing scream. The eight remaining Absolute-Realm masters felt guilty for Mun-Seoks death. Mun-Seoks cousins, Peng Mun-Hyuk and Peng Mun-Ho, were especially saddened. They wanted to avenge Mun-Seok, but doing that now would be foolish. They could get killed before they could even get revenge. Their grudge could be repaid at any time anyway for as long as they could escape from this place.
Mun-Hyuk, Mun-Ho, and the other Absolute-Realm masters spared no effort in escaping alive. The three families martial artists also began to retreat as fast as they could when the Absolute-Realm masters ordered them to. However, retreating proved difficult with the Qingdao Sect and three outlaw groups persistently chasing after and raining down attacks on them. The Absolute-Realm masters had the same problem.
The Death Shadow Demonic Monarch and the martial arts masters of the three outlaw groups had no intention of letting the three great families Absolute-Realm masters get away that easily. They did not use the Soul-Burning Invincibility Pills just to kill two Absolute-Realm masters. They had to eliminate at least five or more for their sacrifices to be worth it, so the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch had no intention of stopping the manhunt until they had achieved that result.
Split up! Namgung Hwang shouted when he saw the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch and the martial arts masters of the three outlaw groups chasing after them. He judged that scattering and running away could increase their chances of survival since the enemys forces would be scattered too. The three families Absolute-Realm masters immediately did as instructed.
Chase after only five of them! the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch commanded when their opponents scattered in different directions.
At most, they could only split into teams of two if they wanted to chase after all of their opponents, which would be insufficient if they wanted to overwhelm them. If everyone was in the same area like when the battle started, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch could target one Absolute-Realm master after another to secure victory, but that was impossible now that their enemies were all running away in different directions. To guarantee they could kill their targets, they had to work at least in teams of three.
As such, the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch boldly decided to give up on three of the Absolute-Realm masters and only chase five. Killing that many would be enough for them to break-even.
As commanded, the martial arts masters of the three outlaw groups split into teams of three and began to hunt five Absolute-Realm masters. The Death Shadow Demonic Monarch joined one of the teams.
While the Death Shadow Demonic Monarch and the martial arts masters of the three outlaw groups split up and continued pursuing the three families Absolute-Realm masters, the Specter Slayer King approached from behind one of the teams while staying hidden in the shadows. He was about to leave Qingdao after completing his mission when Mu-Gun gave him an urgent mission.
As soon as Mu-Gun started suspecting that the Nine Celestial Demons Sect found a way to produce Soul-Burning Invincibility Pills again, he ordered the Specter Slayer King to help the three families Absolute-Realm masters to the best of his ability.
Hence, the Specter Slayer King had no choice but to turn back and go to the battlefield. When he arrived, the battle was already underway. Nevertheless, even as the three families forces were being pushed back, he remained hidden and did not intervene. Although Mu-Gun told him not to hold back, he had no intention of risking his life by abruptly joining a fight.
Hence, he simply watched as two of the three families Absolute-Realm masters were killed. He did not budge either when the others began to escape upon realizing that they had no chance of winning.
The Nine Celestial Demons Sects Demonic Monarch and the martial arts masters of the three outlaw groups immediately gave pursuit. Secretly following behind them, the Specter Slayer King confirmed the Nine Celestial Demons Sect only sent one Demonic Monarch.
Although he could not maximize the effects of the Dark Specter Stealth Art since it was not dark out yet, he could still hide his presence to a certain extent since the three families Absolute-Realm masters were also in the forest. The Specter Slayer King followed behind them, maintaining a safe distance to avoid being discovered.
There was no need to force the elimination of the Nine Celestial Demons Sects Demonic Monarch. If the Specter Slayer King found an opportunity, he would not mind killing him, but it would not be a problem if he just stepped down either. For better or for worse, the Nine Celestial Demons Sects Demonic Monarch and the martial arts masters of the three outlaw groups split up.
The last two Captains of the Ten Great Warships accompanied the Nine Celestial Demons Sects Demonic Monarch. The Specter Slayer King followed behind them, thinking that it could be worth a shot assassinating the Demonic Monarch if there were only three of them.
The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on fre(e)webno(v)el.𝒸𝑜𝘮