Chapter 350: Chapter 349: Mutation_1
The words reached Ling Chen’s ears, echoing in his mind.
This voice, these words, indeed evoked a sense of déjà vu.
Demon Forest... Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then his expression turned to one of shock as he finally remembered. The last person who had spoken these words was the mysterious woman who had killed Prince Tai in the Demon Forest and saved his life!
This mysterious woman... could she be Xia Ji from the Saint Witch Religion? How could that be possible? If it was Xia Yunxin, why did she save me? And what did these words mean?
However, that night in the Demon Forest, there had been no one else present apart from him and the mysterious, black-robed woman.
"If I die here, I won’t be able to say anything. You have to save me."
After adding this last sentence, Xia Yunxin floated back to her original position.
"Witch, face my sword!"
Ling Chen merely blinked, then suddenly thrust his sword toward Xia Yunxin.
The Sword Light grazed past Xia Yunxin. As Ling Chen’s form shot past hers, he asked in a low voice, "What exactly do I need to do?"
"Pretend to lose to me, then let me take you hostage."
Xia Yunxin’s breath was fragrant like orchids, as if she had blown a puff of air right beside Ling Chen’s ear.
Hearing this, Ling Chen performed a flourish with his Cloud-hidden Sword, creating a dazzling sword flower that enveloped Xia Yunxin. In truth, however, he deliberately left openings, feigning flaws.
Xia Yunxin seized the opportunity, balling her fist and punching Ling Chen in the abdomen.
THUMP!
Ling Chen reeled from the heavy blow to his abdomen, fresh blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Xia Yunxin then disarmed him of his Cloud-hidden Sword and pressed it against his neck.
"Hey, it’s just an act! Don’t you think you hit a bit too hard?"
Ling Chen was almost severely injured by this punch; his True Qi and blood roiled violently within him. If not for his physical constitution being far superior to that of an ordinary person, he might have been killed outright by this blow.
"Do you take those three for fools?" Xia Yunxin whispered, her sword held firmly against his neck. "If they see through this, not only will I die, but you won’t live either."
Then, she looked at Shentu Yan and the other two, saying, "Seniors, surely you don’t wish for a mutually destructive outcome. This boy is the champion of the current Martial World Tournament, the king of the younger generation in the Righteous Martial World. If I kill him, it would be a guaranteed gain for me, wouldn’t it?"
An expression of noble self-sacrifice appeared on Ling Chen’s face as he gritted his teeth and said, "Seniors, don’t worry about me! As long as you can kill this witch, my life is insignificant!"
Of course, he wasn’t truly fearless. Generally, when someone spoke such words, their opponent would hesitate, concerned for the hostage’s life, and would not dare to act rashly.
"Good! Worthy of a disciple of our Divine Intent Sect! You truly have backbone!"
Shentu Yan nodded, a look of appreciation on his face. Then, he clenched his hand, and immense True Qi instantly surged from the Void, rapidly converging in his palm.
"Witch, die!"
As his shout faded, Shentu Yan abruptly struck out with his palm, truly disregarding Ling Chen’s life as he aimed an aerial palm strike at both Xia Yunxin and Ling Chen.
Damn it, why isn’t this Shentu Yan playing by the rules? Ling Chen’s expression changed slightly. He clearly hadn’t expected Shentu Yan to still attack after his declaration; this was highly unconventional.
This guy is no good. Xia Yunxin’s pretty face also darkened slightly.
Seeing the incredibly powerful Palm Power blasting through the air towards them, Xia Yunxin pushed Ling Chen aside. Then, with a flick of her jade-like hand, a Painting Scroll appeared. As the scroll unfurled, a ferocious Demon Image was revealed. Once infused with True Qi, this Demon Image seemed to awaken, as black patterns rapidly spread across the Painting Scroll.
As the black light spread, a phantasmal projection of the Demon Image suddenly materialized, extending a massive black palm to meet Shentu Yan’s attack.
BANG!
The True Qi-infused palms collided. Even an expert as powerful as Shentu Yan, a Top Sky Apex Strong, was blasted back tens of meters by the impact.
After repelling Shentu Yan, Xia Yunxin retracted the Painting Scroll and turned to flee.
"Master Shentu!"
Lu Youzhen and Sky Thunder Wandering Cultivator were shocked by this and quickly supported the retreating Shentu Yan.
"What are you two waiting for? Quickly capture that demoness!" Shentu Yan roared in a deep voice.
Hearing this, Lu Youzhen and Sky Thunder Wandering Cultivator sprang into action, leaping into the air and rapidly closing in on Xia Yunxin.
This is bad. Ling Chen thought, watching Xia Yunxin flee the dueling platform. He then glanced at Lu Youzhen and Sky Thunder Wandering Cultivator in pursuit, an uneasy expression couldn’t help but appear on his face. With Xia Yunxin’s strength, how could she possibly contend with Lu Youzhen and Sky Thunder Wandering Cultivator? She’ll likely be captured quickly.
He still needed to learn the truth of the matter from Xia Yunxin; she couldn’t die here!
But right now, he was powerless.
BOOM! BOOM!
At this moment, ominous clouds seemed to spread wildly across the sky. A moment later, the dense dark clouds suddenly tore open. Streaks of black light descended, and a dozen or so avian figures, shrouded in dark clouds, slowly materialized in mid-air.
These avian creatures had blood-red eyes and black feathers. They gathered together, a dense, oppressive black mass. With the appearance of these dozen or so figures, the entire space seemed to seethe. An indescribably terrifying fluctuation radiated from their bodies, and the immense pressure made everyone in the venue feel rooted to the spot.
What terrifying strength! Sensing this pressure, the faces of everyone in the venue instantly filled with horror. The auras of these newcomers were all incomparably tyrannical. The few figures at their head were all Top Sky Apex Strongs—at least five of them. Where did these monstrosities come from?
As the dozen or so avian creatures drew closer, the crowd finally got a clear look at the riders. The figures on their backs were all clad in black robes, embroidered with the insignia of the Saint Witch Religion, causing everyone’s expressions to change drastically.
So many experts from the Saint Witch Religion are here... Is a great war between the Righteous and Demonic factions of the Martial World about to erupt?
HMPH!
In the sky, Lu Youzhen, Sky Thunder Wandering Cultivator, and the other top experts of the Righteous Martial World also wore grim expressions. With a cold snort, they too unleashed their own boundlessly powerful auras, resisting the True Qi pressure from the newcomers.
"Sikong Yi, I never expected you to come in person."
Lu Youzhen stared at the black-robed, middle-aged man leading the dozen or so dark figures, his pupils contracting. He had clearly recognized the man.
"You old diehards!" A hearty laugh came from the leading middle-aged man among the dark figures. He lowered the hood of his robe, revealing a smiling face. "Xia Yunxin is the next Saintess of our Holy Church. You want to take her life? How can I, the Sect Leader, simply stand by and watch?"
"However, since I’ve come all this way, I can’t return empty-handed. You lot from the Righteous Martial World have possessed this Martial Arts Monument for many years. It’s time for a change of ownership! This monument, I shall take it with me today!"
Sikong Yi chuckled, his voice rolling like muffled thunder through the sky, carrying a demonic power that unsettled the hearts of all who heard it.
His words sent a shockwave through the entire venue. The Saint Witch Religion has mobilized such a force... Is their target the Martial Arts Monument?!