After a fierce battle, the blazing star lake was filled with flowing crimson blood and strewn with wreckage.
Furthermore, the golden cores from the physical bodies of the Golden Core realm cultivators were dug out. Not a single complete corpse remained, presenting a terrifying scene.
Except for a few cultivators who had left prematurely, fewer than twenty cultivators remained standing on the star lake.
One hundred powerhouses had clashed, leaving only a dozen survivors. This was a testament to how brutal the battle had been.
"Li Yunhai, I never imagined you'd collude with the Ouyang family! If my elder brother knew, your Li family would surely be annihilated!"
Fufeng glared at Li Yunhai, his eyes filled with hatred.
"Brother Fu, with the Earth Heart Nectar appearing, who wouldn't want a piece of the opportunity? With my Li family alone, it's nearly impossible to gather enough Earth Heart Nectar amidst the contention of so many powerhouses."
"There's more wolves than meat. Those who obtain opportunities are destined to be few. We merely made preparations in advance."
Li Yunhai was unfazed by Fufeng's threat.
When this opportunity surfaced, Ouyang Ye had brought Ouyang Lin to the depths of the Star Lake Forest in advance to win over various powerhouses by offering generous rewards.
Every powerhouse he had won over possessed peak Golden Core realm combat strength, and one even cultivated a second-grade top-tier golden core, whose strength was not much weaker than their own, the most ordinary Nascent Soul realm cultivators.
Besides the division of opportunities, the more than one hundred Golden Core realm cultivators present were themselves a considerable fortune. Thus, when Ouyang Ye secretly took the lead, many powerhouses did not refuse.
Although Fufeng was wary, the chaotic battle among the cultivators allowed him to see nothing. This was entirely a trap meticulously planned by Ouyang Ye.
It wasn't until only twenty-odd cultivators remained in the field that Fufeng finally realized. He wanted to leave with Fu Sisi, but it was too late.
Fufeng spoke no further. His gaze swept over the group of rogue cultivators. He recognized a few of them; they were cultivators from Dayan Star, notorious and unafraid of their Fu family. Even if this scheme were exposed and the news spread, they could leave Dayan Star.
"Do you have any last words before you die? When my Ouyang family annihilates your Fu family, I will tell them?" Ouyang Ye looked at Fufeng, who was surrounded at the star lake, his sinister eyes filled with schadenfreude.
"Hey, are you guys taking me too lightly? In broad daylight, you dare to commit such despicable acts of murder and robbery. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed if this gets out?" Liu Mu stood beside Fu Sisi, his bright eyes filled with disdain.
He had previously thought they were all fighting for opportunities. Now, he realized that this was all a trap set by that old man, and over a hundred Golden Core realm cultivators had become sacrifices.
He wouldn't have said anything about a normal competition for opportunities. But Ouyang Ye was truly detestable. The golden cores painstakingly cultivated by over a hundred Golden Core realm cultivators were all dug out.
"Ridicule?"
Everyone heard this and was stunned, then burst into hearty laughter. They found this handsome young man truly amusing. Many of them had no backing. To cultivate to this point, they had experienced countless hardships and bitterness. To break through to the Nascent Soul stage, they could endure even some humiliation. How could they care about mere ridicule?
Moreover, the news would not get out anyway.
Liu Mu's words reminded Fufeng that they were not without hope of survival.
Although Liu Mu had not made a move yet, he had witnessed the destruction caused by Liu Mu's sword before. His strength was definitely not weaker than his own. With Liu Mu's assistance, they might not be unable to break through the encirclement.
"Attack! Kill them all!"
Ouyang Ye wasted no more time. With a fierce roar, he struck first, transforming into a black phantom and charging towards Fufeng.
A dozen peak Golden Core realm cultivators, coupled with two Nascent Soul realm powerhouses, such a lineup was sufficient to contend even against an ordinary second-tribulation Nascent Soul realm expert.
Swish!
A dazzling green rainbow flashed. A peak Golden Core realm cultivator who was rapidly charging towards Liu Mu suddenly stopped. His eyes were filled with struggle and shock as he stared at Liu Mu, his face contorted. Then, he slowly fell to the ground.
"He's dead?"
Everyone glanced over. They saw a hairline-thin scratch on the chest of that Golden Core realm cultivator.
"Is he also a Nascent Soul realm powerhouse?"
Ouyang Ye and Li Yunhai exchanged glances, a tacit understanding passing between them. They both charged towards Liu Mu.
"If you're courting death, don't blame me."
Seeing Ouyang Ye and Li Yunhai charging at him with killing intent, Liu Mu's eyes gradually showed a chilling glint. He held a green divine sword as thin as a cicada's wing and was about to draw it…
Just then, a figure shot out from the erupting lava cave at extreme speed.
"How did only this few people survive?"
Zhang Fan stood bare-chested on the star lake, his skin as fair and smooth as white jade, his muscles well-defined. He surveyed the surroundings, seeing corpses everywhere, and could not help but wonder.
"You little beast, you're not dead!"
Ouyang Lin, who was about to kill Fu Sisi, first showed astonishment upon seeing Zhang Fan, which was then replaced by killing intent.
Wielding a golden tiger-head spear, he swung the spear, which carried a hint of golden light, and thrust it towards Zhang Fan with lightning speed.
"Zhang Fan, be careful!"
Liu Mu saw this and quickly shouted a warning.
But Zhang Fan stood there as if he hadn't noticed. Under everyone's gaze, the tiger-head spear struck Zhang Fan's back swiftly and accurately.
Clang!
A crisp metallic impact sound rang out. The spear, capable of killing a peak Golden Core realm expert, couldn't even pierce Zhang Fan's skin.
"The power is lacking."
Zhang Fan turned around, grabbed the spear shaft, and swung it with all his might. The immense force left Ouyang Lin no time to let go. He was instantly thrown into the air and smashed heavily onto the star lake.
The violent impact created a small hole in the star lake, scattering debris. Ouyang Lin was also sent spitting blood from the impact.
"Die!"
Zhang Fan had no intention of wasting words with Ouyang Lin. He threw a punch directly at Ouyang Lin's head.
"Stop!"
Seeing Zhang Fan about to kill without hesitation, Ouyang Ye's face changed dramatically. He exerted his movement technique to its utmost and charged towards Zhang Fan. Simultaneously, he threw a black shuttle at Zhang Fan's head.
If Zhang Fan continued to attack Ouyang Lin, he would undoubtedly be hit by the shuttle.
Just as everyone thought Zhang Fan would stop, they saw him act as if he hadn't seen the shuttle. With a resolute punch, under Ouyang Lin's shocked and unwilling gaze, it landed on his head.
Ouyang Lin died!
And the rapidly flying shuttle, upon entering Zhang Fan's three-zhang radius, suddenly slowed down. Zhang Fan turned around and caught the shuttle in his hand.
...