When Zhang Fan arrived outside the Six Kings City after several days traversing the Realm Heart Continent, what greeted his eyes was a scene of ruin and desolation.
The city walls, once soaring into the clouds like a heavenly curtain, had collapsed. Even from outside the city, the interior was clearly visible.
Most of the star-like buildings were destroyed. Amidst the broken walls and scattered ruins, numerous cultivator corpses lay scattered. The once bustling Black Marrow Stone Road flowed with scarlet blood.
Zhang Fan did not linger. He unleashed the divine ability of the Great Roc Wings and rushed towards the Coiling Dragon Mountain Range at full speed, where he had sensed intense battle fluctuations.
...
"Kid, how can someone like you possess a Great Dao Secret Treasure? If you obediently hand it over, I can at least grant you a complete corpse!" Sima Cang, wielding a Fang Tian Hua Ji that was three zhang long, unleashed a barrage of attacks. With each swing, streams of light flickered, and every strike felt like a mountain pressing down. Even with the Ten Thousand Jin Heavy Sword in hand, Liu Mu was forced to retreat step by step, completely suppressed.
Liu Mu remained silent, his handsome face showing a hint of struggle. A strange light flickered in his eyes, as if he were suppressing something.
As Sima Cang's overwhelming attacks continued to pour in, Liu Mu could no longer endure. He was sent flying, his internal blood and qi churning, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Seeing this, Lin Haotian and the others couldn't help but worry for him. While the Great Dao Secret Treasure was powerful, Liu Mu had only just stepped into the Nine Tribulations Realm, and there was still a vast gap between him and a veteran Half-step Soul Transformation expert like Sima Cang.
"Ling Xiu, what my Black Sand Cave Heaven lost will ultimately be reclaimed from your Six Kings Residence. I wonder how long you can hold on after both of them are defeated?" Fu Beichen was locked in a fierce battle with Ling Xiu, neither giving ground.
Ling Xiu glanced at his second sworn brother with some concern. Although Mo Yan had also entered the Half-step Soul Transformation Realm, there was still a gap between him and a sect leader like Bai Mengtian. After a short battle, he began to fall behind. While he could still barely resist with his powerful physique, it was only a matter of time before he was defeated if the fight continued.
"Hmph, do you think my Six Kings Residence only has two Half-step Soul Transformation experts?" Ling Xiu's heart was filled with worry, but his face showed a cold smile, his aura never faltering. "To destroy my Six Kings Residence, these few of you are not enough!"
The three factions had surrounded the Six Kings Residence in the Coiling Dragon Mountain Range, but no fierce battle had broken out in the end. Instead, Fu Beichen had proactively proposed that the Half-step Soul Transformation experts of both sides would decide the outcome.
On the surface, this proposal seemed beneficial to the Six Kings Residence. After all, with the three factions allied, their experts below the Half-step Soul Transformation realm far outnumbered those of the Six Kings Residence. If a full-scale war erupted, the Six Kings Residence would suffer heavy casualties.
However, how could Ling Xiu not see through Fu Beichen's intentions? In battles between various factions, the outcome was often decided by the fights between the top experts. Fu Beichen was confident in their absolute advantage in Half-step Soul Transformation experts. As long as he and Mo Yan were dealt with, their three Half-step Soul Transformation experts could take down the remaining Nascent Soul stage cultivators without sustaining a single casualty.
Although he knew their cunning plan, Ling Xiu had no choice but to agree under the circumstances. Fortunately, Liu Mu's timely return had given them a chance for a three-on-three match.
However, Liu Mu and Mo Yan were still too young. After a short battle, both had fallen into a disadvantage, and Liu Mu was now seriously injured.
Sima Cang struck Liu Mu, causing him to spit blood and sustain injuries. Just as he was about to press his advantage, Sima Cang felt a strange palpitation. He looked up and met a pair of icy, bone-chilling eyes, like the eyes of hell, making his soul tremble.
The other cultivators present had also noticed the change in Liu Mu. Although his appearance had not changed at all, his eyes and demeanor were entirely different from before.
"Playing tricks!" Sima Cang forcefully expelled the negative emotions and once again swung his Fang Tian Hua Ji, like the opening of the heavens, smashing towards Liu Mu.
Liu Mu did not try to deflect the blow. Instead, he met it head-on, responding in the most direct way. He swung his heavy sword. The moment the two weapons clashed, Sima Cang felt as if he had been struck by a massive force and was sent flying backward.
His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. As he stabilized himself and prepared to attack again, he saw Liu Mu transform into countless afterimages, his figure becoming incredibly blurred in Sima Cang's eyes.
"Too fast!" Sima Cang inwardly cried out in alarm. He had no time to ponder why Liu Mu had suddenly become so powerful and could only react in a flurry.
The situation on the battlefield had changed drastically, exceeding everyone's expectations. Not only were Fu Beichen and the others confused, but Lin Haotian and his group were also dumbfounded, unable to comprehend why Liu Mu had become so strong and so cold.
Meanwhile, Mo Yan, who was fighting Bai Mengtian, was starting to struggle. There were already several sword marks on his body. Although his physique was strong, the sharp sword intent emanating from Bai Mengtian's flying sword prevented his wounds from healing quickly.
"Die!" As Mo Yan was injured, Bai Mengtian's attacks became even more ferocious. He finally seized a fatal flaw and thrust his sword horizontally, intending to sever Mo Yan's head.
At the brink of death, Mo Yan knew he could not block this sword. Just as he steeled himself to abandon his physical body...
Boom!
Endless sword domain rules and thunder dao rules suddenly descended upon the battlefield, engulfing everyone. Mo Yan could clearly feel that Bai Mengtian's movements had slowed down by a fraction. This gave him an opportunity, and he narrowly dodged the fatal sword strike!
Looking at the dense sword domain rules and thunder dao rules surrounding them, Bai Mengtian and the others felt a sense of dread. However, the Six Kings Residence's people became excited.
"Master is back!"
"Elder Zhang Fan is back, they're dead!"
The crowd shouted with excitement, their hanging hearts slowly relaxing.
In the distance, a phantom of a Kun Peng broke through the sky, crossing hundreds of miles in an instant to arrive before the Coiling Dragon Mountain.
Zhang Fan immediately saw the situation on the field, and Liu Mu's change caught his attention the most. Previously, in the Northern Ice Plains, Zhang Fan had sparred with Liu Mu after breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. During that fight, Liu Mu had also displayed a similar transformation.
At that time, Zhang Fan had harbored a guess, and seeing Liu Mu in this state again, he became even more certain of his thoughts.
"As expected, he cultivated the Formless Divine Body. Perhaps this appearance now is not his true form?" Zhang Fan mused inwardly, but he had no intention of questioning him afterward. Everyone had their own secrets, and if Liu Mu was unwilling to reveal it, asking would be futile.
The Formless Divine Body, shapeless and formless, could cause a person's aura to undergo earth-shattering changes.
At this moment, Liu Mu was like a different person. The icy aura emanating from him made even Zhang Fan's soul feel a trace of chill. Sima Cang, who was directly facing him, was even more terrified. He had never imagined that he would feel the presence of death from a cultivator who had just entered the Nine Tribulations Realm.
Boom!
Facing Liu Mu's heavy sword, he had no strength left to counterattack and could only barely defend. However, after three consecutive strikes, he was again blasted flying backward.
Sima Cang glanced at Fu Beichen and Bai Mengtian out of the corner of his eye, only to see that Mo Yan, who had been struggling, was now able to barely fend off Bai Mengtian's fierce assault with the aid of the Thunder Sword Domain.
Just as Sima Cang was contemplating how to escape, a brilliant, dazzling sword light suddenly struck from behind him, aiming to cleave him in two.
This sword strike came too suddenly and silently. It was only when it was about a zhang behind him, its sharpness pricking his back, that he finally noticed.
Sima Cang knew that it was impossible to evade. At the critical moment, he forcibly twisted his body, avoiding a fatal blow.
Screech!
The sword light was like water, gently slicing down. With Sima Cang's scream, one arm was thrown high into the air, spraying scarlet blood.
Although Sima Cang had avoided a fatal blow, he paid a heavy price, having his arm severed.
...