Chapter 73: Chapter 71: Total Annihilation

"Who else?"

Jiang Chen watched the crowd, his face a mask of indifference.

He stood like a terrifying Asura in the middle of an Asura Field. Blood Pearls dripped from the cold edge of his Cyan Blade Sword, and behind him lay the scattered, cold corpses.

It was a chilling sight.

GULP.

Qian Jun, a True Martial Realm Powerhouse from the Qian Family, swallowed hard. His gaze was filled with deep apprehension as his eyes locked onto the thousand-zhang Curse Blood Mist glowing crimson above Jiang Chen’s head. A grim killing intent flashed in his eyes. "This kid is a veritable Killing God. We can’t keep fighting for ourselves, or he’ll pick us off one by one."

"Qian Jun is right," said the expert from the Demon Hunter Guild. "This kid’s strength far surpasses his realm. If we want to kill him, we have to work together!"

The expert from the Money Commerce Association nodded in agreement.

Everyone turned to look at Chen Yidao. As the one at the center of the Holy Fire Demon Burning Array, he hadn’t been implicated and had sustained the least damage!

His expression was grim. He also hadn’t expected Jiang Chen to be so difficult to deal with. In a low voice, he said, "Everyone, we don’t need to kill him—we just need to trap him. I’ve already sent word to the Young Master, and he’s on his way. As long as we can hold out until the Young Master arrives, this kid won’t be able to stir up any trouble, no matter how capable he is!"

"Zhao Qiankun is coming?"

"Hahaha, then this kid won’t be able to escape even if he grows wings! Zhao Qiankun is a master at the Peak of True Martial Realm Third Stage. We just have to keep this kid busy!"

"You little bastard, you’re dead!"

Everyone’s spirits lifted. They stared at Jiang Chen with savage grins and faces full of killing intent.

Zhao Qiankun!

In Yulan Mansion, that name represented the number one expert of the younger generation! 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

An Outer Disciple of the Saint Martial Sword Sect, with cultivation at the Peak of True Martial Realm Third Stage, born with Innate Divine Strength, and possessing heaven-defying combat power. Even the older generation of True Martial Realm experts in Yulan Mansion could rarely match him. In their eyes, as long as Zhao Qiankun arrived in time, Jiang Chen’s only path was death!

A cold light glinted in Chen Yidao’s eyes as he stared at Jiang Chen like a venomous snake. "Rest assured, everyone," he said in a low voice. "Our Young Master will arrive in ten minutes at the latest. As long as we can trap this kid for ten minutes, his fate is sealed!"

"Alright!"

"Go, tie him down!"

"Avenge our fallen brothers!"

Led by the five True Martial Realm Powerhouses, the seventy-plus remaining men formed an arrowhead formation and charged toward Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen raised his sword to meet them.

He had, of course, heard Chen Yidao and the others. His thoughts raced. ’Zhao Qiankun will be here in ten minutes? He’s a disciple of the Saint Martial Sword Sect and an expert at the Peak of True Martial Realm Third Stage. His strength is probably comparable to an ordinary True Martial Realm Fourth Stage master. I’m no match for him right now. I have to end this quickly and get out of here!’

The Saint Martial Sword Sect was the Martial Arts Holy Land of the Saint Martial Dynasty!

The Martial Arts, Cultivation Techniques, and weapons available to the Sword Sect’s disciples were far superior to those of the powerhouses in the secular world.

Just like that Yun Haoran...

Though he was only at the True Martial Realm First Stage, his combat power was comparable to the Second Stage. If not for unleashing the Talent Devouring God, Jiang Chen wouldn’t have been able to defeat Yun Haoran either.

’This Zhao Qiankun’s own cultivation is at the Peak of True Martial Realm Third Stage, and his combat power likely borders on the True Martial Realm Fourth Stage. Even using the God-Devouring Talent, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be his match. What’s more, there are still five True Martial Realm and dozens of Martial Arts Realm experts here. Getting bogged down in a siege would be extremely disadvantageous for me!’

At this thought, a cold glint appeared in Jiang Chen’s eyes. The light emanating from the Curse Blood Mist above his head seemed to burn even more intensely.

’First, I’ll shatter this damned Holy Fire Demon Burning Array!’ While fending off the ferocious attacks of Qian Jun and the True Martial Realm Powerhouse from the Demon Hunter Guild, Jiang Chen’s cold gaze swept over to Chen Yidao and the experts from the Qinghuo Gang he was leading.

This Holy Fire Demon Burning Array could gather the power of thirty-six men into one spot.

Coupled with Chen Yidao’s mastery of the Battle Array and Siege Technique, it was causing him considerable trouble. If he wanted to end this fight quickly, he had to take out Chen Yidao first.

"Get out of my way!"

Jiang Chen raised his Cyan Blade Sword with one hand, a flash of cyan light deflecting the Battle Blade in Qian Jun’s hand. He suddenly surged forward with a Thunder Step, caught up to Qian Jun, and condensed his left five fingers into a sharp eagle’s claw, grabbing for Qian Jun’s shoulder.

"Chen Yidao, help me—" Qian Jun’s expression changed drastically.

"Insolent!"

Chen Yidao roared like thunder, gathering the power of thirty-six men and condensing it into a single finger, which he jabbed toward Jiang Chen!

BANG!

The condensed True Essence formed a finger of light that shot toward Jiang Chen, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. Instead of dodging, he took the full force of the blast. A gruesome, mangled wound was left on his back, but he used the momentum to close the distance with Chen Yidao.

’Did I get him?’

Seeing Jiang Chen wounded, Chen Yidao’s face lit up with ecstasy. But then he realized Jiang Chen had actually used the aftershock of that very finger-strike to accelerate toward him. Chen Yidao’s expression changed abruptly. "Not good, this kid is so treacherous—"

Unfortunately for him, by the time he realized it, it was already too late!

Jiang Chen flew horizontally through the air. He thrust a palm toward the ground, blasting out True Qi. Using the rebound force, his body spun in mid-air. Facing Chen Yidao, Jiang Chen’s lips curled into a smirk as he uttered words that sent a chill through Chen Yidao’s entire body: "I’ve been waiting for you!"

Before his words had even faded.

Jiang Chen’s sword danced in the air—Wind Fluctuation!

WHOOSH—

Stream after stream of Sword Qi converged into a Sword Qi Storm, wave after overlapping wave surging forward, instantly engulfing Chen Yidao!

"No—"

Chen Yidao screamed, desperately channeling the Holy Fire Demon Burning Array to concentrate the power of all thirty-six men, trying to form a crimson Flame Shield in front of him. But Jiang Chen’s strike was too sudden, too swift, too unexpected. Before the crimson Flame Shield could fully materialize, the attack was already upon him!

BOOM!

Wave after wave of the Sword Qi Storm slammed into the Flame Shield, shattering the unformed shield to pieces. The remaining force continued unabated, sweeping past and piercing through Chen Yidao’s throat!

"Ugh... ugh..."

Chen Yidao clutched his gushing neck with both hands, his eyes wide with fury, nearly popping from their sockets. He stared at Jiang Chen, his gaze filled with venomous hatred and utter disbelief.

BOOM!

Another Storm Sword Qi erupted in front of him, directly shredding his head, which was still wide-eyed with indignation, into a bloody pulp.

Blood sprayed and flesh flew.

With Chen Yidao’s death, the Holy Fire Demon Burning Array collapsed on its own. Jiang Chen pressed his advantage, unleashing one splendid and profound Sword Skill after another.

Instant Sword!

A flash of sword light swept past, a single, traceless strike. By the time Jiang Chen charged toward his next target, the five Martial Arts Realm experts behind him were clutching their necks as they collapsed, dead!

Thunderbolt Technique, Flowing Light Technique...

Every slash was exquisite, every move peerless, and every strike was fatal!

With Chen Yidao and the Holy Fire Demon Burning Array gone, the scales of battle instantly tipped. Jiang Chen cut down the Martial Arts Realm experts as if they were melons and vegetables. Even masters at the True Martial Realm First Stage were forced into a constant retreat, utterly unable to parry a single blow from Jiang Chen’s sword!

The entire battle lasted a full eight minutes. It ended when Jiang Chen lopped off Qian Jun’s head with a single slash, annihilating every powerhouse who had come to besiege him!

PANT... PANT...

Jiang Chen stood leaning on his sword, gasping for breath.

His face was pale and bloodless. This battle had taken too much out of him.

He was drenched in crimson blood, unable to tell if it was his own or his enemies’. The edge of his Cyan Blade Sword was now chipped and nicked, and blood dripped rapidly from its blade.

’I have to get out of here as fast as possible. It’ll be bad news if Zhao Qiankun catches up to me!’ Jiang Chen forced himself to focus, quickly swept the battlefield, and urged what little True Qi he had left to flee into the depths of the dense forest at top speed.

Less than two minutes after Jiang Chen had fled, a towering figure clad in Cyan Armor descended from the sky, slamming into the ground with a BOOM.

His arrival was like a majestic mountain falling from the heavens, kicking up a violent gale. A storm of wind erupted from him as the center, sweeping outward in all directions and uprooting all vegetation within fifty meters.

Zhao Qiankun swept a grim gaze over the surroundings. He stomped on Qian Jun’s nearby corpse, causing it to explode. A cold light in his eyes, he ground out through clenched teeth, "A bunch of useless trash..."

His gaze swept around and landed on the direction of Jiang Chen’s escape. In the distance, he could faintly make out a streak of red light dashing through the dense forest.

A terrifying, blood-red light erupted in Zhao Qiankun’s eyes. His furious roar, like a clap of thunder, exploded over the dense forest...

"You little bastard, let’s see you try to escape now!"