Chapter 167: Chapter 165: What If I Don’t?

The gate to the valley’s Restriction opened, and now even Guo Qishan dared not make a move.

If they startled the Poisonous Beetles from the burrows beneath the valley floor, few, if any, would make it through alive.

Besides, Guo Qishan had to prioritize the Guo Family’s interests, which meant he needed to be among the first to enter the valley.

In a valley sealed by a Restriction, the farther ahead you were, the greater your chances of making it through.

Jiang Jichen remained at the very edge of the valley, letting the others go in first.

Everyone was in a hurry to cross the Poisonous Insect Valley, so for the moment, no one was paying attention to Jiang Jichen and his two companions.

"The gate is open for two double-hours. We’re in no rush."

Jiang Jichen said with a faint smile.

The Poisonous Beetles were lethal to others, but for the three of them, they weren’t so fearsome. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Luoo Long’s Barbaric Dragon Body happened to be a natural counter to all poisons, so the poisonous insects wouldn’t affect him much.

As for Yee Youmeng, her constitution was even more mysterious; she could adapt to the harshest environments, let alone a few poisonous insects.

And then there was Jiang Jichen himself, needless to say. After consuming the White Turtle Longevity Immortal Grass, his constitution was far from ordinary. It was doubtful that even a thousand different poisons could bring him down.

So, they waited until everyone else had entered the Poisonous Insect Valley before making their move and stepping into it.

Dawn had broken, but the Poisonous Insect Valley remained shrouded in dim light, filled with a sinister aura.

The ground was riddled with countless burrows and cluttered with piles of rubble. Poisonous weeds grew in abundance, and a faint black, toxic mist drifted through the air.

As many of the cultivators stepped into the valley, they felt a tightness in their chests. Even their Anti-Poison Secret Artifacts couldn’t completely block the effects, and their bodies were already showing minor signs of poisoning.

"The black mist here is several times more toxic than the mist outside! The deeper we go, the thicker the black fog gets and the more potent the poison becomes. This place is terrifying!"

one man said, his voice trembling.

He had barely finished speaking when a flash of light from a Spiritual Pattern sliced clean through his neck, severing the Spirit Cultivator’s head.

"Anyone else who dares to make a sound will meet the same fate!"

Guo Qishan’s voice rang inside everyone’s Sea of Consciousness, chilling them to the bone. No one dared to utter another sound. They could only advance in silence as the atmosphere became suffocatingly tense.

The path underfoot was also treacherous. A single misstep into one of the burrows meant certain death, as they were filled with a thick, black poison mist. Anyone who fell in would be poisoned to death instantly; even an Anti-Poison Secret Artifact would be useless.

Consequently, the group moved slowly. At this pace, two double-hours didn’t seem like much time at all.

In contrast, Jiang Jichen, Luoo Long, and Yee Youmeng—the last to enter the Poisonous Insect Valley—moved with an effortless grace. Their expressions were relaxed, showing no signs of pressure.

Jiang Jichen led the way, with Yee Youmeng and Luoo Long following directly in his footsteps. Their path was smooth and unobstructed, and they steadily overtook the Spirit Cultivators ahead of them.

Soon, the others had set their sights on him.

They didn’t speak, but they communicated secretly. Then, the five nearest Innate Ninth Realm Minor Grandmasters and three Grandmasters slowly closed in on Jiang Jichen.

Soon, all the safe footholds around Jiang Jichen were occupied. All that remained were the burrows dug by the Poisonous Beetles, from which the black mist billowed.

These men stared at Jiang Jichen, their faces twisted with vicious, sinister expressions.

"Hand over all your Storage Bags, and we might consider letting you pass!"

a Grandmaster said, his voice low.

These were all Loose Cultivators.

Jiang Jichen found it rather pathetic. ’Loose Cultivators are already a disadvantaged group, yet they refuse to unite, choosing instead to prey on each other. It’s no wonder they’re always being oppressed by the Noble Families and Sects.’

Jiang Jichen chuckled coldly. "And if I refuse?"

"Refuse? Then we’ll just have to take them ourselves. But you won’t be leaving here alive!"

another Loose Cultivator Grandmaster sneered in a low voice.

Jiang Jichen gave a mocking laugh. Without another word, he shot forward like a cannonball.

The footholds between them were already close, only about five meters apart.

Jiang Jichen moved like lightning, closing the distance in an instant. The Grandmaster had no time to react before being sent flying by the impact.

BOOM!

The Grandmaster had initially met Jiang Jichen’s charge with disdain, a mocking look in his eyes.

But when Jiang Jichen’s body slammed into him, the protective light around him shattered instantly. His Body Immortal Spiritual Energy was thrown into chaos, and for a moment, he was unable to gather it.

"Die!"

Jiang Jichen snarled.

These men didn’t just want to rob him; they wanted to take his life.

Or maybe they wanted to cut off his head and collect the reward from the Guo Family.

This was the law of the jungle, where the strong preyed on the weak—a rule that was cruel and merciless to the extreme.

That was why Jiang Jichen, once he made a move, showed no mercy. It was a kill-or-be-killed world.

As Jiang Jichen’s cold shout echoed, he had already slammed a fist into the Grandmaster’s body.

Before the Grandmaster could even gather his power, the punch sent him hurtling into a massive burrow filled with black mist.

"AARGH! NO!"

A horrifying scream echoed through the valley, and the faces of everyone present turned pale.

"It’s that Jichen brat again! How dare he fight in the valley?! He’s trying to get us all killed! He really has a death wish."

"Let’s all attack together and kill him! It’ll be a disaster if he attracts the Poisonous Beetles."

"Does he think his worthless life is enough to drag us all down with him? He wishes! A Foundation Establishment Realm expert could kill him in an instant!"

...

The crowd watched this scene unfold, muttering amongst themselves in low, cold voices.

Meanwhile, the eyes of Guo Qishan and the other Foundation Establishment Realm experts turned cold. They flashed back from the front of the group, looking as if they were about to execute Jiang Jichen on the spot.

"An insignificant ant fantasizes about dragging us down with him. How ignorant!"

Zhongg Li had wanted to kill Jiang Jichen for a long time. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he certainly wasn’t going to miss it.

Guo Qishan, however, said coolly, "Leave his Divine Soul intact. I won’t let him die so easily."

The way these men looked at Jiang Jichen’s group was filled with arrogance and superiority.

But Jiang Jichen just laughed grimly. "When they blocked my path, tried to rob me, and attempted to take my life, forcing me into a corner, I didn’t see any of you step in. Now that I’m merely defending myself, you show up right on time. But what do you think you can do to me? You think a few pieces of trash like you can stop me? Heh, when this is over, we’ll see who’s left standing!"

As he spoke, Jiang Jichen didn’t retreat but advanced, ramming his body into another Innate Realm Spirit Cultivator.

This time, Jiang Jichen held nothing back. His full power erupted as he began to slaughter everyone around him.

"You all want my life, but I want yours, too! Since that’s the case, nobody’s leaving. We’ll settle life and death right here in the valley! KILL!"

Jiang Jichen channeled his Spiritual Power and let out a furious roar. The sound reverberated through the valley, seeming to penetrate deep into the earth.

BUZZZZ!

As if in response to Jiang Jichen’s call, a buzzing sound rose from deep underground. The earth began to tremble, as if an army of thousands was about to burst forth.

"Oh no! The Poisonous Beetles have been disturbed!"

Everyone’s faces turned deathly pale as they cried out in alarm.