Chapter 168: Chapter 166: Poisonous Beetle

Normally, Poisonous Beetles hid deep within underground caverns. While ordinary sounds and fighting could disturb them, the effect was usually localized.

A few Poisonous Beetles might rush toward the source of the commotion, but it was nothing like this. The entire valley floor was trembling, as if every last Poisonous Insect in the deep caverns had been stirred into a frenzy and was now swarming to the surface.

What a spectacular, and terrifying, sight!

Even the many Foundation Establishment Cultivators felt the ground tremble, their expressions turning grim as fear flashed in their eyes.

They wouldn’t have cared much about ten, dozens, or even a hundred Poisonous Beetles, but what about thousands upon thousands?

Jiang Jichen was merely at the Innate Sixth Layer Perfect Realm. How could he have possibly provoked all the Poisonous Beetles from the deep caverns?

As shock rippled through the crowd, the same question arose in everyone’s mind.

Jiang Jichen was currently barreling through the chaos, trying to avoid a direct confrontation with powerful Foundation Establishment Cultivators like Zhongg Li and Guo Qishan.

Of course, provoked by Jiang Jichen’s words, many had already made their move, unleashing Spirit Cultivation Techniques to attack him from a distance.

Everyone who had entered the valley was a Spirit Cultivator at the Innate Eighth Layer or higher. Now, a group of them joined forces to attack, immediately placing Jiang Jichen in grave danger.

As for the Guo Family and the Blood Refining Alliance, they had brought weaker Spirit Cultivators from the Sealed Ancient Land, whose Cultivation was too low. They had all been placed inside Spiritual Energy Bags for safety.

Spiritual Energy Bags were a type of spatial equipment capable of holding living beings below the Grandmaster Realm, but not for longer than fifteen days.

Now, Jiang Jichen and his two companions had become everyone’s enemy. Logically, for these Supreme Minor Grandmasters, Grandmasters, and Foundation Establishment experts, killing three Spirit Cultivators from the Innate Sixth and Seventh Realms should have been as easy as crushing an ant.

However, they had gravely miscalculated. Jiang Jichen and the youth with the large machete were far too formidable; even Minor Grandmasters at the Innate Eighth Layer couldn’t withstand a single one of their attacks.

The large machete flashed, and a Spirit Cultivator at the Innate Eighth Layer who stood in their way was instantly cleaved in two, blood arcing into the chasm below.

As for Jiang Jichen, he used his body as a weapon. Cultivators at the Innate Eighth Layer and even the Innate Ninth Realm were killed instantly on impact as he charged through. Even those at the Grandmaster Realm were sent flying into the deep chasm.

BOOM!

At the same time, black Poisonous Beetles swarmed out from the holes in the ground in a dense tide. Most were the size of a human head, but some were as large as water barrels, and a few were even the size of a wellhead.

The larger the Poisonous Beetle, the higher its rank—and the more powerful and terrifying it was.

"ARGH!"

Almost immediately, people fell victim. Some were pierced by the Poisonous Beetles’ sharp mouthparts, others were sprayed with venom. In either case, the result was the same: their flesh corroded away in moments, leaving behind nothing but blackened skeletons in a truly horrifying spectacle.

"How can these Poisonous Beetles be so terrifying?"

the Spirit Cultivators cried out in terror.

Guo Qishan and Zhongg Li watched Jiang Jichen’s figure weave through the swarm of Poisonous Beetles. They gritted their teeth in frustration but could no longer continue the chase, instead hurrying back to their respective groups.

"Forget him. Besieged by this many Poisonous Beetles, he’s dead for sure, even without us lifting a finger. Our priority now is to get our people out of the Poisonous Insect Valley within two double-hours."

Guo Qishan commanded the people beside him, then led the group of Guo Family members and their followers, carving a path toward the valley’s exit.

The others also temporarily abandoned their pursuit of Jiang Jichen. Survival was paramount, so they too charged for the mouth of the valley.

The members of the Blood Refining Alliance took the lead.

Although there were only ten of them, the man in the red cloak at the vanguard was exceptionally powerful. With a mere sweep of his palm, he sent any obstructing Poisonous Beetles flying, effortlessly clearing a path.

Behind them were the members of the Guo Family and their followers, followed by the Zhongg Family. Wei Xiaohao was among the latter, under the protection of the Zhongg Family’s cultivators.

At that moment, Wei Xiaohao turned to look behind him.

He wished he hadn’t. The sight nearly made his heart stop—somehow, Jiang Jichen, Yee Youmeng, and Luoo Long had appeared right behind the Zhongg Family’s rear guard.

Jiang Jichen clearly saw him too and broke into a wide grin. "Well, well, Wei Xiaohao. Trying to abandon your boss and run away again?"

Yee Youmeng’s large machete was a blur, batting away any Poisonous Beetles that charged at them.

Every so often, she would inch closer in Wei Xiaohao’s direction. The sight made him feel like his soul was about to leave his body.

He was utterly terrified of Yee Youmeng and Jiang Jichen. He feared that at any moment, Yee Youmeng might suddenly appear at his side and cleave him in two, or that Jiang Jichen might execute his Spirit Cultivation Step Technique, materialize in front of him, and obliterate him into a mist of blood with a single punch.

Wei Xiaohao’s face was deathly pale. "Um, Boss... how about we call a truce? I swear, the Wei Family will never cause you any more trouble. Please, just don’t come after me!"

Jiang Jichen chuckled. "So far, you haven’t done anything to wrong me, so why would I kill you? As for the future, though... that’s another story."

The words sent a jolt through Wei Xiaohao, but he ultimately said nothing more.

Zhongg Li had naturally spotted Jiang Jichen and his companions approaching. "Stop him," he ordered coldly. "Don’t let him get through!"

Since he had to continue clearing the path ahead, he could only delegate the task of intercepting Jiang Jichen to another Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

This was an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but he was still vastly more powerful than any Grandmaster.

He shot Jiang Jichen a cold smirk. "You’re dead, you little bastard!"

Behind Jiang Jichen, endless screams echoed as more and more people were swarmed and killed by the Poisonous Beetles, their bodies reduced to piles of dry bones.

An immortal aura flowed across Jiang Jichen’s skin, and golden Spiritual Patterns pulsed on his fists. He sent any attacking Poisonous Beetles flying with a single punch. As for those that spat venom, Jiang Jichen executed his Illusory Indeterminacy Step Technique to evade them with ease.

After all, he possessed immense Divine Soul Power. Within a five-hundred-meter radius, not a single minute change could escape his Spiritual Sense.

This was why Jiang Jichen could always react a step ahead, easily avoiding the sprays of venom.

Yee Youmeng and Luoo Long stuck close behind him, mirroring his movements whenever he dodged.

"I’m afraid you’re the one who’s going to die!"

Jiang Jichen sneered. Without a hint of hesitation, he took the initiative and charged toward the Zhongg Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

’He knew that if he didn’t kill this man, there was no hope of getting past their group and escaping the valley.’

More and more Poisonous Beetles were pouring out from the ground; the longer they lingered, the more dangerous their situation would become.

’This kid is only at the Innate Sixth Realm, yet he dares to charge at me? Does he really have no respect for a mighty Foundation Establishment expert like myself?’

"Ignorant, arrogant whelp! Die!"

The Zhongg Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator condensed spiritual patterns into a formation, which closed in on Jiang Jichen from all sides, intending to seal his escape and kill him.

However, Jiang Jichen suddenly vanished from where he stood.

BOOM!

The spot where Jiang Jichen had been standing was blasted into a wasteland, instantly shrouded in a cloud of dust and smoke.

But in that same instant, the Zhongg Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator felt something tighten around his ankles.