Chapter 254: Chapter 252: What Matters is the Heart

For Feng Xingtian, this was an absolute slap in the face!

Not only had he misjudged the situation, but his mistake had also cost the lives of two of his clansmen.

It filled him with hate, rage, and madness. He wanted to swallow Jiang Jichen whole and skin him alive.

"Jiang Jichen, die!"

Although Feng Xingtian was consumed by rage, his reaction was incredibly fast. He instantly retaliated, blasting a killing blow at Jiang Jichen.

The others reacted a moment later, attacking Jiang Jichen in unison.

The other groups in the distance heard the commotion and immediately rushed over, their response exceptionally swift.

Under normal circumstances, if Jiang Jichen stayed to fight these people to the death, slaughtering all of them would be no problem at all.

But with so many people rushing over, he knew that even a moment’s delay would trap him in a desperate situation, surrounded and attacked by the allied Noble Family Descendants.

After cutting down the two Feng Family members, Jiang Jichen said coolly, "The ninth."

As his voice faded, his figure became ethereal. The attacks from Feng Xingtian and the others were completely unable to stop a Jiang Jichen who was determined to leave.

PFFT!

He dodged most of the attacks. The few that landed only inflicted minor wounds on him through his Blood-Red Battle Armor, causing him to spit out a small mouthful of blood.

Jiang Jichen used his Shadow Step to weave through the forest. Like a fish in water or a bird darting among the trees, his figure was dreamlike and ethereal, his path impossible to follow.

"There’s a clearing in the center up ahead! Jiang Jichen is surrounded! He has nowhere to run! Everyone, charge! We absolutely cannot let him break out!"

Feng Xingtian roared furiously.

It was as if Jiang Jichen was specifically targeting the Feng Family, killing every last one of their descendants around him without exception.

It was enough to drive Feng Xingtian mad, but for the moment, he was powerless against Jiang Jichen.

The feeling... it was enough to make him explode with rage. His hatred for Jiang Jichen had reached a point where all the waters of the rivers and seas could not wash it away.

"Jiang Jichen, you can’t escape!"

With bloodshot eyes, Feng Xingtian continued to desperately hunt down Jiang Jichen.

And after Jiang Jichen killed the ninth Noble Family Descendant, he found himself, just as Feng Xingtian had declared, truly trapped in a desperate plight, with enemies on all sides.

Moreover, the second senior brother of the Flowing Cloud Sect, Ling Dong of Lingxu Temple, Su Hao of the Su Family, Nangong Jinjie, Wei Xiaolang, Cang Lengshan, and the others had finally arrived.

With their arrival, they each took a position and began to advance, leaving Jiang Jichen with no path of escape, cornered in the center.

Eventually, he would be forced into... the open clearing in the center!

This was precisely the intention of the Noble Family Descendants. They wanted to kill Jiang Jichen in the open, giving him no further opportunity to use the forest terrain to hide and escape.

But the scene that had just unfolded had clearly shaken the Noble Family Descendants to their core. It would be forever etched into their minds, perhaps even becoming an eternal shadow weighing on their hearts.

Hunting Noble Family Descendants!

Jiang Jichen, a Loose Cultivator at the Grandmaster Realm who wasn’t even qualified to walk the Path of Inquiry and Longevity, had actually dared to hunt Noble Family Descendants at and above the Foundation Establishment Middle Realm.

And... he had actually succeeded. Surrounded by the experts of the Noble Families, he had hunted and killed nine Noble Sect Cultivators of the Foundation Establishment Middle and Late Stage Realm.

Mad, terrifying, a Demon, ferocious...

This was the image of Jiang Jichen now burned into the minds of the Noble Family Descendants.

Even if Jiang Jichen was ultimately killed, they would never be able to forget such a person!

The Wandering Dragon Holy Sword on his back, the Bronze Rust Sword in his hand, and clad in his Blood-Red Battle Armor, Jiang Jichen’s gaze was cold and severe.

Even on the verge of being trapped in a hopeless situation, he remained calm and composed!

’Since there’s nowhere left to run, then... bring it on!’

’A fight to my heart’s content!’

’A battle of life and death!’

A tide of battle lust surged through Jiang Jichen, his Blood Qi soaring to the heavens. He strode proactively into the open clearing in the forest.

He did not shrink back. He felt no fear. He had only... the will to fight.

’People aren’t born lowly!’

’Those external things, like identity, status, bloodline...’

’They can’t destine you to a life as a mortal ant.’

’Whether you are lowly or not, whether you are strong or weak, the most important thing is... your heart!’

’The heart of an expert!’

’The heart of a warrior!’

Jiang Jichen laughed wildly. "I laugh at the changing world and look down upon all life! A single strand of my will to fight can shatter the cosmos!"

"Come, all of you! One battle... to decide life and death!"

Jiang Jichen’s words echoed between heaven and earth, traveling far, far away.

Yee Youmeng, Hua Xiaoling, and Tang Ni, who were rushing toward the Sea Spiritual Cultivation Realm, all heard him.

They stopped in their tracks, staring blankly toward the highest part of the forest.

It was as if... they could see Jiang Jichen’s towering figure, exuding an aura that could prop up the very heavens.

His laugh could extinguish the storms of the world; his words could shake the Ninth Heaven!

At that moment, they finally realized why the Noble Family Descendants who had been chasing them had suddenly vanished, giving up the pursuit.

It turned out... Jiang Jichen’s bold declaration to hunt the Noble Family Descendants had drawn all their fire.

Hunting the Noble Families, brandishing his Holy Sword, making the world itself turn at his whim!

No wonder their journey had been so peaceful; they had reached the Sea Spiritual Cultivation Realm with incredible ease.

Now... even if more Noble Family Descendants came to kill them, they could simply turn and step into the Sea Spiritual Cultivation Realm, saving their own lives by forfeiting entry into the third layer of the Exquisite Treasure Tower.

"Let’s give up on the third layer and all enter the Sea Spiritual Cultivation Realm. That way... he’ll only need to kill three fewer people to activate the Teleportation Array!"

Yee Youmeng spoke decisively and was about to be the first to rush into the Sea Spiritual Cultivation Realm.

But just then, Guo Qishan’s figure suddenly appeared, blocking Yee Youmeng’s path. "Master had Little Haas send a message. My three mistresses, please do not worry. The situation is not yet hopeless. Please wait here for the outcome. If anything changes, Little Haas can sense it immediately. It won’t be too late to make a decision then!"

How could the three women not recognize Guo Qishan? He was a great enemy. The moment they saw him, they were startled and watched him warily.

But... he didn’t seem hostile, and he called himself Little Haas. So, although they remained on guard, they didn’t attack immediately.

Seeing their reaction, Little Haas suddenly realized the issue and hurriedly explained, "With Master Jiang Jichen’s help, Little Haas seized Guo Qishan’s bloodline! So, the real Guo Qishan is already dead. Standing before you now is the loyal and devoted Little Haas, who serves his master and mistresses with all his heart!"

Listening to Little Haas’s introduction, the three women were left dumbfounded, as if they’d been struck by lightning. For a moment, they felt like the world had gone mad.

Finally, after some discussion, the three women came to understand the whole story.

"In that case, Little Haas, can you see what’s happening in your master’s battle right now?"

Hua Xiaoling asked.

"Yes, my dear Master Hua! Master’s battle blood is boiling, his Killing Intent is soaring to the heavens, his power is unrivaled! Watching him stirs Little Haas’s soul and dazzles his mind! But... he’s surrounded!"

"..."

The three women were speechless.

"You don’t need to worry about us here, Little Haas. Since you’re so loyal, hurry up and go help your master!"

Hua Xiaoling said hurriedly.

’In her view, even if the three of them went, they would just be throwing their lives away. They wouldn’t be any help at all and would only drag Jiang Jichen down.’

’But Little Haas was different. He was at the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm and possessed powerful combat strength. He could definitely help Jiang Jichen.’

"..."

This time, it was Little Haas’s turn to be speechless. He felt a helpless urge to look to the heavens and cry out in despair.

’These mistresses are terrifying,’ he suddenly thought.

’His master had finally sent him here, away from the danger, so he wouldn’t have to fight alongside him and die.’

’But now... he really felt like crying!’