Chapter 760: Dancing Clowns
“Soaring Serpent Mansion’s Zuo Guangyuan is here!”
The eyes of the surrounding cultivators immediately lit up. With Zuo Guangyang around, it would no longer be that easy for Yun Feiyang to obtain that painting piece.
With two tigers fighting, the chance that the others had waited for was here.
“Thud! Thud! Thud!”
Soaring Serpent Mansion’s half-Sage Elders shoved their way through the crowd and rushed over as well, trying to give support to Zuo Guangyuan.
Yun Feiyang looked at the somewhat miserable Zuo Guangyuan falling back and mocked him, “Brother Zuo, you are really capable. You nearly managed to grab hold of the painting piece.”
The heavy emphasis he placed on the word “nearly” caused Zuo Guangyuan’s expression to turn unsightly.
“Unfortunately, it was just nearly. This painting piece is still mine, Yun Feiyang’s!”
A sinister and venomous light flashed in Zuo Guangyuan’s eyes. He retorted in a cold voice, “Just by relying on yourself? You are too naive. Stop dreaming!”
“Whoosh!”
Just at this moment, a strong suction force suddenly caught the floating painting piece in the air, pulling it over quickly.
The Emperor’s Might diminished dramatically before that force. The painting piece looked like it teleported to that person.
Xiao Chen’s expression turned stern and grave. He circulated all his Quintessence, Vital Qi, Mental Energy, and the sovereign’s aura in his blood.
His aura soared instantly. His black hair flew all over the place, and his white clothes fluttered. Suddenly, he attracted everyone’s attention.
Xiao Chen reached out and grabbed the dazzling painting piece, catching it quickly.
“Boom!”
Energy surged out from Xiao Chen’s palm, forming winds that blew everywhere. The winds howled loudly like a vast army marching.
The passageway’s surroundings trembled intensely. Many people could not remain stable and nearly fell over.
This blast startled everyone, who gave Xiao Chen incredulous looks. Where had this person come from? Not only did he know about all the hidden grave chambers of this place, but he also did something that Yun Feiyang and Zuo Guangyuan could not—easily suppressing the painting piece and grasping it firmly in his hand.
Xiao Chen drew his hand back and placed this painting piece in his Universe Ring.
“You are seeking death. How dare you snatch something that’s mine, Yun Feiyang’s?!”
“You must be tired of living!”
Zuo Guangyuan and Yun Feiyang could not sit still when they saw the treasure they wanted taken by someone else. Emitting a killing Qi all over their bodies, they leaped up and charged at Xiao Chen together.
Such a scene shocked the onlookers. Initially, they thought that Zuo Guangyuan and Yun Feiyang would fight each other. Unexpectedly, they were working together to attack the same person.
However, the even stranger thing had yet to happen. Majestic and impressive sagely music resounded in the grave palace. This sagely music surrounded Xiao Chen as he stepped forward and punched.
The golden radiance seemed like it carried immense force as it spread out. Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen repulsed Zuo Guangyuan and Yun Feiyang, who were flying over and giving off strong killing Qi, with just one punch.
“This! How can this be?! Someone actually knocked back the top true inheritors of the Heavenly Tiger Sect and the Soaring Serpent Mansion at the same time with one punch!”
The cultivators at the side, who were waiting to take advantage of the situation, were all taken aback.
The expressions of the half-Sage Elders of the two groups also changed drastically. No longer hesitating, both groups attacked. In that instant, strong winds blew, and ten-odd figures fired out Martial Techniques consisting of different-colored lights at Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen maintained a calm expression. If it were before, he would have had qualms about expending so much energy when facing ten-odd half-Sages on par with Gu Mu.
However, now, his physical body had advanced to a Rank 2 Sage Body. Furthermore, there was the light barrier formed by the Dragon Marrow, and he had refined the defensive Sage Grade pagoda.
No matter how many dancing clowns there were, they were nothing to worry about!
The image of a pagoda encased Xiao Chen. With a thought, his Mental Energy and Quintessence poured into the pagoda like a river.
The illusory pagoda immediately started turning solid at a visible rate. Eventually, it became like a supreme pagoda standing there, not fearing the wind or the rain, not fearing the mountain or the river.
“Dang! Dang! Dang!”
The ten-odd half-Sages’ attacks clanged endlessly against the pagoda. Shock waves spread out, forming horrifyingly strong winds that blew through the passageway.
When the gale scattered and the shock waves vanished, the ten-odd half-Sages were shocked to find Xiao Chen standing within the pagoda unhurt and watching them without any expression.
“Get down here!”
A light flashed, and the Sage Grade Pagoda returned to Xiao Chen’s body, merging with his flesh. He shouted a warcry and soared into the air, executing Radiance of Deities.
Xiao Chen’s fist became like a miniature sun, forming a vast and unparalleled beam of light that shot out.
The ten-odd half-Sage Elders all vomited a mouthful of blood, falling out of the air as they cried out in pain.
When Yun Feiyang and Zuo Guangyuan saw this scene, horror filled their eyes. They both grunted and thought of revealing their true form at the same time.
When a Fiend Race cultivator revealed their true form, their strength would increase by fifty percent, making them difficult to handle.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly. How could he give them this opportunity? “Ka ca! Ka ca!” Golden chains with divine scripts flowing around them appeared, giving off a mighty pressure.
He punched the air, and the chains danced around wildly, quickly binding Yun Feiyang and Zuo Guangyuan.
The divine scripts around the chains carried a mysteriously puissant sealing power, completely suppressing the swelling auras in the two’s bodies.
The two’s complexions turned red as they glared. No matter how they struggled, they could not move. Their strength diminished gradually. Soon, they became like ordinary people.
When Xiao Chen landed, he casually waved his hand. A cool breeze formed by Quintessence blew gently and knocked the two away, sending them crashing heavily into a wall.
All by himself, Xiao Chen had routed the top true inheritors of two sects and a group of half-Sage Elders.
He looked around, and the cultivators still in the area paled with fright. They immediately scattered at the slightest sound, dashing away madly.
“Congratulations, Young Master Xiao, on showing off your might and obtaining a painting piece.”
After the battle ended, Nangong Qiong appeared from somewhere, smiling faintly as she spoke.
Xiao Chen was already numb to Nangong Qiong’s attitude. He would not expect her to pitch in and help no matter when. He would just treat her as air.
If only she were really air! Then he would not get angry when he saw her.
He glanced at the two who failed at transforming to their true form, sealed by Chains of Deities. Then he walked over with long strides.
The two were severely injured and even found it difficult to stand up for now. As long as they remained bound with Chains of Deities sealing off their strength, they would be like ordinary people.
Xiao Chen ignored the two’s cursing and juvenile threats as he removed their spatial rings. When he saw the Astral Coins and the few peak Superior Grade Secret Treasures in the rings, he kindly accepted these, one after another.
After that, Xiao Chen and Nangong Qiong continued on their journey. With Nangong Qiong familiarly leading the way, Xiao Chen just needed to follow her, saving him from having to think.
They went past several corridors. No matter whether they opened hidden or public chambers, most of these were empty.
Unexpectedly, aside from that one painting piece, the Heavenly Roc King’s grave palace was empty—quite unbecoming of such a place.
“This is not right. How come we cannot find any treasures even in the secret chambers?”
After walking for a long time, Nangong Qiong frowned and stopped.
She had come here for two purposes. The first was to enter the hall in the core area to get the Great Roc Spreading Wings Painting pieces. The second was to obtain the treasures in the various hidden chambers.
As a Sovereign Martial Emperor, the Heavenly Roc King would surely have many precious treasures in his palace.
If one could gather all of them, the collective value would be much more than that of the Great Roc Spreading Wings Painting.
When Xiao Chen saw Nangong Qiong stop, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I suppose someone got ahead of me. The Heavenly Roc Race probably does not care about the painting pieces. Their target is to obtain the treasures of the Heavenly Roc King.
“They’re using the painting pieces to hold the attention of the others while obtaining the precious treasures in the grave palace. Then, they would be able to exit safely. This plan is indeed smart.”
Nangong Qiong told Xiao Chen her guesses.
At this point, the Heavenly Roc Race was already at the verge of extinction. There was not even a Martial Sage in the race. Although the race had numbers, in truth, if they fought with others, they would have difficulty winning.
“Let’s stop wasting time here. Let’s go directly to the grave palace’s Eternal Sleep Hall. Hopefully, the core painting piece is still there.”
---
At the top of the vast grave palace, many secret doors opened, and Heavenly Roc Race cultivators flew out from them.
Then these cultivators quickly landed on the ground far from the grave palace.
As more figures arrived, they handed over the precious treasures found in the grave palace to the three old men leading them. The expressions of the three old men became increasingly joyful as time passed.
“More than ten thousand Superior Grade Spirit Gathering Pearls, fifty million Astral Coins, more than a hundred Sage Grade Secret Treasures, more than five thousand Superior Grade Secret Treasures, and more than ten thousand Spirit Weapons and Battle Armor.
“There are more than three thousand bottles of Rank 8 Medicinal Pills and more than a hundred Sage Ranked Medicinal Pills. Race Chief, with these resources, the day of our Heavenly Roc Race’s rise is at hand.”
The Race Chief in the center, Ming Fan, smiled. “It is worth sacrificing forty-nine Spirit Veins to obtain so many resources sufficient for our Heavenly Roc Race to use for five hundred years.”
The gray-robed old man on the right side said, “Now, it all depends on Young Master Ming Yu. If he can successfully obtain the core painting piece, then we will have completed this operation to perfection.”
“Young Race Chief is taking too much risk. This time, there are many demonic geniuses. Even we old folks are afraid of them.” The old man on the left looked worried as he mentioned this issue.
Ming Fan sighed and said sullenly, “This is his own choice. Now, the Kunlun Realm is in an age of geniuses. Demonic geniuses fill the land. He has his pride and does not want to be buried here, becoming a spectator. He can only gamble on this.”
The old man on the right side said, “Race Chief, Elder Liu’s team, which went to retrieve the Heavenly Ice Sword, has not come out yet. Have they met with some trouble?”
Ming Fan replied, “Never mind, the Heavenly Ice Sword is not very hidden. I do not hold much hope for it. Let’s go. Let’s just be happy with what we have. If we are discovered, we will be in trouble.”
The Race Chief was clearly cautious. After carefully putting away the resources on hand, he led the Heavenly Roc Race cultivators away from this place.
---
Inside the grave palace, Xiao Chen and Nangong Qiong stopped making any turns and just headed straight.
After an hour, around a corner, a horrifying shriek suddenly resounded in the enclosed space. A chokingly heavy scent of blood lingered there.