Published: March 8, 2025
At a distance of several dozen meters, four bloodied bodies lay on the ground, severed into eight pieces. Each of them faced inward, clearly indicating that the enemy had struck from behind!
One strike had killed four people!
In the Black Pine Forest, a faint scent of blood wafted through the air.
It was already nearing afternoon. The wind picked up, whistling through the pines, creating a rustling sound. The branches and leaves swayed, casting countless shadows that flickered across the ground. Although it was daytime, an eerie atmosphere hung in the air.
Cai Xiaocheng’s eyes were filled with anger as he shouted, “Who is secretly using poison? If you're a man, step out and fight me!”
His voice boomed like spring thunder, resonating far and making the dense pine needles above tremble and fall.
Li Changlong's gaze shifted, and he suddenly spoke in a deep voice, “Chu King of Hell, is that you? What, afraid to own up to your actions?”
His voice echoed, but the Black Pine Forest remained silent. No one answered.
Cai Xiaocheng’s eyes sparkled with intensity as he scanned the surroundings.
Suddenly, a flash of golden light caught his eye; he shouted, “Be careful!” and leaped up, intercepting the golden light just before it could stab into the back of a throne expert. It turned out to be a small, unadorned short sword, about the length of half a palm, notable only for its sharpness.
At the moment Cai Xiaocheng jumped, everyone's gaze instinctively followed him. But in that brief moment, three streaks of black light suddenly shot out silently from another direction.
Three black short swords plunged into the backs of three throne experts!
Li Changlong let out a furious roar and charged forward, dashing like lightning toward the origin of the black light, only to find it completely empty, with not a sound.
In a short span of time, they had silently lost nine experts without even catching a glimpse of the enemy!
It was like battling a ghost in a fog!
Ao Langyun tightly clenched his hands, his palms slick with cold sweat. He felt a chill rise from his back.
In his life, he had never encountered such a terrifying battle!
Suddenly, a voice drifted through the air, now from the left, now from the right, chilling and eerie: “Hehe, not bad, you have some awareness. I am indeed the Chu King of Hell!”
This voice carried a dampness from the underworld, making it uncomfortable for anyone who heard it!
Cai Xiaocheng and Li Changlong concentrated all their cultivation but could not discern where the voice came from. It seemed to float ethereally, sounding from the south one moment and the north the next.
The distance between south and north was nearly a hundred feet!
A formidable foe!
Cai Xiaocheng and Li Changlong simultaneously thought of these two words. Li Changlong also overturned his earlier conclusion: the opponent was definitely not a throne expert; at the very least, they must be at the imperial throne realm!
“You're not the Chu King of Hell!” Cai Xiaocheng steadied himself and said coldly, “Though the Chu King is cunning and ruthless, he certainly does not possess your level of cultivation! Who are you really? Why are you opposing the Ao Clan?”
He withheld one point: the Chu King was no way near as ghostly and eerie as you!
Again, silence enveloped the Black Pine Forest!
A deathly silence!
An ominous aura surged forth and then retracted.
Cai Xiaocheng's gaze turned icy as he drifted out silently. Though he made no noise, he moved as swiftly as lightning. In an instant, he crossed to the other side, struck out with a palm, and with a thunderous sound, shattered several massive trees.
A piece of black cloth fluttered up.
Cai Xiaocheng, like a ghost, floated over and grabbed the black cloth, scrutinizing it. He couldn't discern anything of note, puzzled as he clutched the fabric, the ominous aura still lingering in his mind, feeling strangely familiar but unable to recall why.
“Did you find anything?” Li Changlong appeared, flying over.
“Look at this.” Cai Xiaocheng handed over the piece of black fabric.