AGM 566 – Path of Life and Death
"BOOM!" A terrible sound rang out, causing Qin Wentian to feel as though sharp knives were impaling his heart.
Fan Le had disappeared. As that foot stomped down, Fan Le completely vanished, nothing could be seen of him.
Qin Wentian's eyes instantly turned red as he boiled with fury. Staring at that empty location, it was as though Qin Wentian could see the silhouette of fatty when he was younger.
"This fatty me, is a genius…"
"This fatty me ain't lecherous, I'm just overflowing with universal love…"
That frivolous-looking face of Fan Le relentlessly flashed past Qin Wentian's mind yet everything disappeared completely from his world with that might of a single stomp. That shameless fatty was one of Qin Wentian's best friends, the one whom he had been acquainted with the longest. That was his dearest brother, who had always been supportive even to the extent of going through life-and-death situations with him.
Was he really dead?
Qin Wentian had no way to accept this, even though it was stated that the Immortal Martial Realm was a place filled with danger, with only a 10% chance of survival before they entered, Qin Wentian still felt an excruciating pain in his heart when he saw Fan Le disappearing like that right before him.
Ye Lingshuang's eyes also turned red. Ouyang Kuangsheng and Chu Mang roared in rage as they turned and glared at the person who woke the gargantuan ox demon up. The culprit was a young man whose entire body was cloaked in lightning. He exuded an intense feeling of pride and provocation and unmasked killing intent flickered in his eyes as he matched the gazes of Ouyang Kuangsheng and Fan Le.
"The leader of that group is Qin Wentian, with his origins in Grand Xia. Earlier I believe everyone has already seen that these people have an unique and extremely powerful movement technique with them. No matter what, we can't allow all of them to cross over. Only by forcing them to hand over this technique would we be confident enough to get pass that stomping hoof," that young man matter-of-factly spoke. He was from the Violet Thunder Sect and had long recognised Qin Wentian. Naturally, he could tell that these people had an unusual connection with Qin Wentian and before those from the Violet Thunder Sect entered the Immortal Martial Realm, all of them received a mission from the elders: If they met with those from the Battle Sword Sect in here and if there was an opportunity to send them all to the death, don't be courteous, just do it. Take note especially of a person named Qin Wentian.
This order was passed down by one of the Seven Supremacies of the Violet Thunder Sect. There were rumors saying that it was none other than Qin Wentian and the Holy Maiden of the Medicine Sovereign Valley who had spoiled his plot, curing the Human Emperor of Ye and eventually leading to the death of his disciple Ye Kongfan as well as that battle where the Human Emperor fought one against all and won, causing the reputation of the Violet Thunder Sect to blacken. As an elder-level character, that Supremacy has no way of acting directly against Qin Wentian. In that case, he would leave this in the hands of the disciples of the Violet Thunder Sect.
Also, when the disciples of the Violet Thunder Sect saw the rhythmic stomping of the ox's hoof, they knew for sure they needed a better movement technique. Although the movement technique in the Violet Thunder Sect wasn't bad, it still lost out by a hair compared to Stellar Transposition, which thus led to the scene earlier.
Stellar Transposition was one of the nine ultimate arts of Grand Xia and could also be said that it was the easiest out of the ultimate arts to train in. Although Qin Wentian and the rest had cultivated the bloodcurse imprint, the Thundergod Slash, and the other various ultimate arts, they merely 'cultivated' in them and although the power unleashed wasn't bad, they were far from being able to reach the peak.
The Grand Xia Empire back then was a power ranked equally with the Grand Shang Empire. This meant that Grand Xia was also a power that belonged to the first-tier, akin to the Nine Great Sects, etc. There were naturally other supreme movement techniques like the Stellar Transposition in the powerful sects and clans in the Royal Sacred Region. Obviously, these weren't something that could be easily shared with outsiders. When everyone saw that Qin Zheng and the rest had learned the exact same movement technique, as well as hearing the words of the young man from the Violet Thunder Sect, their eyes began to gleam with greed.
The participants also naturally noticed the gargantuan ox demon. Although the ox demon was awakened now, it still didn't make a move towards them. It merely stared at the participants with an evil smile on its face and continued its actions. The participants understood that this ox demon was the same as the Black Jiao Python; it was a guardian beast designed for them by the Immortal Martial Realm of this area and it wouldn't easily break the rules to kill them. If they successfully passed the barrage of stomping hooves, it would do nothing to harm them.
However after it awoke, the stomping tempo began to be increasingly chaotic, there was totally no sense of rhythm which they could anticipate from. Sometimes, that gigantic hoof would just hover in the air staying there, yet none of the participants dared to attempt the test.
"Hand over the movement technique." Shi Kuang from the Heaven Crippling Sect brought people over and surrounded Ouyang Kuangsheng and the others, their eyes flashing with coldness. In the Heaven Crippling Sect, Shi Kuang was considered a Heaven Chosen character, but earlier fear actually appeared in his heart because of a single stare from Qin Wentian. This was simply a humiliation of the greatest degree!
Right now Ouyang Kuangsheng, Yun Mengyi, Chu Mang and Mu Feng were still stuck over on the other side, and they were all surrounded.
"ALL OF YOU GO TO HELL!" Ouyang Kuangsheng roared in rage. Thunderfire crackled around him as his astral souls were all released. He directly dashed out towards that young man from the Violet Thunder Sect as a gigantic palm imprint manifested and slammed outwards.
"Lightning and thunder energies? How can the people of my Violet Thunder Sect fear this?" The arrogance exuded by that young man from the Violet Thunder Sect intensified further. He, Que Cheng, had always been bothered by the fact that he wasn't one of those eighty-one selected individuals awarded the Immortal Martial Realm Medallion. Now, even a nameless unknown dared to strike out against him? Wasn't he simply courting death?
"Wrath of the Thunder God!" Que Cheng roared, as the entire space trembled. Beams of towering lightning broke past space, shattering Ouyang Kuangsheng's attack into nothingness.
"THUNDERGOD SLASH!" Ouyang Kuangsheng bellowed as a beam of light slashed down right from the heavens. The amount of lightning energy and thunderous might contained within even caused Que Cheng to be stunned in shock, silently marvelling at the power of this particular technique. Although Ouyang Kuangsheng had no way to unleash the true might of this technique, as someone who cultivated lightning-attributed arts, how could Que Cheng not be able to tell how profound this technique was?
Brilliant light flashed, Que Cheng also released his astral souls as a pair of wings made from lightning-element energy formed behind him. Streams of terrifying runic lightning blasted upwards, colliding directly with the Thundergod Slash as the impact from the collision reverberated this entire space.
The others from the Violet Thunder Sect didn't assist Que Cheng. If they banded together, offering help for the sake of a nameless unknown, it would be a form of humiliation for Que Cheng instead.
Que Cheng was the personal disciple of one of the Seven Supremacies. His status in the Violet Thunder Sect was even higher then Ye Kongfan, and his talent was stronger as well. Sadly, he wasn't one of the eighty-one selected individuals. Although the envoys did visit the Violet Thunder Sect, the medallion went to some other disciple instead. And it was precisely because of that person that the sect leader of the Violet Thunder Sect personally made a trip down to ancient Ye.
Ouyang Kuangsheng was forced backwards, a stream of the runic lightning narrowly blasted into him. Although he was hit by the mere after-shockwaves of that attack, a bloody wound appeared in his chest.
"If they refuse to hand over the movement technique, cripple them one by one. As for that woman, strip her off her clothes, I want to see by then, would these people would still be so obstinate and unyielding," a voice filled with venom rang out, the person who spoke was a young man from another alliance.
Ouyang Kuangsheng glanced over and instantly, his countenance stiffened. There were simply too many people who were on this floating bridge and he didn't notice the presence of this person earlier. Now that he was looking carefully, he actually saw somebody he was acquainted with,
The Great Solar Chen Clan back then had three Heaven Chosen. These three were the ones who received the Sacred Royal Medallion for this hundred-year period. Among these three were Chen Fan, as well as Great Solar Chen Wang. Both of them had already died, yet there was still the third one who successfully fled from Grand Xia after the Great Solar Chen Clan was destroyed.
Chen Yin was one of the top rankers on the Heavenly Fate Rankings. He was famous much earlier then Chen Fan and Chen Wang and was one of the characters who could summon wind and clouds in Grand Xia back in his time.
After the Great Solar Chen Clan's destruction, Chen Yin had his heart fully set on revenge. He took the Sacred Royal Medallion and eventually joined one of the Nine Great Sects – the Great Earth Sect.
Qin Wentian wasn't acquainted with Chen Yin. If not back when the Great Earth Sect issued an invitation to him in Xuan King City, he would have already noted Chen Yin's existence. Back then it was none other than a single sentence from Chen Yin which made the Great Earth Sect want to recruit Qin Wentian at all cost. Chen Yin told them that Qin Wentian had knowledge of an Immortal Art.
After entering the Immortal Martial Realm, Chen Yin has always been looking for a chance to deal with Qin Wentian. And now since there was somebody who initiates an attack against Ouyang Kuangsheng, Chen Yin naturally didn't mind stepping in and giving a few nasty suggestions.
"Chen Yin, I was still a teen back then when you fought in the Heavenly Fate Rankings and I have always looked up to you when I witnessed your glory. Who would have thought that you actually hadsuch a personality?" Ouyang Kuangsheng stared straight at him causing Chen Yin to frown. Who would have thought that Ouyang Kuangsheng would recognise him?
On the other end, Ye Lingshuang was staring at Qin Wentian who was walking back as she called out, "Wentian!"
"I need to go back." Qin Wentian approached the stomping hoof once more his actions causing Ye Lingshuang's heart to pound rapidly. This hoof of death had the possibility of claiming his life. If Qin Wentian head back, he would eventually have to return here again, he needed to face death twice! Not only that, the ox demon this time around was fully awakened and no longer in a sleeping state.
"I'll accompany you." Ye Lingshuang gritted her teeth.
"No. Sister Lingshuang, you and Qin Zheng stand guard here. If those who act against Ouyang rush in, retaliate back with full force. I want them dead." Qin Wentian's expression was solemn as he turned and glanced at Ye Lingshuang. Ye Lingshuang knew that she would only be in more danger if she went back, hence she could only nodd in agreement to Qin Wentian's suggestions.
Qin Wentian's words caused great shock to appear on the faces of the other participants, regardless ifthey were from the Violet Thunder Sect or Heaven Crippling Sect. They had actually forgotten to take into account that Qin Wentian could still return to this place to kill them, and those who passed to the next area could block their advance. But swiftly after, their furrowed brows smoothed over. If they could take Ouyang Kuangsheng and the others hostage, they wanted to see if Qin Wentian would dared to do anything to them. As long as a few of them passed into the next area, this whole situation would be completely under their control.
"Wentian, don't come over. Just guard there!" Ouyang Kuangsheng bellowed. It was too dangerous if Qin Wentian really came over, there were simply too many opponents and even if Qin Wentian was here, there wouldn't be any change to the situation.
"No." Qin Wentian's eyes flashed with resolution as he spoke, "I'm coming over to accompany you all. Sister Lingshuang and Qin Zheng, if anything happens to us, spare no one. Kill them one by one as they try to cross over. Since they want to play, we will play with them, we will all stay here."
Qin Wentian's voice was filled with decisiveness, his words causing the expressions of the other participants to turn ashen. This fellow was a madman.
If anything happened to Qin Wentian and his group, all of them would die with them. The thousand-plus participants would all be stuck here at this checkpoint forever.
"Boom!" Astral light flashed and at that instant the sound of the hoof stomped on the ground, Qin Wentian immediately executed Stellar Transposition. He had two lives, even if he died here he would still be alive. He had to go back, he had to get revenge for Fan Le, he had to ensure Ouyang Kuangsheng and the others safely crossed over.
"Interesting." Qin Wentian didn't notice the grin on the gargantuan ox's face becoming wider as an expression of interest flashed past its countenance. At the instant when Qin Wentian rushed out, its hoof that hadn't been fully lifted up, stomped down again with crushing force.
"NOOO!" Ye Lingshuang turned pale as she saw this. Not only her, Ouyang Kuangsheng and Chu Mang were all roaring in denial. Even Yun Mengyi was involuntarily shaking.
"RUMBLE!" A thunderous boom echoed out. Regardless how strong Qin Wentian was, even he would be crushed to death if that gigantic hoof landed on him.
"VILE BEAST!" Ouyang Kuangsheng inclined his head staring at the gargantuan demon as his eyes turned red. However the gargantuan demon only grinned as it turned its attention to Ouyang Kuangsheng. "Little brat, are you looking to die?"
"FUCK YOU!" Ouyang Kuangsheng roared in rage, the lightning around him began boiling as he actually dashed towards the gargantuan ox demon.
The gargantuan laughed, it lifted its hoof and actually shifted it forwards causing sudden terror to flood everyone's heart. This ox demon could move from its designated position?
"RUN!" Everyone madly fled with frantic speed only to see the gigantic hoof stomping down with crushing force on Ouyang Kuangsheng. It was an unsurpassed existence. In here, it was invincible.
…………
His heart started pounding with agitation, unable to revert to his calm state. Qin Wentian closed his eyes before drawing in a deep breath as he stared at a cavern ahead of him.
"Path of Life and Death." Outside the cavern, five large words were engraved there, causing Qin Wentian to feel a sense of coming back from death's door.
He didn’t die… In that case, Fan Le must be still alive as well!
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