Pang Rang flew over to Wu Menglan's side and slowly turned his head towards her. He had always treated Miao Yi with disdain, but now he exchanged looks of shock with Wu Menglan. He couldn't hide his surprise!
This one strike of Miao Yi's had proven that Xiong Xiao hadn't died unjustly at his hand. What cultivation did Miao Yi have exactly? How could a White Lotus cultivator even overwhelm a dragon steed with the residual force of a single strike? Even a Blue Lotus cultivator wielding a Second Grade Transcendence Artifact and leveraging a dragon steed's momentum might not be able to achieve such a thing. It was common knowledge that a dragon steed's leg strength was virtually unmatched for those below the Red Lotus realm. Not unless the dragon steed was targeted directly and killed.
Wu Menglan looked back at Miao Yi, who seethed with killing intent in his ominous black armor. Her eyes shone with interest. 'It seems like this kid really has a chance of making it back alive. If I could recruit him, I'll be sure to rest easy knowing he's guarding my domain.'
Pang Rang gently nodded. 'No wonder Hall Master viewed this kid in a new light. He does indeed possess traits worth recruiting.'
In the crowd, Zhao Fei and the others' eyes lit up as well, their confidence instantly surging. If Miao Yi was so terrifying, then his coalition had great potential indeed!
"Miao Yi is right here! Who dares to fight me!?" Miao Yi bellowed as he pointed his blood-soaked spear towards the people blocking his way.
The mouths of all twenty of them twitched. They didn't expect Miao Yi to be so terrifyingly ferocious that he could bring a dragon steed down to its knees with a single strike—and with the residual force from his blow no less! They were truly confounded.
"Everyone, gather together! We'll strike him simultaneously!" Su Jinggong exchanged glances with Li Yaoqi. They then raised their hands as one and shouted.
All twenty of them grouped up as soon as they heard the order. However, there was no need for them to strike simultaneously at all. Before they could even mount an attack, Miao Yi had raised his spear, and beneath him, Charcoal was already charging forth once more at full speed.
"Those who get in my way shall die!" Miao Yi bellowed angrily. He was taking the initiative to attack the group before they could react.
'How bold!' About two thousand people were staring wide-eyed at the scene before them.
"Sword Formation!" Su Jinggong shouted as he launched his attack together with almost ten of his fellow disciples behind him.
In the next second, dozens of flying swords shot out and rained down together, all aiming to kill the man charging forward with spear in hand—Miao Yi.
"Kill!" Li Yaoqi and Wan Yanhua shouted at their respective groups. Both disciples from the School of Imperial Beasts and the Jade Lady Sect immediately charged behind them, ready to mount a joint attack.
However, Li Yaoqi and Wan Yanhua were rather intimidated by Miao Yi's might. He had killed Wan Yanhua's Senior Auntie in a single strike, so they were a little afraid of charging in front.
"Kill!" Miao Yi bellowed as he readied his spear. Charcoal charged ahead with his head lowered, and both his and Miao Yi's armor started glowing with a blue light. Both man and steed unfalteringly charged straight ahead as they faced the raining torrent of flying swords.
Gasp! Everyone's eyes widened. It really was a complete set of Second Grade Transcendent Artifacts!
A series of ringing sounds resounded as the glowing Inversed-Scales Spear in Miao Yi's hands struck forth, with every strike carrying the force of a dragon. Its might was fearsome, and its course nigh untraceable. Its wielder possessed an extraordinary spear art indeed. Within a second, he deflected all the flying swords coming at him. He carried an aura that gave the impression that so long as he had a spear in hand, he was undefeatable!
Gasp! Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. What an impressive spear art!
Wu Menglan's eyes shone once again. 'This kid must truly be gifted if he can still distinguish himself even while under Yang Qing's brilliance. Indeed, he is quite unique.'
Little did she know that if it weren't for his Second Grade spear artifact, Miao Yi would barely have been able to defend himself against the onslaught of flying swords from so many Sword Deviate Sect Blue Lotus disciples. After all, Yao Ruoxian's expert artisanal skills when it came to transcendence artifacts had allowed the Inversed-Scales Spear to dissipate twenty percent of the opponent's force. Not to mention, most of their flying swords were only First Grade Transcendence Artifacts. And since they were remotely controlled, they wouldn't have the support of their wielders' cultivation, thus severely reducing their strength. How could they expect to stop Miao Yi directly while he had his Second Grade Inversed-Scales Spear in hand?
As long as he could withstand the pressure coming from the rain of swords, why should Miao Yi fear a few dozen flying swords coming at him when he had once faced tens of thousands of 'Tyrant Fish' in the deep ocean? If their attacks had come from all sides, maybe he would feel slightly threatened. But they wouldn't be able to break past Miao Yi's spear if they only came at him from a single direction.
In the next second, the disciples of the School of Imperial Beasts and Jade Lady Sect proceeded to surround Miao Yi from both sides as they charged at him on their dragon steeds.
As soon as he broke past the rain of swords, Miao Yi immediately changed his spear attack. He made large movements with his long spear—a stark contrast from how a person would normally wield it—and randomly smashed it around like a giant hammer.
One disciple from the School of Imperial Beasts took the first charge forward. As he swung his blade, his expression immediately went pale. His eyes gazed down at the steed beneath him, feeling that something was terribly amiss.
Bang! The dragon steed instantly crashed to the ground and almost sent him flying.
Both parties passed each other in an instant. Without so much as a backward glance, the Inversed-Scales Spear in Miao Yi's hands instantly changed its course and pierced the back of the other person's waist. The spear moved with the fluidity of a river as it instantly dealt a killing blow. The other party fell while crying out in agony.
Miao Yi quickly pulled out the sharp, bloody, tri-edged tip of his spear, and he swung it towards the scimitar and the nine-jointed whip attacking him from both sides. He didn't seem to base his spear movements on a particular technique. He was just randomly swinging it around and recklessly smashing the opponent's attacks.
Clank clank clank! A series of ringing sounds echoed forth.
Gasp! The crowd watching the battle all sucked in a breath of cold air. He was truly too ferocious!
As though he was cleaving through the ocean's waves, Miao Yi broke past at least a dozen Blue Lotus cultivators head-on. One man was fighting with nothing but his spear and his steed. He was fighting alone by every definition of the term. Regardless of who he fought against, all fell under his spear. Not a single dragon steed could withstand a blow from Miao Yi. This was too terrifying!
Not to mention, Miao Yi's indomitable spear art had everyone watching in awe. Who would dare challenge him after this?
Even the intermediary standing beside Wu Menglan couldn't help revealing an expression of shock. He gasped, "I've never seen a Blue Lotus cultivator with such a frightening display of attack power. To be able to overwhelm a dragon steed's leg strength… Astonishing! I can't believe there are still such vicious generals among the Blue Lotus cultivators of the Celestial Nation's Fifth Earthly Branch. I fear that no one beneath the Red Lotus realm can match his strength. Not unless one uses a powerful transcendence artifact to suppress him."
Even he believed that Miao Yi was an elite Blue Lotus cultivator.
Wu Menglan wanted to tell him that Miao Yi was just a White Lotus cultivator. However, he was so overwhelmingly powerful right now. Not to mention he was definitely using a Soul Concealing Paste or something similar on his forehead to hide his cultivation. Even she didn't know what to make of the situation right now, and how she should respond to the intermediary. She mumbled to herself, "I didn't think this kid would be so strong. Luckily, Huo Lingxiao sent him to the Sea of Constellations. Otherwise, I doubt anyone in my Thriving Ten-Thousand Manor could stop him. He'd surely give them constant headaches…"
Pang Rang was a little taken aback as well. It might be understandable for one dragon steed to be weak in the legs, but for so many to be unable to withstand a single blow from Miao Yi? That was truly too overwhelming.
Watching from the crowd, Zhao Fei sucked in a breath of cold air. He was also a Blue Lotus Ninth Grade cultivator, but he believed that he himself couldn't overpower all those dragon steeds the way Miao Yi did. What strength!
Qi Xiuhong was looking on with stars in her eyes, full of admiration as she watched Miao Yi. She definitely had a much bigger chance of survival if she followed behind someone like him.
Those recruited by Miao Yi were all looking on with excitement.
The two parties passed each other at blinding speeds. Even after knocking everyone off their steeds, Miao Yi didn't have the time to kill every one of them. However, the last person was a little unfortunate, as he'd just so happened to come across Miao Yi right when he had the opportunity to strike. Miao Yi attacked once again without a backward glance as he pierced the back of his opponent's head, causing blood and brain matter to gush forth.
This poor soul was none other than Li Yaoqi, who'd been hiding in the back the whole time. He was the last person to cross blades with Miao Yi, who killed him with a single strike. His eyes widened as the blow sent him flying off his already collapsing dragon steed.
With her dragon steed on the ground, Wan Yanhua witnessed Li Yaoqi's miserable state with utter terror. She hastily tried to scramble away, afraid that the soul-reaping spear would come for her from behind as well. She couldn't care less about being a jade lady right now. Her image was not as important as her survival.
Truth be told, she wasn't the only one who looked pitiful. Everyone who had crossed blades with Miao Yi had either died swiftly or were knocked off their horses in a single blow. They were all in a sorry state. Practically none of them could withstand a single blow from Miao Yi.
All the fallen dragon steeds struggled to get back up as though Miao Yi's attack had impacted them heavily.
Miao Yi didn't turn around and chase after those that fell either. Instead, he charged straight to the rear end, where Su Jinggong and his group were mounting another attack with their flying swords.
All of the Sword Deviate Sect disciples were completely terrified and tried to scramble away. Miao Yi's attacks were too devastating. Who could stand against such an assault!?
"Attack! Kill him!" Holding his sword with both hands, Su Jinggong had lost his composure as he ordered his fellow disciples to charge ahead.
His words fell on deaf ears. When faced with Miao Yi, who was filled with an imposing aura and bursting with killing intent, Su Jinggong immediately turned around and ran away as soon as he gave the order. His fellow disciples weren't any slower either. The disciples of the esteemed number one sect in the Fifth Earthly Branch, the Sword Deviate Sect, instantly gave up the fight and ran away. None of them dared to fight against Miao Yi anymore.
The sight was too shocking for the audience. They were all disciples of the number one sect in the Fifth Earthly Branch!
"Wretched Su! Don't try to run. I'll have your life!" Miao Yi shouted as he raised his spear and chased after Su Jinggong.
The steed of the one running away could barely even hope to match Charcoal's speed. Furthermore, there was a special reason why it was so slow. Su Jinggong and the rest all wondered why their steeds were performing so poorly today.
Listening to the sounds coming from behind him, Su Jinggong turned around and almost jumped out of his skin. In the blink of an eye, Miao Yi had almost caught up to him, with his spear at the ready. Su Jinggong hastily shouted, "Fellow disciples of the Sword Deviate Sect. Assist me!"
He didn't even need to shout. These were fellow disciples of the Sword Deviate Sect within the Traversing Moon Palace's domain, and to see them lose so terribly… even those from the other palaces felt ashamed as well. If they didn't offer their assistance now, how could they expect to join hands with one another and overcome their obstacles in the future?
Among all the troops that had disembarked from each ship, all the Sword Deviate Sect disciples could be seen charging out on their steeds. One person, in particular—an old man with a Blue Lotus Ninth Grade mark on his forehead—swiftly charged out and shouted, "Don't try to run, you little rascal. I, Wang Tianlun, shall face you!"
Miao Yi turned his head to look and cursed under his breath. To think it was a Blue Lotus Ninth Grade expert! Miao Yi himself couldn't be more clear as to how exactly he managed to defeat Su Jinggong and the rest just now.
The Sword Deviate Sect disciples were not the only ones stepping up to fight. The disciples of the Jade Lady Sect and the School of Imperial Beasts all came charging out as well. In an instant, more than two hundred Blue Lotus cultivators were rushing at him.
Miao Yi was dumbfounded to see another Blue Lotus Ninth Grade expert, only this time from the Jade Lady Sect. Similarly, the cultivators charging in front for the School of Imperial Beasts were all between Blue Lotus Seventh Grade to Eighth Grade.
Aboard the ship, Wu Menglan laughed bitterly. 'This kid just riled up the hornet's nest. I'm not sure if he can survive this.'
Seeing such a group of people rushing at him to assist Su Jinggong and the rest, Miao Yi didn't dare to give chase any longer. Beneath him, Charcoal quickly turned away and charged past the encirclement. He ran in circles around the desolate plains, causing over two hundred disciples of the three major sects to chase after him.