by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
It was around the same size and form as humans, but it only had one eye and had a black horn on its forehead.
It was covered in black scales. The points of its fingernails were as sharp as blades. Each time it attacked, it unleashed a whistling sound as space was cut through.
Although he didn’t know what lifeform this was, sensing its berserk Devil Qi, he knew they were the devil race. Furthermore, based on human cultivation terms, their auras were on the Life Star level.
There were four disciples atop the four martial arenas. Each of them wielded a sword. Their manifestations were activated around them, and rays of Sword Qi repeatedly clashed against the devil creatures.
When those disciples’ swords landed on the devil creatures, sparks flew from their scales. Their defensive power was immense.
Suddenly, the sword of one of the disciples shattered upon contact with his opponent’s sharp claws.
That disciple was startled. He hastily retreated, but the devil creature was quick, and its other claw slammed into his chest. Its sharp claws instantly pierced through his body.
The disciple became paralyzed with the claw through his chest. He couldn’t move. The other claw pierced toward his head.
A ray of sword-light fell, cutting off the devil creature’s arms and causing its black blood to spurt out.
“It’s senior apprentice-brother Xin Li!”
Other disciples had just started charging over to help when Xin Li appeared on the martial arena.
After slicing off its arms with one attack, he kicked it away, causing it to smash into the light barrier. It let out a mournful wail as it transformed into smoke and vanished.
This light was actually a killing formation that was ineffective against humans but would instantly slaughter devil creatures.
Xin Li helped that disciple up. Due to being pierced in the chest by that devil creature, his body was still paralyzed.
“Many thanks… senior apprentice-brother Xin Li,” said that disciple.
Xin Li brought him out of the martial arena. Immediately a few disciples rushed over to help, using a special kind of medicinal extract to heal his injuries.
Those devil creatures’ attacks were very terrifying. Anyone struck would be poisoned and feel their whole body go numb. That was a very dangerous scenario, and even Heavenly Dao energy was unable to suppress this poison.
There were lots of disciples here. Many of them were enthusiastically coming to help, while some had faint mocking smiles.
“How foolish. He just advanced to Soul Transformation, but he challenged an eleventh rank horned devil. How was that any different than courting death?” A mocking voice rang out from the crowd.
The injured disciple’s expression was extremely unsightly. Xin Li was about to speak when Long Chen spoke first.
“If a person doesn’t even have the courage to brave danger, then there’s no need for them to cultivate. Junior brother, you’re not bad.”
Chapter 1759 Third Commander
Only once Long Chen’s words rang out did that disciple notice him. He jumped.
“Long… Chen!”
He almost couldn’t believe his eyes. He hastily struggled to stand, looking at him excitedly.
“You’re not bad. Even when facing death, you were able to stay calm. That’s what a true expert needs to possess.” Long Chen nodded. He truly did look favorably upon this young disciple. Although it was said that each warrior had to be able to face death, only a few could still maintain an absolute calm while facing it. Such people had to have powerful hearts.
That disciple was extremely moved to obtain Long Chen’s praise. His body even quivered with emotion. This was a major acknowledgment for him.
Long Chen’s name was now so famous that everyone in the Martial Heaven Alliance knew him. He had taken first place on the Devil Slaughter Rankings, the greatest honor. Even in the eyes of the Central Xuan Region’s disciples, he was a god-like existence.
“That’s not for certain. A person has to be smart too. If they don’t even know their own power, then sooner or later they’ll die miserably.”
Just at this moment, a cold snort rang out. The crowd parted to reveal a man with a medium build and a dark face.
He wasn’t particularly tall, but the proportions of his body were off. His upper body was shorter than a normal person’s, while his legs were exceptionally thick. He looked bizarre.
He was wearing the same robes as Xin Li, and they were different from the other disciples’ robes. He was clearly also a powerful Empyrean with a similar status to Xin Li.
However, when this person appeared, all the disciples immediately became wary and looked coldly at him.
The man slowly walked over, followed by a group of disciples with surging auras who glared at Long Chen.
It seemed the interior of the Martial Heaven Alliance was not completely united. Long Chen’s mouth curled into a cold smile. This person had clearly come to find trouble with him.
This person was not at all surprised to see Long Chen. If Long Chen’s guess was correct, he had come over specifically for him.
“To be self-aware but not feel inferior. To have confidence but not be conceited. That is the mark of an expert. However, you are correct when you say a person should be aware of their own power. I want to know, how can you tell that others aren’t self-aware? Or is it that you simply feel that you yourself are lacking self-knowledge.” Long Chen glanced at the dark-faced man.
Just this person’s tone showed his attitude. Long Chen naturally wouldn’t give him face.
“Third commander, what do you think you’re doing?” demanded Xin Li.
In the Martial Heaven Alliance, the junior generation had four commanders. They were all powerful Empyreans with immense power, and they each led their own troops.
The four commanders were ranked according to power. Xin Li was ranked fourth, meaning he was the weakest amongst the four commanders.
However, Xin Li possessed great daring and had won Qu Jianying’s acknowledgment. He had also won the respect of his peers.
It was just that in terms of power, he was the weakest of the four commanders and was often rejected by the other commanders. There was still quite a bit of disharmony amongst this group.
The third commander had now come, causing the people on this side to tense up. They were enraged inside. The third commander had definitely done this on purpose.
“Xin Li, a defeated general should bring his defeated troops to the side. I’m not here for you, but for him.” The third commander pointed to Long Chen.
“You!” Xin Li took a step forward but was held back by Long Chen.
“I know you came for me. I don’t like beating around the bush, so just tell me your goal directly.”
“First, tell me why you came to the Central Xuan Region.”
“Does it have anything to do with you?
Was this fellow an idiot? As soon as he opened his mouth, he asked such a laughable question.
“Long Chen, it would be best if you were more obedient! Do you know who you’re speaking to?” shouted one of the disciples beside the third commander.
Long Chen glanced at that person who immediately stiffened. An intense sensation of death enveloped him. He felt like the death god’s blade was already pressed against his neck.
He suddenly let out a cry as he wet his pants. His legs quivered.
Long Chen’s gaze contained his terrifying killing intent. It was the killing intent accumulated through killing countless experts.
This killing intent contained the terror of millions and millions of experts. Although that expert was a rank nine Celestial, his will wasn’t strong enough. He couldn’t possibly resist Long Chen’s killing intent which contained such an intense air of death. With just a thought, his life was in Long Chen’s hands.
As for everyone else, they had no idea what had just happened because Long Chen’s killing intent had been condensed on that one person. Only that o
ne disciple felt his terrifying killing intent. The others didn’t feel anything at all.
All they saw was that Long Chen had glanced at that disciple, and that disciple had immediately wet his pants and looked like he had just brushed past death.
“Long Chen, what do you think you’re doing?!” shouted the third commander. He might not know what Long Chen was doing, but the results were clear.
“I’m teaching him not to always help a dog eat shit. If he really infuriated me, he’d lose his life,” said Long Chen indifferently.
“Long Chen, this is the Central Xuan Region, not the Eastern Xuan Region! Don’t be too arrogant! Hmph, don’t think that using some despicable means to take first place on the Devil Slaughter Rankings means that you’re above everyone else. Because of you, all the Martial Heaven Alliance’s disciples have been insulted and turned into laughingstocks by everyone else,” sneered the third commander.
“Bullshit, Long Chen used his own power to take first place. Otherwise, the Devil Slaughter Divine Tablet wouldn’t have given him his reward! Are you doubting the authority of the divine tablet?!” raged Xin Li.
“How laughable, Long Chen used absolutely despicable means to trick the divine tablet. The Spirit World has already betrayed the human race, but he somehow managed to bring their support factor into the divine tablet’s decision. That’s absolutely despicable. Anyone with a brain can tell that Long Chen had to have cheated to take first place. He has lost all the face of the Martial Heaven Alliance.” The third commander looked at Long Chen disdainfully. “Long Chen, if you still have the slightest sense of shame left, you should hurry up and scram out of the Central Xuan Region. Don’t bring us down with your embarrassing act.”
“Long Chen is the pride of the Martial Heaven Alliance! Do you have some mental illness to believe the words of outsiders that were spoken to intentionally harm your own people?!” shouted Xin Li.
In the Martial Heaven Alliance, there were still quite a few people who felt disdain over Long Chen’s first place ranking. That was because the rest of the world all thought that Long Chen had cheated.
Although he had obtained the acknowledgment of the Devil Slaughter Divine Tablet, it was because of the support from the Spirit World, and the Spirit World had long since been viewed as the enemies of the human race. So Long Chen’s first place ranking was very contentious.
Pill Valley, the ancient races, the Xuan Beasts, the ancient family alliance, all these powers were announcing that Long Chen was despicable and shameless, an irredeemably evil existence.
Whether it was because of the original devil race expert that had appeared at the end or the support of the Spirit World, they both drew the anger of the public because those two existences were the enemies of the Martial Heaven Continent.
On the other hand, Xin Li fully supported Long Chen because he truly admired Long Chen and viewed him as a hero. Moreover, he had received Ling Yunzi’s favor and trusted his judgment. Ling Yunzi would not have misjudged Long Chen.
There was also another reason that made Xin Li fully support Long Chen, and that was because of Yue Zifeng. Xin Li worshipped Yue Zifeng, and in his eyes, Yue Zifeng was the reincarnation of the Sword God. If such a figure was willing to call Long Chen boss, Long Chen’s accomplishments couldn’t be the result of cheating or fraud.
“Scram!”
The disciples behind the third commander began to shout at Long Chen, their voices growing louder and louder.
“All of you should shut up, or you won’t see tomorrow’s sun.” Long Chen shook his head indifferently.
His voice wasn’t loud at all, especially compared to their shouting. Yet, it contained an unquestionable resolve.
The shouting of these disciples came to a sudden stop as if their voices had been severed.
For some reason, they all had a premonition that if they shouted again, their lives would end. That premonition was clearer than anything they had ever felt before.
Everyone became mute in an instant, staring in terror at Long Chen. They had never seen such a terrifying figure that could make them feel their own deaths just like this.
Having advanced to the ninth Heavenstage of Soul Transformation, the will of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art had grown a bit out of Long Chen’s control. That domineering will was no longer fully suppressed by him.
This was a will that inspired terror and despair, a will that made it so others didn’t dare to resist. Just thinking about resisting would lead to certain death. That was what the will said. They could clearly sense their own deaths.
Everyone was struck dumb with just a sentence from Long Chen.
Suddenly, one of the martial stages lit up, and the third commander walked in. He shouted at Long Chen, ”Long Chen, if you have any guts, you’ll fight me. If you cannot defeat me within ten moves, you should scram back to your Eastern Xuan Region.”
“Third commander, how can you be so despicable?!” shouted Xin Li. The third commander was so despicable that he demanded Long Chen to defeat him in ten moves. “You’re an Empyrean whose manifestation has begun to awaken. Do you even have the slightest face left? If you do, then you’d have a fair battle with senior apprentice-brother Long Chen.”
“Hmph, I ranked two hundred and ninety-seventh on the Devil Slaughter Rankings, while he took first place. If he can’t even defeat me in ten moves, it will prove he cheated. So, Long Chen, do you have the guts to fight?” shouted the third commander.
“You aren’t qualified to challenge me. I don’t want to be your opponent.”
Long Chen shook his head. He then turned to Xin Li.
“Xin Li, you should go instead. My temper’s not good, and I might not be able to control myself. If I fought, the four great commanders would become the three great commanders today.”
Chapter 1760 Spy of the Ancient Races?
Long Chen’s words rang out for everyone to hear, and it was because they heard them that they were shocked. Long Chen was completely looking down on the third commander, saying that it wasn’t a matter of ten moves or not, but that if they did fight, there would no longer be a third commander in this world.
The dark-faced third commander’s face became even darker. This disregard was a huge insult.
“I’ve long since heard that your arrogance is limitless. Today, I’ve experienced it. Do you know that you can’t take back what you said? It’s a slap on your own face,” he sneered.
More and more experts were gathering here. The third commander’s challenge to Long Chen had drawn the attention of many disciples.
“Senior apprentice-brother Long Chen, you don’t know, but… I’m not a match for him. In our last seven fights, I… lost them all.” Xin Li sent Long Chen a depressing spiritual message.
“You lost because you didn’t see his weak point. I’ll teach you a way to definitely defeat him…” Long Chen secretly transmitted some information to Xin Li.
“Are you sure this will work?” Xin Li was startled by this information.
Long Chen smiled. “I guarantee it will work. If not, it means this little fellow’s fate is to die by my hands.”
“Alright, then I’ll try it. The worst case is that I lose again.”
Long Chen shook his head. “In truth, you’re much stronger than this fellow. It’s just that you’ve lost so many times that you’ve lost the confidence that a sword cultivator should possess, reducing your power of observation. A sword cultivator’s perception isn’t based on their eyes, their Spiritual Strength, or sensing auras. It all depends on the sword in your hand. It’s alright if you have no confidence in yourself because I am fully confident in you. All you need to do is act according to what I just told you.”
“Alright, I’ll try it.”
Xin Li charged onto the martial stage as well, facing the third commander.
“Hmph, Xin Li, you really are foolish. You’re so willing to be used by someone else. Since you refuse to recognize kindness, don’t blame me for being merciless,”
sneered the third commander.
Xin Li took a deep breath. Ignoring the third commander’s insult, his manifestation slowly arose behind him.
The third commander also summoned his manifestation. The two of them were both powerful Empyreans, and the aura of the Heavenly Daos began to rage.
Long Chen couldn’t help shaking his head as he looked at Xin Li. He finally understood why Ling Yunzi had erased Yue Zifeng’s Celestial power back then.
“Senior apprentice-brother Long Chen, is the fourth commander going to lose again?” Xin Li’s subordinates saw Long Chen shaking his head and couldn’t help asking him worriedly.
“Lose?”
Long Chen smiled faintly and didn’t reply.
The sound of Xin Li’s sword rang out, and a streak of light flashed on the martial stage. The immense speed surprised Long Chen.
“The fourth commander’s sword speed is as terrifying as ever. Even across the entire Central Xuan Region, he has some fame, Quicksword Xin Li,” said one disciple proudly.
BOOM!
The third commander vanished as soon as Xin Li’s sword appeared. It was unknown what movement art he used, but as soon as his legs pressed down against the ground, he sprang forth like a jumping flea. That speed made him untraceable.
The third commander was someone innately talented. When he was just born, he was blessed with exceptionally thick legs that contained limitless power. His jumping power was astonishing.
Later on, he was taken notice of by experts, and they did their best to unlock the potential of his legs. With that, he gained an almost inconceivable speed. His ability to go from zero to one hundred in particular was amazing. He didn’t seem to need to store up any energy at all before suddenly shooting forward.
This strange ability of his allowed the third commander to defeat many powerful opponents. Others weren’t even able to touch him.
Xin Li’s sword couldn’t even touch the third commander despite how fast it was. Up in the sky, a figure was repeatedly flashing. It looked like there were seven or eight third commanders up in the sky, and it was impossible to tell which was the real one.