Come and Fight!

The instant Li Guanqi laid eyes on Cao Yan's tragic state, the killing intent in his heart erupted uncontrollably. In a flash, the phantom of Yanluo behind Li Guanqi surged with immense power, and a faint mist of blood enveloped an area of a hundred zhang around them. The terrifying killing intent even began to show signs of taking physical form. The pungent stench of blood sent chills running through the depths of the onlookers' hearts, making their stomachs churn endlessly. Some of the weaker cultivators turned pale and dropped to their knees, vomiting repeatedly. Across from them, the expressions of the several cultivators who felt this killing intent shifted one after another. The aura Li Guanqi was currently displaying was simply too terrifying. Clearly he was only at the middle Void Refining Realm, yet the aura sensed from him was no different from that of an expert at the late Void Refining Realm! "Cao Zhennan... just what kind of monster did you provoke?!" "A monstrous prodigy like this... just who stands behind him?" A gray-haired old man spoke in a grim, heavy voice, his expression laden with solemnity. The others also looked toward him with grim, vigilant expressions. A figure like Li Guanqi could not possibly be unknown! What was more... not one of the people accompanying him was ordinary. With a dark, gloomy face, the man sneered mockingly, "What background could he have? He's nothing more than a fellow who came out of some tiny sect in the Great Xia Domain. "As for those people beside him, they're probably just helpers he rounded up." Cao Zhennan had only been able to unearth this much information. Few people knew whom the affair at Mingchuan was actually tied to. Even fewer knew just how horrifying the faction truly backing Li Guanqi was. Throughout all intelligence networks across the Six Domains of the realm, the information regarding Li Guanqi... ...consisted only of what Tianji Pavilion wished the outside world to know. Cao Zhennan swore on his integrity that his words were true, even crushing a jade slip right in front of them. Only after hearing the information stored within did the others slightly ease their worries. A petty sect whose sect master was merely in the Soul Formation Realm was nothing to fear. This fellow had likely encountered a few fortuitous opportunities while roaming the continent. For a moment, a glint of greed flashed through their eyes. Setting aside whatever treasures Li Guanqi might have acquired, just the two swords in his hands were enough to stir their murderous desire. While the group was still conferring, Ye Feng had already run out of patience. Unable to suppress the killing intent raging in his chest, he shot forward with violent speed. "Don't be afraid—Second Brother is here!!" *Boom!* A hundred zhang away, a burly man clad in a red robe grinned. Slowly taking a step forward, he unleashed an immense pressure and said softly, "Leave this one to me." *Whoosh!* A broad, heavy saber suddenly appeared in the man's grip. Its mere manifestation sliced open the surrounding void. *Boom!* Soaring forward, Ye Feng was instantly knocked back over a hundred zhang by a single slash from the man! Ye Feng's right hand trembled slightly. From just that single clash, the terrifying force had torn open the webbing between his thumb and index finger! A ghastly ghostly qi surged in Ye Feng's eyes, and horrifying pitch-black ghost qi materialized into ribbons, binding his sword tightly to his palm! Seeing this, a glint of amusement flickered in the man's eyes. The corners of his mouth curved slightly as he murmured under his breath, "Little guy's got some spirit." Beside him, an old man stepped forward slowly, looking toward Xiao Chen in the distance with contempt in his eyes. He let out a sinister, cackling laugh: "Jiang Ting, you certainly know how to pick 'em... Well then... leave that spear-wielding brat beside him to this old man." With that, the void beside the old man tore open, and a long spear gleaming with brilliant silver light slowly emerged! The burly man named Jiang Ting said nothing. The void beneath his feet detonated abruptly, and he flew out to meet Ye Feng in an instant. Yet the white-haired elder, who appeared aged and decrepit, wielded a spear of astonishing length! The silver-white spear measured approximately one zhang and two chi! The old man slowly pushed back his wide sleeves, revealing astonishingly thick wrists and thick, powerful fingers! Seeing the old man's footwork, posture, and wrists, Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed sharply! With extreme solemnity, he murmured, "A great spear!" In terms of weight, the old man's spear was several times heavier than his Blood God Spear! Among weapons, an inch longer meant an inch stronger! The reason spears could dominate so aggressively was closely tied to their length. The longer the spear, the more ferocious its momentum and force. If anyone wished to close the distance, they would have to forcibly breach the spear's reach. With a spear twelve chi long, if a downward strike like Hegemon Splitting the Mountain came crashing down, the sheer power could well be imagined... Xiao Chen licked his lips. This was the first time he had ever faced an expert who wielded a great spear. The battle intent in his heart was completely ignited. Moreover, the old man's cultivation realm matched his own, making his blood boil with excitement. Suddenly! A sharp gleam flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes, and he spoke in a calm voice: "Xuanmen Domain, Spear King He Li!" Upon hearing this, a sharp light flickered in the old man's eyes. Holding the spear with one hand, he raised the silver spear using nothing but wrist strength to point it at Xiao Chen, chuckling: "You've got quite the sharp eye, brat. You've actually heard of this old man's name? "Haha, then... I'll leave your corpse intact!" Hearing that, Xiao Chen burst into wild laughter. His eyes turned sharp as blades as he glared at the old man and roared: "Hahaha! Then come and fight!" *Boom!* The onlookers saw the old man flick his wrist lightly, sweeping his spear into an arc of silver light that smashed downward directly toward Xiao Chen's head! The shaft of the spear bent slightly—proof of just how immense the force behind this blow was! *Clang!* Xiao Chen brought the Blood God Spear up in an instant block overhead, heavenly flame swirling around him in magnificent grandeur! *Bang!* Xiao Chen's figure was hurled straight down toward the earth below! The instant the two spears collided, the void for a hundred zhang around shattered abruptly! A terrifying force formed a shockwave in midair, billowing outward in all directions. The earth rumbled. Plunging out of the sky, Xiao Chen's hurtling body smashed through a mountaintop before crashing into the ground, blasting open a crater a hundred zhang across. Li Guanqi still had not moved. At that moment, a purple-robed man standing beside Cao Zhennan kept sweeping his gaze over Li Guanqi and his companions. Frowning deeply, the man suddenly stared intently at the veiled Meng Wanshu, his pupils trembling violently. Immediately afterward, the man turned, tore open the void, and stepped through! Cao Zhennan's heart jolted with shock. Having people depart one after another was already making him uneasy. Grabbing hold of the man, he transmitted his voice in a heavy, urgent tone: "Fang Jie! Why must you leave too?" The handsome man wrenched his arm from Cao Zhennan's grip and said with icy eyes: "If I were you, I would drop to my knees and beg them for forgiveness." With that, the man swept his gaze across the gathering with a cold sneer. As he turned, he cast a deep, lingering glance at Meng Wanshu before hastily departing. He had not recognized Li Guanqi's identity, but he had recognized Meng Wanshu! With the man gone, Cao Zhennan was left with only six people on his side, counting himself. Those aloof and mighty Void Refining Realm powerhouses were leaving one after another—some of whom had firmly backed Cao Zhennan from the very start. This bizarre sight left many onlookers secretly guessing to themselves: just why were all these mighty cultivators walking away?