The Ji family’s eighth-layer Martial Emperor looked horrified and hurriedly unleashed the Zhaotian Sword once more.
He was not Ji Yue. He could not perform the second form. The first form, the Ji Flame Form, was already his strongest attack, and its power was by no means weak.
However, against Lin Xiao’s primary spirit and the supreme mid-grade earth-tier strike it unleashed, it still appeared somewhat inadequate.
The moment it clashed with the War God primary spirit, it instantly collapsed. Although it could still surge forward, when that slaughter-machine-like force swept sideways, the torrential energy was sliced apart and scattered in all directions.
The gathered chaotic reverse essence, though greatly depleted, ultimately did not disintegrate. A diluted stream of chaotic reverse essence cut through the rolling waves of qi and fluctuations, shooting straight towards the Ji family’s eighth-layer Martial Emperor elder.
Realising his strike could not prevail, the elder had immediately channelled his essence to form a protective shield the moment he launched the attack. Yet no sooner had the shield formed than the chaotic reverse essence slammed into it.
Puff!
Puff!
Puff!
Blood mist sprayed from the surface of the Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor elder’s body, and large mouthfuls of blood gushed from his mouth. In an instant, he became a mangled, blood-soaked figure.
Though the injuries were not fatal, they were far from light.
Lin Xiao pressed his assault, drawing the Yaoguang Broken Sword. He executed the Yaoguang Sword Art while surging spiritual force in his mind, simultaneously unleashing the One Hand Covers Heaven technique.
On another front, the skeleton cavalry charged up to the Sheng Tian Men elder. The leading rider engaged in close-quarters combat while those behind fired concentrated spear beams, constantly shifting formations. They beat the eighth-layer Martial Emperor elder of Sheng Tian Men until he vomited blood repeatedly, his body continually hurled backwards.
Elsewhere, golden light flashed across the bald fatty’s body. His battle strength grew ever greater, and he too battered another Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor until blood poured from his mouth.
The hundred-zhang golden Buddha relentlessly pursued Ji Yue. Another Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor interfered, slowing the golden Buddha’s advance. Otherwise, even Ji Yue would have been threatened.
Unless she retreated completely.
Yet after only a brief clash, the Ji family elder fighting Lin Xiao was already in peril. Ji Yue had intended to rescue him, but the hundred-zhang golden Buddha suddenly erupted with speed, blocking her path and doing everything in its power to hold her back, preventing her from breaking free.
The interfering Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor elder hurriedly rushed to provide aid.
It was too late. Lightning Dragon Heaven-Extinguishing Light shot from between Lin Xiao’s brows, piercing straight through the chest of the gravely wounded Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor he had overwhelmed.
“No!!!”
The elder let out a cry of terror and despair. He had no time to dodge. The beam burned his entire body charcoal-black.
He died on the spot.
Boom! At that moment, another Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor attacked. Lin Xiao swung a Yaoguang sword beam with one hand to block, but his spiritual force had been poured into the Lightning Dragon Heaven-Extinguishing Light. Relying solely on essence, he could not contend with an eighth-layer Martial Emperor. The erupting shockwave sent Lin Xiao flying.
Fortunately, the injuries were not serious.
“Elder Ji Bian, save me!”
At the same time, the Sheng Tian Men elder under assault by the skeleton cavalry also cried out for rescue.
“Save me!”
Now, hundreds of li away, yet another Ji family elder, pursued by the bald fatty whose aura was rising uncontrollably, suffered severe wounds and shouted for help.
The elder named Ji Bian frowned deeply. One of their Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperors had already been killed by Lin Xiao, and now another was in mortal danger.
Even the Sheng Tian Men elder held no advantage whatsoever and had fallen into dire straits.
Ji Bian turned to rescue his Ji family comrade, but Lin Xiao exploded with full speed, chasing after him and roaring, “You’d better save yourself first!”
Immediately, Lin Xiao entangled Ji Bian in combat.
Not long afterwards, the Sheng Tian Men eighth-layer Martial Emperor elder perished beneath the skeleton cavalry’s onslaught.
The remaining Ji family eighth-layer Martial Emperor elder also died at the bald fatty’s hands, swallowed whole into his belly.
An even more powerful aura then radiated from the bald fatty.
Seeing the tide had turned irretrievably, Ji Yue showed neither panic nor furious retaliation, nor any attempt to save her allies.
Instead, she turned and fled, abruptly bursting with terrifying speed. She shook off the hundred-zhang golden Buddha and vanished beyond the horizon. Even Lin Xiao and the bald fatty could not catch her in time.
This was the first time she had ever fled.
Watching Ji Yue depart, Ji Bian’s heart filled with despair. Under the combined assault of Lin Xiao, the bald fatty, and three hundred skeleton cavalry, he was slain before the hundred-zhang golden Buddha could even join the encirclement.
Afterwards, Lin Xiao swiftly claimed the slain opponents’ storage rings.
Naturally, the Sheng Tian Men elder’s storage ring also fell into Lin Xiao’s hands.
The other two rings went to the bald fatty.
Now, Lin Xiao and his three hundred skeleton cavalry faced off against the bald fatty and the hundred-zhang golden Buddha.
Lin Xiao remained wary. This bald fatty was a dangerous individual.
Though they had cooperated, who could say whether, with no enemies left, they might now become enemies themselves.
The tense atmosphere lingered for a while. Then the bald fatty suddenly smiled and said, “Let us properly introduce ourselves. This humble monk’s Dharma name is Bu Dong. I am an orthodox Buddhist cultivator.”
With that, the hundred-zhang golden Buddha seemed to receive a command and began shrinking, soon reducing to just a few zhang in height. Monk Bu Dong waved a hand and stored it inside his storage ring.
Only then did Lin Xiao secretly breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the other party had not attacked, sparing him considerable trouble.
In truth, Lin Xiao rather wanted to give this bald fatty a good beating to vent his anger over being used as a decoy.
But the sight of that hundred-zhang golden Buddha quickly dispelled the notion.
If they really fought, even with three hundred skeleton cavalry, he could not win. That golden Buddha was simply too overpowering.
“Lin Xiao!”
Lin Xiao replied politely, waved a hand to recall his three hundred skeleton cavalry, then asked directly, “How did you know I belong to the Yaoguang lineage?”
“Because this humble monk also received an ancient inheritance. Within that inheritance, there was information concerning the Yaoguang lineage.”
Monk Bu Dong answered.
This was clearly not the answer Lin Xiao wanted.
Since the other party was unwilling to say more, Lin Xiao did not press him.
“Then how did you know I was here?”
Lin Xiao continued.
He did not believe the monk had simply sniffed him out.
Over such a vast distance, no nose could possibly pick up a scent.
“I guessed. I guessed you would travel in a straight line. And when your speed slowed, this monk really could smell the lingering trace of your aura. This monk’s nose is exceptionally keen.”
Monk Bu Dong smiled amiably. “In some strange places further ahead, this monk detected your scent.”
Lin Xiao’s brows furrowed slightly. This Monk Bu Dong’s sense of smell was terrifyingly acute. If he ever decided to hunt him down, would it not be far too easy?
“What kind of spirit beast are you?”
Lin Xiao could not help asking.
Monk Bu Dong grinned with pride. “The Buddha says: it cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken.”
Lin Xiao was speechless.
Whoosh!
At that very moment, a figure streaked across the sky, rapidly flying towards them. When Lin Xiao clearly saw who it was, his pupils involuntarily contracted.