“No wonder the family head said that place must not be entered in large numbers. So it is this bizarre.”
Hearing Bi Zhuang’s words, Ji Juan, the chief elder of the Ji family’s Fiftieth Division, could not help letting out a long sigh.
After all, the speaker was a disciple of the Azure Dragon Sect, so he did not harbour too many doubts.
Not long after the Domain of Evil had appeared, the Ji family head had already warned that the place was extremely dangerous.
That was why only the first wave had been sent in to investigate.
Graveyards where corpses would kill the living, forest regions where dead beasts devoured people, an unfathomable black tower, and countless people with identical faces pouring out to murder everyone. It seemed the Domain of Evil truly was terrifying beyond measure.
As for the exact details, the Ji family members who had emerged would surely report them soon.
“Absolute nonsense!”
At that moment, a youth at the Second-Layer Martial Emperor realm suddenly rushed forward. He immediately knelt before Ji Juan and the others, cupped his hands, and said, “Elder Ji Juan, he is talking rubbish. Inside the ancient city, everyone’s cultivation was suppressed to the First-Layer Martial Emperor realm. Just before leaving the city, in order to prevent a Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor from seizing everything, everyone joined forces and wiped out all the Ji family members.”
The youth spoke at lightning speed, finishing everything in one breath.
The hundred-plus people hovering in the void were all stunned.
Hadn’t they all been standing together on the same side?
How could someone actually dare to expose the truth?
“Run!” Lin Xiao shouted at once and immediately turned to flee backwards at full speed.
Now that the matter had been revealed, how could the Ji family possibly let them leave?
There was no point in explaining. Any explanation would eventually expose their flaws. If the other side was prepared, they would have no chance to escape.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Without waiting for Lin Xiao to finish speaking, the crowd scattered in panic, fleeing in all directions.
A chorus of furious curses rang out. They wished they could tear that youth apart limb from limb.
They had been on the verge of getting away with it, yet some idiot had sold them all out.
“Capture the people from the two sects alive! Do not let a single one of the others escape!” Ji Juan flew into a towering rage and roared.
A grand Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor had actually been played by a junior!
And the Ji family members who had entered the ancient city had all been slaughtered by this group working together.
Among them was a Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor.
This was an enormous loss for the Ji family.
These people had killed members of his Ji family and then lied to his face. If they escaped, would the Ji family not become a laughing stock?
It was nothing less than the greatest insult to the Ji family.
Moreover, this group must have obtained many treasures.
They absolutely could not be allowed to get away.
Terrifying aura exploded from Ji Juan. The vast pressure of a Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor instantly enveloped heaven and earth. He struck out with a palm, sending an enormous palm force sweeping horizontally towards the hundred-plus fugitives.
The other several hundred people in front of the Ji family’s Fiftieth Division gate also shot outwards in all directions to pursue.
Lin Xiao pushed his primal spirit force to the limit, yet he still felt a horrifying power bearing down on him from behind.
At that very moment.
Whoosh!
A beam of brilliant white light suddenly burst forth from behind, instantly enveloping Lin Xiao.
It stretched hundreds of zhang ahead of him. The white light resembled moonlight and did not cause him any particular discomfort.
Yet the moment the white light filled the area, the terrifying force from behind abruptly vanished.
Lin Xiao glanced back and, sure enough, that palm force had disappeared completely. Everyone was now inside this white light.
But Lin Xiao did not slow down and continued blasting forward.
The next instant.
Bang!
Lin Xiao felt as though he had crashed into something. He was flung far backwards.
“What the—!” Lin Xiao exclaimed. At the edge of the white light, it was actually impossible to rush out?
Was this yet another trapping formation?
It was not just Lin Xiao. Figures charging in all directions slammed into the white-light barriers and were all flung back.
Just as everyone grew anxious, Xi Yucheng’s resounding shout suddenly rang out, “Everyone, this is the Sealed Light Rod I obtained inside the ancient city. Within three thousand zhang, it can suppress everyone’s cultivation to the First-Layer Martial Emperor realm. No one can escape the light rod.”
Hearing this, the crowd that had been flung back was utterly shocked.
Sealed Light Rod?
It possessed the same suppression effect as the ancient city?
And indeed, they all felt their cultivation being suppressed once more.
Their cultivation had again been forced down to the First-Layer Martial Emperor realm.
Of course, those with lower cultivation, such as Lin Xiao, felt nothing.
The three or four hundred people in front of the Ji family gate were all enveloped within the light barrier. Anyone whose cultivation exceeded the First Layer felt the suppression.
Even Ji Juan’s brows knitted together.
“The Sealed Light Rod can maintain its effect for the time of half a stick of incense. Everyone, hurry and kill that Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor! Otherwise, none of us will leave here alive!” Xi Yucheng roared again.
Hearing these words, the hearts of everyone who had escaped the ancient city jolted.
Why did this sound so familiar?
They were going to eliminate the Ji family’s Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor right here?
Although cultivation was suppressed, this was not the ancient city. Their appearances had not changed, and people outside could still see in clearly.
Ji Juan was momentarily stunned, then his face filled with fury. Someone actually dared to declare they would kill him?
In all his years, no one had ever been so brazen before him.
Moreover, the speaker was merely a youth, not even a disciple of the two great sects.
“Hmph! If you want to kill me, not a single one of you will leave alive!” Ji Juan commanded furiously, “Wipe them all out!”
With that, the Ji family’s three or four hundred people charged forward.
“The Ji family has the numbers, but their strength is uneven. Kill!” Xi Yucheng took the lead and rushed ahead.
“Kill!”
Lin Xiao released the Purple Corpse Puppet, drew the Nether Heaven Demonic Pillar, and together man and corpse charged straight at Ji Juan.
Although killing here would expose their identities, there was no other choice.
If the cultivation suppression lifted, whether he could even escape was a huge question.
The threat of a Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor was simply too great.
“Kill! Charge Ji Juan!”
Bi Zhuang also bellowed, leading the Azure Dragon Sect members into the fray.
The Sacred Heaven Sect members followed suit, and everyone else surged towards the enemy.
Now they had no choice. Even if they did not attack the Ji family, the Ji family would slaughter them all.
The two sides were already close. In an instant they crashed together.
The very first to strike was Xi Yucheng, sword raised high as he slashed heavily at Ji Juan.
“Hmph!” Ji Juan snorted coldly and met the attack with a powerful sword strike of his own.
Even with cultivation suppressed, he was still a Ninth-Layer Martial Emperor. How could these people possibly stand against him?
Clang!
When the two swords collided, a piercing screech of metal rang out. The tremendous force sent both of them staggering backwards.
Xi Yucheng retreated more than ten steps. Ji Juan retreated five.
“How is this possible?” Disbelief filled Ji Juan’s face.
The opponent was only a youth. Before suppression, he had merely been at the Sixth-Layer Martial Emperor realm.
Yet after suppression, he could actually clash head-on and force him back?
Right after their exchange, Lin Xiao and the Purple Corpse Puppet instantly charged at Ji Juan.
Several Ji family members also flew in. Only one arrived first and traded heavy blows with the Purple Corpse Puppet.
Lin Xiao, meanwhile, swung the Nether Heaven Demonic Pillar with all his might and smashed it viciously towards Ji Juan.
