Chapter 203: Joint Hunt, a Turn of Events

Chapter 203: Joint Hunt, a Turn of Events



In the past few days, dark undercurrents have been stirring in Void Vessel City.

"Is it true that the Heavenly Net Palace is making a move against the Sun Moon Alliance? Has that person emerged from seclusion and is preparing to personally deal with Sen Luo?"

"It seems to be true. The warriors of the Heavenly Net Palace have already gathered, and they've consolidated hundreds of elite members. Once they form the Heavenly Net Killing Array, no one at the same level can stop them!"

"The Killing Array... Only a dominant overlord force with such deep foundations can afford to prepare elite members in advance, planting the seeds of the array in the True Seed Realm and bringing them along to the Ancient Road."

"It's a pity that the Sun Moon Alliance is about to fall. I heard they've lost quite a few members recently."

"When the sun sets in the west, it's time to move on. There's not much emotional attachment, and the wise choose their roost."

As various parties discussed, a figure with a long knife suddenly appeared, severing an arm of a distant dragon with a single strike.

...

Many prey on the Ancient Road required encirclement for a successful hunt. With a dragon's roar, the black dragon's long tail swept across, tearing through the void with a startling force.

"Get out of the way!"

Despite its regenerative ability, it couldn't quickly stop the bleeding and recover at this moment because a formidable death curse was entwined around the wound.

Hearing the last words, the surrounding crowd silently distanced themselves from the speaker, sensing that he was likely from the Heavenly Net Palace and keeping their distance.

Sen Luo's expression remained unchanged, "Not bad, give and take. This guy is quite strong. He's a few steps ahead of me in the Divine Journey Realm, but I'll catch up and suppress him."

Without saying a word, Sen Luo's gaze turned solemn. After receiving a sound transmission, he suddenly turned and left.

At the entrance, a figure wielding a battle spear appeared, striding forward with tiger-like steps and a calm gaze fixed on Sen Luo.

...

Both were in the Divine Journey Realm, but Zhong Nanzhu had broken through nearly a month earlier than Sen Luo and had already undergone several transformations after reaching the Divine Journey Realm, resulting in a rapid increase in strength that Sen Luo couldn't match.

As expected, this guy's strength was formidable, and a direct confrontation was out of the question. He needed to join forces with the Heavenly Net Palace warrior.

Just then, a figure approached from behind and stood beside Sen Luo.

There were also differences among the forbidden realms.

Coincidentally, the Heavenly Net Palace warrior behind Sen Luo formed a killing array and attacked together with the black dragon.

The spear and knife clashed, and the formidable blood aura clashed with the invisible and formless force, creating a shocking wave of energy. The ground beneath their feet cracked with countless fissures, leaving the area in disarray, and there wasn't a single good spot within a hundred meters.

Zhong Nanzhu's eyes flashed with cold light as he pursued Sen Luo with his spear.

This was one of his backer's important trump cards, the support he would rely on to dominate the Ancient Road, yet at this moment, he was being hunted by this black dragon!

He had come with great momentum, prepared to slay Sen Luo and claim his flag, but now he faced a great calamity. In just two rounds, his arm was severed, and he fell into a life-and-death crisis.

At their level, divine abilities were the most powerful means of combat, capable of initially manifesting their might, but also extremely exhausting.

It was as if a celestial beast was awakening within his body, making his physical strength immeasurable.

On the plain, the resilient grass lay low.

It let out a long howl, entering a state of madness, completely losing its sanity, and abandoning all defense. It engaged in a bloody battle with the battle array.

Zhong Nanzhu didn't explain, instead saying coldly, "It seems you're unwilling, so I'll beat you into submission!"

"Did you see the battle spear in his hand? That was once held by a Celestial Prodigy of the Heavenly Net Palace, and in this life, it will shine again, suppressing its opponents!"

"Not necessarily. Recently, someone's fist broke through the air for nearly a thousand meters. Such a martial foundation is at least near-forbidden, right?"

Ji Jingqiu calmly walked forward with his knife.

Zhong Nanzhu let out a cold snort, his wild and dominant nature on full display. His body glowed as countless runes flashed within, and he activated his innate divine ability, adjusting his posture to its optimal state. Streams of blood energy burst out of his body, surging like a mighty river.

"Indeed, there's no mistake. The Sun Moon Alliance has hidden experts. This is a setup. It's not the Heavenly Net Palace clearing out the Sun Moon Alliance, but the Sun Moon Alliance setting a trap to hunt down the Heavenly Net Palace!"

Zhong Nanzhu scoffed, and with a shake of his long spear, he broke free from Sen Luo's grip on the spear. The spear then slashed through the air with incredible speed, forcing Sen Luo, who had seized the initiative, to retreat. Sen Luo's hand, which had held the spear, trembled from the impact.

This time, the opponent was no longer passively blocking the attacks but actively striking with the knife.

"You're going too far!"

This caused Zhong Nanzhu to gradually lose his patience. His body radiated with dazzling brilliance as he prepared to use his divine ability, seeking an opportunity to subdue the opponent in one fell swoop.

The spear descended like a meteor, vowing to instantly slay this little man who had caused him heavy losses. The long knife blocked the spear, creating a thunderous sound like that of a divine being.

Zhong Nanzhu roared in fury, letting out a long howl. All the blood in his body was forced to burn at this moment, rising into the sky and transforming into divine flames that temporarily repelled the pursuing Ji Jingqiu.

Suddenly, Zhong Nanzhu thought of Sen Luo, and his eyes flashed with lawful runes as he used his eye technique to search the area, but he couldn't find Sen Luo's figure on this plain.

"What is this?"

The members of the Heavenly Net Palace openly marched through Void Vessel City, heading towards the realm beyond, clearly signaling to all parties their intention to exterminate the Sun Moon Alliance.

Even if both sides could coexist peacefully, they would first have to engage in a battle and then sign a contract.

This strike was extremely powerful, and Zhong Nanzhu held nothing back, unleashing his full strength. In his estimation, it was enough to slay any Apex Archduke, and Sen Luo, caught off guard, would suffer a heavy blow.

His eyes shone with a bloodthirsty glow as he relentlessly pursued Sen Luo, his momentum reaching an overwhelming peak, leaving no room for retreat.

A massive dragon-like body emerged from the black mist, and Sen Luo, seemingly prepared, was grazed by it, coughing up blood and retreating to the side.

Not to mention, the one in the ancient castle had already been invaded by a Heart Nightmare.

"I injured that guy's essence, and now he'll have to find a place to hide and recover for a month or two. He won't dare to show himself. Didn't you say you needed time to rise and then suppress him? I'm giving you that time."

The warriors at the dimensional entrance quickly retreated, fearing they might be harmed by Zhong Nanzhu, who was heavily injured and might take out his anger on them.

Zhong Nanzhu's formidable physique impressed him, and even with the first layer of Divine Treasury unlocked, he needed the Embryo of Dao Field to achieve unity with his physical body and channel his power into one strike.

Suddenly, a deep, angry roar echoed from the black mist ahead.

"Haha, with the Young Lord of Heavenly Net Palace taking action personally, just wait and see. No matter who the opponent is, they'll eventually drink the bitter cup of defeat. You don't understand his strength!"

"Who is that person? He cut off Zhong Nanzhu's arm with two strikes!"

After observing the battle in the black mist for a while, Ji Jingqiu thought that overall, the alliance's effect was quite good.

He took a step forward, his expression calm but exuding dominance. "You're not my match, even if we're both Taboo beings, there's still a gap."

At that moment, he was still puzzled as to why the Heavenly Net Palace suddenly targeted them.

Sen Luo's expression turned grave.

They hadn't completed their transformation yet, but after a while, they would all transform into Divine Sojourners. Some of them would even advance further, and even if this Heart Nightmare was a fallen Heartmirror, they could easily surround and kill it!

There was still a difference between entering the Taboo realm on his own and crossing the threshold with external help.

He knew Ji Jingqiu was strong, but he didn't expect him to be this formidable! Zhong Nanzhu's strength was something he was very clear about. Although Ji Jingqiu had a head start in the Divine Sojourn Realm, his formidable physique was astonishing, deserving the title of the top body cultivator in the Southern Wilderness Continent. Even if they were of the same cultivation level, he wouldn't be confident in fighting this man to a draw. Yet, the man had barely lasted a few rounds against Ji Jingqiu.

"A Heart Nightmare," Ji Jingqiu didn't hide the truth, "On this Ancient Road, there are probably many Heart Nightmares lurking."

Over a thousand elite warriors from the Heavenly Net Palace followed closely behind.

The older brother was capable, and even his simplified version had a certain degree of restraint. Combined with their Crystal Clan's expertise in Spirit Martial Dao, no matter how tricky the Heart Nightmare was, they could easily capture it.

Following behind was Zhong Nanzhu.

He summoned a battle halberd and, ignoring his severed arm, raised the halberd with his left hand, unleashing the divine power within. His aura was terrifying, and he slashed down fiercely! He was in a life-and-death crisis, his wild nature exposed, and his killing intent was intense. A pattern resembling a Celestial Beast appeared on his body, and every inch of his flesh radiated brilliance. At this moment, he unleashed his full potential, fighting like a madman, with each strike as powerful as a hurricane. If Sen Luo were here, he wouldn't be able to withstand two strikes from the halberd without coughing up blood and retreating.

"I heard that the Sun Moon Alliance has a hidden powerful figure, but I'm not sure if it's true."

"The situation doesn't seem good. Sen Luo is at a disadvantage. He broke through too late, while the one from the Heavenly Net Palace broke through and transformed several times. This fight is unfair."

"Who are you?!"

...

"As for now..."

He stepped out of the black mist without concealing his figure and was immediately spotted by Zhong Nanzhu, who thought he was Sen Luo.

"I'll test my skills."

The servant from the Heavenly Net Palace finally broke free from the dragon's entanglement and led a group of Divine Sojourn warriors to charge over, engaging Ji Jingqiu.

A figure calmly emerged from the Death Realm, enveloped in moonlight, appearing sacred and transcendent.

As soon as they clashed, Zhong Nanzhu asked with a chilling gaze like a knife.

Zhong Nanzhu fought with the halberd, but in the next moment, he was smashed away by a tail.

This was the first warrior he had encountered since his birth whose physique was not inferior to his, comparable to those of the same level in the Divine Sojourn Realm.

'Sen Luo Inferno Celestial Beast Body' lived up to its reputation as one of the strongest body cultivation legacies in the Southern Wilderness Continent!

But what surprised him was that Sen Luo had blocked it!

Incredible!

Indeed, he was one of the strongest young Supremes in the Southern Wilderness Continent, and there was a significant gap between them, mainly due to the difference in their realms. Ji Jingqiu had a head start in the Divine Sojourn Realm.

This was his underestimation and attitude. He had come on an expedition, and defeating a Near-Taboo with a single strike was enough to intimidate many and establish his formidable reputation.

"Void Vessel City is about to undergo a change..."

"No matter who you are, you will die today!"

Seizing the opportunity, Sen Luo took the initiative to attack, grabbing the battle halberd with one hand and forming a seal with the other. A phantom illusory kingdom seemed to surround him as he attacked.

The lawful runes of both sides intertwined and erased each other as Zhong Nanzhu wielded the black great halberd, advancing domineeringly like a fierce god from the inferno.

The latter also lived up to his reputation as one of the young Supremes in the Southern Wilderness Continent. In the midst of a life-and-death crisis, his blood energy boiled like the sea, and he fiercely fought Ji Jingqiu to a brief stalemate.

Zhong Nanzhu finally regained his composure. He staggered, his throat emitting a beast-like roar, and unwillingly, he retreated towards the back under the full protection of the Heavenly Net Palace warriors.

"Taking down this guy is the top priority."

"So that's your plan? Ridiculous! A severely injured divine beast, fallen into the Shackles Realm, is no match for me today!"

He, a practitioner of the 'Sen Luo Inferno Celestial Beast Body', had an extremely deep understanding of the physical body. He was confident that his physical prowess would surpass his peers, but now he had encountered a formidable foe!

"Big brother, aren't we going after Zhong Nanzhu?" Sen Luo's heart trembled.

They watched as Zhong Nanzhu, having lost an arm and his battle spear, coughed blood and fled, feeling an intense sense of dread.

Deep within the black mist...

...

He did not refuse the assistance of the warriors who had formed a battle formation behind him.

Zhong Nanzhu's face changed, feeling a subtle pain in his tiger's mouth. He unleashed his innate flesh and blood divine ability, exerting all his strength, but his opponent still managed to block his attack, causing his tiger's mouth to crack! "Suppress and kill!" He refused to back down, shouting as his body shone brilliantly, emitting a dazzling light. A mysterious force rose into the sky, engulfing Ji Jingqiu, who was nearby. It was the divine ability of the Sen Luo Inferno, awakened by the minor completion of the Celestial Beast Body.

Zhong Nanzhu was enraged as he watched warriors being swallowed by the dragon or swept away by its tail, exploding in mid-air.

Although it was only a fleeting moment, the opponent's long sword also fell at this moment. This strike was extremely domineering, as if looking down upon him from above and slashing downward! A spray of golden blood burst forth, and the arm holding the battle spear flew off.

Without absolute control, even with many peers, one could only be at the mercy of others. This was the unbeatable aspect of pure spiritual beings.

Sen Luo stood tall on the plain, his expression calm, waiting for the reinforcements from the Heavenly Net Palace.

Amidst the boundless inferno, a Watermoon Cave Heavenly Realm opened up, like a pure land in hell. A vast and misty moon rose, ripples appeared on the pool's surface, and the moonlight seemed to smoke, untouched by dust or karma.

Ji Jingqiu nodded, acknowledging his defeat.

"Trying to escape? I won't let you get away today!"

After the clash of the knife and spear, they separated for a moment, and the battle spear changed direction, once again carrying a shocking momentum as it slashed downward.

"Human, I didn't provoke you. Now, scram, and I'll spare your life."

Under Sen Luo's "guidance," Zhong Nanzhu led his men in pursuit, killing their way to the depths of the plain. During their chase, they caught up with Sen Luo several times, engaging in fierce battles, but each time, Sen Luo managed to escape by using their own strength.

"Don't you know? The ancient road and the outside are no different now. Even with the taboo broken, one still needs to face the test of the dark mist!"

But this dragon was forcefully breaking through the killing array, relying solely on its physical body to shatter the formation and engage in the most primitive and bloody hand-to-hand combat.

"You're sick and need treatment," Ji Jingqiu replied calmly.

From the moment they clashed, he realized that this opponent was indeed powerful. A physical being with divine strength, their physique was terrifyingly strong at this stage, a level above the rest.

Even he himself would have no chance in a one-on-one fight.

The latter tried to dodge, but was still slashed across the body by the long spear, which drew blood and opened a deep wound over ten meters long, causing him to roar in pain.

Ji Jingqiu thought for a moment and said, "I can, but I don't know about you."

With the news from the Sun Moon Alliance, the reinforcements from the Heavenly Net Palace had arrived.

"Heart Nightmare?! The sixth-day Heart Nightmare?!" Sen Luo exclaimed, his expression even more grim than when he saw the dragon.

Hundreds of Divine Sojourn and True Seed warriors had joined forces to form the Heavenly Net Killing Array, which even the current Sen Luo could not handle, but there was hope for the future.

However, Zhong Nanzhu did not rush forward; instead, his expression turned angry, but his mind remained calm as he searched for an opening.

A cold spiritual transmission came from the ancient castle up ahead.

At this moment, he remained transcendent and domineering, continuously suppressing Zhong Nanzhu.

"By the way, how did your fight with that person go?" Ji Jingqiu asked.

Seeing Sen Luo's seemingly long-awaited expression, Zhong Nanzhu's eyes turned cold.

Zhong Nanzhu's expression changed again as his opponent opened a mysterious domain, which eroded a portion of his lawful runes and severed his connection to the principles of law.

Heart Nightmare... The difficulty in dealing with pure spiritual beings like this was far beyond what one's realm could encompass!

This was a dragon-like divine beast, its body over a hundred meters long! "I'll kill you first!"

Ji Jingqiu replied calmly, "Do you think I'm alone? My other friend has already gone to gather reinforcements, and soon, an elite force of True Seed and Divine Sojourn warriors will arrive. When they do, we'll join forces to hunt you down. If you surrender now, I can even cure your illness."

"You've crossed the threshold of the taboo?"

As expected, this place was similar to the land of the Void Demonic Lineage, and the creatures within had been invaded by the Heart Nightmare, and even the black mist here might be related to it.

"Sen Luo has broken through the taboo sequence? No wonder he dares to challenge the Heavenly Net Palace head-on!"

"The Sun Moon Alliance... Is it because the sun and moon appear together in the sky? No wonder it's called by that name. So, Sen Luo is the moon that shines brightly."

Zhong Nanzhu stabilized his body, his blood energy surging, his black hair flying, and he stared at the black dragon in front of him with a cold smile.

"Even Sen Luo has become taboo, and there's a powerful figure behind the scenes. What kind of strength do they possess?"

As expected.

His full-powered strike with the spear, carrying the might of the celestial dome, was effortlessly blocked by the opponent's horizontal sword, and his arm didn't even tremble.

"Young Lord, let's go!"

Ji Jingqiu's battle intent was also surging, his eyes gleaming with a bright light, feeling the pressure from his enemy after a long time.

Countless pitch-black lawful runes, like death curses, formed a realm of inferno, within which an endless hellish landscape appeared. A Sen Luo Palace was suppressing from above, trying to annihilate Ji Jingqiu!

Many chose to follow from behind, wanting to witness this battle firsthand.

In the midst of the black mist, Sen Luo was enveloped in a layer of radiance, separating himself from the surrounding darkness. He watched the intense battle ahead, unable to help but gasp in shock.

From behind, a commanding voice from the Heavenly Net Palace shouted, "Form the array! Protect the Young Lord!"

"It's just rumors, no evidence."

Sen Luo's heart stirred, and he asked, "Taboo? What taboo?"

Zhong Nanzhu's eyes flashed, "You've offended our taboo. I originally intended to kill you, but your astonishing display has changed my mind. Submit to me, and you'll have a place in the ancient path."

The battle axe sliced through the void, carrying a formidable aura of slaughter, and the fight began.

He withstood Sen Luo's attacks, and the battle axe swung through the air, quickly causing Sen Luo to sustain injuries.

A terrifying roar echoed, and a formidable aura emerged from the depths of the ancient castle. Like a savage dragon awakening, a winding figure climbed the castle, opening its crimson bloodthirsty dragon eyes. It stared coldly at Ji Jingqiu in the distance, locking onto his aura, ready to pounce at any moment.

The battle in the front continued.

There was an uproar behind them. They were far away, and what they saw was a mythical dragon-shaped creature bursting out of the thick black mist. It was entirely black, over a hundred meters in size, and many parts of its body were already damaged, exposing its white bones, making it look ferocious and terrifying.

"Kneel before me!" he roared, and his eyes pierced through the void as he swung his battle axe downward.

However, his vitality was dimming, even though it still seemed to be at its peak. But this was just an illusion.

Among the thousands, hundreds immediately formed an array and rushed forward to protect Zhong Nanzhu.

"Sen Luo Inferno!"

These warriors were disciples of the Heavenly Net Palace, most of them having already transcended the Divine Sojourn. With their array, even the dragon was entangled for a moment, roaring continuously. It was like a dragon entering the sea, breaking through the array and swallowing over a dozen people in one go.

As expected.

"Where's the fairness in this? If we're talking about fairness, why didn't Sen Luo break the taboo outside the ancient path?"

After a few exchanges, Zhong Nanzhu's eyes shone with divine light, and legal runes flashed in his pupils. It was a kind of eye technique, attempting to see through Sen Luo's true strength.

This mythical creature was not just a Shackles Realm; its aura was ancient and powerful. Moreover, even though it was heavily injured, at its peak, it might have been equivalent to a Heartmirror Warrior.

Sen Luo's purple crystal between his eyebrows released a dazzling light, and his mental stance affected Zhong Nanzhu's judgment and perception, causing him to make a mistake in the angle of his axe's descent.

The people from the Heavenly Net Palace didn't interfere, nor did they clear the area. This battle would be the best publicity, using the Sun Moon Alliance's downfall to announce the birth of the true master of Void Vessel City.

Ji Jingqiu gazed at the castle, sensing within it an aura similar to Heart Nightmare.

...

Sen Luo was overjoyed. What kind of invincible divine ability was this?!

He had thought this battle would be a sure defeat, ending with Sen Luo's bloodied surrender. But Sen Luo rose against the odds, and in the end, he achieved the Forbidden Sequence, challenging Zhong Nanzhu!

"Boom!"

The enraged dragon-shaped creature pounced into the sky, rushing towards Ji Jingqiu. But Ji Jingqiu didn't confront it head-on; instead, he retreated while floating.

"I underestimated him. He dares to challenge the Young Lord of the Heavenly Net Palace."

He shouted, activating his divine ability, and beneath the battle axe, a shocking black light blossomed. Yin-Yang Life and Death legal runes shone beneath the axe, and divine power boiled, alerting even the dragon of the danger.

At Sen Luo's purple crystal between his eyebrows, an astonishing mental power spread like waves. He was gathering his strength.

Seeing Zhong Nanzhu coughing blood and fleeing after two rounds, the crowd was in an uproar.

Sen Luo suddenly thought of something and approached, "Big Brother, can your Heart Lantern suppress Heart Nightmare?"

"Ah..."

Zhong Nanzhu wasn't injured; his physique was astonishing. He attacked again, and the battle axe was now coated with a layer of black light. Mysterious and unfathomable power soared into the sky, transforming into an inferno that descended to annihilate.

At the entrance to the plane, the gathered warriors were in an uproar.

But the next moment, his figure surged, like a true dragon extending its body, piercing the sky. He arrived in front of them in a flash.

"Kill!" He swung his battle axe, unleashing a black blood aura storm. But in the next instant, he was knocked away.

"Big Brother, how are you? Are you alright?" Sen Luo asked anxiously.

"A Divine Sojourn warrior dares to provoke me?! If I were in my prime, I'd kill you with a palm strike!"

This mythical creature was incredibly powerful. Even its physical body was beyond what they could withstand at their current stage.

Even without considering Heart Nightmare, if they wanted to securely occupy this world, they had to defeat this creature first. Otherwise, they didn't know when it might go berserk.

Ji Jingqiu nodded, "I took the opportunity to go deeper just now, but I didn't find the prey I was looking for. It seems that thing must be hidden on this creature's body."

Zhong Nanzhu, the top body cultivator in the South Continent, had his arm severed and was coughing blood as he fled. Who could be his match?! The first battle of the ancient path's top expert had begun unexpectedly and seemed to be ending abruptly.

The dragon-shaped creature, having fought the Heavenly Net Palace's warriors to a standstill, was rushing back into the black mist, attempting to escape to its lair.

But how could Ji Jingqiu let it go?

As a member of the alliance, the Heavenly Net Palace had fulfilled its duty. Now, it was up to him!

This chapter is an extra, and I'm a bit clumsy with my hands, so sometimes I get writer's block. But rest assured, it will arrive, albeit late...

(End of Chapter)

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