Chapter 512: Slaughter Formation Seals the Heroes
The ancient city was silent, not even the chirping of night insects could be heard. Especially in the dead of night, there wasn't even a breath of wind, like a sealed stone chamber.
Soundlessly, large patches of dark clouds appeared, black as ink, blotting out the sky. The stars and moon vanished, plunging the earth into darkness, even more deathly still.
In the deep night, dark clouds pressed down like a black cauldron, a suffocating, oppressive aura filling the air. A great storm seemed ready to break at any moment.
Black mist surged, spreading in all directions. Several figures, like phantoms, stepped in mysterious patterns, vanishing into the dark courtyards without a sound.
Finally, someone couldn't hold back and made a move. Ye Fan and his companions fixed their gazes on the few ghost-like shadows, but their minds weren't truly on them; instead, they stared intently at the void.
Experts from the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty had merged into the void and were drawing near. Ye Fan saw through them with his divine eyes and informed the others.
No killing intent, no life force, only the oppressive dark clouds and a stifling aura.
"Crack!"
A bolt of lightning tore through the dark clouds, illuminating the entire ancient city and shattering the current stillness.
The clang of swords shook the heavens. Killing intent suddenly erupted, icy sword energy and bone-piercing murderousness sweeping through the entire deep mansion and ancient courtyard in an instant.
"Boom!"
In that moment, the killing intent was like an ocean, sweeping across all directions. Rows of buildings crumbled into dust. Under the terrifying, formless killing thoughts, nothing could be preserved; everything ceased to exist.
Sword energy shot into the sky, sword light split the heavens. The blazing radiance connected with the dark clouds above. The deep palace and ancient courtyard ceased to exist, ground to pieces.
"Pfft"
Blood light burst forth. Ye Fan swung the Yin-Yang Sacred Sword, cleaving a ghost-like figure in two. Blood spurted up, scattering large drops.
"Bang!"
He reversed the sword, swinging it into the void. With a "bang," he smashed a killer from the Ancient Divine Dynasty, who had merged into the void, into a bloody pulp.
The heavy sword was like a hammer. With his immense strength, he killed this powerful assassin who thought he was well-hidden and had approached him, breaking bones and severing tendons.
On the other side, Wu Zhongtian and the others also made their moves. Sword light shot into the sky, blood light flashed, and brilliant sword energy crisscrossed and surged, producing the sound of wind and thunder.
Here, the killing intent was overwhelming, like thousands of active volcanoes erupting together. Terrifying ripples were everywhere, and more people attacked from the darkness.
However, while fighting the ghost-like experts, Ye Fan and his group were all on guard against the killers in the void. Those were the fatal, sure-kill strikes.
"Pfft!"
Ye Fan went on a killing spree, slashing several powerful enemies in a row. Then, he flicked his sword tip again, cleaving through the void, and chopped off a bloody head. The victim died with eyes wide open in disbelief.
"Pfft," "Pfft"...
Wu Zhongtian, Li Heishui, Jiang Huairen, and others struck almost simultaneously, piercing the void. Their long swords pinned down a figure, then shattered it.
"Kill!"
The people of the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty realized that even hiding with their supreme secret arts couldn't fool the enemy; they had long been exposed.
Moreover, the enemy had used the opportunity of their concealment and fear of making large movements to deliver killing blows. Almost everyone had slain a powerful expert. They had died too unjustly.
"Since you're playing dead, we'll beat you into being truly dead!" the Big Black Dog shouted, its large paw also smashing apart an expert from the Mortal World.
"Boom!"
Terrifying killing intent surged wildly. All the experts of the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty attacked together with the visible phantoms, aiming to kill Ye Fan and his group.
This was a raging wave, overwhelming and irresistible. The formless killing thoughts shaved several zhang off the ground, destroying everything. Nothing could withstand it.
A life-and-death struggle began. The experts of the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty unleashed their life-slaying grand arts. Liu Kou and the others nearly suffered greatly; if not for the Big Black Dog's warning, they might have been in danger.
These people had an endless array of killing secret arts. They cultivated the path of killing, attaining the Dao through slaughter, making them far more suited for battle than ordinary cultivators.
"Thud!"
Wu Zhongtian went berserk, shattering a killer with his bare hands. Bone fragments and blood splattered everywhere. In the past, he had been invited by Tu Fei and others to confront the Holy Son Yao Guang, showing just how powerful he was.
On the other side, Jiang Huairen, Li Heishui, and others all fought fiercely, engaging in a great battle with the experts of the Killer Divine Dynasty. Blood blossoms bloomed continuously.
Everyone felt the danger. The Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty had powerful seed killers lurking in the shadows, who had yet to truly make a move.
"Boom!"
A terrifying danger descended. Over a dozen cultivators at the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm appeared, their divine might awe-inspiring. They struck together, aiming at Ye Fan, intending to beat him into a meat paste.
"Whoosh"
Ye Fan leaped into the void like an agile ape, executing the Stride Art. He left behind several afterimages, then, like an eagle striking the sky, suddenly shot toward the heavens.
"Pfft"
The Yin-Yang Sacred Sword in his hand slashed diagonally, cleaving an expert from the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty in two. The two halves of the body spurted blood, staining the sky red before falling.
"Kill!"
Over a dozen cultivators at the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm locked onto him, chasing him into the high sky. Their goal was clear: kill him and seize the cauldron. This was a team of powerful experts.
"Thud!"
How formidable was their combined strength? They shattered the night sky, turning a patch of void into a black hole. Each of the dozen was incredibly powerful, and Ye Fan could only avoid their edge.
"Kill!"
Those in hiding, seeing Ye Fan being pursued, couldn't hold back any longer. More people rushed out, attacking this area. In the dead of night, the killing cries shook the heavens, making the somber ancient city terrifying.
Figures flickered. Many powerful experts attacked, nearly trapping Ye Fan. If not for the Stride Art, he would have had almost no chance of escape.
"Little Leaf, it's time to activate the Primordial Slaughter Formation!" Li Heishui transmitted his voice.
"Wait, we still need to wait. You all fall back first!" Ye Fan gritted his teeth in response. The people he wanted to kill hadn't arrived yet; they were still watching.
"If we wait any longer, you'll be in danger." Wu Zhongtian also transmitted his voice. They were already locked in a bitter struggle, almost surrounded.
In this deep night, who knew how many cultivators had come. The place was in chaos, with blades everywhere, magical artifacts flying all over, sword light shattering the dome of heaven, and cold light dazzling the eyes.
This area was nearly razed to the ground, almost boiling over!
"Boom!"
Jiang Huai'an, the elder uncle of Jiang Yichen, appeared with over a dozen people, approaching silently. They suddenly struck, blasting toward Ye Fan, nearly dispersing the dark clouds covering the sky.
Ye Fan leaped and bounded, his body curving like a dragon as he shot through, moving at extreme speed to dodge.
"Whoosh"
Ye Fan was almost caught in an encirclement, with many cultivators surrounding him. Suddenly, a beam of sword light shot up, nearly cleaving Ye Fan in two, leaving a bloody mark on his body.
"Clang"
At the same time, Ye Fan swung the Yin-Yang Sacred Sword, blocking a blood-colored sword. A burst of dazzling sparks flew, and killing intent penetrated to the bone.
The truly powerful killers of the Mortal World and Hell had appeared!
At this moment, the most terrifying were not the others, but the seed-level experts of the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty. They had become the kings of the darkness, taking absolute control in this chaotic battle.
"Don't worry about me! Retreat quickly!" Ye Fan shouted, telling Jiang Huairen and the others to leave first.
"Boom!"
It was as if the gates of Hell had swung open. Endless killing thoughts surged like a tidal wave. Several powerful old experts descended, simultaneously striking at Ye Fan with divine arts.
He used the Stride Art to leap up, as if walking through the void. His body flickered, dim and bright, narrowly avoiding the certain-death strike.
"Zheng!"
A blood-dripping divine sword swept across the sky, drawing a comet-like streak of light that illuminated the pitch-black night. A powerful seed expert from Hell slashed at Ye Fan's head.
"Keng!"
Ye Fan's eyes flickered with uncertainty. His body was as light as ethereal smoke as he executed the Heavenly Court's life-slaying grand art. He twisted his body, almost becoming illusory, then swung the Yin-Yang Sacred Sword at an impossible angle.
"Pfft!"
While being pursued by several old-generation experts, he swung the sacred sword, cleaving off half the head of a seed expert from Hell. Blood gushed out, white brain matter flowed, and the corpse fell.
"Chi"
Jiang Huai'an, the elder uncle of Jiang Yichen, held a green ancient tower and pressed it down. It could shake even mountains, its power terrifying in the extreme. Those around him continuously retreated.
At the same time, the dozen people who came with him also released their divine weapons, crisscrossing like beams of divine light as they slashed at Ye Fan.
"Whoosh"
He executed the Stride Art, vanishing from his spot and appearing a thousand zhang away. A blood-red killing sword stabbed silently out of the void, aimed at his temple—swift, fierce, and ruthless.
"Keng," "Keng," "Keng"...
Ye Fan clashed with this seed expert from the Mortal World, matching speed with speed. In almost an instant, they exchanged a thousand sword strikes. Then, his body suddenly vanished.
"Pfft!"
The Yin-Yang Sacred Sword in his hand pierced through the top of the opponent's head, driving into his crown. He killed this incredibly terrifying seed expert.
This result made many people's hearts sink. They hadn't seen him use any terrifying Dao power, yet his killing methods were so dreadful.
"Boom!"
Nine old experts at the eighth level of Dragon Transformation descended from the sky, each striking out with a palm, shattering the void. Ye Fan fled swiftly, but the edge of the storm nearly engulfed him.
"Clang"
An ancient cauldron appeared above Ye Fan's head, hanging down tens of thousands of strands of Mother Qi. Like little dragons, each strand could crush a mountain range, protecting him tightly.
The void shattered. Even with the Primordial Mother Qi protecting his body, he was sent flying seven or eight hundred meters away, with traces of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"The Primordial Qi Cauldron!"
Everyone went mad. Why had they come? Wasn't it for this cauldron?
Numerous experts and countless cultivators surged forward, all wanting to kill Ye Fan and seize the cauldron.
Ye Fan retreated swiftly, but figures were everywhere. He was trapped in a heavy encirclement, with no way to escape.
"Pfft!"
Soundlessly, a green-gold divine sword stabbed forward—vicious, accurate, and precise. It struck the trajectory Ye Fan had to take, nearly cutting open his waist and abdomen.
Fortunately, he pushed the Stride Art to its limit, narrowly dodging. But even so, a bloody mark appeared, and quite a bit of golden blood flowed out.
Ye Fan's expression turned cold. He swung the Yin-Yang Sacred Sword forward. He hadn't expected the attacker to be the Holy Son of Wanchu, who had already closed in and nearly ambushed him.
At this moment, the Holy Son of Wanchu was shrouded in a cyan glow, a green divine garment covering his body, hiding his true appearance. If not for Ye Fan's divine eyes, he wouldn't have seen through it.
"Hum!"
The Holy Son of Wanchu was like a green-gold war god, blazing with light. A blood-colored beam suddenly shot from his hand, and a tremendous devouring force emerged, dissolving everything.
Ye Fan's heart tightened. He pushed the Stride Art to its extreme and shot out. A bloody hole appeared in his original spot, and several people who fell into it dissolved into blood.
"The Heavenly Demon Blood Box!" many exclaimed.
Ye Fan's heart pounded violently. That was a divine object refined by a peerless ancient Heavenly Demon using his own blood for his descendants. Its power was unmatched; any expert sucked into it would have their form and spirit destroyed.
If he hadn't reacted quickly, he would have almost fallen for it!
The Holy Son of Wanchu, usually harmless to humans and animals, had now sacrificed such a vicious divine object. It could dissolve any tangible substance, truly terrifying.
No one would have imagined that the wielder of the Heavenly Demon Blood Box would be a promising holy son.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a beam of chaotic light appeared beside Ye Fan, incredibly sharp. It nearly struck him, causing the void to annihilate.
Ye Fan was shocked. He dodged quickly, turning to look. Not far away, a strange figure with disheveled hair, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, holding a rotten wooden hammer, had released that beam of light.
The Holy Son of Zifu!
This person was actually the Holy Son of Zifu. Except for Ye Fan, no one could recognize him. He, too, couldn't resist making a move!
"Whoosh"
The Holy Son of Zifu also carried a large black gourd on his back. Suddenly, it spewed out a torrent of pitch-black, vile water that corroded everything. It instantly caused several people to have their forms and spirits destroyed, nearly drowning Ye Fan.
This black water exuded an aura of death, defiling everything. Any divine weapon or sharp blade that touched it would turn into black mist and vanish.
"Boom"
The vile water surged like a black wave, crashing toward Ye Fan, almost knocking him over.
These holy sons were indeed extraordinary, each with unique fortunes. Besides their own inheritances, they had other terrifying methods.
"Thud!"
The black gourd of the Holy Son of Zifu was fearsome, but even more terrifying was the rotten wooden hammer in his hand. It struck out another beam of chaotic light, colliding with the Primordial Qi Cauldron.
He wanted to use this divine object to shake the ancient cauldron off Ye Fan's head and seize it. At the same time, he tried to break through the defenses and send the black water in to destroy Ye Fan's sacred body.
"That's Heaven's Yin Absolute Water! Anyone hit by it will surely die!" an old-generation expert recognized the origin of the black water.
However, no one knew the origin of the rotten wooden hammer that could emit chaotic light, nor what this divine object was all about.
The Holy Son of Zifu had obtained this hammer and the black gourd, while the Holy Son of Wanchu possessed the Heavenly Demon Blood Box. It seemed they had all learned other inheritances.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a terrifying pressure covered the sky, causing this patch of void to collapse and spread, with large cracks densely covering the high sky.
A Half-Step Great Power had made a move!
At this moment, Ye Fan had the Primordial Qi Cauldron above his head, untouched by all laws, in harmony with the Dao. This made everyone's eyes burn with desire, and the powerful figures could no longer hold back.
With such a terrifying figure appearing, Ye Fan had no chance. He couldn't resist at all. If he didn't leave, having the cauldron taken was only a matter of time.
Now, the Stride Art made his body like lightning, extremely fast.
At this moment, a full five Half-Step Great Powers appeared separately. They were not on the same side, but all struck at Ye Fan. Each wanted to seize the initiative, take the cauldron, and claim it for themselves.
At the same time, Ye Fan also sensed a killing intent. Having inherited the Heavenly Court's teachings, he naturally understood that a very terrifying assassin was watching from the shadows.
The threat of the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty was too great. From the beginning until now, they had been everywhere.
"If you don't leave the cauldron, leave your life!"
"The Sacred Body has become the past, turned to dust!"
...
Several Half-Step Great Powers all struck with lethal force, aiming to destroy Ye Fan. He rushed out swiftly, using the Stride Art to flee.
At this time, others also made their moves. Heaven and earth boiled over. Especially the Holy Son of Zifu and the Holy Son of Wanchu, hiding in the shadows, ambushing with terrifying great killing weapons, posing an extreme threat.
"Black Emperor, seal them all for me!" Ye Fan shouted. He had no way to escape. Even the Stride Art was useless. The sky had been sealed, and all directions were locked down. If he delayed any longer, he would surely die, with no hope of survival, his form and spirit utterly destroyed.
"Boom!"
Heaven and earth lost their color. Wind and clouds shifted. This patch of void was covered with endless patterns, trapping everyone beneath them. The formless killing thoughts made the heavens tremble.
A corner of the slaughter formation of an ancient great emperor appeared. The peerless killing aura connected with the great Dao of heaven and earth, as if it could extinguish all living beings in the world.
Ye Fan didn't know if he had sealed all the holy sons and holy maidens, but he understood that this time, rivers of blood would surely flow, triggering a great earthquake!
"You wanted to kill me and take the Primordial Qi Cauldron..." Ye Fan swept his gaze over the crowd. "I'm sorry, but I'm sending all of you on your way!"