"Raylan and Ashley both recognized the flag, and they even know its name. Perhaps, it has something
to do with the Five-element Sect?"
The crowd started to whisper among themselves upon hearing Raylan's words.
Meanwhile, Ricky asked Raylan and Ashley straightforwardly, "Does this flag have anything to do with
your Five-element Sect?" At that very moment, he finally understood why Raylan and Ashley were
acting strangely. It would explain why they would suddenly join hands.
"Of course. The Five-element Flag is actually our sect leader's sacred weapon," Raylan answered him
coldly.
"Oh, so that is why! But why do you expect me to give it up? Whether this flag has anything to do with
your sect doesn't have anything to do with me. And besides, I obtained it rightfully, so there's no way I
will just give it up," countered Ricky.
He now understood that the reason Ashley and Raylan came to the Emperor Beast Swamp was to look
for the Five-element Flag, but they didn't expect that the flag would appear here.
"Ricky, although our Five-element Sect has divided into different branches, and we may not be as
strong as before, we all share the same attitude toward this matter. We all hold this flag in high reward,"
declared Ashley seriously.
"So, if you don't give us the flag right now, you will be an enemy of the entire Five-element Sect.
However, if you hand over the flag, I promise you that we will repay you handsomely."
While Ashley was speaking, the Dragon Intent Grass was giving reminders to Ricky as well.
"It looks like you can't keep the Five-element Flag, kid. After all, the Five-element Sect is more powerful
and influential than the Red Potentate Roc tribe. I don't think it's a good idea to provoke them!
The Wood Saint and Metal Fire Saint have also been kind to you. You can't take their stuff, can you?"
"Darn! I thought that I finally obtained a sacred weapon. I guess I can't keep it now that you've said so,"
muttered Ricky unhappily. "But before I make the final decision, I must go and see the Wood Saint and
Metal Fire Saint first."
After Ricky finished his conversation with the Dragon Intent Grass telepathically, he then turned to
Ashley and said,
"That sounds good, but since I am alone here, I can't really trust you. If you really want me to surrender
the flag, then you must show me your sincerity.
Unless you do so, I can't surrender it to you. I don't care if that makes me your enemy or not."
"You..." Ricky's flippant attitude annoyed Ashley endlessly, and if it were up to her, she would just kill
him right there and then. But she held her tongue because she knew what kind of man he was.
He wouldn't care about whatever she had to say since he even dared to kill Lundy so casually.
"Ricky!" Raylan hissed in a hateful tone as well.
Deeply amused by their reactions, Ricky lifted one eyebrow casually and added, "Of course, you can
choose to fight me now, but I advise you to think twice before taking action. Otherwise, I don't mind
killing two more people."
After he said that, he turned away and left, leaving Raylan and Ashley annoyed and embarrassed.
However, they couldn't do anything because Ricky was right. Even if the two of them worked together
against him, they would only end up dead.
On the other hand, the surrounding warriors were greatly disappointed when they saw that Raylan and
Ashley weren't going to fight Ricky. They could only sigh as they whispered to each other, "Alas! I
guess Ricky's power is too overwhelming. Maybe Lundy's death discouraged Raylan and Ashley."
All the spectators started to leave. Although they weren't content with how things ended, they would
rather use the last minute to search for more ruins and get some blood beasts than waste any second
coveting anything Ricky had or challenging him.
As for Ricky and his other companions, they didn't bother to look for more opportunities in the ruins.
After all, what use would more blood beasts serve when they already had the Blood Beast King?
Soon after, Ricky, Edie, and Winifred stopped in a secret place. There, Ricky took out half of the Blood
Beast King and gave it to Edie and Winifred. "It's time that I fulfill my promise. Here, half of this Blood
Beast King is yours."
Although they had agreed on this beforehand, Edie and Winifred were still at a loss as to when Ricky
did so.
They were embarrassed to accept such a generous gift because they did not think they had offered
much to help him. Ricky had practically carried them all the way to victory.
"Ricky, thank you, but we can't accept this. We're satisfied with those blood beasts we got," Edie said
as he refused Ricky's offer immediately.
"Don't say those words. Without you, I wouldn't be able to enter the Emperor Beast Swamp. Moreover,
I really need your Wind-Mountain Alliance's Transmission Array, and you know why. Trust me. You
deserve this reward. And I also see the two of you as my friends. But if you don't see me as your friend,
you can refuse it,"
insisted Ricky with a smile.
"If that's the case, I can't say no anymore," answered Winifred. She accepted the Blood Beast King
from Ricky and added, "As for the Transmission Array, you can ask Edie for help."
On the other hand, Edie could only shake his head helplessly. After all, Winifred had already accepted
it, so he couldn't keep on saying no.
Thus, he told Ricky, "Don't worry. After we leave here, I'll take you to our Transmission Array."
One month passed, and many changes began to take place in the whole Emperor Beast Swamp.
It seemed like it was going to disappear soon, and its suppression power had also weakened.
Ricky and his companions were finally about to leave the swampland. At this point, Winifred took out
the blood essence she got from Grady and opened a passage for them using it.
After that, Edie took Ricky to the Wind-Mountain Alliance's headquarters, and they soon entered the
place where the Transmission Array was located.
When Ricky noticed that the demi-saint guarding the Transmission Array treated Edie with reverence,
he immediately realized that Edie had a high status in this sect. The demi-saint didn't dare to stop
Ricky from using the array since Edie had vouched for him.
The Transmission Array resembled a round altar that bloomed with intense light, and a black hole-like
passage was inside.
"I'm going to activate the Transmission Array once you get inside. After half a day, you will be able to
reach the other side of the endless mountain, the periphery of the Middle Land, which should belong to
the Five-element Sect. That is a Sage Level force," the demi-saint explained to Ricky.
"The Five-element Sect?" Ricky murmured thoughtfully.
"By the way, make sure to keep this place a secret. If you tell anyone where our Transmission Array is,
the Wind-Mountain Alliance will hunt you down, even though you're Edie's friend," the demi-saint
warned him.
Beside him, Edie also nodded.
Only array deployers at the Sage Level could design Transmission Arrays. The cost of hiring such an
array expert was far more than that of hiring a saint.
"Please don't worry, sir. I swear that I won't tell a soul!" answered Ricky earnestly. "That's good. You
can go inside now!" said the guard, leaving Ricky behind to say his farewells.
Ricky nodded to Winifred and Edie.
"It's time to part, my friends. Goodbye." After that, he finally went inside, where he found a place similar
to a tunnel.
Gravity seemed weak inside the place, and Ricky felt like he could float in the air.
'At last, I will finally be in Middle Land after half a day,' Ricky thought to himself excitedly.
Meanwhile, as Ricky was using the Transmission Array, the warriors who witnessed what he had done
in the Wild Beast Swamp spread tales of his exploits with everyone they met.
Before half a day had passed, the whole eastern area of the endless mountain had heard of what he
had done.
"Ricky had killed Lundy, an ace genius? How did that happen?" All the creatures who heard that news
found it hard to believe.
On the other hand, Ricky's exploits in the Eastern Land also reached the Middle Land.
"Ricky was once an incredible demi-spiritual emperor! That's unbelievable!"
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