Chapter 1754 (Raw 1766): With One Thought
The sudden appearance of over a thousand black Flame Demons scared Huangpu Qi.
No matter how strong Huangpu Qi was, he would not dare to lose his temper before so many black Flame Demons.
Most importantly, Huangpu Qi could not figure out the bottom line of these Flame Demons, so he did not dare to gamble.
It was not just Huangpu Qi. Senior Liu, Leng Feng, and the others were all startled as well.
They simply could not figure out why the black Flame Demons, which they had clearly killed off, reappeared.
Furthermore, these black Flame Demons were under Xiao Chen's control.
There was no lack of knowledgeable people here. These people muttered, "Puppetry?"
There were three thousand Great Dao and eight hundred Side Doors.
Puppetry was one of these Side Doors, something rarely seen and very difficult to cultivate.
However, once one succeeded in cultivating it, one would be a powerful expert. It was no exaggeration to say that one could fight against ten or even a hundred alone.
The problem was that Xiao Chen did not look like someone who cultivated puppetry.
Sects that understood how to use puppetry in the world were extremely rare. All of them were hidden sects.
Since it was just a Side Door, after one cultivated it, one would naturally have an aura that differed from normal cultivators
Furthermore, it would be extremely obvious.
Just like that bamboo-hat bladesman. He exuded an evil aura. With one look, it was clear that he was not a cultivator of the righteous path.
However, Xiao Chen looked prim and proper. He possessed a withdrawn aura and a bright sharpness in his clear eyes.
He gave no indication of cultivating a Side Door.
Regardless, this move of Xiao Chen's did manage to shake everyone up.
Especially Huangpu Qi. Originally, he thought that this was already in the bag. Now, his face paled, and his right hand, which held the sword, trembled a little.
The murderous intent of the Flame Demons was fixed on him. No one else could feel the pressure that he faced.
"Xiao Chen, let's discuss this properly. There is no need to abandon all cordiality and fight to the death," Huangpu Qi said. Before the one-thousand-odd Flame Demons pressing nearer step by step, he finally showed weakness.
"Did you not hear what I said?" Xiao Chen demanded coldly, not bothering to look at him.
Once the Flame Demons materialized from the Life Bestowal Spell reached a certain number, they would unavoidably be weaker.
The drain on the Magic Energy in Xiao Chen's sea of consciousness would also be enormous.
However, no matter how weak the Flame Demons were, they would each still have at least the strength of a Major Primal Core Venerate. No matter how bad the drain was, Xiao Chen could be able to last close to two hours.
Moreover, he could control the black Flame Demons to materialize the Yinyang Saber Formation.
That was more than enough to kill Huangpu Qi.
Furthermore, aside from the black Flame Demons, there was still Xiao Chen himself.
Huangpu Qi had no chance of victory at all. Unless he begged for forgiveness, all that awaited him was death.
The expression in Huangpu Qi's eyes changed. He felt very aggrieved. His heart raged, but he did not dare to vent it.
Xiao Chen's meaning was clear. It was for him to scram!
Huangpu Qi was a true inheritor of the Snow Sword Palace. When had he ever been humiliated like that before?
"Xiao Chen, I, Huangpu Qi, will settle this account with you sooner or later. Let's go!"
Huangpu Qi's face repeatedly flushed and paled for a while. Then, he led the remaining ten-odd disciples of the Snow Sword Palace away, forced to leave.
Xiao Chen's eyes swept across Senior Liu, Leng Feng, Xiahou Feng, and the others. His meaning went without saying.
The Snow Sword Palace's people left already. All the more there is no need for you people to remain here.
This was a silent threat that no one dared to disobey.
Senior Ma was severely injured and weakened, bereft of combat power. Senior Liu's team was not strong in the first place. After the first few rounds of battle, its members had been severely injured. They definitely did not have the confidence to fight another huge battle with the black Flame Demons.
"Xiao Chen, you'd best not return to Dragon Flame City for the rest of your life," Leng Feng said as he looked at Xiao Chen. The threat in his tone was clear.
Xiao Chen said calmly, "There is no need for you to worry about that."
Soon, Leng Feng led Senior Ma's team away. Senior Liu's team followed closely behind.
Before long, the Dragon Race plaza and its vicinity turned quiet, leaving only Xiao Chen, and…
There was still the bamboo-hat bladesman who had not left.
"You are not leaving?" Xiao Chen asked indifferently as he looked at the bamboo-hat bladesman.
The bamboo-hat bladesman said softly, "They left because they did not know what you are thinking, what you desire."
Xiao Chen's heart skipped a beat. He looked at the bamboo-hat bladesman and said, "The Profound Light Temple's Zhen Yuan, there is no need to beat about the bush. After you used that Asura Hell, I knew who you were."
"Good eyes."
The bamboo-hat bladesman smiled faintly and removed the conical bamboo-hat, revealing a bald head and a sharp and handsome face.
If this was not the Profound Light Temple's traitor, Zhen Yuan, who else could it be?"
Although it was as Xiao Chen guessed, when he clearly saw the other party's appearance, he still felt some shock in his heart.
He truly had not expected that this Zhen Yuan had hidden his strength so well.
"You actually could have broken through to the Cloud Sea Realm long ago, right?" Xiao Chen asked calmly as he looked at the other party.
For many years, Zhen Yuan had reigned as the strongest youth of the Grave Sea, firmly suppressing Shangguan Lei and Wang Yueming.
As for Wang Yueming and Shangguan Lei, their cultivations already reached the Major Primal Core Realm three years ago.
It was impossible for Zhen Yuan not to have improved.
"Your guess is right. If not for the appearance of your Mahāmāyā Abstinence Violation Saber Technique, I would have remained in that cultivation realm for three more years."
Zhen Yuan explained indifferently, "The Buddhist sect focuses on comprehension and does not care that much about the cultivation realm. One might spend ten years in comprehension, but once enlightened, one could gain one hundred years' worth of comprehension. However, that does not matter now…"
Indeed, it no longer mattered. Zhen Yuan no longer walked a Buddhist path and naturally could not cultivate like that.
"What do you think? How does my Saber Technique compare to yours?" he asked Xiao Chen, with a cocky expression.
"I practiced the Saber Technique for only three months, and I already comprehended the true meaning of Breaking the Mundane, Resolving the Mundane, and Entering Hell. I also took reference from it and comprehended another Saber Technique, the Asura Hell."
"Becoming Buddha after one year, becoming a demon with one thought. You understand what I mean, right?" Xiao Chen replied indifferently. This Zhen Yuan was indeed a genius with the Saber Technique. However, how could there be such a thing as instant success with a Saber Technique?
In seeking a shortcut, Zhen Yuan already entered the Demonic Dao. The stronger he was, the greater the mental barrier. Sooner or later, he would end up digging his own grave.
"When Mahāmāyā broke the abstinence, that was the first demon. However, Buddha and demons stand on opposite sides. Hence, it became demonic. This is a Demonic Saber Technique in the first place. It is not that I practiced it wrong; you were the one that was wrong from the start," Zhen Yuan said, enunciating every word clearly as he looked straight at Xiao Chen.
Zhen Yuan really wanted to see Xiao Chen's expression of doubt and confusion on hearing these words. However, he was disappointed.
Xiao Chen had a strong mind. He would not doubt himself over just a few words. He retorted indifferently, "We will see. You said that you know what I am thinking, what I desire. Tell me, what is it?"
Zhen Yuan stepped forward and gazed at that Faux God Flame above the Azure Dragon Totem. He looked completely entranced like he was bewitched.
"You seek the Faux God Flame. However, this Faux God Flame is already tainted with a demonic nature. I do not need this Faux God Flame, only the demonic nature in it, so there is no conflict between the two of us."
After pausing for a while, Zhen Yuan added, "Now that I already have the saber manual, you have nothing that I want. I do not see you as an enemy, and we can cooperate here."
Xiao Chen felt tempted. This suggestion was indeed pretty good. He could feel the pain that the Faux God Flame was in.
However, he had not found a solution to it yet.
Zhen Yuan had already chosen to cultivate the Demonic Dao. The demonic nature that contaminated this Faux God Flame held a boundless attraction for him.
More importantly, Xiao Chen sensed that this place should be sealing a certain evil dragon.
Originally, the Faux God Flame was the key part of the seal. However, too long had passed, and the Faux God Flame's divine nature inevitably weakened.
The evil dragon infiltrated it and controlled it.
The demonized Faux God Flame purposely leaked the so-called Dragon Qi, leading to the discovery of the dragon city.
Then, using the victims' essence blood, it would activate the blood formation around the totem.
Xiao Chen could not think of a method now, and when the formation activated, the seal might be completely broken.
Getting Zhen Yuan to absorb the evil dragon's Demonic Qi might not be a permanent solution.
However, this was just Xiao Chen's guess; he had no assurance.
Whether to gamble on this or not hinged on a single thought from Xiao Chen.
Seeing Xiao Chen remain silent, Zhen Yuan said softly, "Are you still unable to decide? The Faux God Flame is an opportunity that many people dream of. As long as you agree, you can obtain it."
He believed that Xiao Chen would choose it.
"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"
Holding the black dragon scale, Xiao Chen sensed the torture that the Faux God Flame experienced once more.
That was an indescribable pain that made his heart pound at his impotence.
"Alright, deal."
Xiao Chen calmly extended his hand and tossed the dragon scale to Zhen Yuan.
Zhen Yuan revealed a smile and reached out to catch the dragon scale, looking at the black Faux God Flame with a fervent expression.
"Boom!"
Just at this moment, the blood formation suddenly released a red light. The initially still Azure Dragon Totem started trembling. The entire dragon city also started shaking violently.