Chapter 43 - 41: Xingyue City Unable to Calm Down for a Long Time

Chapter 43: Chapter 41: Xingyue City Unable to Calm Down for a Long Time

Amidst the boundless primordial mountain range.

"Brat, pay with your life!"

BOOM!

Terrifying spiritual power surged through the forest, toppling countless ancient trees as massive streams of sword qi swept in all directions.

Over ten imposing figures fled frantically with Jiang Hao, sprinting outward beyond the Xingyue City Earth Realm, followed by a continuous stream of terrifying Qi family experts in pursuit. Even though the protectors were already riddled with injuries, their killing intent soared to the heavens. Ignoring their wounds completely, they attacked Jiang Hao’s pursuers with reckless abandon.

"Take Jiang Xiaoyou away! We’ll hold them off!"

Beside the leading masked expert, other strong cultivators continuously broke off to meet the Qi family’s forces head-on. They fought with all their might to block the pursuers, sparking an earth-shattering battle.

As the number of pursuing experts steadily increased, the masked protectors around Jiang Hao dwindled, until only the two most formidable figures remained.

"Pay for my son’s life!"

RUMBLE!

Qi Yun Mountain’s figure suddenly appeared in the rear battlefield. Like a rabid hound, he ignored his own injuries, blasted aside the cultivators blocking his path, and charged murderously toward Jiang Hao’s trio.

"This old bastard has gone mad! Stop him!"

"Young friend, go!"

The two pushed Jiang Hao to safety, then turned to face Qi Yun Mountain.

Feeling the terrifying shockwaves erupting behind him, Jiang Hao did not hesitate and immediately tore through the air to escape. The longer he stayed within the Xingyue City Earth Realm, the heavier the casualties would be for Gu Qingyan’s people. At this moment, Jiang Hao had no other thoughts; he only wanted to escape this deadly predicament as quickly as possible.

However, after he had sprinted for several miles, an incredibly cold voice echoed from the forest ahead.

"Hmph. You killed Junior Brother Qi, yet you still think you can leave here alive? Keep dreaming."

Jiang Hao looked toward the source of the voice, only to see dozens of cultivators clad in the uniform of the Celestial Sword Sect emerging from the primordial foliage. Every single one of these sect disciples emanated a terrifying aura, their cultivation bases astonishingly high. It was obvious that the disciples permitted to travel alongside an elder could not be ordinary cultivators.

"Great Perfection of the Creation Realm?"

Even Jiang Hao’s expression shifted slightly the moment he laid eyes on them. Among the dozens of figures, the absolute weakest was at the seventh or eighth level of the Creation Realm. A few had already reached the Great Perfection of the Creation Realm, and two possessed the strength of the First Layer of the Unity Realm!

Although these were all Celestial Sword Sect disciples, they were much older than Jiang Hao, having cultivated for far longer than he or Qi Tianyang had.

"He’s suffering from backlash and has internal injuries! Kill him!"

"Let’s not drag this out. Junior brothers, hold nothing back! Execute him with full force!"

SWISH!

The moment the two leading Celestial Sword Sect disciples finished speaking, the dozens of cultivators shifted their positions and took to the skies, sealing off the surrounding space.

"He is a peerless genius of the Unity Realm! His strength cannot be underestimated. Form the array immediately!"

"Celestial Sword Killing Array!"

RUMBLE!

Sensing the terrifying shockwaves of the battle drawing ever closer from the rear, the dozens of Celestial Sword Sect disciples didn’t dare to be careless. They immediately deployed their sect’s grand formation—the Celestial Sword Killing Array. The dozens of figures swiftly shifted positions, forming a massive array in an instant that locked Jiang Hao firmly within.

As the killing array took shape, waves of horrifying power converged, becoming so terrifying that it made one’s scalp tingle.

"Kill!"

BOOM!

In an instant, countless streams of sword qi materialized within the grand array. The entire forest was crisscrossed with sword qi, painting a picture of absolute terror.

Jiang Hao didn’t dare hesitate. He raised Qingfeng and clashed fiercely with the dozens of figures. However, this was his first time facing such a formation, and he was caught completely off guard. The killing array was extremely complex, requiring the perfect coordination of dozens of people. Sword qi pierced through the formation; some disciples handled long-range attacks while others executed close-quarters assassinations, blending together flawlessly.

"Haaah!"

Several figures charged with their swords, slashing toward Jiang Hao. He flipped into the air, narrowly dodging the sharp blades, but an endless barrage of sword qi followed immediately after, forcing him to continuously execute the Qinghe Sword Technique.

"Die!"

BOOM!

The two Celestial Sword Sect disciples at the First Layer of the Unity Realm launched a sneak attack from behind, swinging their ancient swords at his back. Jiang Hao suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. After neutralizing the myriad streams of sword qi, he spun around and slashed out with all his might.

BOOM!

The three ancient swords clashed together, and the impact sent all of them flying backward. However, the expressions of the two Unity Realm experts from the Celestial Sword Sect changed drastically.

"What terrifying power! How can he be this strong?"

Having exchanged a single blow, both were filled with shock, finally realizing the sheer gap between themselves and a peerless genius.

"We absolutely cannot let him escape, or he will become a massive threat to our Celestial Sword Sect!"

"Hurry up and kill him!"

As the dozens of Celestial Sword Sect disciples reeled in horror, the battle instantly escalated to a white-hot climax. Several figures closed in for another melee attack. Seeing this, Jiang Hao held nothing back. Enduring a heavy blow from a stray stream of sword qi, he advanced instead of retreating. He lunged fiercely toward the incoming figures and swung his sword.

The expressions of the Celestial Sword Sect disciples contorted in horror as they snapped their heads up. But it was too late. Tanking the incoming sword qi, Jiang Hao swung Qingfeng, his own sword qi tearing through the void.

"Ahhhh!"

Several Celestial Sword Sect disciples were sent flying by the strike, unleashing miserable shrieks as they were knocked away and killed on the spot.

Everyone’s expression changed drastically as they watched their fellow disciples being slaughtered in a single strike.

"Abandon close combat! Pull back and execute him from a distance!"

The two Unity Realm experts controlling the killing array immediately shouted orders, and the dozens of figures instantly retreated to maintain the formation from afar. In the blink of an eye, boundless sword qi swallowed the area, tearing through the air toward the white-robed youth. The entire forest was flooded with an impenetrable barrage of soaring sword qi.

In just a short moment, Jiang Hao’s body was covered in sword wounds. Having already sustained heavy injuries during his life-and-death battle with Qi Tianyang, his combat power had drastically diminished. Coupled with the massive drain on his spiritual power, he currently had no energy left to counter the Celestial Sword Sect’s greatest killing array, a formation renowned throughout the Eastern Domain. Gradually, he fell to a disadvantage.

At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he was cut down by the sword array.

"Kill!"

RUMBLE!

Seeing their opponent struggling to keep up, the dozens of Celestial Sword Sect sword cultivators went all out, frantically empowering the array as if the target’s death was already guaranteed. Little did they know that while the battle raged at its peak, an elderly figure was silently watching everything unfold from a hidden corner.

The old man watched as Jiang Hao gradually lost ground, slowly closed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh. A moment later, the instant the old man reopened his eyes...

BOOM!

An invisible force, so terrifying that it eclipsed the heavens and the earth, suddenly erupted and swept toward the killing array. Wherever this power passed...

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!

The dozens of Celestial Sword Sect sword cultivators shuddered violently before exploding on the spot, instantly turning into clouds of blood mist. It was as if crimson fireworks had blossomed across the entire forest, and the pungent stench of blood immediately assaulted the senses.

Witnessing this astonishing scene, even Jiang Hao paled in shock, staring blankly as the formidable sword array dissipated in the blink of an eye.

Right then, an elderly voice echoed within Jiang Hao’s mind.

"Young friend, go. At Miss Ying’s request, this old man has broken the rules."

Hearing this voice, Jiang Hao slightly raised his eyes, instantly realizing who had intervened. Bowing deeply toward the empty void, Jiang Hao immediately transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the endless bloody mist.

In a hidden spot.

The old man watched the young boy flee into the distance before turning his aged gaze in another direction. Over there, the battle had already shattered the earth and sundered the mountains, causing endless swathes of ancient trees to collapse.

The old man sighed once more, and his withered body suddenly shuddered.

WHOOSH!

An invisible force swept through the forest, flattening countless clusters of foliage as if an unseen gale had blown through. The moment the myriad leaves bowed toward the battlefield...

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Countless Qi family experts, including Qi Yun Mountain, all reacted the exact same way—their bodies stiffened before they instantly disintegrated into endless clouds of blood mist.

Seeing this, the dozen or so masked figures were horrified beyond belief. Within the forest, one imposing figure after another violently exploded, dying instantly as the destruction carved a path forward.

At this moment, even the dozens of terrifying young figures trailing from behind abruptly skidded to a halt, their eyes filled with dread as they peered into the depths of the forest ahead.

"Everyone, stop right there."

The elderly voice echoed in the minds of the many peerless geniuses. It was calm and casual, yet it struck them all like a bolt of lightning. Smelling the thick stench of blood from deep within the primordial forest, all the geniuses, including the young girl in the bamboo hat, found themselves breathing heavily, gasping for air.

That stretch of forest seemed to have instantly morphed into an abyss. As they gazed into the abyss, the abyss gazed back into them, sending chills down their spines.

Within the forest, the dozen or so masked figures looked in a certain direction. Overcoming their shock, they all quietly retreated. Only the two most terrifying masked figures bowed to the void, then turned and chased after the direction in which Jiang Hao had vanished.

Time slowly passed.

Naturally, the populace of Xingyue City was completely unaware of what had transpired within the primordial forest. However, the moment a certain piece of news reached them, the entirety of Xingyue City was left in a prolonged state of unrest.

"Jiang Hao has left the Xingyue City Earth Realm! There was an ambush in the primordial forest, and Patriarch Qi has fallen!"

BOOM!

Upon learning that the young boy had left the Xingyue City Earth Realm, the hearts of hundreds of thousands of cultivators trembled violently. Even up to this moment, they still hadn’t left the battle platform. The events that occurred today were simply too shocking. It would likely take a long time for this region to calm down.

"My God, Jiang Hao... What did I just witness?"

"The number one piece of trash in Xingyue City... is he really trash?"

For the cultivators of Xingyue City, it felt as though the sky had fallen today. Meanwhile, the moment Zhao Wuji heard this news, his expression turned unimaginably ugly.

Meanwhile, in another direction.

Atop a certain peak within the boundless, vast mountain range.

"Uncle Zhang? Uncle Qin?"

Looking at the two imposing figures slowly pulling down their face coverings, Jiang Hao stood frozen in place.