After confirming his cultivation level, Ye Wangchuan stretched lazily, preparing to get some sleep first.
Four consecutive days without sleep were nothing for someone at the Third Level, but the best way to relieve mental fatigue was still to rest. Ye Wangchuan needed to ensure he was sharp and alert to handle what was coming next.
Because Ye Wangchuan felt…
He might very well have to fight Guo Duan soon.
It was already the fifth day.
So far, not a single Child of Destiny had come to beat up Guo Duan.
This made Ye Wangchuan start to ponder.
"Could it be that I’ve been milking the Children of Destiny too much, leaving them without any opportunities to deal with the villain?"
Thinking this, Ye Wangchuan couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Upon closer reflection, he hadn’t really milked the Children of Destiny that much.
All he had done was…
Use Li Luo to reach the mid-stage of the Third Level, intercept Liu Han’s Cold Shard Physique and Frostbone Sword, and also intercept Luo Nangui’s Day Bow and Night Arrows, killing Luo Nangui in the process and snatching a top-tier dual cultivation technique.
What was the big deal? Did that really affect the Children of Destiny’s ability to attack Guo Duan?
Well, maybe it did have a slight impact.
Speaking of which… Had Su Fugui ever dropped any loot for him?
……
……
Several hours later.
At the exit.
Guo Duan yawned, looking utterly bored as he stared ahead.
A crowd had gathered around him, but no one stepped forward to offer any treasures.
Clearly, those willing to pay for their safety had already left.
The only ones remaining in the secret realm were those unwilling to part with their valuables.
Guo Duan opened his bag and pulled out a goose.
He set up a fire on the spot, roasted the goose until it was golden and fragrant, sprinkled some seasoning, and began eating.
After finishing, he took out an iron needle from his bag and picked his teeth.
Once done, Guo Duan raised his head.
His cold gaze swept over the crowd, and he snorted disdainfully.
"A bunch of selfish, greedy fools. You’d rather risk your lives than part with your treasures, huh?"
"You’re all waiting for someone else to defeat me so you can keep your wealth, aren’t you?"
"People like you, so selfish and greedy, have no value in living!"
"It’s been five days. Everyone in the secret realm should be here by now, right?"
"Good, very good."
"Congratulations, you’re about to become my nourishment!"
As Guo Duan spoke,
Boom—!
A massive red barrier, ten kilometers in diameter, began to rise!
It instantly enveloped everyone present.
At the same time, the barrier blocking the exit sealed completely!
Pfft—
Pfft—
The moment the barrier formed, clouds of blood mist began to appear in the area.
Guo Duan had started his massacre!
"Ugh, so I really have to fight this villain…"
Inside the wooden cabin, Ye Wangchuan looked out the window with a wry expression.
Then he glanced at Li Luo beside him.
Li Luo was still a bit short of breaking through to the Second Level.
Ye Wangchuan immediately regretted giving Li Luo the Body Forging Pill.
As expected, whenever a Child of Destiny was about to break through, trouble was bound to follow!
"Ye Wangchuan, can you defeat that Fourth Level guy?"
Li Luo looked up and asked Ye Wangchuan with uncertainty.
Ye Wangchuan’s eyes narrowed as he replied,
"Of course I—"
Boom—!
Before he could finish, the entire wooden cabin was blasted apart!
Guo Duan, wielding an axe, swung it down toward Li Luo!
Boom—!
Ye Wangchuan slapped Guo Duan’s back and then smashed his spear into Guo Duan’s head, sending him flying hundreds of meters away!
Frigid energy and malevolent intent erupted wildly, seeping into Guo Duan’s wounds, but they had little effect.
As a Fourth Level cultivator and a demonic practitioner, Guo Duan naturally wasn’t afraid of malevolent energy.
Guo Duan simply stood up, cursing in pain.
"Damn, how does a Third Level guy hit so hard…"
"Li Luo, explode!"
As Ye Wangchuan spoke,
Four explosive talismans on Guo Duan’s back began to glow.
Boom—!
A deafening explosion rang out, creating a massive gust of wind in the area.
Thick smoke filled the spot where Guo Duan had been standing.
When the smoke cleared,
The onlookers gasped in shock.
There,
Guo Duan’s figure still stood.
But now, the bandages covering his body had been completely burned away by the intense heat.
Half of his flesh had been blown apart, revealing bones beneath.
However, these were minor injuries and not the reason for the crowd’s astonishment.
The real reason was…
Guo Duan’s body was a grotesque patchwork of stitched-together parts!
His right arm was muscular and robust, while his left arm was slender and delicate, like that of a young girl.
His chest was broad and muscular, but his abdomen was emaciated, as if he were starving.
His legs, naturally, were also mismatched.
Most horrifying of all was Guo Duan’s face.
His facial features, including his skin, were stitched together from different people!
Only now did everyone understand why Guo Duan had always been wrapped in bandages before.
His appearance was utterly terrifying!
No one knew what Guo Duan’s original body looked like.
Or perhaps, this body composed of dozens of people no longer contained any trace of Guo Duan’s original form.
"More talismans? Hahaha!"
"Good, very good!"
Guo Duan spoke suddenly, then abandoned Ye Wangchuan and charged toward the others!
Thud!
Guo Duan swiftly killed a muscular brute.
He tore off his own pale, tender shoulder and replaced it with the brute's left arm.
In the next moment, he smashed his own withered abdomen and replaced it with the brute's eight-pack abs.
At the same time, Guo Duan continuously used the brute's body to restore his own flesh, which had been torn apart by explosive talismans.
Ye Wangchuan immediately understood.
This Guo Duan was continuously strengthening himself!
Without hesitation, Ye Wangchuan willed his puppet into action, tossing it a heart and saying,
"Help me fight, or we'll all die. Also, Li Luo, give me ten more explosive talismans."
"Ah, right, right, right."
Li Luo also grasped the severity of the situation and quickly handed over ten explosive talismans to Ye Wangchuan.
Just as Ye Wangchuan received the talismans, Guo Duan had finished enhancing himself.
Wielding his axe, he charged at Ye Wangchuan once more!
This time, his speed was even faster than before!
Ye Wangchuan reacted swiftly, raising his spear to block the attack!
Clang—!
The spear clashed with the axe.
The two forces locked in a brief stalemate.
Then, in the next moment—
Crack—!
Ye Wangchuan's spear shattered on the spot!
This wasn’t surprising. Although Ye Wangchuan’s Heavy Steel Ink Spear was of exceptional quality, a true masterpiece among weapons, it was still crafted for the Second Realm.
Its weight was only two hundred tons.
Ye Wangchuan had already reached the mid-stage of the Third Realm, but his weapon hadn’t been upgraded.
With a single flex of his muscles, he could exert a force of several thousand tons.
Combined with Guo Duan’s ferocious strike, it was no wonder the spear broke instantly!
Despite this, Ye Wangchuan remained calm, even as his spear lay in pieces.
He tossed the broken weapon aside and instantly summoned the Daybreak Bow in his hand.
Then...
Ye Wangchuan began swinging the bow’s body, clashing it against Guo Duan’s axe!
Sparks flew as the two weapons collided!
Guo Duan: "?"
What kind of bow is this? How is it so tough?