Chapter 721 - 722: Blood-black Demonic Shadow

Ye Xuan’s gaze was cold. He said nothing, instead choosing to survey his surroundings.

Judging by the skeleton’s posture, the person had clearly suffered immense pain before death; otherwise, they wouldn’t have ended up in such a position. But what puzzled Ye Xuan was that besides the small holes eroded by time, there were no signs of external injury on the bones at all.

’How on earth did this person die?’ Ye Xuan’s mind was filled with doubt.

"This person was indeed a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor."

Just then, Diao Minghuang and the others arrived before the skeleton and spoke in grave tones.

Faint golden specks of light dotted the skeleton before them. This was clearly an anomaly that occurred only when the physical body was refined to its absolute limit, beginning to permeate the very marrow—a feat only a Martial Emperor could achieve.

Once Diao Minghuang and the others confirmed the skeleton’s identity as a Martial Emperor, a chill ran down everyone’s spine.

A Nine Heavens Martial Emperor had died here. ’What kind of place is this?’

Xu Guanglin wore a worried expression as he gazed toward the interior of the platform, muttering, "So many powerful human experts have died here. What happened in this place? It was so long ago... surely it’s safe inside now, right?"

Ye Xuan said grimly, "It’s hard to say."

His gaze was now fixed on the sides of the platform.

The entire platform was several miles in circumference. Carved onto the surrounding walls were strange totems that resembled blurry, humanoid black shadows—ferocious and terrifying.

Within the black shadows, there was also a faint hint of dark red, making them appear exceptionally sinister.

"What exactly are these patterns carved on the wall?" Ye Xuan’s brow furrowed.

Each of the humanoid shadows was about two to three meters tall. Seen from a distance, they evoked a mysterious and bizarre feeling in Ye Xuan, as if the shadows were alive.

He glanced at Zhan Shang, who also had a look of confusion on his face, seemingly puzzled and shocked by the appearance of the skeletons.

At the same time, Zhan Shang’s gaze fell upon the surrounding stone walls, and his expression suddenly changed, revealing a trace of horror.

’Zhan Shang definitely knows something.’

Ye Xuan was absolutely certain of this in his heart. But just then—

CRACK!

A faint sound echoed.

"What was that sound?"

Ye Xuan looked up to see one of the black shadows on the stone wall suddenly open its eyes, spewing red light.

WHOOSH!

The totem-like image, which had seemed like a simple drawing on the wall, transformed into a crimson-black specter and shot out from the stone. With immense momentum, it targeted a First Layer Martial Emperor below.

"Watch out!"

Ye Xuan’s eyes widened in horror, but it was too late.

It all happened too fast. The crimson-black specter seemed to break through the constraints of space, appearing out of thin air in front of the First Layer Martial Emperor and instantly merging with his body.

"AHHH!"

A bloodcurdling scream rang out. The First Layer Martial Emperor roared hoarsely, his face contorting in agony as black tendrils of energy swarmed across it.

’This situation is just like when Zhan Shang tried to possess me. Is this crimson-black specter trying to possess this First Layer Martial Emperor?’ Ye Xuan’s heart sank.

But in the next moment, Ye Xuan knew his guess was wrong. The flesh of the invaded First Layer Martial Emperor instantly withered, his vitality and blood rapidly draining away. In just a few breaths, he became a desiccated corpse and fell stiffly to the ground.

Then, the same crimson-black specter burst out from the dried corpse and hovered in mid-air. Its crimson eyes coldly stared down at everyone present, glowing red and exuding a frigid, evil, and tyrannical aura.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

At the same time, a series of similar sounds echoed out. The many crimson-black specters carved on the walls all came to life, their eyes spitting red light as they charged out from the stone.

"What in the hell are these things?"

Everyone cried out in horror and anger.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Dozens of crimson-black specters launched an attack on the Martial Artists on the platform.

Several of the specters lunged directly for Diao Minghuang, Jiang Chonghuang, and Xu Guanglin.

They were clearly sensitive to human vitality and blood, knowing that these three possessed the most powerful reserves.

"Die!"

Diao Minghuang roared as a brilliant flash of his blade appeared between heaven and earth.

Possibly influenced by the gruesome death of the First Layer Martial Emperor, Diao Minghuang unleashed his full power in this strike. Dense esoteric energies swirled around the blade’s edge, ultimately forming a rainbow of Blade Qi several dozen feet long that sliced through the few crimson-black specters before him.

Everyone was overjoyed. ’It seems the Defense Power of these crimson-black specters isn’t that high.’

For a moment, all sorts of Sword Qi, blade flashes, and the light of Profound Treasures lit up the platform. Amidst the rising tide of dense Profound essence, the crimson-black specters exploded one after another.

"Haha." Ecstatic expressions appeared on everyone’s faces.

But in the next moment, their joyous expressions froze. The shattered crimson-black specters were reforming, coalescing back into their original shapes before lunging at the crowd once more.

A Tier Eight Second Layer Martial Emperor didn’t even have time to react before a crimson-black specter rushed into his body.

"AHHH!"

He screamed in agony as dark red veins crawled across his face, turning his pupils blood-red and filling them with an evil light. At the same time, his vitality and blood dissipated at an astonishing rate. He finally collapsed as a desiccated corpse, his body twisted in a gruesome death.

WHOOSH...

The crimson-black specter shot out again. Its light and aura were visibly stronger than before, as if it had converted the Second Layer Martial Emperor’s vitality and blood into its own energy.

*Hiss!*

Everyone gasped, feeling their hair stand on end.

"Kill them!"

At that moment, everyone went berserk, unleashing their strongest attacks.

BOOM!

A dense series of explosions rang out between heaven and earth, but these crimson-black specters seemed impossible to kill. No sooner were they destroyed than they reformed.

In the chaos, two more Martial Emperors were invaded by the crimson-black specters and reduced to dried corpses.

As for the other two Tier Seven Martial Kings in the crowd, they were already as dead as could be.

Ye Xuan, protected by Xu Guanglin and his three subordinates, had so far been untouched. He was now the only Tier Seven Martial King left.

"Young Master Ye, don’t move an inch away from us. Stay within our circle," Xu Zhen said, his face tense.

They were already feeling immense pressure; if Ye Xuan strayed too far, they would be unable to look out for him.

As more human experts fell, the specters’ auras grew stronger. One particularly powerful crimson-black specter immediately locked onto Xu Guanglin and launched a ferocious assault.

Overwhelmed and struggling to defend himself, Xu Guanglin could no longer protect Ye Xuan.

A crimson-black specter instantly broke through the defense of Xu Zhen and the other two, bursting through the gap between Xu Zheng and Xu Ping and sweeping toward Ye Xuan.

"Not good!"

Xu Zhen and the others were horrified. By the time they tried to turn back and help, it was already too late. They could only watch helplessly as the crimson-black specter rushed at Ye Xuan.

SWISH!

Abruptly, a flash of blue lightning appeared between heaven and earth, like a spear of thunder piercing the crimson-black specter’s body.

It was Ye Xuan’s Sword of Judgment.

Ye Xuan had planned on conserving his strength, but at this critical moment, he had no other choice.

A shocking scene unfolded. The crimson-black specter, struck by the Sword of Judgment, showed a look of boundless terror. With a *pfft*, it tore apart into wisps of black and red shadow.

Xu Zhen and the others were stunned. ’What kind of treasure is that black greatsword in Young Master Ye’s hand? It can actually shred a crimson-black specter to pieces?’

They knew that while the crimson-black specters’ Defense Power wasn’t very high, it was still impossible for anyone less than a Tier Eight Martial Emperor to shatter one.

For example, the two Tier Seven Triple Peak Martial Kings from before had been completely helpless against them.

Therefore, they didn’t believe the previous strike was due to Ye Xuan’s own strength. They attributed it all to the Sword of Judgment in his hand.

"What a treasure."

Diao Minghuang and the others, watching from a distance, had their eyes light up with a hint of greed.

But what shocked them even more was what happened next. After Ye Xuan shattered the specter, Erhei, the Spirit Pet beneath him, suddenly let out a strange cry. With a *flick*, its tongue shot out and swallowed the fragments of the crimson-black specter, a look of satisfaction appearing on its face.

"Young Master Ye, be careful!"

Xu Zhen and his men were dumbfounded. ’Is Young Master Ye’s toad Spirit Pet an idiot? Can it just eat a crimson-black specter like that? Even though it was shattered, all the other specters that were shattered have reformed. They aren’t truly dead yet!’

Only Ye Xuan had a faint feeling that the specter he’d just killed with his Sword of Judgment was truly gone. Its life force had been completely extinguished.

He was secretly astonished. ’What kind of treasure is my Sword of Judgment? Back when Zhan Shang tried to possess me, he was terrified of it. I never expected it to have such a stunning effect on these mysterious crimson-black specters as well.’

Thinking of Zhan Shang, Ye Xuan immediately looked over at him. When Zhan Shang saw the Sword of Judgment in Ye Xuan’s hand, his face was so dark it looked like water would drip from it.

Moreover, Ye Xuan saw a flicker of heartache in Zhan Shang’s eyes.

’What is he heartbroken about?’

Ye Xuan looked down and discovered that Zhan Shang was staring at the crimson-black specter that Erhei had just swallowed.

After Erhei swallowed the fragments, Ye Xuan could clearly feel that the aura contained within Erhei’s flesh had grown a little denser, as if it had been nourished.

’Could it be...?’

A thought instantly surfaced in Ye Xuan’s mind, and with it, a surge of anger.