Within Savage Beast Valley, figures of trialists surrounded a group from Xia Feng Kingdom. Waves of Xiantian auras surged skyward, churning the valley's cold mist and scattering it, revealing clear skies.
The leader was none other than the Eighth Prince, Yang Jun. He was exceptionally handsome, with a pair of distinctive, narrow, long phoenix eyes that gave him an oddly feminine appearance.
At this moment, he landed atop a large tree, looking down from a high vantage point at the Xia Feng Kingdom trialists on the cold pool's stone platform. His gaze first swept over Vivian, Princess Hong Rong, and Yang Yi, a flash of fervor and desire flickering in his eyes.
All three were true beauties of the highest order on the Trial Path, possessing heavenly grace and national beauty. Who would have thought this generation of Xia Feng Kingdom's youth would be so extraordinary, with prodigies emerging together and such delicate beauties among them? It was truly astonishing.
Yang Jun licked his lips, his heart truly set on claiming these beauties, wanting to take all three women as his consorts. Such rare beauties were not to be missed.
Finally, his gaze settled on the Thirteenth Prince, who was in the center healing his injuries. A trace of resentment and ferocity appeared in Yang Jun's eyes as he sneered coldly. This was his primary target. "Xia Teng, I didn't expect you'd still have the mood to heal your injuries at a time like this. Are you truly unafraid of death, or what?"
On the stone platform, the Thirteenth Prince slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within. His pale face had regained some color, clearly showing the effectiveness of his healing during this period. However, upon seeing the sheer number of powerful experts the other side had brought, he couldn't help but furrow his long, sword-like brows.
He rose to his full height, replying coldly, "Yang Jun, you dare enter the cold pool area as well. Aren't you truly afraid we might awaken the water demon slumbering within? At worst, we all perish together. Have you considered the consequences?"
The water demon lying dormant in the cold pool was the greatest reliance for the Xia Feng Kingdom group. After all, rumors said many trialists had been eliminated by the cold pool's water demon, with some even perishing here before they could crush their spirit talismans.
It could be said the water demon was a terrifying demonic beast; even a Hundred Strong Trialist might not be able to face it alone.
Yang Jun's expression remained unchanged as he sneered coldly, "Today, even if you release the water demon from the cold pool, this prince will still eliminate you. A mere prince from a small kingdom? Ridiculous. How dare you threaten this prince? All of you, attack! Kill them!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The many followers behind him responded in unison. They were trialists from kingdoms subordinate to the Tianqi Empire, obeying the Eighth Prince's command. Now, more than ten trialists made their move, unleashing torrents of powerful True Yuan power that shot across the sky, all aimed at the cold pool's stone platform, attacking the Thirteenth Prince and the others.
Clearly, they still held some apprehension for the cold pool, unwilling to disturb the water demon beneath unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, everyone would have attacked together.
The Thirteenth Prince was the first to act, his eyes wide with anger as surging True Yuan power billowed forth. Wielding a landscape fan, he summoned rolling gale winds that dispersed the attacks. Furthermore, he used Xiantian materialization, causing three massive white tiger beasts to roar into existence, charging at the enemies.
*Clang!*
The Eighth Prince Yang Jun struck, a treasured sword in hand as he shot through the air, a ferocious sneer curling his lips. "Xia Teng, today this prince will have you buried here."
"Kill!"
Killing intent soared to the heavens in Savage Beast Valley. Figure after figure shot into the sky, all charging toward the cold pool's stone platform. Leading them, the Eighth Prince Yang Jun advanced with his sword, deep azure True Yuan power surging around him. As his sword swept horizontally, it transformed into sharp sword qi, making him the first to attack the platform.
Before the battle commenced, the Thirteenth Prince shoved something into Vivian's hand, saying, "Miss Vivian, if we truly cannot hold on, throw this into the cold pool. At worst, we all perish together."
Sensing the Thirteenth Prince's resolve, Vivian nodded and accepted it.
The Thirteenth Prince shot into the sky. Although he still bore injuries, they were now suppressed and in the process of healing, allowing him to exert a slightly stronger portion of his power. Now, wielding a landscape fan, he soared upward to confront the Eighth Prince Yang Jun.
The Eighth Prince Yang Jun snorted coldly, his treasured sword ringing sharply. Sword ray after sword ray shot forth, agile and ferocious like demonic snakes, madly stabbing toward the Thirteenth Prince. He sneered, "Xia Teng, daring to fight me while injured today is the most foolish thing you've ever done."
With a cold snort, the Thirteenth Prince's face remained icy and silent. A sweep of his landscape fan unleashed rolling gale winds, accompanied by flashes of cold light that clashed with the sword rays, both dissipating upon impact.
Five fierce beasts—a tiger, lion, wolf, giant elephant, and massive python—materialized through Xiantian means, accompanying Xia Teng's attacks as they assailed Yang Jun.
Both were outstanding young talents among the Hundred Strong Trialists, and their current clash drew the attention of all present.
Every collision caused the air to explode with rumbling booms and dazzling light, startling many into not daring to get too close.
On another front, over twenty Xiantian experts simultaneously attacked the stone platform. Waves of True Yuan power shot across the sky, blasting the air apart. Fortunately, these individuals still feared the water demon deep within the cold pool, refraining from using Xiantian martial techniques to blast the pool itself. Otherwise, everyone present would have been in mortal danger.
Even so, the situation was far from good. Although the besiegers weren't going for lethal blows, their numbers were overwhelming. Under the barrage of Xiantian True Yuan attacks, even a Hundred Strong Trialist would struggle to hold out, let alone the others.
Princess Hong Rong bore the brunt of the assault. Though a woman, her cultivation was not weak; her true strength was only slightly inferior to the Thirteenth Prince's, making her a Xiantian Fourth Layer expert. Now, she too wielded an Autumn Water treasured sword, unleashing dazzling, radiant sword blossoms in the air that flew toward the enemy. Many paled, hurriedly releasing waves of True Yuan power to neutralize the sword blossoms.
Otherwise, even Xiantian experts could sense a lethal threat from these blossoms.
Li Hu roared, actually charging straight out. His massive frame was terrifying like an ape's, and he wielded a heavy axe weighing a thousand jin, killing his way toward the crowd with fierce momentum.
Hua Shaoyang, Xia Mang, and others also fought desperately.
This was a completely unequal battle. The Eighth Prince from the Tianqi Empire was far too overbearing, leading over forty Xiantian trialists from several kingdoms to besiege Xia Feng Kingdom. Now, even their strongest member, the Thirteenth Prince, was pinned down.
However, due to their lingering fear of the cold pool, no one dared to strike with full lethal force.
In the distance, figures of trialists watched this completely unequal, fierce battle. Many sighed, believing Xia Feng Kingdom was doomed to lose this fight. The Eighth Prince simply had too many people; it was utterly impossible for the Xia Feng Kingdom side to resist.
Moreover, the Eighth Prince had issued a bounty: anyone who escaped the encirclement could be attacked by other trialists, and the Eighth Prince would reward identity tokens based on the situation. Thus, many watched everything with blazing, covetous eyes.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Five Xiantian experts charged forward, wielding various weapons as they jointly besieged Princess Hong Rong. Among those present, she could be considered an expert quite close to the level of a Hundred Strong Trialist.
They didn't use Xiantian martial techniques, but they employed Xiantian materialization, taking forms of demonic beasts, weapons, and even human shapes—all different, yet all formed from condensed True Yuan power, possessing formidable might.
Princess Hong Rong showed no fear. With a light shout, her silver sword slashed out streaks of cold light, sword qi crisscrossing as it clashed with the five trialists' weapons, ringing sharply and sparking flying.
Then, her lotus feet stamped the ground, and she soared upward. Her silver sword blossomed with ten dazzling, radiant sword blossoms in quick succession, shining brilliantly—clearly a top-tier Xiantian martial technique. They shot toward the five trialists, piercing through their Xiantian materializations and forcing the five to retreat repeatedly, their tiger-mouths splitting open with bloody gashes.
However, after unleashing the sword blossoms, a flash of pallor also crossed Princess Hong Rong's face, clearly indicating significant expenditure.
Vivian was also heroic and valiant. With a flip of her jade palm, two jade rings appeared—her primary weapons. With a soft, spirited shout, the twin rings flew out, spinning and striking in mid-air, colliding with three or four trialists in succession, sparks flying. However, the profound True Yuan power contained within the jade rings also sent these individuals stumbling back repeatedly.
Though a woman, Vivian's strength was actually a notch above Li Hu's. Now, holding off three or four opponents wasn't a problem, as most of them were merely trialists who had just stepped into Xiantian.
Li Hu swung his giant axe with fierce momentum, his iron-tower-like frame posing a significant threat, the very earth rumbling under his movements.
Xia Mang appeared beside him, joining forces. Together, they could also hold off four trialists.
Hua Shaoyang wasn't bad either, wielding twin swords to block two trialists.
However, this was ultimately not a sustainable strategy. After all, the Eighth Prince's side had far too many people. Currently, more than half hadn't even moved, watching from the sidelines with covetous eyes, filling the few with a sense of pervasive danger and considerable worry about their predicament.
Moreover, as time passed, injuries began to appear among the Xia Feng Kingdom trialists, putting them at a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, dozens of miles away from Savage Beast Valley, a streak of light was rushing toward this place at an astonishing, star-chasing speed...