The Ancient Saint Gu Xia had fallen!
In such a short time, a supremely powerful Saint had perished, his body shattered into dust in the heavens, flesh and blood obliterated, bones ground to powder, leaving nothing behind.
Only a bloody light stained the sky.
Everyone was shaken. The Heavenly Roc King was truly too formidable. While contending with the great bandit Wang Tian, he could still slay another Saint by his side. Such strength could indeed be called earth-shattering, unmatched by any.
Below, compared to the enemy's fervent cheers and soaring morale, the side of Wind Heaven City saw their morale plummet. Even though the battle situation clearly favored them, it was of no use.
As stated from the beginning, what truly determined the outcome was not them, but the highest-level confrontation.
Yet now, one of their Saints had been slain. The great bandit Wang Tian's fate was unknown; even if alive, he was likely in dire straits, making this situation deeply worrisome.
For now, they could only pray that the great bandit Wang Tian could hold off the enemy a while longer, until the Battle Saint King returned. Then, the entire situation would be reversed.
For everyone deeply believed in the Battle Saint King's peerless invincibility.
"Gu Xia!"
In the heavens, the great bandit Wang Tian let out a grief-stricken roar, his eyes bloodshot, shedding hot tears.
This Saint had been an old follower who had served him for many years. Though their relationship was one of superior and subordinate, after so many years, their bond had long become closer than brothers.
Now, witnessing him annihilated before his eyes filled him with immense sorrow and ignited a blaze of fury.
"Don't worry, I'm not dead yet."
A weak voice reached the great bandit Wang Tian's ears—it was none other than the supposedly deceased Ancient Saint Gu Xia.
A speck of starlight appeared before him. Wang Tian hurriedly guided it into his own brow. Surging Primordial Spirit power emerged, protecting it. He couldn't help but exclaim in pleasant surprise, "You're still alive! What luck! To survive even after your form and spirit were blasted apart..."
Ancient Saint Gu Xia's bitter voice transmitted into his consciousness: "It wasn't that I was blasted apart; I chose to self-detonate."
Self-detonate?
This answer clearly stunned the great bandit Wang Tian. He had never imagined that Ancient Saint Gu Xia's body wasn't shattered by the Heavenly Roc King.
"Why self-detonate?"
"The Heavenly Roc King is truly powerful, almost an invincible demon king. At that moment, even if I hadn't chosen to self-detonate, my form and spirit would have been blasted apart, not even a remnant of spirit surviving." Ancient Saint Gu Xia sighed lightly, revealing the truth.
At that time, the Heavenly Roc King had already closed in. The Heavenly Roc War Spear cleaved through the sky, capable of shattering the firmament, slaying immortals and gods. With his defenses, he couldn't hold it off. Self-detonation was his only choice.
Because he possessed a rare secret technique that allowed him to preserve a wisp of remnant spirit even during self-detonation, though the price was great.
Indeed, the price was being reduced to just a wisp of remnant spirit.
For countless cultivators, this was a cost they were unwilling to bear. Moreover, without corresponding opportunities in the future, he might never have the chance to recover his original state.
But facing that near-certain death situation, aside from this method, he truly had no other choice. Furthermore, the self-detonation of a Saint's treasure was incredibly terrifying, its power far exceeding its usual might by who knows how many times. Even an overlord drawing near would be severely wounded.
It was the only method that killed two birds with one stone. He had no reason not to use it.
Thus, that situation had unfolded.
"So that's how it was." The great bandit Wang Tian sighed softly. The price was just too great, but aside from this, there really was no other way.
Then, his gaze fell into the distance, where blood clouds churned, dyeing vast stretches of the sky a deep crimson.
Within it stood a majestic figure—none other than the Heavenly Roc King.
However, at this moment, the Heavenly Roc King appeared quite disheveled. His battle armor was tattered, his golden hair disheveled. He bore several wounds deep enough to reveal bone, his complexion pale, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, completely lacking his previous heroic and majestic demeanor.
Clearly, under Ancient Saint Gu Xia's self-detonation, even someone as powerful as the Heavenly Roc King could not escape unscathed; he had suffered injuries.
If not for his superbly keen perception, sensing the imminent danger the instant it arrived and executing the Heavenly Roc Movement Technique to instantly shift position, he wouldn't have been so fortunate. Even if he didn't die, his injuries would have been several times worse.
Even so, his aura remained extremely powerful and intimidating, not weakened much. Moreover, his demonic might grew even more intense and fearsome. The cinnabar dot between his brows glowed a bewitching red, his golden eyes flickering with a sinister light as he coldly stared at the great bandit Wang Tian.
"Well done, choosing to self-detonate. Bold enough, but you've angered this king."
The Heavenly Roc King spoke coldly, rage billowing in his chest. A Heavenly Roc War Spear stood horizontally in the sky, its killing intent overwhelming the heavens. Gripping the war spear, he shot forth, whooshing as he arrived before Wang Tian.
Without wasting any moves, his battle intent surged, shaking the heavens.
Boom—
The Heavenly Roc King brandished the Heavenly Roc War Spear. Surging spear radiance shot skyward, like one galaxy after another descending, slaying immortals and gods. He directly launched a forceful assault on the great bandit Wang Tian, unleashing the most powerful attack.
The great bandit Wang Tian dared not be careless. He hurriedly trembled, wielding the Saint weapon divine staff in his hand. Auspicious light surged, blocking before him as it collided.
The heavens exploded once more, the void torn asunder. The two engaged in fierce combat, drawing the attention of many within the inner region of the Plunder Heaven Plains.
Though the great bandit Wang Tian was, in a way, quite powerful—after all, he was a super expert at the Ancient Saint level—facing the Heavenly Roc King's attacks, he seemed utterly weak. His entire figure was blasted flying backward, scattering sheets of blood rain, drenching the sky in crimson.
Whoosh—
The Heavenly Roc King soared upward, closing in. He continuously swung the fearsome Heavenly Roc War Spear, slashing down one terrifying spear radiance after another, rumbling as he pursued.
The great bandit Wang Tian hurriedly tried to block, but he was far from a match for the Heavenly Roc King. One could only say the Heavenly Roc King was too powerful—not just a Saint Realm king, but a peerless demon king. The ancestral blood within him had awakened to its peak level, rumbling like a vast ocean roaring, as if even the void couldn't withstand it and would collapse.
That Heavenly Roc War Spear slashed down like an ancient war god striking. The void was directly torn open into a massive rift, striking the great bandit Wang Tian's body.
Pfft—
The great bandit Wang Tian plummeted from the heavens, crashing down onto the city wall, his entire body covered in blood, a miserable sight that stained the wall red.
At this moment, everyone fell silent, including both sides of the battle, which came to a halt.
Because the highest-level battle representing them had ended. Wind Heaven City had lost.
"Die!"
The Heavenly Roc King's gaze turned icy. The Heavenly Roc War Spear in his hand shot forth with a whoosh, transforming into the most dazzling light as it aimed to nail the great bandit Wang Tian through, utterly slaying him.
"Sorry, but you can't kill him!"
A voice abruptly rang out!