Chapter 637 631: Slay Them All

A powerful aura, like a raging tempest, slammed into Chen Chen and his dozen or so men, instantly forcing them back. Even the towering ancient trees began to sway violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground, originating from Shen Haoran, and the faces of Chen Chen's group turned deathly pale.

"Wh-what's going on? Brother Chen, didn't you say he was a Tier One Spirit Aspect? This aura is way beyond a Tier One Spirit Aspect!" one of the Alchemists exclaimed, stumbling backward in fear as he felt Shen Haoran's powerful presence.

Chen Chen's face was ashen. He had assumed that for Shen Haoran to become a Seventh Grade Alchemist at such a young age, he must have poured all his time and energy into Alchemy. He never expected Shen Haoran's Cultivation to be so monstrously high as well.

"Brother Chen... maybe we should run!" another Alchemist stammered. The once-aggressive group led by Chen Chen was now completely intimidated by the sheer force of Shen Haoran's aura.

"What are you afraid of?" Chen Chen snorted, his expression turning cold. "Now that we're here, we're not leaving without finishing him off. Don't be scared by his aura. It might be overwhelming, but the Spiritual Power fluctuations from his body are definitely just those of a Tier One Spirit Aspect. With more than a dozen of us, we can just wear him down and kill him! If we leave now and he reports us to the Medicine Hall, we're all finished!" The men with him were all Tier Three or Tier Four Spirit Aspects, and he himself was a Tier Six Spirit Aspect. With so many of them, how could they possibly be afraid of a single Tier One Spirit Aspect?

Hearing Chen Chen's words, the terrified Alchemists paused. Then, the fear on their faces was gradually replaced by viciousness. They had been intimidated by Shen Haoran's status as a Seventh Grade Alchemist combined with his sudden, explosive aura. However, the thought of what would happen if they left and Shen Haoran reported them to the Medicine Hall—that their careers as Alchemists would be over—made them resolute.

"Oh? It seems you haven't given up yet," Shen Haoran sneered, noticing the change in Chen Chen and his men's expressions. 'I didn't want to cause any trouble before the Pill Emperor competition. This competition is about the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound and Lady Ya's life, so I didn't want any complications.' But not wanting trouble didn't mean he was afraid of it. Since Chen Chen had come looking for him, Shen Haoran would be happy to send him on his way.

Shen Haoran walked slowly toward Chen Chen and his men, the aura emanating from him growing stronger and stronger, pressing down on them like a mountain.

"Get him! Kill him!" Chen Chen's brow furrowed under the pressure of Shen Haoran's aura, and he barked out the order. 'In this situation, it's best to strike first. If we wait for his aura to fully gather, we'll be in trouble.'

After Chen Chen snorted, the dozen or so men behind him roared as their Spiritual Power surged. They shot toward Shen Haoran. The moment he entered their attack range, multi-colored streams of Spiritual Power erupted, frantically hurtling toward him. In an instant, a deafening explosion echoed from Shen Haoran's position. A multi-colored mushroom cloud rose into the air, and the entire valley began to shake violently.

"Where's Shen Haoran? How did his aura just vanish?"

"He's not dead, is he? Was that powerful aura just an empty display to scare us?"

"I knew it. If someone's Alchemy reached the level of a Seventh Grade Alchemist and their Cultivation was also that monstrous, wouldn't that put them on par with the disciples of the Four Great Divine Beast Families?"

After their combined attack, Shen Haoran's aura had vanished in an instant, leaving the Alchemists shocked. When they confirmed that his presence was truly gone, they all breathed a huge sigh of relief.

But just as they were celebrating, a figure slowly emerged from the swirling smoke and dust nearby. The silhouette gradually grew clearer.

"H-How is that possible? He doesn't have a single scratch on him!" Chen Chen and his men were stunned to see Shen Haoran walking calmly out of the smoke. Their combined attack moments ago had enough power to rival a strike from a Spirit Emperor Powerhouse. How could such a formidable blow not even injure Shen Haoran?

Shen Haoran continued his slow walk toward Chen Chen's group. Forget injuries—not even the hem of his clothes was touched by a speck of dust. It was as if that last attack hadn't hit him at all.

"Damn it, again!" Chen Chen roared upon seeing the composed Shen Haoran. The Spiritual Power in his body began to surge wildly once more.

"Naive," Shen Haoran scoffed as he saw Chen Chen preparing to attack again. With a flash of black light, a jet-black Divine Weapon appeared in his hand.

"Carefree Slash!" With the Soul-devouring Sword in hand, Shen Haoran grunted softly. His figure vanished, transforming into a streak of black light that shot into the crowd.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. By the time Chen Chen could react, Shen Haoran had suddenly appeared in front of him, the Soul-devouring Sword resting gently on his neck. With the slightest pressure, Chen Chen would be decapitated.

Chen Chen glanced behind Shen Haoran and sucked in a sharp, cold breath. Behind Shen Haoran, the dozen or so Alchemists he had brought with him now lay on the ground. A single, thin Sword Mark on each of their necks had ended their lives. Crimson blood quickly stained the earth. To think he had killed over a dozen Tier Three and even Tier Four Spirit Aspects in a single move! Only at this moment did Chen Chen realize what kind of monster he had provoked.

"Don't... don't kill me! I was wrong! I'll do anything you say!" Chen Chen stammered, looking at Shen Haoran's indifferent expression as he dropped to his knees.

Looking at Chen Chen, who was now acting like a groveling dog, Shen Haoran smiled. It was a very happy smile.

"Relax. Why would I kill you? After all, we're both from Burning Flame City," Shen Haoran said calmly. Before Chen Chen could feel relieved, several sharp flashes of Sword Light flickered from the Soul-devouring Sword in Shen Haoran's hand, severing Chen Chen's arms and legs. Blood gushed out as if it were free.

"Changmao, take him and lure that big fellow in Dragon Roar Valley away," Shen Haoran said to Changmao within his body, his face devoid of expression as he watched the wailing Chen Chen. He had been worrying about how to lure away the Tier Seven Spirit Beast in Dragon Roar Valley, and now Chen Chen had delivered himself right to his doorstep. Since Chen Chen wanted to kill him, he had to be prepared to be killed. Shen Haoran wasn't the type to let a grudge go unsettled.

"Shen Haoran, you go back on your word! You said you wouldn't kill me!" Chen Chen roared, his face twisted in a savage expression as he stared at Shen Haoran.

"That's right. I'm not the one killing you," Shen Haoran said, sheathing his Soul-devouring Sword and giving Chen Chen a placid glance. Then, a black shadow shot out from Shen Haoran's body, snatched Chen Chen in its jaws, and sprinted toward Dragon Roar Valley.

"Shen Haoran, I'll haunt you even as a ghost!" Chen Chen's roars echoed from the distant Dragon Roar Valley. Immediately after, a heaven-shaking beast's roar followed, mingled with his bloodcurdling screams, all of which faded into the distance…