Chapter 322: Terrifying Insect Cloud

Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Terrifying Insect Cloud

Yi Xiaoyao had risked grievous injury to his soul, striking seven times with the eighth style of the Nine Swords of Slaughter just to severely wound the Second Lord.

While this proved Yi Xiaoyao’s strength, it also revealed that the Second Lord was far more powerful.

Just then, Yi Xiaoyao’s expression tightened. His soul, having been struck seven times by the Second Lord, was so severely shattered that his Soul Burning Forbidden Technique was on the verge of collapse. The Soul-Burning Fire felt as if it could extinguish at any moment.

’This is bad! If I lose the amplification from the Soul Burning Forbidden Technique, I won’t be able to fight him at all!’

A sense of dread washed over Yi Xiaoyao. He looked at the Second Lord. Though also severely injured, the man was in far better shape and still had more than enough strength to kill him with ease.

"Hmph! So Yi Xiaoyao managed to injure the Second Lord. But he himself looks like he can’t fight anymore!"

The Ninth Realm Nascent Soul Transformation expert from the Imperial Army Mansion wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and sneered at Yi Xiaoyao. "I bet he’s about to run."

The next moment, a strange look crossed the man’s face.

He watched as over a hundred Flame Illusion Bodies materialized out of thin air around Yi Xiaoyao.

"Yi Xiaoyao, did you really think you could escape from me?"

Seeing Yi Xiaoyao unleash his Celestial Fire Illusion Body, the Second Lord scoffed. With another stomp of his foot, countless bolts of lightning spread out, forming a vast Thunder Spider Web that seemed to stretch for miles.

He then shot across the web of lightning like a flash of light, his speed barely any slower than Yi Xiaoyao’s.

Yi Xiaoyao’s brow furrowed. At this rate, it would be difficult for him to escape before his Soul Burning Forbidden Technique failed and his Spiritual Power ran out.

Then, while using Instant Illusion to flee, he raised a hand and pointed at the pursuing Second Lord. A brilliant light erupted from his index finger as a fiery aura, one that seemed capable of incinerating the heavens, began to churn.

It was the second move of the Eight Desolates Heaven-Burning Finger.

"Trying to use this technique to scare me off? You’re in for a disappointment!"

The Second Lord remained unfazed by the attack. The Thunderous Arms materialized above him again, ready to block Yi Xiaoyao’s strike and reflect the damage back at him.

"Just as I thought! I knew the kid would try to run! Hahaha..."

The Ninth Realm Nascent Soul Transformation expert from the Imperial Army Mansion burst into laughter at the sight.

"Hmph, that Yi Xiaoyao doesn’t even realize the Imperial Army Mansion sent the Second Lord after him specifically to counter his Celestial Fire Illusion Body escape technique. There’s no way he’s getting away!"

He was exchanging sneers with the experts around him, but in the next instant, his face went deathly pale.

A figure had materialized out of thin air right in front of him. And this figure was now pointing a finger, radiating Killing Intent, at him and the Imperial Army Mansion troops behind him.

This figure was none other than Yi Xiaoyao, who had just used Instant Illusion.

The finger Yi Xiaoyao had been pointing at the Second Lord was now aimed directly at them!

"Second Finger—Scorch the Eight Desolates!"

The icy voice was accompanied by an extreme heat that sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the Imperial Army Mansion.

This was especially true for the Ninth Realm Nascent Soul Transformation expert. One moment he was mocking Yi Xiaoyao, and the next, Yi Xiaoyao was right in front of him. He couldn’t even react, let alone mount a sufficient defense.

Besides, though Yi Xiaoyao was severely wounded, his power was amplified by both the Soul Burning Forbidden Technique and Sword Spirit Possession. This ultimate attack was even stronger than the one he’d used against Xing Jian Gang. How could these men possibly resist it in their haste?

"I don’t know if I’ll be able to escape, but I can guarantee that none of you will!"

Yi Xiaoyao flashed a bloody grin and laughed. The Eight Desolates Heaven-Burning Finger roared to life, surging forward to engulf the Imperial Army Mansion’s forces.

Without waiting to see the result of his attack, he used Instant Illusion again and fled into the distance.

The Second Lord’s expression soured at this. With his speed, he could have easily intercepted the attack and protected his men, but doing so would be falling right into Yi Xiaoyao’s trap.

Compared to the lives of these men, Yi Xiaoyao’s life—and the Azure Heaven Order—were clearly more important to the Second Lord.

Thus, after only a moment’s hesitation, the Second Lord shot across the Thunder Spider Web like a bolt of lightning, resuming his chase.

As Yi Xiaoyao continued to cover long distances with Instant Illusion, his expression grew increasingly grim.

The Second Lord was somehow able to use the Thunder Spider Web to pinpoint his true location with unnerving accuracy, rendering his Celestial Fire Hundred Illusions nearly half as effective.

Soon, the Second Lord’s cold voice echoed from behind him.

"Yi Xiaoyao, I am truly impressed that you’ve reached such a level at your age. However, you chose a crooked path and set yourself against my Great Xia. For that, I must personally execute you today!"

"A crooked path? Against Great Xia?"

Yi Xiaoyao could only sneer at his words.

If the Great Xia’s Imperial Army Mansion hadn’t backed him into a corner in the first place, he never would have been forced to separate from Yun Mengling and enter the Chaotic Alliance Domain.

Still, Yi Xiaoyao had no regrets about his choices and certainly didn’t consider his path a crooked one.

In the time it took to exchange these few words, their chase had already covered several miles.

But Yi Xiaoyao’s condition was rapidly deteriorating. At any moment, the Soul Burning Forbidden Technique could fail and his Spiritual Power would be completely depleted.

But then, he suddenly felt a strange stirring from somewhere on his body, as if it were resonating with something in the distance.

A peculiar look on his face, Yi Xiaoyao pushed himself with all his remaining strength toward the source of the resonance. Perhaps his chance for survival lay there.

The Second Lord was hot on his heels. As Yi Xiaoyao’s condition worsened, the distance between them closed rapidly.

"Die!"

With a furious roar, Yi Xiaoyao’s body suddenly seized up as if struck by lightning. The expression on his face froze.

He had just been struck by a Soul Attack from the Second Lord. Under its power, his soul had completely shattered.

All traces of his aura vanished. Yi Xiaoyao’s body plummeted toward the ground below.

The Second Lord let out a satisfied grunt and pursued Yi Xiaoyao’s falling body. Though he was certain of the kill, he still needed to retrieve and destroy the Azure Heaven Order to prevent another like Yi Xiaoyao from rising to rally the Chaos Alliance.

Below was a bottomless cliff. A fall from this height would surely smash him into a meat paste.

The Second Lord was no longer in a rush. He, too, was severely injured, and maintaining that extreme speed had taken a massive toll on him.

Thus, he descended toward the cliff at a leisurely pace.

But just then, a black cloud surged out from the chasm, producing a hair-raising buzz.

This black cloud was, in fact, a swarm formed by countless insects, and it was surging madly toward the Second Lord.

"Hmph! A pack of wild insects. Perish!"

With a cold snort, he waved his hand. Streaks of lightning materialized before him and sliced into the cloud of insects.

CRACKLE! Large swaths of black insects fell, but the Second Lord’s expression instantly turned pale.

The black insects struck down by his lightning fell away to reveal even larger insects with more powerful auras. Nearly all of them had Cultivation at the peak of the Nascent Soul Transformation Realm, and there were even some giant insects whose auras were more terrifying still!

The lightning struck these giant insects but failed to cause any damage whatsoever.

"How is this possible! This... These are..."

The Second Lord had no time to process what he was seeing. As the massive cloud of insects continued to surge toward him, he reacted instantly, summoning the Thunder Spider Web and transforming into a flash of lightning to flee for his life.

’Yi Xiaoyao’s soul is completely shattered. He’s dead for sure, even if those insects don’t devour him. As for the Azure Heaven Order, it’s down in that chasm. With that terrifying cloud of insects, I doubt anyone will be able to retrieve it, so it should be fine.’

The Second Lord thought to himself in shock as he fled in a panic.

’But why would such powerful insects appear in my Great Xia Empire?’

’Many of those insects have already stepped into the Void-Entering Realm!’

’This is a grave matter. I must report back and discuss this with the Great Mansion Lord!’

But the Second Lord didn’t know that this very cliff was the source of the resonance Yi Xiaoyao had felt while fleeing for his life.

...