Chapter 298 297: Eight-star Divine Feather Formation

The North District candidate spoke as if forcing the words through gritted teeth, his voice so filled with rage it was utterly terrifying to hear.

Rage is typically formless and intangible, but you could almost see it radiating from the North District candidate. It manifested as a crimson flame, burning fiercely around him. He looked like a War God clad in Flame Armor. Though he wasn't emitting the aura of a Martial Artist, his presence alone was terrifying beyond measure.

This presence alone was enough to scare weaker Martial Artists to death!

Fortunately, Xiaofu's power was at the level of a Battle King, so he wasn't greatly affected.

'How do I want to die?'

Xiaofu stared at the North District candidate, stunned for a moment. Then it hit him: this was probably the candidate who had killed Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming—the one ranked second on the West Mansion leaderboard. A flicker of fear appeared in his eyes.

Based on the reports from Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming, this candidate was incredibly powerful. He had killed over a hundred candidates from the Three Major Zones with a single move and had even one-shotted a Battle King like Shao Yushan. His power was clearly extraordinary. Xiaofu knew he stood no chance against him.

"Hey, friend. I think there might be some kind of misunderstanding here."

Xiaofu knew he couldn't face such a powerful opponent head-on. The only thing to do was stall for time and look for an opportunity to escape.

Xiaofu was confident that even if he couldn't defeat the North District candidate, he could still escape. After all, he had plenty of life-saving treasures on him.

But... Xiaofu wanted to stall, and his opponent wasn't about to give him the chance.

"Misunderstanding? Heh!"

The candidate in the North District uniform gave a cold laugh, his eyes shifting toward Mu Xianling and the other two girls. When he saw their tattered clothes and the state of their exposure, his eyes practically shot flames of fury.

Without giving Xiaofu another chance to speak, the North District candidate blurred into motion, charging straight for him.

"I don't care what misunderstanding there is. You die today!" the North District candidate roared.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Activating what looked like a Body Technique, the North District candidate's speed was incredible. His figure flickered, seeming to vanish and reappear in new spots with each flash of movement, almost like Instant Teleportation. It was a profoundly mysterious sight.

Xiaofu's eyes couldn't follow the North District candidate's movements at all!

When he saw his opponent glance at Mu Xianling and the two other girls before suddenly vanishing, Xiaofu's heart sank. 'This is bad,' he thought. He knew he couldn't stall anymore. The guy was here for the three women behind him!

Alarmed, Xiaofu hastily pulled out a thumb-sized, ghost-headed shield. It was a defensive artifact called the Nether Shield, the same one Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming had once used. Its Defense Power was immense.

Shao Yushan and Jiao Zhiming had once used this very Nether Shield to block a tongue of fire from a Fire Scorpion Giant Frog. Although the shield eventually turned to ash, the fact that it could resist even a single strike from such a powerful Demon Beast proved its Defense Power was impressive.

SHREEEK!

Having brought out the Nether Shield, Xiaofu tossed it forward. A piercing shriek rang out and, with a VWOOMP, the thumb-sized artifact instantly swelled into a two-meter-tall, ghost-faced greatshield.

The malevolent face on the shield was disturbingly lifelike and ferocious. Combined with the wisps of black qi that constantly billowed from it, the shield looked exceptionally sinister and terrifying.

The Nether Shield possessed an Intimidation effect; most people facing it for the first time would be startled by the ghastly face, weakening their Attack Power. Combined with the shield's inherently strong Defense Power, Xiaofu believed that even if it couldn't completely block the North District candidate's assault, it should at least be able to resist a blow or two.

But as Xiaofu deployed the Nether Shield in front of him, the North District candidate completely ignored its presence and charged straight into it!

He charged without the slightest hesitation, as if he were a raging bull whose mind had been completely consumed by fury!

'Has he gone mad?'

Xiaofu's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

'To so utterly disdain the Nether Shield's Defense Power and just ram it headfirst?'

'He must have a death wish!'

'If the North District candidate had stopped to use a Martial Technique, or had looked for a weakness to exploit, then given his power, the Nether Shield probably wouldn't have lasted long. But he was just charging recklessly like a wild ox, not using any techniques, not even throwing a punch!'

'Does he think he can shatter the Nether Shield with his body?'

'He's completely insane.'

'The rebound from the Nether Shield's immense Defense Power is sure to leave him dazed and reeling. Even if he doesn't die, he'll be severely injured!'

'There's no way he can break through the Nether Shield's defense!'

However, just as Xiaofu was thinking the North District candidate couldn't break the Nether Shield's defense...

CRASH!

The North District candidate's body slammed into the Nether Shield!

And then...

The instant he collided with the Nether Shield, it exploded into countless fragments, shattering like glass.

Yet the North District candidate's speed didn't diminish in the slightest. He continued his charge toward Xiaofu without a single scratch on him, nor any sign of weakness on his face. It was as if ramming the Nether Shield with his body had had no effect on him whatsoever!

'He's completely unharmed, but the Nether Shield is shattered?'

'Even a powerful defensive artifact like the Nether Shield couldn't withstand the force of his body?'

'Just how powerful is he?'

'He's not human... He's a Demon Beast in human form!'

Xiaofu was utterly stunned, his face a mask of disbelief. Fear finally took root in his heart. Faced with such a terrifyingly aggressive fighting style, who wouldn't be afraid?

'Ramming the Nether Shield with his own body?'

'That's just insane!'

'It would be one thing if he were just crazy, but to ram a shield capable of withstanding an attack from a Level 5 Demon Beast and come out unscathed... That level of power is just horrifying!'

But fear or no fear, Xiaofu was still a Battle King, and his reflexes were lightning-fast. The instant the Nether Shield shattered, he had already pulled out a second item!

This was the second of his three life-saving treasures: an Array Formation Banner called the Eight-Star Divine Feather Array Banner. It could be used to create an incredibly powerful Defensive Array.

Xiaofu had received this banner as a reward from the Heaven-Devouring Sect for completing a mission years ago. Its Defense Power was several times greater than that of the Nether Shield.

Even a Demon Beast on the level of the Fire Scorpion Giant Frog couldn't dream of breaking through this Array Banner's defense. It was, in a word, overwhelmingly powerful!

Xiaofu rarely ever used it, because it was simply too precious.

But now, with the North District candidate bearing down on him with such overwhelming force—having already shattered the Nether Shield in an instant—his terrifying power left Xiaofu with no choice but to bring out his most valuable treasure.