Chapter 377 - 173: Spatial Turbulence

The atmosphere in the valley was heavy.

The crowd stared at the figure slowly approaching from the distance, speechless for a long time.

He had driven back the beast horde with a single slash.

He had fought his way to within ten zhang of the fissure, forcing countless Fierce Beasts to a halt, not daring to cross the line.

’Was this something a Core Formation Disciple could do?’

"This strength of our Junior Brother’s..."

Even the perpetually expressionless Yu Xiuqi couldn’t help but swallow, his gaze turning to Li Jianfeng.

"Second Senior Brother, he wasn’t this strong when he sparred with us before, was he?"

Li Jianfeng shook his head.

"He wasn’t."

The two words conveyed the complexity of his feelings.

Liu Qingli’s eyes flickered as she stared at the approaching figure.

’It’s only been a few days. What on earth did this guy go through?’

’Could the effects of the Void Spirit Lotus be this terrifying?’

’But it’s not like no one has ever consumed Treasures of Heaven and Earth before. Why didn’t they change as drastically as Liang Cheng?’

She recalled how Liang Cheng had acted when he saved her, and she began to compare them in her mind.

’If we were to fight again now, how many moves could I last?’

’Twenty moves?’

’Or ten?’

She couldn’t be sure.

The True Martial Sect disciple who had sneered earlier was now cowering at the back of the crowd, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.

The disciples from his sect who were near him quietly shuffled away, putting some distance between them.

’What if this god of slaughter holds a grudge? If he decided to slap one of us, who could possibly withstand it?’

Fortunately, Liu Yunshan and a few others had looks of excitement on their faces and couldn’t help but speak up.

"Senior Brother Liang is mighty!"

Liang Cheng walked back into the valley, his expression unchanged, as if he had just gone for a leisurely stroll.

He looked at Li Jianfeng. "Second Senior Brother, when is First Senior Brother arriving?"

Li Jianfeng shook his head.

"I don’t know, but it should be soon."

The moment his voice fell—

BUZZ!!!

The cry of a sword rang out from the horizon!

Everyone looked up at the same time.

In the distant sky, a streak of sword light tore through the air, its speed astonishing!

Space itself trembled where the sword light passed, leaving a long white scar in its wake!

In the blink of an eye, the sword light was already above the valley.

A figure descended from the sky.

He landed in the center of the valley.

The man was dressed in white, with a cold and stern face. His aura was as deep and vast as an ocean, utterly unfathomable.

It was none other than the First Senior Brother of the First Peak, Lu Chenxiao!

The moment he landed, his gaze swept over everyone present.

Everyone immediately lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

"First Senior Brother!"

Li Jianfeng and Yu Xiuqi rose to their feet and bowed in unison.

Liang Cheng also cupped his fist. "First Senior Brother."

Lu Chenxiao looked at him and nodded slightly.

"Junior Brother, Master sent a message about you. You are truly a prodigy of our First Peak."

His tone was full of praise, and a trace of approval flashed in his eyes.

The disciples from the other sects standing nearby exchanged glances.

’So this is the legendary figure from the Penglai Sect’s First Peak.’

’Lu Chenxiao!’

It was said that this man had already reached the Core Formation Peak ten years ago and had been tempering himself in the Demon Suppression Array ever since, making him a Half-Step Golden Core cultivator!

Seeing him today, he truly lived up to his reputation!

However, they didn’t think too little of themselves either.

After all, among the Three Sects and Six Gates, which one didn’t have a prodigy of a senior brother defending the Demon Suppression Array?

The disciples from the Cyan Cloud Sect, in particular, had a faint look of pride on their faces.

The Demon Suppression Array had Defenders in all eight directions, but the guard of the Central Demon-Suppressing Pagoda was a disciple from the Cyan Cloud Sect.

Known as the foremost among prodigies, Jun Linyuan.

At this moment, Lu Chenxiao nodded to acknowledge everyone, and after greeting them, his gaze fell upon the massive fissure in the distance.

Li Jianfeng said in a low voice, "Senior Brother, that should be a Fierce Beast on the verge of breaking through to Tier Nine. We went in earlier and attacked together, but we couldn’t even last thirty moves."

He spoke frankly. There was no shame in losing to a Fierce Beast of this level.

Lu Chenxiao nodded.

"Correct. That is precisely why I notified you to come. I defend the northern sector, and this Fierce Beast is surrounded by too many others. I needed help."

"I was a little late because I wanted to first clear out the other Tier Eight Fierce Beasts in the area. I just didn’t expect that the Fierce Beasts previously by the fissure had already been dealt with."

Liang Cheng didn’t say anything. He had killed quite a few Tier Eight Fierce Beasts on his way here, but there was no need to mention it now.

Just then, Li Jianfeng spoke up.

"This Fierce Beast’s strength is indeed terrifying, but Junior Brother just fought his way to within ten zhang of the fissure and scouted out the situation."

Lu Chenxiao was greatly surprised to hear this and turned to look at Liang Cheng.

"Junior Brother, you managed to fight your way to within ten zhang of the fissure just now?"

Liang Cheng nodded.

"What did you see?"

"The Fierce Beast didn’t move, but it was staring at me. It seemed to be hesitating about something, as if it’s waiting for something."

A glint flashed in Lu Chenxiao’s eyes as he looked at the crowd.

"This thing must be eliminated."

"Otherwise, once it truly breaks through to Tier Nine and emerges, I fear at least half of the disciples on this trial will die. By the time our masters arrive, the turmoil in the Demon Suppression Array will be even greater."

Hearing this, everyone’s heart went cold.

Lu Chenxiao was right. A Fierce Beast on the verge of breaking through to Tier Nine was already this difficult to handle.

If it truly took that final step, nothing short of a Golden Core cultivator could stand against it. Among those present, very few would likely survive.

"But..."

A disciple from the Profound Nether Sect hesitated. "That thing is just one step away from Tier Nine. If we go in, wouldn’t we just be courting death?"

Lu Chenxiao glanced at him.

"Who said I was sending you in?"

The man choked on his words.

Lu Chenxiao withdrew his gaze and looked at Li Jianfeng, Yu Xiuqi, and Liu Qingli, his eyes finally landing on Liang Cheng.

"Me, Junior Brother, and the three of you. That will be enough."

Li Jianfeng was taken aback.

"First Senior Brother, the three of us..."

He glanced at the wound on his chest. "In our current state, we’d only hold you back if we went in."

Lu Chenxiao raised a hand, and an Elixir flew out.

Li Jianfeng caught it. He looked down, and his pupils contracted.

A Nine Revolutions Returning Pill!

An Upper Grade Healing Holy Medicine!

"None of you have internal injuries. Take this, and you’ll recover within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Without a second word, Li Jianfeng swallowed it.