Several corpses were lying on the ground, infusing the atmosphere with the reeking of blood. Both parties were equally matched in strength. If the battle went on, it would be a wretched victory even if one of them won.
However, they could accept everyone dying here as long as they could obtain the Cosmic Treasure. The Golden Flame Sect did not have a reason to retreat, which went the same for the Blood Cloud Sect.
On the stone coffin, Mei Zihua and Xue Tu were both clashing. The two had brought their High-Grade Profound Artifact to the limit, and every attack would cause space to tremble.
However, Mei Zihua had obtained a slight advantage in the fight. His Golden Flame Art had reached the fourth stage. Combined with his robust cultivation and the Demonic Flame Halberd, his strength had reached a terrifying height.
Even someone as powerful as Xue Tu would be heavily injured if he suffered an attack. However, his Crimson Bone Whip was equally powerful.
The whip flew out like a dragon, releasing thunderous snaps while flying in the air. The whip was also like a snake, attacking in unpredictable positions. Mei Zihua did not have an easy time facing Xue Tu either. Even if he held the advantage, he couldn’t injure Xue Tu.
Whoosh!
The nine segments of the Crimson Bone Whip flew and fell like a long spear. But before it fell, it suddenly became flexible, spiraling through the Demonic Flame Halberd like a venomous snake towards Mei Zihua’s arm.
Mei Zihua’s face was dark, and circulated his spiritual energy to knock the Crimson Bone Whip back.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
While he dissipated Xue Tu’s attack, he also took a few steps and reached the stone coffin’s border. After another clash and was pushed back, Mei Zihua’s eyes flashed with irritation.
“Mei Zihua, is that all you got? No wonder Lin Yun could rob you of your Dragoncloud Fruit!” Xue Tu mocked. He held onto the whip’s handle with his right hand and fiddled the whip with his left.
Xue Tu sneered in his heart. This fool was still under the impression that this stone coffin contained the treasure, and he had sent people out to the real one. He wondered how Mei Zihua would react if he knew that about it.
But he had to bear his laughter right now. So he could only sneer inwardly.
“Shut up!” Mei Zihua played great importance on his face, and Lin Yun was the greatest prick in his heart. He was already irritated, and when Lin Yun was mentioned, his fury grew out of hands.
“Am I wrong? Don’t you know that there is no eternal secret in the world?” Xue Tu felt great seeing Mei Zihua’s fury. Even his smile became eerier.
“That’s because I was careless! If you didn’t attack, he would’ve already died under my whip.” Xue Tu barked with his face changed.
Boom!
This time, his whip lashed out like a ferocious dragon, permeating a blood radiance filled with spiritual energy.
“You’re courting death!” Mei Zihua wasn’t afraid and swung his Demonic Flame Halberd, launching his retaliation.
Boom!
The two clashed, creating an earth-shattering thunderous roar.
Crack! Crack!
After the stone coffin took so many of their attacks, cracks began to spread out on it.
Whoosh!
The stone coffin exploded, turning into fragments and flew out.
“The stone coffin has shattered!” The two parties immediately stopped their fight.
Mei Zihua immediately directed his gaze over and was dumbfounded; there was nothing in the stone coffin.
“It’s empty!”
“Where’s the Cosmic Treasure?”
“Is it already taken?! But there were no traces of it opened!”
“But why is it empty?”
Mei Zihua was shocked and looked at Xue Tu. Xue Tu’s eyes were narrowed into a smile as if he had expected this scene. The elders of the Blood Cloud Sect also held a smile on their faces without any shock.
“Why is it empty? Hahaha! It’ll be freaky if there’s something inside!” Xue Tu finally couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore, looking at the dumbfounded Mei Zihua.
“You knew about it!” Mei Zihua barked, looking at Xue Tu coldly.
“How long have you guys researched the Sword Grave? My Blood Cloud Sect has been working on this for nearly a hundred years, and we’ve already scouted out the terrain. There are two cores in the array, one fake and the other real. So we’ve already determined that there’s no treasure in this stone coffin.” The Quasi-Profound Martial Realm elder sneered.
“Then, where’s the real one?” Mei Zihua asked.
“Haha! Mei Zihua, your silliness is adorable. We’ve already sent people out to the real stone coffin, and it should be about time.” Xue Tu felt terrific fooling Mei Zihua in his palm.
“Damn it!” Mei Zihua’s anger blazed when he knew that he was a fool, releasing his killing aura.
“What? Do you want to fight? Now that my Blood Cloud Sect possesses a Cosmic Treasure, we will rule the Azure Sun County. Mei Zihua, it’s best if you kneel and beg for your life. Otherwise, your Golden Flame Sect will be the first to be eradicated when we get out!” Xue Tu replied coldly.
Mei Zihua was stunned, and his aura waned. The Golden Flame Sect’s elders and disciples also felt a chill down their spine. The Blood Cloud Sect was known for their brutality, and how would they spare the Golden Flame Sect now that they possess a Cosmic Treasure?
“How did things turn out this way…” The party from the Golden Flame Sect was crestfallen.
Looking at the crestfallen Golden Flame Sect, who had been arrogant, the Blood Cloud Sect’s party felt terrific. But suddenly, the Array Master, who was heavily injured by Lin Yun, ran over.
“Elder Mo!”
“Elder Mo, what’s wrong? Why are you so injured?”
The Blood Cloud Sect’s party was shocked when they saw the Array Master. When Mei Zihua looked at the Array Master, his face looked weird.
Xue Tu immediately felt an ill premonition rising in his heart. He went over and asked, “Elder Mo, where’s the Cosmic Treasure?”
This person was the Array Master responsible for retrieving the Cosmic Treasure. In that instant, both parties turned to look at the Array Master.
Elder Mo had bitterness on his face and replied with his voice trembling, “Lin Yun snatched the Cosmic Treasure. He attacked me the moment I retrieved the Cosmic Treasure, injuring me heavily. All I could do was to run…”
“What?!” The Blood Cloud Sect’s party was dumbfounded.
“Elder Mo, can you repeat?” Xue Tu asked with disbelief on his face.
“The Cosmic Treasure was taken by Lin Yun.” Elder Mo replied with his head lowered.
Xue Tu’s mind buzzed, and he nearly fell on his butt. He had schemed against the Golden Flame Sect, but he never imagined that the Cosmic Treasure would be taken by someone else instead.
An elder by the side immediately helped him up.
At this moment, Mei Zihua, who had all the emotions pent up in his chest, started laughing, “So where’s the Cosmic Treasure? Didn’t you claim that you’ll eradicate my Golden Flame Sect with the Cosmic Treasure just a second ago?”
“Y-you!” Xue Tu stuttered, his body trembled, bearing the urge to hack Mei Zihua apart. “I hate no time for you right now! Elder Mo, bring us over!”
“Follow me.”
The Blood Cloud Sect’s party headed in another direction with gloomy faces.
Mei Zihua snorted and slammed the Demonic Flame Halberd on the ground. “Falling it into Lin Yun’s hand is better than letting the Blood Cloud Sect have it. At the very least, he won’t be staying in the Azure Sun County for long…”
Everyone from the Golden Flame Sect felt the same way, with fear lingering in their hearts. Profound Martial Realm cultivators could fully unleash the power of Cosmic Treasures. So if the Cosmic Treasure fell into the Blood Cloud Sect’s hands, it would break the balance in the Azure Sun County.
No one wanted to experience the Blood Cloud Sect’s brutal means.
“If it wasn’t for Lin Yun, I’m afraid that the Blood Cloud Sect would’ve tricked us. Zihua, what should we do now?” A Quasi-Profound Martial Realm elder asked.
“What else? Follow them! Wouldn’t it be great if we can kill Lin Yun and take the Cosmic Treasure for ourselves? At that time, I’ll see how the Blood Cloud Sect still dares to be so arrogant!” Mei Zihua replied.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Golden Flame Sect’s party swiftly followed behind the Blood Cloud Sect under Mei Zihua’s lead. An hour later, the two parties both arrived at the real array’s core at the same time. All of them had a shock on their faces when they looked at the scene before them.
The stone coffin was replaced by a black hole, with the eerie wind whistling. It sounded like demonic chimes, which made everyone feel uncomfortable.
Above the hole, the torrential sword aura in the Sword Grave was gathered together, forming a massive invisible sword that prevented the black miasma from leaking out. That sword looked like an illusion, but everyone here could sense the terror.
“Demonic miasma!” An elder of the Golden Flame Sect exclaimed out with dense fear in his eyes, looking at the black miasma.
Everyone from the Blood Cloud Sect was also swept by fear, which manifested in their eyes. Their sect could be considered to be from the demonic path based on their cultivation techniques and behavior. But they were trembling in fear when they looked at the demonic miasma coming from the black hole. The black hole was pitch-black, which felt full of destruction.
Looking at Xue Tu, Mei Zihua raised his lips, “Didn’t you claim that your Blood Cloud Sect researched this place for a hundred years? What’s with that look on your faces?”
“The Sword Grave was a massive sword array to suppress the demonic miasma here. Lin Yun is dead, falling into the black hole. You can go down and take a look if you have the guts.” Xue Tu raised his head to look at Mei Zihua.
“Do you think I don’t dare?” Mei Zihua snorted. He then started discussing with the Blood Cloud Sect’s elders, and the Blood Cloud Sect was also doing the same, discussing their next action.
Ultimately, the two sects decided to send one Profound Martial Realm cultivator each. Bringing the High-Grade Profound Artifact that belonged to the two sects, the two Profound Martial Realm cultivators jumped into the black hole, which they were instantly devoured by the darkness.
Back on the ground, everyone was anxiously waiting, keeping their guards up against each other.
It didn’t take long for two cultivators to return. When they came out, everyone was shocked to discover that those two looked older by more than a decade, and their eyes were radiating with fear.
Pffft!
The two Profound Martial Realm cultivators spatted out a mouthful of black blood and collapsed onto the ground.