Chen Tian pointed at the three of them, charging forward. A massive sword light swept out, forcing the three to raise their weapons to defend. They retreated a few steps, then nodded and attacked together. Individually, they were no match, but united, and having gauged Chen Tian's true strength, they believed they could defeat him if they were cautious.
Their thoughts were pleasant, but that was precisely what Chen Tian wanted them to think. He was still hiding his true power. The four of them fought on the ground, two battlefields. Chen Tian and Tian Mang Xing Yi each faced three assassins. Tian Mang Xing Yi's opponents were being pushed back under his fierce assault, with no chance to counter-attack, completely on the defensive. One of the black-clothed assassins shouted, "Kid, this doesn't concern you. We are from the Sha Ying Pavilion. Leave quickly, or you'll be hunted by the Sha Ying Pavilion. You won't have a place to hide anywhere in the world."
"And what if I do care? If you want to kill Chen Tian, ask me first. Enough talk, come on!"
A long sword appeared in Tian Mang Xing Yi's hand, emanating a sharp aura. He thrust it forward, unleashing hundreds of sword lights and shadows, making it impossible to see the sword itself. The three assassins' arms moved rapidly, their short swords and daggers clashing with sharp sounds as they retreated. Tian Mang Xing Yi deliberately widened the distance to prevent sneak attacks. If he weren't suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, he could easily kill three of them. But now, with the suppression, he could at best fight them to a draw, making it difficult to kill them.
Besides, Tian Mang Xing Yi believed Chen Tian would handle his own opponents and come to his aid. As the battlefield widened, Chen Tian understood Tian Mang Xing Yi's intention and accelerated his own attacks. The three assassins were astonished. Was this guy still hiding his strength?
Chen Tian's sword techniques became increasingly swift. In an instant, the three were left defenseless. Their weapons shattered, and their bodies were covered in countless sword marks from the sword light. Chen Tian sheathed his sword, not attacking, and stood to the side, observing them coldly. "Now tell me, who will die!"
"Kid, don't get cocky. Even if we die here, the Sha Ying Pavilion's bounty will only disappear after completion. If you kill us, you'll be hunted by Saint Realm assassins, or even God Realm cultivators."
"Kid, your fate will be the same as ours. It's just a matter of how long you live."
The three assassins realized Chen Tian had been hiding his strength. They had no idea if his current burst of power was his full strength. They dared not continue fighting. The bounty could be claimed anytime, but if they lost their lives, where would they find another bounty?
Chen Tian remained silent. It seemed Ba Tian truly wanted to kill this clone of Chen Tian. Chen Tian took a step forward, and a figure slashed across the assassins' necks. Their bodies exploded, and Chen Tian snatched a black crystal ball. He looked up at a nearby tree and shouted, "How long are you going to watch? Come out!"
"Hahaha, as expected of a genius prodigy. That Yun Feng fellow really found a good student. Unfortunately, you will perish here today."
A young man dropped to the ground from the tree. His skin was sallow, and his bones were visible. He was roughly Chen Tian's height, with a handsome face and a calm expression, exuding an aura of ambition and fighting spirit.
Wang Tao was shocked that Chen Tian had found him. His stealth techniques had been honed, and even cultivators of the same realm couldn't see through his concealment. Chen Tian had seen through him at a glance, which piqued the young man's interest to kill Chen Tian himself.
"Trash from the Sha Ying Pavilion. You can't even handle this? Do I have to personally intervene?"
Wang Tao roared internally. Chen Tian looked at the young man before him and calmly asked, "It seems Ba Tian is determined. First the blockade, then the Sha Ying Pavilion assassins, and finally you, his disciple. Is he not afraid you'll die here?"
"Haha, kid, what are you talking about? You're the one who will die. After this long fight, I've figured out your limits. How much power do you have left? Killing you now is like crushing an ant."
"You can try!"
Chen Tian and Wang Tao faced off. As the words fell, Wang Tao lunged at Chen Tian. He clenched his left fist, yellow energy swirling around it. With a single punch, the ground cracked, split, and collapsed!
Facing such a terrifying punch, Chen Tian simply raised his hand. His entire body was covered in star-like armor, shining brilliantly like a child of the cosmos. Chen Tian's palm collided with Wang Tao's fist. With a thunderous roar, a massive shockwave erupted, causing the ground around them to shatter and collapse. Trees toppled, and lava began to flow, turning the ground beneath them into a sea of molten rock.
They stood above the sea of lava, their continuous clashes resembling the raw, primal combat of beasts. Chen Tian was at a slight disadvantage. His Star Body had only condensed one percent, while the opponent's physique was fully awakened. Chen Tian could only fight to a draw by exploiting the flaws in Wang Tao's punches. In a direct confrontation, Chen Tian was no match.
Chen Tian never imagined Ba Tian would send his own disciple to kill him, with a plan so meticulously layered. The blockade prevented Chen Tian from leaving the Demonic Beast Mountain Range. Students had only ten days for their trials; failure to return within that time would be considered death or disqualification.
Under normal circumstances, Chen Tian was in a dead-end situation. It was just unfortunate that Chen Tian's main body was in this world, and this clone couldn't break the blockade. His main body was fine. The immediate priority was to deal with Wang Tao. He needed to go help Tian Mang Xing Yi quickly, as one couldn't be sure if the opponent had any other tricks up their sleeve.
"Are you worried about him? Don't worry, my master is counting on him to help him advance his instructor level. He won't be in trouble."
Wang Tao said calmly. Chen Tian's arm vibrated, and both of them retreated. Below them was the sea of lava. Chen Tian looked down at it, his hand gathering flames. Lava converged in Chen Tian's palm. Seeing that this method might work, Chen Tian's arms were enveloped by lava, and surrounding碎石 (broken stones) condensed. With a mighty swing of his arms, he charged forward with astonishing speed. The searing heat of the lava and the immense weight of the stones imbued his fists with terrifying power. Chen Tian dared not be complacent facing Wang Tao, whose cultivation was at the peak of the ninth level of the Ju Pin realm, just one step away from the Saint Realm. It would be difficult for Chen Tian to win now unless his Star Body awakened. However, it would also be difficult for Wang Tao to kill him.
At least, they were evenly matched, a fifty-fifty situation. Chen Tian had a clear understanding of his own combat strength, otherwise, he wouldn't have proactively attacked Wang Tao.
Wang Tao admired Chen Tian's courage in attacking him, but the gap in their realms was vast. Wang Tao extended his fist, and their fists collided. An explosion engulfed everything. Chen Tian's figure instantly appeared behind Wang Tao and brought his palms down. A light shield enveloped Wang Tao's back. Chen Tian's palm strike had no effect on the shield.
Cultivators in the Ju Pin realm could condense their internal energy vortex into any shape. Forming a protective shield was a common practice. Wang Tao looked at Chen Tian's retracted hands, spun around, and delivered a sweeping kick with his left leg. Chen Tian leaped, dodging the attack.
Before he landed, Wang Tao's fists were upon him. Chen Tian crossed his arms, flames coalescing into a shield. Wang Tao's fists struck the shield, and Chen Tian's body was sent crashing into a tree, snapping it in two. Such immense power! Chen Tian got up from the tree, his arm still aching faintly.
Wang Tao clapped his hands and said, "Not bad. To be unharmed after my full-power strike. It seems my master's decision was correct. You shouldn't be alive."
"The ones who shouldn't be alive are you and your master."
Chen Tian smirked. He channeled his power, merging the flame shield on his arm with his Star Body. Chen Tian forcefully fused these two different energies. This was the first time the clone had attempted something with such significant side effects. Chen Tian's main body often did such things. The clone, possessing Chen Tian's memories, found it simple to do. The side effects could be dealt with later; the priority was to win this battle.
Chen Tian stepped forward, enveloped in fierce flames, with a gentle breeze accompanying him and starlight solidifying his form. Wang Tao felt immense pressure. Chen Tian was like a berserk beast, his aura surging. Wang Tao realized Chen Tian was using a secret technique to boost his combat power. However, in Wang Tao's eyes, the opponent's strength was at most equal to his, and this effect would pass. He would easily crush Chen Tian.
Two figures repeatedly clashed within the forest, their movements astonishingly fast. Anyone watching would be amazed. Such combat was not usually seen even from Saint Realm cultivators. One was only at the third level of Ju Pin, the other at the ninth. It was almost unbelievable.
A third-level Ju Pin cultivator resisting a ninth-level Ju Pin martial artist. Chen Tian and Wang Tao emerged, Wang Tao's arm trembling slightly. In their recent physical collision, he had been at a disadvantage. He had been the one with the upper hand before. What was happening?
'Could it be that this guy's physique is superior to mine? There's no other explanation. No, I will not allow anyone's physique to surpass mine.'
Jealousy and envy welled up in Wang Tao's heart, his eyes filled with killing intent. Chen Tian knew the opponent was about to get serious. The previous battles were merely a warm-up.
Despite Chen Tian's relaxed demeanor, he was enduring immense pain. He couldn't show any weakness, not even in his expression, to Wang Tao, whose overall strength was undeniably superior to his.
Chen Tian had only one plan: find an opportunity to kill the opponent. Chen Tian hoped to break through his Star Body during the battle. Once his Star Body awakened, Chen Tian would have some capital to contend with Wang Tao. The longer the battle, the better.
Chen Tian was waiting for his awakening to near completion, at which point Wang Tao's death would be imminent. Chen Tian and Wang Tao simultaneously stepped forward, leaving massive footprints on the ground. The dust and airwaves generated by their collision instantly echoed throughout the Demonic Beast Mountain Range. A roar erupted from the mountains, and countless demonic beasts became agitated.
Humans were fighting in their territory. This was an insult to them, a clear act of seeking death.
Several demonic beasts heard the roar and moved towards the location of Chen Tian and Wang Tao's battle. Both Chen Tian and Wang Tao heard the roar.
"Do you want to continue? If we keep fighting, when the demonic beasts arrive, neither of us will survive. That's not what you want, is it?"
"Hmph, kid, you're lucky. You can't leave here anyway. I'll find you to take your life after the demonic beasts disperse."
Chen Tian and Wang Tao ceased fighting. The demonic beasts were approaching. Continuing their fight would be detrimental to both of them. Would they both be injured and left for the demonic beasts to pick off?
Wang Tao moved aside, intending to leave. He would wait for his energy to stabilize before finding Chen Tian. After all, Chen Tian couldn't leave this place. There were only two ways to break the blockade: either his master personally removed it or it was forcefully shattered with immense power.
To break this barrier, Wang Tao himself couldn't do it, let alone Chen Tian. Chen Tian's fate was only one of two: death or expulsion from the academy.
If he left the academy, Ba Tian could kill him without restraint. Since he had provoked such a prodigy, Ba Tian had decided to eliminate him, leaving no future trouble.
Chen Tian decisively left the area and headed towards Tian Mang Xing Yi. He needed to help Tian Mang Xing Yi. Tian Mang Xing Yi stood on a tree, looking relaxed, with three corpses below him. Chen Tian approached Tian Mang Xing Yi and asked, "How did they die? By rights, your strength could only achieve a draw!"
"Ah! These three were toyed with. They came one by one, and I dealt with them individually. It seems you didn't need to help me."
"However, the combat skills and experience in this world are quite poor, with many flaws. Normally, I'd struggle to handle two opponents."
"Alright, let's hurry up. The demonic beasts just got agitated. If we don't leave now, do you want to become food?"
Chen Tian's expression turned grave. The two headed towards a hidden spot, Chen Tian concealing his aura so the demonic beasts couldn't find them.
"Chen Tian, you're so slow. Dealing with those three shouldn't have taken you this long."
Tian Mang Xing Yi was puzzled. Chen Tian's strength was evident. He believed Chen Tian couldn't have spent so much time defeating three people and causing such a commotion. Those were demonic beasts from the inner region!
The lowest cultivation level there was the God Realm. How had Chen Tian managed to attract their attention by killing three people?
"Sigh, let me tell you, it was like this."
Chen Tian patiently explained the situation. Tian Mang Xing Yi's face turned cold. "Ba Tian. That guy doesn't deserve to be an instructor. Chen Tian, don't worry. When we get back, I'll expose Ba Tian's actions."
"I believe you. There's a stone cave ahead, let's go in and hide."
Chen Tian and Tian Mang Xing Yi entered the stone cave. Chen Tian clapped his hand, and a giant rock rolled down, blocking the entrance. Chen Tian used a cultivation technique to cover the stone.
"Zizi, Hidden Art. How do you know this ancient martial art? I'm truly curious about your identity in the cultivation world. Even those few individuals don't know as much as you do."
Tian Mang Xing Yi looked at Chen Tian with a peculiar gaze. Chen Tian waved his hand and said, "I just picked it up when I saw it."