The three skeletons’ performance caught Xiao Chen off guard. Qin Guangwang, Yan Luowang, and Lunhui Wang all lay flat on their backs in the swamp, surrounded by scattered bones. Xiao Chen stared, stunned. Those three were far more cunning than he had imagined—he could even detect a hint of treachery in their movements.
Outside the swamp, Zhao Lin’er stood with skin like snow, her graceful figure and peerless beauty making her appear as if carved from ice and jade, a fresh flower among winter trees. In the vast, untamed jungle, she seemed utterly transcendent.
The brown-haired man named Guluo waved his hand silently. Behind him, dozens of men immediately spread out and began advancing into the swamp. He and Zhao Lin’er followed behind.
The swamp was thick with a chilling, sinister aura that made the invaders’ hearts tremble. A grim presence permeated the forest, warning them that this place was no sanctuary. Bleached bones lay everywhere—a true land of the dead.
Thirty experts had already dispersed deep into the marsh. A cold smirk twisted Guluo’s lips. Every trace indicated that Xiao Chen was hiding in the swamp. Today, they would destroy him.
The setting sun blazed crimson. Suddenly, a sense of foreboding rose in Guluo’s heart. He sensed danger, yet could not locate its source.
Then, white light exploded!
The skeleton at his feet leaped high, a ghastly bone claw thrusting straight for his chest and abdomen!
The change was utterly unexpected.
An enemy with no life aura, lying right at his feet—impossible to guard against!
Guluo hastily swung his fists, barely blocking the pair of bone claws. He tried to shift his stance, but was horrified to find both feet locked in the grip of another skeleton!
While he scrambled to fend off the skeleton in front, a searing pain erupted in his back—a bone claw had plunged deep into his flesh.
There was yet another skeleton behind him!
“Ah…!”
From the moment Qin Guangwang, Yan Luowang, and Lunhui Wang launched their ambush to Guluo’s heart-wrenching scream, only an instant had passed.
The Royal Celestial Maiden, Zhao Lin’er, lost her composure at the sight. She had never seen skeletons kill before, but she was no ordinary woman. Drawing her longsword, she charged forward.
“Undead!”
“They are undead beings who have gained eternal life through an alternative path!”
The men in the distance shouted.
“Protect the lord!”
Pandemonium erupted in the swamp. All the scattered experts rushed toward the scene.
Qin Guangwang, Yan Luowang, and Lunhui Wang sensed the approaching danger. They retreated without hesitation, but not before driving their claws into Guluo once more. Four bloody holes gaped in his chest and abdomen, blood gushing forth as a pungent metallic smell filled the air.
Zhao Lin’er caught Guluo as he was about to collapse into a pool of blood. Seven or eight experts immediately formed a circle around her, while the others charged the three skeletons with furious roars.
Hidden atop a massive tree, Xiao Chen was utterly astonished. In his perception, the brown-haired man was a fearsome opponent. Yet the three skeletons had delivered an unexpected gift! The Three Kings had cunningly ambushed him, cleanly and decisively taking him down—an unimaginably great victory.
Without a moment’s delay, Xiao Chen dropped from the tree. His feet stomped hard, and with a series of sharp cracks, two men who rushed past him had their chests caved in. Blood spilled from their mouths as they toppled over, dead.
Xiao Chen left afterimages in the swamp, appearing swiftly among the panicked crowd to begin his merciless slaughter.
At this moment, the three skeletons also displayed formidable combat prowess. Qin Guangwang, Yan Luowang, and Lunhui Wang moved with blinding speed, like three streaks of white light weaving through the throng. Already, three or four men had their chests pierced by their bone claws—each strike a death blow.
After the initial chaos, the group organized a swift and effective counterattack.
“Holy Flame of Light, burn all evil away!”
A brown-haired cultivator chanted rapidly, then unrolled a scroll and hurled it toward Xiao Chen and the three skeletons. Boundless flames erupted in the air, scorching the sky crimson, cascading down like a meteor shower to envelop Xiao Chen and the skeletons.
Xiao Chen shifted positions continuously, barely evading the terrible flames. The great tree beside him was reduced to ash in an instant.
Such fearsome holy flame! It seemed capable of incinerating everything.
The three skeletons scrambled frantically, clearly averse to the flame. They pushed their speed to the limit, leaving trails of white light across the swamp, but a brief portion of the flames still engulfed them.
Xiao Chen’s heart sank.
Yet again, the Three Kings defied his expectations. Though their bones were slightly blackened, they were not destroyed by the holy flame! They emerged intact. Upon closer inspection, a faint radiance had retreated from their bodies into their skulls; a pure energy had just protected them.
Xiao Chen quickly regrouped with the three skeletons, facing off against Zhao Lin’er’s forces. In the chaos, they had killed eight enemies—a considerable victory.
A brief silence fell. Neither side made a move.
The peerless Royal Celestial Maiden now radiated boundless killing intent. Having suffered such heavy losses from an ambush when they held every advantage, her heart burned with frustration. The unexpected appearance of three undead creatures forced her to stay her hand for the moment.
Xiao Chen and the three skeletons likewise held their ground. The enemy still outnumbered them, and the scroll in their hands made him cautious.
Then, a pained moan broke the stillness.
Guluo, whose chest and abdomen had been pierced through with four bloody holes, miraculously regained consciousness. But the dreadful wounds, hastily bandaged, began seeping blood again, forcing his attendants to bind them once more.
Guluo stopped them. Leaning against an attendant’s arms, he drew a rolled scroll from his sleeve and chanted with difficulty: “Light of Life, shine upon me forever!”
The scroll unfurled into a painting in an instant. A blinding radiance burst forth, and the breath of life swelled in a single moment. Infinite holy brilliance enveloped Guluo.
A cheer erupted from Guluo’s side. Everyone was stirred, knowing he would survive.
Just as their emotions peaked, Xiao Chen and the three skeletons suddenly attacked. The moment the intense life force surged, Xiao Chen had guessed that Guluo was trying to save himself. He could not allow the enemy that chance.
Qin Guangwang, Yan Luowang, and Lunhui Wang were truly formidable. The three skeletons joined forces to briefly hold off Zhao Lin’er, creating the perfect opportunity for Xiao Chen. His body shrouded in a hazy glow, he charged into the crowd, doing everything in his power to kill the recovering Guluo.
The nearby experts fought desperately to protect him, blocking Xiao Chen’s assault. The brief skirmish was brutal and cold-blooded.
Xiao Chen’s palms shimmered with divine light, shattering seven or eight longswords and cleaving light blades that tore open several men’s bellies. Blood splattered everywhere. But a strange thing occurred: under the dazzling radiance of the Light of Life, all the experts Xiao Chen had gravely wounded had their cuts healing rapidly. None would die.
And Xiao Chen, too, was bathed in that sacred brilliance. In that moment, his injured body began to mend at a visible pace.
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