Hidden Murderous Intent

Those disciples of the Divine Control Sect were merely outer-court initiates whose strength was not formidable. There were only three experts at the Elemental Law realm, while the rest possessed the Human-tier cultivation of the Elemental Astral realm.

Had the adversaries included elite disciples or direct lineage inheritors, Duo Feng would have turned around and fled immediately, refusing to engage in a fierce battle with them here.

Presently, ever since Duo Feng had slain that sect disciple and acquired a top-tier lower-grade magical treasure from him, his strength had surged dramatically. Facing these initiate disciples of the Divine Control Sect, he handled them with ease.

"Time is running out; I must exterminate them quickly!"

A sense of urgency gripped Duo Feng's heart.

He knew that delays bred complications, and only by slaying these Divine Control Sect disciples right here could he depart in peace.

Otherwise, with these fellows tailing him from behind, he would not run far before being intercepted by other entities rushing to the scene upon hearing the news, and the Heaven-Square Pagoda would likely change hands.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Just as Duo Feng was pondering, a long sword abruptly slashed toward him.

He immediately swung his sword to parry, bursting forth a skyfull of sparks. That long sword was knocked flying, leaving behind a deep scar.

Yet at that exact moment, another long saber, a dagger, and a bizarre weapon assaulted Duo Feng in a pincer attack.

Duo Feng instantly deployed his Grand Desolation Profound Technique, causing layer upon layer of earth-yellow waves to erupt from his body like tangible mountains. Those magical treasures instantly crashed against them.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

The successive layers of waves outside Duo Feng's body were torn apart one after another.

Just as those magical treasures were about to break through, the long sword in Duo Feng's hand once again erupted with streams of piercing sword qi, striking each of those magical treasures.

After being knocked flying, those magical treasures danced through the void and launched another attack against him.

The magical treasures spun in the air, seemingly manipulated by invisible hands.

This was a secret technique of the Divine Control Sect, capable of manipulating magical treasures at will—directing them as smoothly as one's own fingers, injuring enemies from afar, and engaging in combat.

Some supreme masters could even slay enemies from a thousand miles away.

This was also the reason for Duo Feng's irritation.

The strength of these initiate disciples of the Divine Control Sect was not formidable, yet trying to eliminate them rapidly proved extremely difficult.

Yi Tian watched this scene from afar without drawing their attention. After all, Yi Tian was dozens of miles away, and Duo Feng's battle with the Divine Control Sect disciples left no room for him to be distracted.

However, Duo Feng was, after all, at the Elemental Dan cultivation realm and wielded a top-tier lower-grade magical treasure. After fighting fiercely for two to three hundred moves, he finally annihilated the entire squad of Divine Control Sect disciples.

"It's finally over."

Duo Feng's aura was somewhat disordered.

Clearly, this battle had not been easy for him.

"As expected of sect disciples; even with low cultivation, their combat prowess far surpasses ordinary martial artists, and the battle techniques they deploy pose some threat to me. By joining forces, they actually managed to contend with me for this long!"

After sighing inwardly, Duo Feng prepared to leave.

Having engaged in a fierce battle with the Divine Control Sect disciples here, he feared it might attract the attention of other nearby teams, and the longer he lingered, the more perilous his situation would become.

He decided to find a safe, secluded place to weather this storm.

With this Heaven-Square Pagoda, his future achievements could be said to hold boundless prospects, and he even stood a chance of breaking through to the Heaven-tier, becoming one of the very peak existences on the Heavenly Dragon Continent.

He had made a firm resolve: after this storm passed, even if it meant lurking in seclusion for decades or a century, he would not emerge as long as he had not broken through to the Earth-tier.

Only upon reaching the Earth-tier could one comprehend the soul, touch the profound and mysterious realm of the spirit, leave a soul imprint on the Heaven-Square Pagoda, partially refine it, and wield a fraction of the Heaven-Square Pagoda's might.

Yi Tian knew nothing whatsoever about the matter of the Heaven-Square Pagoda.

He merely glanced at Duo Feng and prepared to leave.

Yet at that very moment, a sudden change occurred.

Just as Duo Feng had slain all the Divine Control Sect disciples and was about to depart, a streak of dark light silently erupted from a large tree near him. Arriving in an instant, it manifested right before Duo Feng's chest.

"What? Someone was actually hiding in the shadows?"

Duo Feng was inwardly shocked.

In his haste, he slashed his sword toward that streak of dark light.

Clang!

The dark light struck the long sword, scattering starry sparks, its remaining momentum unchecked as its trajectory shifted slightly. In an instant, it shattered the earth-yellow true essence Duo Feng had hastily erected, tearing a deep bloody gash across his shoulder.

At that exact instant, a figure traversed a distance of several miles like a phantom, appearing directly before Duo Feng.

This was an ordinary-looking youth whose eyes were ice-cold and filled with killing intent.

When Duo Feng caught sight of the youth's gaze, his entire body stiffened, and a surge of chilliness rose within him.

This was a man who killed without blinking an eye.

Duo Feng's heart trembled; this person was clearly inured to slaughter and was an absolute, cold-blooded entity.

In a flash, the short sword in the youth's hand slashed toward Duo Feng's head with incomparable ferocity.

Duo Feng counterattacked.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The short sword and long sword collided more than a dozen times in rapid succession.

Every single time, Duo Feng was forced back step by step. That short sword seemed to possess a wondrous power, repeatedly deflecting his attacks, while the terrifying sword qi tore deep chasms into the surrounding earth, leaving the ten-mile radius in utter devastation.

Yet the youth's attacks grew faster and faster.

Finally, after exchanging over thirty moves, the short sword in the youth's hand suddenly transformed into two.

In an instant, one sword shadow blocked Duo Feng's attack, while the other sword shadow pierced through his chest.

In the distance, Yi Tian could not help but feel a jolt of shock upon witnessing this scene.

The opponent's final move was immensely powerful and terrifying, unexpectedly splitting into two sword shadows—this was unquestionably a mysterious and bizarre sword technique, capable of slaying opponents of the same realm who grew even slightly careless.

In particular, the short sword in the opponent's hand held a dim, obscure luster, suffering not the slightest damage even after colliding with Duo Feng's top-tier lower-grade magical treasure, proving it to be yet another top-tier lower-grade magical treasure.

The cold youth retrieved an object wrapped in animal skin from Duo Feng's body.

Unfolding the animal skin, a small pagoda standing no higher than two feet manifested itself. The exterior of the silvery-white little pagoda was etched with wisps of mysterious and profound patterns, exuding a trace of a magnificent, boundless aura.

The Heaven-Square Pagoda was exceptionally crystalline and translucent like colored glaze, shimmering with wisps of supreme divine light. It was breathtakingly beautiful, resembling a peerless treasure of this world that compelled one to admire it.

From afar, even Yi Tian felt a fleeting surge of grandiose momentum.

The astral mud avatar on his hand, shaped like a ring, also began to vibrate, harboring a fierce yearning for that small pagoda.

This intense yearning was hardly any less than his previous craving for the three-headed demon hound's egg.

That small pagoda was undoubtedly a supreme treasure.

Yi Tian could not help a start of surprise, followed by sudden enlightenment—no wonder successive fierce battles had broken out here, all for the sake of that small pagoda.

Had it not been for the youth opening the animal skin to reveal the true appearance of the small pagoda, his astral mud avatar would have been unable to perceive something dozens of miles away.

Suddenly, the cold youth's gaze turned toward Yi Tian's direction.

"He discovered me long ago."

This thought arose in Yi Tian's mind.

The adversary had detected his presence from the very moment Yi Tian arrived here.

The cold youth re-wrapped the small pagoda carefully, tucked it into his bosom, and instantly transformed into a dark streak of light, charging directly toward Yi Tian. His figure flickered in and out of view, leaving behind a trail of afterimages, his movement technique as unfathomable as ghosts and gods.

"Intent on silencing me by killing me?"

Yi Tian was somewhat speechless.

Initially, he had been hesitating over whether to make a move, as that magical item was clearly a supreme treasure and possessed an absolute, irresistible attraction for him.

Yet Yi Tian was not one to slaughter without reason; after all, this was his bottom line. Although the other party clearly looked like no saint and intervening would not weigh heavily on his conscience, Yi Tian had yet to fully acclimate to the law of the jungle in this world, which was why he had felt some hesitation inside.

However, the cold youth had evidently generated killing intent toward Yi Tian, aiming to silence him.

This left Yi Tian with no choice but to act.

Within a few breaths, the two clashed.

Yi Tian unleashed the Fist of the Great Sun, and the terrifying flames of the great sun swept across the heavens, billowing for a thousand zhang as he engaged the cold youth in fierce combat.

The terrifying flames caused the surrounding void to warp violently. When the cold youth came within ten zhang of Yi Tian, he felt his garments begin to scorch. Even though he hastily erected his astral qi, he still perceived a terrifying searing heat; sweat poured from him continuously, and his astral qi depleted at an alarming rate, nearly on the verge of melting away.