Chapter 288: Purgatory

The sudden change made the faces of the surrounding youths look unnatural. Yang Tian had been pierced through the head just like that?

"What happened to little brother..." Dan Xiaoxiao blinked her bright big eyes, her beautiful eyes full of disbelief. Yang Tian's strength was extremely formidable; he hadn't even used his full power when dueling Tianxin.

"How is that possible?..." Shangguan Hao's pupils suddenly contracted, but then he breathed a sigh of relief and cursed, "Damn it, it was just an afterimage. Such brilliant footwork—scared me to death."

Yang Tian's body appeared behind him. Now, with the Eight Desolate Steps, he could already create afterimages; this footwork had taken a big step forward.

The strike landed, but the middle-aged man holding the iron dagger-axe showed no change. He moved very fast, swinging the dagger-axe back in a horizontal strike, and a terrifying howling sound arose in the void, making people's minds tremble.

Disturbed by this sound wave, Yang Tian's pupils slightly contracted. In his sea of consciousness, his soul body sat cross-legged in the soul space, suppressing the entire soul body.

With his attack blocked, the middle-aged man's eyes showed no emotion. Every move was a killing blow. The iron spear in his hand burst with starlight, and an ancient starry river flew out, like a star domain descending from beyond the heavens, distorting the void.

Yang Tian's footwork was extremely fast. Treading the Eight Desolations, in the blink of an eye he had already covered several dozen zhang, his entire body like a roc, moving with astonishing speed.

The middle-aged man's expression was icy. The iron dagger-axe in his hand twisted, now entwined with star power. He thrust the spear, shattering the void, and the dagger-axe transformed into a curtain of starlight surging before Yang Tian's eyes.

The iron spear constructed starlight, like a star domain descending, enveloping Yang Tian's body. Overwhelming killing intent manifested, twisting toward Yang Tian's head.

Yang Tian sneered. In his hand appeared a pitch-black longsword, gleaming with cold metallic luster, its inherent power terrifyingly formidable.

Clang! Yang Tian extended his single arm, terrifying force surging. The Black Demon Sword traced a graceful arc in the void, emitting a clanging sonic boom, and the star domain shattered inch by inch.

In just an instant, Yang Tian withdrew the Black Demon, but it still caught the attention of the surrounding youths. Tan Zuying's sly eyes roved over Yang Tian's body; he had just sensed a weapon that made his hair stand on end.

"This guy sure has a lot of treasures..." Tan Zuying clicked his tongue. Yang Tian's identity was becoming more and more mysterious, and the recent upheaval in the Fallen Demon Land was closely related to this fellow.

Before Yang Tian, the iron dagger-axe broke in two and fell to the ground. At the same time, the middle-aged man's pupils slightly contracted, and a flash of pain crossed his usually calm face.

And in that moment of the middle-aged man's mental lapse, Yang Tian moved! Grabbing the still-falling iron dagger-axe from the air, he moved swiftly like a bolt of lightning, appearing before the middle-aged man.

Chi! The iron dagger-axe was hurled, making a clashing sound like a sword drawn from its sheath. As the air vibrated with a sonic boom, it instantly pierced through the middle-aged man's forehead, spewing thick blood.

The middle-aged man's body was pinned to a distance by the broken dagger-axe. He twisted continuously, letting out beast-like roars. But horrifyingly, even with his forehead pierced, he did not die!

"Such tenacious vitality!" Shock flashed in Yang Tian's eyes. That strike would have made even a Great Power regret, yet the middle-aged man did not die.

"Too fierce—he still didn't die." Shangguan Hao came to Yang Tian's side, covered in blood, clearly having just fought. He stared at the middle-aged man, greatly surprised.

The middle-aged man roared. He leaped up, grasped the dagger-axe, and pulled it out in one motion. A jet of blood spurted several zhang far, a horrifying sight.

On the middle-aged man's head was a shocking hole, blood flowing. His gaze was terrifyingly cold, like a demon god, fearsome and imposing.

At that moment, the middle-aged man suddenly stomped his foot. The surrounding black mist roiled and surged toward the wound on his head. The wound began to heal, and scabs formed around it.

"How is this possible?" The scene before his eyes gave Yang Tian a great shock. The man was on the verge of death, yet now his wound was recovering.

"Notice that the energy inside him is skyrocketing. It seems these fiends have been sealed for many years, and their energy has been severely depleted." At this moment, Shangguan Hao's expression suddenly turned grave as he shouted.

"Right." Hearing this, Yang Tian nodded. His gaze swept around; many zombie-like cultivators were frantically recovering their energy, and the speed was extremely terrifying.

The surrounding Dan Valley experts also found it a headache. The mindless monsters were manageable, but these people were unkillable, with terrifyingly strong vitality.

"To kill such fiends, you must attack their life source, usually at the heart." At this moment, Yang Xiao's voice came, slowly sounding in Yang Tian's ear.

Hearing Yang Xiao's voice, Yang Tian did not hesitate. He stomped his foot, flashed before the middle-aged man, and swung the other half of the iron dagger-axe toward the man's chest.

Sensing Yang Tian's attack, the middle-aged man's eyes clearly showed a trace of fear. He moved quickly, using his bloodstained iron dagger-axe to block the strike aimed at his chest.

"Too late!" Seeing this, Yang Tian sneered. He suddenly retracted his arm, unleashing terrifying force, and struck heavily on the middle-aged man's chest.

Bang! The massive blow landed. Yang Tian's strength was terrifying. The middle-aged man's chest was blasted open, surging blood energy rushing into his body, and all his bones cracked.

Yang Tian withdrew his arm, tossing a disgusting heart aside. Then he cast a cold gaze at the middle-aged man, whose life force was fading, and whose bronze-like body cracked open.

"Dead." Seeing this, Shangguan Hao clicked his tongue. Just as his pupils shifted, the heart Yang Tian had thrown away was directly eaten by one of the man's kind.

It was a red-faced giant. After eating it, his life force surged, skyrocketing wildly, gaining great benefits.

This mutation drew everyone's attention. The Dan Valley experts fought fiercely, crushing the hearts or burning them.

This place was filled with wailing ghosts and howling gods, almost becoming a purgatory. Everywhere were broken limbs and severed arms, blood and plasma flying everywhere, blood and bone splattering.

Roar! Suddenly, a tremendous sound erupted from the bottomless abyss. A beam of divine light shot into the nine heavens, like thunder exploding. The sky split open, and the divine light was terrifying, containing shocking power.

Then, a man with wildly dancing black hair appeared in this world. His aura was extremely fearsome, golden light shooting from his eyes, shaking people's hearts.

The man held a zhang-long trident, radiating terrifying divine light, startling the surrounding experts.

That man was terrifying. Around him flowed dreadful divine light, like a great river churning. He was wreathed in black mist, and with a single movement, he appeared before a Dan Valley expert.

Chi! Golden light shot from his eyes. The middle-aged man's expression was icy. He flicked his trident, piercing the Dan Valley battle king's forehead, shattering his body into pieces.

"How dare you!" Dan Zong's beard and hair bristled, his whole body exuding murderous aura. He roared like an enraged lion, blood energy surging to the heavens. The divine spear in his hand swung, shaking the void with a booming sound, and a brilliant, blazing divine light shot out.