Chapter 1275: The Chaotic Palace Maze

Creak! Creak!

Under the immense pressure, Ma Minghai's bones creaked, as if they might shatter at any moment. His flesh could no longer bear it and began to redden.

If the other hadn't targeted him, he wouldn't have bothered to act. But since trouble came looking, there was no choice.

"Let go... I'll give you the jade talisman!"

Feeling that continuing would only lead to death, his teeth grinding, Ma Minghai forced himself to endure his nearly exploding body and hurriedly shouted.

"Fine!"

Withdrawing his hand, Zhang Xuan clasped his hands behind his back and stood still.

Thud!

Falling from the rock wall, Ma Minghai gasped for air.

"Die!"

A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. With a roar, two longswords suddenly appeared in his palm. He flicked his wrist and thrust them at Zhang Xuan.

Both swords were at the mid-grade saint artifact level. Combined with his half-step True Solution sword intent, their speed was even faster than before.

According to the rules, weapons were not allowed in the second round, but without them, he was no match and would be eliminated immediately. He couldn't care less anymore.

Swish!

The two longswords tore through the air, appearing before Zhang Xuan before the eye could even see them.

Just as he thought he would surely kill this guy, he heard the other's helpless voice ring out.

"Ah, it's only because I have a good temper. If it were someone else, doing this would probably get you beaten to death!"

Boom!

Before he could react, Ma Minghai's body was once again pressed against the rock wall. Under the immense pressure, his bones could no longer bear it, cracking in over a dozen places, and blood sprayed from his mouth.

"If you won't give it, I'll take the jade talisman myself!"

Then, with a sting on his finger, his storage ring flew out and landed in the other's palm.

"You..."

His face flushed red, Ma Minghai was frantic.

But it was too late. Zhang Xuan pointed, and the jade talisman appeared in his palm. He tapped it lightly.

Crack!

It shattered.

"As expected of a genius from the Qianchong Empire, you have quite a few treasures. Consider this the price for offending me..."

Originally, shattering the other's jade talisman would have been enough. But since this guy was shameless and dared to attack after losing, sorry, he had to pay a price.

"Pfft!"

Seeing the other pocket his storage ring, Ma Minghai couldn't hold back and spat out another mouthful of blood.

He had spent who knows how much to gather those resources. Taking them away was like robbing him of all his hard work...

"These two swords of yours are both mid-grade saint artifacts and look pretty good. I'll keep them too!"

Filled with despair, he heard the other's voice continue.

"My swords were nurtured with my essence blood. Their spirituality is utterly loyal. Even if you take them, it's useless..."

Seeing that even his swords were being taken, Ma Minghai gritted his teeth.

He had spent even more on these two swords. He could guarantee their absolute loyalty; as long as he lived, they would never betray him...

Before he finished speaking, he saw his two swords, after being patted a few times by that Zhang Xuan, immediately cheerfully approach him, wagging their tails with indescribable deference.

"Pfft!"

Spitting blood again, Ma Minghai was utterly despairing.

He had thought the other was a lucky rookie, easy to bully. He never dreamed he was a hidden dragon!

"Alright!"

Having taken the other's belongings, too lazy to deal with him further, Zhang Xuan released his grip, and the latter fell from the rock wall.

Boom!

Just as he set him down, the previous voice rang out again across the entire island.

"Ma Minghai, jade talisman shattered, third elimination. Remaining... thirty-one!"

Whoosh!

Shortly after the voice ended, a person arrived on a flying sacred beast, picked up Ma Minghai onto its back, and flew away.

"It seems Zhang Jiuxiao was also taken away..."

Zhang Xuan was startled, then suddenly understood.

No wonder he had chased after him as soon as he learned Zhang Jiuxiao's jade talisman was shattered, but found no trace. It seemed he had been taken away as well.

"The jade talisman carries a special sword intent; crushing it can be sensed. But... how does he know the exact location and send someone so quickly? Could it be... Zhao Xingmo really can see everything that happens on the island?"

Realizing this, Zhang Xuan grew even more curious.

This island was at least two to three thousand li in diameter. Even a Saint Domain seventh or eighth layer cultivator couldn't cover it with their divine sense. How did Zhao Xingmo do it?

"He must be using something..."

With a thought, his Principle-Seeing Eye squirmed, and Zhang Xuan looked toward the sacred beast that had just flown away.

One look, and he indeed saw something different.

"It's actually thousand-ant bees..."

He couldn't help but laugh.

He had been wondering what method the other might have used, never dreaming that, like him, the entire island was covered with thousand-ant bees!

These creatures were extremely small, flying among trees and grass, impossible to detect. He had used them before to scout the Cloud Mist Ridge.

Unexpectedly... this Zhao Xingmo had also used them.

It seemed he too must have a thousand-ant bee queen!

"Bee queen, is there a way to drive away the thousand-ant bees monitoring me?"

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan transmitted his voice.

Although it was a re-examination, being constantly watched still made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"These thousand-ant bees, though not my subjects, are easy to drive away... But after driving them away, Master Zhao will discover..."

The voice of the queen thousand-ant bee came through.

"That's true..." Zhang Xuan rubbed his brow.

The other party was monitoring, naturally wanting to understand the situation of the examinees. If he drove them away directly, Master Zhao might come personally upon failing to detect his whereabouts.

"How about this: I'll find a way to tame these thousand-ant bees and make them obey my commands..." After a pause, the queen bee said.

"You can tame them? That would be best..."

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Being able to tame them was naturally better than driving them away; this way, in the other party's eyes, he would seem hidden and undetectable.

"Go ahead and handle it!"

With a flick of his wrist, he released the queen bee and looked again at the rock wall before him.

The many sword cultivators who had witnessed him defeat Ma Minghai knew his terrifying strength and had retreated to the side, not daring to offend him.

Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered with them. Just as he was about to practice the Heavenly Dao sword technique he had condensed, he saw the Muyun Sword fly over again.

"Master... with your strength, if you venture into the Sword Pool, you should be able to obtain the inheritance!"

"Venture into the Sword Pool? Isn't this the Sword Pool?"

With all this sword qi here, wasn't this the Sword Pool? What was there to venture?

"This is only the periphery of the Sword Pool. The real Sword Pool is behind the rock wall... and Sword Elder's inheritance is inside too!" said the Muyun Sword.

"Oh?"

Zhang Xuan was startled. "You mean the hundred-plus longswords like you aren't here, but... behind the rock wall?"

"Yes!" The Muyun Sword quivered twice.

"Take me to see it!"

As for the so-called Sword Elder's inheritance, having mastered the Heavenly Dao sword technique, he didn't care about it, but subduing a hundred mid-grade saint artifacts would be a great gain.

With a hundred low-grade saint artifact longblades, the master of the underground black market couldn't prevail; with so many mid-grade saint artifacts united, even without puppets, he could easily defeat Hall Master Yue!

He might even be able to fight Zhao Xingmo!

The Muyun Sword quivered a few times and flew straight ahead. Following closely, Zhang Xuan rounded the huge rock wall and immediately saw a vast expanse of mist before him.

It was likely some powerful formation that completely obscured everything ahead.

"Flaw!"

He glanced at it, didn't recognize it, raised an eyebrow, and whispered inwardly.

Whoosh!

A book appeared in his mind.

The formation was in operation; the Library of Heaven's Path could detect flaws.

"Chaos Palace Maze Formation, an eighth-grade formation?"

After reading the contents of the book, Zhang Xuan was stunned.

No wonder no one had obtained the so-called inheritance; this formation before him was actually at the eighth grade!

A formation of this level could only be set up by at least a Domain expert, and in Qianchong Empire, no one should be able to do it.

"Have you ever been inside?"

Not rushing in, Zhang Xuan turned to look at the Muyun Sword.

"I've never been inside. It is said to contain Sword Elder's sword and inheritance!"

Said the Muyun Sword.

"His sword?"

"Yes, Sword Elder's sword is said to have reached the high-grade saint artifact level. Even the Qianchong Emperor wants it, but unfortunately, no one has been able to enter, and even if they do, they can't find it!"

The Muyun Sword continued.

"High-grade saint artifact?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fist.

A saint artifact of that level was at least at the Saint Domain sixth level, Domain realm, extremely powerful.

This Sword Pool... actually contained such a formidable weapon?

"Indeed, in fact, most of this pervasive sword qi is emitted by that saint artifact. Those outside study it desperately, first for strength, and second, to glimpse Sword Elder's sword technique, thereby obtaining the inheritance and this weapon!"

The Muyun Sword continued.

Having been here for a long time, it knew many things clearly.

"Such a weapon is worth a look!"

His eyes gleaming, Zhang Xuan was filled with excitement.

Mid-grade saint artifacts, unless in large numbers, were of little use to him; high-grade saint artifacts were different.

With one sword strike, even Zhao Xingmo might not be able to withstand it!

With such a weapon, going to the Zhang family to cause trouble or to marry Luo Ruoxin would greatly increase his confidence.

"Guard this place!"

He instructed.

"Yes!"

The Muyun Sword quivered a few times and stopped in place.

Without further hesitation, Zhang Xuan moved and walked toward the mist.

The Library of Heaven's Path had just recorded the flaws of this formation in detail. Although it was an eighth-grade formation, it held no secrets for him. Walking slowly, after a while, the view opened up, the mist disappeared, and a stream and a wooden hut came into sight.

"A paradise here?"

Zhang Xuan was startled and couldn't help walking toward the wooden hut. As he approached and was about to open the door, his whole body suddenly tensed, and he flashed a hundred meters away.

Whoosh!

Where he had stood, a sword qi slashed through, seeming to pierce the air, leaving a dark mark.