I Am Overlord c1-962
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"They are probably returning. Should we leave?" Yao Jiaojiao asked.
"We are already digging, so is leaving even an option? Just kill them all," suggested Ugly Gambler ruthlessly.
"No, I think we can leave first and let them finish digging while we fish in troubled waters," said Smiling Monk with a sneer.
"Smiling Monk is right. Let's go," Yao Jiaojiao agreed as she dragged Xiang Shaoyun away. Smiling Monk followed them, leaving Ugly Gambler with no choice but to go with them.
Inwardly, Xiang Shaoyun sighed, These fellows are too shrewd.
In truth, he had ordered Winter Frost and Summer Flame to make Ren Zhijiu's group return so they would get into a conflict with the three villains. That was the only way he would be able to find a chance to escape.
Alas, the three villains had decided to leave, causing his plan to fail. The failure depressed him. When Ren Zhijiu's group arrived and saw the tunnel, they realized that they wouldn't be able to keep the place a secret for long. They hastily held a discussion, trying to find a solution.
"Place a fire formation down and start digging," Summer Flame proposed.
Winter Frost voiced his support, which left Ren Zhijiu with no choice but to comply. Summer Flame was good at controlling flames, and coupled with the other flame cultivators in the group, they took out a bunch of rare flame-elemental materials, intending to defeat the poison through fire.
They were met with tragedy.
Their flame attacks managed to reduce the poison, but it seemed they had poked a hornet's nest. A large number of devouring phosphorus bugs flew out, instantly killing some of the group's weaker members.
The Soul Foundation Realm experts initially wanted to clear out the bugs, but there were too many bugs, and their poison was too powerful. Even two Soul Foundation Realm experts were killed on the spot.
It shocked them greatly, causing them to flee as far as they could. The swarm of devouring phosphorus bugs caused a calamity, and soon, news of the situation started spreading.
Chapter 661: Devouring Phosphorus Bug Disaster
The devouring phosphorus bugs were very sinister poisonous lifeforms, but they generally wouldn't move around spreading disaster. Rather, they would spend most of their time amid the poisonous miasma. This time, the Ziling Sect people had angered them, causing them to spread out and turn the surrounding area into a disaster zone.
Some careless Dragon Phoenix Academy disciples were killed as a result, and a lot of news started spreading within the Dragon Phoenix Academy regarding this disaster.
Some claimed that the devouring phosphorus bugs were expanding their territory, some claimed that the devouring phosphorus bugs were angered by some humans trying to refine poisonous materials, while others said that there were treasures in the poisonous miasma and someone was trying to unearth them...
It did not matter which rumor was true, but the area containing the poisonous miasma had turned into a restricted zone, catching the attention of many disciples. As for the academy's higher-ups, they maintained silence as if they did not care one bit. As the rumors spread, many organizations started finding out that there was a divine site underneath the poisonous miasma.
Divine site!
The term caused a sensation. Some organizations sent their members over to figure out what was going on, while others maintained their silence. Thus, the Dragon Phoenix Mountain Range became bustling with activity where all sorts of people gathered.
As for Xiang Shaoyun, he was still stuck with the three villains, unable to find a chance to free himself. There were a few times where he nearly summoned Summer Flame and Winter Frost to fight the villains. But after some thought, he gave up on that idea.
The three villains were extremely powerful. Winter Frost and Summer Flame might not be their match. Furthermore, the three had no intention of silencing him with death for now, and because of that, he was in no rush to escape.
Of course, it was not like he was living a good life. Yao Jiaojiao might be claiming that she would take care of him, but in truth, she had merely realized how useful he could be. Due to the news spreading, the Ziling Sect people had also withdrawn, no longer daring to stay around.
Evidently, they weren't confident they could deal with the poison, and they were also afraid of the Dragon Phoenix Academy. The three villains had no such misgivings. For them, the spread of the devouring phosphorus bugs was beneficial for their search.
"It has been seven days. The devouring phosphorus bugs are much more scattered now. It's time we make a move," said Yao Jiaojiao.
"Jiaojiao, what plan do you have in mind?" Smiling Monk asked.
"My genius plan is to have Little Brother Shaoyun work for us. Since he can detect the divine site, it proves that he has extraordinary senses. We will open up a path for him, and he will do the searching," said Yao Jiaojiao with a sweet smile.
Xiang Shaoyun smiled bitterly. "With my meager strength, how can I do that? Just let me go already."
For the past few days, he had been demanding his release, but they had ignored him. Yao Jiaojiao seemed to have always sided with him, but she was the one sending him to his death at a crucial moment like this. It caused him to be even more fearful.
"That's a great idea! The three of us are strong enough to keep him safe. I also have a detoxification pill with me that can keep him alive. This time, we will definitely find the divine site," said Ugly Gambler.
Xiang Shaoyun wanted to protest some more, but Yao Jiaojiao already held his hand and smiled. "Let's go. After you finish this task, we will release you. We won't give you any further trouble."
Xiang Shaoyun felt like he should just die right then. With the powerful poisonous bugs everywhere, how could he even survive? But it was not like he had any other choices. Ugly Gambler gave him a pill and made him hold the pill in his mouth. They then headed for the poisonous miasma.
When they arrived, numerous devouring phosphorus bugs swarmed them. The bugs screeched repeatedly and spewed poison everywhere, looking incredibly sinister with their sharp fangs. The bugs flew much faster than regular Emperors.
The three villains were powerful enough to deal with the bugs. With Yao Jiaojiao as the vanguard, Ugly Gambler and Smiling Monk as the wings, and Xiang Shaoyun in the middle, they slaughtered a path forward. The villains attacked rapidly, their attacks cutting through like a hot knife through butter, killing one devouring phosphorus bug after another. Soon, they arrived at the previous location they were digging at.
"News of this has already spread, so we can't delay any longer. Let's work together to dig while Xiang Shaoyun will be in charge of sensing the direction. Don't mess this up!" Yao Jiaojiao said, her eyes sharp.
Then, she started blasting the ground beneath her. With a single slap, her palm created a deep depression in the ground. Ugly Gambler and Smiling Monk did not slack around either. They attacked together, creating a tunnel capable of fitting a few people at once.
As for Xiang Shaoyun, he was forced into the tunnel with them. Helpless, he could only try his best to search for the divine site. Once again, he made use of the profundity of earth he had grasped, sensing his surroundings while telling the three to continue digging.
The underground had even more devouring phosphorus bugs, as if it was their nest. The intrusion of humans had thoroughly offended the bugs. Although the three villains were strong, they still wouldn't be able to persevere much longer.
"We can't hold back anymore. Hold your sense of smell. I'll use my Psychedelic Aroma!" Yao Jiaojiao shouted as a certain fragrance started spreading from her sleeves.
Her Psychedelic Aroma was capable of causing any life forms to sink into an illusion and lose combat prowess. It was one of her extremely powerful drugs. Sure enough, the moment she released it, the bugs around them all fell into an illusion.
Ugly Gambler and Smiling Monk took the chance to kill them all. The sight of the villains working together was an eye-opener for Xiang Shaoyun. One could say that their co
operation was flawless.
After about an hour, they dug a tunnel spanning several kilometers. Finally, they started sensing a powerful resistance.
"It should be around here, but I can't pinpoint the exact location," said Xiang Shaoyun. This seemed to be as far as he could lead them.
In truth, he had already extended the senses of his Nether Soul Domain. He was also curious as to how the underground palace looked. Unfortunately, his senses were cut short, making it impossible for him to see more.
"Spatial energy undulation! The divine site is really underneath us!" Yao Jiaojiao shouted in excitement.
Ugly Gambler was also wild with joy. "That's right. Only an expert at the Heaven Battling Realm or above could have built something like this. We found it!"
Suddenly, Smiling Monk glanced at Xiang Shaoyun and said, "This secret should be kept in a small circle. Is it time to eliminate the unnecessary person?"
Xiang Shaoyun felt his scalp go numb.
Chapter 662: Heaven Breaking Shears
Smiling Monk was clearly suggesting to silence Xiang Shaoyun. It caused Xiang Shaoyun to break out in cold sweat, and he didn't know what to do. If this was in the past, he could have used the nether prison devil puppet to slow his enemies down for a bit. But now that he no longer had the puppet, he had no other trump cards for this situation.
Even if he used his Nether Soul Domain and all his ghostrunes, he still wouldn't be able to stop Smiling Monk alone.
Just as Xiang Shaoyun was panicking, Yao Jiaojiao said, "Alright, monk. Don't frighten my little boyfriend. He has contributed greatly in bringing us here. If we really can break through, we will just bring him with us. He won't have any chance to leak the secret."
"Fine, since Jiaojiao is saying that, I will respect your decision. Now, let's work together and see if we can break in," said Smiling Monk as he withdrew his killing intent.
"Using brute force alone won't work. We need to borrow the power of a saint-grade item," said Yao Jiaojiao. She looked at Ugly Gambler and said, "Ugly Gambler, take out your Heaven Breaking Shears. Stop hiding them."
Ugly Gambler smiled as massive shears appeared in his hand. They were shaped like a vise, looking incredibly crude, yet the blades were exceptionally sharp. As Ugly Gambler channeled his energy into the shears, they started shining brightly. This was Ugly Gambler's exclusive weapon, the Heaven Breaking Shears. The shears were a semi-saint weapon, something far beyond any sovereign weapon.
Crack! Crack!
Holding the Heaven Breaking Shears, Ugly Gambler said, "I can't break in alone. Only if both of you are helping will I be able to release the Heaven Breaking Shears' true might. Only then will we stand a chance of breaking in."
"Get ready, then. We'll help," said Yao Jiaojiao.
"Um. We'll help," said Smiling Monk. He then looked at Xiang Shaoyun again. "But we can't suffer any disturbances. We need to put this kid under control before doing anything."
Before Yao Jiaojiao could protest, a bag appeared and trapped Xiang Shaoyun. It had happened so suddenly that Xiang Shaoyun couldn't even react. Naturally, Xiang Shaoyun struggled madly, but it was useless.
He then heard Smiling Monk's voice, "Kid, just stay there obediently. This is a cosmos sack. Not even a sovereign weapon can break it. With the little strength you have, you can do nothing."
At that, Xiang Shaoyun sank into silence. He knew they wouldn't free him. His struggles were pointless. He was better off staying calm and thinking of a way to save himself.
"Just stay there obediently, Little Brother Shaoyun. When we are done, we will free you. Your big sister can't bear to let you die," Yao Jiaojiao's voice rang out.
Xiang Shaoyun did not believe a word of that. Perhaps that woman was somewhat interested in him, but for her own benefits, she would be the first to abandon him.
What should I do now? Xiang Shaoyun sighed inwardly.
Outside the sack, Ugly Gambler finally activated the Heaven Breaking Shears. Yao Jiaojiao and Smiling Monk also activated their respective energies, preparing to break into the sealed space.
Each was actually releasing the strength of a ninth-stage Sovereign. It was no wonder the Seven Villains were so feared at the Bloodsin City. They focused their energies on the Heaven Breaking Shears, creating a massive shears projection that filled the tunnel.
"Cut!" After grabbing the perfect timing, Ugly Gambler cut the space before him with the shears.
The Heaven Breaking Shears lived up to the "Heaven Breaking" in its name. That single cut contained a dreadful might capable of cutting dozens of mountains instantaneously.
The soil cracked, and the earth quaked. Boulders fell as if an actual natural disaster was happening. The Heaven Breaking Shears struck the seal before them, creating an intense backlash that rebounded back at them.
Rumble! Rumble!
The backlash was much more terrifying than the three villains' combined assault. It gave them a fright and forced them to join hands to block the backlash. They looked battered and exhausted; with so much dust and soil on them, they looked like they had been buried alive. Blood sprayed out of their mouths without end.
As for Xiang Shaoyun, who was trapped within the cosmos sack, he suffered an even worse fate. He had not expected the backlash to assault him as well, and he was immediately blasted into the soil. In fact, the impact almost caused his entire body to implode.
If it wasn't for the heavy armor he wore, he would have died. Before losing consciousness, he quickly refined a drop of lightning liquid to stop his injuries from worsening.
At this time, Ren Zhijiu, Winter Frost, Summer Flame, and the other Ziling Sect members appeared outside the poisonous miasma once again. They had initially withdrawn, but Winter Frost and Summer Flame had managed to convince Ren Zhijiu to return.
Of course, they had only returned with Soul Foundation Realm experts this time. The rest had been sent to the Dragon Phoenix City to wait for the Ziling Sect's reinforcements.
The moment Ren Zhijiu arrived, he sensed the berserk undulation beneath him. Excited, he said, "Old Winter, Old Summer, you are geniuses! Someone has indeed found that place! Let's go! We might be able to fish in troubled waters!"
"This should not be delayed! Let's go!" Winter Frost said.
"The poison here is too powerful. I'll open a path for you," said Summer Flame as he released a unique flame.
And thus, they charged into the tunnel the villains had dug. The only reason Winter Frost and Summer Flame were so enthusiastic was that they wanted to deal with the three villains, creating an opportunity for Xiang Shaoyun to escape.
Meanwhile, due to their injuries, the three villains did not dare to continue their attempt. They focused on recovery instead. They had barely rested when they noticed someone entering their tunnel.
"Looks like someone is trying to profit from our hard work. Let's leave," said Yao Jiaojiao with a frown.
"Um. The seal is more powerful than we had expected so we won't be able to break through it anytime soon, anyway. Let's deal with the intruders first," said Smiling Monk, his trademark smile nowhere to be seen.
Ugly Gambler naturally agreed. Staying in the narrow tunnel, they lacked initiative. They had to first gain the upper hand against their opponents. Just as they were about to leave, Smiling Monk recalled his cosmos sack and said, "I'll put my cosmos sack away first. I can't let that kid spoil my treasure."
As he said that, he reached in Xiang Shaoyun's direction. But right that moment, the cosmos sack cracked and shone with a nine-colored radiance.
Chapter 663: Blinded
A cosmos sack was something forged of extremely rare materials. It was even rarer than spatial rings. As Smiling Monk had said earlier, not even sovereign weapons could break his cosmos sack. That was why he felt safe enough to leave Xiang Shaoyun to his own devices once he was trapped within the sack.
And yet, the sack had cracked apart. Smiling Monk couldn't even react before Xiang Shaoyun vanished with a flash of nine-co
lored radiance, leaving behind only a broken cosmos sack.
"W-what in the world is that?" Smiling Monk blanked out.
"Monk, what happened?" Ugly Gambler turned back and asked.
"That kid has gone missing," Smiling Monk said.
"What's going on? Did you kill him?" Ugly Gambler questioned.
"Look, even my precious treasure is broken. That kid is definitely hiding a big secret," said Smiling Monk, regret in his voice.
"Forget it. Just ignore him for now. We need to first get out of here," yelled Yao Jiaojiao.
Wasting no time, the three charged out of the tunnel. With their strength, even when injured, Ren Zhijiu's group wouldn't be their match. It was basically impossible for Ren Zhijiu's group to finish the three villains. The moment the villains attacked, the group was disadvantaged.
Wearing saint armor, Ren Zhijiu was able to stall the villains for a bit. However, his remaining party members were completely helpless. To make matters worse, Winter Frost and Summer Flame had escaped during the crucial moment.
"Those two old bastards!" Ren Zhijiu cursed with regret.
His entire group was slaughtered, and while Ren Zhijiu thought he could escape, he was ultimately captured by Yao Jiaojiao and had his saint armor stripped off him. One could say that this group from the Ziling Sect was as good as fully destroyed.
If Xiang Shaoyun knew that, he would be wild with joy. One could say that his plan had progressed smoothly. At present, he had arrived at an unknown location. It was all thanks to the chakram that he had been able to break free of the cosmos sack.
Using the nine-colored fog, he powered the chakram and broke the cosmos sack. He even broke through the sealed space, entering the divine site the three villains dreamed of entering.
But once inside, he did not have an impression that the place was a divine site. Rather, it was like a world of endless darkness, and he couldn't see anything, as if he had been locked in a dark prison.