Chapter 1061: The Skyleaf King Appears
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"This..."
"Indeed, how can he still remain calm before such a situation?"
Zhang Xuan's words raised many doubts in the minds of others.
Despite being a Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall, Jiang Yuan had been extremely silent throughout the entire journey, standing impassively by the side even when the other combat masters met with danger. Had it not been for him standing up a moment ago, the crowd might have forgotten about his existence.
Jiang Yuan's face turned livid for a moment before he waved his hands nonchalantly. "The requirement of being a combat master is to remain composed even when the sky falls. Furthermore, given how dangerous the situation is and my lack of understanding of formations, I feel that it's not my place to speak up, or else I might cause others more trouble. You can't be suspecting me of being a spy just because I have been silent all this while, can you?"
"There are many people who have remained quiet all this while just like you, such as Formation Master Liu Mo. You are right in saying that being silent isn't enough evidence to doubt you."
"Then..." Jiang Yuan frowned doubtfully, unsure of what Zhang Xuan was getting at.
On the other hand, Zhang Xuan's lips curled up. "Don't worry, I just want to ask you a very simple question. Can you list the names of the combat masters who have sacrificed themselves here?"
"I..." Jiang Yuan was stunned.
Other than Jiang Yuan, Feng Xun, and Zhuo Qingfeng, there were another twelve combat masters in the expedition team. All in all, there were only fifteen of them.
Due to the strict discipline that the Combat Master Hall expected of its members, the four of them hadn't really spoken much throughout the entire duration. There was also no one who actively tried to speak with them, so not even Zhang Xuan was aware of their names. But as a Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall, the direct superior of those combat masters, Jiang Yuan should have been well aware of their names!
"What? You can't even name your own subordinates?" Zhang Xuan mocked coldly.
"Combat Master Jiang, what's wrong?" Feng Xun was taken aback.
Coming from the same Combat Master Hall, he knew that two of the deceased combat masters had been trained by Jiang Yuan personally. Yet, to be unable to name even those two... that was truly extremely suspicious.
The others hurriedly stepped back as they turned doubtful looks toward Jiang Yuan.
The situation concerning Luo Ruoxin could still be passed off as coincidence, but for Jiang Yuan to be unable to name his own subordinates... that could not be explained!
Jiang Yuan opened his mouth several times, but not a word came out of his mouth. The composure of his face gradually eroded before eventually forming a sneer. "You are indeed very smart... Very well, since you have noticed me... I guess this is the end of our game!"
Boom!
Shortly after those words were spoken, a powerful aura burst forth from Jiang Yuan. It exerted an incredible pressure on those around him, leaving them feeling suffocated within.
"He is at the Leaving Aperture realm..." Wu shi's narrowed in astonishment.
He hurriedly stepped in front of the crowd while driving his zhenqi to its maximum might, ready to make a move at any moment.
Just by the aura exuded by the other party, he could tell that the other party was a true Leaving Aperture realm expert, an existence that was far stronger than him.
"Do you think that you will be able to stop me?" 'Jiang Yuan' sneered coldly as he raised his finger and tapped the space in front of him lightly.
Peng!
Before Wu shi could react, he was sent flying before crashing heavily into a wall.
Leaving Aperture realm primary stage and Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, it was just a gap of two cultivation stages, but the difference between the two was like the gap between heaven and earth.
"Everyone, be careful! He is the Skyleaf King!" Wu shi roared anxiously.
Even though the other party had only used his Primordial Spirit in the attack, Wu shi could still feel overwhelming killing intent from it. Of the Qingtian Lineage, the only one who could possess such immense strength was the legendary Skyleaf King!
"Skyleaf King?"
The bodies of the crowd immediately tensed up. They hurriedly raised their weapons as they eyed the person before them warily.
They knew that they would not be a match for the other party, but they had no other choice at the moment. It was impossible for them to escape from a true Leaving Aperture realm expert, so the only choice they had was to face the other party.
"Hah, a bunch of weaklings!" Facing the attack of the crowd, Jiang Yuan stepped forward calmly before abruptly thrusting his palm forward.
Boom!
A great pressure fell upon everyone in an instant, leaving them feeling as if the world was crumbling around them.
Upon reaching the Leaving Aperture realm, one's Primordial Spirit gained the ability to move even the power of nature itself. The members of the expedition team were by no means weak, but they were still far from matching up to such strength.
"Humph!"
After holding everyone in place, 'Jiang Yuan' flicked his finger forcefully.
Sou sou sou sou!
The weapons in everyone hands immediately flew out of their grasps with such great force that their fingers began bleeding.
"I will block him. The rest of you, run!"
Realizing that they would not be a match for the other party even with their strength combined, Wu shi roared furiously as he flew toward the latter.
Saint-tier battle technique, Overlapping Waves Furious Gale Slash!
Slashing his sword furiously, Wu shi sent burst after burst of sword qi toward the other party, reminiscent of the relentless waves of the ocean. Even the surrounding air seemed to have been ripped apart by the motion, creating a huge gorge on the ground.
"Interesting..."'Jiang Yuan' chuckled softly as he raised his hands. As if playing cat's cradle, he struck the sword qi with his little finger, followed by his ring finger, middle finger, forefinger, and his thumb. Every single strike would dissipate the sword qi slightly, and after a few strikes, the furious might of the Overlapping Waves Furious Gale Slash had already been neutralized entirely.
"That is the Saint-tier battle technique Wind Treading Fingers! Isn't he the Skyleaf King? How is he able to utilize the techniques of the Combat Master Hall?" Feng Xun uttered in disbelief.
The technique the other party was utilizing was actually a move of the Combat Master Hall, Wind Treading Fingers!
"The Skyleaf King hasn't really claimed Combat Master Jiang's body for his own. Instead, he is only controlling the latter's soul. In other words, Combat Master Jiang is still alive," Zhang Xuan said with a frown.
"Combat Master Jiang is still alive? Principal Zhang, I beseech you, please save him!" Feng Xun pleaded anxiously.
Jiang Yuan was a very close friend of his, and they had braved through many battles together. In the journey through the ancient domain, he had been so concerned with the happenings around him that he did not even notice that his close friend had been possessed by the Skyleaf King. No matter what, he was determined to save him!
"Un, we definitely have to save Combat Master Jiang, but there are two things that I am still unable to make sense of for the moment," Zhang Xuan said as he stroked his lower jaw.
With his current strength, he would not be able to interfere in the fight between Wu shi and the Skyleaf King. Thus, he decided to focus his attention on analyzing the situation first.
Seeing that Zhang Xuan was still contemplating in such an urgent situation, Feng Xun urged anxiously, "There's no time to think anymore! I fear that Wu shi will break Combat Master Jiang's physical body at this rate. If so, we won't be able to save him even if we do manage to force the Skyleaf King out of his body!"
Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze toward the battle.
By that point, Guild Leader Han and Mu shi had joined the battle as well.
The Skyleaf King was powerful, and Wu shi alone was not a match for him. However... with the three of them collaborating with one another, they were gradually gaining the upper hand.
Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. I didn't think that the three of them will be able to pull off such a powerful formation together...
Individually, Wu shi, Guild Leader Han, and Mu shi were far from a match for the powerful Skyleaf King. However, when their powers were combined through an offensive formation, they were actually able to exert a fighting prowess far beyond their individual limits, allowing them to gain the upper hand even against an opponent as powerful as the Skyleaf King.
No, something is amiss. Even if the Skyleaf King's strength is diminished due to incompatibility with Combat Master Jiang's body, it does not make sense for him to have weakened so much.
When a Leaving Aperture realm expert possessed the body of another, their strength would be reduced. Even so... the strength that they wielded would still be far beyond what Wu shi and the others could withstand. Yet, the Skyleaf King was gradually being forced back. The situation did not add up.
"You are courting death..." After retreating for a few steps, 'Jiang Yuan' suddenly came to a halt. With reddened eyes, he roared furiously as a Primordial Spirit escaped from his glabella.
Hong long long!
As soon as the Primordial Spirit appeared, the surrounding spiritual energy began gathering together to form a giant that carried destructive might and aura at a wave of its hands.
Hu!
With a simple palm strike, the formation formed by Wu shi, Guild Leader Han, and Mu shi was unraveled. A few more strikes later, the trio was unable to withstand the incredible might of the Skyleaf King and sustained significant damage, spewing blood from their mouths.
"Hold it right there!"
Noting that the trio was in a dire position, Feng Xun quickly rushed forward to their aid.
"Heh!" The Skyleaf King sneered coldly as he raised his finger to flick Feng Xun.
Peng!
A single strike, and Feng Xun was sent flying as well.
Despite being a Saint 3-dan pinnacle combat master, he was still a long way from matching up to the Saint 5-dan Skyleaf King.
"I got it!" Watching as Feng Xun was knocked flying, a thought suddenly came to Zhang Xuan's mind as his eyes lit up in excitement. Slapping his thigh excitedly, he turned around and instructed, "Everyone, I need some time. I will have to ask you to hold him back for a short moment..."
Hearing those words, the crowd nodded before gathering zhenqi on their palms and directing it toward the Primordial Spirit in the sky.
They knew that they would not be a match for the Skyleaf King, but they trusted Zhang Xuan deeply. They knew that the latter had his reasons for issuing such commands, so they immediately acted on it.
While the others were holding back the Skyleaf King, Zhang Xuan rushed up to Jiang Yuan's body and punched him in his face.
Peng!
As the Skyleaf King had departed from Jiang Yuan's body, and Jiang Yuan's soul had not regained control of his body yet, the body was completely vulnerable at the moment. Unable to withstand Zhang Xuan's attack, it was immediately sent flying into the distance.
"Principal Zhang!"
Feng Xun, who had just barely gotten back up to his feet, saw the sight, and he nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.
It was just a moment ago that you said that Jiang Yuan was still alive, but a moment later, you suddenly began pummeling Jiang Yuan viciously. Do you have some kind of deep-seated hatred toward him that you are so anxious to send him off to his death?
Peng peng peng peng!
Paying no heed to Feng Xun's shout, Zhang Xuan walked up to Jiang Yuan and struck the back of his head forcefully once more.
Feng Xun was about to rush up to stop Zhang Xuan when the sight before him abruptly left him with a feeling of déjà vu, and he froze on the spot. That movement... why does it feel so familiar?
Certain memories seemed to flicker across the back of his mind, and he felt as if... he had encountered such a scene before. Furthermore, a dull pain was starting to creep to the back of his head as well...
However, that sensation vanished in an instant, and he did not have the time to devote any thoughts to it either. He continued rushing toward Zhang Xuan to stop the latter, but in a casual glance upwards, he saw the Primordial Spirit of the Skyleaf King shaking unstably as horror surfaced in his eyes.
"What are you doing?" the Skyleaf King roared furiously as he raised a hand toward Zhang Xuan to grasp him.
However, before the hand could reach, Zhang Xuan had already sent another punch into Jiang Yuan's body.
The Primordial Spirit jolted once more, and it nearly fell from the sky this time around.
Upon seeing this sight, Feng Xun and Wu shi glanced at one another as a look of delight bloomed on their faces. "Could it be that... attacking Combat Master Jiang's body will affect the Skyleaf King's Primordial Spirit as well?"
"Principal Zhang, allow me!" Feng Xun rushed right up toward Jiang Yuan and sent a punch toward where Zhang Xuan had struck earlier.
Huala!
Just as they had anticipated, the Primordial Spirit in the sky jolted yet again, as if having sustained severe damage.
"Help me control that fellow. There are some questions that I need to ask him..." Passing Jiang Yuan into Feng Xun's arms, he flew to Wu shi's side and looked up toward the Primordial Spirit in the sky.
"Principal Zhang, what is going on?" Wu shi and the others asked doubtfully.
Both he and Guild Leader Han were nearing Leaving Aperture realm, but they had never heard that a Primordial Spirit would be affected by attacks directed toward its body... not to mention, a possessed body at that!
"I will explain the situation to you later on." Zhang Xuan waved his hand before turning his attention back toward the Skyleaf King.
"Skyleaf King, there are some things that I just can't understand no matter how I ponder over them. Why are you going to the extent of paying such a heavy price just to conceal yourself within Combat Master Jiang's body?"