Chapter 40 – The seventh piece

By the time the first of the large influential powers had arrived at the Shu clan’s location, there was already an ongoing battle consisting of close to a thousand people.

The Shu clan was digging in an area amongst a few of the smaller clans, surrounded by five or six clans with similar strength.

Their members couldn’t even react the moment they had dug out the Dragon God Crystal before a light shot out from the treasure.

It was a red beam of potent light that shot into the skies.

A cold chill shook their hearts to their core.

They didn’t even have enough time to hide or even do anything else.

The surrounding clans immediately stopped digging and stood up, staring at them with greedy and vicious eyes.

By that point, only dumbfounded expressions were present on the faces of the Shu clan’s disciples.

And the massacre began almost immediately.

Despite the fact that the entire Shu clan had come to dig for treasures, the strongest amongst them was only the clan leader at the Crystallization realm. 

In just ten exchanges, the clan leader was dismembered by the five other Crystallisation realm experts, dying before he could touch the Dragon God crystal once. 

At the same time, the disciple that had dug out the Dragon God Crystal was instantly attacked by more than ten people, swiftly reduced to nothing but a puddle of blood and minced meat. 

“Snatch the crystal! Quick!”

“The clan leader is dead! Run! The Shu clan is doomed!”

“Kill that person! He has the Dragon God Crystal! He’s over there, don’t let him escape!”

“Kill!”

The entire area became chaotic. 

As the death toll surpassed a hundred people, more and more people that had seen the blood-red pillar in the skies started rushing over. In the blink of an eye, the number of people here surpassed more than ten thousand as people gathered and squeezed amongst each other, each filled with murderous intent. 

As for the Dragon Blood Crystal, it changed hands as its possessor was killed each time, moving through the crowd without rest.

One disciple of a small clan was attacked the moment the Dragon God Crystal entered his tight grasp and his expression started to change into joy. Seven swords, five knives, three whips and an axe dismembered his body and killed him instantly, the expression of joy blooming on his face as his head flew to the side.

A man used a whip to pull over the Dragon God Crystal, successfully retreating a few steps as he did. But even before he could grab the crystal and begin his escape, he was stabbed in the heart by a friend at his back, instantly dying with an expression of fear and resentment. 

A disciple of the Liu clan chopped down the whip and grabbed onto the Dragon God Crystal, and just as his expression stabilised, he quickly saw more than a hundred people surrounding him. With an expression of despair, he threw the item towards Liu Xing Mang and shouted for his young master, only for his silhouette to be immediately buried by waves of people rushing his way.

Another man commanded a spiritual beast, the sharp-beaked eagle, to retrieve the crystal in mid-air. But before it could even get close to the Dragon God Crystal, it was shot down by five flying daggers, thirteen arrows and countless spiritual kills and talismans. Its beak immediately cracked as its own owner coughed blood from the backlash. 

The situation played out exactly like one would imagine, everyone was greedy and everyone participated in the ceaseless struggle, furthering the chaos in the situation.

Cultivators of the Origin realm started dying as well, not just those of the Flesh Refining realm.

More than a hundred Origin realm experts were participating in the massacre, the shockwaves that resonated from their spiritual power killing and maiming the surrounding people. 

And only when the few Manifestation realm experts joined in did the possessor of the Dragon God Crystal become clear.

“Hahahahaha! Not bad! The Murong clan will take this Dragon God Crystal!” Murong Jue laughed heartily with a big smile, using the Murong clan’s fame to instil fear into the hearts of the frenzied men around him. 

The crystal was now in the hands of one of the four legitimate generals of Yan, the Relentless General Jiang Tian Sheng.

As one of the leaders in the army, Jiang Tian Sheng was an existence in the eighth layer of the Manifestation realm. A loyal man to the Murong clan that had served Yan for five decades.

The fourth prince stood at his side, his expression calm yet joyful.

Behind them were four Manifestation realm experts and more than ten Origin realm experts.

Looking at the party, then at the thousand soldiers behind them, everyone’s expressions changed dramatically. With a sigh, they could only retreat.

Naturally, there were still people who couldn’t accept this outcome that tried to rouse up the surrounding crowd, but they were swiftly killed by the soldiers and put to rest. 

The people of the Liu clan and the Moon Fire sect stared at them, and then glanced at each other, scheming in their minds.

Liu Xing Mang was the first to speak, stepping forwards, “Brother Murong, your clan has already obtained two Dragon God Crystals, it will be good for you to leave the next crystal for us, the people of smaller influential forces.”

Murong Jue burst into laughter, “Hah, Liu Xing Mang, your Liu clan is considered a small influential force? Stop pretending to be pitiful, those who are fated will enjoy the treasures of heaven and earth, and the owner of the next Dragon God Crystal will be the one who is the luckiest!”

“Murong Jue, do you really think so?”

“Hmph! Why? Do you want to try snatching it from us? Come then!”

Anger flashed past Liu Xing Mang’s eyes, but he quickly stifled his fury and glanced at Le Qing Qing, who had been watching the entire situation with cold eyes. 

The two then left to have a private discussion.

Murong Zhan looked at their backs with slight concern and spoke to Murong Jue, “Fifth brother, I fear that you’ve angered them.”

Murong Jue waved his arms, responding with complete disinterest, “How is it strange for us to possess most of the Blood Dragon Crystals when we’re the group with the most people? Hmph! If it was up to me, I’d take every last one of the Dragon God Crystals!”

“Hmph! That’s easy for you to say! Go and fight them yourself if you’re really that capable. Their main camps are the closest to this valley, it won’t take very long for their Sky Reaching realm experts to arrive! I’ll see how you plan on snatching the crystals from them then.” Murong Jing mocked, glancing at the Dragon God Crystal in Jiang Tian Sheng’s hands.

Murong Xing walked forwards, reminding them, “Elder brothers, don’t you all think this is strange? Why were these nine Dragon God Crystals buried here in this ordinary valley? Who was the one that spread this information? The news had already started spreading six days ago when the first of these crystals appeared only three days ago.”

Murong Jue shrugged, “No, what is so strange about this? The first crystal that was uncovered might not be the one that we know of. Wasn’t it rumoured that that guy, Long Chen, had already shown off the might of the Dragon God’s bloodline seven days ago? In my eyes, the news must’ve been spread by some small influences in a scheme to steal these treasures while borrowing our strength.”

“However, I still find it too strange.”

Murong Zhan patted Murong Xing’s shoulders, comforting him, “Seventh brother, you’re too wary. Do you think anyone would be powerful enough to use these Dragon God Crystals to harm us? The three great sects? The four great clans? Or the surrounding countries? It’s impossible, so just relax.”

“That’s right, furthermore, we have so many people on the way and gathered here, with more than hundreds of thousands of people, even a Sky Reaching realm expert would find it difficult to deal with all of us.” Murong Jue spoke confidently.

Powerless, Murong Xing could only nod his head.

At the side, Jiang Tian Sheng held onto the Dragon God crystal, staring at Tang Can’s expression. His aged, battle-tested complexion was plagued with suspicion as he reminisced.

“Great general? Have we met?” Tang Can probed carefully.

His hands were already in contact with his own hidden weapons, ready to strike the moment a hint of killing intent appeared on the old man before him. 

This was the wariness that existed in every single member of the Tang sect.

Despite not knowing why Jiang Tian Sheng had looked at him with such an expression, he had no choice but to remain wary.

“No-nothing much.” Stuttering, Jiang Tian Sheng immediately looked away. 

He’s strange!

Tang Can’s gaze became focused, he knew he couldn’t stay here any longer.

At this moment, yet another pillar of red light shot towards the sky, bringing forth the descent of the dragon’s might.