"The mist is actually thinning. It looks like it's about to disperse."
"Dispersing? It's clearly being absorbed! Could the Peng King be doing this?"
The Barbarian Beast Kings began to speculate.
They were all slightly shocked.
After all, regardless of who was responsible, the ability to eliminate the poisonous mist created by the Celestial Poison God King was an absolutely shocking feat.
"Excellent! This is excellent! Once the mist disperses, that brat Yang Xiao is as good as dead."
Xuan Tianzhan, however, clapped his hands and laughed heartily.
Even the frustration from being tricked by the White Pig King just moments ago dissipated considerably.
The other Barbarian Beast Kings looked on with disdain.
Although they said aloud that the Peng King was likely responsible, they secretly suspected it might be the work of the young man named Yang Xiao.
After all, despite the Peng King's immense power, he possessed no special techniques for dealing with poisonous mist.
The young man, on the other hand, had been different.
From the very beginning, he had strolled through Poison King Valley as if it were a leisurely walk in a park, which proved he had his ways with poisons.
They didn't voice this thought, out of consideration for the Peng King's pride.
As for Xuan Tianzhan...
This man who would even sabotage his own subordinates was disliked by nearly all the Barbarian Beast Kings.
That was why, even when they knew full well that the White Pig King was tricking the boy...
...they had all kept silent.
In fact, some of them were a little regretful.
That good-for-nothing had beaten them to the punch.
If the situation with the mist up ahead hadn't changed, a few more Barbarian Beast Kings might have stepped up to do the same thing as the White Pig King.
But now...
First, they had to see what was happening up ahead.
And as the mist gradually dissipated...
...the Barbarian Beast Kings finally got a clear view of the scene within, their jaws dropping one by one in utter astonishment.
"How is that possible? The mist is really dispersing because of that young man? My heavens, he's simply unnatural!"
"That's right, look! The mist has formed a small vortex, and he's absorbing it! Huh? He's absorbing it into his Sea of Consciousness through the spot between his eyebrows! Heavens, are my eyes playing tricks on me, or has the world gone mad?"
"So badass. This kid is just so badass. If he weren't enemies with the Peng King, I, Old Hei, would actually want to get to know him."
A tall and burly Barbarian Beast Kingâthree meters tall even in his humanoid form, covered in black fur, and possessing the head of a bearâspoke with a wide grin.
Beside him, several other similarly rough-looking Barbarian Beast Kings who were on good terms with him also nodded in agreement.
This only made Xuan Tianzhan, who was already standing by in shock...
...and finding it hard to accept the reality of what he was seeing...
...even more furious.
'But none of these Barbarian Beast Kings are simple characters,' he thought. 'If I wanted to fight them, I'd have to use my trump card, and the price for using that trump card is...'
Xuan Tianzhan shuddered at the mere thought.
He could only forcibly suppress his rage, secretly vowing, 'When I become the master of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion, I will properly punish these Barbarian Beast Kings who praised Yang Xiao.'
Outwardly, however, he said coldly, "So what if he's good at dispelling the poisonous mist? Is he a match for the Golden Wing Roc King? Absorbing the mist might look impressive, but he's just digging his own grave. Without the mist to obstruct the way, he'll likely be killed by the Peng King in a single blow."
"He's courting death!"
His hateful voice echoed in the ears of the listening Barbarian Beast Kings.
Although his words were grating...
...the Barbarian Beast Kings had to admit he had a point.
"He's not wrong. It's a pity, but this is actually a good thing for us. If that kid can't be killed, the Peng King will lose face, and we'll all suffer. We might even end up like the Poisonous Flood Dragon, paying with our lives."
A Tiger-headed Barbarian Beast King who had been silent until now spoke in a low rumble.
His power was among the greatest of them all.
Normally, he was the only one who dared to object to some of the Peng King's actions.
The other Beast Kings, even if they didn't fawn as shamelessly as the White Pig King, wouldn't dare bring up the matter of the Poisonous Flood Dragon so openly.
Clearly, this one was trying to sow discord.
However, the Peng King wasn't present.
And no one said a thing.
This left Xuan Tianzhan with the feeling of having thrown a punch and hit nothing but air.
Because while the Tiger had technically responded to his words, he hadn't even bothered to look at him.
Xuan Tianzhan seethed internally.
But there was nothing he could do.
He could only think, 'After the Golden-winged Roc kills Yang Xiao and comes back, I'll find a way to sow discord between them. If I can get that big, dumb bird to kill this Tiger, all the better.'
However, he didn't entertain this thought for long.
Because very soon, someone noticed something was amiss.
"What's going on? It's one thing that the young man hasn't woken up after absorbing so much poisonous mist, but why hasn't the Peng King woken up either? Could this mist be so potent that it took down the Peng King in such a short time?"
The White Pig King looked completely baffled.
The other Barbarian Beast Kings were just as confused.
Their words made Xuan Tianzhan's heart skip a beat.
But just then, the Golden-winged Roc stood up.
Its body swayed unsteadily.
It looked as if it were drunk.
But it did, ultimately, get to its feet.
"Haha! See any problem with the Peng King? Look, he's standing up now! And from the looks of it, he seems to hate Yang Xiao even more. As for that kid Yang Xiao, he still hasn't gotten up. He's dead for sure!"
Xuan Tianzhan roared with laughter.
Although the other Barbarian Beast Kings wanted to ignore him...
...they inwardly felt that he was right.
After all, compared to the Golden Wing Roc King, the human youth Yang Xiao was far too weak. Besides, he had just absorbed so much of the poisonous mist; it was unlikely he would wake up anytime soon.
"He outsmarted himself this time,"
one of the Beast Kings lamented.
"He deserves it! That's what he gets for offending me!"
Xuan Tianzhan's expression was one of cold arrogance.
In reality, none of the many Barbarian Beast Kings present wanted to give him the time of day, but he kept jumping up and down, as if terrified of not being the center of attention.
Especially now.
He was about to witness the death of his greatest enemy, the rival he envied most.
He was overjoyed.
So overjoyed, in fact, that he almost forgot that the White Pig King had scammed him out of a Desolate Divine Fruit and that the Tiger-headed Barbarian Beast King had completely ignored him.
But what happened next...
...left him utterly stupefied.
Because just as the Golden-winged Roc was about to reach Yang Xiao...
...Yang Xiao, who had been sitting cross-legged on the groundâseemingly resisting the poisonous mist, or perhaps using some Secret Technique to absorb itâstood up.
And compared to the Golden-winged Roc, he looked remarkably full of vigor.
He seemed completely unconcerned by the Peng King's approach.
Instead, he spoke with a pleasant smile, "Your Divine Soul is on the verge of collapsing, yet you still want to kill me. I honestly don't know whether to call you fiercely loyal or just plain suicidal."
What?
He dared to say that the Golden Wing Roc Kingâthe overlord of the third level, a young Divine Beastâwas courting death?
The moment those words were spoken, everyone presentâoh, no, all the Barbarian Beast Kingsâwas stunned speechless.
'This kid's got some serious nerve!'