"Hmph! Even as weak as I am now, killing you would be as easy as turning over my hand! If you don't believe me, you can try!"
Just when all the Barbarian Beast Kings, including Xuan Tianzhan, thought Yang Xiao was a dead man, the Golden-winged Roc King's bravado seemed hollow.
It talked tough.
But its expression was strained.
It lacked any of its former domineering aura.
Because, just as Yang Xiao had said, its Divine Soul was on the verge of collapsing after being corroded by the Mist of Bewitching Spirit.
On the other hand,
Yang Xiao's mental state was excellent at this moment.
"Try, you say?"
Yang Xiao smiled faintly.
He then took a step forward.
This single step,
actually caused the Golden-winged Roc to flinch, and it involuntarily retreated half a step. Although it quickly recovered and forced itself to stand tall,
by now, everyone could see its weakness.
"How is that possible? How could the Peng King be frightened into retreating by this human boy…"
The White Pig King was in disbelief.
The other Barbarian Beast Kings were also flabbergasted, unable to believe their eyes.
In their minds, the Peng King was an incredibly proud being. How could it possibly show weakness in front of others?
'Could it be? Is the Peng King truly as grievously injured as this human claims? Otherwise, why would it act like this?'
This wasn't its style at all.
"Impossible! That brat Yang Xiao is just putting on a brave front! The Golden-winged Roc King is so strong, how could it possibly be afraid of a mere human? It must be toying with him! That's right, the Golden-winged Roc King is just toying with Yang Xiao!"
Xuan Tianzhan shouted.
But this time,
not a single Barbarian Beast King agreed with him.
Toying with him?
What a joke.
That wasn't the Peng King's style.
Something must have truly gone wrong here.
So then,
the question arose.
Were they to rescue it?
Or not?
'If we help, this valley will be in danger, not to mention other things. But if we don't, and the Peng King escapes this predicament, then we…'
However, the Barbarian Beast Kings didn't have to agonize over the decision for long, because Yang Xiao spoke again.
"Your performance has already exposed your weakness. Surrender. If you do, I can spare your life. The young of a Divine Beast are quite precious, after all."
Yang Xiao said mockingly.
This was, in fact, exactly what he was thinking.
Especially since this fellow was the descendant of that Old Hairy.
'I wonder what kind of expression that Old Hairy would make if it knew its descendant had submitted to me.'
"Impossible! I would rather die in battle than submit to you! Come! I want to see just how much stronger you've become after absorbing all this toxic mist!"
The Golden-winged Roc said coldly.
Yang Xiao couldn't help but glance at it. "You're a clever one, aren't you? Too bad I don't have time to play with you right now. So, if you want to witness how powerful I've become after absorbing this Mist of Bewitching Spirit, you'll just have to wait for another time!"
"Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace, suppress!"
As he spoke, a golden palace flew out from between his eyebrows.
It forcefully suppressed the Golden-winged Roc.
Unwilling.
But with its Divine Soul damaged, it didn't even have the strength to flee.
The Golden-winged Roc was suppressed by Yang Xiao, completely unable to fight back.
This outcome,
caused the proud and arrogant Golden-winged Roc's spirit to falter, and it fainted on the spot.
Yang Xiao paid it no mind.
He casually tossed it into the Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace and imprisoned it.
Just as he had done with Xue Yi before.
After doing all this,
he clapped his hands.
Yang Xiao's gaze turned to the area outside the valley.
That one glance,
sent a tremor through the hearts of the Barbarian Beast Kings.
"Flee! Flee!"
"Right, let's go, now! Even the Peng King was suppressed. If this monster decides to deal with us, we're done for."
They had no integrity whatsoever.
Not a shred of will to resist.
After seeing Yang Xiao so easily suppress the Golden-winged Roc King and witnessing his unfathomable ability to absorb the toxic mist—plus the fact that there was no irreconcilable hatred between them to begin with—they had no reason to stay.
Everything had been done on the Golden-winged Roc King's orders.
Now,
that even the Peng King had fallen, how could they possibly have the heart to fight Yang Xiao?
Especially since the Peng King was usually so arrogant and looked down on them.
While it wasn't overly harsh with them, it wasn't close to them either.
Aside from the thick-skinned White Pig King, who often flattered it, the other Barbarian Beast Kings always seemed particularly uncomfortable in its presence. They could hardly be considered confidants.
And if they weren't confidants, who would risk their life for it?
As for the White Pig King,
that fellow was the fastest to slip away.
It left Xuan Tianzhan completely stunned.
"Th-these gutless cowards!"
Xuan Tianzhan was furious.
But in the next instant,
he also wanted to flee.
However, he had just started to move when his vision blurred.
Yang Xiao appeared outside the valley.
Standing right next to him.
"The Mist of Bewitching Spirit really is good stuff. I didn't know when I'd be able to reach the Void Observation Middle Stage, but now, I've done it directly."
Yang Xiao murmured to himself, not even sparing Xuan Tianzhan a glance.
Instead, he was sensing the changes within his own body.
Just now, he had converted the Essence Qi of the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame and all the toxicity from the Mist of Bewitching Spirit into spiritual essence. Adding an entire third of the Divine Communication Grass, Yang Xiao had finally broken through to the Void Observation Middle Stage.
His Spiritual Level had advanced another step, undergoing a qualitative change.
If his perception of the void before, at the Void Observation Initial Stage, was like looking through a blurry pair of glasses, then now, it was incomparably clear.
It was just like when he had gone from the Observing Micro Initial Stage to the Observing Micro Middle Stage, and his perception of Heaven and Earth Primordial Power changed.
One was coarse, abstract, and very blurry.
The other was fine, concrete, and perfectly clear.
This allowed Yang Xiao to control the Void Power with increasing ease, as if he could make the surrounding Void Power flow according to his will with just a single thought.
Naturally, this wasn't something any ordinary person at the Void Observation Middle Stage could do.
It was part of Yang Xiao's unique foundation.
As his Spiritual Power continued to grow stronger, some of the techniques from his first life were also slowly reawakening, like the Void Shifting from before, and now, his control over the void.
These were all just the tip of the iceberg.
But even so, it was already astonishing.
Just like a moment ago,
with a single thought, he had arrived outside the valley, appearing before Xuan Tianzhan.
Such power, such speed.
He could never have done this before.
But now,
it was as simple as eating or drinking.
"If I had this kind of speed and reaction time back on the 1st Layer, even the Thousand-Winged Serpent Eagle wouldn't have been able to catch me. What a pity…"
He shook his head and sighed faintly.
But Xuan Tianzhan, who was blocked by him and wore an ugly expression, became exceptionally furious.
"Yang Xiao, do you look down on me that much?"
Xuan Tianzhan roared in anger.
Initially, he had been about to flee when Yang Xiao suddenly appeared before him, which had truly given him a fright.
His heart was filled with apprehension.
But when he realized that Yang Xiao had blocked his path but made no other move,
he didn't attack.
Nor did he use that miraculous and terrifying golden palace.
He didn't even glance at him.
The unease and apprehension in his heart completely transformed into rage.
He began to roar.
"Then how do you want me to take you seriously? With your strength that hasn't even grasped the fifth move of the Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship?"
Yang Xiao said with disdain.
His Spiritual Power, now at the Void Observation Middle Stage, allowed him to see through Xuan Tianzhan's true capabilities with a single glance.
These words, which hit right where it hurt, instantly made Xuan Tianzhan's expression turn savage.
He stared coldly at Yang Xiao and said loudly, "Fine! Good! Since you look down on me so much, hmph, I will definitely make you regret it!"
As soon as these words were spoken,
Yang Xiao's brow furrowed.
He instinctively sensed that something was wrong.
And in the next moment,
Xuan Tianzhan let out a strange laugh and murmured to the sky, "I respectfully beseech the Immortal Lord to descend and execute this Martial Arts Evil Demon!"
The moment his voice fell,
the entire third layer of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion was instantly thrown into turmoil.
Yang Xiao's expression changed in an instant.
Because he could sense a terrifying aura, using Xuan Tianzhan as a nexus point, tearing through the void from a great distance to descend upon this place.
The Immortal Lord!
'Is it him?'