Swordsman Beitian drew near the skeleton. The moment he made his move, the skeleton—which had been aimlessly wandering in place—instantly shed its vacant look and moved.
The instant it moved, Swordsman Beitian’s pupils contracted.
It vanished. No, more accurately, the skeleton vanished from his sight, though he could still sense its presence.
Its speed was simply too great, so fast that even with his strength at Tier Three Peak, he couldn’t track its movements.
Realizing this, Swordsman Beitian immediately brought his sword up in a horizontal block.
CLANG!
A Bone Saber chopped down directly onto Swordsman Beitian’s sword. The force of the blow was far greater than he had anticipated.
However, Swordsman Beitian was an expert with the power of Tier Six. His sword erupted with immense force as he fluidly converted his Defense into an attack, redirecting the momentum into a direct slash at the skeleton.
Swordsman Beitian’s Sword Momentum was ferocious and vast, yet it was all compressed into that single strike.
This single strike was powerful enough to slay any Cultivator below Tier Four.
But to Swordsman Beitian’s surprise, the creature had no intention of defending. As he attacked it, its saber struck out at him at the very same moment.
BANG!
Swordsman Beitian’s sword struck the skeleton, the immense power of the blow even causing the ground around them to fracture.
Yet the skeleton that took the full force of the blow was completely unaffected. Its Bone Saber continued its swift descent toward Swordsman Beitian.
Swordsman Beitian instantly threw up a defense, but he was still knocked back by the strike.
The strike contained no Cultivation Power, only pure, physical force.
Swordsman Beitian stared at the skeleton in shock. ’My last attack didn’t even hurt it.’
’How is that possible? No matter how I look at it, this is an ordinary skeleton.’
But while his thoughts wavered, the skeleton attacked again, its speed and power far exceeding its previous strike.
Swordsman Beitian was forced onto the defensive.
BOOM!!!
Swordsman Beitian was sent flying.
"How can this be?" Swordsman Beitian steadied himself, in disbelief.
But just as he looked up, the Bone Saber was already right before his eyes.
A sense of mortal danger—an immense, overwhelming sense of mortal danger—gripped his heart.
"AHH!" Swordsman Beitian roared, unleashing the greatest power he could currently muster. In that split second, his Swordsmanship seemed to improve, and he raised his sword to deftly block the strike.
BOOM!!!
Swordsman Beitian was once again sent flying. This time, a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
This time, he had no time for shock. He instantly turned and fled, retreating as fast as he possibly could.
’This thing is too strange. I have to admit, I can’t handle it as I am now.’
He even had a feeling that he wouldn’t be able to handle it even at his full Tier Six strength.
’How could this be?’
’Why is this happening?’
’I don’t get it. This skeleton is just too bizarre.’
He was finally beginning to understand why that man had tried to stop him. If he had faced a group of these skeletons from the beginning, he would most likely be dead by now.
Just then, the skeleton closed in again. Faced with its assault, Swordsman Beitian could only fight as he retreated.
********
Meanwhile, Jiang Zuo was drawing something on the ground. The pattern was incredibly complex, so much so that no one present could understand it.
Nangong Sui asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist, what are you doing? Shouldn’t we leave first?"
Daoist Crazy Python added, "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, I’ve scouted the area. There are quite a few skeletons nearby."
Jiang Zuo nodded. "Yes. Just don’t get near them. Their perception range is very limited. As long as you don’t provoke them, they’re unlikely to notice you."
’This isn’t the Land of the Dead, so the skeletons are weakened. If this were the true Land of the Dead, countless skeletons would attack the moment any living creature appeared. Now *that* is a real Forbidden Land.’
Daoist Crazy Python asked curiously, "Then what are you doing, Fellow Daoist?"
Jiang Zuo looked back the way they had come. "I think that saber the skeleton is holding might be decent. I’d like to get my hands on one.
With that man’s Tier Six Cultivation, he’s not about to die to a single skeleton. He should be on his way here now."
Everyone stared at Jiang Zuo, first in surprise, then in shock. ’What does he mean by that?’
’Is he using that man to lure the skeleton here?’
Before they could dwell on it, they saw him—the Sword Cultivator. He was injured and in full retreat, looking utterly battered.
Seeing only one skeleton in pursuit, Jiang Zuo nodded. "Looks like everything is fine."
Upon seeing Jiang Zuo, Swordsman Beitian immediately cried out, "Fellow Daoist, save me! I’ll agree to anything!"
Jiang Zuo paid his words no mind and simply said, "Just get over here."
"But it’s incredibly strong!" Swordsman Beitian said.
Jiang Zuo did not answer, but stood there calmly.
Swordsman Beitian gritted his teeth, then came to Jiang Zuo’s side.
At that moment, the skeleton stepped into Jiang Zuo’s Array.
In the next instant, the Array flared with brilliant light. The skeleton, which had been moving with uncanny speed, came to a sudden halt.
Swordsman Beitian was also stunned. ’It’s trapped? Just like that?’
’How is that possible?’
’I tried everything just now, but I couldn’t restrain it at all.’
At that moment, the skeleton began to tremble as if in pain.
Indeed, the skeleton was trembling.
"Kill... kill... kill... kill..." The words emanated crazedly from the skeleton.
The frenzied aura it exuded forced everyone to back away. The horror of this skeleton surpassed all their expectations.
But Jiang Zuo ignored its frenzy.
’A contest of madness? As if these bones could ever compare to him.’
Jiang Zuo stepped into the Array and stood before the skeleton.
The skeleton could clearly sense Jiang Zuo. It tried to raise its saber, but it couldn’t move.
This place was restraining its fundamental power.
The others watched Jiang Zuo in shock, because that frenzied aura was capable of corroding a person’s consciousness.
Yet the man showed not the slightest fear. In fact, it seemed as if the frenzied aura itself feared him.
And only Nangong Sui, who had the right angle, saw it. He saw the usually calm and expressionless Po Xiao crack a smile.
It was a smile filled with cruelty and madness.
Seeing that smile, a shiver ran through Nangong Sui’s heart.
’A madman. This seemingly calm person is an out-and-out madman on the inside.’
Jiang Zuo didn’t linger. He reached out, took the skeleton’s saber, and said, "I’ll be taking this saber."
Jiang Zuo considered it a courtesy. He had at least informed the skeleton. Since it didn’t refuse, he took that as consent.
Then, Jiang Zuo left the Array. As for the skeleton, he couldn’t kill it anyway.
This Array could, at most, only immobilize the skeleton.
After all, he was using an Array from the Ancient Battlefield, and Arrays from the Ancient Battlefield weren’t designed to cause much damage.
Otherwise, the battlefields themselves would have been destroyed long ago.
Holding the Bone Saber, Jiang Zuo said to the others, "Let’s go."
At this, everyone snapped back to their senses.
From that moment on, not a single person there dared to underestimate Po Xiao.
Swordsman Beitian, filled with gratitude, said, "Thank you for saving my life, Fellow Daoist. I am Swordsman Beitian. Might I ask your name, Fellow Daoist?"
Jiang Zuo said, "Po Xiao."
’Swordsman Beitian... Never heard of him.’
’As for Sword Cultivators, the only one he’d known in his past life was Jian Shisan.’
’No one else was even worth his notice.’
Nangong Sui followed behind, a newfound fear for Jiang Zuo in his heart.
But greater than his fear was a sense of elation. ’This person is so strange, and so powerful.’
’This means that as long as I can keep him on my side, I’ll definitely be able to get out of here safely.’
’This is my luck. No matter how dangerous the place, I can always find a sliver of hope in the most desperate of situations.’
’All that’s left is the matter of Magical Treasures. When the time comes, I’ll give him a few extra to keep him happy. That should be enough to keep him on my side.’
’It wouldn’t even be out of the question to give him the Spiritual Talisman.’
So thought Nangong Sui.