Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)

“AH!”

When those monsters emerged, casualties also appeared amongst these experts. After all, the monsters’ movements were as quick as lightning, and their bones were incredibly tough. An ordinary weapon would have difficulty cutting them.

The scales covering these creatures also possessed a peculiar property that caused weapons to simply slide off them. Additionally, a mysterious energy surrounded them, disrupting others’ ability to wield their power effectively.

Their claws, feet, and teeth were all incomparably sharp. Once stabbed, some sticky venom would seep into the victim’s body, rendering them unable to resist while enduring excruciating pain.

These monsters might have let off the bronze chariot, but they blocked everyone else as if both sides were colluding with each other. Seeing the bronze chariot fly by, everyone else gritted their teeth with hatred.

Clearly, the master of the chariot had known about these monsters from the start. That was why he had so arrogantly taken the front position.

This was the only explanation for how these monsters could selectively allow only him to pass while blocking everyone else. Otherwise, he would have been blocked with everyone else, or others would have managed to escape with him.

Stars ignited upon Long Chen’s saber as he unleashed a devastating attack. A colossal saber-image descended, cleaving through all the monsters caught in its path.

As the vanguard, Long Chen led the way for his group. Only this kind of sharp attack was capable of letting them continue to advance. While Long Chen didn’t want to be at the very front, they definitely couldn’t fall behind.

Once they did, the pressure on them would increase even more. Hence, they had to take advantage of the moment when other peak experts were in the surroundings. By using each other, they were all benefiting. This was the most optimal way to charge forward.

The monsters attempting to sneak up on Long Chen’s back were swiftly sliced apart before they could even approach him. With Long Chen's vigilance and swift reaction, they stood no chance. Now, the only monsters capable of reaching him were those attacking from the sides. However, they were mere remnants, their numbers insufficient to pose a threat to the mixed beast race.

Feng You also watched over their formations and guarded the rear, preventing other treacherous experts from following them. After all, in this place, the mixed beast race had no allies. With enemies all around them, they had to be on guard against sneak attacks.

Feng You was depending on Long Chen now. Previously, when she had just met him, she harbored a sense of vigilance toward him. After all, Long Chen had gained a certain amount of prestige in the mixed beast race right from the beginning, leading her to worry about him usurping her position.

However, now she realized just how laughable that thought was. With Long Chen’s power, the rest of them simply couldn’t keep up.

If Long Chen actually wanted to lead the mixed beast race now, Feng You would be overjoyed. However, she knew that it was impossible.

Long Chen was wielding his saber at the front, neither attacking too quickly nor slowly. Hence, they advanced with ease. Those monsters were nothing in front of Long Chen when he wasn’t concealing his power.

However, while they might be nothing to Long Chen, they were a nightmare to others. Even the factions at the very front that boasted numerous peak experts were suffering constant casualties. This was largely due to their leaders only thinking about charging forward themselves, neglecting the safety of their subordinates.

In fact, the likes of Long Chen and Feng You, who prioritized protecting their subordinates and opening a path for them, were viewed as anomalies in this treacherous place.

In this realm, the law of the jungle prevailed: the weak became prey to the strong, and strength reigned supreme. This law had persisted since the dawn of the cultivation world.

As cultivators, from the moment they were born, they had entered a cruel knockout competition. Every crisis was a trial where the weak washed out, and they couldn’t say anything about it.

Seeing Long Chen and Feng You protecting everyone as they advanced, many experts thought that they were a huge joke. They could not comprehend it.

Of course, Long Chen didn’t need them to understand. He just continued to lead the way and toss the dead bodies on the way into the primal chaos space.

Later on, he found that while these monsters were powerful, the amount of life energy they released was extremely minuscule. Eventually, he stopped bothering to gather them.

Suddenly, an explosion reverberated in the distance, drawing Long Chen’s attention. To his surprise, the path ahead was no longer obstructed by the previous monsters. Instead, a horde of white skeletons armed with bone blades now stood in their way.

These skeletal figures were small in stature, resembling dwarves, standing no taller than a normal person’s waist. Their skeletal faces bore a haunting resemblance to children, with hair sprouting from their skulls. Eerie blue ghost flames flickered within their eye sockets.

“These… these are the fiends of the Skinner Purgatory!”

When Long Chen saw those small skeletons, he let out a startled cry as he recognized them. They were the Skinners of Purgatory. Although they weren’t exactly like the Skinners he had seen before, there was no way he could be mistaken about their aura.

“AH!”

As soon as the group of experts encountered the Skinners, someone instantly died. When the bone blades pierced their flesh, their skin peeled away from their bodies like a discarded garment, a horrifying sight that sent shivers down the spines of all who witnessed it.

The Skinners were relentless in their gruesome task, forcibly tearing the skin from their victims. The blood-drenched spectacle was enough to make even Long Chen feel a chill run down his spine.

When the Skinners charged toward them, countless screams of terror echoed out. In that terror, countless people met their end. Even the strongest cultivators here couldn’t deal with these Skinners.

“Long Chen, what do we do? Should we change formation?” asked Feng You, a hint of panic in her tone.

After all, the Skinners were far more powerful than the weird scaled monsters from before. They weren’t just faster. When they attacked, they seemed to chant some kind of curse that could affect their target’s state of mind.

“No need. They won’t dare to come over,” replied Long Chen indifferently.

As numerous Skinners came charging over, Huo Linger appeared. When she erected a flame wall, those Skinners instantly fled in terror.

Feng You and the others were stunned by this spectacle. They didn’t know that back then, Ming Cangyue had drawn Long Chen into her Nethergod Palace, and Leng Yueyan had summoned karmic hell flames to bring Ming Cangyue down with her. Unable to bear it, Long Chen then saved them by diving into the sea of karmic hell flames, which triggered the Pill Sovereign’s will that suppressed the karmic hell flames. Huo Linger had absorbed a bit of the flames back then.

Capable of devouring all flames, she could summon their unique abilities as well. In an instant, the karmic hell flames that she summoned scared off the Skinners.

“Is there anything after this?” asked Long Chen.

“According to the legends, this should have been the final trial,” answered Feng You.

“Then let’s go. Don’t waste time on them. We’ll go to the end of the path and see if we can catch that fellow.”

After saying that, Long Chen charged out with the karmic hell flames, leading the mixed beast race forward in a wild rush.