Chapter 108: Bounty for Capture or Kill
The eighteen sects of the Southern Domain, once hopeful but now bitterly disappointed, could no longer tolerate Xia Jiuxuan.
“Everyone, I propose issuing a bounty to hunt down and execute Xia Jiuxuan. We should call upon others within the secret realm to bring back his head and restore our sect’s honor.”
“That’s right! That scoundrel Xia Jiuxuan deserves to be torn limb from limb. I fully support issuing the bounty!”
“I have no objections either. Let’s send messengers to the other sects immediately!”
...
Within this secret realm, over seven hundred individuals had been transported here, scattered across various regions with few opportunities to gather.
Suddenly, all the spirit rings on their fingers emitted a humming sound.
“Huh?”
A young man curiously opened his spirit ring and immediately received a soul message.
“Bounty from the Eighteen Southern Domain Sects: Anyone who kills the traitor Xia Jiuxuan, who embezzled the Fate Light Orb, shall be rewarded with 30,000 supreme spirit crystals, one half-step defensive sacred artifact, and one half-step sacred-grade weapon!”
Instantly, the entire secret realm erupted in excitement.
“Who exactly is this Xia Jiuxuan, that the eighteen sects are willing to pay such a steep price for his head?”
“He must be a representative of one of the eighteen sects, suspected of embezzling the Fate Light Orb!”
“Wow! It seems this orb is incredibly important to the major sects. Otherwise, they wouldn’t spend such a huge cost punishing whoever steals it.”
“So everyone, better behave. Apart from that orb, all other treasures are ours for the taking.”
“Brothers, I’m ready to go claim this bounty! What do you say?”
“The reward is too tempting. Count me in! After three days of cultivation, I’ll definitely slay Xia Jiuxuan!”
From all directions, in the treacherous wasteland, many set their sights on their first target—killing Xia Jiuxuan.
A half-step sacred artifact surpasses the finest spirit tools in existence and is priceless.
This time, the eighteen sects offered a half-step defensive sacred artifact and a half-step offensive sacred weapon as rewards. Who wouldn’t be tempted?
Not only ordinary youths from mortal kingdoms but even some of the top disciples within sects could never obtain such high-grade weapons.
“Kill him! Slay Xia Jiuxuan and become rich!”
“Hope I have good luck and find Xia Jiuxuan first.”
“That half-step sacred artifact will be mine!”
...
At the edge of a canyon.
Xia Jiuxuan and his two companions sat cross-legged, immersed in cultivation.
With Xia Jiuxuan’s secret technique, they refined their bodies and meridians with dragon energy, steadily strengthening their channels.
Only a few hours later, Duanmu Wan awoke from her meditation. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Xia Jiuxuan smiling brightly at her.
“Senior Brother Xia, you’re really fast!”
“Not bad. I finished it two hours ago.”
“???” Duanmu Wan was stunned. That was incredibly fast!
“Look at Mu Feng. This time he’s made a breakthrough; his dragon veins are now manifesting externally. His power must have skyrocketed!”
At this moment, Mu Feng’s meridians twisted and coiled like swimming dragons, seeming ready to burst out of his body.
“Mu Feng can’t refine all this dragon energy at once. You and I should go to the bottom of the cliff to look for treasure first,” Xia Jiuxuan said.
“Alright!” Duanmu Wan nodded, then asked, “Senior Brother Xia, what kind of treasure is down there?”
Xia Jiuxuan smiled. “You’ll see when we get there.”
With that, Xia Jiuxuan gave Duanmu Wan a gentle push from behind, and she fell into the seemingly bottomless chasm.
“Ah!” Duanmu Wan screamed, her strength not yet fully recovered. The gravity in this secret realm was intense; falling from such a height, she felt sure she would be smashed into a pulp.
Fear gripped her heart, but suddenly, a figure rushed forward and caught her around the waist.
“Holding you like this, you don’t mind, do you?” Xia Jiuxuan turned to meet her clear, beautiful eyes.
Duanmu Wan glared at him angrily but said helplessly, “You’ve already touched me all over, so what harm is there in holding me now? Hmph!”
Xia Jiuxuan was momentarily stunned. “Calm down. Don’t try to take advantage of me while you’re at it!”
“You!” Duanmu Wan pouted. “Getting the benefit and still acting innocent?”
“What benefit?” Xia Jiuxuan scoffed. Duanmu Wan wished she could strangle him.
Suddenly, several blood-red tendrils shot out from the nearby stone wall, lashing fiercely toward Xia Jiuxuan and Duanmu Wan.
“Hm?”
Xia Jiuxuan’s brow furrowed tightly.
That aura was strange and powerful!
“Run!”
Xia Jiuxuan thought grimly, clutching Duanmu Wan’s waist tightly as he dove downward.
Smack!
One tendril lashed across Xia Jiuxuan’s back.
“Ugh!”
His skin was torn open, wounds deep enough to see bone.
The scent of blood spread through the canyon, accompanied by savage roars erupting all around.
Roar! Roar! Roar!
Pairs of eerie green eyes appeared on the stone walls, locking onto Xia Jiuxuan and Duanmu Wan.
“Senior Brother Xia! Why are there so many monsters here?” Duanmu Wan’s heart pounded. The ferocity of the aura was something she had never encountered, even in her past life.
“We’re in trouble! These must be low-level creatures evolved by absorbing dragon blood!” Xia Jiuxuan’s face darkened.
Beneath this cliff was the very place where the seven-winged Blood Dragon had perished; its blood had formed a vast river.
These lowly creatures had absorbed the scattered dragon blood’s spiritual power, evolving into exceedingly powerful monsters.
Xia Jiuxuan had overlooked this before descending. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared come down so recklessly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thousands of blood-red bats, lion-sized, surged forth, flying toward Xia Jiuxuan and Duanmu Wan.
Clang!
Xia Jiuxuan summoned his spirit sword, sweeping it in a horizontal arc with the Flame Sword Technique.
Swish! Swish! Swish...
Sword shadows shrouded in blazing fire swept across, slaughtering thousands of blood bats.
But their numbers were overwhelming; Xia Jiuxuan could not kill them all.
“Hold tight!”
Xia Jiuxuan urged, rushing downward with all his might.
Smack!
Suddenly, a massive black hand, like a mountain, swung toward them.
“Damn it!”
Xia Jiuxuan was shocked and roared, unleashing a high-level martial technique.
He transformed into a streak of light, charging headlong at the black hand.
Boom!
Flesh and blood exploded. The terrifying hand was pierced through by Xia Jiuxuan’s attack!
The blood bats chasing behind frenziedly scrambled to feast on the scattered flesh and blood.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Yet, as they drank the blood sprayed in the air, they all burst apart.
“Roar!”
The stone walls trembled as a gigantic black figure attempted to burst forth.
“Get lost!”
Xia Jiuxuan swung his sword with all his might, slashing at the enormous creature.
The strike did not harm the black beast at all.
Xia Jiuxuan’s true intent was to use the backlash to accelerate his dive!
However, the enraged black beast leapt out, its massive body pressing down on Xia Jiuxuan.
“Ah!”
Duanmu Wan’s face turned pale as she screamed.
Even the top experts from otherworldly sects would be hard-pressed to withstand such a monstrous assault.
This time, death was certain!