He is very cunning!

Bang! Crash!

Xia Jiuxuan's figure flashed as he delivered a heavy palm strike to the head of a battle automaton.

Clang!

A crisp, metallic echo rang out.

The metallic automaton was driven straight into the ground.

Meanwhile, the other automaton sensed an opening in Xia Jiuxuan's defense.

With a single blade strike!

The devastating intent of the blade swept forward like a roaring torrent.

The corner of Xia Jiuxuan's mouth curled into a smirk.

How could he possibly reveal a flaw in front of two heaps of scrap metal?

The previous blow had been entirely deliberate!

His true objective was to eliminate the automaton positioned behind him.

Rumble!

Just as the overwhelming blade intent descended, Xia Jiuxuan's figure had already vanished.

The next instant, blazing flames erupted from his palms!

Bang!

He slammed both palms inward against the head of the remaining metallic automaton.

The vital runes within the automaton were shattered into dust.

However, Xia Jiuxuan knew that metallic automatons of this caliber often unleashed a desperate, fatal counterattack at the very brink of destruction!

It had to be completely and swiftly destroyed!

"Suppress!"

Raging spiritual energy of the fire element surged forth, scorching the body of the metallic automaton until it glowed red-hot.

In this state, the automaton's defensive capabilities would plummet drastically.

Swish!

With a single effortless sweep of his sword, Xia Jiuxuan lopped off the automaton's head.

Having dispatched this automaton, Xia Jiuxuan retreated rapidly.

Crack!

The exact spot where he had stood a moment before was split apart by a massive blade projection.

Whoosh!

After a brief withdrawal, Xia Jiuxuan closed in once again.

Unaware of the impending danger, the automaton was battered by dozens of palm strikes from Xia Jiuxuan, causing its chest to cave inward entirely.

Fire-elemental spiritual energy poured into the automaton's core.

One sword strike, decapitation!

Xia Jiuxuan kicked aside the heap of scrap metal before him and strode straight ahead.

What he did not know was that the moment he departed, two figures descended upon the very same spot.

...

"Young Miss, this youth has actually slain two battle automatons consecutively. His combat prowess is truly formidable," an elderly man dressed in black robes said with profound astonishment to the young woman beside him.

"I find it deeply puzzling as well. How could a mortal from an ordinary state manage to breach the tomb and even slaughter these battle automatons?"

The spiritual sense of the young woman in black quietly tracked the retreating figure of the youth.

"Young Miss, this place permits no outsiders of non-lineage bloodlines to enter. Otherwise... the consequences are unimaginable. This old man shall dispatch him right now!"

The elder's gaze pierced through the darkness ahead, fixating on Xia Jiuxuan's silhouette.

The young woman in black shook her head. "This person's strength is rather peculiar. Let us observe what he intends to do first. Once he dares to enter the burial grounds, it will not be too late to kill him then."

"As you wish, Young Miss," the black-robed elder replied respectfully.

...

Guided by a faint, lingering resonance with the will of slaughter, Xia Jiuxuan soon arrived within a massive burial chamber.

"Step out and show yourself!"

Xia Jiuxuan let out a fierce roar, his domineering voice echoing through the cavernous burial chamber for a long time.

Yet, after a moment, there was no movement whatsoever.

Xia Jiuxuan's gaze burned as he swept his eyes across everything hidden in the darkness.

He paced slowly forward, speaking in a deep voice, "You and I will settle our scores with a fight to the death sooner or later. There is no escaping it, so why not reveal yourself?"

Still, there was no response.

Xia Jiuxuan continued onward. Another hundred paces would bring him directly before the colossal tomb.

"Come out!"

Xia Jiuxuan knew very well that the entity possessing imperial blood was hiding right here!

"Fine! You refuse to show yourself? Then I will force you out!"

With a single thought, Xia Jiuxuan summoned a terrifying phantom of slaughter that condensed behind him.

He unleashed an aura of slaughter frenziedly, knowing that the moment the imperial-blood entity felt fear, he would be able to sense it.

The next instant, Xia Jiuxuan's gaze locked onto the towering stele before him.

"Nowhere to run!"

Whoosh!

Xia Jiuxuan struck decisively.

A single sword stroke!

The sword intent of slaughter surged wildly!

This single strike drained almost all the slaughter energy within his body.

Because his intention was to kill with a single blow, leaving the imperial-blood entity no chance whatsoever.

The phantom sword of slaughter descended, striking directly behind the stele.

Clang, clang, clang...

A succession of crisp, metallic rings immediately echoed through the air.

"No!"

Xia Jiuxuan frowned, sensing that something was amiss.

He shifted his footing and instantly arrived before the tomb.

Focusing his eyes, he saw that there was indeed a figure standing behind the stele!

Furthermore, that figure was none other than the youth Bailong.

At this moment, he was hiding behind the stele, a pair of blood-red eyes staring unflinchingly at Xia Jiuxuan without a trace of fear.

"Damn it!"

Xia Jiuxuan roared in fury.

In that instant, he realized he had fallen for a trick!

"It was merely an illusory avatar! I underestimated him!"

Xia Jiuxuan shook his head with a bitter smile.

"I should have known full well how cunning my past life was!"

This sensation of being deceived felt deeply grating to Xia Jiuxuan.

At the same time, however, he understood that all of this made perfect sense.

That entity evolved from imperial blood had likely inherited a portion of the tactical cunning and intellect from his past life!

And it seemed that entity had long anticipated that he would come seeking vengeance, purposefully infusing blood-mortal malice and slaughter intent into an illusory avatar to lure him here!

As for its true body, it was likely hidden away in some completely unknown location!

This was a tactic Xia Jiuxuan frequently employed during his past life before ascending to the pinnacle of power.

To think that in this lifetime, he would be deceived by such a trick himself.

"The variables have increased once more."

Xia Jiuxuan could not help sighing.

Yet, there was little he could do about it now.

Fortunately, that imperial-blood entity still harbored a deep sense of dread toward him.

Based on Xia Jiuxuan's understanding of it, the imperial-blood entity would certainly not dare to proactively hunt him down in the near term.

Unless one day, it attained the level of a Sovereign of Slaughter, it might then take the risk to fight him to the death.

"Forget it! There will still be chances to kill it!"

Dwelling on it no further, Xia Jiuxuan prepared to leave.

However, the moment he turned around, he caught sight of two shadowy figures standing sentinel at the entrance of the burial chamber.

"Hmm?"

Xia Jiuxuan's gaze darkened, instantly raising his guard to the utmost!

Earlier, entirely preoccupied with hunting the imperial-blood entity, he had failed to notice that living beings had arrived right behind him!

Furthermore, anyone capable of appearing behind him without the slightest sound was undeniably formidable.

"Who are you!"

Xia Jiuxuan demanded in a deep, resonant voice.

"You dare ask who we are?"

A woman's voice rang out, chilling and aloof.

As she stepped forward, the seven oil lamps within the burial chamber automatically flared to life.

"Return-to-Void realm!"

Xia Jiuxuan's spiritual sense swept over the elder and the woman, instantly discerning their cultivation realms.

The Return-to-Void realm was a tier far surpassing the Return-to-Origin realm!

A realm of such magnitude could only exist within the sacred grounds of martial arts!

Beyond the Return-to-Void realm lay the so-called King realm, and above the King realm stood those worthy of being called Emperors!

Even so, Xia Jiuxuan remained entirely unruffled, maintaining his composure.

"Boy, regardless of whether you intruded intentionally or by accident, anyone who trespasses into the Sovereign's Tomb must die."

The elder stared coldly at Xia Jiuxuan, as though gazing upon a corpse.

Beside him, the woman in black also scrutinized Xia Jiuxuan. "Before I kill you, I wish to know where you acquired such strength."

The young woman was genuinely consumed by curiosity.

Within this mortal state, how could such a formidable young prodigy possibly exist?

Where on earth did his power originate?

"You are not qualified to know."

Xia Jiuxuan remained utterly composed, his tone even colder and more indifferent than theirs.

"Ridiculous. Boy, do you even know what kind of beings you are speaking to?" The elder gave a cold, mocking laugh.

Xia Jiuxuan chuckled coldly in return. "It seems your War Blood Clan remains utterly incorrigible, as arrogant as ever."

In truth, Xia Jiuxuan had already recognized the origins of these two individuals.