Tian Chen and the others immediately turned around. Behind them stood about thirty young cultivators, consisting of both men and women. Their number was quite large, but what stood out the most was the aura they emitted: not from any super sect, but rather from rogue cultivators and disciples of mid-tier sects. Their clothing varied in color, unlike the uniform robes of major sect disciples. Yet their expressions were the same: full of sly confidence, with faint smiles that seemed to suggest they knew more than what appeared on the surface. Tian Chen immediately frowned. How could disciples from mid-tier sects dare act this boldly? And even stranger, how did they know that Qin Ho had tried to stop them? These questions arose endlessly in his mind, but what disturbed him the most was not just their appearance—it was their boldness in mocking directly, even though they did not fully know Tian Chen and his companions’ strength. Duanmu also furrowed his brow. His tone was cold and ful

On the other side, Duanmu and Dantai Ma’er remained at the front line, but in a guarded stance. They were not long-range fighters, and with enemies using poison as their main strength, approaching without strategy was a foolish decision. Duanmu’s body crouched slightly, his hands gripping his weapon tightly. Dantai Ma’er stood beside him, both palms glowing with defensive Qi, ready to block or strike at any moment. “Annoying! Seems like I need to train in long-range combat! What a hassle to face enemies like this!” Duanmu growled. His breathing was heavy with frustration. This was a moment where his power couldn’t be fully unleashed. His teeth clenched, not from fear, but from anger at seeing so many vile enemies. He disliked killing from afar, but he wasn’t foolish enough to charge without a plan. As the thirty enemies began their assault, Wenli and Dantai Yinyi had already drawn their bows. One draw, three arrows. But as they released, the arrows exploded into hundreds instantl

Tian Chen was already standing before him, blocking the path with a calm body that carried the pressure of an unshakable cliff. A faint light of golden fire still swirled gently around his arm. His gaze was direct, calm, without the slightest doubt. In front of him, Juanzhi was not a terrifying threat, but a target that must not take even a single step forward. Juanzhi narrowed his eyes. His gaze was sharp, piercing. He didn’t expect to have even the slightest trouble dealing with Tian Chen, who had only reached the second level of Qi Guardian. To him, that was no threat. But now, that feeling began to waver. His gaze shifted. No longer merely underestimating. Doubt began to creep behind his eyes. Tian Chen’s calm aura, which did not waver under pressure, made him feel threatened. As if the one standing before him was not a junior, but an equal opponent whose depths were impossible to read. “Boy, I won’t deny that you have astonishing combat power. A second-level Qi Guardian able

The Qi that Tian Chen had shaped into golden dragons was devoured entirely by the swarm, as if they were a special feast that strengthened them. Cracking sounds echoed as the structure of Qi began to collapse, replaced by the screams of the golden dragons being forcibly absorbed into the bodies of those thousands of creatures. “Not good!” Tian Chen immediately dispelled the golden dragons from their physical form. He knew that if he let it continue, the swarm's strength would keep increasing. His own Qi would become fuel for his enemies, accelerating his own destruction. But it was already too late. After devouring the three golden dragons, the thousands of insects seemed to ascend one level of power. Their auras not only became denser and stronger, but also emitted a draining energy that disrupted the stability of the battlefield. They immediately turned and charged directly at Tian Chen. The air darkened. Not because of the weather, but because there were simply too many insects

Tian Chen narrowed his eyes. His gaze turned more serious. He dared not act recklessly. The strength of a Sacred Disciple, whether from a Super Sect or a demonic one like the Thousand Poison Sect, existed on a different level from the Qi Guardian opponents he had faced before. The air around him felt heavier, not due to external pressure, but because his awareness was fully focused, filtering every detail of Juanzhi’s movements and the aura of the three poison monsters beginning to step forward. When Tian Chen was only at level 14 of the Qi Pioneer realm—even after raising his realm by two levels—he could easily kill a level five Qi Guardian like the Lord of Chaozhou City. After breaking through to level 15 and advancing his realm to level two Qi Guardian, facing level six should not have been a problem. However, Juanzhi’s power could not be underestimated. He truly deserved the title of the strongest Sacred Disciple from the Thousand Poison Sect. Not just because of his personal str