Zhi Xuan stepped forward, the Ocean Shattering Thunder Blade feeling cold in his storage pouch. His ruthless will, now focused on the new scheme, felt denser than his Zenith aura. He allowed the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron to spin slowly in his hair, keeping his essence stable.

  Fei Sheng sighed deeply, containing both disagreement and interest. He knew that although Zhi Xuan did not explicitly say murder, his plan would cause calamity for unfortunate cultivators. However, the efficiency promised by this scheme was too tempting for an ambitious cultivator to refuse.

  "Very well, Brother Zhi Xuan," Fei Sheng said, his voice calm, his Law of Wind forming a thicker protective wall around them. "Let us see how you carve a Path of Blood on this Heavenly Path. But I assert, we only lure. We do not kill innocent cultivators."

  Feng Yi, who still looked disgusted, shifted her feet. She struggled between her arrogance and her sect's morality. Finally, her arrogance won. She did not want to admit she was afraid, and she did not want to let Zhi Xuan lead the way to the Golden Azure King alone.

  "I will come," Feng Yi hissed, her aura exploding again. "But if you try to harm a cultivator who does not deserve to die, I will be your first enemy, Herald of Devil!"

  "Unnecessary threat," Zhi Xuan replied flatly, ignoring her. "I only need five cores. Nothing more. And only from spiritual Beasts, not from humans."

  They moved north, Fei Sheng with his Law of Wind as a detection shield and sound dampener, Feng Yi as an agitated attacker, and Zhi Xuan as the cold mind, leading the alliance with absolute will.

  They crossed the cracked volcanic desert, heading towards a large expanse of ruins in the distance—an area filled with thicker essence fluctuations, indicating higher-level Spiritual Beasts.

  After about a thousand breaths, they arrived at a sunken valley surrounded by gigantic stone pillars. The valley was filled with shadows, and its spiritual essence fluctuations were much thicker and purer.

  Fei Sheng suddenly raised his hand, stopping their steps. He closed his eyes, his Law of Wind scanning every crevice and corner.

  "Ahead, there are high-level Spiritual Beasts," Fei Sheng whispered, his voice containing a note of caution. "Two strong Azure Kings. And..."

  He opened his eyes. "And there is a group of cultivators. About ten people. All are early-phase Organ Transformation. They are arguing and disturbing the Beasts."

  Feng Yi snorted. "Early-phase Organ Transformation? They are too weak. Disturbing a Golden Azure King will only be suicide. They are the troublemakers you meant, Herald of Devil."

  Zhi Xuan narrowed his eyes. He channeled his Divine Sense, penetrating Fei Sheng's Law of Wind, confirming the situation ahead. Indeed, a group of Organ Transformation cultivators, wearing different sect robes, were shouting at each other, their essence fluctuating wildly in their attempt to form a chaotic alliance.

  In the middle of them, two Azure Kings—a Wind Wolf Beast and a Steel Tiger Beast—had begun to show signs of anger, ready to pounce.

  "Exactly," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. "They are troublemakers. They will attract the Golden Azure King's attention. We will only wait, waiting for the moment to reel in the big fish."

  Zhi Xuan retreated a step, hiding behind a gigantic scorched stone pillar. His action was followed by Fei Sheng and Feng Yi, Fei Sheng's Law of Wind immediately enveloping their hiding area. From their position, they had a clear view of the valley below.

  In the valley, the aura of the ten early-phase Organ Transformation cultivators clashed with wild fluctuations. They came from mid-tier sects, each carrying the uncontrolled arrogance of the Lower Districts.

  "Fool! We must attack the Wind Wolf Beast first! Its speed will ruin our formation!" shouted a purple-haired youth, his robe embroidered with a Sea Dragon.

  "No! The Steel Tiger has harder defense! We cripple its defense first before the Wind Beast tears us apart!" replied a youth with a Jade Stone Sword, his voice filled with uncertainty.

  In the face of that chaos, the two majestic Azure Kings, the Wind Wolf and the Steel Tiger, looked increasingly enraged. The Wind Wolf roared, its Law of Wind forming a small tornado around its claws, while the Steel Tiger stomped its feet, causing the surrounding volcanic gravel to fly.

  "They will not last more than a hundred breaths," Zhi Xuan hissed, his voice barely audible. "Fei Sheng, channel the essence of the newly dead Azure Kings. Create a spiritual blood mist. We must call the bigger fish."

  Fei Sheng, although his face radiated moral disapproval, acted quickly. He pulled out a piece of spiritual silk cloth that he had dipped into the blood of the Fire Azure King and the Earth Azure King they had just killed.

  Using his Law of Wind, he channeled the putrid smell of that spiritual blood into the air, directing it into the valley below. The smell of Azure King blood immediately spread, but Fei Sheng's Law of Wind kept it concentrated in the valley, away from their hiding spot.

  In the valley below, the chaotic Organ Transformation cultivators suddenly fell silent. They smelled the same scent. The smell of fellow Azure King blood, not human blood. The smell indicated an Azure King had been killed nearby.

  "Beast Core! Someone killed an Azure King near here!" shouted the purple-haired youth, his eyes filled with greed.

  The hope of getting loot overcame their fear, and the chaos in their alliance worsened. They shifted focus from the two angry Azure Kings before them, trying to track the source of the blood scent.

  Naturally, the Wind Wolf and Steel Tiger in the valley reacted more violently. The smell of another Azure King's blood in their territory, mixed with the dense essence aura, was a double provocation.

  WHUSSHH!

  The Wind Wolf Azure King did not give the cultivators time to argue. It darted, its body enveloped in a sharp wind vortex, creating the illusion of a devouring storm. Its speed exceeded the reaction capabilities of the still-chaotic cultivators.

  The purple-haired youth from the Sea Dragon Sect, the closest one, only managed to raise his hand. His spiritual sword, enveloped in water essence, had not even manifested its attack when the Wind Wolf's claw ripped through his chest.

  SRAKK!

  Blood spurted. The youth's Organ Transformation essence was destroyed in an instant, and his body was thrown against a stone pillar with a dull thud, turning into a scorched corpse. His Organ Transformation core did not even have time to ripen.

  "Damn it! Formation!" shouted the Jade Stone Sword cultivator, who was more experienced. He tried to unite the remaining nine cultivators.

  But it was too late. The Steel Tiger Azure King, whose essence was slower but more deadly, also moved. It stomped its large foot, and around the Wind Wolf Azure King, sharp stone pillars suddenly emerged from the ground, cutting off the escape path of the panicked cultivators.

  Total chaos erupted in the valley. The Organ Transformation cultivators, too arrogant to cooperate and too weak to fight two enraged Azure Kings, quickly became prey.

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  From their hiding spot, Feng Yi held her breath. Her sharp eyes radiated turbulent emotions—a mixture of disgust toward the slaughter and shock toward the cruel efficiency of Zhi Xuan's plan.

  "They... they cannot even last one round," Feng Yi whispered, her voice filled with surprise.

  Fei Sheng, seeing the scene, shook his head. His Law of Wind enveloped them more tightly. "They will, those two Azure Kings will surely suffer heavy injuries, let us see."

  "They will hold on, they are covered in the intent to get the core," Zhi Xuan said calmly, staring at the chaos below him. "And from the smell of the two Azure Kings' blood, the Golden Azure Kings will consider it a delicious prey, they will immediately fight over it."

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand, creating a transparent blood shield, it was the Four Directions Blood Shield technique he understood, manifesting it by creating his pure spiritual blood as a shield for the three of them.

  The shield, enough to keep them undetected for several breaths, acted as a filtering layer beneath Fei Sheng's Law of Wind. They became perfectly hidden shadows.

  In the valley below, screams and spiritual Beast roars thundered together. In less than twenty breaths, the remaining nine cultivators had been reduced to blood-soaked corpses scattered among the stone pillars. The two Azure Kings, the Wind Wolf and the Steel Tiger, now stood in the middle of the slaughter, their essence fluctuating with thirst and anger.

  However, in the middle of the satisfaction of victory, the two Beasts suddenly stopped. They raised their heads, their fierce eyes staring sharply at the copper-gray sky. Their aura, which had been aggressive, was now filled with cold caution.

  "He is coming," Zhi Xuan hissed, his voice as flat as cracking ice, his sapphire eyes radiating a sharp black-purple sheen.

  A sudden and dominating fluctuation swept the valley. The essence was much purer, calmer, but radiated an oppressive weight of power. It was an aura equivalent to an early-phase Consciousness Transformation cultivator.

  The calm wind in the valley suddenly swirled wildly. Not because of the Wind Wolf's Law of Wind, but because of the pure pressure of the Golden Azure King's arrival. From behind the largest stone pillar to the north, the Golden Azure King appeared.

  The Golden Azure King was a gigantic leopard with golden fur, every step adorned with a thin flash of lightning—the lightning aura it released soared high. This Golden Beast Core radiated an aura of pure royal arrogance.

  And in the air, from two directions appeared Eagles with spread wings, waving burning fire, darting with the majesty of the Golden Azure King. And from the east, a winged lion with dark patterns appeared, radiating a faint thunder aura clashing with the leopard's lightning aura.

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw. He did not expect three Consciousness Transformation level Spiritual Beasts to appear. The Lightning Leopard Azure King, the Fire Eagle Azure King, and the Thunder Lion Azure King. They were three Kings of three different elements—Lightning, Fire, and Thunder.

  Their presence created clashing Laws in the valley, far exceeding realm pressure. Three early-phase Consciousness Transformation auras, directed toward one valley of slaughter.

  "Three..." Feng Yi hissed, her voice choked. Her face, which had been angry with disgust, now paled with terror. Even with her Organ Transformation foundation, facing one Golden Azure King alone was suicide, let alone three.

  "Herald of Devil, we must retreat now! This is not efficiency; this is suicide!"

  Fei Sheng, whose Law of Wind acted as a perfect pressure dampener, took a deep breath. His expression, although tense, was filled with cold excitement.

  "Three Golden Azure Kings," Fei Sheng murmured, he closed his fan. "Incredible. The smell of two Azure Kings' blood and ten Organ Transformation cultivators indeed called the biggest fish. Brother Zhi Xuan, your scheme succeeded, but this is too much to handle."

  Zhi Xuan ignored their fear. His sapphire eyes, enveloped in a black-purple sheen, stared straight at the three majestic Spiritual Beasts. He saw the tension between the three Golden Azure Kings—they were not colleagues; they were predators competing for prey.

  The Lightning Leopard Azure King, with its golden fur, was the first to move. It growled softly, its Lightning will sweeping the valley, trying to suppress the Wind Wolf Azure King and the Steel Tiger Azure King who had killed the prey.

  "This is not suicide," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice as flat as a rock. "This is an opportunity. Three Golden Azure Kings... means three Consciousness Transformation cores. And they will kill each other for the prey."

  He pointed to the Valley with his free left hand, which was now enveloped in the thin blood shield. "The Lightning Leopard Azure King is the strongest, its aura is the most stable. The Fire Eagle and Thunder Lion Kings are weaker, but they have speed and elemental advantage."

  The Lightning Leopard Azure King stepped forward, ignoring the Wind Wolf Azure King and the Steel Tiger Azure King. It only stared at the scattered Organ Transformation corpses, then at the two injured Azure Kings. In its eyes, there was only loot.

  At the same time, the Fire Eagle Azure King and the Thunder Lion Azure King, who came from the air, landed gracefully on the nearest stone pillars, creating a deadly three-way pressure.

  Suddenly, the Wind Wolf Azure King and the Steel Tiger Azure King, who were previously angry and arrogant, felt overwhelming terror. They understood: they were no longer predators; they were prey to be slaughtered.

  The Lightning Leopard Azure King opened its mouth, and a small Golden Lightning struck. The lightning was not directed at the Wind Wolf Azure King, but at the Organ Transformation corpses in the valley, purging them into spiritual ash in an instant.

  "He is purging the remnants," Zhi Xuan hissed, his eyes narrowing. "He does not want the two Azure Kings to recover with human spiritual blood. He wants the entire prey."

  The Wind Wolf Azure King and the Steel Tiger Azure King looked at each other. Their survival instinct kicked in. They could not fight three Consciousness Transformation Beasts. They had to escape.

  WHUSSHH!

  The Wind Wolf Azure King, the faster one, darted north, trying to penetrate the wall of law created by the pressure of the three Golden Azure Kings. The slow Steel Tiger growled, trying to follow.

  The Wind Wolf Azure King and the Steel Tiger Azure King, in desperation, darted towards the north. However, the Golden Azure Kings were not careless Organ Transformation Beasts. They were predators who had understood the Laws of Nature and territory.

  The Fire Eagle Azure King, perched gracefully on the stone pillar, flapped its wings. Blue-red spiritual fire shot out, not toward the Wind Wolf, but toward the area in front of it. Instantly, a ten-meter high spiritual fire wall appeared, blocking the Wind Wolf's escape path.

  At the same time, the Thunder Lion Azure King, whose body was shrouded in shadow, roared. The roar was not loud, but its vibration carried the cold Law of Thunder, striking the slow Steel Tiger.

  CRACK!

  The Steel Tiger, which was previously eager to escape, suddenly collapsed. Not due to a fatal injury, but because the Thunder suppressed its essence. It staggered, giving the Lightning Leopard time to approach.

  "These three kings are cooperating in restraint! They are hunting the two weak Azure Kings!" Feng Yi hissed, her voice filled with surprise. Her arrogance was completely gone, replaced by cold vigilance.

  "They are not cooperating," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. He channeled essence into his eyes, activating his essence sight. "They are competing. The Lightning Leopard Azure King is aiming for the Wind Wolf King's core. The Fire Eagle and Thunder Lion Kings will fight for the Steel Tiger King's core."

  Zhi Xuan's analysis was correct. The Lightning Leopard Azure King, the strongest one, now darted toward the Wind Wolf King who was blocked by the fire wall. Its long tail whipped, and Golden Lightning enveloped the Beast's claws.

  The Wind Wolf Azure King, in desperation, gathered all its Law of Wind and shot to the side, trying to pass through the narrow gap between the fire wall and the stone pillar.

  BANG!

  The Lightning Leopard's claw struck the Wind Wolf. Not a full attack, just a touch. But the Golden Lightning enveloping the claw penetrated the Wind Wolf's essence, causing the Beast to tremble violently. Its spiritual essence began to destabilize.

  "They are preying. We will only wait for the scraps," Zhi Xuan hissed, his tone cold. He channeled essence into their transparent blood shield, making it more stable and undetectable by the Golden Azure Kings' Divine Sense.

  In the valley below, the battle did not last long. The Golden Lightning Leopard, with Lightning speed and oppressive power, restrained the Wind Wolf. Behind the fire wall, the Fire Eagle King and the Thunder Lion King began to approach the Thunder-crippled Steel Tiger, ready to fight for their prize.

  WHUMMM!

  The Lightning Leopard darted, and with one swipe of its claw, it severed the Wind Wolf Azure King's neck. No roar was left. The Wind Beast collapsed, and a valuable orange core floated out, enveloped in torn spiritual essence.

  Instantly, the Lightning Leopard ignored the Core. It knew, the Core was bait that would attract the attention of the others. It stepped aside, its sharp eyes staring toward the panting Steel Tiger.

  The Fire Eagle Azure King and the Thunder Lion Azure King immediately acted. The Fire Eagle darted from the air, trying to snatch the Wind Wolf's Core with its talons. At the same time, the Thunder Lion Azure King roared, and its Law of Thunder shot toward the crippled Steel Tiger.

  "Now," Zhi Xuan hissed, his eyes radiating a very sharp black-purple sheen. "They have loosened their defenses. They are focused on the loot."

  Fei Sheng, although his face was pale from the pressure of the three Golden Azure Kings, acted quickly. "Brother Zhi Xuan, just one core! We cannot be greedy!"

  "We will—" Zhi Xuan's utterance was cut short as the blood shield broke, the limit of several breaths had expired. The sudden tremor caused the consciousness waves of the three Golden Azure Kings to reach toward Zhi Xuan, Fei Sheng, and Feng Yi.

  "Damn it!" Fei Sheng hissed, he closed his fan and his Law of Wind burst out, forming a sturdy spiral shield around the three of them, trying to deflect the piercing Divine Sense.

  Fei Sheng knew, their plan had collapsed. They, who were previously cold observers, had now become the most interesting targets—three human cultivators hiding in the middle of the Azure Kings' battle.