From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 224 Resource Competition: Xiao Yao Fights a Formidable Rival

The feeling of unease grew stronger and stronger, like a thin needle constantly pricking my nerves.

I suppressed my unease and, feigning composure, directed my disciples to continue gathering resources.

"Everyone, speed up! Let's collect all these spirit stones before nightfall!"

As soon as I finished speaking, a powerful pressure swept over me like a tidal wave, making it almost impossible for me to breathe.

The disciples cried out in surprise, their tools falling to the ground with a sharp, jarring sound that echoed through the quiet valley.

I looked up and saw a group of men in black appear at the entrance of the valley like ghosts. They exuded a strong aura of malevolence, as if they were messengers from hell.

The leader was tall and had a ferocious face. His blood-red eyes, like those of a wild beast, stared intently at me, sending chills down my spine.

"Blood Fiend!" I recognized him at a glance. He was a renowned expert of the Demon Clan, known for his brutality and bloodlust.

His appearance filled me with despair.

The demons brought by Blood Fiend are numerous and powerful; our small group is no match for them.

"Xiao Yao, I didn't expect you to be hiding here." Xue Sha's cold voice was like a venomous snake, sending chills down one's spine.

"Hand over the resources you've gathered obediently, and I might consider leaving you with a complete corpse."

The disciples trembled with fear, their terrified eyes fixed on me as if seeking a glimmer of hope.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

"Blood Fiend, you think you can seize our resources so easily!"

I drew my sword, pointed it at Blood Fiend, and said firmly, "If you want it, let's see if you have the ability!"

Blood Fiend laughed loudly, his laughter filled with contempt and disdain. "Overestimating yourself!"

With a wave of his hand, the demon soldiers behind him surged forward like a tidal wave...

The air was thick with the stench of blood; a fierce battle was about to erupt.

"Protect the Pavilion Master!" Xuan Feng shouted, leading the disciples of Xingyao Pavilion to stand in front of me.

The flash of swords and shadows, the shouts of killing shook the sky.

I gripped my sword tightly, watching everything with icy eyes.

Suddenly, a clear voice came from the crowd: "Blood Fiend, long time no see." A woman in a blue dress appeared in front of Blood Fiend like a ghost.

She was veiled, so her face was not visible, but her bright eyes shone as brightly as stars.

"Qingyao!" Xue Sha's expression changed, his tone carrying a hint of apprehension.

Qingyao?

Information broker?

How did she end up here...?

The sword light was sharp and the demonic energy was sinister. The demon soldiers brought by Blood Fiend were like bloodthirsty beasts, rushing towards us madly.

Xuanfeng led the disciples of Xingyao Pavilion in a fierce resistance, but they were outnumbered and gradually lost ground.

I brandished my spirit sword, its sword energy like a rainbow, and slew the demon soldiers who approached me one by one.

However, the enemy surged in like a tide, impossible to kill or eliminate completely.

"Master, be careful!" A disciple shielded me from a sneak attack with his body, blood gushing out and staining my clothes red.

My heart skipped a beat, and a surge of anger rose from the depths of my soul.

I swung my sword and killed the demon soldier who had launched the sneak attack, then helped up the wounded disciple.

"Sect Master... I'm alright..." he said weakly, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"Hold on, I will definitely bring you back!" I gritted my teeth and handed him over to the other disciples to take care of.

"Hehehe... Xiao Yao, you'd better just surrender obediently!" Xue Sha's voice was like a demonic sound from hell, extremely grating.

"Dream on!" I roared, charging back into the enemy ranks, my sword flashing like the Grim Reaper descending.

Qingyao stood aside, quietly watching the battle, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

She didn't seem to intend to get involved; she just watched coldly from the sidelines.

I was extremely anxious. My disciples had suffered heavy casualties. If this continued, we would be wiped out sooner or later.

I must find a way to break through!

"Xuanfeng, take some disciples and protect the injured members as they retreat!" I shouted.

"Sect Master, what about you?" Xuanfeng asked anxiously.

"I'll hold off Blood Fiend!" My gaze was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

Xuanfeng wanted to say something, but I had already charged towards Blood Fiend.

I brandished my spirit sword, its sword energy crisscrossing, and engaged in a fierce battle with the Blood Fiend.

Blood Fiend's strength is indeed formidable. Despite my best efforts, I was still at a disadvantage.

The demonic blade in his hand exuded a suffocating demonic aura, and each swing carried a world-destroying power.

My wounds multiplied, and blood stained my clothes, but I still didn't give up.

I know I can't fall. I still have my disciples and my Xingyao Pavilion behind me!

"Xiao Yao, you are truly tenacious!" Xue Sha's tone carried a hint of admiration, but it was also filled with killing intent.

I sneered, "You're far from capable of killing me!"

I swung my sword again at Blood Fiend, the sword light slicing through the night sky like lightning...

“Heh,” Qingyao’s voice suddenly rang out, “It seems you still have a backup plan…”

Sword light and demonic energy clashed, and I felt my strength gradually failing. My body was slashed in many places by the Blood Fiend's demonic blade, and the burning pain constantly stimulated my nerves.

But he didn't seem to be in good shape either; my sword strikes were tricky, and I almost hit his vital points several times.

Just then, I felt a strange energy fluctuation coming from beneath my feet.

A thought struck me, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on my lips.

Blood Fiend seemed to have sensed something as well; he stopped attacking and looked at me warily.

"What? Giving up resistance?" Blood Fiend sneered, thinking I had run out of tricks.

I ignored him and slowly closed my eyes, quickly forming hand seals.

The surrounding spiritual energy began to surge wildly, converging on me.

"What are you doing?" Blood Fiend sensed something was wrong.

I suddenly opened my eyes, my gaze flashing with a sharp light! "Blood Fiend, you've been tricked!"

As soon as I finished speaking, a dazzling light burst forth from beneath my feet, instantly enveloping the entire valley.

Everything in the valley became blurry, as if shrouded in mist.

Blood Fiend and his demon soldiers panicked and scattered in all directions, but they could not escape the light.

"What is this?!" Blood Fiend cried out in terror, his voice filled with fear.

I gave a cold laugh and didn't answer him.

This is the "Nine Heavens Star Array" that I secretly set up before. Only by utilizing the unique spiritual veins in this valley can it unleash its greatest power.

After the formation was activated, the spiritual energy in the valley became violent, like countless sharp swords, constantly attacking the demon soldiers trapped in the formation.

The screams were one after another, which was creepy.

I stood at the core of the formation, manipulating it and injecting more spiritual energy into it.

Seeing their disheveled state within the formation, I felt a surge of immense accomplishment.

The disciples of Xingyao Pavilion were also greatly encouraged and their morale soared.

Blood Fiend's face turned extremely ugly. He frantically attacked the light barrier of the formation, but he was unable to break through it.

"Xiao Yao! How dare you..."

I coldly interrupted him, "Blood Fiend, today is your death day!"

Suddenly, Qingyao's voice rang out again, tinged with amusement, "Xiao Yao, do you think you've won just like that?" Her figure flashed and disappeared into the mist...

The light from the formation grew brighter and brighter, the demon soldiers trapped inside screamed incessantly, and Xue Sha's face grew increasingly grim.

He attacked the formation frantically, but could not budge it even an inch.

I sneered and increased the injection of spiritual energy, making the array's light even more dazzling, like a small sun illuminating the entire valley.

"Xiao Yao, do you think you can trap me like this?" Blood Fiend roared, his voice filled with resentment and anger.

"Trapped you? No, what I want is your life!" I said coldly, my eyes blazing with killing intent.

Suddenly, a powerful force emanated from outside the formation, causing the formation's light to flicker erratically, as if it might collapse at any moment.

I was startled. Could there be other enemies?

"Heh, Xiao Yao, you're celebrating too soon!" A cold voice came from the mist, tinged with sarcasm.

Immediately afterwards, a figure dressed in a black robe slowly emerged from the mist.

He was tall and handsome, but he gave off a sinister and terrifying feeling.

His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, staring intently at me, which sent chills down my spine.

"Who are you?" I asked warily, a sense of foreboding rising in my heart.

"Who I am is none of your concern," the man in black sneered. "All you need to know is that today, you will all die here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly formed hand seals, and a powerful force erupted from his body, instantly enveloping the entire formation.

The light from the array began to tremble violently, as if it might shatter at any moment.

"Not good!" I thought to myself. It seems that this man in black is far stronger than me.

I quickly mobilized all my spiritual energy to maintain the operation of the formation.

However, the black-clad man's power was simply too great; the light of the formation grew dimmer and dimmer, and it was on the verge of collapse.

The disciples of Xingyao Pavilion also became tense, knowing that if the formation collapsed, they would face annihilation.

"Sect Master, what should we do?" Xuanfeng asked anxiously, his voice filled with worry.

I gritted my teeth, "Let's fight to the death!"

I increased the amount of spiritual energy I poured in again, and the array's light shone brightly once more, but it was still teetering on the brink of collapse.

The man in black sneered and increased his power output once again.

"Xiao Yao, give up. You can't possibly beat me!" the man in black said arrogantly, his tone full of confidence.

I scoffed, "The outcome is still uncertain!"

I once again mobilized all my spiritual energy, pouring all my power into the formation.

The array's light shone brightly once more, clashing with the black-clad man's power.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate, with battle shouts and the sounds of clashing spells mingling together, filling the entire resource point with a tense and fierce atmosphere.

Just then, the man in black suddenly stopped attacking, a strange smile appearing on his lips.

"Xiao Yao, do you think you can stop me like this? You're too naive!"

His hands formed a seal again, and an even more powerful force erupted from his body.

I was startled, feeling an unprecedented sense of crisis.

"What is he going to do?" I wondered to myself, a sense of unease rising within me.

The man in black muttered incantations in a low, eerie voice, as if they came from hell.

The surrounding air began to distort, and a suffocating pressure enveloped the entire valley.

"Oh no! He's going to..." My face changed drastically, and I exclaimed in alarm.

"This is... a forbidden technique!" Qingyao's voice suddenly rang out, tinged with shock and fear...