Chapter 525: Senior Brother, This Is a Good Place

Zhou Chen ignored him and bowed deeply to Ling Tian, his tone incredibly sincere.

"Sect Master! With a powerhouse as wise and brave as Senior Brother Liu accompanying me, my confidence has doubled! On this journey to the Savage Battlefield, if Senior Brother Liu and I do not bring back the heads of three to five Demon Generals, we shall present our own heads to you!"

"Pfft…"

In the crowd, someone couldn't help but let out a laugh.

Immediately after, the sound of laughter spread like a plague.

Everyone looked at Liu Wentian as if they were looking at a fool.

Lifting a stone only to drop it on one's own feet—this must be the kind of person they were talking about, right?

Liu Wentian's body trembled with rage as he pointed at Zhou Chen, unable to utter a single word.

What could he say?

Say he didn't dare to go? Then his previous words would become a massive joke.

Say he was willing to go? To go to the Savage Battlefield as part of a suicide squad? He hadn't lived long enough for that!

"Granted!"

From the high seat, Sect Master Ling Tian made the final decision, his tone carrying a hint of an unquestionable smile.

"Liu Wentian, you shall go as the vice-captain along with Lin Dong. If you dare to desert, you will be dealt with according to the sect's rules!"

Liu Wentian felt as if he had been struck by lightning; he froze in place, his face ashen.

Zhou Chen gave him a "kind" smile, as if saying: Senior Brother, please take care of me on the journey.

At that moment, a cold, mechanical notification sounded quietly in Zhou Chen's mind.

Out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently glanced at the Sect Master's son, Ling Xiao, who was standing on the other side of the hall with an equally stunned expression.

[Ding! Detected that Child of Destiny [Ling Xiao]'s Opportunity has refreshed!]

[Opportunity Location: Savage Battlefield, Blood-Colored Canyon.]

[Opportunity Details: In three days, after slaying an Ancient Demon Ape, a Top-Grade King Rank Medicinal Pill [Six-Revolution Commanding Pill] will be discovered in its nest. Consuming it will help stabilize the Immortal King Foundation and cause strength to skyrocket.]

Zhou Chen withdrew his gaze, his heart filled with calm.

Originally, he had planned to just slip away during the journey.

But now, it seemed he really had to wade into these murky waters.

Three days later.

Savage Battlefield.

The endless scent of blood was nauseating.

A thousand-zhang-long standard Xuantian Sect Flying Boat hovered over a relatively flat stretch of black desert.

Outside the Flying Boat's defensive barrier, ghost-like monsters occasionally crashed into it with a dull thud, only to be shredded into black mist by the runes on the barrier.

On the deck, hundreds of Disciples dressed in Xuantian Sect robes stood solemnly, their faces each looking more grim than the last.

This was the lawless zone at the border of the Spirit Realm and the Demon Realm, known as the "Immortal King Meat Grinder"—the Savage Battlefield.

"This is the outskirts of Xuantian Sect's Camp No. 3. According to the rules, all Vanguard Battalion squads must operate independently here, hunting monsters, clearing outposts, and earning merits."

A Tenth Layer Immortal King Realm Elder leading the group announced the rules expressionlessly before waving his hand to open the Flying Boat's hatch.

"Go."

Those two cold words were like a death warrant.

Everyone looked at each other and turned into streaks of light, bracing themselves as they charged into the peril-filled desert below.

Zhou Chen, in his "Zhou Chens disguise", was also among them; he suppressed his aura to the Immortal King Realm, First Layer, and followed behind the crowd at a moderate pace.

As soon as he landed, a gaze filled with resentment locked onto him.

"Junior Brother Chen."

Liu Wentian flew to his side with a fake smile, followed by seven or eight Core Disciples who were clearly led by him.

"Since the two of us are captain and vice-captain, we should act together to look out for each other, don't you think?"

While he spoke of looking out for each other, the killing intent in his eyes was completely unconcealed.

Many nearby Disciples saw this and tactfully moved away.

Anyone could see that this Senior Brother Liu was planning to "settle" a personal grudge on the battlefield.

Zhou Chen glanced at him, his expression calm.

"Senior Brother Liu has a point."

"Good!" Seeing how "sensible" he was, Liu Wentian's internal sneer deepened. "I happen to know of a monster nest occupied by a Fifth Layer Immortal King Realm Blood Demon Spider. Its monster core is quite valuable. If we join forces and take it down, it will be a good start for the Vanguard Battalion."

The few lackeys behind him immediately chimed in.

"Exactly! Senior Brother Liu knows this battlefield like the back of his hand. You can't go wrong following him!"

"Junior Brother Chen, this is your good fortune!"

A Fifth Layer Immortal King Realm Blood Demon Spider?

Sending two people at the Immortal King Realm, First Layer to hunt it?

This wasn't even an implication anymore; it was an overt attempt to push him into a fire pit.

Zhou Chen's heart remained unruffled; he even felt a bit like laughing.

He nodded.

"I will follow all of Senior Brother Liu's arrangements."

Seeing Zhou Chen's submissive appearance, Liu Wentian became even more smug, believing the other was suppressed by his family background and status as a Core Disciple, not daring to resist.

"At least you know your place!"

Liu Wentian thought to himself, but with a righteous wave of his hand, he spoke aloud.

"Set out!"

The group of over ten people, led by Liu Wentian, flew toward the depths of the desert.

Along the way, they encountered many wandering low-level monsters, all easily dealt with by Liu Wentian and his lackeys.

As Liu Wentian fought, he didn't forget to observe Zhou Chen out of the corner of his eye. Seeing him following indifferently and only occasionally striking with mediocre sword light, his contempt grew.

What "Prodigy" bullshit, what "powerful Dao Heart."

He was just a spineless coward who hadn't seen the world.

Half an hour later.

Liu Wentian led the group to a deep and narrow canyon.

The canyon entrance was filled with jagged rocks and shrouded in black mist. A thick scent of blood and an ominous aura wafted from within.

"This is the place."

Liu Wentian stopped and pointed into the depths of the canyon, a cruel curve forming on his lips.

"The Blood Demon Spider is inside. Junior Brother Chen, aren't you unparalleled in combat? As the captain, it's only right that you take the lead."

The lackeys behind him immediately understood and spread out, faintly blocking Zhou Chen's path of retreat.

The dagger was finally revealed.

Zhou Chen looked at the canyon before him, then at Liu Wentian's devious face, and finally spoke.

"Senior Brother Liu."

"What? Scared?" Liu Wentian sneered. "If you beg for mercy now, it might still be in time."

Zhou Chen shook his head, his answer irrelevant to the question.

"I just feel that this place has beautiful scenery—cough, I mean, it's rich in Evil Qi and well-hidden. It's a good place to kill someone and bury the body."

Liu Wentian froze for a moment, not understanding his meaning.

"What do you mean…"

Before he could finish his sentence, his pupils suddenly constricted.

Because he saw that "Zhou Chens disguise", who had been maintaining a mediocre aura, had completely changed in temperament at this moment.

An indescribable, terrifying pressure, like an awakening Primeval Vicious Beast, slowly rose from within Zhou Chen.

This pressure wasn't violent, but it carried a sense of absolute suppression originating from the level of life itself, as if a Heavenly God were looking down upon ants.

Thud! Thud!

The lackeys at the third and fourth layers of the Immortal King Realm behind Liu Wentian didn't even make a sound. Their eyes rolled back as their Divine Souls were directly shattered by this pressure, and they fell straight from the air, crashing into a pulp.

"You… you're not Zhou Chens disguise! Who exactly are you?!"

Liu Wentian was scared out of his wits, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Immortal King Realm, First Layer?

To hell with the Immortal King Realm, First Layer!