Talisman Emperor

Sin Executioners were a type of extremely unique beings. The descendants of their clan were born from the Sin Nest that had been formed from the Blood of Origin Sin from their ancestors.

Their appearances were no different from humans, but there was an Eye of Sin at the center of their foreheads.

This eye utilized the Divine Dao of Sin as its source of energy. Once it was activated, it could emanate a ray of sin, and those who were tainted by it would have their bodies and souls tainted by sin, causing them to transform into Sin Servants whose minds were clouded. They were fully controlled by the Sin Executioners, and they couldn't live or die.

Normally speaking, Sin Executioners and Sin Adjudicators were the most perfect combination. The Sin Adjudicators innate ability, Adjudicator's Judgment, possessed a terrifying restraining force, and it could cause lethal harm to their enemies when combined with the ray of sin from the Sin Executioners.

Yet now, a Sin Executioner had perished, and his corpse was lying beneath a tree. This had instantly drawn Chen Xi's attention, and he moved forward and gazed carefully at the Sin Executioner's injuries before he had an answer in his heart.

This fellow had clearly perished not too long ago because his body still had a trace of remaining warmth. Besides that, his killed had probably launched a surprise attack against him and took his life with a single strike. That was the reason for the astounded and dazed expression that still remained on the Sin Executioner's face.

Launching surprise attacks was the best method to kill in Mist Forest indeed.

Chen Xi recalled the group of participants who had entered the Spring of Sin through the passageway above the 7th campsite.

Obviously, Chen Xi wasn't the only one amongst them who'd been teleported to Mist Forest.

Chen Xi couldn't help but arouse a trace of vigilance in his heart because he hadn't forgotten Cangyun Ye who was hostile towards him.

However, Chen Xi hoped that fellow made an appearance within the forest because he might be able to seize the opportunity to eliminate that potential threat.

Crack! Crack!

A wave of fine cracking sounds resounded. It was like a group of ants were feeding on their prey, and it was extremely fine.

Chen Xi's eyes narrowed. He noticed that the Sin Executioner's corpse was wriggling incessantly and rapidly shrinking. Moreover, the blood on the ground was vanishing bit by bit.

Chen Xi utilized the Daoseal Mark's energy. Sure enough, he noticed that an obscure energy was silently wriggling about from the ancient tree by the corpse's side.

The ancient tree was completely dark red while its crown towered into the clouds, and its dense and luxuriant branches and leaves even carried a savage aura.

Chen Xi stretched out his hand and tapped the trunk of that tree, and then a strand of the energy from the Daoseal Mark moved along the internal structure of the ancient tree to form a clear image in Chen Xi's mind. There was a dark and grey space at the roots of this tree, and it was pulsing rhythmically and soundlessly without end. It was like a thumping heart, but it had no sound.

Along with this soundless thumping, strands of obscure energy moved like threads along the trunk of the tree, and then they entered into the corpse of the Sin Executioner before they ceaselessly absorbed the blood, vital energy, divine energy, and even the flesh and bones within the corpse!

Chen Xi's heart couldn't help but tremble when he witnessed this sight because the ancient tree was quite strange.

Chen Xi thought for a moment before he swung the Talisman Armament and sliced open the bark at the bottom of its stem. In an instant, something which seemed like a nest had appeared before his eyes. The surface of the nest was covered in dense holes, and every single one of those holes were actually nurturing embryo shaped objects that were thick like lava.

Before Chen Xi could even observe them carefully, he felt a strand of dense, ferocious, and bloodthirsty energy assault his face, and it even carried an almost material aura of sin and evil.

Even with the cultivation Chen Xi possessed right now, he still felt slightly dizzy, and it made him practically not hesitate to forcefully swing his sword down towards the nest.

Swoosh!

At practically the exact same moment, a ray of extremely foul light suddenly shot out from one of the holes on that nest-like thing, and it shot forward like a bolt of lightning which possessed inconceivable speed towards the center of Chen Xi's forehead.

Chen Xi shook his wrist, and the Talisman Armament suddenly glowed brilliantly with violet gold divine radiance and blocked that ray of foul light.

Bang!

The ray of foul light exploded into pieces. But it strangely didn't disperse. It transformed into countless finer rays of light that were fine like the hairs on an ox before they charged ferociously at Chen Xi again.

Chen Xi was caught off guard by this development, and he had no choice but to retreat explosively while he spun his sword, causing violet gold divine radiance to seemingly blaze as they blasted the light apart once more.

However, Chen Xi was shocked to witness those strands of seemingly frail rays of foul light actually display such extraordinary tenacity. Even though most of them had been destroyed, there were still over 10 rays that had charged over and struck forcefully into Chen Xi's shoulder.

Rumble!

Chen Xi circulated the energy throughout his body before he was finally able to blast these fine rays of energy into pieces.

However, Chen Xi's expression was quite solemn.

Even though the string of unexpected events from before had occurred in an extremely sudden manner, Chen Xi was naturally unafraid of it with the current strength he possessed. The true reason for his shock was that the energy contained within the rays of foul light was extremely strange and formidable. His counterattacks from just now could easily annihilate a Region Lord, but he actually had to attack thrice in order to fully obliterate those strange rays of foul light.

That was quite inconceivable!

After all, all the Dao Defiants he killed earlier weren't that tenacious as well, so what was this strange and mysterious foul energy?

According to Che Xi's deduction, any other Ninth Star Region Lord would probably be thrown into a rather embarrassing state from encountering such a surprise attack.

Chen Xi thought for a moment before he strode forward again, and he looked towards the bottom of that tree which he'd sliced open. He saw numerous embryo-like objects that were thick like lava were still wriggling about within the numerous holes on that nest like structure. They seemed to be uneasy yet seemed like something was about to charge out at the same time.

The only difference from before was that one of the holes was empty.

This made Chen Xi immediately think of that ray of foul light that assaulted him just now, and he gained an inference in his heart. Obviously, those embryo-like objects within these holes were nurturing those extremely strange and mysterious rays of foul energy!

At this moment, the corpse of the Sin Executioner who was lying by the ancient tree had been completely absorbed, and only a puddle of extremely foul smelling discharge from the corpse remained there.

On the other hand, even though the embryo-like objects in the nest at the bottom of the tree were still wriggling, but not another ray of foul light had charged out from them.

Obviously, the energy within them seemed to still be very weak and insufficient to accomplish that.

The ray of foul light that assaulted Chen Xi earlier had definitely gained the ability to attack him after it absorbed the Sin Executioner's corpse.

Such a strange and mysterious scene caused a strand of worry to flash through Chen Xi's heart.

The Spring of Sin was very dangerous and filled with killing intent. It was where the Dao Defiants resided and cultivated. However, Chen Xi had never imagined that such a strange, mysterious, and horrifying energy would actually exist here.

Chen Xi pondered deeply for a long time before a wisp of a ruthless expression flashed through his eyes. He flicked his sleeve and created a restriction that completely sealed the nest, and then he utilized the Talisman Armament to cut it out from the tree.

It was the size of a millstone, shaped like a bee's nest, and densely covered by holes that were nurturing embryo-like objects which were thick like lava.

For safety's sake, Chen Xi named it 'Bizarre Nest' and placed another seal on it with the energy of the Daoseal Mark before he put it away.

Right at this moment, that ancient tree which had the 'Bizarre Nest' dug out from it seemed to be in pain, and it actually let out a miserable and shrill cry!

Its voice resounded far away into the surroundings, and over 10 similarly dark red and ancient trees had started to tremble as if they were replying to this voice, but the meaning behind the noises they emanated was unknown.

On the other hand, the Daoseal Mark's ability of detection allowed Chen Xi to notice that strands of obscure energy were started to converge swiftly at the bottom of those ancient trees.

Chen Xi immediately decided to circulate the energy throughout his body, stomp the tip of his foot on the ground, and transform into a shadow that instantly left this dangerous and mysterious area.

Just a little while after Chen Xi left, all those dark red and ancient trees had finally fell silent once more.

Such scenes were occurring throughout the other areas of Mist Forest.

The corpses of those Dao Defiants who Chen Xi killed had quickly vanished. At the same time, strands of foul grey shadows flashed out like bolts of lightning from the bottom of the trees and vanished within the thick mist in the surroundings.

A blood red figure seemed like he was taking a stroll in his own backyard as he walked through one of the areas in Mist Forest, and he walked at a neither fast nor slow pace. His scarlet red cape was faintly visible amidst the grey mist, and it was like a flickering flame.

Suddenly, Chi Qingying stopped moving while he seemed to be lost in thought, and it was only a while later that his pale and handsome face revealed an enchanting smile.

"The show has only just begun. Kill! The more you kill, the more Predators will be born within Mist Forest. Where will all of you flee when that happens?" Chi Qingying seemed to sigh with satisfaction, and then he continued moving forward at a neither swift nor slow pace. His blood red figure was like a shadow that vanished amidst the thick mist.

…

Bang!

At another area of Mist Forest, Cangyun Ye pulled out his snow white and crystalline bone blade, and it caused a string of blood to spray into the air.

The enormous Devil Spider in front of him crashed to the ground and created a pool of blood.

"Another merit. Unfortunately, it was only comparable to a Third Star Imperial Monarch." Cangyun Ye shook his head with regret.

"Let's go." He glanced at Tai Rui and Feiling Xue before he turned and left.

"We've killed over 300 Dao Defiants all along the way, and the most formidable amongst them was actually merely comparable to a Fourth Star Region Lord. It's truly disappointing. Could it be that the experts amongst the Dao Defiants have all perished? Have they merely dispatched some cannon fodder to give their lives away to us?" Cangyun Ye shook his head and sighed.

"Isn't it better if there are no experts?" Tai Rui spoke indifferently.

"What do you mean? Could it be that you're willing to earn just this little bit of insignificant battle merits?" Cangyun Ye frowned.

"Our target is the Savior. Battle merits are secondary." Feiling Xue spoke gently from the side. She had a beautiful appearance that carried a wisp of paleness, and she gave others the feeling that she was gentle and delicate. Even her voice was graceful and restrained, and it made others unable to help but feel protective towards her.

"The Savior…." Cangyun Ye's gloomy jade-pupiled eyes narrowed, and then he grunted coldly with disdain and didn't speak another word.

As they travelled forward, they'd utterly not noticed that the corpses of all the Dao Defiants they killed were gradually vanishing, and then strands of foul grey shadows had appeared within the forest….

It wasn't just them, all the other participants from the Divine Dao Protector Clans hadn't noticed it as well.

Moreover, the reactions of many were similar to Cangyun Ye, and they felt that the Spring of Sin seemed to not be as dangerous as they'd imagined….