Chapter 1279: Retrieving the Pearl from the Clam

After the enchanting and strange girl came out of the Spirit Clam King's flesh, the Spirit Clam King also turned into a source of corruption. Endless amounts of it poured out.

“Heehee.”

The tempting girl chuckled seductively. Some of those with weaker mental states were immediately dazed and started moving towards the Other.

"Hmph!"

Li Jinpan gave a thunderous snort, causing the water in the surroundings to shake.

This snapped the lost souls out of their stupor, and they broke out in cold sweat before backing off in a hurry.

Guanhu from the Golden Stone Alliance looked at the eighth-grade True Devil with solemnity before he said, "Everyone, let's work together and bring down this eighth-grade True Devil. Everything else can be discussed later. If we let this creature run rampant, our casualties will be far worse."

There was no eighth-grade Duke amongst the people present, so none of them would be able to hold this True Devil down on their own. Fortunately, they had the advantage in numbers, so it was possible to deal with it.

Li Jinpan nodded at Guanhu's suggestion. Zhao Jiao looked down at the severed stump of his arm with a gloomy expression. He regretted acting much too recklessly earlier. The Spirit Clam King had clearly been around for a very long time. Naturally, it was sure to have taken in a lot of the water, and so immense amounts of corruption had gathered within it. The possibility of an Other being born was thus expectedly high. Sadly, he had been blinded by his greed for the Sovereign Pearl and lost his rationality for a moment.

As a result, the price he paid was an arm. Although he would probably be able to regrow his arm with spiritual medicines, it would ultimately have a lingering effect on him.

"Let's work together to slaughter it!" Zhao Jiao said with a deep voice full of fury.

The Dukes that had just been fighting amongst themselves had joined hands under the pressure of a mightier external enemy. The sixth-grade and seventh-grade Dukes stepped forward. This time, they were all focused on a singular opponent: the True Devil Other.

Right before Zhao Jiao attacked, he glanced over at Zhao Jiyun for a second. The latter understood his intention and nodded secretly.

Bang!

All the Dukes attacked together right after. Towering Duke Bergfrieds appeared in the air one after another, and immense amounts of resonant power surged up as all sorts of arts flew towards the eighth-grade True Devil continuously.

Streams of Duke Divine Mist flooded over, also attempting to overwhelm the eighth-grade True Devil.

However, the eighth-grade True Devil simply revealed a smile in the face of these attacks. Countless black beams shot out from the black beads chained behind its head. Each black beam was made of condensed corruption. As soon as they came into contact with the Duke Divine Mist, the whole mist was dyed black. Then the corruption spread onto the Duke Bergfrieds like a plague.

Fortunately, all the upper-grade Dukes were experienced. They dispelled their Divine Mist immediately and followed up with their formidable Duke Arts instead.

The battle caused shockwaves that pulsed thousands of miles across the valley.

Li Luo stabilized himself and neutralized some of the remnant waves of force from the fight. He secretly clicked his tongue as he watched the scene. This huge commotion had ultimately been caused by an idea stemming from him in the heat of the moment. Come to think of it, he was pretty capable, huh...

"Li Luo, Zhao Jiyun and the group are planning to use this chance to steal the Sovereign Pearl!" Li Hongyou suddenly warned him.

Li Luo quickly turned. Indeed, Zhao Jiyun had quietly deflected the energy shockwaves from the battle with the support of his three thousand Guardians. He was speedily making his way over towards the Spirit Clam King.

With the birth of the eighth-grade True Devil, the Spirit Clam King had turned into a fountain of corruption.

However, the Sovereign Pearl was still lodged in the very same spot, inside its flesh.

"He won't be able to reach the Spirit Clam King's body," Jiang Qing'e told them.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"The corruption coming from it is not something he can withstand, even with the support of three thousand Guardians."

Li Luo nodded slightly. The Spirit Clam King was the origin of an eighth-grade True Devil. Zhao Jiyun had to be dreaming if he thought that he would be able to sneak up and steal the Sovereign Pearl in such a situation.

Before long, Zhao Jiyun was a thousand feet from the Spirit Clam King. The corruption was so thick that it was like a semi-solid black mist that could not be pushed aside. Just being there caused one to feel a bitter chill. The corruption would repeatedly erode the energy surrounding one’s body.

Zhao Jiyun was losing energy at an astonishing rate.

He gritted his teeth and forced his way forward until he was a hundred feet away from the Spirit Clam King. More than half of the energy around him had already dissipated at this point. He began to get cold feet and did not dare to push any further. Under everyone's gazes, he backed off pathetically.

His action appeared to have startled the eighth-grade True Devil. It pulled a strand of beads off its head and threw it atop the Spirit Clam King. As soon as it landed, the area suffused with corruption rapidly expanded.

The corruption engulfed the golden water in the valley, and everyone watched as the situation turned even more disorderly.

Jiang Qing'e, Li Luo, and Li Hongyou gathered up and prepared to defend against the encroaching tide in unison.

"It won't be good for us if we drag this out any longer," Li Luo said as he observed the chaotic situation.

"This place is very close to the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao. I am sure they've already sent out a call for help. If we're able to drag this out a little longer, other elite Dukes from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao will arrive to help," Jiang Qing'e responded calmly.

However, Li Hongyou frowned when she heard this. If more Dukes from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao arrived to help, the Sovereign Pearl would surely fall into their hands. In that case, all their hard work would be for nought.

Li Luo's gaze flickered momentarily as he stared at the solidified corruption. "Things are in complete disorder. Perhaps if we are able to use corruption as a veil, it would serve as the perfect opportunity for us to obtain the treasure."

"But the corruption in that area is simply too oppressive. Even Zhao Jiyun couldn't handle it," Li Hongyou replied.

"Using my light resonant power, I should be able to make my way and retrieve the pearl. However, that would exhaust most of my energy. Even if I were to return with the Sovereign Pearl, we wouldn’t be able to guard it from others."

Almost all the people here had their eyes on the Sovereign Pearl. If they went and grabbed it under their noses, the rest were bound to notice. A new complication would arise, and it was uncertain if Li Jinpan, Ox Biaobiao, and Li Rouyun would be able to handle it.

Jiang Qing'e would be their main fighting force here. It would not be wise to exhaust her energy wantonly as a result.

Li Luo pondered over the possibilities. "Sister Qing'e, can you carve a path through the corruption and open it up for me using your light resonant power? I will be the one who will approach the Spirit Clam King and retrieve the Sovereign Pearl."

In that case, Jiang Qing'e would not have to fend off the brunt of corruption directly and deplete her energy less.

“You want to go? Even with the strength of a thousand Guardians, I am afraid you won't be able to withstand the corruption. Why don't we wait a while more for Grand Commander Xia Yu to arrive?" Li Hongyou replied with a little surprise.

"The situation is urgent; we have to hurry before more unexpected factors arise." Li Luo shook his head in disagreement. He gave Jiang Qing'e a smile and continued, "Sister Qing'e, don't worry. I have a little trick of my own to ward off corruption as well."

Obviously, he was referring to the Acquired Resonance Flame. It was a bane to corruption in a certain way. Jiang Qing'e's light resonant power would purify the corruption while his Acquired Resonance Flame would treat it as an impurity and burn it into oblivion.

Jiang Qing'e looked back at Li Luo and thought about it for a moment. Then she lightly nodded and replied, "I will force a path through the corruption for you to retrieve the Sovereign Pearl."

Seeing how much the two of them trusted each other, Li Hongyou couldn't help but feel like her presence was a little unnecessary over here.

"Let's hurry up and take advantage of the opportunity. Come back as soon as you have the pearl," Jiang Qing'e reminded him. Without any further hesitation, divine light shone brightly from her Sacred Crown of Thorns. Her beautiful and charming face appeared flawless at this moment, engulfed with a sacred glow.

In the next moment, Jiang Qing'e pushed outwards with her immense light resonant power. It sliced across the thick mist of corruption like a sharp sword.

In the blink of an eye, the corruption was purified and a path opened up.

Remnant corruption around the path continued to seep into the gap, as if it was trying to destroy the path of light resonant power.

Li Luo knew that time was tight. He burst forward in a flash and dove into the pathway of light. Jiang Qing'e maintained control of her domineering light resonant power, so it did not cause any harm to him. Instead, it became a pushing force and propelled him further.

The couple's teamwork was flawless. In just a minute, divine light penetrated the dense corruption and the pathway of light reached the Spirit Clam King. Li Luo's feet landed on the hard and cold clam flesh.