Chapter 1523: Ninth-grade Duke

The ancient altar stood in the center of the continent, reaching so high that it touched the clouds, giving off an inexplicable sense of grandeur. Diwu Mingxuan, Sheng Qiao'er, and the rest also noticed the eye-catching altar instantly.

At the same time, they saw that Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun were also rushing towards it.

Diwu Mingxuan's gaze lit up and he bellowed, "That altar must be their objective! We must stop them!"

Although they didn't know what those two ruffians were up to, they had to stop them from achieving whatever their goals were. It was what was expected of them.

Bang!

Diwu Mingxuan was the first to take action. Six majestic Duke Bergfrieds, three of which were Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfrieds, soared into the air, releasing boundless amounts of light. Immense amounts of light resonant power illuminated the sky, as though the sun had risen.

Even the upper eighth-grade Sheng Qiao'er turned solemn upon witnessing the overbearing light resonant power. This was the first time since the Celestial Mirror Martial Exchange had started that Diwu Mingxuan had revealed his true power as the Duke of Light.

He then beckoned with his hand stretched out, causing a holy ruler with countless primordial light runes engraved upon it to appear. The runes then lit up one after another, forming sacred flames that enshrouded it. This was the Holy Seal Ruler, a high-grade Mythic Armament that was gifted to Diwu Mingxuan by his teacher. He swung it down, causing a hundred-thousand-foot flame that resembled the moon to descend from the skies, striking towards Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun.

When faced with the immense purification power of the sacred flames, Zhou Jun's trident spat out boundless amounts of thunder energy, transforming into a gigantic thunder python that clashed against the flames.

The void shook and a thunderous

boom

was heard.

Zhou Jun trembled and violent thunder energy surged out of his body, smashing apart the encroaching flames. His expression immediately turned into a frown as he realized that the injured Diwu Mingxuan was already a threat to him.

Before he could take a breather, a barrage of frightening resonant power attacks was launched towards him.

Sheng Qiao'er, Li Luo, and Jiang Qing'e had taken action as well.

"Shen Jinxiao!" Zhou Jun roared. With his strength, he simply couldn't handle the combined attacks of the group.

"I'm here, no need to rush." Seemingly warm laughter that sent chills down one's spine sounded out. Soon, verdant green resonant power swept out like a tide, taking the form of a humongous tree a hundred thousand feet wide. The top of the tree stretched over hundreds of miles, its bark like the scales of a dragon and its leaves like gold and steel.

Bang!

When Sheng Qiao'er and the rest's attacks landed, the tree was constantly blasted into pieces, but any damage dealt was regrown, causing the attacks to be stalled.

The gigantic tree was eventually annihilated by the constant attacks, but the group was also exhausted.

Everyone's expressions changed.

"Such boundless wood resonant power... and that was a Destiny-grade Duke Art... The Golden Dragonscale Tree? Isn't that the Duke Art Lin Ju was best at?" Sheng Qiao'er asked curiously.

Li Luo's gaze turned gloomy. "Lin Ju might have died by his hand. This person has a unique resonance, and by devouring other's hearts, he can temporarily utilize their resonances and Duke Arts."

When everyone heard this, their faces sank. Lin Ju was an upper eighth-grade Duke and yet he had fallen to Shen Jinxiao? Furthermore, this sort of resonance was rarely seen.

"He devoured Lin Ju's resonance and obtained his resonant power temporarily. Thus, he is in his strongest state, but it will fade eventually. So long as we trap him, we can subdue him," Jiang Qing'e calmly explained. Immediately after, the four Ten-Pillar Golden Duke Bergfrieds above her began to spew out Divine Mist and light resonant power which fused together, transforming into a gigantic glazed sword of light studded with seven exquisite jewels that sparkled brilliantly.

Li Luo didn't hesitate to transform, his body extending with the aid of the Dragon Blood Atavism Art.

Roar!

A heaven shaking draconic cry resounded through the world as a thirty thousand foot violet-gold Heavenly Dragon appeared, it's draconic aura surging out like the sea, causing the void to shake in his presence.

The Dragon Elephant Thunder Blade grew to be a thousand feet long, gripped in his claws. A dragon brandishing a sword was a ferocious sight to behold.

Meanwhile, Sheng Qiao'er, Diwu Mingxuan, Lu Qing'er, Ning Meng, and the rest also summoned up their full power, causing countless dazzling Duke Bergfrieds to appear, devouring worldly natural energy.

All of them no longer held back, unleashing a torrent of awe-inspiring attacks that could shake the heavens and the earth towards Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun.

The duo's expressions turned solemn upon seeing this. They didn't hold back either and displayed their full power, resolving and blocking the attacks.

"Shen Jinxiao, there are too many of them. We can't keep this up. Does the Honored One have anything up his sleeve?" Zhou Jun gradually felt the pressure increasing. There was nothing surprising about this, considering the fact that the Celestial Mirror Pagoda trials were a congregation of peak experts.

Sheng Qiao'er had strength comparable to his and there were still Diwu Mingxuan, Jiang Qing'e, and Li Luo, the three transcendent geniuses. Additionally, their opponents were well aware of Shen Jinxiao's abilities. Their group was continuously launching an endless stream of attacks to bog them down and prevent them from reaching the ancient altar.

Shen Jinxiao grinned. "There's no need to worry. The Honored One has naturally made ample preparations for this."

"Then why haven't you used it?" Zhou Jun urged.

"Now?" Shen Jinxiao asked.

"What are you waiting for?!" Zhou Jun screamed.

Shen Jinxiao nodded with some regret. "Since you can't wait, Brother Zhou Jun, then I'll have to use the card given to me."

When he finished speaking, Shen Jinxiao's hand noiselessly penetrated into the void, strangely appearing behind Zhou Jun and grabbing at his heart.

Before his hand could come into contact with Zhou Jun's body, the latter had sensed it, quickly moving his feet and flashing a thousand feet away like a bolt of lightning. "What are you planning, Shen Jinxiao?!" Zhou Jun gloomily glared at Shen Jinxiao with eyes full of killing intent.

Shen Jinxiao was a little surprised. He never would've guessed that Zhou Jun would be on the lookout against him, but this didn't leave him flustered.

"Zhou Jun, why are you running?"

"You want to kill me—why wouldn't I run?" Zhou Jun furiously smiled.

Shen Jinxiao's expression turned merciless. "Don't you understand? You're a pawn arranged for by the Honored One. You are the chess piece that will allow me to complete the mission. What you need to do now is complete your part of the mission. Give me everything you have, including your life."

Zhou Jun's expression flickered before he shouted, "Give you everything, my ass!"

While he was indded a pawn, he didn't have the lack of awareness of one. Furthermore, who knew if Shen Jinxiao was merely using the Honored One as an excuse to devour his heart?

When Shen Jinxiao saw this, he sighed helplessly. "Do you honestly think you have the right to choose?"

He opened his palm, and a black pearl appeared within. The pearl contained a drop of blood essence and a face could be seen floating inside it. It was Zhou Jun's face! Furthermore, there were numerous tiny black runes engraved on the surface of the pearl, and they quickly rushed into the drop of blood essence.

Zhou Jun's expression sank and he attempted to flee frantically.

However, his body was forcibly halted and his expression distorted, as if he had lost control of his body.

A voice came from his chest. He struggled to lower his head, only seeing a pale hand tunnelling out of his chest with his beating heart in its grasp. His heart was still warm and blood dripped off it.

Shen Jinxiao's friendly voice came from behind him. "Zhou Jun, you can rest in peace. Your job has been done."

He then retracted his hand, smiling in glee as the heart was brought to his mouth. Zhou Jun could hear horrifying chewing sounds coming from behind him as his vision turned gray and a look of despair filled his eyes. In the end, his life came to an abrupt end.

This development was unexpected.

When Zhou Jun died before them, the group finally snapped out of their daze with looks full of shock. The one who had just been brutally murdered could be considered their acquaintance, and although he had betrayed the Academic Federation, dying in such a cruel way in front of them was unacceptable. However, they swiftly recomposed their turbulent hearts and sent yet another barrage of all-out attacks towards Shen Jinxiao.

Shen Jinxiao, however, simply wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth and his pupils turned completely gray. He then materialized all of his Duke Bergfrieds, which gave off berserk and strange fluctuations. One... Five... Eight... Nine!

Shen Jinxiao had reached the Ninth Duke Stage after consuming Zhou Jun's heart!