I Only Know How to Bully Noobs

Chapter 297: Battle of the Divine Repository

Outside the Golden Light Valley, clusters of martial artists gathered in small groups, noisily discussing how to break through the golden light barrier. Their chatter buzzed incessantly, yet none dared step forward to try.

Chen Ming listened for a while and learned that a few people had previously attempted to force their way in—none had ended well. Some died on the spot, while others were severely wounded.

Word of this had already spread, which would inevitably attract Divine Repository Realm experts.

This time was no different from the incident at the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion—three major aristocratic families and four major sects had joined forces to exclude all smaller forces and lone cultivators from the start.

At this moment, those closest to the valley entrance were several renowned First Grade experts.

Chen Ming overheard others identifying these people—names that echoed like thunder in his ears. He had already heard of them back in Qingfeng City.

They were all solitary wanderers, unaffiliated with any sect or clan, who had broken through to First Grade by chance encounters. To compete for secret realm quotas, they now served as bounty sabers for the Six Doors Authority. Legendary figures, one and all.

Unexpectedly, he now stood shoulder to shoulder with such people.

Chen Ming felt a mix of awe and emotion.

However, he didn’t approach. How could the restriction laid down by a Divine Repository Realm expert be something easily breached?

Even if someone truly managed to get in, the outcome wouldn’t be good.

Back at the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion, a few experts had followed him inside. Yet none even reached that small courtyard—they were slaughtered along the way.

Those major forces had joined hands to clear the field—any intruder was doomed.

If one wanted to fish in troubled waters, they would at least have to wait until those major factions began fighting one another to have any chance.

So Chen Ming simply stood by the side, observing the situation.

…

He ended up waiting for most of the day.

Outside the valley, more and more people arrived.

Finally, a disruptive group made its entrance—a band of black-robed individuals, making an extremely overbearing debut. They leaped down directly from a nearby slope, landing squarely at the valley entrance.

The people originally stationed there scrambled to avoid them; those too slow were flung aside by the shockwave.

Even so, no one dared voice their anger. Many faces turned pale with fear, and soon a wide open space formed around this group.

Chen Ming dared only a glance before immediately looking away.

The leader resembled a primeval fierce beast, as if ready to devour someone at any moment, radiating a sinister and domineering aura.

A natural shudder arose in Chen Ming’s heart.

He had seen this black-clad man before—at the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion. A Divine Repository Realm expert from the Blood Demon Sect.

Only now, with his Yin Spirit formed, did he “see” this person’s true form and realize the sheer terror of this Blood Demon Sect expert.

Other Divine Repository Realm experts might just kill him.

But this one—he would devour him, flesh and bones alike.

That Blood Demon Sect expert seemed to sense his gaze and turned toward him, a flash of greed glinting in his eyes, as if he’d spotted a most exquisite delicacy.

A moment later, he withdrew his gaze and looked toward the golden light at the valley entrance. With a cold sneer, he said, “A mere restriction dares try to block me?”

With a wave of his sleeve, a streak of black energy shot forth, shattering the golden light like glass into several golden shards.

He then inhaled deeply, drawing those golden wisps into his mouth and nose.

Savoring the taste, he said leisurely, “Metal-elemental magic power… quite the unique flavor.” After speaking, he led his followers boldly into the valley.

Naturally, the others wouldn't let such a chance slip by. Those few First Grade experts followed them in.

Soon after, more people entered as well.

Chen Ming did not.

The look that Blood Demon Sect Divine Repository expert had given him sent chills down his spine. He had even silently marked him—clearly targeting him.

Entering the valley might very well turn him into prey for that man.

There was no need to take such a risk.

With a casual motion, Chen Ming erased the mark the Blood Demon Sect expert had left on him. He decided to wait outside for now. He had no interest in snatching any “key,” only in acquiring a metal-elemental true technique.

As long as one was willing to pay the price, there would always be a way to obtain it afterward.

He trusted Yu Haitang’s capabilities.

This time was likely orchestrated by her as well. With Pan Zhiyuan not yet having achieved Divine Repository Realm, she seized the chance to stir the waters and steal the metal-elemental treasure within Golden Light Valley.

Even before she reached Third Grade, she had dared to snatch chestnuts from the fire.

Now, as a Second Grade expert with a newly obtained earth-elemental treasure, she would be even more confident in seizing Golden Light Valley.

…

“Among that group just now, Deng Ziyang wasn’t present. Did he manage to break through?”

Chen Ming pondered to himself, wondering how his friend was doing—had he escaped that space yet?

At this point, few people remained outside the valley.

Those who had stood guard here either entered already or, seeing the Blood Demon Sect appear, wisely turned back in fear.

Those still lingering were simply unwilling to give up, though too afraid to go in.

Chen Ming ignored them and found a hidden spot nearby. He sat cross-legged, patiently waiting.

And so, he waited—one full day and night.

By noon the next day, when the sun reached its zenith, movement finally stirred within the valley.

First came the tremors in the ground. A low rumble grew steadily stronger.

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, the entire space seemed to erupt. Mountains crumbled, the earth split apart, and blinding lights burst forth, sending shockwaves in all directions.

Reacting with lightning speed, Chen Ming vanished in a flash before the explosion, reappearing several li away, narrowly avoiding the terrifying impact.

He thought he saw a mushroom cloud rising into the sky. Even at a distance, the residual waves slammed into him, causing his Defensive Gang Origin to tremble violently.

“So this is the power of a Divine Repository Realm expert?”

Chen Ming watched, shaken. This was the very force of heaven and earth.

Those still inside the valley likely met a grim fate.

But logically, Divine Repository Realm experts shouldn’t be capable of this level of destruction—

Then he saw several figures shoot out from the explosion. One led in front, while three others gave relentless chase.

“It’s her!”

Chen Ming immediately recognized the figure cloaked in green light flying at the forefront—it was Yu Haitang.

At this moment, her aura was just like when they were in the Fire Origin Space; she had clearly once again used some treasure to boost her strength to the Divine Repository Realm.

After reaching Second Grade, the power she could unleash had grown even stronger.

And closely pursuing her were three Divine Repository Realm experts. One of them resembled a massive tiger wreathed in flames.

Another appeared like a giant green bird.

The last was completely shrouded in black mist, an ancient beast with no discernible form—this was the Divine Repository Realm expert from the Blood Demon Sect.

Judging by the furious expressions of the three experts, it was highly likely that the so-called “key” had already fallen into Yu Haitang’s hands.

“I was right about her.”

Chen Ming thought to himself. But in such a situation, how would she escape?

It was clear that all of them, including Yu Haitang, had been injured in that terrifying explosion. From his Yin Spirit’s perspective, their “spiritual bodies” were all quite damaged.

Ironically, Yu Haitang had sustained the lightest injuries. At this moment, she appeared as a towering green tree, though many branches had been broken.

The other three were worse off.

The flaming tiger had lost half its body.

The giant bird's wings were broken.

And the Blood Demon Sect expert’s form had been reduced to half its original size.

However, Yu Haitang’s true cultivation was only Second Grade—she had forcibly elevated herself to contend with Divine Repository Realm experts through external means. It was not real power.

Such a state wouldn’t last long.

Just then, Yu Haitang suddenly shouted, “The moment is fleeting—won’t you act now?”

As the words fell, a piercing blue sword light shot upward from below, slashing the flaming tiger on the head.

“It’s you, Old Bastard Ling!”

A pained scream rang out as the flaming tiger vanished, transforming into a humanoid figure that plummeted from the sky. “Ling, you old bastard, I will repay this sword strike one day—”

The voice faded quickly.

A white-robed elder appeared midair, holding a long blue sword, laughing heartily. “So, Qin, even you meet your day, huh? Took a sword from me and still think you can return to Jiangzhou City? Dream on.”

For someone to gravely wound a Divine Repository Realm expert with a single blow—his strength was obvious.

In Chen Ming’s view, this white-robed elder looked like a cascading waterfall.

However, he couldn’t shake the sense of fading vitality from this man—he even seemed shrouded in the aura of death.

Chen Ming had already guessed his identity: the Divine Repository Realm expert from the Cangyue Sect, rumored to have little time left to live. Unexpectedly, he would make his move at a moment like this to help Yu Haitang and slay a Divine Repository expert of the Qin Family.

Earlier, when Pan Zhiyuan had declared that Yu Haitang must be driven away, the Cangyue Sect had made no move. Everyone assumed the two factions had split.

So this had been a trap laid by Yu Haitang and that old ghost Ling from the Cangyue Sect?

But the Cangyue Sect only had one Divine Repository Realm expert. With Ling offending the Qin Family like this, wasn’t he afraid of their retaliation?

The Qin Family had more than one Divine Repository Realm expert.

Openly, they had at least three. That was why the Qin Family was the number one aristocratic family in Jiangzhou.

…

“Old Ghost Gu, you’re up next.”

Ling Ruocheng turned to another person, murderous intent gleaming on his face.

“Ling, you old bastard—are you mad?”

Gu Dongquan stared at him in disbelief. “Aren’t you afraid that after your death, my Wushan Sect will join hands with the Qin Family and annihilate the Cangyue Sect?”

Ling Ruocheng roared with laughter, “I don’t have much time left. Dragging you and that old dog Qin down with me? That’s a win.”

With that, he gave no chance to delay—his blue longsword swung, sending out a terrifying slash toward Gu Dongquan.

Gu Dongquan transformed into a giant bird. Wings regrew behind him—clearly the result of a powerful secret technique that consumed a great deal of energy.

As the battle erupted, the Blood Demon Sect’s Divine Repository Realm expert seized the opportunity and attacked as well. To him, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

“Hand it over obediently, and I might spare your life!”

Black mist poured from his body, encircling Yu Haitang. Though his mouth threatened mercy, his hands showed no such intention.

That black mist began corroding the giant tree.

Unfortunately, the Blood Demon Sect’s Blood Demon Grand Art was the bane of Yu Haitang’s giant tree form. Had she instead possessed the golden flame obtained from the Fire Origin Space, it would’ve been a different story.

But there were no “what ifs.”

The black-robed man burst into laughter. “Hahaha… such pure wood-elemental magic power! Once I drain it from your body, that treasure will be mine!”

“Hmph!”

Yu Haitang snorted coldly. The peerless divine weapon in her hand burst into dazzling white light. Everywhere the light touched, the black mist instantly evaporated.

“Ah—!”

The black-robed man, caught unprepared, let out a painful scream. Half the black mist was obliterated. “The Chongming Sword! No—why is that peerless divine weapon in your hands?!”

…

Another peerless divine weapon!

Chen Ming had just been about to step in and help Yu Haitang out of her predicament, but seeing this scene, he couldn’t help but marvel.

Yu Haitang truly was a treasure-bearing maiden—first the Mingfeng Sword, then the Yunshui Sword, and now the Chongming Sword.

That made three peerless divine weapons.

One must know—peerless divine weapons were extremely rare. Many Divine Repository Realm experts never managed to acquire even one.

“Damn it all!”

The black-robed man was driven to fury. A black blood bead emerged from the center of his brows, the size of a fist, pitch-black like ink, emanating the vilest, most evil aura imaginable.

“The Blood God Bead?”

One glance, and Chen Ming felt nauseous—his spirit seemingly tainted.

No—it didn’t seem like Deng Ziyang’s Blood God Bead.

A normal Blood God Bead was red.

But this one was black, and the sensation it gave was entirely different. Deng Ziyang’s Blood God Bead had never exuded such malevolent filth.

“Die!”

The black-robed man roared. The black bead shot out like lightning, piercing straight through the green giant tree near Yu Haitang.

The giant tree instantly blackened, began to decay, and dripped black blood.

Recognizing the danger, Yu Haitang raised the Chongming Sword, which blazed with even more blinding brilliance, pushing back against the bead.

With a hissing sound, the white-hot sword light began to turn black, the darkness spreading down to the sword’s body.

“Die!”

The black-robed man wasn’t unscathed either. His aura waned rapidly—it was clear that this black bead was his life-bound artifact, and the strike had cost him dearly.

Pfft!

Yu Haitang finally couldn’t endure it. She spat a mouthful of blood, the green giant tree torn from her body as she was blasted backward.

The black bead returned to the black-robed man and re-entered his brow.

Blood oozed from his lips as he grinned viciously. “How does it feel? This Ten Thousand Demons Bead—enjoyable, isn’t it? Now, it belongs to me!”

He reached out to seize the floating sapling.

To him, this sapling was an incredible supplement. Absorbing its power would allow him to return to peak condition.

At that point, the other two Divine Repository experts wouldn’t be able to escape either. Devouring them would elevate his cultivation to the next level, unlocking a second Divine Repository.

Just thinking about it made him tremble with excitement.

As he was about to grasp it—

Suddenly, a figure flashed by, faster than lightning, snatching the sapling away just in time.