Chen Guo had finally ascended to level 8.
He hadn't kept track of the number of Fiend Demons he'd slain, but it was certainly a substantial count.
From the blue treasure chests, he'd looted around ten items.
A solitary item had emerged from the purple treasure chest.
Most of the loot was of little use to Chen Guo, essentially chicken ribs—good for nothing.
And as for the golden treasure chests, or even fragments of them, Chen Guo hadn't laid eyes on a single one, which spoke volumes about their abysmally low drop rate.
At that moment, Chen Guo reviewed his attributes:
Name: Chen Guo
Identity: Trial Challenger
Level: 8 - ???
Strength: 145
Agility: 137
Endurance: 124
Spirit: 169
Charm: 101
Talents: Heaven Level Omnipresent Duplication, Eon-Level Flying Thunder God Art, Eon-Level Electromagnetic Control...
Skills: Mount Mao's Body Technique, Yellow Turban Warrior Technique, Heavenly Master Talisman, Heavenly Demon Whip Technique, Myriad Spirit Gu...
Combat Strength: 1541
Evaluation: A young hero just beginning his journey!
After assessing his capabilities, Chen Guo felt confidently prepared to confront the Ghost King, Sun Chengzong. With no time to waste, he swiftly made his way to Medicine Valley.
Upon arrival, he discovered Medicine Valley teeming with people. He had to stealthily find a spot to observe from the sidelines.
The Bellowtalons had mobilized twenty squads, each comprising ten members, forming a formidable force of two hundred to collectively take down the Ghost King, Sun Chengzong.
Their highest level might have been only six, but they had strength in numbers!
Wang Shaoyun stood on an elevated position, proclaiming loudly, "The boss of Blackwater has been claimed by that elusive powerhouse, but the Ghost King Sun Chengzong is ours for the taking! I assure you, all future bosses will fall to the Bellowtalons. No lone ranger, no matter how mighty, can challenge us for dominance over resources!"
"Long live the Bellowtalons!"
"Wang Shaoyun is invincible!"
"Boss Zhou's influence is unmatched!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
With the rise of the Bellowtalons, Wang Shaoyun, bolstered by his swelling ranks, grew increasingly conceited. He scarcely regarded Chen Guo as a threat anymore, his tone dripping with hubris.
Zhou Tao exercised caution, believing it wise not to cross Chen Guo, the enigmatic powerhouse. He chimed in, "The prowess of that incognito heavyweight is universally recognized. Topping the global charts in fighting capacity, he's a force to be reckoned with. Should this titan choose to align with our Bellowtalons, I'd say you could even hand over the reins and make him the sect master!"
Wang Shaoyun quickly retorted, "Becoming the sect master is out of the question, but I'm willing to reserve the deputy sect master slot for him!"
Zhou Tao furrowed his brow, "He's already reached level eight, and his combat strength is formidable..."
Wang Shaoyun cut him off, "Sure, he's got talent and was quick off the mark, which is why he's ascended to level eight. But he's a lone wolf; his early lead is just that. We'll easily outpace him down the line!"
"Fine..."
With Wang Shaoyun's head in the clouds, Zhou Tao was left speechless.
Chen Guo, hiding on the sidelines, snickered to himself. They thought to entice him with just a vice leader position? Amusing. And to assume he only had the upper hand due to an early start was even more laughable.
At that moment, Wang Shaoyun declared with booming confidence, "Let the campaign against the Ghost King Sun Chengzong commence! We'll have him defeated within one minute!"
Wang Shaoyun brimmed with self-assurance.
Chen Guo, however, wasn't convinced. Ghost King Sun Chengzong was no ordinary elite; sheer numbers wouldn't bring him down.
But if the Bellowtalons were keen to try, Chen Guo figured he'd let them. It was the perfect opportunity to gauge the Ghost King's mettle during their clash.
If necessary, Chen Guo was ready to swoop in for the kill, especially with the Flying Thunder God Art at his disposal.
The Bellowtalons dispatched several members with swift body movements to draw out Ghost King Sun Chengzong.
"Intruders, meet your end!"
"Perish!"
Unfazed by the two hundred-strong force, Ghost King Sun Chengzong launched his assault.
"First Squad, to the left flank!"
"Second Squad, circle to the rear!"
"Third Squad, full-on assault!"
Wang Shaoyun simultaneously led the charge against the Ghost King Sun Chengzong and directed the battle. His leadership was evident as he orchestrated the two hundred fighters with precision and order.
Initially, the battle unfolded smoothly. The combined assault of the two hundred warriors steadily pushed the Ghost King Sun Chengzong back, victory seemingly within reach.
But then, without warning, the Ghost King Sun Chengzong bellowed:
"The Mandara Flowers bloom!"
"Enter the realm of illusion!"
Suddenly, eerie Mandara Flowers sprouted from the earth, one after another. In an instant, the eyes of the two hundred-plus fighters glazed over, each one ensnared by the illusion.
Their offensive halted; no one raised a defense. They stood frozen in place, as if turned to stone.
Crack!
The Ghost King Sun Chengzong seized the moment. With a sweeping gesture, he struck down countless trial challengers where they stood.
"Trial challenger Zhou Hou has fallen to the Ghost King Sun Chengzong!"
"Trial challenger Chai Yabing was slain by the Ghost King Sun Chengzong!"
"Trial challenger Wan Hongmei was killed by the Ghost King Sun Chengzong!"
"Trial challenger Long Xiong was killed by the Ghost King Sun Chengzong..."
Such messages swamped the chat channel, broadcasting the grim news. In moments, dozens of trial challengers met their end.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
"A two hundred-strong force battling the Ghost King Sun Chengzong, and they're on the brink of annihilation!"
"My god, two hundred people, all at least level four, and they're being crushed like ants by the Ghost King Sun Chengzong?"
"It's too much, too horrific, too despairing!"
Some learned of the catastrophe through the chat channel, while others witnessed the horror from a distance, their faces drained of color.
The Ghost King Sun Chengzong's illusion, a formidable psychic attack, was notoriously difficult to counter. Yet, the higher the level, the quicker the recovery from the illusion's grip.
Wang Shaoyun and other level six masters gradually emerged from the illusion, only to be greeted by a battlefield strewn with the dead.
In the wake of the illusion, the Ghost King Sun Chengzong had decimated a third of their two hundred-strong force.
"No!" Wang Shaoyun's face twisted in despair. "How could this happen?"
Zhou Tao felt a chill crawl across his scalp. "This illusion is too horrifying. He's... He's about to unleash another one!"
At that moment, the Ghost King, Sun Chengzong, intoned, "Let the Mandala Flower bloom, and step into the illusion!"
"Run!" Wang Shaoyun didn't hesitate to use his Godly Hitting technique. Luck was on his side as he managed to summon the Great Sage, Sun Wukong. Though lacking his signature Wandering Cloud, his speed was still as swift as a bolt of lightning.
"Teleportation!" Zhou Tao instantly triggered his teleportation skill.
The other masters, each employing their divine abilities, scrambled like the proverbial eight immortals crossing the sea, each showing off their unique powers in a desperate bid to escape. They were like clay Buddhas crossing a river—hardly able to save themselves, let alone their comrades.
Those who failed to flee or couldn't escape in time were ensnared by the environment and mindlessly massacred by the Ghost King, Sun Chengzong.
Wang Shaoyun, who had managed to get a safe distance away, watched in horror as Sun Chengzong ruthlessly decimated the team he had organized. His face turned ashen as he whispered to himself, "Why is this happening? This is just an eighth-level rare elite. How could it annihilate a two-hundred-person team? Why, oh why?"
Zhou Tao offered a grim proverb: "This time, it's like the grandmother has died—there's no saving the uncle!"
Amidst their bewilderment over the devastating defeat, they caught sight of a jade-faced Taoist, who, ignoring the Mandala Flower's effects, approached the Ghost King, Sun Chengzong, one deliberate step at a time.