Strongest War Emperor

’Yuwen Huaji? That old geezer is really persistent, chasing me all the way to the Dark Forest.’ Shen Lang’s heart tightened.

After pondering for a moment, Shen Lang said in his mind, ’Unless I’m completely unable to handle it, I won’t ask you to intervene. For now, just rest quietly. Every bit of power you use now is one less you have... Besides, acting rashly could expose your presence and attract the attention of your enemies.’

’I understand,’ Zuo Wentian replied respectfully, then fell silent.

A sharp glint flashed in Shen Lang’s eyes as he commanded coldly, ”Old ghost, until I reach the Xuanwu Realm, you will be my wings! Now, to the Sorrow Swamp!”

”Oh, respected boss, as you wish.”

A pair of ink-black wings immediately unfurled from Shen Lang’s back. He shot into the sky, transforming into a trail of black smoke as he flew toward the Sorrow Swamp.

The speed was unbelievable!

”By the way, we’re still in the Dark Forest. Can you order all the Ghosts in the Dark Forest to hide?”

”Hide?” the Ghost King said, a little puzzled. ”As long as we’re within the Dark Forest’s territory, I can use a Ghost Dao Secret Technique to transmit my voice. Every Ghost in the entire forest will hear it instantly and do as I say. Please rest assured, boss.”

”That’s perfect. An enemy of mine has entered the Dark Forest. Have all the Ghosts hide underground immediately. They are not to appear, lest that person learns what I’ve been doing in the Dark Forest.”

”Ah? What fiend dares to pursue you into the Dark Forest, boss? They’re simply courting death... Alright, leave it to me.”

The Ghost King immediately used his Secret Technique to broadcast his voice: ”All Ghosts of the Dark Forest, big and small, heed my command! A powerful member of the Human Race has entered the Dark Forest. All of you are to immediately hide underground. Do not show yourselves, and above all, do not reveal what has recently transpired. If I find out that anyone has disobeyed, I will personally subject them to five hundred years of Soul Extraction and Refining!”

Cries of alarm instantly rose from the Ghosts in the Dark Forest, and every last one of them burrowed deep underground to hide.

The once gloomy Dark Forest immediately became much more normal. The mist dissipated, and the sunlight that shone down was no longer as eerie as before.

And so, with the Ghost King as his wings, Shen Lang flew rapidly through the forest toward the Sorrow Swamp.

At that very moment, Yuwen Huaji, bristling with hostility, passed through the Gang Feng above the Abyss and descended over the Dark Forest.

’How strange. Even at high noon, the Dark Forest has never been this quiet. What’s going on?’

Yuwen Huaji released his powerful Divine Thought, scanning deep into the Dark Forest.

’Long Fong and the others said that kid fell into the Abyss holding a woman. That Abyss is filled with a poisonous fog, and even I wouldn’t dare venture to the bottom. It looks like the kid is surely dead... But for some reason, I just have a feeling he’s still alive. How is that possible?’

’Damnable brat! He ruined my plans, got me severely wounded by that Wolf Soul, and then let the Wolf Soul escape... When have I, Yuwen Huaji, ever suffered such a huge loss! And at the hands of a mere Spirit Martial Realm brat, no less!’

’Brat, I truly hope you aren’t dead. You’d better not be... If I ever run into you again, I’ll make you wish you were dead!’

’Forget it. He’s just a mere Spirit Martial Realm Early Stage brat. Even if he is alive, he can’t possibly make any waves. If he dares to show his face again, I’ll start by making an example of the Shen Family and annihilate that little clan! I need to seize control of Celestial Phoenix City anyway. Killing one to warn a hundred! Hmph!’

With that thought, Yuwen Huaji gave the Dark Forest below a cold, sinister glance. The wings of light on his back flickered, and he shot off toward the Tala Prairie like a meteor.

...

For the Martial Artists in the towns near the Phoenix Mountain Range, the Sorrow Swamp was even more terrifying than the Dark Forest.

This gloomy region was damp and rainy, perpetually covered in a poisonous miasma. The stagnant water in many of the swamps contained deadly poisons that even some Martial Artists of extremely high Realms could not withstand.

Unless one practiced a Poison Technique or possessed a precise understanding of the properties of various poisons, ordinary people would not dare to set foot in it.

To enter such a place, one had to swallow an Antitoxic Pill beforehand and continuously use Spiritual Power to resist the corrosive toxic gas.

Without a powerful Cultivation, it was impossible to venture far.

Furthermore, the overlord of this swamp was the Lightning Crocodile, which were countless in number. Fourth and Fifth Level Lightning Crocodiles could be seen everywhere.

A Fifth Level Demon Beast was equivalent to a Martial Artist from the First to Fourth Heaven of the Spirit Martial Realm. One can only imagine the sight of a whole pack of Fifth Level Lightning Crocodiles charging...

Not only did the Lightning Crocodiles possess the incredibly strong defense of Copper Skin and Iron Bones, but they were also as fast as lightning, coming and going like the wind. Coupled with their shockingly powerful Talent Ability, ”Scorching Celestial Fire,” the mere mention of them was enough to make people turn pale.

This was a region fraught with danger, a place that even adventure-loving Martial Artists dared not enter lightly.

But the more dangerous the place, the more likely it was to contain all sorts of rare Spirit Grass or Spirit Fruits.

Within the Sorrow Swamp were Golden Thorn Grass, Emperor’s Blood Grass, Cloud Mist Fruit, golden ginseng, and all sorts of other rare and exotic treasures that were hard to find in the outside world.

Each one was extremely old, easily a thousand years or more.

This held a great allure for some of the larger Mercenary Corps and major powers.

So when Shen Lang arrived at the location on the map Lanlos had given him, he wasn’t the least bit surprised to see a team of fifteen people locked in a great battle with a pack of Lightning Crocodiles and a colossal Seven-Star Poison Flood Dragon.