"El... Elder Tang, what are you doing?"
Elder Jian became alert upon seeing Tang Lie poison Elder Ying. He drew out his weapon and stared intently at Tang Lie.
Tang Lie let out a sinister laugh. "Elder Jian, why play dumb? Elder Ying was stronger than the both of us. If I didn't kill him this way, you think he would split the leadership of Skull Gang with us? I killed Ying Kong for our mutual benefit."
"Hmph!" Elder Jian gripped his weapon tightly, his voice filled with hatred. "Tang Lie, you speak so nicely. Are you planning to kill me too?"
"Elder Jian, what kind of relationship do we have? Besides, I'm injured from fighting Ying Kong. You think I have the ability to kill you?"
Tang Lie, clutching his chest weakly, said calmly, "Elder Jian, you are different from Ying Kong. You are loyal! Let's return to the city together. My strength is inferior to yours. I'll respect you as the leader and help you suppress the other elders. What do you think?"
"Uh..." Elder Jian hesitated. Indeed, with his strength alone, it would be hard to win everyone's support. With Tang Lie's help, the situation would be entirely different.
"Elder Tang, if you truly help me, when I become the leader of the Skull Gang, you will be the second-in-command! Together, we will share the wealth and glory!"
"Brother Jian, don't worry. The position of leader is yours alone!"
Tang Lie grinned. Jian Zizhang was ambitious but simple-minded. Tang Lie needed him as a puppet to deal with the other elders. Once the Skull Gang's forces were consolidated, it would be Jian Zizhang's end.
"Alright, Brother Tang, let's head back!"
Jian Zizhang, unaware of Tang Lie's scheme, was still daydreaming about becoming the leader of the Skull Gang as a proud smile appeared on his face.
Meanwhile, after Ling Feng had Zifeng drain all of Guo Ao's life force, he quickly left the scene. Soon, he heard an enraged roar behind him.
It seems Guo Zhan won't rest till I'm dead!
Ling Feng snorted, leaping onto a towering tree. He looked at the king beast egg in his hand while gently stroking its surface, and smiled faintly. "Little one, oh little one, I must thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to kill Guo Ao and would have been trapped by those two brothers."
"And me!" Zifeng protested.
"Alright, alright, I remember your contribution," Ling Feng chuckled, shaking his head. Zifeng was good in every way, except for being too eager for praise.
"Hehe." Zifeng's smug laughter echoed in Ling Feng's mind. "Master, this king beast egg is extraordinary. I suspect its parents are not just demon king level but rather at the demon emperor level!"
"Emperor level!" Ling Feng's pupils contracted slightly. This king beast egg was a hot potato. Although it was in his hands, if a demon emperor discovered it, he would be instantly killed.
A demon emperor's rage was definitely no joke.
If the demon race launched a large-scale attack, the Black-Armored Cavalry stationed in Iron Wolf City wouldn't be able to withstand it. If Iron Wolf City fell, countless lives would be lost.
Ling Feng smiled bitterly. "The Skull Gang really doesn't know its limits. They've caused such a mess and still expect the empire's army to clean up after them! If the military high command finds out, the Skull Gang would be wiped out in an instant."
This was why the Skull Gang had been extremely cautious after obtaining the king beast egg and only secretly notified a few powerhouses from other cities. They were trying to sell the egg quietly.
"Let's not think about it too much."
Ling Feng narrowed his eyes. He had already taken the demonic core and disguised himself as a member of the demon race. Guo Zhan probably couldn't track his aura anymore.
He could use this to his advantage, wait for Guo Zhan to come, and catch him off guard.
Although it was hard to fight the two brothers together, dealing with just one was manageable. Moreover, now that the enemy was in the open and he was hidden, he only needed to use the Heaven-Slaying Sword Art to kill Guo Zhan in one strike!
Before long, Guo Zhan had tracked Ling Feng to this location. However, due to the effects of the Demon-Transforming Pill, Guo Zhan could only vaguely sense a faint demonic qi lingering nearby. Ling Feng's presence, on the other hand, was completely concealed.
Guo Zhan roared at the sky, his Crimson-Fire Battle Wolf soul manifestation floating behind him.
A third-refinement of soul manifestation was much more solid compared to the first-refinement of soul manifestation Ling Feng had seen from Li Yunting and Yun Qianfan. However, for geniuses of their level, dealing with someone like Guo Zhan wouldn’t be difficult.
Although Ling Feng had consumed the Nine-Mystical Creation Fruit and implanted the second and third Primordial Locks, he still couldn't confidently claim to be on par with experts like Li Yunting.
Even at the same realm, for monstrous geniuses, the concept of realm held little significance.
Behind Guo Zhan, the Crimson-Fire Battle Wolf soul manifestation burned fiercely, its anger reaching the sky.
"You wretch who only knows how to run! Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I'll make sure there's no place for you to be buried!"
Guo Zhan, in a fit of rage, slashed his blade horizontally. A terrifying blade aura swept out from his blade, shredding a large area of towering ancient trees to pieces.
"Oh? Is that so? But before that, I'll send you to reunite with your brothers!"
Ling Feng's voice, like a specter emerging from the depths of hell, made Guo Zhan spin around. His eyes scanned the surroundings as he roared, "Bastard, stop hiding and face me in a fair fight!"
In response, Ling Feng coldly uttered, "Scorching—Sky Blaze!"
The void trembled as a terrifying firelight descended from the sky. Guo Zhan saw a sky-piercing sword engulfed in intense flames descending with the momentum of burning the heavens.
"Die!" Guo Zhan, eyes wide with fury, channeled all his elemental force. Behind him, the Crimson-Fire Battle Wolf howled loudly.
The Crimson-Fire Battle Wolf soared into the sky with all of Guo Zhan's strength, colliding head-on with Ling Feng's Scorching Sky Blaze.
The dominant flames swept across, shattering the Crimson-Fire Battle Wolf in an instant. Countless amounts of sword qi pierced through Guo Zhan's head, and with a bang, his head exploded like a watermelon. His entire body was then reduced to ashes by the Earth Vein's True Fire.
Ling Feng was also sent flying, crashing into a dozen trees before he could steady himself.
The intense heat singed his hair, leaving a faint burnt smell. His clothes were also scorched.
After all, Guo Zhan was a third-level Spiritual Element Realm expert. His final counterattack left Ling Feng with significant injuries.
However, Guo Zhan paid the ultimate price with his life.
"Too bad the other elders didn't come, or I could have taken them all out at once!"
Ling Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and muttered, "But those small fries can't stir up much trouble anyway."
Unbeknownst to him, a drop of blood trickled from his finger, landing squarely on the king beast egg he was holding.
The surface of the king beast egg glowed faintly and absorbed the drop of blood. A slight crack sound followed as several cracks appeared on the egg's surface.