Three terrifying attacks erupted without warning, aimed straight at Shen Hongyi, simultaneously blocking his path toward the sacred herb. If he had forced his way through to retrieve the herb, he would've certainly been injured. Helpless, Shen Hongyi was forced to abandon his attempt. Twisting and dodging, he narrowly avoided the three lethal strikes. He quickly returned to Yin Xianhong and Fang Ting's side. At that moment, their ambushers stepped forward. They were three in number as well, their bodies concealed in a dense mist. Judging by their previous attacks, their cultivation levels were revealed: one at Saint King Sixth Layer, and two at Saint King Seventh Layer. The two Saint Kings at the seventh layer matched Yin Xianhong and Shen Hongyi in strength. The one remaining was a layer above Fang Ting. On the surface, this gave their side a certain edge. At the Saint King Realm, every layer of difference represented a massive power gap. Moreover, anyone who reached the Saint King Realm was no ordinary cultivator. To fight beyond one's rank at this level was exceedingly difficult. The three attackers wasted no words. They launched into battle without hesitation. After all, no one here knew each other personally—and even if they did, the pursuit of treasure easily overrode past relationships. In the face of a sacred herb, familiarity could be conveniently forgotten. In the blink of an eye, the six of them were locked in fierce combat. Every blow exchanged between Saint Kings was enough to shatter the heavens and rend the earth. Their clash stirred up chaos across tens of thousands of miles. With the sacred herb at stake, none of them held back—each unleashed their deadliest techniques. Before long, Shen Hongyi made an observation and transmitted it via voice: "My opponent is using a sacred weapon from the Taichu Holy Land. He's very likely their Holy Lord." Yin Xianhong's brows rose. "In that case, the other two are probably the Zhenyi Holy Lord and the Grand Elder from the Tianhuang Holy Land." "Very likely," Shen Hongyi responded. It was widely known that though the three great holy lands harbored private rivalries, they always presented a united front when facing outsiders. When one of them was identified, the others could often be deduced based on cultivation, weapons, and martial techniques. After a brief exchange, the trio confirmed their suspicions: Fang Ting's opponent was the Zhenyi Holy Lord, Shen Hongyi's was the Taichu Holy Lord, and Yin Xianhong's adversary was a Grand Elder of the Tianhuang Holy Land. Fang Ting's group hadn't expected to run into familiar faces so quickly after entering the small world—more accurately, old enemies. And not just one or two; each of their current opponents bore grudges against them as well. Whether or not their identities had been recognized wasn't clear. But even if they had been, no one would admit it. For the sake of this sacred herb, a victor had to emerge. Yin Xianhong and Shen Hongyi were evenly matched with their opponents and fought without pressure. Fang Ting, however, was facing an opponent one rank above him—Zhenyi's Holy Lord. Under normal circumstances, this put him at a severe disadvantage. Fortunately, Fang Ting's physique was extraordinary. With two sacred weapons in hand, his battle power was immense. He showed no signs of being overpowered. Seeing this, both Yin Xianhong and Shen Hongyi sighed in relief. They had been genuinely worried for Fang Ting. If he was defeated, the trio would lose all qualification to contest the sacred herb and would be forced to retreat. But now that Fang Ting was holding his ground, they had a real shot at securing the prize. Their opponents, however, were clearly surprised by this development and exchanged voice transmissions of their own. "Those two are likely the Prefects of Shenque Mansion, Shen Hongyi and Yin Xianhong. But who's the other one? It can't be Elder Wang—he's nearly at the Emperor Realm." "Who cares? Zhenyi Holy Lord, hurry up and deal with him so you can help us. The longer this drags out, the more likely others will arrive." Read full story at novel※fire.net The Zhenyi Holy Lord responded with some frustration: "I'd love to, but this man—despite being one realm lower—is just as strong. He's wielding two sacred weapons and clearly has some powerful sacred physique." The Taichu Holy Lord replied grimly: "If that's the case, we may need reinforcements." They were determined to obtain this sacred herb. "From where?" the Zhenyi Holy Lord asked. "This isn't Cangzhou—it's not easy to summon people." "From Old Demon Fang and his lot," replied the Taichu Holy Lord, his tone a bit helpless. After all, those people wouldn't assist for free—help came at a price. The Grand Elder of the Tianhuang Holy Land asked, "The Five Great Demon Sects came too?" The Five Great Demon Sects of the Southern Region had long been suppressed by the Buddhist sects of the Western Region. They lived every day yearning to grow stronger and overturn the Buddhist order. Naturally, they wouldn't pass up such an opportunity. "Of course. I already contacted them beforehand. If necessary, we can support each other," the Taichu Holy Lord explained. He had recognized them back at the entrance. The Zhenyi Holy Lord's eyes gleamed. "In that case, hurry up and call them over. Best if we can keep all three of these pests here. If not for Shenque Mansion, we'd have wiped out the Fang Clan long ago!" The three holy lands had been the first to suppress the Fang Clan and bore nothing but disdain for the three Prefects of Shenque Mansion. If it weren't for Elder Wang—whose power neared the Emperor Realm—standing in their way, they would've destroyed Shenque Mansion long ago, let alone the powerless Fang Clan. Upon hearing this, the Taichu Holy Lord nodded in agreement. He had been debating whether to offer the demon sects something in exchange for their help. But now, realizing two of their foes were Shenque Prefects, he made up his mind quickly. "Alright, I'll notify them right now. Together, we'll eliminate all three of them!" While contending with Shen Hongyi, the Taichu Holy Lord used a secret technique to contact the demon sect's experts. Though he and Shen Hongyi were equal in cultivation and strength, splitting his focus momentarily didn't put him at any real disadvantage. The six combatants were evenly matched, locked in a fierce deadlock. Yin Xianhong transmitted a message: "This stalemate won't work. If they really do bring reinforcements, we'll be in danger." Shen Hongyi responded, "I know… but giving up this sacred herb so easily feels like such a waste." The Myriad Mountain Emperor's legacy was elusive. No one even knew if it existed, and if it did, whether they could obtain it was uncertain. But this sacred herb—it was right in front of them. Securing it would be an immediate gain. If they were losing outright, surrendering would be acceptable. But right now, the match was even. Giving up under these conditions would leave anyone unwilling. "Then let's be prepared to retreat at a moment's notice. If reinforcements arrive, we flee immediately." "Understood," Shen Hongyi replied.