Chapter 709 Ulin's Hunt

Darren and the Water Kylin stood before the mysterious cave in the Ancient Void Battlefield, eying it carefully.

"It has the same aura as the cave outside," Darren observed. "Finley once said that he had some grand adventure to do with this cave, and comprehended the Life True Rule here, in front of it. I wonder if there's a huge treasure hidden inside."

Darren recalled that on the day Finley was cultivating by himself in front of this cave, the Water Kylin had showed up and disturbed his cultivation. Then, the Water Kylin was smashed to death by Finley, but was resurrected the next moment with the help of Finley's Life True Rule.

"Humph!" the Water Kylin snorted. "Finley is always someplace else when he's really needed—unlike me, who is always faithful and ready to protect you. Isn't that right, master?"

"Cut the crap," Darren scolded. "Let's just focus on busting into this cave together."

"That's not a good idea," his companion replied, ignoring the rebuke. "With our full strength combined, we would easily cause the Ancient Void Battlefield to collapse."

Darren frowned. "You're right. I didn't think of that. Let's try and take it easy, then. We'll control our strength and hit the restriction of the cave little by little."

"Very well. Let's give it a try," the Water Kylin agreed.

With that, the two focused their power together and started to bombard the cave, carefully testing its strength. However, the runes covering its outer layer seemed impervious to their efforts.

After a moment, Darren suddenly felt something strange.

However, it had to do with another person rather than with the cave.

As the controller of the Ancient Void Battlefield, Darren was able to sense what was going on with everyone in this small world.

His eyes fell on a stream, where a beautiful figure lay among the flower shrubs.

It was Denise, writhing and struggling as though she had fallen and found herself unable to rise.

"What's going on?" Darren wondered aloud, aghast. "Someone has hurt Denise!"

Glancing at the Water Kylin, he said, "We have to stop! Wait here."

Having said this, he flew over to the stream.

"Denise, what's wrong with you?"

Darren couldn't keep the dismay from his voice. Denise's normally lovely visage was now as pale as paper, and marred by a sickly, miserable expression.

"Oh, there you are, Darren."

Saying this, the woman smiled bitterly.

"You were gone for such a long time—I thought you'd forgotten me. Yet one day I realized I was still just as lonely as before. Butterflies and fish and flowers could not talk to me, listen to me, or love me..."

Her voice was strange—weak, low and raspy, and Darren's heart ached all the more for it.

Still, he had a clear enough head to not waste time answering her ramblings. The important thing was to keep he

trength and potential is well-deserved."

"You don't have to say that," Darren answered coldly. "Just to be clear, I will never serve you."

"Well, you don't have to if you don't want to!" Ulin said with a strange voice.

"Oh, so you're just going to go easy on me and let me go this time?" Darren knew there was no chance of this, however, and his question had been little more than a joke.

"Go easy on you? Don't be so naive, young man. As a matter of fact, I've changed my mind. Even if you had accepted my offer, there's no doubt you'd prove a danger to me in the future, sooner or later. So I think I'll just kill you instead right now." When he had said this, Ulin's eyes began to glow as the power of an evil spirit rose up within him.

Thinking fast, Darren tried to stall for time. "Really, Ulin? I thought I was little more than an insect to you. Why, then, are you in such a hurry to dispose of me?

Are you feeling guilty and just hoping to get it over with? Or are you afraid of giving me a chance to put up a real fight?"

"Afraid of you? What a joke!" Ulin sneered, too enraged to do anything but respond. "You're nobody, Darren, and we both know it.

I've once killed the Lord of the Sacred Palace. Just who the hell do you think you are?"

Darren cracked a sly smile. "Is killing a lord by trickery really something worth bragging about?"

"That's bullshit!" Ulin snarled lividly. "I fought him man-to-man! I would never..." But he trailed off then, shaking his head, and a wicked smile took over his face. "You silly little boy. You must think you're really clever, stalling for time like this."

Despite the animosity he bore toward Darren, Ulin couldn't help but be impressed. He hadn't thought his opponent would be capable of fooling him.

Nevertheless, Ulin was just about done playing games. Being impressed with Darren wasn't enough to let him live.