Zhan Chen sent his soul consciousness to the beads one by one. The result left him baffled as he couldn't probe the beads with his soul consciousness.
"What is going on?", a perplexed expression appeared on Zhan Chen's face. He tried one more time but result was same.
"Looks like I have to ask these two little girls. These beads seems like some extraordinary treasures", Zhan Chen thought to himself.
He put away the beads and returned to his earlier goal of searching for fifth tier magical beasts.
This time, Zhan Chen didn't search in the vicinity of Shen clan experts. He used the wind chasing steps, the second stage of his Ethereal cloud chasing technique.
After scouring the entire with his mighty soul consciousness, she finally found the trace of a fifth tier magical beast.
To his disappointment, it was a monster ape. Zhan Chen begrudgingly used the slave seal on it. What he was truly looking for was some sort of tiny fifth stage creatures who could sneak on sixth stage experts but things always didn't go in the same way that you wanted.
Zhan Chen instructed the monster ape to hide away as he looked for other magical beasts. As for why he was still wary of sixth stage experts after gaining the soul strength of a mighty sage, the answer was pretty simple.
The use of his soul would put stress on his body which was still at Core Condensation realm. If it was some early level sixth stage expert, then he could manage but if a mid level or late level sixth stage expert came, them his body would get a huge shock if he used his soul might. The aftermath of using his soul might would paralyze his body. It may even rupture his meridians and inner organs, if he try to confront a peak sixth stage expert.
"Zhan Chen, what are you doing?", the voice of Li Han came. Zhan Chen had already discovered him with his soul consciousness. So, he was not surprised that Li Han caught upto him.
"I am looking for some fourth tire beasts. The tinier they are, the more useful they will be", Zhan Chen spoke.
"Let me help you", Li Han spoke.
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"Look around. Not a single Shen clan expert should get away this time", a handsome looking youth spoke coldly.
"Protector Qian, you stay with me. As for others, disperse and search for the Shen clan experts", the young man ordered.
'',
"Young master Bai, what if Shen clan retaliated?", protector Qian looked towards the second young master of Huo clan, Huo Baixing.
"What are you being worried form. With the state Shen clan is in now, they can't afford to fight with another supreme power at this moment", Huo Baixing spoke.
Protector Qian nodded his head and stayed silent. Huo Baixing took a look at his back but there seemed to be no one there. But an evil smile crept into the face of Huo Baixing after he threw a look at his back.
"Elder Tao, please catch that bitch in a single attack befor she could get away. I will see how will she escape big brother this time", Huo Baixing spoke without turning his head.
There seemed to be no one around Huo Baixing except protector Qian but a voice came from the thin air after Huo Baixing spoke. "Young master, don't have to worry".
-----------
Zhan Chen found the arrival of Huo clan experts from his soul link with Huo Yihu and the peak fifth stage expert named elder Wu.
A smile crept into his face after he looked through the information about enemies.
"I first have to send away Li Han. It would be no fun if he is there to obstruct me", Zhan Chen thought to himself.
Li Han didn't understand why Zhan Chen was sending him away. But Zhan Chen send him away in the guise of Shen Ruyan's safety. He also instructed him to led the group of Shen clan towards the opposite direction of enemies.
As for the enemies who were searching for Shen clan experts, they had to face Zhan Chen who had already taken out his sword 'Devour'.
Zhan Chen could sense a hint of excitement coming from the sword. He was helpless about the nature of sword Devour. But it was a fact that he loved this sword of his present life and he wouldn't abandon it even if it was an evil weapon who absorb blood and soul of enemies.
Two Huo clan experts were looking carefully around their surrounding as they searched for the Shen clan experts. They were holding their weapons in their hands and walking slowly towards the inner areas of the wilderness.
The plan of Huo Baixing was simple. He let his Huo clan experts disperse around his surrounding and he himself walked in the middle with protector Qian and that mysterious elder who was hiding himself.
It was a three pronged approach that Huo Baixing thought full proof but the problem was that Zhan Chen had already learned about his plan.
Two Huo clan experts who were walking forward suddenly felt a mighty soul sense invading his body. Their bodies shuddered and before they could do anything, their eyes became blank.
"Puchi", a soft sound came when Zhan Chen pierced the heart of one of the Huo clan experts with his sword. Another soft sound followed and the shriveled body of two Huo clan experts fell to the ground.
'.',
Zhan Chen used his soul fire and it took only a moment before the two bodies turned into nothingness.
Zhan Chen knew what Huo Baixing was relying on. It was the mysterious expert that was following him from behind.
But what was mysterious to a peak fifth stage expert was a child's play infront of Zhan Chen. He had already found out the cultivation level of that expert who was following Huo Baixing.
"Fortunately, He is only at second stage of Heavenly tribulation realm", Zhan Chen murmured to himself.
He chose another target and followed after them. The result was same. Another two Huo clan experts lost their lives without even learning how.
All these time, Zhan Chen was picking the enemies who were outside the soul consciousness reach of their sixth stage expert. Thus, Huo Baixing was unaware of their deaths even after six of them had died.
"Something is wrong", finally the sixth stage expert found an anomaly. Zhan Chen was expecting this. So, he ordered the fierce ape to act.
"Elder Tao, what is the problem?", Huo Baixing asked.
Suddenly, battle sound came from a distance and the attention of Huo Baixing moved towards that region. Zhan Chen chose this moment to act and charged towards another two cultivators of Huo clan.
"Who are you?", one of the Huo clan expert asked warily as Zhan Chen inexplicably showed himself infront of them.
"You don't have to know", Zhan Chen replied. A mighty aura approached both of the Huo clan experts as Zhan Chen used his soul consciousness on both of them.
"You!....", The Huo clan expert couldn't even complete his sentence when Zhan Chen plunged his sword into his chest. His body shriveled in a visible speed and within moments, all of his vitality gone. Zhan Chen felt that his sword was feeling cheerful due to the sumptuous meal he had prepared for it.
Zhan Chen made a slice on the neck of other cultivator and threw soul fire towards their bodies. After incinerating their bodies, he made a quick dash and vanished from the spot.
"The life auras of both of them are still present here. But they are gone", the sixth stage cultivator of Huo clan looked around and murmured to himself.
Huo Baixing caught upto him after few moments. Other warriors of the Huo clan also gathered in the place where Zhan Chen last killed two of their Huo clan cultivators.
A grim look appeared on each of their faces as they saw the visible decrease in their ranks.
"We lost eight men. But how?", Huo Baixing shouted with a dark look on his face.