[I apology for my previous chapter blunder, I was writing on mobile and it got hanged, mixing all the chapters and other novel in single text. I tried to edit it but I couldn't edit more than 100 words. I am sorry, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter]
"Have you heard? That prince of Bloodfang Kingdom actually managed to snatch away the treasure of 2nd tier Martial Animal from the hands of Ixtal Molarch and his squad!"
"His name was Ezra Zephyr, right?"
"That can't be, right? Isn't that prince only at the Qi Brightening stage? And has a disabled body"
"I heard that he took advantage of the moment when Ixtal's group and the 2nd tier Martial Animal exhausted each other."
"Tch tch, what great luck. There were spells and skills that he stole!"
"Hehe, the bearman young leader has promised 3 million spiritual crystals to anyone who can catch the prince of Bloodfang Kingdom. Many have already gone to the area he was last seen in hopes of capturing him, taking the spells and skills and then the bounty on his head."
"What an example of treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime. He's so weak and yet he still has the guts to have designs on a 2nd tier Martial Animal, that's practically asking the heavens a quick death."
"Shall we go and try our luck too? If we somehow meet him, it will be akin to a striking lottery."
"Heheh, that's exactly what I had in mind. He's only at the Qi Brightening stage, it should be easy to deal with him if we encounter him."
"Quick then, let's go!"
<At the Mountain Range>
Ixtal stood with his hands behind his back on a certain mountain top. As he gazed at the figures that seemingly covered the sky and land as they searched for a particular individual, a chillingly eerie look emerged in his eyes as he said to the guarding Martial Masters of Bloodfang Kingdom. "I believe he has abandoned you and ran away!"
At that time around three thousand martial masters surrounded them, and the remaining martial masters of Bloodfang also arrived, all 56 Core Formation stage experts protected the area.
"It wou..."
Theor was about to retort Ixtal but Shifa stopped him with a raising hand. "Don't waste your breath on these useless beings, despite the numbers they let our single Qi Brightening stage prince steal the show.
Look at their numbers, yet they haven't attacked us. Barking dogs seldom bite, let them dogs and bitches spout."
Her words were mixed with her qi and resounded, triggering the masses. They lost their calm but Ixtal stopped them, he gritted his teeth after such an insult.
"Our priority is Ezra, these insects can be killed anytime." He said.
He had done as Sky Lees suggested, and sure enough, many individuals had been drawn over to search for any traces of Ezra Zephyr. Although there was a lot of activity, they were still unable to find Ezra and eventually joined the encirclement with Shifa Pista and others in the centre.
"No need to be anxious. Ezra is definitely still in the area." Sky Lees consoled from behind.
Her long and narrow eyes stared at the vast mountain forests like a viper as she said, "He is now merely a rat that has already been caught in our net. As long as we continue to tighten the net, he will eventually appear.
When that happens, his few Core Formation stage friends will not be able to save him from death!"
Ixtal nodded, before forcefully expelling a long breath of air as he wanted to get rid of all the resentment he had towards Ezra.
His path had been smooth sailing for many years, and his status as the Bearmen Tribe's next leader of Stripe Beast Empire made it such that praise and compliance were all he would meet wherever he went.
His tribe's fame and position were so strong that they were planning a revolt against the Tigermen tribe's royal family.
He never imagined that he would actually succumb to a ploy from a Qi Brightening stage guy. No matter what, he would not take this lying down.
Sky Lees softly said, "Come on, a cripple is not worth getting angry over. How can such a person compare to you? Even when you discount your status, you're still someone who has already stepped into the realm of the Core Formation stage with a 6th grade Martial Spirit and is even an elite amongst those of the same cultivation level.
Besides those few individuals, who else amongst the entire younger generation of the Naran Continent can match you?"
Ixtal Molarch let out a bitter laugh. "If not because I used up too many trump cards to deal with the Razor Pearl Eagle, I would not even fear those few super elites."
There would be no deficiency if he had been able to kill the Razor Pearl Eagle with those trump cards, and he would have even grown his reputation, but unfortunately...
While Ixtal Molarch and Sky Lees were talking, they suddenly detected a disturbance from the mountains some distance away. They immediately exchanged a look, seeing the joy that was surging out in each other's eyes.
"Was it that little rat?" They pondered.
Shifa and Theor gazed at the same area, they dashed towards the side before anyone else. All 56 Bloodfang warriors bolted towards that certain mountain.
"Stop them!"
Ixtal cried as their figures abruptly shot forth, they followed them and landed on a giant tree several minutes later as their gazes looked to the front where Shifa Pista and others could be seen.
These figures from Bloodfang had surrounded a certain location, a faintly visible cave that had been blocked with a boulder.
Ixtal saw a strange piece of paper attached to the boulder.
"So he's been using spiritual imprint to conceal any spiritual energy undulations. No wonder we couldn't find him!" Ixtal's gaze swept across the cave, sensing the faint fluctuations of power from behind the boulder as he icily chuckled.
"The fake prince is hiding inside. Break the boulder. Whoever brings him out will be rewarded 3 million spiritual crystals!" Ixtal's chilling voice echoed across the area.
The eyes of several figures brightened. 3 million spiritual crystals were no small sum.
"Heh heh, to think that a little prince of a fallen kingdom would be worth such a fortune. I'll be glad to take it!"
Voices rang out one after another. A dozen figures swiftly shot forward, streams of powerful Spiritual Energy lashing at the Bloodfang Martial Masters blocking the cave entrance.
Just when they were about to attack, two swords shined at astonishing speed. With an unseen pattern, the swords moved.
~SWIISSSH SWWIIISSS~
Two heads were separated from two Core Formation stage individuals as the blood oozed out like a red fountain. Theor gazed at the thousand masses with murderous eyes.
At the same time, a Labrys was swung, cleaving three Core Formation experts from the waist in mid-air.
~THUDD - THOONG - THIID~
Six thudding sounds came as the three divided bodies fell to the ground.
"NEXT." The chilling voice of Shifa stunned everyone.
Ixtal's eyes widened, he clenched his fists and stepped forward with evil intentions.
~BOOOM~
However, while Ixtal was coming for Ezra to be dragged out, an astonishing spiritual energy suddenly pulsed from the cave like an erupting volcano.
~BBZZZZ~
The Spiritual Energy ripple was tyrannically domineering, causing cracks to form in the cave.
~CRAACCKLE CRRAACKLE~
When the spiritual energy erupted, Shifa Pista and others also dashed away.
"What's going on?!" Ixtal's pupils shrank.
One of the figures said. "This seems like a breakthrough"
This caused, even more, frowns of confusion. Even if Ezra had ascended to the higher level he would be 6th level now, he would merely be 1 level higher in the Qi Brightening stage.
However, the pulse of Spiritual Energy earlier did not seem to be that of a Qi Brightening stage practitioner.
~CRRAACKLE~
While many were still puzzled, the spiritual energy waves from the cave grew more and more berserk as the entire mountain began to crack
The power crazily converged towards the cave until a certain moment when it pierced through the walls of the mountain and a black bolt struck at the sky.
So fierce and powerful, everyone was taken aback. As the boulder got destroyed a figure shot out before landing on the ground.
He landed on the ruins of the crumbled cave boulder, opened his mouth and violently inhaled.
The pillar of dark black lightning thundered at deafening noise.
~CRRAACCLE~
Powerful bolts began to flicker from the figure's body, his aura surging as the air around him trembled.
Long Black coat flapping wildly, the young figure turned around and looked in Ixtal's direction. The revealed face naturally belonged to Ezra Zephyr.
He stared at the bearman, a smile seemingly appearing on his face.
"3 million spiritual crystals is truly a huge sum, even I am a little tempted to hand my head over to you."
His five fingers slowly closed into a fist as he paused.
"However, before thinking about that, I believe that it is time for us to settle which one of us is the real beastman" the prince grinned.