Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin were initially taken aback by the sudden turn of events. But, they were elites for a reason, they recovered pretty quickly. They didn't know how Duncan could start butchering people like this so easily. Even though they understood the reason deep in their hearts, they instinctively denied it.
Along with their group, they immediately sprang into action. Wu Dongmin and Lu Tianxin went ahead to attack Duncan and deter him from continuing his massacre. Jiang Chen took the role of defense and tried to minimize the damage caused by Duncan's attacks.
The others in their entourage also unleashed several attacks trying to deter Duncan and keep him at bay. The sheer number of attacks made Duncan back off a bit and provided the fleeing cultivators time to regroup with the entourage of the three.
Just then, the first batch of those who had followed these young talents out of the city gates rushed towards the site. The first vision that fell into their eyes was Duncan massacring a group of young talents and the trio of premier disciples from a first-rate sect rushing to save them from Duncan.
Seeing this scene, they felt their scalps numb. Their heart was gripped in terror. Their legs started shaking. Especially, the figure of Duncan which was splashed heavily in blood looked akin to a demon to them at that moment.
They all visibly gulped and swallowed their salivas not willing to utter even a soft cry. Who knew what kind of disaster it would bring onto their head? What if the demon who had been killing those young talents turned his eyes towards them?
Can't you see even the elites of various sects being slaughtered like pigs? How dare you utter a fart at this moment and cause the demon to turn his attention towards you? Do you have a death wish?
They had initially rushed after the young talents hoping to see the various demeanors of the heroes. They wanted to see with their own eyes how the young geniuses of the various sects in the region suppressed evil and killed the demonic cultivator.
Duncan's bold words at the city gates not only riled up these so-called young talents, some common cultivators also got riled up because of it. Even when they knew that they couldn't do anything to Duncan with their strength, they wanted to see someone else taking a stand and putting down this arrogant demonic cultivator.
Hence, they rushed after the young talents to get their perverse pleasure. Their cultivation level was not high and they didn't have the resources of these elites. So, they had been delayed on the road and were only able to arrive now.
However, what greeted them on arrival wasn't something they hadn't even dreamt about. The demonic cultivator, whom they wanted to see humbled, was standing tall on the battlefield. He was like a demon reaping the lives of the elites of various sects. Each fist of his ended the life of a promising young talent.
If not for the trio of premier disciples from the first-rate sects taking action, none of these young talents would have been spared from death. How brutal! This demonic cultivator was like those demons they heard about in passing from other cultivators. He absolutely had no regard for life. He didn't cherish life at all.
Even though they were angry with Duncan's brutal slaughter of promising talents, they didn't dare to let out a sound. They could only watch the elites from various sects regroup in the distance away from Duncan.
Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin were standing in front of all the elites from various sects and their entourage as if they would protect them from Duncan. Duncan watched this scene and twitched his lips.
They didn't even know if they could take him on, but these three were already acting like heroes who protected the innocents from evil beings. Duncan felt the entire situation comical and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
His laughter was loud in the silent battlefield. It was grating on the ears of everyone who was present in the vicinity. To those observers who just wanted to watch the fun, Duncan's laughter was akin to a devil's laughter. They shivered inwardly and prayed that the righteous cultivators would prevail in the upcoming confrontation.
As for the fairness of a group of elite disciples fighting a single demonic cultivator, no one cared about it naturally. In their minds, they already had a side. They didn't want Duncan to walk out of here alive. They wanted just retribution to be exacted on the evil cultivator at the hands of their heroes.
So, they were fine with anything as long as Duncan died.
Duncan laughed uproariously looking at the assembled group of elites. Duncan knew that this upcoming fight would be different. But, he wasn't worried too much.
When he retreated earlier after being overwhelmed by the volume of attacks that were headed toward him, it wasn't because he couldn't rush through them or take them on. It was because he wanted to take a step back and analyze the new threat.
These men had been monitoring his fight with the first group for some time now. They know what he had already shown during the fight. They should have already gauged his strength by now. And yet, these people were willing to step up and stand in his path.
Duncan didn't think these three were fools like the first group. That meant that these three had something to rely on as well. Duncan didn't want to make a mistake in haste.
His only goal was to collect enough slaughter qi.
The earlier slaughter had netted him a small percentage of what he needed already. As long as these people didn't run away, he didn't care about anything else. If lulling them into complacency meant taking a step back, Duncan would gladly do it. He didn't have any mental burdens regarding it.
With a wave of his hand, Duncan mobilized his qi and collected all the belongings of the cultivators he had slain so far. His act of nonchalance was incredibly disrespectful to all the cultivators who were assembled in front of him and watching from the distance. But, Duncan didn't mind them one bit.
They were his spoils. He killed them all legitimately. That meant everything they owned now belonged to him. This was the rule of this world. The only pique was that his way of doing it was too disrespectful to the dead ones and their friends. But, as their killer, Duncan had no mental burden regarding it either. Moreover, he wasn't in the habit of sharing his spoils.
"Do you think there is no one in this world who can stop you?" Lu Tianxin stepped out first and berated Duncan after witnessing his act of looting the corpses.
Duncan turned away from the corpses and looked at Lu Tianxin. He felt a familiar kind of vibe emanating from him. Concentrating hard on it, Duncan realized that the cultivator opposite to him was also a swordsman.
"Nah," Duncan shook his head dismissively and spoke, "I know there is a sky beyond the sky, heaven beyond heaven, and all those bullshit. I know there are people in the world who can crush me like a bug. But…"
Duncan looked at the assembled young talents up and down as if taking stock of them one more time. He paused on the three men who were spearheading the group. Then his lips twitched into a smile.
"But… I don't think anyone among you can do that. In fact, I feel that none of you even have the qualifications to stand in front of me. Let alone hunt me…"
Hearing Duncan's words a mixed bag of emotions appeared on the assembled cultivators's faces. Those who had barely escaped with their lives couldn't help but remember Duncan's massacre and gulp in fear. The entourage that had followed the trio was also a little apprehensive.
However, the faces of Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin became ugly. They didn't like what they heard. While they knew that they wouldn't be a match for Duncan individually, Duncan's dismissal of all three of them combined with other cultivators behind them made them look like they have sucked a lemon.
"Hmph," Wu Dongmin sneered. "Don't be so complacent. Until we fight, no one knows for sure who will win. We aren't like the ones you faced before. We are the real elites under the Violet Palace realm. If we three fight together, even a Violet Palace realm cultivator could be defeated by us easily."
"I suggest you unsheathe your sword now. If not, you will not even have the opportunity to do so later," Lu Tianxin said a little arrogantly.
"Alone, we might not be your opponents. But together, you aren't a match for us either," Jiang Chen stated simply as if it was a fact. "While it is shameful to gang up on a cultivator, I think this situation is an exception. You are nothing but a scrouge that has occupied this earth. You have already annihilated the entire Wang Clan of the Starmist City. If we let you leave here alive, we don't know how many other people will fall under your sword."
"So, for the peace of the entire cultivation world and to uphold the righteousness that holds together this earth, we have decided to commit the shameful act of teaming up together to put an end to a scrouge like you," Wu Dongmin continued the narrative flawlessly without a hitch causing Duncan's eyebrows to raise.
Seeing the determined expression on the faces of the trio, Duncan understood that the three had made a deal amongst themselves to take care of him together. Knowing this, Duncan let out a sigh inwardly.
If these three wanted to escape, Duncan wasn't sure he would be able to kill all three of them. Sure, he might be able to intercept and kill one or two. But, all three was a tall order for him. Duncan had been worried about such a possibility a little bit after the massacre he committed. He still hadn't gathered enough slaughter qi. Them leaving would hamper his plans severely.
However, since they didn't want to leave, but instead wanted to kill him, Duncan felt that things were fine. Looking at the trio with a mocking smile, Duncan shook his head in a dismissive manner.
"I will tell you one last time. Unsheathe your sword. If not, you will not have any more opportunity to do so," Lu Tianxin said domineeringly and unsheathed his own sword.
Duncan squinted his eyes slightly and looked at Lu Tianxin provocatively.
"You," Duncan pointed directly at the trio and spoke, "are not qualified for me to use my sword. Let me tell you something, since you seem intent on comparing your sword skills with mine, how about you make me unsheathe my sword? Do you think you can do it?"
Duncan looked at the trio provocatively and started walking towards the group in a fearless manner.
