Chapter 1515: Marquis Realm of the Ninth Rank

An ancient altar stood in the center of the shattered continent, towering into the clouds, while emitting an inexplicable sense of majesty.

Diwu Mingxuan, Sheng Que'er, and others immediately spotted this eye-catching altar.

Yet at the same time, they saw Shen Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun's figures cutting through the long sky, speeding toward the direction of the altar.

"Their target is that altar!"

Diwu Mingxuan's eyes sharpened, and he said in a deep voice, "We must stop them!"

Although they did not know what Shen Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun truly intended, preventing them from doing anything within the Heaven Mirror Tower was what Li Luo and the others needed to do at this moment.

Boom!

As Diwu Mingxuan's words fell, he was the first to strike; six towering Marquis Platforms shot up into the sky, radiating boundless light, and among these six Marquis Platforms, three had reached the level of the Ten-Pillar Golden Platform.

Surging, radiant light-based power filled the sky, as if the great sun hung overhead.

Under such immense light-based power, even Sheng Que'er, whose strength had reached the Upper Eighth-Rank Marquis Realm, found his expression growing Solemn and much more wary.

Since the Heaven Mirror Martial Debate began, Diwu Mingxuan finally had the chance to reveal his true strength as this "Light Marquis."

Diwu Mingxuan clenched his palm, and a holy ruler appeared in his hand; upon the holy ruler, countless ancient light talismans were engraved, and now these talismans lit up one by one, finally transforming into blazing holy flames.

This was the Holy Talisman Ruler, a Top-Rank Marquis treasure bestowed by Diwu Mingxuan's master.

Diwu Mingxuan directly slashed with the ruler; a thousand-zhang holy flame, like a crescent moon, cleaved the sky, appearing above Shen Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun as if by teleportation, then crashing down upon the two.

Seeing the holy flame, filled with purifying power, descend, Zhou Jun's Thunder Trident in his hand erupted with surging Lei Guang; the Lei Guang transformed into a massive thunder python with claws bared and fangs showing, colliding with the holy flame ruler light.

Boom!

The void trembled, emitting a violent roaring sound.

Zhou Jun's body shuddered slightly; furious thunder-based power surged forth, shattering the encroaching holy flames, then his brows could not help but furrow; Diwu Mingxuan, whose injuries and strength were gradually recovering, had already made him feel threatened.

Just as Zhou Jun felt the situation becoming difficult, several extremely terrifying power-based attacks suddenly whistled down from the sky above.

It was Sheng Que'er, Li Luo, Jiang Jiang Qinge, and others who had also struck.

"Shen Shen Jinxiao!"

Zhou Jun shouted in a low voice; with his strength, it was impossible for him to withstand the combined assault of so many people.

"It has come; do not rush."

A voice, gentle yet conveying an inexplicable chill, laughed as it came; immediately, green power brimming with vigorous life swept over, transforming into a ten-thousand-zhang giant tree; the tree's canopy stretched for a hundred li, its bark like dragon scales, its branches and leaves like gold and iron.

Boom!

The power-based attacks from Sheng Que'er, Li Luo, Jiang Jiang Qinge, and others crashed down, continuously destroying that ten-thousand-zhang giant tree, yet the giant tree grew rapidly again, and in this process, both sides' powers were constantly consumed.

After a short while, when the giant tree was completely destroyed, the assault launched by Sheng Que'er, Li Luo, Jiang Jiang Qinge, and the others this time was also exhausted.

This scene caused everyone present to change color.

"Such immense wood-based power... and that Si Si Tianming-level Marquis Technique, is it the Golden Dragon Scale Tree? Isn't this the Marquis Technique Lin Ju was best at?" Sheng Que'er said in disbelief.

Li Luo's eyes darkened slightly, and he said, "Lin Ju may already be dead at his hands; this person possesses a special, eerie nature that seems able to devour the hearts of others, briefly acquiring their nature and the Marquis Techniques they cultivate."

Upon hearing this, the others' faces immediately changed; Lin Ju, whose strength had reached the Upper Eighth-Rank Marquis Realm, had actually fallen at this Shen Shen Jinxiao's hands? Moreover, this nature was far too strange and rare.

"He has devoured Lin Ju's nature and power, so his strength is at its peak now, but this power will fade with time; as long as we trap him, we can subdue him," Jiang Jiang Qinge's calm voice came.

As her words fell, four Ten-Pillar Golden Platforms atop her head erupted with sacred Marquis divine smoke; light-based power merged into it, transforming into a massive light-glazed sword, upon which seven gorgeous gems shone brilliantly.

Li Luo also changed form without hesitation; his body suddenly expanded, and the long-prepared "Dragon Blood Ancient-Returning Technique" was unleashed.

Roar!

A sky-shaking dragon cry resounded; he had already transformed into a three-thousand-zhang purple-gold heavenly dragon; the dragon's might swept out like a tide, causing the void to trem violently.

The Dragon-Elephant Thunder Blade became a hundred zhang long, gripped tightly by the dragon's claw.

The heavenly dragon held the blade; what a ferocious appearance.

At this moment, Sheng Que'er, Diwu Mingxuan, Lu Qing'er, Ning Meng, and others also unleashed their full power, with dazzling Marquis Platforms one after another devouring the energy of heaven and earth.

Boom, boom!

In the next instant, everyone struck without hesitation; wave after wave of surging, fierce attacks, in a posture that shook heaven and earth, poured down upon Shen Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun without delay.

Facing everyone's assault, Shen Shen Jinxiao and Zhou Jun's expressions also grew much more Solemn; each unleashed their full strength, continuously deflecting the blows.

"Shen Shen Jinxiao, they have the numbers; continuing like this is no solution. Does my lord have any other means?" Zhou Jun gradually felt immense pressure; after all, what they faced now was the top tier of powerful figures in this Heaven Mirror Tower trial.

Sheng Que'er's strength alone was not inferior to his, let alone the three peerless geniuses Diwu Mingxuan, Jiang Jiang Qinge, and Li Luo.

Moreover, the opponent clearly knew Shen Shen Jinxiao's ability; their current assault was continuous, obviously intending to pin the two of them here and prevent them from approaching that ancient altar.

Upon hearing this, Shen Shen Jinxiao seemed to smile and said, "No need to worry; my lord has naturally made the most proper arrangements."

"Then why not activate it now?" Zhou Jun urged.

"Use it now?" Shen Shen Jinxiao asked.

"Otherwise, when should we wait for?" Zhou Jun snapped angrily.

Shen Shen Jinxiao nodded somewhat regretfully and said, "Since Brother Zhou Jun is so eager, then I shall use it."

The instant his words fell, Shen Shen Jinxiao's palm had silently pierced through the void, eerily appearing behind Zhou Jun, then directly grabbing downward at the position of his heart.

Boom!

However, just as his palm was about to touch Zhou Jun's body, the latter's foot moved; Lei Guang flashed, and he directly appeared a hundred zhang away as if by teleportation.

"Shen Shen Jinxiao, what do you want to do?" Zhou Jun looked at Shen Shen Jinxiao with a gloomy face, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Shen Shen Jinxiao was somewhat surprised; he had not expected Zhou Jun to have secretly harbored suspicion against him all along, but he was not in a hurry; instead, he asked, "Zhou Jun, why hide?"

"You want to kill me; can I not hide?" Zhou Jun laughed angrily.

Shen Shen Jinxiao's expression grew slightly colder, and he said, "Do you still not understand? You are a chess piece arranged by my lord, a chess piece provided so I can complete the mission smoothly."

"What you should do now is, for the sake of completing the mission, offer up everything you have, including your life."

Zhou Jun's face shifted uneasily, and he said, "Bullshit!"

Although he was a chess piece, he did not yet have such resolve; moreover, who knew if Shen Shen Jinxiao was just using my lord's tiger skin as a cover, merely plotting to take his heart?

Shen Shen Jinxiao, seeing this, sighed helplessly and said, "Do you think you still have the qualification to choose?"

He extended his palm, and a black bead appeared in his palm. Inside the bead was a drop of essence blood, and on the surface of the essence blood floated a face—none other than Zhou Jun. At this moment, dense black runes appeared on the surface of the bead, rushing rapidly into the essence blood.

Zhou Jun's face changed drastically, and he was about to flee in a frenzy.

But in the next instant, his body suddenly stiffened in place; his face twisted, as if he had lost control of his own body at that very moment.

Pfft!

A sound came from his chest. He struggled to look down and saw a pale hand drilling out from his chest, holding a beating heart in its palm.

It was bloody and steaming with heat.

"Zhou Jun, go in peace; your mission has been successfully completed."

Behind Zhou Jun, Shen Shen Jinxiao's gentle voice sounded.

He slowly withdrew the hand holding the heart, then, with a smile on his face, put it into his mouth.

Hearing the terrifying chewing sound coming from behind him, Zhou Jun's eyes gradually grew dim, and despair surged in his gaze.

Finally, all life ceased abruptly.

Such a sudden change came too abruptly.

When Zhou Jun died, only then did Fifth Mingxuan, Holy Sparrow, and the others come to their senses; they were all somewhat terrified, after all, they were acquainted with Zhou Jun. Although the other party had now betrayed the Academy Alliance, such a miserable death right before their eyes was truly hard to accept.

However, they quickly calmed their surging emotions and launched a full-force assault, smashing down heavily upon Shen Shen Jinxiao.

But facing their overwhelming assault, Shen Shen Jinxiao merely elegantly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. At this moment, his pupils turned entirely gray-black. In the next instant, Marquis Platforms, radiating eerie and violent fluctuations, shot straight up into the sky one after another.

One... five... eight...

The ninth!

At this very moment, Shen Shen Jinxiao had directly stepped into the Ninth-Rank Marquis Realm!