AGM 491 – Snatching Food Away From The Mouth Of Tigers
The earthen yellowish fruits containing the will of the Mandate of Great Earth, emanated an aura of heaviness that bore down on the bodies of those approaching. This gravity formed an invisible wall, preventing people from nearing it.
Qin Wentian was proficient in the Mandate of Force and there were many similarities between Force and Great Earth. Right now, his bloodline was surging as the will from his Mandate of Demons erupted forth from him, fortifying his body against that fearsome gravity. Right now, he was only three steps away from obtaining the fruit.
However the three experts currently surrounding him were all chosen of the various major powers in Xuan King City.
Jin Yan, a fearsome demon-level character of the Golden Fire Aristocrat Clan.
Yin Ting, one of the core chosens of the Yin Clan.
Xie Yu, a genius from the Ecliptic Sect.
With these three here, how can they allow Qin Wentian to snatch away the fruits? Especially considering how Qin Wentian was, "With me, Qin over here, all of you can forget about obtaining these Constellation Fruits."
Even Xu Feng and Ji Xue who were a layer higher, going after the Gold Mandate Fruits couldn't help but have worry flashing through their eyes. Ji Xue wanted Qin Wentian to leave earlier because she was afraid that Qin Wentian would be hunted down after the seizing of the Constellation Fruits was over. Yet not only did Qin Wentian not take the chance to escape, he even participated, offering himself up on a platter. With these chosen here as well, how could they let him have a piece of the pie?
However there were different restrictive forces on different layers. Facing the sharpness emanating from the Gold Mandate Fruits, they completely had no way to aid Qin Wentian. They could only pray for him.
"This fellow is too impetuous. Isn't he looking down on the demon-level geniuses of Xuan King City a little too much?" Ji Xue sighed in her heart. She was perspiring cold sweat on behalf of Qin Wentian. The eyes of those three chosen flashed with sharp glints of light upon seeing that Qin Wentian was a step closer to the fruits than they were.
However, how could Qin Wentian allow them to do as they liked? As his foot landed, a formless killing intent manifested into razor sharp sword might that sweeped over everything. But still, how could the three geniuses retreat simply because of this?
A fearsome lightning serpent appeared above Yin Ting's head. This was none other than his Astral Nova.
With a flick of his finger, the serpent shot forth like a bullet, crackling with arcs of lightning as it madly flew towards Qin Wentian. The arcs of lightning around it were filled with terrifying destructive power and at the instant he blasted out this attack, he too took another step forward. Now, he was also only three steps away from the Constellation Fruits.
Qin Wentian stretched out his arms as demonic dragon scales covered it abruptly. With a loud bellow, a draconic imprint was blasted up, colliding head on with the lightning serpent.
At this exact moment, Xie Yu's attack also arrived. Xie Yu's nine arms blasted out a wave of interconnected fist shadows. Qin Wentian responded with a palm strike, his void vibrational shockwaves gushing out to meet the attack. However, the fist shadows multiplied and filled the skies, so many that they could bury the victim within. The Mandate of Fists allowed superpositioning, inter-stacking upon each other to build up strength eventually transforming to a tsunami wave of fist strikes. Qin Wentian didn't retreat, the divine energy within his Yuanfu erupted forth as he slammed out nine palm strikes continuously. Only then did he manage to disperse the destructive might within the fist attacks.
However, Jin Yan's attack also arrived. A fiery golden lotus spiralled over. This time, the flames weren't illusory, and contained terrifying heat guaranteed to incinerate everything they touched.
Qin Wentian stabbed out with a finger, his sword qi sweeping over everything. However, the lotus didn't seem to be affected. Only when it was an inch away from striking Qin Wentian did it finally get destroyed.
As Qin Wentian retreated a single step, his entire surroundings were permeated by a towering sword might. It was only because of this that he managed to resist. Also, at the same instant of their attacks, Jin Yan and Xie Yu also borrowed momentum from the power of their attacks to forcibly take a step forward.
The three of them advanced while Qin Wentian was forced to retreat. Now, the three chosen were one step ahead of Qin Wentian.
"Ignorant fool." Jin Yan coldly spat in disdain, his eyes gleaming with golden fire. "I shall make sure to personally slay you after this matter ends."
After speaking, the three of them frenziedly unleashed their own strength as they exchanged glances. After adjusting the energy in their bodies, they took yet another step forwards. However, space trembled at that instant as they quickly circulated their astral energy to resist against the incoming pressure. Right now, they were only two steps away from the Constellation Fruits.
Intense ambition gleamed in all three of their eyes. Two steps were remaining, whoever took that step first, would be the one to obtain the two constellation fruits on this layer.
As for Qin Wentian, he was outside of their considerations.
Qin Wentian stared at the three ahead of him. In that instant, he chose not to advance, but rather to retreat, sliding down the branches. However, his eyes didn't show a single hint of defeat, but rather, they glimmered with a sharpness even more intense than before.
A torrential demonic qi erupted forth as demon-scale armor fully enveloped his body. Stomping on the ground, he borrowed the power and soared up into the sky once more.
As he took the first step forwards, the sword intent he radiated whistled through the air.
With the second step, the towering sword qi engulfed everything.
With the third step, Qin Wentian's entire body was covered with fearsome halos of sword light.
"GO!" Yin Ting abruptly hollered, his entire body was filled with the terrifying energy of lightning and thunder, destroying the invisible wall of resistance in front as he took another step forward. Right now, he was only one step away.
Jin Yan's body was cloaked in protective golden flames as he summoned all his strength and forced one more step ahead.
Xie Yu's nine arms blasted in all eight directions. He borrowed the power of the explosive impact to push himself one more step forward as well.
All of their eyes were fixated on the Constellation Fruits ahead. They were only one step away.
Yet, they all failed to realise that other than that oppressive pressure ahead, the entire space was already filled with the humming of sword keen. As Qin Wentian took his fourth step, his King Sword Astral Aura had already manifested, hovering above him. Around him, countless illusory swords could be seen swaying together with the wind gently.
As his fifth step landed, the entire space was enveloped by two forces – sword qi and gravity. The expressions of the three people ahead all stiffened, their countenances becoming incredibly unsightly. Yin Ting turned his head back to glance at Qin Wentian only to see that Qin Wentian was just one step away from him. Qin Wentian had actually dared to return, not only that, that sword qi emanating from him felt exceedingly powerful.
"These fruits are mine." Yin Ting took the final step forward.
"Nonsense, you are not qualified." Jin Yan similarly stepped out.
"AGHHH!" Xie Yu howled madly. He ignored the pressure boring down and took the final step out as well. The three of them advanced and simultaneously stretched out their hands towards the same Constellation Fruit. This Constellation Fruit was located at the front of the branch, it was easier to pluck compared to the second one.
However right at this moment, the sword might enveloping this space suddenly descended. Qin Wentian's sixth step landed as the true sword might from the Seven Annihilations Swordplay swept outwards. It felt like millions upon millions streams of sword intent penetrating them through. Their countenances all underwent a drastic change.
"Puchi!" The entire branch which the Constellation Fruits were hanging on was directly severed. The wall of gravity resistance was pierced through by that overwhelming sword qi, causing the branch to fall.
The two Constellation Fruits fell together, the three of them howled in madness and instantly stretched their hands out trying to grab the fruits only to see beams of sword light shooting past, aiming to slice off their hands.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Yin Ting roared in rage. He retracted his hands but he chose to race downwards with his body. The arcs of lightning around him concentrated, forming an interweaving net of lightning that frenziedly zoomed towards Qin Wentian.
Qin Wentian extended his arms and caught the Constellation Fruits. With an intention of will, he kept the fruits in his interspatial ring and pierced directly upwards with his fingers. That towering sword might gathered, blocking against the attack coming from above while his body borrowed strength from the impact of that collision to descend even quicker, landing on the ground.
"IMPUDENT!"
The killing intent from the three in the air blasted out madly. They instantly descended to the space just above Qin Wentian, surrounding him.
"You are courting death." Yin Ting stomped down with his foot, his fury overflowing to the heavens. The ground in the surroundings were all explosively shattered by the overwhelming might of his lightning attacks. Yet Qin Wentian paid no heed to him. Instead, he glanced towards the air, watching as many of the Constellation Fruits were plucked away by experts from the other powers.
The gold-colored fruits that emanated the will of the Mandate of Gold, were obtained by Jian Jingtian from the Heaven Shocking Sword Sect as well as Xu Feng.
For the Demon Mandate Fruits, one of them were acquired by Feng Yunhe from the Wind Roc Aristocrat Clan while the other was snatched away by Little Rascal.
As for the Blood Mandate Fruits, both of them were taken by Shang Qi.
That gigantic Celestial Constellation Tree, only the four Constellation Fruits at the two uppermost layer was still intact. Right now, the various experts were all rushing towards there.
Only Yin Ting, Xie Yu and Jin Yan didn't join in. They wanted to kill Qin Wentian. Their killing intent joined together and reached a crescendo as they boiled with fury. Qin Wentian actually dared to snatch away their Constellation Fruits right in front of their eyes? He had to die. Qin Wentian MUST DIE!
Right now, they didn't even have one of the fruits.
"Bzzz!" Right at this moment, the immortal binding chains appeared, zooming towards Yin Ting and the others. Their expressions faltered as they quickly evaded. The immortal binding chains lengthened and a moment later, Ji Xue's silhouette could be seen standing in the air.
Xu Feng's silhouette also flickered as he appeared here. His hands wielded a long spear, staring at Yin Ting and the other two with a grim expression on his face.
"The three of you are geniuses from the major powers. Yet you guys are joining forces to deal with a single man. Truly laughable." Ji Xue stared at the three of them, with sarcasm obvious in her tone. She also didn't expect that Qin Wentian could snatch food from the mouth of the tigers and actually succeeded in obtaining the Constellation Fruits.
"Do the two of you wish to interfere in this matter?" Yin Ting coldly asked. In the middle of the air, a group of experts arrived, sealing this entire space off. These experts were none other than members from the Yin Clan as well as the Golden Fire Aristocratic Clan.
"The reputation of the Heaven's Chosen of the Xuan King City are well deserved indeed. Three people joining forces together yet failing to even obtain a single Constellation Fruit." Xu Feng brandished his spear, while emitting a fearsome sharpness, his eyes radiating an intense will to battle.
"Xu Feng, if you choose to interfere, even if you are an external disciple of the Qinghua Mountains, I will still slay you with no hesitation." Yin Ting icily stated.
"For the remaining Constellation Fruits, if you guys don't want it, don't waste my time. I'm going to take them." Qin Wentian's countenance was a serene as ever. Although these chosen were powerful and had many of their Mandates at the Transformation Boundary of the second level insight, Qin Wentian had no fear because he had other cards up his sleeve.
Right now, he didn't have time to waste with them.
The Constellation Fruits were just too important to Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns. They could allow one to gain comprehension towards the will of Mandate which they were lacking at, allowing them to perfect their Mandates faster to prepare for nurturing a Constellation. For the four remaining fruits, Qin Wentian wanted them all.
"Xu Feng and Ji Xue, I'm going after the Constellation Fruits." Qin Wentian transmitted his voice over. After which, he stomped the ground as a flood of astral light inundated the area. Using Stellar Transposition, his silhouette completely vanished from the original spot he was standing at.
Yin Ting and the two others didn't even have time to blink. They only saw Qin Wentian soaring skywards, towards the place where so many other experts were at.
"Has this fellow gone crazy?" Ji Xue was stunned by shock when she saw Qin Wentian's actions. The remaining four Constellation Fruits are the hardest to obtain, many had tried and failed. Not only that, right now there were so many experts from the various powers all around there, the probability of success was truly too low if Qin Wentian wanted to choose this moment to snatch the fruits. He would also be in an extremely perilous situation.
Yin Ting and the two others all had exceptionally ugly expressions on their countenances when they saw Qin Wentian disregarding them, rushing skywards for the Constellation Fruits. Inclining their heads, they too, soared upwards after him. Their gazes were smouldering with hatred, looking at Qin Wentian as though they were looking at a dead man!
