60 Auction 2 (1/2)
Chapter 60
Chen Zhen stepped out from behind the tree he was hiding at. The person he was spying on had clearly sensed his presence already. Chen Zhen was very cautious and apprehensive because he couldn't sense the smiling man's cultivation. That was either a matter of him being just a regular mortal or his cultivation was so much higher then Chen Zhen's that he couldn't sense it.
Chen Zhen slowly approached the campsite, constantly sensing if anyone was hiding in ambush nearby. He made it all the way to the campsite safely, but he still didn't lower his guard.
”Hello my name is Shiku. I noticed you paying very close attention to me when I was purchasing those slaves at the auction. I wonder is there some connection between you and the slaves?” Shiku said with an amiable smile still on his face.
Chen Zhen didn't expect him to be so direct and straightforward upon their first meeting each other. He couldn't decide if he should be truthful or not. Shanggu Feng and Lou Tian didn't have any advice for him in this situation either. They were both on guard, ready to act in a moment's notice.
”My name is Chen Zhen. You can say that I do in a way have a connection to them. I can be considered a foreigner as well. I wonder if there is a way that we can negotiate a release of those slaves to my custody so that I can return them home.” Chen Zhen decided that the truth would most likely be his best option right now.
Shiku raised his brows in surprise. He wasn't expecting Chen Zhen's response at all. But as he thought about it, this might work out ion his favor. He could very easily subdue Chen Zhen and make him a slave as well. Since Chen Zhen could speak their language it would be take away the need to teach them to understand their language.
”There is no need to negotiate there release. You will just join them as one of my slaves. That will save me the time of having to train them to speak properly.” Shiku said while casually waving his hand.
When Chen Zhen heard him he instantly jumped up in surprised. Even though he reacted right away he was still surrounded by the caravan guards. Most of them were in the mid to late Liquid Core Stage, only a small few had just entered the Liquid Core Stage.
”I can't believe they were able to hide their cultivations so well. This was a trap from the moment they left the auction house!” Shanggu Feng bellowed in rage.
”They are weak, these caravan guards are not our concern. This Shiku is the one we need to be weary of I still cant see thru him. Damn this soul seal!” Lou Tian was angry as well feeling helpless in his weakened state.
Chen Zhen looked at Shiku as if he was looking at a mad man. Shiku looked at Chen Zhen as if he was an ant. Shiku was a peak Solid Core Stage cultivator. In his eyes most of his guards were more powerful then Chen Zhen. Chen Zhen's capture was already a done deal in his mind. He turned back to one of his maid servants and accepted the tea cup she offered him.
Chen Zhen activated his bloodline armor and began circulating his Thunderfire in his body, the images of a dragon and a phoenix formed on each of his arms. As the armor formed around his body many of the guards jumped back in shock. They had seen the wanted posters of Chen Zhen back in town. As Shiku noticed the change in his guards he got a good look at Chen Zhen's transformation.
”Oh you're that person the Diako family is looking for. That's great! That means you even more valuable.” Shiku said nodding his head at his good fortune for getting his hands-on Chen Zhen first.
Chen Zhen held nothing back. He attacked with his full force wanting to eliminate the guards in a single hit. If he connected with a head, it exploded. If he connected with their bodies, their internal organs liquified. One hit one kill. That was Chen Zhen's battle plan. Because he had tempered his body in the stalactite milk and also acquired the Blood Lion bloodline his physical attacks were leagues ahead of what these Liquid Core Stage cultivators could handle.
But it seemed that no matter how many Chen Zhen killed there were more to take their place.
As much as Shiku tried to pretend that this bloodbath didn't affect him, he was starting to feel the loss of so many of his guards.
”ENOUGH!!! It seems that you don't understand your place in this world. Ants like you supposed to be able to acknowledge your better. If you had just submitted like you were supposed to I wouldn't have lost so many of my men. But since you have chosen to be stubborn and do things the hard way I will just have to make you suffer now.” Shiku yelled before flying over and throwing a palm toward Chen Zhen.
Chen Zhen didn't underestimate Shiku in the least. He formed a shield in front of himself using his Thunderfire, the images of Shanggu Feng and Lou Tian even circulated on the shield as well. But it was just barely able to block Shiku's strike. Chen Zhen was blasted a hundred feet away, digging his feet in the ground creating two long furrow, trying to stop his momentum. Shiku looked at Chen Zhen with surprise in his eyes. Even though it was just a casual strike he was almost two large realms higher in cultivation then Chen Zhen. Even if it didn't kill him it should have left in a crippled state.
”I really am amazed at your strength. I will have to make sure I don't kill you, so I can torture you later and learn all of your secrets.” Shiku wanted to be able to fight warrior two realms higher than himself as well.
Chen Zhen finally was able to dissipate the force pushing him back. He was surprised as well by his ability to withstand Shiku's palm strike. The difference in power was too far out of his league. He now knew he had to think of a way to escape before it was too late.
Instead of dispelling his shield, Chen Zhen compressed the energy until it was the size of a basketball. He jump in the air and threw it a Shiku with all his might. Shiku was surprised by the power he felt from that energy ball but that was it, it wasn't enough to injure him. A grey light surrounded Shiku's hand and then he swatted the energy ball away. It flew off into the woods and then exploded. The explosion was so big it lit up the sky brighter then the sun. A huge flaming mushroom cloud mixed with lightning could be seen in the distance. Many of the surviving guards had cold sweat break out all over their bodies. They knew that if that energy ball had landed anywhere near them then they would have been instantly vaporized. Their respect for their Lord Shiku's power grew to another level.