The Supreme Martial King Shocking All Realms Chapter 3334 - 3329: Confidence Against the Heaven-appointed Realm?_1

Bao Lu nearly questioned the reason, but she wasn't someone slow on the uptake. Pondering deeply, she grasped the situation, her brows creasing in astonishment as she declared, "Could it be that he held back his full strength earlier, leading Qian Li and the rest to believe no Heavenly Fate Realm powerhouse was watching over this spot?"

Yang Chen gave a nod in agreement. "Qian Li and Fu Xuanbing are certainly astute; they dispatched a team of underlings to scout ahead. If conditions turned hostile, they'd pull back. Yet the Heavenly Fate Realm master isn't dim-witted. Let's observe how events unfold. At this point, should Fu Xuanbing and his followers manage to flee, they retain a shot at survival, but failure means their lives are at stake."

With that in mind, the conflict up ahead started to shift dramatically.

At first, the clash between the two forces remained balanced, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

Yet soon after, the elusive Ghost Hand burst forth from beneath the earth.

Its emergence marked the battle's turning point. Enveloped by multiple Ghost Kings, the Ghost Hand unleashed overwhelming might, sweeping through the chaos and restoring order in a flash.

Over a dozen human experts alongside the Ice and Fire Sky Phoenix found themselves firmly ensnared within the Ghost Hand's grasp.

Bao Lu's heart clenched at the sight.

After all, numerous members of her own clan were caught up in it.

A single strike from this Ghost Hand could wipe out her kin entirely.

Oddly, rather than slaying them on the spot, the Ghost Hand morphed into a towering Ghost King bearing enormous flesh wings and materialized in front of the captives.

This being was the Four-direction Ghost King himself.

Upon spotting the Four-direction Ghost King, Yang Chen's gaze sharpened gradually. This foe ranked among the trio of Heavenly Fate Realm guardians of the Ice and Fire Star.

"Sir Four-directions, why intervene now?" The attending Ghost Kings bowed deferentially.

The Four-direction Ghost King responded with icy disdain. "Without my move, who knows how long it would take you incompetents to seize these intruders."

Chastised by the Four-direction Ghost King, the Ghost Kings hung their heads low. "Sir Four-directions, while taking them alive proves challenging, ending their lives would be simple. They've already stumbled into our Sky-Roaming Net trap. Dispatching them requires no effort."

"Hmph, preserving them serves a greater purpose. Since Yue Xingzhenren drew in these major players, we can bait even stronger foes with them. Above all, a few mightier presences lurk in the shadows, including that 'little guy' from the wanted list. Had I delayed, they could have slipped away." The Four-direction Ghost King's gaze swept around, locking onto a specific spot.

Then, twin beams erupted from his eyes.

These rays streaked forward, piercing the emptiness.

Yet it was this very illumination that exposed several silhouettes in desperate flight, unwilling to linger a second more.

Spotting their revelation, these figures paled in alarm. "This is bad—we've been detected."

Yang Chen observed the escaping forms and gave a subtle shake of his head.

They were Fu Xuanbing and Qian Li.

Somehow, Fu Xuanbing and Qian Li had masked their identities through unknown methods, oblivious to their prior detection.

The instant the Four-direction Ghost King's vision pierced their veil, their cover shattered.

Exposed, Fu Xuanbing's complexion drained of color. Despite his history with grave crises, the peril to his life rattled him deeply.

Without a word, Fu Xuanbing bolted ahead in flight.

"Think you can flee? Not so fast," the Four-direction Ghost King scoffed.

He held back from pursuit, merely tracking their retreat.

But as their getaway neared success, an unseen barrier slammed into their path, halting them abruptly as they gaped at it, faces ashen.

"What kind of array is this? When did it appear?!" Qian Li bellowed.

As his outcry faded, a surge of Ghost Qi roared in from afar, halting right before them.

Next, multiple Ghost Hands descended, infused with law-infused might, surrounding and confining them utterly.

Fu Xuanbing and Qian Li retained some combat ability. They fought back fiercely, launching counterattacks. Regrettably, against a Heavenly Fate Realm adversary, their efforts proved pathetically weak. Every strike bounced off harmlessly.

Within moments, Fu Xuanbing, Qian Li, and their companions were all subdued alive by the Four-direction Ghost King's Ghost Hand.

Witnessing this, Bao Lu's chest ached with sorrow, yearning for the Ice and Fire Sky Phoenix lineage to endure and thrive.

Absent from her people for endless years, this aspiration was her deepest wish and unpaid obligation.

Yet presently, she could only gaze on powerlessly, seeing her clansmen seized by the Netherworld Ghosts and her heritage crumbling.

She longed to plead with Yang Chen for aid, but hesitation struck before words formed, recalling his prowess.

True, Yang Chen wielded great power, but the enemies hovered at the Heaven-separated Realm. With a Heavenly Fate Realm foe now in play, wouldn't engaging endanger him?

Bao Lu bit back her plea, reduced to helpless observation of the unfolding tragedy.

At least a spark of optimism remained: the Four-direction Ghost King, after ensnaring Fu Xuanbing and the rest, refrained from execution, opting to keep them breathing.

The Ghost Hand pinned them down, rendering Fu Xuanbing and others senseless as they slumped to the ground.

"Sir, won't you eliminate these captives?" The Ghost Kings queried in bewilderment.

"Absolutely not. Escort these prisoners to the perimeter of Yue Xingzhenren’s formation for the Earth Spirit Hall elites to behold. Soon, additional Earth Spirit Hall masters and Ice and Fire Sky Phoenixes will arrive. We'll snare every one that shows. By then, our success will surpass this moment. Your foresight is woefully limited." The Four-direction Ghost King explained.

At his words, the Ghost Kings envisioned the ploy and buzzed with enthusiasm.

Such strategies had eluded them before. Now, the Four-direction Ghost King's insight revealed how sparing these humans could yield greater gains.

Thus, the Four-direction Ghost King vanished from the scene anew, leaving no sign behind.

Meanwhile, the remaining Sky-Separating Ghost Kings mobilized, rounding up and securing all the subdued human specialists and Ice and Fire Sky Phoenix elites. They bound them securely.

"Yang Chen, we should depart," Bao Lu murmured with a heavy sigh.

Regaining composure, she deemed their evasion of capture as the utmost fortune.

"Depart? To where?" Yang Chen inquired, bemused. "Won't you attempt a rescue?"

"Can you actually rescue them?" Bao Lu responded, wide-eyed.

"Nearly so," Yang Chen answered, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

Stunned, Bao Lu pressed, "Yang Chen, recognize this: you're up against the Heavenly Fate Realm Four-direction Ghost King. You're no gambler on chance. Consider the direst outcome—if you confront the Four-direction Ghost King, what's your plan?"