Many times, true masters aren't necessarily the most skilled fighters, but rather those who clearly understand what needs to be done in a battle.
Bai Ye and Jin Xiangchuan both knew their roles perfectly, which is why they moved with such seamless coordination.
And with each of them fulfilling their duties, those pig-headed men…
Were no match for them!
When facing a large number of pig-headed men, the biggest problem was their devouring characteristic. Now, they could efficiently dispatch them while also preventing them from devouring.
Without the ability to trigger their characteristic and grow stronger, these pig-headed men were naturally no match for Bai Ye and Jin Xiangchuan.
*Thwack!*
Bai Ye kicked a pig-headed man to the ground, raised his broadsword, and plunged it into its chest, piercing its heart.
But at that moment…
A roar suddenly erupted from behind Bai Ye. A pig-headed man, wielding a massive axe, swung it down with full force towards Bai Ye's back. However, just then…
A gunshot suddenly rang out. Jin Xiangchuan, moving forward, unleashed a spray of bullets, killing the pig-headed man before it could complete its attack.
As that pig-headed man fell, there were no others standing around.
"Hoo!" Bai Ye stepped on a corpse, pulled out his broadsword, surveyed the surroundings, and let out a long sigh. "Looks like we've cleared them all."
Jin Xiangchuan nodded, sheathed his machine gun, and began walking towards the canyon entrance.
He harbored no positive feelings towards Bai Ye and had no desire for further entanglement.
In Jin Xiangchuan's eyes, Bai Ye was a crooked, unscrupulous merchant. Their cooperation was solely based on mutual benefit. Now that the pig-headed men guarding the canyon were eliminated, the profitable relationship had ended, naturally signifying the end of their collaboration.
However, in that very instant…
Jin Xiangchuan suddenly sensed something was wrong. Swift footsteps and a fierce gust of wind suddenly assailed him from behind.
Jin Xiangchuan immediately spun around and saw Bai Ye, dragging his broadsword, charging directly at him.
*Bang!*
Jin Xiangchuan didn't even have time to react before Bai Ye collided with him, sending him flying backward.
Lying on the ground, Jin Xiangchuan watched Bai Ye raise his sword and instinctively reached out to do something, but…
Nothing happened!
The 'Garen's Demacian Power's' fatal effect had activated, rendering Jin Xiangchuan unable to use any of his own abilities for 1.5 seconds.
While 1.5 seconds seemed incredibly short, it was more than enough time for Bai Ye to accomplish a great deal!
*Swish!*
Bai Ye surged forward to where Jin Xiangchuan lay, heaving his broadsword forward in a swift upward slash. As a silver sword light appeared, Jin Xiangchuan instinctively raised his arm to block.
The result…
The next second, that arm flew into the air, tumbling end over end.
"Ah!"
Jin Xiangchuan cried out in agony, sweat beading on his forehead. Gritting his teeth, he scrambled to his feet and retreated backward.
Bai Ye continued his advance, his massive broadsword scraping against the ground with a crisp, metallic sound.
"I'll pay you!" Jin Xiangchuan gritted out, "The item will absolutely satisfy you."
Bai Ye chuckled. "Do you think I want to kill you for the Shard of the God Stone?"
Jin Xiangchuan froze for a moment, then asked, "Isn't that it?"
Since the hidden quests didn't conflict and there was no competition, Bai Ye's sudden attack led Jin Xiangchuan to assume Bai Ye intended to kill him and perhaps seize the Shard of the God Stone.
Bai Ye shook his head and said, "Collecting seven scepters allows one to obtain the King's Scepter. The King's Scepter is a black-quality item that possesses the effects of all seven scepters. It can also permanently enhance one's strength, speed, stamina, spirit, physical attack resistance, mental attack resistance, and self-healing abilities through the gathering of magic…"
"But none of that is important. The crucial part is that possessing the King's Scepter allows one to sign a contract with a Hero-level figure from one of the Seven Great Clans. They will be absolutely loyal and obey the commands of the King's Scepter holder. Furthermore, the King's Scepter can be upgraded to gold quality through this, and then feed back to those seven Hero-level figures, allowing them to reach gold-quality strength. Am I correct?"
Jin Xiangchuan's expression shifted slightly. "How do you know that?"
Bai Ye smiled. "Perhaps you've forgotten, I was the first chosen one to arrive in the Demon Country. I can freely enter and exit Rimuru's mansion. The core figures of the Seven Great Clans are all capable subordinates of Rimuru. Since I am a guest of Rimuru, if I were to inquire about the King's Scepter, they would naturally tell me everything."
As Bai Ye spoke, he paused.
"Now do you understand why I want to kill you?" Bai Ye raised his sword and pointed it at Jin Xiangchuan. "Few people can truly leave the World Battlefield. In the end, the surviving powerhouses will inevitably clash. And once you obtain the King's Scepter, you will have the capital and potential to survive until the very end. I am confident that I, too, will survive until the end. Therefore…"
Bai Ye suddenly leaped forward, raising his broadsword and slashing at Jin Xiangchuan.
Jin Xiangchuan reacted quickly, enduring the searing pain. He clenched his remaining left hand in the air, and immediately, a long saber appeared in his grasp.
*Clang!*
A crisp sound of metal striking metal rang out.
Jin Xiangchuan appeared to have blocked Bai Ye's sword, but the immense force behind it was something he simply couldn't withstand.
Bai Ye pressed the saber down, then swung his sword, slicing Jin Xiangchuan's shoulder.
"What's the best way to prevent a powerful enemy from emerging? Simple: nip it in the bud." Bai Ye gritted his teeth. "You should consider yourself fortunate to possess such qualification. You know, not everyone is deemed worthy of being eliminated by me!"
The King's Scepter was too powerful!
Not only could it be upgraded to gold quality, but it could also contract seven Hero-level figures and empower them to gold-quality strength. In essence, Jin Xiangchuan could obtain eight gold-quality items through this.
Therefore, with the King's Scepter, Jin Xiangchuan's potential was boundless. As long as he didn't die, he was destined to become one of the ultimate powerhouses who would survive until the very end of the World Battlefield.
At the same time, Jin Xiangchuan's grand gesture of offering his black-quality Pulse Dual Guns in exchange for Bai Ye's Ruby Scepter made sense!
Moreover, upon learning the effects of the King's Scepter, Bai Ye was certain that when Jin Xiangchuan initially announced the scepter quest, he had never intended for anyone else to obtain it. Although he had stated that he could trade the scepters he possessed, that was merely a contingency. In the event he could never collect them all, he would trade his scepters to minimize his losses. However, Jin Xiangchuan would undoubtedly have secretly hidden one of the scepters!
The King's Scepter was something that, if he couldn't obtain it himself, he absolutely wouldn't let anyone else get it.
…