Many so-called experts are not necessarily the most capable fighters, but rather those who clearly understand their role in a battle.
Bai Ye and Jin Xiangchuan both knew exactly what they needed to do, which is why they moved with such unspoken coordination.
And with each of them performing their duties, those pig-headed people...
Were no match for them!
When faced with a large number of pig-headed people, the greatest trouble was their devouring characteristic. Now, they could both efficiently dispatch them and prevent them from devouring.
Without the ability to strengthen themselves through their characteristics, these pig-headed people were naturally no match for Bai Ye and Jin Xiangchuan.
*Thwack!*
Bai Ye kicked a pig-headed man to the ground, raised his greatsword, and plunged it into the creature's chest, piercing its heart.
But at that moment...
A roar suddenly sounded from behind Bai Ye. A pig-headed man, wielding a massive axe, swung it down with force towards Bai Ye's back. However, just then...
A gunshot rang out. Jin Xiangchuan advanced while firing, gunning down the attacking pig-headed man before it could complete its strike.
As that pig-headed man fell, there were no others standing around.
"Phew!" Bai Ye stepped over the corpse, pulled out his greatsword, and surveyed the surroundings before sighing in relief. "Looks like we got them all."
Jin Xiangchuan nodded, put away his submachine gun, and headed towards the canyon entrance.
He held no particular fondness for Bai Ye and had no desire for further involvement.
In Jin Xiangchuan's eyes, Bai Ye was a unscrupulous merchant. Their cooperation was based on mutual benefit, and now that the pig-headed guardians of the canyon were eliminated, the benefit had ended, signaling the termination of their alliance.
However, in that very instant...
Jin Xiangchuan suddenly felt something was wrong. Swift footsteps sounded behind him, followed by a fierce gust of wind rushing towards him.
Jin Xiangchuan immediately turned around, only to see Bai Ye charging towards him, dragging his greatsword.
*Bang!*
Jin Xiangchuan had no chance to react before he was hit by Bai Ye and sent sprawling backward.
Lying on the ground, Jin Xiangchuan saw Bai Ye raising his sword and instinctively reached out to do something, but...
Nothing happened!
The 'Demacian's Fatal Effect' had been triggered, rendering Jin Xiangchuan unable to use any of his own abilities for 1.5 seconds.
While 1.5 seconds might seem brief, it was more than enough for Bai Ye to accomplish many things!
*Slash!*
Bai Ye surged forward, his greatsword sweeping low towards Jin Xiangchuan. With the appearance of a silver sword light, Jin Xiangchuan instinctively tried to raise his arm to block.
The result...
The next second, his arm flew into the air, tumbling end over end.
"Ah!"
Jin Xiangchuan cried out in pain, sweat beading on his forehead. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up from the ground and retreated backward.
Bai Ye continued his advance, his massive greatsword scraping against the ground with a crisp clanging sound.
"I'll pay!" Jin Xiangchuan gritted out. "The item will absolutely satisfy you."
Bai Ye chuckled. "Do you think I want to kill you for a fragment of the God Stone?"
Jin Xiangchuan blinked in surprise. "Isn't it?"
Since their hidden quests had no conflict and there was no competition, Jin Xiangchuan naturally assumed Bai Ye's sudden attack was motivated by a desire to seize the God Stone fragment.
Bai Ye shook his head. "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. Furthermore, it can permanently enhance one's strength, speed, stamina, spirit, physical attack resistance, mental attack resistance, and self-healing abilities through energy gathering..."
"But none of that is important. The crucial point 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 wielder of the King's Scepter. The King's Scepter can then be upgraded to gold quality, and in turn, it can empower those seven Hero-level figures of the Seven Great Clans, granting them gold-quality strength. Am I correct?"
Jin Xiangchuan's expression shifted slightly. "How do you know that?"
Bai Ye smiled. "Have you forgotten? I was the first chosen one to arrive in the Demon Nation, and 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 inquire about the King's Scepter, they will naturally tell me everything."
As Bai Ye spoke, he stopped.
"Now do you understand why I want to kill you?" Bai Ye pointed his sword at Jin Xiangchuan. "Very few people can truly leave the World Battlefield. In the end, the surviving powerhouses will inevitably clash. By obtaining the King's Scepter, you will have the capital and potential to survive until the very end. And I am confident that I will also survive until the end. Therefore..."
Bai Ye suddenly lunged forward, raising his greatsword and slashing at Jin Xiangchuan.
Jin Xiangchuan reacted swiftly, enduring the intense pain. With his remaining left hand, he clenched the air, and then, a long saber materialized in his grasp.
*Clang!*
A crisp metallic sound echoed.
Though Jin Xiangchuan appeared to have blocked Bai Ye's sword strike, the immense force that followed was something he could not withstand.
Bai Ye pressed his blade down, then sliced Jin Xiangchuan's shoulder.
"What is the best way to eliminate a powerful enemy? It's simple: crush them in the cradle," Bai Ye gritted out. "You should feel honored to have this qualification. Not everyone is 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 potentially wield eight gold-quality items through this!
Therefore, with the King's Scepter, Jin Xiangchuan possessed unlimited potential. As long as he survived, he was bound to become one of the ultimate powerhouses to reach the end of the World Battlefield.
At the same time, it made sense why Jin Xiangchuan had so generously offered his black-quality Pulse Dual Guns to exchange for the Ruby Scepter from Bai Ye!
Furthermore, upon learning the effects of the King's Scepter, Bai Ye was certain that when Jin Xiangchuan initially announced the scepter quest, he had no intention of letting anyone else obtain it. Although he claimed he could trade away the scepters he possessed, that was merely a contingency. In the scenario where he absolutely could not gather them all, he would trade away his own scepter to cut his losses. However, Jin Xiangchuan would undoubtedly hide one of the scepters for himself!
The King's Scepter was something he would absolutely not allow others to obtain if he himself could not have it.
...