If the Emperor Realm was considered among the elite of the Star Boundary, then Titled Emperors were the elite among the elite.
The Devouring Heavenly Emperor was certainly one of them.
Wu Mengchuan was actually a descendant of a Titled Emperor? That was far beyond what Yang Kai had ever expected.
And from that Emperor's title, it was clear he had also cultivated the Devouring Heavenly Battle Art. One could even say the Devouring Heavenly Battle Art was passed down from the Devouring Heavenly Emperor himself.
Yang Kai was stunned on the spot!
The cultivation technique of a Titled Emperor—how could the word "precious" even begin to describe it? It was practically an unrivaled treasure! If word got out, even ordinary Emperor Realm cultivators would come fighting to the death for it.
Yang Kai suddenly felt a bit uneasy. He had inadvertently stumbled upon a secret of enormous magnitude. Would Wu Mengchuan turn on him and silence him?
Moreover… why had Wu Mengchuan so readily passed the Devouring Heavenly Battle Art to him? That was undoubtedly his most valuable possession.
Yang Kai didn't believe Wu Mengchuan was genuinely that kind-hearted. Judging from his current behavior, this old man was ruthless, cold, and devoid of mercy—he had even slaughtered his old subordinates without hesitation back in the day. How could he possibly be so generous toward a warrior he had only just met?
With that thought, Yang Kai quietly raised his guard, resolving to release the Insect Demon Mother Body at the slightest sign of trouble.
As if sensing the shift in Yang Kai's aura, Wu Mengchuan actually turned his head and let out a low chuckle in Yang Kai's direction.
A chill ran down Yang Kai's spine.
Fortunately, Wu Mengchuan paid him no further mind and instead spoke in a deep voice: "Hmph. Back then, if one of you hadn't leaked the information—letting those four scoundrels learn that I was a descendant of the Devouring Heavenly Emperor and possessed the Devouring Heavenly Battle Art—how would I have ended up like this? After so many years, I've no interest in digging up who exactly betrayed me. You're all dead now, and that settles it."
As he spoke, Wu Mengchuan drove the Devouring Heavenly Battle Art even more ferociously.
Standing not far behind him, struggling to resist that devouring force, beads of cold sweat rolled down Yang Kai's forehead.
Damn… he had just heard a truckload of shocking secrets all at once, and his mind could barely digest them.
From the meaning behind Wu Mengchuan's words, it seemed that back then he had likely been betrayed by one of his own subordinates. This led to the four Protectors learning that he possessed the Devouring Heavenly Battle Art, which prompted them to rise up and imprison him here, hoping to extract the cultivation method from him.
There were probably schemes, ambushes, and underhanded plots involved.
But Wu Mengchuan clearly hadn't cooperated. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lived until today—he would have been killed by the four Protectors long ago to cover their tracks.
A cultivation technique passed down from a Titled Emperor—who wouldn't covet it? The four Protectors, upon learning the truth, had every reason to make their move against Wu Mengchuan. After all, their strength was at the Dao Source Stage Three level, and with four against one—plus ambush tactics—success was virtually guaranteed.
While these thoughts flashed through Yang Kai's mind, the screams from the surrounding prison cells gradually died down, and the life force of those warriors faded away almost at once.
Yang Kai looked around and saw that the dead had become desiccated and shriveled, as though weathered by a hundred years of erosion. Their eyes bulged grotesquely from their sockets, and there was not a trace of blood left in their bodies.
After devouring the blood essence and life force of so many people, Wu Mengchuan shed his previous elderly appearance entirely. Now his hair was thick and dark, his skin fair, and his frame tall and powerful. He looked no different from a man in his thirties or forties.
And from the violent waves of power surging from within him, his cultivation had clearly recovered to the Dao Source Stage Three level!
He turned his head and let out a low, sinister laugh. "Let's go. I'll carve out a bloody path for us. Mm, I smell the scent of an old acquaintance—how nostalgic!"
With that, he strode straight ahead.
Wherever he passed, beams of blood-colored light shot out from the prison cells on both sides, which he swallowed with a wide-open mouth. The warriors imprisoned in those cells—if their strength was even slightly weaker, they died instantly; even those somewhat stronger couldn't hold on for long before Wu Mengchuan forcibly stripped them of their blood essence and life force.
With each step forward, the waves of power within Wu Mengchuan's body grew increasingly terrifying, increasingly horrifying.
The violent fluctuation of that blood essence power left even Yang Kai trembling with fear! He was terrified the old man wouldn't be able to contain it and would explode on the spot.
Ahead, several figures were rapidly approaching, evidently having sensed something amiss in the Bone Prison and wanting to investigate. The one in the lead was none other than Yan Xiuran, and following behind him were the two Void King Realm warriors who had tormented Yang Kai numerous times before.
These people had barely entered the Bone Prison and hadn't even grasped what was happening when Wu Mengchuan, striding toward them, struck out with a palm from a distance, blasting them all into fine powder.
From the exploding flesh and blood, beams of blood-colored light shot out, and Wu Mengchuan opened his great mouth to swallow every last one.
"Brother Yang…" Liu Xianyun's voice came from the darkness.
A cold gleam flashed in Wu Mengchuan's eyes, and he was about to strike at Liu Xianyun. Yang Kai hurriedly called out: "Senior, she's my friend!"