The Last Primal

On the other side, it was clear that the skinny old man gave his everything in this last attack. It carried his last wisps of energy he had gained and cultivated with decades if not centuries of effort in that last decisive attack.

As soon as his attack finished his body shriveled and swayed. The previously terrifying aura he had was nowhere to be felt now, and the old man looked nothing more than just that; a weak old man at the end of his rope.

This was his will, his resolve. He was the assigned guardian of the now-deceased young master, the ex young heir of the Malefic Demons Clan, Yang Zahn.

The skinny old man did not have the chance to strike a second time.

In just seconds, life wafted away from his rapidly aging and weakening body. In just a couple of seconds of time, the last wisps of life essence escaped from his flesh and his dried up corpse fell down on the ground, giving out only a meager, dull thud on the dust covered floor of the cave abode.

Many people had complicated expressions upon seeing this.

"[Reptilian] If he wasn't targeted by a Martial Grandmaster guardian elder, a true warrior like him would have been able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the young elites of the various major factions."

"[Reptilian] Hmpf! He asked for it by being so arrogant and insolent!"

"[Reptilian] It's true that he's a rare genius to be able to obtain the Sword Emperor's inheritance. What a pity…"

action

"[Reptilian] There's nothing to be pitied. A fallen genius isn't a genius and will definitely be forgotten by others in the end."

"[Reptilian] Still, it was quite an honorable death for him to exchange his life with a Martial Grandmaster's. Such a feat was not heard of before…"

Some of the onlooking martial artists looked regretful, some gloated while others shook their heads and sighed.

Pei Syriac had a smile on his face and was already prepared to make a move. He was going to grab Aiden's storage ring the moment the black palm dissipated. This was his plan from before. He wanted to be the sole victor of their three-way bout without shedding any effort.

He felt extremely cunning that his plan had been realized so perfectly!

But right then, as he was gloating gleefully inwardly, a rumbling sound surged out from the black palm that was in midair, roaring with a terrifying aura!

*CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!*

A thin crack appeared on the surface of the black palm, growing bigger and clearer!

*SWOOSH!*

Through the pitch-black malevolent aura, a bright golden light that flickered with lightning burst out from within. It was eye-catching and split the black palm into two as a figure leaped out.

Everyone shuddered and their eyeballs constricted with disbelief when they caught sight of that figure. He was disheveled and his already raggedy garment was torn on several places, but…

"[Reptilian] IMPOSSIBLE! How?! H-How is that possible?!" Pei Syriac lost his composure and exclaimed.

The disheveled figure that had its attire torn, but otherwise looked healthy and fine wasn't anybody else, but Aiden himself whom everyone had thought to be dead!

No… not just thought but was absolutely, beyond a doubt certain he was dead for sure!

His raggedy gray robes were completely corroded by the malevolent aura. He looked wretched, staggering in his footsteps.

However, his eyes were bright and clear as ever and there was a fighting intent that was rising in his gaze. Exuding an arrogant aura, he possessed a dominance that looked down on everyone!

He was still alive!

Against the full strength of a Martial Grandmaster and the suppressive power of a decades of gathered mana, Aiden miraculously managed to survive!

Well, it was just a miracle, but he still managed to keep his strength a secret. At the decisive moment he increased his body's strength for a mere moment and withstood the attack.

Apart from the two attacks from before, the golden aura and Rygintarth's Sword Formation beam, the moment he was engulfed by the black palm, Aiden even circulated his ancient draconic bloodline and channeled his power to its peak!

Although that slash managed to split the black palm into two, allowing him to escape, he was still injured nevertheless.

Furthermore, he couldn't even use the old man's body and essence for his restoration, or absorption as by the time he had managed all of that, the last bits of the precious life essence have long since vanished from this realm and sucked up by the greedy, hungry void!

This meant that the Martial Grandmaster skinny elder had died for nothing!

With that, the Malefic Demons Clan's previously mighty and dominant presence in the Ancient Burial Grounds, as well as in Ugburg city was almost completely destroyed. Their heir, their secret force have been uprooted without a chance for comeback!

*BLEURGH!*

Aiden spat out a mouthful of blood and his face turned paler.

While he managed to survive, he did not feel good either. His body had just received a strong impact after all and he was suffering from internal injuries with his internal organs shaken.

He needed to recover, to recoup some of his lost energy and health…

He also realized his mistake, albeit a bit too late: He would have been doomed if the two Martial Grandmaster elders had joined forces.

It was a pity that the Crystal Palace Sect Guardian Elder did not see the need or reason to sacrifice himself and thus did not attack Aiden when it mattered.

Gripping the handle of the ebony blade, Rygintarth tightly, Aiden panted slightly.

Pei Syriac narrowed his eyes and awaited for an opportunity. There were still a few Malefic Demons Clan clan members left in the cave abode. Shifting slowly, they moved to surround Aiden with hateful eyes.

Aiden closed his eyes slowly to regulate his breathing, as though he was unaware of everything around him.

No one could tell that Aiden's real injuries the internal damages were healing at a visible speed.

Not only was his physique powerful, his regeneration capabilities were even more terrifying. After all, he was not just a simple Draconic Skink, or a reptilian for that matter but a true Primal, the last of his kind after all. Even without any vital essence he could regulate his superior [Soul Power] energy to recover in critical situation.

"[Reptilian] Tsk, Tsk Tsk! Aiden, oh Aiden… you don't even have the energy to attack anymore?"

"[Reptilian] Hehe, if I were you and I managed to survive against a Martial Grandmaster, I would have left this place right away! However, there's only a single reason why you're still here… you don't even have the strength to run away anymore!"

Pei Syriac was wary and did not dare to strike directly, merely testing the waters with a faked composure and smile on his face.

Aiden however was expressionless and did not even open his eyes, as if he had heard nothing at all.

"[Reptilian] Hmm… Seems like I was right…"

Pei Syriac retracted his smile and shouted coldly. "[Reptilian] Kill him!"

The moment he said that, the surrounding Crystal Palace Sect and remaining Malefic Demons Clan disciples roared and attacked one after another.

In a flash, the cave abode lit up once more!

All of a sudden!

Two neigh divine beams of majestic, golden light flickered in the void and was even more dazzling than the magical sparks of mana on the various techniques and arts fired up.

Those two beams originated from none other than Aiden's golden, exotic eyes!

They were shiny and sharp as knives!

Suddenly a thin smile emerged on his face and before anyone could react, his body  disappeared from where he was and a sword light flashed, swiping gently against a disciple's neck, causing blood to spew out!

The young man died on the spot.

Immediately after, he slashed in reverse and struck the bracer of another Crystal Palace Sect disciple.

*SNAP!*

Even with the bracer, that person's arm could not be saved.

Against the massive force, the person was sent flying and slammed heavily against the wall of the cave abode, sliding down slowly as his eyes dimmed.

Barging left and right, Aiden channeled his full power and deployed the techniques he learned from the [Void Splitting Manual]! No one could stop his rampage!

"[Reptilian] Little, pathetic worm."

Bursting through all the obstacles, Aiden arrived before Pei Syriac and roared in laughter.

"[Reptilian] You seem to be still in a slight misunderstanding here… The reason why I stayed here isn't because I have no strength left to run. It's because… I'm here to take your life!"

*SLASH!*

Rygintarth's dark blade descended from above in a terrifying manner!

Even though Aiden could no longer deploy Force given his current state, the power of his physique and bloodline was enough to destroy everything in his path!

*CLANG!*

Ryginatrth collided against Pei Syriac's fists.

For that slash, Aiden deployed [Vortex] from the [Void Splitting Manual].

Although it looked ordinary, there was an incredible power of contortion spiraling within the sword technique!