Chapter 866: The Praying Mantis Hunts the Cicada
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The two of them had been initially fighting each other, and they had been equally matched. Now, they turned their attention to Mo Wen. They could not reach a result, but if the two of them joined forces to deal with a third person, there would be a different ending.
Those who could enter the Red Stone Forest were all the cream of the crop among their generation. Their talents and intelligence were all extraordinary, so they came up with this strategy in an instant.
“Are you two planning to join forces and rob me?” Mo Wen asked nonchalantly.
“Who asked you to appear at the wrong time? If you did not appear, nothing would have happened to you. A wise man submits to fate. Surrender your points, and we can let you live,” a youth with a mole below his left eyebrow said with a cold laugh.
The two of them gradually surrounded Mo Wen. Both of them had good eyesight. They could tell Mo Wen was younger than them. His cultivation was most likely also not very high.
“Laughable. You don’t know that you are coveting a gain ahead without being aware of danger behind. The two of you are also foolish.” Mo Wen shook his head. In the Red Stone Forest, there were more major criminals than participants. This area was the territory of those criminals. Wasn’t it suicidal to infight with so much fanfare in the Red Stone Forest?
“The praying mantis hunts the cicada while the oriole waits behind. You mean to say that you are the praying mantis?” the youth who had already spoken said with a sneer.
Although the other youth did not say anything, he revealed a mocking look. Right now, Mo Wen was a sitting duck for others, yet he actually dared to call himself a praying mantis.
“Both of you come at me together,” Mo Wen said.
Initially, he did not want to target these two, but since they came to seek their own deaths, he did not mind getting some points from them.
“Your tongue is still as stubborn even at death’s door. Since you came to die, I will send you off.”
The two youths glanced at each other. Although the youth had told them to, they both attacked at the same time. Those who could appear in the Red Stone Forest were not ordinary people. No matter how condescending they were with their words, when they truly attacked, they went all out.
Rumble!
Two powerful auras shot up to the sky. They crashed towards Mo Wen, one from the left and one from the right.
One of the youths practiced fist techniques. His punches were powerful and fierce. One punch was sent out and a wind swept up and howled through the air. The red stones all around were shattered into dust, which was thrown up into the air.
Mo Wen could tell at a glance that the youth’s punch was no ordinary fist technique. It was a fist technique that combined inner and outer strength that had rather astonishing might. This fist technique was at least an Absolute Rank martial art, and an outstanding one among the Absolute Rank martial arts at that.
However, this youth’s martial arts teaching realm was clearly insufficient. Mo Wen was someone who practiced rite of passage martial arts. He could see through the flaws of his fist technique in a glance.
A hand as pure and white as jade extended without a sound. It was as though it had come out of thin air, appearing without any premonition in front of the youth’s fist. It grabbed the youth’s fist solidly and securely. In just an instant, the punch ground to a halt from high speed.
The expression of the youth that had sent out the punch changed drastically. He had not imagined that his punch would actually be blocked by his opponent, and in such a manner as this. He attempted to retract his fist, but he suddenly discovered that the hand clenched onto his fist like a clamp. No matter how much strength he used, he could not pull his fist back.
“How is this possible?”
The youth’s eyes were wide open. He could not believe what he was seeing. He suddenly had a frightening realization. He had encountered a strong foe!
“Die!”
The youth on the other side wielded a dagger in his hand. He cunningly stabbed it towards Mo Wen’s chest with a flash of cold light. Its speed was like a bolt of lightning; it was frighteningly fast.
The dagger was just an ordinary dagger, but in the hands of this youth right now, it was as though it could pierce a mountain.
Mo Wen laughed coldly and extended a finger. With a slight flick, it appeared in front of the dagger like a twinkling star. The dagger was fast, but the finger was even faster.
Participants were forbidden to use any outside items. To ensure fairness, all treasures related to immortal cultivators could not be used during the tournament. Hence, the ancient martial art practitioners that entered the Red Stone Forest merely carried ordinary weapons.
Before Mo Wen entered the forest, his medicine spiritual ring was nearly taken away. Fortunately, he was a member of the Martial Arts Grandmaster Palace Hall. Compared to other people, he was given better treatment. Hence, they did not confiscate his medicine spiritual ring. However, all the treasures in his medicine spiritual ring were sealed away. He could not even use spiritual pills and spiritual medicine.
Since he had begun cultivating, Mo Wen’s ability was largely dependent on his treasures. Right now, he could not use his treasures and could only depend on his own cultivation as well as his martial arts teaching realm. It could be said that his ability was largely reduced and had shrunk greatly.
However, similarly, if he could not use them, others could not use them as well. This point was certainly fair.
“Be careful.”
Right now, the youth whose fist was being held realized that Mo Wen was not to be trifled with. His face was pale. With just one hand, Mo Wen had already immobilized him on the spot. How strong was Mo Wen’s power?
Unfortunately, both of them had attacked at the same time. It was already too late now.
Ding!
With a crisp sound, the dagger snapped in two as though it had crashed into an endless mountain range.
The youth had yet to comprehend what had occurred when he was sent flying backward by a terrifying force.
Ptui!
Red stones shattered. The youth crashed into a large boulder, and it shattered into pieces. At the same time, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Also at the same time, the youth whose fist was being held felt a terrifying force being transmitted from his opponent’s palm. With a cracking sound, his arm shattered and his entire body was sent flying away.
In just an instant, both of them completely lost the ability to move.
“You…”
The two youths looked at Mo Wen in terror. They had never imagined that this youth would actually be so frightening.
“What else do you wish to say?” Mo Wen waved his hand expressionlessly. The two of them were immediately grabbed by a formless hand. They were lifted up like two little chicks and thrown together.
“I have nothing to say. My skills are not on par with yours. I submit. I can give you all the points that I have. I only hope that you will not force us to leave this place.”
The youth with the mole on his left eyebrow wiped away the bloodstains at the corner of his mouth. He took out a jade pendant and casually threw it towards Mo Wen.
The jade pendant was the jade pendant that stored all of his points.
“Aren’t you afraid that I will not return your jade pendant and let you die here in the Red Stone Forest?” Mo Wen said with a faint smile on his face as he played with the jade pendant in his hand.
“We have no grudge with you. We only seek points. Why would you kill me? Giving you my jade pendant is just a sign of my sincerity,” Li Jiangcheng said plainly.
He liked to gamble a lot. Right now, he was betting that Mo Wen would not simply kill him. Of course, he was not truly using his life as a betting chip. It was just that he felt that Mo Wen was a person who would not simply kill the innocent.
If he did not have any points, he could still find ways of earning them back again. However, if he was forced out of the Red Stone Forest, then he would no longer have the chance to do so. Moreover, he only entered the Red Stone Forest less than two hours ago. If he was eliminated in such a short amount of time, he would not be able to face the elders of his own clan.
“You truly do not wish to leave here?” Mo Wen asked with a faint smile on his face.
“I am not a person who easily gives up. If you let me go this time, it will not affect you,” Li Jiangcheng said. Only his points were useful to that youth. Forcing Li Jiangcheng out of the Red Stone Forest would bring him no benefits. Just now, Li Jiangcheng also had no intention of killing this youth or forcing him out of the Red Stone Forest.
Mo Wen smiled and said nothing. He took out his own jade pendant and placed it on top of Li Jiangcheng’s jade pendant. His consciousness shifted and the character of “ten” on Li Jiangcheng’s jade pendant automatically disappeared. His own jade pendant, on the other hand, automatically showed 20.
After taking Li Jiangcheng’s points, Mo Wen casually threw the jade pendant back to Li Jiangcheng. For Mo Wen, there was indeed no meaning for him to force Li Jiangcheng to leave this place. He also had no use for the jade pendant. Instead, the major criminals here saw the jade pendant as a second life.
It was because if they gathered five of them, they could exchange the jade pendants for their freedom.
“I will also give you my points. I hope you will also not trouble me.”
The other person initially was still somewhat hesitant, but after seeing Mo Wen return the jade pendant to Li Jiangcheng, he also hastily threw over his jade pendant. He also did not want to leave the Red Stone Forest. If he got eliminated after just entering, how would he still dare to call himself a genius?
It was already a rather risky action for him to give the jade pendant to Mo Wen. If Mo Wen did not return him the jade pendant, he would truly be in a terrible situation.
It was because he could only be transported out by smashing the jade pendant. If Mo Wen took his jade pendant and did not return it, it would be impossible for him to leave this place even if he wanted to.
However, with Li Jiangcheng’s prior example, he chose to believe in Mo Wen.
Mo Wen had no intention of making things hard for them. After retrieving the points, he returned the jade pendants to them.
“You should leave while you still can.”
Mo Wen smiled somewhat meaningfully. Then, he casually found a clean boulder and sat down to rest.
The two of them looked suspiciously at Mo Wen. They did not know what Mo Wen’s words meant.
But since Mo Wen told them to, it was impossible for them to continue to stay foolishly there. The two of them could not wait to leave immediately.
They glanced at each other, got up, and prepared to leave.
However, the two of them had barely taken two steps when suddenly a series of sonic booms sounded.
Next, a large number of boulders shot over. Each boulder contained huge amounts of energy. The two of them were hit multiple times and were sent crashing backward by more than a hundred meters, dropping out of the sky.
“All of you, don’t even think about taking one step out of here!”
Sinister laughter suddenly came from all around them. Next, silhouettes emerged one by one from various corners of the Red Stone Forest. It was as though they had appeared out of thin air.
These people were dressed very simply. They could even be considered ragged and could compare with beggars in the streets. Their clothes were in tatters, and some were even draped in animal skins.
However, all of these people emanated fierce killing intent like wild beasts. One could tell at a glance that they were not to be trifled with.
There were a total of thirteen of them. Once they appeared, they surrounded the three of them, including Mo Wen.
“You are all… the major criminals imprisoned in the Red Stone Forest.”
Li Jiangcheng’s expression changed drastically. He looked at the people dressed in rags in astonishment. Without a doubt, they were certainly the major criminals that were imprisoned in this place.
Before this, Li Jiangcheng had attempted to find one or two of them, but he had come out empty-handed. They were as difficult to find as mice.
But who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, so many major criminals would emerge and surround him?
The praying mantis hunts the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!
Li Jiangcheng suddenly looked at Mo Wen. He finally understood what Mo Wen’s words meant. It turns out that he was not talking about himself, but these major criminals!