Chapter 1782: Death Reaper

Just then, a massive figure appeared in their sight, and Zu An and the others finally understood what everyone else was fleeing from.

They saw a monster four or five stories tall, thrashing about like a giant praying mantis. But unlike a mantis's slender waist, its body was quite stout and shimmered all over with a metallic luster. If not for its immense size, Zu An might have thought it resembled a supercar from his previous life.

It had numerous legs, each densely covered with sharp, barbed spines. As it scurried quickly, it stepped on people who had fallen during the chaotic escape, its limbs piercing their bodies like sharp blades. Even those at the very edge of the tomb were not unknown figures in the martial world; each possessed considerable physical strength, and some were clearly equipped with precious armor for defense. Yet, before those slender limbs, everything was like paper, and blood splattered instantly.

Then, the air was filled with a sound like straws sucking water. Those with sharp eyes noticed that all the victims' blood surged into the monster's limbs. Through the slender limbs, one could faintly see the blood being absorbed into the monster's body. Simultaneously, the fallen bodies withered instantly, leaving behind only skin.

The monster was actually devouring human essence and blood! The thought alone, combined with the continuous slurping sound, made their scalps crawl.

However, there were still brave individuals among them. The sight of their companions being devoured seemed to have inflamed their eyes. Many people brandished their weapons and charged at the monster. Others, confident in their powerful cultivation, were unwilling to flee and abandon their chance to explore the great tomb, so they also joined the attack.

*Swoosh!*

The monster's two forelimbs were exceptionally massive, like scythes. Instantly, crimson mists erupted in the air, as most of those who charged were directly cut in half.

Zu An and the others' hearts collectively skipped a beat. "What swift blades!" Despite their cultivation level, they hadn't even seen how the monster wielded its blades. It was simply too fast; they had only just seen its forelimbs rise, and then everything was over.

At this point, some cultivators attacking the monster from the side and rear seized the opportunity to get close to its flanks. They clearly understood that if the monster turned its head and swung its forelimbs, most of them would be turned into a bloody mess. Rather than that, it was better to take a chance! They all swung their weapons at the monster. Even if they couldn't kill it, dying together wouldn't be too great a loss.

A series of clanging sounds rang out. Their eyes instantly widened in disbelief, because their full-force attacks couldn't even penetrate its defenses! All the sabers, spears, swords, and halberds struck the monster's body, at most leaving only a few white marks. Everyone was terrified. They all thought of retreating, but suddenly two enormous scythes appeared in their vision, and then everything turned crimson.

Seeing this scene, the remaining people completely collapsed. They no longer had the courage to fight back, and fled outwards, wailing hysterically. Unfortunately, the monster's limbs were simply too long. A few casual steps allowed it to surround many people, followed by a one-sided slaughter.

Wei Suo suggested, "Let's use this chance to escape quickly."

Zu An, however, shook his head. "Although these people aren't necessarily good, I can't just stand by and watch humanity be slaughtered without doing anything. My conscience just won't allow it."

Jing Teng looked at him with a hint of surprise. This person seemed remarkably different from the selfish and cruel individuals common in this world.

Qiu Honglei's expression was grave. "But this monster is impervious to blades and spears. We can't do anything." This was merely a monster from the outer layer of the great tomb. Who knew how terrifying the other monsters imprisoned by Immortal Monarch Baopu back then might be.

She quickly explained, "This monster is called the 'Death Reaper'. Its entire exoskeleton is immune to attacks from anything below divine-grade weapons. Moreover, its pair of reaping scythes are elusive and as swift as shooting stars. It's not something we can handle."

Zu An was somewhat surprised. This woman seemed to know an excessive amount about the great tomb.

"Being impervious to weapons can be dealt with," Zu An said, "but its strikes are too fast; they're impossible to defend against." Recalling how its forelimbs had moved just moments ago, it had already transcended the concept of speed. Although his body was tough, being cut in half by one strike would certainly not be a pleasant experience.

Qiu Honglei said, "I can use the Wall of Sighs to block it for a breath's time." That was the strongest defensive technique of the light element.

"Then it's no problem," Zu An said, his expression shifting. He quickly discussed the plan with her.

By then, the monster had noticed the few people remaining there. They had stayed put, forming a stark contrast to the scattered, fleeing 'ants', making them impossible to overlook. The monster waved its eight long legs, quickly charging towards them.

Zu An directly went to meet it. Using his Great Wind ability, he almost instantly appeared above the monster's head. The monster's compound eyes shifted, clearly noticing his presence. Its two scythes instantly slashed out, moving so fast that no one had time to react.

Fortunately, Qiu Honglei had already prepared, conjuring a Wall of Sighs around him. The monster's blades struck it almost simultaneously. The Wall of Sighs, renowned for blocking all attacks, shattered instantly. However, it did manage to block those two strikes. Before its forelimbs could move again, Zu An had already made his move.

The Taia Sword was drawn. A magnificent and dazzling sword energy, like a galaxy, burst forth before everyone. No one could describe this sword strike. There were many masters present, but they all felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness, as if this single strike was destined to be invincible.

The monster's hard shell was no longer effective. The vast sword energy directly shredded its head into pieces. Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. The Taia Sword was a divine artifact, and combined with the sword energy he had imbued with an invincible will, it would have been unreasonable if its shell could still block it.

A hint of joy also appeared on Qiu Honglei's face. She had fantasized countless times about fighting alongside Zu An like this, but unfortunately, there had never been an opportunity. Now, her dream had finally come true.

Just then, a sudden sense of alarm surged through Zu An.

"Be careful!" Qiu Honglei's voice rang out in alarm, because she saw the monster's two forelimbs, which had stopped after its head was shredded, suddenly lift again and continue to slash towards Zu An. She had just conjured a Wall of Sighs, and it would be difficult to summon another one in a short time.

Zu An hadn't expected this scene either. He secretly regretted it, almost forgetting that insects, unlike many animals, don't necessarily die even if their heads are cut off. It was too late for him to dodge now. He could only brandish the Taia Sword and meet the attack head-on. Since he couldn't see the trajectory of the opponent's blades, he would use offense as defense, to see who would perish. Thinking of the monster's enormous forelimbs, he wondered if his body, tempered by the Primordial Chaos Scripture, could withstand them this time.

Just then, a rapid chanting sound seemed to echo: "Imminent soldiers, fighters, line up and advance! The formation is in the north, Black Tortoise, heed my command!" He couldn't worry about it too much. Sword energy filled the sky, directly pouring down upon the monster's limbs.

The monster's remaining body was dissolved by the sword energy, but its two forelimbs also struck him. Zu An gritted his teeth. His cultivation power surged throughout his body, preparing to withstand the damage head-on. To his surprise, there was no pain at all. He looked down and noticed a spectral tortoise shell appearing around him, perfectly blocking the two strikes.

As the monster's main body died, its two scythe-like forelimbs lost all momentum and dropped. Zu An casually caught them.

"Scythes of Death!" A line of text appeared in the keyboard's backend, apparently identifying the item. Zu An thought they might be useful in the future, and directly stored them within the Glazed Pearl.

Wei Suo couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Oh, Boss, you actually have such a huge storage space on you!" The monster's two scythe-like forelimbs were several meters long, too large for an ordinary storage bag.

Zu An smiled. "I just happen to have one." He looked at Jing Teng. "Thank you, Miss Jing, for your timely assistance just now. Otherwise, I might have been cut in half."

Even Qiu Honglei looked at her gratefully, completely forgetting to be jealous. In that instant, her heart had nearly jumped out of her chest. Fortunately, Jing Teng had intervened.

Jing Teng replied calmly, "Young Master's body is as tough as iron. Even without my help just now, you would at most have been injured, not in mortal danger."

Wei Suo asked curiously, "How do you know his body is as tough as iron?"

Qiu Honglei also stared at her curiously, wondering if she also knew about Ah Zu's cultivation of the Primordial Chaos Scripture.

Jing Teng's face flushed. But she reacted quickly and immediately explained, "I noticed that his skin often shimmers with an unusual glow, clearly indicating he has cultivated his body with a secret technique."

"I see." Wei Suo and Qiu Honglei no longer suspected anything. Only Jing Teng's cheeks remained flushed.

At this point, the surrounding people gathered around, thanking Zu An for saving their lives. They also inquired about their backgrounds, as it was impossible for such figures to be unknown in the world. Zu An did not want to deal with them. He casually exchanged a few words and then parted ways. He had only saved them because he wanted to intervene; it had nothing to do with them personally.

"Will we encounter even stronger monsters next?" Zu An seized the opportunity to ask Jing Teng, as she seemed very knowledgeable about the great tomb.

"That Death Reaper just now was already very powerful," Jing Teng said, looking at Zu An with a complex expression. "Its combat strength even surpassed a Grandmaster. I didn't expect you to defeat it so easily." She continued, "Although your cultivation isn't particularly high, your sword-wielding posture is truly impressive."