In front of the devil apeman were two Emperors. One of them was of the shadowmark race, one of the many surface races. They shared a lot of similarities with the human race, yet there were also a lot of differences between the two. An example would be their slim and frail build akin to a bamboo pole. Their bodies were covered with odd markings akin to natural tattoos. These markings granted them a natural resonance with the power of darkness. They were nigh undetectable at night, their bodies akin to elusive shadows. 

The other Emperor was a human. He had a lustrous mane of red hair and a crimson armor protecting his body. His face did not look much older than 20 years old, and his young face emanated a resolute temperament. He was an Emperor, something hard to believe considering his young looks.

"F*cking savage, you are courting death!" the shadowmark screeched as an incorporeal power rippled out of his body, allowing him to flutter to the side and avoid the devil apeman's attack. A jet-black radiance shone from the markings on one of his arms, and a rune shot out of it toward the devil apeman.

Shadow Arms Wrath!

The attack instantly reached the devil apeman, blasting him to the side. As for the red-haired young man, he nimbly dodged to the side and avoided the attack before dashing straight toward the devil edge grass. He moved nimbly, weaving about the attacks three other seventh-stage Emperors threw his way before reaching out to grab at the devil edge grass.

"Kid, you are courting death! Scram!" an old Emperor yelled before stabbing the red-haired young man with a black spear.

The old Emperor was one of the strongest individuals present. When he attacked, it was as if the world around him froze as a majestic attack crashed forth toward the young man. The red-haired young man reacted deftly and dodged the attack with exquisite footwork, but as a result of that, he was forced to move away from the devil edge grass.

At this time, a different seventh-stage Devil Emperor opened his mouth wide, trying to swallow the devil edge grass yet was knocked away by a different Devil Emperor. An intense and chaotic battle was happening between all these Emperors.

Even so, they were all holding back, trying to avoid damaging the devil edge grass. It did not seem likely that Xiang Shaoyun would be able to get the devil edge grass from these late-stage Emperors. Furthermore, he had already caught the eye of the Emperor Realm shadowmark: "A puny King dares to steal from a group of tigers? Die!"

With a look of disdain in his eyes, the Emperor Realm shadowmark threw a casual attack at Xiang Shaoyun, trying to kill him.

Looks like I won't be able to get through peacefully unless I can enter the shrinking space stage, sighed Xiang Shaoyun inwardly. Left with no choice, he released his Nether Soul Domain.

The only reason he had charged right into the midst of the battlefield was to temper his footwork and Nether Soul Domain on top of getting the devil edge grass. After all, one would generally achieve more results cultivating amid intense danger.

It would greatly benefit his future path of cultivation if he could further solidify his soul and strengthen his soul power to the point life and death no longer limited his soul.

If anyone else knew what he was thinking, they would probably say something like "What a madman!" After all, he was so casually putting his own life on the line. What would he be if not a madman?

The Nether Soul Domain spread and enveloped the area, putting many of the Emperors in panic, especially the Devil Emperors. They all trembled in fear, akin to a group of lowly slaves meeting their majestic king.

Xiang Shaoyun did not take the chance to kill the Emperors in his Nether Soul Domain. Rather, he picked the devil edge grass, withdrew the Nether Soul Domain, and started rushing toward the third layer. By the time the Emperors recovered from their panic, the devil edge grass was already nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it! What just happened?" roared a furious Emperor.

"It's that King Realm kid! He has stolen the devil edge grass and is rushing toward the third layer," someone else cried out.

Without anyone giving the command, several figures left in pursuit. Those in pursuit were the old Emperor, the red-haired young man, and the Emperor Realm shadowmark. They reacted the fastest among all the Emperors. As for the Devil Emperors, none of them gave chase, as they had not recovered from their fear.

Upon entering the third layer, Xiang Shaoyun found that the devilish energy in the air was much thicker and was surging violently. The surface races hated such an environment, but he felt as comfortable as when he was at the surface. He even took the chance to absorb some into his body.

"Wait, those fellows are really giving chase? How troublesome," Xiang Shaoyun grumbled when he sensed the pursuers. He might be fast, but he wasn't faster than three late-stage Emperors. He had no choice but to release his Nether Soul Domain once again, trapping his three pursuers.

"Stop following, or I will kill all of you," warned Xiang Shaoyun murderously.

The devil edge grass never had an owner, and anyone capable was free to fight for it. Now that he had gotten it, he would not return it to his pursuers. If they kept pushing him, he wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson.

"Little bastard, what trickery are you playing? Die!" the Emperor Realm shadowmark roared. The markings on his body shone brightly, and he slammed both his palms at Xiang Shaoyun.

Shadow Extermination Palm!

Mid-flight, the two palms split into more palms. It became a matter of which palms were the real palms, or perhaps all of them were real.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

But before the palms could reach Xiang Shaoyun, numerous chains shot out from thin air and constricted the Emperor Realm shadowmark. Only then did the Emperor Realm shadowmark realize that things were getting dangerous.

"Attacking me in here? Looks like you're really tired of living," said Xiang Shaoyun nonchalantly.

He willed for it, and the chains started shrinking around the Emperor Realm shadowmark, causing him to wail miserably as blood sprayed out of his body. As for the old Emperor and the red-haired youth, both did not act rashly. Rather, they started scanning their surroundings and found the existence of a different connected space. They both sank into thought, and shortly after, shock covered their faces. Evidently, they had both thought of something.

"Bastard! Free me, or I won't spare you!" The Emperor Realm shadowmark was still speaking with a threatening tone.

In response, Xiang Shaoyun dashed over and chopped toward his head with the side of his palm.

Sphhlt!

Just like that, a head was severed from its body.

Even severed, the head was still roaring. "You dare to kill me? A lowly human like you actually dares to kill me?" 

The markings on his body started wiggling, and a connection formed between the neck and the severed head, as if both were going to rejoin. Unfortunately, Xiang Shaoyun stomped the head into a pile of mincemeat before it could rejoin the body.