Whizzing hysterically, the Skull Scorpions changed their direction after realizing they had missed their target.
Like a flash flood, they charged at Austin once again.
Their coppery smell assaulted him, almost making him choke.
Aware of the much dreaded venomous sting of the scorpions, he cut a stern face, plotting his next move.
But before he could react, he was alarmed by yet more hissing and whizzing.
This time, the whizzing was only a few meters from where he stood.
Another heap of sand appeared to move, charging furiously at him.
"Damn it! Why are there so many Skull Scorpions around this place?"
Are there really any treasures here?"
Never had Austin imagined a place so full of Skull Scorpions, ready to attack an intruder.
Worse still, the scorpions could withstand his thunder sword aura.
For starters, not even Astral ranked martial arts masters could fight against Austin. Especially, his thunder sword was too lethal for such a battle.
Yet the armies of scorpions were not only numerous but also powerful enough to fight back — a terrifying reality.
"I bet, by the stories I've heard, there must be some real treasures under these sands.
Hopefully, that's true. Or else I'll be wasting my time here."
With a final decision, he put away the Lightning Sword and took out the Slaughtering Sword instead, ready for the battle of his life.
Since he had broken into the preliminary stage of Astral Realm, it was now easier for him to use the Slaughtering Sword than before.
At least he did not need to sleep for a whole day just to recover after fighting with the sword like the first time that he used it.
Also, the spiritual tree of his soul could suck up the murderous intent that kept invading the Soul Sea. That way, he could get new bursts of energy to replenish his spiritual power, right in the middle of fighting.
So using the sword meant a few extra benefits for him.
And indeed, those added advantages were the little things that could prove decisive in battle. However, Austin also understood the limits of his vital energy at the moment. As such, he'd be cautious about invoking the entirety of the sword's hidden power.
Holding the sword with well-practiced precision, he manipulated the thunder unicorn to get out of the elixir field using his mind.
"Come on!"
he bellowed.
Then he flashed the sword, raising bloodthirsty aura.
With a deafening bolt of thunder, the force of his strike sent a thick cloud of dust flying high into the air.
Meanwhile, on the ground, flashes of powerful rays struck towards the scorpions, hitting them like a torrential rain of fire.
Scorched by the flames, the scorpions scattered, frantically trying to find a hiding place.
But there was just no escaping. In a short time, the scorpions started dropping dead, their initial coppery, venomous smell fading into fumes of roasting flesh.
The ground under shook and rumbled with terrified commotion.
About an hour later, the battle died out.
A deafening silence fell, leaving only smoke, dust and a few flickering embers of the raging fire that had swept across the field less than an hour ago.
The charred remains of the scorpions littered the sand.
Black patches and unsightly streaks colored the sand, where blood had flowed when scorpions suffered cuts before the fire engulfed them.
Austin put the Slaughtering Sword back in the Space Ring and also put the thunder unicorn back into the elixir field.
He landed on the sand and found a clean area. Then he hunkered down for a rest from the intense action.
He did not stand up until the murderous intent in his Soul Sea was fully absorbed by the spiritual tree.
"What on earth is in this sand?
If there is really anything here, it has to be under the sand," he murmured to himself.
For a moment, he walked back and forth across the field, trying to read any signs of what was under the sand.
He wanted to see if he could find something.
"It seems there is nothing, though.
Would that mean that the story about the Skull Scorpion was just a rumor?"
Feeling incredulous, he muttered.
"Damn it, I'd better smash this sand and see if I can find anything!"
After hesitating for a while, Austin, gritting his teeth focused his phenomenal power on the right fist.
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