Chapter 1825: The King of Toads

"If I'm not mistaken, you are the true top-ranked ruler of this desert, and my primary reason for coming here was to find you!"

The colossal toad opened its gaping maw and swallowed the tenth external Heavenly Eye. Xu Yang, with no intention of prolonging the confrontation, gradually suppressed the primal energy within him.

He then calmly observed the immense Toad King before him.

"You are an audacious young man, daring to assert yourself in my domain, but your perceptiveness is commendable. You are correct; I am indeed the true ruler of this desert. Now, tell me your real reason for seeking me out."

Xu Yang wasted no words. With a subtle wave of his palm, he revealed the two exquisitely crafted purple jade crystals he possessed. The aura emanating from them immediately stunned the massive Toad King.

"It appears my suspicions were correct; you came here seeking the secret of the ruler. However, I'm afraid I must disappoint you.

No martial artist in the entire Ancient Martial God Path is privy to the ruler's secret.

It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you; it's simply that I have my own mission.

If you cannot abandon this pursuit, I cannot guarantee that you and your companions will leave here alive.

For I can devour all of you intruders at any moment."

Xu Yang sneered at the Toad King's arrogant declaration.

"Since you are so confident in your physical prowess, allow me to humor you with a battle.

To ensure fairness in our duel, I will use no weapons; I will confront you solely with my physical might.

Should you genuinely manage to overpower or even devour me, you will undoubtedly achieve immense glory. However, the likelihood of that happening is virtually nonexistent.

Following my own rhythm, I envision shattering your powerful abdomen in an instant, perhaps even plucking off every single one of those countless fleshy nodules on your body.

I imagine that would be quite painful for you, but such is the consequence.

Since you've chosen to be my, Xu Yang's, adversary, this outcome is already a display of my leniency.

You may not realize it, but when we first entered this desert, the King Crab was utterly annihilated by our power.

Compared to its fate, yours should be far more palatable."

The Toad King suddenly erupted in fury.

"What did you say? You dared to kill my brother, the King Crab?

He was among the top five most powerful beings in our Endless Desert, and a companion with whom we've shared tens of thousands of years of existence.

To think he has fallen by your hand! In that case, there's nothing more to discuss. Let's begin!"

Though the Toad King possessed a colossal physique, its two hind legs were remarkably robust and powerful.

With a powerful downward thrust, a tremendous recoil force instantly erupted, sending the vast expanse of sand beneath its feet scattering into the air.

Concurrently, its massive body launched itself into the air, hurtling towards Xu Yang and Po Xiao.

True to his word, Xu Yang unleashed no external weapons to boost his combat strength. He relied solely on his pure physical power to confront the colossal Toad King.

Simultaneously, he transmitted a mental message to Po Xiao, instructing her to use this opportunity to search the nearby ruins for any valuable clues.

While Xu Yang's primary objective in coming here was the purple jade crystal within the Toad King, one question perplexed him: if this creature represented the pinnacle of combat power in the entire Endless Desert Ruins, why would it reside in such seemingly worthless vestiges?

Logically, there could only be one explanation.

Within these seemingly insignificant ruins, a far more crucial secret must be hidden, one perhaps related to the fundamental purpose of the entire Endless Desert Forbidden Zone's existence.

Driven by this curiosity, Xu Yang ordered Po Xiao to investigate. Finding clues was second nature to Po Xiao, her professional instinct, making the task effortless. Transforming into a streak of light, she vanished from the spot immediately after receiving Xu Yang's command.

Meanwhile, the Toad King had no time to consider anything else. It had already deemed Xu Yang the most formidable foe it had ever faced in the Endless Desert Forbidden Zone, requiring its full concentration to stand any chance against him.

The Toad King opened its gaping maw toward Xu Yang, and just as expected, a powerful, foul stench wafted out, making Xu Yang's expression shift.

"Good grief, how many millennia has it been since you last brushed your teeth? Your breath is utterly putrid! Since you clearly neglect hygiene, allow me to remedy this particular flaw."

Xu Yang sneered, then manifested an incredibly pure martial qi barrier around his body for protection. Instead of resisting the Toad King's all-consuming maw as it pressed in, he deliberately plunged into its terrifying, abyss-like gullet.

The Toad King was highly pleased with the effectiveness of its assault. After opening its massive mouth and swallowing Xu Yang, it promptly sealed its jaws.

What it didn't anticipate, however, was a searing, intense pain rapidly igniting within its mouth. This was because Xu Yang had activated his Law of Light inside the creature's foul-smelling maw.

In an instant, twelve wings unfurled sequentially behind Xu Yang, radiating angelic light and majesty within the Toad King's massive oral cavity.

The irresistible might of the Law of Light was fully displayed within the behemoth's mouth, instantly neutralizing its unique toxic aura, reducing it to nothingness.

This particular toxin was one of the Toad King's innate abilities, allowing it to rapidly paralyze any swallowed life form using the copious amounts of venom in its mouth. Yet, a single application of Xu Yang's Angelic Law of Light completely negated this powerful talent.

The excruciating pain forced the Toad King to instinctively open its gaping maw, regurgitating Xu Yang back out.

What it failed to realize, however, was that it no longer dictated the pace of the battle. The scales of victory had tipped in Xu Yang's favor from the very outset; he was the true sovereign determining this confrontation's outcome.

"Heh, do you truly believe that stinking maw of yours can just swallow me when it pleases and spit me out when it wishes? Do you honestly take me, Xu Yang, for mere sustenance, like those other humans?"