Legend of Wyatt-Chapter 1496: Koen Howard Takes Action

"Entering the mid-Saint Realm?"

The younger masked voice exclaimed in shock upon hearing the older masked voice, his eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief.

The tone of his outburst was completely different from his earlier voice.

The earlier voice was deliberately hoarse and gruff.

This voice, however, was natural and unaffected.

"Leslie Howard!"

Hearing this voice, Wyatt Barnes instantly recognized who the younger masked man was.

It was none other than Leslie Howard, the eldest young master of the Howard Family.

Seeing that Wyatt had identified him, Leslie panicked and immediately feigned a hoarse tone, saying, "Leslie Howard? I don’t know who you’re talking about."

"Tsk, tsk... The mighty eldest young master of the Howard Family, hiding like this? Truly disappointing! In my opinion, someone as worthless as you isn’t fit to inherit the position of the Howard Family head. Even your younger sister, Eliel Howard, is far more qualified to take that seat."

Wyatt shook his head, his words dripping with sarcasm, utterly unrestrained.

The younger masked man, Leslie Howard, eldest young master of the Howard Family, was instantly enraged. He took a step forward, ready to tear away all pretense with Wyatt.

Even if Wyatt had truly reached the mid-Saint Realm as a Martial Artist, he wasn’t a match for his Grandfather Mountain.

His Grandfather Mountain, the Second Elder of the Howard Family, had already stepped into the Small Perfection stage of the Saint Realm, only a step away from achieving Grand Perfection.

However, when Leslie Howard took a step forward and was about to speak, the older masked man stopped him.

The older masked man was none other than Koen Howard, the Second Elder of the Howard Family.

"It seems that you bear a grudge against the Howard Family... Unfortunately for you, we are not members of the Howard Family."

Koen Howard looked at Wyatt Barnes and spoke indifferently.

"Judging by your cultivation, you must be a Howard Family elder. So tell me, did your family head, Valentin Howard, send you here, or are you acting on behalf of this cowardly eldest young master, Leslie Howard?"

Wyatt’s gaze shifted from Koen Howard to Leslie Howard.

"You..."

Leslie Howard naturally couldn’t tolerate being called a coward and was about to lash out.

Just as he opened his mouth, Koen Howard interrupted him again, "I’ve said it, we are not members of the Howard Family."

Koen Howard’s tone was laced with impatience.

"Not members of the Howard Family?"

Wyatt smirked, "If that’s the case, why don’t you tell me who you two really are?"

"Hmph! Revealing ourselves to you doesn’t matter. After all, you’re a dead man... We are from the Shadow Mountain Black Market, and we’ve come to take your life!"

As Koen Howard finished speaking, two waves of True Energy surged from his body.

One transformed into a colossal axe, suspended in mid-air, radiating dominance and appearing capable of cleaving everything apart.

The other morphed into a giant eagle, spreading its expansive wings like an encompassing cloud, blocking the moonlight and darkening the already dim area into a true abyss, where one couldn’t see their fingers.

Suddenly, the colossal axe and giant eagle cut through the air, positioning themselves on two sides to form a three-way encirclement with Koen Howard, locking Wyatt Barnes in the center.

"Dying in the burial ground you chose yourself—how fitting!"

Koen Howard spoke indifferently, his gaze toward Wyatt lifeless, as if he were already a dead man.

Shadow Mountain Black Market?

While Koen Howard spoke, Wyatt Barnes was thinking about something entirely different.

Wyatt had certainly heard of the Shadow Mountain Black Market and knew it was a formidable entity within the Nine-Sect Alliance’s territory.

It was rumored to be a prominent and unique Third-Rate Power within the Martial Dao Sacred Land.

But unlike other Third-Rate Powers, its "tentacles" extended across the entire Martial Dao Sacred Land.

Even in this remote section under the Nine-Sect Alliance’s jurisdiction, its presence couldn’t be ignored.

Of course, the Shadow Mountain Black Market in the Nine-Sect Alliance territory was merely a small branch.

Yet even this branch had once terrified the nine major sects, prompting them to band together into an alliance, which still exists today.

The alliance claimed publicly that it was formed to resist invasions from Sixth-Rank Powers.

In reality, its formation was primarily to fend off the Shadow Mountain Black Market.

To them, the black market was like a "terrifying dragon crossing the river," exerting immense pressure on their region.

Fortunately, over the years, the Shadow Mountain Black Market had shown no overt interest in this specific territory.

However, the underground world was completely ruled by the Shadow Mountain Black Market.

Being a peculiar entity, it allowed anyone with talent to join, regardless of background.

Those who joined the Shadow Mountain Black Market often amassed vast wealth within a short period.

But just as many perished before they could begin accumulating wealth.

The Shadow Mountain Black Market conducted all manner of transactions, trading anything required—so long as one could afford the Holy Stones necessary to pay the price.

"That masked assassin earlier... he was likely from the Shadow Mountain Black Market!"

Thinking back to Koen Howard’s reminder, Wyatt Barnes realized the assassin who had tried to kill him earlier might have been from the black market.

However, Wyatt knew this wasn’t the time to dwell on those thoughts.

"Since when did Shadow Mountain Black Market operatives make it a habit to reveal their identities on the job?"

Wyatt looked toward Koen, sneering.

"I already told you—you’re a dead man. Knowing a few trivial details means nothing."

Koen Howard’s voice was calm as he added, "Let me send you on your way now!"

Koen Howard’s words had barely left his mouth when the giant axe hanging in the air began to swing.

Gathering momentum, it struck down toward Wyatt’s head with the ferocity of "a mountain-splitting blow."

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

...

The space where the axe moved was filled with a terrifying reverberation, as its sheer force distorted the air.

Like a fleeting comet filled with deadly menace, it descended toward Wyatt.

Starfall Strike!

Prepared in advance, Wyatt drew his bow and released an arrow, the projectile hurtling through the air as if ready to pierce through anything that blocked its path. Its target was none other than the falling giant axe.

Of course, the speed of the arrow was slower than the descending axe.

Yet, when the two collided, an unexpected spectacle unfolded.

The arrow pierced through the giant axe, which then fragmented and disintegrated in an instant, vanishing like flames erupting from an explosive.

"Piercing Saint Markings! Explosive Flame Saint Markings!"

Koen Howard couldn’t help but exclaim, clearly recognizing the Saint Markings imprinted on Wyatt’s arrow.

"Your identification skills are decent; you recognized the markings I used."

Wyatt cast a cool glance at Koen Howard, replying with indifference.

Koen Howard’s expression flickered—he was almost certain now that the purple-clad youth before him was affiliated with a Seventh-Rank Power.

"Piercing Saint Markings? Explosive Flame Saint Markings?"

Leslie Howard, hearing Koen Howard’s exclamation and Wyatt’s confirmation, couldn’t contain his excitement.

He had suspected earlier that Wyatt’s weapon might be inscribed with more than one legendary level-three Saint Marking.

And now, with Koen Howard’s revelation, it turned out he had been right—the weapon indeed bore a second level-three Saint Marking.

Both Piercing Saint Markings and Explosive Flame Saint Markings were considered legendary three-star Saint Markings.

"Grandfather Mountain, kill him! He’s already suspicious of us being part of the Howard Family. If he lives, it could spell disaster for our family!"

Leslie Howard looked to Koen Howard and transmitted his True Energy message resolutely.

His only thought now was to see Wyatt dead, knowing that once Wyatt fell, everything he possessed would become spoils of war for his Grandfather Mountain... and his Grandfather Mountain would surely pass on the riches to him without hesitation.

Koen Howard took a deep breath, understanding fully that he had no other choice.

"If you think that just two three-star Saint Markings are enough to defeat me, then you’re gravely mistaken."

Koen Howard’s tone turned icy as his night armor stirred without wind. The pebbles on the ground flew upward, as if imbued with life by the aura emanating from his body.

Simultaneously, another wave of True Energy surged forth, once again forming a giant axe.

The True Energy Condensed Weapon method allowed for relentless conjuring, barring complete exhaustion of energy.

Wyatt might destroy one axe, but Koen Howard could forge another.

This time, Koen Howard held nothing back—not only did he unleash his massive axe technique, but his True Energy Condensed Beast method also dispatched a giant eagle flapping its wings ferociously and diving toward Wyatt.

In his own grasp was a massive Saint Weapon axe, which he charged at Wyatt with lightning speed.

The Saint Weapon axe lacked three-star Saint Markings but contained three distinct two-star Saint Markings, which Koen Howard had now fully activated.

Wanting to eliminate Wyatt Barnes, a mid-Saint Realm Martial Artist, and prevent future repercussions, Koen Howard, a Martial Artist of Small Perfection in the Transcending Mortal Realm, unleashed all his power, demonstrating peak force capable of crushing everything.

"Die! Die!"

"When you fall, everything you own will be mine!"

Not far away, Leslie Howard, clad in night gear and hidden behind his ghostly mask, couldn’t hide his excitement.

He already imagined Wyatt’s Saint Weapon, inscribed with two legendary three-star Saint Markings, beckoning to him. He pictured the other treasures Wyatt might have accumulated as an outstanding talent of a Seventh-Rank Power eventually becoming his.

Faced with Koen Howard’s fully unleashed assault, Wyatt’s expression grew grave as well.

Starfall Strike!

In a split second, Wyatt released another arrow, once more shattering Koen Howard’s axe.

However, Wyatt only had the chance to fire that one arrow.

Because the giant eagle formed by Koen Howard’s True Energy Condensed Beast method had already reached him, diving headfirst at astonishing speed, making it impossible for Wyatt to nock and fire a second arrow.

Not only that, but Koen Howard himself had closed in as well.