Chapter 364: Reinforcements (Requesting Monthly Votes)
Although he could use his magical abilities and spiritual treasures to withstand the damage from a Core Formation cultivator's self-detonation,
Fang Xi naturally chose the simplest method: he slipped away to the Red Sun Realm to hide for a bit, then boldly returned.
"What a pity. . . this tactic is only somewhat useful against Core Formation cultivators. . . after all, traveling between two worlds requires a bit of time. . ."
This time, Yan Laogui was under Fang Xi's control, waiting until he had traversed before self-detonating.
However, the last time, when he was possessed by the Yama Demon Lord, it was completely different.
The opponent's Nascent Soul had teleported directly over, then brazenly possessed him.
Just how swift was Nascent Soul teleportation? It arrived with a mere thought and bypassed most restrictive formations and defenses.
Fang Xi didn't even have time to react.
If it weren't for the fact that teleportation still had a certain range limit, Nascent Soul cultivators would likely be even more terrifying.
When his golden finger travels to other worlds, it returns to the same spot. Using it for combat would easily make him a target.
Thus, Fang Xi almost never considered such matters.
However, tonight, he had played a big hand.
Calculating that the aftershocks of the explosion had passed, Fang Xi flashed back, and indeed saw a scene of utter devastation below.
His originally magnificent and exquisite cave abode had now transformed into a hundred-zhang deep pit, with even some spiritual springs emerging from it.
Around the cave abode, which was also where spiritual energy was densest, there had originally been numerous buildings. Many of these had now collapsed, and from the cracks between bricks and tiles, crimson liquid flowed out. . .
Screams and wails rose and fell in succession. . .
And the entire Ethereal Valley Sect, due to the sudden massive explosion that night, had erupted into chaos.
Streaks of light were rapidly shooting over—these were the Ethereal Valley Sect's remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"This. . . just now. . . was that a Core Formation ancestor's self-detonation?"
Senior Brother Li, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, gazed at the deep pit before him, his face filled with panic and dismay.
He had witnessed Core Formation ancestors in action before, and knew that an ordinary Core Formation ancestor's attack would never possess such might.
And now, the Core Formation cultivator within Ethereal Valley Sect seemed to be only Yan Laogui?
"Is Ancestor Yan well?"
A Foundation Establishment cultivator hurriedly shouted.
Unfortunately, a profound silence hung in the air. This feeling made every Foundation Establishment cultivator break out in cold sweat on their foreheads.
Suddenly, two streaks of Foundation Establishment light, without a word or greeting, flew towards the outside of the grand formation.
They knew very well that if even Ancestor Yan couldn't contend with such a formidable enemy, then the current Ethereal Valley Sect had transformed from the safest place in the State of Wu into the most dangerous location!
If they didn't run now, when would they?
Meanwhile, a few Foundation Establishment cultivators from the You family, after glancing around, had rather secretive expressions.
This Core Formation self-detonation, it seemed. . . had taken out several core members of the Yan family, especially their Perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators, sending them all on their way.
In that case. . .
The next day, an internal conflict erupted within Ethereal Valley Sect. It was said that heads rolled and blood flowed throughout the valley. . .
...
As for all of this, Fang Xi was already too lazy to continue observing.
At this moment, he was once again riding in his beloved carriage, all the way to the State of Mu.
Inside the carriage, he took out Yan Laogui's storage bag and pulled out a jade box from it.
Upon opening it, he saw inside a grayish-brown inner core with specks of starlight glistening on its surface!
"Another third-order inner core. Great Green's luck isn't bad at all. . ."
Fang Xi couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Due to his apprehension about the Myriad Beast Mountain Range and potentially existing shapeshifting demon beasts, he hadn't gone on a killing spree within the mountain range.
It was only when he was about to leave the mountain range that he found a few unlucky third-order demon beasts and directly killed them to retrieve their cores.
However, after feeding it to the Taisui, the Taisui's demonic power had consistently remained at the peak of the second-order, with no signs of advancement.
For a second-order demon beast to advance to third-order was not as easy as imagined.
But it seemed that the Taisui was only one or two inner cores away from advancing.
Fang Xi was just about to feed the Demonic Blood Flood Dragon's inner core to the Taisui, when Yan Laogui conveniently delivered one first—wasn't that fortunate?
"What's more. . . over at the Green Wood Sect, there should also be a few decent third-order demon cores available."
Fang Xi, gazing in the direction of the Green Wood Sect, fell slightly into a daze.
Although he had only gone there originally to absorb spiritual energy, he had at least familiarized himself with some people there, and if he could help, he should.
"But in what identity?"
"How about I still disguise myself as Cao Chongyun, returning as a Core Formation cultivator. . . that would also be a fine tale."
"Then, after some maneuvering, the Green Wood Sect would have to take the Fang surname!"
"However, one should still be a bit magnanimous. Never mind. With my current late-stage Core Formation cultivation, shaking the cultivation world of the Three States, even if I occupy their spirit veins for cultivation, who would dare to object?"
...
Green Wood Forest.
This place, once the foundation of the Green Wood Sect, had now undergone a drastic change.
Countless evergreen trees that had yet to fully grow had directly withered. Patches of bamboo shadows encircled the Green Wood Sect, yet were continuously forced to recede by the pressure of numerous demon beasts.
Outside the Green Wood Sect, three third-order demon beasts had gathered.
The one in the very center was exceptionally peculiar; it resembled a colossal ancient tree, yet its aura had reached the mid-grade third-order—it was a 'Thousand-Year Wood Spirit'!
Spiritual plants rarely transformed into demons, but once they did, they were often exceptionally powerful.
This Thousand-Year Wood Spirit let out a roar, and countless emerald-green pine needles, like raindrops, poured down upon the Green Wood Sect's sect-protecting grand formation, causing the bamboo shadows to tremble violently.
Beside the Thousand-Year Wood Spirit, there were also two third-order demon beasts; one resembled a pangolin, and the other a brown bear, both were low-grade third-order demon beasts.
Beyond these three commanders, there were dense hordes of low-grade demon beasts and a large number of second-order demon beasts, who were constrained into disorderly ranks, charging the formation in waves, continuously depleting the earth vein's energy and spiritual power. . .
Such an assault had already continued for several months, and the Green Wood Sect's sect-suppressing grand formation had reached a precarious, crumbling state.
Many of the formation's weak points had become critically endangered, unable to cover large areas of the evergreen forest, and due to absorbing too much earth vein energy, many evergreen trees had withered.
Inside the formation.
Zheng Shan said to the Green Wood Sect Master with a serious expression: "Sect Master. . . our spiritual stone reserves are almost exhausted. . ."
Ling Yunzi had long since passed away. The current Green Wood Sect Master was a lean, refined-looking middle-aged Daoist whose cultivation was around late-stage Foundation Establishment and whose Daoist name was 'Cang Qingzi'.
Cang Qingzi heard this and could only give a bitter smile: "Our pleas for help have long been sent out, but Ancestor Zhang and Ancestor Yan are unwilling to offer assistance. . . What can be done? Once the grand formation is breached, all of you, go your separate ways and flee for your lives. . . Alas, thankfully, we arranged for the transmission elders and disciples to leave early to take shelter, so that our Green Wood Sect's legacy can still endure in the future, it just won't have such prestige again. . ."
Zheng Shan listened, a flicker of sadness appearing in her beautiful eyes.
Ever since Ancestor Lu Qing passed away, the Green Wood Sect had indeed declined year by year.
If it weren't for the internal strife with numerous Foundation Establishment powers in their own country, which had depleted a significant portion of their strength, this beast tide would not have been so difficult.
"Junior Sister. . . you should go too. " Cang Qingzi said with a bitter wave of his hand: "My lifespan is not much, I might as well die defending the sect, but as for you Foundation Establishment cultivators, each one who can escape, should escape. . ."
"No, I cannot leave. I must fight for the sect until the very last moment."
Zheng Shan's gaze was resolute: "The Green Wood Sect cannot be without a third-order spirit vein. . ."
If they didn't even have a third-order spirit vein, they would lose all hope of cultivating Core Formation cultivators, and would be truly doomed to decline.
This was unacceptable to many disciples who held deep affection for the sect.
Decades had passed, and Zheng Shan had only advanced a small step, barely reaching mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
As for Zheng Tie, he had long since passed away. . .
When she returned to the front lines, and gazed at the terrifying Thousand-Year Wood Spirit, Zheng Shan felt her mind exceptionally clear, and for some reason, she recalled someone else.
That Senior Brother Cao, 'Cao Chongyun'.
Back then, he had gone out to seek an opportunity to break through to late-stage Foundation Establishment, and had immediately vanished without a trace, leading everyone in the sect to believe that he had encountered danger and perished, or had simply defected from the sect.
Fortunately, during that period, Pei Fei and his group of bandit cultivators had mysteriously been annihilated, and the Green Wood Sect had many other matters to deal with, so no one truly pursued this matter.
'He even tricked me into taking care of his cave abode and herb garden for so long. . . '
Just as Zheng Shan's expression turned slightly hazy.
A flash of green light seemed to appear on the horizon.
Accompanied by a clear phoenix cry, a carriage slowly approached from the west.
The Thousand-Year Wood Spirit looked like a colossal emerald-green treant, with a face growing on its trunk; at this moment, it suddenly curled its branches and leaves, as if it had encountered a natural predator.
If even it was like this, the pangolin and the demon bear, upon seeing the Green Fire Luan, nearly surrendered outright.
"Three demon cores, not bad at all. . ."
From atop the carriage, a clear voice rang out: "My little ones, go get them!"
Roar! Roar!
The Demonic Blood Flood Dragon let out a roar, and swooped down, shaking its head and wagging its tail, engaging the demon bear.
Although it was a quasi-third-order puppet, relying on its previous mid-grade third-order flood dragon body, it was truly no problem to entangle a low-grade third-order demon beast.
The pangolin, its scales glinting with a cold light, was about to use its earth-burrowing technique to escape, but was suddenly attacked by a mass of black flames, letting out a strange cry.
Before it could react, it saw a horned, grotesque figure raising a fist, smashing it down upon it. . .
Chirp! Chirp!
The Green Fire Luan flew in mid-air, like a verdant sun.
The demon beast army, surprisingly, retreated en masse, no longer daring to obey the Thousand-Year Wood Spirit's commands.
Among demon beasts, the strong prey on the weak, and the principle of survival of the fittest was extremely evident.
The Green Fire Luan had a noble bloodline, and was a high-grade third-order demon beast, directly seizing the Thousand-Year Wood Spirit's authority to command.
At this moment, the Green Fire Luan let out a cry and swooped directly down.
From the Thousand-Year Wood Spirit's human-like face on its trunk, a roar erupted; with a mere shake, countless emerald-green pine needles densely struck towards the Green Fire Luan, but they encountered a layer of Green Luan True Fire, and instantly turned into ash. . .
This wood-attribute demon beast facing the Green Fire Luan had truly met its doom!
Its several innate wood-element magical abilities were directly suppressed, just like Fang Xi had been previously, completely restrained.
Not long after, the Green Fire Luan transformed into a fireball, charging into the Thousand-Year Wood Spirit's body, igniting it, turning it into a verdant torch.
Moments later.
The Green Fire Luan flew out, wielding fire, its mouth still holding a green inner core, and landed back around the carriage.
"Little Green did well, much more useful than Great Green."
Fang Xi took the wood-element inner core, a faint smile appearing on his face.
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