Chapter 316: The Great Chaos Battle (Part 1)
The Scarlet Flame Beasts converged like a tide, layer upon layer, constantly landing on Lava Immortal Palace, launching a frenzied siege towards the inner circle of the palace.
Huoshi Mountain occasionally trembled, which was the aftershock of a large-scale eruption.
Above the mountain top, smoke and dust billowed.
The Lava Demons, which had once densely filled the sky, had already sunk back into the magma.
This was because the clashes between Nascent Soul stage experts repeatedly unfolded in mid-air, and the aftermath of each strike was something the Lava Demons could not withstand.
The magical hand technique unleashed by Meng Kui advanced and retreated, tightly coordinating with the Fire Serpent, Flaming Lizard, and the Fire Fusion Demon Ape, the three Nascent Soul-level beasts, in continuous entanglement.
Meng Kui held back his strength, constantly scouting for the Five-Tailed Fire Fox hidden among the beast horde.
This fire fox was evidently a slave beast of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator from Taiqing Palace, with intelligence far surpassing that of wild beasts. It posed an even greater threat than the three Scarlet Flame Nascent Soul beasts!
Far away, several miles from Huoshi Mountain.
Meng Hu was charging fiercely, locked in a deadly battle with a Nascent Soul cultivator from Taiqing Palace.
The Taiqing cultivators specialized in beast taming, but the primary beasts they had painstakingly cultivated were still at the mouth of Huoshi Mountain, leaving him in a defensive stance, unable to attack effectively.
Fortunately, he wielded the Shield of Thin Life, blending defense with offense, steadfastly guarding his position, making Meng Hu extremely frustrated and unable to shake his foundation for the time being.
Within the inner circle of Lava Immortal Palace.
The restrictions weakened, allowing even Golden Core cultivators without expertise in mechanisms to enter and exit the palace.
In an instant, more than ten Golden Core cultivators emerged from various places. Their goals were almost identical, all aimed at the main hall of Lava Immortal Palace!
Most of them were dressed in black robes, with strikingly similar appearances.
Shadow Demon Cultivators!
The original Golden Core cultivators inside Lava Immortal Palace were few in number and found it difficult to fend off so many Shadow Demon Cultivators.
In fact, there were many in the righteous sects who disguised themselves as Shadow Demon Cultivators.
Knowing it was their own people in disguise, they naturally held back during interceptions.
As a result, a large number of Golden Core cultivators directly reached the vicinity of the main hall.
They couldn't get in!
They were all blocked by the Turning Secret Pavilion. Violet-blue electric currents shuttled and connected between the various pavilion blocks, weaving into an all-encompassing web of thunder.
The attacks of the Golden Core cultivators fell upon this web of thunder, only to be swallowed by the violet-blue currents. When they reappeared, they landed outside the outer circle of Lava Immortal Palace, among the countless Scarlet Flame Beasts.
Sun Lingtong suddenly leaped, directly jumping into the violet-blue electric net.
In the next moment, the currents engulfed him.
By the time Sun Lingtong reacted, he had already been taken by the currents into one of the secret pavilions.
Many Golden Core cultivators witnessed this scene.
Some wanted to imitate him, but their Golden Core-level cultivation became the biggest obstacle. Only those at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages had the possibility of entering.
At that moment, many Golden Core cultivators were even willing to endure the restrictions and suppress their cultivation to the Foundation Establishment level.
They tried repeatedly, each displaying their own methods, but all attempts ended in failure.
Ning Jiufan, Zhou Nongying, Zheng Shuanggou, and others, on the other hand, guarded the lower-level disciples of their families and led them to the vicinity of the main hall.
"Ning Zhuo Clan Leader, we're here to help!" Ning Xiangguo, Ning Xiangqian, Ning Chen, and Ning Yong all jumped and were transmitted into the secret pavilion by the electric currents.
"Lava Immortal Palace is so damaged, and the restrictions are weakened. Perhaps we, who were once eliminated as trial disciples, might still have a chance to become the Palace Lord if we sit on the throne?" Holding onto hope, Zhou Zhu and Zhou Zhenshen also took action one after another.
Among the Ning family crowd, Ning Xiaoren kept his head down, wearing a hood, deciding to take a gamble.
He had been exposed for colluding with outsiders, severely damaging his status and prospects within the family. More critically, he had been willingly sacrificed by the Ning Family Patriarch.
Thus, Ning Xiaoren had a falling out with his father, and now he could only rely on himself.
Without hesitation, he leapt into the secret pavilion of the mechanism.
"Xiaohui, Xiaohui, you're here, you must be here, right? Don't be afraid, Grandma is coming to find you!" Ning Xiaohui's grandmother kept muttering as she rushed into the secret pavilion.
Under the escort of several Golden Core cultivators from the Meng family, Li Duolun, Feng Feidao, and Guan Tiesuo, along with the reformation team, all entered the Turning Secret Pavilion.
Tortoise Shell concealed himself and also secretly slipped inside.
One of the Shadow Demon Cultivators, after repeated failed attempts, suddenly attacked.
Instead of attacking the Turning Secret Pavilion again, he targeted the lower-level disciples preparing to enter the pavilion!
"If I can't get in, why should you low-level cultivators be able to?"
He roared, and his attack, filled with anger, was blocked by the Golden Core cultivators who had long been on guard.
"Demon path scum, you deserve to die!" The righteous cultivators were furious and retaliated immediately.
The other cultivators quickly distanced themselves.
Meanwhile, several Golden Core cultivators struck at each other, attacking the cultivators beside them.
Two Golden Core cultivators from Taiqing Palace, disguised as Shadow Demon Cultivators, simultaneously attacked Zheng Shuanggou.
Zhou Nongying, also disguised as a Shadow Demon Cultivator, joined the attack. From the depths of his heart, a traitor was often more hateful than an enemy!
Zheng Shuanggou, holding a Sun Hook in his hand, faced the siege of three opponents of the same level by himself and couldn't help but lament, retreating step by step.
His spiritual sense swept over Ning Jiufan, and he hastily transmitted his voice, "Brother Ning, name your price. Can I get my Moon Hook back?"
It turned out that earlier in the Turning Secret Pavilion, he had used the Moon Hook to stab Ning Jiufan.
As a result, Ning Jiufan had suppressed the Moon Hook, and in the final battle, he had dragged Zheng Shuanggou down with him, leading to their joint elimination.
After being transmitted back, each had returned to their original positions.
Zheng Shuanggou wanted to retrieve his Moon Hook, but before he could act, the drastic changes forced him to protect the lower-level Zheng family disciples and head towards the Turning Secret Pavilion.
Although everyone knew that the restrictions within the Turning Secret Pavilion could no longer suppress cultivation levels, and people like Zhu Xuanji had already regained their Golden Core level, the lower-level disciples would be no match for them.
But the victory mechanism lay in breaking out of the secret pavilion and entering the main hall.
Since the three great families had fought to this extent, they naturally wouldn't retreat at this critical moment.
Once the family cultivators occupied the various Turning Secret Pavilions, they would have the first-hand information.
If the restrictions completely collapsed, even if a cultivator without the palace trial qualifications managed to enter the main hall and sit on the throne, it was still possible to seize the position of Palace Lord.
This was the thinking of the three great families, and the City Lord's Mansion was no different.
The rogue Golden Core cultivators who had entered alone also realized this, and their attacks on the lower-level disciples were driven by their own interests, not just out of anger.
In an instant, the Golden Core cultivators around the main hall struck at each other.
Various magical tools, treasures, and techniques were displayed in succession, shining brilliantly.
Some cultivators, after fighting for a while, voluntarily withdrew from the battle, heading towards different parts of Lava Immortal Palace, searching areas without restrictions or with weakened ones, and began to loot with all their might.
Some cultivators, with clear objectives, continued to attack the Turning Secret Pavilion, trying to break through the passage and rush directly into the main hall.
Others were carrying out important missions.
For example, the two Golden Core true inheritors from Taiqing Palace fought more fiercely, their murderous intent growing stronger as they aimed to kill Zheng Shuanggou.
Zhou Nongying participated briefly before retreating.
The intensity of the battle between Zheng Shuanggou and the two Golden Core cultivators from Taiqing Palace escalated rapidly, making Zhou Nongying feel overwhelmed and unwilling to risk further, so he withdrew early.
"So lively, I like it, hahaha." Luo Shang also entered the Immortal Palace, but he didn't join the inner-circle battle group, instead constantly attacking the Scarlet Flame Beasts.
He slaughtered countless beasts, extracting countless beast souls.
These souls were one of the best cultivation resources for the Soul-Devouring Sect.
Luo Shang kept a close eye on the battle group of the Golden Core cultivators. Whenever someone was in a precarious situation, he didn't mind lending a hand, sending them to their death and thereby obtaining the souls of human cultivators.
Booklord condensed the lower half of his body with mana, attacking the beasts fiercely before he could heal.
The Golden Core cultivators from the Meng family were the most numerous
, becoming the backbone at this moment, struggling to resist the beast tide’s assaults from all directions.
The Golden Core true inheritor from Zixiao Pavilion had lost an arm, and although he had been eliminated, he still attacked the Turning Secret Pavilion fiercely, holding onto a glimmer of hope.
Yang Chanyu, meanwhile, hid in the shadows, refraining from action. She was severely injured and chose to heal first before re-engaging in battle.
There was fighting everywhere!
Between beasts and cultivators, between cultivators and cultivators, everyone was fighting fiercely.
Ever since Lava Immortal Palace had been blasted open months ago, the competition for the palace had now reached its most heated stage!
Inside the Turning Secret Pavilion.
Golden Core cultivators like Zhu Xuanji frowned.
A large number of lower-level cultivators had flooded into various secret pavilions, greatly diminishing the effectiveness of their spiritual senses.
As long as Golden Core cultivators restrained and disguised their auras to the level of Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment, they would blend in with the crowd.
"Meng Chong!" Ning Zhuo, however, fixed his gaze on Meng Chong's position, quickly crossing one pavilion after another, relentlessly pursuing him.
He activated the Cloud Concealment Blossom, hiding his form. Even when he passed by Ning Yong halfway, he did not reveal himself.
Each time he pushed open a door, a flaw would appear.
But even if someone discovered him, it didn't matter anymore.
At this moment, he couldn't care about those things. Letting Meng Chong enter the main hall would be the worst scenario.
"Damn it, damn it!" The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit saw Ning Zhuo getting closer and closer to Meng Chong, gritting its teeth in frustration but helpless to do anything.
Although the restrictions of Lava Immortal Palace had weakened significantly, it was still restricted and hadn't gained much more freedom.
Elsewhere.
Zhu Zhen once again contacted Zhu Xuanji, "Cousin, I've successfully condensed. This is a relic from Furnace No. 4. Do you need it?"
"Send it over," Zhu Xuanji responded while hurrying on his way.
Official Technique—Official Crossing!
In the next moment, Zhu Xuanji held the waste material and activated his innate talent.
The mysterious cultivator with purple light traces reappeared in Zhu Xuanji's vision.
He seemed severely injured, walking with great difficulty, as if his body bore the weight of a thousand pounds, each step a struggle.
Eventually, he reached Furnace No. 4 and opened it.
He went straight inside!
Flames rose, and the furnace fell silent.
The flames gradually died down, and a figure descended from above, landing in front of the furnace.
The furnace crumbled, and in the gray smoke, a mass of spiritual essence, like a swallow returning to its nest, flew into the descending figure.
The figure, originally stiff, became lively once it received the spiritual essence.
The figure moved its hands and feet, inspecting itself. As it moved, the previously concealed hooded robe revealed its true face in front of Zhu Xuanji.
It was the Buddhist Doctor!
(End of this chapter)