Chapter 522: Soul Formation Game
Thousand Peaks Forest.
Coalition Army Frontline Camp.
“Stop right there!” Chen Lingfeng seized two cultivators who were trying to sneak away and sternly questioned them. “You two also want to go pick up battlefield spoils?”
The two who had been caught panicked for a moment, but their expressions soon hardened.
One of them immediately denied it. “Of course not! We’re heading out to scout the battlefield and look for opportunities to ambush the Liangzhu Kingdom’s reinforcements.”
The other added, “Chen Lingfeng, you have no evidence. Don’t slander us!”
Chen Lingfeng sneered, just about to speak.
At that moment, the figure of a cultivator appeared like ink soaking through rice paper. It rapidly solidified, revealing a refined Nascent Soul cultivator.
Upon seeing him, the two cultivators blocked by Chen Lingfeng immediately showed nervous expressions.
“Strategist Lu,” one of them greeted with a bow.
The other clenched his teeth. “Grand Cave Lord Lu, the two of us were about to take the initiative and attack, yet Chen Lingfeng keeps blocking us. Now that you’ve appeared, are you also going to stop us from fighting?”
Seeing the two of them twist the story, Chen Lingfeng immediately flared up in anger. “You bast—”
But Lu Hongtu raised a hand to stop him and instead smiled at the two who wanted to leave the camp.
“Go ahead and take action.”
Chen Lingfeng widened his eyes. “Strategist Lu, how can that be? This is already the seventh group leaving. If you don’t stop them, there won’t be anyone left in the camp to hold the situation together.”
Lu Hongtu smiled slightly and slowly shook his head.
“I was merely appreciated by Grandfather Long and appointed as strategist. I only offer advice; I never intended to impose orders on others.”
“All of you are members of Thousand Peaks Forest—either distant friends or close neighbors. Since Grandfather Long has not issued any orders to restrain everyone, why make things difficult for them now?”
Hearing this, the two cultivators both sighed in relief. They praised Lu Hongtu profusely and declared that they were absolutely going out to fight.
Lu Hongtu had no interest in listening to their lies and waved them away.
The two immediately left the camp.
Chen Lingfeng stared at their departing backs, his hawk-like eyes icy cold.
“I’d bet anything those two went to the battlefield to scavenge spoils.”
Lu Hongtu simply smiled without speaking.
Chen Lingfeng grew even angrier. “When Grandfather Long returns and sees that most of the powerful cultivators in our camp have run off, how are we going to explain it?”
Lu Hongtu laughed. “Take it easy, take it easy.”
Chen Lingfeng shook his head repeatedly, unwilling to talk further with him, and turned away.
Lu Hongtu’s gaze grew distant. He slowly strolled out of the camp and climbed a nearby hill.
Distant mountains lay in quiet repose. Their ridges rose and fell like waves, layers of green bathed in gentle sunlight.
A mountain breeze brushed past, leaves rustling softly. Occasionally a few mountain sparrows darted through the forest, breaking the brief silence.
He took a deep breath. The mountain air was fresh, yet carried a faint sense of oppression.
In Lu Hongtu’s mind surfaced the great decisive battle from six days ago.
The fierce clash between the Dragon Ginseng King and Du Tiechuan was deeply etched in his heart.
Lu Hongtu’s gaze darkened.
“The Dragon Ginseng King suffered a minor defeat. It’s not enough to make the alliance collapse, but people’s hearts are already scattering. Some are beginning to look for other paths.”
Many cultivators risking entry into the battlefield to gather spoils was exactly a sign of that.
“When things go smoothly, it’s fine. But the moment the wind turns against us, the alliance’s lack of unity and everyone’s private ambitions will show.”
At that moment, a figure quietly appeared.
The unfamiliar cultivator bowed to Lu Hongtu and secretly reported the intelligence he had gathered.
After listening, Lu Hongtu frowned slightly.
“No news of the Stone Dwelling Old Monster yet?”
The reporting cultivator showed shame, explaining that dozens of them had been searching and gathering intelligence nonstop, but the Stone Dwelling Old Monster seemed to have vanished completely.
Lu Hongtu nodded slightly and waved him away.
“Go. Continue investigating.”
Soon, he was once again standing alone on the hilltop.
A cold mountain wind brushed across his tense face.
His gaze settled on a patch of clouds above the distant mountains as he sank into thought.
“The Stone Dwelling Old Monster’s uncertain whereabouts are the hardest part.”
“He’s a Soul Formation–level existence—the greatest variable in this war.”
“Will he appear on the battlefield?”
“Based on his recent behavior, quite a few Soul Formation–level treasure materials were left behind on the battlefield. That should be a tremendous temptation for him.”
When Lu Hongtu returned to the camp, he saw the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts loudly announcing something.
“We snuck into the battlefield and picked up several Ginseng Dragon Whiskers.”
“Look! This kind of Dragon Blood is extremely rare. Every drop is excellent material for refining healing pills!”
The white-robed ghost cultivator Heaven Frost and the black-robed ghost cultivator Earth Ash were proudly showing off their harvests before the other experts.
Seeing this scene, Lu Hongtu immediately stepped into the discussion tent.
He smiled faintly.
“Two fellow Daoists from the Soul-Devouring Sect, since you came here specifically to publicize this, why not speak your intentions plainly? Perhaps we can cooperate.”
When the other cultivators saw Lu Hongtu, they all smiled or nodded in greeting.
During the early formation of the coalition army, it had been Lu Hongtu who went around recruiting people. During the battles, he repeatedly devised strategies that achieved real results. Just earlier, he had ignored Chen Lingfeng’s suggestion and allowed two cultivators to slip away to gather battlefield spoils, which had further earned everyone’s goodwill.
When the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts saw him, they nodded slightly. They also had a good impression of Lu Hongtu.
The two ghost cultivators exchanged a glance. Earth Ash, who had the more impatient temperament, spoke first.
“Daoist Lu speaks straightforwardly, so we won’t beat around the bush.”
He described the situation in detail, immediately causing an uproar.
“Did I hear that right? Glazed Heart Blood?!”
“That’s a type of heart’s blood from an Earth-element demon cultivator. If it was left by the Dragon Ginseng King, it must be Soul Formation–level.”
“Not just that—there’s also Ginseng Root Wall Soil. That soil is extremely fertile and full of vitality, perfect as base soil for spiritual plants.”
“But what exactly is that huge dragon-shaped talisman the white-robed ghost mentioned?”
An experienced elder explained.
“It should be Dragon Vein Script.”
“The enemy used the Military Art—Iron Flow Across the Plains this time, which consumed enormous power. Du Tiechuan even mobilized the Liangzhu Kingdom’s dragon vein to energize the Dragon Shadow Nine Pillars Parade Platform.”
“Therefore, Iron Flow Across the Plains naturally carried the mighty power of the dragon vein.”
“As Du Tiechuan and his heavy-armored main army advanced and crushed everything in their path, the dragon vein advanced with them.”
“Especially at the location where he fought Lord Dragon King, the dragon vein’s power kept pouring out, eroding the surrounding environment and leaving behind Dragon Vein Script.”
“Of course, what remains on the battlefield is only fragments—individual dragon-shaped runes.”
“Along the path taken by the main army, there must also be many such runes.”
“These runes must be found and separated from the earth veins of Thousand Peaks Forest!”
Although Thousand Peaks Forest was technically territory of the Liangzhu Kingdom, the kingdom had never truly controlled it. The mountains and rivers were occupied by various native gods and were not integrated into the national dragon vein.
If the dragon vein runes formed Dragon Vein Script and infiltrated the mountains and rivers of Thousand Peaks Forest, they would weaken the authority and power of the local gods and eventually absorb the entire region into the Liangzhu Kingdom’s dragon vein.
The cultivators all turned solemn. After hearing the explanation, they eagerly declared that they would contribute to Thousand Peaks Forest by searching for the dragon vein runes.
Their enthusiasm was completely ignited—because the dragon vein runes themselves were rare treasures with many uses.
Soon, a large wave of cultivators rushed out of the camp.
Chen Lingfeng’s face turned pale with anger.
Lu Hongtu watched the departing backs of the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts, his gaze deep.
Chen Lingfeng transmitted a message with his spiritual sense.
“Lu Hongtu, great—now there are fewer than ten people left. When Grandfather Long returns, you answer his questions yourself!”
Lu Hongtu smiled and lightly clapped his hands.
“Everyone, next let’s discuss attacking the Liangzhu Kingdom’s following army.”
“Right now, the Liangzhu Kingdom’s heavy-armored main army is busy removing their Iron Skin Flesh Armor and is in a period of recuperation.”
“The following troops failed the selection standards and were eliminated. We must completely wipe out this force.”
“If we let them regroup, it will be our dereliction of duty.”
His proposal was fully supported by the cultivators who remained.
These people were almost all barbarian cultivators.
Compared with the demonic cultivators and rogue cultivators who had fled into Thousand Peaks Forest from outside, the true native majority here were barbarian cultivators.
The gods they worshiped were also the stubborn defenders who occupied the mountains and rivers of Thousand Peaks Forest.
These people were the most loyal and reliable backbone.
“However, even if we annihilate the following army, it will only be beating the edges of the drum.”
“The true key to this war is still the struggle of the Soul Formation experts.”
“Stone Dwelling Old Monster, it all depends on your actions!”
Lu Hongtu had a clear and deep understanding of the situation.
At the edge of the battlefield of the great decisive battle—
The Puppet Dragon had shrunk to a tiny size, hiding within a dense treetop canopy.
Sun Lingtong excitedly took out the corpse of the Stone Dwelling Old Monster.
“Next, it’s our turn to act.”
But at the very next moment, Ning Zhuo’s finger suddenly hurt.
Mechanical Ring!
“Huh?!” Ning Zhuo was instantly alarmed.
The Mechanical Ring tightened with unprecedented force, almost as if it were about to crush his finger bones.
“Wait!” Ning Zhuo immediately called out to stop Sun Lingtong.
Sun Lingtong looked at him in confusion and saw Ning Zhuo raising his hand.
The Mechanical Ring shrank violently, squeezing Ning Zhuo’s finger until it deformed.
Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo were brothers who had survived life and death together. Naturally, he knew the secrets of the Mechanical Ring. His pupils immediately shrank.
“A warning from the Mechanical Ring? Is it telling us that if we continue this operation, we’ll suffer a serious disaster?”
Ning Zhuo stared at the ring.
“I think we should play it safe and stop acting under the identity of the Stone Dwelling Old Monster.”
As if sensing Ning Zhuo’s change of intention, the Mechanical Ring immediately returned to its normal shape.
Sun Lingtong’s expression turned serious. He no longer joked around.
His quick mind immediately grasped the key point.
“Oh, I understand.”
“What happened on Azure Sky Mountain before may already have leaked out.”
“That Void Evil God Bone was a much more hidden existence. It had been stored there for years without anyone discovering it. Because of that, the Stone Dwelling Old Monster is likely now being estimated as a Soul Formation–level existence.”
Ning Zhuo nodded and continued.
“Originally, the Thousand Peaks Forest campaign was only a Soul Formation clash between the Dragon Ginseng King and Du Tiechuan.”
“Although there’s also the Soul Formation–level national beast Two-Headed Badger, it has already shown in earlier battles that it isn’t the key factor.”
“So the Stone Dwelling Old Monster, a Soul Formation–level demon cultivator who remained outside the conflict, has become someone both sides fear.”
Sun Lingtong sighed.
“The Stone Dwelling Old Monster has a similar origin to the Dragon Ginseng King. And the story that he devoured fragments of Treasure-Dividing Rock is widely known.”
“If we impersonate him and appear on the battlefield, Du Tiechuan and the Dragon Ginseng King might attack us one after the other.”
As they spoke, both of them broke out in cold sweat.
“In that case, although Du Tiechuan and the Dragon Ginseng King fought brutally before, drawing blood with every move, they were still holding back.”
“After all, they were both guarding against the Stone Dwelling Old Monster.”
“Was the Dragon Ginseng King’s retreat partly an act?”
“And Du Tiechuan—after the battle he built a large military camp and announced closed-door recuperation, only occasionally issuing orders. Was he also waiting for the rabbit by the stump?”
At this point, Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong looked at each other silently.
A moment later, Ning Zhuo obediently returned to Liu Er and Zhang Hei and harvested Ginseng Dragon Whiskers with them.
Three days passed.
“Dragon Blood! Such a large pool of Dragon Blood!” Beneath a pile of rubble, Luo Xiwei tunneled in using an Earth-Travel Technique, his expression full of excitement.
He was a demon cultivator holding a five-section staff and skilled in Earth-element spells.
Long before the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts spread news of treasures on the battlefield, he had already sneaked in to search for benefits.
The earth-yellow Dragon Blood had seeped deep underground, contaminating a rock. The rock now emitted a gentle treasure glow, and its once rigid surface had become flexible, even slightly elastic.
Luo Xiwei canceled his Earth-Travel Technique and reached out to take it.
Suddenly—
A beam of icy light pierced through layers of rubble and struck him with lightning speed.
He had no time to react.
He froze in place.
His eyes widened, his expression frozen in terror as thick ice sealed him entirely.
Northern Underworld Freezing Light!
At the edge of the military camp, the cold glow atop a watchtower slowly faded. Moments earlier, a beam of white light had shot from its top and frozen the Golden Core cultivator Luo Xiwei to death.
The surrounding cultivators were instantly shaken.
The next moment—
A thread of flame circled gracefully through the air and drilled into the rubble.
Soon after, the miserable scream of a cultivator burning to death echoed out.
Fire of Parting in Life and Death!
This attack had been launched from another watchtower.
The cultivators finally reacted and erupted in chaos.
The Thousand Peaks Forest cultivators fled in panic.
White beams shot out repeatedly.
At the same time, fiery threads wound through the air, chasing down targets.
Many Thousand Peaks Forest cultivators paid for their greed with their lives.
That night.
After receiving the military report, Du Tiechuan showed no satisfaction.
These results meant nothing to him.
“The true key is still the Stone Dwelling Old Monster.”
“Since he won’t appear, then forget it.”
Du Tiechuan coughed twice, each cough producing earth-yellow blood.
He waved his sleeve and completely sealed the chamber door.
After delaying so long without drawing out the Stone Dwelling Old Monster, Du Tiechuan finally gave up and truly began healing his injuries.