The two immortal cultivators high in the sky were caught off guard and were hit directly in the face.
There was no scene of blood and flesh flying. Around them, there were only concentric ripples in the air. An invisible force was blocking the tidal wave of bullets.
"Huh, what kind of artifact is this?" Facing the sudden siege of thousands of mortals, the two immortal cultivators were as calm as usual. Kou Hong's right hand reached out and pulled a soldier into the sky, seizing the gun in the soldier's hand to scrutinize it carefully while throwing the soldier out casually.
"Quite interesting, using a delicate mechanical structure instead of a spell formation, and using the explosive power of a mortal object instead of spiritual power. It can actually erupt with the power of the early stage of Qi Refining…” Kou Hong understood the principle of the gun after only a glance.
He shook his head, "I didn't expect that after a few thousand years had passed, the mortals banished to the Immortal Extinction Land would actually be able to research such a subtle object. Unfortunately, it can only work in this land lacking the Great Dao. Outside the Land of Immortal Extinction, it's just a pile of useless copper and refined iron." After saying that, the gun in his hand instantly disappeared into thin air, as if he had casually put it away.
"As a mere mortal, how dare you make a move against us immortal cultivators. Originally, I still had some guilt in my heart, but now it seems that it's you guys who are seeking death yourselves!"
Kou Hong stood tall and looked at the unknown number of densely packed mortal soldiers in the darkness, contempt flashing in his eyes.
His right hand quickly waved about in the empty space in front of him, drawing out intricate patterns.
Countless sparks suddenly appeared from the darkness, like a prairie fire that had been condensed into huge fireballs.
"Dao Art: Fire Dragon's Roar!”As Kou Hong shouted in a cold voice, more crimson flames spread from the huge fire clusters, which served as the nodes, and they burned outwards in unison. In just a few moments, the flames were like flesh and blood, connecting the fire clusters in the sky.
A fearsome dragon composed of crimson flames appeared over Xuanjing City.
The fiery dragon raised its head and let out a resounding roar as it stretched its body and then slammed downwards.
"Boom!"
Violent explosions rang out incessantly.
Buildings in Xuanjing City were like small toys, easily destroyed without the slightest resistance.
And as if the red flames had a mind of their own, they devoured and burned everything they could touch after landing on the ground.
In the blink of an eye, this Xuanjing City turned into a blazing inferno!
However, Kou Hong, who had caused all of this, frowned, his face in disbelief.
Because he realized that although the Xuanjing City below looked miserable, the vast majority of the soldiers actually survived his strike!
One had to know that the Fire Dragon's Roar that he had unleashed in a fit of rage was already his full strength.
The might of a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator was not something that mortals could resist!
Even if those soldiers were well-trained and had taken out their protective gear and hid in the corners of the building for protection the moment they saw him casting the spell, they should have suffered many more casualties!
What's going on?
Kou Hong was shocked and skeptical, and in an instant, he seemed to have realized something. With a wave of his hand, Kou Hong examined one of the tiny metal objects that was previously fired at him but was easily resisted by his body-protecting aura.
"This is…” Kou Hong's face changed dramatically, and he then alertly swept his gaze towards the surroundings, the contempt in his gaze turning into scorn.
"These concealed weapons have been soaked with mortal blood, contaminated with Immortal-Mortal Miasma..." Dao Xuanzi's voice also came over, his face ugly.
"We just arrived at this place and were ambushed. Moreover, the other party has utilized the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, so it's obvious that they came prepared. Could it be that behind these mortals, there are immortal cultivators guiding them?" The duo glanced at each other, and several thoughts immediately flashed through their minds. "No matter what, this place is a trap, and we should not stay for long."
Although Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong were fighting to the death for the Golden Core Technique, that was their private affair.
Now that unexpected variables have arisen in the form of the ambush of thousands of mortals, with the hundred years of tacit understanding of the two, they both at the same time subconsciously chose to escape first.
Perhaps discovering the duo's attempts, the gunfire that had stalled due to the Fire Dragon's Roar resounded once again!
However, this deepened the suspicions in Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong's hearts.
These mortals obviously had an agenda!
"Go!" The two were about to flee when they heard a voice ring out from below.
"Dao Xuanzi! Kou Hong! If the two of you flee, the news that you have obtained a Golden Core technique will spread throughout the cultivation world!"
The voice came from all directions of Xuanjing City, echoing continuously in this night with unending reverberations.
The voice was somewhat old, but the tone was incomparably certain and cold.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi's figures froze in their tracks as they looked shocked, their faces filled with disbelief.
"How is this possible? The matter of us obtaining the Golden Core Technique was clearly known only to the two of us, so how could the news have leaked out?" For a moment, the duo fell into a deep state of fear.
The two of them ventured into a cave to explore its secrets, and then Kou Hong seized the technique and fled. Dao Xuanzi followed in hot pursuit, and Kou Hong was desperate enough to take the risk of breaking into a Land of Immortal Extinction to seek a ray of hope…
The people encountered during this period of time flashed in their minds one by one.
Who was it?
And just as the duo's minds were shaken, in the darkness, dozens of cannonballs with fiery trails were fired from various unexpected locations and flew towards the duo.
“You’re seeking death!" Kou Hong recovered from his shock and then became even more furious.
"Dao Art: Inferno Explosion!"
A huge ring of fire was vaguely generated out of thin air.
"Not good, quickly dodge, Kou Hong!" Right at this moment, Dao Xuanzi's voice rang out urgently.
"Hmm?" Kou Hong was stunned, but with a sweep of his divine sense, fear appeared in his eyes.
He was about to dodge, but it was already too late.
Dozens of shells detonated around them.
There were no deafening explosions; instead, there was a cloud of dark red liquid, forming a small-scale blood rain that doused the two immortal cultivators!
"Ahh…”
Chilling screams immediately resounded through the sky.
At the same time, the ominous aura emanating from the duo quickly diminished.
After a moment's resistance, the duo could no longer support themselves and fell from the sky.
Thousands of soldiers with guns surrounded them.
At this moment, the current situation of the two “immortals" caused these specially trained death soldiers to feel chills in their hearts.
Originally, Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong were in their twenties and thirties, but after being drenched by the rain of blood, their hair had actually turned snow-white in an instant. Both of them became old in a few breaths, and their faces were covered in dense wrinkles.
The two men hunched over and sat paralyzed on the ground. Kou Hong looked like he was going to die, while Dao Xuanzi's cultivation seemed a little higher, being in slightly better shape, although he was still only barely clinging to life.
The original high and mighty immortals had actually turned into this!
Even Li Fan, who was hiding in the back and secretly commanding, heard the report from his men and felt an inexplicable chill at this moment.
"Two immortal masters, our Imperial Advisor has given an order: if the two of you surrender, you can save your lives!” A soldier shouted from afar towards the duo.
“Surrender…” The heavily injured Dao Xuanzi looked at his dear friend whose eyes were full of unwillingness and wanted to say something but was unable to speak. However, his friend's gesture made him suddenly let out a cold laugh.
Seeing Dao Xuanzi's movements, Kou Hong had already guessed what he was going to do.
He faintly shook his head, then used his last ounce of strength to pass the storage ring in his hand to Dao Xuanzi.
"Go…” Kou Hong opened his mouth slightly, then his head fell limp and he swiftly died.
High above the sky, a strange image suddenly appeared!
A red, gnarled dragon appeared in the sky. It seemed to be in great pain, struggling and roaring, as if it was trying to get rid of something.
However, it was all in vain.
It slowly became shriveled, and in the blink of an eye, it was left with only a layer of skin and flesh.
After a few moments, the entire dragon was eaten away, with not even flesh and bones left.
Only then did people see clearly that it was a brown, plain-looking branch that had taken root in the dragon and devoured it!
Even though it was an ordinary tree branch, it could swallow a dragon!
This magnificent sight was like a brilliant firework, illuminating the sky for thousands of miles around.
All the beings who saw this scene, be they human or otherwise, had this passage naturally emerge in their minds.
"Foundation Establishment Cultivator Kou Hong had two hundred and five years of mortal cultivation and achieved the Dao Foundation with the special item [Gnarled Dragon Branch]. In the land of Immortal Extinction, he was surrounded by thousands of mortals and was injured by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma."
“His cultivation was lost and his lifespan was reduced.”
“Now, in death, his Dao returns to the heavens!"
Pain, righteousness, and the difficulty of self-reliance…
Around Xuanjing City, all the living beings who witnessed this vision were immersed in emotions such as these, unable to stop themselves.
The magnificent sight lasted for almost half an hour, and then finally dispersed gradually.
The soldiers finally came back to their senses and silently looked at the other dying Immortal Cultivator in the field.
"Immortal Master Dao Xuanzi, our Imperial Advisor has no intention of fighting you to the death. If you give up your resistance, our Imperial Advisor guarantees your safety…” The soldiers continued to shout as Li Fan commanded.
Li Fan was in the dark but he sighed in his heart, knowing that his attempt to capture immortals in this life was a failure.
He simply did not expect the Immortal-Mortal Miasma to be so powerful in killing and wounding immortal cultivators.
As expected, Dao Xuanzi simply ignored the shouting.
He also looked up at the already dissipated vision with a nostalgic look in his eyes.
"Gnarled Dragon Branch..."
After a long time, he brought his gaze back down and tried to straighten his hunched body.
Scanning his surroundings, Dao Xuanzi tried to find out the puppeteer behind the curtains.
"I don't know who you are." He said to Li Fan. "I also don't know what exactly your purpose is."
"Maybe this was for this Golden Core Technique, and maybe this was for something else." Dao Xuanzi glanced at the storage ring in his hand and said calmly. "Now that us brothers have been set up by you and are dead, there should be nothing more to say."
"But I am not convinced." Dao Xuanzi spoke coldly.
"To be able to follow us all the way and know our affairs like the back of your hand without being discovered, I'm sure your cultivation must not be low."
“Despite such power, you don't dare to fight us head-on. To actually plot and scheme like this, hiding behind mortals, and even using the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, an underhanded thing that all immortal cultivators disdain…”
Dao Xuanzi took a deep breath.
"My brother, Kou Hong, did not deserve this death!”
Dao Xuanzi slowly rose into the air, once again towering above, looking at the crowd that was instantly on guard, with no sadness or joy on his face.
"You have already seen my brother's Foundation Building wonder. Now, I invite you all to take a look at mine."
"With the wonders of heaven and earth, I will build my foundation." Dao Xuanzi chanted loudly.
"My foundation is named Dao Xuan."
A massive, broken iron sword appeared in the sky above Xuanjing City.
All living beings under the shadow of the giant sword felt their minds dull and slow like rusty machines.
"I have a sword, please witness it!"
The heavens and earth suddenly lit up, and everyone in Xuanjing City seemed to fall into absolute stillness.
Subsequently, like cracks appearing in glass, the entire Xuanjing City shattered to pieces in an instant!
“[Truth].”
The charging progress plummeted, and in the split second before his consciousness disappeared, Li Fan silently recited in his heart.