The Fire Phoenix spat condensed pillars of golden flames, thoroughly incinerating two or three Chi gathered together.
Or it dove in a sweeping strike, scattering the Chi with its flaming body wrapped in True Intent.
As it flapped its wings, it set off a monstrous tide of flames, igniting the Chi attempting to surround them from the flanks.
Xu Deling herself took charge of support.
She formed incantation hand seals, a golden light occasionally flashing in her eyes.
A tiny yet incomparably sharp golden radiance would shoot out, precisely killing any Chi attempting to sneak up behind the Fire Phoenix or moving with exceptional speed.
Having integrated her Natal Magic Treasure, she shared a telepathic connection with the Fire Phoenix.
After refining the Withered Glory Pill this time, although her True Intent of a Divine Ability had not progressed, the quality of her mana had already reached the Golden Core Perfection level.
The vigor and depth of her mana were only slightly lacking.
In terms of mana, magic treasures, divine abilities, and secret methods, she belonged to the absolute top tier.
Amidst the fog, golden flames incinerated the air.
Black smoke continuously rose and dissipated. Miserable shrieks echoed one after another before abruptly cutting off.
Wherever the Fire Phoenix passed, only small piles of ashes remained.
More than two hours later.
The last Chi was reduced to flying ash beneath the Fire Phoenix's claws.
This wave of Chi was completely eradicated by Xu Deling.
As for the consumed mana, it was only about thirty to forty percent.
If it had been a day ago, she likely would have had almost nothing left.
The pervasive fog seemed to have thinned somewhat due to the continuous high-temperature burning.
There was no longer the slightest surge of evil energy within the formation, leaving behind only the yet-to-settle scorching heat and grayish-black dust scattered all over the ground.
However, this was only temporary.
As long as the formation remained, Chi would continue to arrive in an endless stream.
The Fire Phoenix let out a clear cry, shrinking in size to turn into a streak of light that flew back into Xu Deling's body, while the Fire Phoenix Plume also rushed into her dantian.
"Can you still hold on?"
Xu Mingxian walked over and asked.
"I still have sixty percent of my mana."
"If that is the case, with you taking the lead, Deling, supported by me and Xiao Hong, and the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array isolating the Chi in batches."
"Doing it like this, we should be able to hold out until father finishes his secluded cultivation."
Pausing for a moment, Xu Mingxian continued, "Before the next wave of Chi arrives, Deling, you should first restore your mana to its peak."
"Understood, Fifth Uncle."
Days passed by.
The number of Chi gathering around here varied.
Sometimes there were only ten or twenty, while other times there were as many as sixty or seventy. If not for the bewildering effects of the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array, which caused them to scatter shortly after entering.
Otherwise, even working together, they would not be able to easily eradicate them.
Even so.
Xu Deling and the others still nearly depleted their mana several times and could only rely on pills to keep going.
They had to stay in the Ancient Battlefield for three years. If they casually swallowed pills at every turn, the pills Xu Chuan gave them would likely be entirely consumed in less than half a year.
Because of this.
Both of them tried to save as much as possible.
In the blink of an eye, more than two months passed.
One-third of the Golden Core cultivators who entered the Ancient Battlefield had already died. As for the Foundation Establishment cultivators, fewer than ten survived.
Everyone who had managed to survive until now had, more or less, harvested materials or spirit grass.
Some had even obtained storage rings left behind by ancient cultivators, ancient cultivation methods, pills, or High-Grade Magic Treasures.
As for the Nascent Soul cultivators, many had charged deeper into the Ancient Battlefield.
Everyone who entered appeared in the outer periphery.
And this outer periphery spanned five hundred thousand kilometers in radius.
In the outer periphery, the Chi were the most numerous.
Even Nascent Soul cultivators would attract a massive number of Chi and fall into danger if they stayed in one place for too long.
The number of Chi they could attract was almost several times that of Golden Core cultivators.
It could easily be seventy or eighty, or even reach several hundred.
Therefore, Nascent Soul cultivators basically headed toward the depths of the Ancient Battlefield while searching for nearby materials along the way, never delaying for too long.
Chi would be present near various spirit grass and materials of the third or fourth tier and above, but the Chi were not interested in the items themselves.
For the Golden Core cultivators who entered, these were already considered great opportunities.
As long as they could survive until they left, their net worth would inevitably skyrocket, becoming even richer than the foundations of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.
The marker distinguishing the outer periphery from the depths was the fog.
The Chi seemingly would not enter the fog; they only roamed the outer periphery.
Within the fog.
There might be fifth-tier spirit materials, exotic flowers and strange grasses, the remains of ancient cultivators, and incomplete Spirit Treasures.
The Ancient Prodigy Token might also exist in the outer periphery, but they were mostly found in the depths of the battlefield, stored within the storage rings of powerful ancient corpses.
Of course, the creatures inside were inevitably more terrifying.
There were no Chi, but there were Mei, Corpse Xiao, Ghost Kings, and other various powerful creatures, and even the remnant souls of Ancient Demons or ancient cultivators.
Most of the Mei were at the peak third-tier, but they were naturally adept in the path of illusion.
Even Nascent Soul cultivators could be bewitched if they were not careful.
Moreover, unlike the mindless Chi, they possessed intelligence. They knew how to employ the strategy of Driving a Wolf to Swallow a Tiger and cooperated with fourth-tier powerhouses like Corpse Xiao and Ghost Kings.
In every opening of the Ancient Battlefield, even early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who entered might not all leave alive.
As for a Nascent Soul Formation Opportunity.
It might exist in the outer periphery of the battlefield, but it required luck.
There might be more deeper inside, but they were bound to be guarded by fourth-tier creatures, impossible to seize unless one was exceptionally strong.
At Xu Chuan's secluded cultivation spot.
The nine peak third-tier blood corpses had already completely dried up, their origins, corpse qi, and other essences entirely plundered by the Profound Yin Corpse King.
These blood corpses could still resist in the beginning.
But after a month or two, they had absolutely no room left for resistance.
Now, their auras were completely gone.
As for the Profound Yin Corpse King, its aura grew increasingly tyrannical, and the surrounding corpse qi became thicker and more biting cold.
"Nine-Layered Corpse Dissolution, Profound Yin Corpse Pearl. If you do not condense it now, when will you?"
Xu Chuan imparted the method for condensing the corpse pearl.
A moment later.
The Corpse King's body violently shuddered as it began to condense the corpse pearl within its dantian.
In an instant.
All the surrounding corpse qi, along with its own massive corpse qi, surged toward its dantian.
It formed a small vortex.
At the center of the vortex.
A point of extreme darkness gradually lit up. Initially the size of a bean, it subsequently absorbed boundless corpse qi, rapidly expanding and solidifying.
Finally.
The Profound Yin Corpse Pearl was completely formed.
It floated quietly within the Corpse King's dantian.
It was the size of a longan, pitch-black throughout, with a single silver pattern on its surface.
The moment this pearl was formed, all the corpse qi and origin essence within the Corpse King's body gathered into it.
It was both the source of its power and a fatal weak point.
Just like a cultivator's Golden Core or a demonic beast's inner core.
If the corpse pearl was destroyed, even if the Corpse King's intelligence was not extinguished, its cultivation would plummet. To condense it again would require centuries of bitter effort.
And for one like it, having just stepped into the fourth tier, it would even fall back down to the third tier.
"Roar!"
Fourth-tier pressure erupted from the Corpse King's body like a tangible shockwave, sweeping in all directions!
Vegetation instantly withered and died, while rocks were covered in white frost.
The Profound Yin Corpse King raised its head and howled, the sound akin to the wailing of ten thousand ghosts.
It also sounded like shattering metal. The rolling soundwaves spread across fifty kilometers of mountain forest, proclaiming its ascension to becoming a king.
However, before the howl even faded.
Within the Corpse King's ghostly eyes that had newly ignited with spectral flames, a vicious light and unruliness completely replaced its brief intoxication.
The sense of inflation brought by power sharply conflicted with the lingering feeling of restraint deep within its soul.
It is the nature of any living being to yearn for freedom.
Like the saying goes, Never to be Enslaved!
The Profound Yin Corpse King's gaze shifted, and it made a decision.
It wanted to catch Xu Chuan off guard and launch a sudden attack, tearing apart its controller with the momentum of a thunderbolt!
Its figure swayed, vanishing from within the grand array.
The corpse's shadow blurred like a phantom.
A sharp claw covered in black bone armor, gleaming faint blue and wrapped in intense corpse poison and biting cold energy, grabbed straight for Xu Chuan's throat!
The speed was pushed to the absolute limit!
The Corpse King firmly believed the other party absolutely would not have time to react, let alone activate that soul restriction!
But it underestimated Xu Chuan's caution.
And it overestimated its own intelligence.
The sharp claw only pierced through an illusionary figure that was slowly dissipating.
Xu Chuan's true body had already manifested over a dozen meters away. His expression was stern, as if he had expected this all along.
After all, as early as when they were at the peak of the third tier, he had seen that they harbored a four-kilogram rebellious streak.
If his divine sense had not successfully broken into the Nascent Soul stage, Xu Chuan absolutely would never have helped them advance to the fourth tier.
The moment the Ghost Shadow Escape was activated.
The Azure Dragon Treasure Umbrella had already flown out on its own, snapping open with a "Swish."
It dropped a familiar cyan-gold light screen, securely protecting him.
"Is that it?" Xu Chuan sneered.
Moyue charged out from the Spirit Beast Pouch.
"You're courting death!"
He shouted angrily, swinging his fist. Wrapped in majestic demonic power, he fearlessly met the Corpse King head-on.
Seeing this, the Corpse King immediately raised its hand to resist.
"Boom!"
In the collision between two fourth-tier existences, air currents violently rolled, and frost and corpse poison splattered everywhere.
The Corpse King was newly advanced. Although its power was great, its application of it was not completely smooth, and it was knocked back by Moyue's strike.
At this moment, Xu Chuan formed a one-handed seal and muttered in a low voice, "Restrict!"
"Buzz—!"
The Profound Yin Corpse King was just about to counterattack Moyue when its body suddenly stiffened.
The spectral flames in its eyes danced madly, flickering uncertainly.
It felt as though its head was going to explode, transmitting an indescribable, agonizing twisting pain and severe soul tremors!
Just as it prepared to do its utmost to suppress the pain.
"Bang!"
Moyue planted a solid palm strike on the Corpse King's chest, sending it flying backward to viciously smash into and collapse a section of the rock wall behind it.
Punch after punch rained down on the Corpse King like a violent storm.
The dual torment of body and soul continuously ravaged it.
"This is for being disobedient!"
"Ungrateful wretch!"
"Rebellious bastard!"
"I helped you step into the fourth tier, and you don't even know gratitude!"
"Who else should I beat up if not you!"
"Even this seat has to obediently listen, yet a mere Corpse King like you thinks it can rebel against the heavens!"
Xu Chuan's mouth twitched. "Moyue, you've spoken your inner thoughts. Did you also want to leave my Xu family back then?"
Moyue laughed heartily. "What? This seat didn't say a word. You must be hearing things."
"This kid wasn't listening, so I beat some sense into it for you."
"Then it really was hard work for you, old man," Xu Chuan chuckled speechlessly.
A moment later.
Moyue transformed into his true Transformed Flood Dragon form, dozens of meters long.
A massive Dragon Claw, with four talons tightly clenched, pinned the Profound Yin Corpse King firmly into the ground!
"Roar!"
The Corpse King struggled violently beneath the dragon's claw.
Dark brown blood oozed from the corners of its mouth, and corpse qi surged wildly around its body, yet it could hardly budge the claw.
In terms of physical strength and defense, the flood dragon clan was considered top-tier among all creatures.
A Corpse King that had just entered the fourth tier was still quite a bit lacking if it wanted to resist him.
It would need to be at least at the peak of the early fourth tier, or the middle fourth tier.
"Profound Yin, this will be your name from now on. I can help you step into the fourth tier, and I can just as easily knock you back down from it, especially when your strength is still unstable right now."
As Xu Chuan spoke, his hands formed seals to condense multiple restrictions, branding them onto the Profound Yin Corpse King's corpse pearl.
A dual restriction on both soul and corpse pearl.
Unless the Profound Yin Corpse King surpassed Xu Chuan by an entire major cultivation realm, it could forget about escaping his control.
And given Xu Chuan's prudence, it would never have this possibility for all eternity.
"Moyue, let it go."
Hearing this, Moyue retracted his Dragon Claw.
The Profound Yin Corpse King glared angrily at Xu Chuan.
"You brought this upon yourself."
Xu Chuan's gaze was icy, but he casually tossed out a few corpses of Golden Core cultivators.
"Seeing as your aura is weak and slipping, if you accidentally fall back to the third tier, my painstaking efforts will be ruined in an instant. Have a good supplement.
Then think carefully whether you want to follow This One and grow step by step.
Or revert back into a third-tier blood corpse."
The Profound Yin Corpse King looked at the Golden Core corpses beside it; the aura of Golden Cores still lingered within them.
To it, this was an extreme temptation.
To suppress this kind of impulse, it still needed to undergo continuous cultivation.
It looked at Xu Chuan, then looked at the fourth-tier flood dragon beside him.
'This person can even subdue a fourth-tier Transformed Flood Dragon. Yielding to him does not seem like a big deal. Furthermore, human lifespans, even if he reaches the Nascent Soul stage in the future, are far shorter than mine.
If he fails to advance, or even perishes early while transcending tribulation.
It will probably only be a matter of one or two hundred years.
I just need to endure it, and I will be free.'
The Profound Yin Corpse King calculated in its heart and finally convinced itself.
"Profound Yin greets Master."
The Profound Yin Corpse King knelt on one knee and clasped its fists in a bow, demonstrating its submission.
Xu Chuan could see through whatever petty schemes the other party had at a glance. He waved his hand and said, "Those Golden Core corpses are yours."
"Thank you, Master."
With these supplements, it would be enough for the fourth-tier Corpse King to quickly stabilize its fourth-tier realm.
"This high-grade Storage Pouch is for you. If there is an opportunity, This One can help you find an Inheritance for a corpse cultivator. Otherwise, relying on yourself, your cultivation progress will inevitably be extremely slow."
The Profound Yin Corpse King's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Master."
It instantaneously bound the Storage Pouch with its blood.
Just as it was about to devour the Golden Cores from the corpses, Xu Chuan said, "Put them away for now. We must leave this place.
The commotion you two caused has likely drawn a massive number of Chi heading this way."
"What Chi? Master, Profound Yin will go eat them."
"They are purely trash. They have no Golden Cores, no souls, and their flesh definitely cannot be eaten."
"Such creatures exist in this world?"
"Are they living creatures? Perhaps they are, or perhaps they aren't."
After speaking, Xu Chuan ordered Moyue back into the Spirit Beast Pouch and the Profound Yin Corpse King back into the Yin Corpse Pouch.
Then his figure blurred, transforming into a ray of cyan light as he flew ten to fifteen kilometers away, arriving at the edge of the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array.
At this moment, Xu Mingxian and Xu Deling were fighting the enemy with all their might.
"Not bad. Deling's mana has reached perfection. It seems she took the Withered Glory Pill."
Xu Chuan charged into the foggy area, raising his hand to condense the Four Seasons Seal: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
The four seals were unleashed simultaneously, instantly annihilating two Chi.
Xu Mingxian and Xu Deling looked up in pleasant surprise, speaking in unison, "Father (Grandfather), you have come out of seclusion."
"We just heard that terrifying howl. Did you succeed?"
"The Profound Yin Corpse King has successfully advanced. Our Xu family now has another Nascent Soul trump card."
Xu Chuan smiled faintly and nodded. "Rest behind me for a moment; leave the rest to me!"
Naturally, the two had absolute trust in him.
In less than half a cup of tea's time, Xu Chuan completely slaughtered the twenty-odd Chi scattered across the foggy area.
"Let's go. Since the Corpse King has been successfully nurtured, there is no need to stay here anymore."
Xu Chuan formed seals to gather the Formation Flags of the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array.
Several streaks of light flew over and sank into his spatial ring.
Afterward, the three of them each rode a streak of light far away from the area.
A few dozen kilometers away.
A massive number of Chi rushed over. Waves of terrifying howls rose and fell, entirely chaotic.
Half an incense stick of time later.
Xu Chuan and the other two finally shook them off completely.
They rested temporarily in a valley. After all, with such a short amount of time, Xu Mingxian and Xu Deling definitely hadn't fully recovered their mana and mental fortitude.
"We will rest for six hours, then leave."
As long as they stayed in one place for a longer period, Chi would inevitably gather.
The other people who had figured out this pattern basically acted the same way.
And each time they moved, it was at least a hundred to a hundred and fifty kilometers.
"Grandfather, let us see what a fourth-tier Corpse King looks like?"
Xu Deling asked after meditating and recovering for a moment.
Xu Chuan chuckled and patted the Yin Corpse Pouch, releasing the Profound Yin Corpse King and bringing Moyue out along with it.
Xu Deling sized it up. "It's only two meters tall now, and its skin is quite different too. It's turned an iron-blue color. Overall, it looks more like a human."
At this moment, the Profound Yin Corpse King was still wearing magic treasure armor.
However, if it learned the method of artifact refinement, it could also forge its own Natal Magic Treasure.
"Roar~"
Seeing Xu Deling size it up like a monkey, the Profound Yin Corpse King immediately let out an angry roar at her, baring its fangs with a fierce look in its eyes.
"Smack!"
Moyue promptly delivered a slap to the back of its head.
The Profound Yin Corpse King looked over in confusion, its eyes seemingly asking: 'Why did you hit me?'
"Why are you being so fierce? Can't you even distinguish your own people? You're still wearing the magic treasure armor she refined! You truly have no humanity at all!"
'I'm not human!'
The Profound Yin Corpse King was extremely unconvinced and really wanted to retort.
But looking at Moyue, it held back.
'I, the Corpse King, won't lower myself to your level.'
"Hey, you're not convinced, huh? Want to go another round!" Moyue raised his fist, ready to strike.
"Stop messing around. Do you want to attract another massive horde of Chi?" Xu Chuan laughed. "Deling, pass the method for refining a Natal Magic Treasure to Profound Yin.
A fourth-tier Corpse King is already like a cultivator, an existence that has just stepped onto the Great Dao.
It can drive magic treasures."
The Profound Yin Corpse King was slightly startled and looked at Xu Chuan.
Hearing this, Xu Deling did not hesitate either. She immediately took out a jade slip and handed it to the Profound Yin Corpse King.
"While you digest the Golden Core blood food and stabilize your realm, you can familiarize yourself with it. If we encounter suitable fourth-tier materials in the future, it's not impossible to give them to you.
Of course, it ultimately depends on your performance.
The most fundamental requirement is that you must absolutely never harm a single member of my Xu family.
Otherwise, it won't be as simple as knocking you down to the third tier.
Our Xu family does not want disloyal people, no matter how useful they are.
If my Xu family can cultivate one fourth-tier Corpse King, we can cultivate a second one!"
Although Xu Chuan's words were not false, even if it were possible, unless there was a ready-made one, accumulating from scratch would take at least a century or two. Cultivating another fourth-tier Corpse King in less time was absolutely impossible.
Hearing this, the Profound Yin Corpse King's expression turned solemn, and it nodded obediently.
"Know your place. Do you think you're like this seat, irreplaceable in the Xu family?!"
Moyue looked immensely proud of himself.
"Both of you, head back. The longer you stay out, the faster you will attract Chi."
A short while later.
They returned to the Yin Corpse Pouch and Spirit Beast Pouch.
"Father, it seems the Profound Yin Corpse King is not easy to subdue," Xu Mingxian noted.
"A fourth-tier Corpse King is equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator. How could it be that easily subdued? After all, unlike Moyue, we didn't walk through trials supporting each other."
"I remember Moyue used to call everyone 'ants' at the beginning. Even though he was a prisoner, he was impossibly arrogant."
"Temporary submission is easy, but generating a sense of identity and belonging doesn't happen overnight. You two continue your meditation."
After their curiosity was satisfied.
The two continued sitting in quiet meditation.
Even though Xu Deling's cultivation realm was higher and she had more mana remaining than Xu Mingxian previously.
When it came to mana recovery speed, she was actually somewhat inferior.
In just over four hours, Xu Mingxian had restored his mana to its peak, though his mental state was not fully recovered and needed time to slowly recuperate.
Meanwhile, Xu Deling had only recovered about eighty percent after six hours.
Of course, this was the result of neither of them taking any pills.
"You two are quite frugal. Even though pills are indeed precious in the Ancient Battlefield, don't forget that there is still a Medicine Garden planted within the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven.
Even if there aren't many mature ones, with my alchemy attainments, I can maximize their use."
"Father, we can't rely too much on pills. Besides, the growth cycle of spirit medicine is inherently slow. Being too extravagant is detrimental to the future."
"That does make sense," Xu Chuan laughed heartily. "Let's go. Those pieces of trash have caught our scent again."
The three set off once more.
Several days later.
Xu Chuan suddenly felt a fluctuation from the Heavenly Foundry Sect Jade Tablet.
Taking it out to look, he indeed saw a red dot within a hundred kilometers to the east.
Of course, there was also one on his end.
"Grandfather, this is... it looks somewhat familiar."
"Of course it's familiar to you. It's a Heavenly Foundry Sect token that your second Honored Master personally handed to me."
"Second Honored Master?"
"He asked me to lend a hand in passing if I encountered Heavenly Foundry Sect disciples. This Jade Tablet can detect any living Heavenly Foundry Sect disciples within a five-hundred-kilometer radius."
"So that's how it is. Second Honored Master is Taking Great Pains with Good Intentions. However, Grandfather definitely wouldn't have just agreed to it for free, right?"
"Given the relationship between the Heavenly Foundry Sect and our Xu Family, I would naturally lend a hand if I ran into an acquaintance. However, going out of my way to run over and save someone—there has to be a travel fee."
Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Your second Honored Master offered a Top-Tier Magic Treasure as remuneration after the fact."
"I plan to use this magic treasure as a vessel for our Xu family's clan-guarding treasure. A Mid Grade one would be too low in quality."
Xu Mingxian asked, "Father, who do you plan to give the clan-guarding treasure to manage?"
"The Xu Family Head." Xu Chuan said, "Mei Yun once mentioned that Fortune Secret Treasures are special. Activated by Providence, even any member of the Xu family can utilize them.
Of course, the greater the proportion of Providence one holds, the more power they can unleash.
The Family Head holds significant weight within our Xu family, so they should be able to unleash considerable power, enough to suppress the masses."
"Our Xu Family Head is overworked and busy; they indeed should control a heavy treasure to make up for their shortcomings."
Several minutes later.
They arrived thirty to thirty-five kilometers away from the red dot.
"Senior Brother Fierce Sun!"
Xu Deling possessed Spirit Eyes, and observing with them revealed even more than divine sense.
From over thirty kilometers away, she could clearly see the situation over there.
"What is the situation?"
"There are two demonic cultivators plundering Senior Brother Fierce Sun. Both should be people who have achieved Great Accomplishment in their divine abilities. About twenty to twenty-five kilometers away, forty to fifty Chi are already rapidly gathering toward them.
They must have been fighting for quite some time, and the spiritual qi fluctuations were intense to cause this."
"Facing two people alone, Daoist Friend Fierce Sun's strength is truly extraordinary."
"I've heard Honored Master mention that Senior Brother Fierce Sun possesses a Top-Tier Magic Treasure. However, it is very difficult to unleash its power during the Golden Core stage, so he rarely uses it. It's always kept as a trump card for crucial moments."
"Grandfather, should we..."
"It's so rare to run into guys who aren't trash; naturally, we cannot let them go."
Xu Chuan's eyes lit up.
The outer periphery of the battlefield was vast. A thousand people pouring in was truly insignificant; running into someone was all based on luck.
Xu Deling and Xu Mingxian exchanged a glance, the corners of their mouths twitching slightly.
"Your speed is slightly slower; I will go on ahead."
After saying that, Xu Chuan immediately executed an Evasion Divine Ability, turning into a ray of cyan light and disappearing in a flash.
"Someone else has arrived. Daoist friend, do you want to bet on whether the newcomer is a cultivator from Heavenly South or our Blackwater Region?"
A red-robed demonic cultivator grinned widely.
"Brother Yang, even if it is a cultivator from Heavenly South, they might not necessarily help him."
"Haha, that's true." The red-robed demonic cultivator added, "If you hand over that Heavenly Sun Crystal, we will let you leave.
Otherwise, by the time others arrive and those Chi surround us, leaving won't be so easy."
"Do you really think this True Lord is afraid of you!"
True Lord Fierce Sun glared angrily, but there was indeed worry in his eyes.
Regardless of who was rushing over, just dealing with those Chi—if he were truly surrounded, he would definitely end up perishing.
He was betting.
In a little while, they would inevitably retreat.
"Only you people from Heavenly South care so much about face. A mere Golden Core dares to falsely claim the title of True Lord!" The two of them both revealed sneers.
"Such fast speed!"
In just a few breaths of time, the cyan light had arrived not far from them.
The cyan light faded, revealing Xu Chuan's appearance.
"Daoist Friend Withered Glory." True Lord Fierce Sun was instantly overjoyed.
"It's you!"
The expressions of those two demonic cultivators also changed; they completely hadn't expected Xu Chuan to actually be acquainted with Fierce Sun.
"Go!"
Without another word, the two prepared to flee.
However, Xu Chuan was even faster than them. He preemptively blocked their path, forcing them to halt.
"Two Daoist friends, why are you leaving in such a hurry!"
The red-robed demonic cultivator stated, "True Lord Withered Glory, your strength is indeed tyrannical, but do not think you can easily take us down. After all, you are not the only one who possesses High-Grade Magic Treasures."
One of them held a dark red treasure orb in his hand, while in front of the other floated a black Flying Sword, emitting a metallic ringing sound as if issuing a warning.
"That's more like it." Xu Chuan nodded slightly.
"What's more like it?"
The other demonic cultivator, dressed in black Tight-fitting Attire with a cold expression, showed confusion in his eyes.
A moment later.
Xu Deling and Xu Mingxian also arrived.
"Junior Sister Feng Ling, Daoist Friend Mingxian, you are here too?"
"Senior Brother Fierce Sun, long time no see," Xu Deling greeted with a smile.
"Stop exchanging greetings. You two, come over here and greet these two Daoist friends."
"Yes, Father (Grandfather)."
"Do you need help?"
"Don't, Senior Brother Fierce Sun. If you intervene, my grandfather will have to share a portion of the spoils with you."
Hearing this, True Lord Fierce Sun cracked a smile. "Daoist Friend Withered Glory is truly greedy, but he indeed has the strength to back it up."
Xu Mingxian and Xu Deling landed around the two demonic cultivators, encircling them.
However, Xu Chuan did not make a move immediately.
"True Lord Withered Glory, do you truly want to fight us to the bitter end?"
"You two are overestimating yourselves entirely too much."
Roar, roar, roar~
A massive number of Chi had already arrived half a kilometer away, charging straight toward Xu Chuan and the others.
"It's about time. Do it!"
Before his voice even faded, an antique and heavy black seal flew from his hand. It was precisely the Heavy Profound Seal.
The large seal grew against the wind, transforming to over ten meters in size. Carrying a terrifying momentum capable of crushing mountains, it smashed violently toward the black-clad Sword Cultivator.
The black-clad Sword Cultivator gritted his teeth and drove his Flying Sword to stab straight at it.
"Die!"
The red-robed demonic cultivator activated the treasure orb in his hand. Dark red Demonic Flames transformed into a black flood dragon that also charged toward Xu Chuan.
The black-clad Sword Cultivator's expression changed. Gritting his teeth, he shouted harshly, "Break!"
The Flying Sword before him divided into streaks of sword light, twining and slicing like swimming dragons as they charged toward the Heavy Profound Seal.
A booming explosion instantly resounded.
"Die!"
Seeing this, the dark red treasure orb in the red-robed demonic cultivator's hand flared with brilliant demonic light.
Surging Demonic Flames spewed forth, actually condensing in midair into a thirty-meter-long flaming demonic dragon with hideous scales.
Baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, the demonic dragon carried soul-burning and bone-corroding poisonous flames as it bit toward Xu Chuan, its might terrifying.
However, before the demonic dragon could reach him.
A clear, cold female voice had already rung out. "Your opponent is me."
Xu Deling took a step forward, blocking Xu Chuan's flank.
With a "Boom", pale golden flames surged around her like a volcanic eruption, instantly condensing above her head into a blazing Fire Phoenix over twenty meters long.
The Fire Phoenix's eyes flashed like lightning, and its long tail feathers flowed with gold, emitting a pure and scorching aura.
Xu Deling formed a hand seal, and her Natal Magic Treasure, the Fire Phoenix Plume, turned into a streak of light and merged into the Fire Phoenix. The Fire Phoenix let out a clear cry, its power surging once more.
Flapping its wings, it actively met the flaming demonic dragon head-on!
Golden flames and black fire violently collided, and the temperature of the surrounding space skyrocketed.
The Fire Phoenix tore with its claws and pecked with its beak, splashing golden flames as it tangled with the demonic dragon. A continuous string of explosions rang out, and the scorching shockwaves were oppressive. For a moment, neither could gain the upper hand.
At the same time, Xu Mingxian also made his move.
He pressed his hands down in the air, and array patterns rapidly spread outward from him like a tide.
"Five Elements Heaven Lock, Clouds and Mist Blind the Eyes!"
Five-colored chains condensed out of thin air, slithering like spirit snakes, intent on binding the two demonic cultivators.
In addition, within a radius of six hundred meters, dense white mist emerged out of thin air, rapidly shrouding the battlefield. Not only did it obscure vision, but it could also scramble divine sense perception.
Almost at the exact same moment.
A large horde of Chi charged into the fog without any scruples.
The battle instantly entered a white-hot state.
This was a chaotic melee.
Xu Chuan's trio had to deal with the demonic cultivators, as well as handle the Chi.
Naturally, it was the same for the demonic cultivators. They had to guard against the attacks of Xu Chuan and the others while also fending off the encirclement of the Chi.
After all, the Chi didn't care about righteous or demonic paths.
"Illusory Array, rise!"
Xu Mingxian once again condensed an Illusory Array.
Under the True Intent of the Formation Dao, the Illusory Array could reach the pinnacle of the second tier.
Although it could not thoroughly bewitch the two demonic cultivators at Golden Core Perfection, it could distract them.
In an intense battle, even the slightest error in judgment was enough to plunge the two demonic cultivators into a perilous situation.
Soon.
The red-robed demonic cultivator and the black-clad Sword Cultivator were entangled by seven or eight Chi that were Fierce and Unafraid of Death.
They were forced to divide their attention to deal with those troublesome sharp claws.
Then, Xu Chuan narrowed his eyes and transmitted his voice to Xu Deling and Xu Mingxian, "You two avoid the Chi; leave the rest to me."
"Yes, Father."
"Understood, Grandfather."
The two responded simultaneously.
"Damn it, if I had known, we should have decisively left just now."
The red-robed demonic cultivator cursed incessantly.
"What's the point of saying this now? Let's first think of a way to force back these Chi and then break out of this array space.
Fortunately, this is only a second-rank array formation.
If it were a third-tier array, even though we are at Golden Core Perfection, it would still be very difficult to walk out of the Bewildering Tracks Array."
"Let's unleash our divine abilities together."
"Okay!"
The pressure on the two demonic cultivators spiked.