Chapter 363: Chapter 361: Going Home (Congratulations to the Silver Alliance)_1
Martial Kingdom.
"Roar, roar!"
A monster beast that looked like a rhinoceros was chewing on chunks of flesh.
It had a high nasal bridge and three parallel rhino horns that emitted a cold light, revealing it to be a second-order monster—Cold Moon Rhinoceros!
With a wide-open mouth, it even crushed the bones in the flesh into powder.
Wherever it passed, a mortal village had already been reduced to ruins.
After eating and drinking its fill, the beast felt content and was about to leave.
Suddenly, the Yellow-winged Birds circling above it began to cry out.
The Cold Moon Rhinoceros immediately turned its massive body around. One of its horns shone with a cold light, releasing a crescent arc of light that slashed toward a pile of rubble.
Boom!
What was once rubble rippled like water, revealing a light screen.
Behind the light screen stood several cultivators in different garments, holding Array Flags in their hands.
"Damn it... I didn’t expect this Cold Moon Rhinoceros to have accompanying monster beasts, the ’Yellow Spirit Birds’!"
A middle-aged cultivator carrying a large bamboo basket on his back roared, "Go... kill these Yellow Spirit Birds first! Otherwise, none of us can leave!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and several talismans flew out like hidden weapons, transforming into balls of flame in mid-air.
This person’s magic power fluctuations were not weak; he was actually a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Kill!"
Behind him, several Qi Refining late-stage Immortal Cultivators exchanged glances and released their magic weapons to aid in the attack, their hearts filled with silent grievances.
The recent beast tide had been too ferocious; it was said that Baize Immortal City fell in one day, and a large number of monster beasts poured into the heartland of the three countries.
By the time the cultivators reacted, the situation had already become difficult to manage.
This time, they were assigned a task and had luckily completed it. They were in the midst of resting here when they encountered a Cold Moon Rhinoceros!
This monster beast was not only tough-skinned and meaty but also skilled in several innate spells. Even when facing a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, it could fight tooth and nail.
Master Li, who led the team, naturally didn’t want a hard fight and chose to conceal them with an array.
But to their surprise, this monster beast actually had accompanying monster beasts!
Although Yellow Spirit Birds were only first-order monster beasts, they were naturally sensitive to the flow of spiritual energy and possessed some ability to see through illusions, eventually discovering their hiding place!
Now, there was no choice but to fight for their lives!
Thump, thump!
Several fireballs hit the Yellow Spirit Birds in the sky and exploded violently.
Burnt bird carcasses fell to the ground, and the Cold Moon Rhinoceros, seeing this scene, became enraged.
It pawed the ground with its four feet and let out a thunderous roar, ready to charge!
"Go!"
Seeing this, Master Li threw the bamboo basket from his back.
Click, click!
The sound of numerous mechanisms activating rang out as the bamboo basket transformed in mid-air into a mechanical double-headed tiger. One of its mouths spewed faint green Wind Blades, while the other opened wide and shot out a streak of red light.
The two attacks hit the Cold Moon Rhinoceros in succession, but they only left shallow wounds, making the rhinoceros stumble and significantly weakening its charging momentum.
The mechanical double-headed tiger roared and bravely advanced, entangling itself with the Cold Moon Rhinoceros.
After all, it was merely a Puppet, and with its fearless resistance, it was not a big problem to barely hold off the Cold Moon Rhinoceros.
Seizing this opportunity, the law-implementing disciples also smashed their magic weapons into the Cold Moon Rhinoceros.
Meanwhile, Master Li carefully took out a pitch-black blade fragment, muttering incantations while pouring a great deal of liquid magic power into it.
The pitch-black blade, looking like a fragment of a magic weapon, had a sharp edge and was adorned with patterns.
This was Master Li’s most cherished Life-saving Trump Card, a relic fragment acquired from a fortunate encounter. After spending a great sum, he had a Talisman forging master recast the fragment, making it barely suitable for Foundation Establishment use.
However, each use required a tremendous amount of magic power and was only meant for life and death situations.
Now employed, its power was truly extraordinary.
The fragment whirled, lifting countless pitch-black blades around it that howled as they sped towards the Cold Moon Rhinoceros.
Thump, thump!
The Cold Moon Rhinoceros’ wounded hide finally gave way, blood splattering everywhere.
And the magic weapon fragment burrowed through a wound into the rhinoceros’s body, right into the cranium...
Bang!
The Cold Moon Rhinoceros fell with a thud, causing a small earthquake.
"Master Li is amazing!"
The other Qi Refining disciples’ eyes lit up as they hurried forward with compliments, "This puppet skill has become even sharper..."
"Haha..."
Master Li’s face showed pride, "Most second-order monster beasts are not as strong as Foundation Establishment cultivators; as long as you find their weakness, you can deliver a fatal blow... I also—Not good!"
He was about to harvest the precious materials from the Cold Moon Rhinoceros’ body when his Divine Consciousness caught something alarming, and his expression changed drastically.
Within the nearby woods, a flock of strange birds with three pairs of wings took flight.
They looked like vultures, but each had a white skull on top of its head, appearing extremely terrifying.
"It’s the Six-winged Ghost Pigeons, a second-order group monster..."
A Qi Refining disciple’s face was filled with despair, "This monster beast must have been startled by the commotion from our previous fighting..."
"Split up and run... Let fate decide life and death!"
Master Li clenched his teeth, slapped several ’weight-reducing talismans’ onto his body, and declared resolutely.
Facing this group of second-order monster beasts, even he might perish.
And at this time, flying away was equivalent to seeking death, for what difference was there between competing with second-order flying monster beasts in speed and courting death?
However, if he restrained his breath and fled in all directions among the group of Qi Refining disciples, the pursing ghost pigeons were not many, he might still escape with his life!
In an instant, Master Li grasped the only lifeline, showing to be astute, capable, and very decisive.
Chirp!
Just as this person was preparing to flee, from the sky, a clear cry suddenly rang out!
A terrifying surge of demon qi erupted, causing other Qi Refining disciples to go weak at the knees, kneeling on the ground.
Even Master Li felt the magic power within his body become sluggish, his face revealing a look of despair, "It’s a third-order Monster King..."
It wasn’t just any Monster King, the pressure this one brought upon him seemed to be several times stronger than any third-order monster beast he had encountered before.
Roaring!
At that moment, a light flashed in the sky, and what appeared to be a carriage flew over.
In front of the carriage, there was a Flood Dragon and an Azure Luan?
Upon seeing the ghost pigeons below, the Azure Luan’s eyes filled with disgust, and it flapped its wings.
Clumps of azure feathers, resembling arrows, fell from the sky like burning flames.
The second-order six-winged ghost pigeons stood no chance, merely touching a wisp of the Azure Luan True Fire and they screamed, turning into a pile of ashes.
From afar, it looked like a shower of azure meteoric fire.
"A Dragon and Phoenix Carriage... Which high-ranking cultivator could it be, displaying such grandeur?"
"No, looking at the direction, the other party is actually coming from deep within the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. Could it be a great cultivator from Yuan Country?"
Watching this scene, Master Li’s heart had no more joy of a narrow escape, only indescribable shock remained.
Chirp, chirp!
The carriage in mid-air paused for a moment and then came to a stop above the small village.
By this time, the aura of the Demon Blood Flood Dragon and the Green Fire Luan had become even more terrifying, utterly unfathomable.
Master Li cared not for the embarrassed Qi Refining disciples anymore and promptly gave an extremely respectful bow, "Master Li of the Jade General Sect, I thank you, Senior, for your life-saving grace! Should Senior have any commands, I, Li Shu, would not hesitate even if it costs me my life!"
Now, he could be certain that the existence within the carriage was at least a Core Formation practitioner, and not just an ordinary one!
"Li Shu?"
From inside the carriage, a faint voice could be heard, quite young, "Your puppet skill isn’t bad... It looks like the Cultivation World of these three countries is in a period of beast tides again. I have some questions for you..."
"Yes, Senior, please ask away. I shall withhold nothing..." After listening to a few questions from Li Shu, his heart felt somewhat puzzled.
This senior seemed to be very familiar with the Cultivation World of the three countries, not like any outsider cultivator.
Could it be...
In his mind, the image of a famous figure surfaced.
This person was also a Core Formation cultivator from the three countries, a paragon of late blooms and idolized by numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators.
After achieving his Golden Core, rumors had it that he went to Yuan Country, and now, it’s almost been a century, hasn’t it?
Fang Xi had no idea that a Foundation Establishment cultivator could roughly guess his identity, a result of the rareness of Core Formation cultivators in the three countries.
But this was a matter of little concern.
He didn’t plan to hide his identity on this return.
After hearing the responses from the small Foundation Establishment cultivator, he fell into thought, "The Cultivation World of the three countries seems to be in quite a sorry state... Just a third-order mid-grade Monster King from the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range side is already too much to handle, Old Yan should at least be a mid-Core Formation stage, and from a major sect’s mid-Core Formation stage at that..."
Thinking this, he also asked, "Hasn’t Old Yan of Yiling Valley made a move yet?"
Li Shu was startled, then a look of resentment appeared on his face, "Master Yan has been busy suppressing the Yu Family for decades. After Baize Fairy City was breached, he immediately activated the Mountain Protecting Array and declared Yiling Valley close for ten years... It has done quite the number on us smaller sects from the Martial Kingdom..."
"Haha... That makes sense, after all, he’s nearing the end of his lifespan. Why bother getting chestnuts out of the fire for you... The internal affairs of Yiling Valley are enough to consume a lot of his energy. As long as he holds out for a while, the beast tide will always recede, right? I wonder how the other two countries are getting on?"
Fang Xi rubbed his fingers, thinking of many individuals in the Cultivation World of the three countries.
After thinking, Li Shu replied, "Yue Country is doing alright, with Elder Zhang leading the Mysterious Heaven Sect in resistance... Although they have also suffered from monster beast rampages, the losses aren’t too severe. As for Wood Kingdom, it’s much more tragic... Ever since Patriarch Lu of the Green Wood Sect passed away, no new Core Formation cultivator has emerged. Constantly in covert and overt conflicts with many Foundation Establishment powers, their strength has been greatly depleted. This kingdom is currently the weakest in terms of cultivator strength amongst the three countries... In addition to that mid-grade third-order Monster King, several third-order monster beasts have entered Wood Kingdom, reportedly attacking the Mountain Protecting Array of the Green Wood Sect..."
"No new Core Formation yet? That does sound troubling..."
Fang Xi mused.
He had no enmity with the Green Wood Sect; on the contrary, there were some bonds.
’No need to rush back to Thousand Island Lake now, let’s settle old scores first...’
With that thought, he moved his Divine Consciousness.
The Green Fire Luan let out a long cry and took to the sky.
Watching the carriage turn into a streak of light and vanish, Li Shu remained bowed until half an hour later, when he finally straightened up.
"Master... Who exactly was that senior?"
At this time, a Qi Refining disciple timidly asked.
"Don’t ask about things you’re not supposed to know..."
As the light in Li Shu’s eyes shifted, if it really was that renowned figure returning, the pattern of the Cultivation World of the three countries might undergo a massive change.
Would there be an opportunity for their Jade General Sect too?