OBS Chapter 1420 Han Li: Following my senior brother means there's meat to eat.
Chapter 1420 Han Li: Following my senior brother means there's meat to eat.
The main battlefield of Huanglong Mountain, a land that was once soaked with the blood of cultivators from both sides a hundred years ago, has once again become a battlefield where the Tiannan cultivation world and the Mulan shamans fight to the death.
The air was thick with the lingering stench of history and bloodshed, mixed with the fresh, surging spiritual energy and chilling fighting spirit of the day.
On the vast plain stretching for dozens of miles, the two camps stood in stark contrast, like two lurking dragons, ready to tear each other apart at any moment.
On the Tiannan cultivators' side, various magical treasures shimmered with spiritual light, condensing into a solemn sea of light, with magic arrays flowing and runes appearing and disappearing; while on the opposite side, the Mulan mage army wore the totem clothing of various tribes, with animal skins and bone ornaments fluttering in the wind, and a huge spiritual magic array plate floated in mid-air, exuding a primitive and magnificent power.
"kill!"
It's unclear whether the signal came first, or if the taut string finally snapped. A command piercing the heavens, like a thunderclap exploding on still waters, instantly ignited a long-simmering, raging war!
"Boom!"
The torrents of magic clashed first. From the Tiannan camp, countless flying swords, talismans, and magical artifacts soared into the sky, converging into a destructive pillar of light that crashed down on the Mulan army formation.
On Mulan's side, thousands of mages chanted ancient incantations, brandishing their staffs and bone artifacts, drawing upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth to create a raging tide of flames, ice spikes, boulders, and wind blades that crashed fiercely into the Tiannan cultivators' defenses.
The deafening explosions, the booming sounds of spells colliding, the cracking sounds of psionic shields shattering, and the shrill screams of the low-level cultivators caught in the meat grinder of the first wave of the battlefield instantly intertwined into a symphony of hell.
Blood and flesh flew everywhere, limbs and severed bodies were scattered, and the thick stench of blood instantly overwhelmed the scent of soil and grass. Low-level Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators fell in droves like wheat fields swept by a whirlwind; their lives were perhaps as insignificant as dust in the eyes of Nascent Soul level beings.
Just above the battlefield, which was like a boiling furnace, in the higher heavens, a duel between late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators suddenly began.
Several powerful auras soared into the sky, tearing through the clouds and flying straight towards the outer perimeter of the battlefield, far from the main battlefield.
In the southern region, three figures stood like pillars of strength: Wei Wuyai, the leader of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, wore a green robe, his face solemn, surrounded by a faint gray-green poisonous mist, his aura as heavy as a mountain; the leader of the Righteous Path Alliance, Venerable Zhiyang, wore a crimson-gold Taoist robe, held a whisk, and his pure Yang energy burned like fire; the leader of the Demonic Path, the Old Demon of Hehuan, had a sinister face, his black robe billowing, exuding a chilling and eerie demonic aura.
Following closely behind were Long Han and Feng Bing, two top-tier Nascent Soul stage Dao couples from the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Their auras were connected, their Yin and Yang complemented each other, making them seem like one entity, and their combat power was approaching that of a Grand Cultivator.
On Mulan's side, three equally powerful auras met the attack head-on. The leader was none other than Mulan's First Divine Master, Master Zhong, with an ancient and unsophisticated face and eyes as deep as an abyss. Every move he made stirred up the primordial energy of heaven and earth. To his left was Master Zhu, whose aura was violent, and the image of wind and thunder could be seen around his body. To his right was Master Bi, who was tall and had a powerful blood aura. His physical strength shook the void.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with them was Sect Master Fang, the sect leader of the Yinluo Sect of the Great Jin Dynasty. He was shrouded in black robes, exuding a sinister demonic aura, and was in a faint confrontation with the Old Demon of Hehuan.
"Wei Wuyai, the hundred-year agreement has come to an end, and Tiannan should cede its territory!" Master Zhong's voice was like rolling thunder, resounding through the sky.
"Hmph, if you want the land of Tiannan, first ask if my poison skills will allow it!" Wei Wuyai showed no weakness, and the gray-green poisonous mist suddenly spread, transforming into countless ferocious venomous snake phantoms that pounced on Master Zhong.
In an instant, several late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators clashed in a fierce battle, the terrifying aftershocks of their magical power raging across the sky like a cataclysmic storm. Poisonous mist filled the air, corroding space; golden light shone brightly, scorching mountains and boiling seas; demonic energy surged, accompanied by the wails of ghosts and gods; frost condensed, and wind blades tore through the air…
Each collision sent shivers down the spines of the cultivators fighting below, as if the very space itself were being torn apart. They were like gods and demons walking among mortals, their every move influencing the course of the entire battle.
Just as the two sides were locked in fierce combat and seemed poised for a protracted battle, a sudden change occurred!
Deep within the Mulan army formation, an incomparably powerful aura, no less than that of Master Zhong and others, suddenly erupted! A streak of azure light shot out from behind like a comet, carrying an unstoppable momentum, and crashed into the battle circle of the Tiannan Nascent Soul cultivators.
The newcomer was burly and rugged, with sharp eyes and an aura of immense power befitting a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—he was none other than Tian Zhong, the newly promoted Divine Master of the Mulan clan!
"Hahaha, you little brats from Tiannan, taste the power of this divine master!"
Tian Zhong let out a wild laugh, the sound echoing across the surrounding area. His appearance was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep.
A Nascent Soul stage elder from the Heavenly Dao Alliance attempted to intercept, summoning a massive bronze shield. Tian Zhong grinned maliciously, neither dodging nor blocking, his right fist condensing into a huge rocky fist shadow, which slammed down fiercely!
"Boom!"
Like a giant hammer striking a drum! The ancient treasure-level shield, which had considerable defensive power, was actually dented in a large pit by Tian Zhong's punch. The Nascent Soul stage elder behind the shield turned pale and spat out a mouthful of blood. He and the shield were sent flying hundreds of feet away, his aura weakened, clearly having suffered a serious injury.
Immediately afterward, Tian Zhong's figure blurred, appearing like a ghost beside another early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator of the Demonic Path. The cultivator was terrified and hastily activated his protective magic treasure. Tian Zhong merely flicked his finger, and a condensed, almost tangible, earth-yellow finger strike shot out, piercing directly through the protective magic treasure and the cultivator's chest with a "whoosh" sound! The Nascent Soul cultivator tried to escape, but Tian Zhong grabbed it with his large hand, instantly imprisoning and annihilating it with terrifying magical power!
"kill!"
"Master Tian is mighty!"
Tian Zhong, as easily as slicing melons and vegetables, severely injured a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator and killed an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in just a few breaths. In addition, two late-stage Core Formation cultivators were shattered to pieces by the aftershocks of his battle.
Such terrifying combat power instantly ignited the fervor of all the Mulan mages. Deafening cheers and battle cries swept across the battlefield like a tsunami, causing the Mulan army's morale to soar and their offensive to become several times more ferocious!
On the other hand, the high-end combat forces of Tiannan were restrained by the enemy's great cultivators, and the mid-level Nascent Soul cultivators were thrown into chaos when they suddenly encountered a fierce god like Tian Zhong.
Overwhelmed by Tian Zhong's imposing aura, the Tiannan cultivators on several fronts experienced brief hesitation and confusion, putting their defenses in grave danger. The once relatively stable battle lines, like ice surfaces struck by a boulder, instantly became riddled with cracks.
"Despicable!" High in the sky, Wei Wuyai, who was fiercely fighting with Master Zhong, swept his divine sense over the tragic scene below. His eyes widened in fury, and he couldn't help but curse Master Zhong, "Old devil Zhong! You actually hid another master! What deep scheming you have!"
Master Zhong easily blocked Wei Wuyai's angry attack. Instead of showing any anger, he revealed a smug and leisurely expression, as if he had everything under control: "The principle of 'all's fair in war' is something you, Fellow Daoist Wei, have lived for hundreds of years. Don't you understand it yet? This is just an appetizer."
Wei Wuyai's face turned ashen. He unleashed a powerful palm strike, a giant gray-green palm print imbued with deadly poison hurtling towards Zhong Shenshi. At the same time, he sneered, "Hmph! You really think only you Mulan people have a backup plan?"
Master Zhong's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition instantly arose: "Could it be... that a new Nascent Soul stage cultivator has emerged in the Tiannan cultivation world?"
This thought instantly put him on alert, and his divine sense subconsciously swept towards Tian Zhong's direction below again, trying to find the "backup plan" that Wei Wuyai had mentioned.
However, all he could see with his divine sense was a not particularly dazzling golden light rising from the core of the Tiannan camp, resolutely heading towards the invincible Tian Zhong. The aura emanating from that light was clearly only... mid-Nascent Soul stage!
Master Zhong blurted out instinctively, but his unease grew stronger: "No matter how powerful a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator is, he could never be a match for Tian Zhong in a one-on-one fight... Is that old bastard Wei Wuyai just bluffing?"
Tian Zhong was enjoying the killing spree, his momentum unstoppable. Seeing that only a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator had been sent from the south to intercept him, he felt a sense of being slighted and humiliated, and his heart filled with rage.
"Hmph! You mere mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator dare to provoke this divine master? Underestimating this divine master will come at a terrible price!" Tian Zhong roared, his voice booming with disdain and violence.
"Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit! Today I'll use you as a sacrifice to intimidate all the cultivators in Tiannan!" Tian Zhong's eyes flashed with ferocity; he decided to hold back no longer. He slammed his hand on the spirit beast pouch at his waist!
"Roar! Howl—!"
Two earth-shattering roars resounded, carrying a ferocious aura of primordial chaos. Two enormous figures leaped out of the spirit beast pouch! Two Heavenly Tiger Beasts, proficient in both earth and wind magic and possessing teleportation abilities, making them extremely troublesome.
At the same time, the space beside Tian Zhong blurred, and a nearly transparent azure shadow silently appeared. This shadow was elusive, neither fully human nor fully human, radiating a cold and sharp aura, its speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. This was Tian Zhong's external avatar, "Azure Shadow," crafted using a special secret technique! Its unpredictable movements and assassination abilities had brought countless powerful enemies of Mulan to their deaths. The moment the Azure Shadow appeared, it locked onto Qin Hao, a chilling killing intent firmly enveloping him.
"Interesting." Facing two peak level seven demonic beasts and a strangely auraed avatar, Qin Hao showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Like a lion hunting a rabbit, you want to take me down in one strike? Let's see if you have such good teeth!"
Before he finished speaking, Qin Hao casually patted his storage bag. A flash of black light appeared, and a coffin carved entirely from black crystal material materialized out of thin air, hovering in front of him. The coffin lid slid open silently, and an extremely dense aura of corpse energy, mixed with an incomparably powerful pressure, erupted! An ancient corpse, clad in tattered iron armor, with muscles bulging like refined steel, bronze-colored skin, and a stiff face radiating the terrifying aura of a peak early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, slowly sat up from the coffin, two eerie green soul flames lighting up in its empty eye sockets!
"Roar—!" The ancient corpse let out a roar that was not human, making the air buzz.
As soon as the corpse puppet appeared, its ferocious aura soared into the sky, no less powerful than the green shadow on the opposite side! Some cultivators who practiced the Ghost Path and the Corpse Path in the battlefield below were all horrified when they sensed this pure Corpse King aura.
"A Nascent Soul level corpse puppet?!" Tian Zhong's pupils suddenly contracted, and his contempt vanished completely, replaced by a deep sense of solemnity.
"No wonder you dared to send a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator like me to hold this divine master back; it turns out you were relying on a Nascent Soul level helper!"
The First Saintess of Mulan, Master Le, who was stationed in the Mulan army and closely monitoring the top battle, had a sudden change in expression the moment she saw Qin Hao summon the Heavenly Capital Corpse Puppet.
She immediately used a secret technique to urgently transmit her voice to Tian Zhong: "Master Tian! Don't be careless! This person is Zhang Tie, the Tiannan cultivator who killed Master Jin Hui, Master Tian Ku, and two other Nascent Soul masters in the rear! His body refining technique is extremely terrifying!"
Upon receiving the telepathic message, Tian Zhong's alarm bells rang even louder. He couldn't help but curse inwardly, "Carelessness? Saintess Yue, you make it sound so easy! Just looking at the power of this corpse refinement and the chilling golden light gathering on his body, I couldn't possibly be careless! It's unbelievable! I thought that after advancing to the Divine Master level, apart from the three old monsters Wei Wuyai, Zhiyang, and Hehuan, and the couple Long Han and Feng Bing, no one in Tiannan could be my match. But on the first day of the battle, I ran into such a tough opponent!"
However, the battlefield is constantly changing, leaving him no time to think.
"Delay? I, Zhang, have never intended to waste my time with you..." Qin Hao's voice rang out coldly, carrying an indifferent air of complete control.
Tian Zhong was slightly taken aback, not understanding what the other person meant. In that brief moment of surprise...
boom--!
Qin Hao's body suddenly erupted with a blinding golden light! It was as if a blazing sun was born on his body! His body expanded rapidly at a visible speed, his muscles bulged like coiled dragons, and his skin instantly turned pure gold!
A terrifying power, originating from the primordial era, unparalleled and powerful enough to shake mountains, swept out like a tsunami! Standing there, he was no longer a human cultivator, but more like a golden god-demon who had walked from ancient times, his boundless blood and qi even distorting the surrounding light!
Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art! Fourth Level!
"Oh no!" Tian Zhong was terrified. Master Le's warning and the horrifying scene before him made him instantly realize that the other side was not using delaying tactics at all, but rather...
However, Qin Hao was faster than he had imagined! Before he could finish speaking, he had already disappeared from the spot!
"What?!" Tian Zhong's divine sense frantically scanned the area, only catching a blurry golden light tearing through the air!
The next instant! A fist, as if cast from pure gold, carrying terrifying power capable of shattering the void, was simple and direct to the extreme, yet it was faster than the limits of divine sense to react, and it had already smashed hard into Tian Zhong's face!
Before the fist even arrived, the violent wind from the punch had already caused Tian Zhong's protective aura to sway wildly, and his face to sting!
"Roar!" At the critical moment, the azure shadow beside Tian Zhong moved! It did not try to withstand the earth-shattering punch head-on, but instead burst out with its maximum speed and slammed into Tian Zhong's side, pushing him several feet away with great difficulty!
Boom——! ! !
The giant golden fist grazed past Tian Zhong's afterimage and slammed into empty air. However, wherever the fist passed, the space cracked like fragile glass, leaving a visible distortion mark!
"Hiss—!" The high-level cultivators from both sides watching from afar all gasped in astonishment. What kind of physical strength was this?! Was this really an attack that a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator could unleash?!
"Damn it!" Tian Zhong was both shocked and furious, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat. If that punch had landed, he had no doubt that his head would have exploded like a watermelon! The shadow of death drove him completely insane.
"Tear him to pieces!" Tian Zhong roared, his divine sense urging him on.
The two Heavenly Tiger Beasts roared, their figures blurred, and when they reappeared, they were already behind Qin Hao.
"Hmph!" Faced with the overwhelming attack, Qin Hao merely snorted coldly. With a thought, the Heavenly Capital Corpse Puppet beside him let out a muffled roar, carrying billowing corpse energy, and fearlessly transformed into a streak of black light, rushing straight towards the two Heavenly Tiger Beasts! With a swing of its iron fist, corpse energy surged, forcefully blocking the pillar of fire that was powerful enough to melt gold and iron.
"Die!" Tian Zhong seized the moment when Qin Hao blocked the lightning, made hand seals, and nine huge stone spears made entirely of the essence of Wu Earth instantly condensed in front of him, each as heavy as a mountain! Each stone spear was engraved with profound runes and exuded a sharp aura that could pierce through everything!
"Piercing through the clouds of Nine Peaks! Let's go!"
Nine earthen stone spears tore through the air, emitting a shrill shriek, shooting fiercely towards Qin Hao's vital points from nine extremely tricky angles, like nine ferocious earth dragons! This was one of Tian Zhong's signature techniques, containing the penetrating power of earth-based magic, enough to pierce through the top-tier defensive magic treasures of cultivators of the same level!
A burst of golden light flashed in Qin Hao's eyes, and instead of retreating, he advanced! He clenched his fists, and dark golden demonic patterns gathered into two vortexes on his fists. Facing the nine terrifying earthen stone spears, his fists struck out with a thunderous roar, like the beating of heavenly drums!
"break!"
Bang bang bang bang bang-! ! !
A terrifying series of impacts, as dense as raindrops pounding on banana leaves, resounded! Qin Hao's fists transformed into a golden phantom! Each punch struck the tip of the Earth Stone Spear with absolute precision! Pure, ultimate physical strength clashed and annihilated with spiritual power imbued with the earth-elemental penetrating law!
One! Two! Three... The seemingly indestructible Earthen Stone Spears shattered like rotten wood before Qin Hao's unbreakable golden fist, exploding into countless dusty, yellowish-brown spiritual particles! The violent shockwaves churned the surrounding space into chaos!
Just as Qin Hao shattered the seventh stone spear and the old force had just dissipated before the new force was generated, another unexpected change occurred!
The Azure Shadow Avatar, which had been lurking nearby, finally seized this fleeting opportunity! Like a shadow merging into the void, it appeared silently less than three feet behind Qin Hao! A claw, entirely composed of condensed wind blades and gleaming with a chilling light, carried a sinister wind capable of tearing apart the soul, and silently clawed towards Qin Hao's back! This attack concentrated all of the Azure Shadow Avatar's power and speed, making it extremely insidious and vicious!
"Success!" A hint of joy flashed in Tian Zhong's eyes. He had absolute confidence in Qing Ying's fatal blow; even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would be severely injured if caught off guard by her sneak attack!
However, just as the wind blades and claws were about to touch Qin Hao's back skin!
Om-!
The dark gold demonic patterns on Qin Hao's body suddenly surged, as if they had come alive! He didn't even turn around; the muscles on his back suddenly bulged and writhed, and a thicker, more refined layer of golden keratin, carrying an ancient and savage aura, instantly covered his vital back! It felt like he was wearing a layer of divine or demonic scales!
Tsk-!
A piercing metallic scraping sound rang out, sparks flying everywhere! Qingying's claws, sharp enough to tear apart even high-grade magic treasures, slammed into the golden keratin layer, leaving only a few shallow white marks! An overwhelming force of recoil traveled from the claws, causing Qingying's avatar's arm to go numb and its illusory body to tremble violently!
"What?!" Tian Zhong and Qingying's avatars exclaimed in shock at the same time. This physical defense is simply monstrous!
"I've been waiting for you!" Qin Hao's icy voice seemed to come from the depths of hell. He shattered the last Earthen Stone Spear without the slightest hesitation. Using the recoil from the shattered spear, he twisted his waist violently, and his golden right leg, which contained the power to kick through mountains, swept towards the nearby Azure Shadow avatar with a terrifying sonic boom that tore at the eardrums, like a dragon's tail!
The green shadow's attempt to ambush failed, and the force of the recoil slowed her down, making it too late to escape!
boom--! ! !
Like a heavy hammer striking rotten leather! Qin Hao's golden leg struck Qingying's avatar squarely in the waist and abdomen! There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a muffled thud that sent shivers down one's spine.
"Ugh—!" The Azure Shadow avatar let out a shrill scream, its entire illusory body instantly covered with countless cracks, like a piece of porcelain shattered by a kick! The pure wind spiritual energy that constituted its body leaked out wildly, and its aura plummeted like a deflated balloon! Although it did not collapse on the spot, it had already suffered unimaginable damage and completely lost its fighting ability for a short period of time!
"My avatar!" Tian Zhong was heartbroken and almost vomited blood. This Azure Shadow avatar was hard-won, requiring countless efforts and resources from him, and it was almost destroyed by a single kick from the other party!
Just as Tian Zhongxin was visibly shaken, Qin Hao's eyes flashed with murderous intent!
"Asura Sacred Flame!"
Qin Hao let out a low shout, his hands suddenly clasped together in front of his chest, then abruptly pulled apart! A deep, dark, azure flame, seemingly capable of devouring all light, suddenly appeared between his palms! The instant this flame appeared, a terrifying aura that instilled fear and annihilation in all things in heaven and earth spread out! The surrounding light frantically collapsed and annihilated towards that flame, and the air itself distorted!
With a swift movement, Qin Hao appeared in front of Tian Zhong's chest in the next instant!
Tian Zhong's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints! An unprecedented sense of death crisis, stemming from his very life instinct, instantly overwhelmed him! He didn't even have time to think about what kind of flame it was. His protective magic treasures, protective aura, and even his proud earth-elemental defensive magic all groaned in despair the moment they sensed the flame's aura!
"No—!!!" Tian Zhong roared in despair, frantically mobilizing all his magical power to create layers of earthen-yellow crystal walls in front of him in an attempt to block the attack.
However, everything is in vain!
laugh--!
That deep blue Asura Holy Flame, like a hot knife through butter, easily pierced through dozens of thick layers of Earthen Crystal Wall! There was no violent explosion, only an extreme "annihilation"! The pierced Crystal Wall instantly lost all its spirituality, turning into ashes like dead stones!
The Olympic flame touched Tian Zhong's chest without any hindrance!
"Uhhh-!!!"
A bloodcurdling scream, too piercing to describe, echoed through the heavens! Tian Zhong's body trembled violently! The spark that touched his flesh instantly spread outwards!
The eerie flames instantly enveloped most of his chest! There were no burning flames, only a visible and complete "disappearance"!
"Master Tian!" Master Yue, who was watching the battle from afar, turned pale with shock! She never expected that someone as powerful as Tian Zhong could not even last a few rounds against his opponent and was on the verge of death in an instant!
Without the slightest hesitation, Master Le slapped a bronze lamp hanging at her waist—the Yuanming Lamp—that had an ancient and simple design and exuded a sense of antiquity! She rapidly chanted ancient and obscure incantations while biting her tongue and spitting a mouthful of blood onto the lamp!
Om-!
The Yuanming Lamp suddenly burst forth with a blinding blue light! At the center of the lamp, a tiny speck of golden lamp oil ignited fiercely! A vast, ancient, and terrifying will, seemingly from the primordial era, accompanied by a majestic and sacred cry that pierced through time and space, suddenly descended!
Phew——!
A beam of azure light shot into the sky, instantly coalescing into a gigantic phantom of a bird with wingspans that blotted out the sun and whose entire body shimmered with azure-gold divine light! This phantom exuded an aura that sent shivers down one's spine, reaching a terrifying level approaching the Nascent Soul stage! It was none other than the sacred bird of Mulan, the spiritual totem worshipped by the Mulan clan for generations!
The moment the phantom of the sacred bird appeared, its enormous azure eyes locked onto the Asura Sacred Flame that was annihilating Tian Zhong. It let out a majestic cry, and its massive wings flapped violently!
call--!
An irresistible azure divine wind, imbued with spatial power, arose out of nowhere, instantly engulfing Tian Zhong's nascent soul, which was on the verge of complete annihilation. The phantom of the sacred bird flapped its wings again, carrying Tian Zhong's nascent soul, transforming into a streak of azure-gold light. In an instant, it traversed a vast distance, returning to the depths of the Mulan army, to Master Yue's side. The entire process was as fast as lightning, and even Qin Hao had no time to stop it.
"Hmph!" Qin Hao's eyes turned cold as he looked at the rapidly dissipating phantom of the sacred bird and the rescued Tian Zhong Nascent Soul, feeling a slight sense of regret.
Although this phantom of the sacred bird was not its true form, it still possessed the cultivation of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. Forcibly pursuing it would be pointless and might even lead to being surrounded by Mu Lan. With a thought, the Asura Sacred Flame that was burning Tian Zhong's remains instantly subsided, transforming back into a point of deep blue and flying back into his body.
However, even though Tian Zhong's nascent soul was rescued, his broken body, which was almost burned through his chest and had no life force left, was now falling helplessly from the sky like a rag doll. The shockingly huge hole and charred edges were clearly presented to the hundreds of thousands of cultivators below!
quiet!
Deathly silence!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Throughout the deafeningly noisy Huanglong Mountain battlefield, whether it was the Tiannan cultivators fighting bloody battles, the Mulan mages with their morale soaring, or the top cultivators locked in fierce combat high in the sky, everyone's gaze was involuntarily focused on the fallen remains of the Divine Master.
The air seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, making even breathing extremely difficult.
After a brief silence, a deafening uproar erupted!
"Master Tian... Master Tian... lost? His physical body was destroyed?"
"My God! I'm not seeing things, am I? That's Master Mulan, who's equivalent to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!"
"It was that cultivator from Tiannan... a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator... He killed the Divine Master?!"
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"
In the Muran mage camp, the fervent and high morale was instantly frozen, as if doused with a bucket of ice water, and then collapsed! Countless mages lost all color in their faces, their eyes filled with disbelief, terror, and bewilderment.
The Divine Master was an invincible being second only to the Sacred Bird in their hearts, the guardian deity of the tribe! Now, a powerful Divine Master had his physical body destroyed right before their eyes by a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator from Tiannan in such a devastating and almost crushing manner?!
This impact was more terrifying than any spell! Fear spread like a plague through the army, and the originally fierce offensive instantly became sluggish, scattered, and even resulted in localized retreats!
After the initial shock and stunned silence, the cultivators from Tiannan erupted in ecstasy like a volcano!
"Senior Zhang is truly awe-inspiring!"
"He won! Senior Zhang won! He killed Divine Master Mulan!"
"Kill! Kill all the Mulan dogs!"
Despair was dispelled, and their blood boiled once more! Witnessing their own strongmen defeat the odds and slay a divine master was an unparalleled source of inspiration! The morale of the Tiannan cultivators instantly soared to its peak, as if they had been injected with adrenaline, and they erupted with earth-shattering shouts. The previously precarious defensive line was instantly stabilized, and they even began to launch a fierce counterattack!
"You old fool Zhong!" High in the sky, Wei Wuyai swept away his previous solemnity and burst into laughter, his laughter filled with pleasure and mockery: "Your backup plan doesn't look very good, hahaha!"
Master Zhong's face was now ashen, all his previous smugness and ease gone, replaced by shock and rage. He gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing as he stared intently at Wei Wuyai: "You old bastard! You dare to scheme against me!"
"So what if I tricked you?" Wei Wuyai laughed even more heartily, his hair and beard standing on end. "Who was it that just now had the audacity to spout some nonsense about 'all's fair in war'? I was just putting what I learned into practice! How did it feel? Hahahaha!"
The other powerful cultivators who were engaged in fierce combat were also deeply shocked by this earth-shattering reversal. They all slowed down their attacks and looked with complicated expressions at the figure below who stood proudly in the air like a war god, his golden light slowly receding.
Although Tian Zhong was a newly promoted Divine Master, his ability to pass Mu Lan's rigorous trials meant his skills and strength were not to be underestimated; he was no mere figurehead. This person, with only a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, actually destroyed their physical body in a short exchange?! This combat power defied all reason! Especially the strange deep blue flames that appeared at the end—even they felt a chill run down their spines.
"This child... if he successfully advances to the late Nascent Soul stage..." The eyes of the Righteous Path Alliance's Supreme Yang Master flashed with a sharp light. Amidst the shock, a trace of barely perceptible apprehension quietly rose.
"Such a powerful physical body, and such a terrifying spiritual fire..." The old demon of the Hehuan Sect also had an uncertain look in his eyes under his black robe, his fear of Qin Hao was no less than his fear of Wei Wuyai.
Long Han and Feng Bing, the Daoist couple, exchanged a glance, both seeing solemnity and a hint of lingering fear in each other's eyes. They asked themselves, if they had faced Tian Zhong alone, the outcome would have been fifty-fifty; they could never have destroyed his physical body so decisively. This "Zhang Tie" already possessed the strength to threaten top-tier beings like themselves!
With Tian Zhong's physical body destroyed and his nascent soul severely injured and on the verge of death, the morale of Mu Lan's army completely collapsed, like an unstoppable avalanche. Faced with the Tiannan cultivators' soaring morale and counterattack, Mu Lan's lines began to falter and retreat.
"Holy Maiden!" Master Bi looked at Master Le anxiously.
Master Yue's face was pale, but her eyes remained resolute. She gritted her teeth and suddenly waved the command flag in her hand: "Sound the retreat! Withdraw the troops! Form defensive formation!"
Woo——! Woo——!
The mournful and urgent bugle call of retreat echoed across the battlefield. The Mulan mages, as if granted a pardon, disengaged from the battle and retreated like a receding tide.
"Chase them! Don't let them get away!" The Tiannan cultivators were not about to let such a good opportunity slip by. Led by the Nascent Soul cultivator, they pursued them like tigers descending the mountain, their momentum unstoppable.
However, just as the pursuers were about to break into Mulan's retreating army, another unexpected event occurred!
Behind the retreating Mulan army, countless mages simultaneously raised their staffs or bone artifacts, chanting ancient and unified incantations.
The earth trembled violently, and endless yellow sand surged up from the ground, instantly engulfing the entire rear area! A howling wind whipped up sand and dust, forming a massive sandstorm that stretched from the sky to the ground, blotting out the sun!
Within the sandstorm, there are countless fine, needle-like blades of sand that can pierce through metal and stone, as well as a powerful spatial distortion force that makes cultivators trapped in it feel as if they are stuck in a quagmire, unable to move an inch, and their divine sense is also greatly disturbed!
"It's the Yellow Sand Formation! Retreat quickly!" The faces of the few Nascent Soul cultivators from Tiannan who were at the forefront changed drastically. They hurriedly stopped and shouted warnings.
However, many Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators, blinded by rage and rushing too fast, plunged headlong into the sandstorm. Instantly, shrill screams rose and fell! Their protective spiritual light was torn apart like paper by the sandstorm, their bodies slashed and pierced by countless sand blades, instantly turning into a cloud of blood mist, leaving no trace of their remains!
"Damn it!" The pursuing Tiannan cultivators could only watch helplessly as the Mulan army disappeared behind the raging yellow sand formation. They stopped in their tracks, filled with resentment, and dared not venture any further.
A seemingly inevitable pursuit was ultimately thwarted by the Mulan people's ultimate defensive formation, resulting in failure and the loss of many men.
Left with no other option, the Tiannan cultivators had to reluctantly withdraw their troops and return to their own defensive lines. At the foot of Huanglong Mountain, the two sides were once again locked in a stalemate.
This time, however, the balance of power quietly shifted. The Mulan people cowered behind the Yellow Sand Formation, their morale low; while the Tiannan cultivators, though unable to expand their gains, were in high spirits and their confidence soared.
…………
For the next few days, the battlefield fell into an eerie calm. The Mulan camp remained tightly shut, showing no signs of launching any offensive, and even small-scale harassment ceased. This unusual silence, however, made Wei Wuyai and the other high-level cultivators from Tiannan uneasy, suspecting that the Mulan were secretly plotting something far greater.
However, what they didn't know was that at this moment, in the most magnificent and enormous tent in the center of the Mulan army formation, the atmosphere was as if shrouded in dark clouds, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Master Bi slammed his palm hard on the jade table in front of him, shattering it to pieces. He roared, "Damn it! When did such a monster emerge in the Tiannan cultivation world! This child must not be allowed to live! We must find a way to get rid of him as soon as possible, otherwise, with his potential, he will surely become a great threat to my Mulan clan in the future, causing endless trouble!"
Master Zhong and Master Zhu exchanged a glance, both seeing deep helplessness and solemnity in each other's eyes.
Master Zhong sighed, his voice hoarse: "Aside from him? Easier said than done! Let's not even talk about the fact that he's in a heavily fortified fortress like Tiantian City, where we have no way to attack. Even on this battlefield, you've all seen it with your own eyes, Fellow Daoist Tian Zhong was... Alas, who has absolute confidence in killing him? Unless the three of us join forces at all costs, perhaps we'll have a chance, but will that old bastard Wei Wuyai and Zhiyang and Hehuan just sit idly by?"
The master of divination slowly shook his head and added, "Moreover, this boy has extremely rich experience in combat, his methods are ruthless and decisive, and he has an extremely strong ability to protect himself. That strange spiritual fire can even instantly burn Fellow Daoist Tian Zhong's physical body... Killing him is difficult, as difficult as ascending to heaven!"
Beside him, Tian Zhong's nascent soul temporarily resided within his Azure Shadow avatar. His face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, and his aura had plummeted to the mid-stage of the nascent soul realm. He gritted his teeth, his voice filled with deep-seated resentment: "If I don't avenge this, I, Tian Zhong, swear I'm not human! I will definitely extract his soul and refine his spirit, so that he will never be reincarnated!"
Master Yue ignored Tian Zhong's powerless rage. Her brows furrowed, and she said with deep concern, "In the current situation, the top-tier combat power of the Tiannan cultivators, including Zhang Tie, actually exceeds ours by one. To turn the tide of the battle, we can only rely on continuously summoning sacred birds to make up for the lack of top-tier combat power."
She changed the subject, her tone becoming more somber: "However, the lamp oil required to summon the sacred bird is extremely expensive, and with our current reserves, we simply cannot sustain it for long. If we cannot quickly defeat the main force of Tiannan before the lamp oil runs out... the consequences will be unimaginable."
"Furthermore, everyone, do not forget that we have mobilized the entire strength of our clan to march south this time, leaving our rear vulnerable. If the war drags on for too long, and our mortal enemy in the north, the Tuwu people, discover our true strength and take the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on our holy land and slaughter our people... At that time, we may face the calamity of extinction!"
Master Le's words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer, making the atmosphere inside the tent even more tense.
After a long silence, Master Zhong gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Now, we have no way out! Fighting might offer a glimmer of hope, and we might be able to carve out a new home for our people. Retreating means all our previous efforts will be in vain, and we'll still face the Tujue's butcher's knife—it's the same dead end! For the continuation of our people, we have no choice but to fight to the death!"
“Excellent! We’ll launch a full-scale attack first thing tomorrow morning! We must go all out and not delay any longer!” Master Bi and Master Zhu echoed, their eyes burning with a desperate fighting spirit.
Master Yue took a deep breath, turning his gaze to the Yinluo Sect Master, who remained silent and like a shadow, and spoke with a hint of scrutiny in his tone: "Sect Master Fang, now that things have come to this, we are both in the same boat. Your sect... surely doesn't want to back out halfway at this point, does it?"
The Yinluo Sect Master's face was hidden beneath his black robe, making his expression impossible to discern. He only let out a dry laugh: "Heh, what are you saying, Saintess Yue? Since my Yinluo Sect has allied with the nobles, we naturally share honor and disgrace. How could we be the kind of people who break their promises and desert in the face of battle?"
"That would be perfect." Master Yue gave him a deep look: "Tomorrow's final assault will require the full support of Sect Master Fang and the experts of your sect."
"Of course, Saintess Yue, please rest assured." Fang Ming cupped his hands in greeting, his tone revealing no emotion.
……
The next day, dawn broke.
A desolate yet powerful horn sounded from the Mulan camp. Immediately afterwards, hundreds of thousands of Mulan mages, arrayed in neat and imposing formations, surged forth like a flood, launching an unprecedented and ferocious attack on the Tiannan cultivators' defenses! The battle cries shook the heavens and earth, and the light of spiritual magic poured down like a torrential rain on the Tiannan camp's defensive shield, its momentum far greater and more frenzied than the first day!
Although the cultivators from Tiannan had made preparations, they could only grit their teeth and hold on against the Mulan people's all-out attack, which disregarded casualties and was a desperate gamble. They relied on the numerous defensive formations they had set up in advance to put up a tenacious resistance.
High in the sky, Wei Wuyai frowned as he faced Master Zhong's aggressive and reckless fighting style, which was even willing to risk injury for injury. He said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Zhong, why are you doing this? Do you really want to fight to the death?"
Master Zhong's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a madman as he roared, "Enough nonsense! Unless you Tiannan are willing to immediately cede half of your territory for my Mulan clan to thrive, today, we will fight to the death!"
"Stubborn to the end! Since that's the case, let's see who's the real deal!" Wei Wuyai was also provoked and stopped talking. He activated his poison technique with all his might and fought with Master Zhong.
Meanwhile, behind the Mulan army formation, Master Le stood solemnly, holding a Yuanming lamp in both hands, chanting ancient and obscure incantations. A large amount of rare lamp oil was poured into the lamp, and its seven-colored flame burned brightly.
"Chirp—!"
The terrifying phantom of the Mulan Sacred Bird was summoned once again! It spread its magnificent wings made of seven-colored spiritual light and exuded a terrifying spiritual pressure close to that of the Nascent Soul stage. Like the spiritual totem of the Mulan people, it soared over the battlefield!
The appearance of the sacred bird greatly boosted the morale of the Mulan mages, who, as if injected with adrenaline, launched a frenzied attack on the Tiannan defense line.
Even more terrifying, the sacred bird itself joined the attack. It opened its beak and spewed out incomparably scorching spiritual fire. This spiritual fire was incredibly powerful, igniting anything it touched. Neither a cultivator's protective aura nor their defensive magic treasures could withstand it, and swathes of low-level cultivators from the Southern Heaven were reduced to ashes in the spiritual fire! Even some Nascent Soul cultivators dared not easily confront its power.
Under the combined impact of the spirit magic array and the sacred bird spirit fire, the defensive array of the Tiannan camp shook violently, its light dimmed rapidly, and it was on the verge of collapse!
Qin Hao stood at the front of his own lines, watching the rampaging sacred bird and the retreating defensive line. He knew he could no longer stand idly by. He took a deep breath, and dark golden light shone around him once more. With a single step, he traversed a vast distance, appearing at the very forefront of the battlefield, facing the terrifying sacred bird directly!
"You evil beast! Stop being so arrogant!"
Qin Hao let out a low shout and took the initiative to meet the swooping holy bird. He dared not take the seven-colored spiritual fire head-on, and mainly relied on the powerful physique of the fourth level of the Heaven-Supporting Demon Art and his agile movements to maneuver around it, while constantly using the Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade and the God-Shocking Thrust to harass and attack.
He deliberately steered the battle high in the sky to avoid affecting the cultivators below. At the same time, during a series of thrilling dodges and exchanges, he secretly activated the Myriad Talismans Treasure Talisman, silently opening a tiny spatial trap that cleverly trapped a small ball of spiritual fire spewed out by a sacred bird, which had not yet completely dissipated, and quickly sealed it away.
Seeing that Qin Hao was indeed entangled by the sacred bird, Master Le felt somewhat relieved and focused most of his attention on maintaining the Yuanming Lamp and directing the sacred bird's attack, striving to break through the Tiannan defense line as soon as possible.
However, just as she was completely focused on the aerial battle—
Mutations reborn!
A strange, unpredictable, and lightning-fast crimson light shot out from the depths of the Tiannan camp without warning! This crimson light was faster than normal, moving like a ghost across the chaotic battlefield, with a clear target: the rear of the Mulan army formation, where Master Le was located!
Master Le was not without guards. Several Mulan masters, seeing this, were shocked and furious and rushed to intercept him.
But that blood shadow was too fast and too strange! It was as if it had no physical form, easily passing through several spiritual barriers. At the same time, one after another, extremely sharp cyan flying swords containing astonishing sword intent burst out from the blood shadow like a peacock spreading its tail!
"Puff puff!"
With a series of soft sounds, the protective auras of the Mulan masters who tried to intercept them were torn apart like paper. Before they could even scream, their heads were separated from their bodies. As soon as their nascent souls escaped, they were swallowed up by the blood-red light that followed!
All this happened in a flash!
Master Yue had just sensed something was wrong and hadn't had time to react when the blood-red shadow appeared before her as if by teleportation! A hand covered in blood-red scales, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, precisely grabbed the crucial Yuanming Lamp in her hand!
Immediately, the blood shadow didn't stop, transforming into a streak of blood, and vanished into the direction of the Tiannan camp at an even faster speed than it had come!
Only then did Master Yue react, letting out a scream of extreme shock and anger: "Yuanming Lamp!!!"
With the Yuanming Lamp stolen and its oil supply cut off, the once majestic phantom of the sacred bird high in the sky let out a mournful cry of resentment. Its enormous body quickly became illusory and transparent, and finally vanished completely into the world!
The sudden disappearance of the sacred bird stunned all the Mulan mages, and their high morale instantly froze and then collapsed like an avalanche!
With the sacred bird no longer restraining him, Qin Hao's pressure lessened considerably. He glanced at the Mulan army below, thrown into chaos by the loss of the Yuanming Lantern, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. His figure transformed into a golden meteor, directly charging into the area where the Mulan masters were gathered!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Unleashing the full power of his Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art, Qin Hao was like a tiger among sheep! Without the threat of the Sacred Bird, these early and mid-stage Nascent Soul Masters, Mu Lan, were utterly no match for him! Amidst the flying fist shadows, Mu Lan Masters were constantly blasted apart, their Nascent Souls fleeing in panic!
"The sacred bird is gone!"
"The masters have been defeated!"
"Run!"
The Mulan army completely collapsed! The defeat was swift and devastating! All the mages no longer cared about military orders or honor; they only wished they had two more legs. They abandoned their armor and fled for their lives!
Under the command of Wei Wuyai and others, the Tiannan cultivators seized the opportunity to launch a full-scale attack! They pursued the enemy for hundreds of miles, leaving the Mulan people with corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing! In the end, it was only through the combined efforts of Master Zhong, Master Zhu, and Master Bi, who spared no effort to cover the retreat, that they managed to stabilize their position and gather a group of defeated soldiers.
However, after this battle, the Mulan elite suffered heavy losses and completely lost the ability to continue the offensive.
However, misfortune never comes singly. Just as the Mulan people were still reeling from the shock, even more devastating news arrived from the rear of the grasslands:
The Mulan clan, the strongest and largest tribe left behind to guard the sacred land, was caught off guard when their main force was deployed, leaving their rear vulnerable. Their northern rivals, the Tuwu, allied with several sects from the Great Jin Dynasty, launched a coordinated attack from within and without, and the clan was utterly defeated! Almost all the high-ranking mages left behind were slaughtered, and their wealth and resources accumulated over countless years were looted!
With a crushing defeat ahead and the foundation at home destroyed, if the fighting continues, the Mulan clan will inevitably be caught in a pincer movement between the Tiannan and Tuwu peoples. At that point, they may not be far from extinction!
The only path left for the Mulan people, though humiliating, was the only way to ensure the survival of their people—peace negotiations.
“But…we have suffered a series of crushing defeats and heavy losses, and what’s more…those cultivators from Tiannan are all itching to devour us alive. Do you think they would be willing to negotiate peace with us?” Tian Zhong’s voice was filled with despair.
Master Zhong seemed to have aged considerably overnight. Gazing at the dilapidated camp and his dejected tribesmen, he sighed deeply, his voice hoarse and weary: "They... will. Those old foxes in Tiannan are well aware of the strength and ambition of the Tuwu people. If they don't want to face an even stronger and more greedy Tuwu after driving us away, they must support our Mulan tribe, preserve some of our strength, and re-establish a foothold on this land, becoming a buffer between them and the Tuwu."
The logic is simple, yet cruel. It means that the Mulan clan will forever be caught between the two major powers of Tiannan and the Tuwu people, their living space severely compressed, with little chance of breathing room or growth. But, this is currently the only way for the clan to survive.
……
Early the next morning, the Holy Maiden Mulan, carrying the authorization of several divine masters and with an extremely heavy and humiliated heart, took the initiative to come to Tiancheng to request peace talks.
The negotiations were naturally intense and difficult. Representatives from all sides in Tiannan were not about to let go of this opportunity to make exorbitant demands. After a series of heated bargaining sessions, a framework that was barely acceptable to both sides was finally reached regarding basic conditions such as territorial division, war reparations, and resource transfer.
Just when Master Yue thought the most difficult part was over, she made an additional request: "Alliance Leader Wei, fellow Daoists, that Yuanming Lamp is a sacred relic passed down through our clan, and it is of extraordinary significance. I wonder if... it could be returned to our clan? Our clan is willing to exchange it for a batch of rare materials."
Upon hearing this, Wei Wuyai revealed a half-smile on his face, turned his gaze to the composed Qin Hao beside him, and shrugged: "Master Le, I cannot make this decision. That Yuanming Lamp was taken from you by Fellow Daoist Zhang and Fellow Daoist Han. According to the rules of Tiannan, it is their spoils of war. Whether to exchange it, and how to exchange it, needs to be discussed privately by you."
Master Le's heart sank, and he turned his gaze to Qin Hao.
Qin Hao toyed with an antique oil lamp in his hand, his tone calm: "Master Le, most of the materials you mentioned are no longer of use to me. How about this... I am quite interested in the application of the Five Elements magic, and I have long heard that your 'spiritual arts' are unique and have many distinctive features. If you are willing to provide some of the cultivation manuals of high-level spiritual arts for me to study, it would not be unreasonable to return this Yuanming Lamp to you."
"Don't even think about it!" Upon hearing this, Master Yue was so angry that she almost jumped up on the spot. Her pretty face was frosty as she resolutely refused! Spiritual arts are the foundation of the Mulan clan's existence. They are a unique path that they developed in an environment of scarce resources. How could they be easily passed on to outsiders?
Qin Hao seemed to have expected this, and wasn't angry. He simply shrugged indifferently: "Since Master Le is unwilling, then I, Zhang, will not force him. It just so happens that I need some special materials for my research on weapon crafting, which I have been searching for but haven't been able to find. I think the main materials for making this Yuanming Lamp, the 'Seven-Colored Glazed Stone' and the 'Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade,' are of pretty good quality. I'll find an opportunity to melt them down and extract the materials. It'll be a way to make use of waste, which will save me a lot of trouble."
"You...!" Upon hearing this, Master Le was so angry that his nose almost crooked. His chest heaved violently as he pointed at Qin Hao, unable to utter a word for a long time.
The Yuanming Lantern is not only a vessel for summoning sacred birds, but also a spiritual symbol and sacred relic of the Mulan clan! If Qin Hao were to melt it, she, as the Holy Maiden, would not only be unable to continue serving, but would likely become a sinner for the entire clan for all time!
She gritted her teeth, struggling internally for a long time. In the end, for the sake of her clan's sacred object, she had no choice but to yield, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth: "Fine... I... I agree! But I can only give you a part, and you must not tell anyone else!"
“That’s natural. I’m just using this as a reference; I don’t intend to start my own school of thought.” Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction.
Just when Master Yue thought everything was finally settled and he could breathe a sigh of relief, Han Li, who had been standing silently behind Qin Hao, suddenly stepped forward and calmly spoke:
“Master Le, wait a moment. My senior brother has finished discussing his conditions. Now, it’s time to discuss my conditions.”
Master Yue looked up abruptly, staring at Han Li in disbelief, then at Qin Hao, who looked completely at ease. She instantly realized she'd been tricked by the two brothers! She trembled with rage, pointing her jade-like finger at them, her voice trembling:
"You...you...shameless! Utterly shameless!"
Han Li remained unmoved by her angry rebuke, and said in his usual calm tone, "Master Yue, why be angry? My condition is actually very simple, and it shouldn't be too difficult for a noble. I only need... a little bit of 'Gengjin'."
Master Le watched the two brothers singing in perfect harmony before her, and a surge of blood welled up in her throat. She stared intently at them, as if trying to etch their images into her very soul, and finally, through gritted teeth, she forced out a single, deliberate sentence:
"Good! Good! Very good! Zhang Tie! Han Li! This Holy Maiden... will remember you!" (End of Chapter)