Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation

Chapter 531: Chapter 288: Xia Qingying: But I Came First...

As the heavy footsteps drew closer, killing intent filled the vast plaza.

These Daoist Soldier Puppets, which had appeared out of nowhere, were also a vital part of the Hongmeng Divine Hall’s defense system. Moreover, they clearly understood combined attack formations, closing in steadily from all directions.

Ling Changqing put himself in their shoes. ’Even I would find it hard to escape a predicament like this,’ he thought.

"...Damn it! We’ll fight them to the death!"

The leading Divinity Transformation Powerhouse roared. He forced himself to his feet despite his injuries, summoned his Lifebound Flying Sword, and tried to lead his companions in carving out a bloody path to safety.

Unfortunately, the dozens of foreign cultivators were already at the end of their rope. How could they possibly withstand the relentless assault from these Daoist Soldier Puppets, each with individual strength comparable to the early stage fourth rank?

Dozens of Magical Treasures flew out, shimmering with light, and focused their fire on the foremost Daoist Soldier Puppets. Soon, the puppets were covered in wounds, their reaction speeds clearly slowing. The two most severely damaged puppets even disintegrated completely.

However, the number of surrounding Daoist Soldier Puppets was simply too great. They formed a tight, impenetrable circle. There was no way for the cultivators to hold them off.

In the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the surviving cultivators were slaughtered to the last, with not a single one left alive.

In exchange, more than twenty-five of the Daoist Soldier Puppets were severely damaged and could no longer fight.

"What a pity. They must have suffered severe damage in the past. Otherwise, they should all have the combat strength of Peak Rank Five right now!"

Meng Feiyu sighed with a hint of regret.

Apparently, a powerful team of foreign cultivators had broken in here before and dealt a devastating blow to these Daoist Soldier Puppets, and it hadn’t been too long ago.

That was why these Daoist Soldier Puppets, which were slowly recovering under the effects of the Array, currently only possessed the combat strength of the Early Stage Nascent Soul realm.

In the Magical Projection Light Mirror, the undamaged Daoist Soldier Puppets sheathed their Weapons and began to carry their severely damaged comrades, moving their remains back into several halls at the edge of the plaza.

According to Meng Feiyu, those halls contained special Arrays and repair-capable Puppets that could help them speed up their recovery.

If all went well, in just a few hundred more years, the strength of these Daoist Soldier Puppets would be restored to the early stage fourth rank.

As for the souls and bodies of the dead cultivators, as well as their personal belongings, they would all be devoured and refined by the Array beneath the ground. Not a single bit of resource would go to waste.

"Let’s go. There’s nothing for us to do here."

Meng Feiyu said that the Daoist Soldier Puppets would handle everything, so there was no need for her to intervene.

"My lady, can you control the Daoist Soldier Puppets here?"

Ling Changqing asked. Their group was small and their strength limited. If they could use these Daoist Soldier Puppets as free muscle, they wouldn’t have to fear the other foreign cultivators.

"It would be rather difficult,"

Meng Feiyu shook her head. "My Cultivation is nowhere near what it once was, and I don’t have the token. I’m afraid it’s impossible.

Unless... we can successfully enter the core altar area and retrieve the Command Token I left behind back then. Only then can I legitimately take control of this entire Divine Hall."

"Don’t worry, I’m sure we can do it."

Ling Changqing smiled. ’If the two of us working together can’t do it, then no other team of cultivators even stands a chance.’

The four of them continued on their way. Along the path, Meng Feiyu periodically used her Insight Technique to survey the surrounding area, taking in every movement. She successively discovered several more groups of foreign cultivators.

In a quiet courtyard, by a vermilion palace wall, more than thirty male and female cultivators were gathered in front of a silver portal shrouded in spiritual light. Holding various Magical Artifacts, they gesticulated and muttered quietly amongst themselves.

Clearly, they were trying to figure out how to open this portal; after all, they had already searched the entire courtyard and couldn’t find another exit.

In another magnificent, golden-tiled hall, four groups of cultivators were in a standoff before a strange tree over a hundred feet tall, which glittered with a brilliant light.

On the strange tree hung three fruits, each the size of a fist. They were a bright, clear red, resembling Top Grade Gemstones, and their faint, sweet fragrance filled the air.

None of the four groups of foreign cultivators intended to give up on such a rare and precious Spirit Medicine. Since they couldn’t reach an agreement, a violent confrontation was now inevitable.

Meng Feiyu glanced at it once and paid it no more mind. The fruits on that strange tree were actually nothing special—just a type of Spirit Fruit that tasted good. She had planted it long ago as a red herring.

Throughout the entire Hongmeng Divine Hall, there were many similar fake opportunities and false Secret Vaults. They were often linked to some kind of vicious Restriction Trap, specially prepared for greedy cultivators.

Over the long course of history, there was no telling how many unlucky cultivators had fallen for the bait and lost their lives here.

After passing through several rockery gardens, Ling Changqing spotted hundreds of cultivators from afar, fighting a bloody battle in a clearing by a small river. A large number of corpses lay on the ground.

"Hm? Do those people look like cultivators from the Taiqing Divine Dynasty of Yaozhou? They actually came to join the fray too?"

Bai Qingyi said in surprise.

"It’s probably not an official move by the Divine Dynasty’s upper echelons, is it? Just some of their internal factions coming to try their luck for a fortuitous encounter."

Ling Changqing said, instinctively feeling his judgment was correct.

The attention of the major powers’ leaders was currently focused on Shunzhou and the Primordial Demon Palace. It was unlikely they would come to the Qinghao Continent to stir up trouble.

"That makes sense. We should avoid them and not let them see us."

Meng Feiyu said, ’No matter what these people try to do, they won’t be able to cause any real trouble here now.’