Chapter 450: First Casualty
After Miaomiao, Kang Yan, Ma Xingjuan, and other girls had gathered in Miaomiao's space to discuss alternate world stories, his sleeping time became longer.
Each day, Miaomiao spent 16 hours sleeping like a cat. His women also did the same.
Nobody knew why they were so lazy since they could have spent time cultivating instead of resting like commoners. Only those who were closed with Miaomiao knew the truth.
While Miaomiao and the yin slaves focused on cultivating and dual-cultivating in the Isolation Training Space, they never forgot about the city expansion campaign.
As the population continued to grow due to the influx of immigrants, Miaomiao entrusted Sun Wentai, Liu Guang, and the Zhu Clan with an important task.
He ordered them to mobilize their forces and conquer the southwest region of the continent!
Sun Wentai brought his division disciples, subordinates, and clansmen to board the flying island, which Miaomiao had returned to the clan lord. The Zhu clanswomen also tagged along to join this military campaign to prove their loyalty to Miaomiao.
As for Liu Guang, she led the man-eating termites from the southern plain to the southwest region on foot. The armies of a million giant bugs screeched in delight and marched south.
Emerald Hopea wasn't free either. After Liu Guang had departed, Miaomiao ordered her to expand east. She commanded ents and dryads to Mount Hua and the southern area of Red Sun City, hoping to merge their forces with Dian Wei's spiderling armies.
Zhao Bao and Zhang Jue also deployed their monks to spread their religion and culture in the Chicken Ann City of Liu Xuande. As for the Xuan City, Miaomiao deemed it as a forbidden area.
Brocell was still lurking in that city. It was not the right time to provoke the arms dealer.
Meanwhile, Ma Moxi, who had been deployed to the east, finally encountered a problem.
This would mark the first setback of Ten Paths of Nirvana Sect.
...
The captain of the espionage division, Ma Moxi, had undertaken a task from Miaomiao – His mission was to search for Huang Hansheng's whereabouts and Liu Bian's new headquarters.
The former assassin wasn't dispatched alone. He brought his friends over. By his side, Wang Yun, Zhang Liao, and Qu Yu acted as Ma Moxi's assistants.
As all of them were nascent soul cultivators, they were capable to act independently. The party traveled across the continent and hid in the ruined central plain, which had been destroyed by the Oni Force.
Currently, the south of the central plain was occupied by Yuan Shu while the rest was seized by the deserters of the Oni Force. Ma Moxi's group hid their presence, disguising themselves as commoners, and stayed in Yuan Shu's area.
The gang assembled at an abandoned brick building. While being invisible to naked eyes, they sent their telepathic voice to communicate.
Ma Moxi drew a map on the dirt floor with his finger.
"We've completely mapped this sector, and we've located Liu Biao and Huang Hansheng's locations. Our Lord also informed me that he would launch a campaign against the southwest region soon. He summoned us home."
The men nodded in agreement as they had been hiding for months. It was about time that they could return and manage their divisions and their disciples.
"Should we head directly home?" Asked Zhang Liao.
"We should take advantage of our ally forces at the southern region. From the intel, Senior Dian Wei's subordinates have been governing that area and isolating Zhang Ren's Army. We can use her territory while we avoid potential pursuers."
Wang Yun had another idea, "Want me to shadow teleport everyone to Xiangyang?"
"If you can, please do. We don't want to run into Huang Hansheng on our way home."
All men came to an agreement.
Wang Yan circulated his Shadow Element Qi and activated his skill, Shadow Teleportation. His shadow expanded and covered everybody in the building.
But before their bodies could sink into the shadow, chaotic screams and commotion interrupted Wang Yun's concentration.
"MONSTERS!!"
"GRANDPA!! HELP!"
A loud dog growl was audible among the random noises. Moreover, Ma Moxi and all nascent soul experts could sense an ominous aura of unknown creatures.
They were neither beasts nor demons. They had four legs, a large wolf-like jaw, sharp fangs, and a large physique like a grown tiger. However, they had four eyes, long claws, a barbed tail, and several snakes as their tongues. The fur on their back leaked dark flame, which was the characteristic of Yin Flame from the Dual Flame technique.
Wang Yun, Zhang Liao, and Qu Yi were puzzled as they had never seen these creatures before. They frowned and hesitated if they should help the local population of Yuan Shu.
Ma Moxi acted first. He exited the shadow teleportation range and rushed to the nearest house, where he had made friends with a little girl there.
The former assassin confronted the unknown creature. Only when he could see the monster personally, he could gauge its strength and cultivation level.
Surprisingly, it had a similar energy volume as an average nascent soul cultivator. However, they couldn't use their nascent soul or domain power.
KYAAAAK
The large wolf monster jumped at the grandfather of the little friend of Ma Moxi.
Not caring about the consequences of his action, Ma Moxi stood between the wolf and the grandpa. He grabbed the large jaw and tore it apart with his bare hands.
The monster without a jaw whimpered and shrunk back. Yet, its eyes showed hostility and hatred toward Ma Moxi.
The protagonist vanished and appeared at the side of the wolf. Then, the Basilisk King Dagger was plunged into the stomach.
Ma Moxi swiftly gauged out the intestines and heart of the monster in one swing!
The creature went down, but the threat wasn't over.
The Yin Flame suddenly gathered into the monster's heart in Ma Moxi's hands. Then, it shone.
Ma Moxi widened his eyes and vanished along with the heart. He shuttled to the sky while he was in his ethereal form.
BOOM
The heart exploded, creating a large mushroom flame in the sky.
Ma Moxi reappeared in front of the old man and the little loli a few seconds later. His clothes and hair were partly burned, revealing the golden chainmail treasure and his plate armor under his robes.
By throwing the bomb away, the grandpa and the little loli friend of Moxi were safe.
"Brother Moxi!" The little 6-year-old girl rushed at Ma Moxi and hugged his legs in joy.
Moxi patted the little girl's head and turned to the old man, "Uncle Tu, carry Xiaoyi and come with me. I'll take you away from here."
RUMBLE
While Ma Moxi was wasting his time rescuing his friends, a thousand wolf-like monsters ran amok, slaughtering human cultivators and commoners in the town.
Upon sensing that more than 10,000 monsters had surrounded this village, Ma Moxi's face turned dark. He wouldn't be able to save everyone in this town, even if the other three nascent soul cultivators were to help him.
Just now, the Yin Flame explosion almost injured him. If Zhang Liao, Wang Yun, or Qu YI were to take a hit from it, Ma Moxi believed that they would have perished on the spot.
"ZHANG LIAO, WANG YUN, QU YI!! COME OVER HERE!!"
The three nascent soul experts rushed to Ma Moxi's side. On the way, they repelled three of the monsters, but they hadn't killed one. They simply warded them off with their domains.
"Moxi, what are those things!?" Qu Yi was shocked when he saw the monsters.
"I don't know either. But we have to leave now. Oh, let's take this senior and the girl with us."
"Oh, okay."
Wang Yun reactivated his shadow teleportation skill once again. This time, he allowed the elder and the little girl to enter his shadow domain first. Qu Yi and Zhang Liao slowly descended into the shadow while Ma Moxi stayed behind as a rearguard.
After all members other than Wang Yun and Ma Moxi had entered the shadow, the former warned Ma Moxi, "Everyone has retreated. Moxi, your turn!"
"Roger."
Ma Moxi stomped his foot and created four sides of golden walls to protect Wang Yun. Then, he rushed toward the shadow.
But suddenly, a humanoid figure appeared from Wang Yun's shadow below his feet, and a shadow sword pierced through Wang Yun's head!
"!!!"
Ma Moxi reacted a breath too slow. He sent a palm strike to the unknown shadow silhouette, but Wang Yun's brain was already crushed.
PA
The shadow silhouette took the hit like it was nothing. In exchange, it created 10 shadow spears and stabbed Ma Moxi's legs and hands.
Getting counterattacked, Ma Moxi vanished and reappeared behind Wang Yun, recuperating from the light injuries.
Ma Moxi shoved his ethereal hand into Wang Yun's back and pulled out the latter's nascent soul from the body.
Fortunately, Wang Yun's nascent soul managed to leave his body before it was destroyed along with the physical form, but it was a matter of time before his soul would be captured by the world guardians or Samsara's agents.
Moreover, his nascent soul was weak since he didn't eject it before the spear pierced his skull. His soul had several cracks, and it was about to crumble apart.
Realizing his doom, Wang Yun's nascent soul revealed a wry smile on his face, "Moxi, I'm sending everyone to Xiangyang! I'll leave the rest to you!"
"I'll create a new body for you with alchemy. Come with me."
"Sorry, it's too late. Go and tell Lord Mao Miaomiao for me that I did my best."
Wang Yun enveloped Ma Moxi with his shadow domain and directly sent the protagonist to his shadow realm teleporting everyone to Xiangyang.
Ma Moxi's eyes were bloodshot as he gazed at Wang Yun for the last time. The shadow devoured him and teleported him out of his town.
Wang Yun's nascent soul turned to the mysterious silhouette, who had invaded his shadow domain.
Upon staring at the unknown existence, Wang Yun got to see its real form.
It was a human cultivator, who had fallen to the heretic path, a Fiendish Cultivator! His body was shrouded with a dark aura, and his dantian was no longer compatible with Yin, Yang, or Life Qi.
Fiendish Cultivator usually made a pact with an evil fiend or a monster, taking a shortcut to increase his lifespan and obtain power instead of cultivating normally.
He could only get stronger by consuming other cultivator's Qi!
Realizing the situation and his opponent's trait, he remembered what this aura belonged to. After all, he had learned about the Four Hell Fiends from the Qiongqi cub.
"You… you made a pact with a Taotie!!"
The humanoid silhouette glared at the nascent soul of Wang Yun. He sneered, "So what? At least, I'm better than demons and demon worshipers like you!"
The shrouded aura revealed the face of the silhouette.
Wang Yun remembered him now.
This person was Ling Tianlong!
He was supposed to be dead!
Without hesitation, Wang Yun relayed the latest intel, sending his voice transmission to Ma Moxi.
"LING TIANLONG IS STILL ALIVE!! HE MADE A CONTRACT WITH A TAOTIE!!"
BOOM
Ling Tianlong sneered as Wang Yun's soul was pierced by a dozen dark spears and swords, made of Dark Element Qi and Death Essence. The soul shattered and was disintegrated into dust.
"This is the first, Mao Miaomiao. I'll keep hunting your friends and families! Once my power is completed, I'll let you have a taste of despair!!"
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