A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu Transmigrates into a Book, the Dao Ancestor of Rein

Chapter 93 I am Wang Yu of Huangfeng Valley
Dong Xuan'er was completely bewildered, and the others were equally confused.

Han Li then pointed out the problem:
"Everyone, think about it. Would a normal treasure-hunting tournament treat people differently like the Yan family does? Why does the Yan family specifically separate our seven sects from the immortal sects of other countries? You must understand that only by having all participants face each other in a one-on-one duel to determine the rankings can it be considered fair. Otherwise, how can we convince everyone?"

Hearing this, several people looked at each other in surprise.

"Could it be that the Yan family wants to speed things up?"

Zhong Weiniang asked.

“No, Wei Niang, even if the Yan family wants to split into two groups to speed up the process, it shouldn’t be that the seven factions of Yue Kingdom are in one group and the other two hundred or so people from other countries are in another group. Such a clear division not only seems deliberate, but also shows a huge difference in numbers. This kind of grouping is simply inappropriate.”

Liu Jing frowned.

A number of questions suddenly arose in my mind.

A heightened sense of vigilance would then arise.

"indeed."

Nie Ying nodded in agreement with the Murong brothers.

They also noticed the shady dealings involved.

"If the Yan family has problems, there must be a reason, right? They've attacked the cultivators from our seven sects for no reason, and these are all disciples of Core Formation stage elders. Don't they want to maintain their foothold in the Yue Kingdom? Besides, the Yan family has offended the seven sects of the Yue Kingdom. Aren't they afraid of retaliation afterward?"

Song Meng still couldn't quite understand it.

The main problem is that the logic doesn't hold up.

"Have you all forgotten that group of Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators who appeared the day before yesterday and then quickly disappeared without a trace?"

"The Ghost Spirit Sect, one of the six major sects of the demonic path... Wait, could it be that the Yan family has some connection with the Ghost Spirit Sect? Or perhaps, the Yan family has already pledged allegiance to the Ghost Spirit Sect?"

Thinking about it this way, many of my doubts suddenly became clear.

If the Yan family had truly pledged allegiance to the Ghost Spirit Sect, then all their actions would make sense: perhaps their actions against the seven sects were a way of paying tribute to their loyalty.

The group started to let their thoughts wander, thinking about all sorts of things.

Once a cultivator becomes suspicious, they will naturally not take the risk.

"I'm not sure if this situation is related to those people from the Demonic Ghost Spirit Sect, but you guys shouldn't go. I'll go and take a look by myself."

Han Lidao.

He turned back and gave everyone a reassuring look:

"If my guess is wrong, it will only delay everyone's time by a day, which is not a big deal. If something really happens, my master and the two senior uncles in the shadows will only need to protect me and will not need to worry about the rest of you."

In short: Too many people, too much of a burden.

And no one present disagreed with him for saying those words.

After all, his strength was recognized by Lei Wanhe and Li Huayuan.

"Then, junior brother, why did you bring us here? Aren't we going to leave Yanling Fortress and contact our master and uncles?"

Dong Xuan'er asked curiously.

Discovering something fishy while being in danger is not a wise move.

Han Li smiled and shook his head upon hearing this:

"Senior sister, with Master and Uncle's abilities, they've probably already discovered the conspiracy between the Yan family and the Ghost Spirit Sect. The fact that those three haven't shown up yet means that Master and Uncle have other plans. Or perhaps they're waiting for the Core Formation experts from various sects to arrive, so they can catch them red-handed and leave the Yan family with no room for excuses. It will also increase our chances of winning."

"I see."

Nie Ying and Liu Jing suddenly realized.

"Junior brother, do you mean that if we leave Yanling Fort to go find Master and the others now, it will only attract the attention of the Yan family and the Ghost Spirit Sect in advance, and might alert them?"

Liu Jing thought about it a little more.

"good."

Han Li nodded:

"After all, our opponents are the Yan family and the Ghost Spirit Sect, both of whom have Core Formation experts. I'm afraid Master and Uncle-Master haven't figured out the number of Core Formation cultivators in these two families yet."

"If we act rashly at this time, we will most likely fail to achieve complete success and allow many people from the Yan family and the Ghost Spirit Sect to escape. If we don't nip it in the bud, there will be endless troubles in the future. Master and my uncle probably took this into consideration, which is why they didn't rush to act."

"If we wait for reinforcements from the other six factions, then we can easily capture them."

If we can get two or three more Core Formation stage cultivators, we can achieve greater results with less loss.

Moreover, the Yan family's attitude at that time might become ambiguous, conflicted, or hesitant.

Whether they will continue to follow the Ghost Spirit Sect to the bitter end... is hard to say.

Perhaps, if Master and the others could give the Yan family a way out, the entire Yan family might betray them in the face of battle?
"As for why I brought you here?"

As Han Li spoke, he handed the main formation flag of the Inverted Five Elements Formation to Dong Xuan'er:

"In the past two days, while you were exchanging ideas with fellow Daoists from various sects, I disguised myself and made a special trip to Yanling Fortress. I also made some preparations in this area. It's better to be prepared than not."

"Among the dozen or so rooms around here, I have buried a large array plate and array flag in several rooms. Holding the main array flag, I can activate the large array to protect myself at any time."

"Once this great formation is activated, its power is immense. Even a Core Formation cultivator would have to expend considerable effort to break it."

He is quite confident about this.

“Junior brother, let me go with you. I have a life-saving item given to me by Master, so I should be safe.”

Dong Xuan'er suddenly spoke, then bit her lip tightly.

"Senior sister, there's no need to worry about me. As you know, I possess the Invisible Needle Talisman, which can deal with Core Formation stage cultivators. I also have numerous Foundation Establishment stage puppets, which are more than enough to handle a dozen or so Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect of the same level..."

He has many trump cards to protect himself, but Dong Xuan'er may not.

"In addition, I have stockpiled a large number of intermediate-level talismans over the years, as many as twenty or thirty. I can definitely buy some time before Master and my two senior uncles arrive using these methods. Senior sister, it would be best if only I appeared."

Han Li smiled and comforted him.

"Brother Han is right, too many people can actually make things worse."

“If we go with them, Master will have to take care of us, which will needlessly weaken their strength and abilities. Junior Sister Dong, please think it over.”

Liu Jing wanted to go along. He had a real treasure in his hand, so even if the opponent was a Core Formation stage cultivator, he was confident he could fight back.

Of course, only a few times at most.

Once he's used up, he's finished.

"Alright, no need to say more, just wait here for my message."

After saying this, Han Li quickly left and went off alone.

These people are protected by the Inverted Five Elements Array, which can be activated at any time. With the Inverted Five Elements Array at 30% complete as a backup, even a mid-to-late stage Core Formation expert would have to put in a lot of effort to break the array and capture them. The Ghost Spirit Sect group shouldn't expect to find a breakthrough here.

The time bought by the protective array was more than enough for Master Lei and the others to carry out the rescue.

The one who is truly in a tiny bit of danger is him.

After all, he was one of the people who had come into close contact with the Ghost Spirit Sect.

However, it cannot be guaranteed that Master Hongfu and the other two will be able to keep an eye on his condition at all times.

...

At this time, the sky was already bright.

Some cultivators arrived at the small mountain in the west early in the morning.

A huge magic array has been built here, but it has not been activated yet.

Inside the magic circle, two middle-aged men dressed in Yan family attire were meditating with their eyes closed.

Behind the magic circle, there was another low earthen platform, where a dozen or so "Yan family members," their figures partially obscured by the mist, were discussing something.

Now, it seems that the treasure-hunting competition will only officially begin once all the Core Formation disciples from the seven sects arrive.

When Han Li arrived, most of the people had already gathered.

Most of the people from the seven factions were sitting cross-legged or chatting inside the formation, while a small number were scattered around.

"Senior Brother Wufazi, do you recognize this formation?"

Han Li saw a familiar face at the edge of the formation and immediately called the person away from that area to ask for some advice.

"Brother Han, I'm ashamed to say that I don't know much about formations. I guess this is some kind of protective barrier or restriction? After all, if we Foundation Establishment cultivators really went all out in a fight, this mere earthen hill would be leveled in no time."

Wu Fazi guessed based on his own understanding:
"Furthermore, if Foundation Establishment cultivators move around to buy time and seek opportunities, the other side will likely find it difficult to do anything about it in a short period of time. If the two sides do not clash head-on, each battle will likely take a long time. Perhaps the Yan family created this formation to restrict our battles to a certain range? To prevent us from dragging things out? And thus speed up the pace?"

The speculation makes a lot of sense.

It's likely that even the Ghost Spirit Sect members didn't expect this somewhat reasonable explanation.

"Alright, Brother Han, my junior brother and the others have arrived and entered the formation. Do you want to come along?"

Wu Fazi extended an invitation.

"No, no, Senior Brother Wufazi, you may go by yourself."

Han Li smiled.

Not long after Wu Fazi left, someone came looking for him.

He is a cultivator from Tianque Fortress.

"Senior Brother Ma."

Han Li took the initiative to greet him with clasped hands.

The newcomer was none other than the Core Formation Seed of Tianque Fortress, a genius with a Forged Golden Body recognized by the seven schools of Yue Kingdom as the most promising Core Formation cultivator in the past few decades.

"Why is Junior Brother Han here alone? Where are the other junior brothers and sisters from Huangfeng Valley?"

Ma Rulong's visit was clearly aimed at making connections.

Without him.

Zhong Weiniang, a disciple of Li Huayuan, possesses a special physique. She achieved Foundation Establishment at the age of fifteen or sixteen and has a high probability of forming a Core in the future.

The Murong brothers, disciples of Lei Wanhe, are both geniuses with lightning spiritual roots, and Nie Ying is also a minor genius with dual spiritual roots. All three have a high probability of forming their cores. In particular, the Murong brothers are practically guaranteed to form their cores.

Although Dong Xuan'er and he weren't particularly gifted in terms of physique or spiritual roots, they were disciples of Hong Fu. Hong Fu, in turn, was currently the most prominent female cultivator at the Core Formation stage in Yue Kingdom. It wasn't impossible for her to cultivate a Core Formation successor.

It is far more effective to establish good relations now than to try to build rapport a hundred years from now.

This is equivalent to securing the future middle and senior management of Huangfeng Valley more than a hundred years in advance.

Han Li quickly understood Ma Yunlong's idea.

They also secretly admired the intelligence capabilities and insight of this ruthless man who had fought his way up.

Therefore, he decisively ignored the fact that he had killed the other party's good-for-nothing younger brother in the Crimson Forbidden Land, and began to chat with him very politely:

"Senior Brother Ma, my junior brothers and sisters are delayed by some matters and will arrive in a while. By the way, this is the information that Senior Brother wanted a few days ago, and it took me a lot of effort to collect it."

As they spoke, he smiled and handed a jade slip to the other party.

Huh? The information I wanted a few days ago?
When did he ask for information?
Ma Yunlong had a moment of doubt.

He immediately took the jade slip and examined it.

I don't know if I don't see it, I'm startled when I see it.

After repeatedly reviewing the information on the jade slip, Ma Yunlong's smile remained unchanged, but his heart was in turmoil, filled with trepidation.
Is there something fishy about the Yan family's treasure hunt?
Those so-called Yan family members on the earthen platform behind them were actually members of the Ghost Spirit Sect?

The two middle-aged men from the Yan family in the formation were actually two Core Formation cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect in disguise.

Oh no, this no, this…!
"Junior Brother Han, is this true?"

Ma Yunlong asked the question without revealing any flaws. However, fine beads of cold sweat could be seen on his forehead.

Han Li nodded, indicating that the other party should just stay calm.

The reason he used jade slips to transmit information was naturally to prevent the Li brothers from eavesdropping with their divine senses.

The reason he was willing to tell this person some information and tell him to stay put was because he was worried that Master Hongfu and his two uncles Lei Li wouldn't provide timely support. If he couldn't rely on those three, they could escape separately, and this person would indirectly help share some of the pressure.

To share some of the pressure from the Li brothers, who are at the Core Formation stage of the Ghost Spirit Sect.

Ma Yunlong was ultimately at the peak of Foundation Establishment, a pseudo-Core Formation stage cultivator, and was known as "the number one person below Core Formation in Yue Kingdom." With someone like him standing beside him, it would definitely attract more and better attention from the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators.

A dead Taoist friend is not a poor Taoist.

"Junior Brother Han, what do you think we should do?"

"Wait. Just wait."

The seven sects that came this time were definitely not just the three of them, including Master Hongfu.

Those experts haven't shown themselves yet; they're probably making other preparations.

Since the Ghost Spirit Sect wants to wipe out all seventy or eighty Core Formation disciples from the Seven Sects, the experts from the Seven Sects probably wouldn't mind wiping out the Ghost Spirit Sect's small team along with the entire Yan family, right?

Another half hour passed.

The Core Formation disciples from the seven sects arrived one after another.

Within the area covered by the grand formation, and at its edges, small groups formed, chatting and laughing, completely unaware of the turbulent undercurrents lurking beneath.

At this time.

On the earth platform.

More than ten Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators dressed in Yan family attire began to count the number of people present.

"Young Sect Master, nine people are still missing. Shall we wait a little longer?"

A Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator reported this to Wang Chan.

"Nine people? How come there are so many?"

Wang Chan frowned, sensing that things were getting a bit tricky.

On second thought, he immediately gave the order:

"No need to wait any longer. Immediately notify the two elders to activate the great formation. Otherwise, if too much time passes, some astute cultivators from the seven sects might notice something amiss, and the situation will only worsen."

As for the nine people who haven't arrived yet?

He will bring people to clean it up.

Regardless of the reason why those people were absent, he would not allow them to leave Yanling Fort alive.

"Young Sect Master, the two elders said that there are still four cultivators who are too far away from the formation. Once the formation is activated, it will be unable to confine them within the restrictions. Please, Young Sect Master, think of a way to lure them closer."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chan's eyes flashed with surprise, and her expression turned quite displeased.

What's going on today?

Why do these unexpected situations keep happening?

Logically speaking, the Yin Fire Formation has a considerable range of restrictions, yet there are still people outside the formation's coverage area.

He wanted to see which annoying guys these were.

He immediately looked up and saw four figures at the edge of the earthen hill.

Two of them were a man and a woman from the Hidden Moon Sect. They were whispering intimately under a large tree in the northeast corner outside the magic array, looking like they were secretly having an affair, trying to avoid being seen by others but not completely detached from them.

Further to the west, two young men were playing chess on a large rock, leisurely drinking tea and chatting as they played.
"These are the four, right?"

Wang Chan grinned.

He thought he was having a great time, but it turned out that the two bastards from the Seventh Faction were even more carefree than him.

"Go and tell them that the treasure hunt is about to begin, and have them come forward to register and draw lots."

The registration and lottery draw took place inside the great formation.

In Wang Chan's view, the four of them would definitely join the battle.

"All guests attending the event have come here to draw lots and register. Once the number of participants is tallied, the treasure hunt will officially begin..."

A Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator dressed in Yan family attire spoke loudly.

This greeting drew almost all the Core Formation disciples to gather around.

Even the two disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect who were being affectionate under the big tree ended their tender moment with some annoyance and walked towards the great formation.

Wang Chan was very satisfied upon seeing this.

Everything is in his hands…

Huh? What's going on with those two?
Why aren't you here yet?

That's it.

"Tell the two elders to make their move; we can't wait any longer. As for the two outside the formation? I'll deal with one of them; it'll be a good opportunity to stretch my muscles. As for the other late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, send six of you to surround and attack him."

On the earthen platform, Wang Chan frowned and gave instructions.

A faint bloodshot glint appeared in his eyes.

If you look at it, you can almost smell a faint stench of blood; it's incredibly strange.

While Han Li and Ma Yunlong appeared to be playing chess, they were actually paying close attention to the surrounding situation.

When Ma Yunlong caught a glimpse of the half-inch-long, dark green nail on the right index finger of the person hosting the Yan family's gathering, he knew that what Junior Brother Han from Huangfeng Valley had said earlier was true. This so-called Yan family member was nothing more than cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect. This treasure-hunting gathering was a complete and utter scam.

"What a family, the Yan family! Are they really determined to use the lives of dozens of Core Formation disciples from my seven sects as a pledge of allegiance to the Ghost Spirit Sect?"

Ma Yunlong was furious.

Because if it weren't for the reminder from his junior brother Han, he, the so-called most promising genius to form a core in the next few decades, would also be a member of the Yin Fire Formation.

He almost died without knowing why.

How could he not be furious at this thought?
How could they not hate the Yan family to the core?

"Senior Brother Ma, your mind is in turmoil."

Han Li suddenly placed a piece, deciding the outcome of the game.

That move was extremely strange; it happened to be placed right where Ma Yunlong had already placed his piece.

"Junior brother's move was truly... brilliant."

Actually, it's not clever at all; it's just that they don't follow the rules.

In chess, you can't place a piece on a spot where someone else has already made a move.

But reality is far more complex than a chessboard.

What seems impossible on the chessboard may actually be possible in reality.

"Senior Brother Ma, it seems our troubles have arrived as well."

Han Li, whose body was glowing with a defensive shield, smiled and pointed to the side.

There, seven figures appeared.

The leader, though only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, exuded a powerful aura and imposing presence.

The other six Foundation Establishment stage cultivators formed a tight encirclement around Han Li and Ma Yunlong, clearly determined not to let them escape.

"Gentlemen, what is the meaning of this? Why haven't you entered the arena to register for the competition?"

At this point, Wang Chan still had some patience.

"Hmph, are you going in to have your Ghost Spirit Sect members extract your souls and refine your spirits?"

Ma Yunlong gave an unpleasant snort.

"Huh? You actually figured it out? Heh heh, you two have some eye for things, you spotted the flaw so quickly."

A lazy voice came from Wang Chan's mouth, showing that he didn't take the two people in front of him seriously at all.

Upon hearing this, Ma Yunlong raised an eyebrow, his expression gradually becoming serious.

"You are the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect?"

"It seems there's no need for further self-introductions; it would be best if you recognized me, Mr. Wang."

The blood in Wang Chan's eyes was much more intense than it had been on the earthen platform.

Most of his eyes were bloodshot.

It even revealed a hint of bestiality.

Just as the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect was acting, the earthen platform also experienced an anomaly. A huge black light shield suddenly rose up, enveloping an area of ​​over a hundred feet around the center of the magic array. Inside the black shield, there was a thick, dark red mist, making it impossible to see or hear anything inside.

It was as if they were completely isolated from the world.

"So, next, will you two voluntarily walk into the Yin Fire Formation to live a little longer, or will you immediately let me extract your souls?" Wang Chan pointed to the black light barrier behind him.

"You want to extract Senior Brother Ma's soul?" Han Li stood up, head held high and chest puffed out: "Hmph, let's see if you have the ability! Senior Brother Ma is the number one person below the Core Formation stage in my Yue Kingdom!"

Upon seeing this, Ma Yunlong's lips twitched violently.

If it were any other time or place, and this Junior Brother Han from Huangfeng Valley were to praise him like this, he would be extremely happy.

But right now, being praised like this, he felt no joy whatsoever…

Junior Brother Han, can I thank you for not causing me so much trouble and drawing attention to yourself? I don't need such a big reputation.

It's all yours, it's all yours.

"Oh? He's actually the number one cultivator below the Core Formation stage in the Yue Kingdom?"

As expected, Wang Chan's attention was mostly diverted to Ma Yunlong.

To everyone's surprise, the Ghost Spirit Sect's first target was not Ma Yunlong, but Han Li!

A crimson beam of light suddenly shot out, heading straight for Han Li.

"Young Sect Master, what do you mean by this?"

Han Li was baffled as he dodged the attack with his ghostly movements.

Logically speaking, Ma Yunlong should be the one receiving special attention, so why did Wang Chan target him first? Is that a sign of something wrong with her?

"Of course, you should pick the softest persimmon first!"

Wang Chan, having retrieved a thin red needle, said matter-of-factly:
"Moreover, the fact that you specifically pointed out the identity of this person from Tianque Fortress shows that you're no better! Although I myself am not a gentleman, I absolutely despise people like you and me."

Upon hearing this, Ma Yunlong couldn't help but chuckle.

Han Li's face darkened.

He then cursed under his breath: Damn, that makes a lot of sense.

In group battles, it's indeed wise to target the weaker targets first, then concentrate your forces to take down the stronger ones later. Clipping the wings first, then eliminating the main force, is a more efficient approach. Otherwise, if you get bogged down in the strong and the weaker ones cause trouble on the sidelines, the situation becomes increasingly unpredictable.

Isn't it a very simple and easy-to-understand principle?
"Heh, you think I'm an easy target, huh? Very well. Senior Brother Ma, I'll handle this piece of shit Ghost Spirit Sect's young master, and you can deal with the rest. Is that alright?"

Han Li has identified Wang Chan as his target.

"Junior brother, are you... sure?"

Ma Yunlong's eyes first lit up, then turned to worry.

Han Li: Well done, he was underestimated again.

Why are they all so indifferent to cultivators who have no reputation?

Yeah.

"Why don't we try and see if I can do it or not?"

Han Li was not displeased by their disdain; on the contrary, he was even happier about it.

Reputation and such are all meaningless; you only have the right to speak if you survive to the end.

"You look down on us, huh? Well then, let's have some fun."

The next moment, a giant tiger puppet appeared beneath him, letting out a long roar at the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators, which made the surrounding cultivators shudder slightly.

He sat imposingly on the back of the level-four puppet tiger, accompanied by the giant tiger's roar that seemed to reach the heavens.

Immediately following, a casual snap of the fingers.

The storage bag immediately moved.

Around him, more than a dozen puppet beasts rapidly appeared, all of them being level three giant wolf puppets with a body length of over three zhang.

Interestingly, each of these giant wolf golems was accompanied by a level 2 humanoid golem. These humanoid golems were all drawing their bows and arrows, gathering power towards their targets in mid-air.

"bring it on."

Han Li touched the fine steel bracelet on his wrist and sincerely invited him.

"what?"

"Puppetry?"

This move not only greatly surprised Ma Yunlong, but also took the Ghost Spirit Sect members by surprise.

"It's just a mere puppet technique, what's the big deal?"

Although the young sect leader said this, his heart sank suddenly.

The reason is simple: puppets are not afraid of the poisonous techniques of the Ghost Spirit Sect.

Poisonous techniques are usually much less effective against puppeteers.

In other words, his carefully cultivated Twelve Ghost Guards were essentially crippled in front of this man.

Furthermore, the puppet technique is also very effective against his current level of Blood Spirit Technique, and will turn the battle into a war of attrition.

Trouble.

The only thing we can do is stall this person and wait for things to be settled with the Li brothers as soon as possible.

Just as he was thinking this, Han Li suddenly spoke with a slight upturn of his lips:

"Hey, you're the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect, right? Are you sure you want to stay and fight me instead of running away?"

His smile was very relaxed.

He even specifically pointed to the southwest side of Yanling Fort.

"What do you mean?"

Wang Chan frowned.

Southwest?
My divine sense didn't detect anything.

Therefore, he instinctively thought that the young man in front of him was bluffing, trying to intimidate him, or was stalling for time.

Half a breath later, Ma Yunlong also suddenly turned his head to look southwest. Then, he looked at Han Li with some surprise: What powerful divine sense! It's even stronger than mine! This junior brother Han from Huangfeng Valley must have cultivated a rare secret technique to enhance his primordial spirit and divine sense.

A moment later, Wang Chan's consciousness suddenly sensed something and he immediately turned to look at the southwest sky. His expression changed drastically, and he even cried out in alarm:

"A Core Formation cultivator?!"

How come there are Core Formation cultivators from seven different sects here?
"And a lot of them!"

There were so many that it made his scalp tingle!

Then he thought of Han Li, who was the first to notice the large number of Core Formation cultivators approaching this place, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Stop those two!"

The young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect didn't tell his subordinates to hurry up or anything like that. Instead, he had the Ghost Spirit Twelve Guards hold off Han Li and Ma Yunlong while he flew towards the location of the Yin Fire Formation.

He wanted to take the Li brothers away, or more accurately, he wanted the two Core Formation Elders to quickly help him escape and get out of the Yue Kingdom first.

The Twelve Ghost Guards were loyal and steadfast, and six of them immediately used their skills to attack Han Li and Ma Yunlong, who were in the puppet squad.

but.

Han Li's puppet team had already made their move long before Wang Chan flew towards the Yin Fire Formation.

The giant wolf puppet spat out spiritual energy bullets at the several Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Ghost Spirit Sect, while the puppet riders fired out spiritual energy arrows. Both attacks were quite powerful, blocking the Foundation Establishment cultivators' path, thwarting their offensive, and even significantly hindering Wang Chan's movements.

Ma Yunlong was no fool either, and quickly summoned a white bead containing the spirits of nine level 2 or higher demonic beasts.

Those were nine enormous white eagles, snow cloud eagles.

Each one is at least two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) long.

The larger of the three heads emitted spiritual energy fluctuations that had reached level 3.

The largest of the ten-zhang-long giant eagles had an aura that reached level 4.

"go."

The white bead was none other than the "Soul-Falling Bead," a top-grade magic artifact that Master Ma Yunlong had crafted for him years ago. It was an art piece he created after casually killing a nest of Snow Cloud Eagles while searching for spiritual herbs in a dangerous place.

It can be seen as an upgraded version of the Dust-Collecting Bead.

As long as the triggerer has sufficient magical power, these beast souls can be activated to unleash terrifying ferocity and strength.

"Damn it."

Wang Chan, who was temporarily entangled by several white eagles, had veins bulging on his forehead.

Although they were only two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Seven Sects, the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect had the illusion that he was facing twenty or thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators at the same time.

"Elders, the situation has changed. Please take me away immediately."

Without thinking twice, Wang Chan directly transmitted his voice into the Yin Fire Array.

Logically speaking, the two Core Formation stage cultivators who are in charge of the formation should be able to perceive changes in the outside world with their divine senses, which would provide them with assistance.

However, what unsettled Wang Chan was that after transmitting his voice for two breaths, there was still no response from within the formation.

Not right.

Just as he was beginning to have doubts...

The pitch-black formation was cleaved in two by a crimson sword light.

As the sword light passed, the three Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators outside the formation didn't even have time to react before they became dead souls under the sword without any chance to defend themselves.

Immediately, an angry shout rang out from within the cracked formation:

"Fellow Daoist Hong Fu, why be so aggressive? If my brother were to fight you to the death, you would surely suffer as well."

The shout came from one of the Li brothers' children, and it was rough and crude.

However, why does a dignified Core Formation stage expert sound so weak in voice?
"Fight me to the death? You two don't even deserve it!"

A nonchalant, cold laugh followed from within the great formation.

Unbeknownst to them, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Yellow Maple Valley within the formation had transformed into the appearance of Master Hongfu.

Her yellow Taoist robe fluttered in the wind, her long hair flowed freely, she possessed the true nature of a fairy, her charm still undiminished.

The red sword in his hand seemed a bit out of place.

It always gives those who see it a bloody feeling.

"We misjudged; we didn't even notice that a powerful expert in the late stage of Core Formation had infiltrated our ranks."

The older of the Li brothers, who had lost an arm, was crying out in distress.

“If this treasure hunt were held inside Yanling Fortress, she would naturally be able to escape the Yan family’s sensing array. But this is outside Yanling Fortress, and the temporary Yin Fire Array doesn’t have a strong sensing ability. In addition, her cultivation level is far higher than yours and my brother’s, and her concealment technique is also quite good. It’s perfectly normal that we didn’t discover her immediately.”

The child, with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, gritted his teeth and said.

Both of them are injured.

It goes without saying who did it.

Just moments ago, the two of them, relying on the power of the great formation, were caught off guard when Hong Fu suddenly drew her sword and failed to dodge.

"Master."

Han Li's eyes were filled with excitement.

Why did he still have the leisure to play chess with Ma Yunlong? Why was he so calm?
It was naturally the telepathic message from Master Hongfu when the Yin Fire Formation was activated.

With his master right beside him, why would he be a coward?!
The ones who should be scared are the Ghost Spirit Sect members.

Admittedly, on the surface, it was the Yin Fire Formation that trapped the Core Formation disciples of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom, as well as their own masters, within it.

In reality, it was Master Hongfu who used the temporary Yin Fire Array to hold back the two Core Formation cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect who were in charge of the array. After all, even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator might have a chance of breaking through the temporary Yin Fire Array with all their might, so how could they expect it to trap Master Hongfu, who was in the late-stage Core Formation stage?
The reason why the Li brothers were injured so quickly, with one even losing an arm, was because they were distracted by presiding over the great formation.

The two sides already have a huge gap in strength, how dare they get distracted?

Hong Fu was somewhat surprised that even her sudden attack had failed to instantly kill the two of them.
"As expected of a fierce warrior who has been active on the border battlefields of Jiang and Cheqi for many years, his vigilance is exceptionally high and his strength is also remarkable. He truly lives up to his reputation."

If it were any of the Seven Sects' Core Formation cultivators, even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, they would most likely have been ambushed and severely injured or even killed on the spot by her.

However, these two, through their cooperation, managed to withstand the attack at the cost of sacrificing the Yin Fire Formation, with one losing an arm and the other losing a defensive treasure.

As Hong Fu sighed softly, her offensive continued.

Not only did he wield the magic weapon, the Crimson Cherry Sword, for the main attack, but two red chains also shot out from his sleeves, one to the left and one to the right, towards the two brothers, like two crimson dragons coiling around them.

This is another of her secret weapons, used for support and also for trapping enemies.

"Young Master, run! The situation is dire."

The Li brothers unleashed their respective signature magical weapons to defend against the attack.

At this moment, how could they possibly have the mind to get entangled with Hong Fu? As soon as the great formation was broken and their divine senses were no longer affected, they immediately sensed more than ten fierce auras rapidly approaching from the southwest sky.

Those were more than a dozen Core Formation cultivators from the seven sects of the Yue Kingdom.

One by one, they charged forward with overwhelming force.

They looked like they wanted to tear them to pieces.

"I want to leave too..."

Wang Chan secretly groaned.

Why would he need the Li brothers' reminder?

He had already realized that things were going badly and was thinking of making a quick getaway.

But some bastard kept pestering him.

After Ma Yunlong held off several Ghost Guards, Han Li set his sights on him, like prey being targeted by a hunter.

This feeling made him extremely unhappy.

When did he, the dignified young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect, become someone else's prey? He's always been the one hunting the other cultivators.

"Damn it."

While Wang Chan was cursing under his breath, Hong Fu had already given orders to the cultivators from the seven sects who were not seriously injured:
"Disciples of the seven sects, listen to my command! Quickly capture the Ghost Spirit Sect members; do not let a single one escape."

Upon receiving the order, dozens of cultivators from the seven sects, who had just been tormented by the Yin Fire Array and were still feeling a lingering fear, jolted awake. Among them, forty or fifty mid-to-late Foundation Establishment cultivators who had recovered took to the air, gritting their teeth as they headed straight for the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Ghost Spirit Sect.

This scene made Wang Chan's heart skip a beat.

Oh no, oh no.

No, we can't delay any longer. Right now, we can't count on the Li brothers, who are barely able to take care of themselves.

He can only save himself.

"Keep these guys from the Seven Factions occupied."

This was the last order he issued to the Twelve Ghost Guards.

Then, thick, blood-like mist began to emerge from his body, instantly enveloping him and growing to a size of thirty feet. Immediately afterward, more than thirty ferocious blood demons, each about ten feet tall, appeared from within the blood cloud.

Then, with his blood cloud at its peak, he charged straight at the few people who were flying the fastest and had blocked his retreat.

Any damage was blocked by those thirty or so vampires.

Seeing this, the group unleashed their respective magical weapons and attacked the blood cloud.

These magical artifacts are all top-tier magical artifacts without exception.

However, to the utter dismay of the seven sects' cultivators, their magical artifacts, after penetrating the blood mist, could only defeat some of the blood demons, failing to locate the true source. Worse still, once these blood demons were dispersed by their artifacts, they would quickly reform.

Moreover, the more blood demons the magical artifact disperses, and the longer it remains in contact with the blood cloud, the dimmer its spiritual light becomes.

It was as if they were being defiled.

When these people realized something was wrong and put their magical artifacts away, they discovered that each artifact had lost some of its spiritual power, and some had even lost a great deal of its spiritual power and its strength.

This really hurt the hearts of the people who had made the donation.

"This blood cloud can corrode the spiritual power of magical artifacts, everyone be careful."

With this reminder, Wang Chan keenly sensed that the attacks from all sides had slowed down, and immediately tried to break through again.

This time, the blood-red cloud moved even faster and with even greater force.

Upon seeing this, the cultivators from the seven sects began to avoid battle, each thinking they would only go through the motions, since this person was surrounded and couldn't escape anyway. They figured they only needed to exhaust his magical power, and they would definitely capture him alive in the end.

Little did they expect that Wang Chan would accurately seize upon this negative mindset.

"Chance!"

The Ghost Spirit Sect member decisively bit his tongue, forcibly forcing out a drop of incredibly viscous blood. As this drop of blood was spat out and merged into the blood cloud, the area covered by the blood cloud suddenly expanded several times over. The blood cloud surged and raged wildly.

Judging from the situation, it seems that even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be unable to defeat someone without a Core Formation cultivator making a move.

Just as everyone panicked and dared not confront it head-on, the thickest cloud of blood in the blood cloud suddenly locked onto a direction and then sped out from the gaps in the crowd at a speed that increased three or four times.

"what?"

The thirty or forty cultivators responsible for blocking the way stared at each other in disbelief.

The faces of the six late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were extremely grim.

They just got away from a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Ghost Spirit Sect?
Or did it escape from a hunt by dozens of people?!

This…

If this gets out, these so-called Core Formation disciples and sect elites will lose face big time.

"Come on!"

The group wanted to give chase, but the blood cloud that Wang Chan had abandoned, having sacrificed most of his cultivation, was like a living thing, carrying more than thirty blood ghosts to continue blocking their way, making those who wanted to pursue him hesitant to act rashly.

Forcing our way through that blood cloud would likely result in significant losses.

Some people were quick-witted and managed to avoid the blood mist that stretched for nearly a hundred feet.

However, after chasing for a while, these people all turned back dejectedly. There was no way around it; the speed difference was too great.

They can only watch from behind.

That’s all.

The speed of the Blood Cloud Blood Escape technique nearly created a sonic boom, at least 800 feet per second, or even faster. Their sword-flying escape technique only reached a little over 200 feet per second; how could they possibly catch up?
"Want to escape?"

Han Li, who had withdrawn from the battlefield earlier, smiled calmly.

Two pairs of golden-backed mantis wings quietly appeared behind him.

He seemed to have anticipated Wang Chan's possible escape, and thus, he had put on the "Golden Back Cloud Armor" during the chaos.

"Chase."

"Buzzing..."

Vibrating the two pairs of thin wings of the Level 4 Golden-backed Demon Mantis, with the speed boost from these wings, his escape technique, although still not as fast as Blood Cloud's, was slowly widening the distance between them. However, the advantage of leaving the battlefield early was that he could predict Wang Chan's escape direction and thus strike first.

Although he failed to stop Wang Chan in time, he was not left far behind by the bloody light like the others.

At this point, they're managing to hold on tight and not fall too far behind.

They won't be quickly out of sight.

As long as Wang Chan cannot completely shake him off in a short period of time, and as long as the speed that guy gained from that mouthful of blood essence decreases, how much strength will he still have to face him?
"Young Master of the Ghost Spirit Sect, do you dare stay and fight me another three hundred rounds? Don't worry, this time I absolutely won't call for help..."

Han Li transmitted his voice from behind.

Wang Chan: What a bastard! You've gone too far! You're just relying on your numbers!
"May I ask your name?"

"I will not change my name or surname, Huangfeng Valley - Wangyu".

Forgotten Feathers?

"Alright, you surnamed Wang, I'll remember you."

Another drop of blood essence spurted out, and the blood cloud, which had slowed down somewhat, immediately regained its strength.

However, Wang Chan, whose complexion was originally quite rosy, was now as pale as paper. Moreover, due to the sacrifice of most of his blood from the Blood Spirit Technique, his cultivation level had tragically dropped to the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Damn it, damn it…

"This guy has a lot of blood..."

Han Li squinted.

It looked like Wang Chan was about to leave him behind.

With narrowed eyes and a determined heart, he bit his tongue and unleashed the Blood Escape Technique:

"Then let's see who has more essence and blood in their body!"

Let me make it clear first, he's been practicing body tempering.

Although the max-level Elephant Armor Technique isn't a particularly powerful immortal body-refining technique, it makes his blood and energy far surpass those of other cultivators at the same level.

It's just a few mouthfuls of blood; I can afford to vomit it up.

Wang Chan, who was ahead, was dumbfounded when he realized that the streak of light behind him was not only not being shaken off, but was actually rapidly approaching.

"Is this okay?"

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(End of this chapter)