Chapter 345: 345. Chapter 340: Sweeping the Forces Near the Great Mercy Stronghold

345. Chapter 340: Sweeping the Forces Near the Great Mercy Stronghold

Great Mercy Stronghold's jade towers rise high, divine halls stand in rows, white jade stone pillars erected beside the road, carved with the primordial deities of ancient Earth; each statue evokes a sense of grandeur and mystery.

The Dao De Jing, Tribulation Transcendence Sutra, Tathagata Sutra, Analects and other Great Xia heritage treasures adorn many halls and pavilions; seven-colored auspicious light shines everywhere, swirling mists of spiritual energy fill the air, immortal birds fly across, auspicious beasts dance.

Li Bai glanced at the arriving Earth cultivators and said:

Fellow Golden Core cultivators, stay behind; the rest of you enter the True Martial Hall to diligently cultivate.

The Earth cultivators' eyes sparkled with endless curiosity as they gazed at the Great Mercy Stronghold; following the direction Li Bai pointed, they saw a massive tortoise-shaped structure built to the north of the Great Mercy Stronghold.

That enormous tortoise structure drags a huge golden pagoda; the pagoda has twelve levels, each level flashing with endless auspicious light, radiant symbols continuously gathering spiritual energy from all directions and pouring it into the tower.

The Earth cultivators couldn't take their eyes off it.

They finally understood why the Monster Master warned them not to waste their cultivation in the Primordial Spirit Realm: the spiritual energy in the True Martial Hall is at least a hundred times denser than that on Earth, allowing cultivators to rapidly increase their cultivation speed.

The responsible cultivators of both humans and monsters gave an order on the spot; all cultivators below the Golden Core Realm entered the True Martial Hall in an orderly manner, found suitable spots to cultivate, and began diligent practice.

The Golden Core monster kings and human cultivators followed Li Bai into the Council Hall to meet with Zuoci and the others.

Inside the Council Hall, the coiling dragon throne hung empty, and the Earth cultivators stood in rows.

Humanity embarked on the path of cultivation thanks to the monsters' teachings, so the monsters are considered humanity's teachers.

The Tiger King, chief of all monster kings, rose to stand in the center and said:

Everyone, the Giant Spirit Realm is a newly excavated world that hides countless treasures within.

By order of the Monster Master, we must use every means to preserve the fighting strength of the Earth cultivators.

Therefore, we lack full confidence to venture deep into the Heavenly Abyss for treasure hunting.

Tell me, how can we plunder the cultivation resources of the Primordial Spirit Realm within the Giant Spirit Realm?

Wu Zhenghao surveyed all the cultivators present, thought for a moment, and said:

Tiger King, Earth cultivators entering the Primordial Spirit Realm inevitably have to deal with Huanyu cultivators.

Huanyu cultivators gather for profit and disperse when profit is gone.

We can adopt a close-attack, far-reach strategy.

Within a radius of a hundred li, even a thousand li around the Great Mercy Stronghold, all cultivation resources must first be gathered into our coffers.

As Wu Zhenghao's words fell, the cultivators present also agreed.

The Great Mercy Stronghold base has been established, and furthermore it is protected by the Monster Master's Coiling Dragon Grand Formation, making it as solid as gold and bronze.

It is time to take the Great Mercy Stronghold as the center and annex the surrounding forces; not only can we expand our defending army, but we can also obtain countless wealth.

They are all Golden Core cultivators; although they share the same realm as the Earth Origin Realm experts of the Huanyu cultivators, their strength far surpasses that of the Huanyu cultivators.

Wu Zhenghao's idea is feasible.

But to avoid unexpected complications, we still need to think of a good plan.

Otherwise, once the surrounding factions discover the danger, if we huddle together for warmth it will be difficult to deal with them.

It would be best to let the Huanyu cultivators handle this.

The Bear King rolled his round eyes and said.

He had also learned from the Peng King that the Great Mercy Stronghold has many disciples of major powers serving as human pets, whose strength should not be underestimated.

Those people wear their own sect's clothing when they go looting; they will not draw karma onto the Great Mercy Stronghold, but instead shift it to their former sects.

The Earth cultivators can simply reap the benefits like a fisherman.

The Weasel King's face flashed with a cunning light, and he also said:

I have heard that Huanyu cultivators value wheat skins; we can also start here.

When Earth cultivators arrive at the Primordial Spirit Realm, there will surely be more newcomers.

The primary task is to protect all fighting strength, develop rapidly, and understand the schemes of trapping, deceiving, kidnapping, swindling, and stealing.

As the Weasel King's words fell, all cultivators present, whether human or monster, had their eyes light up.

The schemes of trapping, deceiving, kidnapping, swindling, and stealing are all about surprise, capable of catching Huanyu cultivators off guard.

We can first think about it.

When Earth cultivators and Huanyu cultivators get along well, if a Huanyu cultivator is tricked to a remote place, if we can beat them we threaten and intimidate them; if we cannot beat them, we directly give them drugs.

Thus we can not only obtain the opponent's cultivation resources, but also carry the person back to the Great Mercy Stronghold as a human pet, yielding tenfold profit.

All the Huanyu cultivators in the Council Hall were in agreement.

Everyone, mark your human pets; we will act tonight.

The Tiger King said.

All cultivators present eagerly nodded in agreement.

Near the Great Mercy Stronghold, the forces within Yuan Kui City are intricately intertwined.

At this moment, the senior members of the four major powers in the city—the Fierce Tiger Sect, Earth Wolf Gang, Jade Elixir Pavilion, and Great Purple Cavern—have gathered in the City Lord's Mansion.

The City Lord of Yuan Kui City, Zhang Jiji, kept wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel, and even the leaders of the four major powers had faces as dark as iron.

City Lord, quickly think of a solution; lately many sects in Yuan Kui City have perished, their treasuries have been looted, and even their disciples have vanished without a trace.

Today, even the Black Tiger Elder of my Fierce Tiger Sect has mysteriously disappeared, leaving no trace to investigate," said the Sect Leader of the Fierce Tiger Sect, Teng Hu Xin, with lingering fear.

Although the Fierce Tiger Sect only lost one elder, the Earth Wolf Gang's members frequently disappear, causing panic among its cultivators and shrouding them in an inexplicable great terror," said the Gang Leader of the Earth Wolf Gang, Liu Ya, trembling with fear.

Upon hearing this, the Pavilion Master of the Jade Elixir Pavilion, Yu Man Lou, likewise exclaimed in alarm:

The Jade Elixir Pavilion's defenses are strict, yet elixirs and spiritual medicines, spiritual herbs, and spiritual medicines frequently disappear from within.

Even the disciples who were patrolling late last night were taken away.

You're all fine, but the Great Purple Cavern has not only had its treasury stolen, but even its sect leader has been lost," complained the Great Elder of the Great Purple Cavern, his face flushed red.

Zhang Jiji heard the words of the four major powers' leaders, and his feelings became extremely complicated.

The affairs of Yuan Kui City have come too strangely.

All the disappeared cultivators and treasures were as if they had vanished into thin air, leaving not a trace to be found.

Among them were no few Earth Origin Realm cultivators; these powerhouses were already considered the peak strength of the Primordial Spirit Realm, yet such powerhouses vanished without a trace—just the thought makes one's scalp go numb.

"Keep tightening our defenses!"

"I will report this to the Upper Sect Yin Yang Pavilion; disciples will arrive at Yuan Kui City shortly," Zhang Jiji said embarrassedly.

As his words fell,

The faces of the helmspersons of the four major sects grew even uglier.

The cultivators inside the sect had already strengthened their defenses, yet to no avail; the hidden presence was like a ghost, coming and leaving without trace, unknown what it is.

Under prolonged high fear, the disciples of the four major powers were almost mentally collapsing.

The wind outside howled, just like their surging emotions.

Jade Pavilion Master Yu Manlou gazed at the moon outside the window, striving to calm his heart; unsure if it was an illusion, he felt the moon in the sky seemed to grin at him sinisterly.

Clang—

The door was suddenly blown open by a gust of wind; the Yuan Kui City Lord, already anxious, reflexively shouted in uncontrollable anger.

"You can't even watch the door, a bunch of trash."

A rough voice sounded, yet there was no echo outside the door.

Zhang Jiji and the others gathered inside stared at each other in shock, their faces suddenly changing.

"Sect Master Teng Hu is bolder; let's go check the situation," the Yuan Kui City Lord said, his voice trembling, as he rose from his seat.

Hearing this, the Sect Master Teng Hu of the Fierce Tiger Sect felt a chill all around, his legs going weak, and said:

"No no no."

"Lord Zhang is the strongest present; still, the City Lord should go."

As Teng Hu's words fell,

All the cultivators present looked at Zhang Jiji, then simultaneously hid in the corners.

You gang up, using me as a blade.

Zhang Jiji cursed angrily in his heart, then probed:

"Let's investigate together; if we encounter danger, we can still help each other."

The four helmspersons nodded in satisfaction and together looked toward the door.

Yet when they reached the door, they found the City Lord's mansion completely empty.

Everyone in the City Lord's mansion had vanished as if into thin air; not even a sound had been heard moments before.

Zhang Jiji and the others suddenly felt their scalps go numb, their spines beginning to chill.

"Again, again, again?" shouted Liu Ya, the gang leader of the Earth Wolf Gang, his face full of terror.

He felt as if a pair of eyes were fixed on him from all sides; any slack would see him utterly devoured by the hidden terror.

"I don't know which senior I have offended; please forgive us, seniors."

The Sect Master Teng Hu of the Fierce Tiger Sect gathered his courage and tremulously addressed the void:

Zizzle—

Under the bright moon, the night sky rippled faintly, and five black silhouettes appeared before everyone's eyes.

Each black silhouette bore a black evil banner on its head, lethal energy coiling around it, countless ghostly shadows struggling violently.

Everyone's pupils contracted sharply.

They saw many familiar figures on the banners—those were their own disciples.

"Could you be from the Slaughter Ghost Sect?" City Lord Zhang Jiji asked, pointing at the terrifying sight on the black banner, his voice trembling.

But just as his words fell,

A ferocious ghost shot out from the black banner, its brow emitting black light that struck Zhang Jiji and the other cultivators; before they could react, they stood frozen in place.

Each of the five black figures held a black sack; the sack mouths gaped, spewing mysterious runes, an endless suction wrapping around Zhang Jiji and the others, sucking them into the black sacks.

After doing this, the five swiftly headed toward the forest outside Yuan Kui City; upon reaching a ruined temple, they knelt on the ground and said:

"Report to the Bear King, the matter is done."

The black sacks in their hands floated in the air, and the silhouettes of Zhang Jiji and the others fell to the ground.

A weak ripple emanated from the ruined temple, landing on Zhang Jiji and the others; a delicate figurine appeared on their brows and flew toward the temple.

One at Earth Origin Realm Great Completion, four at Earth Origin Realm Peak; their strength is still decent.

As the sound came from the ruined temple, the Bear King walked out.

He grasped five delicate figures in his hand; as Spiritual Power was infused into them, Zhang Jiji and the others on the ground slowly opened their eyes.

"You you you, what are you?"

Zhang Jiji saw a towering three-zhang black bear standing upright before him; frightened, he sprang up from the ground, shouting in terror.

"Tell you, I am a disciple of the Yin Yang Pavilion; if you're wise, release us quickly."

"Otherwise, I will make sure you die nine times over."

The Bear King's mouth curled into a cold smile; a black-clad person stepped forward, the black banner behind him lifting, revealing one by one the silhouettes of the City Lord's mansion's occupants.

"Steward Zhang, Manager Liu, Aunt Hong."

Zhang Jiji counted the wandering souls on the black banners, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"You should be glad, for you have a shred of value to me."

"If you were mortal, you too would be a member of the Myriad Soul Banner."

The Bear King spoke with a grim expression.

Beside them, Teng Hu and the others felt dazed, as if everything happening before them were utterly dreamlike.

The black bear's aura spread terrifying waves, its strength far surpassing that of Zhang Jiji.

How could a demon beast be able to speak human words, and moreover have its own human subordinates, everywhere showing strangeness, simply overturning their cognition.

Teng Hu and the others saw several exquisite soul shadows in Bear King's hand; their souls trembled, and the black bear demon beast actually still controlled their life souls—life souls being tied to life and death—what exactly does this demon beast intend to do?

"Three days later, lead your sect's disciples to Great Magnetic Mountain."

"Those who are late, the whole sect shall jointly offer sacrifice to the Myriad Soul Banner."

After Bear King issued a command, he then disappeared from the scene with five black-robed persons.

As Tiger King and the others disappeared, Zhang Jiji and the others directly went limp on the ground.

"What should we do, City Lord Zhang?" Liu Ya of the Earth Wolf Gang said, his heart pounding with anxiety.

The aura that the black bear faintly revealed just now made his body feel as if he were carrying a great mountain; without strenuous resistance, his body had already been exhausted.

He, as a sect leader, has a bit of fame both in the Primordial Spirit Realm and in Huanyu, yet he has never seen a demon beast capable of speaking human words, let alone one that takes human cultivators as subordinates—absurd.

If this were to be spread, within the Earth Wolf Gang not a single companion would believe him.

"City Lord Zhang, can the Yin-Yang Pavilion have a solution?"

Yu Manlou of the Jade Elixir Pavilion asked tentatively.

Zhang Jiji hails from the Yin-Yang Pavilion, which is a major sect in Huanyu with profound foundations; if the Yin-Yang Pavilion sends forth a strong expert, perhaps there could still be a turning point.

The black bear demon beast's final words were to subdue them; they are humans, moreover sect leaders—if they truly surrendered to the demon beast, they would feel extremely repulsed in their hearts.

"City Lord Zhang, perhaps the senior experts from the Yin-Yang Pavilion who have come to support could resolve the present predicament."

Teng Hu of the Fierce Tiger Sect showed a ferocious expression, speaking harshly; as a sect leader living carefree and at ease, to become a subordinate of a black bear, the more he thought about it, the more stifled he felt.

Zhang Jiji said with an unpleasant expression:

"The senior experts of the Yin-Yang Pavilion will arrive at Abyss Kui City in two days."

"Perhaps that black bear fears the Yin-Yang Pavilion's disciples and will release our life souls, returning our freedom."

After Zhang Jiji and the others discussed, they flew toward Abyss Kui City; however, when they reached the city gate, they found the entire city extraordinarily quiet.

Everyone had a bad premonition, yet no matter how they called out, not a single person appeared in Abyss Kui City except for the echoing sounds.

"Vile demon beast, I will certainly not spare you."

Zhang Jiji shouted furiously to the heavens; the terrifying Spiritual Power storm caused countless houses to collapse, reducing them to broken walls and ruins.

"Hmph."

"I give you a chance; since you are unwilling to submit, then all of you shall become the wandering souls of the Myriad Soul Banner."

"A vast voice burst forth in the sky."

Abyss Kui City was swept by rising winds and surging clouds; countless red lightning bolts crackled, and the Myriad Soul Banner, with the manifestation of the primary soul, rippled with strange waves around it.

As those ripples touched Zhang Jiji and the others, they felt dizzy and stunned in place.

The primary soul opened its mouth, deep and terrifying; a black line was fixed on the foreheads of Zhang Jiji and the others, and as the primary soul of the Myriad Soul Banner pulled, five souls the same size as Zhang Jiji and his companions were drawn out.

Zhang Jiji and the others, as their souls were lost, turned into starlight and disintegrated on the spot.

Bear King led five figures walking out of the void.

"The disciples of the Yin-Yang Pavilion will descend; for now we remain hidden. If we can obtain the cultivation techniques from the Yin-Yang Pavilion's disciples, it will be of great benefit to me," Bear King instructed.

He had previously grasped the life souls of Zhang Jiji and the others, thus knowing their every move.

Since Zhang Jiji and the others refuse to submit, in order to ensure the safety of the Great Mercy Stronghold base, we must eliminate the nearby forces.