Chapter 383: Evil Cultivator [Request Monthly Tickets!]

"Jie jie jie, what an excellent living soul."

Sheng Daoren stood atop the Chengjun Fortress's wall, his dark, icy gaze fixed on the townsfolk below.

All excellent living souls.

If I kill them all, I might directly forge a Thousand Soul Banner.

Then I wouldn't need to hide anymore.

Sheng Daoren's lips curled into a cruel smile.

"This world has such a damned imperial court—so damn inconvenient."

He had deliberately chosen this moment.

Earlier, Liu Qing had been stationed here; he couldn't act. Now that Liu Qing was gone, it was the perfect opportunity.

By the time Yu Kingdom's experts arrive, not a single living soul will remain in the city.

He hid inside the Purple Gold Palace—no one can touch him there.

"Who are you?"

A low-ranking general in Chengjun Fortress spotted Sheng Daoren atop the wall, and the fallen sentinel at his feet, and flew into a rage.

He was just about to draw his sword.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

In an instant, Sheng Daoren had appeared before him, having crossed the wall.

A pair of withered, bony hands clamped tightly around his throat.

His life force was rapidly drained.

Including his soul.

"Umm…"

In barely a breath, the low-ranking general became a desiccated corpse.

The soldiers in the training ground witnessed this horrifying sight; their faces turned pale with terror.

At that moment,

urgent drumbeats echoed over Chengjun Fortress.

"Intruder!"

Instantly, footsteps erupted everywhere; deputy commanders and generals still in the city rushed from their courtyards to the training ground.

Each stared at Sheng Daoren as if facing a mortal enemy.

Fu Tao roared:

"Form ranks!"

Sheng Daoren made no move to attack; he merely watched with interest as the soldiers of Annan Town formed their formation.

Meanwhile, Li Rui

was hiding deep beneath Chengjun Fortress.

He suppressed his breath and spirit.

Like a stone.

Just now, he suddenly sensed an immensely powerful aura—the divine power only cultivators of immortal arts could perceive.

That aura could only belong to a fallen immortal.

Far beyond what the people of Chengjun Fortress could handle.

In a moment of dire peril, Li Rui made his decision.

Hide.

So he activated the Thick Earth Body, buried himself underground, then concealed himself with Green Wood Qi, disguising himself as a dead log—even a fallen immortal would struggle to detect him.

Sheng Daoren arrived too fast; by the time Li Rui sensed him, it was already too late to warn anyone.

He could only choose to preserve himself first.

Above ground,

Sheng Daoren waited until all the townsfolk had completed their formation.

Only then did his lips lift slightly.

He cracked his neck, his pupils glowing with a deep red light.

Earth-Shaking Demon Sound!

Sheng Daoren murmured incantations, as if celestial demons whispered in unison; though the sound was soft, everyone in the city heard it clearly.

Invisible sound waves spread outward from him throughout the city.

"Ahh!"

Soldiers of Annan Town clutched their heads, writhing in agony.

Even those of Primordial Foundation realm struggled to endure, blood trickling from nose and mouth.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Sheng Daoren let out a soft murmur.

Then he turned his head toward a spot in Chengjun Fortress.

His Earth-Shaking Demon Sound not only shattered the soul, but also had a scanning function.

And beneath the city, a hundred zhang underground, someone was hiding deep in the earth.

"You've hidden well."

He had almost missed him just now.

Had he not accidentally used the Earth-Shaking Demon Sound, he never would have found him.

"An interesting little brat."

Sheng Daoren ceased his demonic chant.

His deep red eyes shifted, revealing a flash of green light—as if he could see through the earth.

Sheng Daoren's expression turned intrigued.

"It's him?"

Sheng Daoren instantly recognized the person hiding underground—the very same superior vessel he had seen in Wu Kingdom.

"Heaven aids me!"

Excitement glinted in his eyes.

In Wu Court, Li Rui had been part of the envoy, guarded by Grand Shamans—he dared not act.

But now,

who could restrain him?

"Think you can run?"

Even as he pondered, Li Rui beneath the ground sensed something amiss and fled toward the city's edge at top speed.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Sheng Daoren, thrilled by the prey, abandoned all interest in the city's living souls, leapt over the wall, and chased after him outside.

Seeing this,

Fu Tao and everyone else stared, eyes wide.

They didn't understand why Sheng Daoren had suddenly left.

And from his actions, it was clear he was chasing someone outside the city.

At that moment, someone spoke up:

"Master Li doesn't seem to be in the city—could those evil cultivators be chasing him?"

Hearing Li Rui's name,

Fu Tao and the others' expressions turned strange:

"No, impossible. Li Rui couldn't even withstand one blow from that evil cultivator—why go through all this trouble?"

"Forget it. Let's get out of here quickly."

Saying this,

Fu Tao led the soldiers out of the city in haste, heading straight for Qinghe for aid. Outside Chengjun Fortress, several miles into the woods.

Li Rui moved swiftly underground.

His face showed no panic.

Or rather, in crisis, panic was the most useless emotion.

Having lived over fifty years, he had faced many life-or-death crises—he long ago learned that controlling emotion was the most effective survival tactic.

Sheng Daoren moved fast.

Like a leech clinging to Li Rui's heels.

He could have forced Li Rui out of the ground long ago.

Yet he followed so long,

merely for the cruel pleasure of a cat playing with a mouse.

Even if this vessel was rotten, his Second Rank power remained—he could kill a Primordial Foundation cultivator with ease.

!

Finally,

Sheng Daoren's amusement was entirely worn out.

"Then, let's end this."

He extended a finger and pointed toward the ground where Li Rui was hiding.

A streak of red light suddenly appeared.

It shot deep into the earth.

Li Rui stared at the red light racing toward him, his pupils contracting slightly.

"Form!"

A soft command.

An invisible barrier appeared before him.

Five-Spirit Shield!

The red light collided with the Five-Spirit Shield in an instant.

The Five-Spirit Shield shattered with a bang, and the red light vanished as well.

Li Rui's face turned pale instantly.

Daoist Sheng let out a soft murmur: "Good kid. You actually blocked my strike—I underestimated you."

A Qi Refining cultivator had just blocked his Earth Immortal attack.

It was enough to be proud of.

Even in the Upper Realm, it was an extraordinary feat.

"But how will you block this one?"

Daoist Sheng licked his crimson tongue and pointed his finger again.

Just as the red light was about to strike his chest!

A giant hand's shadow emerged from his body.

It seized and crushed the red light.

Li Rui was also shaken by the impact, forced out from beneath the earth.

Daoist Sheng, seeing the giant hand, narrowed his eyes: "They said you were close to Gu Changsheng. I see it's true—he left a trace of true intent on you."

"But can he save you once more?"

With that said,

Daoist Sheng struck again.

He had been certain Li Rui would die this time—but to his surprise,

Gu Changsheng's giant hand appeared once more!

It blocked the red light again.

Daoist Sheng refused to believe it.

He struck again.

Same scene.

"Damn!"

This time, Daoist Sheng laughed bitterly: "Are you Gu's father? He's certainly fond of you."

Li Rui faced Daoist Sheng, gazing calmly at him.

He thought to himself: "Thankfully, my bond with Brother Gu is strong."

He lifted his head: "Why don't you try again? My Brother Gu placed a hundred traces of true qi on me."

"Let's see—will you kill me first, or will my Shadow Guard's guest master arrive and kill you?"

Daoist Sheng stared at Li Rui's calm demeanor.

For a moment, he hesitated, his eyes flickering.

He muttered lowly:

"Is this kid bluffing me?"

He believed Li Rui was playing the Empty City Stratagem.

Yet his wariness grew even stronger.

Simply because the Shadow Guard's guest masters were truly terrifying.

As Daoist Sheng hesitated,

Li Rui turned and walked straight toward Qinghe, ignoring Daoist Sheng entirely.

As he walked, he counted aloud.

"Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

Daoist Sheng narrowed his eyes, his murderous intent surging.

He sneered:

"Stop pretending. I bet Gu Changsheng left no backup on you—and your Shadow Guard's guest master couldn't possibly arrive this fast!"

With that,

he lunged forward, thrusting both hands out.

A crimson, grotesque ghostly figure lunged toward Li Rui.

Li Rui had his back turned.

He paid no attention to the ghost behind him, continuing to count:

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

As he reached "one," just as the ghost was about to strike,

a figure suddenly appeared behind him.

Silver armor, silver spear.

In an instant, the ghost was shattered by the man's palm.

Daoist Sheng, seeing the sudden appearance of the man, widened his eyes in disbelief: "Yuan Dingting—you're supposed to be in Yunzhou?!"

Yuan Dingting spoke slowly:

"Demon, die!"

At that moment,

Li Rui turned around, smiling at Daoist Sheng:

"I never lie."

(End of Chapter)