Chapter 13: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

Outside Senior Butian Peak, more than ten formal disciples had gathered, with Zhao Xuhe, the Immortal Qinghe, and the Library Pavilion elder Wang Bairong clearly leading the group.

Among the crowd, only these three possessed a cultivation base at the Mid Stage of Qi Condensation.

Standing at the very front, Zhao Xuhe spoke in a resonant voice: "That so many fellow disciples could respond to my invitation fills me with great honor; please accept my thanks in advance."

Having spoken, he bowed deeply to the assembly.

"To be perfectly honest, this senior brother has discovered an ancient cave dwelling left by a predecessor outside Senior Butian Peak, but alas, its perimeter is guarded by an array formation which I am simply too weak to break."

Immortal Qinghe spoke up at just the right moment, her soft and gentle voice sending tingles through everyone: "That is why Qinghe sought out all you fellow disciples; if we join forces to break the array, we can share the spoils within the cave dwelling equally. Senior Brother Zhao is a member of the Sanhe Society, and everyone knows his reputation well; he would certainly never let anyone suffer a loss."

Zhao Xuhe clearly possessed some skill in manipulation.

He and Immortal Qinghe worked in perfect tandem, while the Library Pavilion elder Wang Bairong played along, quickly binding the scattered individuals into a single rope.

Immediately afterward, the group mounted their escaping light and departed from Senior Butian Peak.

The "Sky-Reaching Cloud Sea" where the Chusheng Sect resided covered a vast expanse, seemingly endless; the group flew on their escaping light for a quarter of an hour before finally halting above a section of the cloud sea.

"This is the place."

With a thought, Zhao Xuhe pushed aside the clouds with his true qi, revealing a magnificent mountain peak with excellent feng shui that, at first glance, resembled an old dragon coiled in rest.

"This place is named Panlong Island," Zhao Xuhe voluntarily introduced. "I have investigated and found it to be the cave dwelling of Panlong True Person, a former core disciple of our sect. The great feng shui array surrounding it was once a Foundation Establishment-level formation, but over many years the ley lines it relied upon have dried up, leaving less than one-tenth of its original power."

"Fellow disciples, please follow me to break the array."

As soon as his words fell, Zhao Xuhe took the lead, being the first to enter Panlong Island; seeing this, the others naturally dared not fall behind and flew in one by one.

Just like that, after a brief moment, a figure quietly materialized.

"Interesting..."

Lu Yang gazed down at Panlong Island below but had absolutely no intention of entering; instead, he took out four black banners and began setting them up outside the island.

"Anyway, the repayment deadline is approaching, and the time remaining in this life is running out."

"Might as well pull off a big job!"

"However, this Panlong Island is unpredictable and treacherous; with Zhao Xuhe having so many people on his side, it would be difficult for me to stand alone against them, and I have no chance of winning if I go in there to snatch opportunities from them."

After weighing the pros and cons, Lu Yang thought of a good plan.

First, he did not believe for a second the claim that there were good people within the Mo Sect, so he was certain that Zhao Xuhe's scheme to gather people for raiding the cave dwelling was absolutely malicious.

Yet, with so many people having come this time, including the Library Pavilion elder Wang Bairong, even if Zhao Xuhe could swallow them all, he would inevitably lose a few teeth in the process and could not emerge unscathed. In that case, Lu Yang could simply set up an array formation outside the island first, wait at his ease for the exhausted, and specifically ambush those who came out.

Wasn't this far more cost-effective than going in to explore?

For this purpose, Lu Yang had used his last 100 contribution points to exchange for a set of the Maze Array.

The four "Maze Banners" trapped heaven and earth and reversed directions; although they lacked offensive power, they could trap people within, making it difficult to escape in the short term.

"Next is simply to wait quietly... no rush; haste makes waste, after all..."

Lu Yang patiently settled into his ambush.

"Zhao Xuhe! What is the meaning of this!?"

"If you kill us and our life lamps are extinguished, the Holy Sect will not spare you!"

Inside Panlong Island, rivers of blood now flowed.

The group of formal disciples who had just been working together heart and soul were now fighting individually, screaming incessantly as a beam of bloody light continuously reaped their lives.

Meanwhile, far away from the crowd, Zhao Xuhe and Immortal Qinghe stood side by side.

Both wore mocking expressions, their brows arrogant and radiating dense evil qi; their behavior and speech were completely different from the sincere manner they had shown when inviting everyone earlier.

Facing the angry rebukes of the crowd, Zhao Xuhe wore a cold smile and said in a chilling tone: "Stop struggling; this place was carefully arranged by me, and this 'Blood Demon Soul-Slaughtering Blade' cost me a full 3, 00 contribution points. Today, not a single one of you expects to escape Panlong Island!"

As he spoke, several more people lost their lives.

That beam of bloody light flashed through the air, instantly sucking their flesh and blood dry, before revealing its form: it was unmistakably a crimson flying dagger.

"You! Scoundrel!"

Within the crowd, the only one still able to resist was the Library Pavilion elder Wang Bairong, but Zhao Xuhe was in no hurry to kill him, merely wearing him down continuously.

While wearing him down, Zhao Xuhe continued to sneer and mock: "Surname Wang, did you really think that after taking my money, you would still have a life to spend it? The only reason I bought those Substitute Death Yin Skeletons from you back then was for today! Otherwise, if you still had a pile of Substitute Death Yin Skeletons in hand, it would not be easy for me to take you down."

"Now, all your Substitute Death Yin Skeletons have been bought by me."

"Once I kill you, I can simply take back the contribution points I gave you initially; it amounts to me acquiring a pile of Substitute Death Yin Skeletons without spending a single point."

"Looking at it this way, I should even thank you!"

Zhao Xuhe's heart-piercing words made Wang Bairong nearly spit blood in anger, giving Zhao Xuhe the opportunity to flash his flying dagger, which immediately plunged into his chest.

Thump!

Wang Bairong's lips moved slightly, his face filled with unwillingness, but he could not utter even half a sentence before the flying dagger sucked his vital energy and blood dry, causing him to collapse limply to the ground.

With Wang Bairong dealt with, the dust settled.

After another brief moment, the wails gradually ceased.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother!"

At this moment, Immortal Qinghe was also drenched in fragrant sweat; the Blood Demon Soul-Slaughtering Blade consumed immense energy, and Zhao Xuhe's ability to slay so many people was partly due to her efforts.

"I must also thank you, Junior Sister."

Zhao Xuhe smiled slightly, recalled the Blood Demon Soul-Slaughtering Blade into his hand, and asked: "How is it? With its current power, can it break through that restriction?"

Immortal Qinghe examined it for a moment, her delicate brows slightly furrowed: "It seems there is still a little lacking..."

Whoosh—!

The dagger entered and exited; Immortal Qinghe's pretty face turned blank, her gaze dull as she watched the crimson flying dagger embed itself in her lower abdomen, and in the blink of an eye, she too was sucked dry into a mummy.

"Now there is no lack."

Zhao Xuhe looked at the Blood Demon Soul-Slaughtering Blade in his hand, nodded in satisfaction, and then proceeded to a secluded chamber deep within Panlong Island, its doors tightly shut.

Without another word, he raised the blade and struck.

Boom!

A earth-shaking roar echoed, and the door of the secluded chamber shattered instantly, revealing its contents: inside lay unmistakably a jade box.

Zhao Xuhe walked forward with wild joy, opened the jade box, and saw unmistakably two volumes of a Daoist scripture placed within.

The upper volume was titled "Nine Transformations Dragon Transformation Art."

The lower volume was titled "Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding Ascension Treasure Scroll."

Looking at the two Daoist scriptures in the jade box, Zhao Xuhe was so excited that his hands trembled: "Third Grade True Art! It is indeed a Third Grade True Art pointing directly to the Great Dao of the Golden Core!"

"My master truly did not deceive me."

"Master said that through three lifetimes of bitter cultivation, I accumulated merit for Panlong True Person, and in this life, my merit is finally complete; Panlong True Person's inheritance is my opportunity."

"After today, as long as I cultivate with devotion, refining the 'True Dragon Qi' and establishing the 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Riding' Dao Foundation, I will surely be able to find my true self again and completely return from the tribulation in the future. Moreover, with this Third Grade True Art, not only will the path to Foundation Establishment be smooth sailing, but the Great Dao of the Golden Core will also be within reach!"

The more Zhao Xuhe thought about it, the more excited he became, so he immediately stored the Daoist scriptures away.

"Switching cultivation methods requires dispersing one's功力; there is no time to lose. I must immediately return to my cave dwelling to enter closed-door cultivation. Once I emerge, I can formally拜入my master's sect..."

Filled with hope for the future, Zhao Xuhe mounted his escaping light and swiftly flew out of Panlong Island.

However, the next second, Zhao Xuhe's expression changed drastically.

"Who goes there?"

Boom!

At that moment, Zhao Xuhe widened his eyes, but all he saw was a magnificent sword light, fierce as thunder, instantly slashing before his very eyes!

(End of Chapter)