Chapter 403

Seeing this, everyone's expressions changed drastically!

One must know.

Although Youlan Hermit was not as famous as the Green Plum Hermit and Mountain Chrysanthemum Hermit of Thinklord City, she was nevertheless a genuine Yuan Ying mid‑stage cultivator, yet she had her arm cut off while staying on guard!

Although that scene was extremely fast, Yunhe and the others also saw it; if not for Youlan Hermit's quick reaction, plus the special trigger‑type defensive treasure she carried, that blow earlier would likely have destroyed her physical body!

Of course, as a Yuan Ying cultivator, the physical body is merely a shell and no longer that important, but for Youlan Hermit this is still definitely a serious injury.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

Yunhe and the two others almost simultaneously unleashed their respective treasures, while extending their divine sense to the utmost.

Finally.

In the not‑far black abyss mist, the sneak attacker was found!

She was an Abyss cultivator, tall and striking in appearance; were it not for her scarlet pupils and the special black horn on her forehead, she would certainly be considered a beauty.

Her face bore a smile full of provocation and even contempt as she licked her lips, speaking somewhat regretfully:

"What a pity, your reaction speed is truly fast."

"A mid‑Fourth Level Abyss cultivator!" Fushan Daoist transmitted via divine sense, informing everyone.

"It's a secret technique."

This person is not an Abyss cultivator!

So upon seeing this Abyss female cultivator, he understood the opponent's secret technique.

And Abyss cultivators are actually quite similar.

Isn't a mid‑Fourth Level Abyss cultivator basically heaven‑defying?

"There probably isn't just one of them!"

Sang Wu and several other Abyss cultivators also took the opportunity to seek out their respective opponents, pairing off to fight!

"Human cultivators, you've arrived much faster than I imagined."

That axe's size is extremely exaggerated, several times that of a normal person!

Of course, for an Abyss cultivator wielding mana, the size of a treasure is actually meaningless, but when that axe appeared it gave the feeling that even a great mountain would be split apart.

But Sang Wan merely gave a light laugh, flashed forward, and rushed toward the Purple‑robed True Lord.

Yunhe and the others were thus split apart.

Then he suddenly pulled out a huge black axe.

After all, they weren't very familiar with each other, lacked any coordinated attack method, and fighting together might even cause mutual interference.

This we owe to the Abyss cultivator who was slain by Yunhe outside the Listening Fragrance Pavilion earlier; although they didn't bring Yunhe much benefit, they did let him learn quite a bit about the Abyss.

As for this, Yunhe was quite certain.

Logically speaking, Yunhe, who is only at the early Yuan Ying stage, should be the easiest to deal with, and the injured Youlan Hermit also suffered a considerable wound, so they ought to be 'decent' opponents.

Actually, this also matches what Yunhe and the others had in mind.

Sang Wan pursed her lips, sweeping her divine sense over Youlan Hermit, the Purple‑robed True Lord, and Yunhe.

"No limits." Yunhe's reply was blunt, but he added: "However, the opponent's concealment method and sudden‑killing secret technique certainly have many restrictions; she absolutely cannot use it a second time in a short span."

"You picked your target quickly."

As expected.

But it's strange: he is clearly standing there, yet their divine sense cannot detect him, as if he didn't exist at all.

Sang Wu, holding a cane topped with black beast‑shaped ornaments, swept his gaze over Yunhe and the others, speaking lightly.

If that's the case, then just this one Abyss cultivator would likely be enough to wipe out Yunhe and his three companions, and they'd hardly be able to resist.

To possess such a cultivation base, whether human or Abyss cultivator, most would not be skilled in coordinated attacks; otherwise those adept at joint techniques, like the Green Plum Hermit and Mountain Chrysanthemum Hermit of Thinklord City, wouldn't be so special.

Among them are not only some divine sense secret techniques he has learned, but also descriptions of other Abyss secret techniques.

"Mountain‑measuring Ruler!"

But one must admit, this Abyss palace still has something to it; even after such a strike, it didn't shatter.

An impact like a mountain collapsing erupted with a boom inside the great hall, the huge impact forcing Yunhe and the others to repeatedly withdraw.

A mid‑Fourth Level Abyss cultivator is equivalent to a human mid‑Yuan Ying cultivator!

Even so, at most the opponent's strength is comparable to Youlan Hermit's; it's absolutely impossible for them to leave everyone unable to react.

"Mist‑killing technique?" the Purple‑robed True Lord furrowed his brows, "Is there no limit to its use?"

After making the hand seal, that flying ruler also enlarged accordingly.

Yunhe also transmitted via divine sense: "The technique the opponent just used must be a kind of Abyss secret art; as I know, Abyss secret arts are numerous, and one branch is called the 'Mist‑killing Technique', which follows the path of the assassin."

Boom!!

If this continues.

Otherwise.

Seeing this, Fushan Daoist's eyes narrowed, and without hesitation he unleashed his treasure flying ruler.

The divine sense communication was brief and swift; after Youlan Hermit finished speaking, they again saw three figures flickering in and out of the black mist.

As for Sang Xun and Sang Wan's actions, Sang Wu chuckled; he's not Sang Qing, so why the rush to pick opponents?

Being steady is most important, whether for human cultivators or Abyss cultivators.

Among them, two Abyss cultivators, and another one.

When Yunhe gazed at the figure wearing a wide cloak and bearing a huge object, he couldn't help but frown.

And the handsome‑looking Sang Xun didn't waste words; as his wide black robe rustled, he shot forward and directly attacked Fushan Daoist.

His face pallid, after swallowing several elixirs to staunch the bleeding and holding his arm, Youlan Hermit also spoke with a grim expression.

His divine sense fell upon Yunhe.

Is there anything more secure than dealing with an early Nascent Soul cultivator?

Although this operation is especially important for human cultivators, this early Nascent Soul cultivator certainly has his special qualities and abilities, perhaps in some places being able to match a mid Nascent Soul cultivator, making him an exception.

But no matter what, his early Nascent Soul cultivation base is his biggest shortcoming.

"Trouble, fellow Daoist, deal with that female cultivator."

Sangwu said to the shadow of the person carrying the giant object.

He could feel that beneath the black robe lay a pair of eyes looking at him, seemingly with some deep meaning.

But he didn't mind; after speaking, he flew toward Yunhe, the beast plaques on his staff clinking.

"Roar!!!"

Suddenly.

A beast roar came from the abyssal mist, accompanied by heavy footsteps.

Suddenly, a huge, ferocious giant beast appeared, its palm larger than a person slapping toward Yunhe!

Abyssal Beast!

Moreover, it is a fourth-level early abyssal beast.

Sensing the movement, Yunhe's expression unchanged, he swept his hand over his waist, and a Nascent Soul corpse appeared at his side.

Facing the beast's palm that was swung, the Nascent Soul corpse blocked it for him.

"Corpse?"

Sangwu saw this, his eyebrows slightly raised, the sound from the beast plaques on his staff not stopping, he smiled and said: "Even if it is a Nascent Soul-level corpse, without a corpse-transformed Nascent Soul to support it, its strength is ultimately still lacking. Moreover, do you think I only have one abyssal beast?"

"Roar!!!"

Another pair of scarlet eyes emerged from the black mist, accompanied by beast roars.

Seeing this, Yunhe gave a light chuckle, "Why can I only have one corpse?"

He took off the corpse bag and threw it out; stiff corpses exuding thick yin corpse aura appeared at his side.

Among them, there was also a corpse wearing black hemp clothing, extremely short in stature, even emitting a metallic luster on its body, yet its aura was the strongest of all corpses.

Moreover, its expression was not as stiff as other corpses; it seemed to retain a fragment of its memories from life, yet it was completely unlike a living corpse.

"A mid Nascent Soul corpse?!"

Seeing the corpse refined by Extreme Joy Old Ancestor, Sangwu's pupils shrank sharply, and he involuntarily exclaimed.

Being able to refine a mid Nascent Soul cultivator's corpse into a refined corpse isn't just about how much resources and ability the opponent has poured in; first and foremost, you need a corpse of a mid Nascent Soul cultivator.

This means the opponent has actually killed a mid Nascent Soul cultivator before?!

At this moment.

Sangwu suddenly felt that he might have actually chosen the wrong target.

Yunhe smiled.

Ji Huan Laozu's refined corpse has major limitations; he finished refining it in just a few days, allowing it only a single use, since what is consumed is the scant remainder of Ji Huan Laozu's soul.

Moreover, like his other Nascent Soul refined corpse, without a corpse-formed Nascent Soul to support it, this refined corpse cannot exhibit strength comparable to that of a mid Nascent Soul cultivator.

But it's enough to deal with a Fourth Level early-stage Abyssal Beast and several Third Level Abyssal Beasts.

Bang!!

The Abyssal Beast and the refined corpse violently collided.

Yunhe's eyes narrowed, his inner mana swiftly circulated; with a flick of his finger, he immediately unleashed two Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Swords, accompanied by leaping golden arcs, shooting straight toward Sangwu.

One can see.

As the golden arcs on the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Swords flickered, the surrounding black mist seemed to melt like snow, actually dispersing somewhat.

The power of heavenly thunder also has a notable restraining effect on the black abyssal mist.

Although slaying Ji Huan Laozu earned Yunhe an invitation from the Wuxiang Sword Sovereign, there is certainly also a reason tied to the power of heavenly thunder.

That is precisely why he was dispatched to Cangmo Mountain, rather than Bijie Island.

Sangwu's face darkened; he sharply shook his staff, and layers of black mist condensed before him into shield after shield.

At the same time, a series of low, muffled sounds suddenly erupted from within the hall.

Immediately after.

One after another, formations that appeared independent yet interconnected rose up out of thin air.

Formations?

Yunhe showed a hint of surprise as his two Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Swords were blocked by a force.

Although the formations in the holy hall are most severely damaged, they are enough to deal with you." Sangwu then regained his earlier composure.

Once, the formations in their Abyssal clan's holy hall were the strongest, but due to certain special reasons, they also suffered the most severe damage.

Even though the formations are severely damaged, invoking their power to protect one's safety is, in Sangwu's view, absolutely without risk.

Because the formations inside the holy hall are primarily trapping formations.

Besides trapping, the greatest effect of a trapping formation is defense.

Dealing with?

Yunhe, while commanding the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Swords, narrowed his eyes.

He looked toward the direction of the passage inside the holy hall, as if he had realized something.

'You didn't come with just five people, did you?' he suddenly asked directly.

Upon hearing that, Sangwu stared blankly.

Did he say that?

But after seeing Yunhe unleash a mid Nascent Soul refined corpse, he realized Yunhe was not an ordinary early Nascent Soul cultivator, nor as easy to handle as he had imagined, and thus subconsciously chose a conservative combat approach.

Thus Yunhe came up with this speculation.

And Sang Wu's subconscious reaction almost let Yunhe confirm this guess.

Someone had already entered the Holy Hall, while Sang Wu and the others were merely responsible for holding them off; a Mid Nascent Soul cultivator versus a Mid Fourth Level Abyssal Clan could not decide victory in a short time.

Yunhe extended his divine sense.

At this moment the commotion of their respective battles was not small, and even though his divine sense was suppressed, he had also mastered part of the Abyssal Clan cultivators' divine sense secret technique; furthermore his divine sense was inherently strong, so he could still locate Fu Shan Dao Ren and the others.

"Fellow Daoists, one Abyssal Clan has already entered the depths of the passage."

Upon these words, Fu Shan Dao Ren, Zi Yi Zhen Jun, and even the seriously injured You Lan Ju Shi all had their pupils constrict.

They did not doubt Yunhe's words.

Just that.

Even if they knew, what then?

They are now also stretched thin.

Yunhe silently sighed.

This time they dispatched five Mid Nascent Soul human cultivators, which he originally thought would be enough, but he never expected the Abyssal Clan to send even more.

But the more this is so, the more it proves the Abyssal Clan's emphasis on the object within this secret realm.

Perhaps.

After the Abyssal Clan obtains that thing, although it cannot directly reverse the overall situation between the Abyssal Clan and the Human Clan, it will definitely grant the Abyssal Clan great help.

Otherwise they could not possibly muster this much manpower and energy.

"Shall we go?"

In Yunhe's mind, such a thought flashed.

To be honest.

He actually does have a chance to temporarily escape Sang Wu.

As long as he uses the Lone Offering Formation, concentrating all corpse refinements upon Ji Huan Lao Zu's corpse refinement, temporarily holding off Sang Wu should still be possible.

But doing so would mean he needs to enter the Holy Hall's depths alone, facing a completely unknown place and enemies.

And once Sang Wu frees himself from the corpse refinement entanglement, he might then need to simultaneously face at least two Mid Fourth Level Abyssal Clan cultivators.

In such a situation, even he would lack absolute confidence in self-preservation.

While Yunhe was pondering.

Boom!!!

Suddenly a huge sword qi appeared, with a vast momentum almost splitting this great hall, but before that sword qi could fall, it transformed into countless small swords scattering outward.

Each small sword was like cow hair.

Sword refined into silk!

Seeing such sword qi, compared to Zi Yi Zhen Jun, Sang Wan's expression changed.

"Sword refined into silk! This is a sword Dao divine ability!"

But these sword qi were not only aimed at her; Sang Xun, wielding a huge axe, was startled, fiercely swung his axe to disperse many sword qi, and had to distance himself from Fu Shan Dao Ren.

This gave Fu Shan Dao Ren an opportunity.

But then he heard Zi Yi Zhen Jun shout:

"Fu Shan Daoist, I'll take care of these two!"

Upon hearing this, Fu Shan Dao Ren's expression shifted, and after gritting his teeth, he said:

"In that case, I'll trouble Zi Yi Zhen Jun!"

Having said that, he gave up the best chance for a counterattack, flashed his body and flew into the Holy Hall passage.

———

PS: Yesterday I ran a high fever, today I feel much better, I should be able to resume updates at the latest by tomorrow.

(End of chapter)