Chapter 563: The Calamity Appears

Not long after Li Luo's side planted the first Purification Spirit Pearl, in another direction of Red Stone City, a Purification Light Pearl likewise rose, then poured down its purifying radiance; wherever the light passed, the bustling, boiling scene created by the Huan Jing was likewise dispelled.

Clearly, that meant Blue Lan's side had also made progress.

Li Luo withdrew his gaze, turned toward the rear, where at that moment streaks of light were tearing through the sky, then landing one after another.

The two figures in the lead were precisely the Princess and Gong Gong Shenjun.

At the same time, the other team members also returned to the squad one after another.

It seemed the powerful Other Species that had attacked earlier had been eliminated or driven back.

Still, it was obvious everyone had gone through a major battle—even the Princess and Gong Gong Shenjun had the phase force around them roiling somewhat violently, radiating a powerful oppressive pressure, while the other seniors from the Three-Star Academy all bore some injuries on their bodies.

"Li Luo, this time you four Li Le Da Gong."

The Princess was not stingy with her praise of Li Luo's four, after all, the four of them being able to pass through the dangerous streets with the strength of the Phase Master realm and ultimately Bu Zhi Cheng Gong the first Purification Spirit Pearl was by no means an easy feat.

However, the situation was urgent at present, and she did not say too much, instead declaring in a decisive manner: "Everyone, we have no time to rest, we must seize the moment to push forward rapidly. The assimilation power of this Zuo Huan Jing is strengthening; we can only keep planting Purification Spirit Pearls, using their purifying power to cut apart and weaken the Huan Jing. Otherwise, when the great Calamity Other Species appears, it will inevitably receive a boost in strength within the Huan Jing, which is absolutely not good news for us."

No one objected to this, and even Gong Gong Shenjun expressed his agreement.

The current Red Stone City was an extremely perilous place; how could there be time for them to rest properly?

Seeing that everyone agreed, the Princess looked toward Li Luo again and said: "This time the first Purification Spirit Pearl was provided by our squad; the next one can be provided by another squad."

Li Luo nodded to show he understood. Providing the Purification Spirit Pearls was no small matter—on the contrary, there was a great deal to it, because whichever squad provided the Purification Spirit Pearl, once the node formed later, rewards would naturally be distributed according to merit, and the allocation of points also depended on which squad the Purification Spirit Pearls came from.

The Princess saying this clearly meant she intended for the various squads to evenly split the points of this Red Stone City—a fair move. Otherwise, if they tried to hog it all, it would instead incur the dissatisfaction of the other squads, and before they even encountered the great Calamity Other Species, their alliance might well fall apart.

"Move out. From here on, I'm afraid we'll have a lot of hard work ahead."

Having finished her reminder, the Princess set off directly, her graceful figure wrapped in surging phase force as she charged straight toward the deeper parts of Red Stone City.

The others followed one after another; for a moment, powerful phase force rolled forth, and their momentum was extraordinarily grand.

Thus, in the following better part of a day, Li Luo's group did not pause for a moment, beginning an unceasing advance.

The process of advancing was naturally extremely perilous; one bizarre and powerful Other Species after another appeared in succession, and earth-shaking great battles erupted continuously.

Let alone the experts like the Princess, Gong Gong Shenjun, and Jiang Jiang Qinge—even Li Luo's four small

little Phase Master realm cultivators encountered danger again and again in these successive advances. Li Luo, Lu Ming, and Sun Sun Dasheng all suffered injuries. Of course, the unluckiest was still Senior Zhu Zhu Xuan, that fool—perhaps because he had been polluted by a "Bewitching-Heart Other Species" once before, in the subsequent several advances this guy was polluted twice more, each pollution more wretched and disgusting than the last.

So later on, after discussion among Li Luo's three, they simply wrapped him in iron chains, bound up tight and secure. This way, even if he got polluted, they could quickly restrain him and avoid causing them trouble.

Of course, their grueling advance also yielded extremely pleasing results.

In the span of half a day, Purification Light Pearls kept rising within Red Stone City; these Purification Light Pearls formed purifying light screens, dividing this massive Huan Jing, and gradually beginning to weaken its power as well.

If one looked at this Huan Jing now, one would find Red Stone City appearing extremely strange—some districts were bustling with people coming and going, boiling with noise, while some areas covered by the purifying power were reduced to broken walls and ruins, with bones growing in thickets. Yet for Li Luo's group, the former's bustling prosperity was instead chilling, while the latter's desolate scene was what put their hearts more at ease.

After all, no matter how beautiful, the Huan Jing was an illusion.

Hum!

When yet another Purification Spirit Pearl slowly rose, at the same time spreading its purifying light screen open like a giant umbrella, Li Luo's group also temporarily stopped in their tracks.

There was no helping it—pushing forward all this way had truly been exhausting.

Even for an expert of the Tian Zhu Jing realm like the Princess, fine beads of sweat had appeared on her Bai Xi brow.

"Your Highness, let's rest and reorganize for a moment," Jiang Jiang Qinge's eyes looked over as she suggested.

The previous great battles had been too perilous and too frequent; at this point nearly everyone bore some injuries, and continuing to push forward without pause would instead harm efficiency.

"Jiang Qinge, could I trouble you to cast another Light Recovery Art?" the Princess asked.

Light phase force inherently possessed the ability to heal and restore, and Jiang Jiang Qinge carried a ninth-grade Light Phase, which made this effect even more powerful. Their ability to push forward unceasingly along the way was precisely because Jiang Jiang Qinge kept restoring them from time to time.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Qinge did not refuse—after all, it was all for completing the final mission—so her slender jade hands formed a seal, and she soon cast a phase art.

"Tiger General Art, Light Spirit Rain."

One saw light phase force spread out, then gradually transform into fine, dense raindrops that descended from thin air; and when these raindrops imbued with light phase force fell upon everyone, every person let out a comfortable breath, feeling their whole bodies warm and cozy. The previous exhaustion was greatly reduced, and some of the injuries on their bodies caused by the Other Species were also recovering rapidly.

"A ninth-grade Light Phase—truly blessed by heaven."

Zhao Zhao Beili could not help but exclaim in admiration. He had not lacked for experience with the "Light Spirit Rain Art," but this was the first time he had encountered one with such excellent effect—clearly, this was because of the ninth-grade Light Phase Jiang Jiang Qinge carried.

"Along this journey, we truly owe a great deal to Junior Jiang," Gong Gong Shenjun also revealed a gentle smile and said.

Jiang Jiang Qinge calmly said: "Senior Gong is too kind."

Li Luo also reached out to catch

the falling drops of light rain. Feeling the vigorous and pure light phase force permeating them, he could not help but sigh with emotion. He himself could also cast recovery-type light phase arts, but compared to Jiang Jiang Qinge's, the difference was truly as great as clouds and mud.

The Princess smiled and looped her arm through Jiang Jiang Qinge's slender jade arm, saying: "Jiang Qinge is indeed the greatest contributor this time."

Facing the Princess's intimate gesture, Jiang Jiang Qinge's eyes shifted slightly, but she did not refuse; then her slender crescent brows turned toward the depths of Red Stone City, and she said: "We should now be considered close to the inner city district of Red Stone City, but why has the great Calamity Other Species still not appeared?"

To her question, everyone present was struck dumb, because this was likewise the point they had been puzzling over all the way.

This Huan Jing had been carefully constructed by that great Calamity Other Species, yet now it sat idly by watching them destroy it at will—no matter how one looked at it, this seemed somewhat abnormal.

Could it be deliberately letting them push deep into the city?

Yet their purpose was to find it, so such a move was truly somewhat superfluous, and instead wasted a massive Huan Jing for nothing.

"Forget it, no matter what it actually wants to do, we ultimately have to find it and have a decisive battle with it." The Princess was rather carefree. Since she could not figure out the opponent's purpose, she would first thoroughly destroy this Huan Jing, and once the Huan Jing vanished, the great Calamity Other Species would naturally be exposed.

Jiang Jiang Qinge nodded lightly, just about to speak, when her expression suddenly shifted and her gaze shot toward the direction of the deepest part of Red Stone City.

Because in that instant just now, she keenly sensed that in that direction, there seemed to be an extremely terrifying wave of malevolent intent surging forth.

That wave of malevolent intent brought with it an immense oppressive force.

And just a few breaths after she became aware of it, the Princess and Gong Gong Shenjun also suddenly raised their heads, their expressions gradually turning solemn.

Boom!

From the deepest part of Red Stone City, a pillar of crimson light suddenly shot skyward; within that pillar of light, endless malevolent intent spread, so dense that it seemed to form countless ferocious, venomous faces flickering in and out of view.

And at the center of the pillar of light, Li Luo's group saw a massive blood-red tail swaying slowly.

A terrifying pressure suddenly swept across the entire city.

Under that pressure, a flash of dread unavoidably rose in Li Luo's eyes.

On a certain Gao Ta within the city, a figure in crimson armor watched this scene and could not help but laugh: "Oh dear, it can't be suppressed anymore — it's all these youngsters' fault for being too ruthless, tearing the Huan Jing apart like this and making it angry."

"Very well, it's about time anyway."

"Next, it's time for the real show to begin."

The crimson-armored figure extended a palm and gave a light clap.

And at the very instant his palm struck down, deep within that crimson pillar of light, on the enchanting figure sprawled in the void — eyes tightly shut, a massive tail swaying behind her with fresh blood dripping from it — a blood-red rune silently ignited, then swiftly dissolved into nothingness.

Just as that blood-red rune vanished, the slender silhouette with that enchanting face abruptly opened her eyes.

Within those eyes, a crimson haze spread, like two pools of blood congealed into blood-ponds, chilling the blood of all who beheld them.