Taking Tieqing Mountain by Guile, Seizing Huimeng Ridge by Force!

Huimeng Ridge! Unlike Snow Wolf Flat, Huimeng Ridge was not an abrupt, isolated peak, but rather a small mountain range. Several towering mountains encircled the area. Guided by the natural contours of the earth's geomantic currents, the converging terrain had gradually formed a diffuse, small-scale Tier 3 spirit vein. The ultimate locus where this spirit vein surged to the surface was concentrated upon Mimeng Mountain within Huimeng Ridge. Shrouded in rising miasma and lingering clouds, Mimeng Mountain appeared eerily illusory. Ordinary living creatures that ventured into its depths could easily lose their bearings. Of course, such a natural confusing formation had zero effect on high-tier cultivators capable of projecting spiritual sense or possessing divine sense. Thus, the moment the cultivators of the He family set their sights on this territory, any confusing formation was rendered useless; only cold, close-quarters combat remained. Upon the gentle mountain slopes, the green grass had already been soaked crimson with blood. After a fierce, day-and-night battle, the clash on Huimeng Ridge remained locked in a bitter stalemate. The reason for this predicament was simple. There were two Tier 3 demon wolves on Huimeng Ridge! Yet the He family possessed only a single ancestor in early Core Formation. Contending with one Tier 3 demon wolf on his own was already an arduous struggle for him, while the other beast could only be hemmed in by three of the family's late Foundation Establishment cultivators using a battle formation. His plan had been to dispose of one wolf first before turning to handle the other. Yet plans on paper rarely matched shifting reality. A full day and night of suppression had pushed the family's three Foundation Establishment grand cultivators to the absolute bottom of their spiritual power. "Ancestor, we can't hold out any longer!" Accompanied by an agonized, frantic cry, the joint formation shattered! Before the ancestor's eyes, wide with rage and grief, that Tier 3 demon wolf crushed a favored junior of his with its bare claws, then fixed its gaze upon him without the slightest hesitation. "So be it! So be it!" "This treasured ground is not fated to belong to my He family after all!" The He family ancestor let out a long sigh and pulled back without hesitation. He threw out his magic treasure to check the demon wolf's pursuit while sending divine sense transmissions to the surviving He family clansmen to regroup and retreat. The plan was sound, but once the momentum of rout set in, what greeted them was a relentless pursuit by demon wolves swarming across the hills. Low-tier He family cultivators fell one after another. One of the Tier 3 demon wolves even abandoned chasing him, turning instead to slaughter those low-tier cultivators. If this continued... *Is my He family destined to be annihilated right here?* Just as despair seized the He family ancestor, the demon wolf king pursuing him suddenly halted in its tracks. "Hmm?" The ancestor was taken aback and instinctively looked up. A hundred zhang above him in the open sky, three figures stood suspended in midair. The one in the center wore an indistinct face, revealing only a pair of eyes as icy as frost. As his wide sleeves billowed, he was slowly pressing down a palm! With that strike, boundless winds and clouds converged, surging magic power surged violently, and green flames coiled along the edges of the descending palm print. It was none other than the Innate One Qi Great Handprint! The palm print spanned an immense area, even encompassing the He family ancestor within its reach. As the rumbling palm bore down, the ancestor's expression shifted drastically. "Fellow Daoist, don't!" "Despicable human!" The latter shout came from the Tier 3 demon wolf king, speaking human tongue. Unlike the ancestor, who dropped downward to evade, the beast surged forward instead of retreating, facing the colossal palm print head-on. As it hurtled skyward, its twin claws swept left and right, conjuring a crescent slash several tens of zhang across. *Screeech!* A razor-sharp shockwave sheared through the empty air. In a single instant, a breach was torn into the massive palm print. Watching this unfold, Luo Chen's mind remained completely unruffled. Channeling the Innate One Qi Great Handprint with fire-attribute magic power naturally lacked the solid, heavy resilience of earth or wood attributes. Yet by the same token, it packed vastly greater destructive might. When the palm print was breached, he remained entirely composed and clenched his right fist with sudden force! "Bind!" High above, the wolf king had barely begun savoring its victory over human magic when it saw the ruptured palm print suddenly clamp toward it from both left and right. Wherever it passed, the empty void seemed on the verge of being scorched and melted away. The beast's heart quaked. *What kind of technique is this?!* In terror, it attempted to flee, yet every desperate lunge and dart fell squarely within the handprint's perimeter of attack. Razor-sharp crescent slashes erupted from its body one after another. Yet no matter how fiercely they cleaved into the great handprint, they failed to check its advance in the slightest. Driven to desperation, it opened its maw and spat out its core. A natal demon core hovered before it, expanding into a cyan protective barrier that shielded it tightly. *Boom!* *Boom!* The great handprint closed around it, and the searing Wither-Bloom Fire relentlessly incinerated the defensive barrier. For the moment, it seemed unable to breach the defense. Meanwhile, the other wolf was already racing over to rescue its companion. Luo Chen showed no sign of hurry. First, he cast a meaningful glance at Diwu Qi and Jiang Yu. The two moved instantly, darting away to intercept the second demon wolf king. Then, a black nail suddenly manifested in Luo Chen's hand. "Go!" *Swoosh!* A streak of pitch-black light flickered and instantly arrived before the cyan barrier. "Pierce!" Luo Chen murmured a single command, and the unleashed Qi-Piercing Nail plunged straight into the cyan shield. The barrier, which had managed to hold against the roasting Wither-Bloom Fire, abruptly cracked open. Waves of Wither-Bloom Fire poured inside. What followed were cries of agony. "Aaargh!" "Awoooo!" Human screams and wolf howls alternated in frantic succession. Suspended in the air, a colossal fireball presented a terrifying sight. Luo Chen held the great fireball in a distant, invisible grasp. He watched as Diwu Qi drove the other Tier 3 demon wolf southward, while Jiang Yu descended directly onto Huimeng Ridge. Luo Chen's gaze shifted downward, landing upon the trembling, terror-stricken He family ancestor. "The Luotian Alliance claims Huimeng Ridge. Do you have any objections, Fellow Daoist He?" The He family ancestor opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only bow his head in defeated resignation. "No objections. I... offer my thanks for your timely assistance, Fellow Daoist." Look at that! A wise man truly submits to circumstance! His territory had been seized, yet he still had to thank Luo Chen for saving his life. Luo Chen smiled faintly. "In that case, please be on your way!" This was an unmistakable dismissal. The He family ancestor gritted his teeth and led his people into retreat. The low-tier cultivators of the He family burned with indignation. To conquer this territory, they had laid siege for an entire day and night, only to hand it over on a platter. Who could stomach that? The He family ancestor naturally understood how his clansmen felt. Yet what could he do? The He family had lacked the strength to crack this tough nut in the first place, and now the Luotian Alliance had arrived with three Core Formation experts all at once. Furthermore... Within his line of sight, a colossal flying boat was slowly cruising toward them. Standing upon its deck were no fewer than five late Foundation Establishment grand cultivators! Those figures looked down upon the He family cultivators with cruel, excited eyes. "Let's go!" "We return to Poyue Immortal City and reconsider our options." "In the vast expanse of the Million Wilderness Mountains, there will always be a place for my He family!" The He family departed in bitter reluctance. Deprived of their leaders, the hundreds of low-tier demon wolves scattered across Huimeng Ridge fled toward the depths of the Howling Moon Mountain Range like a retreating tide, tails tucked between their legs. Jiang Yu casually dispatched several late Tier 2 demon wolves with fine pelts, then flew back to Luo Chen's side. "Diwu Qi has already driven that demon wolf toward Tieqing Mountain as planned. What are we..." His gaze drifted toward the massive fireball still thrashing and wailing in midair, a trace of dread showing in his eyes. This Luo Chen truly had an endless array of hidden cards and remarkable techniques! Not only could he wield three magic treasures simultaneously, but powerful spells flowed effortlessly from his fingertips. What was more, despite his modest cultivation realm, his magic power seemed inexhaustible, as if he had no fear of depletion whatsoever! Such immense reserves of magic power seemed vastly superior even to those of Jiang Yu himself, an early second-layer Core Formation cultivator. Rumor had it that when Luo Chen formed his core, the phenomenon had shaken all of Tianlan Immortal City, and absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth alone had taken an entire hour! The depth of his foundation was truly unfathomable! Yet beneath his outwardly serene facade, Luo Chen was inwardly feeling the strain. *I intended to use the Wither-Bloom Fire to refine a Tier 3 demon beast and absorb its boundless vitality, but it seems I was far too optimistic.* *At the very least, refining a Tier 3 beast in a short span of time is beyond me.* Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen flicked his fingers repeatedly. Two nails, the Armor-Piercing Nail and the Soul-Piercing Nail, shot forward, sinking directly into the massive cyan fireball. With a bloodcurdling howl, the wind-attribute Tier 3 demon wolf abruptly perished. With an easy wave of his hand, Luo Chen drew the demon core into his palm, while the charred, blackened corpse of the wolf king crashed to the earth like a fallen meteor. Stowing the wolf king's core, Luo Chen called out without looking back, "Chu Kui, Xu Huanzhen, secure Huimeng Ridge and await our return!" "Understood!" "We obey the Grand Elder's command!" Once the orders were given, Luo Chen nodded to Jiang Yu. "Let us go. Fellow Daoist Diwu has likely grown impatient." Jiang Yu acknowledged with a nod, summoned a flying sword, and followed closely behind Luo Chen. Two streaks of light tore through the air like wind and lightning, pursuing the direction Diwu Qi had taken. *** "We won!" "We won!" "Sob... We've finally conquered Tieqing Mountain!" Upon the lush and majestic peaks of Tieqing Mountain, ecstatic shouts rang out. A rugged, resolute middle-aged man stood at the summit, soaked in blood, looking over the surviving hundreds of disciples with profoundly complicated emotions. At his feet lay the massive corpses of three demon wolves, along with a great sword magic treasure whose spiritual radiance had nearly faded into nothingness. That was his master's natal magic treasure from his lifetime! For this battle, the Wanxiang Sect had wagered everything! The Wanxiang Sect's Supreme Elder, whose lifespan was nearly spent, had detonated his golden core with resolute finality, dragging two wolf kings down to hell along with him. Through immense hardship, and nursing severe wounds, Yang Wenchang had finally slain the last Tier 3 demon wolf. Yet it had all been worth it! "With spiritual grounds secured, the revitalization of our sect is within reach!" "With just a century to recuperate, I, Yang Wenchang, will restore the sect to its zenith." "Master, you may rest in peace!" He gripped the great sword with an expression of grief, his mind already brimming with countless visions for managing the Wanxiang Sect. From now on, this Tieqing Mountain could even be renamed Mount Wanxiang. Just as he was caught between sorrow and boundless ambition, frantic cries for help suddenly rose from the foot of Tieqing Mountain. "What is happening?" Yang Wenchang's heart jolted, and his divine sense swept outward. Within his perception, a colossal demon wolf was charging recklessly toward Tieqing Mountain. It moved as if ready to slaughter gods and buddhas alike, yet there was also an unmistakable air of frantic, desperate flight about it. Wherever the demon wolf passed, its demonic qi coalesced into razor-sharp wind blades, shearing through everything in its path. Qi Condensation disciples died the instant they were touched. Foundation Establishment True Cultivators were either killed outright or forced to dodge with severe injuries. "How can there be another demon wolf king? Tieqing Mountain is merely on the outer fringes of the Howling Moon Mountain Range!" Seeing disciples fall one after another, Yang Wenchang's eyes turned bloodshot with fury. Those were the promising seeds meant to revitalize his sect, the stalwart survivors who had endured the great human-wolf war! He would never permit this! Without an instant's hesitation, Yang Wenchang lunged forward with his sword, transforming into a streak of brilliant light as he hurtled toward the Tier 3 demon wolf. "Vile beast! Die!" "Get out of the way!" Wasting no words, the two collided instantly in fierce combat. Sword light shifted with boundless intricacy, while demonic qi darkened the sky as a storm of wind blades swept in all directions. Yang Wenchang was already heavily injured, and in this sudden clash, he quickly fell into a disadvantage. Running low on magic power, even wielding his flying sword had become a grueling effort. After over a hundred exchanges, several bone-deep sword wounds marked the demon wolf's body, while Yang Wenchang's robes were shredded to tatters and his face had turned deathly pale. Yet he could not retreat! Beneath him lay the future of the Wanxiang Sect; behind him lay the hope of the sect's rise. A single retreat would not only bury their hope and future, but also render the Supreme Elder's self-detonation and the deaths of every disciple who had fallen in this campaign entirely meaningless. *** Amidst the drifting clouds, three figures spoke in hushed tones. "Jiang Yu, this Illusory Rain Curtain of yours is as miraculous as ever. I reckon even a late Core Formation cultivator's divine sense could not pierce its concealment!" "You flatter me. It is merely a modest trick for fleeing and staying alive, nothing compared to your grand arts." "You are far too modest. For those of our generation in Core Formation, possessing even a few respectable magic treasures makes one an undisputed master. Your Sea Calming Pearl paired with the Rain Calling Banner, bolstered by this Illusory Rain Curtain—an explosive assault from you would give even a mid Core Formation cultivator plenty of grief!" "Tsk, Brother Diwu overstates my worth. Once your trump card emerges, who could possibly withstand it?" "If you ask me, Danchenzi is the truly remarkable one. He has countless trump cards and extraordinary arts, practically peerless among those of the same realm! Speaking of which, Danchenzi, what manner of magic treasures are those three black nails of yours? They are truly marvelous!" Within the veil of rain and clouds, Luo Chen listened to their mutual flattery with a faint smile on his face. Listening to their polite compliments, one would think each of them possessed the power to battle above their realm and match mid Core Formation experts. Yet he took none of it to heart. Fighting above one's realm—how could it ever be that simple? Earlier, the three of them had joined forces and still exerted immense effort just to slay a single mid Tier 3 Snow Wolf King. If they truly encountered a genuine mid Core Formation expert, they likely wouldn't last a single round without a devastating weapon like the Immortal Thunder Bead. He did not linger in the exchange of compliments, keeping his focus on the battle raging on Tieqing Mountain. Yet as he watched, his expression turned somber. "That Yang Wenchang is quite capable. Even in such a battered state, he can still hold his own against a Tier 3 demon wolf." The other two also shed their relaxed demeanor. They had orchestrated this scheme of driving the wolf to devour the humans—hoping to seize Tieqing Mountain without lifting a finger. Now, it appeared unforeseen complications were about to arise. Once the Wanxiang Sect secured this ground, if the Luotian Alliance stepped in to seize it, the other party would surely take the grievance to the Luoyun Sect, which would inevitably stir up trouble. "Why not let me step in again? I can emulate what we did at Huimeng Ridge to take Tieqing Mountain," Luo Chen suggested. This time, however, he was met with objections. Jiang Yu shook his head. "To claim this spirit vein, the Wanxiang Sect even sacrificed their Supreme Elder to self-detonation. If you try to pull what you did earlier, they will not yield easily." Luo Chen frowned. In truth, that was indeed the case. After all, Tieqing Mountain had already been conquered, unlike Huimeng Ridge where the He family's assault had failed, allowing him the chance to pluck the fruits of victory. Yet for the sake of their future cultivation grounds, they could not possibly back down now. He let out a soft sigh. "If all else fails, we will use our overwhelming might to force them away shortly. As for any complaints they lodge with the Luoyun Sect later, we can deal with the squabbling when the time comes." It was a viable option. However, Diwu Qi spoke up. "Too troublesome." "Let me handle it!" "It may be somewhat underhanded, but for the sake of our Dao paths, compromises must be made." Jiang Yu's expression grew solemn, and he whispered, "Keep it discreet." Diwu Qi nodded. "Rest assured. In the chaos of fierce combat, ordinary cultivators will never discern my technique. It will arouse no suspicion." As he spoke, he held two fingers together like a sword, raising them before his chest. Breathing out lightly, a wisp of eerie wind began to spiral into motion, slowly taking shape. The moment this wisp of wind appeared, Luo Chen's gaze sharpened. *Is this the trump card of Diwu Qi's that Jiang Yu mentioned?* Diwu Qi had previously intended to use it against the Tier 3 wolf king on Snow Wolf Flat, but Luo Chen had persuaded him to hold it in reserve, so he had never seen its true power. Now, it exuded a profound, eerie aura that made one's heart tremble. Luo Chen hesitated internally, wondering whether he should stop him. Yet seeing Diwu Qi's solemn expression and Jiang Yu's subtle, knowing smile, realization dawned upon him. Perhaps they were not truly afraid of trouble at all? They were killing the chicken to warn the monkey, demonstrating their strength to keep him in check! Luo Chen's performance had simply been too prominent. Not only was he the alliance leader in name, but his repeated displays of power had earned him the reputation of being the alliance's strongest combatant. Even the low-tier cultivators of Wind Rain Manor and the Cen family had begun looking to him as their leader. Under such circumstances, Wind Rain Manor, which should have wielded dominant influence, had been pushed into the background instead. Now that their strategic objectives were nearing completion, subsequent negotiations over the division of spoils would inevitably involve considerable friction. Diwu Qi was certainly unwilling to remain suppressed. Thus, stepping forward to intervene now was not merely to kill Yang Wenchang, but to openly display his own capabilities. The drinker's heart was not in the wine; the demonstration was meant for Luo Chen! Realizing this, Luo Chen could hardly contest the matter and risk throwing the alliance into internal discord. *So that was the reason behind their earlier flattery—they were hinting at this!* he thought with an inward sigh. His parting lips closed once more. Luo Chen kept his face impassive, quietly watching Diwu Qi channel his art. Jiang Yu had been keeping a close watch on his reactions, and seeing this, his mind eased. It was best to let Luo Chen understand that the two of them were by no means weaklings! *Huuu...* Diwu Qi let out a soft breath, and the wisp of eerie wind coiled around his fingertips slipped away in utter silence. Down on Tieqing Mountain, the locked-in-combat Yang Wenchang was also beginning to notice something amiss. Though the demon wolf before him attacked with violent ferocity, it clearly held power in reserve, as if guarding against something else. Moreover, it repeatedly roared at him in human speech, telling him to get out of the way and not block its path. *This demon wolf's arrival is strange.* *Could it be that it wasn't heading for my Wanxiang Sect at all, but was being driven here by someone?* *Then where is the enemy pursuing this beast?* *Wait, could it be...* Just as his thoughts raced and he moved to yield a path for the demon wolf's flight, a gentle breeze swirled past him. Robes fluttered; fresh blood sprayed. Yang Wenchang's eyes widened in horror as he looked down at his own body, severed clean in two. That spiral of wind was whirling around his golden core with mounting speed. Within his failing vision, the colossal paw of the demon wolf swept downward, crushing his skull to pulp in a single blow! It all occurred with dizzying speed. So fast that not a single low-tier cultivator of the Wanxiang Sect on Tieqing Mountain had time to react. Right at that instant, a thunderous roar detonated across the clouds. "Vile beast, pay with your life!" Diwu Qi plunged downward from the sky. Between his hands, miniature vortexes spun with coiled wisps of eerie wind. His arrival was impossibly abrupt, yet impeccably timed. The instant his streak of light arrived, two swirling vortexes engulfed the demon wolf. With a single crisscrossing strike, the mighty Tier 3 demon wolf was slain beneath Tieqing Mountain. Amidst stunned, disbelieving stares, Diwu Qi caught the golden core with a look of deep regret. "Forgive me. I arrived a step too late, bringing undeserved disaster upon your senior." As he spoke, his expression shifted slightly. He cast a glance behind him, then tossed the golden core toward a late Foundation Establishment cultivator rushing out from the mountains. "This is a relic of your sect's elder. Guard it well!" Not only that, but he handed over Yang Wenchang's storage bag and flying sword treasure as well. Faced with this gesture, the grief-stricken, furious disciples of the Wanxiang Sect were left at an utter loss for how to react. Just then, two streaks of light descended from the sky. Amidst the rushing wind, Luo Chen swept his sleeves and stepped to the fore. "Where do you all intend to go from here?" Holding Yang Wenchang's relics, the Eldest Senior Brother of this generation of the Wanxiang Sect trembled from head to foot. He looked toward Luo Chen and the other two in bewildered confusion. "Dare I ask the seniors' names?" Luo Chen, Diwu Qi, and Jiang Yu exchanged glances, their faces breaking into warm, genial smiles. "Danchenzi of the Luotian Alliance!" "Diwu Qi!" "Jiang Yu!" Beneath the seemingly genial gazes of the three cultivators, the surviving hundreds of the Wanxiang Sect upon Tieqing Mountain seemed as feeble and insignificant as ants. Crushable with a mere wave of the hand!