“The lion beast may be in trouble. Fellow Daoist Guiling, those two human cultivators who strayed in are rather strange.”
"I know without you saying it. They've got that guy who can't even escape. Putting everything else aside, I won't make an enemy of them. I'm going to find a corner now and sleep for a few thousand more years. Maybe when I wake up, the restrictions on Kunwu Mountain will have disappeared."
The cultivator named Guiling appeared to be a large-armed woman. However, like the lion-beast, she was not a human cultivator, but a demon beast. However, she was much more lucid.
Gui Ling's true form is a Xuan Yan Turtle, a level ten demon beast. Moreover, it is one of the most elite level ten demon beasts. This type of demon beast is skilled in earth-based magical abilities, and its physical body is incredibly strong, with astonishing defense comparable to a humanoid defensive magic weapon. It is also a top-tier spirit beast from ancient times.
The other speaker also appeared to be a human cultivator, but his entire body exuded a faint, yin-like spiritual energy. This fellow's origins were even more peculiar. He possessed the body of an ancient cultivator who, after absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, gained sentience. Ultimately, he cultivated into a top-tier demon known as the Silver-Winged Yaksha.
Such zombie cultivators are extremely rare. However, once they gain prominence, most are exceptionally powerful. The Silver-Winged Yaksha is proficient in earth escape, wind escape, and illusion techniques; he possesses immense strength and is impervious to blades and spears. Upon advancing to the Golden Body Moon Corpse stage, he can even use the most rare technique in the cultivation world: Golden Escape.
“Fellow Daoist Guiling is a tortoise, so there’s no need to worry about his lifespan. But this is a good opportunity for us to escape. If we don’t seize it, we might regret it later. Even Fellow Daoist Guiling wouldn’t like to have a weakness in his mind.”
“Speak plainly, instead of beating around the bush like those human cultivators. It’s so inefficient,” Gui Ling replied with some dissatisfaction.
“Then I’ll be frank. Retrieving our natal spirit tablets won’t be easy for those two human cultivators. Their cultivation is too high, and they’re not easy to control. But don’t forget, there’s a group of human cultivators outside watching this place. If we can lure everyone here and use those human cultivators to break the Kunwu Palace’s restrictions, perhaps we’ll have a glimmer of hope.”
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Chapter 551 So Close
Many people flocked to Kunwu Mountain. The reason was that the Ye family, who were secretly monitoring the area, noticed that the seal on Kunwu Mountain had weakened prematurely.
As a super seal from ancient times, the seal of Kunwu Mountain is known to very few. However, it cannot escape the notice of the top sects of the Great Jin Dynasty. Once the anomalies here are exposed, all the sects of the entire Great Jin Dynasty will rush over.
Left with no other choice, the Ye family had to enter Kunwu Mountain ahead of schedule. They also made some concealment at the gaps in the seal. They knew they couldn't hold out for long, but they could buy themselves as much time as possible.
The Ye family has been studying Kunwu Mountain for over a thousand years. They know there must be incredible treasures inside. Obtaining them would be a meteoric rise for the Ye family. As for what's sealed inside, they can simply release it. After all, the entire cultivation world of the Great Jin Dynasty will share the burden. Just like the sects in the Yue Kingdom, they are extremely selfish and self-serving.
Lu Xiu and Han Laomo possessed incredibly powerful divine senses. They sensed the Ye family's presence the moment they entered.
"It seems like someone came in from behind."
"Ignore them, let's go to the top of the mountain first. Find the key to the Kunwu Mountain seal. I have a feeling that some incredible secret is hidden here."
Lu Xuan naturally had the confidence to say that, because he was someone who had cheated. However, this trip to Kunwu Mountain was actually too sudden. This was because Lu Xuan hadn't brought Yin Yue with him. There were two beings sealed within Kunwu Mountain. One was an avatar of the Demon Realm's Yuan Sha Saint Ancestor. The other was Linglong, the consort of the Howling Wolf King of the Spirit Realm, also a high-ranking cultivator of the Silver Wolf clan. And Yin Yue was actually a part of Linglong's soul that had split off years ago.
Linglong and Yuansha are currently sharing one body, trapped inside Linglong's silver wolf form. Lu Xiu had made preparations for Kunwu Mountain years ago. However, at that time, he planned to gather the entire sect's strength to flatten Kunwu Mountain. Then, he would make a deal with Linglong to obtain some information about the Reverse Star Compass.
Now, by a twist of fate, he found himself in this situation, and could only take it one step at a time. However, given his understanding of the storyline, he knew the various operational modes of the Kunwu Mountain instance.
Given that the Ancient Demon failed to escape the Fallen Demon Valley this time, even if the Holy Ancestor Yuan Sha were released, he wouldn't have as many demonic artifacts to aid him. His combat power would definitely not be restored to the level of the original story. Breaking the seal would require paying an even greater price.
Although Lu Xiu didn't bring the entire sect this time, he and Han Laomo are undoubtedly top-tier cultivators. Furthermore, they have a large group of Nascent Soul level puppets protecting them. They are not without a fighting chance. After all, Lu Xuan has been certified by Xiang Zhili and possesses combat power comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Along the way, various arrays and restrictions, some sturdy and some bizarre, constantly blocked their path. Although the two eventually broke through them using their own methods, they were still slowed down. This allowed the Ye family's group of cultivators to quickly close in on them.
"Elder, the cultivators ahead possess astonishing supernatural abilities. All these restrictions are renowned formations from ancient times. Yet they cannot stop us. They are likely our greatest enemy on this journey! I wonder which sect of the Great Jin Dynasty they belong to."
"No, it's not just that. You may not have noticed, but there's no sect in front of us at all, there are just... two people."
The speaker was an oddly large-headed man. However, those around him were core disciples of the Ye family, who knew that this big-headed oddball was a reclusive elder of the Ye family.
"Only two people? How is that possible? Even if they're both in the late Nascent Soul stage..." The Ye family's Grand Elder initially wanted to refute, but then his expression changed slightly. He saw the large-headed monster opposite him nod slightly. He instantly understood.
The Ye family, led by two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, had been preparing for centuries yet could only proceed cautiously, step by step. However, their opponents, with only two people, were able to break through countless restrictions and force their way through. This suggests only one possibility: their opponents are cultivators even stronger than late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.
The two leaders of the Ye family felt a little heavy-hearted. However, their guess wasn't entirely wrong. After all, at this point, the combined strength of Old Demon Han, Lu Xiu, and the puppets wouldn't be difficult for them to kill a Nascent Soul cultivator.
However, speaking of Nascent Soul cultivators, the real Nascent Soul cultivators have already arrived, but no one has truly noticed. At the entrance of the Kunwu Palace, Xiang Zhili had already arrived ahead of time. As one of the contingency plans left behind by the ancient cultivators, Xiang Zhili has certain authority here and can naturally bypass those restrictions.
"After all these years, someone has finally managed to get in. What a headache!" Muttering to himself, Xiang Zhili turned and headed towards the Kunwu Hall.
He has been guarding Kunwu Mountain for many years. If he truly had any ulterior motives, he would have acted long ago. At his level of cultivation, supernatural powers and magical treasures hold little appeal. What he truly desires is a method to ascend to the Spirit Realm. Only in this way can he advance further and extend his lifespan.
The ancient cultivators left behind more than one backup plan here. Therefore, reinforcing the seal is not difficult. Even if someone did enter the Demon Suppression Hall, Xiang Zhili could easily kill the entire Ye family in a matter of minutes if he went all out. However, his lifespan is nearing its end, and he is unwilling to engage in combat recklessly. Therefore, he plans to activate some backup formations from his earlier years to reinforce the seal of Kunwu Mountain.
However, just as he approached the Demon Suppression Hall, his expression suddenly changed.
"Oh no!!" But it was too late. Before he could make a move, the person had already vanished from the spot.
The Demon Suppression Hall returned to calm once more, as if nothing had happened. However, Lu Xuan, who was not far away, suddenly frowned slightly. He hadn't actually sensed anything. But the crystal-blue stone tablet he had obtained at the foot of the mountain had just shown a slight movement.
Lu Xuan remembered that the blue crystal tablet was a backup key to control the seal of Kunwu Mountain. The fact that it was now acting strangely meant that the restrictions on Kunwu Mountain had just begun to shift. Not the kind that had been broken along the way, but rather the more crucial restrictions.
Without further delay, the two quickened their pace and passed through the last barrier in front of them, arriving at the plaza in front of the Kunwu Palace. Before them lay a passageway covered by countless tall trees.
"This is the Golden Magnetic Spirit Wood, an ancient spirit tree known as the Treasure-Dropping Tree. This tree has long been extinct outside. Any treasure mixed with metallic materials will be countered by this tree."
This spiritual tree emits a golden magnetic light; once inside, one's entire body will instantly bear the force of ten thousand jin. Moreover, these golden magnetic lights overlap and cannot be sensed by divine sense; it is a unique protective restriction from ancient times. "Junior Brother Han, put away all metal-attribute magical treasures. Activate your body-refining technique; this trial can only be passed by brute force with your physical body."
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Day 8
This is the eighth day my child has been hospitalized. Bronchitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia... I feel like I don't even have the strength to say another word.
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Chapter 552 One After Another
At the foot of Kunwu Mountain, a large number of Ye family cultivators were advancing rapidly. However, although Lu Xuan and Han Laomo had broken through the restrictions along the way, they also added some new traps when they sensed someone behind them.
Both men were wealthy and powerful. A few formations they casually set up caused the Ye family members a great deal of trouble.
Unlike the complex situation in the original story, this time, no more cultivators have entered. Furthermore, the ancient demon was eliminated by Lu Xuan beforehand. Therefore, the Ye family lacks the ancient demon's assistance. However, at the same time, the eldest elder, who had previously betrayed the Ye family, has not yet shown any intention of betraying them.