Chapter 81 Flowing Clouds 3 "Hidden Intentions"
How many exorcism pills do we have left?
Elder Dong Xinglan of the Liuyun Sect rubbed his temples wearily. He glanced at the battle between the sect leader and the seventh-tier magical beast in mid-air and asked the disciple in charge of managing supplies in a deep voice.
"There are less than two hundred left, which should be enough to last everyone for six days."
Exorcism pills are used to remove the demonic energy inhaled by cultivators when they come into contact with demonic beasts. One pill can generally protect a cultivator from demonic energy contamination for three days. Currently, the Flowing Cloud Sect has only about one hundred disciples left, including those who came to support them on missions. However, it is impossible for them to drive away the demonic beasts in just six days.
"Those things in the secret realm..."
Outside the hall, a young disciple rushed in to report, his tone excited.
"Elder Dong! Junior Sister Min Huaisi has returned to the sect with the cultivators who came from the Eastern Pole to provide support!"
Seeing his expression, Dong Xinglan immediately stood up, a look of joy appearing in his eyes. "How many cultivators came in total? What are their cultivation levels?"
"...Four, three Foundation Establishment cultivators and one Golden Core cultivator."
Only four?
There were even three low-level cultivators among them. Dong Xinglan's face darkened again. Could it be that the heavens were going to destroy his Liuyun Sect?
"Elder, please come out and see for yourself!" The disciple stamped his foot anxiously, unsure how to describe the scene he was witnessing.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed that these Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators could greatly reduce the pressure on the Flowing Cloud Sect disciples as soon as they arrived!
Dong Xinglan also realized something was wrong and hurriedly went outside the hall. He saw a Golden Core stage swordsman outside the great formation transform into a black-gold beam of light and rush straight into the horde of demonic beasts. In an instant, dozens of second-tier demonic beasts were decapitated. This sharp sword intent made even the demonic beasts, who only knew how to destroy and wreak havoc, feel fear for a moment and take a step back.
Beside the sword cultivator, a young female cultivator, protected by a spirit shield, rode on a sacred wind spirit deer, holding a strangely shaped magic weapon. Every time the magic weapon lit up, a demonic beast exploded into a bloody spray. Beside her, there were also enormous Azure Flame Beasts and Iron Devouring Beasts rampaging across the battlefield.
Not far from these two, a female cultivator wielding a flaming whip and a male cultivator holding a sword were also rapidly reaping the lives of magical beasts.
In an instant, they managed to carve out a considerable gap in the overwhelming tide of monsters...
Although they were all wearing the robes of the Liuyun Sect disciples, their moves and styles were completely different from those of the Liuyun Sect, which made Dong Xinglan recognize at a glance that they were not disciples of the sect.
"Who are they? And what about Huai Si?"
Dong Xinglan stared blankly for a long time before she came to her senses.
The Flowing Cloud Sect was merely a small sect in the North, lacking resources and with disciples whose talent was unremarkable. Fortunately, its sword cultivators were inherently strong, and through years of effort, the Flowing Cloud Sect had managed to carve out a place for itself in the North. The astonishing talent of these young disciples who had come from the Eastern Pole to provide support filled Dong Xinglan with both surprise and delight. He was delighted to finally see a glimmer of hope, but astonished that the younger generation outside was already several times more outstanding than the Flowing Cloud Sect disciples…
"Elder Dong!"
After settling his junior brothers and sisters in, Min Huaisi quickly stepped forward and briefly recounted how they had clashed with the disciples of Qiyao Mountain and how Xu Xingchendu and others had come to their aid.
"I only know that they are disciples of the Eastern Jade Cloud Sect. They were wearing the sect's disciple robes earlier, probably because they didn't want to reveal their origins, so I took the opportunity to address them as junior brothers and sisters."
“Jade Cloud Sect?” Dong Xinglan suddenly realized. “I have indeed heard of the Jade Cloud Sect. I did not expect its disciples to be so outstanding. They are truly formidable young talents.”
“However…” Looking at the gap in the magical beasts that had been painstakingly created, which was quickly filled by even more magical beasts pouring out from the broken part of the secret realm barrier, Dong Xinglan said with concern, “There are still too few people. They will eventually run out of strength.”
At this moment, Kong Lan, the sect leader of Liuyun Sect, was suppressed by the seventh-tier magical beast in mid-air and was showing signs of weakness. Without hesitation, she took out the sect's spiritual sword, spat out a mouthful of blood essence, and activated the sword. Her aura surged, and she finally knocked the seventh-tier magical beast off the light shield. The two of them then entered the secret realm barrier again, and there was still a fierce battle to be fought.
Seeing that Kong Lan had even taken out the sect's most prized treasure, the Flowing Cloud Sword, Dong Xinglan's eyes filled with sorrow. He looked at the Flowing Cloud Sect elders who were fighting the demonic beast alongside their disciples, and made a decision. These old fellows had lived long enough; if they were truly in dire straits, even if it meant self-destruction, they would leave a way for their disciples to survive!
"Huai Si, take some men to replace the injured disciples. Remember, prioritize saving the outside cultivators! We absolutely cannot let them get hurt again!"
"Yes! This disciple understands!"
Min Huaisi solemnly agreed, then, recalling Zuo Qiuxu's words, she asked, "Elder Dong, have you ever met a cultivator named Xiang Yuquan? He was one of the cultivators who came to provide support after receiving a mission. Judging from the time, he should have arrived two months ago."
Xiang Yuquan? Dong Xinglan pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “I have never heard of this person. You can ask Guan Qing; he usually handles the interactions with visiting cultivators.”
Thinking of this, Dong Xinglan felt guilty. More than fifty cultivators had come to help during this time, but they hadn't expected the monster tide to be so dangerous. Now, more than twenty of these cultivators had already been killed...
On the battlefield facing the attack of the monsters, Xu Xing and Shen Du descended like gods, not only repelling the monsters but also rescuing some severely injured Liuyun Sect disciples who were unable to escape.
Upon discovering that the surging second- and third-tier demonic beasts had formed an encirclement, seemingly protecting a strange-looking blue demonic beast in the center, Chen Du leaped up, soaring over the heads of the demonic beasts and aiming straight for its face. Sure enough, the surrounding demonic beasts immediately fixed their gaze on him.
The blue magical beast seemed to be bad at attacking; its two long horns trembled, and it hid behind the group of magical beasts.
Shen Du drew the monster's attention away, and Xu Xing took the opportunity to have Yin Xue move the injured disciples to a safe place. He also placed several spirit shields to protect them. When he saw that Liu Yun Sect disciples came to meet him, Xu Xing nodded slightly and quickly turned around to continue entering the battlefield, but was stopped by a cultivator.
“Fellow Daoist! That blue magical beast is called the Illusionary Sound Beast. Its horns can emit sound waves that can bewitch people, and those two horns are also its weakness.”
Although he didn't know why these cultivators were unaffected, he still struggled to lift half of his body and spoke up to remind them.
So that's how it is. Xu Xing and the others had already taken Qinglu Pills and other elixirs, so they were naturally not afraid of the Illusionary Sound Beast's bewitching sounds.
Seeing that Shen Du had already severed the two horns of the Illusionary Sound Beast with a single sword strike, provoking a furious attack from the other magical beasts, Xu Xing seized an opportunity and shouted, "Senior Brother! Catch!"
Xu Xing tossed over a fiery red Chaos Flame Spirit Sword Talisman. This item was crafted by her using Rong Jun's blazing flames, and with the enhancement of her senior brother's sword energy, its power was several times stronger than that of a Thunderburst Bead of the same level!
Seeing this, Wen Yao and Zuo Qiuxu quickly retreated and moved away from the area.
Shen Du took the sword talisman and attached it to the Xuan Yue Sword. Instantly, flames shot into the sky from the sword. He closed his eyes and held the sword upright in front of him. The next moment, he raised his hand and swept it horizontally. Countless golden sword beams mixed with raging fire shot out. Every spark that landed on the demon beast instantly ignited, and its painful roars were endless.
However, no matter how the magical beasts tried to dodge, once they came into contact with the flames, the first and second-tier magical beasts were burned to ashes in no time, and the third-tier magical beasts could not withstand it either. In their panic, they were killed one by one by Shen Du's sword energy.
"The monster has retreated!"
A cultivator from another sect who had come to provide support caught his breath and wiped his face, which was covered in soot. Although the magical beasts hadn't been attacking all the time, and the elders of the Flowing Cloud Sect could suppress them for a while when they intervened, the magical beasts outside the sect's protective formation were pressing closer and closer as the elders went to the secret realm to deal with fourth- and fifth-tier magical beasts. Now, having even a moment to catch his breath was a luxury.
"Who are these cultivators? They're so powerful! Does the Flowing Cloud Sect actually have such experts hidden away?"
"Stop talking, stop the bleeding first!"
"..."
After the beast tide temporarily receded, the Flowing Cloud Sect disciples who were still able to move immediately came to the rescue, carrying the wounded cultivators back into the sect's protective formation.
Meanwhile, the Seven Luminaries Mountain disciples who were hiding nearby were also seriously injured. The Flowing Cloud Sect disciples who came to rescue them had already learned about what the Seven Luminaries Mountain had done from Min Huaisi, and no one paid any attention to them, leaving them unable to move while leaning against the monster's corpse.
Seeing this, the disciples of Seven Luminaries Mountain were filled with anger and regret. But no matter how angry they were, when the beast tide attacked again, they could only uncontrollably rush to the front line against the monsters until they collapsed from exhaustion...
Xu Xing looked at the magic cores in the pile of burnt-to-ash monster corpses, and a thought struck him. He took out a storage bag and put all the hundreds of magic cores away.
Strictly speaking, the demon core of a demon beast is a beast core, which has something in common with the golden core of a human. Beast cores are mostly used for refining weapons, but apart from the demonic energy in them being able to corrupt cultivators, I have never heard of any other use for the demon core of a demon beast.
Xu Xing thought to herself, since beast cores can be refined, perhaps demon cores can too. She would keep them for now, as they might come in handy later.
Shen Du descended from the sky and returned to Xu Xing's side, his brow furrowed slightly. "Too much."
He looked towards the source, where the Flowing Cloud Sect had originally opened its trial realm. Now, however, a large hole had been torn open, and black demonic energy and low-level demonic beasts were pouring out from there.
To completely eliminate the threat of monsters, we must enter this secret realm, find that strange "black hole," and close it.
"Senior brother, let's find out where Senior Brother Xiang is first, and then make a plan."
Xu Xing had already checked and found no trace of Xiang Yuquan among the surrounding cultivators. If he were here, he would have known they were coming long ago, but there had been no movement from him. Xu Xing was a little worried that he might be injured.
As for whether things could get even worse...
She dared not think too deeply about it.
Zuo Qiuxu's expression was also not good. He had sent countless messages, but still had not received a reply from Xiang Yuquan.
"Thank you so much, young friends, for your kind assistance!"
Inside the main hall of the Liuyun Sect, Dong Xinglan, with a sincere expression, personally greeted the four people at the hall entrance.
Zuoqiu Xu didn't bother with pleasantries and asked urgently, "Three months ago, my senior brother Xiang Yuquan accepted a mission from your sect. Does the elder know where he is now?"
Dong Xinglan's expression immediately turned somewhat troubled. At this moment, Min Huaisi rushed over, "I just asked Junior Brother Guan Qing, and two months ago, a fellow Daoist surnamed Xiang did come to help. At that time, he seemed to be on the verge of a breakthrough and went straight into the secret realm. He hasn't been heard from since..."
Min Huaisi's voice was hoarse, and he seemed hesitant to look at Zuo Qiuxu and the others' expressions. He said apologetically, "The secret realm is full of high-level magical beasts of the fourth rank or above. Fellow Daoist Xiang, it's very likely..."
"What?!" Zuo Qiuxu was shocked and murmured, "Impossible, how could Senior Brother Xiang be in trouble?!"
Xu Xing was also very worried. Seeing Zuo Qiuxu's appearance, she whispered to comfort him, "Senior Brother Zuoqiu, don't worry. If Senior Brother Xiang really had an accident, Senior Feng would definitely know. Since Senior Feng has not made any move, it is conceivable that he was still safe and sound when we left the sect at least a month ago."
Every disciple of the Jade Cloud Sect has a soul lamp left in the sect. If the soul lamp goes out, even if the disciple's master is in seclusion, he can immediately sense it.
Zuo Qiuxu regained his senses slightly, but his face was still pale. A month was too long; too many things could happen in a month. He had to go to the secret realm to find his senior brother Xiang!
Dong Xinglan hadn't expected that while these young cultivators had temporarily alleviated the predicament of the Liuyun Sect, their fellow disciples might have met with misfortune there. Seeing that Zuo Qiuxu wanted to go to the secret realm, he quickly stopped him, "Young friend, wait! I know you're eager to save people, but that secret realm is really not safe to go to!"
The secret realm is filled with cultivators of the Nascent Soul stage and above from the Flowing Cloud Sect. Now, the sect leader Kong Lan has also lured a seventh-tier magical beast to the secret realm. It can be said that it is full of dangers. For a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator to go there would be tantamount to suicide!
But at this moment, Zuo Qiuxu was no longer listening to anything. He coldly waved away Dong Xinglan's hand and was about to rush out when Chen Du raised his hand to stop him. "Axu! Don't be impulsive. Let me go. I will bring Junior Brother Xiang out."
"Senior Brother Shen..."
Wen Yao also advised, "Senior Brother Zuoqiu, if you rush over like this, Senior Brother Xiang might be alright, but you will fall into the clutches of evil."
Xu Xing's mind stirred slightly, and she summoned Nan Ye, "Do you have a way to hide the presence of both my senior brother and me?"
Nanye nodded. "Okay."
His ability to conceal himself is an innate supernatural power, making him extremely difficult for even high-level magical beasts to detect.
Xu Xing then looked at Chen Du, "Senior brother, I'll go with you!"
Shen Du's expression darkened slightly. "No, you..."
Xu Xing stretched out her hands, slipping a ring-shaped magical artifact onto each finger. She shook her hands, and the artifacts jingled softly. "Is this not allowed either?"
"..."
Shen Du was helpless. He knew that if his junior sister used these magical artifacts, even a Golden Core cultivator would be no match for her. But the thought that she was only at the Foundation Establishment stage and had to go to such a dangerous place as the Demon Cave made him feel worried.
This Foundation Establishment stage female cultivator actually possesses so many magical artifacts? Even with Dong Xinglan's discerning eye, there were several artifacts whose function he couldn't recognize. He subtly glanced at Xu Xing's unique golden eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Could this young friend perhaps be a weapon refiner?"
Xu Xing nodded and pointed to the hole in the protective array above that had been breached by the seventh-order magical beast. "Now that the magical beast has temporarily retreated, your sect should repair this damaged area first."
With the protection of the great formation, the cultivators within it can also catch their breath.
Dong Xinglan nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "I was just about to enter the secret realm as well. You two young friends can come with me, but if things go wrong inside, I will send you out immediately."
"Xu Xu! Senior Brother Shen!" Seeing them walking out of the hall, Wen Yao called out to them, saying anxiously, "Be careful!"
"If Senior Brother Xiang really is..." Zuo Qiuxu's lips moved slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "You must all return safely!"
"rest assured!"
Xu Xing smiled at Wen Yao and Zuo Qiuxu, and handed them several fourth-tier spirit shield beads, saying, "You must protect yourselves while you're out there, and don't take any risks."
Dong Xinglan led the two to the damaged area of the secret realm's barrier. Xu Xing glanced at the gap torn open by the demonic beast and suddenly asked, "Is there any way to repair this place?"
"The master craftsman in the sect tried, but with the constant emergence of demonic beasts, he was unable to concentrate on repairing it."
The monster tides were occasionally interrupted during this period, but each interruption lasted less than an hour. It was impossible to repair the barrier in such a short time.
Shen Du glanced at the barrier, seemingly lost in thought. "How long will it take him?"
Dong Xinglan vaguely understood the implication in his words, gritted her teeth, and said, "Half a day will suffice!"
The weapon refiner of the Flowing Cloud Sect is at the sixth level. If the entire sect were to lend him its assistance, the barrier might be repaired within half a day.
But given the current situation inside the secret realm, even if there's a real chance to repair it, I'm afraid that the seventh-tier magical beast could destroy the barrier again.
Dong Xinglan said with a wry smile, "Originally, all the elders of my Liuyun Sect could have suppressed the magical beasts within the barrier for half a day if they joined forces. Now, they are desperately trying to prevent those high-level magical beasts from coming out of the secret realm, and they simply cannot spare any more resources."
Once the high-level magical beasts emerge, the already damaged protective formation will definitely not last more than three days! At that time, everyone will be doomed!
“Let’s go in and take a look,” Xu Xing nodded to Nan Ye. “I’m counting on you.”
Dong Xinglan suppressed his anxiety and became somewhat curious about this "person" who claimed to be able to conceal their presence.
If he wasn't mistaken, Nan Ye should be a demon. There are demons willing to become human-cultivated contracted beasts...
Nan Ye lowered his head, a blush creeping onto his face, and said softly, "Master, I apologize for the offense."
He raised his hand, gently took Xu Xing's hand into his palm, and slowly drew a few strokes on her palm. Then he casually grabbed the hem of Shen Du and Dong Xinglan's clothes and quickly drew a couple of strokes on them. "Done."
"Once inside, do not stray more than five steps from me."
Shen Du's gaze turned slightly cold. Since it was enough to draw on the clothes, why did he have to touch Xu Xing's hand?
Clearly, they have ulterior motives!
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Author's Note: Thank you to Ling Shaoning, 65053565, Rabbit Demon Osmanthus Cake, Wind and Waves (the little cutie poured in a huge amount of nutrient solution, [hug] hug!), Sleep a Little Longer, Icher, Lychee Without Peel, Flower Blossom, Your Father, and Blue Feather Tears for the nutrient solution! [Please] Thank you everyone!
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