126: Chapter 126 Taking Action, Destroying the Altar

Behind the rocks on both sides of the valley, Zhang Wen condensed a faint glimmer of Lightning Radiance at his fingertips, his eyes locked onto the member at the end of the Black-Robed Figure procession.

That thing was wrapped in black mist, leaving charred marks on the ground with every step it took.

The Herdsmen were intimidated by its aura, their footsteps stumbling, yet they dared not cry out.

“Move!” Dual Talents suddenly shouted, his long sword unsheathing in an instant.

Two figures burst forth from the hillside on the other side; they were the two Domain Realm experts from the army.

The long sabers in their hands slashed out two golden streaks of Saber Qi, aimed directly at the rearmost Black-Robed Figure.

At the same time, the soldiers led by Yuan Hui descended like tigers from the mountains, arrows flying like rain toward the procession of Black-Robed Figures.

“An ambush!”

The leader of the Black-Robed Figures turned his head abruptly, his bone staff slamming heavily into the ground. “Form the array!”

A dozen or so Black-Robed Figures quickly formed a circle, their bone staffs pointing simultaneously toward the sky. The black mist converged into a massive ghostly face, which opened its mouth and spewed black flames.

The soldiers charging at the front were caught off guard; their armor was instantly burned through, and they fell to the ground screaming.

“It's the Soul Gathering Array of the Soul Devouring Hall!”

Dual Talents' expression sank. “Zhang Wen, take some men and break the formation eye; I will hold off the lead Black-Robed Figure!”

Zhang Wen nodded, his Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks flashed under his feet, and his figure rushed toward the center of the circle like an afterimage.

Just as he was about to swing his spear, he saw three Black-Robed Figures suddenly rush out from the array, their bone blades coated in virulent poison, stabbing directly at his vital points.

These three were all in the Late Stage of the Penetration Realm, their auras several times stronger than the previous bearded man.

“Well timed!”

Zhang Wen advanced instead of retreating, his sky-splitting startling thunder spear suddenly sweeping across, Lightning Radiance surging violently on the spear shaft.

“Bang!”

The three bone blades were shaken away simultaneously, and one of the Black-Robed Figures was caught by the Lightning Radiance, his arm instantly turning charred.

Zhang Wen seized the opportunity to press forward, the tip of his spear pointing directly at the enemy's throat. However, at this moment, a black shadow suddenly sprang from the ground, wrapping around his ankle.

It opened a mouth full of fangs, about to bite into Zhang Wen's lower leg.

Zhang Wen's eyes turned cold, the thunder mass in his Dantian spinning violently, and a wisp of startling thunder surged into the Black-Robed Figure's body through his lower leg.

“Sizzle—”

The soul fiend let out a shrill, piercing scream, instantly dissipating into black smoke.

But in this moment of delay, the other two Black-Robed Figures pounced again, their bone blades sealing off his retreat from the left and right.

Zhang Wen tapped his toes on the ground, his figure soaring upward, while simultaneously flicking his spear tip downward.

“Myriad Thunders Coiling Dragon Break!”

A thunder dragon exploded on the ground, sending gravel flying and forcing back the two Black-Robed Figures.

He turned in mid-air, his gaze locked onto the formation eye of the Soul Gathering Array—the bone staff in the hand of the lead Black-Robed Figure.

“Want to break the array? You're courting death!”

The lead Black-Robed Figure noticed his intention and swung his bone staff. The ghostly face spat out a beam of black light, blasting directly at Zhang Wen.

Just then, Dual Talents' long sword suddenly pierced toward the Black-Robed Figure's back.

The Black-Robed Figure was forced to turn around to defend. The black beam of light veered off course, grazing Zhang Wen's shoulder and blasting a large hole in the distant cliff wall.

“Now!”

Dual Talents shouted.

Zhang Wen seized the opportunity, injecting most of the Thunder Power in his body into the sky-splitting startling thunder spear.

The Lightning Radiance at the spear tip condensed into a thunderous glow several feet long. He held the spear with both hands and threw it violently.

The sky-splitting startling thunder spear flew like a bolt of lightning, piercing through the obstruction of two Black-Robed Figures and accurately stabbing the bone staff.

“Crack!”

The bone staff snapped upon impact, and the ghostly face formed by the black mist instantly dissipated.

Once the Soul Gathering Array was broken, the auras of the remaining Black-Robed Figures plummeted. The other soldiers seized the opportunity to charge, quickly isolating and surrounding the Black-Robed Figures.

Seeing that the situation was bad, the lead Black-Robed Figure pulled out a black token from his bosom, intending to crush it.

Zhang Wen was quick-eyed and nimble-handed, shooting a bolt of Lightning Radiance at his wrist.

The Black-Robed Figure felt the pain, and the token fell to the ground. Just as he was about to pick it up, Dual Talents' long sword was already pressed against his neck.

“Speak, where is the altar?”

Dual Talents' tone was icy.

The Black-Robed Figure suddenly laughed strangely: “You think... this was just a decoy?”

“The real altar has already been activated elsewhere... Once we refine more soul fiends, the entire Western Frontier will turn into a living hell!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he bit down hard on the poison tooth in his mouth, his body instantly turning into a pool of black water.

Dual Talents picked up the black token from the ground, his expression grave: “This is a transmission token of the Soul Devouring Hall. It seems they really were diverting our attention.”

Zhang Wen walked over to the rescued Herdsmen, one of the old Herdsmen trembling as he spoke.

“My lord, yesterday over at Tali Mountain, we saw many Black-Robed Figures digging things, and there were strange patterns drawn on the ground...”

Dual Talents immediately looked at his subordinates.

“Order the scouts immediately to investigate the Tali Mountain area! Also, send people to escort the Herdsmen back to the main camp!”

“At the same time, send a message to Commander Yuan Hui; we are going now, we cannot delay any longer!”

The team set off again, and this time everyone quickened their pace.

Zhang Wen walked at the front of the team, the thunder mass in his Dantian vibrating slightly. He could feel an extremely evil aura ahead, constantly strengthening.

“How much longer until we arrive?”

Zhang Wen asked Dual Talents beside him.

“About half an hour.” Dual Talents took a look at the map.

“However, the terrain in the Tali Mountain area is complex, and the saline-alkali land is full of hidden pits. We must proceed with caution.”

Just then, a burst of urgent hoofbeats suddenly came from the front.

A scout rode up at a gallop, his face pale: “Commander! It's bad! Over at Tali Mountain... a large number of soul fiends have appeared.”

“And there are at least three Domain Realm Black-Robed Figures presiding over the altar!”

Dual Talents' face sank: “It seems they have already begun.”

“Zhang Wen, when we arrive later, I might not be able to look after you. You must be careful!”

Zhang Wen nodded, gripping the sky-splitting startling thunder spear tightly.

He could feel that a fierce battle was imminent.

Half an hour later, the team finally arrived at the Tali Mountain area.

The scene before them made everyone gasp—large swaths of vegetation had already withered.

A massive blood-colored array diagram was drawn on the ground, and in the center of the diagram stood a three-zhang-high black altar.

Three Black-Robed Figures were chanting eerie incantations on the altar. Around the array diagram, hundreds of soul fiends were wandering, and the air was filled with a thick, bloody stench.

“Report! Commander Yuan Hui has decided to send people personally and instructed us to hold them back at all costs.” A subordinate came to report.

“Understood!” Dual Talents' expression was ugly; he could feel that there were even more terrifying people in the shadows.

After hesitating for a long time, Dual Talents ordered, “Move out! We cannot delay any longer!”

Upon the order, the three Domain Realm experts rushed out first.

Zhang Wen followed closely behind, Lightning Radiance exploding under his feet. Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks was activated, and his figure instantly appeared behind a Penetration Realm Black-Robed Figure.

The sky-splitting startling thunder spear, carrying Thunder Power, stabbed directly at the Black-Robed Figure's back.

The Black-Robed Figure reacted extremely quickly, turning around and striking with a palm. The black palm wind collided with the Lightning Radiance, emitting a loud bang.

Zhang Wen was shaken back three steps, and the Black-Robed Figure also had his palm scorched by the Lightning Radiance.

“A sneak attack?”

A flash of surprise crossed the Black-Robed Figure's eyes, and then he sneered, “Unfortunately, you are still too weak!”

He suddenly spread his arms, and an evil aura instantly unfolded.

Zhang Wen only felt the surrounding air become incomparably heavy, as if countless hands were pulling at his body.

“This is a Fusion of soul fiends!” Dual Talents' voice came through.

“Don't let him succeed in the Fusion, quickly use a skill to interrupt him!”

Zhang Wen immediately circulated the Thunder Power in his body, and Lightning Radiance erupted from within him.

“Indestructible Thunder Body, activate!”

At the same time, Zhang Wen frantically urged the sky-breaking thunder qilin armor, forming a thunder shield.

The evil aura touched the thunder shield, making a sizzling sound, and was actually blocked forcefully.

A flash of astonishment crossed the Black-Robed Figure's eyes, and then he accelerated the speed of the Fusion, his strength crazily approaching the Domain Realm.

Zhang Wen only felt a tightness in his chest, and a mouthful of blood almost sprayed out.

He knew that his Realm was still too low; facing such a veteran member of the Soul Devouring Hall was still too much to handle.