85: Chapter 85 Quasi-Third-Order Painted Skin

"Boom!"

A thunderous explosion that could be heard for a hundred miles echoed from the sky.

Immediately after, a pillar of crimson-gold light shot into the sky, exploding violently amidst the blue sea and sky, transforming into a churning Blazing Flame Cloud.

The edges of the light pillar flowed with a molten gold luster.

Like a golden lotus in full bloom in the sky, it illuminated the mountains below with brilliant light.

"Rumble, rumble, rumble!"

Countless houses within the fortress collapsed.

A translucent shockwave swept across the high walls of Donglin Fortress on all sides.

The high walls, forged from first-rank essence stones, came crashing down.

The trees slightly further away were all snapped at the waist as if by a pair of invisible giant hands, falling flat toward the outer edge of the explosion.

Meanwhile, the blood and Qi of most Cultivators in Donglin Fortress churned, their ears buzzed, and their protective spiritual light flickered.

Donglin Fortress, which had been noisy just a moment ago, now fell into a strange "silence."

Everyone looked at the pillar of light in horror.

Until finally.

The last wisp of the light pillar shot toward the horizon and vanished beyond the nine heavens.

Once the dust settled.

The Cultivators, who had been stunned for a long time, finally realized what had happened.

Lu Yuanze was dead!

In the next moment.

"I survived!"

"Hahaha! This scoundrel actually left earlier than this old man!"

Cheers erupted from all parts of Donglin Fortress as the Cultivators who had been hiding everywhere took to the streets.

"Boom!"

Another dull sound echoed.

It turned out that the crimson flame stones on the horizon had exhausted their energy and crashed back to their original spots.

As a Qi Refining Cultivator, Xu Changsheng could not fly for long and slowly descended.

He thought to himself, "He actually didn't die?"

Only he, who had activated and controlled the Formation, saw the truth of the matter.

Lu Yuanze was not dead.

At the moment of contact with the fire crow, he had used the Hundred Ghost Banner to resist for a split second.

Then, he employed a secret technique called the Golden Cicada Shedding its Shell.

His skin squirmed like clothing, and then a blood-red body flew out like a swallow, weaving through the intense flames and evaporating rapidly.

Just as it was about to be burned to ashes, he let his head fly out of range.

The speed was so great that it was simply not something reachable at the Qi Refinement Stage.

He had no choice but to give up.

"Never mind him. In this state, who knows how long it will take for him to undergo Rebirth or even recover his cultivation."

In his hand was a hideous painted skin.

It was exactly the skin Lu Yuanze had just shed—a Pseudo-Third Rank painted skin!

This was a trophy he had barely managed to preserve by precisely controlling the power range of the Formation.

Lu Yuanze had actually carried his Storage Pouch in his mouth and fled with it.

After cursing under his breath a few times, he looked at the fleshy skin in his hand.

His eyes held a trace of surprise.

"Could this Lu Yuanze be an Innate Painted Skin Saint Physique? To actually be able to create a painted skin through molting."

Now he had two pieces of Lu Yuanze's painted skin in his hands: one Pseudo-Second Rank and one Pseudo-Third Rank.

Unfortunately, the Pseudo-Third Rank painted skin could only be used when he advanced to Foundation Establishment and had strong enough Magic Power and Divine Sense to support its use.

It was the same principle as how Spiritual Artifacts can only be used by Foundation Establishment Cultivators and Magic Treasures can only be used by Golden Core True Persons.

He sighed softly.

A gray light flashed as he put it away into his Storage Pouch.

He slowly landed in front of the members of the Xie Family.

Seeing him land.

The Xie Family Elder led everyone forward, kneeling in a large group.

"We thank Guest Official Xu for saving the Xie Family from this disaster."

Crimson Rainbow also stepped forward.

She circled Xu Changsheng several times, her beautiful eyes turning from surprise to dissatisfaction: "Brother Xu, you really kept me in the dark. Since you had such a method, why didn't you use it sooner?"

He shook his head with a bitter smile: "This attack was also my first time using it. To ensure a certain kill, I had to wait for Lu Yuanze to go deep into the fortress so I could end it in one strike."

"I see. Regardless, that move of yours was just too cool."

There seemed to be stars in Crimson Rainbow's eyes.

"As expected of the man I set my sights on, to actually use a third-rank method while in the Qi Refining stage. Why don't you join the Jinyang Sect with me? You would surely take the top seat as the Sect's Senior Brother."

Countless Loose Cultivators also swarmed forward.

They surrounded the Xie Family's grounds so tightly that not even a drop of water could trickle through.

Xu Changsheng frowned slightly and activated a Formation he had prepared long ago. A small gray light screen swept across, concealing Xie Wantang's figure in the main hall.

The Loose Cultivators and the remaining guards had looks of gratitude in their eyes.

"So it is the Xie Family's Guest Official Xu. Fellow Daoist, this act of yours has saved countless lives. We thank you here."

"Gratitude to Fellow Daoist Xu. I have heard your great name for a long time, and seeing you today, you truly are a living Arhat!"

Even Zhou Qian, who had been crippled in all three legs, had woken up at some point. Leaning on two crutches, he came forward and cupped his fists.

"That Lu Yuanze destroyed my Dao foundation, cut off my two legs, and severed my lineage. It's simply an outrage against heaven and man!"

"Fortunately, we have Fellow Daoist Xu."

He directly represented the Cultivators and stepped forward to shake hands.

Feeling the trembling hands, Xu Changsheng's expression was strange. After all, Zhou Qian's first leg was severed by his own hand.

He thought to himself how unpredictable the world was: "I didn't expect that at this moment, he would have to personally come over to thank me."

"To repay Fellow Daoist Xu's life-saving grace, everyone might as well take out some Spirit Stones to show our gratitude!"

"Good!"

Zhou Qian moved through the crowd on his crutches, collecting Spirit Stones.

At this time, Xu Changsheng noticed that not everyone's gaze was pure and sincere.

Those Cultivators who approached but stayed at a distance not only lacked any sense of gratitude but also had other peculiar looks in their eyes.

Greed.

Fear.

Indeed, being able to unleash a third-rank attack while at the Qi Refining stage was not only unheard of in the Ancient Wood Mountain Range but would also be a marvel in the entire cultivation world of the Chu State.

As the person responsible, in the eyes of others, he likely had secrets. Covetousness was only human nature.

But he had already prepared his explanation.

"Everyone, please listen to me."

"Thank you all for your praise, but this matter was not my own doing. This Xu was merely a porter."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Loose Cultivators' joyful chatter stopped, and even Zhou Qian, who was collecting Spirit Stones, paused.

Everyone was listening intently.

Xu Changsheng explained calmly.

"I presume everyone saw those nine crimson flame stones in the sky just now."

"That attack just now was actually the Blazing Sun Fire Binding Array left here by Senior Chu Nanguī. I merely activated it."

Just then, a burly Cultivator with bulging muscles carried a crimson flame stone over.

Xu Changsheng's eyebrows twitched. This person could actually move a crimson flame stone. His Divine Sense, comparable to the Foundation Establishment Stage, swept over slightly.

"As expected, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivator."

"Thud."

It crashed heavily onto the floor tiles.

He clamored with disdain: "Fellow Daoist Xu, you at least have some self-awareness not to take all the credit for saving Donglin Fortress for yourself."

This person's name was Zhou Kun, the half-brother of Zhou Qian.

"Brother Kun?"

Zhou Qian hurriedly stepped forward and cupped his fists.

"You've finally arrived."

"I happened to be nearby performing a Family mission, so I was able to arrive so quickly."

"What did Brother Kun mean just now? Wasn't it Fellow Daoist Xu's Divine Might that killed Lu Yuanze?"

Zhou Kun shook his head: "You've all been deceived. He was merely a trigger who activated an ancient array that was already present here."

"In other words, it was the Formation that saved you, not him!"

He pointed his index finger at Xu Changsheng.

A commotion broke out among the crowd.