267: Chapter 267 Your opponent is me

Moonshadow Sect · Tribulation Platform

The remaining tribulation clouds in the sky slowly dissipated, and the final bolt of lightning vanished.

Chi Wanhe, Lin Xiwei, and Du Yuqing successively steadied their auras, successfully completing their Breakthroughs.

The watching Sect Disciples began to whisper, their words filled with envy.

"The three Elders are truly blessed. How long has it been, and they've broken through again..."

"It's because the Sect Master teaches well. I heard the Elders often receive personal guidance from the Sect Master."

"Yes... I'm so envious..." A charming female Disciple pouted, her tone mixed with jealousy and longing.

"It must be because they received in-depth instruction from the Sect Master to improve so rapidly. Sigh, if only the Sect Master could guide me like that..."

"Keep dreaming. The Sect Master's movements are elusive; he is like a dragon that shows its head but never its tail. It's hard enough to even catch a glimpse of him, let alone..."

Just then, another female Disciple dressed in peach-pink robes, looking quite clever, mysteriously pulled a glowing parchment scroll from her sleeve and lowered her voice.

"Who says so? I have a treasure here!"

"What treasure?" Several female Disciples immediately gathered around, their beautiful eyes sparkling.

The Disciple proudly unfolded a corner of the scroll. On it was a map of the Moonshadow Sect's territory outlined in intricate spiritual patterns, marked with many small dots, with the times and location characteristics written in tiny script alongside them.

"Look, the Sect Master's itinerary! I secretly observed, recorded, and verified this from multiple sources, and even consulted Elder Xuemei (Qin Zhaoxue) to summarize the times and locations where the Sect Master most frequently appears over these years!"

"Oh my god! Let me see!"

"Good sister, lend it to me to copy!"

"I want one too! I want one too!"

"Go away, you little flirts, don't grab! This is my exclusive Secret Manual!"

The peach-pink-robed Disciple quickly protected the scroll. A chorus of sweet, coquettish, and eager requests erupted around her.

Not far away, Qin Zhaoxue and Lu Changning stood with Xia Yingying. Xia Yingying watched the three radiant Senior Sisters on the platform, her eyes shining with admiration as she whispered: "The Senior Sisters are so amazing... Their auras are much stronger than before. I'm so envious."

Qin Zhaoxue, standing to the side, remained as gentle and quiet as ever. She gently patted the back of Xia Yingying's hand, her voice soft: "The path of cultivation is long; persistence is key. Yingying, you and I just need to follow our own pace and advance step by step."

Hearing this, Lu Changning couldn't help but turn to look at Qin Zhaoxue and whisper: "Second Senior Sister, the way you say that... If Revered Master heard you, he'd probably say you're 'slacking off' and lacking ambition again."

Her tone carried a hint of helpless amusement; clearly, Ling Hao had often "chastised" Qin Zhaoxue this way before. Qin Zhaoxue only slightly curled her lips, revealing a faint smile, and did not refute.

Ling Hao's figure appeared from the cave exit just at that moment. The three who had just undergone tribulation, Chi Wanhe, and the others, including Qin Zhaoxue, immediately gathered around, and the sweet chatter started instantly.

"Revered Master!"

Chi Wanhe had sharp eyes and spotted Hall Master Di Yunling and Ximen Huaping slightly further away, immediately calling out to them.

"Elder Di! Elder Ximen!"

Hall Master Di Yunling and Ximen Huaping also smiled and nodded in response.

"Elder Fuqu..."

"Elder Xuemei..."

Ling Hao's gaze swept over his six Disciples, each with their own distinct grace.

Chi Wanhe and Lin Xiwei had already stabilized their auras and officially stepped into the Body Integration Stage, reaching the third level of Body Integration; Du Yuqing's blood and Qi were surging, and she was clearly a Body Cultivator who had achieved Minor Achievement in the Dharma Aspect Realm (Body Integration). Qin Zhaoxue and Lu Changning also had surging auras, not far from breaking through.

And Xia Yingying, who was hanging onto him, had a perfectly rounded spiritual power at the Nascent Soul Perfection stage; it was expected that she would be able to attempt Soul Transformation soon.

Chi Wanhe stepped closer, tugging on Ling Hao's sleeve and shaking it gently: "Revered Master, where did you go in such a hurry? You clearly promised that after we reached the Body Integration Stage, you would take us to a good place—where exactly is it?"

Ling Hao habitually raised his hand to flick her forehead, but Chi Wanhe nimbly dodged by tilting her head. She pouted, with a hint of coquettishness: "Revered Master, you always like to flick my head."

Ling Hao glanced at his right hand and laughed, he was used to it.

Ling Hao swept his gaze over Hall Master Di Yunling and Ximen Huaping, then turned back and said calmly: "In that case, I will take you there now."

His original plan was to take this group of Disciples, each with their own distinct personality, to the Wanxian Dynasty to properly "experience" what it meant to be willful as a powerhouse.

However, the sudden Heavenly Tribulation disrupted all his steps, so he had to end that Dynasty prematurely.

Now, he would head straight to Cangwu City. After breaking through to the Body Integration Stage, they also needed a battle to adapt to their newly increased power.

Moreover, he also wanted to see for himself what tricks the Niding Alliance could pull!

Ling Hao turned to Hall Master Di Yunling and instructed: "Go and tell Ling Shuang to gather all the Elders and Core Disciples, prepare immediately, and then rush to Cangwu City to rendezvous."

"Yes, Revered Master!" Hall Master Di Yunling received the order and turned to make arrangements.

Cangwu City? The good place Revered Master mentioned is actually Cangwu City? But looking at the expressions of Elders Di and Ximen...

Chi Wanhe pondered secretly, feeling that something was wrong.

Dusk deepened, pressing down over Cangwu Prefecture.

The sixth-grade cultivation country, Hu Kingdom, had been split in two!

If the shadow of the Erosion Source Blood Tree that had unfolded in the northwest of the Qing State was like a dark red giant net covering the sky, then the "net" over Hu Kingdom at this moment had dragged an entire half of the country into a scarlet eternal night.

That viscous scarlet was like a giant scab congealing at the zenith.

The trunk supporting this canopy could no longer be measured in "Li"; it was more like a dark red mountain rising from thin air.

The bark was cracked, and filthy erosion qi flowed from the deep gullies, emitting a nauseating sweet and bloody stench. Countless roots pierced into the earth's veins like living blood vessels, efficiently extracting the last vitality of this land.

Meanwhile, at the core of Cangwu Prefecture, outside the Cangwu City known as the "Heart of the Prefecture," another equally massive scarlet tree shadow rose from the ground. It echoed the one in Hu Kingdom, and the scarlet halo they jointly formed engulfed this giant city and several surrounding cultivation countries.

The viscous scarlet erosion qi was like a boiling sea of blood, rolling toward Cangwu City. Wherever it passed, Spiritual Qi was polluted, vegetation withered, and mountains and rocks turned to mud.

Low-level Cultivators and Mortals who could not escape were, the moment they were touched by the scarlet, like wax figures thrown into strong acid, rapidly dissolving and mutating, or being devoured by the pure erosion qi and turning into nothingness.

Or even more tragically, they were forcibly transformed amidst shrill screams, their bones twisted and flesh regenerated, instantly becoming a new member of the Erosion Tide army.

Villages, towns, and Sects were left with only dead silence after the vanguard of the Erosion Tide passed, along with a few newly born Erosion Demons and Erosion Beasts wandering and roaring in the ruins.

Cangwu City.

The sea of blood raged, slamming fiercely against the towering walls of Cangwu City. The viscous scarlet erosion qi rolled, climbing up the walls, and wherever it passed, ancient runes dimmed and collapsed.

In the sky, a dozen figures were locked in endless combat; this was the battlefield of Void Tempering and Body Integration Cultivators. Flames, frost, Geng metal Sword Qi...

The brilliance of various Divine Abilities and Spells exploded under the scarlet sky, and every collision triggered spatial tremors. The scattered turbulent energy was enough to shred any low-level Cultivator who dared to approach.

From time to time, figures fell from the sky, either swallowed by the erosion qi or causing violent explosions when they crashed into the ground.

On the chaotic battlefield, an incredulous exclamation rang out:

"True Saint Back-Blade, you are actually a member of the Niding Alliance?!"

A green-robed old man who had originally fought side-by-side with the others was seen wielding a giant cyan sickle blade, slashing fiercely at a companion beside him.

The Cultivator who was ambushed struggled to parry, blood spilling from his mouth, looking at his former close friend with shock.

"Block it! Form a defensive formation!"

A commander of the Xunwu Guard shouted from high above, but his voice stopped abruptly the next moment. An adjutant behind him, with an eerie, ferocious grin on his face, had already pierced his Dantian with a long sword.

"Why..."

When the commander fell, his eyes were full of confusion and despair.

Chaos, total chaos. It came not only from the frontal impact of the Erosion Tide but also from the collapse and betrayal from within.

Fenglei Sect, Danding Sect, and many other Sect forces saw their Disciples turn against them at critical moments, aiming their Spells and blades at their former comrades. Trust disintegrated at this moment, and the Xunwu Guard's line was torn open from within. The cornerstone of trust shattered, and the defense began to crumble from the inside.

High in the sky, several figures stood facing each other from a distance.

On one side was a purple-robed man, and on the other were Zheng Nanxun and Su Fengyi.

Zhu Wutong stood in the air, with the phantom of the giant tree enveloping Cangwu City behind him, making him look like a demon god. His gaze swept over the ashen-faced Zheng Nanxun and Su Fengyi.

"Hehe..." Zhu Wutong let out a low laugh.

"Seeing this scene, what are your thoughts?"

Zhu Wutong pointed to the tragedy happening below. "Your order is vulnerable."

Zheng Nanxun's blood and Qi surged, and he roared:

"Fenglei Sect, Danding Sect... Good, very good! And the Niding Alliance, do you think you can turn the world upside down by relying on these two trees? Supreme Ling of the Moonshadow Sect will arrive soon, and you are nothing but an egg hitting a rock!"

Su Fengyi's phoenix eyes were filled with murderous intent, her crimson-gold palace attire flapping in the wind of erosion qi: "Demonic heretics, stop being rampant!"

The mockery on Zhu Wutong's face deepened:

"What other preparations do you have? It's nothing more than pinning your hopes on that Ling Hao."

He opened his arms as if to embrace this scarlet world.

"Today, I will use the power of these two holy trees to completely awaken and nourish the main roots of Lord Guroong that run through here! When it breaks free from its shackles, it will be your doomsday!"

"Hum—"

The two Erosion Source Blood Trees outside Hu Kingdom and Cangwu City suddenly flared with red light, as if they had been ignited, injecting more erosion qi into the tide and making the pulsing roots underground even more violent.

Zhu Tianlu glanced coldly at the bottom.

"The time has come. Wutong, take your men down and complete the final nourishment."

"They can be left to me."

"Yes, Seventh Uncle!"

Zhu Wutong responded, waving his hand to lead people to rush underground.

"Stop them!"

Zheng Nanxun shouted, trying to block them simultaneously with Su Fengyi.

"Your opponent is me."

Zhu Tianlu stepped out, blocking the two of them, releasing his Mahayana pressure without reservation, crashing down on the hearts of Zheng Nanxun and Su Fengyi, making them unable to move an inch.

The two could only watch helplessly as Zhu Wutong and the others fled underground. Both were burning with anxiety but were helpless.

"Why hasn't your Supreme arrived yet? If he doesn't come, you have no value, so I might as well kill you first!"

"No."

A calm voice pierced through the roar of energy and the sounds of slaughter, clearly entering everyone's ears, especially Zhu Tianlu's.

Ling Hao's figure appeared in front of Su Fengyi and the other, standing with his hands behind his back, his sleeves fluttering. He looked at Zhu Tianlu, with a faint, almost imperceptible smile on the corners of his mouth.

"Your opponent is me!"