Chapter 398 : Red Sun Dao Soldiers
Chapter 398: Red Sun Dao Soldiers
Dan Star Market.
As one of the renowned pill markets within the Mountain Burial Realm, this place gathered numerous alchemists and spirit plant cultivators, and there were also Golden Core experts from the Mirror Moon Sect stationed here.
Late at night, the discussion hall remained brightly lit.
“Senior Sister, have you finished counting?”
A little girl with a youthful appearance, looking to be around eleven or twelve years old, sat in the main seat with a tranquil expression.
“Junior Sister Wan’er.” The female cultivator wearing a veil slightly nodded. “The quantity has been counted and verified. The quality of the pills is all top-grade. You have worked hard this time.”
“The next batch of materials for refining Flesh-Regenerating Pills, Poison-Cleansing Pills, and Qi-Healing Pills will arrive within three days. I hope Junior Sister can urge the alchemists under your command to increase their alchemy speed. Even if the pills can be refined two or three days ahead of schedule, that would be good.”
“Senior Sister, you are making things difficult for that group of mediocre talents.” Li Wan’er raised her head and corrected her. “Alchemy and cultivation are similar. The more anxious one becomes, the easier it is to make mistakes. Finishing half a day ahead of schedule is still manageable.”
“As for finishing two or three days ahead?”
Speaking up to this point, she paused slightly. “Not every alchemist possesses an alchemy skill as extraordinary as Cloud Grace Immortal. Senior Sister, you are asking for something impossible!”
“Alright, alright, Senior Sister knows your alchemy skills are impressive.” Yun Yishu was somewhat amused and helpless. “But the frontline is currently lacking pill supplies. Can you help Senior Sister think of another solution?”
Even after Junior Sister Wan’er had successfully formed her Core and attained the Golden Core Realm, she still retained some childish temperament, so Yun Yishu could only discuss matters with her in the manner of coaxing a child.
Hearing this, Li Wan’er remained silent for a moment before speaking: “The medicinal materials will arrive on time, at most one day ahead of schedule.”
“Also, compared to pill supplies, I think Senior Sister should pay more attention to the supply route issue. The most recent batch of pills transported to the frontline was attacked twice in succession. I suspect there is an internal spy within the sect.”
“I have already begun investigating this matter. The suspect will be identified and captured soon.” Yun Yishu walked to the window and looked toward the bright moon in the sky.
“Investigate as you must, but Senior Sister, please be careful. Don’t die on the frontline.” Li Wan’er spoke calmly.
The corner of Yun Yishu’s eye twitched, and she was rather speechless. “Junior Sister, can you say something auspicious? Talking about death and all that is rather unlucky.”
“What is unlucky about it? Life and death are ordinary matters. Anyone will eventually die one day. It is merely a matter of whether it happens sooner or later.”
Li Wan’er curled her lips and then changed the topic. “By the way, Senior Sister, have you received any news about Ziang recently?”
“You miss him?” Yun Yishu glanced at her junior sister.
“Yes. Junior Brother still has something left with me that he hasn’t taken back.”
A faint light flashed from Li Wan’er’s storage ring, and a golden cicada shell that looked ordinary and was as light as a feather appeared in her hand. She showed it off proudly. “Hehe, Senior Sister, look. This is an extremely rare Tribulation Flame Golden Shell!”
“If it wasn’t for this treasure back then, I probably would have already returned to heaven and earth, and the grass on my grave would likely be about one zhang tall.”
After saying this, Li Wan’er sighed emotionally and pretended to be mature. “A life-saving favor cannot go unrepaid. Senior Sister, what do you think about offering myself in return?”
“There are many ways to repay a favor. Junior Sister, why do you insist on sacrificing yourself? Wouldn’t being alone be better?” Yun Yishu sighed.
“Hehe, Senior Sister, you don’t understand.”
Li Wan’er jogged behind Yun Yishu and wrapped her arms around the latter’s slender waist. “Junior Brother’s future is limitless, he looks good, has a good personality, and we get along well. If we really succeed, wouldn’t I have gained greatly?”
“Junior Brother saved you before too. Senior Sister, haven’t you ever felt your heart move?”
Li Wan’er said this in a joking manner.
Yun Yishu turned around, stared closely at Junior Sister Wan’er, then naturally smiled and teased: “What repayment of kindness? I think Junior Sister, you are clearly taking revenge.”
Looking at Senior Sister Yun’s figure pretending to remain calm, Li Wan’er bit her lips.
A woman who says one thing but means another is truly terrifying!
They were all thousand-year-old foxes, so why were they pretending to tell ghost stories?
“Boom——!!!”
Suddenly, a sharp and piercing bell rang out explosively.
Hearing this warning sound, Yun Yishu and Li Wan’er’s expressions changed drastically.
Three bell rings represented the highest level of warning: enemies were attacking.
“How is this possible!”
Yun Yishu reacted extremely quickly. Her figure flashed, and she immediately arrived outside the discussion hall.
She saw that above Dan Star Market, numerous Third-Tier defensive treasure formations had already been activated, blocking streams of escaping light and treasures of various colors.
“Junior Sister, quickly arrange for the alchemists to evacuate through the teleportation formation. I will buy enough time for you.”
Without hesitation, Yun Yishu rushed toward the formation hub of Dan Star Market.
Li Wan’er did not say anything and immediately headed toward the Alchemy Hall to make arrangements.
……
On the other side, at the formation hub of Dan Star Market, numerous cultivators gathered, and the atmosphere was heavy.
“Market Master Zhou, are we confident in defending?” Yun Yishu asked concisely.
The strongest person stationed at Dan Star Market was Zhou Yushu, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. His strength could also be considered formidable among Golden Core True Persons.
Even if she and Senior Sister Wan’er joined forces, they were still not Zhou True Person’s match.
“The probability of holding out is less than twenty percent.” Zhou True Person’s expression was grim.
“Can we hold until the sect sends reinforcements?” Yun Yishu revealed a solemn expression.
“We cannot hold. The enemy came prepared. The space around the market has already been sealed, and the teleportation formation cannot be used. Cloud Moon Envoy, please look.”
Zhou True Person formed hand seals with both hands. Ripples surged before him, quickly condensing into a water mirror.
Within the water mirror was the scene outside Dan Star Market.
The sky was filled with flashing escaping lights. Hundreds of streams of escaping light connected together, forming a terrifyingly powerful formation.
Without a doubt, the invading enemies were not ordinary cultivators, but a well-trained elite Dao Soldier force. Each Dao Soldier possessed strength above the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Do not underestimate these Foundation Establishment Dao Soldiers!
A single Foundation Establishment cultivator was indeed extremely weak before a Golden Core True Person and could be destroyed with a wave of the hand.
But if hundreds of Dao Soldiers were organized into a formation, led by Golden Core True Persons, arranged into battle formations, and formed a Dao Soldier formation, even Golden Core True Persons would have to flee upon encountering them.
“This is the Solar Radiance Army!” a Foundation Establishment steward exclaimed in shock.
Every great cultivation sect possessed its own unique method of refining Dao Soldiers.
After all, cultivating Dao Soldiers and nurturing disciples were different matters.
The former was created to form organized forces and reduce costs. It used a method of rapid cultivation, requiring them to endure hidden injuries and side effects that ordinary cultivators could not tolerate, severing their path toward immortality.
For example, most Dao Soldiers had to temper their bodies with various secret techniques from childhood, consume countless pills to refine their meridians, receive standardized spirit weapons and spirit armor, and endure countless hardships before finally becoming an army.
And the Solar Radiance Army within the water mirror was the famous Foundation Establishment Dao Soldier force of the Red Sun Sect, one of the four Nascent Soul sects of the Yellow Evolution Realm.
“If it were only three hundred Solar Radiance Army soldiers, it would be fine!” Zhou True Person spoke heavily.
He understood the Dao Soldiers of the Red Sun Sect. One hundred Solar Radiance Army soldiers could battle a Golden Core True Person.
Two hundred Solar Radiance Army soldiers could surround and kill a mid-stage Golden Core True Person, while three hundred Red Sun Army soldiers could surround and kill a late-stage Golden Core True Person.
“The key lies in the Red Sun Generals commanding these Solar Radiance Dao Soldiers.”
Zhou True Person activated his seal technique. The image within the water mirror changed, reflecting three figures standing in the air before the Dao Soldiers.
These three figures were also wearing special treasure armor. Their auras were like dormant volcanoes, unfathomably deep, and were no weaker than Zhou True Person.
“Three peak Golden Core Red Sun Generals!” Yun Yishu’s pupils shrank.
Among large numbers of Foundation Establishment Dao Soldiers, a few would always emerge who were fortunate enough to break through and become Golden Core Dao Generals.
Although in a one-on-one fight of the same realm, Golden Core Dao Generals were not a match for Golden Core True Persons in a single exchange.
But if three peak Golden Core Red Sun Generals simultaneously commanded three hundred Dao Soldiers in battle, even a perfected Golden Core great cultivator could likely be surrounded and killed.
It was no exaggeration to say that even pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivators would choose to avoid the sharp edge of such a Dao Soldier army, let alone Dan Star Market, which only had a late-stage Golden Core True Person stationed here.
At this moment, one of the Red Sun Generals sensed something and looked upward.
“Boom!”
The water mirror shattered explosively, leaving behind a group of Mirror Moon Sect cultivators whose eyes faintly carried despair.
Three peak Golden Core Dao Generals leading three hundred Foundation Establishment Dao Soldiers was no longer a small-scale surprise attack. It was a long-planned strategic operation with a guaranteed victory, and its purpose was to destroy part of the Mirror Moon Sect’s pill supply chain.
“Why don’t we temporarily pretend to cooperate and surrender? That way we can preserve our lives and repay the sect at a critical moment!” a newly promoted Foundation Establishment steward suggested.
“Daring to disrupt the sect’s morale, execute!”
Yun Yishu’s expression turned cold. A streak of moonlight descended like a blade, instantly severing the Foundation Establishment cultivator’s head and extinguishing his aura.
Seeing this scene, the surrender faction cultivators exchanged glances and no longer dared to object.
“Why panic? The market’s formation is incredibly powerful. Even if a Nascent Soul True Monarch descended, it could still resist for a while. By then, the sect will definitely react.”
“Senior Sister is right. The Red Sun Sect dared to send Dao Soldiers into the Mountain Burial Realm. They will certainly provoke the anger of our ancestors, who will send Nascent Soul True Monarchs into battle.”
Li Wan’er’s figure suddenly appeared, her expression solemn. “As long as we can delay long enough, this Dao Soldier army will definitely be completely annihilated.”
“We only fear that the other side came prepared.” Zhou True Person’s expression was complicated as he sighed.
The higher-ups of the Red Sun Sect were not fools. They would not allow Dao Soldiers cultivated with countless resources to be sacrificed for nothing. They must have prepared a method to break through the market’s formation.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
Sure enough, as continuous thunderous explosions sounded, the earth beneath everyone’s feet trembled. The layers of formations covering the entire Dan Star Market let out unbearable groans before shattering explosively under the despairing gazes of all cultivators.
The cultivators responsible for maintaining the formations within the market all spat out blood simultaneously. Their auras dissipated, and they collapsed to the ground, dying.
Streams of scorching red suns filled with destructive auras descended like meteors, instantly swallowing several connected buildings and erupting into towering flames.
“The… the formation is broken!”
“Run!”
“The Solar Radiance Army has entered!”
Countless cries of alarm and screams rang out one after another.
Yun Yishu and Li Wan’er exchanged glances and simultaneously activated their escaping lights to flee.
Being loyal to the sect did not mean being blindly loyal.
For safety, they had already carried part of the pill reserves with them and destroyed some cultivation resources that they could not take away beforehand.
“Whoosh!”
The escaping light shot forward. Yun Yishu casually killed several rogue cultivators who dared to block their path.
“Senior Sister, there is no need to bother with these rogue cultivators taking advantage of the chaos. Escaping is more important.”
Li Wan’er took out numerous escape talismans from her storage ring.
No matter how powerful Golden Core strength was, it could not surpass organized Dao Soldiers.
If they accidentally encountered the Solar Radiance Army and were enveloped by the army’s momentum, they would most likely face certain death.
But sometimes things were strangely troublesome. The more they did not want to see something, the more it appeared.
“Now that everything is chaotic, where do Cloud Grace Immortal and Immortal Yishu plan to travel? Why not come to my Red Sun Sect as guests?”
Three armored cultivator figures appeared in flashes. Their auras connected with the Solar Radiance Dao Soldiers below, forming a suffocating encirclement.
At the same time, three hundred Solar Radiance Army soldiers appeared at some unknown point. They all stepped forward together, their long spears pointing diagonally toward Yun Yishu and Li Wan’er, unleashing a heaven-shaking military force that locked onto them.
Yun Yishu’s expression became extremely ugly.
The words “be guests” sounded pleasant, but in the end, they were still prisoners.
However, what concerned Yun Yishu even more was that her deduction had been wrong!
The Red Sun Sect’s target was not Dan Star Market, but her and Junior Sister Wan’er.
But she and her junior sister were only early-stage Golden Core True Persons. They were not worth the Red Sun Sect’s higher-ups making such a huge effort and sending such a large-scale Dao Soldier force.
Unless the Red Sun Sect had another objective.
Thinking of this, Yun Yishu’s heart moved slightly. She revealed a calm smile and tested them: “The Red Sun Sect dares to act so recklessly. Are you not afraid that our sect’s ancestor will be enraged and your ten-thousand-year Dao lineage will be destroyed overnight?”
“The future of the Red Sun Sect is not something the two immortals need to worry about.” A young-looking Red Sun General smiled. “I do not wish to offend such beautiful ladies. I hope the two immortals can cooperate.”
“Sigh, this is troublesome.” Li Wan’er sighed.
“Cloud Grace Immortal, there is no need to worry. You are a renowned Fourth-Tier Profound Alchemist of the Earth Evolution Realm. Our sect will treat you as an honored guest and ensure your safety.” The Red Sun General spoke politely.
“Your target is Junior Brother Chen, isn’t it?”
The moment Li Wan’er said this, one of the Red Sun Generals’ pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. He replied gently: “Immortal, you are overthinking.”
Unexpectedly, in the next moment, two violent auras erupted explosively. The dantians of Yun Yishu and Li Wan’er simultaneously burst forth with dazzling golden light.
That was the terrifying aura belonging to the self-destruction of an Immortal Golden Core, yet the two women’s eyes remained calm, as if they had already seen through life and death.
“Not good, they are going to self-destruct their Golden Cores!”
The expressions of the three Red Sun Generals changed slightly. They decisively mobilized the power of the Dao Soldiers and attacked.
The reason they had maintained a friendly attitude all along was because they feared the two women would lose the will to live.
After all, neither of these female cultivators were ordinary Golden Core True Persons. They carried numerous treasures on them.
If the two women were determined to die, even a perfected Golden Core great cultivator would be unable to stop them.
But why?
Living in disgrace was better than dying!
Ordinary female cultivators might suffer unimaginable humiliation after being captured, but Cloud Grace Immortal and Immortal Yishu were both high-level members of the Mirror Moon Sect and did not fall into that category. Why would they choose such a tragic and decisive method to resist?
“Damn it!”
Zhou True Person, not far away, also had a drastic change in expression and wanted to intervene.
However, Golden Core self-destruction was a terrifying strike where a Golden Core True Person ignited their entire cultivation realm and accumulated power. The process was as fast as lightning and once it began, it was almost impossible to reverse unless the person who self-destructed cultivated a special secret technique.
At this moment, even if four Golden Core cultivators acted simultaneously, they still could not stop Yun Yishu and Li Wan’er from self-destructing.
“If I had known this would happen, I should have expressed my feelings back then!”
Regret appeared in Yun Yishu’s eyes. Images continuously flashed through her mind, all of them scenes involving Chen Beiwu.
“Death is not regrettable. What is regrettable is that before dying, I could not see Junior Brother one more time, fulfill the promise from back then, return the item to him, and repay the life-saving favor.” Li Wan’er bit her lip and tightly gripped the Tribulation Flame Golden Shell in her hand.
There was no other way. The difference in strength was too great.
With space sealed, even if they carried precious treasures, they could not possibly escape the Solar Radiance Army’s encirclement. Instead, they might exhaust their strength during the battle, be captured, suffer humiliation, and become hostages that would drag Junior Brother down.
Since that was the case, they might as well explode in a satisfying manner.
After all, she had exploded alchemy furnaces many times before. Occasionally exploding herself once could also be considered a rare experience.
At this critical moment, a figure in white broke through space and appeared. He stretched out both hands, embracing Yun Yishu and Li Wan’er, and activated Primordial True Qi.
“Boom!”
As Primordial True Qi circulated, the two incomparably violent auras instantly returned to calm, and the Golden Cores stabilized.
Yun Yishu raised her head. The veil on her face happened to fall away, revealing a smile that came from the depths of her heart.
“Is this an illusion?”
“Even if it is an illusion, it does not matter. Being able to see you once before death is wonderful!” Li Wan’er hugged Chen Beiwu tightly and murmured.
“This is not an illusion.” Hearing these two sentences, Chen Beiwu’s eyes moved slightly, his emotions complicated and difficult to describe:
“It is Junior Brother who arrived late!”