Cultivation: But Not a Game

Su Yu watched as she cleared out the Red Tide Essence within a range of dozens of kilometers with a single breath and twenty waves of arrow rain, and couldn’t help but give a thumbs up:

"Wife, impressive!"

Then he pulled out Ao Run, and the group sat on the back of the nearly thousand-meter-long true dragon, swaying its head and tail to dive into the depths of the Red Tide.

A single blast of Meridian Cold Tide swept across three to four kilometers, turning all non-BOSS Red Tide Essences below level 100 within the range into ice blocks, killing them instantly.

"Thunderous Force!"

The true dragon raised its head and roared, tens of thousands of lightning bolts exploded centered on Ao Run, and the lightning bounced off the spirits like a chain of lightning, instantly transforming the surroundings into a sea of lightning, killing everything instantly.

Seeing this, Su Yu was also excited and stretched out his hand to grab the air, softly chanting:

"Thunderous Force!"

Thirty thousand mana burned, transforming into infinite lightning that exploded centered on him, sweeping several kilometers around like a thunderous porcupine.

The Immortal Foundation of Time Battle, fused with the power of the Red Dragon incarnation, allowed Su Yu to use all the Red Dragon’s divine techniques and magic while in human form, including summoning wind and rain, Thunderous Force, overturning rivers and seas, and moving stars and constellations.

Of course, it’s a shrunken version, with power far less than in the Red Dragon state, but perfectly adequate for instant kills on small monsters.

Each of them had an ultra-large range AOE divine technique at their disposal, clearing small monsters as if cutting through grass with ease, sweeping through everything in their path.

This continued for seven or eight days until a team relayed through the channel that they found traces of a super BOSS over level 200, causing Su Yu to perk up, retract Ao Run and the women into the Sea-Suppressing Pearl, and his body shook as he transformed into a Celestial Ghost, disappearing into the void as a wisp of smoke.

After advancing to a Loose Immortal, the power and effectiveness of all Celestial Ghost Transformation methods qualitatively improved.

Originally transforming reality into illusion still allowed faint traces of smoke to be seen, but now even that smoke was invisible, completely transparent, and Red Tide Essences wouldn’t notice him even if he flew past them.

However, the most useful power wasn’t transformation into illusion, but the wishful transformation.

This was a new ability acquired after Celestial Ghost Transformation underwent tribulation, allowing a transformation into monsters seen before.

It only transformed into a monster’s appearance, with a size not too different, and unable to possess the skills of the transformed spirit monster, only relying on Celestial Ghost abilities, but the aura was identical to the transformed monster.

With a shake, he transformed into a Horned Demon People spirit, and all surrounding Red Tide Spirits turned from red names to yellow names; he quietly followed and mingled with a small group of Horned Demon People, unnoticed by the surrounding essences.

"Amazing!"

Previously, the combat strength of the Celestial Ghost Transformation seemed lacking and of little use, but now it seemed more valuable.

If in the future there are surplus cultivation points and Taoism, it can continue to be elevated. He’s quite curious about the formidable capabilities this transformation could derive if it surpasses level 200.

"Perhaps after accumulating enough Power of Heavenly Dao Origin over the years, the grade can be elevated."

This Celestial Ghost Transformation is currently at the ingenious transformation level, and if raised to the town-teach level or even the supreme level to offset combat power shortcomings, coupled with innate double boosts, the attributes might rival a BOSS.

Su Yu stretched out a finger, trying to poke a Horned Demon People Red Tide Essence, which glanced at him expressionlessly, then turned away again.

"Only instincts, no intelligence."

Su Yu extended a claw and gave a powerful poke, directly puncturing the back of the Horned Demon People; the Red Tide Essence retaliated angrily, but with the claw gripping and releasing a bunch of Binghuo Divine Thunder, the Red Tide Essence was blown apart, consumed by thunder and fire.

He looked around, but the other Horned Demon People essences only glanced instinctively, showing no reaction to their skirmish.

"Awesome."

Su Yu was overjoyed; this wishful transformation was indeed extraordinary.

Transformed into an essence, Su Yu continued effortlessly, wandering aimlessly in the Red Tide with barely any attacks.

He encountered many BOSSes but did not find the super BOSS over level 200.

For an entire week, he found no discoveries until he circled to the west of Four Symbols Island, over 60,000 kilometers away, where he discovered a massive Red Tide Spirit tide of Horned Demon People; from afar, at the edge, he saw a towering level 231 Horned Demon People super BOSS.

This Red Tide Spirit tide of Horned Demon People stretched over a thousand kilometers from left to right and nearly three thousand kilometers wide, probably totaling in the billions, all former Horned Demon People who died in this sea area. Now, they’re likely attracted by the billions of Horned Demon People players in Four Symbols City, surging into this area.

There are clusters of BOSSes inside; there are already several level 200+ Horned Demon People, though no level 300+ Immortal-level Red Tide BOSSes have been sighted yet.

Su Yu didn’t hesitate, mingling among them in Horned Demon People form, slowly advancing towards the central area of the Horned Demon People essences.

The so-called Red Tide is a violent essence outbreak birthed from the fusion of deathly aura and Heaven and Earth Essence Qi. During this period, all deaths are trapped eternally within the Red Tide. If players die within the Red Tide, the lost essence, longevity, and Qi also form essences upon combination.

This sea area has been occupied by the Horned Demon People for over ten thousand years, with billions of them active. The Red Tide erupts every ten to twenty years, during which countless deaths occur.

Each death accumulates in the Red Tide, layer upon layer; the total quantity of Horned Demon People Red Tide Essences within the Red Tide likely amounts to tens of billions.

As Su Yu squeezed through the Red Tide, he unconsciously reached the center of the Red Tide.

"Level 222."

"Level 263."

"Level 240."

.....

After spending almost a day wandering around inside, I discovered a total of four super BOSSes over level 200, all transformed from high-ranking Horned Demon People who had perished in the Red Tide.

The highest level was a Horned Demon Spirit with a legendary template at level 287, serving as the center of this Red Tide group, indicating there couldn’t be any higher-level super Spirits in this cluster, nor could there be Immortal Spirits exceeding level 300.

After making a round, Su Yu didn’t leave this Red Tide group but continued to blend in.

According to the map, the direction this Red Tide group was moving toward was a nearby city of the Horned Demon People called Smoke Wave City.

More accurately, it was the dojo of a Junior General of the Horned Demon military. On the map Su Yu traded with Chu Tao, there were detailed records. That Junior General was at level 248, establishing the dojo here, taking in disciples, whose disciples then formed a guild, setting up a city with a permanent population of over three million.

However, with the outbreak of Red Tide, the active Horned Demon players nearby would naturally approach the surrounding cities. This city, guarded by an Earth Immortal, was the preferred destination, and it was estimated that over ten million Horned Demon players would gather.

Four super BOSSes of over level 200 besieging, it couldn’t be said that they could conquer, but they would certainly pose a significant threat to the city.

When the battle stalemates, Su Yu, lighting a fire from below, might have a chance to breach this city.

The dojo was not comparable to large cities or important bases, but breaking through could still earn significant achievements.

The plan was good, except that the Red Tide moved too slowly, and after nearly two days, the vanguard approached Smoke Wave City, with countless Red Tide Spirits surging towards the city like a tide to initiate the attack.

At this moment, Smoke Wave City had already raised its City Defense Array, with a thick barrier standing firm against billions of Red Tide attacks.

The city was densely packed with Horned Demon players, occasionally with experts charging out of the City Defense Array to summon flying sword treasures or unleash various magics for a fierce strike, retreating once their mana was depleted.

With the protection of the City Defense Array, as long as they reacted quickly and ran swiftly, there would be no problem.

But with so many people, mistakes were inevitable, and some, unfortunately, got noticed by a BOSS and couldn’t escape, meeting their end just like that.

Su Yu watched for several hours, and just from his side alone, hundreds of Horned Demons died right before his eyes.

Su Yu did not participate in the battle, no matter how the BOSS in the Red Tide urged, he just stayed at the back, wandering back and forth, minding his own business, as the BOSS wouldn’t care if any of the billions of Red Tide Spirits were disobedient.

What followed was a long-lasting war of attrition with countless Red Tide Spirits tightly encircling the city and launching continuous sieges, millions of Red Tide Spirits able to attack the City Defense Barrier simultaneously each round.

The many super BOSSes were not idle, surging up on the first day, appearing in four directions with the lowest two kilometers and nearly five kilometers of Earth Immortal avatars, unleashing treasures at the City Defense Array in a rampant bombardment.

The high avatars, several kilometers tall, each strike hitting down with at least millions of attacks that caused the barrier to dip, rippling waves spreading outward.

The four avatars continued their bombardment, and along with the millions of Spirit attacks, the City Defense Array’s defense fluctuated violently, with every round of siege dropping the defense by twenty to thirty million, with damage output exceeding a hundred million per minute.

But the City Defense Array had sufficiently high defense, at least above ten billion, with a well-stocked mana pool in the grand array, and with the numerous players inside the city, a vast amount of mana was constantly injected into the array, allowing the defense to be ramped up immediately after each critical hit.

If this pace continues, once the mana in the array pool is exhausted, and the players’ mana is nearly depleted, one day, the grand array will be breached.

But for now, it would take months at least, enough to hold out until the Red Tide subsides.

The premise being that the situation remains unchanged with no new super BOSSes arriving. If two or three more super BOSSes over level 200 join in, the city likely couldn’t hold out for several months.

The Red Tide had just begun; it was likely to continue for nearly a month, with the potential for more super BOSSes arriving being significant.

Hence, these Horned Demons, after half a day, decisively sent out an elite team to encircle and slay the super BOSSes.

"Here they come."

Su Yu, staying at the rear, keenly noticed a group of elite Horned Demons gathering outside the City Defense Barrier, openly assembling in front of a BOSS. Within a short time, over two hundred Loose Immortals had gathered, with around a dozen of them already surpassing levels 170 or 180.

"With this lineup, it’s strong enough to kill."

Su Yu pinched his chin, somewhat conflicted.

These Spirits had limited intelligence; the vast majority only had instincts, with BOSSes having just a bit of intelligence, entirely lacking in teamwork or rescuing comrades. Without rescue, they would surely be picked off one by one.

But if he chose to rescue, he would have to reveal his true form.

However, once he revealed himself, he would be attacked by both the Red Tide and the Horned Demons.

He was stuck.

He racked his brain, unable to come up with any method to offer assistance.

After pondering for a long time, he finally gave up.

"Forget it."

The premise of breaching the city was still ensuring his own safety; no chance meant no chance.

Su Yu set aside his thoughts and carefully pushed to the back to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Not long after he retreated, the Horned Demons were ready. With over two hundred Loose Immortals charging with defense treasures, they first cleared the nearby Red Tide with a large-scale magic spell and then split into two groups, one fending off the surrounding Spirits, while the stronger ones frantically besieged a super BOSS.