Immortality Cultivation

Fang Hao crouched low, sneaking along the pitch-black Star Corridor on the right like a thief. He had just taken down those two iron scorpions; although he hadn’t suffered any serious injuries, he was exhausted and had consumed a significant amount of Qi. As he walked, he popped a qi recovery pill into his mouth, cursing inwardly. In this godforsaken place, even the gatekeepers were Medium Grade Puppets; who knew what kind of Fourth Grade monster might pop out inside? Those two traitors chose this path; were they trying to lead those behind them to their deaths?

After walking for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the sounds of fighting and flashes of Spell explosions faintly drifted from ahead.

"Heh, they’re fighting? Dog eat dog?" Fang Hao’s spirits lifted. He hurriedly suppressed his aura to the limit, activated his Shadowless Evasion Technique, and crept behind a massive rock radiating starlight to peek outside.

Well, well, ahead was a fairly large Star Platform. In the center of the platform, the two traitors from Xuan Shui Pavilion—"Shadow" and "Junior Brother Wang"—were surrounded by five or six "Star Mantis" Puppets, which were similar to the scorpion from earlier but larger with longer claws. They were in the middle of a heated battle! These mantis Puppets all had the strength of Medium Grade, their speed terrifyingly fast. Their two large blades swung like windmills, sending sparks flying everywhere.

"Shadow" had a bizarre movement technique, darting in and out of the blade light like a shadow, her pair of short daggers targeting the mantises’ joints. "Junior Brother Wang" was much more ferocious, wielding a ghost-head saber with sweeping, hard-hitting strikes that forced the mantises to retreat repeatedly. The two of them cooperated quite tacitly, and for the moment, they weren’t losing ground.

However, Fang Hao had sharp eyes and noticed a small stone platform against the wall at the very back, where three jade boxes were placed, emitting a faint treasure light. The stone platform was also protected by a weak layer of light shield.

"No wonder they’re fighting to the death here; it turns out there’s treasure!" Fang Hao sneered inwardly. He knew it; these two guys ran so fast because they definitely had a target.

Just as he was debating whether to wait for them to suffer mutual injuries before coming out to pick up the spoils, or just bypass them, his ears twitched. He heard movement from the other side! He quietly shifted his position and looked toward another entrance to the platform. Good heavens, the three people from the Thunder Sword Sect had actually snuck over from that side too! They probably found other paths blocked and circled around to here.

When the Thunder Sword Sect members saw this scene, they were delighted. The square-faced Senior Brother gave a signal, and the three of them didn’t make a sound, hiding in the shadows, looking like they wanted to be the oriole behind the mantis.

"This is getting even more lively." Fang Hao chuckled inwardly, quickly shrinking back behind the rock, determined to watch the show.

On the platform, the two traitors finally managed to kill three mantises at the cost of sustaining injuries themselves, gasping for breath. They were just about to break through the encirclement to grab the jade boxes.

Just then, a sudden change occurred!

Just as "Junior Brother Wang" was about to rush to the stone platform, a flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes. He suddenly backhanded his saber—not at the remaining mantises, but fiercely toward the back of "Shadow," who was currently fending off another mantis! This strike was fast and vicious, clearly intended to kill her and seize the treasure for himself!

"You!" "Shadow" was shocked and furious. She seemed to have been guarding against this move all along; her body twisted in a bizarre way, and she used her short daggers to block!

Clang! Sparks flew! "Shadow" was sent staggering back, a deep gash opened on her left arm by the Saber Qi, blood flowing freely. She glared at "Junior Brother Wang" with venomous eyes: "Black Sha! You really didn’t have good intentions!"

"Hmph! Treasures belong to those who can take them! Junior Sister Shadow, I’m sorry!" That "Junior Brother Wang"—who should now be called Black Sha—sneered, ignoring her, and turned to break the light shield to take the jade boxes.

But the mantis Puppets didn’t care about their infighting; the remaining two took the opportunity to pounce!

Just as things were in complete chaos, the three Thunder Sword Sect members hiding on the side felt their chance had come! The square-faced Senior Brother shouted: "Attack! Grab the treasure!" The three of them unleashed sword light like thunder, rushing straight for the stone platform!

"Damn it! Want to pick up cheap spoils?!" Black Sha was shocked and angry, forced to turn back to fight the Thunder Sword Sect. Shadow also gritted her teeth to fend off the mantises.

Suddenly, the platform turned into a chaotic battlefield! The two traitors, the three Thunder Sword Sect members, and the two mantis Puppets were all tangled together! Spells, Sword Qi, saber light, and mantis blades flew everywhere—it was quite the spectacle!

Fang Hao watched from behind the rock with great interest. "Fight! Fight hard! It would be best if you all die!"

Just as he was enjoying himself, his Clear Spring Spirit Eyes suddenly caught extremely faint spatial fluctuations in the shadows at the corner of the platform! His heart skipped a beat, and he focused his gaze. He saw the air in the shadows ripple like water waves, and immediately after, those two guys who had been dressed like Loose Cultivators earlier emerged silently! These two, who knew what secret technique they had used, had been sneaking around until now!

"Holy crap! Another Old Schemer!" Fang Hao almost shouted out loud. These two Loose Cultivators were the real orioles!

As soon as the two Loose Cultivators appeared, they didn’t get involved in the chaotic battle at all, moving as fast as ghosts and rushing straight toward the stone platform! The one using a saber pulled out a golden, glowing Talisman and slapped it onto the light shield!

Crack! The light shield shattered upon impact!

The other one, using a hook, reached out to grab the three jade boxes!

"Bastards!"

"Stop!"

The Thunder Sword Sect members and Black Sha, who were in the middle of the chaotic battle, noticed simultaneously. Shocked and furious, they wanted to stop them, but they were entangled with each other and the mantises, making them a step too slow!

It looked like the jade boxes were about to be snatched by the Loose Cultivators!

At this critical moment, another unexpected change occurred!

The stone platform itself suddenly erupted with blinding light! A terrifying energy fluctuation swept across the entire platform in an instant!

"Bad! It’s a trap!" The hook-wielding Loose Cultivator’s face changed drastically; it was too late to retreat!

Rumble—!!!

The stone platform, along with the three jade boxes on it, exploded violently! The terrifying energy shockwave spread outward like a tsunami! The hook-wielding Loose Cultivator, who was closest, was blown into pieces! The saber-wielding Loose Cultivator was also blown away, falling to the ground heavily injured!

Black Sha, Shadow, the three Thunder Sword Sect members, and the two mantis Puppets were all knocked over, vomiting blood and flying backward from the sudden self-destruction! The platform was a complete mess!

"Fake?! The jade boxes were bait?!" Fang Hao, behind the rock, was also covered in cold sweat! Good thing he hadn’t been impulsive! The owner of this Secret Realm was too sinister! They had actually set up such a mutually destructive trap!

After the explosion, the only ones left standing on the platform were the square-faced Senior Brother from the Thunder Sword Sect, Black Sha, and Shadow, all of whom were heavily injured and looking disheveled. The two mantis Puppets had also been blasted to pieces and lay motionless on the ground.

The three parties glared at each other, their eyes practically breathing fire, but none of them had the strength to make another move.

Fang Hao watched this situation and was overjoyed. The snipe and the clam fight, and the fisherman benefits? Now, it was time for him, the final oriole, to make his entrance, right?