Immortality Cultivation

In front of Red Maple Cliff, whether they were from the Black Fiend Sect or outsiders like the Flowing Cloud Sect, everyone’s expression changed drastically. They all summoned their defensive Magical Artifacts or cast protective Spells to withstand the sudden onslaught of Flame Blade Beams.

The Flame Blade Beams were incredibly powerful, each comparable to a full-strength strike from an Early Golden Core Stage Cultivator. Moreover, they were numerous, falling like a torrential storm. In an instant, screams, curses, and the sound of shattering Magical Artifacts filled the air. Several Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators who were too close had their protective barriers torn apart like paper. They were instantly pierced by the Flame Blade Beams, turning into human torches and collapsing with agonizing cries. Even the two Early Golden Core Stage Cultivators from the Black Fiend Sect and the Golden Core from the Flowing Cloud Sect were caught off guard by this sudden attack, their protective barriers shaking violently.

"Steady! Form a defensive formation!" Elder Li shouted in shock and anger. He waved the Black Skull in his hand, which spewed out large clouds of black ghostly Qi to corrode and neutralize the Flame Blade Beams shooting toward him, all while barking orders at his Disciples.

Old Ghost Zhao’s face was also ashen. He summoned a tortoise-shell-shaped magical shield to defend himself, his eyes flickering as if he were contemplating something.

While chaos reigned outside, the frustrated roars of Elder Mo and the even more intense booming of Spells echoed from within the Restriction. Clearly, he had suffered a significant setback under the Restriction’s counterattack.

"An opportunity!" Fang Hao’s eyes lit up as he hid in the pool.

Now was the time! The people outside were overwhelmed and distracted by the Restriction’s counterattack, and Elder Mo inside was too busy to look after himself. It was the perfect moment to sneak in!

"Lao Jin, move!" With a thought, Fang Hao’s figure lunged out of the pool like a ghost, without making a single splash. Upon landing, he didn’t stop for a second. His body seemed to merge with the night as he stayed close to the ground, using the shadows of weeds, shrubs, and abandoned buildings to stealthily move toward the dense forest on the eastern side of Red Maple Cliff at an incredible speed, following the route Lao Jin had planned.

The Metal Spider that Lao Jin had transformed into remained perched on his shoulder. Its eight compound eyes rotated 360 degrees, constantly scanning the surroundings to provide Fang Hao with the most accurate warnings and environmental information.

For Fang Hao, who was using his movement techniques at full power, a distance of over a hundred zhang was only a matter of a few breaths. Soon, like a wisp of faint green smoke, he silently arrived at the edge of the dense forest on the eastern side of Red Maple Cliff, lurking behind a thicket of dense shrubs. From here, he could clearly see the chaotic scene below the cliff and feel the intense spiritual power fluctuations and scorching heat emanating from the Restriction.

He held his breath and concentrated, suppressing his aura to the limit. His gaze was like that of a patient hunter, tightly locked onto the entrance of the Restriction, which was flashing red and spewing countless Flame Blade Beams. He also watched Elder Mo, whose face was distorted in the firelight as he exerted his full power to drive the Ten Thousand Ghost Banner to withstand the counterattack.

The most intense moment of the struggle between the "snipe and the clam" was about to arrive. And he, the "fisherman" hidden in the darkest corner, had already spread his net, waiting for the fattest fish to swim right into it.

In front of Red Maple Cliff, the scene had turned into a complete mess.

The Restriction left behind by Red Leaf Hermit was clearly not to be trifled with. The red light, which had seemed to be a passive defense, finally triggered a counterattack mechanism under the continuous erosion of Elder Mo’s Ten Thousand Ghost Banner and the provocation of external attacks. Countless crimson maple-leaf-shaped Flame Blade Beams erupted from the Restriction’s barrier like a volcanic eruption, indiscriminately covering an area of nearly a hundred zhang inside and outside the Restriction.

These Flame Blade Beams were immensely powerful and contained a strange, scorching heat that seemed capable of burning spiritual power. For a time, screams, roars, and the sound of breaking Magical Artifacts echoed through the night sky. Blood and fire flew together, illuminating the once-dim area in front of the cliff in a bright red.

Caught off guard, both the Black Fiend Sect and the Flowing Cloud Sect suffered heavy losses. Especially the low-level Disciples of the Foundation Establishment Stage and Qi Refinement Stage; under an attack of this caliber, they were as fragile as paper. Over a dozen fell instantly, either dead or wounded. Even several Early Golden Core Stage Cultivators were thrown into disarray by the dense and powerful assault, their protective barriers flickering and leaving them in a wretched state.

"Form the formation! Quickly, form the Black Fiend Profound Yin Formation!" Elder Li shouted in shock and anger. He waved his Black Skull, spewing out thick black ghostly mist that transformed into shields of eerie ghostly Qi to block the Flame Blade Beams, all while barking orders at his Disciples.

Hearing this, the Black Fiend Sect Disciples suppressed their fear and gathered around Elder Li. Each took their position and performed hand seals. Strands of black Qi surged from their bodies, connecting with Elder Li’s ghostly mist to quickly form a black light barrier covering dozens of zhang. Ghostly shadows flickered on the barrier, letting out shrill wails as it blocked most of the Flame Blade Beams. Although it rippled under the impact, they finally managed to stabilize their position.

On the other side, Old Ghost Zhao of the Flowing Cloud Sect was also quick to react. He suddenly tossed the two Jade Spheres he had been playing with into the air. The Jade Spheres spun rapidly, bursting with a soft white light that expanded quickly to form a hemispherical barrier, protecting him and several Core Disciples behind him. At the same time, he shouted urgently, "Fellow Daoist Qingyang, Head of the Wang Family, Elder Li, gather quickly! Let us withstand this calamity together!"

The Golden Core from the Qingyang Sect, the Head of the Wang Family, and the Loose Cultivator Golden Core no longer cared about their grievances with the Black Fiend Sect. With their lives on the line, they hurriedly led their respective groups to gather under Old Ghost Zhao’s white light barrier. The forces combined their strength, barely propping up a joint defensive barrier to withstand the onslaught of the Flame Blade Beams.

However, this joint defensive barrier was hastily formed and far less stable than the Black Fiend Sect’s battle formation. Under the continuous impact of the Flame Blade Beams, the light quickly dimmed and became unstable. The Cultivators inside turned pale, desperately outputting spiritual power to maintain it.

"Old Ghost Zhao! It’s all your fault! You insisted on entangling us here! Now look, we’ve triggered the Restriction’s counterattack, and everyone’s in trouble!" The Golden Core from the Qingyang Sect was a red-faced old man. He was so angry his beard was twitching as he complained to Old Ghost Zhao.

"Bullshit! It was clearly the Black Fiend Sect people who forced their way in and triggered the counterattack. What does that have to do with me?" Old Ghost Zhao was also full of rage. He snapped back while maintaining the Jade Spheres.

"What’s the use of saying this now! Hurry up and find a way! These Flame Blade Beams are endless. If we keep wasting time like this, we’ll all die here!" The Head of the Wang Family, a short and fat middle-aged man, was sweating profusely with anxiety.

While the two groups outside were barely holding on and blaming each other, the situation inside the Restriction was even more critical.

Elder Mo bore the brunt of the Restriction’s counterattack. Those countless Flame Blade Beams seemed to possess a level of sentience, as most of them shot toward him, the "culprit." The Ten Thousand Ghost Banner above his head spun frantically, spewing out ghostly Qi as thick as ink. It transformed into a massive ghostly head that opened its maw to devour the incoming Flame Blade Beams. The ghostly Qi and flames collided, producing loud sizzling sounds as they annihilated each other.

But the Flame Blade Beams were too numerous and powerful. Moreover, the scorching, evil-dispelling power within the flames seemed to have an extra suppressive effect on the ghostly Qi. Under the impact of the Flame Blade Beams, the massive ghostly head was constantly eroded and shrunk, letting out pained shrieks. Elder Mo’s face was ashen, and the veins on his forehead bulged. Clearly, maintaining the Ten Thousand Ghost Banner against such a fierce counterattack was taking a massive toll on him.

"Damn that Old Ghost Hongye! Even in death, he won’t let us be!" Elder Mo cursed in his heart, but his gaze became even more ferocious. He could feel that although the Restriction’s counterattack was fierce, it seemed to be losing momentum. As long as he survived this most intense burst, he would have a chance! He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood onto the Ten Thousand Ghost Banner.

"Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring the Heavens, break for me!"

Nourished by the essence blood, the Ten Thousand Ghost Banner’s black light intensified. The hideous ghostly faces on the banner seemed to come to life, letting out even shriller shrieks. The ghostly Qi spewed out suddenly became several times thicker. The massive ghostly head swelled abruptly and, in a reversal, lunged toward the core of the Restriction—the entrance shrouded in red light—viciously biting down on it!

Boom!

The ghostly head and the red light Restriction slammed into each other, producing a deafening explosion. A violent shockwave erupted from the point of impact, spreading frantically in all directions. It swept away and shattered the remaining buildings, grass, and trees both inside and outside the Restriction! Even the Black Fiend Sect’s battle formation and the joint barrier of the Flowing Cloud Sect and the others, which were struggling to hold on, were shaken violently by the shockwave. Their light dimmed, and the weaker Cultivators inside were directly shaken until they spat blood and collapsed in a weakened state.

Under this powerful strike, the red light at the core of the Restriction flickered intensely, becoming unstable like a candle in the wind. The momentum of the erupting Flame Blade Beams also came to a halt.

"Now!" A flash of wild joy crossed Elder Mo’s eyes. He could feel that the Restriction’s power had dropped to its lowest point at this moment! He forced his spiritual power to surge, ignoring the consumption, and drove the Ten Thousand Ghost Banner. The ghostly head swelled once more, opening its maw to completely tear apart the wavering red light!

Seeing this, Elder Li outside the Restriction was also heartened. He shouted, "Everyone, hear my command! Attack a single point of the Restriction with all your strength to help Elder Mo break it!"

The Black Fiend Sect Disciples responded in unison, pouring their spiritual power into the battle formation. A thick beam of black light shot out from the formation, striking the weakest point of the red light Restriction.

On the other side, Old Ghost Zhao and the others from the Flowing Cloud Sect also saw the opportunity. The Restriction was about to be broken, and the treasures inside were within reach! If they didn’t act now, when would they?

"Move! Get ahead of Old Ghost Mo!" Greed flared in Old Ghost Zhao’s eyes. No longer caring about preserving his strength, he shouted and was the first to drive the two Jade Spheres. They turned into two streaks of white light and slammed hard against the red light Restriction. Behind him, the Golden Core from the Qingyang Sect, the Head of the Wang Family, and the others also struck. Various Magic Treasures and Spell lights shot toward the same spot like a meteor shower!

At this moment, all confrontations and hesitations were thrown to the wind. Everyone had only one goal—to break the Restriction and seize the secret treasure!

"Fight! That’s it! Use more force!" Lurking in the bushes at the edge of the dense forest, Fang Hao almost laughed out loud at the sight. It was a dog-eat-dog world, and now they were finally showing their true colors, fighting tooth and nail for the spoils! This was exactly what he wanted!