Chapter 523: The Shangguan Family’s Blade, Lu Family Wiped Out!
by xennovel“Be careful.”
The fine-dressed man from the Sima Family warned immediately.
Although they prided themselves on their strength,
they faced the disciples of the Lu Family cautiously, with no hint of arrogance.
The three of them held their breath and sealed their pores with spiritual power to avoid exposure to the Thousand-Legged Centipede’s toxic mist. Then they attacked Lu Qingyan together.
During the attack, the man in the fine robe shattered a Communication Talisman, signaling the three behind them to hurry.
“Xuanwu Staff!”
The Burly Man’s massive body surged with a thick, earthen yellow glow as he swung his rod at Lu Qingyan, creating layers of sonic booms with a thunderous force.
Meanwhile, the fine-robed man and the Coldly Beautiful Woman performed hand signs to control their Artifacts.
“Dragon Serpent Strike!”
Lu Qingyan’s silver spear seemed to manifest the phantom of a dragon-serpent, roaring as it clashed with the iron staff.
“Hiss——”
The Thousand-Legged Centipede’s body glimmered with a dark light as it spread its toxic mist, attacking the Coldly Beautiful Woman.
Alarmed, the Coldly Beautiful Woman refrained from facing the creature head-on, intending to delay until Lu Qingyan was taken care of.
However, as she engaged in battle with the Thousand-Legged Centipede, a clump of black gravel suddenly shot out from the grass, flickering with black flames.
The woman’s expression changed in surprise as she channelled her spiritual energy to shake off the gravel.
But the gravel transformed into a swarm of flying ants that bypassed her spiritual energy, exploding with fiery light, shattering her protective spiritual shield, and landing on her slender, straight legs.
“Ah——”
The Coldly Beautiful Woman immediately cried out in pain, her stance faltering.
Her long, beautiful legs now bore a palm-sized, charred and bloody wound.
She attempted to dislodge the flying ants with her techniques, but to no avail.
“Ironfire Ants!”
The fine-dressed man’s eyes narrowed in shock as he realized what they were.
He hadn’t expected the Lu Family to possess such rare spirit insects, just as the Jin Family had said.
Without hesitation, he performed a hand sign, forming a yellowish handprint to swat the flying ants away.
He expertly controlled his spell to avoid harming the Coldly Beautiful Woman.
But the Ironfire Ants were impervious to weapons and elements, resistant to attacks of the same level.
Even though dozens of them were swatted away, they flared up with bright flames and charged at the Coldly Beautiful Woman again, gnawing at her flesh.
“Hiss——”
At the same time, the Thousand-Legged Centipede continued to approach, releasing more toxic mist from its maw.
Normally, with their spiritual shields, they could resist such toxins.
But the Coldly Beautiful Woman’s protective shield had been broken by the Ironfire Ants, causing a disruption in her spiritual energy.
“Clang! Clang! Clang!”
Seeing this, Lu Qingyan wielded her spear like a dragon, deflecting the Burly Man’s iron staff and suddenly charging towards the Coldly Beautiful Woman.
She aimed to take advantage of the woman’s weakened state to finish her off first.
“Black Dragon Stab!”
Lu Qingyan shouted powerfully as her fair hand gleamed with black scales, causing her silver spear to resemble a fierce black dragon.
“Thick Earth Seal!”
The fine-dressed man quickly performed a hand sign, summoning a fist-sized yellow seal to block Lu Qingyan’s attack.
“Kill!”
The Burly Man, enraged by how Lu Qingyan disregarded him, launched a ferocious attack, seeing an opening to strike.
But in that instant, Lu Qingyan’s figure moved like a dragon, leaping into the air.
Second-tier Lower Talisman—Thunder Fire Talisman!
Lu Chensha appeared out of nowhere, activating a talisman in his hand.
“No!”
The fine-dressed man’s mind rang with alarm, realizing the danger. He urgently channeled spiritual energy into his seal.
He quickly pulled out and activated a talisman to protect himself and the Coldly Beautiful Woman.
But both of them were still caught off guard and coughed up blood under the Thunder Fire Talisman’s attack.
“Damn it!”
Glaring coldly at Lu Chensha, the man hadn’t even noticed another person hiding nearby.
“Swish——”
After his initial attack failed, Lu Chensha immediately turned to flee.
With the purple mist shrouding Purple Secrets Mountain, Lu Chensha soon vanished from the fine-dressed man’s sight.
At that moment, Lu Qingyan turned her spear around, its sharp edge glowing cold, and charged at the Coldly Beautiful Woman once more.
The Coldly Beautiful Woman was now powerless to defend herself.
“Pfft!”
The sharp tip of the silver spear, like a black dragon with fangs and claws, pierced straight through her chest and out the other side.
“Hiss——”
The Ironfire Ants on her body furiously gnawed and burned at her flesh.
“Ughhh——”
Blood gushed from the Coldly Beautiful Woman’s mouth as her eyes filled with resentment. She wanted to say something, but her throat blocked with blood. With a dull thud, she collapsed to the ground.
“Yu’er!”
Seeing this, the Burly Man and the fine-dressed man roared in rage.
But then, the Burly Man’s iron staff came smashing down towards Lu Qingyan’s head, as though intending to smash it to pieces.
Lu Qingyan dodged the blow but was hit on the back, causing her protective shield to dim. Blood spurted from her mouth as she fell to the ground.
“Crush!”
The fine-dressed man’s expression twisted, his hands forming a seal as a sizeable yellow talisman materialized like a small mountain and continued pressing down on Lu Qingyan.
“Hiss——”
The massive body of the Thousand-Legged Centipede glimmered brightly, enveloped in toxic mist as it charged at the fine-dressed man.
The Ironfire Ants also dove straight at him.
Having witnessed what happened to the Coldly Beautiful Woman, the fine-dressed man didn’t dare drop his guard, activating his protective barrier and another talisman.
“Bang!!!”
The Burly Man’s force was overwhelming as he swung his staff at the Thousand-Legged Centipede, then shot forward to attack Lu Qingyan again.
“Swish, swish, swish——”
But from within the hazy mist, bolts of arrows shot out at him, buying Lu Qingyan some time to catch her breath.
“Sister Yan, we need to leave! More of their people are probably coming!”
From within the mist, Lu Chensha supported Lu Yunfei and transmitted a voice message to Lu Qingyan.
Using the Filthy Spirit Insect, he could faintly sense slight disturbances in the distance.
These were not the movements of Spirit Beasts but human footsteps.
So far, the Sima Family had sent six people, and they had only dealt with three.
Facing them two against two, he had the confidence to kill them.
But against five, it would be dangerous.
After hearing this, Lu Qingyan didn’t hesitate and immediately activated a Wind God Talisman, dashing towards Lu Chensha.
Throughout this journey in the secret realm, she had noticed her brother’s deep, hidden strength, which was anything but ordinary.
Forget the eight hundred Ironfire Ants.
His ability to sense and transmit messages alone is extraordinary.
It’s essential to understand that the dense fog covering Purple Secrets Mountain not only obscures vision but also disrupts spiritual energy.
Even standard sound transmission techniques can’t be used if the distance is slightly greater.
But Lu Chensha seemed unaffected, indicating that his Divine Sense was exceptional, or he possessed some Rare Treasure.
“You think you can run!”
Seeing them trying to escape, the fine-dressed man and the Burly Man shouted violently.
Having failed to ambush the Lu Family and losing one of their own, they were far from willing to let this go.
Besides, with reinforcements on the way, there was no way they would let the two of them escape.
“Sister Yan, you take Brother Yunfei and go. I’ll hold them off.”
Lu Chensha, holding a crossbow Artifact, spoke up.
“Be careful.”
Understanding that this was no time for hesitation, Lu Qingyan wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and fled with Lu Yunfei on her back.
All they needed to do was buy time for their reinforcements, and they would have nothing to fear.
Lu Chensha avoided direct confrontation, retreating while using the Thousand-Legged Centipede and Ironfire Ants to disrupt the enemy.
The two from the Sima Family were no pushovers.
The Burly Man, in particular, was a Body Tempering cultivator just like Lu Qingyan and could withstand Lu Chensha’s harrying attacks head-on.
As the iron rod swung around, he even killed dozens of Ironfire Ants, causing Lu Chensha to feel heartbroken.
But the fine-dressed man and the Burly Man were also feeling frustrated in this kind of battle. They didn’t dare show any weaknesses, fearing the Ironfire Ants’ relentless attacks.
At this moment, the other three members of the Sima Family arrived.
Seeing that one of their own had fallen, they were filled with rage.
“Let’s kill this boy’s spirit beast and his Ironfire Ants first!”
The five of them immediately decided to destroy the Thousand-Legged Centipede and Ironfire Ants first.
“This is bad!”
Sensing this through their soul connection, Lu Chensha quickly signaled the Thousand-Legged Centipede to retreat and ordered the Ironfire Ants to distract the enemies.
If the Thousand-Legged Centipede were slain, he would suffer immense spiritual damage.
“Bang, bang, bang——”
Under the combined assault of the five, the Thousand-Legged Centipede was like a target, howling in pain as its black shell began to crack.
“Teleportation Shift!”
Immediately, Lu Chensha threw out a leg segment he had severed from the Thousand-Legged Centipede years ago.
He then used a technique to relocate the Thousand-Legged Centipede in exchange for the leg segment.
“What!?”
The five attackers looked surprised, not expecting Lu Chensha to know Beast Taming techniques similar to those of the Xu Family.
Such techniques are typically only mastered by Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet Lu Chensha had mastered them while still in the Qi Refining stage.
“This kid controls Ironfire Ants and also knows advanced techniques. He is certainly no ordinary member of the Lu Family!”
The murderous intent in the Sima Family leaders grew cold.
As they saw Lu Chensha running away, they immediately turned to kill the retreating Ironfire Ants.
Although powerful, the Ironfire Ants were still in their larval stage and began to suffer casualties under the five’s relentless assault.
“Retreat!”
Seeing that hundreds of Ironfire Ants had died, Lu Chensha felt an intense pang of sorrow.
But now was not the time to mourn.
The shift technique had drained both him and the Thousand-Legged Centipede.
More than half of his spiritual energy was gone.
He quickly activated a talisman and dashed towards the direction where Lu Qingyan, Lu Qingze, and the others had headed.
“Chase them!”
The five members of the Sima Family roared with murderous intent.
They even activated their Communication Talisman, preparing to join forces with the Jin Family to hunt down the Lu Family.
“Chensha, are you okay?”
After a short while, Lu Qingyan and Lu Qingze, along with Lu Mingfeng, caught up to the pale-faced Lu Chensha, asking with concern.
“I’m fine, just drained.”
Lu Chensha waved his hand quickly, then said, “The Sima Family will catch up soon; should we fight or avoid them?”
With the Filthy Spirit Insect, he could faintly detect some movements.
“They’re just five people. We have eight. Why should we fear them?”
“Besides, the Sima Family made it clear they were ambushing us. If we don’t finish off these two now, they’ll continue to trouble us later, perhaps even bringing reinforcements.”
Lu Qingze said coldly.
Having encountered an attack by the Sima Family previously in the realm, he still harbored anger.
“Indeed. If the Jin Family learns that the Sima Family is targeting us, they will undoubtedly get involved.”
Lu Mingfeng voiced his agreement.
“In that case, let’s fight!”
Lu Qingyan glanced at the unconscious Lu Yunfei and said coldly.
She had just checked Lu Yunfei’s condition. He was severely injured, with more than half of his bones broken.
Had the Sima Family been more determined to kill him and not concerned about the cost, Lu Yunfei would likely have been dead already.
Given his condition, he would need to return home for long-term care.
“Alright.”
Lu Chensha provided the others with a brief rundown of the Sima Family’s situation and then outlined a simple battle plan.
Before long,
the five members of the Sima Family arrived.
Seeing Lu Qingyan, Lu Qingze, Lu Mingfeng, and Lu Ziyun standing on guard, they acted with extreme caution, searching for Lu Chensha.
The impression Lu Chensha had left on them was deep.
Especially the Ironfire Ants, which seemed impossible to defend against.
“It seems the Sima Family still fears Chensha’s hidden strikes.”
Noticing this, Lu Qingyan wielded her silver spear and charged straight out, her presence imposing.
Lu Qingze, Lu Mingfeng, and Lu Ziyun also made their moves, without bothering to exchange words with the Sima Family.
Their decisiveness in attacking only deepened the Sima Family’s wariness, leading them to fear they had walked into a trap set by the Lu Family.
“Retreat!”
The leader of the Sima Family, his sharp eyes narrowing, decided to withdraw.
Both sides had five members.
Although Lu Qingyan and Lu Chensha had expended considerable energy, they themselves were not at full strength either.
In these circumstances, even if they managed to kill a few members of the Lu Family, they would suffer heavy losses as well.
“Kill them!”
Before they could retreat, Lu Chensha and three others from Qingzhu Mountain appeared, joining the battle.
Although the three from Qingzhu Mountain had slightly weaker combat power, they used puppetry techniques to hold off the enemy while avoiding direct combat.
“This is bad!”
The Sima Family cultivators were terrified, not expecting the Lu Family to have reinforcements.
“Ah——”
The fine-dressed man from before was caught off guard. Ironfire Ants swarmed onto him, tearing open his chest, his blood immediately burning.
“Swish, swish, swish——”
Lu Chensha released two more Ironback Mantises.
Although these two pairs were only at the late stage of the first tier,
they moved in pairs, and with the cover of the fog in Purple Secrets Mountain, they killed silently.
“Careful!”
One of the Sima Family cultivators, sensitive to danger, noticed the two Ironback Mantises and summoned a fiery cloud with a spell fan in hand.
“Boom, boom, boom——”
Faced with the sudden assault from the Lu Family, the Sima Family began to falter.
However, those who ventured into the Purple Secrets Realm were not ordinary mortals; they were protected with talismans and Artifacts.
One of them threw out a round bead containing three Void Thunder bombs.
Although these bombs were not as powerful as Heavenly Thunder bombs or as convenient as talismans, they were still formidable.
In the confusion, Lu Mingfeng and one of the Qingzhu Mountain disciples were injured.
“Retreat!”
The leading Sima Family cultivator fought fiercely, teaming up with the Burly Man. Their combined onslaught pushed Lu Qingyan and Lu Qingze back repeatedly.
“You think you can just leave?”
Seeing an opportunity, Lu Chensha commanded the Ironfire Ants to gather in the form of a black spear and swiftly drove it towards an already injured Sima Family cultivator.
“Pfft!”
The Sima Family cultivator’s chest exploded in a shower of blood as his heart burst, sending him crashing to the ground.
“Lu Chensha, I will kill you!”
The severely injured fine-dressed man glared ferociously in Lu Chensha’s direction, roaring.
Both battles today were disrupted by this Lu Chensha, leading to the deaths of their comrades.
But before he could finish speaking, Lu Ziyun struck him with a second-tier talisman, sending him flying, his body charred. The Ironfire Ants then completely extinguished his life.
“Retreat!”
Seeing what happened, the lead cultivator of the Sima Family’s eyes nearly burst with fury.
But he still activated a second-tier talisman, forcing Lu Qingyan and the others back before deciding to flee.
“Sister Yan, do not pursue a cornered enemy.”
Lu Chensha noticed that the remaining three were not simple to deal with.
If the fight continued and the enemy became desperate, everyone would pay a heavy price.
“Understood.”
Lu Qingyan nodded.
She had already sustained some injuries earlier, making it unwise to engage in a prolonged battle.
“Mingfeng, are you and Chengliang okay?”
Lu Qingze looked at the other two with concern.
“Fire poison has entered my body; I need to rest for a few days.”
Lu Mingfeng took out a pill from his Storage Bag and swallowed it. His back was charred, bleeding profusely, and his face was pale.
Although the Void Thunder bomb explodes slowly, it’s easy to get caught in its blast.
Another Qingzhu Mountain disciple had half his chest mangled but paused to apply some healing ointment.
“Let’s find a place to recover.”
Lu Qingze nodded and immediately suggested.
The group then collected the Storage Bags of the two dead Sima Family cultivators and found a small cave to sit and recover.
“Did Sima Daoist encounter the Lu Family cultivators?”
After meditating for a while to recover, three of the Sima Family members who had escaped met up with five from the Jin Family.
However, the Jin Family had suffered a serious injury while searching for spiritual herbs, so only four of them were still able to fight.
“Yes, Bihu Mountain and Qingzhu Mountain have already joined forces and previously laid a trap.”
“However, the Lu Family is also in bad shape; one is unconscious, two are seriously injured, and the rest have minor injuries.”
“That one Lu Chensha can’t use his spirit beasts anymore; his spiritual energy is severely depleted.”
The voice of the Sima Family cultivator was cold as he spoke.
Though they had suffered losses,
the Lu Family hadn’t lost anyone yet.
“We can’t confirm the truth of your words, Sima Daoist.”
“If you want us to join forces, you will have to offer us enough compensation for this trip.”
The Jin Family cultivator said indifferently.
Previously, when they had approached the Sima Family for cooperation, they had refused.
Now that the Sima Family needed their help, they were not going to agree easily without extracting some benefit.
“You!”
The Burly Man from the Sima Family immediately showed an expression of anger.
“Fine! As long as we can kill three members of the Lu Family, name your price.”
The leader of the Sima Family raised his hand and said.
The Lu Family had killed three of their members, so they had to at least take three lives in return to report back.
Three days later.
In a valley within Purple Secrets Mountain.
The Sima Family and Jin Family met the Lu Family, and another battle broke out.
Considering their combat strength, the combined forces of the Sima and Jin Families were slightly stronger than the Lu Family.
However, neither the Sima Family nor the Jin Family was willing to risk their lives, leading to an imbalance in their cooperation.
In the end, both sides fought until they were exhausted, with casualties on both sides but no fatalities.
“Sister Yan, are you alright?”
Lu Qingze supported Lu Qingyan, concerned.
As a Body Tempering cultivator, Lu Qingyan always took the front lines in every battle. This time, she had sustained significant injuries.
“Let’s go find another place to rest.”
Lu Qingyan, her face pale, immediately suggested.
They had caused quite a commotion earlier, possibly attracting unwanted attention.
As they left the valley, preparing to dig a small cave to rest,
“Well, it seems we’re in luck.”
“Hand over all your Storage Bags!”
A tall, imposing figure, wearing a long blade on his back, with a steely, bloodthirsty aura, appeared.
Behind him, there were three more cultivators showing the same appearance, each also carrying a long blade.
“The Divine Blade Shangguan Family!”
Upon seeing these people, Lu Qingyan and the others realized with a shock where they were from.
One of the three great Golden Core families in the Jiang Kingdom—the Divine Blade Shangguan Family!
It was rumored their first ancestor once was the son of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s sect master.
This man had exceptional talent but didn’t enjoy Sword Dao, choosing the path of the blade instead.
This same man then became renowned in the Jiang Kingdom for his blade mastery, founding the Divine Blade Shangguan Family, which has endured for a thousand years.
Every disciple of the Shangguan Family was known to cultivate a destined blade, similar to the sword cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Sect, possessing formidable combat prowess.
“I am Lu Qingyan from Bihu Mountain. Greetings to all Divine Blade Family cultivators. Please accept this token gift.”
Lu Qingyan indicated for Lu Chensha and the others to be careful as she respectfully threw a Storage Bag filled with spiritual herbs to them.
Despite there only being four members opposing them,
their group was injured and exhausted from their previous battles, making it unwise to provoke a conflict.
Furthermore, the Shangguan Family shared a similarly domineering and combative nature with the sword cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
“Huh? Didn’t you understand? I said hand over all the Storage Bags.”
The leading Shangguan Family cultivator spoke coldly, his tone condescending.
“Isn’t that a bit too domineering?”
Upon hearing this, the expressions of Lu Qingze and the others grew cold. They voiced their dissatisfaction.
Even though the Shangguan Family was exceptional, they had already offered part of their spiritual herbs to avoid trouble.
“Clang!”
The words had barely left their mouths when the Shangguan Family disciple unsheathed his blade.
The blade crackled with violet electricity, sending a wave of energy slicing towards Lu Qingze.
“Clang! Clang!”
Lu Qingyan raised her spear to block, but even so, she staggered back a few steps, her blood churning.
This person was very strong.
Even if she was at her peak, there was no guarantee she could win against him.
“I’ll count to three. This is your last chance.”
“Three!”
Holding the violet lightning blade, the Shangguan Family cultivator stood tall and proud, his gaze arrogant and indifferent, and spoke coldly.
Seeing this, Lu Qingyan and the others exchanged uneasy glances, feeling a strong sense of indignation.
Especially Lu Yunfei.
He had gained the most from this journey.
If they handed everything over, it would all go to someone else.
But if they didn’t, it was clear from the Shangguan Family cultivators’ stance that they would kill them.
“Two!”
“Do you really think you’ve got us cornered? We’re wounded, but don’t underestimate us!”
Lu Qingyan spoke out, unwilling to surrender all their spiritual herbs.
“Clang, clang, clang——”
Hearing this, the Shangguan Family disciples unsheathed their blades, their auras becoming even more imposing and fierce.
Even the air itself seemed to be filled with a sharp blade intent aimed at them.
“Sister Yan.”
Lu Chensha stepped forward and shook his head slightly at Lu Qingyan, signaling them to cut their losses and avoid further trouble.
He knew that Lu Yunfei had already used an Avatar Talisman shortly after entering the realm.
If they fought now, Lu Yunfei might not survive.
Furthermore, the three from Qingzhu Mountain didn’t have the protection of an Avatar Talisman.
Although the gains from the realm were significant, it was not worth risking their lives.
If word reached his father that they had died for these gains, he would be deeply disappointed.
“Alright.”
Over time, Lu Chensha had gained a certain amount of authority among them.
Hearing his words, they gritted their teeth and handed their Storage Bags containing the spiritual herbs to Lu Chensha.
Yet the Shangguan Family cultivators coldly said, “Didn’t you hear me? I said all Storage Bags, including your personal ones!”
This statement caused Lu Chensha and the others’ already grim faces to turn even colder.
They had now conceded as much as they could.
If they handed over their personal Storage Bags as well, they would be utterly defenseless in the Purple Secrets Realm.
Especially Lu Chensha.
If he gave up his bags now, would he soon have to hand over his Spirit Beast Bag and Insect Nest Pouch?
“Sister Yan, you and Brother Yunfei leave first. Brother Ze, Sister Ziyun, we’ll cover the retreat.”
Lu Chensha spoke coldly through a sound transmission to the others.
They were prepared to use their Avatar Talismans to escape later.
“Heh, so you prefer force over reason? You want to resist, then fall? Fine.”
The Shangguan Family leader, seeing them hesitate, sneered coldly. All four attacked simultaneously.
They dared to be so overbearing because they were confident in their strength.
All four were at the peak of Qi Refining and could soon break into Foundation Establishment.
This trip to the secret realm was intended to hone their blade intent.
“Sister Yan, go!”
Lu Chensha activated his Beast Scripture. It sounded like thousands of beasts were roaring from within him. The Ironfire Ants under his feet flared up like a cloud of fire, gradually covering his hands.
He hadn’t engaged in direct combat earlier, not because he lacked strength.
In fact, close combat wasn’t his forte, but in specific situations, it had its advantages.
But now that Lu Qingyan was heavily injured, and they needed time, he had to step up.
“Mingfeng, take Yunfei and go.”
Lu Qingyan motioned for Lu Mingfeng to lead Lu Yunfei and the three from Qingzhu Mountain away.
Facing the four from the Shangguan Family, Lu Chensha, and the other two likely wouldn’t be able to hold them off for long.
“Alright!”
Clenching his teeth, Lu Mingfeng obeyed and quickly led Lu Yunfei and the other three away.
“Boom, boom, boom——”
However, Lu Chensha and the others were too drained, too injured, to hold out against the four from the Shangguan Family.
Their goal was simply to buy time for Lu Mingfeng, Lu Yunfei, and the others by relying on their puppets and talismans to engage in a delaying battle.
The four from the Shangguan Family noticed that Lu Chensha and the others were intentionally stalling for time. They grew suspicious, thinking that Lu Mingfeng and the others might have some kind of valuable treasure on them. So, one of them split off to chase Lu Mingfeng’s group.
“Kill!”
Lu Qingyan’s face turned pale as she forcibly suppressed her injuries. The silver spear in her hand gleamed with a cold light as she intercepted the pursuers.
But the moment she got distracted, a Shangguan Family cultivator struck her. Her armor shattered, leaving a bloody gash on her snow-white back.
“Roar!!!”
Lu Chensha roared, a sound like a fierce beast’s growl that was so loud it made the Shangguan Family cultivator hesitate.
Taking the opportunity, Lu Chensha launched a strike, his hand releasing Ironfire Ants like a wild tiger pouncing out of a cage.
“Ah!!! You’re courting death!”
The Shangguan Family cultivator cried out in pain as his chest became a bloody mess, with energy blades bursting from his body. He frantically tried to cut down the Ironfire Ants.
“Blast!”
Seeing this, Lu Chensha’s eyes flashed with ruthless intent as he commanded the Ironfire Ants to self-destruct.
Ironfire Ants, once raised to maturity, can produce a rare material called Refined Crystal.
Although his ants weren’t fully matured, they could still detonate the fire crystals within them.
“Boom Boom Boom—”
A series of tiny explosions erupted, and the Shangguan Family cultivator’s chest was instantly scorched by poisonous fire, with black blood splattering everywhere as he howled in agony.
However, a bracelet on his wrist quickly emitted a green light that began healing his wounds.
“Pfft!”
Another cultivator nearby immediately slashed at Lu Chensha.
Fortunately, Lu Chensha had the Filthy Spirit Insect, which heightened his awareness. By using the Ironfire Ants, he was able to dissipate much of the force from the slash, but he still felt his blood boil and churn inside.
“Even if I die here today, I’ll take one of you down with me!”
Lu Chensha’s eyes were filled with fierce determination as he spat out his threat.
He knew that they couldn’t keep up this fight for long.
It would be better to fight recklessly and scare them off.
“Kill!”
In an instant, the four siblings charged at the critically injured Shangguan Family member.
“Hmph, you’ve got some skill, but that’s all. It’s not enough!”
The Shangguan Family’s lead cultivator stepped in front, his presence domineering, and the long blade in his hand unleashed a burst of violet lightning that intertwined and surged toward Lu Ziyun.
“Buzz—”
Under this attack, Lu Ziyun’s Avatar Talisman activated immediately, enveloping her in light as it ejected her, leaving a puppet in her place.
“A substitute puppet!?”
The Shangguan Family cultivator’s expression was filled with doubt; he couldn’t understand what had just happened.
Was this woman just a puppet in disguise?
That seemed impossible!
But if she used a substitute puppet, then she should be nearby.
They stared suspiciously at Lu Chensha, Lu Qingyan, and Lu Qingze.
Without hesitation, they continued their assault on the three.
“Pfft!”
After a few exchanges, Lu Qingze was also forced back, revealing a weakness.
While it wasn’t fatal, enough to activate an Avatar Talisman, his chest was still mostly split open, with blood gushing out.
“Aze, run!”
Seeing this, Lu Qingyan immediately signaled him to retreat.
Lu Qingze didn’t hesitate and instantly used his Sea of Consciousness Avatar Talisman.
With a surge of mysterious power, he was enveloped in light and disappeared, leaving behind a puppet.
“Huh?”
The Shangguan Family was startled; they hadn’t expected Lu Qingze to have such an astonishing ability.
At that moment, they began to understand why the four of them dared to stay behind and fight.
“Boom Boom Boom!”
After several more rounds of battle, seeing that Lu Mingfeng and the others had likely escaped safely, Lu Chensha glared viciously at the Shangguan Family cultivators and said coldly, “Today’s not over yet!”
He then turned to Lu Qingyan and called out, “Sister Yan!”
“Yes!”
Lu Qingyan was heavily injured and couldn’t delay any longer.
Both of them activated their Avatar Talismans, shooting away like beams of light and leaving behind expressionless puppets.
“There’s something seriously wrong with Bihu Mountain!”
The Shangguan Family’s lead cultivator spoke in a cold, sharp tone.
Such a method with puppets is rarely seen, even among Foundation Establishment cultivators!
Yet every single member of the Lu Family has it.
“Axu, how are you holding up?”
At this moment, he looked at the pale, half-kneeling Shangguan Family cultivator, his concern evident.
“Cough cough.”
The Shangguan Family member coughed up black blood, feeling the burning pain in his chest and internal organs, and replied bitterly, “My insides are damaged. I can’t fight anymore.”
If he hadn’t had that Spirit Tool protecting him, he felt his life would have already ended.
But even now, he was in a terrible state.
Without a spirit pill or some treasure for timely healing, he feared he’d be half-crippled.
The Shangguan Family’s lead cultivator remained silent for a moment, then coldly said, “Let’s go. Contact Afay and Seventh Brother. We need to find those from Bihu Mountain. They definitely have something important, a big opportunity!”
In the Purple Secrets Realm, at the base of a cliff.
Lu Chensha glanced toward Purple Secrets Mountain, his eyes flashing with ferocity.
They had come to this realm with a group of six, primarily to train and achieve good results.
But now, they had almost been annihilated.
If it weren’t for the Avatar Talismans their father gave them, they would have died under someone else’s blade.
Of course,
without the talismans, he wouldn’t have chosen to fight to the death and cover his siblings’ retreat.
“If Father knew, he’d be disappointed in me.”
What worried Lu Chensha most wasn’t the current situation but returning home and facing his father’s disappointment.
After all, before they left for the realm, his father had given him the Filthy Spirit Insect, hoping he’d perform well here.
And now, things had turned out this way.
“The Shangguan Family!!”
Lu Chensha’s face turned cold as he clenched his fists.
Given his current strength, seeking revenge against the Shangguan Family, Jin Family, and Sima Family would be very difficult.
“The only way is to break into Foundation Establishment.”
“But the Purple Secrets Realm is affected by the laws of heaven and earth. Unless you’re a native spirit beast, outsiders cannot easily break through!”
“And there’s only half a month left in the realm, not enough time to complete a breakthrough, unless…”
Lu Chensha’s face darkened.
Within the Beast Scripture, there are many techniques.
One of them is a technique similar to a fusion method.
But unlike normal fusion techniques, this one involves sacrificing a life-bound spirit beast to forcibly break through and enhance oneself.
If he sacrifices the Thousand-Legged Centipede, he might be able to quickly achieve Foundation Establishment.
Even if he doesn’t fully break through, his combat power would rise to another level, comparable to Foundation Establishment.
But doing so would mean cutting off his Dao path.
“Breakthrough or…”
Lu Chensha’s face showed a struggle.
This was a gamble.
If he returned like this, it would only guarantee his father’s disappointment.
But if he forcefully breaks through and wipes out the Shangguan Family, Sima Family, and Jin Family, it might give his father a satisfactory report and even earn him rewards, allowing him to rebuild his Dao Foundation!
“Hmm!?”
Just then, the Filthy Spirit Insect in Lu Chensha’s sea of consciousness sent out a wave of alert, signaling danger approaching.
“Danger!?”
Lu Chensha immediately activated his technique to conceal his aura, then used the Filthy Spirit Insect to enhance himself as he cautiously climbed up the cliff.
Moments later, he heard a sharp, rustling noise.
What appeared was a strange spider, about a meter tall, its body covered in dark fur that blended with the night.
This spider seemed drawn by Lu Chensha’s aura, its eight spear-like legs gleaming as they moved with terrifying speed, piercing the ground with each step.