Chapter 654: The Three Treasures Against the Beast Tide!

The beast tide was approaching, and the entire Immortal City of Da Mengze buzzed with activity.

As the young lord of Da Mengze, Lu Lingxiao immediately issued a bounty, offering a handsome reward to cultivators willing to defend the city, hunt beasts, and those skilled in alchemy, talisman crafting, and weapon forging.

After all, a beast tide is akin to war, and war always requires essentials like pills, talismans, and magical artifacts.

However, what was most sought after were formation masters.

The beast tide wouldn’t just strike Da Mengze; it would affect the entire Da Mengze region.

Except for certain perilous islands, which had to be evacuated, most people were unwilling to abandon their decades or even centuries of hard work if there was any glimmer of hope.

In such a scenario, the importance of formation masters became evident.

They could not only temporarily strengthen formations to enhance their power but also set up multiple layers of defenses around the islands to fend off the beast tide.

The Lu family’s formation master, Ling Zixiao, quickly collaborated with Hong Lian to reinforce the formation around the city, boosting its power so that when the fourth-tier beast king attacked, Lu Changsheng could unleash its full potential.

Besides Ling Zixiao, the other Lu family cultivators were also hard at work.

Lu Wangshu and Lu Miaoge focused all their ttme and energy on crafting talismans.

Having broken through to Core Formation, Lu Miaoge’s talisman craftinggskills had advanced from being a peak second-tier master to a third-tier master.

Meng Xiaochan and Nangong Mili were busy refining the many materials brought back by Lu Changsheng into poisons.

As a Core Formation cultivator, Nangong Mili not only knew how to refine poisons but also had some understanding of alchemy and incense crafting, being a second-tier alchemist and incense master.

“Pfft!”

On the boundless ocean, Lu Qingshan heard fighting and screams from afar. In an instant, he transformed into a beam of sword light, shooting through the air, then raised his hand to unleash a sword strike, causing the battling cultivators to bleed out.

In recent days, as the beast tide approached, many cultivators chose to leave Da Mengze to avoid the chaos, while others rushed to the city to accept bounties for guarding it, resulting in a rise in banditry.

In response, Lu Lingxiao immediately went to Dragonfish Island to find Lu Qingshan, who was in seclusion, asking him to help patrol.

Knowing that this city was part of his family’s business, Lu Qingshan naturally wouldn’t refuse.

In recent days, he had been wielding his sword across the boundless ocean, ready to strike first and call in law enforcement cultivators to clean up afterward whenever there was a fight.

Not only Lu Qingshan but also Lu Qingyan and several other Lu family disciples took this opportunity to join the city’s law enforcement team, bringing along their black dragon soldiers to patrol the area.

Although she was only at mid Foundation Establishment,

with the hundreds of black dragon soldiers she commanded, even a late Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn’t stand a chance against her in the waters of Da Mengze.

In the city lord’s mansion, inside the weapon forging room.

Lu Changsheng manipulated the Thunder Dragon Flame, casting spells at the forging platform while his son, Lu Minghuang, observed nearby.

Though he had just started cultivating and hadn’t systematically learned about weapon forging, it was essential to begin training early.

So, during these days of forging magical artifacts, Lu Changsheng called him over to watch and broaden his understanding.

“Buzz! Buzz!”

After a while, on the massive black forging platform lay a bow, dark as ink, embedded with a third-tier demon core, covered in an intricate pattern of runes.

This was Lu Changsheng’s imitation of the crafting method recorded in the Divine Creation Refinement Art, the magical artifact known as the [Beast Hunting Crossbow].

This crossbow was forged from Nether Iron and embedded with a third-tier demon core. It had effects like breaking magic, penetrating armor, eroding demonic energy, and rotting flesh, as well as a tracking explosion feature.

Even if the beast king managed to escape initially, Lu Changsheng could still pursue and trigger the explosion of the embedded third-tier demon core.

Unfortunately, time was tight, and he didn’t have enough materials to forge multiple Beast Hunting Crossbows.

“Minghuang, this crossbow is called the Beast Hunting Crossbow.”

At that moment, Lu Changsheng tossed the crossbow he held to his son, Lu Minghuang, explaining its basic principles.

Though it was too complex for Lu Minghuang, akin to reading a foreign text, he would understand these concepts when he later delved into weapon forging.

After completing the Beast Hunting Crossbow, Lu Changsheng began crafting a second magical artifact, the [Beast Binding Lock].

To hunt a beast king, one must address a crucial issue: preventing it from self-destructing.

Just like when Dreamless and his wife hunted the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, the four great sects and Qingluan Immortal City surrounded the two-headed flood dragon, all prepared for such situations.

However, Lu Changsheng didn’t have enough time and had to make do.

Otherwise, if he had enough time and materials, he could have fully replicated the three treasures to vanquish beasts as recorded in the Divine Creation Refinement Art: the Beast Slaying Sword, the Beast Suppressing Tower, and the Beast Revealing Mirror!

Just as Lu Changsheng continued to forge the beast-slaying magical artifacts, the first wave of the beast tide gradually approached.

The initial wave primarily consisted of low-tier beasts, lacking beast kings, with very few top-tier beasts, which was almost a boon for cultivators.

As long as they didn’t encounter a pack of beasts alone in the wild, they could generally fend them off.

Moreover, after months of anticipation, news of the beast tide had spread far and wide.

The four great sects, Qingluan Immortal City, Danxia Mountain, and Huanyin Gate, as well as the Beast Taming Xu Family, the Shen Family of Blades, the Ning Family of White Deer, and others had all called for their disciples and members to head to Da Mengze to hunt beasts.

After all, for elite disciples with a certain level of strength, the initial phase of this beast tide not only served as an excellent training ground but also a chance to make a fortune.

During this time, Lu Changsheng remained in seclusion, allowing his son Lu Lingxiao and others to manage the situation.

Even the Abyssal Sea Whale King had been ordered to lurk near the Immortal City of Da Mengze early on to avoid alarming the beast tide.

Otherwise, with the current pressure and aura of the Abyssal Sea Whale King, just a patrol around the city would be enough to drive away the present beast tide, even the third-tier, let alone any lurking fourth-tier beast kings.

But Lu Changsheng didn’t want to raise any alarms; he planned to wait until the lurking fourth-tier beast king appeared before taking action.

In the city lord’s mansion.

“What’s the current situation?”

Lu Lingxiao, clad in a dark golden dragon-patterned robe, stood tall and straight, his face concealed behind a gilded mask.

Aside from his striking golden eyes, which sparkled with intensity, his true appearance was hidden from view.

Yet, standing with his hands clasped behind him, he exuded an air of noble authority, as if he could embrace the sun, moon, and sky, and bear the weight of towering mountains.

“Young Lord, the situation is stable for now, but scouts report that the second wave of the beast tide will strike within three days.”

A cultivator from the Immortal City respectfully reported in front of Lu Lingxiao.

Although this young lord was only at Foundation Establishment, his golden pupils and the aura that made him seem like a true dragon descending to the mortal realm diminished the confidence of those around him.

Even Lu Qingsong began to feel somewhat uncomfortable in his interactions with this younger brother.

“Three days. Do we have enough manpower in the city? What’s the status of the pills, talismans, and magical artifacts?”

During his time stationed in the Immortal City, Lu Lingxiao hadn’t ventured out to hunt beasts but had been closely monitoring the situation on the front lines and the city’s back end.

“Replying to the Young Lord,”

the cultivator immediately reported.

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxiao went to several points to inspect and verify the supply situation.

In the process, he occasionally took out a rotating token, which was the [Sun-Moon Token] crafted by Lu Changsheng.

Previously, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror was at Bihu Mountain, and the Sun-Moon Token had reached the Immortal City of Da Mengze. It would lose its effect unless Bihu Mountain actively responded.

However, Lu Changsheng brought the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror over, making the Sun-Moon Token the most convenient communication tool for the Lu family.

Time passed gradually, and as the second wave of the beast tide approached, several Qi Refining islands were breached.

Although the Immortal City had announced the news of the beast tide’s approach early on, those willing to abandon and retreat were ultimately in the minority.

In the face of such a situation, the Immortal City would naturally dispatch people to assist and rescue.

“Pfft, pfft, pfft—”

Outside Red Carp Island, Lu Qingshan stood side by side with his sister Lu Qingzhu, appearing somewhat relaxed and casual. Upon seeing dozens of beasts storming in, he unleashed a sword light, instantly splattering the blood of all the beasts.

Then he raised his hand, and with a great hand of Core Formation magic, he collected all the beast corpses and tossed them onto Red Carp Island, signaling for them to clean up.

The foundation cultivator stationed at Red Carp Island was Lu Xingran, the daughter of Xia Ziyue.

She and the other cultivators watched this scene, their throats dry and expressions shocked as they deeply realized the power of a Core Formation master.

“Brother, Lingxiao sent word that Ningxiang Island needs reinforcements.”

At that moment, Lu Qingzhu looked at the information transmitted by the Sun-Moon Token and immediately spoke to her brother.

While the Sun-Moon Token made communication easy, the Lu family disciples couldn’t possibly keep their eyes on it all the time.

To maximize efficiency for Lu Qingshan, his sister Lu Qingzhu was responsible for overseeing the battle and relaying messages.

“Okay.”

Lu Qingshan nodded slightly and immediately prepared to go with his sister.

Unlike her brother, Lu Qingzhu was gentle in nature. Before leaving, she waved to Lu Xingran, sending a sound transmission to let her know she would go first and to inform her if anything happened.

“Got it, Sister Qingzhu.”

Though Lu Qingshan appeared quite arrogant and unapproachable, he was very gentle with these Lu family disciples, earning Lu Xingran’s goodwill.

On Golden Manta Island.

Lu Qingyan donned silver armor, wielding a pitch-black halberd similar to Lu Ping’an’s from years ago.

Although her figure wasn’t as robust and strong as Lu Ping’an’s, she was still tall and agile, striding through the waves with grace, wielding her halberd to slay a second-tier early-stage beast.

Behind her, a group of dark-hued fish and large snakes flowed together with her aura—these were her Black Water Flood Dragon soldiers.

Though these soldiers were all first-tier and limited in power,

most of the beasts in this tide were also first-tier, so with the support of her soldiers, Lu Qingyan’s magical power was virtually limitless.

After these days of hunting beasts, Lu Qingyan had gradually made quite a name for herself in the area around Dragonfish Island. Many recognized her as a member of the Lu family from Bihu Mountain, training in the same techniques as their eldest son, Lu Ping’an, and commanding similar soldiers!

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away from Immortal City of Da Mengze, a beautiful girl in a purple dress led three girls of varying ages to hunt beasts.

The girl at the front appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen, clad in a red form-fitting dress, her hair in a bun, holding a black flood dragon spear, and riding on a wind wheel ablaze with golden flames.

Next to her stood a girl of about twelve or thirteen, holding a shimmering yao qin that looked as if it were chiseled from pure white jade.

The notes flowed like clear springs, melodious and enchanting, seeming to penetrate the soul, causing many beasts to become dizzy and sink into the sea.

Whenever a beast lunged at the girl, she expressionlessly swung the yao qin to strike, the wind howling fiercely, her aura overwhelming, rivaling even the girl wielding the black dragon spear.

As for the third girl, delicate and charming, with her hair styled in a lovely bun, she continuously cast spells while occasionally glancing at her mother.

These four were naturally Meng Xiaochan, Lu Linghe, Lu Baixi, and Lu Mengchan.

Deadly poison isn’t like medicinal pills or talismans; it doesn’t need extensive preparation.

Seeing the beast tide approaching, Meng Xiaochan brought her daughter out to gain some experience and undergo a bit of tempering.

Although Lu Mengchan was timid and gentle by nature, she had grown considerably with age.

And with Meng Xiaochan, Lu Linghe, and Lu Baixi by her side, she still had some resilience.

However, seeing her daughter casting spells like this, Meng Xiaochan couldn’t help but shake her head.

Yet, when she saw Lu Baixi’s small face expressionless as she swung the yao qin to strike, she felt reassured about her daughter.

Usually, Lu Baixi was the most quiet and sensible, but once she sparred with Lu Linghe or faced an attack, she transformed completely, behaving like a spirited beast cub.

Time passed gradually.

As the waves of beasts surged one after another, growing larger in scale, the cultivators of Da Mengze gradually sensed something was off.

This wasn’t an ordinary beast tide; it was a grand beast tide, rare in a century! Such a tide would surely bring multiple third-tier beast kings! Instantly, Da Mengze fell into a brief panic, and many cultivators who had come to hunt beasts chose to retreat.

Many who had previously decided to hold their ground on islands also sought help and retreated at this stage.

At this moment, Immortal City of Da Mengze became the frontline against the beast tide, facing the initial wave.

“Young City Lord, do your parents have any plans?”

The four great immortal sects had experienced many waves of beast tides and had rich experience. Upon noticing that this beast tide was unusual, the stationed cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Sect hurried to the City Lord’s residence to inquire about Lu Lingxiao’s situation.

Though the new City Lord and his spouse were extraordinarily powerful, over twenty years ago, they had easily suppressed the challenge posed by Wan Hu Zhenren with just one glance.

But the beast tide was a serious matter; if Immortal City of Da Mengze fell or suffered heavy damage, it would lead to massive casualties.

“You don’t need to worry, Zhenren Huang. Once the third-tier beast king arrives, my father will take action himself.”

Lu Lingxiao, clad in a dark golden dragon-patterned robe, stood tall and imposing, his voice steady and powerful.

Even the cultivator known as Zhenren Huang, a False Core Realm practitioner, felt an instinctive respect in the presence of Lu Lingxiao, whose aura resembled that of a true dragon from the heavens.

Looking at Lu Lingxiao before him and recalling the situation of the two mysterious City Lords, Zhenren Huang said nothing more and took his leave.

As a False Core Realm practitioner of the Heavenly Sword Sect, he understood very well that this beast tide represented a significant opportunity for Immortal City of Da Mengze.

In the past few months, as the beast tide raged, countless beasts had been hunted, and their bodies and materials sent to the city, causing material prices to plummet.

And most of these discounted materials were consumed by the City Lord’s residence.

Especially since the City Lord’s residence had opened a merit system, allowing loose cultivators to exchange materials for rare treasures, making it impossible for anyone to compete with them.

Even the two mysterious new City Lords were waiting for the arrival of the third-tier beast kings.

After all, third-tier beast kings were treasures themselves.

Hunting them in the depths of Da Mengze was fraught with danger.

But if the beast kings came to attack the city, they could utilize the third-tier forbidden array to strike back and escape danger, unafraid of being overwhelmed.

After Zhenren Huang departed, Lu Lingxiao, as usual, went to the high tower of the City Lord’s residence, his eyes shimmering with brilliant golden light as he gazed toward the direction of the beast tide.

He faintly sensed an invisible, sinister energy rushing toward Immortal City of Da Mengze.

The Son of Heaven observes the energy, able to perceive mountains, rivers, and the flow of spiritual veins; he can discern flaws in divine abilities and the circulation of mana!

After years of research, he gradually mastered and understood this.

He realized that the character ‘observe’ does not merely mean to look, but to sense! “The path of sincerity can lead to foresight!”

To see through the myriad things of heaven and earth, one must first understand their own heart.

Only when one’s heart is free from dust can they enter the path of ultimate sincerity and observe all things.

He was still far from this step, but he could still sense a bit of mysterious energy from afar.

“It’s coming!”

Lu Lingxiao’s pupils seemed to rotate like the sun and moon, stars flickering as he murmured.

For some time now, he had been coming to observe the depths of Da Mengze daily, assessing the general stage of the beast tide.

At this moment, he sensed a strong aura of beast energy!

This was the aura of a third-tier beast king! He immediately used the Sun-Moon Token to send a message indicating that the third-tier beast king was approaching, urging everyone to retreat to Immortal City of Da Mengze.

Then he went to the City Lord’s residence to issue a decree, notifying them of the third-tier beast king’s impending arrival, and finally reported this matter to his mother, Ling Zixiao.

In the weapon refining room.

“The third-tier beast king is finally coming?”

At the massive black gold refining platform, Lu Changsheng, who was still refining weapons, smiled faintly upon receiving the news.

Looking at the Beast Binding Lock he was crafting, Lu Changsheng’s thoughts stirred, and a snow-white orb flew out from his forehead, transforming into a tall and handsome figure.

This was just the first wave of the third-tier beast kings; as the City Lord of Immortal City of Da Mengze, he naturally didn’t need to rush out immediately.

Moreover, as Changsheng Zhenren, he had made significant breakthroughs in Core Formation but had never acted publicly.

As the vice City Lord of Immortal City, now that the city was facing a beast tide, he had to make an appearance.

Immediately, Lu Changsheng, controlling the Three Treasure Incarnation, left the alchemy room and found Lu Miaoge, suggesting they goocheck the situation.

Ten days later.

At Immortal City of Da Mengze, grand and ancient, majestic and vast, on the walls where countless arrays glimmered and flowed, Lu Changsheng, Lu Miaoge, Lu Lingxiao, Lu Qiigshan, and many stationed cultivators gathered.

At this moment, they could see waves of beasts surging from all directions.

This was the grand beast army unleashed by countless beasts.

These beasts, usually busy fighting each other for dominance, were now cooperating to launch an attack on the cultivator islands and the Immortal City.

Fortunately, the city had given early warnings, so there weren’t many hunters stranded outside.

Otherwise, this beast tide would have swallowed Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators in an instant.

“So many Bi Chao Yaos!”

“What a massive shark; this should be a quasi-third-tier beast, just a step away from becoming a beast king!”

“Not just that, there are also these fish; this is a group of Illusion Scale Fish. They look beautiful but are filled with deadly poison, capable of causing hallucinations!”

The cultivators on the city wall gazed at some of the more notable beasts in the tide, their expressions grave.

These named beasts were no trivial matter; it was rare to encounter them in hunts, yet now they gathered in such numbers.

“Activate the formation! Gui Shui Shen Lei, fire!”

Upon witnessing this scene, Lu Lingxiao’s expression remained steady and grave as he immediately manipulated the formation, unleashing a barrage of azure lightning that turned many beasts into charred corpses, sinking them into the water.

However, the four great sects and some stationed cultivators on the city wall were at a loss for words upon seeing this.

As the beast king tide approached, the two City Lords hadn’t appeared, and the third-tier forbidden formation was actually controlled by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Was this confidence or a joke? Fortunately, the presence of Lu Changsheng, Lu Miaoge, and Lu Qingshan reessured many.

After all, no matter what, the three were all Core Formation realm practitioners.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

As the Gui Shui Shen Lei continued to strike, at that moment, waves of sea water erupted violently, creating towering tsunamis.

Immediately after.

“Roar! Roar! Roar!”

Terrifying roars echoed toward Immortal City of Da Mengze as if countless giant beasts were roaring in unison, unleashing tremendous sound waves that formed hurricane-like tsunamis.

Simultaneously, the beasts attacking Immortal City seemed to waver, as if both fearful and encouraged, they roared together and charged fearlessly toward the city.

On the city wall, even the slightly weaker cultivators felt dizzy from the waves of sound, despite the city’s formation isolating them from the sound waves.

“Three third-tier beast kings! One, two, three—why are there so many!?”

“How did so many third-tier beast kings arrive in an instant!?”

“Not just that, it seems there are four third-tier beast kings!”

As the heavy and oppressive aura filled the air, the aura of beast energy soared to the heavens, many cultivators on the city wall turned pale, their expressions filled with horror as they shouted in alarm.

The beast tide came in waves and needed time to ferment.

It shouldn’t be time for the beast tide to fully erupt; how could there be four third-tier beast kings?

This was clearly not right!