Chapter 318: Ambush

“What?” Dongbo Xueying was somewhat startled. Wuma Hai? The leader of the Earth Temple team?

“He died in the First Vine Leaf World?” Dongbo Xueying found it hard to believe.

“Yes,” said Fu Shu beside him. “Both he and we left behind clones of battle qi and magic power in the Xia Clan’s realm. Just moments ago, his battle qi clone shattered before our very eyes, still seething with resentment in its final moments.”

Chen Jiu nodded.

He had just witnessed the cold, golden-armored youth, Wuma Hai, with a ferocious expression before dying, which made Chen Jiu feel a pang of sympathy. If Wuma Hai had died in the First Vine Leaf World, what about him? Could he, Chen Jiu, really survive the trials of the five Vine Leaf Worlds and become a guardian disciple of Hongshi Mountain?

“Sigh,” Dongbo Xueying gently shook his head.

Although Wuma Hai had been ruthless and once tried to extort five divine scrolls from the Xia Clan, Dongbo Xueying didn’t really hate him despite being angry. After all, it had only been a transaction, and he had simply refused. He hadn’t expected their team to be wiped out so quickly.

“He and the Sword Emperor couldn’t utilize divine scrolls. The First Vine Leaf World is perilous beyond measure. I recall the Sword Emperor mentioning he’d already engaged in thirty-five battles!” Chen Jiu remarked.

“Though Wuma Hai was taciturn and spoke sparingly, he must have fought countless battles as well. Including this encounter with the Void Realm creature, we’ve only clashed sixteen times.”

Fu Shu added, “Their battles were not only numerous but also sudden. And with so many fights, they must have unintentionally wandered into dangerous places.”

Without a spell similar to “Spatial Eyes,”

Without the scouting abilities of Dongbo Xueying’s Void World clone, Wuma Hai’s demise was entirely expected.

Relatively speaking, the Sword Emperor was more skilled in sensing and attacking from a distance, although not as good as Spatial Eyes, he could probably still detect enemies.

…

Wuma Hai’s death tightened the previously relaxed nerves of Dongbo Xueying, Chen Jiu, and Fu Shu.

“See what’s in this box,” the Void Realm clone stepped toward the obsidian metal chest. With a click and a twist, the lid swung open. Within the darkened interior lay nothing but a solitary bronze token, resting in hollow silence.

“It’s a War Beast Token,” Chen Jiu nodded in understanding. “That explains it. A creature from the Void Realm, highly skilled in assassination. Even though it possesses divine power, having one offensive divine artifact, one defensive armor artifact, and even a War Beast from the Divine Realm is already quite impressive.”

Dongbo Xueying nodded too.

That creature from the Void Realm was truly a formidable foe, only encountering someone like himself who could also traverse the Void Realm. The treasures were quite exceptional. Several Half-Gods from the Xia Clan had ventured here before, yet none had ever obtained divine artifacts—yet he acquired one the moment he arrived.

“Brother Dongbo, this time the credit is yours,” Chen Jiu said. “You were the one who slew that Void Realm creature, so by rights, all the spoils should belong to you. However… I humbly ask that you lend me the defensive armor divine artifact first, would you? If I survive and make it out, I swear to return it without fail! And if I perish… well, its return would depend on fate’s whims.”

“No need for further words. I too have been looked after by Brother Chen Jiu in the Vine Leaf World. Without any fighting spirit, I can’t even activate the divine artifact—holding it is merely for show. Brother Chen Jiu, you should keep it. After all, you did promise that if we survive and leave Hongshi Mountain, you would grant me the divine artifact.”

“Of course, of course,” Chen Jiu showed a happy expression.

Inside Hongshi Mountain, having a piece of defensive armor would greatly enhance survival ability.

As for successfully getting out alive?

Then what use would the armor be? They would all return to the Divine Realm, where his Feijian Manor already had defensive divine artifacts! Not to mention the amazing rewards promised by the Divine Realm beings for such a great achievement.

Actually—

Chen Jiu also understood that he had a high chance of dying along the way. And from now on, they would all be acting separately. If he died, he probably couldn’t return the divine artifact anyway.

“I won’t say more,” Chen Jiu quickly said. “Brother Dongbo, please hurry and refine the War Beast Token.”

“Okay,” Dongbo Xueying extended his hand, and the bronze token immediately flew over. He directly refined it with a drop of blood.

The originally struggling fat warrior immediately stopped struggling.

Chen Jiu also retracted the chains.

“Greetings, Master,” the fat warrior respectfully said.

“What’s your name?” Dongbo Xueying asked.

“Master, my name is Tu Shuang!” the fat warrior quickly replied. “Not long after I was forged, I was moved to the Vine Leaf World by Senior Xi Wei.”

“You can put down the two divine artifacts; you can’t use them anyway,” Dongbo Xueying said.

“Yes, yes,” the fat warrior quickly put down the spiked club and took off the armor. “These were never mine, and I don’t like this weapon either.”

Dongbo Xueying waved his hand and collected the spiked club. Chen Jiu grinned and immediately refined the defensive armor.

One advantage of divine artifacts inside Hongshi Mountain is that they are completely ownerless and can be easily refined!

Chen Jiu immediately had a layer of silvery-gray armor appear over his entire body.

“What kind of weapon are you generally suited for?” Dongbo Xueying inquired cautiously. He dared not entrust this divine realm War Beast with any divine artifact weapons, fearing they might be seized in the heat of battle—a loss that would bring nothing but regret. The spiked club, however, could be reclaimed by the Xia Clan, where it would find its rightful use.

“Shield and battle-axe,” the fat warrior replied.

“I have a shield but no battle-axe,” Dongbo Xueying waved his hand and threw a shield and a saber towards him. “Use these for now.”

Originally, the Demon God Cult had looted a large number of weapons, most of which were given to the Xia Clan, but a few were left behind. For example, there were three half-god level spears, just in case the ‘Star Stone Fire Cloud Spear’ might fail during the use of the Ultimate Penetration technique, breaking due to the enemy’s armor resistance. Therefore, backup weapons were necessary. Before coming to Hongshi Mountain, two shields and other swords and clubs had also been prepared. These were actually half-god level weapons left behind by Generals Kemon and Nonno.

“Yes,” the fat warrior immediately grabbed the shield with a happy expression, and the saber in his other hand. “Master, I, Tu Shuang, will surely loyally serve you and fight for you!”

He had stood like a statue, utterly still, and had nearly gone mad from the restraint.

Seeing this, Dongbo Xueying smiled: “You’ll have your time to fight.” Although he estimated that the warrior wouldn’t be very effective.

“Master wants to go out? Let me open the door,” Tu Shuang quickly said, rushing to the wall and placing his hand on a part of it.

“Click, clack, clack~~~”

The sealed cabin door slowly opened.

Revealing the mountainous scenery outside.

“You can come out during battle,” Dongbo Xueying waved his hand and first retracted Tu Shuang.

“Let’s go,” Dongbo Xueying, Chen Jiu, and Fu Shu walked out.

Just after stepping out of the cabin,

When Dongbo Xueying and the others looked back, they could no longer see the cabin.

Without hesitation, they deployed the Void Realm clone to scout ahead! Fu Shu surveyed all directions, while Dongbo Xueying and the other three swiftly charged toward the core vine.

…

Dongbo Xueying and the others were already very close to the vine. As they sped forward, ten thousand miles, five thousand miles, three thousand miles…

On a high mountain, there were trees and plants, among which a large tree was looking into the distance.

“Hmm?” Eyes appeared on the trunk of this large tree, and it looked down from afar, seeing Dongbo Xueying, Chen Jiu, and Fu Shu rushing toward it.

“Master, Dongbo Xueying has been spotted.”

…

Near the vine, dozens of miles away among some scattered rocks.

Inside a hidden space.

The black-skinned youth wrapped in white cloth, ‘Lord You Lan,’ suddenly opened his eyes: “Have they arrived?”

Lord You Lan stood up and looked in that direction.

He could see the outside from within the hidden space! But the outside could not detect him unless he stepped out of the hidden space. Originally, this hidden space had been attacked by enemies, but after You Lan killed them, he temporarily hid here.

As time passed.

“I see them,” Lord You Lan also saw, more than six thousand miles away, three figures were happily rushing forward. Dongbo Xueying and the three were naturally happy because they were very close to the core vine.

“My little darlings, it’s time to act,” Lord You Lan grinned.

About one thousand three hundred miles to the left of the core vine, there was a low hill.

Suddenly, a rumbling came from inside the hill.

“Kill!”

“Kill it!”

Suddenly, surging fluctuations came from inside the hill. A fleeing four-legged beast was instantly surrounded from all directions by more than ten deep-blue tentacles emerging from the void. Almost instantly, it was entangled by the tentacles, and then “puchi~~~”, the four-legged beast was completely torn into pieces. However, other four-legged beasts were fleeing in the distance, heading straight toward Dongbo Xueying and his group.

…

Dongbo Xueying and the three were rushing forward, all in high spirits, as the tall core vine was now very clear. However, even though they were close, they remained very cautious.

The observation range of the Spatial Eyes was three thousand miles around.

Yet Dongbo Xueying’s Void Realm could extend its true intent for ten thousand miles in all directions!

“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying’s expression abruptly shifted. He turned his gaze toward the left side of the core vine, roughly thirteen hundred miles away. The First Vine Leaf World harbored numerous bizarre spatial anomalies, allowing many adversaries to infiltrate undetected—even his Void Realm couldn’t perceive them. Yet, he could still sense the presence of Void Realm creatures.

At the entrance of the hill,

In the Void Realm, a horde of eight-limbed abominations surged forth, each exuding an aura no less formidable than those encountered in the previous battle. With terrifying grandeur, over a hundred of these nightmarish entities poured out in pursuit of a fleeing pack of four-legged beasts—all charging directly toward Dongbo Xueying’s position.

“Eight-armed Void Realm creatures!” Dongbo Xueying’s expression shifted drastically as he urgently sent a mental transmission, “One hundred and thirty-nine of them! They’re charging straight at us—retreat now!” In the First Vine Leaf World, whenever the native inhabitants detected outsiders, they would slaughter them without hesitation.

“One hundred and thirty-nine?” Chen Jiu’s eyes also widened.

The eight-armed Voidspawn were also believed to possess divine power. Over a hundred of them? Even a hundred stone statues would pose a grave threat to them.

“How could there be so many creatures from the Void Realm, and why are they targeting us specifically?” Fu Shu found it hard to believe, yet despite his disbelief, he didn’t hesitate—he turned and fled as well.

“Boom~~~~”

A figure suddenly appeared in the distant half-sky, a black-skinned youth wrapped in white cloth and barefoot. He tore a scroll in his hand.

A dreadful force instantly blanketed a radius of ten thousand miles. Innumerable golden threads materialized, surging wildly toward Dongbo Xueying and the trio under You Lan’s control, ensnaring them in their grasp.

Feeling the omnipresent golden threads, Dongbo Xueying, Chen Jiu, and Fu Shu couldn’t help but panic, turning their heads to look.

They immediately saw the black-skinned youth in the distant half-sky.

“Lord You Lan!” Dongbo Xueying’s eyes couldn’t help but show murderous intent.

“You Lan, I will definitely kill you!” Chen Jiu also had bloodshot eyes, looking like a madman.

“Hahaha, kill me? Try surviving the onslaught of over a hundred Voidspawn first,” his voice echoed around Dongbo Xueying and the trio. The dark-skinned youth hovering in the distant sky let out a chilling laugh.