“Speculating wildly won’t do us any good. Given that person’s cultivation level, if caught off guard, there should be a seventy to eighty percent chance of success. However, we must also consider the worst-case scenario—they might have already failed, been killed, or captured, and this could all be a trap,” the green-robed woman said coldly, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her lips.
“Then, Venerable Le’s meaning is…” Kuyao looked puzzled.
“Whether it’s a trap or not, we’re here to break the formation. We should proceed with the original plan. If some casualties help us uncover the truth, it’s worth it. Time is our most pressing constraint. According to the latest intelligence, reinforcements from other factions in the South Sky will gather and reach the Nine Nations Alliance in just two or three months. We must clear all major obstacles to Tian Tian City within a month to seize the initiative. If the reinforcements join forces with the Nine Nations Alliance, even if we can still defeat them, we’ll suffer heavy losses,” the woman said unhurriedly.
“Then we’ll follow Venerable Le’s instructions,” the tall, thin spellcaster hesitated briefly before agreeing. As for Kuyao, he cared little for the lives of low-level spellcasters and had no objections.
The woman nodded slightly, her red lips moving silently as she sent a few words to someone via voice transmission. Immediately, nearly a hundred identically dressed spellcasters emerged from the army, led by a Core Formation spellcaster, and slowly advanced toward the summit of Yellow Dragon Peak.
The hundred-plus spellcasters soon became tiny black dots as they entered the area previously shrouded in mist. Nothing unusual happened, so they boldly flew toward the summit, each holding a magical artifact.
Unhindered, the group reached the summit without incident. The tall, thin spellcaster exhaled in relief and said cheerfully to the green-robed woman, “It seems they’ve truly abandoned this place. Let’s send others in to search. They left in such haste; surely many items were left behind.”
“Not so fast. Let’s observe first,” the woman replied coldly, not even lifting her eyelids.
The tall, thin spellcaster paused but said nothing further.
Meanwhile, the hundred-plus spellcasters began rummaging through the half-burned pavilions and gazebos, occasionally finding spirit stones, materials, and other valuables. They eagerly pocketed these items, stuffing them into their storage pouches.
The spellcaster army was composed of various Mulan tribes, and spoils of war—aside from communal resources like warehouses and mines—were typically kept by individuals.
Seeing this, the rest of the army grew restless. Such an opportunity to loot without a fight was rare, and many were eager to join in. Who knew what other treasures lay hidden in the vast complex of buildings?
“Venerable Le, what do you think…” After a while, both the tall, thin spellcaster and Kuyao grew impatient, and Kuyao spoke hesitantly.
Since most of the spellcasters in this unit belonged to their tribes, and the Mulan Grasslands were resource-scarce, they didn’t want their people to miss this chance. The initial hundred spellcasters were from a minor tribe, and the spoils they’d gathered were likely sufficient.
The green-robed woman remained expressionless, as if she hadn’t heard them, though her eyes narrowed slightly, becoming distant and unfocused. Kuyao and the tall, thin spellcaster exchanged glances but didn’t press further.
After nearly an hour, when the hundred-plus spellcasters had combed through about a third of the summit, the woman finally spoke: “Each of you send another hundred men to join them and dismantle any remaining restrictions. I won’t allow others into the mountain until the entire peak has been scanned with divine sense.”
“Yes, as Venerable Le commands!” The two men brightened and immediately relayed orders to their trusted disciples. Soon, another two hundred spellcasters surged toward the summit, scavenging like wolves.
“It seems this is all. I can’t sustain the illusion any longer. Activate the formation,” Old Man Ma’s voice whispered from somewhere on Yellow Dragon Mountain.
“Tsk. A pity none of the Mulan’s great venerables fell into the trap,” the bald-browed man sighed, sounding regretful. Moments later, a thunderous rumble grew louder, shaking the entire mountain.
The three hundred spellcasters on the summit paled and scattered in panic. The three Core Formation spellcasters fled fastest, but even they couldn’t escape the formation’s range in time.
Above the mountain, multicolored spiritual lights flickered as the vanished mist surged back, engulfing the area in a green, sun-obscuring fog once more.
The tall, thin spellcaster and Kuyao’s faces darkened with fury, while the green-robed woman atop her beast remained icy and unmoved.
“So it was a trap. A shame. If we hadn’t acted, we might have uncovered more,” the woman said coldly.
“Venerable Le, our people inside…” Kuyao clenched his fists, glaring at the fog. One of the Core Formation spellcasters trapped was a cherished descendant, and he was desperate to rescue him.
“Don’t waste your efforts. With their Nascent Soul cultivators’ power, dealing with a few Core Formation spellcasters in the formation is trivial. They’re likely already dead,” the woman replied emotionlessly.
“Then let me lead the charge to break the formation! I’ll unleash my Fire Spirit Essence and tear it apart, then grind those cultivators to dust!” Kuyao growled, his face twisting with fury.
“Fire Spirit Essence? Very well. I’ll have the Rhinobeast assist you. But save it for the critical moment, and beware that young cultivator who killed Tian Ku. I suspect he’s the one who destroyed Venerable Mu’s body. If so, his abilities are formidable, including that strange blue demonic flame. One misstep, and you’ll fall prey to it,” the woman warned, her brows arching slightly.
“The one who destroyed Venerable Mu’s body? I heard he knows the legendary Lightning Evasion. Is that true?” The tall, thin spellcaster paled, a flicker of fear in his eyes.
“Venerable Wen, your techniques are weak against close-combat fighters. Leave him to me. My ‘Gentle Breeze Art’ matches his Lightning Evasion in speed. Even if his demonic flame and golden arcs are deadly, they’re useless if he can’t get near. As for his other abilities, he’s only an early Nascent Soul cultivator. Can he truly rival me?” The woman’s eyes flashed coldly, a hint of arrogance in her tone.
“Then we’ll leave him to you, Venerable Le. You who once rivaled the Heavenly Ladder Saintess of the Uptals—he stands no chance,” the tall, thin spellcaster said, visibly relieved.
“Hmph, the Heavenly Ladder Saintess!” The woman’s calm demeanor shattered at the name, her expression darkening.
The tall, thin spellcaster flinched, remembering her humiliation at the Saintess’s hands and her hatred for the topic.
“I… I meant…” he stammered, but the woman cut him off with a wave, her face smoothing back into indifference. “Enough. Focus on breaking the formation. Deploy the army for the assault.”
“Yes!” The two men replied hastily.
Deep in the fog, a headless Core Formation spellcaster’s body collapsed. A figure emerged from the mist—Han Li, clad in cyan light. He glanced at the corpse, summoned a cyan streak that circled above it, then returned to his hand.
Calmly, Han Li picked up the spellcaster’s storage pouch, inspected it, and sighed in disappointment. More junk, nothing about spirit arts.
Frowning, he exhaled deeply.
Suddenly, war drums boomed outside the fog, accompanied by surges of immense spiritual energy. A deep, thunderous beast’s roar shook the heavens, making the green mist tremble.
Han Li’s expression remained cold as he scanned the surroundings, then looked toward the source of the noise, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. Moments later, he smirked, released a crimson fireball to incinerate the corpse, and vanished into the fog.
At the mountain’s heart, the peak was eerily split—half in ruins, half pristine, with cultivators darting in and out of intact pavilions.
Old Man Ma and the bald-browed man hovered above, watching the spellcaster army with grim faces.
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