The vast wilderness of the Fengyuan Continent is boundless, teeming with countless unknown ferocious beasts and monsters. There are also treacherous lands so perilous that even high-level cultivators who venture in recklessly have no hope of survival.
Every year, countless individuals from various races perish in the wilderness. Yet, driven by the allure of rare materials and the slim chance of fortuitous encounters, cultivators continue to brave its dangers in an unending stream.
The human race occupies a remote corner of the Fengyuan Continent, naturally much weaker compared to the major races of the continent. Even when compared to neighboring races, they are not significantly stronger.
Fortunately, they have formed an alliance with the demon race, whose strength is roughly equivalent. Moreover, the three realms and seven lands of both races have been sealed off by ancient super-restrictions set by their powerful ancestors.
Apart from the sole entrance at Tianyuan City, there is no other way to enter the territories of the two races. This has allowed them to cultivate and recuperate in peace, standing firm in the Spirit Realm to this day.
Naturally, Tianyuan City has become a vital stronghold for both races. Not only is it garrisoned by a large number of elite forces from both sides, but it also has the independent Tianyuan Elder Council, dedicated solely to the city’s defense.
Though the council has only ten members, each is at least at the Body Integration stage. Should any elder fall, a new Body Integration cultivator—human or demon—is immediately selected from the two races to replace them, ensuring Tianyuan City remains impregnable.
As a result, cultivators from both races who wish to enter the wilderness must pass through Tianyuan City, the only exit.
Most cultivators dare not venture too deep into the wilderness, limiting their activities to areas within roughly a month’s journey from Tianyuan City. This way, if they encounter any exceptionally vicious ancient beasts or other dangers, they still have a chance to flee back to the city for refuge.
Of course, there are also those who, confident in their abilities and bold in spirit, venture deep into the wilderness. However, the likelihood of perishing in such cases increases manifold.
Now, above a lake in the wilderness, a group of human cultivators finds themselves in such mortal peril.
Four humans—two men and two women—are trapped by a bizarre, enormous ancient beast in the lake.
The beast resembles a giant sea turtle, yet its back sprouts over a dozen octopus-like tentacles. As they thrash about, they whip up fierce winds and cast dense shadows, forming a massive net that forces the four airborne figures together.
Though the four cultivators are not weak—all at the Nascent Soul stage—and wield extraordinary treasures that radiate dazzling brilliance, their flying swords, daggers, dharma wheels, and massive staffs are all effortlessly repelled by the tentacles, unable to make the slightest dent in the net.
Were it not for a middle-aged scholar among them, wielding a silver Ruyi-shaped treasure of remarkable power that bears the brunt of the tentacle net’s pressure, the four would have long been crushed to death.
Even so, they are panting and drenched in sweat, clearly on the verge of collapse.
“Brother Huo, release the Extreme Thunder Pearl now! This is our last chance!” the scholar shouted urgently to the man beside him.
“No! The Extreme Thunder Pearl is powerful, but in such a confined space, we’ll be caught in the blast!” retorted the ugly man in crimson armor, his expression darkening.
“I know that! But we have no choice now. This Stone Origin Turtle has early-stage Void Refinement power. My Hundred Spirits Ruyi can’t hold much longer. If we don’t strike now, we won’t even get the chance to fight for our lives!” the scholar snapped, his tone resolute.
The crimson-armored man’s face twisted further, but he still hesitated.
The ancient beast’s tentacles lashed out even faster, accompanied by the faint rumble of wind and thunder. The pressure from the net intensified, forcing the white light from the Ruyi to dim further and shrink the defensive circle, leaving the four back-to-back against the onslaught.
With his last shred of hope dashed, the crimson-armored man gritted his teeth and flipped his hand, revealing a blue, egg-sized orb covered in intricate patterns.
Seeing this, the two female cultivators paled in alarm.
One hastily chanted an incantation and flung out over a dozen high-level talismans, forming layers of protective barriers around them. The other tossed out a small black bell, which swelled instantly. With a soft chime, a faint black radiance cascaded down, enveloping them.
Meanwhile, the scholar spat out several mouthfuls of vital essence, each expulsion draining his face of color. He then flicked his fingers, sending the essence into the Ruyi, which flared with renewed brilliance, its white radiance thickening.
Without hesitation, the crimson-armored man hurled the blue orb. It transformed into a blinding blue light, spinning like a wheel before colliding with a descending tentacle.
A deafening explosion erupted as blue shockwaves surged outward, engulfing the tentacle net and expanding over a mile. Amid the roaring winds and thunderous echoes, several streaks of light shot out from the blast, coalescing into a single beam that streaked toward the horizon.
The four figures within the beam were in dire straits—the scholar missing an arm, the others ragged and pale, all grievously wounded. Yet they still managed to flee at astonishing speed.
Moments later, the shockwaves dissipated, revealing the ancient beast with most of its tentacles obliterated, the remnants charred and mangled.
With a furious roar, green light flashed over its stumps, and new tentacles sprouted rapidly. The lake waters churned, rising in a massive wave that enveloped the beast, transforming into a vast water cloud that pursued the fleeing quartet.
Though the water cloud was enormous, its speed matched the combined flight of the four cultivators. Over hundreds of thousands of miles, the distance between them gradually narrowed—not because the cloud sped up, but because the wounded humans were exhausting their spiritual power.
Realizing their dire situation but powerless against the beast’s overwhelming might, they pressed on desperately.
Finally, after another hundred thousand miles, the gap closed to mere hundreds of feet. The beast roared, and the water cloud suddenly blurred before exploding apart.
As the mist dispersed, the giant turtle vanished.
The fleeing cultivators, monitoring their pursuer, stiffened when the scholar with the missing arm cried out, “Bad news!”
Before they could react, dark tentacles materialized above them, crashing down with crushing force. The sheer wind pressure destabilized their flight, forcing them to scatter in different directions.
Though they dodged the attack, they were now separated, each stranded in a different spot. Their faces darkened—without their combined strength, escape seemed impossible.
The massive turtle reappeared in a shadowy blur, its cold emerald eyes scanning the four.
Despair settled over them, but as seasoned cultivators who dared to venture deep into the wilderness, they refused to surrender. Summoning their resolve, they readied their treasures for a final stand.
The beast snorted dismissively, its tentacles lashing out once more.
Just as battle seemed imminent, all four humans and the beast suddenly froze, their gazes snapping upward.
High above, a head-sized thunderball hovered silently, its surface crackling with countless silver arcs yet emitting no sound—a bizarre contradiction of motion and stillness.
Before anyone could react, the thunderball expanded with a deafening boom, ejecting a storm of lightning that formed a circular silver array several yards wide.
Amidst a thunderous crash, a figure stumbled out of the array, immediately cursing, “Lei Yunzi, you old bastard! Next time I see you, this isn’t over!”
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