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Immortal Freeloader 165
🕑 Added 2024-10-12 03:51:01 +0000 UTCIt was merely seconds later three presence rushed to the opening, ready to intervene. The three Golden Core cultivators had been disguised with black cloaks, the blocking effect good enough that it would have confused me if it wasn’t for my recent upgrades in artifact forging.
With that, I was able to see their identity. Two Golden Core Elders from Kartpa Valley, and one from Dragon Peak. “Explain,” the latter one said as he floated toward the center while the other two clearly tensed, pulling back.
Their attitude showed that the disparity between Kartpa Valley and Dragon Peak continued even in further realms.
“Be ready,” I repeated once again, even as a sudden formation covered the area. At the same time, all the poison I had placed underneath the altar exploded, covering the area. It was a simple trap, but a costly one.
I idly wondered if the formation to keep them in place could have handled their coordinated attempt to break. However, as I watched the one from Dragon Peak pull his saber and attack the other two Golden Core cultivators at once, I was glad that the question was rhetorical.
The attack wasn’t enough to take down both at once but shattered the attempt of the other two to defend themselves from the poison.
“Wait,” I said to them even as I tightened my control over formation. Unlike me, the martial artists only saw a flash of light, and expected to attack.
Their attitude toward ambush made it clear that trust was not a commodity they had in abundance, which wasn’t entirely a surprise. The two Kartpa Valley Elders reacted in a coordinated response, trying to counter the lunge from the Dragon Peak Elder.
That started a battle that left me gulping. I didn’t know if I had been underestimating the full potential of the Golden Core, or if the Demonic Cultivators were stronger than usual, but either way, I was happy with the way their distrust had forced them to fight against each other.
I couldn’t have dealt with them even with the poison, at least not without sacrificing most of the martial artists that were behind me.
The sickly green and crimson light intensified as they battled, but I noticed they were careful not to harm the altar. Unfortunately for them, it made their fate even more desperate. The battle among them didn’t look like it would take long. Merely a minute of intense battle where they relied on heavy attacks, mostly due to the restrictive environment I created for them, formation and poison restricting them effectively.
“Attack,” I ordered the hundred martial artists that were behind me as I brought the flying boat forward, covering the distance in one second. At the same time, I made a gesture, triggering every offensive trick I had buried at once.
It worked wonderfully. The elder from the Dragon Peak had the advantage during the battle, but only because he had been staying on the offensive all the time, which in turn left him unprepared for the sudden shift in the formation.
He reacted to the formation with a speed that shocked me, his power jumping another level as his eyes glowed with the same sickly green light … but it was too late. The poison had already done most of the work to weaken them,
Even as the formation bound him, a sinister smile curled his lips. “So, the rats have come out to play,” he sneered. “How quaint.”
I signaled my team to attack mercilessly while leaving the defense to me. I could have delivered the final blow, but I did not. The providence they would get from delivering the last blow was critical to the development of the Burning Ice, while I was afraid it would do the opposite for me.
The last thing I needed was to get tangled with it even more.
The demonic cultivators were not stupid, just distrustful. Our presence revealed the trap they were in, forcing them to cooperate, but it didn’t matter. The rapid attacks from a hundred Blood Essence martial artists had been enough to push them to desperation.
They turtled to a defensive stance while sending multiple messages. Those, I destroyed permanently, not even trying to decipher. I was afraid to face anyone who would come to reinforce three Golden Core cultivators.
Soon, I rushed forward, weaving between attacks like I prepared to attack. My sudden reaction left one of the Kartpa Valley cultivators overextending himself to defend, leaving him vulnerable to almost twenty attacks, each delivered with the full might.
It was enough to make him fall. As he did, I noticed the Providence flow toward the ones that delivered the last few attacks, and through them, back to the direction of the mountain.
The poison was already making their life much harder, and losing one of them didn’t help. Soon, the other two had died as well. I was tempted to attempt trying to get an insult, but the situation was too tight. Once they died, they destroyed the altar — resulting in an even bigger flare of Providence — while I adjusted the landscape to make it look like they had fallen in each other’s hands.
Thanks to their earlier battle, it wasn’t too hard.
“Back to the ship,” I ordered as I felt a flicker at a distance, showing even more Golden Core Cultivators.
Back on the ship, everyone looked tired. I looked at Jorin, who was their leader. “Good work.”
“We … we took down Golden Core Cultivators,” she gasped in fascination.
“Yes, you did,” I said even as I started wondering whether I should bring them to the main base, so that Elsana and Lannayin could help them break through to the Spiritual Infusion realm. The mortal domain was getting more and more dangerous.
But, before I could do that, I felt a trigger at the formations protecting Markas. “You’re going to stay at the capital, hidden from the world,” I ordered even as I drove the flying boat back at full speed. “But, if you receive a signal from me, go down the stone gate, and destroy everything you see.”
It was a risky call, but even on the way, I noticed the approach of even more Golden Core Cultivators, approaching from every distance. I needed to adjust it. “No,” I said. “If I give you the signal, destroy it first, then spread and target the other capitals as well,” I said even as I gave them the full list of locations.
I had no problem believing that they would be able to do it.
Once I left them enough talismans to keep them safe, I rushed back to Markas, as I was receiving more and more warning signs. It was a good choice, as I could feel the approach of multiple Golden cultivators, only slowed down as they triggered some of the poison traps.
As I approached, I noticed something else. Every one of them wore the uniform of the Treasure Pavilion.
Interesting. It seemed that they wanted to make a point.
I rushed toward the spiritual vein, and stood in front of the tree. During my absence, the tree had grown even more, linking with all the enclaves. I first triggered the system to free it from the tendrils of Providence that were blocking its growth, then, I put my hand on its surface.
The number of Golden Core cultivators approaching made it clear that they were here to make a statement.
It looked like I was about to do one of my own, one that would hopefully convey that Markas was not for them to touch. The tree flickered with a thick essence, and several leaves flew away. It was a soft, gentle display, nothing compared to the explosion of a volcano.
But, it was still enough to wound a dozen Golden Core cultivators at once. “Who dares to disturb my land of inheritance,” I shouted, my booming voice spreading across the kingdom.
It was an exaggerated trigger, but at this point, I could only hope that it would be enough. I didn’t want too much time. The providence from killing the three Golden Core demonic cultivators had been enough to reinforce the volcano, so that it could no longer barely support only two Spiritual Infusion cultivators. All I needed was to help them level up, and that would be it.
Unfortunately, that seemed not to be the case.
They retreated, but at a great distance, the space warped, and the presence of the giant ship started to appear. I only had minutes before I needed to deal with it.
“I think that’s all I can delay not adapting to ancient martial arts,” I muttered even as I put my hand on the giant tree…
