The two cultivators high in the sky were caught off guard and hit squarely.
There was no scene of flying flesh and blood; instead, ripples spread around them as an invisible force deflected the torrent of bullets.
"Hmm, what kind of magical artifact is this?" The two cultivators remained unfazed by the sudden siege of thousands of mortals. Kou Hong extended his right hand, pulling a soldier into the sky. He snatched the soldier's gun, examined it closely, and then casually tossed the soldier away.
"Interesting. It uses intricate mechanical structures instead of spell formations, and the explosive power of mundane objects instead of spiritual energy, yet it can unleash power comparable to the initial stage of Qi Cultivation..." Kou Hong understood the principle of the firearm with just a glance.
He shook his head. "I never imagined that after thousands of years, mortals banished to this Immortal-Forbidden Land could devise something so ingenious. Unfortunately, it only functions in this place where the Great Dao is incomplete. Outside this land, it's nothing more than useless scrap metal." As he spoke, the gun in his hand vanished, clearly having been casually stored away.
"Mere mortals dare to attack cultivators like us. I originally felt a slight twinge of guilt, but now it seems you are simply courting death!"
Kou Hong looked down from his vantage point at the dense mass of mortal soldiers in the darkness, his eyes filled with contempt.
He rapidly tapped his right hand in the empty space before him, tracing intricate, mysterious patterns.
Countless sparks suddenly appeared from the darkness, instantly expanding into massive fireballs, like a raging wildfire.
"Dao Technique: Fiery Dragon's Roar!"
As Kou Hong roared coldly, crimson flames extended outwards from these massive fireballs, burning in unison. In mere moments, the crimson flames connected all the fireballs across the sky as if they were flesh and blood.
A monstrous dragon, its face ferocious and composed of crimson flames, instantly appeared and circled above Xuanjing City.
The fiery dragon let out a resounding roar, coiled its body, and then plunged fiercely downwards.
"Boom!"
Violent explosions rang out continuously.
The houses of Xuanjing City were effortlessly destroyed, offering no resistance, like flimsy toys.
The crimson flames, as if possessing their own will, consumed and burned everything they touched upon landing.
In an instant, Xuanjing City transformed into a blazing inferno, a living hell!
However, Kou Hong, who caused all this, frowned, his expression a mix of surprise and uncertainty.
He realized that while Xuanjing City appeared devastated, most of the soldiers had actually survived his attack!
He knew that the Fiery Dragon's Roar he unleashed in his rage was a full-power attack.
The power of a Perfected Foundation Establishment cultivator was simply something mortals could not withstand!
Even if those soldiers were well-trained, taking out their protective gear and hiding in building corners the moment he cast his spell, their casualties should have been far greater than what he saw.
What's going on?!
Kou Hong was both surprised and suspicious. Suddenly, he seemed to discover something. With a wave of his hand, Kou Hong retrieved a small metallic object that had previously showered down on him, easily repelled by his protective spiritual energy, and was now scattered everywhere.
"This is..." Kou Hong's expression changed dramatically. He then scanned his surroundings warily, his contempt replaced by apprehension.
"These hidden weapons are soaked in mortal blood; they're the Immortal-Mortal Miasma..." Dao Xuanzi's voice also came through, his expression grim.
"We've just arrived here and were ambushed. And they even used the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, clearly they came prepared. Could there be cultivators guiding these mortals from behind the scenes?" They exchanged glances, and several thoughts flashed through their minds. "Regardless, this place is strange, we shouldn't stay long."
Although Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong could turn on each other for a Core Formation cultivation technique, that was an internal matter between them.
Now, with an unexpected turn of events, facing only a few thousand mortals, the two, who shared a century of tacit understanding, instinctively chose to make a strategic retreat at the same time.
Perhaps sensing their intentions, the gunfire, which had paused due to the Fiery Dragon's Roar, resumed!
This, however, only deepened Dao Xuanzi's and Kou Hong's suspicions.
These mortals clearly had an agenda!
"Let's go!" As the two prepared to escape, a voice rang out from below.
"Dao Xuanzi! Kou Hong! If you two flee today, news of you obtaining a Core Formation cultivation technique will spread throughout the entire cultivation world by tomorrow!"
The voice echoed from all directions across Xuanjing City, reverberating ceaselessly through the night.
The voice sounded somewhat aged, but its tone was utterly certain and ruthless.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi froze in place, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
"How is this possible? Only the two of us knew about obtaining the Core Formation technique. How could the news have leaked?" In an instant, they were plunged into deep dread.
The two had journeyed together to explore the cave dwelling, then Kou Hong seized the technique and fled, with Dao Xuanzi in relentless pursuit, and Kou Hong, desperate, had ventured into this Immortal-Forbidden Land seeking a chance at survival...
Every event and person they had encountered during this period flashed through their minds in succession.
Who could it be?!
And just as their minds reeled, almost losing control, dozens of cannon shells, trailing long fiery plumes, flew towards them from various unexpected locations in the darkness.
"You're asking for death!" Kou Hong recovered from his shock, then became even more enraged.
"Dao Technique: Fiery Annihilation!"
A massive ring of fire vaguely materialized in thin air.
"No, Kou Hong, dodge quickly!" At that moment, Dao Xuanzi's urgent voice rang out.
"Huh?" Kou Hong paused, then his spiritual sense swept forth, and an expression of horror appeared on his face.
He was about to dodge, but it was already too late.
Dozens of shells exploded around them.
There were no deafening explosions, only clusters of dark red liquid bursting around them, creating a small-scale blood rain that drenched the two cultivators thoroughly!
"Ah..."
Horrifying screams instantly pierced the sky.
At the same time, the aura that had instilled fear in mortals rapidly diminished from their bodies.
After only a brief resistance, the two could no longer sustain themselves and fell from the sky.
Thousands of soldiers, armed with guns, surrounded them.
The current state of the two "immortals" sent shivers down the spines of these specially trained soldiers, who were capable of disregarding their own lives.
Originally, Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong appeared to be in their twenties or thirties. However, after being drenched by the blood rain, their hair instantly turned stark white. Within a few breaths, both aged dramatically, their faces covered in countless wrinkles, appearing utterly horrifying.
Hunched over, they slumped to the ground. Kou Hong was on his last breath, clearly dying. Dao Xuanzi, being slightly more cultivated, seemed to be in better condition, but was merely clinging to life.
The once lofty immortal masters had actually been reduced to such a state!
Not only the many soldiers present, but even Li Fan, who was hiding behind them, secretly directing the operation, felt an inexplicable chill upon hearing his subordinates' report.
"Two immortal masters, our Grand Preceptor has given an order: if you surrender, your lives will be spared!" a soldier shouted from a distance towards them.
"Surrender..." The heavily wounded Dao Xuanzi looked at his close friend, whose eyes were filled with unwillingness and who struggled to speak, and suddenly let out a cold laugh.
Seeing Dao Xuanzi's movement, Kou Hong already guessed what he intended to do.
He shook his head slightly, then, gathering his last bit of strength, passed the storage ring from his hand to Dao Xuanzi.
"Go..." Kou Hong's mouth parted slightly, then his head dropped, and he passed away.
High in the sky, a strange phenomenon suddenly appeared!
A crimson scaly dragon appeared in the sky. It seemed to be in great pain, struggling and roaring, trying to break free from something.
However, all its efforts were in vain.
It slowly grew thinner, and in the blink of an eye, only skin and muscle remained.
A moment later, the entire scaly dragon was completely devoured, not even bones or flesh remaining.
It was then that people clearly saw: it was an ordinary-looking, tea-colored branch that had taken root and sprouted within the scaly dragon, consuming it entirely!
Though but mortal wood, it could still devour a dragon!
This magnificent sight, like brilliant fireworks, illuminated the sky for thousands of miles around.
All living beings who witnessed this scene, whether human or otherwise, naturally had a passage of text appear in their minds.
"Kou Hong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, cultivated the Dao for two hundred and five years, achieving his Dao foundation with the wondrous Scaly Dragon Branch. In the Immortal-Forbidden Land, he was besieged by thousands of mortals and unfortunately injured by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma. His cultivation was instantly lost, and his lifespan was nearing its end. Now, his body and Dao have perished, returning to the heavens!"
A shared sorrow, a poignant empathy, an overwhelming feeling...
Around Xuanjing City, all living beings enveloped by this phenomenon were immersed in such emotions, unable to extricate themselves.
The magnificent spectacle lasted for almost half an hour before finally fading away.
The soldiers finally recovered their senses, silently watching the other rapidly aging cultivator in the field.
"Immortal Master Dao Xuanzi, our Grand Preceptor has ordered that if you cease resistance, he guarantees your safety..." The soldiers continued to shout as per Li Fan's instructions.
In the shadows, Li Fan sighed inwardly, knowing that this attempt to capture an immortal had failed.
He had never expected the Immortal-Mortal Miasma to be so lethally effective against cultivators.
Sure enough, Dao Xuanzi completely ignored the shouts.
He was still looking up at the dissipated sky, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
"The Scaly Dragon Branch..."
After a long time, he drew his gaze back, struggling to straighten his hunched body.
Scanning his surroundings, Dao Xuanzi tried to find the mastermind behind this.
"I don't know who you are," he said to Li Fan. "Nor do I know your purpose."
"Perhaps it's for this Core Formation technique, or something else entirely," Dao Xuanzi said calmly, glancing at the storage ring on his hand. "Now that my brother and I have been ensnared by your scheme, with our bodies dead and our Dao extinguished, we should have nothing left to say."
"But I refuse to accept this," Dao Xuanzi said coldly.
"To have followed us so closely, knowing everything about us without being discovered, your cultivation must undoubtedly be high."
"Such a person, daring not to confront us directly, instead engaging in furtive actions, hiding behind mortals, and even resorting to the Immortal-Mortal Miasma—a contemptible substance scorned by all cultivators..."
Dao Xuanzi took a deep breath.
"My brother, Kou Hong, died at the hands of someone like you. I believe his death was unworthy."
Dao Xuanzi slowly ascended, once again looking down from above, his face devoid of emotion as he regarded the instantly vigilant crowd.
"You have all witnessed my brother's wondrous Foundation Establishment object. Now, I would like to invite you all to see mine."
"With the wonders of Heaven and Earth, I built my Dao foundation," Dao Xuanzi chanted loudly.
"My Dao foundation is named: Dao Xuan."
A colossal, broken iron sword appeared above Xuanjing City.
All living beings beneath the shadow of the colossal sword felt their thoughts become dull and sluggish, like rusted machinery.
"I have a sword; I invite you all to witness it!"
The world suddenly brightened, and everyone in Xuanjing City seemed to fall into absolute stillness.
Then, like cracks appearing in glass, the entire Xuanjing City shattered into countless pieces in an instant!
"It truly is."
His charge progress plummeted. Just before his consciousness faded, Li Fan silently murmured to himself.
[1 minute ago] Chapter 38: You Are Zen
[1 minute ago] Chapter 1652: 祭道(免费)
[2 minutes ago] Chapter 34: Clown
[2 minutes ago] Chapter 45: Small Cart
[5 minutes ago] Chapter 36: Unexpected Mastery
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