Archfiend

Chapter 169: Mysterious Warning

No one had expected that victory and defeat between these two apprentice brothers would be determined so quickly! In less than five minutes, the outcome of the battle between the duo had come. Moreover, the process of events was so winding!

Xu Yangyi had made the first move, and Fang Cheng had followed with a sudden counterattack. Three divine abilities had pressured Xu Yangyi into a dead end, but what had occurred in the end?

No qi fluctuations… Zhan Twelve’s gaze was incomparably shocked: This… is a spiritual sense attack! He actually has a spiritual sense attack divine ability that only a Great Circle Foundation Establishment in the Reddust Executioners can learn, as well?

This should be one of his hidden aces… I just never even expected that he would actually have a spiritual sense attack, a move basically unseen in the cultivation world? Commander’s luck… is as heaven-defying as his strength…

Zhan Twelve had no fondness for speech. He thought these words, but in no way spoke them. Merely shutting his mouth in silence, he calmly played the beautiful man. His lack of words didn’t represent that the others didn’t speak though.

Right now, the cultivators below were looking at each other in dismay, already beginning to clamor.

“Just now… what the heck happened?”

“I even said Commander Xu’s defeat might be seen… This is actually the outcome?”

“Is no one capable of defeating this monster?” 

“Yeah, Great Circle Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment.”

“...Can’t you have a bit of decency?”

No one was any the wiser to what had occurred in the end. The supreme technique of a spiritual sense attack was a secret almost untransmitted! They simply couldn’t think of this!

“Senior-apprentice brother, you okay?” Xu Yangyi walked over to the side of Fang Cheng who had already changed back into human form. He turned over the other who was faceplanted into the ground and somewhat hesitantly… patted the other’s shoulder: “Everything fine?”

After a few good seconds, Fang Cheng then sighed long and deep, regaining his wits: “I could’ve fell to death…”

Others didn’t know, but he understood very well!

The connection between the qi sea and spiritual sense was rather intimate. If said the qi sea was lightning, spiritual sense was the electrical generator. In other words, this “energy source” was everlasting, but the means of manipulating it was spiritual sense.

Just now, he suddenly sensed a blade had been ruthlessly plunged into his brain. The inside of his mind was in rampant chaos, a kind of sensation that he had never experienced! It directly caused his spiritual sense to short-circuit in a flash! All divine abilities were qi from the qi sea being manipulated through spiritual sense. In this wink of time, it completely collapsed!

He himself also lost consciousness and fell straight to the ground.

I lost, huh… He looked at his junior-apprentice brother with somewhat of a hidden grudge. This is too much… This was a true angel descending to the mortal world, head first into the ground. He knew the style of falling flat on his face wasn’t a pleasing sight, and he had been seen by so many people...

“I lost.” Fang Cheng stood up and cupped his hands: “I really didn’t expect… junior-apprentice brother would have such a divine ability in his back pocket… so fearsome. If that was arcane combat just now, I would’ve already died.”

A few seconds of unconsciousness was enough to kill him a hundred times.

Xu Yangyi eyed him with seemingly deep meaning: “Mhm, I approve, but you can put on clothes first.”

Fang Cheng then discovered that after his demonification, he was surprisingly butt naked! He swiped the storage ring on his hand without hardly any change in complexion and put on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans which were completely identical to his set in the past. Based merely on this bit, Xu Yangyi confirmed Fang Cheng was the disciple of a Core Formation ancestor; the thickness of his face was inclined to the manner of his honored master.

“Fellow Daoists.” Xu Yangyi faced towards all the cultivators who were still present and cupped his hands: “The Xingtian Legion’s legionnaires have already been selected. My thanks for Fellow Daoists’ support. If the Xingtian Legion is still recruiting legionnaires in the future, I will notify in advance.”

The gazes of quite a few people hatefully cut across the bodies of the chosen legionnaires. Those with malicious thoughts were even cursing: Die early, okay… Let us take your spots.

Finished speaking these words, Xu Yangyi was planning on leave, but all of a sudden, he abruptly raised his head and glanced puzzlingly at Fang Cheng. It just so happened that Fang Cheng was looking suspiciously towards him, as well.

On Xu Yangyi’s body was an object that Daomaster Ancientpine had given to him on that day. It was a brocaded pouch. The red string tied on the brocaded pouch was tied on his hand. It could connect a mutual connection with each other, but this was limited to Ancestor Ancientpine and a few other disciples.

Simultaneously, this red string was also a considerably valuable magik artifact. It could resist the full-power strike of a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator. Furthermore, it couldn’t even by crushed to pieces. After a year of recharge, it could be used again. 

“Senior-apprentice brother?” Xu Yangyi probed.

“I also felt it…” Fang Cheng stroked the back of his head and furrowed his brows: “Weird… I’ve never gotten any contact… Why has a senior brother suddenly contacted us?”

Xu Yangyi coolly took the lead with Fang Cheng without batting an eye, leaving with the nine other legionnaires. The crook of his mouth carried a smile, and he said lowly: “Is there an emergency?” 

Fang Cheng glanced with a kind of expression like he was looking at an idiot: “There’s definitely an emergency for us to be contacted… but we just can’t rush to help with our senior brothers’ emergency…”

Okay, we’ll be looked down...

Guiding everyone to the Featherwood Guard’s public building, Xu Yangyi had to first get everyone temporary lodgings. He cupped his hand apologetically: “Everyone, I apologize. I have minor emergency to handle. I’ll receive everyone later on in the evening.”

Of course, the group didn’t object. Xu Yangyi looked meaningfully at Fang Cheng, and the duo arrived before Xu Yangyi’s cultivation room with quick steps. Just as they entered, Fang Cheng was floored.

A high-grade Spirit Focusing Formation?!” Fang Cheng looked at the talismans which filled the room in astonishment: “I can only use a medium-grade one! Junior-apprentice brother, you actually use high-grade one?”

You’re too extravagant! Too wasteful!

Looking at Fang Cheng’s accusatory expression, Xu Yangyi seemed to still have heard this, speechless. 

This room’s high-level Spirit Focusing Formation… was gained from his mortal gamble with eighteenth-ranked God Ming and also the reason he was on the demons’ wanted list. Kid, you’re not even content with being arranged a medium-grade one without a reason?

“Let’s see what the senior brothers have to say first.” Xu Yangyi massaged the space between his brows and untied the knot on his right hand, gently tossing it. Suddenly, the red string welcome the wind and grew into a circle no less than five meters in range. It then stopped.

As for the center of the red knot, a light screen quickly flashed. A young face appeared on the light screen.

“Master-brother?” Fang Cheng caught a glimpse and immediately bowed: “Greetings, master-brother.”

“Greetings, master-brother.” Xu Yangyi followed and bowed.

“No need for courtesy.” Jadesun’s expression was without a trace of gentleness. On the contrary, it beared a sliver of severeness that Xu Yangyi simply hadn’t connected from their initial meeting. He said heavily: “Master-ancestor has ordered This Throne to notify you two junior brothers…”

After ages of silence, Jadesun took long sigh: “Second, third, seventh, tenth, twelfth, and thirteenth brother were all determined to have died two two-hour-periods ago.”

“What?!” Fancheng was dumbfounded and promptly shot up on his feet, looking at Jadesun incredulously: “Master-brother, you’re fooling me, right? The realms of these senior brothers were all at the lowest late-stage Foundation Establishment!  How could…”

“Senior-apprentice brother.” Xu Yangyi put his hand on Fang Cheng’s shoulder, restrained him, and said solemnly: “Listen to what master-brother has to say.”

Jadesun glanced at Xu Yangyi. Because of this action, his opinion of Xu Yangyi became a fraction better. Capable of making firm his temper and acting seriously in the present conditions, this was the hallmark and spirit of one who would achieve great things.

He wasn’t all that fond of Fang Cheng but instead was becoming more fond of Xu Yangyi who didn’t give form to his anger in emotions. He didn’t know why, but he was quite optimistic of this youngest junior brother.

Between people, predestined affinity was also paid attention to. Familiarity at first glance. However, he could not answer this question. 

He understood clearly… what place Ancestor Ancientpine happened to overseer and moreover the prohibition sent to the entire Featherwood Guard. Ancientpine’s disciples had to first take the lead and go take a look as disciples of a Core Formation ancestor. However, none had anticipated that with this look, they wouldn’t return again.

The shattering of six life slips had caused the aged Ancestor Ancientpine to sigh deeply. Afterwards, he hadn’t left his imperial palace even now. As the eldest disciple, Jadesun had to inform the other disciples of this information.

Silent for a long period, Jadesun asked indifferent yet gravely: “I ask seventeenth junior-apprentice brother a question on behalf of master-ancestor.”

“That day, you once said what is a cultivator. That which is responsibility is that which is shouldered. Did these words come from the heart?”

“Unquestionably.” Xu Yangyi said resolutely: “These words were made from emotion. Made from the heart.”

“Good.” Jadesun didn’t pause for a moment and followed up: “In that case, if there was a place master-ancestor was personally overseeing and we as disciples are fully aware of the immense danger, what would you choose to do?” 

Xu Yangyi cupped his hands and said: “I would surely go there to soothe master’s anxiety.”

These words could be regarded as half honest and half dishonest. The bonds of master and disciples between he and Daomaster Ancientpoint wasn’t that deep at all. Yes, he had once said that which is responsibility is that which was shouldered, but responsibility was to one another. If Daomaster Ancientpine genuinely treated him as a true disciple, he would natural treat others as to how others treated him. Nonetheless, Ancientpine had currently only presented him a single arcane effort. In no way would he truly act with his life on the line for the other.

Xu Yangyi also knew that there were some disciples of Core Formation ancestors who were distantly alienated. If he wanted the other to continue caring about him, other’s true respect would then have to mutually increase.  

On the day of the auction, Ancestor Ancientpine had said he would treat him as he treated himself, but it was just an attitude and nothing more. When matters truly came to head, whether or not Ancientpine would get him out of trouble, he would completely observe the other’s state of mind. 

A Core Formation Dao Master who had lived for a few centuries had thoroughly passed through the world’s affairs. In no way was he some virtuous and sincere Buddhist.

“Very good…” Jadesun nodded deeply: “In that case… get ready to prepare for a mission…”

“A mission specifically appointed by a Core Formation master…” He paused: “However, there’s also a major possibility you won’t come out. After all, seventeenth junior brother’s background experience is still too shallow. It’s not even very likely to be the Xingtian Legion’s turn.”

The light screen vanished, and Fang Cheng was still in low spirits. Regarding these several senior brothers he had never seen the faces of, Xu Yangyi couldn’t be said to have any sentiments, but there still might’ve been some emotion of sympathy, the fox grieving for the hare’s death. On the contrary, he even had a fairly good impression of Fang Cheng. [1]

“Senior brother.” Xu Yangyi patted the other’s shoulder: “Have you heard in the past about where master…” Before his voice even fell, his mind suddenly sparked! He remembered! Originally, Zhao Wuye had told him that the Northwest King, Flowing Light Imprisoning Shadow, Ancestor Ancientpine was personally overseeing Danxia Temple!

A month ago at Danxia Temple, a hundred rivulets formed a diagram! A month after… Ancestor Ancientpine’s six great disciples had met their demise within! It seemed… that in this month, perhaps… some disastrous change had occurred at Danxia Temple! It forced Daomaster Ancientpine with no choice but to dispatch his disciples to go survey!

“Danxia Temple…” He clenched his fists, and his gaze scorchingly look towards the northwest. This excursion… Even if you didn’t say anything Daomaster Ancientpine, the Xingtian Legion still would’ve been bound to go take a look!

There within, it was quite possible that the Animus Armament’s secret was buried away. Over yonder, there was also a chance of the mortal summons of a great foe.

Most critically thought was that he had also disappeared there for three years! In three years, what had occured in the lotus sea? Was it that time shuttled back to and fro or was it an isolated world with its own established heavens and earth?

All in all, within Danxia Temple… No matter what, I, Xu, must absolutely make this excursion!

[1] Fox grieving for hare’s death. This is an idiom concerning sympathy. I actually really like this story. So a hare and a fox (normally enemies) decide to band together regardless of life or death to fight against the hunters. However, a hunter one day kills the hare. The fox sees this and cries. A passing old man sees this and asks why the fox is crying for his prey. The fox says because they were friends of the same cause.