Chapter 452 - 277: Contention for the Dao Path, Tier Three Spiritual Land (Part 3)

Chapter 452: Chapter 277: Contention for the Dao Path, Tier Three Spiritual Land (Part 3)

Under such a sudden, insidious attack, an ordinary Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator would have instantly lost control of their Heart and Spirit, becoming bewitched into revealing their secrets or even having a psychological suggestion implanted in their mind.

However, deep within Lin Changheng’s sea of consciousness, his Divine Soul—fortified by the Fifth Layer of the [Celestial Gift of Clear Heart]—was incomparably stable!

The invasive Charm Illusion Power from Ye Qingwu crashed against it, melting and disintegrating in an instant like snow under a blazing sun, failing to shake his Heart and Spirit in the slightest.

This all happened in the blink of an eye.

Lin Changheng acted completely oblivious, his expression not changing in the slightest. He simply followed her lead, his tone still placid but carrying a perfectly-timed hint of confusion. "On guard? Why would you say such a thing, Fellow Daoist Ye? I simply dislike excessive socializing, that’s all."

His reply was impeccable. He calmly met Ye Qingwu’s shimmering, crimson eyes with his own—clear, yet bottomless—as if he hadn’t felt the assault of her deadly Enchantment Technique in the slightest.

The tips of Ye Qingwu’s fingers, which were twirling a lock of her hair, stiffened slightly.

She was extremely confident in her Enchantment Technique. Forget Cultivators of the same rank—even among the few Fake Core Cultivators she knew well, very few could so casually and completely resist it.

’This man before me either has an Exotic Treasure protecting his Heart and Spirit, or... the very nature of his Divine Soul is far from ordinary!’

The crimson in her eyes faded, but her smile grew even more alluring, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "So that’s how it is. I was being presumptuous. Please don’t take offense, Fellow Daoist."

"If there’s nothing else, Fellow Daoist Ye, I must return to my meditation to prepare for any eventualities."

With that, Lin Changheng gave a slight nod and closed his eyes, making it clear he had nothing more to say.

Ye Qingwu gave Lin Changheng a long, hard look. Without another word, she averted her gaze. A soft, ambiguous laugh escaped her lips, and her expression grew more solemn.

"Then I won’t disturb your ’meditation,’ Fellow Daoist."

Lin Changheng didn’t respond, but a cold chill had already settled in his heart.

’If not for my unwavering will, this brief confrontation would have likely ended with that woman successfully bewitching me. Once that seed was planted, it’s impossible to say what might have happened later.’

’Charm Skill? Interesting...’

...

What had just occurred was merely a small interlude on their journey. Aside from those directly involved, everyone else had already put it out of their minds.

They settled back into their meditation, and silence descended upon the ship.

"Ahead lies the border of the Wilderness. Beyond it is still more desert. The Spiritual Ship will be reducing its speed and altitude. I need you all to be on high alert and ready to respond to anything that might happen."

Half a day later, the black-robed elder suddenly spoke.

His voice boomed directly in their ears, like a clap of thunder right beside them.

"Yes!"

More than ten days slipped by during the tedious yet vigilant flight.

The Spiritual Ship had long since ventured deep into the heart of the Wilderness. The scenery below had gradually shifted from a boundless sea of sand to a rugged Gobi desert and rolling crimson mountains.

The Spiritual Qi in the air grew impure, thick with a mix of dense Demon Qi and the foul, lingering stench left behind by various Demon Beasts.

This was not a friendly environment for Cultivators!

During this period, they were attacked several times by Flying Demon Birds. Fortunately, thanks to the wide coverage of the black-robed elder’s Divine Sense, his vast experience, and the Spiritual Ship’s Concealment capabilities, they managed to avoid any real danger.

They managed not to attract a flock.

They even sensed the heart-stopping pressure of a Tier Three Great Demon from a great distance. The entire group of Cultivators was instantly alarmed. On the black-robed Fake Core Cultivator’s decisive telepathic order, they immediately disembarked from the Spiritual Ship and took cover. Thankfully, the encounter was brief; the presence appeared and vanished in a flash.

It was most likely just passing through.

Still, it made the party of ten give up any notion of traveling on the Spiritual Ship again.

They began to travel on foot, staying low to the ground.

It made them a smaller target, and it would be easier to find cover if they ran into trouble.

At this point, they were considered deep within the Endless Wilderness, and sightings of Tier Two Demon Beasts became more frequent.

Most of them, however, were at the Tier Two Early or Middle Stage.

Whenever they encountered one, the Demon Beast would be killed on the spot by attacks from two different directions before it even had time to bare its fangs or look menacing.

This was the strategy laid out by the black-robed Fake Core Cultivator.

Whenever they encountered a Demon Beast, two Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators would immediately and decisively strike from different directions, killing it as quickly as possible to avoid causing a disturbance and attracting unforeseen trouble.

Against such a lightning-fast joint assault, Tier Two Early and Middle Stage Demon Beasts were essentially killed on impact.

They had no chance to resist or struggle.

’The Demon Beast’s corpse...’

A trace of longing flickered through Lin Changheng’s mind.

But to his amazement, these Late Stage Foundation Establishment masters didn’t pass up the Demon Beast corpses. They deftly carved out the core parts where essence was concentrated, collecting the Essence Blood and Demon Cores.

Some were so thorough they wouldn’t even let the Demon Beast Meat, hide, or Scale Armor go to waste.

It was stripped clean, with not a single valuable part left behind.

Such thriftiness was an eye-opening experience for Lin Changheng, who, having mastered a Tier Two Upper Grade Skill, now considered himself quite well-off. He made a secret vow to himself:

’Waste not! Never forget your roots!’

Mo Zhaoli, standing to the side, looked completely unfazed, as if this was all perfectly normal. It was clear she did the exact same thing.

...

The rest of the journey was relatively uneventful, with no further incidents.

One day, after the group had carefully navigated through a patch of persistent, crimson Miasma, they all emerged looking disheveled, their bodies splattered with various strange fluids.

"This place isn’t just hard to find, it’s a real nightmare to traverse."

Jin Daoyao, built like an iron tower, ripped off his Tier Two [Anti-Miasma Talisman], its Spiritual Light having dimmed. His muscles rippled, and a gust of wind erupted from his body, instantly blasting away all the stains and marks. As he did so, he grumbled impatiently.