Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

The Blood Cloud Eighteen Knights fully activated their army formation, the Blood Flag fluttering as if a vast blood cloud covered the heavens, spreading across the horizon.

"Has their speed increased?"

Jiang Ding's brows knit together slightly, "What's the rush? I don't want to kill you all right now."

Even though the Blood Cloud Eighteen Knights were running fast, they were merely increasing the distance between them. The speed of the Eight Trigrams Breaking Banned Formation was still faster than the Blood Cloud.

It just meant that catching up would take longer.

"Two objects moving at constant speed, if object A's speed is... and object B's speed is... how long will it take for them to meet?"

Jiang Ding silently ridiculed the thought, recalling his elementary school tests.

"About seventeen days, if there are no external influences."

"But it's hard for there to be no accidents."

He looked up, gazing into the distance.

"Lord Tushan,"

Suddenly, an urgent voice reached his ears, coming from the Golden Pill scouts dispersed in various locations.

No cultivators born of the Xianmen Sect underestimated the importance of intelligence and information. It was a matter of life and death.

A Golden Pill Monk said anxiously, "I've spotted the trace of Six Dao Saint Yin Dao. He has eluded the Scorching Sun Swordsman and is now pursuing—a Golden Pill early-stage cultivator... That early-stage one is good at running, and for the moment, cannot be caught."

His words paused for a moment, clearly somewhat in disbelief.

"I am currently moving away."

This was the creed of those receiving the Sword Order: upon encountering an unbeatable cultivator, immediately flee far away, a necessary rule to maintain the unity of the loose cultivators.

At the same time, several other scouts transmitted similar intelligence.

Golden Pill Elites like the Six Dao Saint were too powerful; every appearance they made was an earth-shattering event, involving the lives of a great many Golden Pill Monks, and nobody dared overlook it.

"Hmm, understood. Take good care of yourself."

Jiang Ding nodded, encouragingly.

There was no need to think; the Six Dao Saint, being sought after by the Scorching Sun Swordsman and still filled with a murderous intent, was chasing none other than a certain Golden Pill early-stage cultivator who had snatched away his Life Treasure.

Hum!

Within the Sea of Consciousness, a thread of Sword Intent vibrated faintly, carrying a shrill cry.

"Little master uncle! Save me!"

"Call me Tushan."

Jiang Ding reminded.

A Golden Pill Peak cultivator, uniquely powerful in combat—that wasn't an issue. Blood Cloud was such a person; he was always out of sight, so it wasn't a big problem.

But if there indeed emerged someone at the Foundation Establishment stage who could reverse-kill a Post-golden Alchemist, that would attract a tremendous amount of attention.

That was too risky. Even hearing of such an enemy, Jiang Ding would think of ways to nip the threat in the bud, struggling to suppress his killing intent.

"Tushan master uncle!"

The voice on the other end rapidly changed its mode of address, "The Six Dao Saint is after me, save me! I was just treasure hunting in an honest and upright manner, and out of nowhere, he started pursuing me with complete disregard for reason. He's clearly not putting you, elder, in his eyes at all!"

"Save me!"

"Understood."

Jiang Ding nodded.

Under normal circumstances, while he was in the process of chasing the Blood Cloud Eighteen Knights, he wouldn't change his objective for anyone. It didn't matter if he was chasing someone else or not involved in anything, or even asleep; whether to save or not depended on his mood at the time—it could go either way.

But not this time.

Han Lin had given him a Luoxu Clan Token, allowing him entry to this place for a chance to pursue clues about Immortal Techniques. He owed a debt of gratitude; if the other party called for help, he must save them.

Of course, this was also why the other party had spoken up.

Though this person seemed humble and ordinary, he actually carried a well-hidden pride. Usually, even in life-threatening situations, he rarely asked others for help without good reason.

"Retreat and join up with the rear."

Jiang Ding commanded, "Then form up and follow me, stopping every quarter of an hour to regroup. If you encounter an enemy, hold your positions and wait for support. If the enemy is too powerful, disperse and escape quickly."

Without him behind, the power of the Breaking Prohibition Formation would plummet dramatically. Although it could still sweep through an equal number of loose Golden Pill cultivators, it would not fear those at the cusp of the Nascent Soul Stage.

But if the enemy were also a master of the Formation Dao, looking for weak spots or launching sudden sneak attacks, then the outcome was uncertain.

The level of these Golden Pill Monks in Formation Dao, their will to fight, were all rather subpar—it was possible they could suddenly collapse after suffering a few casualties.

As individuals, their will to fight was firm, their tactics flexible, their determination unyielding; fighting to the death wasn't a difficult thing for them.

But as a group, that was a different story.

"Yes!"

Immortal Baimei and other cultivators suddenly felt the array patterns surrounding them loosen and become sluggish, harder to control. They snapped out of their invincible delusions and responded with tension, flying backward to join up with the rearguard.

Jiang Ding nodded slightly, and with a flash of Azure Escape Light, he disappeared into the sky, speeding away into the distance.

...

In the west of the Spiritual Medicine Garden, two Escape Lights were engaged in a chase.

The light in the front had a pure azure color, as it desperately fled, commanding a cyan Flying Sword.

The Escape Light behind was filled with an overwhelming demonic aura, causing roaring winds that howled across miles of territory, closing the distance rapidly, gaining a large stretch in mere moments.

"Your name is Han Lin, right?"

"You won't die so easily."

The Six Dao Saint, Yin Dao, with his handsome features and fair skin, in white robes with flying sleeves, said with a light laugh, "The punitive methods of the Liudao Sect are unmatched in the world. I will slowly peel off your skin, yank out your spine and fill it with mercury, bind your Divine Soul, then take demon fire from the Six Dao Sect and burn you bit by bit. I will periodically replenish you with soul-nourishing elixirs, and for a hundred years, a thousand years, you will neither be able to live nor die..."

"I hear you still have blood relatives in Yue Country?"

"Your uncle, your aunt, and a sister, their descendants are still alive."

"I've already sent people to look for them, and they should return soon. Don't worry, they will accompany you forever, enduring the torment of the demon fire and never finding release from their eternal suffering..."

Each word formed into a sinister demonic sound that effortlessly entered the Cultivator's Sea of Consciousness; the bewildering noise caused his eyes to occasionally flash with confusion, his body staggering.

"Haha, as you wish."

Han Lin silently recited a cleansing magic, his expression unchanged, and he laughed loudly, "My sister and parents, as well as my old uncle and aunt, have long entered the cycle of reincarnation. More than a hundred years have passed, and now I don't even know how many times they have reincarnated. What have the remaining people got to do with me?"

"Saint, you should be more concerned about yourself."

Han Lin threatened, "The Scorching Sun Swordsman is searching for you throughout the Luoxu Clan, and he has concealed his presence. Maybe he's right behind you this very moment, his Sword Intent brewing the lethal blow that will greatly enhance his swordsmanship."

"If you don't escape now, you might as well not at all."

"Smooth talker!"

The expression of the Six Dao Saint chilled.

That was exactly his worry. The Scorching Sun Swordsman, like a madman, was out for his life, not afraid of provoking a war between the two sects.

Those old fogeys in the sect didn't intervene, preaching about trials and how a Saint Heir must emerge from blood and fire.

However, the person in front of him possessed his long-refined Life Treasure, the Hungry Ghost Banner with seventy-two perfect Earth Evil Prohibitions!

Once retrieved, would he still fear the Scorching Sun Swordsman?

In just a few breaths, the gap between them closed significantly, nearly within reach of his treasure's range of attack. A cold smile crept over the Six Dao Saint's face as five black banners slowly emerged.

"How miserable!"

Han Lin's soul nearly departed from his body in terror, flipping his hand to reveal a green Feather of Azure Phoenix, imbuing it with Mana. With a flash of green light, he escaped yet another great distance, just before the five black banners could suppress him.

It was this very treasure that had allowed him to flee multiple times, avoiding death.

"Good."

A flicker of viciousness crossed the eyes of the Six Dao Saint: "How much Mana do you still have?"

He saw clearly that while the treasure was mystical, possibly a feather from a Nascent Soul Stage legendary beast's lineage, the Azure Phoenix, granting extreme speed, it also consumed an enormous amount of Mana. After repeated use, an early-stage Golden Pill Cultivator, no matter how profound their Mana, would be on the verge of collapse.

"I have plenty of Mana!"

Han Lin immediately replied loudly, full of confidence.

Yet, inwardly, he cursed his luck.

On his escape, he had consumed countless Elixirs. He had even consumed five drops of the millennial Stone Milk for instant Mana recovery, and was now utterly spent—this was how he had escaped with his life from a Golden Pill Peak cultivator from the Northern Plains Elite.

Now, he had reached his limit!

"Scorching Sun Swordsman!"

"You came?"

Han Lin suddenly exclaimed in surprise, turning his head toward the rear of the Six Dao Saint, his eyes shining.

"Pathetic tricks."

The Six Dao Saint smiled dismissively, not even bothering to glance back.

In the world, there was no Golden Pill Monk who could elude his Divine Sense—the absolute confidence was not something that could be shaken by such laughable trickery.

Moreover, the Scorching Sun Swordsman was always noble and upright, excessively proud; why would he stoop to sneaky attacks?

Han Lin sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes to focus on his breath, saying nothing.

"Could it be?"

The Six Dao Saint's expression shifted slightly as he turned around.

Behind him, with a wide nose and lion-like face, a head of flame-like golden hair, and an overwhelmingly bold aura, the Scorching Sun Swordsman stood with a Talisman floating down beside him, revealing his figure but without attacking.

"... Friend ... well ..."

The Scorching Sun Swordsman trembled as he looked ahead.

A young man with an ordinary appearance was holding up a silver Longsword, ready to strike him down.

The spirit-breaking and Law-destroying Sword Intent suppressed him.

Just like Sword Intent, the opponent's was at least several times stronger!

What was more terrifying was a bone-deep oppressive force spreading out, nearly solidifying his Mana and Divine Soul, rendering him incapable of any movement, weaker than onlookers, as if he had met his natural predator.