Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Reverse Induction
Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Reverse Induction
After the great battle, the place was a complete mess.
The cultivators' joy lasted only a moment.
Even though they had repelled the Three-eyed Stone Monkey once again, this victory couldn't cover up the tragic casualties among the Mountain-Breaking Team.
Everyone soon fell silent.
Over a hundred Purple Mansion cultivators, along with an even greater number of high-tier Qi Cultivation practitioners, ten experienced and profound Ferryman leading the team, were all full of confidence when they first entered the Jade Dragon Mountain Range.
With such a powerful team, and with the existence of the Jade Dragon Oath, how could they worry about not being able to break through this natural barrier?
The journey of the past few days had indeed gone as smoothly as they had imagined.
Ordinary Monster Beasts wouldn't dare to provoke them.
However, their confidence was completely shattered today.
A strike from that unknown Great Monster cost the Mountain-Breaking Team thirty-nine lives and left over a hundred injured!
More than half of the team was either killed or wounded!
Among the dead were three Purple Mansion tier Ferryman, and three more were injured to varying degrees.
No amount of slain Three-eyed Stone Monkeys could compensate for such losses!
The morale within the team had dropped to an all-time low.
Some injured cultivators glared at the leading Ferryman with eyes full of resentment, making the atmosphere tense once again.
"We're very sorry; we didn't want such an accident to happen either."
The leading Ferryman, surnamed Xu and of high Purple Mansion cultivation, said expressionlessly, "For the journey ahead, it's up to you to decide whether to continue on or to return the way we came."
Actually, this Mr. Xu was far from as calm as he appeared on the surface.
His heart was also bleeding.
He had led teams back and forth through this route many times before, always without any problems.
But the dangers inside Jade Dragon Mountain couldn't be predicted.
Like that terrifyingly powerful Great Monster they had encountered earlier; who would have thought they'd run into such a being?
The losses of the Overmountain Association were also severe!
But Mr. Xu was without guilt.
Because before entering the mountain, he had already made the risks clear to everyone.
If they encountered such threats, they could only consider themselves unlucky!
Everyone couldn't help but look at each other.
A cultivator clenched his teeth and asked, "Superior Xu, if we continue on, will we encounter such Great Monsters again?"
"I can't guarantee that."
Mr. Xu said indifferently, "The Jade Dragon Oath can keep Great Monsters and Demon Kings in check, but it can't guarantee that we won't be attacked by high-tier creatures from the Monster Race."
Great Monsters and Demon Kings wouldn't act out of benevolence and morality; while the Jade Dragon Oath has strong binding power, they'll always shamelessly find excuses if they are brazen enough.
For instance, accidental harm or mistakes.
The Nascent Soul True Immortals of the four great Sects would not bother themselves with such "trifles" to trouble the Demon Kings for that reason.
So, they could only consider themselves unlucky!
Actually, everyone understood this; it was just hard for them to accept, and they fell into silence once more.
Mr. Xu let out a sigh and continued, "We'll rest and recuperate for three days. Three days should be enough for you to decide whether to keep moving forward or to return the way we came. I have no objections to either."
There were many injured cultivators. It would not be wise to continue the journey or to return at this point.
No one raised any objections to this.
Although there was an inevitable disintegration of unity among the people in the team, in the face of such harsh reality, they could still maintain a semblance of unity on the surface.
They cleaned up the battlefield to lay the spirits to rest, reorganized the team, and then found a place to set up camp and rest.
Night once again fell upon the Jade Dragon Mountain Range.
The darkness, silent and insidious, engulfed the land and swallowed up the temporary camp in the valley.
Wang Chen hung a Luminous Stone lamp on the tent.
It was past dinner time, but he had not the slightest appetite; he believed the other cultivators felt the same.
Even though they were but strangers who came together for a common purpose, there was no friendship between them.
Perhaps it was a case of "one feeling sympathy for the plight of another."
Seeing so many fellow cultivators of the same tier wounded or dead, Wang Chen's mind couldn't help but be greatly affected.
Below Golden Core, all are ants!
This encounter during the daylight hours had made Wang Chen deeply understand the true meaning of this phrase.
He took out a jar of Spiritual Wine from his Storage Bag and began to drink slowly.
Suddenly, his tent fluttered, and a graceful figure flashed inside.
Wang Chen immediately froze.
This uninvited guest was none other than Li Yian, and she was the only one who would enter Wang Chen's tent so directly.
The issue was that tonight, Li Yian had actually changed into a set of plain white garments!
As the saying goes, to look fetching, dress in mourning.
This female cultivator already possessed an extraordinary beauty, and now, having switched from male attire to a white dress, her figure, temperament, and even her beauty seemed to have elevated by a tier!
She sat down next to Wang Chen, her eyes brimming with light, "Taoist Friend Wang, drinking alone in silence isn't good."
The battle during the day, although fierce, had left Li Yian with only minor injuries, and her complexion appeared slightly pale.
Wang Chen gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
He wasn't drinking in sorrow.
After all, who can be without sentiment when even plants and trees have life; even a Nascent Soul True Immortal could not sever emotions and desires completely.
With a heart that had been touched and an uncertain path ahead, Wang Chen couldn't help but doubt whether his initial choice had been the correct one.
Even if he had braved numerous hardships and dangers to pass through Jade Dragon Mountain range, was he guaranteed to find the superior that Chang Chun spoke of in the West Sea Spirit Domain, and thereby step onto the path to heaven?
Wang Chen had no confidence at all!
The great calamity of heaven and earth does not necessarily signal the extinction of all beings; staying in the Mountain and Sea Realm could very well mean a significant chance of overcoming the tribulation.
Perhaps staying in Ten Thousand Cultivators City was the best choice after all.
"I'll drink with you."
Li Yian reached out, took the jar of wine, and drank a few mouthfuls directly.
Then she handed it back to Wang Chen.
Wang Chen took it and drank deeply, just like her.
And so, they passed the jar back and forth, drinking the Spiritual Wine until it was completely gone.
"Come on!"
Li Yian took out another jar of Hundred Flowers Brew from her Storage Bag, "Tonight, we won't stop until we're drunk!"
Wang Chen didn't refuse.
The Hundred Flowers Brew that Li Yian had produced had a distinctly richer taste than the one before, aged who knew how many years.
The aftermath was significantly stronger.
Feeling moved, Wang Chen did not deliberately resist the effects of the alcohol, and before he knew it, he was somewhat intoxicated.
Suddenly, a faint dark fragrance seeped into his heart and spleen.
A bundle of warm, fragrant softness leaned into his embrace.
Before Wang Chen could react, Li Yian lifted her head, pressed her red lips to his, and a hint of sweetness from the depths of her mouth mixed with the fine wine.
This wine was as sweet as honey, soul-stirring, bone-melting!
Wang Chen grew even more intoxicated.
He heard the beauty in his arms lightly laugh and breathed into his ear like an orchid, "Do you know my heart?"
Wang Chen didn't know.
But he wanted to know.
In a daze, a string of mantras entered his ears.
"This is the secret Yin and Yang Reunion Secret Technique, passed down in my sect. It can only be cultivated by those with pure Yang and pure Yin constitutions."
As she spoke, Li Yian flicked her wrist and released four Talismans, placing them in each corner of the tent.
These Talismans emitted a faint glow, isolating all sounds and energy from inside and outside!
The next moment, Wang Chen was pushed down on the carpet.
One thought dominated his mind.
I've actually been overpowered!
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The first release is here, I wish everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, may you enjoy family reunions and happiness and health!