"Bad news."
Xiu Yun, Dan Chenyu, and Gu Wudao spoke almost simultaneously, while Wei Lanshu's lips parted slightly as if to offer a different answer.
But before she could utter a word, the three voices had already sounded, and she could only retract her own.
Yun Ze, holding the Shan Xiao, stood up and turned to look in one direction. "The bad news is that there are at least thirty-six Foundation Establishment stage spirit beasts around us, and each spirit beast is followed by over a hundred spirit beasts at the seventh level of Qi Refining or higher. And these spirit beasts are not fighting each other, but are...
coming for us."
Dan Chenyu frowned and rose, sword in hand. "Nearly four thousand spirit beasts, plus thirty-six at the Foundation Establishment stage. There's no way we can kill them all with our current strength."
"There's at least half an hour left."
Xiu Yun sat in place, toying with the long bow in his hand. "They need at least half an hour to break through. If we can hold on for this half hour, we still have a chance."
"What are you afraid of!"
Gu Wudao, wielding his long saber, strode to Yun Ze's side, a smile on his lips. "Aren't they just a bunch of beasts? We brothers can take them down one by one, right?"
Yun Ze remained silent, his brow furrowed as he stared into the distance.
The spirit beasts were getting closer. Even without spatial perception, he could already smell the blood on them!
"Brother Yun."
Wei Lanshu also looked at Yun Ze at this moment. "Then what's the good news?"
Everyone else also turned to look at him, their eyes filled with a hint of confusion.
The bad news was so terrifying, the good news couldn't be much better... could it?
"Weren't we guessing what those thirty-six spirit beasts that appeared with the thirty-six monks of Du Zhi were?"
Yun Ze looked ahead, a wry smile on his lips. "If we can survive this, we'll probably know."
"Wait!"
Dan Chenyu seemed to recall something and quickly asked, "Junior Uncle, are you saying those thirty-six Foundation Establishment spirit beasts are..."
"Yes."
Yun Ze nodded in agreement.
The crowd then saw countless crimson, dark green, ink-blue, and even shimmering crimson-gold spheres appearing one by one!
Each pair of spheres represented a spirit beast! httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
At this moment, they were gradually forming a pincer movement, slowly surrounding the group, their encirclement shrinking from hundreds of meters away!
Dense! Layered!
Without a doubt.
Once they approached the group, they would launch their attack immediately!
All of this was happening too strangely!
Spirit beasts possessed a certain degree of intelligence, and some Foundation Establishment stage spirit beasts could even speak human language and engage in simple communication with humans.
But this was in a secret realm! A secret realm undergoing a mutation!
Other spirit beasts were slaughtering each other, yet these spirit beasts not only gathered together without rioting but also managed to gather so many different types of spirit beasts to surround them!
If one said there was no one manipulating them from behind, it would be impossible!
But...
Didn't Di Sha just get injured by the Soul Piercer! Could he recover so quickly and command so many spirit beasts to surround them?
Yun Ze turned to look at Xiu Yun. "Second Brother, tell me honestly, how effective is that Soul Piercer?"
"I really don't know!"
Xiu Yun was also a bit speechless.
After the previous battle, he had only recovered less than sixty percent of his strength, and now another large group of spirit beasts was approaching!
There were at least nearly four thousand spirit beasts in sight!
Even if he could kill ten with one arrow, he would have to shoot over four hundred arrows to eliminate them all!
Even if he was at the ninth level of Qi Sea, he couldn't withstand this!
"No matter what, we'll kill as many as we can!"
Gu Wudao, saber in hand, prepared to charge forward!
He was about to explode!
Since he advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, he had only fought three battles!
His opponents were either the second son of the Demon Cave Lord at the ninth level of Qi Sea, a Buddhist prodigy with a third-grade golden body, or Yun Ze, who had severed the third-grade golden body with a single sword strike.
The first battle was alright, with back-and-forth exchanges. The second was pure slaughter.
The third battle was his own invitation, but even before it began, he knew the gap between himself and his opponent.
He was, after all, among the top ten of the Heavenly Rankings this year!
As the first among the top ten of the Heavenly Rankings to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, how could he not regain some face?
These Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts were clearly the most suitable stepping stones!
Generally, spirit beasts had a more difficult cultivation path than humans, so after advancing, they were often stronger than humans of the same realm.
If he, newly advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, could hard-kill one or several Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts, it would not be a disgrace to his sect!
He could also avoid kneeling before the ancestor's tablet for a couple of days upon his return, right?
"If those were just ordinary spirit beasts, then killing them would be fine, but I'm afraid..."
Dan Chenyu still had concerns. "These spirit beasts, like those people, cannot be harmed by spiritual energy."
"Why don't we try?"
Xiu Yun asked, nocking an arrow and shooting!
The crimson arrow forged from spiritual power pierced through the air, heading straight for the brow of a Foundation Establishment stage demonic beast!
Everyone followed the arrow's trajectory and looked ahead.
The arrow was embedded in the head of the black tiger, and then...
"Roar!"
A roar erupted!
The black tiger not only did not fall but was not even injured. Instead, its aura surged, and its body lunged forward!
"It seems there's another piece of bad news..."
"What the hell are you afraid of!"
Gu Wudao said as he dodged behind Yun Ze.
He had been scared by the monk Du Zhi earlier. Seeing that this black tiger was like Du Zhi, he was reluctant to advance. "Third Brother, you go! With one of your sword strikes, even if you can't take down half the demonic beasts, you should be able to deal with a portion of them, right?"
"A few more strikes! Big Brother will cover you!"
Yun Ze was speechless.
If he could unleash consecutive sword strikes, would he need to call this bad news?
So many spirit beast materials, that would be so many spirit stones!
"I can't."
Yun Ze replied, then looked at Dan Chenyu. "Xiao Yu, how much of the sword techniques from the Secret Canon have you learned?"
"The Five Elements Sword Technique is all at minor completion, and the accompanying sword techniques are also at minor completion."
Dan Chenyu replied truthfully, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "Junior Uncle, are you going to teach me that move?"
Yun Ze shook his head, raised the Shan Xiao, and soared into the sky. "Among the Five Elements Sword Technique, only the Li Feng Jue, Shuo Jin Sword Technique, and Wan Jun Sword Technique that accompany the Jin Feng Jue do not require spiritual energy to unleash the ultimate power of sword qi.
Coupled with the Ling Yun Sword Technique, it can spread sword qi for dozens of miles. You and I will be responsible for the east and west sides!"
"I'll take the south side."
Xiu Yun replied calmly. A flash of light from his Sumeru ring, and an quiver appeared behind him.
The quiver was filled with eleven crimson-gold arrows and one purple-gold arrow.
That purple-gold arrow was likely the one he had drawn out earlier, intending to kill the monk Du Zhi.
As quick as lightning, before anyone could react, Xiu Yun drew out a crimson-gold arrow!
Nocked, aimed, released.
The sound of breaking air echoed, and a Foundation Establishment stage spirit beast on the south side fell!
Immediately after, the crimson-gold arrow turned and flew back. Although its speed was not as fast as before, it was indeed flying back.
"Then... then I'll take the north side!"
Gu Wudao had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree. "If you have any spare time, come and help me out!"
He charged forward as soon as he finished speaking!
Saber path and sword path were different.
Although both were branches of weapon cultivation, sword qi could be released at the Dao Entry stage, while saber path could only forge saber aura at the Dao Entry stage!
Saber aura protected the body, creating an imposing presence that could repel an army!
However, not long after Gu Wudao charged out, the spirit beast that Xiu Yun had 'killed' earlier got back up and led the other spirit beasts to surround them again!
"It can still recover..."
Yun Ze's brow furrowed tightly.
These demonic beasts were more troublesome than Monk Du Zhi!
The latter could recover from injuries by relying on spiritual energy, but he was still just one person!
But these demonic beasts were endless, and coupled with their almost monstrous recovery ability, who knew how to break through this situation.
No matter!
Someone was currently breaking through, so they couldn't escape. They could only hold on and wait for them to finish their breakthrough!
"Second Brother, take care of Xiao Shu!"
Yun Ze stepped on the Zhu Ying and charged towards the east!
Although sword qi could be released, its range was inferior to arrows. Getting closer would naturally increase its power.
"Don't worry!"
Xiu Yun replied and once again nocked an arrow!
"Brother Yun, be careful with everything!"
Xiao Shu knew she couldn't help much at the moment and could only stand in place, watching Yun Ze's figure disappear into the distance...
Yun Ze quickly arrived above the group of spirit beasts!
He held the Shan Xiao diagonally, its blade shimmering with sharpness, and sword qi was continuously accumulating and brewing!
This was Wan Jun!
It could store sword qi without releasing it, and then unleash it with the force of thunder when a certain amount was accumulated!
If coupled with the Ling Yun Sword Technique, this move could even cover a larger area than Huan Yu and be even more terrifying in power!
It was a pity that this move required too much preparation time and was difficult to use in combat.
However, it was just right for the current situation!
Buzz!
With a hum, Yun Ze knew the Shan Xiao had reached its limit!
He pointed the blade at the group of spirit beasts below and waved his hand lightly.
"Wan Jun... descend!"
...
...
A moment ago.
In the Zhutian Secret Realm, above the ninth spiritual lake.
This spiritual lake was a scene of carnage. All living beings within it, including the spirit whales, were dead, their blood staining the entire lake.
Bu Bu was currently hovering above this blood lake.
"He's really hiding deep!"
She had searched all nine spiritual lakes during this time, collecting a total of twenty-six Yuan Qi, but she still couldn't find the two things she was looking for!
Di Sha's Primordial Spirit! Sen Jue!
If she wanted to strip away his life-essence Dao, she would need to find at least one of these two items.
But she had searched all nine spiritual lakes, let alone finding both, she hadn't found even one!
It seemed there should be a tenth spiritual lake in this secret realm.
Bu Bu withdrew her gaze from the surface of the spiritual lake and looked into the distance...
A familiar spatial fluctuation came, and a smile appeared on her lips.
It seemed he wasn't too foolish after all!
However, this alone was not true 'sword hiding'. It seemed she needed to put more pressure on him.
A silvery-gray light flashed in Bu Bu's eyes, but in the next instant, this light instantly vanished!
Before she could regain her senses, the twenty-six Yuan Qi she had collected earlier popped out of a spatial rift and began to drill into her body!
A flicker of surprise appeared in Bu Bu's eyes, but it was only surprise.