Free Web NovelChapter 372: Chapter 297: Five-Direction Starfall (2)
The four Qi Cultivation disciples were clearly not going to make it. The two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, possessing more formidable Magical Power, remained conscious. However, with the Black Sand raging within their bodies, they were powerless to save themselves and could only watch as they plummeted.
"Save them!"
With a roar, Han Yunlong was the first to act. He deployed his Magical Artifact and flew rapidly toward the falling Foundation Establishment Cultivators, managing to save one.
Unfortunately, the other cultivator was too far from him. By the time he could get there, the man was already about to drop into the black soil below.
Fortunately, another Foundation Establishment Cultivator beside Han Yunlong also moved decisively to help. This person reached the falling cultivator and, with a sweep of his Magic Sword, was just about to save the man when a deep, thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the black soil below. Then, Fang Qingyuan witnessed a shocking scene.
A behemoth over a hundred feet long struggled out of the black soil and lunged, swallowing the Magic Sword and everything around it in one bite.
In a flash, the Magic Sword, along with the cultivator it was trying to save, was swallowed into the beast’s belly. With a crash like a giant boulder hitting the surface of a lake, the black soil once again concealed the creature.
With that, the area returned to its previous state. Fang Qingyuan’s pupils constricted as he pushed his Spiritual Boat to accelerate, hurtling forward. He had sensed it clearly—that Earth-Returning Beast was unmistakably at the Golden Core Cultivation level.
’This place is over two thousand li from the border, way too far. Now any random demon beast that shows up is at the Golden Core level. I can’t tell if we’re just that unlucky, or if Golden Core Demon Beasts have become this common.’
Regardless, Fang Qingyuan began to feel some regret. ’I should have demanded more benefits from Lechuan. Getting both me and Jiang Wanqin to come all this way for a single Tier Three High-Grade Dao Fruit really wasn’t worth it.’
Pushed to its limits by Fang Qingyuan, the small Flying Boat flew at incredible speed, leaving the treacherous sinking sands behind in less than an hour.
Reaching the border where the Black Sand met the woods, Fang Qingyuan felt an indescribable sense of relief at the sight of the lush green trees.
’That endless expanse of black, swampy soil was just too suffocating.’
After waiting a moment, Han Yunlong and his party emerged, looking disheveled. Once they were before Fang Qingyuan, Han Yunlong immediately began to take stock of his losses in personnel and supplies.
After a long while, Han Yunlong’s face was grim. During that last stretch, he had lost two Foundation Establishment Cultivators and seven at the Qi Cultivation level. For his small team, this was a devastating blow.
"Sect Leader Fang, why didn’t you help? I saw you weren’t far off. Is this the kind of service the Pill Alliance gets for the high price we paid?"
Fang Qingyuan had just been about to tell everyone to rest when, unexpectedly, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator behind Han Yunlong lashed out at him.
Fang Qingyuan chuckled coldly. He glanced at Han Yunlong’s face first, and when he saw Han Yunlong remain silent, his own anger flared.
"We had an agreement when we departed. We are only responsible for leading the way and providing cover, not fighting demon beasts. How can you go back on your word so soon?
"Furthermore, speaking of service, had you lost a single person before this? You didn’t complain when we passed through the territory of the Cloud-Clawed Lizards and the Golden Reng Bear Owl Beasts. Now that your luck ran out and you took a hit, you start blaming us? What, are you looking to turn hostile? At worst, we can just go our separate ways. You can find your own way back."
Fang Qingyuan’s furious declaration immediately spurred a panicked Han Yunlong to speak up.
"It doesn’t have to be like that, it really doesn’t! He just lost a close friend; he’s not in his right mind. Please, Sect Leader Fang, forgive him."
After placating Fang Qingyuan, Han Yunlong pulled and dragged away the Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had spoken out, shooting apologetic smiles at Fang Qingyuan the whole time.
Fang Qingyuan just snorted coldly in response, then turned to Jiang Wanqin beside him and said:
"If you ever encounter a situation like this again, remember what I just did. If that had been you, you’d probably be the one apologizing right now."
Jiang Wanqin nodded, looking slightly bewildered. Seeing that she didn’t quite grasp it, Fang Qingyuan decided to explain it a little more clearly.
"Han Yunlong was just testing the waters. He’s short-staffed and wants us to start pulling more weight. But I won’t give him what he wants. Taking action is risky—what if we slip up and one of us dies? I’d rather act like I’m willing to let this entire deal fall apart than be bossed around by him. He has far less leverage than we do. If we walk away, he is guaranteed to lose more people on the trip back."
After he finished speaking, Fang Qingyuan paid no mind to how much Jiang Wanqin had absorbed. He released his Divine Sense, probing the area ahead with his full strength, because a little over a hundred li further was Awakening Lion Valley.
Fang Qingyuan had no intention of stumbling into that swarm of silver flying insects, so from this point on, he pushed his All Things Heart Sound Divine Techniques to its absolute limit. Within a fifty-li radius, the mental undulations of every living, feeling creature would not escape his perception.
Just a few breaths later, Fang Qingyuan’s expression flickered. Through the Voice of All Things, he detected something quite interesting.
In the distance, a group of cultivators was in a tense standoff, each suspicious of the other. Through his mental senses, Fang Qingyuan could feel that even stronger than their killing intent was their greed.
’They must have found a treasure, and the ad-hoc treasure-hunting party is starting to fight amongst themselves. What a classic trope. I just wonder what it could be to tempt over a dozen Foundation Establishment Cultivators.’
Any cultivator who came this deep into the wilderness would be at least at the Foundation Establishment level. Only a major power like the Pill Alliance would bring along Qi Cultivation Cultivators for their special skills.
A distance of fifty li was far beyond the perceptive range of a normal Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Only because of Fang Qingyuan’s powerful spiritual soul and his incredible Divine Techniques could he sense things from so far away.
Meanwhile, the strongest cultivator in the Pill Alliance group, Han Yunlong, remained completely oblivious. After taking inventory, he began to rally his subordinates’ morale. Once he finished his speech and walked over to Fang Qingyuan, Fang Qingyuan simply closed his eyes, ignoring him.
Han Yunlong thought Fang Qingyuan was still holding a grudge over the earlier incident. Just as he was about to offer some placating words, he saw Fang Qingyuan make a hushing gesture, telling him to be silent.
Because, just a moment ago, the fighting had erupted. Based on what Fang Qingyuan could perceive, the combatants were fighting while retreating—and heading straight for them.
This wasn’t a matter of good or bad luck for Fang Qingyuan; this was simply one of the main routes for exiting the Barbaric Wilderness. Unless one wanted to risk crossing the territory of other Golden Core Demon Beasts, this was the only viable path.
"Brother Yunlong, prepare yourself. A group is charging this way. By the looks of it, they’re in a blood rage. If you don’t want to be caught in the crossfire, you’d better act now."
At Fang Qingyuan’s warning, Han Yunlong’s expression changed. Though he was curious as to how Fang Qingyuan knew what was happening so far away, he understood that this wasn’t something to joke about. He roared:
"Pill Alliance disciples, hear my command! Set the array! Activate the Five Directions Meteor Instant Kill Array!"
At Han Yunlong’s command, the remaining Foundation Establishment Cultivators and Qi Cultivation Disciples all produced Array Banners and Talisman Discs. They quickly took up positions at specific points corresponding to the five elements. In just over ten breaths of time, a Five Directions Meteor Instant Kill Array was silently erected. The next moment, an intense, murderous aura radiated outward.
Seeing this, Fang Qingyuan’s brow furrowed slightly. He led Jiang Wanqin and the three members of the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect to quickly take cover behind the Array.
