Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 102: Breaking the Impasse invisibly, A Triumph Shakes the World (Long Chapter, Requesting Monthly Tickets)
Guanyun Mountain truly lives up to its reputation.

The night mist, like a veil, clung to the mountains, and the rising clouds created a scene reminiscent of a fairyland.

This beautiful and spiritual place, though not as blessed as a celestial paradise, is still a tranquil haven in the mortal world, where the Guanyun Taoist temple is bustling with worshippers.

The fact that Little Jade White Fox chose this place to migrate to back then shows her great foresight.

If a corpse-driver were to bring a ghost puppet to Yunfeng Cave now, I fear the Taoist temples in the mountains would all suffer.

Zhao Wuji couldn't be sure of the intentions of this group of enemy cultivators. Whether they were there to ambush and kill the reinforcements or had other plans, he could only feel at ease after personally verifying the safety situation.

Therefore, rather than rushing here with the rest of his troops in a daze, feeling constrained and helpless, he decided to explore alone first, which would give him peace of mind.

He flew intermittently, using his flight technique seven times in succession, covering a distance of over 500 miles and expending more than 20 strands of spiritual energy, finally arriving near Guanyun Mountain in the dead of night.

The loss of more than twenty strands of spiritual energy might be a significant amount for an ordinary person, but for him, a cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refining with 660 strands of spiritual energy, it was nothing.

Not to mention the Yin and Yang beads within his body.

The Yin Pearl contains 4,824 strands of Yin energy, while the Yang Pearl accumulates 2,140 strands of Yang energy.

Although its power is inferior to that of primordial spiritual energy, its advantage lies in its inexhaustibility.

As the night wind howled, his blue robe billowed as he landed on the outskirts of Guanyun Mountain, concealing himself among the forest with an invisibility spell.

The beak of the monstrous bird perched on the shoulder was now bound with a strip of cloth, its cacophony subsided, and it was now cautiously surveying the surrounding dark forest with its darting eyes.

"go with!"

Zhao Wuji ripped the cloth off Xiong Ba's mouth and lightly pointed his finger toward the direction of the mountains and forests.

The myna rolled its dark eyes as if complaining, but still flapped its wings and disappeared into the night.

"Be smart, don't make a sound," he whispered. "If you get caught and made into soup, no one will save you."

With a quick pinch of the fingers, the bird-taming technique begins.

In an instant, Xiong Ba's vision connected with his mind, and he could see every blade of grass and every tree in the mountains as if he were seeing them in person.

At the same time, the guiding technique employs the method of finding the energy of the earth veins, and the yin energy of the earth veins spreads out in the spiritual sense like a spider web.

"Huh? This is."

Before long, a chilling aura, like the hiss of a venomous snake, snaked out from the earth's veins.

Following the trail, Zhao Wuji saw that the gray-black corpse energy surged deep in the mountain valley, forming a strange formation.

"It really is a Yin Puppet, and it's still entrenched here."

A thought struck him, and in the distance, the mighty tyrant's wings fluttered lightly, and he silently glided toward that spot.

Before long, they flew to the mountain valley and saw a thin mist swirling in the mountains.

Seven cultivators dressed in dark blue cloaks, exuding an eerie and sinister aura, hid in the cave, with bone bells gently jingling beneath their robes.

He was directing dozens of Yin puppets to dig in the earth, with blood gushing from the pit and seven Yin Corpse Flags planted in it.

Even more horrifying, corpses dressed in Taoist robes were pushed into the pit, their joints making strange "crackling" sounds, a truly gruesome sight.

"Refining Yin Puppets? These are all Taoist priests from Guanyun Taoist Temple?" Zhao Wuji's pupils shrank slightly.

Immediately afterwards, a corpse driver was seen pulling out a section of the spine with the strongest spiritual energy from a mutilated corpse. He then used a pale white flame to forge a Spirit-Corroding Bone Nail, which was specifically designed to break through the protective spiritual light of cultivators.

The tyrant in their shared field of vision was so frightened that his feathers trembled, and he almost covered his eyes with his wings, not daring to look any longer.

Naming you Xiong Ba is somewhat of an insult to that name.

With a thought, Zhao Wuji withdrew his bird-taming technique, letting the timid myna fly back as if fleeing.

He then made a hand seal to conceal his figure, stealthily moving towards the mountain valley like a shadowy shadow.

After finding a secluded rocky spot, he activated the sword at his waist.

As the blue light flowed, the horrifying scene of the corpses being refined and arrayed in the mountain valley was recorded into the sword token, and transmitted directly to the main sword token of the Cave Heaven Affairs Hall through the array within.

This sword token is not only a symbol of the commander's identity, but also contains a protective sword aura and the ability to leave a message.

However, the sword token only contains three source crystals, and one crystal is consumed each time a message is sent.

However, it is still worthwhile to use it here.

The mountain breeze carried the stench of decay and blood, and the blood talismans on the seven Yin Corpse Banners became increasingly crimson and glaring as more and more Taoist corpses were added.

"The enemy has been spotted; this should be a significant achievement."

Zhao Wuji lightly stroked the gradually dimming patterns on the sword token with his fingertips, but his gaze grew colder, and he felt somewhat troubled.

While it was fortunate that the group of corpse drivers was discovered in advance, the fellow disciples who arrived later, including Yu Zishan's group, would inevitably encounter this group of unpredictable evil cultivators if they followed the original route.

Unless they take a detour, a fierce battle is inevitable.

Just as they were pondering this, a series of spiritual energy fluctuations suddenly came from the other side of the mountain valley.

Under the hazy moonlight, the mountain mist swayed gently like gauze, and more than ten figures walked through the mist.

The leader exuded a powerful spiritual aura; he was none other than a true disciple of Yunfeng Cave Heaven, dressed in a white robe with phoenix patterns!
"There were even ambushes!"

Zhao Wuji felt a chill run down his spine.

This is no small feat.

The disciple ranks of Yunfeng Cave Heaven are similar to those of Linlang Cave Heaven; black-robed disciples are equivalent to gray-robed disciples, while white-robed disciples are true disciples.

Those corpse-driving masters who specialize in practicing evil corpse arts, although their cultivation level is not high and their status is equivalent to that of a low-ranking official, have combat power that rivals that of a true master because they specialize in killing techniques.

Now, not only are there seven corpse-driving masters crafting Yin puppets in the mountain valley, but more than ten Yunfeng disciples have also appeared.

Such a lineup could not possibly have been gathered here by chance.

"They really did set up an ambush here!"

Zhao Wuji frowned as he observed.

In the distance, the leading white-robed disciple was raising his hand to form a hand seal, and the mountain mist surged accordingly, vaguely revealing the outline of an array that enveloped the entire mountain valley.

"If we set up an array in the mountains, it won't be long before we set up an array along the mountain paths as well."

He was already very familiar with the formation. At this moment, with a thought, he lightly tapped the sword token, sealing all the scenery he saw into it, and attached a request for instructions.

The source crystal at the bottom of the sword token dimmed at a visible speed, and the recorded information was integrated into the sword token formation and instantly transmitted to the main sword token of the Cave Heaven Affairs Hall.

"Om-"

A very subtle ripple spread outwards.

Even though Zhao Wuji had used his invisibility technique to the fullest extent to conceal his presence, the fluctuations during the transmission were still difficult to completely hide.

“Ka-ka-ka—”

Below, a rotting Yin puppet suddenly stiffened and turned its head, its empty eye sockets staring straight at the cliff wall where Zhao Wuji was hiding.

The rotting throat bone trembled, emitting a chilling "clucking" sound.

"Exposed?"

Zhao Wuji tensed up, narrowed his eyes, and quietly activated the Yin-Yang Pearls within his body, ready to break out at any moment.

But the Yin puppet shook its head a few times, then slowly turned back and continued mechanically digging the pit.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, remaining invisible, and silently retreated like a falling leaf.

Now, all that is needed is to wait for the instructions from the cave heaven. The mountain breeze swept by, and the guiding technique dissipated the last trace of his aura.

Inside the Linglang Cave, in the Affairs Hall.

In the center of the hall, a main sword token, as large as a tabletop, floated in the air, its entire body shimmering with a bluish-green spiritual light.

Suddenly, the sword token trembled violently, its clear light shining brightly, illuminating the entire hall like a deep, cold pool. "Hmm?" Elder He paused, his teacup catching in his hand, a look of surprise on his face. "Only half a day has passed, and the commander has already sent a message?"

The elders and deacons who were resting behind the bamboo curtain were all startled, and their gazes turned toward the center of the hall.

"It's Commander Zhao Wuji of Mingxia!"

Elder He pointed his finger, and a terrifying scene from Guanyun Mountain immediately appeared on the main sword token.

What one could see was a pit filled with swirling, grayish-black corpse energy, a chilling scene of seven corpse drivers crafting Yin puppets, and more than ten figures in white robes adorned with phoenix patterns—true disciples of the lineage.
"Um!?"

"A corpse driver!"

Behind the bamboo curtain in the hall, several elders abruptly stood up, and the deacons' expressions changed drastically. No one had expected that less than half a day into the operation, a disciple would discover such a significant enemy situation!
When Zhao Wuji's message requesting instructions appeared, Elder He read it and exclaimed in amazement, "This boy actually understands the language of birds, used the spirit birds in the mountains to discover clues, and even risked his life alone to investigate the enemy's situation. He is truly a talented person with both wisdom and courage!"

A cold snort came from behind the bamboo curtain, and an elder said in a deep voice, "Yun Feng's move is clearly a strategy of besieging the stronghold and attacking reinforcements. I'm afraid that the other strongholds and markets are also hiding deadly intentions."

"With the limited manpower of Yunfeng Cave Heaven, how could they possibly lay so many ambushes?" Another aged voice echoed softly, "Don't forget that the forces of Yanling Cave Heaven have yet to show themselves."

"Not bad!"

Elder He tapped the table lightly with his fingers, then turned his gaze to Elder Li of the Hall of Merit behind the bamboo curtain.

"Elder Li, what are your thoughts?"

Elder Li stroked his beard and smiled, his voice hoarse but full of approval: "Peak Master Hua has a discerning eye, and his recommendation of Zhao Wuji is indeed brilliant. I propose that he be awarded two hundred merits."

He paused, then said, "Right now, we should quickly dispatch a team of stewards to provide reinforcements, and then order General Fei Yuan and General Yu Zishan's troops to join forces with General Ming Xia to launch a proactive attack and wipe out the ambush at Guanyun Mountain!"

He Ming slowly shook his head: "The guards are the foundation of the cave, and should not be moved lightly unless there is a life-or-death situation."

He traced his finger across the projection of the sword token, and as the light and shadow shifted, the comparison of the two sides' forces became clear: "Although Yunfeng's enemy cultivators are numerous, our side has ten true disciples and thirty green-robed warriors under General Feiyuan's command, plus five true disciples and twenty green-robed warriors led by General Mingxia."

If we avoid the enemy formation, we can launch a surprise attack.

He suddenly pointed his fingers and drew a line, and two beams of azure light in the projection merged like dragons, completely shattering the red light representing the enemy cultivator.

"That's enough to annihilate the enemy!"

"If that's the case..."

A clear voice came from the other side of the bamboo curtain, "They are permitted to use their swords and sword energy in times of crisis. If they win this battle, they will be credited with a major achievement, and a minor achievement will be awarded based on the number of enemy cultivators killed."

If this commander, Mingxia, can delay the enemy for even a little longer, his merits will double.

"Excellent!" Elder He clapped his hands in agreement and immediately activated the main sword command.

In an instant, two beams of spiritual light merged into the main sword command formation, conveying their messages to Zhao Wuji and Yu Zishan respectively.

Three hundred miles away, on the path to Guanyun Mountain.

As Yu Zishan was leading his men at full speed, he suddenly felt the sword at his waist vibrate and immediately reined in the Xuanlin horse.

After reading the contents of the sword order personally passed down by Elder He, the Flying Abyss Commander's pupils shrank suddenly, and the sword wound on his neck, which had long since healed, began to ache faintly.

"Junior Brother Zhao actually discovered the enemy's presence at Guanyun Mountain so quickly? And he has already made a great contribution?"

Looking at the "join forces and attack" command in the sword order, Yu Zishan's expression gradually became solemn.

"Order! The entire team dismount and proceed stealthily!"

His voice was like the clang of metal, but the chilling image of Zhao Wuji's sword held against his throat on Cold Moon Peak that day flashed through his mind.

"This Junior Brother Zhao is truly no ordinary person!"

At the same time, the sword tokens at the waists of the captains of the other seven teams lit up simultaneously.

Under the illumination of the spiritual light, everyone read the message and their expressions changed.

Zhao Wuji of Hanyue Peak has actually made a great contribution!
That's incredibly fast!
"The one personally summoned up the mountain by Peak Master Hua of Cold Moon Peak?"

Along the way through Qingluo Market, Ji Mobai held the sword token in his hand, his purple-patterned black robe fluttering slightly in the wind, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Someone actually made a great contribution before him?
A slight smile played on his lips, and a fighting spirit shone in his eyes. It seemed that this mission would not be as easy as he had imagined, and he would not be able to gain the top credit so easily.

Inside Guanyun Mountain, Zhao Wuji lightly tapped the sword token with his fingertip, read the reply, and relaxed slightly.

"Fortunately, the elder of the Affairs Hall did not reprimand him harshly. Instead, he quickly mobilized troops for a joint attack and recorded a great achievement for him."

In this way, even if the rescue of Mingxia's stronghold is slightly delayed, the trip will not be in vain.

More importantly, he has already achieved what the peak master expected by showing his talent.

"I've most likely secured a spot in the Tiannan Secret Realm!"

He narrowed his eyes slightly, tapped the sword token with his fingertip again, and sent a message to Yan Boyuan, Liu Huaide and others.

"Hurry and meet at Guanyun Mountain! The mission has changed; let's work together to wipe out the enemy cultivators!"

After sending the message, Zhao Wuji let out a soft breath and disappeared into the mountain mist, waiting for the army to surround him.

"Next, it's time to fight this battle well."

Just as he relaxed, a faint sound of bone bells suddenly came from the mountain valley.

A corpse driver was leading a ghost puppet towards the mountain path.

At the same time, a disciple of Yunfeng also took to the air, preparing to explore the mountain path outside the mountain.

"not good!"

Zhao Wuji frowned deeply.

Yu Zishan's troops were still 300 li away, and his own troops were on their way.

If these two discover the truth, the plan to launch a surprise attack will be thwarted.

"Ka!"

With a swift movement, Xiong Ba flapped his wings and flew away.

His figure instantly blended into the night, like ink disappearing into water.

After a short while.

A corpse driver who was driving away the Yin puppets in the mountains suddenly stopped in his tracks, before he could even turn around.

*Sizzle!*

A frost-covered sword tip had emerged from between his brows, and the blood had already crystallized before it could even splatter.

As the Yin Puppet ahead roared and turned its head, a sword light appeared like a crescent moon, illuminating the dark forest.

"Shh!"

The putrid head flew high into the air, while the headless body remained in a fighting posture, only to be tightly bound by strands of air that appeared out of nowhere, like chains. Then, it slowly lost its strength and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

In the darkness, Zhao Wuji's figure solidified quietly like a wisp of mist.

He lowered his eyes and coldly stared at the corpse of the corpse driver on the ground, his gaze as still as an ancient well.

In this state of concealment and concealment, killing such lowly soldiers is truly as easy as cutting melons and vegetables.

"Let's see what your plans are."

His hand gestures suddenly changed, and an obscure incantation was uttered from his lips.

Suddenly, a cold wind arose, and a wisp of divine soul transformed into a chilling gust of wind, which seized the remaining lingering spirit of the corpse driver.

The other person's memories were forcibly unfolded like shredded silk.

"As expected, they're setting up an ambush to catch reinforcements! Now they're going out to scout the mountain paths and prepare to deploy their forces."

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes. He withdrew his soul, and a cold wind swept away his remaining soul.

In the distance, the Cloud Phoenix disciple who had been scouting from the air seemed to have sensed something and had already flown to the treetops, the bone bells at his waist ringing crisply.
(End of this chapter)