Beast Taming Immortal Clan

Chapter 303 The Battle of the Golden Core Stages [Happy New Year everyone!]

"That must be Jiufeng Ridge. The weather looks pretty good."

Outside Jiufeng Ridge, Liu happy, a middle-aged man who had traveled from Qi Kingdom with Ruan Hongzhuang, was gazing at the Zhou Family Mountain Gate in the distance.

He and Ruan Hongzhuang entered Jingguo and, after finding out the location of the Zhou family's mountain gate, rushed to Lanzhou. They even stayed in Hongyafang for two days to inquire about the Zhou family's situation.

Compared to cultivators outside of Lanzhou, the local cultivators in Lanzhou undoubtedly have a better understanding of the Zhou family's situation.

Therefore, the two of them did not spend much effort to find out the relevant information.

The two then arrived outside Jiufeng Ridge to observe the Zhou Family Mountain Gate in person.

Seeing that Liu happy was only focused on observing the Zhou family's mountain gate and didn't say anything, Ruan Hongzhuang could only take the initiative to ask, "Senior Liu, what do you plan to do?"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing her words, Liu happy immediately retorted, "What does Fellow Daoist Ruan think we should do?"

This startled Ruan Hongzhuang, who quickly lowered her head and said, "With a senior here, this junior dares not speak presumptuously."

"Hmph, since you know you can't command me, then shut up. It's not your place to tell me how to do things!"

Liu happy let out a cold snort, and his words immediately caused Ruan Hongzhuang's expression to change drastically. She repeatedly said, "I dare not."

After being reprimanded like this, she dared not say anything more and simply kept her mouth shut.

After pondering for a long time, Liu happy muttered to himself, "To be on the safe side, it would be best to test the waters first."

A test?

How to test him?

Ruan Hongzhuang looked at Liu happy, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

However, due to the other party's previous warning, she dared not ask any further questions.

Fortunately, Liu happy didn't keep her in suspense and quickly instructed her, "Fellow Daoist Ruan, conceal your cultivation and infiltrate the Zhou family to test them. If there are no Golden Core cultivators guarding the place, I will personally break the formation and crush the Zhou family!"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Hongzhuang's expression changed drastically, and her pretty face turned deathly pale.

How could she not understand the meaning behind Liu happy's words? He wanted her to be cannon fodder as a scout!

"Senior Liu, the Zhou family has three Purple Mansion stage cultivators and a third-tier dragon. With my current cultivation level, even if I infiltrate their sect and alert them, I'm afraid they wouldn't even need a Golden Core stage cultivator to suppress me!"

She dared not directly refuse Liu happy's orders, but she also did not want to go in and die, so she could only indirectly explain the difficulties involved.

Although she also really wanted to kill Zhou Mingde and wipe out the Zhou family.

But she cared more about her own life.

She wouldn't risk her own life to save Zhou Mingde's.

"Fellow Daoist Ruan, rest assured, since I, Liu, have entrusted you with this task, I will certainly ensure that nothing happens to you!"

As Liu happy spoke, he reached into his storage pouch at his waist, took out a jade box, and handed it to her.

"There is a defensive talisman inside. With it protecting you, Fellow Daoist Ruan, even if you are surrounded by several cultivators of the same level, it can help you hold out for a while, enough to keep you going until I make my move."

To offer a talisman treasure with a single gesture is something only a Golden Core cultivator could be so extravagant about.

However, for Golden Core cultivators, most talismans are of little use unless they are talismans made from particularly powerful magic treasures, such as the "Mixed Yuan Bowl".

Upon seeing that Liu happy had even taken out his talisman, Ruan Hongzhuang knew that she had no choice but to go now.

Since she invited Liu happy to deal with the Zhou family, she must have thoroughly investigated his character beforehand.

Therefore, she knew very well that this person often preferred to use diplomacy first and then resort to force.

If she postpones going any further, Liu happy will likely break off all pretense and force her to go.

He could only helplessly bow and express his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for bestowing this treasure upon me, senior. I understand what to do!"

Then they prepared to set off as Liu happy had suggested.

But just then, Liu happy called out to her again.

"Fellow Daoist Ruan, please don't rush off yet. I still need to leave something on you."

Is there something else I should leave behind?

Ruan Hongzhuang looked at Liu happy with a surprised and suspicious expression, not understanding what he meant.

"Don't worry, it's just a small warning tactic; it won't have any impact on you, Fellow Daoist Ruan!"

As Liu happy spoke, he immediately explained the situation to Ruan Hongzhuang.

After some time had passed, Ruan Hongzhuang, having made her preparations, quietly concealed her cultivation and headed to the Zhou family's mountain gate.

Just like Lin Hongyu concealed her cultivation and infiltrated the Zhou family, Ruan Hongzhuang, as a Purple Mansion stage cultivator, was also not recognized when she disguised herself as a rogue cultivator and infiltrated the Zhou family.

This is not the fault of the guards. After all, those guarding the entrance to the mountain gate were only at the Qi Refining stage. How could they possibly see through a Purple Mansion stage cultivator who was deliberately concealing his cultivation level?

It should be said that this is a weakness that most cultivation families cannot avoid.

By opening their family's mountain gates to independent cultivators to earn spirit coins, they inevitably create a weakness that can be exploited.

However, although this weakness exists, it is not something that can be exploited by just anyone.

Just like Ruan Hongzhuang, if Liu happy hadn't been there to support her, even if she had managed to infiltrate the Zhou family's mountain gate, she wouldn't have dared to do anything outrageous.

Otherwise, once their identities are exposed, the Zhou family will tighten their protective formation, trapping them like turtles in a jar.

In short, after Ruan Hongzhuang infiltrated the Zhou family's mountain gate, she waited for the Zhou family's cultivators who were monitoring these rogue cultivators to lose focus before taking the opportunity to leave the cultivation area and head straight for Pagoda Peak.

Her plan was simple: go to Pagoda Peak and capture Zhou Chun, who was working there. That way, if there really was a Golden Core cultivator in charge of the Zhou family's sect, it would definitely be alerted.

However, her methods were undoubtedly much cruder than Lin Hongyu's.

Or perhaps, having learned a lesson from Lin Hongyu's infiltration incident, the Zhou family has increased their precautions in certain aspects.

She had only just left the training area when a series of urgent wolf howls echoed through the surrounding mountains and forests.

It turned out that the Zhou family had learned from the lesson learned from Lin Hongyu's previous experience and had placed demon wolves with a keen sense of smell in the mountains and forests surrounding the cultivation area.

These demon wolves will bark to warn others as soon as they smell the scent of a stranger or discover that the target has not left the training area by the normal route.

Because the Zhou family was famous for its beast-taming skills, Ruan Hongzhuang didn't pay much attention to the demon wolves in the mountains when she discovered them in advance, treating them as normal free-range beasts.

It wasn't until the wolf's howl warned her that she realized how big a mistake she had made.

However, it was pointless to regret it now. She immediately stopped hiding her cultivation level, took off into the air, and rushed straight towards Pagoda Peak.

"Oh no, it's a cultivator at the Purple Mansion stage!"

On Baozhi Peak, Zhou Jiahe's expression changed drastically when he saw Ruan Hongzhuang's figure. He immediately realized that the enemy was not someone he could handle.

She decisively abandoned the idea of ​​intercepting the enemy, but quickly set off warning fireworks and ordered the Zhou family cultivators who were preparing to intercept the enemy to make way.

Although he didn't know that the Su family patriarch was stationed in the Zhou family, Zhou Jiahe still had great faith in the strength of the family's several elders.

The enemy was indeed powerful, but she didn't believe that one person could really cause chaos within the Zhou family's mountain gate.

At the same time, Zhou Chun, who was working in the Zhongping Hall on Pagoda Peak, also heard the alarm coming from inside the mountain gate immediately.

He quickly left the main hall and came outside, where he immediately saw Ruan Hongzhuang rushing over.

At that moment, Ruan Hongzhuang also saw him.

For Ruan Hongzhuang, this was like meeting an enemy, and she was filled with intense hatred.

Her gaze was fixed on Zhou Chun, and the magical weapon had already appeared in her hand. She was ready to enter the attack range and take Zhou Chun's life.

Zhou Chun felt her fierce gaze and instantly understood her thoughts.

So he rushed toward the ancestral hall not far away.

As a family stronghold, the Zhou family's ancestral hall is protected by a separate array.

Furthermore, as the head of the Zhou family, Zhou Chun also possessed the secret formula to activate the ancestral hall's formation.

At this moment, he rushed into the ancestral hall and immediately activated the ancestral hall's formation by making hand seals.

Around that time, a streak of crimson fire suddenly rushed from the back of Pagoda Peak, heading straight for Ruan Hongzhuang; it was Fire God Jackal who had arrived just in time.

Seeing this, Ruan Hongzhuang could only secretly resent Zhou Chun's cunning and hurriedly braced herself to deal with the Fire God Jackal's attack.

The battle between the human and the demon in mid-air caused a significant impact on the Zhou family's mountain gate below.

Fortunately, the entire Zhou family reacted quickly. Soon, Zhou Jiarui, the elder on duty guarding the formation today, activated the mountain-protecting formation, directly mobilizing the power of the "Five Directions Miro Formation" to erect four spiritual light barriers around the battlefield, preventing Ruan Hongzhuang from moving the battlefield elsewhere and causing further damage to other areas.

Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi then arrived at the battlefield and joined the battle.

Faced with the combined attack of two Zhou family Purple Mansion stage cultivators and the Fire God Jackal, Ruan Hongzhuang was forced to use the defensive talisman that Liu happy had given her.

It was a golden, token-shaped magic weapon, and the defensive golden light it released was unstoppable. No matter how Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi attacked, they could not break through it.

However, this item seems to consume a great deal of magical power. Even Ruan Hongzhuang, who was at the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm, showed signs of strain when she activated it.

She was not only physically exhausted, but also extremely anxious.

The methods Liu happy left on her did not seem to be triggered, which should be a good thing.

But Liu happy hasn't made a move yet, which makes her very uneasy.

If Liu happy really hadn't made a move, she would definitely be dead today!

"Fellow Daoist Ruan, you shouldn't have come. I, Zhou, already let you go that day. Why did you have to come here?"

In the sky, Zhou Mingde looked at Ruan Hongzhuang with a sharp glint in his eyes. While maintaining his offensive, he also tentatively asked her with a look of deep emotion.

"Hmph, Zhou Mingde, don't be too smug. Since I dared to come here, I'm naturally not afraid of your little tricks!"

Ruan Hongzhuang gave a cold snort, a meaningful response.

Since Liu happy hasn't shown up yet, she has no choice but to save herself.

Sure enough, upon hearing her words, Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi's expressions changed, and their offensive immediately eased.

Zhou Mingde immediately looked at her with a surprised expression and said, "Fellow Daoist Ruan, don't try to fool me. You are already trapped. Once the power of this talisman is exhausted, you will be meat on our chopping block. What means will you have left to turn the tide?"

"You'll soon find out whether I'm just trying to scare you or not!"

Ruan Hongzhuang exuded confidence, making it impossible for anyone to ignore her words.

As a result, Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi's offensive weakened somewhat.

Zhou Daoyi even withdrew from the battlefield very quickly, seemingly to take over and preside over the formation.

Seeing this, Ruan Hongzhuang felt reassured and much more at ease.

She couldn't care about anything else now; all she wanted was to save her own life.

But she was relieved for a short while before her expression changed again.

After Zhou Daoyi took control of the formation, he immediately mobilized its power to launch a fierce attack on her.

Under the attack of the formation, the power of her talisman was rapidly consumed, and her own magic power was also poured away like a waterfall!

"They've even activated the formations; it seems there really isn't a Golden Core cultivator to oversee things!"

Outside Jiufeng Ridge, Liu happy saw the changes in the protective formation of the Zhou family's mountain gate. His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he suddenly soared into the air, heading straight for the Zhou family's mountain gate.

But he finally couldn't resist and took action.

Just as he soared into the air and lunged towards the Zhou family's mountain gate, the Su family patriarch suddenly flew out of his cave atop Pagoda Peak.

He had naturally been alerted by Ruan Hongzhuang's intrusion long ago.

However, when he saw that the intruder was just a cultivator in the Purple Mansion stage, he quickly understood everything as if he could see through fire.

When he sensed the powerful aura rapidly approaching from outside the Zhou family's gate, he knew he had made the right judgment.

At this moment, he left the cave and was released by Zhou Daoyi almost without any pause, flying directly out of the range of the Zhou family's protective mountain formation.

Outside the Zhou family's mountain gate, Liu happy, who was about to attack the Zhou family's mountain gate, was stunned when he saw the Su family's patriarch suddenly appear.

What happened?

How could the Zhou family have a Golden Core cultivator?!

After a moment of surprise, Liu happy quickly seemed to realize something and stopped, saying in a deep voice, "Are you Fellow Daoist Su from the Su family of Jiangzhou?"

Upon hearing this, the Su family patriarch coldly replied, "Knowing that I, Su, am here, you still dare to be so insolent. You truly do not take the cultivation world of Jing Kingdom, nor do you take me, Su, seriously!"

Hearing such clearly hostile words, Liu happy's expression changed, and he hurriedly waved his hand, saying, "Fellow Daoist Su, you misunderstand. There must be some misunderstanding. I just happened to be passing by!"

Since he knew that the Su family patriarch had come here specifically to oversee the Zhou family, he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to admit that he had come to deal with the Zhou family.

As for Ruan Hongzhuang, she can only be abandoned now.

Liu Xicai would not choose to go to war with a native Golden Core cultivator of Jingguo, such as the Su family patriarch, for the sake of a stranger, Ruan Hongzhuang.

However, the Su family patriarch did not appreciate his explanation.

He immediately sneered, "Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, you and I, Su, know the truth in your hearts!"

"Enough with the nonsense. Since you're here, let me, Su, experience your superior skills!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and summoned his natal magic weapon.

His natal magic weapon was an octagonal mace of deep blue color. At this moment, he flicked his sleeve, and the mace shot through the air towards Liu happy.

Rumble!

A thunderous roar resounded, and wherever the mace passed, the air currents in the sky were torn apart and exploded, reaching an extreme speed.

Upon seeing this, Liu happy's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly summoned his turquoise flying sword to meet the octagonal mace.

As we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, I wish all my fellow book lovers a prosperous and auspicious Year of the Rabbit, good health, and all the best!

(End of this chapter)