Even without cheats, we must survive the apocalypse

The pool was bottomless, and it seemed as if boiling lava was flowing inside the pool of blood. It was deep red and burning hot. In the occasional bubbles that appeared, one could seem to hear the whimpering that was blown away by the wind. Four stone pillars supported the edge of the pool, and they were engraved with strange and complicated patterns.

And just like the small formation that Lu Mu and Gu Yunxi saw in the Bone Burial Mountain... there were fifteen flesh and blood trees on the altar.

Each of these trees is as big as the tallest palace in Prince Nanling's Palace. They are made of the flesh and blood of ordinary people, and countless complex patterns are outlined on the altar, which is the main array pattern of the Wanling Qi Array.

"This main formation... is too big."

Gu Yunxi's eyes shrank.

When she had tampered with one of the small formations in the Wanling Qi-stealing Array, she had already felt the power contained in the formation. The flesh and blood of hundreds of mortals who were integrated into the formation gave rise to the most desperate evil thoughts. Gu Yunxi connected the formation with her mind, and then she was almost destroyed.

But in the end, she did it.

But this huge main formation in front of us, and the huge pool of blood that is still bubbling, how powerful must the evil thoughts mixed with unwillingness, resentment and despair be?

Perhaps in the face of that kind of power, the four of them would be easily crushed.

If the formation gets out of control, perhaps everything within a thousand miles will become an absolute death zone, and no one, whether human or spiritual beast, will be able to survive.

Gu Yunxi glanced at Lu Mu. He didn't seem shocked at all, but his eyes became sharper.

The same was true for Huang Yanyao. Although her hands were shaking a little, she was not afraid at all. She didn't know if someone had given her the courage, or if she was really scared but didn't show it... No one knew except herself.

Dozens of figures in the city quickly moved away at this time and retreated far away to the edge of the city defense formation. They were all evil cultivators. They might know the power of this formation. Although they were bloodthirsty, they still cherished their own lives.

Then, Nanling King Hong Zhan climbed up to the altar step by step.

Chapter 113: What is the price?

This was the first time Lu Mu met King Nan Ling.

In fact, a character like Hong Zhan would not be in his eyes at all. He was the kind of insignificant person who could only tremble in fear under his gaze. With just a glance from him, the huge backing and power of the Shura Saint would be able to crush him, his army, and his subjects.

This kind of person is not important.

Huang Yanyao encountered countless enemies on her road to becoming an emperor. Some of them were very strong in both strategy and strength, and they were able to leave their names behind. However, Hong Zhan was one of those guys who would not leave his name behind at all. He was just a small stumbling block at the beginning of her ambition to dominate the world and posed no threat to her at all.

In the mind of this future female emperor, he was not even a passing cloud.

Moreover, Hong Zhan was actually somewhat different from the person Lu Mu had imagined… As the border guard king, in charge of hundreds of thousands of elite troops and controlling twelve important cities, he should be a brave man who was good at strategizing and scheming. But Huang Yanyao said that Hong Zhan had fought his way to his position.

Such a person might be a tough guy.

But the Hong Zhan seen now seemed to be just an ordinary middle-aged man with messy beard and gray-black robes. He did not have the airs of a general at all, nor did he have any awe-inspiring majesty of a king. Instead, he looked a little embarrassed and even a little timid, as if he was afraid that if he took a wrong step, he would fall into hell.

His eyes were filled with the kind of madness that Lu Mu found familiar. Hong Zhan was staring at the bubbling pool of blood without saying a word, as if even his soul had been completely attracted by the powerful resentment.

He doesn't look like a ruthless character, but more like a madman without any humanity.

"Huh, you look a little crazy."

Huang Yanyao quietly looked at the enemy whom she had never met before, and all that came to her mind was sarcasm and ridicule.

King Nanling looked like a pitiful man who had lost his son and was so sad that the pain had devastated him to such a miserable state.

"After all, you killed his son, his only son."

"Who told him to be my enemy from the beginning?"

Huang Yanyao's lips curled slightly.

Everything here makes people feel uneasy. Huang Yanyao thinks that she is not capable of doing such a cruel and cruel thing as blood sacrifice.

She didn't care about Hong Zhan's life or death. In her opinion, that guy was no different from a corpse. The only difference was that he could still move. If it weren't for the big difference in their cultivation, Huang Yanyao would be happy to take his life.

"Oh, I see someone I know."

Gu Yunxi sneered and directed their attention to the blood pool beside the altar.

After Hong Zhan, Xia Jiuxie also came up, followed by a man in black robe. As always, Xia Jiuxie's cultivation was difficult to fathom, and it seemed that the whole person was illusory and indistinguishable. It shouldn't be like this, but now was not the time to dwell on such things.

The aura of the man in black robe was very obvious.

"Source Realm... Seventh level."

Murong Xue frowned, "It seems that this guy's strength is beyond our ability to deal with."

Among the four innate realms, Source is the last one. If one wants to increase his cultivation again, ordinary practice and absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth will play a minimal role. Only by going through the "Source Tribulation" can one advance. There are seven levels of tribulation in the Source Realm, and the black-robed man in front of him has already gone through seven levels of Source Tribulation.

It's only one step away from breaking through the fifth realm of creation.

"It seems that this is the elder of the Evil Heart Sect that Xie Li mentioned. His name is Hunxin, right?"

Lu Mu looked at Hunxin from afar. As soon as he appeared, the evil thoughts in the air seemed to stagnate. A cultivator in the Source Realm could already influence the spiritual energy of heaven and earth invisibly. If he could go one step further and enter the Creation Realm, he would be able to utilize the rules of heaven.

"Yes. Your sister Murong is right. We can't deal with that guy."

Gu Yunxi gritted her teeth unwillingly.

Although she was not afraid of the evil cultivators, she could not defeat them. At least, she could not defeat Hunxin by relying on her own strength. No matter how powerful the "system" was, it was impossible for her to overcome such a huge gap in cultivation. If she used the power of the "system" itself, she would be exposed and would attract the attention of the Heavenly Dao.

Gu Yunxi didn't want her secret to turn into trouble.

For the first time, worry appeared between Huang Yanyao's brows.

If there was an evil elder at the Source Realm stationed there, it would be impossible for her to snatch the severed Xianhuang national destiny from the Wanling Qi-stealing Array. At least the people present might be able to resist for a dozen moves together, but it would be impossible for her to win.

Even Murong Xue was a little distressed. Everyone present had seen her charm technique, but she knew that the gap in cultivation was too big, and using her charm technique on Hunxin would only backfire on her.

"I can handle him."

Lu Mu spoke calmly, his tone neither hurried nor slow.

The three girls were all startled and looked up at him.

Murong Xue was only slightly surprised, because Lu Mu had never said such arrogant words, but she still believed it, without reservation.

"You? How can you deal with him?" Gu Yunxi looked at Lu Mu with suspicion.

Lu Mu pursed his lips, his eyes showing no sign of retreat or arrogance, "I may not be able to kill him, but I can make sure he can't get in the way."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Gu Yunxi still didn't quite believe it.

Lu Mu said calmly, "Don't worry, I won't lie to you."

The implication was that she didn't want to say it. She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips without comment. It didn't matter if she didn't want to say it. It wasn't necessary to know it anyway.

Huang Yanyao just stared at him, as if she wanted to find out if he was bragging, but Lu Mu looked at her very calmly, as if a cultivator at the peak of the Source Realm would not make him retreat at all, but would instead arouse his will to fight.

"Tell me the truth."

"…If this will cost you a lot, then I would rather retreat now."

She suddenly spoke, with a hint of determination in her clear eyes.

Lu Mu was stunned when he heard this, and turned to look at Huang Yanyao. She was staring at him, her slender figure exuding an aloof and noble demeanor in the sunlight, but deep down, she was a little fragile.

Huang Yanyao did not doubt that Lu Mu could do it. Both the Shura Palace and the Lu clan had rich treasure troves, which allowed him, a cultivator at the fifth level of the Pi Palace, to cross an entire realm and fight back and forth with a cultivator at the peak of the Yuanji Realm, or to hold him back. Perhaps it was possible.

But at what cost?

If you want power that is not at your level of cultivation, you have to pay an equal price.

Maybe it was the loss of lifespan, maybe it was the reduction of cultivation... Whichever it was, it was too heavy, because this was not a desperate situation where there was no choice but to fight for one last chance.

Huang Yanyao should have been happy that such a dashing and talented man was willing to take such risks for her, but she wasn't.

She already owed Lu Mu a lot, and she didn't want to owe him any more. Huang Yanyao couldn't even repay the favor of saving people with her blood, but now she had to pay more?

Is she really worth it?

Chapter 114: The Battle Begins

Huang Yanyao's arrogance and stubbornness seemed meaningless in Lu Mu's deep eyes. He gently raised his hand and touched her cheek with his fingertips without any intention of blasphemy. She did not resist, and Lu Mu could feel the softness. Perhaps Lu Mu's fingertips were a little too strong, and a faint blush appeared on her cheek.

Even at this time, she didn't think of taking advantage of anyone.

To Huang Yanyao, Lu Mu could be called her "benefactor". At least in terms of saving Feng Ling's life, she knew she owed him a lot.

The more favors you owe, the more consequences there will be.

It’s not that Lu Mu would covet her reward, but Huang Yanyao felt that she could not give such a good reward. She has always been unwilling to owe others... Moreover, this also made it difficult for her to continue to maintain the kind of ambiguous distance in front of Lu Mu and the dignity she worked hard to maintain.

Just as Huang Wumeng had said a long time ago, Huang Yanyao was still not good at using the art of seducing people, and Lu Mu definitely knew more about it than her.

Now she is gradually falling into the land of tenderness that Lu Mu is constantly building up, and she may not be able to get out.

"It's impossible not to get hurt when dealing with that kind of guy. Don't worry, I will be fine."

Lu Mu withdrew his hand, and his smile became more relaxed. He really didn't seem to be worried. Even though the Hunxin Elder was not a good person and his cultivation was far superior to his, Lu Mu was so confident in his own strength.

If it were someone else, they would undoubtedly be considered crazy or too arrogant, but he would not.

When asked about the extraordinary talents of the Gu clan, everything they say seems credible.

Huang Yanyao lowered her eyes, hiding all the emotions in them.

"If that's the case...it's up to you."

She did not refuse again, perhaps because she could not say no. The hardness in her heart had been wrapped up in the sugar coating of his words and would soon melt.

The sky had darkened by now, the bloody wind was hard to hide, the thin clouds had been dyed red by the rising blood mist, the city defense formation that enveloped the royal city had dissipated, and when the formation was activated, the barrier cast by this formation would probably only be a hindrance.

"Boom——"

Thunder suddenly sounded in the sky and blood clouds rolled.

Looking at the altar again, fifteen trees of flesh and blood have begun to extend their vines, entangled back and forth on the blood pool. A huge heart of flesh and blood is slowly taking shape at this time, expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye. Soon, the Wanling Qi-stealing Array will be activated.

There were only a few living people left in Nanling King City. Hong Zhan was afraid that even those cultivators who were supported with huge sums of money had been put into the formation for refining. Apart from the hundreds of thousands of soldiers stationed outside the city, there was no one else available around Hong Zhan.

He has been possessed by this extremely evil thought, but no matter how crazy he is, he will not let himself fall into the dilemma of having to rely on the evil cultivators for protection. The commander-in-chief cannot take action, but there must be loyal and brave generals in that huge elite army, and perhaps they are waiting to deal with the Evil Heart Sect.

In fact, Lu Mu also felt that the Xiexin Sect would not let Hong Zhan take away the destiny of the Xianhuang nation that had been separated.

They are always the ones who benefit in the end.

Hong Zhan might have thought the same, so he probably had made arrangements.

I'm afraid that once the formation is activated, chaos will break out!

"Once the formation is activated, King Nanling will definitely enter the center of the formation and become the master. He won't be able to take action. I will contain the elder, and Yunxi will deal with Xia Jiuxie. As for the other evil cultivators who may come to find us... Xiaoxue, it's up to you."

Lu Mu looked at Murong Xue with a solemn expression.

He had to deal with Elder Hunxin, who was at the peak of the Yuanji Realm, and the pressure was not small. However, the number of evil cultivators in Nanling King City was no small at all. Excluding Hunxin and Xia Jiuxie, as well as those who were still killing ordinary people in other cities, there were still more than sixty or seventy people here. Among them, the lowest-level cultivators were at the peak of the Hedao Realm, and there were more than ten people at the Pigong Realm.

King Nanling's army might be able to tie up most of them, but there will always be some that will find them.

These evil cultivators can only be dealt with by Murong Xue. In terms of pressure, Murong Xue may be second only to him.

Murong Xue nodded, "Leave it to me."

There was only excitement in her eyes as she was eager to try.

"Yunxi, you have to be careful too. There's something wrong with Xia Jiuxie. No matter how we probe, his aura is empty and it's hard to predict his strength."

Lu Mu just made two casual remarks.

He was not afraid that Gu Yunxi would have an accident. Among the four people present, she was the least likely to have an accident. Although she was only at the second level of the Pi Palace now, he was very clear about the power of the "system". Even if there was a cultivator in the Creation Realm present, it would not threaten her safety.

Gu Yunxi glanced at him and snorted, "I'm only thinking about how to kill him. I'm only planning to destroy his cultivation, break his limbs, and torture him slowly... Otherwise, it will be hard to settle the old accounts with Tianque City."

There was a bloodthirsty and cruel light flashing in her eyes. She was filled with hatred in her heart, and Xia Jiuxie was now the best medicine to relieve her hatred.

The royal city shook violently again, drawing their attention to the altar.

That heart of flesh and blood was beating vigorously at this moment.

……

"it's time."

Xia Jiuxie looked at the pool of blood at his feet that was boiling like water and smiled sinisterly.

"My Lord, it's up to you from now on. It's time for the Immortal Phoenix Dynasty to feel the wrath brought about by the pain of losing your son."

He calmly stepped down from the altar, and Hong Zhan said nothing, his eyes filled with madness and determination. He leaped onto the center of the formation, stretched out his hand, and touched the huge heart of flesh and blood.