A leisurely life in the world of cultivation

Chapter 213 The Mantis, the Oriole
Just as the hour of You (5-7 PM) arrived, the light shield of the Five Elements Grand Array enveloped the entire territory of the Five Elements Sect, and complaints from the tenants in the area erupted.

The shop assistant from Cuilingfang was holding a basket of freshly harvested spirit herbs and was jumping up and down anxiously at the edge of the formation.

The light membrane gleamed with a cold, hard golden light, blocking him inside. The "Dewdrop Grass" in his basket was waiting to be delivered back to Qingshui City, but now, he couldn't even leave the sect's gate. He was sweating profusely and said anxiously, "It's only dusk and they're already closing the formation! They didn't even give me any advance notice. Who's going to compensate me for the business delays?"

Granny Zhang, who was selling spiritual food nearby, chimed in anxiously, her steamer still steaming. "That's right! I just steamed these spiritual rice cakes and was waiting to sell them. Now they're all stuck with me! The Five Elements Sect should think about us idle cultivators. If we don't set up our stalls every day, we lose a day's income!"

The complaints grew louder and louder; some people even crowded around the light shield and poked at the membrane, but it was beyond their ability to budge it...

Hou Haikun stood on the steps of the market, listening to the complaints below, his brows furrowing slightly.

The market was originally located outside the mountain gate, but it was only moved into the outer area in the last two days.

It wasn't that he had a premonition of what would happen; it was purely out of the ordinary.

He just didn't expect the "what if" scenario to come so quickly.

But seeing these complaints, he vaguely felt that he should move out.

After all, for those old monks, freedom is more important than anything else...

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a loud bang suddenly came from the still-standing market town at the foot of the distant mountain, followed by an overwhelming roar.

A ferocious, heart-wrenching roar!

"Roar!!"

Black mist surged up from the ground like a tide, and countless evil puppets crawled out from underground.

Its bluish-gray skin stretched taut over its exposed bones; it was a puppet constructed from the bones of a demonic beast. Its entire body emanated corrosive power, and with each step it took, it left a footprint emitting black smoke on the ground as it roared and charged toward the Five Elements Sect's mountain gate.

Hou Haikun's scalp tingled with fear. If he hadn't moved the market into the outer network beforehand, this moment would have been a catastrophe!
"what is that?!"

The complaints from the tenants instantly turned into screams. The basket of spirit herbs in the hands of the Cui Ling Fang shop assistant fell to the ground with a "clatter," and Granny Zhang's steamer tilted. The hot steam, carrying the panicked screams, exploded in front of the mountain gate.

Some tried to back away, but were stuck in place, forced to watch helplessly as the evil puppet drew closer, their eyes filled with terror.

Even more frightening is the corrosive power emanating from the evil puppets. Black mist seeps out from their joints, touching the spiritual herbs by the roadside, causing them to wither and turn to ash instantly.

As it approached the light barrier, the black mist coiled around it like a venomous snake, leaving black marks on it. The spiritual light of the barrier even fluctuated slightly!
"It's...it's broken?!"

Someone shouted, trembling, their legs shaking. Those who had previously complained that the formation was "making a mountain out of a molehill" dared not even breathe loudly now, hoping that the light barrier could hold on.

But the next second, everyone was stunned.

The light from the screen suddenly surged, and golden spiritual energy spread along the black marks, instantly burning the black mist into blue smoke.

The evil puppet's cleaver struck the light screen with a crisp "clang," breaking the cleaver in two. The evil puppet itself was also thrown back, crashing to the ground and shattering into several pieces.

The enormous evil puppet at the front lunged forward, but as soon as it touched the light barrier, it was enveloped by golden spiritual energy and instantly burned into a pile of black ash, leaving not even a bone behind.

"This...this is what blocked it?"

The shop assistant at Cui Ling Fang stared wide-eyed; the fear from before hadn't faded before it was replaced by shock and ecstasy.

The other cultivators, seeing this, were also overjoyed and calmed down.

"Who just said the formation was making a fuss? If we hadn't activated it beforehand, we'd all be food for the evil puppets by now!"

Someone deliberately raised their voice, and those who had been jeering earlier quickly lowered their heads and dared not speak again.

On the five peaks, Zhou Yueniang and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Inside the Five Elements Hall of Hunyuan Peak, Li Weizhou stood in front of the array plate, his face full of strange expressions.

The corrosive power on the evil puppet looked frightening, but it was actually very weak.

The enormous evil puppet at the front, though seemingly ferocious, was actually only at the Spirit Realm level, not even reaching the Spirit Origin Realm.

The Sin Clan isn't here to launch a sneak attack; they're clearly here to put on a grand show.

Black smoke and mist still linger around Five Elements Mountain, creating a terrifying scene, as if it had become a hellish place. However... the pressure is not as great as when those old turtles of the Sin Clan launched a sneak attack last time.

Is this just an appetizer before launching a major offensive, or is there something else going on?
Logically, the most powerful move should be used as the first strike during a surprise attack.

"For the boat, the evil puppets outside..."

Tian Ru hurriedly led Tao Ling'er and Xi Mei into the hall, but before she could even start to worry, Li Weizhou waved his hand and said, "It's a small problem, don't worry about it."

He added with relief, "That kid Hou Haikun really has some quirky talents. I don't know what he was thinking, but he moved the market to the outer branch of Qingmu Peak these past two days. Otherwise, we would have been in trouble this time."

Just then, cheers came from the tenant area in the distance.

Li Weizhou walked to the front of the main hall and saw that the scene below had returned to its usual lively state. Some people were even shouting towards the direction outside the mountain gate, mocking the Sin Clan as "utterly vulnerable."

He couldn't help but laugh: "You have a pretty good attitude."

As the setting sun gradually sank below the horizon, the black mist surrounding the Five Elements Sect grew increasingly dense. However, the sect's light barrier shimmered with multicolored spiritual light in the twilight, proving to be indestructible.

Only Li Weizhou knew that this "surprise attack" was probably just the beginning.

Or perhaps it was to create a show of force, so that the powerful cultivators of the Sin Clan at the Immortal Spirit Realm level would make their move later.

Or perhaps they are creating a false impression while plotting elsewhere?
If it's the latter, then things will get interesting.

After thinking for a moment, he sent a message via flying sword to Hou Haikun, instructing him to order all tenants to go home and not to go out, because the battle would be very intense.

Don't look too much, lest your divine sense attract a fierce attack from the sinful race...

Although what he said was terrifying, his expression remained relaxed.

After finishing, he instructed Tian Ru, "Master's wife, you should eat and sleep as usual. I need to go into seclusion to consolidate my strength..."

Xi Mei hurriedly asked, "Brother, can my senior sister and I continue playing?"

Tao Ling'er glanced at her sideways, somewhat admiring her.

Li Weizhou laughed and said, "Eat when you're hungry, play when you're happy."

Xi Mei understood the situation and pulled Tao Ling'er away.

Tian Ru, being a seasoned veteran, glanced at Li Weizhou with suspicion.

However, she had already said many times that she would no longer interfere in sect affairs, so I didn't dare to ask any more questions and turned to leave.

Li Weizhou was naturally not going to let his guard down. He sat cross-legged in the main hall, his divine sense entwined with the illusory image of the Eastern Emperor Bell.

Sensing the infinite and profound spatial laws contained within it...

He couldn't explain what the laws of space were.

But the Eastern Emperor Bell truly dissected and thoroughly instilled its essence into his sea of ​​consciousness. At his current learning pace, even after tens or hundreds of thousands of years, he'd probably only grasp the basics…

But you still have to learn that!

Furthermore, as his level of understanding continues to improve, his learning speed will definitely accelerate.

No wonder the great beings of ancient times would spend countless years in seclusion.

This feeling of comprehending the laws is truly exhilarating.

To be more specific, it's like taking the first sip of ice-cold cola when you're hot and thirsty, or like... after watching a movie for ages, suddenly a stunningly beautiful woman appears, naked, lying in front of you, and the moment you go inside her...

In short, it's fascinating.

In particular, one can feel oneself becoming stronger and stronger at a rapid pace.

……

Three hundred miles away in Qingshui City, just as the great blue light of the hour of You (5-7 PM) was dimmed by the twilight, a sudden commotion broke out among the crowd at the west gate!
Someone pointed in the direction of the Five Elements Sect in the north, their voice trembling as they asked, "What...what is that?"

As everyone looked up, they saw the distant horizon stained in black mist, and faint roars drifted on the wind. Though indistinct, they carried a chilling, bone-deep coldness that made all the cultivators present shiver.

The old cultivator selling spirit rice at his stall trembled, dropping the rice bag to the ground. The spirit rice spilled everywhere, but he didn't care. He exclaimed in fear, "That's... the black mist of the Sin Clan! It was this stuff when we were besieged in the city last time!"

These words were like a thunderclap, and the crowd instantly descended into chaos.

Hearing the commotion, the manager of Cui Ling Fang rushed outside. When he looked up and saw the black fog in the north, his face turned deathly pale.

His son was still helping to look after the shop in the Five Elements Sect's tenant area, and he had promised to deliver a batch of newly harvested spiritual herbs later.

If the Five Elements Sect is destroyed, then his son...

Some cultivators turned and ran towards the city lord's mansion, shouting as they ran, "City lord! Quickly activate the city's protective formation! The Sin Clan is here again!"

The cultivators on the street were in chaos. Some ran home, some squeezed towards the city gate, and some glared at the black mist with hatred in their eyes. Their relatives had died in the war when the Sin Clan attacked Qingshui City.

In the study of the city lord's mansion, Su Wan was staring blankly at the map of Qingshui City on the table, her fingertip still hovering over the location of the Five Elements Sect.

The spirit pigeons she sent haven't returned yet; she doesn't know if the Five Elements Sect has received the message.

Suddenly, she heard the cries and running sounds of cultivators outside the window. She jumped up, walked to the window, and immediately saw the black fog in the north. Her heart sank to the bottom.

"They really came, three days early... Damn beast!!"

Su Wan gritted her teeth and said, then turned and walked out, giving the order: "Prepare the formation! Activate the Xuan Shui Formation Plate!"

The original defensive formation of Qingshui City was only level four, while the Xuanshui Formation was a level six formation.

Despite the mere two-level difference, the power of the Xuan Shui Grand Array is no less than that of the Five Elements Grand Array.

It may not be as durable, but it might be more resilient.

On the city tower, Xuan Yangzi was already standing there, his purple robe fluttering in the wind. He held a black communication talisman in his hand, his eyes fixed on the black fog in the north, his face frighteningly solemn.

He could clearly sense the invading power within the black mist; clearly, the Sin Clan was serious.

At this moment, he was not worried about Qingshui City, but about the Five Elements Sect.

If the Five Elements Sect is truly destroyed, the arrogance of the Sin Clan will only grow stronger, and they might even turn around and attack Qingshui City—it would be an easy task.

Therefore, he hoped that the Five Elements Sect could last longer.

He has already used the highest-level communication talisman to notify the other six sects in the Northern Spirit Domain.

Even if the six sects wanted to see the Five Elements Sect suffer, at this point, they could only delay the arrival of reinforcements; they wouldn't fail to come.

Hopefully, it's not too late!
……

The wind in Black Rock Canyon was chilling, as if it were seeping out from between the bones of a dead man.

The ground was littered with white bones, and the sobbing sounded like countless people crying.

Zhao Zhilong, an inner sect elder of the Xuanlei Sword Sect, brandished his Thunderous Divine Sword, unleashing streaks of lightning sword light. However, the three black-clad elders opposite him dealt with him unhurriedly, like cats playing with mice.

As one Xuanlei Sword Sect disciple after another met a tragic end, they were devoured.

Zhao Zhilong was furious and roared, "You beasts, if you have the guts, fight me to the death! With your cultivation levels, how dare you slaughter these disciples? Do you have any shame left?"

An old man from the Sin Clan chuckled sinisterly and said, "Your Xuanlei Sword Sect must have had a great time slaughtering my ordinary clansmen."

Another elder from the Sin Clan was actually a female cultivator, with a head of withered white hair flying wildly. Her voice was sharp and piercing as she mocked, "You cultivators are the most hypocritical of all. The Five Elements Sect is on the verge of collapse, yet you reinforcements are traveling leisurely, as if you're sightseeing. You probably wish the Five Elements Sect would be wiped out. With your attitude, what face do you have to talk about? You despicable and filthy things."

The last elder of the Sin Clan spoke in a deep, croaking voice, as if using ventriloquism: "Enough talk. Kill him and go meet the two lords. From today onward, the Xuanlei Sword Sect will be wiped out."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhilong's hair stood on end, and he then laughed wildly, "You beasts! My Xuanlei Sword Sect has been established for a thousand years, do you think you shady characters can erase it from the list?"

The Kunxiu of the Sin Clan smiled deeply and slowly said, "Lei Tianyi is not in the sect. He went to Zhongzhou, right? Lei Yuanwen, who is only half a step away from advancing to the Immortal Spirit realm, is not enough to stop him."

Zhao Zhilong's head buzzed. He would never have known such top-secret information if he hadn't been the personal disciple of the Supreme Elder Lei Yuanwen.

How would the Sinners know?!

There is a traitorous spy within the sect!

However, he was not given a chance to find out the truth. While he was wavering, a series of extremely evil forces attacked him, imprisoning him and plunging him into endless darkness.

……

The wind in Qingshui City carried a chill, causing the banners on the city tower to flutter loudly.

It has been a day and a night, but the black miasma in the direction of the Five Elements Sect is getting thicker and thicker.

He stomped his foot in frustration when he suddenly heard barely audible footsteps behind him, accompanied by the obsequious tone of a servant: "Deputy Master, the City Lord has sent me with a message regarding the deployment of the array."

Xuan Yangzi turned around and saw a servant in a gray cloth shirt, his head almost touching his chest, holding a neatly folded piece of silk in both hands. The cuffs were frayed, and the trouser legs were stained with wet mud from the city walls… It was Afu, Su Wan's usual errand boy, who never dared to say much when delivering messages, and looked perfectly normal. His tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he reached out to take the silk: “Why didn’t Su Wan do it herself…”

Before he could finish speaking, the moment his fingertips touched the silk cloth, the servant's head, which had been hanging low, suddenly jerked up! His eyes, hidden beneath his brow bone, held no respect whatsoever, only a deathly blackness. His withered hand instantly changed position, no longer handing over a letter, but instead grabbing at Xuan Yangzi's dantian like an eagle's claw! The black grime under his fingernails gleamed eerily, and a wisp of black mist darted out from between his fingers, coiling around Xuan Yangzi's wrist like a living snake.

"I'm waiting for you!"

Xuan Yangzi was not surprised or angry. His spiritual power exploded in his palm, forcing his opponent to retreat.

But the servant moved with incredible speed, suddenly retreating. The figure beneath the gray robe abruptly grew taller, no longer the timid man of the past. He was clearly a withered, aged sinner!
At the same time, two dark figures suddenly emerged from the shadows on both sides of the city gate. They were also dressed in gray cloth, and their three bone staffs formed a triangle. They instantly surrounded Xuan Yangzi, and the black miasma spread out like a tide, instantly enveloping the city gate.

Xuan Yangzi's heart sank. He never expected that at this juncture, the Sin Clan would send three experts at the Spirit God Realm to deal with him...

……

(End of this chapter)