Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 154, Chapter 168: A Concentrated Battle, Wuji Disrupts the Situation (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets, 2426)

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

At the exit of the secret realm, the lake water suddenly boiled, as if cut by an invisible force, forming a deep passage.

The water curtains on both sides of the passage are like mirrors, reflecting distorted ripples and vaguely revealing figures.

"Unrestrained."

Hua Qingshuang's eyes flickered, and her delicate hand gently stroked the Frost Flying Sword at her waist from her sleeve. She could feel the soft hum of frost, and her tense heartstrings relaxed involuntarily.

"It seems my dear nephew is unharmed."

Yan Lan keenly noticed, and a lazy smile appeared on her lips, "This little rascal is very alert. I was worried for nothing."

The other cave masters around all had their eyes on the faintly visible figure reflected at the entrance of the secret realm passage.

Only Zhong Kui's eyes showed a hint of gloom. He exchanged a glance with the cave master of Qingming Cave not far away, and they both saw the doubt in each other's eyes.

How could this be? Given the dynasty's methods, they would surely have followed the plan and slaughtered everyone who entered the secret realm.

Their own disciples would also be controlled and taken to the dynasty.

This will create the illusion that everyone who enters the secret realm has been wiped out.

This is one of the reasons why Zhong Kui readily agreed to send the three secret orders to Gu Xiu.

But now, quite a few disciples of the cave heaven are still alive, which is completely beyond Zhong Kui's expectations.

"Could something have gone wrong, or have the dynasty's cultivators changed their minds?"

Zhong Kui frowned in thought, feeling troubled.

At this very moment, inside the exit of the secret realm, the light curtain rippled like water.

Zhao Wuji watched as the others gathered at the exit.

He turned to look at Little Jade Fox and Xiong Ba, who had come to join him, and asked.

"Are you planning to stay in the secret realm, or come out with me?"

Xiong Ba let out a "ga" sound and tilted his head to think for a moment.

After glancing at the little jade fox, it let out a "ba" and landed on Zhao Wuji's shoulder, affectionately combing his hair with its beak.

Little Jade Fox, however, squatted on the back of the cowardly tiger, chirping twice.

"You want to stay and cultivate?"

Zhao Wuji nodded slightly.

This little jade fox was tired of living a life of hiding and running around outside, and preferred to stay in this secret realm to cultivate properly.

With her current strength approaching the third level of Qi Refining, Little Jade Fox has already surpassed the old fox of the past.

If you're careful and clever within this secret realm, you can still protect yourself.

"Since you're willing to stay in this secret realm, then take care of yourself. Many of the dangerous areas within this realm seem to contain ancient artifacts that could be perilous."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Six years later, the secret realm will reopen. I will send people in. If you wish to leave then, you can come out with me. I will be waiting for you outside."

After chirping a few times, Little Jade Fox lay down on the back of Cowardly Tiger, reluctantly watching Zhao Wuji and Xiong Ba walk towards the exit of the secret realm.

Nan Zhixia and a junior brother were already waiting at the exit.

Upon seeing Zhao Wuji approach, he transmitted his voice.

"Our Wushang Cave Heaven suffered heavy casualties this time, and given the Cave Master's personality, he will definitely have some suspicions."

"After we leave, I suspect the cave master will launch a war against your Linglang Cave Heaven. You will definitely be needed then."

"It doesn't matter."

Zhao Wuji remained calm and transmitted his voice, "Your cave master wants to use me, and coincidentally, I also want to use his power to deal with our cave master."

Upon hearing this, Nan Zhixia's expression showed a hint of worry.

But thinking of Zhao Wuji's strength and character, she felt at ease.

By this time, many people had already begun to exit through the exit.

Soon, Zhao Wuji and Nan Zhixia also entered the passage.

Outside the secret realm, disciples flew out of the secret realm passage one after another.

The expressions of the many cave masters grew increasingly grim and somber.

Especially the master of Xuanxiao Cave and the master of Baigu Cave.

Only one disciple emerged from Xuanxiao Cave Heaven, and he happened to be the only one who had set up the Soul Lamp.

None of the disciples inside the White Bone Cave came out.

"Master! We were attacked by many mysterious and powerful cultivators within the secret realm."

The surviving Xuanxiao disciple knelt on the ground, trembling as he pulled a corpse wearing dragon-patterned black armor from his storage bag.

He then informed the Xuanxiao Cave Master about the mysterious Xuanjia cultivator he had encountered within the secret realm.

"boom!"

The Xuanxiao Cave Master unleashed a terrifying aura of spiritual concentration, causing the ground along the riverbank beneath his feet to crack inch by inch.

His withered fingers gripped the corpse's throat, and a horrifying bloodlust flashed in his eyes:
"Who are these people? How were they able to bypass our sight and enter the secret realm to carry out such a massacre?"

At this moment, the disciples of each grotto-heaven also presented evidence to their respective grotto-masters, recounting similar tragic experiences, almost identical to those described by the disciples of Xuanxiao Grotto-heaven.

The White Bone Cave Master's face was ashen, and he was all alone. No disciples reported to him, and his knuckles were cracking as he clenched his fists.
Of all his elite disciples, not a single one survived!

Zhong Kui and the master of Qingming Cave were increasingly astonished as they looked, their suspicions deepening.

"Judging from this situation, could it be that Zhao Wuji accidentally ruined the dynasty's plans?"

The two were secretly alarmed.

Zhong Kui, in particular, was furious when he saw Zhao Wuji's obviously unharmed figure, and even his spiritual power had increased considerably.

The two immediately questioned their returning disciples, and the information they obtained was largely the same as that described by the other disciples of the grotto-heavens.

The only difference is that they were both controlled by the mysterious dynasty's monks using some kind of special incantation.

They quickly lost their fighting ability and did not directly participate in the battle.

If Zhao Wuji and Nan Zhixia from Wushang Dongtian hadn't arrived in time to save them, all the disciples present would likely have perished.

"A special spell? It seems to be a bloodline spell."

Zhong Kui's heart stirred, and he looked at the imposing Ji Mobai, secretly thinking it was a pity.

Just then, the master of the White Bone Cave, having clearly heard the surrounding situation, suddenly pointed his gleaming white finger bones directly at Zhong Kui and Cheng Youlu, the master of the Azure Nether Cave, and said in a sinister tone:

“Master Zhong, Master Cheng, all twelve of my elite disciples have perished, while your two grottoes combined have lost only two!”
This strange situation doesn't make sense.

Upon hearing this, the Xuanxiao Cave Master laughed angrily, "That's right. Why are all the other cave disciples suffering heavy casualties, while you two cave disciples have only lost two of yourselves?"

Moreover, that mysterious enemy cultivator only controlled the disciples of your grotto-heaven, yet he didn't directly slaughter them. Why is that?

"What a joke!"

Zhong Kui sneered angrily, "That mysterious enemy cultivator didn't slaughter our cave disciples, he probably just controlled them first so that he could deal with them one by one."

"My Lonely Cloud Peak lost a secret disciple, Zhao Wuji, who ultimately saved your disciples; otherwise, none of you would have made it out."

He roared, "You are now ungrateful and even doubt and slander us! You are utterly heartless!"

"Perhaps you orchestrated all of this, first slaughtering all our disciples, and then arranging for them to rescue us."

A crimson flame suddenly rose around the Lord of Yanling Cave, and the scorching heat wave was overwhelming. He said, "By killing people first and then saving them, not only will no one suspect you, but you will also successfully clear your name."

"absurd!"

Hua Qingshuang drew her Frost Flying Sword from her sleeve, its chilling sword energy condensing into ice crystals on the lake's surface. "Ancestor Yanling, are you perhaps trying to deceive me into believing I cannot protect my disciple?"

Zhao Wuji was both amused and exasperated upon seeing this. He hadn't expected that Peak Master Hua would be so protective of his own. But now was the perfect opportunity to make Cave Master Zhong Kui the target of everyone's anger. He immediately sent a telepathic message to Hua Qingshuang.

"Peak Master!"

Hua Qingshuang's eyes flashed, and she transmitted her voice to Zhao Wuji, saying, "Wuji, if a fight breaks out later, you must escape immediately and do not look back. This is a very good opportunity!"

"Little Doctor Wuji, you'd better hurry up later!"

Yan Lan smiled faintly, but the smile in her eyes was cold. Her red lips curled slightly as she secretly transmitted her thoughts.

Zhao Wuji felt reassured, knowing that both Peak Master Hua and Peak Master Yan were already prepared.

At this moment, Zhong Kui and Qingming Cave Master Cheng Youlu both sneered and laughed, their spiritual pressure suddenly erupting, their robes fluttering, and their cold gazes swept over the questioning crowd.

"Gentlemen, we are all seasoned foxes, so let's not put on airs here."

Zhong Kui said coldly, "Without any evidence, you slander me and Master Cheng? White Bone Old Ghost, your disciples were less skilled and perished in the secret realm, and you want to drag my Linlang Cave down with you?"

Cheng Youlu also sneered and echoed, "If we follow your logic, then the survival of my Qingming Cave disciples is also a sin. Why don't we just take action?"

A glint flashed in the eyes of the Supreme Cave Master Bai Chengshang, realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Zhong Kui.

He quickly sent a telepathic message to the Cave Master of Yanling Cave: "Fellow Daoist Yanling, the evidence of Zhong Kui's collusion with the mysterious force is irrefutable. If we do not eliminate him today, this old thief will hold a grudge and become a scourge in the future!"

At the same time, he quickly sent a message to the two cave masters, Xuanxiao and Baigu: "Fellow Daoists, Zhong Kui has been secretly plotting to slaughter the elites of various cave heavens. Now he is even trying to distort the truth. Why don't we join forces to suppress him and eliminate future troubles!" Both cave masters, Xuanxiao and Baigu, had their eyes flashing as they weighed their options.

The atmosphere instantly became tense, with swords drawn.

"The opportunity has arrived."

Zhao Wuji's eyes flickered slightly. He suddenly sensed that the ancient Taoist priest and the general who had not uttered a word not far away had turned around, as if they did not want to participate in the upcoming battle. Zhao Wuji's eyes furrowed.

If this ancient cultivator were to retreat voluntarily at this moment...

This might actually calm everyone down again, and Zhong Kui might be able to get away with it today.

"We must create an opportunity to eliminate Zhong Kui today, otherwise this man will definitely seek an opportunity to attack me and the Peak Master."

His mind raced, and his fingertips quietly formed a hand seal.

The drug-addicted blood corpse puppet following behind the ancient Taoist priest and the general suddenly stopped, then charged out, pointing directly at Zhong Kui and letting out a hoarse, strained roar:
"It was him. Those cultivators, who called themselves 'Cultivators of the Dynasty,' were acting on Zhong Kui's orders."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was immediately stunned.

Even the ancient Taoist priest and the general were stunned, and couldn't help but turn around to look at their subordinates behind them. Their half-rotten brains seemed to have not yet caught up.

This blood corpse puppet, who rarely speaks, actually stepped forward to identify the source.
"not good!!"

Zhong Kui's expression changed instantly, and he immediately tried to retreat.

Upon hearing this, the master of the Supreme Grotto-Heaven was overjoyed, feigning grief and roaring angrily, "Old devil Zhong!! Give me back my Dao Child's life!!"

Upon seeing this, the Cave Master of Xuanxiao Cave also flew into a rage: "It really was you!"

"That old scoundrel Zhong!"

The crimson flames surged within the Flame Spirit Cave Master.

The White Bone Cave Master, White Bone Spikes, has already broken through the air and attacked Zhong Kui.

Zhong Kui hastily unleashed his magic weapon to defend, but the moment it made contact, the combined attack of the four men sent him spitting blood and flying through the air. He cried out for help, "Master Cheng!!"

"Damn it! What a mess this great situation has turned into!"

A fierce glint flashed in Cheng Youlu's eyes. He knew that if he sat idly by and watched Zhong Kui be besieged, he would be the next to suffer.

Even if they escape back to the cave, they might not be able to escape.

With a flick of his sleeve, the 'Netherworld Bone-Eating Banner,' a secret technique passed down in the Azure Netherworld Cave Heaven, was suddenly unfurled.

As the eerie wind howled, it transformed into a hundred-foot-long ghostly curtain, from which countless wronged souls poured out with shrieks.

"Boom!" "Swoosh!"

The Crimson Flame Dragon of the Flame Spirit Cave Master and the Heart-Piercing Thorn of the White Bone Cave Master crashed into the Ghost Curtain at the same time, and were completely swallowed up as if they had been thrown into the sea.

Amidst the howling wind, the Azure Nether Cave Master roared, "You all launch an attack based on trumped-up charges! Do you really think my Azure Nether Cave is so easily bullied?!"

With the pressure on Zhong Kui greatly reduced, he seized the opportunity to activate his magic weapon, the "Linlang Extinguishing Heart Lamp," by performing a hand seal.

The lamp wick suddenly emitted a faint glow, and a cluster of black light flew out.

Wherever it passed, the sword energy unleashed by the Supreme Cave Master Bai Chengshang melted away instantly, like ice and snow meeting fire.

Zhong Kui roared, "Old ghost Bai, my Linlang Cave Heaven is allied with your Supreme Cave Heaven, yet your ability to stir up trouble has certainly improved!"

The two stood back to back, which temporarily slowed down the attacks of the four cave masters.

On the other side, Hua Qingshuang and Yan Lan exchanged a glance, "Take the disciples and leave first!"

"Whoosh!"

The two flew towards Zhao Wuji, Ji Mobai, and the others at the same time.

Yan Lan shouted, "Zhong Kui colluded with foreign enemies to harm his fellow disciples. His crime is his own, and has nothing to do with his disciples!"

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly wrapped Zhao Wuji and the other disciples in her crimson silk and retreated.

The light of Hua Qingshuang's sword split into countless forms, condensing into an ice bridge on the lake surface, which transported the disciples to safety.

"Peak Master?!" Zhao Wuji turned around, unwilling to leave at this moment.

Hua Qingshuang transmitted her voice, cold and dignified, saying, "Wuji, do not look back. In the end, someone must end this situation and lead them away."

After saying that, she turned around and flew back to the battlefield with Yan Lan, heading towards Zhong Kui.

"Cave Master!!"

As the battle raged on, its power astounding, Chang Mingxi, a secret disciple of Xuanji Peak, cried out in grief, as if he had lost his father.

However, before his shouts could even carry, he was struck on the head with a 'thud'.

"Senior Brother Zhao?"

Just as Lu Yongnian was about to join in the lament, he was startled by Zhao Wuji's sudden knocking out of Chang Mingxi, and his eyes, which had been affected by the Bewitching Curse, became clearer.

Ji Mobai, standing to the side, was equally astonished.

But then his eyes flashed, and he stared intently at Zhao Wuji's calm gaze, and suddenly he understood.

"Go to sleep! You'll wake up refreshed after a good night's sleep."

Zhao Wuji used a hand seal in his sleeve to perform the Dream-Marrying Technique, thus breaking the spell of bewitching Lu Yongnian and Chang Mingxi in their dream.

Lu Yongnian felt dizzy and was about to fall to the ground, but Ji Mobai reached out and caught him.

"Senior Brother Ji, I'm leaving these two to you. Take them back to the cave safely."

Zhao Wuji looked at Ji Mobai and bowed respectfully.

Ji Mobai shook his head, "Now that your cultivation is higher than mine, you are the senior brother."

Zhao Wuji smiled faintly, "I don't particularly like being a senior brother, especially the eldest senior brother."

I think you, Brother Ji, are more suitable, as you can break the mind-altering spell of the cave on your own.

Brother Ji, you are even more outstanding than I imagined!

Ji Mobai was taken aback and met Zhao Wuji's eyes.

The two locked eyes, and for the first time, there was no longer any confrontation.

This was the first time he had ever heard Zhao Wuji praise him so highly.

Normally, he dislikes flattery in front of him, and he won't care even if it's sincere praise.

But now, Zhao Wuji's praise filled him with excitement.

“Alright, I will take them both back, but you…” Ji Mobai’s expression was extremely solemn, “That is the battlefield of the Condensation Realm!”

Zhao Wuji laughed heartily, leaped into the air, and turned back to say, "Ning Shen is also human. I won't feel at ease if I don't go and check!"

He quickly made a hand seal and rode the wind away.

Ji Mobai suddenly gripped the broken Lone Cloud Sword tightly, his eyes reflecting Zhao Wuji's departing figure, and silently recited in his heart.

"Concentrate! Sword Qi Thunderous Sound!"

His mind was filled with the rumbling thunder he had heard in the Lonely Cloud Sword Cave in the past.

He suddenly turned around, grabbed his two junior brothers, and quickly flew away.

On the battlefield above the lake, the moment Hua Qingshuang and Yan Lan returned, the intertwined spiritual pressure of ice and fire pressed directly against Zhong Kui's flank, clearly intending to take the opportunity to solidify their reputation for "cleaning up the house".

Zhong Kui was attacked from both sides, and the pressure suddenly increased. He laughed angrily, "You two peak masters, what a way you are to kick someone when they're down!"

With a roar, he suddenly pulled a long spear radiating a primordial light from his storage bag.

The Nine-Turn Primordial Spear has been repaired!

Cheng Youlu also sensed something was wrong. Hua Qingshuang and the other woman were ostensibly surrounding Zhong Kui, but in reality, they had blocked his escape route.

He gritted his teeth and crushed a blood talisman. The crisp sound of the blood talisman exploding pierced the sky, and seven ferocious ghost claws suddenly emerged from the Netherworld Banner.

Each bone claw was wreathed in pitch-black netherfire, forcing the Xuanxiao Cave Master back more than ten feet, and the remaining force plowed seven scorched furrows into the ground.

"go!"

Zhong Kui roared, and the two figures blurred at the same time!

"Whoosh!"

Two streaks of light, one green and one black, shot into the sky, about to tear through the clouds and escape.

"boom!!!"

The calm lake surface suddenly erupted into a colossal wave!

In the distance, an ancient Taoist priest stood, his robes fluttering in the wind, his withered hands forming mysterious hand seals.

The lake water condensed into three ferocious water dragons, each scale glowing with the blood-red light of runes, roaring and coiling towards the escape light!

"Mysterious Heaven Seal, suppress!"

The roar of the Supreme Cave Master Bai Chengshang shook the lake water, and all his magical power was mobilized. A phantom of a large seal, the size of a small hill, crashed down from the sky.

The two characters "Supreme" at the bottom of the seal burst forth with dazzling golden light, and the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth was stirred up and boiled by this seal!
"Today I will make you pay for my Daoist's life!"

(End of this chapter)