Ancient Ark: A Dark-Themed Historical Survival Game

Chapter 138 The Eternal Owl

Everyone was stunned when they saw the kill announcement.

Lu Dahai complained, "Damn it, the evil corruptors we killed each only had a dozen or twenty world fortunes, so why is the one Ye Heshan killed so much more fortunate?"

Wang Yang: "It's not surprising. There's a big difference between the evil ones. Ge Congzhou was a core general of the Later Liang Dynasty with a very high position. He should be a very powerful evil one."

Su Qingmeng nodded: "In terms of historical standing and military achievements, Ge Congzhou was a 'Han Xin-like' figure to Zhu Wen, while Wang Yanzhang was a 'Fan Kuai-like' figure."

Zhu Wen was morally corrupt, licentious, cruel, and inhumane, but as a warlord and emperor, he had one very crucial advantage.

Skilled at using people!

His subordinates, such as Yang Shihou, Ge Congzhou, Zhang Cunjing, and Shi Shucong, were all outstanding generals of their time, each with their own distinct style.

Of course.

In terms of its dissemination to later generations and its popularity among the general public, Wang Yanzhang, the Iron Spear Master, is a figure who stands out from the crowd.

The image of this fiercest general of the Later Liang Dynasty is deeply rooted in people's hearts. In various fictionalized accounts and stories in later generations, his personal bravery was almost second only to Li Cunxiao.

Compared to Yang Shihou, Ge Congzhou, and Zhang Cunjing, Wang Yanzhang was definitely more fortunate.

"Ye Heshan's progress is quite good!"

Xiao Yu knew that the other team was randomly assigned to the "Xuanwu Iron City" route, and the first boss of this route was Ge Congzhou.

This is a very challenging level 13 rare lord, with extremely strong overall strength and an unusually strange combat mechanism.

At present, Xiao Yu is outside.

Only Ye Heshan can pass this test.

Xiao Yu was not affected by this and continued to proceed at his own pace.

After successfully eliminating the ten hidden mini-bosses in the Yellow River Blood Swamp, he leisurely led his team towards the exit point.

It took a total of twenty-five minutes.

They took down several more waves of smaller monsters along the way.

Currently, more than one hundred small monsters and ten mini-bosses have been eliminated, resulting in considerable profits.

Xiao Yu accumulated 17 essence points, which, combined with the amplification effect of the pills, brought his total to nearly 18. Li Cunxiao, on the other hand, needed 24 essence points to break through to the second stage.

The numbers look big.

It doesn't seem difficult to achieve at present.

Others earned at least 2 and sold their shares for as much as 4, which is already a very good return.

If it weren't for being in a nightmare.

If not for a large amount of experience bonus.

Even with the abilities of these exceptional chosen ones, it would be difficult for them to acquire so much essence in a short period of time.

Everyone improved; for example, Wang Yang successfully leveled up to level 13, and Lu Chengfeng's spirit Li Ju successfully broke through to level 11.

level.

The drop rate for this operation is extremely high.

Even regular monsters can drop rare materials and even equipment fragments, while the ten Turbid Ghost BOSSes produce a large amount of materials, two pieces of named equipment, and many equipment fragments.

The harvest was enormous.

the most important is.

Almost all of them were "freebies".

The Turbid Ghost BOSS's unique purification mechanism reduces the pollution level of the entire team time and time again, keeping the team in a low pollution state and giving them ample time to develop the remaining parts.

Among the chosen ones, only Xiao Yu can grasp the rhythm so accurately, find and identify the hidden monsters so precisely, and solve them so easily.

"really!"

"My senior is just different!"

Jiang Xiaxia looked at Xiao Yu walking ahead with eyes full of admiration. Whenever she followed him, she could forget about everything else.

Even in the most dangerous environments, he can give people a strong sense of security and reassurance. It's hard not to admire such a strong and reliable man.

The only regret is that the senior has hidden his identity, so Xia has been unable to get too close to him along the way, which makes her feel quite restless.

[You have picked up the loot, Soul Essence +2564 ——————]

You have collected the loot.

After eliminating a small group of demon soldiers, the group finally emerged from the Stone Stele Forest and found themselves in a relatively open area.

at the same time.

A divine prompt sounded.

You have entered the "White Horse Post Station Execution Ground"!

Everyone's hearts tightened.

Normal scene changes will not usually trigger a Heavenly Dao prompt; prompts will only appear in special scenes or BOSS battle scenes.

This must be Baimayi, where the "Baimayi Tragedy" took place in history!

Influenced by the Nightmare Space and the Deep Sea, it bears no resemblance to the original and has become a twisted and demonized BOSS battle scene.

A quick glance.

There are no statues filled with resentment and twisted forms.

This riverbed plain is filled with flowing blood, and the surface of the blood river is covered with a large number of struggling spirits, various remains, and relics such as official hats and court tablets.

A building forged from white bones and black iron, resembling a large execution ground, appeared there, guarded by some white horse demon soldiers nearby.

Su Qingmeng activated a long-range reconnaissance technique.

She saw a platform over two zhang high in the center of the post station, with more than a dozen demon soldiers and archers with pig heads and human bodies standing on it.

A figure stood among the archers.

He wore a rotten and filthy official robe, was about 2.5 meters tall, with a hunched back like a dead tree, and his body was pieced together from rotten mud and broken flesh.

His head resembled an unfinished sculpture, his features blurred and distorted beyond recognition, and he was surrounded by a pale gray, putrid mist.

The most striking feature is the multi-layered wings on its back, each wing being irregular and incomplete, presenting a shadowy and fragmented appearance.

【Eternal Owl - Li Zhen】, Level 13 Rare Lord

"It's the evil Li Zhen!" Su Qingmeng immediately explained the situation to the others.

Who is Li Zhen?

Zhao Gang is not very educated and doesn't know much about obscure historical figures.

"One of Zhu Wen's two most important strategists."

Su Qingmeng explained, "Although his importance and status were not as high as those of the chief strategist Jing Xiang, he absolutely played a crucial role."

Wang Yang nodded and added, "If Jing Xiang is Zhu Wen's 'Zhang Liang,' the chief architect of the group's grand strategy, a true advisor to the emperor."

"Then Li Zhen was equivalent to Zhu Wen's Chen Ping or Jia Xu," orchestrating the Baima Post Station Incident, purging court officials, holding the emperor hostage, and controlling the court.

"He was skilled in court politics and sowing discord, and was the political spearhead of Zhu Wen's usurpation of the Tang Dynasty and establishment of the Liang Dynasty."

Everyone's expressions turned serious.

It seems like this will be a very difficult fall into evil.

Li Zhen's corrupt image is somewhat likened to a half-human, half-bird creature, known as "Eternal Turbid Owl," which is clearly related to his life experiences and obsessions.

His great-grandfather was Li Baozhen, the military governor of Zelu, so he was from a military family, but not one of the top clans like the "Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families".

He failed the imperial examinations for more than ten years. At that time, the gentry only recognized those who passed the imperial examinations and regarded those who came from hereditary privilege, military merit, or the military as "turbid streams" or "miscellaneous paths".

Li Zhen repeatedly failed the imperial examinations and was ridiculed. Even after he entered the court, he was mocked by prominent families as a "hawk," a bird that symbolizes misfortune and death.

He orchestrated the disaster at Baimayi.

It was to clear the political obstacles for his master to usurp the Tang throne, but it was also mixed with obvious personal hatred.

Lu Chengfeng couldn't help but say, "This BOSS looks very difficult to deal with, especially since there are dozens of elite demon soldiers inside and outside the post station."

Chen Xi immediately asked, "Brother Yu, how should we fight?"

This "Eternal Turbid Owl Li Zhen" is indeed difficult to deal with; he is an evil corrupted being who is extremely skilled in control and curses.

of course.

This is no challenge for Xiao Yu.

Make arrangements immediately.

He ordered the other eight to attack first and draw the small monsters away, while he would take on the role of "Eternal Turbid Owl Li Zhen".

Zhou Lie: "Your strength is beyond question, but isn't it a bit too risky to deal with the corrupted one-on-one?"

Before Xiao Yu could speak.

Su Qingmeng said, "I believe in Captain Yu's abilities. As team members, we just need to follow the instructions."

Wang Yang also said, "I agree."

Chen Xi: "I also believe in the master!"

Seeing that everyone had expressed their opinions, Zhou Lie naturally put aside his concerns, mainly because this person's abilities were indeed trustworthy and indisputable.

Let's get started!

First, divide the personnel into two groups.

One team consists of Zhao Gang as the main tank, Chen Xi as the support, and Wang Yang and Zhou Lie as the main force.

Group Two: Main tank Lu Chengfeng, support Jiang Xiaoxia, and main force Su Qingmeng and Lu Dahai.

The tactics were also very clear.

First and foremost, we must clear the mines.

Zhou Lie activated the summoning spell of Ban Chao's heroic spirit, instantly summoning five Han cavalrymen.

Su Qingmeng activated the Summoning Spell for Bones, instantly summoning five Bones Demon Soldiers.

Ten summoned units charged at the forefront.

They can draw the first wave of fire while triggering various traps, making it safer for subsequent Chosen Ones and Heroic Spirits to launch an attack.

As expected, there were indeed many traps near Baima Post Station. If we hadn't used summoned units to clear a wave of mines first, we would definitely be in a passive position by now.

At this moment, Zhao Gang and Lu Chengfeng, who are good at defense, opened their shields to absorb the firepower while covering the main force's crazy output.

There are about thirty small monsters.

Twenty executioners on white horses.

Add ten Bloodthirsty Demon Soldier Archers.

The former, as a group of level 13 elites, whose actual combat strength is close to that of level 13 rare elites, should not be underestimated when so many of them are gathered together.

Without Xiao Yu taking action.

The other eight chosen ones, along with the heroic spirits, would need to exert considerable effort to defeat the twenty executioners.

Moreover, with the support of demonic archers and the ever-present threat of the corrupt Li Zhen, the situation is quite difficult!

"Since you've entered my execution ground, then let us both perish in this turbid current!"

Li Zhen had long recognized the Chosen One, and seeing them launch an attack, he couldn't help but sneer.

With a wave of his hand.

"The Eternal Turbidity Formation!"

Strange gray runes appeared on the ground of the execution ground at Baima Post Station, as well as on the walls and building surfaces constructed from bones.

Li Zhen's secret technique covers the entire area with an array, and all the chosen ones who enter the range will have an "Eternal Turbid Mark" appear on their bodies.

This mark is a curse mark.

Every time a Chosen One's attack damages a target, it will inevitably be cursed.

The deeper the curse.

The greater the suppression.

You will continue to lose health.

"Holy crap, what kind of power is this?! This is insane!"

Lu Dahai's fireball damaged three executioners, and he could clearly feel the Eternal Curse on his body rapidly intensifying.

[You have been affected by the Eternal Curse, your four main attributes have decreased by 10%, and you are losing 100 health points per minute!]

[You have been affected by the Eternal Curse, your four main attributes have decreased by 11%, and you are losing 110 health points per minute!]

【————】

"This is tricky!"

"This place is cursed!"

"We will be cursed as soon as we launch an attack, and this curse is very difficult to dispel."

Those destined for greatness face a difficult choice.

Firstly, you should eliminate all the smaller monsters before fighting the boss, which will weaken their strength by more than half.

With the accumulated power of the curse, Li Zhen's spells could destroy a team effortlessly.

Secondly, ignore the smaller monsters and focus your efforts on eliminating the BOSS.

Equally difficult!

With so many mobs, it's incredibly difficult to defeat a rare lord-level boss while dealing with dozens of elite monsters.

Moreover, this is in the early stages of a dungeon raid.

The correct strategy for this boss fight is to split up: one group should distract the smaller monsters while the other group challenges the boss.

We must finish this quickly!

The longer it drags on, the more dangerous it becomes.

"Fight! Struggle! Sink! Hahahaha!" Li Zhenfei arrived on the high platform, but did not directly participate in the battle, as if he was admiring the battlefield below.

but.

at this time.

A streak of scorching ash pierced through multiple traps and restrictions, instantly appearing on the high platform, wielding a corpse-beating whip in its left hand and a Heavenly Fate Attribute Carved Sword in its right.

This chosen one is no ordinary person.

Li Zhen sensed Xiao Yu's strength, but he didn't take him seriously. How could one person pose a threat to him?

"The Yellow River's muddy waters are like pythons!"

Li Zhen summoned countless turbid water vapors, which quickly condensed into a giant python. He then grinned and controlled the python to attack Xiao Yu.

That was a powerful blow!

Not only is the damage quite high.

It also contains a powerful curse.

If the chosen one confronts the enemy head-on, even if he doesn't die, he will be weakened.

"The Four Curses of the Military Sage!"

"Invincible Golden Body!"

Xiao Yu directly activated the Supreme Sage's Curse at the top level, and simultaneously activated the secret technique of Flying Tiger Overlord Body Technique, which can further enhance defense and resistance.

boom!

—0! —0! —0!

The giant python of turbid water struck his body.

Xiao Yu withstood the attack with his protective power and invincible golden body, not only without being harmed but also without moving an inch.

"How is that possible?"

Li Zhen found it hard to believe that Xiao Yu possessed such amazing resistance; he never expected that one of the Chosen Ones could withstand his attacks without taking any damage.

"My turn!"

While defending against Li Zhen's attack, Xiao Yu activated his Qi-based skill "Light of the War God," and a powerful force immediately surged throughout his body.

Not only that.

More importantly.

He can use some skills indefinitely for a short period of time, ignoring their cooldowns.

Xiao Yu began frantically accumulating righteous energy.

"This is----"

Li Zhen could feel invisible yet clearly perceptible forces rapidly enveloping the Chosen One's body.

This power attribute is its own nemesis, and can nullify any curses it can inflict.

Xiao Yu did it in a very short time.

It almost exhausted all of his mental energy.

Upon sensing the intensity of the Confucian aura surrounding the Chosen One, Li Zhen immediately realized something was amiss and transformed into multiple black shadows to escape.

"Trying to escape?"

Xiao Yu immediately locked onto Li Zhen's true form using his Omniscient Eye, and instantly appeared in front of him using the leap ability provided by his Shadow Assassin's Cloak.

He quickly launched a sword attack.

All it takes is one sword strike.

Because this sword embodies the profound essence of the Righteous Sword Technique—Sacrificing One's Life for Righteousness—it can not only transform life force into additional Righteous Qi, but more importantly, it can release all accumulated Righteous Qi in one go.

Deal with Li Zhen.

There's no need to expend your life force.

Xiao Yu believed that the power he had accumulated was already sufficient, and he had just added another layer of the Military Saint Yang Technique, "Divine Weapon Descends from Heaven," to his own abilities.

next moment.

Unleash your full power!

Xiao Yu stacked ten layers of righteous energy, all of which were transformed into a sword energy, and then released it all in one breath.

A white sword light bloomed, its blazing power overwhelming the entire area, and the curse on the Chosen One was weakened as a result.

Li Zhen tried to resist.

But Xiao Yu's sword strike...

That's incredibly fast and powerful!

After all, Xiao Yu had already cultivated the Haoran Sword Technique to the maximum level, which was the ultimate strike of a max-level purple technique!

Although Xiao Yu did not burn his life force to enhance its power, due to the ten layers of righteous energy, this sword strike was no less powerful than, and even surpassed, simply burning 30% of his life force!

—6323 (Weakness Critical Hit)

Xiao Yu's sword pierced directly through Li Zhen's body, simultaneously splitting the Xingtai below in two.

In an instant.

All other chosen ones.

The curse on them has disappeared.

This curse is not without a way to break it; as long as the form is destroyed and the great array is dismantled, the curse effect will naturally disappear.

"That's way too much!"

Chen Xi was completely stunned when Xingtai, which was over two zhang tall and tens of meters long and wide, and made of hard white bones and even steel, was cleaved in two by a single sword.

She was both shocked by the terrifying power of the sword, which not only tore the corrupted Li Zhen to dust, but also shocked by the ability of Yu Dashen that she had rediscovered.

Archery, magic, swordsmanship!

Each one is stronger than the last!

Just how many more tricks and strengths is this master hiding? Judging from his performance, he's on a completely different level from the other chosen ones!

"Did you get it?"

Wang Yang and Su Qingmeng were equally shocked by the power of Xiao Yu's swordsmanship.

At this moment, however, he was more interested in knowing the state of corruption and assessing the effectiveness of the attack than in Xiao Yu's skills.

Su Qingmeng said, "There's no kill notification, so it seems this guy is still alive!"

It seems to confirm this statement.

Li Zhen's body, which had almost turned into dust, actually reassembled once again, but he was already severely weakened and looked extremely frail.

This chosen one is too strong!

We must never confront them head-on.

His mental energy is almost exhausted, and he is in a weakened state at this moment, which is his only chance to launch a counterattack.

Li Zhen immediately activated a secret technique, releasing dozens of black feathers from his wings, each of which turned scarlet.

It doesn't wait for the hit.

Xiao Yu had used the Tide skill of the set to restore most of his depleted mental energy.

He directly unleashed a crimson evil lightning spell with the Corpse-Slaying Whip, striking the fleeing evil Li Zhen. The violent lightning coiled around his entire body, interrupting his teleportation skill.

—2032 (Weakness Critical Strike!)

—1998 (Critical Hit!)

—2030 (Weakness Critical Strike!)

The Crimson Lightning itself is already quite powerful and effective.

With the combined effects of various buffs such as "Divine Weapon Descends" and "Soul Destroyed", it can be used to further enhance the game.

In just a few seconds, Li Zhen's remaining life force was completely evaporated, and this powerful corrupted BOSS turned into ashes amidst screams.

[The chosen one "Yu Xiao" has achieved the first kill against the historical villain "Eternal Turbid Owl Li Zhen," gaining 80 points of world luck!]

This time it was a success!

A historical depravity with the strength of a level 13 rare lord.

A boss that was incredibly close to being a hegemon, amplified by the aura of the deep sea, was completely defeated by Xiao Yu in just two rounds!

When you see all of this.

Even the chosen ones of the Asking Heaven were dumbfounded at this moment, so how could the other chosen ones not be shocked?

[You have collected the following loot: Soul Essence +35231, Li Zhen's Eternal Turbid Brush Fragment +1, Blue Forging Stone +6, Blue Deep Sea Stone +8, Blue Soul Stone +55!]

This drop is incredibly luxurious!

The other chosen ones cleared out the remaining monsters and reaped a large amount of essence and spoils.

Xiao Yu directly received nearly 6 units of vital energy from this battle. This amount of vital energy, combined with the 18 units in reserve, perfectly met Li Cunxiao's needs!

did not expect.

Wow, that was fast.

Now that it has been achieved.

Xiao Yu wasted no time and immediately put it into use.

He channeled all his energy into Li Cunxiao.

[Soul Essence - 24!]

[Your "Flying Tiger General Li Cunxiao" cultivation level has increased; the current level is 11!]

very good!

We finally made a breakthrough.

This is a moment to remember!

Xiao Yu's Sun Tzu and Xi Shi are not very suitable for use in public at this stage, but Li Cunxiao has relatively fewer concerns.

After all, many people know that Xiao Yu may be hiding a powerful named heroic spirit, which is the heroic spirit he obtained during the trial in Chang'an last time.

Li Cunxiao originally came from this world.

It wouldn't feel out of place for Xiao Yu to summon him to assist in the battle.

If a top-tier combatant had to be used in public, Li Cunxiao would be the best choice.

His individual combat strength has now surpassed that of Zheng Dan and Xi Shi, making him capable of playing a significant role in the upcoming operations.

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