Mortal: Starting in a chaotic starry sea, I can upgrade everything.

Jiang Yu affixed the talisman to the wooden kite, and immediately a protective shield of spiritual energy enveloped the magical artifact.

With a "bang".

The fireball struck the protective shield, but the wooden kite inside remained completely still.

Jiang Yu instructed Yuan Yao and the other woman, "It's too dangerous here. Wait for me about a mile ahead!"

"Yes, young master."

The two women exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.

They understood that with their current cultivation level, staying here would only be a burden.

Jiang Yu flew out of the wooden kite and then controlled it to fly backwards.

"Hmph, a mid-level protective talisman? I underestimated you." Elder Gu sneered, his eyes narrowing and filled with killing intent.

"At your advanced age, instead of properly nurturing your golden core, you're courting death."

Jiang Yu's indifferent gaze was as if he were looking at a dead man.

He didn't want to get involved, but since the other party had already made their move, there was nothing more to say.

......

The vast sea surged with waves, and the sea breeze, carrying salty moisture, whipped people's clothes in the wind.

Han Li stood on the Divine Wind Boat, his face behind the mask indifferent and calm, his gaze fixed on the ancient elder not far away, whose aura was disordered yet profound.

Then he looked at Jiang Yu, who was also at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, and thought to himself that he had finally dragged this person down with him.

His telepathic transmission was low yet clear:

"Fellow Daoist, this person is a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation. Neither of us alone has any chance of winning. Why don't we join forces to kill him, and then we can split the spoils equally?"

A glint flashed in Jiang Yu's eyes, and he felt a sense of unease.

He glanced at the gloomy-faced Elder Gu and pondered for a moment.

He was confident he could defeat Elder Gu on his own, but the cost would be too high.

With Han Li also present, we must be wary.

It would be better to weaken each other first and then deal with the primary enemy at the Core Formation stage.

He nodded decisively, his spiritual energy surging slightly, revealing his killing intent: "Very well, I will do as you say, fellow Daoist!"

The two had barely finished speaking.

The elder on the other side had already sensed the hostility, and a hint of anger and mockery appeared on his aged face. How could he not know that the two had just been exchanging messages?

"You dare to transmit your voice in front of me, you juniors are courting death!"

Two Foundation Establishment cultivators dared to provoke him, a Core Formation cultivator; they were simply overestimating themselves.

He said no more, and a flash of spiritual light appeared around him, and a pair of azure celestial halberds appeared out of thin air.

The halberd gleamed with a chilling blue light, its surface adorned with flowing patterns, making it a genuine magical artifact.

The two halberds hovered in the air, instantly creating layers of azure light curtains that completely protected Elder Gu.

Ge Feng pointed directly at Han Li and Jiang Yu, and his oppressive aura suddenly spread out.

Jiang Yu made the first move, his palm radiating intense light as he summoned a top-grade magic weapon—a small, dark golden hammer engraved with intricate patterns.

The moment it was unleashed, it transformed into a size of half a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters), carrying immense force, and slammed fiercely towards the azure celestial halberd.

The two objects collided with a single blow, producing a sound like thunder.

The old elder's wrinkled face instantly changed color, as if to say: This is not a magic artifact!

Jiang Yu's lips curled into a smile, a playful glint in his eyes, and he unexpectedly replied to him.

"It's iron concentrate! I added iron concentrate to it!"

At the same time, before the Core Formation expert could react, Qu Hun suddenly appeared from behind Han Li.

His avatar, wielding a blood-red blade, rushed straight to Elder Gu, unleashing a torrent of powerful spiritual energy as it furiously attacked the azure celestial halberd.

Each strike sent a buzzing sound through the air.

Han Li carefully stored the Divine Wind Boat away.

He himself rode on a beam of light, his figure flickering and elusive, moving like a ghost along the side of the battlefield.

He avoided a direct confrontation and secretly summoned a small emerald green sword. The sword had a faint green light and exuded an aura that did not belong to a magical artifact.

Jiang Yu was well-versed in the principles of a protracted war, so he did not rush into a direct attack, but instead manipulated the dark golden hammer to continuously bombard Tian Ge.

Qu Hun launched a continuous offensive to restrain Elder Gu, gradually eroding his magical power and the spiritual light of his magical treasures.

Suddenly, a swift and silent sword strike targeted the weak point in Elder Gu's defense.

The protective aura shattered instantly.

Elder Gu, as expected of a Core Formation expert, after a moment of panic, summoned a golden alms bowl to protect himself.

The Green Radiance Sword struck the golden bowl, and with a thud, it was deflected.

"Damn it! A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator can't possibly compete with a Core Formation cultivator!"

Elder Gu's expression was ferocious. In order to block this sneak attack, he had almost used up one-tenth of his magical power.

"Hmph, let's talk about that once you're free."

Han Li's confidence soared, and he swung his sword again without hesitation.

Being hunted down by this Core Formation expert, who knows how much he suffered? At that time, he was utterly helpless, with nowhere to turn.

This time, we will definitely retaliate, and even kill them.

For a moment, on the sea surface.

Azure light, dark gold light, and green sword shadows intertwined and collided, and the roar of magical treasures and artifacts resounded through the sky.

Elder Gu, being in the early stage of Core Formation, possessed a level of magical power far exceeding that of Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet he was still able to withstand the seamless cooperation of the two.

One person launched a frontal assault, while the puppet held him back, and another launched a sneak attack from behind with a magical artifact, leaving him no chance to breathe and no opportunity to retaliate.

He could only keep activating the Azure Heavenly Halberd and the Golden Bowl to resist, and under this continuous consumption, his magical power was rapidly decreasing.

Damn it! Damn it!

He was filled with fear and anger, yet he was powerless to do anything about it.

In less than half an incense stick's time.

The protective aura surrounding Elder Gu gradually dimmed.

His breathing became erratic, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his magical power was severely depleted.

Han Li's face paled considerably; the immortal had expended a great deal of energy.

Jiang Yu was slightly better, but still pale.

When Han Li launched another sneak attack with Green Blaze, Jiang Yu sensed the opportune moment to kill Elder Gu and decisively retreated...

Han Li was startled by this action.

Elder Gu was seething with anger and naturally wouldn't let this opportunity pass. He swung his spear back at Han Li.

There's no escaping it now.

Han Li's face was ashen; he could no longer withstand the attack of the magic weapon.

"Get out of here, you despicable scoundrel!"

The next moment, Jiang Yu controlled the magic weapon, the small hammer, and sped over, his speed being three points faster than that of an ordinary pseudo-core cultivator.

The dark gold hammer first entangled the Xuan Tian Ge, slowing its sharpness, while Jiang Yu's figure headed straight for Elder Gu.

"Young man!"

Jiang Yu condensed the Blood Spirit Diamond in his hand and, amidst Elder Gu's shock and anger, casually tossed it out.

Like a deadly crimson lightning bolt, the Blood Spirit Drill pierced through the thin blue light defense without any hindrance and stabbed fiercely into Elder Gu's chest and abdomen!

"Pfft!"

A sharp sound of flesh being pierced rang out, accompanied by Elder Gu's mournful scream, as the Core Formation cultivator's body was forcibly pierced through.

Fresh blood soaked through his clothes on his chest, spreading out in patches of scarlet.

"Blood Spirit Diamond! How could he have a Blood Spirit Diamond?!"

Han Li stared wide-eyed at the scene, his mind racing with countless screams.

Elder Gu's face turned deathly pale instantly, his spiritual power completely dissipated, leaving him with no fighting strength whatsoever, and only terror remained in his eyes.

Where was even a trace of the majesty of a Core Formation Elder?

He mustered his last bit of strength, activated his remaining magic power, turned around and fled hastily towards the distant sea, wanting only to save his life.

"Did I let you leave?!"

Jiang Yu sneered, lightly patting the spirit beast pouch at his waist. Countless silver and golden lights suddenly surged forth from it.

The dense swarms of gold-eating insects spread out like a golden tide, their buzzing chirping drowning out the sound of the waves.