Chapter 34: Wang Yaoliang's Death

A white mist obscured Wang Yaoliang and his three companions, preventing the black-clad figures from discerning their exact location. Over a dozen spirit artifacts plunged into the white mist, yet it felt as though they were striking soft cotton, rendering their force ineffective.

"An array talisman! Damn it, use magical spells to attack!" one of the black-clad figures cursed.

The black-clad figures cursed and began chanting incantations. The fifteen black-clad figures split into three small groups, each group of five glowing with a distinct spiritual light: red, blue, or yellow. Massive bursts of fire, blue, and yellow light sequentially materialized in the air, each coalescing into a distinct formidable attack: a giant fireball the size of a house, a transparent water spear several dozen feet long, and a yellow boulder of similar dimensions. Their coordination was remarkably skillful, clearly indicating prior training.

"Go!"

The colossal fireball, transparent water spear, and massive yellow boulder successively slammed into the white mist, producing a series of thunderous explosions that dispersed parts of the fog.

"Don't hold back! Use every ability you have!"

They intensified their assault, unleashing a barrage of fireballs, water spears, and boulders that continuously plunged into the white mist, accompanied by incessant explosions.

Inside the white mist, Wang Yaoliang's brows were tightly furrowed, his face etched with worry. This particular "Seven Star Water Mist Array" talisman, a first-tier high-grade artifact, had been taken from the family treasury by Wang Mingyuan and given to Wang Yaoliang for protection. The Seven Star Water Mist Array itself is a first-tier high-grade defensive formation. This array talisman, being a fusion of a formation and a talisman, could at most unleash seventy percent of the original formation's power.

Frankly, it was Wang Yaoliang's first time using an array talisman. He had no idea how long it could withstand the attacks of fifteen Qi Condensation cultivators. Given their exorbitant cost, and his usual duties within the clan, he had never had occasion to use one before. He had braced himself for the worst outcome: even if it meant his death, he would not allow the bandits to seize the Xuanjin ore he carried.

Wang Yaoliang instructed a tall, thin middle-aged man, handing him three yellow storage bags. "Mingwei, you know the Earth Evasion spell. If this formation breaks, take the Xuanjin ore immediately and rush back to Green Lotus Mountain."

"Uncle Nine, don't worry," Wang Mingwei pledged, his expression solemn. "As long as the ore is safe, I will be; if the ore is lost, I will die with it." After a slight hesitation, he suggested, "Uncle Nine, perhaps you should take the items and return to Green Lotus Mountain. We can stay here to fend off these brigands."

Wang Yaoliang waved his hand dismissively. "There are fifteen bandits, and their cultivation levels are significantly higher than yours. If you stay, you'll merely be throwing your lives away. Uncle Nine is old; the family's future depends on your younger generation. Mingwei, if I don't return alive, please look after Changping and the others. I'm an old man, I fear nothing for myself, but I dread the thought of them being left uncared for after my death."

Wang Mingwei's expression became resolute as he offered reassurance. "Uncle Nine, please don't be so pessimistic; nothing bad will happen. The clan has received our message and should arrive very soon. However, we promise you this: if something truly unfortunate were to befall you, we will absolutely ensure Changping is well cared for." Hearing this, Wang Yaoliang felt a burden lift from his heart.

The continuous roar of explosions intensified. Under the relentless assault of the fifteen Qi Condensation cultivators, the white mist steadily thinned and receded, its protective area dwindling. After roughly fifteen minutes, following a final deafening blast, the white mist completely dissipated, revealing Wang Yaoliang and his three companions.

Wang Yaoliang clutched several talismans in each hand, while the other two Wang clan members also held talismans. Without a word, they hurled the talismans from their hands towards their adversaries. Over a dozen talismans successively detonated, transforming into fireballs, water arrows, earth spikes, and stones that rained down upon the fifteen black-clad figures. The fifteen black-clad figures swiftly cast protective shields over themselves and manipulated their spirit artifacts to intercept the incoming spells. For a moment, the air was filled with continuous explosions and clashing spiritual lights.

Seizing this opportunity, Wang Mingwei's lips subtly moved. A yellow glow enveloped his body, and he sank into the earth, vanishing from sight. However, a moment later, a piercing scream echoed from beneath the ground. "No! Something's happened to Mingwei!" Wang Yaoliang exclaimed, his face falling. The ground suddenly flared with a blinding yellow light as a yellow giant scorpion, roughly ten feet in length, burrowed out, its two massive pincers clutching Wang Mingwei's lifeless body. Wang Mingwei's chest had been impaled by the scorpion's massive pincers, and several bloody holes marred his head.

"Hmph, we were already prepared for your earth evasion escape," a black-clad man sneered, a hint of triumph appearing in his eyes.

"Enough talk! The Wang family's reinforcements will arrive soon. We must finish this quickly!" No sooner had the words been spoken than a black-clad woman maneuvered a crimson pair of scissors, roughly ten feet in size, to strike at Wang Yaoliang and his two companions. The red scissors snapped open and shut, gleaming with spiritual light. Concurrently, the other black-clad figures unleashed their own spirit artifacts. Over a dozen dazzling spirit artifacts assaulted them, their combined force formidable.

Wang Yaoliang forcibly suppressed his grief and indignation, then unleashed a shimmering yellow talisman. Its surface bore a distinctive bowl-shaped pattern. The moment the yellow talisman left his grasp, it shattered, instantly forming a ten-foot-wide, bowl-shaped yellow light barrier that inverted itself over Wang Yaoliang and his two companions. This was an Earth Aegis Talisman, a second-tier defensive talisman. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would require significant effort to breach its defenses. The barrage of spirit artifacts repeatedly struck the yellow light barrier, producing sounds of clashing metal. The yellow light barrier swayed violently, its glow flickering erratically. Under the control of one of the black-clad cultivators, the yellow giant scorpion swiftly charged towards the barrier. Its tail stinger flickered, conjuring countless black threads that relentlessly struck the yellow light barrier.

Wang Yaoliang did not unleash his own spirit artifacts. The enemy was strong, and they were weak. His sole objective was to defend, to hold out for as long as possible until reinforcements arrived. To engage in offense would only hasten their demise. As time ticked by, the yellow light barrier's glow rapidly dimmed, flickering in and out of existence, appearing as if it could dissipate at any moment.

"Break it!"

The over a dozen spirit artifacts instantly flared with brilliant light and surged towards the weakening yellow barrier. A glint of grim determination flashed in Wang Yaoliang's eyes. He slapped a golden talisman onto his body; with a flash of golden light, a radiant golden armor shimmered into existence, conforming to his form. He stepped forward, spreading his arms to shield his two clan members behind him, and shouted, "Go! Quickly!"

The golden armor he wore, formed by a first-tier high-grade Golden Armor Talisman, was utterly incapable of withstanding the combined assault of over a dozen spirit artifacts. In a mere instant, the spirit artifacts pierced through his body. Wang Yaoliang let out a pained scream, his body slackened, and he collapsed to the ground. A torrent of blood gushed forth, staining his golden armor crimson. He did not die immediately, but he was at death's door.

In the final moments of his life, a kaleidoscope of his experiences flashed before his eyes. He recalled his youthful exuberance while studying cultivation knowledge with his clan in the lecture hall, singled out as a talent to be nurtured. He remembered the profound emotion of receiving a Foundation Establishment Pill from Wang Yaozong, the joy when Wang Yaozong successfully established his foundation, the crushing sorrow upon learning of his son's tragic demise, the elation when his grandson Wang Changping achieved advancement, and the euphoria when the clan discovered a Xuanjin ore vein. His greatest concern now was whether his clan could protect the Xuanjin ore vein, which was essential for their survival through difficult times and their future prosperity. He was filled with an intense reluctance to yield, yearning to rise and fight the brigands, but he found his body unresponsive. His gaze remained fixed on his two surviving clan members.

Because Wang Yaoliang had blocked the majority of the spirit artifacts, the two remaining clan members were still alive. However, in the eyes of the black-clad cultivators, they were nothing more than future corpses, not worth concern. The more than a dozen spirit artifacts circled once, then swooped down on the two remaining Wang clan members.

"Brother, be careful!"

The older middle-aged man swiftly pulled out two talismans and slapped them onto the younger, white-clad youth. With a flash of spiritual light, the youth's body was instantly enveloped by two distinct light barriers, one green and one red. With a final scream, the barrage of spirit artifacts pierced through the middle-aged man's body. His form went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.