Chapter 4184: Encountering a Friend

The Taiyi Golden Immortal might have departed, but out of caution, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan dared not retrace their steps and were forced to take a detour.

“What exactly is on that mountain?” Wang Changsheng murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on the towering peak.

He had wanted to investigate, but the restrictions were too powerful. His physical body alone couldn't endure them. While he could approach the peak by using the Qianyu Shield to withstand the force, he wasn't confident he could ascend and fully explore it. Ultimately, his cultivation level was simply too low. If he possessed the cultivation of a Taiyi Golden Immortal, combined with the Qianyu Shield, Wang Changsheng would be confident in ascending the mountain to explore. But for now, he decided against it.

“Let's leave this place first. Hopefully, we won't encounter another Taiyi Golden Immortal.” Wang Ruyan suggested.

Wang Changsheng nodded, and they set off into the distance. Lightning flashed and thunder roared. From time to time, thick crimson lightning bolts struck them. They continued walking briskly as if unfazed, and the further they moved from the towering peak, the weaker the crimson lightning bolts became.

Half a day later, they emerged into a vast, boundless crimson bamboo forest, where the ground was covered in bamboo leaves several feet deep. A deafening roar erupted, and a massive crimson fireball illuminated the distant sky. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan halted their steps. He dispatched Wang Tunian to scout ahead. Wang Tunian's eyes glowed with dazzling yellow light as he exclaimed in surprise, “It's Master Miaode and Fang Mu! They're battling a Seven-Colored Chaos Beast!”

“They've also ventured deep into the Qiankun Ruins. Let's go assist them,” Wang Changsheng said.

They reverted to their true forms and hastened towards the source of the crimson light. Before long, they passed through the bamboo forest and emerged into an open clearing. There, Fang Mu and Master Miaode were jointly attacking a Seven-Colored Chaos Beast that resembled a fierce tiger. The beast's body was heavily scarred, and another Seven-Colored Chaos Beast lay not far away on the ground, its head bloody and broken.

Golden light shimmered continuously around Master Miaode. When the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast charged, he struck out with his palm. It collided with the beast's sharp claws, producing a muffled thud, and the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast was sent flying backward. He had cultivated to become a top-tier true spirit and, mastering Buddhist secret arts, harbored no fear of the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast. Fang Mu, being a step less powerful, manipulated three small mirrors that pulsed with black light. He cast incantations into them, causing the mirrors to continuously unleash thick black beams that struck the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang.” Fang Mu's face lit up with joy upon seeing Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan.

The Seven-Colored Chaos Beast was already outmatched. Upon seeing Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, it sensed danger and fled into the distance.

“You beast, where do you think you're going?” Master Miaode's roar echoed ceaselessly for a hundred thousand li in every direction. His right hand formed a seal, and he struck out with his palm. A colossal '卍' symbol flew forth, heading directly for the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast, quickly overtaking it.

With a thunderous crash, the '卍' symbol struck the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast. The beast's body sank into the earth, its hide profusely bleeding, yet it was not dead. A blue streak of light shot forth, piercing its head, and only then did the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast finally perish. Surprise flickered in the eyes of both Fang Mu and Master Miaode. They knew Wang Changsheng could slay Seven-Colored Chaos Beasts, but they hadn't anticipated it would be so effortless.

“Master Miaode, Fellow Daoist Fang, what brings you to the core region?” Wang Changsheng asked curiously.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, we discovered the remains of an ancient cultivator in the outer perimeter. This individual had previously entered the Qiankun Ruins in search of treasure and located the abode of a third-tier Immortal Talisman Master. That's what prompted us to venture into the core region. Would you like to join forces with us?” Fang Mu said.

“The abode of a third-tier Immortal Talisman Master!” Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were somewhat tempted.

“Where is the abode located?” Wang Ruyan asked.

“It's not far. As long as we don't encounter a Taiyi Golden Immortal-level Chaos Beast, the four of us should have no major issues by joining forces,” Master Miaode said.

“All right, let's join forces.” Wang Changsheng agreed.

Fang Mu extracted the crystal core from the Seven-Colored Chaos Beast's body and handed it to Master Miaode. He then collected the corpse, and the four of them departed.

Over half an hour later, they appeared on a desolate plain. Wang Changsheng released two humanoid puppet beasts and maneuvered them to advance. After they had walked several hundred steps, numerous thin golden threads materialized, swiftly sweeping through the puppet beasts' bodies. Like slicing through soft vegetables, the two puppets were instantly torn into pieces, their severed parts remarkably smooth.

Wang Ruyan activated her Lihuo True Eyes to investigate, her brows furrowed deeply. “It's not a spatial rift, but a moving restriction,” Wang Ruyan frowned as she spoke. “The restrictions in the core region are quite potent; destroying them would be no issue.”

Fang Mu flicked his sleeve, and hundreds of monochrome Chaos Beasts resembling beetles flew out. They were all animated corpses. Fang Mu chanted an incantation, and the hundreds of monochrome Chaos Beasts dispersed, flying in different directions. The void shimmered with a multitude of moving golden lines. The hundreds of monochrome Chaos Beasts were annihilated by the dense golden threads before they had even flown ten li.

“Should we take a detour?” Fang Mu suggested.

“If we pass through here, we'll reach our destination. If we take a detour, we might well encounter a Taiyi Golden Immortal-level Chaos Beast or even more potent restrictions,” Master Miaode said.

“How about this: you two enter the Green Lotus Jade Pendant to take cover, and we will escort you across,” Wang Changsheng said, as he produced a jade pendant shimmering with green light. A lotus motif was carved onto its surface, revealing it to be a spatial-type Xuantian Treasure.

“Escort us across? Are you capable of avoiding these restrictions?” Master Miaode asked doubtfully.

“Yes, avoiding these restrictions poses no problem. And since it's a Xuantian Treasure, it won't be difficult for you to emerge from it if you wish.” Wang Changsheng was brimming with confidence, knowing that with their Sky-Treading Steps, they could evade these restrictions.

Master Miaode and Fang Mu exchanged glances, nodded to each other, and transformed into two streaks of light, entering the Green Lotus Jade Pendant. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan stomped their right feet into the void, causing ripples to spread through the air. They seemed to meld into the very fabric of the world, transforming into two streaks of light that sped across the barren plain.

Wang Ruyan activated her Lihuo True Eyes, detecting the golden threads beforehand. The void rippled as countless golden threads materialized, weaving into a colossal golden net that descended upon them. Simultaneously, numerous golden threads emerged from behind, sealing off their escape route. Wang Changsheng's right fist emanated fluctuations of seven different laws. He unleashed a punch, sending a colossal blue fist flying forward. It collided with the golden net, tearing a small hole through it, through which Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan swiftly passed. Ahead, the void inexplicably produced a multitude of golden threads, rushing towards them.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan became two afterimages, deftly evading the threads. Utilizing their Sky-Treading Steps, they successfully traversed the barren plain and appeared at the foot of a steep, towering peak.

“If these restrictions were at their peak power, slaying a Taiyi Golden Immortal would be no issue,” Wang Changsheng remarked. With a gentle flick of his wrist, the Green Lotus Jade Pendant glowed with a dazzling green light, and Master Miaode and Fang Mu flew out, landing on the ground.