Chapter 268: Chaos Battle, Earth Spirit Fruit in Hand

On the battlefield, over thirty Core Formation cultivators attacked simultaneously from outside the Luofu Sword Formation. Each unleashed a divine ability, causing the entire outer peak of Mount Luofu to tremble.

The omnipresent sword qi, formed from spiritual energy, shattered one after another. This was a sight rarely seen when everyone had previously worked together to break the formation.

Their spirits soared in that moment.

“Everyone, this damn sword formation is about to collapse!”

“Push harder! Let’s break it in one go!”

“The Earth Spirit Fruit belongs to whoever seizes it! Let's combine our strength to break the formation.”

They were actually trying to break the formation by brute force.

Having experienced the ruins of the Heavenly Soul Sect, Wang Yu found their actions somewhat baffling. Among these thirty-plus Core Formation cultivators, was there really no one skilled in formations?

In fact, there was.

But why would he say anything? It was better to secretly study the sword formation, find an opportune moment to break it, monopolize all the Earth Spirit Fruits, and then swiftly withdraw.

Greed was an indelible characteristic of cultivators.

Formation Master Yusheng was one such cultivator. He hailed from Liuju State, located in the northeast of the Sky-Refining Demonic Sect's territory!

It bordered Yunling State and was only a few thousand li away from their current location.

His gaze was currently fixed intently on the storage bag.

The Void Escape Talisman hidden in the inner pocket of his robe was ready to be activated at any moment; all he needed was an opportunity.

A few breaths later, as the Luofu Sword Formation swayed precariously, thirteen streaks of sword light suddenly appeared from further in the sky. The leader was none other than the Luofu Patriarch, whose accumulated fury from the recent meeting instantly erupted upon seeing this scene.

“A bunch of shameless scoundrels!”

“Luofu Sword Canon, activate!”

In an instant, the sky turned dark and featureless, and a storm abruptly arose.

An enormous, world-shaking greatsword, capable of eclipsing the sun and moon, appeared suddenly like a meteor from beyond the heavens. The air rippled with shockwaves, and the deafening sonic booms were unbearable.

Immediately after… it descended with a thunderous crash!

“Luofu old ghoul, how dare you call us shameless! Have you forgotten how that rogue cultivator was tricked into your sword formation by your He clan?”

From the group of over thirty cultivators, a peak Core Formation cultivator fearlessly made his move.

White bones materialized from thin air, forming a bone sword, no less impressive than the greatsword from beyond the heavens, which surged upwards. The moment the two collided, the world fell silent.

The deafening explosion paused for a moment before thundering outwards.

Seeing this, Wang Yu asked in surprise, “This is a Core Formation cultivator from the Yellow Springs Temple.”

“Oh, Junior Brother, are you certain? Demonic cultivators who practice the Way of White Bones are not uncommon on the Crimson Kite Continent.”

“Yes, I’m certain. That scent of the Yellow Springs cannot be faked.”

“That’s good then.”

Among the group of over thirty, Wang Yu was sure that three peak Core Formation cultivators belonged to Huangbai City. It was strange that they weren’t attempting to seize the Earth Spirit Fruit tree itself. Instead, they came to Mount Luofu to snatch the Earth Spirit Fruits, which for them would only serve as trade items or for nurturing their juniors. Their desperation suggested a personal need. Wang Yu couldn’t help but recall the information he had obtained through soul-searching.

Was it because of the Yellow Springs Dharma Core?

Before he could figure it out, Wei Hao nodded to Wei Ying, and the latter’s figure vanished among them.

“Junior Brother Wang, prepare to make your move. That sword formation can’t hold out much longer.”

Attention returned to the battlefield.

After the clash of peak powers, the residual energy caused the Core Formation cultivators to scatter. It was important to remember that this group included not only peak Core Formation cultivators from the Yellow Springs Temple, but also mid-stage Core Formation cultivators from third-rate forces, early-stage Core Formation rogue cultivators, and others.

There were quite a few looking to fish in troubled waters.

Seizing this excellent opportunity, the twelve individuals, led by the Luofu Patriarch, immediately formed the Luofu Twelve Sword Formation, which was reputed to be capable of fighting Nascent Soul cultivators. This was similar to the fixed sword formation already present, yet completely different in type.

Twelve Natal Swords flew into the sky, forming a long dragon of sword qi that crashed head-on into a genuine rogue cultivator. His body instantly exploded. A dim Golden Core and a storage ring were swept into the sword qi dragon, then taken by the Luofu Patriarch.

With the formation active, one person was instantly killed with minimal effort.

Seeing them continue to charge towards the crowd, several early-stage Core Formation cultivators turned pale and immediately fled further away, having completely abandoned any thoughts of the Earth Spirit Fruit.

However, some, confident in their own strength, scoffed. “Luofu Twelve Swords? Do you really think you can fight a Nascent Soul cultivator with that?!”

This person shockingly revealed a cultivation base at the ninth layer of Core Formation. He pointed a single finger skyward. The turbid currents of the Yellow Springs descended upon the world. A terrifying giant hand, nearly a thousand meters long, suddenly seized the sword qi dragon. Under the washing of the turbid Yellow Springs current, the cultivators of Mount Luofu turned even paler than the rogue cultivator from moments before.

“It’s someone from Yellow Springs Temple!”

“—How can this be?!”

“Patriarch, your Natal Artifact! Pull it back quickly!”

It was too late.

The person sneered. Although the Yellow Springs Grand Hand Seal couldn't break the formation, it was enough to inflict unbearable pain on the Mount Luofu sword cultivators.

“My Azure Frost Sword… it’s fallen from high-grade to mid-grade.”

“Damn it, you scoundrel! My Heavenly Net Sword has dropped to low-grade!”

“Rain Butterfly Sword…”

“Mountain Collapse Sword…”

Fortunately, none of the Natal Artifacts completely shattered. The Luofu Patriarch's face was ashen. If he had known there was someone from the Yellow Springs Temple among them, he definitely wouldn't have used his Natal Artifact to lead the charge. His sword barely maintained its high-grade status, but the lost essence was equivalent to refining five Talisman Treasures.

“This infuriates me to no end!!!”

“Sword Qi Silk Transformation: Sky-Earth Net!”

The twelve sword cultivators' qi intertwined, unleashing an enraged area-of-effect attack that immediately forced the opponent to retreat.

He escaped, but others couldn't.

Razor-sharp sword silks formed two nets, appearing from the sky and the ground, simultaneously closing in on the cultivators. This divine ability, primarily an area attack, covered a radius of nearly ten thousand meters. Everything caught within it would be diced into thumb-sized cubes.

In such a perilous situation, not all the cultivators were mere cannon fodder. A hundred divine abilities emerged, making the hidden observer, Wang, exclaim in admiration.

One cultivator conjured a massive cauldron and violently smashed it deep into the ground, a move that the net surprisingly failed to obstruct. This was a method using a magic treasure.

Another cultivator exhaled a wisp of Innate Wood Qi, causing a demonic vine with a metallic sheen to erupt from the ground. It forcefully tore a hole in the sword net, allowing him to escape. This was a method using a divine ability!

Yet another cultivator displayed astonishing escape techniques, transforming into a minuscule speck of light and slipping through a gap in the sword net, vanishing into the horizon in an instant. He chose to flee!

These scenes were truly remarkable, showcasing the formidable escape methods of demonic cultivators.

Even so, some were still trapped within the sword net. They were literally diced into meat chunks; no early-stage Core Formation cultivators survived. The group of over thirty, either fleeing or hiding, was instantly reduced to only seven or eight individuals.

Despite the highly favorable situation, the Luofu Patriarch did not lower his guard.

Indeed. A few breaths later, a murky yellow giant hand and a withered bone giant hand simultaneously extended from the air, attacking the Luofu Twelve Sword Formation in a pincer movement.

“Nonsense! Do you think the same trick will work again?!”

“Luofu Sword Canon: Ten Directions Slaughter Sword!”

This sword formation, renowned for its ability to contend with Nascent Soul cultivators, finally unleashed its true power, crushing both giant hands with devastating force.

The sky-obscuring sword qi, as if self-seeking, blasted towards a void. A few breaths later, a figure escaped from it—the very Yellow Springs Temple cultivator who had just ambushed the Luofu sword cultivators. He was impaled by four or five pale white light swords and vomited blood repeatedly, saying, “I underestimated you.”

“Hmph—”

“Explode!”

The Luofu Patriarch sneered, making a clenching motion towards the person from afar. The light swords that had pierced him instantly exploded, scattering blood like rain. Only a resplendent Golden Core remained, fleeing into the distance.

He was dead, yet not quite. This was the first peak Core Formation cultivator to withdraw from the scene.

“Patriarch, the Earth Spirit Fruit!”

Just as they achieved a brilliant victory, a figure suddenly appeared within the fixed sword formation—it was the third peak Core Formation cultivator from the Yellow Springs Temple. He had, by some unknown method, managed to enter the interior of the formation directly.

The Luofu Patriarch suddenly roared, “Qiu Jian, activate the Luofu Demonic Trap Sword Formation!”

He Qiu Jian, as the thirteenth person, though only at the first layer of Core Formation, was still capable enough to control this Rank Three sword formation and obstruct the Yellow Springs Temple cultivator. He had been hiding in the back, not making a move until now, making him a suitable last resort.

“A mere child at the first layer of Core Formation dares to block me?!” The Yellow Springs demonic cultivator burst into laughter. Talismans flew from his robe, embedding themselves into various nodes of the Luofu Demonic Trap Sword Formation. No matter how He Qiu Jian tried to activate it, there was no response.

This genius of the He clan also grew anxious.

“Whoosh—”

The moment this person reached out to touch the storage bag, the ground suddenly cracked open.

Formation Master Yusheng, who had been lurking for a long time, suddenly appeared. Without a word, he grabbed the storage bag and fled, executing a perfectly clean snatch. The cracked ground swallowed him whole, and spatial fluctuations spread outwards.

“It’s a Void Escape Talisman!”

“Stop him quickly!”

The Yellow Springs demonic cultivator's face darkened, and his large hand dug into the ground. A small mound of earth and rocks was lifted out by a bony hand. Inside, the spatial fluctuations grew increasingly intense. The bony hand immediately closed and squeezed. Golden formation patterns formed a talisman seal, creating a small protective formation. It shattered, but in doing so, fulfilled Formation Master Yusheng's objective.

“Hahaha, in the end, I won this round.”

“No, I won.”

Wei Ying suddenly appeared. To Formation Master Yusheng’s bewildered gaze, he pulled out shadowy tentacles from his sleeve, stripping him bare. Yusheng, completely naked, clutched his Void Escape Talisman and vanished.

This was a classic case of “the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it”—with yet another hunter added to the mix.

Wei Ying, having abruptly appeared, became the target of all attacks. The golden glow emanating from the storage bag made him shine like a ten-thousand-watt lightbulb, practically blinding everyone.

“Kill him!”

The Yellow Springs demonic cultivator and the Luofu Twelve Swords attacked simultaneously. Without hesitation, Wei Ying took out sixteen Earth Spirit Fruits from the bag, keeping five for himself. The remaining eleven shot out in all directions like meteors.

This was like stirring up a hornet's nest. The Core Formation cultivators who had vanished without a trace reappeared from all directions, chasing after the distant Earth Spirit Fruits without hesitation.

On Wei Ying's side, the Wei-Yu-Yu Brothers intervened. Using a Three Talents formation, they shielded Wei Ying in the center. After a massive, green-faced ghost skull suddenly appeared and blocked an attack from the Yellow Springs demonic cultivator and the Luofu group, the four of them vanished simultaneously.

“This…”

“Damn it!”

After their divine senses failed to locate anyone for an instant, the Yellow Springs demonic cultivator, unwilling to waste time, decisively abandoned his pursuit and sped off towards the scattered Earth Spirit Fruits. With eleven fruits scattered, he was certain to acquire one or two with his strength.

The Luofu sword cultivators, on the other hand, found themselves momentarily at a loss.

“Chase them!”