Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Finally Leaving

Inverted Mountain is vast, but it contains even more high-level cultivators within.

Just like what Chen Yao mentioned about the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, it should be a force hastily formed by those in the Central Dojo unwilling to abandon their existing dojos and Thunder Spirit Crystal Ore resources after the rumors of Daoist Venerable Mo Li’s demise spread.

Within it, not to mention cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage, even those above the Fake Pill level are no less than thirty.

If they truly wanted to seal off Inverted Mountain immediately, preventing anyone from leaving, and placed two real cultivators above the Fake Pill level at each of the four cardinal directions, who could break through?

Yet, those cultivators did the opposite, first making a wide announcement, telling everyone they were going to seal the city, and then started slowly setting up the protective city array,

only dispatching a junior like Chen Yao at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation.

Why?

It’s merely a deliberate move to sift out some powerful figures destined to leave and who would cause future troubles if they stayed.

If cultivators above Foundation Establishment don’t want to stay, but are forced to, it’s no different from creating internal traitors for themselves.

The purpose of Chen Yao is merely to intimidate those timid and with little desire to leave, and force cultivators above the Foundation Establishment Stage, who are indecisive, to make an early choice.

Li Jizhou was in no hurry, just waiting quietly.

Chen Yao continued to threaten and entice:

“Fellow Daoists, I advise you to think clearly. Once you leave here today, next time you wish to come back, it won’t be like now—staying for free.”

“If you stay today and join us in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, then you become a part of us and the future masters of Immortal City of Inverted Mountain.”

“I have made the advantages and disadvantages clear. Those who remain here after a quarter of an hour, well, that will be your fate!”

Soon, whispers began to spread in the crowd.

Some unaffiliated and low-level cultivators hesitated repeatedly and withdrew one by one.

More of them retreated another step, hiding in nearby buildings, waiting anxiously.

“What do we do?” Lu Zhenhua frowned, looking reluctantly at the two guardians beside him.

“If that guy doesn’t have a Tier Two magical artifact, I’m confident I can hold him off, but there are also a few others behind him at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, it’s unlikely to be easy.” One guardian slightly shook his head.

“What about if we consume a few Tier Two talismans?” Lu Zhenhua gritted his teeth.

“That person’s a disciple of Master Lu; he might have another trump card. If we can’t defeat him, I fear…” The guardian shook his head again.

“What should we do? Staying here bodes ill!” Lu Zhenhua became more and more anxious.

Li Jizhou watched Lu Zhenhua and the two guardians talk, raising an eyebrow slightly.

It looks like the monthly stipend for those two guardian protectors isn’t very high.

They clearly have no intention of fighting to the death.

In fact, they even seem to be inclined to stay.

It’s understandable.

For a few Spirit Stones a month, who would risk their life?

Moreover, being Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, they’re weak compared to those high-level cultivators, but among the tens of thousands of loose cultivators in Inverted Mountain, they are regarded as experts.

If they stay, maybe the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance will put them to good use.

If they achieve meritorious deeds later, striving for an opportunity at Foundation Establishment is not impossible!

What makes them hesitate now is being unable to predict whether the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance truly has the power to rival the three sects and five noble families.

Time passed quietly,

the atmosphere on the scene grew more tense.

The time Chen Yao had set was almost up.

Suddenly,

A voice elusive and ethereal echoed in the air.

“Fellow Daoists, this person is merely at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, just like us. Why should we fear him?

Even if he has a magical artifact in hand, if we all attack him together, he can’t oppose us all!”

“Does he truly take us as cattle and sheep?”

“Fellow Daoists, against evil cultivators intending chaos, we need not speak of martial ethics, let us rise together!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yao’s gaze swept violently around.

“Who? Who is inciting the hearts? Whoever is hiding, if Chen finds you, you will be crushed to ashes.”

He couldn’t find the one who transmitted the voice, but Chen Yao noticed a fiery determination igniting in the eyes of those around him.

“Are you rebelling?” Chen Yao slowly raised the Sky Hammer, fully on guard.

“Boom~”

A Bursting Talisman suddenly shot up from the ground, crashing into Chen Yao’s protective barrier with a loud bang.

The surrounding people sprang into action instantly!

Immediately, those who had retreated into hiding in the buildings at the back charged forward as well.

In an instant, the sounds of magical artifacts clashing, magical power battling, talismans exploding… reverberated throughout.

In no time,

Chen Yao, the focal point of everyone’s attacks, let out a muffled groan, his blood spilling high into the sky.

The people behind him, including that array master, withdrew at the first opportunity.

Now severely injured and in danger, Chen Yao had none of his former arrogance, and even the magical artifact bestowed upon him by Master Lu was opportunistically snatched away by a loose cultivator amid the chaos.

However, he didn’t survive begging for mercy in his current lowly state.

The younger cultivator from the Qian family, whom Chen Yao had publicly smashed into pulp earlier, took advantage of the chaos to end his life.

With no more barriers ahead,

“Let’s go!” Lu Zhenhua operated the flying ship to race forward rapidly.

Watching the mighty and slightly ancient Inverted Mountain recede into the distance, Li Jizhou exhaled a small sigh involuntarily in his heart.

“Seven years and ten months!”

“Finally leaving Inverted Mountain!”

As a small cultivator at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation, he was fortunate!

However, the vast majority of loose cultivators yet to grasp the gravity of the situation, trapped now in Inverted Mountain, likely won’t have the chance to leave again.

It’s foreseeable that Inverted Mountain will plunge into flames of chaos in the future.

Being weak and without backing, if not for always watching for changes in the situation, he wouldn’t have decisively left the city the first chance he got!

“Everyone, be vigilant, the real danger is still ahead!” Lu Zhenhua glanced back at the Inverted Mountain where he had lived for nearly twenty years, turned back around, and warned sternly.

A thousand miles outside Inverted Mountain City is a customary boundary avoided by the three sects and five great families, where even routine patrols and pursuits stop.

This area has become a lawless zone for robbers and evil cultivators.

Lu Zhenhua and his people became hyper-alert.

The flying ship accelerated to full speed.

Just a hundred miles out of Inverted Mountain, Li Jizhou’s Divine Sense faintly detected five cultivators at the Middle to Late Stage of Qi Cultivation watching from below.

Ultimately, though, they didn’t make a move.

In less than an hour, Li Jizhou identified at least three robber gangs, each with more than five people, and all featuring Late Stage Qi Cultivation as the primary force.

Only a group of ten dared to make a move,

but as Li Jizhou’s Divine Sense, comparable to that of the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, swept over them, they immediately withdrew quietly.

Until three hours later, seeing they were about to pass through the chaotic region without incident, a wall of condensed magical power suddenly appeared in front of the flying ship.

Should the flying ship crash into it, it would be smashed to pieces.

Lu Zhenhua’s face changed dramatically, quickly halting the ship’s momentum.

“Stay alert!” As soon as the flying ship stopped stably, Lu Zhenhua already held several talismans in his hands, all Tier One Advanced Level, and even Tier Two ones.

The two guardians, along with four executives, also held talismans,

The guardians’ talismans were Tier Two, while the executives’ talismans were at most Tier One Advanced Level.

Because activating talismans consumes the Divine Soul, the four executives, at the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, could barely activate Tier One Advanced Level talismans, and at most could use no more than three without severely draining their Divine Soul, requiring rest.

And Lu Zhenhua and two guardians could at most activate Tier Two basic talismans, and no more than two.

“Hmph! Still not surrendering? What are you waiting for?” At this moment, a loud shout came.

Immediately, from the seemingly empty area in front, walked out a full twenty-two cultivators.

Each exuded overwhelming evil qi, clearly seasoned fighters and tough guys, and all were at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation or so.

“Concealment Array!” Lu Zhenhua said with a pale face, seeing so many Late Stage Qi Cultivation robbers emerge together.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep