"The grand path... to become an immortal..."
Inside the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation.
Zhong Shenxiu’s ears seemed to still be swirling with Crow Elder’s long sigh before his death.
To become a cultivator was already one in ten thousand, yet to become a Gang Sha Cultivator and still be unsatisfied, desiring to refine Divine Skills.
From Divine Skills to Primordial Pill, from Primordial Pill to becoming an immortal.
This world, it seems like a vast sea of suffering, where sentient beings mostly aspire but do not achieve.
Even though he had a foolish system, he couldn’t guarantee his own outcome.
Under the grand path all were but struggling ants.
"Su Daoshi, what do you think of this formation?"
Just then, Feng Xixi landed next to Zhong Shenxiu, pointing at the grand formation.
She seemed to have let go of yesterday’s doubts, feeling that it was just a high official of the government’s faction who had saved her, nothing more.
"The mist has thinned quite a bit... Perhaps the other detachments have already made some gains."
Zhong Shenxiu spoke truthfully.
"For this mission, as long as the formation is broken, it will be considered a merit, and upon returning, everyone will be promoted one rank," Feng Xixi looked at the more than half-lost troops, forced to make promises of official promotions.
Generally speaking, if the military faced more than thirty percent casualties, there was a risk of collapse.
Currently, this squad was barely maintaining order only due to the suppression by cultivators.
"Especially you Daoist officials... by virtue of this merit, you might even be able to exchange for a Daoist scripture and step through the gateway of cultivation," Feng Xixi said to a few Innate Martial Practitioners, emphasizing her words.
Those of Xuanjia Iron Cavalry were no longer of much use; her only valued subordinates at the moment were Zhong Shenxiu and the few Innates.
"Colonel, may I inquire how many inheritances are in the Protector Mansion?"
An Evil Slaying Deputy Envoy swallowed his saliva, his eyes reddening slightly: "If I die, I ask that this merit be conveyed to my son."
"Zhao Zhong, I will remember," Feng Xixi nodded solemnly, then said, "The best inheritance in the Great Protector’s Mansion is naturally the Ten Thousand Beasts Technique, an advanced version of the Ten Directions Beast Skill. It allows one to enter the path of cultivation with the accompanying ’Ten Thousand Beasts True Body Technique.’ Once this technique is accomplished, the foundation is immensely strong, indeed a true transmission of the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect... This sect has excellent relations with the government, and the Ten Directions Beast Skill is also a foundation-strengthening method for the outer disciples of the Supreme Dragon and Tiger Sect."
"Beside these, there are also ’Clear Wind Daoist Scripture,’ ’Spirit Miao True Transmission Pill Method,’ ’World Venerable General Rescue and Salvation Scripture,’ and ’Gui Yuan Sword Scripture,’ all fine inheritances, complete and coming from various major sects... Of course, these require high merits, and for lower requirements, there are various Loose Cultivator inheritances obtained, which are mixed, some can cultivate to Divine Skills and even Primordial Pill, while others have great hidden dangers..."
The Protector Mansion this time seemingly went all out.
Even Zhong Shenxiu was somewhat tempted.
Although his background was not very clean, it was a special period, and perhaps he could be promoted especially under special circumstances?
Even if advanced only a small step, there remained a clear ceiling, but the identity within the government, climbing one more rank was a completely different world.
As a cultivator, naturally, he could touch higher circles.
Indeed, hearing all these, Zhao Zhong and other Innate Martial Practitioners had even brighter eyes, wishing they could immediately establish great merits and open the gate to cultivation.
"Be careful, there are venomous pythons!"
Zhong Shenxiu saw in the front, in the midst of the pool, a whirlpool emerged, he promptly warned.
Amidst the splashing water, several venomous pythons aggressively leaped out, wide mouths opened, their fetid snake breath pointed directly at Zhong Shenxiu and the others.
"To achieve merits and establish achievements, now is the time, kill!"
Zhao Zhong roared, holding a war hammer in both hands, smashing viciously onto the seven inches of the venomous python.
In the muffled sound, the large python was directly smashed away.
In mid-air, several arrows were shot, accurately hitting vital points like the eye sockets.
Yesterday, after suffering a big defeat, the survivors had gained experience on how to deal with this type of poisonous python, after striking, they had to either retreat quickly or attack from a distance to avoid harm.
The huge python corpse fell into the water and instantly exploded, forming a cloud of blood mist.
Beside them, Feng Xixi released two Willow Leaf Flying Knives, which easily killed the giant python.
Zhao Zhong burst into loud laughter, stepped forward, and was about to say something more.
At that moment, he was completely swallowed by a massive snake kiss—it was a horror python as thick as a water barrel, it opened its mouth wide, lying in wait in the water to trap its enemies.
Having swallowed Zhao Zhong at that point, the python coiled its body, bringing a terrifying sense of oppression, and above its forehead, an object resembling a treasure bead burst into dazzling brilliance.
"The array’s core is this snake!"
Feng Xixi stared at the treasure bead, her eyes lit up, "Kill it!"
Zhong Shenxiu and a few other Innate Martial Practitioners exchanged glances and all stepped back.
This python’s skin was tough and rough, its scales alone were thicker than ordinary armor, and the hardness was terrifying; it definitely reached a cultivator’s level.
It was better for them, a few Innates, not to blindly throw their lives away.
"Xuanjia Iron Cavalry, advance!"
Seeing this scene, Feng Xixi’s expression darkened, but she also knew she shouldn’t order the Daoist officials to venture to their death.
She thought for a moment and immediately gave the command.
The Xuanjia Iron Cavalry was almost like her private army, one could say each member was under her control, sort of a semi-suicide squad.
At this point, when the Commander issued an order, even knowing it was a suicidal mission, they had to charge.
The remaining dozen or so Xuanjia Iron Cavalry drew their steel blades, formed a formation, and drew most of the python’s attention.
’This demon beast seems not very intelligent.’
Seeing this scene, not only did Zhong Shenxiu feel somewhat relieved, even Feng Xixi did as well.
The Hundred-forged Steel Blades chopped on the python’s scales, sparking fires but without causing the giant python any harm.
Cruelty glinted in the python’s vertical pupils—it seemed the people it had swallowed earlier couldn’t satisfy its hunger, it opened its mouth again and swallowed several Xuanjia Iron Cavalry members.
But this time, a bright flame burst directly in its throat.
’It’s Feng Xixi, she had hidden talismans on the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry beforehand...This is the internal explosion technique!’
Zhong Shenxiu looked at the great snake with some pity.
Its Qi-Blood was exceedingly rich, ordinary Gang Sha Realm cultivators would have to retreat far from it, but unfortunately, it wasn’t very smart and that led to its own doom.
And seizing that opportunity, under the leadership of Feng Xixi, numerous attacks landed on the giant python.
"Eight Extremes Sword, strike!"
With a flick of her bare hand, Feng Xixi gathered the eight Willow Leaf Flying Knives into a long sword, severing the brightly shining treasure bead.
This treasure bead, seeming to be between reality and illusion, hit the ground and directly exploded into fragments.
The giant python that was still struggling suddenly dried up and moved no more, as if it had lost its life source.
The entire sky and earth seemed to shake, the fog that enveloped the surroundings dispersed, revealing the center of the swamp—a black mountain range.
Poison Dragon Cave, truly presented before everyone’s eyes.
’It seems that bead was the core of the array...Apart from that, the other forces must have also destroyed several array cores, otherwise, the Poison Dragon Cave wouldn’t appear so easily.’
Zhong Shenxiu gazed at the black mountain peaks, his eyes slightly moving.