Chapter 156

Chapter 156: The Doorway Guide Arrives

Having many people led to great strength; a hundred Spirit Motion Stage practitioners organized in military formations could easily slaughter Concentrating Spirit cultivators, especially with everyone carrying a handful of spirit talismans.

They cleared paths through mountains and built bridges over water, breaking through formations as the team progressed steadily. Ordinary demon cultivator forces dared not provoke them and quickly retreated after observing from a distance.

Li Hui found himself in layers of protection, allowing him time to meditate, create talismans, and ponder how to integrate Celestial Meteor God Iron to enhance his Ideal Body. Over time, he embedded the Seven-Patterned monster-conjuring talisman into his foundation, while he still needed four more Eight Patterns monster-conjuring talismans. This meant he had to find valuable fragments of treasures within a month, or he would lose his only chance at survival.

In recent days, Li Hui struggled to sleep and quietly asked, “Xiuhuan, when we arrive, can you lead the Jade Symbol Sect disciples to us?”

“What do you want to do?”

Feeling somewhat helpless, Li Hui replied, “I’m not strong enough to explore the mysterious cave piled with artifacts and treasures. According to the map Qian Qiu Yue gave me, it lies on the boundary between the outer and inner rings, surrounded by the Five Elements All-Destroying Flame Formation. The Hongmo Sect disciples have tried to crack it but returned defeated.”

Xiuhuan responded nonchalantly, “So you plan to use their strength. Don’t expect the elders of the Jade Symbol Sect to help. You’d have better luck tricking that farmer boy and a few other Condensed Essence Stage disciples.”

“That would be enough!” Li Hui nodded. The boundary between the outer and inner rings was just right for Condensed Essence Stage practitioners to go. Other true disciples of the Jade Symbol Sect could be disregarded; however, Yang Jueyu was no ordinary person and seemed to have ulterior motives regarding the six. If Mo Xinghe, Bai Yulian, or others came to meet, he would definitely follow them.

The Hongmo Sect disciples had scattered the Slave Cultivators, which would facilitate their exploration of the restrictions and formations, so he needn’t worry about the Jade Symbol Sect disciples lacking freedom.

Gathering the Jade Symbol Sect disciples could attract the attention of their "slave masters," which might aid in cracking the Five Elements All-Destroying Flame Formation—though that was just a possibility, given the many unpredictable factors.

Li Hui had already decided that if he could not break the formation and uncover treasures, he would quietly end his life there.

The team continued moving forward, but after several battles, their gains were scant.

Despite carefully avoiding most formation rings, they still sometimes found themselves trapped, and casualties were unavoidable. The Fortune Ascending Talisman became increasingly radiant, with only the last hint of ash remaining on its surface.

On the road, they cut through thorns and brambles, and outside the formations, they had to be wary of poisons and wild beasts; a slight misstep could cost them their lives. The five-thousand member team had diminished to fifteen hundred after half a month, and they were now down to less than four thousand.

Days passed, and panic spread. Many Spirit Motion Stage practitioners abandoned all hope, preferring to sink with the surrounding areas of Wan Nest Island rather than taking another step forward.

Everyone has their own aspirations; you cannot force a bitter fruit to be sweet!

After several groups of practitioners withdrew, the team size drastically decreased from fewer than four thousand to two thousand eight hundred, and it continued to decline rapidly.

As they approached the Five Elements All-Destroying Flame Formation, their numbers dwindled to less than two thousand. Regardless of cultivation level, the male practitioners were led by Chef Zhao, while the female practitioners respected Huo Qiniang.

At that moment, the Yin-Yang Nine Heads turned to face a certain direction. About half a cup of tea later, they heard a voice coming from afar, "Junior Brother, long time no see! I missed you, Senior Sister Lian, and didn’t expect you to look so impressive now."

“Welcome, Senior Sister Lian, to our humble gathering!” Li Hui smiled slightly and went forward to greet Zhao and Huo Qiniang.

The newcomer was Lian Luosha. Compared to Qian Qiu Yue, she was the true Senior Sister and had a good relationship with Li Hui back at Jade Spring Mountain. The two were especially warm when they met, chattering excitedly about their hardships and experiences along the way without pause.

After all, Li Hui was only eighteen; no matter how steady and mature he appeared, he could not compete with someone who had lived for hundreds of years. Coupled with the immense pressure he felt, he desperately needed to talk to familiar faces.

Lian Luosha, unconcerned about appearances, wrapped her arm around Li Hui’s, giggling lightly. Her eyes sparkled with growing astonishment, and she curiously leaned in to closely observe his complexion. She suddenly reacted when Li Hui mentioned the name Qian Qiu Yue.

“Qian Qiu Yue?”

“Yes! I met this Condensed Essence Stage female cultivator by chance. Although she has a cold demeanor, she has been quite protective of me and does not use her cultivation to oppress others.”

“Ha ha, some female cultivators may seem harmless, but when they become casual, they can lose their manners. Remember, cultivators, especially female ones, do not speak many genuine words; without knowing their background, don’t easily trust them, or you might find yourself caught in a trap.”

Lian Luosha spoke with a hint of sarcasm, making Li Hui scratch his head, sensing the tension in her tone.

At that moment, two more arrived—a charming man and an elegant woman—Mo Xinghe and Bai Yulian. They always seemed to either walk together or fight side by side. The pair appeared to be quite compatible.

Li Hui and Mo Xinghe had seen each other before, but they had no chance to exchange a word before parting ways again.

“You’re here too! Do you know why this place makes Jade Symbol Sect disciples feel so anxious that they have to come take a look?” Bai Yulian called out from several dozen paces away, glancing at Li Hui and Lian Luosha, while she perched effortlessly on a tree branch, showing no intention of approaching.

“It’s been a while. Why does it seem like you have changed so much, Junior Brother?” At some point, Gao Yuhu was suddenly at Li Hui’s side, without any warning.

“Ha ha, Gao Yuhu is still as elusive as ever!” Li Hui chuckled heartily, then suddenly glanced into the distance, quietly saying, “Zhang Tianhua is sneakily joining the fun too. Now that all six of us are gathered, should we consider extracting the Golden Threshold Thirty-Six Symbols? And what about the Myriad Form Purple Absolute God Symbol? The power of nine at once is unimaginable.”

“Alas!” Gao Yuhu sighed, “The Golden Threshold Thirty-Six Symbols makes us sacrifice our lifespans to boost our cultivation. Everyone must have made considerable progress this year; perhaps within ten years, we can reach mid-Condense Essence and recover what we lost, but that’s only a possibility. Our paths have been difficult; whether we extract the Golden Threshold Thirty-Six Symbols or not now matters little, and the Myriad Form Purple Absolute God Symbol is too deeply rooted to expect anything from with our cultivation.”

This was a harsh truth, but Li Hui’s situation was unique; he couldn’t afford the ten years it would take to reach mid-Condense Essence for a chance to recover. He only had two months left to live, and if he could not cross this hurdle, the Myriad Form Purple Absolute God Symbol wouldn’t concern him at all. His previous inquiry was just a way to gauge everyone else’s intentions.

Li Hui gestured for the team to advance slowly, thinking to himself, “It seems everyone has already grasped the ins and outs of the situation; perhaps my little tactics have been uncovered. The Grand Elder and sect leader have been scheming behind the scenes, and we six remain their pawns! Xiuhuan is using fortune to summon the Jade Symbol Sect members here, and since Gao Yuhu’s group is deeply entangled with the sect’s fortune, they have the most significant impact and rushed over in time.”

At that moment, Li Hui suddenly recalled Dugu Yi, the ninth true disciple of the Jade Symbol Sect who wielded the Golden Silk Ring Knife. He was the true expert; Qian Qiu Yue and Hongmo Zhengfang probably would not be his match.