Chapter 4: Fairy's All-Out Sword
The two cultivators above the sky were taken by surprise and hit head-on.
There were no scenes of blood and flesh flying. Around the two individuals, there was only a ripple effect. Some invisible power shielded them from the barrage of bullets like a tidal wave.
"Hmm, what magic tool is this?" Facing the sudden assault of thousands of mortals, the two cultivators were calm. Kou Hong stretched out his right hand, lifting a soldier into the sky, while also seizing the gun from the soldier's hand for a detailed examination. He then casually threw the soldier away.
"Interesting, it substitutes intricate mechanical structures for magic arrays and uses the explosive power of ordinary objects in place of spiritual power. It possesses a force on par with the initial stage of energy refining..." After giving it a quick once-over, Kou Hong understood the principle behind the design of the gun.
He shook his head: "Unexpectedly, after thousands of years, the mortals banished to the Immortal Realm developed such a delicate object. Unfortunately, it only works in this incomplete place of Tao. Outside the Immortal realm, this is merely a pile of useless scrap metal." As he spoke, the gun in his hand abruptly disappeared. He had carelessly stored it away.
"Those mere people dared to attack us cultivators. Initially, I felt a bit guilty, but it seems they were courting death!"
Kou Hong looked down from above at countless mortal soldiers shrouded in darkness, a sneer visible in his eyes.
With his right hand in front, he rapidly drew traces of mystical patterns in the void.
Suddenly, countless sparkles appeared from the darkness, instantly expanding like a wildfire into enormous balls of fire.
"Taoist Technique: Fire Dragon Chant!"
With Kou Hong's cold roar, the raging crimson flames connected all the giant balls of fire in the sky as if they were made of flesh and blood.
A monstrous dragon, composed of raging flames and bearing a fierce countenance, suddenly appeared, hovering above Xuanjing City.
The fiery dragon let out a resounding roar, coiling its body before rushing downwards.
"Boom!"
Loud explosions resounded incessantly.
The buildings in Xuanjing City crumbled like they were just mere toys, easily destroyed without any resistance.
The raging crimson flames, as if endowed with its own consciousness, started to devour all they could reach upon landing.
In the blink of an eye, Xuanjing City had become a purgatory of raging fire!
However, Kou Hong, who was responsible for this scene, suddenly furrowed his brows, his face showing an expression of utter disbelief.
Because he noticed that despite the dire state the city was in, most of the soldiers had miraculously survived his onslaught!
It was important to note that the Fire Dragon Chant he unleashed was a move of his full strength.
The power of a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment was far from something ordinary people could withstand!
Even if the soldiers were well-trained and had managed to take up their protective instruments and hide behind buildings at the initial sign of his spellcasting, the casualties should far exceed the ones he was currently seeing!
What on earth was going on!?
Kou Hong was both shocked and doubtful. Suddenly, it seemed he realized something. He beckoned with his hand, summoning a small metallic object, which had been identified as dangerous by his spiritual energy earlier, stopping it from hitting him and making it drop to the ground.
"This is..." Kou Hong's face changed significantly. Then, turning his attention towards his surroundings with a more cautious look, the initially disdainful look in his eyes turned into one of apprehension.
"These hidden weapons are soaked in mortal blood– they possess the Immortal-Ordinary Miasma..." Immortal Master Dao Xuanzi stated, his face looking grim.
"We just arrived here and we're ambushed. Plus, they've used the Immortal-Ordinary Miasma. Clearly, our ambushers were prepared. Is there a cultivator guiding these mortals behind the scenes?" The two looked at each other, their minds whirling with thoughts. "Regardless, this place is strange. We should not stay for long."
Though Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong would clash blades over the Golden Core Technique, that was purely their own business.
Now facing an unexpected twist and thousands of mere mortals, the two of them, who shared a hundred years of silent agreement, simultaneously decided to retreat.
Perhaps it was because they noticed the cultivators' intent, the gunfire that had ceased due to the Fire Dragon Chant began to echo again.
This further solidified the suspicion in Dao Xuanzi's and Kou Hong's hearts.
These mortals clearly had ulterior motives!
"Let's go!" The two were about to escape when a voice echoed from below.
"Dao Xuanzi! Kou Hong! If you flee today, tomorrow the news of you obtaining the Golden Core Technique will spread throughout the entire Immortal Cultivation World!"
The voice seemed to emanate from all directions of Xuanjing City, echoing and lingering in the night sky.
The voice sounded somewhat hoarse, but the tone was filled with unwavering certainty and coldness.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi froze. They were horrified, their faces filled with disbelief.
"How is that possible? The knowledge of the Golden Core Technique was only known to us, how did the news leak?" For a moment, they were stricken with fear.
They had explored the secrets of the Cave Mansion, and were subsequently betrayed by Kou Hong, who took the technique and fled. Dao Xuanzi chased after him relentlessly, resulting in Kou Hong taking a desperate gamble by fleeing into this Immortal Realm for a chance at survival...
Their experiences thus far flashed through their mind, scene by scene.
Who could it be!?
While the two cultivators were shaking with fear and overwhelmed, dozens of artillery shells shot out from the darkness, dragging long, illuminating trails behind them, heading towards the two.
"Courting death!" Kou Hong shook off his shock, his rage intensifying.
"Taoist Technique: Ember Explosion!"
A massive ring of fire began to form in the air.
"Watch out, Kou Hong, quickly dodge!" At this moment Dao Xuanzi's anxious voice rang out.
"Huh?" Kou Hong was startled. Upon scanning with his spiritual consciousness, his face displayed a look of horror.
He was about to dodge, but he was too late.
The dozens of artillery shells exploded near them.
There was no deafening explosion, just clumps of dark red liquid bursting near them, creating a small-scale blood rain, leaving the two cultivators drenched!
"Ahh..."
Chilling screams echoed across the sky.
At the same time, the awe-inspiring aura of the two cultivators plummeted rapidly.
Only after resisting for a brief moment, the two of them could no longer hold on and were blasted down from the sky.
Thousands of soldiers surrounded them with guns drawn.
Yet at this moment, the current situation of the two "Fairy" individuals sent chills down the spines of these death warriors who had undergone special training and were prepared to lay down their lives.
Dao Xuanzi and Kou Hong originally appeared in their twenties. However, after being drenched in the blood rain, the duo's hair had turned white in an instant. In just a few breaths of time, they had aged considerably with deep wrinkles marring their faces, presenting a horrifying sight.
Both slumped bodies sat on the ground. Kou Hong was hanging by a thread, his life quickly slipping away. Whilst Dao Xuanzi's cultivation being slightly profound, the situation seemed a little better, but he was also straining to the brink of death.
Such was the plight of these once revered Immortal Teachers!
Not only the soldiers present on the scene, even Li Fan hiding in the rear and directing in secret, felt an inexplicable chill upon hearing reports from his men.
"If the two of you surrender, our Commander-in-chief promises to spare your lives!" a soldier shouted towards the pair from a distance.
"Surrender..." With his body heavily injured, Dao Xuanzi looked at his friend next to him, who was full of unwillingness. He wanted to say something but laughter was all that came out.
Noticing Dao Xuanzi's action, Kou Hong could guess what he was about to do.
He gently shook his head, and using the last bit of his strength, handed the storage ring on his hand to Dao Xuanzi.
"Go..." Kou Hong opened his mouth slightly, then his head hung down, and he died.
Sudden anomalies emerged high in the sky above!
A crimson dragon appeared in the sky. It seemed very agonized, twisting and roaring, trying to break free from something.
However, all its efforts were in vain.
It gradually thin down till all that was left was a layer of skin.
A moment later, the entire dragon was devoured, leaving nothing behind.
It was then that people could see clearly that it was a brown and ordinary-looking tree branch that had rooted and sprouted inside the dragon, devouring it completely!
Even an ordinary tree can devour a dragon!
This magnificent sight, like beautiful fireworks, lit up the sky for miles around.
All living beings who saw this formation had the same words naturally appearing in their consciousness.
"Foundation Establishment Cultivator Kou Hong, mortal for 205 years, achieved Tao foundation with the strange object, the Curled Dragon Branch. In the Immortal Realm, he was ambushed by thousands of mortals and accidentally dealt a fatal blow by the Immortal-Ordinary Miasma."
"His cultivation was lost, his lifespan nears the end."
"Now he's dead and has returned to heaven!"
Species killed their own kind, feelings of empathy arose, they were all overwhelmed…
All beings cloaked under this anomaly around Xuanjing City were immersed in such emotions, unable to pull themselves free.
The stunning vision lasted for almost half an hour before gradually fading away.
The soldiers finally came back to their senses, silently watching the remaining decrepit cultivator on stage.
"Immortal Master Dao Xuanzi, our Commander-in-chief does not want a fight to the death between us. If you give up resisting, our Commander-in-chief guarantees your safety..." The soldiers continued their proclamations as per Li Fan's instructions.
However, Li Fan sighed inwardly in the dark, realizing that his attempt to capture an immortal in this world had failed.
He had not expected that the Immortal-Ordinary Miasma would be so lethal to cultivators.
As expected, Dao Xuanzi ignored their proclamations completely.
He examined the sky that had already dissipated, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
"The Curled Dragon Branch..."
After a long time, he withdrew his gaze and made an effort to straighten his hunched body.
Glancing around, Dao Xuanzi tried to locate the hidden person behind the scenes.
"I don't know who you are," he said to Li Fan. "And I don't know what your goal is."
"Perhaps it's for this Golden Core Technique, or maybe for something else." Dao Xuanzi glanced at the storage ring in his hand and said calmly, "Now that we brothers have been manipulated by you and are on the verge of death and destruction, we originally had nothing to say."
"But I refuse to submit," Dao Xuanzi said coldly.
"The person who can always lurk behind us, knowing our every move, and not be discovered must have profound cultivation."
"Such a character, who dare not confront us directly is one thing. But to always act surreptitiously and only hides behind mortals, even resorting to the Immortal-Ordinary Miasma — something despicable that all cultivators despise — "
Dao Xuanzi drew a deep breath.
"My brother Kou Hong, dying at the hands of such a person, I feel sorry for him."
Dao Xuanzi gradually ascended, once again looking down at everyone. His expression remained unchanged, showing neither grief nor joy.
"You all have seen my brother's strange object for Foundation Establishment. Now, I'd like you all to see mine."
"With the wonders of heaven and earth, I have built my Tao Foundation," Dao Xuanzi recited loudly.
"My Tao Foundation is called: Dao Xuan."
A giant, shattered iron sword appeared in the sky above Xuanjing City.
All living beings under the shadow of the giant sword felt as if their thoughts were like rusted machines, becoming sluggish and slow.
"I have a sword, I invite you all to see."
The world suddenly brightened, and all the people in Xuanjing City seemed to have fallen into an absolute standstill.
Then, like glass developing fissures, the entire Xuanjing City shattered instantly!
"Return to the truth."
The charging progress plummeted, and Li Fan muttered to himself before his consciousness faded.