Chapter 418: Chapter 266: Muddy Waters_1
“Buzz!!!”
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The Earth’s polar magnet took shape instantly, enveloping the area. The formidable Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers, affected by the Earth’s polar magnet, became sluggish as if stuck in a quagmire, and eventually, their feet took root, unable to extricate themselves.
“This… ”
“Senior Zhou!”
“It’s that patron from the Hundred Flowers Building!”
“The Divine Bridge Master from Earth Yuan Mountain?”
As the Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers were restricted by the Earth’s polar magnet, the besieged members of the Hundred Flowers Building finally got a chance to breathe. Qionghua gracefully retreated, and Chu Lingfeng exchanged a look with the man in green before also stepping aside.
Just as everyone had stepped back, the ground seemed to melt like water, and a middle-aged man stepped out. Although his appearance was unremarkable, he exuded a Grandmaster’s demeanor. His steps were as stable as a deep abyss, imposing a great pressure on those around him.
It was…
“Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers?”
“Hmph!”
The middle-aged man, with one hand behind his back, halted and looked disdainfully at the seventy-two Mysterious Iron Warriors who couldn’t move. He then looked towards the building’s exterior and spoke loudly, “To think that the honorable Heavenly Martial Emperor Venerable would act so deviously, hiding in the shadows, playing tricks. Is this the spirit and courage of the ancient Martial Ancestor?”
“This…!?”
Upon hearing this, everyone from Hundred Flowers Building narrowed their eyes, and both Chu Lingfeng and the man in green had a sudden realization.
“Could it really be him?”
“Great Zhou… Heavenly Martial Emperor!”
“Are these the seventy-two Earth Sha Divine Soldiers left behind by Chen Pojun’s retreat?”
“Does this man have the means to manipulate a corpse?”
“Similar to the puppetry of corpses practiced by the Demon Sect?”
“No wonder they are impervious to blades and spears and unaffected by the soft force’s shock. These Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers are no longer living beings, so naturally, they do not fear the shock to their inner organs!”
“Operate Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers to attack the Hundred Flower Heavenly Fragrance Conference, is he trying to frame and sow discord between Iron Heart Fortress and Evergreen Palace, thereby stirring up chaos in the world for his own advantage?”
“Hmph, such a clever scheme, and he even specifically chose the Hundred Flower Heavenly Fragrance Conference in South Mountain City, banking on Evergreen Palace and Green Emperor City being too far to lend a hand.”
“But he could never have anticipated that even at this Hundred Flower Heavenly Fragrance Conference in South Mountain City, there would be a Divine Bridge Master to escort us.”
“It’s the Divine Bridge Master from Earth Yuan Mountain, no less. With the Earth’s polar magnet engaged, where can these Iron Armor Corpses still rampage?”
“…”
Both were quick-witted. After the Divine Bridge Master from Earth Yuan Mountain pointed out the crux, they immediately untangled the cause and effect, understanding the whole story.
Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers?
Indeed they were Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers, but not those of Iron Heart Fortress!
Stir chaos in the world, seek advantage in confusion?
Clever plan indeed!
But alas, he was out of luck, running straight into a Divine Bridge Master, none other than the Divine Bridge Master of Earth Yuan Mountain.
“Hmph!”
The other party did not respond, and Zhou Fengyu didn’t say more. With a cold snort and a sweep of his sleeve, his substantial true essence poured into the earth. The power of the Earth’s polar magnet immediately intensified, causing the seventy-two Iron Armor Corpses to tremble and fall heavily to the ground. The tightly structured Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers began to show signs of breaking apart.
Earth Yuan Mountain, one of the Divine Martial Heritage, wields the nineteenth stele of the War God’s Atlas “Earth Yuan Unlimited,” acclaimed as the World’s Number One Mountain, most adept at manipulating the power of Earth’s polar magnet, is the greatest nemesis of Iron Heart Fortress’s Mysterious Iron Divine Soldiers.
Evergreen Palace is also part of the Divine Martial Heritage, but due to its neutral stance and dealings in medicine, the Qing Region has long become a renowned commercial Sacred Place among the Forty-eight Domains. With martial artists coming and going, the flow of goods has brought prosperity but also various threats and dangers. Evergreen Palace often finds itself stretched thin and has to seek outside assistance regularly.
Zhou Fengyu was the result of this “borrowing power,” being both a Divine Bridge Master of Earth Yuan Mountain and a guest minister of the Hundred Flowers Building, escorted to safeguard the Hundred Flower Heavenly Fragrance Conference in South Mountain City, to prevent any unforeseen incidents.
Although he had not made a name for himself on the Heaven List, the thirty-six rankings on the Heaven List represent the strongest thirty-six Divine Bridge Masters in the world, who were almost certain to step into the realm of Divine Martial in the future. How could such hereditary seeds be allowed to spread outside?
Zhou Fengyu might not be a Heaven List Master, but he was nonetheless a Divine Bridge Martial Artist, capable of using true essence to bridge and control the forces of heaven and earth, not to be underestimated.
The Earth’s polar magnet was activated, affecting the Iron Armor Corpse and causing the tightly structured Mysterious Iron Divine Weapons to repel each other, their components falling apart.
The advantage of suppressing via one’s cultivation base was overwhelming!
However…
“Huff!”
Suddenly, a gust of wind struck, blowing into the Hundred Flowers Building, scattering Yellow Talismans all over the sky.
“What…!?”
Yellow Talismans everywhere one looked, all Yellow Talismans.
The characters on the talisman were drawn with cinnabar, bright and eye-catching red.
“Hmm!?”
Everyone was at a loss, including Zhou Fengyu, with his brows deeply furrowed as he urged the Earth Yuan power again, creating a heavy pressure out of thin air, intending to suppress the Yellow Talismans filling the sky.
The War God’s Atlas passed down from Earth Yuan Mountain was called “Earth Yuan Unlimited,” and not Earth’s polar magnet; the magnet’s power was only a part of the Earth Yuan power, which had many other wonderful uses, such as controlling the Earth Yuan gravity.
As Earth Yuan power surged, gravity increased dramatically, and the Yellow Talismans, as if pressed down by a heavy weight, fell like sparrows that had died suddenly.
However…
“Boom!!!”
The Yellow Talismans, with cinnabar bright as blood, the characters shining brilliantly, transformed into Thunderbolt Strength.
Thunder Electric Talisman!
“Rumble rumble!”
The Yellow Talismans exploded into thunderbolts that crashed down, infusing the iron-armored bodies of the corpselike beings.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The sound of steel clanging, resounding one after another, the power of the thunderbolts dissipated the magnetic abilities, granting freedom to the Mysterious Iron Divine Weapons that lay on the ground, now even bolstered by thunderbolts as if they were soldiers of the thunder department.
“This…!”
Seeing this, the people of the Hundred Flowers Building were shocked beyond words, and even Chu Lingfeng and his companion were full of doubt and uncertainty.
“Thunder Martial?”
“Can this person not only control corpse puppets but also wield the power of thunderbolts?”
“Damn it, such important intelligence, and Iron Heart Fortress and the Heavenly Demon Sect kept it hidden!”
“Their hearts should be condemned, their hearts should be condemned!”
The crowd retreated in horror, but only Zhou Fengyu stood firm, his eyebrows furrowed but showing no fear.
All things in the world can promote and restrain each other; Earth Yuan Mountain had absolute supremacy in suppressing the Iron Heart Fortress through cultivation base, but thunder did not have the same advantage against Earth Yuan, for the magnet’s power was only part of “Earth Yuan Unlimited.”
Not to mention ordinary lightning, even the “Tianshu Thunder Rage,” which came from the same Divine Martial heritage, had no restraining effect on him; at best, it was on equal footing.
What was there to fear?
Zhou Fengyu’s expression remained unchanged, as he once again urged the powerful Earth Yuan strength, not turning it into magnetism but just into heavy pressure, with strands of Earth Aura gushing out, forming handprints that struck the Iron Armor Corpse.
Earth Yuan Heavy Mountain Handprint!
“Rumble rumble!”
Seventy-two Iron Armor Corpses, bestowed with the force of thunderbolts, linked together to create a formation, resisting the immense pressure of mountains and the mire of the earth.
The Divine Bridge Martial Artist, ranking above the Nascent Soul, and these seventy-two Iron Armor Corpses merely embracing the Yuan Core stage; even if the Mysterious Iron Divine Weapons were extraordinarily powerful, they could not transcend the Foundation Establishment’s limits. Could they really overcome two major realms and contend with a Divine Bridge Master?
Only by joining forces to form an array could they withstand such a powerful enemy.
“Boom!”
Amidst the thunderous roars, the Armored Refining Corpses formed an array to counter the overwhelming force, dissipating the Earth Aura.
Seeing this, Zhou Fengyu sneered.
This move of his was just a small test, and he had not yet exerted his true strength, yet the opposition had already been pushed into such a desperate state.
What did this indicate?
It indicated that the strength of the Heaven Martial Emperor was insufficient!
His cultivation, at best, was at the Yuan Core stage; he had not yet entered the realm of the Divine Bridge.
A mere Yuan Core daring to challenge the Divine Bridge, could it be that he didn’t understand that the difference between realms was as vast as a chasm in the heavens?
Truly laughable!
Zhou Fengyu’s face showed a cold smile, but he still played it safe and did not rashly attack.
Although the opponent possessed only a Yuan Core cultivation, after all, he was the legendary Heaven Martial Great Emperor. Considering his various deeds from back in the day, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had some extraordinary methods. As a mere external enforcer, there was no need to risk his life over a bit of Spirit Crystals against such a figure.
It was enough to hold the position; with such a commotion, the nearby powers would soon receive the news. He would let the experts from the Evergreen Palace rush over to face this thunder.
With a little trick, Zhou Fengyu subtly slowed his attack, assuming a standoff posture against the thunder-empowered Armored Refining Corpses.
And outside the Hundred Flowers Building…
The crowd shattered windows and flew out, scattering in escape.
However, outside the Hundred Flowers Building, they were met with a great darkness descending from the sky!
It was dim as night; the sun and moon lost their luster, as if plunging into a Ghost Realm, with dense mists spreading out, enveloping the houses and buildings, leaving only a faint and eerie landscape.
“This…”
“A Formation?”
“How can this be!”
The people who escaped the Hundred Flowers Building turned pale at the sight, especially individuals from various factions.
They had never imagined that attending the Hundred Flower Heavenly Fragrance Conference would lead to encountering such an event.
Who was behind this?
What did they want to do?
It was one thing to target the Hundred Flowers Building, but to not even spare the guests attending the auction?
They represented the face of various powers; could this perpetrator not fear causing an upheaval in the world, provoking the wrath of gods and humans alike…
Wait a minute, an upheaval in the world!?
Several people’s pupils contracted as they realized the key issue at hand.
However…
“Whoosh!”
Another gust of wind blew through, and yellow talismans fluttered in the sky.
With the world shrouded in darkness and mists surging, red cinnabar was piercing to the eyes amidst the scattering yellow talismans…
What a bizarre and terrifying scene it was.
Even members of the Demon Sect couldn’t help but change their countenance upon witnessing it.
But in a crowd, there’s always someone wise. Soon someone shouted, “This person has made preparations early on; this formation is no trivial matter. To sit here waiting is to embrace certain death; let’s all rush out in different directions, his formation won’t be able to cover everywhere!”
“This…”
“Good!”
“Let’s all rush together, and we can certainly break through this ghostly formation!”
“What nonsensical formation. I refuse to believe he can stop all of us.”
“Everyone, charge together!”
“…”
“…”
“…”
In the crowd, a few voices cried out, stirring up the spirit, but no one took action, leading to an eerie silence that left many grinding their teeth in anger and frustration.
“What are you dazing around for, waiting to die?”
“Go to hell, if you’re so loud, why don’t you rush out yourself?”
“Exactly, do you think I’m a fool, to be cannon fodder and scout the way for you?”
“This person laid out such a formation, clearly well-prepared, aiming for the treasured items of the Hundred Flowers Conference. If those venerable people who won the treasures aren’t worried, what’s the rush for us penniless paupers?”
“Gentlemen of high standing should act as role models for others; it’s best to let a few seniors take the lead and break through the formation first.”
“If you don’t move, and I don’t move, we might as well die together; why should I, barefoot, be afraid of you who wear shoes?”
“You…!”
From within the crowd, someone’s words left the individuals from the major powers grinding their teeth in anger and frustration.
Times are tough, and human hearts are wicked; they’re no longer so easily deceived.
But as he said, the person’s intent was clear – targeting those treasured items. If they didn’t leave now, they might not be able to later.
With no other choice, the people from the various factions exchanged glances and soared into the air, each charging in different directions.
“Go!!!”
Upon seeing the individuals from the major powers moving, everyone else also took action, each picking a direction to break through.
At this point, it all came down to who was unlucky enough to draw the formation’s fire.
As everyone sprang into action, attempting their escape…
“Whoosh!!!”
Yellow talismans fluttered in the sky, red cinnabar to the eyes, and the inscription shone brightly.
Soul-chasing talismans, spirit-dispersing talismans, Body-fixing Talismans, troop-dispatching talismans, Moving Mountain Talismans, so many Taoist talismans!
The scattering yellow talismans coalesced into a formation, performing Taoism and Divine Skills, applying the Moving Mountain Fixation Skill, the Thousand Catty and Ten Thousand Pressure Method!
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The Martial Artists who leaped up to break free suddenly felt an increasing pressure in the void, as if thousands of mountains were weighing down on them, and they could not withstand it. They fell to the ground one by one, their faces filled with terror, unable to move.
In the midst of their shock and terror, they suddenly heard the soft sound of footsteps.
Their eyes frantically shifted, struggling to look, and saw…
From within the dense fog, a figure gradually appeared—clad in an indifferent blue shirt, with steady steps, he headed straight towards the Hundred Flower Heavenly Fragrance, pressing onwards relentlessly.