Chapter 402: Chapter 403 Reinforcements
At the same time.
Cai Kunxu had already assembled his men, joining Xiong Da on the journey toward the third battlefield.
Xiong Da was perplexed; instead of rallying troops from within the walls of the fourth city, they scooped people straight out of the Holy City’s bathhouse. These cultivators, both men and women, were wrapped in bathrobes, looking extremely reluctant with water still dripping from their hair.
Could such a troop be expected to enter the battlefield?
“My Lord, being pulled out of the bath halfway through, who knows when we’ll be able to go back in? You owe me Spirit Stones.”
“Yes, my Lord, those rascals will definitely take our places. And right now, spots at Tangneng First-class are hard to come by!”
The cultivators wore aggrieved looks, constantly grumbling. Many of them had wanted to take advantage of the power of Tangneng First-class to break through their realms but had been hauled out by the City Lord, leaving them quite disgruntled.
“We’ll talk to Young Master Li later and let you bathe for free for a day, so stop your complaints. We’re heading to reinforce the third battlefield this time. There, the Flesh Mountain is overflowing, and numerous cultivators have died or been injured. Lord Xiong specifically came to ask for help,”
Cai Kunxu said cheerfully.
“This… Indeed, we are relying on all of you. But the strength of the Flesh Mountain is not what it used to be; shouldn’t we all prepare a bit more before we set out?”
Xiong Da gazed at the cultivators, all attired in bathrobes, feeling unsure. How could such an ill-prepared group of cultivators engage in combat with the Flesh Mountain on the battlefield?
Not to mention, the female cultivators’ bathrobes would likely slip with just a couple of movements. Could they even fight like that?
“No need, they’re just a few Flesh Mountains. We’ll make it quick, finish early, and come back to continue our baths,”
The cultivators all declared their stand, not showing the slightest concern for the Flesh Mountain. With Huazi among them, they truly had no fear of the Flesh Mountain.
“This…”
Xiong Da was utterly baffled, not understanding what was happening.
It seemed that some extraordinary events had unfolded in the days he had been away from the Holy City. Not only had the city suddenly become more prosperous, but even these cultivators had grown more arrogant.
If he remembered correctly, the standard of the cultivators at the fourth battlefield was generally lower than at the third. Yet now, they were speaking such boastful words. Who gave them such confidence?
Two hours later.
Inside the third battlefield, blood fog was rampant, and howls shook the heavens, while a foul stench rolled in from afar.
The cultivators fought the Flesh Mountain with all their might, but more often, they ended up slaying one another.
Elder Ji had vanished without a trace; only the cultivators remained, desperately resisting on the battlefield.
“Quick, go and ask for Elder Ji!”
“The number of Flesh Mountains is too great; when clustered together, only Great Crossing Realm Cultivators can break through them!”
“Our people have lost their minds. Damn it, why did the Elder of Fire Qilin Cave leave? Today, we may all perish here.”
The eyes of the cultivators were bloodshot, their chests heaving wildly, covered in blood, staring intently at the scene enshrouded in the blood fog.
Limbs and severed parts once again covered the battlefield, the sight becoming increasingly gruesome.
“Pull back, retreat! Reestablish the defensive line at the edge of the battlefield, and wait for reinforcements!”
The cultivators quickly made their decision to pull back. More and more Flesh Mountains appeared before them, beyond their capacity to withstand. Any carelessness could cause them to lose themselves in the midst and turn into unfeeling killing machines.
But just then, silent whiffs of white smoke drifted into the battlefield. The cultivators instinctively sniffed them, and almost instantly, the mental lethargy caused by the blood fog dissipated.
Not only that, they felt as if the innards of their bodies were purified in a moment, their Spiritual Platforms clear and bright. The martial uncertainties that had once pestered them were now easily resolved, and even their cognitive abilities seemed to have improved significantly.
In an instant, waves of shock surged through the cultivators’ hearts. What was this? It possessed such magical effects that it could even eliminate the negative impact brought by Flesh Mountain, which was truly inconceivable.
Looking in the direction from which the smoke drifted, a large group of cultivators clad in bathrobes were slowly approaching. Regardless of gender, every one of them had a smoking treasure between their lips.
That white smoke was wafting from there.
The one leading them was none other than Xiong Da. The cultivators were collectively petrified. Hadn’t they gone to seek reinforcements?
What was this strange assortment that they had brought back?
What in the world were these bathrobes, with their hair still damp, could they not get tidied up before coming over?
These outfits were just too casual, almost as if they were here for a picnic.
“City Lord!”
“Mmh, the reinforcements from the fourth battlefield have arrived. Where is Elder Ji?”
Xiong Da looked around and asked.
“This… Elder Ji asked us to clean up the battlefield first and to call for him if there was trouble,” one cultivator said.
Xiong Da’s brow furrowed deeply. Elder Ji’s actions had plunged the frontier cultivators into dire straits. Without a Great Crossing Realm Cultivator to hold fort, the frontier cultivators were simply unable to withstand the assault of Flesh Mountain. The already dwindling number of cultivators was now declining sharply, with nearly half of them caught in the bloody mist.
If this continued, even with the reinforcements from the fourth battlefield, his third battlefield would be utterly annihilated.
“Quickly, invite Elder Ji over. The frontier is a serious matter, no place for jokes!”
Xiong Da spoke in a deep voice. While Fire Qilin Cave could lend assistance as a favor, there was no reason for him to demand anything of them. However, Elder Ji had clearly agreed to defend the battlefield before and was now neglecting his duty, turning the lives of the frontier warriors into a laughing matter, which irked Xiong Da.
“Lord Cai, you’ve already seen the situation on the battlefield. It’s extremely perilous. Please be very careful, brothers who have come to reinforce us,” Xiong Da said to Cai Kunxu.
Cai Kunxu waved his hand and said, “No need for that. Lord Xiong’s men can withdraw. My lads from the fourth battlefield will crush Flesh Mountain and rescue the cultivators trapped in the blood mist.”
Xiong Da was taken aback, puzzled by where the other party’s confidence came from. Didn’t they see the limbs and broken bodies below them, given the dire situation?
Amidst his thoughts, the group of cultivators dressed in bathrobes had already stepped leisurely onto the battlefield, not taking his words to heart.
“Brothers and sisters, do you all have your huazi ready?”
“Ready!”
“Then let’s go, take down this batch of Flesh Mountain, and then we can continue our baths!”
The cultivators from the fourth battlefield were immensely at ease, showing no sign of panic despite facing a formidable enemy.
They casually lit up a huazi, took a light puff, creating swirls of smoke, showing no signs of being affected by the blood-colored mist.
The cultivators standing outside, preparing to retreat, were stunned. What was going on? Why were these people unaffected by Flesh Mountain?
And what was that constantly smoking stick in their mouths?
Xiong Da was also shocked, failing to understand what was happening. It seemed that along the way, these people had all been holding such a stick in their mouths.
What kind of divine item was it that feared not the assault of the breath of Flesh Mountain!
Amidst these thoughts, the group of cultivators, each holding a huazi, teetered into the blood mist battlefield…