BXBX NOVEL Chapter 159: Retreating with Success
Chapter 159: Retreating with Success
"Fellow Daoist He, I need to take a breather," Xiang Jinglong said after being injured, his strength having dropped by twenty to thirty percent.
He replaced his magical treasure with a supreme-grade magical weapon and swallowed a few pills.
A Fake-Dan Immortal cannot fully wield the power of a magical treasure, and using one consumes a significant amount of energy, making it unsustainable in prolonged battles.
Bai Ling Immortal’s Invisible Sword magical treasure, however, was refined into her life-bound treasure, so it consumed less energy. But even so, in a two-on-one situation, her overall consumption was still significant.
With the loss of the second-rank superior-grade puppet\'s support, her declining strength made her more and more unable to keep up.
"Brother He, we should take turns using our magical treasures to easily wear her down," Xiang Jinglong suggested.
"Hmm," He Yuanwu, who was also exhausted, lowered the frequency of his magical treasure\'s activation.
Bai Ling Immortal, however, couldn’t switch to a supreme-grade magical weapon. Doing so would drastically reduce her threat level, allowing one of the two enemy Fake-Dans to easily break off and attack the stone hall.This situation quickly became a reality.
When Xiang Jinglong rotated to use his magical treasure, He Yuanwu simultaneously wielded two supreme-grade magical weapons. One was used to tie up Bai Ling Immortal, while the other attacked the stone hall.
The stone hall was protected by a second-rank superior-grade formation. A normal attack from a Fake-Dan Immortal wouldn’t break it instantly.
Senior late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn’t be instantly killed by a Fake Dan either; they could barely hold on and struggle for a while.
Lan Chang\'an and Fu Dong brought out supreme-grade magical weapons, using them in conjunction with second-rank talismans to defend the edges of the formation.
Fortunately, they managed to avoid affecting Fu Xuemei, who was in seclusion forming her core.
Clang! Crack!
On the other side, Bai Ling Immortal took the opportunity to activate her Invisible Sword treasure, severing one of He Yuanwu’s supreme-grade attack weapons.
"I should have prepared more supreme-grade attacking weapons," He Yuanwu muttered, his face gloomy.
A typical Fake-Dan Immortal would have few magical weapons in hand. He had prepared two supreme-grade attacking weapons, which were already considered more than most.
Xiang Jinglong, having weaker foundations, only had one supreme-grade attack weapon, with the other two being for defense and utility.
"Little Cheng, I can’t hold on much longer; I am afraid I have to retreat back into the formation to defend," Bai Ling Immortal transmitted to Lan Chang\'an.
This woman, who appeared to be in her thirties or forties, was drenched in fragrant sweat, her face slightly pale. She had already taken several pills midway through the battle.
The key issue was the consumption of her mental strength, which caused her spiritual aura to dim.
"Alright, I’ll use the talismanic treasure to cover you, Aunt Ling," Lan Chang\'an nodded.
He activated the talismanic treasure in his hand, transforming it into a violet orb that once again cast down a formidable beam of violet light upon Xiang Jinglong.
"Here it comes again!" Xiang Jinglong cursed inwardly.
Already injured, he struggled to wield his magical treasure against the talismanic treasure’s attack, which was slightly stronger than that of a Fake-Dan. He couldn’t hold out.
He had no choice but to explode his mana, but this action aggravated his wounds, causing him to scream in pain.
His injuries deepened slightly.
Bai Ling Immortal successfully retreated into the stone hall\'s formation and replaced her weapon with a supreme-grade sword, using it to attack while defending.
"Aunt Ling, do you have any other superior second-rank puppets?" Lan Chang\'an asked.
He had two second-rank superior-grade puppets on him, but they did not belong to Junior Brother Cheng.
"No," Bai Ling Immortal shook her head.
"I have one more talismanic treasure and some talismans. You take them and use them first," Bai Ling Immortal said, taking out a needle-shaped talismanic treasure and a stack of talismans from her storage pouch.
Earlier, Lan Chang\'an\'s control of the talismanic treasure’s power and his timing of using them satisfied her.
If she had given them to Fu Dong, he definitely wouldn’t have achieved the same effect. Not only was his spiritual sense weak and his control over the talismanic treasure poor, but his combat awareness was also lacking, making it difficult to utilize them effectively.
"Thank you, Aunt Ling," Lan Chang\'an\'s eyes lit up. The needle-shaped talismanic treasure Bai Ling Immortal had given him was of the concealed weapon type and could still be used a few more times.
The stack of talismans was mostly second-rank superior-grade, with two quasi-third-rank ones—one for attack and one for defense.
These may not have been all of Bai Ling Immortal\'s resources, as she had previously fought Xiang Jinglong and He Yuanwu. It wouldn\'t be surprising if she had a third-rank talisman as well.
...
The ensuing battle turned out to be the most dangerous phase yet.
Bai Ling Immortal temporarily switched back to the supreme-grade sword, only able to fend off one of the Fake-Dan Immortal’s attacks.
The attacks from the other Fake-Dan had to be shared by Lan Chang\'an, Fu Dong, and the second-rank formation.
In the end, Lan Chang\'an was forced to exhaust the powerful Violet Pearl talismanic treasure.
He used the remaining talismanic treasure attacks, including the quasi-third-rank talismans, all against Xiang Jinglong.
"Ugh!" Xiang Jinglong vomited blood during the exchange, his pale face contorting slightly.
He gazed at Lan Chang\'an with a look of pure hatred and murderous intent.
During this time, Lan Chang\'an secretly consumed a "Blood Yang Pill," greatly boosting his mid-Foundation Establishment mana. With the help of the Hundred Illusions Mask’s aura concealment, he managed to prevent Bai Ling Immortal from noticing anything unusual.
He had the advantage of spiritual sense, and the power of the supreme-grade magic weapon he played was no less powerful than that of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Brat with the surname Cheng! I’ll remember you!" Xiang Jinglong’s injuries were severe, and he had consumed too much energy. He retreated to the back to recuperate.
He Yuanwu had no choice but to halt the attack and join him in sitting down to recover his mana.
"No need to rush! Bai Ling Immortal used a secret technique, and her mental strength will be slow to recover from depletion. She’s now only slightly stronger than an ordinary Fake Dan. Junior Brother Cheng only has one talismanic treasure left, and it’s not as powerful as the previous one," He Yuanwu remarked, confident in their ultimate victory in a war of attrition.
Only half a day had passed.
Fu Xuemei wasn’t going to complete her core formation anytime soon.
"Fellow Daoist He, look at the Core Formation phenomenon in the sky; it’s progressing faster than we expected," Xiang Jinglong, his face pale, raised his eyes.
The spiritual cloud in the sky had expanded to cover two or three li and was now beginning to contract.
He Yuanwu\'s expression tightened, but he suddenly threw his head back and laughed:
"Haha! Junior Sister, are you hastily speeding up the core formation process? Are you not planning to form a True Dan?"
From the original signs, Fu Xuemei seemed to be forming a Fake-Dan steadily, with a slight chance of forming a True Dan. But if she accelerated the process in the final stages, it would inevitably affect the quality of the core.
Fu Xuemei ignored He Yuanwu’s taunts.
"It’s indeed speeding up," Lan Chang\'an didn’t need to look up; he could sense the change in Fu Xuemei’s aura within the stone hall.
However, he also noticed that this acceleration wasn’t entirely due to Fu Xuemei’s own intentions.
After the transaction, Fu Xuemei’s state of mind seemed more whole, making the final process of core formation visibly smoother.
...
A sense of unease began to gnaw at He Yuanwu.
After resting for only an hour, and without fully recovering, he pulled the injured Xiang Jinglong and launched another attack on the stone hall.
This time, the battle was even more brutal.
Boom!
The second-rank superior-grade formation was inevitably breached.
Lan Chang\'an secretly swallowed his last Blood Yang Pill. All his supreme-grade magical weapons were destroyed, including those borrowed from Fu Xuemei and her brother.
Bai Ling Immortal\'s talismans were all exhausted.
They were nearly out of resources.
The needle-shaped talismanic treasure, which he had tested earlier, was more effective for concealed attacks, but its power wasn’t on par with the Violet Pearl talismanic treasure.
In direct attacks, it posed little threat to the Fake-Dan, as Xiang Jinglong, who had been wary of him, easily blocked it.
The only advantage left was Lan Chang\'an\'s strong Evergreen mana, which was suitable for prolonged battles.
The slight side effects of the Blood Yang Pill were mitigated by taking pills that replenished his blood and energy, so the impact wasn’t significant.
"Xiang Jinglong\'s injuries are severe; if I use a treasured talisman with powerful attack capabilities, I might be able to kill him or at least render him incapable of fighting."
Lan Chang\'an weighed his options: should he push himself beyond his limits to avoid future complications? Or should he "do his best" and protect Fu Dong?
As the battle raged on, Lan Chang\'an\'s superficial combat abilities began to falter, and he was losing ground.
The aftermath of the attacks landed on the stone hall, leaving several holes in its walls.
Specks of dust settled upon the exquisitely beautiful woman, who resembled a solitary orchid in a secluded valley. Her aloof posture, seated in meditation, was like a serene statue, utterly still.
"Cough! Pfft..."
Suddenly, Xiang Jinglong\'s injuries worsened, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood, causing his fierce momentum to falter slightly.
Both He Yuanwu and Bai Ling Immortal were injured, though not severely.
Lan Chang\'an bore several wounds, some more severe than others, while Fu Dong had been protected well enough that his injuries were mostly superficial cuts and bruises.
Both sides found themselves in a brief standoff. Amidst the deathly silence, the occasional sound of Xiang Jinglong\'s sporadic coughs were heard.
Without the perfect coordination between Lan Chang\'an and Bai Ling Immortal, who\'d inflicted grave injury upon Xiang Jinglong, they wouldn\'t have been able to hold out until now.
Hidden within Lan Chang\'an\'s sleeve was a treasured talisman nurtured over many years. This treasured talisman possessed power equivalent to a blow from a True Dan Immortal, capable of determining the outcome of the battle.
Whoosh!
From afar came a piercing cry as a wave of aura from a Fake-Dan level force approached.
"It must be our reinforcements!" He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong exchanged glances, their spirits soaring with excitement.
On the side of Huanglong Immortal City, a truce had been called and True Dan cultivators would not involve themselves in the matter of Fu Xuemei\'s Core formation.
However, Huanglong Mountain was weaker; its number of Fake-Dan was inferior to those of the hostile forces. Judging by probability, it seemed likely that they would arrive first.
...
After several breaths, a white-robed old man with refined poise and a disheveled appearance entered their senses.
"Eldest Senior Brother!"
"Ji Yifeng!"
He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong\'s expressions changed dramatically, disbelief written on their faces.
"Yifeng!" Bai Ling Immortal exclaimed, her eyes brimming with joy as she let out a long sigh of relief.
At the same time, she was a little puzzled—only two people knew Fu Xuemei\'s secret location outside the city limits where she was secretly going through Core Formation: herself and He Yuanwu. Even little Cheng only knew about the plan, not the actual location.
"Shameless traitor!" Ji Yifeng bellowed, summoning a feather fan magical weapon to rush forth aggressively.
"Fellow Daoist He, this elder will take his leave first!" Without a second thought, Xiang Jinglong summoned a flying boat and escaped through the skies.
In truth, he had been contemplating retreat for some time now. But after investing so much effort at the beginning, seeing that results were finally within sight, and upon receiving He Yuanwu\'s promise, he had persevered until now.
"Eldest Senior Brother, you\'re late!" He Yuanwu didn\'t hesitate; he swiftly withdrew, laughing heartily. "Little Junoir Sister has failed to form a True Dan! This elder has achieved already his mission! Master has given it his all, yet his far-reaching plans have ultimately come to naught..."
From He Yuanwu\'s perspective, since Fu Xuemei consumed an inferior Crystal Condensation Pill, and under the influence of external factors, was forced to hastily advance the Core Formation process, this could only result in the formation of a Fake Dan.
...
Ji Yifeng frowned, his expression turning grim as he watched the two Fake-Dan cultivators leave. He did not pursue them.
He stood there until their figures completely disappeared.
Ji Yifeng let out a muffled groan, staggering before collapsing to the ground.
"Yifeng!"
Bai Ling Immortal exclaimed softly, catching him with concern.
"Aunt Ling, I’m fine, just some loss of vital energy and an old injury flaring up." Ji Yifeng struggled to sit cross-legged, beginning to regulate his breathing.
"Senior Brother." Lan Chang\'an stepped forward, greeting him with a nod but saying little else.
"Junior Brother Cheng, thank you for your hard work." Ji Yifeng smiled with relief, expressing his gratitude.
"Yifeng, how did you manage to find us?" Bai Ling Immortal asked.
"I wasn’t aware of Master’s plan beforehand. However, I had some knowledge of this hidden vein from when it was discovered years ago."
A slight smile played on Ji Yifeng\'s lips.
"Most of the Fake-Dan cultivators went south to intercept or headed towards other immortal cities. Master patiently confronted those True Dans in Huanglong Immortal City, so I speculated that Junior Sister’s Core Formation location was probably not in a conventional place."
"However, it took a lot of effort to shake off the enemy’s surveillance, and I even had to fight someone along the way. After more than half a month, I finally made it here..."
Upon hearing this, Bai Ling Immortal couldn’t help but feel relieved.
Since Ji Yifeng\'s injuries hadn’t stabilized, they didn’t ask more questions.
Bai Ling Immortal herself was also injured, her spirit severely depleted, so she closed her eyes to recuperate.
"Aunt Ling, here is your talismanic treasure."
Lan Chang\'an took out the needle-shaped talismanic treasure, ready to return it to Bai Ling Immortal.
"No need, you keep it for protection."
Bai Ling Immortal responded faintly without opening her eyes.
"I’ll head to a nearby cave to catch some wild game to replenish Aunt Ling’s and Eldest Senior Brother’s vitality." Lan Chang\'an smiled respectfully and retreated.
"Don’t go too far." Bai Ling Immortal reminded him.
She opened her eyes, watching Lan Chang\'an\'s departing figure towards the nearby mountain, a contemplative expression on her face.
...
Two hours later.
"Aunt Ling! Brother Cheng went nearby to hunt, but he still hasn’t returned." Fu Dong reported with an anxious expression.
"Let him go."
Bai Ling Immortal sighed softly, as if she had expected this.
Hearing this, Fu Dong fell into deep thought, coming to a realization.
Junior Brother Cheng likely made a deal with Fu Xuemei and was perhaps worried about her settling scores later. Now that the Core Formation was not yet complete and both Bai Ling Immortal and Ji Yifeng were recuperating from their injuries, it was the perfect time to slip away.
...
A day later.
The spiritual energy cloud above the stone hall slowly dissipated.
Soft rays of light and faint celestial music surrounded the hall.
Whoosh!
A powerful and solid Core power surged forth, making the two Fake-Dan cultivators outside feel an invisible pressure.
"This spiritual pressure, is it a True Dan?"
Ji Yifeng raised his eyebrows in surprise and joy.
"It’s much stronger than a Fake Dan, but..."
Bai Ling Immortal closed her eyes, sensing for a moment, and then sighed with a hint of regret:
"The Core power isn’t pure enough, solid but not refined. It might be a low-grade True Dan."
(End of chapter)