Chapter 311
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 311
Chapter Title: Guarding the Core Formation, All Trump Cards Revealed
Roar!
Just then, a great roar erupted from Thousand-Zhang Peak, like a clap of thunder, crashing into the ears of the cultivators. Their minds reeled and their souls trembled.
Immediately after, they saw second-tier demonic beasts flying out from Thousand-Zhang Peak, numbering over a hundred. Among them were many late-stage and even peak second-tier demonic beasts.
Seeing this, Chen Jianghe's first instinct was to run.
But then he realized that these demonic beasts were not coming for him.
To be precise, they weren't coming for any of the cultivators present. Instead, they were rapidly flying toward the three locations where the Core Formation phenomena were occurring.
"This is bad! The third-tier demonic beast on Thousand-Zhang Peak has awakened! It's ordering the second-tier beasts to stop those three from forming their cores."
"Friends, if I may have a word. There are many treasures in the palace atop Thousand-Zhang Peak. To enter it, we will need Core Formation experts from our human race to hold off those three third-tier demonic beasts. Now that three of our own are on the verge of a breakthrough, we absolutely cannot allow any mishaps. Otherwise, we will have no chance of entering the mountaintop palace, and the treasures will be beyond our reach."
This False Core rogue cultivator, surnamed Yan, had initially wanted to appeal to their sense of duty to the human race, but on second thought, he decided that appealing to their immediate interests would be more effective.
Hearing his words.
The forty cultivators, including Chen Jianghe, looked toward the three directions where the demonic beasts were rushing.
Nearly two hundred second-tier demonic beasts. Although more than half were mid to late-stage, and only about twenty were at the peak of the second tier.
Still, with such a massive number, the few guardians there would be unable to hold them back.
If they didn't act now, the Tiannan Region would lose three of its prodigies. This might benefit them in the short term, as they wouldn't have to worry about being targeted by these newly ascended experts after the secret realm's restrictions disappeared.
But the mountaintop palace before them would become utterly inaccessible.
"Fellow Daoist Yan is right. If we don't act, not only will we be unable to enter the mountaintop palace and miss out on the treasures, but our human race will also lose three prodigies."
"We are all great cultivators at the late stage of Foundation Establishment or higher. We all know that Core Formation experts don't easily attack those beneath them."
"That's right. Core Formation experts generally don't make moves against cultivators below their realm."
"As long as we don't touch the core spiritual items in the mountaintop palace, they won't make things difficult for us even after they form their cores."
"Indeed. By helping them, we plant a seed of goodwill. Their helping us enter the palace will be the fruit of that goodwill. If they were to attack us, as long as one of us makes it out of the Beast Taming Secret Realm, they would find it difficult to establish themselves in the Tiannan Region."
"It is a long-standing rule in the Tiannan Region that Core Formation experts must not lightly attack those below their realm."
"Fellow Daoists, I'm going!"
Swoosh!
A flying sword transformed into a streak of light, tearing across the sky as it flew swiftly toward one of the three Core Formation phenomena.
With one cultivator taking the lead, the rest instantly weighed the pros and cons and made their decisions, all preparing to aid the prodigies in their breakthroughs.
Chen Jianghe also flew with a dozen other cultivators toward the Core Formation phenomenon in the east.
The phenomenon fifty miles away was too close to Thousand-Zhang Peak. If more demonic beasts emerged from the peak later, guarding it would be too dangerous.
Therefore, Chen Jianghe chose the site farthest from Thousand-Zhang Peak.
Not joining the effort to protect them at this moment would make him stand out.
If the prodigies failed to form their cores, it wouldn't matter. But if they succeeded, they might not remember who helped them.
But they would definitely remember who didn't.
"Grandmaster Chen is truly a man of principle."
The dozen or so cultivators flying with him saw that Chen Jianghe, though only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, was using a high-grade second-tier Evasion Talisman to keep his speed from falling behind.
On the surface, they all showed expressions of admiration.
"Fellow Daoists, the demonic beasts are ahead of us. We must do our best and not let them ruin the prodigies' Core Formation!"
"Right, Grandmaster Chen, with his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, has already surpassed our speed. How can we allow this?"
"Fellow Daoist Yan, with your False Core cultivation, don't let all your skills be in your words!"
"Hmph, we'll see if you can catch up to me!"
The rogue cultivator Yan's speed on his flying sword suddenly increased by several notches, surpassing Chen Jianghe, who had been at the front.
A mere ten breaths later.
Chen Jianghe went from being first to gradually becoming last, but his speed did not decrease in the slightest.
Another twenty breaths passed, and the power of the Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman was exhausted.
Without any hesitation, Chen Jianghe took out another Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman, his expression filled with determination to assist the prodigies.
Seeing this, the other cultivators no longer held back.
Since they had decided to help, it was natural to give it their all.
If the Core Formation was successful, they would have formed a bond of goodwill with a Core Formation expert, a value that couldn't be measured by high-grade second-tier talismans.
Chen Jianghe's action was precisely to stimulate this mentality in the cultivators, so that even as he flew at full speed, he would still fall behind the group.
"Xiao Hei, stay alert."
Chen Jianghe sent a mental message in secret.
Ahead were more than sixty second-tier demonic beasts, including eight at the peak of the second tier. The rest were all mid to late-stage.
With so many demonic beasts, their group alone couldn't possibly stop them. They could only buy time for the prodigy undergoing the breakthrough.
Fifty breaths later!
The battle had already begun in the mountain stream where the Core Formation phenomenon was manifesting.
The two prodigies, Lu Qingfeng and Chen Chengyang, along with three peak Foundation Establishment cultivators, had unleashed all their trump cards to fend off the sixty-odd second-tier demonic beasts.
In the very first clash, two of the three peak Foundation Establishment cultivators had already fallen.
To protect Lu Qingfeng from injury so he could attempt his own breakthrough shortly, the False Core rogue cultivator Chen Chengyang had an arm torn off by four peak second-tier demonic beasts.
"Fellow Daoists, do not panic! We are here to help!"
Boom!
The rogue cultivator Yan was the first to arrive at the stream. The flying sword beneath his feet whipped up a water dragon, which charged toward the four peak second-tier beasts attacking Chen Chengyang.
Immediately after, another False Core rogue cultivator arrived and engaged several other peak second-tier demonic beasts, relieving the pressure on Lu Qingfeng.
At this point, everyone understood that the person undergoing Core Formation was none other than the Ji Clan's prodigy, Ji Yanhao.
As for the other two locations, it was obvious they were caused by Xiao Chen and Zhou Jinhe.
The moment Chen Jianghe saw Lu Qingfeng, his heart skipped a beat, but he did not retreat. He began to battle two mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts.
However, he had Xiao Hei remain on high alert.
One could never be too careful.
He had no open enmity with Lu Qingfeng, but it was common knowledge that the Lu Clan was helping the two clans of Qinghe suppress him.
His coming to help now, though not a major contribution, was an act of goodwill, with a hint of duty to the human race.
But what if Lu Qingfeng dared to defy all conventions and attack him?
It was better to be cautious.
"Many thanks to all fellow Daoists for coming to our aid. I, Lu, am eternally grateful."
"With your help, we will surely be able to repel these demonic beasts and protect Fellow Daoist Ji's successful Core Formation."
Lu Qingfeng and Chen Chengyang both expressed their thanks.
But no one had time for pleasantries. Facing over sixty second-tier demonic beasts, defeating them was impossible.
As for repelling them?
They would probably have to lose a few of their own.
Therefore, they didn't think about driving them back, only about stalling for time, hoping to hold out until Ji Yanhao successfully formed his core.
Chen Jianghe saw that the False Core rogue cultivators were all holding back, none of them using their full strength, and guessed what they were thinking.
Their helping these prodigies was all for personal gain, all of them hoping to enter the mountaintop palace.
But that help was limited to stalling for time.
If it came to a life-and-death struggle?
They would turn and leave without a moment's hesitation. No matter how good the treasures in the mountaintop palace were, one had to be alive to use them.
Chen Jianghe formed hand seals, casting one second-tier spell after another, skirmishing with the two mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts before him.
It wasn't that he couldn't use his strongest spells.
The Jade Dew Muscle-Growing Incantation was for healing.
If he used Absolute Freeze, the two mid-stage second-tier beasts in front of him would surely die.
The few cultivators near him would also certainly die.
Besides, he was just stalling for time, not trying to slaughter these demonic beasts.
Screech!
With a long cry, a late-stage second-tier vicious bird dived toward Chen Jianghe, intending to use him as a breakthrough point to shatter the stalemate.
"Go!"
Chen Jianghe took out a Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman and immediately activated it. A vine shield woven from dozens of vines blocked the vicious bird's sharp beak.
Boom!
The vine shield trembled but did not break.
The next moment, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator drew away one of the mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts from Chen Jianghe's side.
Chen Jianghe cursed inwardly at the lack of integrity.
This late-stage second-tier vicious bird was originally the beast that peak Foundation Establishment cultivator was holding back. Although the cultivator hadn't intentionally led it to attack Chen Jianghe.
But if he was going to draw a beast away, he should have taken the late-stage one.
Leaving me with a late-stage second-tier vicious bird and a mid-stage demonic beast, what kind of move was that?
Chen Jianghe didn't dwell on it.
It was just one late-stage second-tier vicious bird.
If he let Maoqiu out, it would be over in a few swings of his staff.
But he didn't want to expose Maoqiu's combat strength, and he had plenty of conventional trump cards on hand, so he wasn't worried that these two demonic beasts could harm him.
An hour passed.
Waves of bestial roars came from Thousand-Zhang Peak, and then another group of demonic beasts flew out, numbering around a hundred, heading toward the three locations.
Among them were more than ten peak second-tier demonic beasts.
The arrival of this new group instantly increased the pressure on the cultivators.
Although they were all mid to late-stage second-tier demonic beasts, there were nearly three hundred of them now!
They were only a little over fifty cultivators. How could they fight against so many beasts?
Many cultivators had already begun to use their full strength.
Some even released their own spirit beasts to block the demonic beasts' attacks.
At this point, even trying to escape had become difficult. They could only grit their teeth and see this through to the end.
Chen Jianghe was facing one late-stage and three mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts by himself. If not for the Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans, he would have released Maoqiu long ago.
He couldn't use his ultimate spells, which meant his normal spell attacks could hardly injure these four beasts.
His supply of Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans was rapidly dwindling.
In just two hours, he had already used five, with only three left.
"This won't do. I have to kill that late-stage vicious bird first!"
A murderous intent rose in Chen Jianghe.
With his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, dealing with three mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts was already his limit.
If this continued, he would run out of Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans.
Screech!
A shrill, ear-piercing cry rang out.
Black feathers scattered like a rain of arrows, shooting toward Chen Jianghe.
"Now's the time!"
Chen Jianghe used a Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman to block the vicious bird's divine ability, then took out three Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans.
He formed hand seals, circulating his spiritual power, and activated all three talismans at the same time. A dozen giant vines covered in soul-piercing thorns materialized from the talismanic seals in the air, rapidly wrapping around the vicious bird.
Gaaah!
The vines coiled around its body, the thorns piercing its soul. A惨叫声响起, and it plummeted into the mountain stream.
It was already lifeless.
"This is much more manageable."
Chen Jianghe looked at the three mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts before him and breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't had a chance to fight much, so these three made for excellent sparring partners.
A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Chen Jianghe fighting one late-stage and three mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts was already seen as giving his all in the eyes of others.
However, the others didn't have as many tricks up their sleeves as Chen Jianghe did.
After more than a year in the Beast Taming Secret Realm, the resources they had brought in were mostly depleted.
Their talismans and spiritual pills were almost gone.
After all, every time they found a top-tier second-grade spiritual item or higher, they had to expend a great deal of resources to obtain it.
Another three hours passed.
Chen Jianghe swallowed a Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pill and continued to tangle with the three demonic beasts, honing the coordination of his spells in combat.
"It looks like some cultivators are about to reach their limit."
Chen Jianghe caught sight of a few cultivators out of the corner of his eye whose spiritual power was nearly exhausted, yet they weren't taking any Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills.
Apparently, they had already run out.
Another hour passed.
As one cultivator's spiritual power ran out and he was devoured by a demonic beast, the righteous rogue cultivator Yan shouted in the direction of Chen Chengyang and Lu Qingfeng.
"Fellow Daoists, most of us are rogue cultivators and didn't have many Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills when we entered the realm. Please provide us with some. Otherwise, if our spiritual power is depleted and we are eaten by beasts, it will ultimately be impossible to protect Fellow Daoist Ji."
This sentence immediately drew a chorus of agreement.
They were here to help, not to die.
Ji Yanhao was a prodigy of the Ji Clan; he must have an inexhaustible supply of Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills. Lu Qingfeng and Chen Chengyang were allied with Ji Yanhao.
They likely had a considerable number of pills as well.
If they didn't share them now, they would lose the moral high ground. Besides, they needed the help of these cultivators.
"Fellow Daoists, do not worry. Brother Chengyang and I still have some spiritual pills. We will give them to you now."
Lu Qingfeng shouted.
Over the next quarter of an hour, Lu Qingfeng fought while retreating, weaving between the demonic beasts and cultivators. He gave each cultivator three Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills and one Flesh-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill.
"Many thanks to Grandmaster Chen for your assistance."
Lu Qingfeng came to a stop about thirty yards from Chen Jianghe. He wrapped three Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills and one Flesh-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill in spiritual power and sent them over.
Evidently, Lu Qingfeng knew Chen Jianghe was wary of him and consciously kept his distance.
Chen Jianghe didn't stand on ceremony.
He directly accepted the four pills from Lu Qingfeng.
To help Ji Yanhao hold off the demonic beasts, he had already used six Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans, three Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans, and two Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talismans.
These four pills weren't even enough to cover the interest.
"When a member of the human race is forming their core, how can we let demonic beasts disrupt it? When it is your turn, Fellow Daoist Lu, I, Chen, will also stand guard."
Chen Jianghe declared with righteous conviction.
Lu Qingfeng nodded heavily and drew away a late-stage second-tier demonic beast that was charging toward Chen Jianghe.
This allowed Chen Jianghe to continue fighting the three mid-stage beasts.
Ten hours passed.
Whether it was Ji Yanhao, Xiao Chen, or Zhou Jinhe, all had endured the tempering of vital energy and the trial of Core Formation spiritual power, and had now entered the soul transformation stage.
The demonic beasts' attacks were also starting to weaken.
The cultivators had Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills, but the demonic beasts did not. Although their spiritual power reserves were much deeper than the cultivators', they too had their limits.
Another three hours passed.
Ji Yanhao's soul transformation was successful, and his divine soul had taken its initial form.
Three hours later.
Above the mountain stream, a spiritual energy vortex gathered once more, a thousand yards wide, with even purer spiritual energy.
It also contained the vital energy of heaven and earth.
This meant Ji Yanhao had passed the Dao heart trial.
Next was the condensation of the inner core, the final stage of Core Formation. It could be as difficult as ascending to the heavens, or as easy as drinking water.
"Fellow Daoist Ji is about to form his core! Let's hold on for another two hours!"
The rogue cultivator Yan exclaimed with joy.
At that moment, Lu Qingfeng, who was distributing pills to the cultivators, also revealed a look of delight.
As long as Ji Yanhao successfully formed his core, no matter how many pills he gave out, someone would reimburse him and Chen Chengyang.
This was already the third time Lu Qingfeng had distributed pills.
Each time, it was three Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills and one Flesh-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill.
After this round, the pills he and Chen Chengyang had brought into the realm would be nearly depleted.
Over fifty Second-Tier Spirit Recovery Pills and more than twenty Flesh-Growing and Bone-Mending Pills had nearly exhausted their entire stock.
Screech!
Roar!
Moo!
Three great roars echoed from Thousand-Zhang Peak. Three pillars of formation light shot up, piercing the sky as if to tear the heavens asunder.
Rumble!!!
Suddenly, a massive roar resounded throughout the Beast Taming Secret Realm.
At that moment, both cultivators and demonic beasts ceased their fighting and looked up at the sky.
Under the impact of the three formation pillars, the sky seemed to be tearing apart, covered in a dense web of cracks.
Vast and rich spiritual energy poured into the Beast Taming Secret Realm.
This caused the realm's restrictions to weaken rapidly.
At the same time, the spiritual energy that had been sealed within spiritual items throughout the realm began to disperse, raising the concentration of spiritual energy in the entire secret realm to a terrifying level.
"This is bad! Those three demonic beasts are trying to ruin our opportunity!"
"Fellow Daoists, we can't hold back any longer! We must deal with these beasts quickly. Once our prodigies have formed their cores, we must head to the mountaintop palace immediately."
Seeing this, all the cultivators were alarmed, their expressions turning urgent.
Those three third-tier demonic beasts were accelerating the erosion of the secret realm's restrictions.
Once the restrictions were gone, it meant this trial in the Beast Taming Secret Realm was over, and they would have no more chance at the mountaintop palace on Thousand-Zhang Peak.
Not just the rogue cultivators.
Even the prodigies from the top immortal clans would likely miss their chance at the mountaintop palace.
The Beast Taming Secret Realm was located within the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range. Once the restrictions vanished, this three-thousand-mile-wide region would merge into the mountain range.
It would then become the territory of the fourth-tier great demon, the Kui King.
The mountaintop palace would become the Kui King's private property. Who would dare to try and seize it?
Roar!
Roar!
At this moment, the second-tier demonic beasts let out joyous roars. They could rapidly devour this highly concentrated spiritual energy to replenish their spiritual power.
As the restrictions loosened, the various limitations within the Beast Taming Secret Realm began to shatter.
The auras of some peak second-tier demonic beasts began to surge dramatically, some even reaching the threshold of breaking through to the third tier.
"Attack now!"
Lu Qingfeng shouted.
Holding nothing back, he released his peak second-tier spirit beast and two top-tier second-grade puppets.
He executed the Departed Fire Sword Art, swiftly attacking a peak second-tier demonic beast whose aura was surging toward the breakthrough point.
The other cultivators didn't dare hold back either. They revealed their trump cards one after another, launching attacks on the beasts whose auras were rising.
Although the secret realm's restrictions were rapidly eroding, it still took time. If these peak second-tier demonic beasts were given some time.
At least five, maybe even seven, new third-tier demonic beasts would appear in this realm.
At that point, forget entering the mountaintop palace.
It would be uncertain whether they could even leave the secret realm alive.
The three third-tier beasts on Thousand-Zhang Peak were restricted and couldn't leave the mountain, but these newly promoted third-tier beasts would not be.
Chen Jianghe didn't hesitate either. He released Maoqiu, no longer toying with the three mid-stage second-tier demonic beasts.
After Maoqiu appeared, it killed two of the mid-stage beasts in just a few exchanges.
Chen Jianghe dealt with the other one.
Then, he looked at the other cultivators. Those who hadn't released their spirit beasts even when their spiritual power was depleted now brought them out without holding back.
Several cultivators even used attack-type Talisman Treasures, helping the False Core cultivators instantly slay seven or eight peak second-tier demonic beasts.
In a quarter of an hour.
Dozens of second-tier demonic beasts fell in the mountain stream.
The remaining three peak second-tier demonic beasts led the rest in a swift retreat, but they didn't flee toward Thousand-Zhang Peak, instead running toward the outer mountain ranges.
After the crisis was averted.
The cultivators looked at each other. No one said a word, as if nothing had happened, and they quickly put away their trump cards.
Chen Jianghe also recalled Maoqiu to his spirit beast pouch.
Even so, his actions had drawn many astonished gazes.
Clearly, no one had expected Chen Jianghe to have a peak second-tier spirit beast.
Who among the cultivators who had survived this long didn't have a trump card?
Everyone tacitly agreed to forget what had just happened.
"They used attack-type Talisman Treasures without a second thought, which means they must have more. I'll remember the four of you."
Chen Jianghe secretly noted the four peak Foundation Establishment cultivators who had used Talisman Treasures.
If he encountered them in the mountaintop palace, he would not get entangled with them.
"Eight peak second-tier spirit beasts, nine offensive Magic Treasure Embryos, five defensive Magic Treasure Embryos. All the top talents below the Core Formation realm in the Tiannan Region are gathered here."
"The situation at the other two Core Formation sites is probably the same."
"They all have their own tricks and trump cards!"
Chen Jianghe cursed inwardly. The list of people entering the secret realm had no record of these individuals possessing peak second-tier spirit beasts or Magic Treasure Embryos.
They would rather die than use them normally.
But just now, they had been more eager than anyone else.
As if terrified of letting a single peak second-tier demonic beast escape.
Boom!
Suddenly.
From the bottom of the mountain stream, a three-colored pillar of light shot into the sky.
At the same time, from one of the other Core Formation sites, a four-colored pillar of light rose.
At the third site, a spiritual energy vortex of several hundred yards appeared, indicating a failed Core Formation attempt, with the cultivator transitioning to the False Core realm instead.
The only question was, who succeeded? Xiao Chen or Zhou Jinhe?