Luohe Market Town Attacked, Ji Haoyuan Leaves Seclusion

A Talisman Treasure was a special kind of treasure that possessed roughly thirty percent of a magical artifact's power.

Only Golden Core cultivators could refine one.

It involved taking a portion of a Golden Core cultivator's personal Lifebound Artifact and fusing it into a special Talisman-type vessel.

Refining such an item would cause a certain degree of damage to the Golden Core cultivator's Lifebound Artifact.

Therefore.

Under normal circumstances, only Golden Core cultivators whose Lifespan was nearing its end, and who wished to leave some foundation for their descendants, would do such a thing.

Ji Haoyuan truly had not expected the Storage Pouch Ji Bochang had given him to contain a Talisman Treasure.

Although, judging by its condition, it could at most be used one final time.

There was no denying that even so, it remained a treasure that many Foundation Establishment cultivators could only dream of obtaining.

It was an exceedingly rare trump card.

It seemed that after seven hundred years, even though the Ji Family had now declined, it still possessed the foundation of an old-established Foundation Establishment Family.

It was simply that this foundation had now been placed in his hands by Ji Bochang.

Over the following three months, Ji Haoyuan thoroughly consolidated his cultivation realm.

At this point, he did not rush to leave seclusion. Instead, he spent several more months refining the Crimson Flame Pattern Spear.

Afterward.

He spent several more months mastering the two Tier 2 spells in the Storage Pouch that suited him.

The Flowing Fire Art and the Earth Spirit Shield Art.

The former was a Tier 2 fire-element attack spell, while the latter was an earth-element defensive spell.

Because he possessed dual fire and earth spirit roots, along with Max-Level Comprehension.

After mastering these two spells, he spent some additional time improving them, making the power they displayed far greater than their original versions.

Just as all of this was completed and Ji Haoyuan was preparing to leave seclusion, outside Luohe Market Town, the only market town currently under the Ji Family's jurisdiction.

Waves of mana fluctuations surged violently.

Looking down from above, one could see seven or eight cultivators wielding magical artifacts as they attacked Luohe Market Town's Defense Array.

All of them had their faces covered.

Only the eyes exposed outside revealed incomparably ferocious and ruthless expressions.

Ji Yunshan, the leading Ji Family cultivator responsible for guarding the market town, stared at the seven or eight cultivators attacking their market town from outside the array, his expression turning exceedingly grim.

He had never imagined that Luohe Market Town, a market town under the Ji Family's jurisdiction, would suddenly come under attack.

A tiger fallen onto the plains—even any dog dared to bare its fangs at the Ji Family now.

"Who exactly are you? Do you know what consequences await those who offend the Ji Family?"

Ji Yunshan demanded angrily.

Yet the answer he received was an even fiercer assault from the other side.

The man at the forefront, with a scar across his forehead, revealed a savage grin in his eyes.

At some point, a jet-black bead had appeared in his hand, its surface wreathed in layer upon layer of lightning.

Upon seeing that bead, Ji Yunshan and all the Ji Family cultivators present changed expression drastically.

"That is... a Thunderclap Seed!"

This was a one-use tool refined by compressing thunderfire and yin Sha Qi together, possessing terrifying destructive power.

It was especially devastating against arrays.

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators could suffer severe injuries if they were carelessly struck by one.

Of course.

Foundation Establishment cultivators possessed Spiritual Sense, and their mana, spirit artifacts, spells, and every other means at their disposal were beyond comparison to Qi Refining cultivators.

Unless an opponent of the same level used a Thunderclap Seed in a sneak attack, it was nearly impossible for a Qi Refining cultivator to truly injure a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a single Thunderclap Seed.

At most, it could serve as a slight deterrent.

But for the current Ji Yunshan and Luohe Market Town's entire Defense Array, the threat posed by such a Thunderclap Seed was very real.

Who exactly were these people?

Not only had they launched a direct assault on Luohe Market Town's Defense Array, but they had even brought out something like a Thunderclap Seed.

Ji Yunshan and the others knew very well that ordinary cultivators simply could not possess something like a Thunderclap Seed.

Especially rogue cultivators. They had neither the ability nor the channels to acquire such resources, which could be considered strategic-grade.

Unless those people before them were not ordinary cultivators, and there were other people or forces behind them...

But at this moment, Ji Yunshan and the others no longer had any spare time to consider such matters.

Because the Scarface Man at the forefront, holding the Thunderclap Seed, had already activated it and thrown it toward Luohe Market Town's Defense Array!

"Not good!"

"Quick! Activate the array's power to the fullest!"

"We must stop it!"

Rumble—!

As the words fell, Ji Yunshan and the others held nothing back, each striking with all their strength.

In an instant, a tremendous explosion rang out above Luohe Market Town.

Terrifying Black Thunder Light, wrapped in frigid Sha Qi, instantly caused dense cracks to spread across the surface of Luohe Market Town's Defense Array.

A short while later.

With a crisp crash, like shattering glass and collapsing mirrors, Luohe Market Town's entire Defense Array suddenly disintegrated with a thunderous roar.

At that moment, a battle even more brutal than before erupted.

Here.

After leaving seclusion, Ji Haoyuan saw Ji Bochang still lying on a reclining chair in the distance.

More than a year had passed since they last met.

The Twilight Qi around Ji Bochang had clearly grown much heavier.

If his estimate was correct, Ji Bochang's Lifespan could last at most another one or two years.

And that was only if he did not take action.

Once he did, Ji Bochang could pass away at any moment.

At this time.

Ji Haoyuan had already arrived before Ji Bochang and told him of the gains from this period of seclusion.

As he listened to Ji Haoyuan's account, the gratification on Ji Bochang's face grew increasingly pronounced.

But at that very moment, Ji Yunfan, the Ji Family Head, hurried over to them with an anxious expression.

"Hmm? Yunfan, has something happened?"

Seeing Ji Yunfan's expression, both Ji Haoyuan and Ji Bochang clearly sensed that something was amiss.

Ji Yunfan nodded.

"Reporting to Old Ancestor, Fifth Uncle, something has indeed happened.

Just now, I received a request for aid from Luohe Market Town. It said that Luohe Market Town is currently under attack by seven or eight cultivators at peak Qi Refining and late Qi Refining.

They also possess an Array-Breaking Treasure, the Thunderclap Seed.

Luohe Market Town's Defense Array has now been broken. The situation does not look optimistic."

"What did you say?"

Upon hearing Ji Yunfan's words, both Ji Haoyuan and Ji Bochang were startled, their expressions changing slightly.