The Battle of Changqing

Lan Chang'an sized up the Green-Robed Man on the fourth-tier Roc Bird.

The familiar aura emanating from the other party triggered an instinctive joy and excitement in the Changqing Nascent Soul within him.

True Lord Qingmu's cultivation had reached the peak of the Nascent Soul Early Stage, and his Law Power was even greater than his.

During the Demonic Path War, Lan Chang'an became aware of the potential danger posed by True Lord Qingmu.

Even with fourth-order divination, one can discern the other party's general path and private plans.

Rather than letting this hidden danger remain in the shadows and remain dormant, it's better to take the initiative and bring it into the open.

True Lord Qingmu also sized up Lan Chang'an, his outward expression remaining calm as he suppressed his inner eagerness.

If he can seize this fortuitous opportunity, not only will advancing to the mid-stage be no problem, but he will also greatly increase his lifespan and further enhance his own foundation.

Lan Chang'an stared directly at the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley and suddenly said:

"Grand Elder, we've put on such a stunt, it's time to wrap things up!"

What!

Upon hearing this, True Lord Qingmu's heart skipped a beat, and his pupils contracted to needle size.

His wary gaze swept over Lan Chang'an and the Grand Elder, who were locked in a tense standoff, and his body instinctively assumed a defensive posture, ready to retreat.

Don't listen to his nonsense!

The Beast King Valley Grand Elder was slightly taken aback, his face flushed with anger. He touched the wound on his chest that had not yet fully healed, feeling quite distressed.

He sacrificed ten years of his lifespan to "act," which was indeed quite arduous.

Unfortunately, True Lord Qingmu was unaware of the details of the duel.

Previously, when he was in hiding, in order to avoid being detected by Lan Chang'an, who was also a fellow practitioner of the Evergreen Art, he sealed his Nascent Soul Law Power, had poor sensory abilities, and was thousands of miles away.

Seeing True Lord Qingmu's wary expression, the Grand Elder knew that further explanation would be pointless.

His relationship with Green Wood was based on mutual exploitation; there was no genuine trust between them.

True Lord Qingmu is cautious and suspicious.

Previously, they hadn't even met with the higher-ups of Beast King Valley, but instead established contact indirectly through communications.

The Beast King Valley Grand Elder's eyes flickered as he looked at the two whose Cultivation Method originated from the same source and Law Power auras were extremely similar.

Lan Chang'an's lips moved, accompanied by subtle fluctuations in his Divine Sense, seemingly communicating telepathically.

The Grand Elder felt a chill run down his spine and became secretly on guard.

After all, Beast King Valley was the common enemy of these two "brothers".

Especially True Lord Qingmu, who was nearly killed when he was jointly hunted down by Beast King Valley and Wujian Gate.

Who knows if these two might reach a tacit agreement to eliminate him, this "external enemy," first, and then settle their personal grudges?

Lu Changqing's practice of the forbidden technique of shortening lifespan poses a great threat to him. It cannot be ruled out that his "fellow disciple" True Lord Qingmu also possesses similar methods.

"If these two join forces..."

The Grand Elder felt a sense of crisis he hadn't experienced in centuries when he considered this possibility.

Even if these two were normal Nascent Soul Middle Stage, they wouldn't pose a threat to his life. But forbidden techniques that shorten lifespan are the nemesis of an old man like him who is over a thousand years old.

Even with the life-extending power of his Life-Bound Heavenly Silkworm, plus other life-extending elixirs and precious materials, he only has two or three hundred years of lifespan left, and he can't withstand any more hardship.

The three Nascent Soul faced off, a brief silence falling as they maintained a wary and suspicious distance from each other, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Lan Chang'an chuckled inwardly, confirming that the chain of suspicion among the three parties had formed a closed loop.

Any one of the three is a major enemy of the other two, and there is no guarantee of trust between them.

Among them, the one who bears the greatest risk and the crisis of trust is True Lord Qingmu.

This territory belongs to the battleground between the Dao Defense Alliance and the Beast King Valley. Both Lan Chang'an and his companion have allied forces behind them, including many Nascent Soul True Lord Monarchs.

Even if Green Wood suspected Lan Chang'an of having a trap, he still had to be prepared to be injured after the battle, so that the Devil Dao Sect could reap the benefits and he would face another round of encirclement and pursuit.

Just as the three were facing off.

There was movement in a key town on the front line, 200 miles behind Lan Chang'an.

With the main array fully activated, Fairy Xia led several Core Formation Cultivator and a group of elites, quickly retreating into the territory of the Feng Kingdom.

Judging from the situation, Fairy Xia plans to first retreat to the rear headquarters of the Feng Kingdom before going to support the front lines of the main battlefield in the south. This is safer and avoids taking detours.

Di Yan Jun appeared near the important town to cover the evacuation of Fairy Xia and other elite troops.

Fairy Xia glanced one last time in Lan Chang'an's direction.

Although their relationship was always close and respectful, she always felt that her husband had many secrets.

"I'll do whatever you say."

She kept in mind Lan Chang'an's instructions in the Jade Slip slip.

On the front lines of the battlefield, only Zhang Tieshan can be trusted; any familiar cultivator encountered alone cannot be fully trusted.

The Grand Elder noticed Fairy Xia's movements.

True Lord Xuanbing's combat prowess is no less than that of a veteran Nascent Soul Nascent Soul. Once he leads his elite forces to support the main battlefield, his influence will be considerable.

He raised his palm, and a ring on his thumb gleamed faintly, conveying general information about the main battlefield.

The situation on the main battlefield was unfavorable, the offensive pressure was immense, and casualties were heavy.

The Grand Elder frowned slightly. He had managed to restrain Lan Chang'an, a huge threat, and also hold off Fairy Xia, yet the situation on the main battlefield was so unfavorable.

The loss of the two True Lord, Heiyu and Wanhe, had a significant impact on Beast King Valley.

Moreover, the fighting spirit of the Dao Defense Alliance is completely different from that of the past Demonic Path War.

"The Grand Elder, despite being a fourth-tier Divination Grandmaster, was one step off. Even if I, Lu, don't go to the front lines, the Dao Defense Alliance's chances of victory are still much greater."

Lan Chang'an smiled and communicated telepathically. To True Lord Qingmu, the two seemed to be plotting something.

"Does the Grand Elder naively believe that the Ten Profound Sects won't intervene in this Cultivation War?"

"The Ten Profound Sects? Since the Sacred Gate expanded eastward, they have always abided by their agreement and have never sent Nascent Soul Cultivator to directly intervene in the Cultivation War."

The Grand Elder shook his head, not believing Lan Chang'an's nonsense.

Without external enemies, the Ten Profound Sects were leaderless, disorganized, and plagued by internal strife. The great cultivator who left Great Qing so many years ago was nearing the end of his lifespan.

"Heh, is it possible that besides manpower support, there's no other powerful intervention? The Grand Elder should have heard of the Ancient Treasure [Heaven-Shaking Drum], know about the rare treasure [Demon-Breaking Celestial Blade], and be familiar with the Central Region's ' King-Hunting Array '..."

Lan Chang'an remained calm and composed, smiling serenely.

The Grand Elder's heart sank. After some silent calculation, the Heavenly Secret Fog that had previously shrouded his destiny suddenly dissipated.

With the local forces in the Eastern Region in dire straits, the leaders of the Ten Profound Sects provided the Dao Defense Alliance with unprecedented strategic resources.

Some of these strategic treasures are countered by Beast King Valley or Demonic Path Cultivation Method.

Furthermore, the Ten Profound Sects may request assistance from outside the Ten Sects, without violating the agreement, including providing some targeted "technical guidance".

In the past, when Beast King Valley possessed absolute strength, this type of assistance would not have played a decisive role.

But now, every advantage accumulated becomes an important weight on the scales.

"Alas, a miscalculation!"

"Both are fourth-tier Divination Grandmaster, but can that ' Heavenly Master ' from the Fengyuan Kingdom really surpass me by so much?"

The Grand Elder sighed inwardly, knowing that the Heavenly Master stood behind Lan Chang'an, and that his scheme had ultimately failed.

The Grand Elder turned his gaze to True Lord Qingmu:

"Fellow Daoist Green Wood! As agreed beforehand, I engaged Lu Changqing in a magical duel, causing him mental damage and a significant loss of Law Power."

"The rest is up to you."

The Grand Elder, with an air of "a clear conscience," informed True Lord Qingmu.

Whoosh!

A massive cloud of Law Power erupted from his body, propelling him to the main battlefield at a speed far exceeding his previous speed.

The Grand Elder never intended to sincerely cooperate with True Lord Qingmu.

The situation on the main battlefield is dire, and he needs to return to defend.

Rather than staying here scheming against each other and harboring mutual suspicion, it would be better to let these two "fellow disciples" kill each other, resulting in mutual destruction.

The outcome of the Cultivation War and the survival of Beast King Valley were his primary concerns.

"That old guy..."

The Grand Elder's sudden departure left True Lord Qingmu with a grim expression, feeling as if he had been used and betrayed.

Of course, the departure of the Beast King Valley Grand Elder is not necessarily a bad thing.

With one less powerful leader of the Demonic Sect, there's no need for intrigue and suspicion, and the uncontrollable risks are greatly reduced.

Even more subtle is...

The situation has now become a 1v1.

True Lord Qingmu dared not say he had a 100% chance of winning. Without the Grand Elder as a variable, even if the operation failed, he was confident he could escape unscathed.

Lan Chang'an remained expressionless, watching the direction in which the Grand Elder had departed.

The battle at Beast King Valley did not go well, with heavy casualties, but it was not a complete defeat or collapse.

Sending the Grand Elder to provide support is the most rational and prudent choice at present, at least it avoids taking any risks.

Lan Chang'an, however, sought to maximize profits.

If he can quickly defeat "True Lord Qingmu", he can then return to the main battlefield.

At that time, we will no longer hide our strength or keep a low profile; we will strike unexpectedly and deliver the decisive blow!

There are risks, of course, but they are mainly borne by the Dao Defense Alliance.

Lan Chang'an dared to gamble, unafraid of the Dao Defense Alliance's crushing defeat and collapse.

The Grand Elder, however, dared not gamble.

Moreover, with the help of the Heavenly Master, Lan Chang'an concealed the secrets of heaven and manipulated destiny, thus planting a hidden seed for Beast King Valley.

Whether or not a decisive victory can be achieved, impacting the entire landscape of the Eastern Region, makes this current confrontation crucial.

"Where did Fellow Green Wood Aoki obtain the Evergreen Art?"

Lan Chang'an took the initiative to speak, and the [Black Sky Wings] behind him unfolded, surrounded by black winds, seemingly ready to retreat at any time to support the front-line battlefield.

True Lord Qingmu's Divine Sense was firmly locked onto Lan Chang'an.

His Divine Sense power is comparable to that of Nascent Soul Middle Stage!

The fourth-tier Roc Bird beneath him shifted to the side to prevent Lan Chang'an from suddenly escaping.

"It came from an ancient cave dwelling. It is said to be the temporary residence of the legendary great cultivator ' Yan Donglai ' ten thousand years ago."

True Lord Qingmu spoke slowly and deliberately, as the fourth-tier Roc Bird beneath him approached.

He countered, "Where did Daoist Lu obtain the Evergreen Art?"

"Coincidentally, it was also in Yan Donglai's former cave that I obtained the <Evergreen Art>."

Lan Chang'an laughed heartily, proving he wasn't lying.

In his Previous Life, Xu Xuan obtained half a scroll of the "Evergreen Art" in Yan Donglai's cave.

Now that he had received confirmation from True Lord Qingmu, Lan Chang'an couldn't help but have some guesses.

Judging from the looks of it, Yan Donglai traveled to various parts of the Tianheng Continent, and even overseas.

"Fellow Daoist Green Wood seems to have remained at the peak of the Nascent Soul Early Stage for quite some time. Why haven't you advanced to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage?"

Lan Chang'an probed again.

As True Lord Qingmu approached, he slowly shifted and retreated.

Unbeknownst to them, their route back to the Feng Kingdom and the battlefield of the Demonic Path path was intercepted by True Lord Qingmu.

"Haha! It's precisely because I'm finding it difficult to advance to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage that I've crossed realms to seek out Junior Brother Lu for a discussion on the Dao."

True Lord Qingmu's smile was gentle, and his tone was friendly.

Before he could finish speaking...

The fourth-tier Roc Bird spread its wings and shrieked, stirring up a fierce gust of wind, and approached Lan Chang'an like lightning.

"Green Wood Daoist Aoki! Stop!"

"Lu has something else to say: we don't necessarily have to fight to the death..."

Lan Chang'an exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly retreated.

"Enough with the nonsense! Once True Lord 've captured you, we'll have plenty of time to discuss things."

Being near the territory of the Dao Defense Alliance, True Lord Qingmu dared not delay, for any delay would lead to unforeseen changes.

Lan Chang'an's actions may be a delaying tactic, waiting for reinforcements from the Dao Defense Alliance.

Hundreds of miles later, in a mountain forest.

The faster fourth-tier Roc Bird and True Lord Qingmu finally caught up with Lan Chang'an.

Wood Dao Sword Qi!

With a flick of his finger, True Lord Qingmu unleashed dozens of translucent, azure-colored, wood-patterned Sword Qi, like spring rain, enveloping the area where Lan Chang'an was located.

The Sword Qi appeared gentle, but it contained a deadly killing intent.

Lan Chang'an felt a chill run down his spine, and transformed into several cyan phantoms, swiftly dodging.

Pfft!

The several phantom clones were all shredded by the Wood Dao Sword Qi.

Lan Chang'an moved several miles away in one breath, his protective magic shield broken, making him look disheveled.

True Lord Qingmu possesses even greater Law Power, with the "Wood Dao Body" amplifying the power of Wood Element, let alone sword-based Law Technique Divine Ability.

Boom!

Di Yan Jun used earth-based Law Technique, and stone hills and peaks rose up near Lan Chang'an, blocking much of the Wood Dao Sword Qi.

Numerous rocky hills and peaks were smoothed and leveled by the Sword Qi, a truly terrifying sight.

Lan Chang'an's eyes gleamed with a strange light. He formed hand Hand Seals, and green leaves condensed around him, surging with emerald light.

Illusion Leaf Flying Sword!

Numerous cyan leaves transformed into phantom Flying Sword, flickering erratically and seemingly slowly, before piercing towards True Lord Qingmu in an instant.

"Wood Element Sword Qi fused with illusionary techniques? That's quite rare in Great Qing."

True Lord Qingmu felt a slight stinging pain in his heart, and his consciousness was slightly disturbed.

He steadied himself and unleashed streaks of Yi Wood Dao Sword Qi, which engulfed and annihilated the numerous Illusion Leaf Flying Sword.

at the same time.

The fourth-tier Roc Bird targeted Di Yan Jun, either swooping down with its sharp claws or unleashing long-range gale-force wind blades to suppress the latter, forcing it to retreat underground.

Di Yan Jun transformed into the form of Demon King, and cracks appeared on his stone-skinned body. He was quite wary of the fourth-tier Roc Bird in the sky.

In terms of cultivation level, Di Yan Jun might be slightly ahead of the fourth-tier Roc Bird, but the difference isn't significant.

However, in terms of bloodline and race, the fourth-tier Roc Bird is superior to the Di Yan Jun, and there is even a certain degree of restraint between them.

For a time, both Lan Chang'an and his pet were suppressed by True Lord Qingmu's side.

Spirit Pet to Spirit Pet, master to master.

In a one-on-one fight, Lan Chang'an's cultivation level was lagging behind; while True Lord Qingmu possessed the [Wood Dao Body] which amplified the power of Wood Element Law Technique.

Despite the exquisite skill and considerable mastery of Lan Chang'an's <Illusion Leaf Flying Sword>, it was easily suppressed by his opponent.

Lan Chang'an unleashed his Law Treasure, the Dragon Wood Staff, which transformed into a colossal tree reaching the heavens, blocking the continuous Wood Dao Sword Qi.

True Lord Qingmu chuckled and summoned a strange, thick, charred black wooden stake.

Sizzle!

Blue lightning crackled across the charred wooden stake, its terrifying force resembling Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

"Thunder Wood Stake! You actually possess such a rare and extraordinary natural treasure!"

Lan Chang'an's expression changed drastically, and his Law Power surged wildly.

Amidst the flashes of lightning and thunder, the [Thunder Wood Stake], like a terrifying thunder dragon, slammed into the [Dragon Wood Staff]. The blood-red dragon patterns that swirled on the latter's surface emitted a wisp of smoke and hissed.

The [Dragon Wood Staff] in its giant tree form dimmed and shrank rapidly, returning to Lan Chang'an's front. The refining and restriction patterns on its surface were slightly damaged.

"True Lord Qingmu, you've gone too far!"

Lan Chang'an's face was gloomy. He unfurled the [Black Sky Wings] behind him and retreated while fighting.

At this moment, he understood why True Lord Qingmu was so confident and dared to cross realms to come.

Using the same Cultivation Method, True Lord Qingmu possesses a higher cultivation level and the advantage of a Daoist body.

Even the Spirit Pet and Law Treasure are of higher quality, perfectly countering Lan Chang'an.

"Lu Changqing, why don't you use your Puppet Army Formation?"

True Lord Qingmu manipulated the Wood Dao Sword Qi and the Thunder Wood Stake, pressing down on Lan Chang'an, who barely managed to hold on and kept retreating.

"Your ' Green Profound Sword Formation ' has not been activated either."

Lan Chang'an sneered. If they used the Puppet Army Formation, they would be bogged down in positional warfare.

At that time, True Lord Qingmu will surely set up the powerful "Green Profound Sword Formation".

Once the Puppet Army Formation is deployed, Lan Chang'an will be trapped in his own web, becoming a fixed target for the "Green Profound Sword Formation".

Therefore, Lan Chang'an kept retreating and fighting on the move, refusing to engage in positional warfare with True Lord Qingmu.

"Lu Changqing, you are indeed shrewd! But your constant running away shows you lack even the courage to take a chance. The fortuitous opportunity within you should be seized by this True Lord."

True Lord Qingmu looked down at Lan Chang'an with an indifferent tone and pointed his finger at him.

Call out!

A piece of spiritual wood, shimmering with azure light, flew like an arrow to Lan Chang'an.

"Hmm? This is..."

Lan Chang'an instinctively dodged.

As a result, the azure spirit tree did not attack him, but instead stuck itself in the grass not far away.

At the same moment.

The fourth-tier Roc Bird that had suppressed Di Yan Jun transformed into a streak of wind and lightning, its speed comparable to that of Nascent Soul Middle Stage, and quickly approached Lan Chang'an.

The Roc Bird's massive wings whipped up a hurricane, with a dark blue-green gale swirling at its core, enveloping Lan Chang'an for several miles around.

The powerful pulling force of the hurricane offset some of the assistance from [Black Sky Wings] behind Lan Chang'an.

Lan Chang'an's hair was disheveled, and his Law Power shield hissed and cracked as it was whipped open by several gusts of wind.

As a result, Lan Chang'an's speed was greatly reduced, and he was held back by True Lord Qingmu, making it difficult for him to escape.

"Owner!"

With a look of shame, Di Yan Jun emerged from the ground and charged towards Roc Bird like a spring shoot up from the ground, determined to entangle the latter at all costs.

Lan Chang'an knew that Di Yan Jun had done his best. With the Roc Bird's high mobility and racial advantage, Di Yan Jun could not keep it occupied indefinitely.

At that moment, a strange scene unfolded.

Buzz!

The piece of spiritual wood on the ground shimmered with a bluish light, its grain becoming increasingly detailed and clear.

From the head and facial features to the torso and limbs.

The piece of wood shimmered with the azure light of the Yi Wood, transforming into a lifelike Wood-Veined Man grain, whose appearance was exactly the same as that of True Lord Qingmu.

"This is... the legendary Wood Element Divine Ability, the Wood Dao Avatar!"

Lan Chang'an was shocked and speechless.

This time, it was genuine surprise, not acting as before.

Before reaching the Spirit Transformation stage, the conditions for cultivating an Incarnation are extremely demanding.

To Wood Dao Avatar, one needs a special Cultivation Method or talent to extract and refine a special Wood Spirit Wood. Furthermore, the quality of the Wood Spirit Wood must be extremely high, at least at the Tier 4 High-Grade.

"..."

The Wood-Veined Man had a blank expression, his hands Hand Seals, and his body surging with Nascent Soul- level Wood Element Law Power.

Wood Spiritual Qi erupted like a tidal wave.

Thick, emerald-green vines, as thick as pythons, spread out from the vicinity, crisscrossing and encircling the area around Lan Chang'an, completely sealing it off.

One of the lush green vines had already wrapped around Lan Chang'an's ankle.

"Lu Changqing, why don't you bow your head—"

True Lord Qingmu's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he spread his arms, summoning sixteen Green Profound Wood Sword.

The sixteen Green Profound Wood Sword transformed into ten-zhang-long swords, shimmering with emerald light, like silkworms spinning silk, releasing crisscrossing Sword Qi that swiftly wove a large net of sword formations.

Once the sword formation is set up, it will trap and kill Lu Changqing.

True Lord Qingmu's heart was filled with excitement. He had devoted countless efforts and years of his life to mastering powerful Divine Ability abilities such as the "Green Profound Sword Formation" and the "Wood Dao Body".

He uses his lifespan to acquire real power Divine Ability, cultivates in a low-key manner in ordinary times, and secretly kills and steals treasures at critical moments, constantly arming himself.

This is his path to growth.

In the face of danger, Lan Chang'an remained calm and composed, allowing the vine Law Technique of the "Wood Dao Avatar" to entangle his legs.

He opened his palm, and the [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan] floated above it, as Evergreen Mana surged into this top-grade Law Treasure.

As he looked around, numerous thick vines completely surrounded Lan Chang'an.

"Open!"

Lan Chang'an wielded the [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan] and swung it fiercely at True Lord Qingmu, who was setting up a sword formation.

Whoosh--

The ancient black Feather Fan, shimmering with five colors of spiritual light, swept out five compressed and twisted clusters of poisonous fire—cyan, green, blue, purple, and red—emitting a dangerous aura.

Accompanied by the sharp, chaotic cries of five birds, five balls of poisonous fire swept towards True Lord Qingmu and Wood Dao Avatar in a fan shape, erupting with a deafening roar.

The explosive five-colored poisonous fire charred the vines surrounding Lan Chang'an, turning them into black powder that filled the sky.

The Wood-Veined Man formed hand Hand Seals and stood in front of True Lord Qingmu, creating a Wood Element spiritual light barrier about a foot thick in front of him.

However, under the continuous bombardment of the five clusters of poisonous fire, the Wood Element spiritual light barrier shattered.

With a "bang".

The Wood-Veined Man was blasted away by five balls of poisonous fire, his body charred black and seriously injured.

The Wood Dao Avatar only Law Power of a Nascent Soul, and its spirit wood body was countered by Fire Element Law Technique, so it naturally couldn't withstand the full force of the [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan].

"This fan is quite powerful; it seems to be a replica of the magical Spirit Treasure [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan]."

True Lord Qingmu's Green Profound Sword Formation was about to be set up, with countless azure Sword-Ray flashing across the sky, opening a huge maw as if to swallow Lan Chang'an.

Suddenly!

From the dissipating poisonous flames, three flying poison needles shot out silently and with lightning speed.

The sound of the mechanism inside Lan Chang'an's Poison Fire Fan came later.

"Careful!"

True Lord Qingmu's expression changed; he hadn't expected that after the initial burst of Poison Fire Fan, there were also hidden poison needles.

Of the three poisoned needles, only one was aimed at True Lord Qingmu.

The other two poisoned feather needles, tracing eerie arcs, pierced straight at the fourth-tier Roc Bird on the other side of the battlefield, obscured by poisonous fire and smoke.

The Roc Bird is fighting fiercely with Di Yan Jun, and the two are locked in a heated battle.

Upon hearing its master's reminder, two poisonous feather needles had already pierced the Roc Bird's body.

A weapon aimed at its face startled the Roc Bird, causing it to burst into speed and flap its wings to dodge it.

Laugh!

Another poisoned dart pierced its large, outstretched wings, delivering a devastating blow.

"Level 4 deadly poison!"

The injured wing of the Roc Bird sent a stinging, numb sensation through it. The combined power of the poison spread from the wing up the torso, throughout its entire body.

As a fourth-tier Avian King, its physique surpasses that of a human Nascent Soul cultivator, but is weaker than that of a scaled beast.

The injured and poisoned Roc Bird suffered a loss of strength and speed.

Call!

With bloodshot eyes, Di Yan Jun stirred up a cloud of yellow dust as he fiercely pounced on the Roc Bird, biting and refusing to let go.

"This boy is truly treacherous and cunning!"

Upon hearing the mournful cry of the Roc Bird, True Lord Qingmu, who was operating the sword formation, turned grim.

A Flying Feather Needle aimed at him was knocked away by the Green Profound Sword before it could even get close.

At the critical moment, True Lord Qingmu could no longer control his Spirit Pet. He manipulated a sword formation interwoven with azure sword light, covering an area of several hundred feet and trapping Lan Chang'an.

Lan Chang'an showed no weakness, and sixteen Puppet appeared around him, gathering a huge amount of puppet power and electric arcs to form a thick purple-blue light shield, with electric sparks flashing incessantly.

Sixteen Puppet of the third rank or higher are the limit of this Puppet Array, which can withstand the offensive of a peak Nascent Soul Early Stage in positional warfare.

"This kid is hiding his true intentions well. The initial intelligence we received indicated that he was using four Puppet to construct Puppet Array."

True Lord Qingmu was slightly surprised.

The azure Sword-Ray activated by the Green Profound Sword Formation flashed and flickered densely, its brightness fluctuating, rubbing against the Puppet Army Formation's puppet power shield.

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing sound rang out as metal and wood clashed.

The puppet power shield trembled, its light shifting, and occasionally tiny cracks appeared, only to be quickly repaired by the replenished puppet power.

Even the seemingly invincible Green Profound Sword Formation could not quickly break through such a Puppet Army Formation.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't test this person's defensive methods."

Lan Chang'an was slightly disappointed and retrieved the three flying feather poison needles from the [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan] in his hand.

"Let's join forces to break this formation."

With his Spirit Pet and clones suffering repeated losses, True Lord Qingmu had a bad feeling and knew he couldn't delay any longer.

He took out a weathered Ancient Mirror, which transformed into a cold light and landed in the hand of his Wood Dao Avatar.

The Wood-Veined Man took the Ancient Mirror and infused it with Nascent Soul level Wood Element Law Power.

Buzz!

The Ancient Mirror shimmered with light, slowly condensing into a dazzling mystical light, shimmering with blue, green, and red spots of light.

"Arctic Profound Light!"

Lan Chang'an was moved, but due to his battle against True Lord Qingmu and the Green Profound Sword Formation, he was unable to stop them in time.

Puff!

The thick protective barrier of the Puppet was pierced by the Arctic Profound Light, which struck one of the sixteen Puppet.

A loud bang.

The Puppet that was hit had a charred hole in its chest and exploded on the spot.

Fortunately, it didn't affect the other Puppet.

The power of the Puppet Army Formation was immediately reduced by nearly 10%.

"A mere clone dares to act so arrogantly!"

Lan Chang'an's expression was unfriendly as he glanced at the Wood-Veined Man holding the Ancient Mirror.

He was currently fighting against two Nascent Soul Cultivator.

The more powerful Law Treasure, the greater the burden of Law Power Divine Sense it needs to bear.

Lan Chang'an was already at his limit in controlling the Puppet Army Formation and occasionally activating the [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan].

The Wood Dao Avatar can help True Lord Qingmu wield Law Treasure.

Lan Chang'an casually waved his sleeve.

Swish!

Among the dozen or so Puppet, an inconspicuous Green-Armored Puppet appeared.

True Lord Qingmu initially thought they were backup Puppet to supplement the army formation.

But in the next instant, the Green-Armored Puppet transformed into a blurry bluish-gray afterimage, flashing towards the Wood-Veined Man with incredible speed.

The Green-Armored Puppet's eye sockets flickered with eerie green flames. It raised its massive, thorn-covered Puppet Arm shield, which was enveloped in a chilling Cyan Iron Gale, and slammed it into the Wood-Veined Man.

Thud!

The Wood-Veined Man, holding Ancient Mirror, was preparing his next attack when he was struck solidly by an unexpected blow.

The Wood Dao Avatar flew backwards for dozens of feet, almost breaking in two at the waist, with dense cracks appearing on its surface.

The Ancient Mirror and Law Treasure in his hand also fell to the ground.

The Green-Armored Puppet was about to snatch the Ancient Mirror Law Treasure when it transformed into a cold light and returned to the hands of True Lord Qingmu.

"A fourth-tier Puppet! You... you're actually a fourth-tier Puppet Refining Grandmaster?"

True Lord Qingmu, who had retrieved his Law Treasure, was taken aback.

Qingjia severely injured Wood Dao Avatar with a single blow, attempting to seize the magic Law Treasure. Its quick wit and agility surpassed those of a normal fourth-tier Puppet.

True Lord Qingmu could not believe it. Lan Chang'an was only over four hundred years old, yet he was proficient in Talisman and Puppet, and had even mastered the more difficult Puppet Refinement Art to the fourth-level grandmaster level.

Currently, Wood Dao Avatar is severely injured, losing most of its combat power.

On the other side, the fourth-tier Roc Bird was injured and poisoned, and was being brutally beaten by Di Yan Jun.

The sudden change in the situation intensified True Lord Qingmu's bad premonition.

Lan Chang'an's endless stream of tricks and trump cards seemed to be slowly luring the bait to take the bait.

Having gained the upper hand in succession, Lan Chang'an once again brandished the [Five-Bird Poison Fire Fan] and shouted loudly:

"The True Lord Qingmu has revealed almost all of his methods; the Green Profound Sword Formation will share the enormous Law Power Divine Sense."

"We cannot afford to drag this out; we must act swiftly and decisively!"

This tone made True Lord Qingmu feel uneasy.

Not good!

A sudden chill ran down his spine; a nameless shiver pierced his heart.

A corner that no one noticed.

From the shadow of a rock behind True Lord Qingmu, a cloaked figure emerged eerily, slowly raising its hand in complete silence.

Laugh!

A Shadow Blade swept across the shallow layer of the void, flashing in an instant, and slashed at the back of True Lord Qingmu's head.

(End of this chapter)