Monsters

Qingzhou, Western Mausoleum Kingdom.

Elder Liu, accompanied by the disciples of Heaven-Forging Stronghold, appeared at the foot of a mountain.

They were originally ordered by their Sect Master, Yue Qianlian, to go to the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom to investigate the Ancient City Ruin that had suddenly appeared in the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom and then Human God. However, after completing the Surveying of the area where the Ancient City appeared, the king of the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom sent a message saying that the Ancient City had reappeared in the Western Mausoleum Kingdom.

The two kingdoms of Dongling and Xiling were formed from an Azure Mausoleum Kingdom in a much earlier period. The two kingdoms were at war for a long time, but recently, with the common will of the two kings, they improved their relationship by establishing diplomatic relations and a marriage alliance. The current king of the Western Mausoleum Kingdom is the son-in-law of the king of the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom.

Of course, relations between countries are not so simple. The establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries does not mean that the ruler of the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom will lower his guard against the ruler of the Western Mausoleum Kingdom. If the conditions are right, he would not mind ripping off his son-in-law's army, preferably wiping out all of his soldiers.

However, this time, the Ancient City incident also resulted in the disappearance of a Golden Core Stage Cultivators, making the situation clearly beyond his control. The King of the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom was a cautious man, so he entrusted the matter to Heaven-Forging Stronghold and also reminded the King of the Western Mausoleum Kingdom. Therefore, when the Ancient City reappeared within the Western Mausoleum Kingdom's territory, the King of the Western Mausoleum Kingdom sent people to control the situation, preventing nearby Martial World practitioners and small Cultivation sects from approaching the place. At the same time, he notified the people of Heaven-Forging Stronghold through his father-in-law.

Upon receiving the message, Elder Liu sent a disciple to bring the data and information back to Heaven-Forging Stronghold, while he himself led the remaining disciples to the location of the Ancient City.

"Elder, the Ancient City is there!"

One of his disciples pointed to the mountainside. Elder Liu looked up and, sure enough, there was a huge city halfway up the mountain, which looked very out of place compared to the surrounding forests.

"Retrieve the Puppet and proceed with caution!"

Elder Liu said in a low voice, "All disciples below the Nascent Soul Stage, stay where you are and control the Puppet. Those above the Nascent Soul Stage, come with me. If anything seems amiss, retreat immediately!"

Upon hearing his command, the Heaven-Forging Stronghold Disciple present pulled out many humanoid mechanical Puppet from their pockets. These mechanical Puppet were designed by the Profound Law Academy and their parts were manufactured by Heaven-Forging Stronghold. They were expensive but powerful. After learning how to use them, the people who controlled them could also unleash strength beyond their own cultivation level.

The batch of Puppet brought by Elder Liu are the backbone of Heaven-Forging Stronghold. Their combat strength is all above the Nascent Soul Nascent Soul Stage, comparable to old monsters at the peak of the Nascent Soul. You should know that even in some mid-level sects, Nascent Soul stage Cultivators are the pillars of the Nascent Soul Stage, serving as Elder or Sect Master.

At a command, the Golden Core Stage Heaven-Forging Stronghold Disciple remained where they were, some multitasking, manipulating the Puppet to keep up with their fellow disciples and Elder. Elder Liu, on the other hand, led his disciples and followers at the Nascent Soul Stage and above, each wielding a variety of powerful Magical Artifact artifacts and weapons, and carefully flew up from mid-air to approach the Ancient City halfway up the mountain.

Arriving directly above the Ancient City, Elder Liu and his disciples looked down. Just as described, the interior of the Ancient City was shrouded in darkness, and even with the aid of Arts, they could not see what was happening inside.

Elder Liu pondered for a moment, Spirit Severing Stage raised the magical Magical Artifact in his hand, which resembled Ever-Burning Lamp. With the powerful Mana of the Ever-Burning Lamp instantly transformed into a towering sea of fire, spreading for several miles. Several fire dragons descended from the fire clouds, swirling and roaring as they crashed into the Ancient City under Elder Liu's control.

The fire dragon crashed headfirst into the darkness that enveloped the Ancient City, and then, as if it had crashed into another world, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

"So it really won't work?"

Elder Liu extinguished the sea of fire, but became even more vigilant.

He and his disciples slowly descended to the city gate of the Ancient City. Then, as if they knew of their arrival, the Ancient City gate slowly opened automatically to the inside.

"Activate your inner power technique! Be on high alert!"

Elder Liu took a deep breath and shouted to his disciples.

The disciples simultaneously activated the Heaven-Forging Stronghold mental technique to enhance their Spiritual Sense resistance, and the next moment, sure enough, a Bell Chime ringing with a mental attack came from inside the Ancient City.

The clang of the bell, when it reached the ears of the disciples, transformed into a terrifying buzzing sound, as if hundreds or thousands of people were chanting indistinct words in your ear, or as if hundreds of heavy hammers were relentlessly bombarding your mind and will. Fortunately, Elder Liu had taken precautions in advance, allowing these disciples to activate their mental techniques to resist, thus preventing their Spiritual Sense from being directly destroyed by this Consciousness attack.

Even so, some disciples with shallow cultivation and insufficient mental discipline were still shaken by this mental attack, leaving their heads feeling dizzy.

As the bell tolled, seemingly realizing that these newcomers could not be subdued by the Bell Chime alone, the situation within the Ancient City changed again. The darkness within the city surged for a moment as if it were a tangible object, and suddenly a group of strange humanoid creatures swayed and emerged from the darkness.

These humanoid creatures were entirely black, as if they were created directly from darkness. White patterns on their bodies formed black Runes, making them look extremely eerie.

As they emerged from the darkness of the Ancient City and saw Elder Liu and his group, the previously empty "heads" of these dark creatures suddenly split open into large, jagged slits—presumably their mouths. These dark creatures roared at them, like the tolling of Bell Chime, and this roar also contained the same mental attack, only much weaker than the sound of Bell Chime.

As they roared, they charged towards the group, their limbs and bodies trailing black flames as they charged, instilling an instinctive sense of crisis in the Nascent Soul Stage disciples of Heaven-Forging Stronghold.

Elder Liu raised his hand and waved it, the flame of the Ever-Burning Lamp in his hand turning into a wall of fire, engulfing the black creatures that rushed out. After the flames subsided, all of the dozens of black monsters fell to the ground. On half of them, the black things began to fall off, revealing the bodies below—the dead people.

"Elder, those are missing soldiers from the Eastern Mausoleum Kingdom!"

Someone noticed the clothes on some of the dead bodies and exclaimed in shock.

"Now is not the time to focus on these things."

Elder Liu looked at the remaining half of the black monsters that were swaying as they stood up from the ground. Although he had only made a casual move, it was still the result of Spirit Severing Stage Cultivators plus the flames generated by the high-grade magic Magic Treasure of Heaven-Forging Stronghold. Under the sea of fire, half of these black monsters were still alive. Just based on their ability to withstand attacks, they were no less than Golden Core Stage Cultivators.

"Prepare for battle!"

Elder Liu took a deep breath, but he still felt uncertain.

Dozens of ordinary Golden Core Stage Cultivators were nothing to Elder Liu, a Nascent Spirit Severing Stage Cultivators from the top-tier sect Heaven-Forging Stronghold. But Elder Liu remembered that thousands of people had disappeared along with the Ancient City.

Moreover, among them were Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators, and even two Golden Core Stage Cultivators. Ordinary civilians and soldiers who were possessed were at least at the Golden Core Stage. If even they were possessed by this darkness, just how powerful would they become...?

Seeing the roaring monsters, Elder Liu picked up the Ever-Burning Lamp, its Ever-Burning Lamp flickering in his vision.