The Cunning Ironclad Corpse! Tactical Retreat

Tens of thousands of nautical miles away, after receiving a message from Chen Dengming's true form via a small telepathic array, Su Yan Yan quickly entrusted the relocation to Gongshu Zai and other Golden Core Great Cultivator from the sect, such as Guan Chao and Ran Yiqiang, while he himself rushed to provide assistance tens of thousands of miles away.

The journey of over 40,000 nautical miles, even at her full-speed flight, would take her an hour to reach, even as a straight line.

Not to mention that if they pass through the airspace of some powerful overseas Immortal Sect, they will have to take a detour, and it will conservatively take an hour and a half to reach Chen Dengming to rescue him.

"An hour and a half is still too slow."

Su Yan Yan's bright, beautiful eyes suddenly sharpened, and as she shifted her Immortal Celestial Dao Power, a blue-green light instantly appeared in her eyes and throughout her body.

What affects her flight speed is, of course, wind resistance in the air.

However, once one enters the state of the Heavenly Immortal Dao Domain, one can easily control the air in the sky, and with a thought, one can dispel wind resistance.

Even in the Heavenly Immortal Dao Domain state, her Mental Strength and Dao power would be rapidly depleted, but she could still increase her speed by one or two times to the maximum extent.

If she adjusts properly, flying in the Heavenly Immortal Dao Domain for a period of time, and then flying in normal state to recover her Dao power and Mental Strength, she might not have lost much power by the time she reaches her destination.

She quickly entered the state of the Heavenly Immortal Dao Domain, and the rapidly surging air currents in the surrounding environment seemed to slow down.

A massive influx of information flooded my mind.

Her eyes blazed with blue light, and with a thought, the air resistance in front of her vanished instantly.

With a deafening boom, a dense sonic boom cloud was left in mid-air. Her dress clung tightly to her body as Su Yan Yan's figure flew out at a much faster speed than before, disappearing instantly, and getting faster and faster.

The mountains are majestic and shrouded in mist.

A magnificent, colossal iron castle stands atop the winding Spirit Vein.

This sect, which doesn't resemble a cultivation sect but rather a fortress or stronghold in a mortal war, is filled with towering towers, each inlaid with different runes, seemingly forming a special Formation.

The square in front of the gate is wide and has a dense network of stone steps. Strangers resembling terracotta warriors stand in the square, exuding Sha Qi.

The city gate is tall and imposing, constructed from dozens of massive stones, exuding a profound and ancient aura.

In the small area behind the sect, there is a pavilion, guarded by four stone beasts. On the pavilion hangs a flag with the three characters "Iron Armor Sect" in gold on a red background, reflecting a magnificent and imposing atmosphere.

At this moment, deep within the castle, outside a secluded bamboo grove with thousands of bamboo stalks, a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe waited outside the grove, barely daring to breathe.

Inside the forest, a gaunt Daoist priest with a fierce appearance and a sinister aura sat on a blue wooden stool. His bushy beard trembled with his breath, emitting a cold, rotting corpse-like smell. His brows were furrowed as he used his Divine Sense to remotely perceive the situation in the distance.

He was Lou Zhen, the Nascent Soul Ancestor the Iron Armor Sect Lou Zhen, who had only recently awakened from a state of near-death.

Over the past few hundred years, except when the sect faced danger, he has rarely awakened, and has always been in a special state of returning from life to death.

In that special state, he could slowly increase his cultivation level and prolong his life, enjoying a lifespan almost comparable to that of a zombie.

However, over time, people gradually become rigid and eventually turn into zombies, which is difficult to reverse.

Therefore, he would often wake up every sixty Jiazi.

However, this time, he was awakened prematurely from his state of deep meditation.

If it weren't for the fact that it involved Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein, Lin Wai would have dared to awaken the sect's Golden Core cultivator, and even if he didn't become a blood sacrifice, he would have been severely punished.

Even so, for a short time, due to the blockage of Blood Qi in his body, he was unable to move and could only wander in spirit.

"Elder Wang Pingying the Hall of Affairs of the City of All Immortals, who was once a minor Daoist from the Azure Dragon Sect. My Iron Armor Sect has no connection with him. Why would this boy offer me such a fortuitous opportunity?"

Even the Azure Dragon Sect would value Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein immensely.

While profits are certainly tempting, they are often accompanied by enormous risks.

Why wouldn't the Azure Dragon Sect take the benefits?

Did you kindly give it to him, Iron Armor Sect?

The Golden Core Great Cultivator outside the forest, sensing the ancestor's questioning voice, immediately bowed and boldly replied.

"Ancestor, Elder Wang used his position to reveal this information to me. Before revealing it, he asked me if I needed it. If I didn't need it, he wouldn't dare to leak it. He was quite cautious."

I suspect that since this matter involves violations, he wouldn't dare report it to the sect. Therefore, after careful consideration, he took it upon himself to agree first, signed a confidentiality agreement with him, and stipulated the benefits he would receive before obtaining this information."

The middle-aged man in black robes paused, then added, "Furthermore, the one who discovered that Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein was a cultivator from an overseas sect. Elder Wang stated that he did not want to see our domestic resources fall into the hands of overseas sects."

But since the other party is operating within the rules, he can't directly stop it; he can only leak the information. If we're interested, we'll offer them a bribe to buy the information; if we're not interested, we'll just let it go.

"Cultivators from overseas sects? It's already against regulations for overseas sects to develop their businesses in our Eastern Immortal Sea, and now they want to occupy Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein, how can that be compliant?"

Lou Zhen, the Iron Armor Ancestor, had a look of doubt in his eyes.

The middle-aged man in black robes immediately informed them of the recent events that had occurred in the Eastern Immortal Sea and the four regions.

Lou Zhen slowly nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He pondered, "Even though the initial ancestor of the Longevity Sect Spirit Transformation currently missing, and several Nascent Soul Ancestor are all serving in the military, they are not all dead; they are simply too busy to deal with the situation."

If I were to personally take action, the old tortoise of the Longevity Sect might seek revenge later.

However, given that this concerns Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein, it's not wrong for Yan Nan to quickly resolve the matter, but it shouldn't have been done by me personally."

Having thought this through, Lou Zhen made up his mind and slowly spoke with his back to the middle-aged man in black robes.

"Yan Nan, now that the Longevity Sect cultivator has obtained certification, how do you plan to seize this Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein?"

Yan Nan was taken aback, then realized that the ancestor was not planning to take action personally.

His expression betrayed his embarrassment.

I thought that once the patriarch heard that it was Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein, he would definitely take action personally and make the final decision.

However, the patriarch does not intend to take action now. With the strength of the Iron Armor Sect, it would be necessary for all five Golden Core cultivators to come out in full force to secure the Spirit Vein.

However, he naturally dared not directly express such complaints and demands for the ancestor to take action. Instead, he immediately revealed his concerns and plans, concluding with...

"Ancestor, according to Elder Wang, as long as we can destroy the proof and the Sound-Image Pearl in the hands of the Longevity Dao Child, we can achieve our goal."

Therefore, the Longevity Sect could not prove that they were the first to discover this Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein blessed land.

As long as there is any dispute over this place, we can directly raise our concerns with the Four Seas Cultivation Alliance. Ultimately, this place will most likely belong to our Iron Armor Sect. Even if the elders of the Longevity Sect return, they will be powerless against us.

But that Longevity Dao Child is, after all, Dao Child, and I'm afraid."

Lou Zhen chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Yan Nan, you're overthinking it. I've dealt with cultivators from the Longevity Sect before. While they certainly live long lives, they're notoriously weak in combat. Dao Child is stronger, but only to a limited extent."

Yan Nan sighed inwardly upon hearing this.

He had naturally heard the news, but it concerned Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein, and the Longevity Sect still had a Nascent Soul Ancestor who was not serving in the military and might appear at any time in that Spirit Vein area.

To be on the safe side, it was natural for our own ancestor to personally take action and swiftly resolve the situation.

But now it seems that the patriarch clearly has no intention of taking action himself.

"Shen Tu and the other two have been gone for almost half a day now. You and Peng Zhongkui should go together too. If the five of you attack together, there won't be any trouble. I will observe from afar with my Divine Sense!"

Lou Zhen's calm yet undeniable voice rang out.

Yan Nan felt helpless and even somewhat regretful.

Having cultivated to his level, he was no longer a naive youth.

While Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein is indeed very tempting, the thought of risking his life to do so, potentially encountering a Nascent Soul Nascent Soul from the Longevity Sect, makes him somewhat hesitant.

However, now that the ancestor has been awakened and the matter has been reported, all that remains is to do our utmost to complete it.

At the same time.

Above the strait near the blessed cave, three figures exuding a faint spiritual aura hovered in mid-air, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly, and the aurora borealis to dance enchantingly.

Their Divine Sense intertwined and spread out like a net, meticulously searching every corner of the strait, their expressions filled with wonder.

Where are those three big people from just now?

"They've disappeared! They ran away as soon as they saw us? No wonder they're cultivators from the Longevity Sect, notorious for being useless in combat. They ran away before we even started fighting."

The three Iron Armor Sect cultivators, who were initially on high alert, exchanged casual conversations while simultaneously searching for the three with their Divine Sense, all while remaining constantly vigilant.

No matter how much they might outwardly look down on them, they are still cultivators of the same realm, so it's impossible for them to let their guard down.

Hidden among the trees beside the rocky cliffs below the strait, Chen Dengming's Heavenly Immortal Clone was concealed within using the Wood Escape Technique, secretly sensing the three figures above radiating spiritual power.

"Two Golden Core Early Stage and one Golden Core Late Stage. This is rather troublesome. If my main body used the Soul-Reaping Bow, it might be able to solve the problem, but now I have two clones..."

In the rock crevice at the bottom of the water on the other side, Qiao Zhaoxian used the earth escape technique to escape into it. He also looked solemn and felt troubled.

"If Old Chen himself were here, he would still have a chance of winning against these three guys."

"But now we only have two useless guys, Green Hair Red Hair, plus a stupid dog. How are we supposed to fight them?"

He's not like this; it's frustrating to keep it hidden like this.

But the Nascent Soul Divine Sense that had just passed by was no joke.

The situation is indeed dire, and we must try to buy as much time as possible.

The longer the delay, the better for them, as it ensures their safety once the war begins.

However, now that the three Golden Core cultivators have begun searching with their Divine Sense, they cannot remain hidden for long before they are discovered.

"Old Qiao, I'll try to distract them later and buy them some more time."

If the rest haven't been lured away, they're yours. If the remaining ones are Golden Core Late Stage cultivators, try to lead them south to reunite with my main body who's on its way."

At this moment, Chen Dengming's Divine Sense transmitted a message, which resonated deep within Qiao Zhaoxian's mind.

Before Qiao Zhaoxian could respond, the Divine Sense of a Golden Core Cultivator from the Iron Armor Sect had already detected the hiding place of one of Chen Dengming's clones.

With a whoosh.

Chen Dengming's Heavenly Immortal Clone instantly broke free from the Wood Escape Technique, flew off the tree branch, transformed into a streak of light, and flew straight into the distance.

"Found it!"

A Golden Core Great Cultivator Iron Armor Sect from the Ironclad Sect with prominent cheekbones was overjoyed and immediately gave chase. But as he flew away, he realized what was happening and turned back to look at the Golden Core Late Stage cultivator with bluish-purple skin.

"Senior Brother Shen Tu!?"

Go ahead.

The Golden Core Late Stage cultivator with bluish-purple skin had a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Why was the aura of this enemy so weak? It seemed to be just a fake Golden Core cultivator, not a Dao Child.

However, just to be on the safe side, he turned to another Golden Core Early Stage cultivator beside him and said, "Junior Brother Wu, you go with Junior Brother Mo. If this person has something in his possession, you two know what to do."

"Good!"

The Wu-surnamed Cultivator, dressed in a dark blue Daoist robe, immediately agreed and quickly flew out to join the Golden Core Cultivator surnamed Mo. Together they chased after Chen Dengming's Heavenly Immortal Clone.

If they were only looking for Fourth-Rank Spirit Vein, they could have ignored the Longevity Sect cultivators and simply fled.

But since the goal is to destroy the evidence and Sound-Image Pearl in the other party's hands, then no one can be spared; everyone must be stopped to ensure absolute safety.

At this time.

Seeing that the two Golden Core Early Stage cultivators had been lured away, Qiao Zhaoxian sensed the aura of the Golden Core Late Stage cultivator in mid-air, and all sorts of daring thoughts began to sprout in his mind.

He was just a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator; he wasn't inexperienced in battle.

Of course, I wouldn't dare say we can win.

But it would be difficult for the other party to do anything to him; at most, they could only injure him.

But this is not the time to be reckless. No one can guarantee that the other side may have Nascent Soul cultivator hiding in the shadows to observe.

"How dare I! How dare I! How dare I! I never thought I, Qiao Zhaoxian, would one day have to learn this trick from the old tortoise of the Longevity Sect!"

Qiao Zhaoxian kept repeating to himself, suppressing his restlessness, and continued to remain still.

However, at this moment, Shen Tu Jingming's Divine Sense had gradually covered and swept over.

Even if he continues to hide, he can't hide for much longer.

Once he could no longer hide, he had no choice but to immediately follow Chen Dengming's instructions and flee south, hoping that he might still have a chance to reunite with Chen Dengming's true form and attempt a counterattack.

The prerequisite is that the Nascent Soul Nascent Soul from the Iron Armor Sect is not nearby; otherwise, the situation would be extremely dangerous.

Time ticked by, second by second.

A booming sound soon came from afar, clearly indicating that two Iron Armor Sect Golden Core Cultivator from the Ironclad Sect had caught up with Chen Dengming's Heavenly Immortal Clone and engaged in battle.

The speed of a fake Core Formation clone is nowhere near that of Golden Core Cultivator.

The roar of battle quickly subsided.

Almost simultaneously, Shen Tu Jingming's Divine Sense also swept into the crevice where Qiao Zhaoxian hiding.

"Um?"

A sharp glint flashed in Shen Tu Jingming.

"Bang--"

The seawater burst open, creating a spray of white foam.

Qiao Zhaoxian's figure flew out instantly, his powerful spiritual energy erupting as he swiftly tore through the air.

Shen Tu Jingming frowned, realizing that the third person had not yet appeared.

However, his two other junior Junior Brother had already returned by this time. He snorted coldly and sent out his Divine Sense.

"You two keep an eye on the third person; I'll handle this one."

His body was surrounded by chaotic spiritual light, with wisps of bewitching aurora appearing. His figure left a trail of afterimages, and the Law Treasure Corpse Chain beneath his feet flashed, instantly tearing through the air and disappearing.

They had only chased for a few nautical miles when a fierce wind blew up ahead, and a huge, blurry ship, suddenly enlarged in the wind and filled with thick fog, crashed down on them.

Shen Tu Jingming sneered, a blood-red talisman floating on the back of his hand. Suddenly, he stretched out his palm, and a withered Red Hair, corpse-like hand unleashed a ghastly bloody light, followed by a flash of emerald red light.

A pungent, greenish stench filled the air. A gigantic claw-like shadow, resembling the claw of a roc, grew to the size of a house. Its runes were intricate and unpredictable. It quickly closed in and forcefully seized the Primordial Qi Bracelet that was crushing down upon it.

"Clang!"

A ghastly blue flame erupted, illuminating half the sky.

The Primordial Qi Bracelet let out a mournful cry, shrank, and bounced back, having been corroded by the strange green corpse energy.

Qiao Zhaoxian's expression changed instantly, but he didn't change his speed. After recalling the Primordial Qi Bracelet, he fled at top speed.

This Golden Core Late Stage cultivator was too powerful. Even though he tried his best to deal with him, two other Golden Core Cultivator returned and led him towards Old Chen's location.

"Don't let the Nascent Soul out! Don't let the Nascent Soul out! Don't let the Nascent Soul out!"

Qiao Zhaoxian exclaimed inwardly, his speed astonishing, and he sped away at breakneck speed.

"The Longevity Sect cultivators are certainly fast at escaping!"

Shen Tu Jingming smiled faintly, and his black robe suddenly rose up, covered with densely etched runes, revealing wisps of eerie black mist. Countless vengeful spirits and evil demons, seemingly tangible, surrounded him, as if countless black wings were flapping.

Whoosh--

He also pursued Qiao Zhaoxian at an extremely fast speed; his normal escape speed was no slower than Qiao Zhaoxian's.

"Do you think I Qiao Taotao, am worthy of such a reputation?"

Qiao Zhaoxian snorted coldly, and suddenly his spiritual power surged, his face turned red, and his eyes became bloodshot. With a "whoosh," he tore through five or six layers of white air waves and sped away.

"Hmm?" Shen Tu Jingming's expression changed slightly, and he frowned. "His escape speed is so fast, could he be the Longevity Dao Child? Is the item on him?"

Six thousand miles away.

On the Golden Rhyme Reverse Light Boat, Chen Dengming's white hair fluttered in the wind, and his expression gradually became solemn.

"Old Qiao!"

He suddenly stood up, his eyes surging with blue Dao power. He leaped into the air, put away his spirit boat, and purple light burst forth behind him, instantly transforming into a pair of unfolded purple wings, crackling with electric arcs.

Core Power was channeled into the Purple Winged Double Wings, causing them to flash with purple light. With a flap of the wings, the air trembled with a crackling sound, leaving behind an afterimage.

Chen Dengming's figure appeared like a bolt of lightning, his eyes blazing with blue Dao power that pushed through the air before he vanished in an instant.

With the rapid enhancement of his Purple Winged Double Wings and Heavenly Immortal Dao Domain, his escape speed even briefly surpassed that of a top-tier third-order spirit boat.

Furthermore, Qiao Zhaoxian was also approaching him at an astonishing speed.

The two will soon reunite; both are Golden Core Late Stage cultivators. With their combined strength, they might just be able to reverse the tide of battle.

(Bonus chapter tomorrow, no questions asked! Please vote for me!)