Ambush at the Valley Entrance

Three flying boats tore through the increasingly dense, viscous gray-black mist at the outskirts of Burial Demon Valley like three sharp arrows, speeding toward the spine-chilling source of evil energy deep within.

The deeper they went, the harsher the environment became. Not only had the sinister death energy grown several times denser, but the air had also begun to carry a faint scent of blood, along with an ancient, chaotic, malicious pressure, as though some terrifying existence that had slumbered for ages was slowly awakening.

Mo Yuan, who had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, sat cross-legged on the Azure Wood Boat, doing his utmost to stabilize his cultivation.

The Foundation Establishment stage felt completely different from the Qi Refinement stage. The range of his divine sense had expanded severalfold, and his perception and control of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy had become far more precise.

Though the violet-gold lake of True Essence in his Dantian was not large, every drop of True Essence contained power far beyond what it once had.

More importantly, the indestructible wisp of Thunder Emperor's Will fused into his Dao foundation caused a faint thunderous pressure to naturally emanate from his body. Ordinary sinister energy could not approach him at all, and even the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear in his hand appeared all the more mystical.

His breakthrough undoubtedly gave the entire group a powerful boost of confidence.

The Maoshan disciples looked at him with reverence and excitement, while Chen Feng and Zhao Gan even took the initiative to move closer.

"Senior Brother Mo, congratulations on reaching Foundation Establishment!" Chen Feng said sincerely, his tone more respectful than ever.

In the cultivation world, the capable came first. Though Mo Yuan was young, his strength and potential had already surpassed theirs by far. Chen Feng called him "Senior Brother" with complete conviction.

Zhao Gan scratched his head and chuckled. "Senior Brother Mo, that commotion when you broke through scared those fellows from Dragon Tiger Mountain and Ge Zao Mountain half to death. Let's see who still dares look down on us Maoshan disciples now!" His words brimmed with the pride of finally holding his head high.

Mo Yuan smiled faintly and restrained the thunderous pressure he had unconsciously been releasing, lest it put pressure on his fellow disciples.

"It was merely luck. The dangers ahead remain unknown. We still need to work together."

His gaze swept over Chen Feng and Zhao Gan. "Senior Brother Chen's sword arts are fierce, and Senior Brother Zhao's foundation is solid. If we encounter battle later, I will need both senior brothers' support."

His attitude was humble, and he had not become arrogant because his cultivation had risen. Chen Feng and Zhao Gan felt even more comfortable because of it and promptly declared that they would give their all.

Just then, Xuan Ji, the martial uncle responsible for piloting the flying boat and scouting ahead, suddenly shouted in a grave voice, "Careful! There are formation fluctuations ahead. Prepare for battle!"

Almost at the same instant his words fell, the space before the three flying boats twisted.

Countless black, tentacle-like shadows suddenly shot out from the void, weaving into a massive net that blotted out the sky. Carrying bizarre power that corroded spiritual energy and ensnared souls, it descended upon the three flying boats.

At the same time, dense poisonous bone arrows and evil spell light spheres containing sinister energy blasts shot out from behind the jagged rocks on both sides.

"The Netherworld Soul-Devouring Net! It's an ambush by the Netherworld Organization and the Black Fiend Sect!"

Xuan Ji's expression darkened. His Peach Wood Sword flew from its sheath in an instant, its golden light surging as a fierce sword aura prepared to slash at the black net.

"Wait, Junior Brother Xuan Ji!"

The martial grand-uncle who had remained silent until now suddenly spoke. At some point, an ancient formation disk had appeared in his hand, speckled with starlight. "This net is connected to the sinister energy of the earth veins. Destroying it by force may trigger energy turbulence across a wider area and disrupt the flying boats' stability.

Senior Brother Qing Ming, please use the Clarity Dao Sound to disrupt its energy nodes! Disciples of all sects, form defensive formations and clear out the harassment from both sides!"

The orders were issued clearly, displaying the martial grand-uncle's wealth of experience and battlefield command ability.

Upon hearing this, an old Daoist in yellow robes leading the Dragon Tiger Mountain group immediately formed hand seals and chanted an incantation. A Dao sound that was upright and peaceful, yet carried the power to cleanse evil, rippled outward like waves of water and struck several key connection points of the black net, causing its glow to flicker unstably.

The disciples aboard the three flying boats immediately sprang into action as well.

Under Xuan Ji's command, the Maoshan disciples swiftly formed a small Three Talents Sword Formation. Their sword lights connected into one, blocking most of the incoming bone arrows and evil spell light spheres.

The Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples brought out all kinds of magical artifacts and spirit talismans. Golden light flashed brilliantly, forming a wall of bronze and iron.

The Ge Zao Mountain disciples were the most unusual. Rather than attack directly, they swiftly threw out several formation flags and set up a small defensive spiritual light formation around the flying boats, strengthening their overall defenses.

Mo Yuan did not immediately join the sword formation. His sharp gaze swept across the battlefield.

He discovered that the cultists attacking from behind the strange rocks were not acting in disorder. They were faintly divided into several squads, coordinating with one another, and their attacks followed a clear pattern. Someone formidable was clearly directing them from behind the scenes.

Moreover, he keenly sensed an extremely concealed yet powerful aura hidden within the shadow of an especially tall stone pillar on the left. It was at least at the middle Foundation Establishment stage and was very likely the commander of this ambush!

"Martial Uncle Xuan Ji, there is a powerful enemy hiding in the shadow of the stone pillar on the left. He should be their commander!" Mo Yuan immediately transmitted his voice to Xuan Ji.

Hearing this, a cold glint flashed through Xuan Ji's eyes. He had sensed that aura as well.

"I'll deal with him! Mo Yuan, you have only just entered Foundation Establishment. This battle is perfect for familiarizing yourself with your power. Assist Senior Brother Qing Ming in breaking the net, and clear out those annoying flies!" With that, his figure flashed, transforming into a streak of golden light as he charged at the shadow beneath the stone pillar. In an instant, he clashed with a dark figure that rose to meet him, golden light and ghostfire intertwining as shockwaves surged.

Having received his orders, Mo Yuan no longer hesitated.

He stepped off the Azure Wood Boat and used the Swift Lightning Step beneath his feet. His figure appeared like a phantom at the flank of the flying boats, where a squad of five or six Black Fiend Sect members, led by a minor leader at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, was frantically unleashing evil spells at the boats.

"Stop him!"

The minor leader at the ninth level of Qi Refinement saw Mo Yuan approaching alone. Though he sensed the other man's Foundation Establishment aura, he relied on his numerical advantage and grinned viciously as he commanded his subordinates to surround him.

Mo Yuan's gaze was icy. He did not even use the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear.

He merely held two fingers together like a sword as thunderous True Essence surged within him. A strand of platinum lightning fused with Geng Metal Thunderous Evil danced at his fingertips.

"Too noisy."

He casually pointed forward! A condensed platinum lightning arrow, as fine as a thread and impossibly fast, shot through the air!

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Like it possessed intelligence, the lightning arrow traced a bizarre arc through the air and instantly pierced through the foreheads of three cultists, leaving behind small charred holes. The three died without even a groan. Its momentum undiminished, it continued toward the minor leader.

The minor leader's face drained of color. He desperately brought out a bone shield to block it!

"Crack!"

The bone shield was like paper before the lightning arrow and shattered instantly! The arrow shot straight into his chest, thunder erupting and carbonizing his internal organs in an instant!

An instant kill! And such an effortless one at that!

The remaining two cultists were terrified out of their wits and turned to flee.

Mo Yuan did not even look at them. With a backhand flick, he sent out two tiny arcs of lightning that accurately struck their hearts from behind, ending their lives.

Clean and efficient! After reaching Foundation Establishment, his control over his power had become even more exquisite. Dealing with these Qi Refinement evil cultivators required almost no effort at all.

His swift elimination of an enemy squad immediately drew the attention of cultists in other directions, as well as astonished looks from the disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain and Ge Zao Mountain.

"What formidable thunder arts!"

A resolute-looking young man carrying a longsword in the Dragon Tiger Mountain group could not help but praise him. He was one of Dragon Tiger Mountain's core disciples on this expedition, Zhang Tianyun, Zhang Tianyuan's cousin, and he too was at the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Over at Ge Zao Mountain, Luo Li, who had once fought Mo Yuan during the martial competition, also had a flash of surprise in her cool eyes.

She could sense that Mo Yuan had become far stronger than he had been during the martial competition. The majesty and destructive aura contained within his lightning made even her heart tremble.

Mo Yuan did not linger. His body moved again, like a thunder god patrolling the battlefield. Wherever he passed, lightning flashed, and cultists fell dead.

He did not slaughter indiscriminately. Instead, he selectively eliminated those attack points that posed the greatest threat to the flying boats' defenses, all while closely observing the changes in the Netherworld Soul-Devouring Net.

Under the interference of Elder Qing Ming's Dao sound and the long-range attacks of several Foundation Establishment cultivators, the black net was already on the verge of collapse.

Mo Yuan spotted an energy node where the flow had become sluggish. The Thunder Emperor's Will within him stirred slightly, and an invisible pressure descended, nearly freezing the energy at that node solid!

He then pointed with two fingers, sending a violet-gold bolt of thunder aura containing the majesty of the Thunder Emperor's Will shooting forth!

"Break!"

"Riiip—!"

Like a hot knife cutting through oil, the sturdy Netherworld Soul-Devouring Net was effortlessly torn open by the thunder aura, leaving a massive gap! The entire structure of the net collapsed at once, turning into black mist that scattered through the sky!

"The net is broken! Charge through!" Elder Qing Ming cried in delight and immediately gave the order.

The three flying boats unleashed their full power. Taking advantage of the enemy formation being broken and their commander being tied down by Xuan Ji, they instantly rushed through the ambush zone.

At that moment, the dark figure battling Xuan Ji in the distance let out an unwilling shriek. After feinting once, he transformed into black smoke and fled.

Xuan Ji did not pursue him deeply. He returned to the flying boat with a trace of ghostfire staining his sleeve, but his aura remained steady. He had clearly held the upper hand.

"Clear the battlefield, count the casualties, and continue onward!" Xuan Ji ordered coldly.

After taking stock, they found that only a few disciples from the three sects had suffered minor injuries, with no deaths. In contrast, they had wiped out nearly thirty cultists, making it a small victory.

After this battle, Mo Yuan's formidable strength and precise judgment not only elevated his prestige within Maoshan, but also truly won the recognition and attention of the elites from Dragon Tiger Mountain and Ge Zao Mountain.

Zhang Tianyun took the initiative to cup his hands toward Mo Yuan. "Fellow Daoist Mo, your thunder arts are divine. I am deeply impressed."

Luo Li also gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Mo Yuan returned their greetings one by one, neither servile nor arrogant.

The group rested briefly before setting off once more.

Everyone knew that the ambush just now had merely been the beginning. The closer they got to the Ancient Demon Ruins, the more terrifying the dangers awaiting them would become.

But with Mo Yuan, a newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator, as a powerful ally, everyone's confidence had increased considerably.

The flying boats sailed steadfastly toward the source of the evil energy and blood scent.

Mo Yuan stood at the bow, his robes fluttering, his gaze sharp as lightning. In his first battle after Foundation Establishment, he had already revealed his brilliance.

On the coming journey into the Ancient Demon Ruins, he would surely play an even more important role.

And with the Thunder Emperor's Will within him and the system reward, Five Thunder Divine Method, he looked forward to the coming storm.