After finishing off more than thirty demon beasts, Lu Shang arrived at a nearby island.
Lu Shang planned to recover here before seeking out more sixth- or seventh-stage demon beasts.
Lu Shang first methodically laid out a formation in the surrounding area, then found a spot that looked reasonably suitable.
Though Lu Shang had suffered only minor injuries in the fierce battle, he had just a tenth or two of his spiritual power left.
"Driving the Wild Desolation True Demon Art and the Silver Frost Dragon Halberd at full power really does consume an enormous amount of energy, but the results are certainly impressive."
"Killing sixth- or seventh-stage demon beasts is as easy as slicing melons and chopping vegetables."
"All things considered, the expenditure is nothing much. I wonder what it will be like once I cultivate the next layer, or even the sixth."
Lu Shang had already taken medicinal pills. Recovering to his peak condition would take no more than a few days.
For this purpose, Lu Shang simply carved out a cave in the mountains.
Perhaps because of the beast tide, however, the demon beasts around this small island were unusually violent, and quite a few high-rank demon beasts lurked deep within it.
For the moment, however, Lu Shang had little interest in killing high-rank demon beasts.
Lu Shang was now waiting to recover his cultivation, then prepare some more medicinal pills and talismans before finding opportunities to kill more demon beasts during the coming beast tide.
Though the beast tide had yet to fully form, high-rank demon beasts had already gathered on such a scale. Once the beast tide truly arrived, the scene would surely be unimaginable.
Killing demon beasts while preserving his life amid so many high-rank demon beasts would be no small problem.
Lu Shang had no choice but to prepare thoroughly.
Just then, Lu Shang suddenly thought of those two early Core Formation cultivators.
"They seemed to mistake me for a Nascent Soul cultivator. Could my current strength already rival someone at early Nascent Soul?" Lu Shang rubbed his chin in thought.
After considering it, however, Lu Shang still felt it was unlikely.
"Perhaps the unusual circumstances at the time were all that made those two early Core Formation cultivators mistake me."
"Rival a Nascent Soul cultivator... forget it. That's hardly possible. I was at middle Core Formation back then too, yet a Mountain-Shaking Talisman still struck me and left me badly wounded."
"Now I've only reached peak middle Core Formation. No matter how heaven-defying my cultivation technique or how powerful the Dragon Halberd may be, I've only cultivated the fourth layer and possess Core Formation strength. Unleashing the full power of either the technique or the Dragon Halberd is simply impossible."
"Perhaps once I reach peak Core Formation and take the Wild Desolation True Demon Art a step further, cultivating its fifth layer, the strength I can unleash will truly measure up to an early Nascent Soul cultivator."
"In that situation, if there hadn't been so many low-rank demon beasts, those two probably could have put up a fight by giving it their all."
Lu Shang carefully sorted through the circumstances of that battle and gained a rough understanding of his own strength.
Even if he was no match for someone at the Nascent Soul stage, handling mere Core Formation cultivators was still as easy as taking something in hand and pinching it tight.
If he entered seclusion again and cultivated to late Core Formation, he might truly be able to fight someone at early Nascent Soul.
But how could it be that simple?
Reaching late Core Formation was now merely a matter of time, but advancing his cultivation technique further would probably take even longer than breaking through to Nascent Soul.
Lu Shang's spirit root was unquestionably top-tier, so breaking through cultivation realms was not difficult.
But when it came to his cultivation technique, even with Lu Shang's exceptional comprehension and sky-high cultivation talent, advancing it another step was extremely difficult.
That alone showed how difficult this art was to cultivate, and how powerful its effects were.
Several days later, on Wanli Island.
By now, the beast tide had almost formed, yet reinforcements from the Star Palace still had not arrived. The cultivators of Wanli Island had no choice but to sortie and suppress some of the low-rank demon beasts that had already charged ashore.
Revered Master Wanli had arrived at the outskirts of Wanli City and was gazing anxiously at the great formation.
As the one who had built the great formation, he could sense demon beasts constantly entering Wanli Island's territory even when he was not at its core.
By remaining here, Revered Master Wanli could promptly dispatch people to clear out low-rank demon beasts and immediately strike when high-rank demon beasts appeared.
On either side of Revered Master Wanli stood a guardian under the Star Palace, both early Core Formation cultivators. Together with the seven or eight Core Formation cultivators nearby, they were waiting for the high-rank demon beasts to appear. Only by having several Core Formation cultivators give everything they had to hold back the other demon beasts, then finding an opportunity to kill the eighth-stage demon beast, could they possibly quell this beast tide.
But this also meant those Core Formation cultivators would undoubtedly die.
There would certainly be over a thousand high-rank demon beasts around the eighth-stage demon beast. Even if these Core Formation cultivators deployed a formation, they could hold out for only a short while at best.
The formation might even be broken in mere moments.
Having guarded this place for hundreds of years, how could Revered Master Wanli not know what would be gathered around an eighth-stage demon beast? To buy even a little more time, he had also brought in several hundred low-rank cultivators.
Even so, the hope of holding out long enough to kill the eighth-stage demon beast remained slim.
Just what is the Star Palace playing at? With his hands behind his back, Revered Master Wanli lamented helplessly to himself.
Shortly after sending out the Bu Female Cultivator, Revered Master Wanli had already begun to harbor suspicions, so he had asked several Foundation Establishment cultivators to travel to Tianxing City for aid.
Seven or eight days had passed since then.
With the teleportation formations, reaching Tianxing City should have taken no more than two or three days.
Even if the reinforcements consisted of only a few Core Formation cultivators, they should already have arrived. Since no one had come even now, there were only two possibilities.
Either the Foundation Establishment cultivators traveling to Tianxing City had met with an accident.
But after spending some time investigating, Revered Master Wanli found that there had been almost no major disturbances along their route.
The only remaining possibility was that Tianxing City had long known about the situation here but had delayed sending reinforcements.
They might even have placed the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had gone to seek aid under house arrest.
Most likely, they intended to wait until the demon beasts had overrun most of Wanli Island before appearing.
Once they resolved the beast tide then, countless low-rank cultivators and mortals would be even more grateful.
Doing this would both bolster the Star Palace's reputation among low-rank cultivators and mortals and strengthen its control over the island. Achieving two gains with one stroke was precisely the sort of maneuver the Star Palace currently took the most pride in.
At present, the Star Palace's Twin Saints could hardly unleash their full strength once they left the Magnetic Divine Mountain, so Grand Elder Jinkui had to oversee affairs year-round.
Some time passed, and the demon beasts' attacks grew fiercer. In quite a few places, the defenders had already retreated into the second great formation.
"It's here!" Revered Master Wanli said, looking beyond the island beneath the darkened sky.
"Master, do you mean a transformed demon beast has appeared?"
The speaker was none other than the Bu Female Cultivator.
"Yes! It's here."
Revered Master Wanli turned to look at the countless homes behind him and the countless cultivators in the streets.
"Remember, this mission means ten chances of death and not one of survival! Does anyone fear it?" Revered Master Wanli called out loudly.
Once Revered Master Wanli finished speaking, several Core Formation cultivators were the first to respond. "We would gladly give our lives for Wanli Island, without hesitation!"
Then the countless low-rank cultivators around them also declared, "We will give our lives! Without hesitation!"
The cries of countless low-rank cultivators rang out across the entire island.
"Good! All cultivators, prepare to follow me into battle!"
"Slay the transformed great demon!" Revered Master Wanli shouted.
"Slay the great demon!"
"Slay the great demon!"
Then countless cultivators turned into countless streaks of light and raced beyond the island.
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