Slaying a Core Before a Core

In every respect, the disciples of the Golden Core Sect are far superior to the cultivators of the Double Brightness Alliance. Even the Azure Jue and Crimson Zhang Guards, who can barely be considered elite, appear quite inexperienced in front of the core members of the Crimson Heart Cult.

After the initial chaos and the deaths of many fellow disciples, they began to gather together under the organization of the Crimson Heart Cult elders. After quickly stabilizing their situation, the Crimson Heart Cult's law enforcement elder brought down his bone sword, creating a gust of wind, while more than ten blood-robed disciples behind him simultaneously summoned their ocarinas and blew them out.

As the melodious sound of the xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) resounded throughout the arena, large black-edged flags fluttered in the wind, and Crimson Heart Cult followers untied their spirit beast pouches, releasing ferocious bone eagles of varying sizes.

These spirit beasts were covered in bone armor, giving them a chilling appearance. Only their eyes were exposed, making them seem completely unlike living beings of flesh and blood.

Remembering that this was supposed to be the duty of the Battle Hall elder, a hint of tragic heroism welled up in the Enforcement Elder's eyes. He said little, simply stepping onto the back of a Second Tier bone eagle and shouting, "Disciples of Loyal Hearts, follow me to slay the invading villains!"

Five hundred bone eagles, carrying the Crimson Heart Cult members, suddenly took to the air, slowly forming a sharp arrowhead across the sky, charging towards the Double Brightness Alliance troops who were in formation, slaughtering their scattered followers.

Even ordinary False Core would need to temporarily avoid a confrontation in this situation. How could the Double Brightness Alliance's ordinary military formation possibly withstand them?

The screams from within the formation suddenly grew louder, but the enforcement elder was not annoyed; instead, he became even more excited. With each swing of his bone sword, he was bound to save a life.

The core followers riding the bone eagles were also greatly encouraged, using their magical Law Artifact and the bone eagles' sharp claws to tear through the robes and flesh of the cultivators. The splashes of blood helped them quickly regain their lost courage, and their faces, filled with fear and dread, reminded them of the dignity and nobility of being disciples of a great sect.

As the number of lives on their hands increased, the faces of these core members of the Crimson Heart Cult, who were already somewhat panicked, became contorted with rage.

As the situation on one side suddenly changed and spread from one point to the other, the Crimson Heart Cult Sect members, who had initially lost all courage, gradually stopped their chaotic rampage and began to form small groups, calmly engaging in battle with these lesser-known figures who were far less skilled than themselves.

Forgetting that a cowardly army is terrifying, Yuan Jin that relying solely on the army formations of those Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement their qi within the alliance would not be enough to withstand them.

He frowned, staring intently at the Stone Mountain Sect's troops who were steadily annihilating the scattered Crimson Heart Cult formations, before turning to Bian Hu and softly saying, "Senior Bian, it is time for the Stone Mountain Sect fellow Daoists to display their abilities."

Even though the latter was prepared, his face still darkened, and his heart suddenly became extremely complicated.

Yuan Jin's unwavering expression remained unchanged as he stared intently at the only Pill Master in the Double Brightness Alliance, seemingly unconcerned that the latter could easily take his life with just a few Technique Method.

No matter how unwise Bian Hu was, he would never attack Yuan Jin at this time. However, he was also unwilling to send his own disciples to take on tough challenges. Just as he was about to make an excuse to decline, a burst of cheers, as loud as thunder, came from the front lines.

"Senior Jiang of the Chongming Sect has destroyed the False Core!!"

"Our alliance's Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator has slain False Core cultivator!! Let's see how many fake Crimson Heart Cult False Core can withstand this?!"

"Don't panic, don't panic! It must be just wild talk!! How could the Second Elder be killed by a True Cultivator's sword?!"

The clamor of debate only ceased when Jiang Qing, carrying the head of the Second Elder of the Crimson Heart Cult, flashed past the front of the formation. Self-deception was utterly unacceptable, and the members of the Crimson Heart Cult were all in mourning, even the newly formed Bone Eagle Formation began to stir faintly.

Yuan Jin did not urge Bian Hu to send out more men, but instead sent out all the troops he had reserved as reserves.

Admittedly, the cultivation levels of the troops that make up these military formations are not high, and they can hardly put any pressure on the Crimson Heart Cult's Bone Eagle Formation. Often, as soon as they engage the enemy, they are immediately stripped of a thick layer of lives and left with broken magical Law Artifact, and then they collapse and flee in defeat.

The passing of countless lives could not change Yuan Jin's expression. These Pine Wind Volunteers and Pingjin Militia crashed into the rock-solid Bone Eagle Formation of the Crimson Heart Cult Rock like chickens, seemingly unable to do anything to these core disciples of the Golden Core sect.

However, Yuan Jin's command flag showed no signs of stopping until the soles of these Crimson Heart Cult were covered in blood and mud, and the smooth, flat jade slabs were covered in a salty, greasy substance. Only then did Bian Hu, standing beside Yuan Jin, suddenly sigh, form a mysterious hand seal, and summon a palm-sized, gleaming bronze bell.

The old cultivator used his fingers as a hammer; although the bell itself was small, the sound it emitted was quite loud, summoning all the disciples of the Stone Mountain Sect who were pressing their advantage back.

Stone Mountain Sect had been a landlord in Pu Prefecture for many years. Even when the Daoist Black Shoes and his party went to explore Mountain-Viewing cave abode, they had to be careful not to expose their tracks and were found by the Stone Mountain Sect, which shows how powerful they were.

In this battle, Bian Hu conscripted half of his disciples, about a thousand men. Their sudden attack put far more pressure on the Crimson Heart Cult's Bone Eagle Formation than on the weak soldiers from before.

The Crimson Heart Cult members, whose morale had been somewhat diminished by the previous defeat, were finding it difficult to deal with the Stone Mountain Sect disciples. Since they could not defeat them with a single blow, they had no choice but to engage in a bitter battle.

Yuan Jin, who was dealt a bad hand, was least afraid of fighting this kind of battle. He divided the two hundred Azure Jue Guard he had left into several groups and sent them out not to kill the enemy, but to prevent the scattered soldiers of the Crimson Heart Cult from regrouping, lest there be any further changes.

Meanwhile, the Pine Wind Volunteers and the Pingjin Militia, having received promises of substantial rewards, temporarily suppressed their fear and regrouped into several military formations, surrounding the Crimson Heart Cult's Bone Eagle Formation.

The Crimson Heart Cult's law enforcement elder felt that the number of cultivators outside seemed endless, while the number of his own disciples beside him was decreasing. Startled, he hurriedly swallowed a few Restore Spirit Pills.

After calming down a bit, he picked up the crystal bone sword that had been stained red and leaped to the front of the formation. In a few moves, he killed a True Cultivator. However, before he could fully recover his heroic spirit, another violent blade of light rushed towards him.

The Crimson Heart Cult's Law Enforcement Elder, a veteran of many battles, forced himself to remain calm. As he raised his bone sword to block, a sense of profound mystery arose in his heart. He felt as if he had only now grasped the true meaning of the Swordsmanship he had practiced since childhood, and he couldn't help but feel secretly pleased. However, this joy was shattered in the blink of an eye by the oncoming blade light!

The bloodstains on the bone sword had just been washed away by the blade's light, leaving the sword surface as bright as a mirror, when a mouthful of Essence Blood was sprayed onto it, reflecting a terrified and frightened face.

"False Core!"

Ignoring the cry of alarm from the Crimson Heart Cult's law enforcement elder, Bian Hu unleashed another ruthless strike with his nine-ringed broadsword, which he had nurtured for a hundred years. Several Crimson Heart Cult members, along with their bone eagles, were instantly reduced to rotten flesh, fused together into one indistinguishable mass.

At this moment, the array masters lined up next to the Star-Shooting Crossbow finally finished their calculations. Exhausted, Mo Wen took the directional map and examined it carefully. When he handed it to his attendants, the map was soaked with sweat, showing that commanding the crossbow array was a very demanding and difficult task.

However, Mo Wen also knew that the opportunity could not be missed even slightly. After several arrangements, more than a hundred Star-Shooting Crossbow were rearranged neatly, and the arrows that were released accurately struck the Bone Eagle Formation, which was already restrained and unable to move.

The already weakened array's profound light could no longer be sustained. Without its barrier, and before they could react, the Crimson Heart Cult members were pierced through along with their mounts. Their screams of agony spurred the warriors outside the array to fight bravely.

The Crimson Heart Cult Enforcement Elder had intended to regroup and proceed cautiously, but Bian Hu gave him no chance. Although the former was a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had spent many years in the field, he was no match for the Pill Master before him. Despite Bian Hu's low-key demeanor when he was by the side of Sect Leader Kang Da, he could easily defeat a late-stage True Cultivator.

The Crimson Heart Cult members, whose formation had already crumbled, could hardly be stopped by their own law enforcement elder for even a moment. Bian Hu, like a tiger among sheep, bravely carried the Technique Method and Law Artifact thrown at him by countless Crimson Heart Cult members, carving a bloody path through the crowd and squeezing his way to a few feet in front of the Crimson Heart Cult enforcement elder.

Without further gathering his strength, he raised his sword and slashed down fiercely. The brilliant blade light not only took the lives of more than ten Crimson Heart Cult members between the two but also cleaved the bone sword in the hand of the Crimson Heart Cult's law enforcement elder into several pieces.

The prized Spirit Artifact met with disaster, yet the latter showed no sign of distress; his heart had been evenly cleaved open by the blade's edge, and he was no longer alive.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

Bian Hu swept his sword across, clearing a large open space. The Crimson Heart Cult members were terrified and, having lost their leader, were unsure whether to fight or retreat. Naturally, they were doomed and soon overwhelmed by the surrounding Double Brightness Alliance cultivators.

The destruction of the Bone Eagle Formation dealt a powerful blow to the confidence of the Crimson Heart Cult members who were still resisting. Next, the Double Brightness Alliance cultivators, who had finally overcome the last hard nut to crack, could freely harvest the rich marrow from the Dao of Alchemy at Wood Gen Mountain.

"As long as there is no clear winner among the celestial Golden Core..."

Yuan Jin, who was in charge of the main force, still showed no signs of relief. He only looked at the direction where Jiang Qing had previously passed by with his head on the line and sighed deeply. Then he put all his thoughts aside and continued to take stock of the overall situation in order to preserve the gains.

The speed at which the Mountain Master of Yellow Forest Mountain could escape was indeed much faster than that of the already deceased Second Elder of the Crimson Heart Cult. In his haste, Sect Leader Kang Da was unable to capture him and could only watch helplessly as he escaped into a strategic location filled with restrictions. He had no ability to chase after him and could only vent his anger by killing a few unlucky Crimson Heart Cult Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Red Heart Sect outside.

"How can this fellow be so familiar with the Crimson Heart Cult's terrain? He doesn't seem like an outsider at all!" Kang Dabao flicked his fingers, and the bloodstains on the Storage Bag in his hand were wiped away. He then skillfully hung it on his belt, which was almost empty.

Before long, Third Master Jiang arrived again in front of Sect Leader Kang Da, carrying the severed head and the Storage Bag. The latter's eyes lit up. Without saying anything to Jiang Qing, he took the Storage Bag and forcibly Spirit Awakening restriction. After searching for a while, he found an antique token.

Kang Dabao tossed the Storage Bag back to Jiang Qing and tried to open the cave abode's protective barrier with his token. After exchanging a glance, the two brothers turned and left without prior arrangement.

"There might be Crimson Heart Cult disciple inside who is currently healing. The risk is too great. Let's go help Madam Qi first, force back the Exalted Cultivator Honggu, and then invite her to come along."

Although their plan was good, just a few breaths later, they heard the sound of wind coming from behind them again.

Without turning his head, Sect Leader Kang Da simply lowered the Slaughter and Extermination in his hand and swung it back. The white bone club that had charged at him could not display the power of Law Treasure and was repelled by this top-grade Spirit Artifact.

The mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain was filled with resentment, but the Sect Leader Kang Da, who had gained the upper hand, was not pleased. Instead, he exchanged a glance with Jiang Qing, who understood and immediately followed Kang Dabao in a desperate escape.

"Cowardly wretch!! Do you dare to fight?!"

No one paid any attention to Yellow Forest Mountain's angry shouts, which made him even more anxious. If he couldn't fulfill the instructions of the Crimson Heart Cult disciple who was healing in the quiet room, and couldn't delay the two of them, he would have a hard time explaining himself later.

"Don't go, you yellow-eyed kid!!"

In the end, the mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain went all out, tearing off a talisman with mysterious patterns. A layer of bright magical light swirled around the black cloud Spirit Artifact beneath his feet, increasing his escape speed by three points!

This time, however, Kang Dabao did not react to Jiang Qing. Instead, he turned around and shot out two more Golden Light. The mountain master of Yellow Forest Mountain was relieved, but he also realized the danger. He stopped the black clouds beneath his feet and summoned his magic weapon, the White Bone Cudgel, to block the Law Treasure.

Even though his arms were still numb and his Qi and Blood was churning from the shock, the Mountain Master of Yellow Forest Mountain dared not stop what he was doing. As he withdrew the white bone staff to protect himself, he took out a handful of black beans from his Storage Bag and scattered them down.

As soon as the black beans hit the ground, flesh and blood puppets instantly sprouted from the spiritual soil, each possessing the cultivation level of a late-stage True Cultivator, rushing towards Jiang Qing to intercept him.

According to this old cultivator, even if Jiang Qing's Swordsmanship was superb, after using the sword Swordsmanship that had just killed the second elder of the Crimson Heart Cult, he must have exhausted a lot and was already at his limit.

These eighteen flesh and blood puppets were all made from the bodies of top-tier Foundation Establishment cultivators. They were so powerful that even ordinary Pill Master could hold them off, let alone a lowly True Cultivator like Jiang Qing.

"It's a pity that those two scoundrels are too cunning and too good at hiding their true abilities; otherwise, how could Fellow Daoist Wei have succeeded?"

The mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain was lamenting for his old acquaintance a moment ago, but the next instant he was met with a fierce halberd light. The Sha Qi on the white bone club seemed inexhaustible. The mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain simply pinched his fingers lightly, and a large amount of it was released again.

However, the old cultivator seemed to have underestimated the power of this halberd light. The dense, almost tangible Sha Qi was instantly dispersed by the halberd light, infuriating the mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain, who exclaimed again, "This boy's halberd technique is even more terrifying than Yuan Buwen's! Is he still hiding his true strength?!"

After using the white bone staff to block the aftershocks of the halberd's light, the mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain felt a pang of regret.

"Should I not have accepted that 'Crimson Heart Cult's' orders? That little thief is truly troublesome!"

The halberd's light dissipated, and the thought had barely formed when Kang Dabao leaped forward, no more than a foot away from him.

"Whoosh"

The shadow of a fist arrives with the sound of wind. After Sect Leader Kang Da has cultivated the Primordial Ancient Body to the Great Perfection, the power of the "Eight Wastelands Suppress the Mountain" fist technique will naturally reach a higher level.

However, this was the only skill he hadn't concealed in his previous battles, and it was with this Technique Method he severely injured the Core Master Hongfeng, the Grand Elder of the Crimson Heart Crimson Heart Cult, which naturally made the Mountain Lord of Yellow Forest Mountain on guard.

The talisman "Mountain-Guarding Barrier" barely blocked the powerful attack, while the Law Treasure White Bone Staff, revealed its Sha Qi again, striking directly at the face of Sect Leader Kang Da, who was already close to the Mountain Lord of Yellow Forest Mountain. The Master Kang felt a sharp pain in his cheek, as if cut by a knife.

The long-absent Immortal Game Disc was summoned, and it first tried its best to withstand the fierce blow from the White Bone Club. The two chess boxes immediately reversed, and three hundred and sixty-one Yin-Yang Mystic Lightning, which had been nurtured for many years, suddenly shot out and exploded loudly.

It has been quite some time since Sect Leader Kang Da acquired the top-grade Spirit Artifact, the Immortal Game Disc, but this is the first time he has ever been willing to unleash all the profound lightning from the chess box upon engaging in battle.

It's rare for Fang Yi in all these years, and it was the mountain master of Yellow Forest Mountain who happened to be there. It's truly a blessing for this old cultivator.

However, the old cultivator had already brought out his talisman treasures to resist. Although the Immortal Game Disc was said to be powerful, it was still Foundation Establishment technique after all. Although it was powerful, it was already quite remarkable that it could dilute most of the spiritual light of the "Mountain-Guarding Barrier". It failed to truly harm the physical body of the Mountain Master of Yellow Forest Mountain.

But Kang Dabao was not discouraged. Taking advantage of the lingering smoke before the old cultivator, his pupils turned golden again. A few breaths later, his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes went first, followed by the Black Flame of Slaughter and Extermination.

Golden Light, like spears, and black flames, like waves, relentlessly attacked the mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain.

This old man had barely managed to risk his life and lose his talisman to block two beams of Golden Light. Sha Qi spilled from the corner of his mouth, and the bony staff in his hand was completely charred and blackened at the point where it had clashed with the Golden Light.

"I am no match for this yellow-eyed brat! If we continue fighting, I fear we will both perish!"

The master of Yellow Forest Mountain, a seasoned Pill Master who had experienced countless life-and-death situations, was so terrified that he no longer cared about the so-called edict of the Crimson Heart Cult Sect.

However, if he wanted to leave now, he needed to ask the opinion of Sect Leader Kang Da, who was standing to the side.

After all, he was a seasoned False Core, and his personal wealth was likely much greater than the meager fortune that Kang Dabao had painstakingly accumulated over the years and piled up in the Chongming Sect's treasury.

That's the case. Given Sect Leader Kang Da's greedy nature, even if there are some risks, how could he easily give up?!

The lord of Yellow Forest Mountain was caught in a dilemma, having to deal with the Sect Leader Kang Da on one hand, and reluctant to part with the flesh and blood puppet still fighting Jiang Qing on the other.

But this delay will make escape much more difficult.

Even the mountain master of Yellow Forest Mountain found it strange. He, the dignified Pill Master, should have had a higher cultivation level, so how come the spiritual power in the man in front of him seemed inexhaustible?

As time went on, Kang Dabao's pupil technique seemed to become even more formidable. The mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain was unaware that the former had already cultivated this pupil technique to perfection. He only knew that when he tried to block it, he was in grave danger and almost lost his life several times.

While they were locked in a protracted battle, Jiang Qing was also engaged in a fierce struggle with the lifeless flesh and blood puppets, wielding his flying sword. Yellow Forest Mountain was one of the most skilled lineages in the Fa Prefecture region at crafting flesh and blood puppets. Perhaps due to their frequent use of living people as sacrifices, their puppets were always three points more powerful than those of ordinary sects.

These eighteen flesh and blood puppets were all of excellent quality in life, and the one who had followed him for the shortest time had been over a hundred years. They could indeed be considered his signature techniques and should not be underestimated.

Jiang Qing's sword light was sharp and fierce, but these inanimate objects knew no fear. They had no sense of pain and were unaware of life and death, and each of them had a different weakness. If Jiang Qing's flying sword managed to strike their weakness, it could completely destroy these flesh and blood puppets.

However, this was a difficult task. Jiang Qing had killed three flesh puppets in a row, severing their heads, cutting off their waists, and splitting them open from the Baihui point. He had used his Divine Sense to explore them thoroughly, but in the end, he still hadn't managed to kill a single flesh puppet.

These inanimate objects often regenerate their mutilated limbs within moments of falling to the ground. If it weren't for their inherent flaws, rigid fighting style, and lack of humanity, Jiang Qing might have perished among these eighteen flesh and blood puppets long ago.

However, this couldn't go on forever. Jiang Qing's activity area was becoming increasingly confined by these inanimate objects, yet not a single one of these flesh puppets had fallen. This made him sigh inwardly, "The Lord of Yellow Forest Mountain truly lives up to his reputation as a seasoned False Core Formation cultivator. His methods are indeed troublesome. Perhaps only Pill Master could break through them."

However, after the sigh, Jiang Qing did not sit idly by and wait for his death. Even though he was still being pressed step by step by the flesh and blood puppet, he was unable to break the deadlock for a long time.

Jiang Qing swung his sword again, his face slightly pale. The flying sword in his hand was sent from Fei Nanxi by Fei Ying Prefecture before the New Year. The sword was named "Radiant Descent" and was a first-class Spirit Artifact below Law Treasure.

After using it only a few times, Jiang Qing knew its power and concluded that it was probably the same "Slaughter and Extermination" that Sect Leader Kang Da inherited from the Yuan Household family.

However, even Fei Nanxi, an elder of the Fei Household, had to provide the spiritual materials herself and use her connections to persuade a high-level weapon craftsman to forge Spirit Artifact for her juniors.

To be honest, the effort required to forge such a Spirit Artifact is not much less than that required to forge a Law Treasure. It's obvious from the calculation that it's a significant loss.

Fei Nanxi was indeed considering his needs, since Jiang Qing was far from qualified to use a Law Treasure weapon at his current level, but a top-grade Spirit Artifact would be just right.

Heaven knows how much effort this Golden Core cultivator put into crafting this flying sword for Jiang Qing, making it an almost perfect match.

However, even though Jiang Qing's Swordsmanship was superb, he was still only a mid-stage cultivator and had not yet mastered the "Long Breath Art." He summoned three flesh puppets with his top-grade spiritual sword, but one of them was a little luckier. With a casual strike, it actually hit his weak spot, and the flesh puppet really became a piece of rotten flesh that fell to the ground.

A gap suddenly appeared in the originally tight formation that was difficult to fill, and Jiang Qing broke out of it without thinking.

He was originally in a hurry to help his senior brother, but he saw that the mountain master of Yellow Forest Mountain was already being suppressed by the Sect Leader Kang Da and could hardly fight back. However, after thinking for a while, he still suddenly slashed down with his sword.

After losing that flesh and blood puppet, the mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain felt heartache and vigilance. Jiang Qing's supporting strike was within the old cultivator's expectations, so he was able to spare some energy to block it.

However, this finally allowed the ever-sharp-eyed Sect Leader Kang Da to find a flaw in his strategy.

The short halberd fell to within an inch of the mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain. His once handsome face was now covered in cracks, and after a few breaths, several lines of bright red blood began to flow down. He cried out in pain, his hand gestures became chaotic, and he could only haphazardly summon his white bone club to block.

"You old thief, prepare to die!"

The Golden Light shone directly on the mountain master of Yellow Forest Mountain, whose originally neat and bright robes were instantly reduced to tattered pieces. Even now, the old cultivator could feel his internal organs churning violently.

He intended to remain calm and continue resisting with his Law Treasure, waiting for the Crimson Heart Cult's Daoist disciple to emerge from seclusion and come to his rescue. However, the Mountain Master of Yellow Forest Mountain truly felt that it was too late. So, without a second thought, he decisively turned back and rushed back to the place where the Crimson Heart Cult disciple was in seclusion.

Those inside the cave had their own way of knowing what was happening outside. The mountain lord of Yellow Forest Mountain hadn't even taken a few steps when he cried out, "Daoist, save me!" The spiritual barrier outside the cave immediately opened, and a young man in red, as handsome Pan An, flew out. His face was pale, indicating that he hadn't fully recovered from his previous injuries.

The red-clad youth's voice arrived before the others. He had witnessed the Sect Leader Kang Da use the Eight Wastelands Suppress the Mountain Suppressing Mountain technique to displace the Yellow Forest Mountain Master's internal organs, causing him to vomit blood uncontrollably. He then shouted sternly, "Stop immediately, and I'll spare your life for now!!"

But after that fierce shout, he only saw that the head of Yellow Forest Mountain Master Dou Da was pierced by a short halberd, and then lifted up from the neck. Even the look of shock in his eyes had not faded.

"What did you say, senior? I don't think I heard you clearly?"

The man opposite him smiled without any respect, his expression a mixture of sarcasm and mockery. Enraged, the Crimson Heart Cult disciple pointed his finger and coldly cursed, "You scoundrel!"

The Sect Leader Kang Da, stood holding his halberd, remaining silent, but his eyes were gradually filled with golden light, leaving no room for fear.