Chapter 70: Brain-Eater Demon Worm
Chapter 70: Brain-Eater Demon Worm
“You will be in great danger if you do this…”
“I really don’t like just waiting for death.”
“I understand.”
Revered Qin stared deeply at Lu Hangzhi for a moment, then nodded and said, “Do what you want to do. If Gu Lie dares to make a move against you, both Mo Li and I will not let him off.”
“Thank you, Venerable One. Lei Qun and Tong Zhan are in your care.”
Lu Hangzhi turned and left, then walked toward the edge of the war zone under the astonished gazes of Cheng Fei, Nangong Jun, and others…
Currently, the edge of the war zone was entirely guarded by Gu Lie’s men. However, almost everyone was now retreating toward the Matrix Tower, leaving the border areas completely deserted.
Even Gu Lie, who was at the Spirit Condensation Stage, was positioned in another direction away from the Matrix Tower, far from the mountain peak and the first defense line against the monster beasts’ assault.
Gu Lie also noticed Lu Hangzhi’s unusual behavior.
“What is this kid trying to do?”
Intimidated by the authority of Revered Qin and Revered Mo, Gu Lie’s subordinates did not stop or interfere with Lu Hangzhi’s movements, though they occasionally glanced toward Revered Qin to gauge his reaction.
“Never mind him. The monster beasts are starting to attack.”
“Get ready!!!”
Almost at the very moment the neighboring war zone was infiltrated by the mist, roars and furious cries erupted from within the fog, shaking the entire Two Realms Mountain.
Roar!!
Roar-roar!!!
Above, the monster beasts passing through the Sky Passage seemed to receive clear commands upon hearing these roars and abruptly changed direction, launching an assault on the outer defenses of Two Realms Mountain.
In an instant, the flames of war reignited across Two Realms Mountain…
All defense lines at Two Realms Mountain were in peril.
Alarms sounded simultaneously across over a hundred war zones!
“Little junior brother!”
“Hangzhi?”
Nangong Jun and Cheng Fei anxiously sent voice transmissions.
Lu Hangzhi had no time to respond. Dozens of monster beasts, wreathed in flames and radiating menacing auras, came crashing down from the sky…
Remaining calm and focused, Lu Hangzhi willed six flying swords into action. They flew out of their sheaths in a straight line, producing a series of clear, piercing sounds that drew attention.
Except for the Shadow Slaying Sword, which remained inactive, the other six artifact flying swords unleashed their sharp edges, accelerating abruptly to meet the descending monster beasts.
With his cultivation at the mid Sixth Rank, Lu Hangzhi’s spiritual sense had expanded, allowing him to detect the monster beasts’ auras more keenly and swiftly than before…
The Strange Wind Sword was twice as fast as ordinary artifact flying swords. Back and forth, the six flying swords, under Lu Hangzhi’s control, operated independently, each locking onto different targets. In an instant, they pierced the vital points of seven monster beasts, their momentum rivaling that of Cheng Fei, a Ninth Grade cultivator who had once slain nine Eighth Grade monster beasts in one go.
Many evil cultivators turned their attention to him, astonished:
“This kid…”
“He actually has six artifact flying swords. He must be quite wealthy.”
“If we could snatch them… heh…”
Many evil cultivators, blinded by greed, harbored such thoughts, but the more rational ones could discern hints of Lu Hangzhi’s true ability from his sword control, their eyes reflecting deep apprehension.
Lu Hangzhi paid no heed to the spiritual senses focused on him from all directions. He poured all his concentration into the six flying swords, swiftly launching a second round of attacks.
Whoosh!
A Bull Demon, about to crash to the ground, had a flying sword’s Sword Qi flash before its eyes. Blood gushed from its throat, spraying a shocking crimson arc in the air before it slammed heavily into the ground, its life force rapidly fading.
Throat, lower abdomen, back of the neck…
Lu Hangzhi targeted only these three areas.
Effortlessly, he slew another seven Bull Demons, then proactively activated the Lotus Barrier…
Boom!
Boom-boom!!
Dozens of monster beasts crashed violently into the surrounding ground, sending up high waves of air and dust, accompanied by the shrill death cries of Seventh Grade monster beasts and the suppressed groans of pain from Eighth Grade ones.
All the shockwaves were easily blocked by the Lotus Barrier, leaving Lu Hangzhi completely unaffected…
However, most evil cultivators withdrew their attention from this direction at that moment, thinking to themselves, “This arrogant kid is done for.”
“His magical artifacts won’t hold up for even one round of attacks.”
“Alone, even with Revered Qin’s protection, he can’t possibly be covered entirely.”
In their eyes, Lu Hangzhi was already a dead man.
Yet…
They clearly hadn’t noticed that most of the descending monster beasts were only Seventh Grade, and only five Eighth Grade and one Ninth Grade monster beast managed to rise after landing.
Ghost Vine Sealing Sword Formation!
Activate!
Amid the roaring sounds and billowing dust, ghost vines swarmed out, rapidly binding all the monster beasts within a thirty-meter radius, including the sole Ninth Grade monster beast. It had just landed and rushed behind Lu Hangzhi when its movement suddenly froze.
A flying sword shot out from the Matrix Tower!
The Ninth Grade Ghost-Faced Demon Wolf was sliced in two.
Lu Hangzhi systematically targeted the remaining five Eighth Grade monster beasts.
Amid the swirling dust, dozens of monster beasts lay dead…
Seven Inner Cores flew out from different monster beasts and landed in Lu Hangzhi’s hand.
He shoved a few pellets of Spirit Honey into his mouth while scanning the area to confirm the war zone was secure. Then, the six flying swords swiftly shot into the neighboring war zone.
In the distance.
Gu Lie, not under much pressure, had kept his spiritual sense fixed on Lu Hangzhi. He found this mid Epiphany Stage cultivator’s behavior very peculiar and was one of the few who witnessed the entire process.
Fourteen Eighth Grade monster beasts were effortlessly slaughtered by Lu Hangzhi alone…
Dozens of Seventh Grade monster beasts lay dead around him;
His strength, courage, and precise judgment all shocked Gu Lie.
Especially the way he remained calm and composed during the instant the horde of monster beasts landed and counterattacked, without a single wasted movement or trace of panic—as if everything was calculated—swiftly neutralizing all threats and ending the battle. It was hard to believe he was just a mid Epiphany Stage cultivator with Sixth Rank cultivation.
Gu Lie’s face darkened.
For no clear reason, he sensed a dangerous, unsettling aura from Lu Hangzhi.
If not for the subtle spiritual senses of Revered Qin and Mo Li constantly enveloping him, he would have been tempted to eliminate this Sixth Rank cultivator immediately and decisively.
Gu Lie could almost foresee how formidable a Sixth Rank cultivator with such talent and methods would become once he reached the High Insight Stage…
“If it weren’t absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t have wanted to reveal my strength so early in front of these evil cultivators, but…”
Lu Hangzhi sighed inwardly:
Once the order from the Reinforcement Department was relayed, he understood that a number of war zones were to be sacrificed.
Although his own Sector 112 might not be among those sacrificed, once the neighboring war zone was destroyed, Sector 112 would become the front line, replacing the lost war zone and bearing the fiercest attacks, possibly entering the list of sacrificial zones as well.
At such a time, with Gu Lie and Revered Qin restraining each other, neither daring to act rashly, and Mo Li guarding the Matrix Tower, only a handful of people could help buy time for the neighboring war zone…
Lu Hangzhi couldn’t pin his hopes on Cheng Fei, whom he wasn’t very familiar with, and he certainly couldn’t let Sister Jun take the risk.
Good!
So far, the plan had no flaws.
Lu Hangzhi controlled his Flying Sword to kill the Monster Beasts rushing from nearby, while advancing into the adjacent War Zone, clearing a path. At the same time, he closely watched the mist spreading down from the mountain.
The battle in the adjacent War Zone had intensified, and a group of Cultivators were forced near the Matrix Tower!
Taking advantage of the chaos caused by Monster Beasts falling from the Sky Passage, hundreds of Monster Beasts roared and charged from the mist towards the Matrix Tower. The defense line failed to block them at all and collapsed directly. The situation was extremely dangerous.
“Let me in!”
“Hurry, let us in!”
“Wait until we’re inside to use that move!”
Facing hundreds of Monster Beasts attacking from all directions, the Cultivators from the Reinforcement Department were also terrified out of their wits. They withdrew one after another, fleeing into the Matrix Tower for refuge.
Seeing this, Lu Hangzhi quickly retrieved his Flying Sword.
Boom!
The Matrix Tower’s door closed tightly, and a bright yellow Defensive Barrier quickly unfolded. At the same time, a giant spirit hand appeared above the Matrix Tower, striking the Barrier with immense force.
Hum.
The Barrier shook violently, and a loud rumbling sound erupted.
“A Spirit Condensation Stage Monster Beast!”
“It’s a Spirit Condensation Stage Monster Beast.”
At the same time Lu Hangzhi saw the giant spirit hand, Revered Qin, Mo Li, and Gu Lie all sensed the powerful aura unique to a Spirit Condensation Stage Monster Beast. Their expressions changed.
“Report it immediately!”
“There’s a Spirit Condensation Stage Monster Beast in the Demon Beast Mist! Notify the Reinforcement Department to prepare for backup.”
“The Matrix Tower ahead can’t hold.”
Revered Qin rarely showed a troubled expression and quickly instructed everyone, “Contract the defense line, prepare to take refuge in the Matrix Tower.”
With the Matrix Tower’s defensive capability, it could only withstand a few dozen attacks at the Spirit Condensation Stage’s strength. Now that there were no defensive forces outside the Matrix Tower, relying solely on the Matrix Tower meant the Barrier’s collapse was only a matter of time—and it wouldn’t take too long.
Boom! Boom!
Countless Monster Beasts rushed out of the mist, instantly surrounding the Matrix Tower completely. The Defensive Barrier shook continuously, its glow rapidly dimming.
Dozens of Flying Swords shot out from the Matrix Tower were either knocked away by Monster Beasts or fell into the mist without a trace. The resistance from inside the Matrix Tower grew weaker and weaker, and the situation was extremely precarious.
Lu Hangzhi looked grim as he stared ahead. He saw the thick Demon Beast Mist, like a giant wave, quickly approaching the Matrix Tower from behind the Monster Beast horde, soon completely engulfing it.
Seeing this, Lu Hangzhi hesitated no longer and swiftly retreated.
The Matrix Tower’s countermeasure finally arrived!
A second Spirit Condensation Stage Venerable One’s aura surged up from within the Demon Beast Mist, majestic and imposing. Amplified by the Formation, it quickly reached the peak of the Spirit Condensation Stage. The ground shook violently, and countless agonized roars and angry bellows quickly rose from within the mist.
The full-strength strike, drawing half of the Spirit Coalescence Elder’s Magic Power and aided by the Formation’s power, was indeed extraordinary.
Around the Matrix Tower, the sounds of various attacks suddenly ceased.
It seemed all the Monster Beasts within the surrounding area had been killed in that single strike, and the Matrix Tower regained its stability.
However…
Lu Hangzhi knew that wasn’t the case.
He didn’t slow down and continued to retreat rapidly.
Urgent shouts came from the direction of the Matrix Tower:
“In three breaths, I will activate the Reverse Two Forms Annihilation Array.”
“Everyone! Seize the chance to break out!”
“Long live the Human Race!”
Hearing the Spirit Condensation Stage Venerable One’s near-despairing, tragic shout, Lu Hangzhi couldn’t help but stop and look up…
However.
The Human Race’s plan to break out from the Matrix Tower did not go smoothly.
Lu Hangzhi heard the faint sound of the door opening, followed quickly by spreading screams that turned into extreme panic:
“Bugs! So many bugs got in!”
“Close the door! Ahh!!!”
“Kill me!”
“It’s going into my nose… Kill me! Quickly, kill me!! Ah!!!”
“It’s the Brain-Eater Demon Worms!”
“Venerable One! Activate the Array now!!”
Horrifying, miserable screams continuously echoed from within the Matrix Tower, like a living hell.
Lu Hangzhi’s face changed dramatically.
Revered Qin and the others finally couldn’t stay calm anymore, showing unprecedented solemn expressions.