Chapter 143: The Initial Stage Is Unfavorable

The man in the purple robe was named Wu Si, the most accomplished and experienced among the original group. It was he who explained their situation to the others, allowing them to understand their current predicament.

Shen Yu recognized that Wu Si hailed from Liubo Mountain, a simple deduction given the distinctive attire and the unique naming convention based on family rank. Wu Si’s clothing and name were strikingly similar to those of Xi Jiu.

Wu Si nodded faintly, exuding a cold indifference.

People from Liubo Mountain were known for their deep and cunning minds. For certain reasons, they harbored a longstanding grudge against the Dao Sect, showing no goodwill toward them. Unlike the contest for the Great Way in Qingdi City, Liubo Mountain’s animosity stemmed from two deeply humiliating incidents in the past, breeding profound hatred toward the Dao Sect— except for Xi Jiu.

As Shen Yu had mentioned, Xi Jiu was a rare white lotus within Liubo Mountain.

The atmosphere grew tense. The only woman present, Xiang Caiyun, attempted to ease the mood with a smile, saying, “Since we now face shared adversity, we must unite and overcome this crisis together.”

Wu Si snorted coldly.

Shen Yu ignored him, silently gazing into the distance.

They stood amidst the ruins of an ancient battlefield, beneath a sky as dark and turbulent as a sea of thunder. Heavy clouds loomed overhead, with occasional rumbles of lightning echoing across the heavens.

Countless wind-born beasts infested every corner of the continent, swarming like locusts.

More importantly, Shen Yu sensed the presence of creatures far more powerful than the wind-born beasts, lurking deep within—these were the true dangers of this world.

The lone wandering cultivator, Pang Zhengyuan, carrying a greatsword, spoke up, “This illusion urges us to press forward, but must we follow its will to survive?”

Xiang Caiyun pondered briefly before responding, “I have a feeling that moving forward offers a glimmer of hope. Staying here will surely invite great peril.”

Shen Yu glanced at her.

True to her name, Xiang Caiyun’s appearance was not breathtaking, but her spirit was vibrant and lively, radiating a natural grace.

Noticing his gaze, she turned curiously and asked, “Brother Shen, what are your thoughts?”

Shen Yu withdrew his eyes and shook his head slightly, then looked toward the horizon. “Move slowly. Not too fast.”

Wu Si sneered at this and said, “The wind-born beasts block our path, and who knows how many monsters stronger than them lie ahead? If we want to move, we must hurry. How can we afford to go slowly?”

The taciturn young warrior asked, “Brother Shen, what do you say?”

Shen Yu was silent for a moment before replying, “They have bad tempers. Going slowly seems better.”

This explanation failed to convince the others. Even the middle-aged wanderer Pang Zhengyuan and Xiang Caiyun hesitated.

Wu Si’s words, sharp as the cold wind, mocked mercilessly: “So impressive, disciples of the Dao Sect—your profound arts and calculations are truly awe-inspiring. Much respect.”

Pang Zhengyuan considered before saying, “The wind-born beasts are weak. The five of us together can surely put up a fight. We should break through by force.”

Xiang Caiyun agreed. “I think that’s feasible too.”

The young warrior’s expression remained indifferent, as if it mattered little.

Shen Yu looked at the four of them quietly.

Then he uttered a soft “Oh.”

...

A voice as light and graceful as a gentle breeze swept across the land.

Ripples like waves surged over the wind-born beasts on the desolate plain, causing their movements to grow sluggish and dull.

A mighty sword qi erupted as Pang Zhengyuan, wielding his greatsword, crashed into the beast pack, triggering a series of explosions.

A bolt of lightning descended from the sky with majestic force. The young warrior grabbed a wind-born beast with one hand, sprinted swiftly across the ground, and hurled it fiercely into the denser swarm.

The sound of thunderous impacts never ceased.

Wu Si stood atop a small hillock, extending his right hand. A heavy hammer exuding faint thunderous energy appeared in his grasp.

Liubo Mountain was known for its many mystical treasures. This Nine Heavens Thunder Hammer was forged by powerful cultivators who absorbed celestial lightning during stormy nights, making it especially effective against demons and ghosts.

Wu Si brought the hammer down, summoning countless bolts of thunder that surged outward, striking the surrounding beasts.

The ground trembled with violent thunderclaps.

For a time, the battlefield was a tempest of wind and lightning, with sword qi and Dao arts unleashed in unison.

Shen Yu stood quietly beside Xiang Caiyun, watching the scene.

He thought back to how the four had been trapped earlier due to momentary unpreparedness and lack of coordination.

In truth, the young warrior and Pang Zhengyuan possessed formidable cultivation and intimate knowledge of the wind-born beasts’ weaknesses, almost unnaturally so, in Shen Yu’s estimation.

“If there’s nothing else to do, then protect Caiyun,” came Wu Si’s cold voice from afar.

His disdain for Shen Yu stemmed not only from sect differences but also from the woman named Xiang Caiyun beside him.

From their first meeting, Wu Si had harbored an unusual interest. Though her beauty and figure were ordinary, an intangible aura captivated him.

Yet now, with a man whose looks and cultivation rivaled his own standing nearby, resentment naturally arose.

Xiang Caiyun smiled faintly and said, “Brother Shen, don’t worry about me. I can protect myself.”

Shen Yu ignored her words, calmly observing the others’ maneuvers, showing no intention of intervening.

As time passed, their offensive finally made progress, splitting a dense pack of wind-born beasts to create an opening.

“Go!” Wu Si commanded, then transformed into a streak of rainbow light, flying ahead.

The bells at Xiang Caiyun’s waist jingled without wind, a fierce gale enveloping her as she followed swiftly.

Shen Yu lingered behind the four for a moment, then looked back. The path they had taken was now swallowed by darkness, transformed into an abyss.

Dusk approached rapidly from behind.

Without hesitation, Shen Yu moved lightly, his form dissolving into a shadow and vanishing.

...

The four stopped simultaneously along a horizontal line, motionless for unknown reasons.

A gentle breeze brushed past as Shen Yu arrived beside them, noticing their ashen faces filled with shock and despair.

Ahead lay a vast basin.

Thousands upon thousands of monsters—precisely, thousands of giant scorpions—occupied the basin.

Shen Yu’s expression grew grave.

Wind-born beasts were weak individually, but in such overwhelming numbers they became formidable.

How much more so these countless scorpions.

The others recognized the creatures as well, their faces drained of color.

“Are you kidding me? How are we supposed to get through this?” Wu Si looked utterly defeated, then roared in anger, “No! I refuse to die here. To hell with this!”

Pang Zhengyuan said calmly, “Brother Wu, don’t despair. If we can break through, there’s still a sliver of hope.”

The young warrior clenched his fists, swiftly circulating his spiritual energy.

Xiang Caiyun raised her hand, causing the bells to chime softly.

She said, “Yes, Wu Si, don’t give up. Let’s charge through.”

Wu Si seemed to lose control entirely, forcefully shaking off their hands and shouting, “If you want to die, go ahead! I’m done playing with you all!”

With those words, he flew back toward the path they had come.

The thunder hammer in his grasp blazed with astonishing light, smashing directly into the advancing black tide.

Shen Yu watched impassively, unmoved.

The next moment, all was calm.

Wu Si’s figure resembled a droplet falling into the ocean, instantly swallowed whole.

No sound, no movement—like an all-consuming abyss.

The remaining few stared in stunned silence.

An eerie stillness enveloped the scene.