CHAPTER 181: CHAPTER 174: STIRRING THE GRASS AND SCARING THE SNAKE (PART 2)

He frowned as a slender and tall woman landed behind him, a white disc spinning in the wind beside her.

She looked like a woman in her thirties, but the fine lines at the corners of her eyes suggested she was older.

Her cultivation was at the late-stage Foundation Establishment, with a wind element attribute, dressed in a white long robe and black cloth shoes, with a beautiful complexion and silver hoop earrings.

In the woods, a brawny, muscular man wearing short clothes, with a violent aura, stepped out, his eyes locking onto Shen Wang: "I’ve been waiting for you for over half a month, and you finally dare to show yourself!"

The man had slightly graying temples, a square face, broad ears, wearing short clothes that exposed his taut, powerful muscles with a bronze sheen.

The woman’s clothes had special patterns, and Shen Wang concluded she was from the Yun Family, frowning: "What do you want with me?"

"You know very well what it’s about!"

The man in short clothes sneered.

Whoosh!

A flash of lightning came whistling from afar, and an old voice arrived beside, "Capture him first, make him lead us into the array to settle the score for killing our Yun Family’s direct lineage!"

Shen Wang glanced to the side, his expression changed, and without a word, he slashed at the woman blocking his retreat.

With a Golden Core approaching, Shen Wang spared no reserves, knowing that if he were blocked, he wouldn’t make it back.

Thus, his strike was the finishing move of the Black Death Saber Technique, combined with the Dragon-Suppressing Force, and imbued with Sword Intent, an unassuming slash containing his Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

The circular blade she used in response was struck aside with one contact, her pupils shrinking as she hurriedly activated a Defense Talisman.

But the talisman’s power was broken through in an instant by Shen Wang, and his defensive magical artifact activated in a critical moment.

The earring emitted a ring of jade-white brilliance, momentarily halting the Black Death Blade that had pierced through the talisman shield, but it too shattered.

"Not good!"

The woman exclaimed in horror, trying to evade but still had an arm severed by a slash, emitting a heart-wrenching scream.

At this moment, Shen Wang was approached by the brawny man from behind. Seeing that Shen Wang had actually injured a Yun Family cultivator of similar cultivation with a single slash, the man was shocked and attacked more fiercely.

Fiery red power engulfed his fist, carrying a force like molten lava, full of explosive power, making the air around them scorching hot.

Purgatory Fist!

A powerful punch shattered the Golden Light Shield Shen Wang had activated, to which he responded with a palm strike.

Blue-black brilliance flowed like water across his palm, the light growing deeper, as unfathomable as a vast lake.

Black Emperor Palm!

A palm technique from the Black Emperor Scripture, used to confront enemies, balancing hardness and softness, its grade rising with one’s strength.

With a bang, the Black Emperor Palm met the full-force punch of the brawny man, and with a surge of Spiritual Essence like a tsunami, forced him back.

Shen Wang didn’t stand still either, using the rebound force to swiftly leap over the dodging woman, charging toward the array.

The flashing light, upon seeing someone so fierce, casually sent a streak of lightning: "Trying to run? No way!"

Just as Shen Wang was about to return to the Dao Array’s range, the lightning appeared overhead in the blink of an eye.

The prowess of a Golden Core level was far superior, the attack powered by mana further intensified, causing Shen Wang to dare not underestimate it, promptly activating three Vajra Talismans in quick succession, while using the Black Death Blade to block the lightning.

Boom!

Shen Wang was hit hard, with the ground nearby exploding directly.

A mass of lightning and immense force poured in, the shield began to shatter, and ripples surged rapidly in Shen Wang’s Spiritual Essence, failing to fully absorb the attack.

In the crucial moment, he could only adjust his direction.

Boom!

Amidst a loud crash, he flew backward toward the Ninth Peak, vomiting blood, while three levels of the Vajra Talisman on his body shattered in a rush, his sleeves torn, the Black Death Blade gaining a notch.

Pfft~

Shen Wang spat out a mouthful of blood, horrified.

The skills of this old bastard were so formidable; that last blow felt like it could have killed him.

Enduring the pain, he retreated over ten more zhang, simultaneously discovering what had attacked him.

It was a pearl brimming with silver lightning patterns, about the size of a fist, entirely black, seemingly metallic, exceptionally heavy.

An old man in a silver robe with white hair and beard appeared nearby, enveloped in lightning, his complexion dark: "With mere Foundation Establishment cultivation, you took a hit from my Celestial Thunder Pearl and yet survived."

His lifebound treasure, the Celestial Thunder Pearl, was crafted from Deep Sea Profound Iron and Celestial Thunder Gold, refined over years by celestial thunder, imbued with celestial thunder power, and as heavy as a mountain.

When exhibited with his mid-stage Golden Core cultivation, even an early-stage Golden Core cultivator can’t easily withstand it, yet it failed to take down a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Shen Wang, while retreating, was shocked: "The Great Elder of the Yun Family, more powerful than even Profound Thunder Zhenren, how did they all ambush me outside, and how did they know I was hiding here?"

His eyelids twitched violently, his expression fluctuating, suddenly recalling the burning talisman when he opened the box containing the Wind and Thunder Blood Fusion Pill.

"However, he seems to not recognize me as the culprit, nor mentioned I’m Profound Thunder Zhenren’s enemy, it appears they still don’t know we’re the same person."

Shen Wang pondered.

"Great Elder, kill him quickly."

The woman, who had an arm severed by Shen Wang, approached with resentment, holding her severed limb, eager to devour Shen Wang.

However, from her vantage point, Shen Wang was already out of sight, having retreated into the Void Sect’s array.

"Still daring to speak, truly useless, couldn’t even stop a peer-level cultivator!"

The Yun Family’s Great Elder scolded: "If you both had held on for just two more breaths, would we have startled the snake and let him run back?"

The other burly man knocked back by Shen Wang shook his numb hand, smiled wryly: "Elder, we didn’t expect he was a dual cultivator of Qi and body, his strength far exceeded anticipation."

"Hmph, didn’t you consider waiting till he had moved farther away before acting? Now that he’s retreated, forcing our way in bears a high cost, one unknown many times over."

Cloud Celestial Thunder was very dissatisfied.

"Great Elder, it’s not that we didn’t want to wait for him to be further away, this person was too alert, sensing something amiss and intending to run back, which is why we jumped out."

The woman responded sullenly.

"Enough, no more excuses, immediately notify the others to come. Since we’ve already stirred the snake, there’s no need to hide, force our way in, let’s see how many they have!"

Cloud Celestial Thunder shouted, his voice like thunder, making their ears buzz, leaving them speechless.

Shen Wang heard this, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. The array here was a Dao Array; although the coverage was vast, the outer array’s power wasn’t strong enough, at most a nuisance for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

This level of Golden Core could not be stopped, and from what he understood, there were quite a few others.

Cloud Celestial Thunder seemed to know Shen Wang was still there, his gaze cold, with a murderous threat: "Boy, if you’re sensible, come out and lead the way truthfully, there’s still a chance of survival, I’m here today to seek revenge on the Golden Core here!"

Shen Wang curled his lips; the target they intended to kill was him; how could he possibly lead the way.

He sneered coldly, activated the nearby Dao Array with a seal gesture, and turned to rush back.

This situation was different from last time.

The area of the Ninth Peak was over a hundred times larger than the ancestral home; even if the Yun Family brought people in to kill, he still had room for maneuver.

However, this time he must stay here as long as possible, unable to go out; otherwise, too many pursuers would make it impossible for them to escape.

With a grim face, he returned: "Now I must go to the mountaintop; hopefully, the path Xue’Er discovered yesterday is passable."

Shen Wang pondered, quickly returning to the courtyard halfway up the mountain, containing three sets of top-grade arrays he had moved from the ancestral home, still providing temporary resistance means.

Liu Shan was pacing at the door, his face lighting up upon seeing Shen Wang: "Master, you’ve returned; it’s perfect timing, as the madams are also looking for you."

"Look for me?" Shen Wang, deep in thought about handling the enemy, was puzzled.

"Lady Zhiyuan is about to give birth, just after you left earlier, and now your return is timely."

Liu Shan smiled.

Shen Wang was stunned; not knowing whether to be happy or worried at this moment, he glanced outside and triggered a wave of Spiritual Essence with a seal.

Brilliant light surged nearby as a thick array barrier rose, enveloping the courtyard.

"From now on, do not go out."

Liu Shan nodded: "Yes, Master, but Young Miss Xue’Er is still outside; she went to the mountaintop again."

"I’ll go find her."

Shen Wang turned back from his path at the courtyard, quickly rushing to the mountaintop.