Chapter 418 - 267: Mysterious Neighbor, Two Islands Under Attack (Part 2)
Chapter 418: Chapter 267: Mysterious Neighbor, Two Islands Under Attack (Part 2)
BANG!
A moment later, his expression darkened. He clenched his fist, shattering the Jade Talisman.
"Damn it!"
A complex mix of resentment, dissatisfaction, and viciousness flashed across his face.
It was as if someone was deliberately threatening and manipulating him.
But after a moment, he gritted his teeth, his expression a mask of reluctant, forced compliance.
That night, the sky was pitch-black—so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. A shadowy figure slipped out of the cave residence, silent and soundless, melting into the darkness until it vanished completely.
...
Lin Changheng sped through the sky, heading swiftly toward Jade Belt Lake.
He didn’t stop once, flying in a straight line and pushing his Tunneling Speed to its absolute limit, like a streak of cyan lightning tearing through the clouds.
His urgency wasn’t born from a desire to get home, but from caution.
A great number of High Tier Cultivators had come to Floating Immortal City to observe the ceremony. There were more than ten old monsters at the Core Formation Stage or above, and Late Stage Foundation Establishment and Perfection Stage Cultivators were everywhere. Although the ceremony was over, the departure times and routes of these powerful figures were unpredictable.
As the saying goes, when gods fight, mortals suffer. If he were unlucky enough to run into some eccentric High Tier Cultivator, or one handling private matters, they might ignore him if they were in a good mood. But if they were in a foul mood, casually killing a minor Foundation Establishment Cultivator who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time would be perfectly normal.
Although he wasn’t afraid of anyone below the Fake Core Stage, the old saying still held true: it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Only when he saw the familiar outline of Jade Belt Lake in the distance did Lin Changheng’s Heart and Spirit finally relax.
However, in the very next moment, a violent tremor of Spiritual Power, mixed with the roar of Magic, suddenly erupted from the direction of Jade Belt Lake!
"What?"
Lin Changheng’s expression immediately turned grim. He activated his Concealing Breath Demon Technique, then used the Shadow Escape technique, and his entire body drifted away without a sound.
Forcing himself to remain calm, he approached to a distance of about five *li*.
This distance of five *li* was, it could be said, perfectly chosen.
The Divine Sense of a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator typically extended to four *li*. Even in the rare case that their Divine Soul was unusually powerful for some reason, it would be difficult for their range to exceed five *li*.
Therefore, observing the situation from outside this range was ideal.
Of course, if a Fake Core Cultivator was causing the disturbance, it wouldn’t matter if he were five, six, or even seven *li* away; it would be all the same.
A typical Fake Core Cultivator’s Divine Sense had a range of precisely eight *li*!
There was no way to avoid their scan.
But that scenario could largely be ruled out. The arrays of the Three Islands of Jade Belt Lake were all of similar quality—either Tier Two Upper Grade or Tier Two Middle Grade. They wouldn’t be able to withstand the attacks of a Fake Core Cultivator for long.
...
High in the sky, Lin Changheng had already slipped into a thick white cloud, further concealing his figure.
At the same time, he activated his Insight Skill, combining its Three Skills into one. A three-colored light flowed silently in his eyes as he immediately pushed his vision to its limit.
He quickly discovered that the disturbance was not coming from his Moonrest Island, but from its neighbor—Xu Maoling’s Rising Sun Island!
He saw that the normally peaceful light shield surrounding Rising Sun Island was now flickering violently, clearly under heavy assault. Several streaks of Escape Light circled the island, relentlessly bombarding it with various forms of Magic. One figure with a tyrannical aura was fiercely attacking an array node—it was a Cultivator with Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation!
From within the array, counterattacks were also being launched. A scythe-shaped Upper Grade spiritual artifact was attacking wantonly, clearly filled with rage.
Lin Changheng recognized it as Xu Maoling’s Spiritual Artifact.
’He can only defend from behind the array?’
This realization did not bring Lin Changheng any relief, even though Moonrest Island wasn’t the target.
What made his expression sink further was that the battle’s aftershocks had already reached Moonrest Island—perhaps because Rising Sun Island was so close, or perhaps because the attackers’ blows were simply too ferocious.
The Thick Earth Carrying Object Formation and the Jade Wave Sea Curtain Array on his own island had been passively activated. The light curtain rippled, and though it was unharmed for now, it was clearly under considerable pressure.
On the island, the Cyan-striped Tiger let out an uneasy growl. Xiaohai and Xiaobai stood guard at the shore, their Demonic Power surging.
Yan Mingyi’s figure was airborne within the island, clutching an Array Flag Lin Changheng had given her, nervously manipulating the array to defend against the shockwaves.
At the same time, one of the Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators, while still attacking Rising Sun Island, was clearly distracted, keeping an eye on Moonrest Island to watch for anyone attempting a sneak attack or joining the fight.
...
Even more alarmingly, on the other side of Rising Sun Island, the Grand Array of Floating Star Island had already been breached. Cheng Suling’s island, once a tranquil and elegant place that blended seamlessly with nature, was now a complete wreck.
The natural feng shui formation that enveloped the island had been violently torn open, and the remnants of its light screen fell like shattered glass. On the island, mountain stones were cracked, trees were scorched black, and the strange plants she had so carefully cultivated were utterly devastated.
Flashes of intense Spiritual Light could be faintly seen colliding at the island’s center. It was obviously Cheng Suling herself, fighting the invaders. However, her aura’s fluctuations clearly showed she was at a disadvantage, only managing to hold on by relying on her familiarity with the terrain and her mastery of Geomancy. Her situation was perilous!
’They’re attacking two islands at once?!’ Lin Changheng was shaken, his face turning completely grim.
This was no ordinary conflict.
The attackers were formidable, with at least two Late Stage and four Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators among them. They were ruthless, and their goal was clear: to eliminate both Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling with lightning speed.
It was clearly premeditated!
Since they dared to attack two Isle Masters at once, and had breached the Grand Array Cheng Suling had laid out with her Geomancy Skill so quickly, their strength and preparations far exceeded his expectations. Who would their next target be? The answer was obvious.
If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.
If both Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling were defeated, his Moonrest Island would be unable to stand alone. It would inevitably become the attackers’ next target, something to be devoured and casually annihilated.
At that point, facing a siege by possibly more than one Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his chances of survival would be slim, even with the support of his arrays.
He couldn’t just watch any longer.
Killing intent flashed in Lin Changheng’s eyes. This was no longer a question of whether to help; it was about self-preservation.
On his island were not only his concubine and Spirit Beasts, but also a hidden Spirit Medicine Garden filled with rare Treasure Plants. He couldn’t abandon them.
His figure moved like a ghost through the clouds as he rapidly analyzed the battlefield:
On Rising Sun Island, Xu Maoling was still desperately holding on, relying on his profound Earth Element Technique and the array he had maintained for years, but his defeat was only a matter of time.
On Floating Star Island, Cheng Suling was in imminent danger. She had to be rescued first!
’Once this is over, I’ll demand an explanation from them.’
’I might even be able to get some resources out of it.’
’Besides, we’re bound by a Daoist Oath to defend one another...’
In a flash of thought, Lin Changheng made his decision.
He first sent a brief Divine Thought transmission to Yan Mingyi on Moonrest Island: "Hold the array! No matter what happens in the Outer World, do not leave it!"
"Husband?!"
The anxious Yan Mingyi instantly felt a wave of relief. Her pillar of support had returned!
At the same time, Xiaobai also received a command. At the edge of the island, where almost no one was paying attention, it slipped silently into the water. Following Lin Changheng’s instructions, it dove deeper and deeper, stealthily approaching Floating Star Island.
Meanwhile, Lin Changheng had pushed his Concealing Breath Skill to its absolute limit. Aided by the clouds, his body became a faint, almost imperceptible shadow as he circled around to the rear of Floating Star Island, where the fighting was most intense.
Fortunately, Xu Maoling was drawing most of the attention, making it even less likely that Lin Changheng would be noticed.
However, the closer Lin Changheng got, the more staggering the roar of Magical Combat and the pressure of the Spiritual Pressure from Floating Star Island became.
He could see Cheng Suling with a green lantern floating above her head, casting a protective halo of light around her. At the same time, she was controlling a Compass-like Spiritual Artifact, channeling streams of Spiritual Light to command the island’s residual Earth Veins and the qi of its plants. She transformed them into tough Vines and menacing Earth Spikes, relentlessly attacking two smirking enemies...