Tactical Retreat

Chapter 42

However, the offensive of the pills soon stopped.

"I've thrown down all the pills I could use. It seems I didn't prepare enough."

Qi Shu sighed. Even as an alchemist, it wasn't convenient to carry too many other types of pills on him. Most of the pills he had were for cultivation.

As the pill - fog dispersed, the people inside were revealed.

All the early - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators had fallen in the previous offensive. Even if they weren't dead, they were tortured by the various pills and lost their combat ability.

Among the remaining four, the late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators were still in a relatively good state, while the middle - stage ones looked exhausted. Obviously, the previous offensive had made them struggle to cope.

The pressure from the mountaintop was gradually increasing. This was a sign that Feng Qi was breaking through, and it was also urging the attackers to act quickly.

Otherwise, once Feng Qi broke through, they would all end up as corpses.

"Let's go all out and rush up."

Even the late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators felt urgent. There were only a few Foundation - Establishment cultivators in the Qingmiao Sect in total.

This time, a total of seven forces had gathered thirty Foundation - Establishment cultivators. Could they still be blocked?

If so, they might as well move their forces early or give up resistance and merge into the Qingmiao Sect.

The aura of Feng Qi approaching the breakthrough made them no longer care about preserving their strength.

Previously, preserving strength was just to strive for more when dividing up the spoils in the end. But all of this was based on the premise of stopping Feng Qi from breaking through.

The two late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators at the foot of the mountain glanced at each other, and they could see the determination in each other's eyes.

After nodding to confirm with each other, they made their moves together.

"Desolate Flying - Sword Technique!"

"Flame - Red Falling Star."

Two spells flew towards the mountain.

First came the brownish - yellow flying - sword shadow. Wherever it passed, the plants withered, and the speed of the shadow became faster and faster with each passing breath.

"Three - Lives Body - Protection Spell!"

There was no time to dodge. Li Changmeng could only use a spell to resist.

However, the power of this sword light exceeded Li Changmeng's expectation. The three protective soul - forms shattered instantly and pierced into his body.

Blood splashed everywhere. Qi Shu glanced sideways and only saw a big hole in Li Changmeng's chest.

"Elder Li..."

Qi Shu sighed. Even for a Foundation - Establishment cultivator, such an injury was almost impossible to survive.

However, he also knew the Desolate Flying - Sword Technique. It was the signature skill of the nearby Herb - Wood Sect and was said to be a third - order spell that could only be barely used by a late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivator.

Li Changmeng's death under this spell was not a bad deal. He had consumed a powerful spell.

Qi Shu turned his head and didn't look at Li Changmeng anymore. His wide Taoist robe began to emit a blue light.

The second spell, the Flame - Red Falling Star, roared towards them. It was a one - person - tall flaming meteor.

As it flew over, the air was distorted by the heat.

Qi Shu didn't even think about dodging because the Flame - Red Falling Star had a tracking effect.

His Taoist robe fluttered, and the blue light became more and more intense, wrapping Qi Shu completely.

It was actually a defensive magical tool.

It seemed to be of a high rank.

When the Flame - Red Falling Star touched Qi Shu, it merged with the blue light and then disappeared without a trace, not even causing a ripple.

"A third - order magical tool! It must be a third - order magical tool."

The person who cast the spell at the foot of the mountain exclaimed.

As the user of the spell, he knew very well the power of his own spell. To defend against it so easily, it could only be a third - order magical tool.

"Humph, with this River - Stabilizing Robe, you won't be able to enter the Qingmiao Sect."

With the third - order magical tool and the assistance of the sect - protecting formation, even though there were two late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators present, they had no way to deal with Qi Shu.

Beside him, Li Changmeng, who was lying on the ground with a pool of blood flowing out, slightly trembled his fingers.

If you have such a magical tool, why didn't you say so earlier? He had been sent to take a hit from the spell. If it weren't for his high understanding of the Way of Flesh and Blood, he would have already gone to the underworld.

No one paid attention to a person who was supposed to be dead.

On Li Changmeng's chest, countless white肉芽 protruded from the cross - section of the pierced wound and intertwined with each other. Soon, the wound was filled, and most of his injury was healed.

Below, relying on the protection of the third - order magical tool, Qi Shu fought against four opponents alone. Although he was at a disadvantage, he could hold on for half an hour.

By that time, everything would be settled depending on whether Feng Qi's breakthrough was successful or not.

In other words, Qi Shu's defense mission here had been completed. Everything now depended on the situations on the other two sides.

However, Li Changmeng was not optimistic about the attacking cultivators. Obviously, the Qingmiao Sect was well - prepared.

Qi Shu had prepared a third - order magical tool. The other elders must have made no less preparations.

It seemed that he still had to continue to be an elder of the Qingmiao Sect with peace of mind.

While lying on the ground and thinking about his future plans, Li Changmeng heard an incredible question.

"You! Are you crazy?"

Li Changmeng quietly moved his body and saw the situation on the field.

The two late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators were emitting spiritual power all over their bodies, as if it was overflowing.

At the same time, spells were flying everywhere, and they didn't care about the consumption of spiritual power at all.

With just one glance, Li Changmeng understood that they should have taken some pills with great side - effects to gain a short - term increase in strength.

"Crazy? If it weren't for your Qingmiao Sect trying to break the balance, we wouldn't have to fight so hard! It's all your fault!"

As he spoke, a flying - sword shadow appeared in front of Qi Shu. It was the Desolate Flying - Sword Technique that had almost killed Li Changmeng.

The River - Stabilizing Robe on Qi Shu shone brightly and was stimulated to the extreme.

However, there was more than one flying - sword shadow. Three flying swords and more Flame - Red Falling Stars followed closely.

Even a third - order magical tool in the hands of a middle - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivator couldn't withstand such a violent attack.

Without even letting out a scream, Qi Shu died in the pile of spells.

After dealing with Qi Shu, the two late - stage Foundation - Establishment cultivators smiled bitterly at each other.

They had both taken the Life - Exchanging Pill with extremely strong side - effects. Within half an hour, they had the strength close to the peak of the Foundation - Establishment stage.

As for what would happen after half an hour, they would simply disappear and die.

"While the effect of the pill is still there, hurry up the mountain."

They didn't dare to waste a single moment. Without even having time to pick up Qi Shu's storage bag, they rushed up the mountain without stopping.

It was a long time after they left that Li Changmeng got out of the fake - death state and stood up.

Except for his clothes being dyed red with blood, he didn't look like an injured person at all.

The Way of Flesh and Blood had a strong healing effect on physical injuries. As long as it wasn't a vital part like the brain, even if the heart was gone, it could grow back.

After confirming that there was no one around, Li Changmeng saw the charred fragments of Qi Shu lying on the ground.

Among them, the storage bag and the damaged Taoist robe were eye - catching.

He stuffed both of them into his arms. Now Li Changmeng didn't know which way the situation would develop.

The defense on their side had failed. He just didn't know how the other two sides were doing.

Could the four people who had rushed up the mountain successfully stop Feng Qi from breaking through?

Everything was unknown, but Li Changmeng decided to leave first.

He had realized that it might not be as easy to get benefits as Wang Xuan had made it seem.

It was very likely that Wang Xuan had actually been bought by another force long ago, which was why he was so well - informed.

And he, Li Changmeng, was just an insignificant guest elder who was being used by Wang Xuan in a planned rebellion. When it came to dividing up the spoils of the Qingmiao Sect, how could he get a share among so many forces?

Regardless of the truth of the matter, Li Changmeng had already firmly believed his own speculation.

So -

"Incense - Transforming Spirit Spell!"

The spell was instantly activated, and a vast amount of the power of incense wishes was sent to Wang Xuan on the other side through the hidden connection.

After doing all this, Li Changmeng headed towards his cave dwelling. He took Black Star with him and found a small path to leave the Qingmiao Sect.