novelraw Chapter 393: Ambush on the Road
Chapter 393: Ambush on the Road
“Did you leave it?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did he say anything?”
“I went quietly, left it, and then left immediately.”
Abbot Jie Tan nodded in satisfaction.
A promising pupil.
“Let’s go, to the Heavenly Sword Sect.”
Yu Zhao nodded in agreement. The two of them streaked across the sky like shooting stars.
…
In the main hall of the Green Wood Sect, Sect Leader Wu Sang walked in with a heavy heart. He had just sent off two relentless debt collectors, and his heart still ached over the expense. With a sigh, he was about to sit down when his gaze inadvertently landed on the offering table. His mouth twitched violently.“Damn it, Yu Zhao! Who told you to put that broken wooden bowl on the offering table?”
Passing by the doorway, Mu Ye’s eyes flickered guiltily, and she quickly scurried away. She would never confess that she had been the one to guide Yu Zhao there.
…
With a Divine Transformation cultivator accompanying her, Yu Zhao didn’t need to expend spiritual energy. She simply relaxed and allowed the spatial fluctuations to carry her.
On the second day after leaving the Green Wood Sect, Yu Zhao suddenly noticed their traveling speed increasing sharply. The spatial pressure grew intense, causing an uneasy premonition to rise within her. Glancing sideways at Abbot Jie Tan, she saw his expression had turned grim. The wooden alms bowl he often held was now replaced with a small, intricately crafted vajra.
Silently, Yu Zhao circulated her spiritual energy and discreetly concealed the Fleeting Life Mirror in her palm.
Half an incense stick’s time later, Abbot Jie Tan abruptly stopped mid-air and roared, his voice as commanding as a lion’s roar, “Reveal yourselves! What is your purpose here?”
Yu Zhao scanned the surroundings warily but found no trace of anything unusual. The area was deathly silent, causing her expression to darken. After her recent advancement following her retreat at Chaozong Gorge, her abilities had sharpened significantly. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator at the peak of their strength wouldn’t be able to escape her detection.
This left only one possibility—their opponents were Divine Transformation cultivators, and not just one of them.
Abbot Jie Tan’s voice echoed unanswered. His face solemn, he began silently chanting. Sanskrit syllables emerged from his lips, materializing into glowing golden characters that formed a circular barrier around them. His broad palm radiated dazzling golden light, which he thrust outward. The Sanskrit circle absorbed the light and expanded rapidly, illuminating the entire sky with brilliant gold.
Bathed in this radiant glow, Yu Zhao felt a comforting warmth envelop her. For the hidden adversaries, however, the light was as lethal as a blade.
A low hum reverberated. Three figures emerged from the void, their forms flickering unsteadily before they stabilized. Positioned at three separate points, the figures were indistinguishable in their identical black robes and featureless silver masks, which covered their faces entirely. Their evil yet overwhelmingly powerful aura was palpable.
Three Divine Transformation cultivators.
Even though Yu Zhao had anticipated this, the sheer scale of their opposition still left her shaken.
The Heavenly Ladder had fractured, and spiritual energy had grown increasingly scarce. The number of Divine Transformation cultivators in the cultivation world had dwindled significantly. Even the renowned Five Elements Dao Sect, the foremost sect in the realm, boasted fewer than ten such individuals.
Yet here, three mysterious Divine Transformation cultivators stood blocking their path. This was no ordinary occurrence.
Abbot Jie Tan’s gaze swept over the trio, his surprise mirroring Yu Zhao’s. He knew most Divine Transformation cultivators in the cultivation world, either personally or by reputation. Yet these three were entirely unfamiliar, as if they had emerged from nowhere.
The Harmony Sound Temple had always championed peace and avoided provoking conflicts. Why, then, were they being ambushed?
“What do you seek, honored guests?” Abbot Jie Tan asked, hoping to glean their intentions despite knowing that a fight was likely unavoidable.
The three figures exchanged a glance but ignored the question. They began forming hand seals in unison, their movements synchronized. Three massive black pillars of light erupted from their bodies, spreading outward until they connected, forming a colossal black triangle that trapped Abbot Jie Tan and Yu Zhao within.
Yu Zhao reacted swiftly, activating the Heart-Protecting Mirror before the formation was complete. Even so, she felt a cold, oppressive energy invade her senses, thrusting her into a grisly scene of blood and carnage.
Her vision blurred momentarily, but she quickly realized something was amiss. Centering herself, she cast out distracting thoughts. The Heart-Protecting Mirror worked its magic, restoring her clarity of mind.
Abbot Jie Tan appeared unaffected by the sinister aura. He had prepared to assist Yu Zhao, but seeing her regain composure on her own, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. His expression turned sharp as his gaze returned to the formation.
The black triangle began to morph. Bitter winds howled, and ghostly wails echoed. Dense black smoke coalesced into countless spectral apparitions, their faces twisted and bleeding as they surged forward in a frenzy.
“Steady your mind!” Abbot Jie Tan shouted, hurling the vajra into the air.
In an instant, golden light blazed forth. The specters disintegrated with agonized shrieks upon contact with the light. Yet more ghosts swarmed forward, relentless as moths drawn to a flame. The golden radiance dimmed as the onslaught continued, shrouding the area in darkness once more.
Yu Zhao observed the swarming specters with a calm expression, though unease flickered beneath her composed exterior.
This was only the beginning.
Sure enough, the battlefield shifted again. The ghosts, finding themselves unable to breach Abbot Jie Tan’s defenses, suddenly halted. A piercing shriek reverberated within the formation. The spectral horde, as though receiving some silent command, leapt into the air and fused together, forming a towering demon cloaked in swirling black energy. It exuded an aura of malevolence, like a god of destruction.
More such entities emerged, each as massive and menacing as the first. The lead demon raised a colossal foot and stomped downward with terrifying force.
The sheer pressure felt like a boulder crushing Yu Zhao’s chest, forcing a sharp intake of breath. The demon’s foot struck the golden barrier, rebounding slightly but remaining unscathed.
Yu Zhao assessed the situation. The fused demons were formidable. She could handle one, at most. The rest would have to fall to Abbot Jie Tan.
But she hadn’t forgotten the three Divine Transformation cultivators lurking beyond, watching them like predators. The moment Abbot Jie Tan showed weakness, they would strike, tearing them apart as ruthlessly as the ghosts had attempted.
This journey had turned perilous indeed.