Chapter 470 - 342: Purple Mansion Ambush

Chapter 470: Chapter 342: Purple Mansion Ambush

’An ambush...’

Yu Changsheng frowned, covertly observing with his Divine Sense. Outside the Flying Ship, about eight figures stood beyond the Defense Array. Each was clad in a black robe that obscured their face and even blocked probes from Divine Sense. The sheer power radiating from them, however, made Yu Changsheng’s heart clench in alarm.

Among the eight, even the weakest possessed a Late-stage Golden Core cultivation. But what put Yu Changsheng on high alert was the one standing at the forefront. The power erupting from this figure surpassed that of a Golden Core, having reached the Purple Mansion realm.

The eight figures stood outside the Flying Ship’s protective shield as a barrage of techniques rained down. Each impact caused the ship to shudder violently. Furthermore, they were attacking in a specific array formation, which amplified their power even more.

On the deck, Ruan Hao and Lu Ruikai’s faces were as black as thunder. They glared at the attackers outside the Flying Ship, their hands a constant blur of gestures as they fought to stabilize the ship and maintain its Protective Array.

"Who are you people? How dare you ambush a party from the Wanxiang Sect! Aren’t you afraid of our retaliation?"

Ruan Hao’s expression was incredibly grim, but he forced himself to remain calm. He stamped his foot hard on the deck, and the rocking Flying Ship shuddered once before steadying somewhat.

"Heh heh. If we’re doing this, it means we’re not afraid of your retaliation. Besides, what’s so great about the Wanxiang Sect anyway?"

Outside the shield, the leader—the Purple Mansion Cultivator—spoke, his deep voice laced with contempt and mockery. He pointed a finger at the shield, and an intense black light flared at his fingertip. As his Purple Mansion aura surged, the light shot out and stabbed fiercely at the barrier. Instantly, the shield began to vibrate. The blow sent ripples spreading across its surface, like a great stone dropped into a placid lake, and it looked on the verge of shattering.

Ruan Hao and Lu Ruikai’s faces fell. They hurriedly performed their techniques to reinforce the array, their gazes fixed on the eight figures outside, full of both hatred and bewilderment.

"What arrogance! The Wanxiang Sect has no quarrel with you. Who in the world are you to be so audacious?"

Ruan Hao roared, bit the tip of his tongue, and spat out a bead of crimson blood. It scattered into motes of red light that surged across the outermost layer of the Protective Array, reinforcing it.

"I’m just a man following orders, doing a job. Today, you will all fall here. Why continue this futile resistance?"

The black-robed Purple Mansion Cultivator spoke dispassionately, his voice as hoarse as an old man’s and filled with an infinite chill. His visible eyes glowed with a crimson light as he turned to his seven companions and gave them a slight nod.

"Don’t drag this out; it won’t be to our advantage. Let’s end this quickly. Use your full power!"

"Right!" 𝖿𝖗ⅇℴ𝑚

The seven nodded in unison, their voices equally hoarse and chilling. With a flick of their exposed wrists, they each drew a finger across the skin in a motion so perfectly synchronized it seemed rehearsed countless times. Instantly, beads of fresh blood, imbued with a strange power, welled up and dripped. The drops flew upward, spiraling and tangling together in the air before a violent, blood-red light erupted from them.

SKREEE!

The next instant, the light faded. The seven figures had vanished. In their place hovered a Blood-colored Profound Bird hundreds of feet long, its slender body entirely crimson. It let out a sharp cry that could pierce metal and shatter stone, a sound that echoed through the heavens and unleashed a potent Divine Soul Attack.

The black-robed Purple Mansion Cultivator now stood grimly upon the head of the Blood-colored Profound Bird, staring coldly at Ruan Hao and Lu Ruikai within the Flying Ship.

’This is...’

Yu Changsheng stared in shock at the behemoth that had suddenly appeared. This creature was no stranger to him; he had even fought one himself.

’Isn’t this the Blood-colored Profound Bird, the Combined Attack Array that was used when the Spirit Dragon Sect and Dark Stream besieged the Wanxiang Sect’s stronghold?’

However, this one—in both its sheer size and the power it radiated—far surpassed the one he’d faced before. The two couldn’t even be compared.

Yu Changsheng clearly recalled Zhao Xiaodong specifically mentioning this technique. ’It’s supposed to be a Combined Attack Array from the Qingzhou Military, a closely guarded secret...’

’I never thought I’d see it again, especially not like this.’

Ruan Hao, with his vast experience, recognized the creature the moment it appeared. His expression immediately darkened with uncertainty. Pointing a trembling finger at the black-robed Purple Mansion Cultivator, he roared in fury:

"The Blood-colored Profound Bird Combined Attack Array... You’re from the Qingzhou Military?" ℴ

"Agents of the Qingzhou Military, trespassing in the Martial Continent! Such audacity! Do you really think the Martial Continent is defenseless? Are you trying to get yourselves killed?!"

Hearing this, the black-robed Purple Mansion Cultivator chuckled, his tone airy and even more contemptuous than before. "Interesting. The Martial Continent can barely protect itself as it is, with all its experts sent to the frontiers. In this situation, where, exactly, do you think the advantage lies?"

Lu Ruikai pressed his lips together and clenched his jaw, glaring at the Purple Mansion Cultivator as a bead of sweat trickled down from his forehead.

"Attack!"

The Purple Mansion Cultivator shouted the command and tapped his foot lightly on the Blood-colored Profound Bird’s head. In that instant, the creature’s enormous body unfurled, blocking out the sky. A surging, blood-red light erupted from it as its long beak, glinting coldly and glowing with a red aura, pecked viciously down at the Flying Ship’s shield!

This single peck seemed to shatter space itself. A tempest of energy swept out, and sonic booms echoed without end. The full power of the Blood-colored Profound Bird was concentrated in this one attack.

CRACK...

The Profound Bird’s beak was as swift and unstoppable as an arrow. The moment it made contact, ripples spread across the Flying Ship’s shield before a large hole appeared at the point of impact. Cracks instantly spiderwebbed out from the breach.