The great teleportation array stood only a short distance ahead. Soon, the cultivators from both factions stepped onto it together. Mo Fan watched the array patterns on the ground flash with light, then brilliant flames soared into the sky, completely enveloping everyone inside.
When the dazzling flames vanished, not a single person remained within the array.
“Those fellows clearly know you obtained an immortal treasure, so they will never let this go. Most likely they will wait for us outside the Dragon Ruins entrance.”
Bai Tian Tian frowned slightly, then turned to Mo Fan and asked, “What do we do now?”
At her words, all the girls looked toward Mo Fan at once. They were well aware of the predicament awaiting them, yet for the moment none had a better plan.
As Corpse Daoist had said, inside the Dragon Ruins they still possessed the strength to fight back. Once outside, however, everything would change.
Without the cultivation suppression, they might be prodigies, but what could they use to resist those Core Formation cultivators?
Ordinary Core Formation cultivators were one thing; they did not fear them. Corpse Daoist and his two companions were different. They were true direct disciples of great sects, existences comparable to Holy Sons. The threat posed by the three of them together far exceeded that of the other Core Formation cultivators.
“Truthfully, the best method would be to stall for time. If we delay long enough for them to believe we really are waiting for the Fire Phoenix Saint King, they will naturally leave bit by bit.
But with the Dragon Ruins on the verge of collapse, I am afraid we cannot delay for long.”
Mo Fan sighed, then said to the girls, “Let us wait and see for now. We will stall as long as we can. If Old Ancestor Bai Lu manages to arrive, that would be perfect.”
All the girls nodded in unison. For the moment, there truly was no better option.
“Still, to be safe, I think we should wait inside the great teleportation array. If anything happens, we can escape immediately.”
With that, Mo Fan led the girls into the range of the array patterns. He glanced curiously at the markings on the ground and asked, “As far as I know, activating a great teleportation array requires void stones. Yet those fellows earlier did not seem to use any. How did they manage it?”
“A great teleportation array does not strictly require void stones. As long as there is sufficient energy to power it, teleportation is still possible.
Of course, void stones are the most suitable energy source. They save a great many spirit stones,” Bai Shuang explained.
“Exactly. With a void stone, generally one stone is enough for an ultra-long-distance teleportation. Without one, however, hundreds of thousands or even millions of low-grade spirit stones are needed.”
Bai Feng nodded as well. Both she and Bai Shuang had entered the Dragon Ruins more than once and had long since familiarised themselves with the rules of the great teleportation array.
Their words left Mo Fan and Hei Yi speechless with shock. Only Bai Tian Tian showed little reaction, as if expending hundreds of thousands or millions of spirit stones was not particularly frightening.
“So entering the Dragon Ruins actually costs so many spirit stones?”
“If someone finds no treasure inside, would they not suffer a huge loss?”
Hei Yi frowned at once, finding it hard to believe.
“That is simply how treasure hunting works. Whether in the Dragon Ruins or any other secret realm, one must invest before one can gain.
It is not guaranteed loss. Find a single life-extending spiritual herb or a powerful treasure, and the profit is enormous!” Bai Shuang laughed.
“But life-extending herbs and treasures are not so easy to find,” Hei Yi shook her head helplessly.
“Those who can come to the Dragon Ruins to hunt for treasure are never small factions. They can afford this amount of spirit stones. Moreover, each has their own treasure-seeking methods. It may not be as difficult as you think.
Besides, finding treasure is hard. Killing others and seizing theirs is much quicker.”
Bai Shuang’s words stunned Hei Yi. Only after a long pause did she finally understand.
So the so-called treasure hunting treated “hunting” as the false part and “robbing” as the true goal!
Mo Fan deeply agreed. On this trip he had reaped enormous rewards, killing who knew how many cultivators along the way and obtaining more than twenty magical treasures.
Unfortunately, many had been expended in the battle against the Chi Dragon, leaving him with only a few now.
The group waited for some time, but the earthquakes grew ever more frequent. Spatial rifts in the sky and on the ground multiplied, nearly tearing the entire Dragon Ruins into several pieces.
One rift ahead extended from its original length of ten zhang to a hundred zhang, almost reaching the great teleportation array where the demons sat.
At last Mo Fan could sit no longer. He first brought out the Soul-Devouring Banner, had all the girls enter the ghost domain, then stored the banner in his pouch. Only then did he take out a void stone and pour his demonic power into the great array beneath his feet.
Rumble.
The great teleportation array immediately trembled. Array patterns glowed, endless flames of light shot skyward, and completely enveloped Mo Fan.
At the same time, astonishing energy poured from the void stone in his hand into the array.
When the void stone finally vanished, the array activated with a boom, and Mo Fan’s figure gradually disappeared from within it.
When he reappeared, everything around him had changed. The blood-red scenery was gone, and greenery finally surrounded him.
Yet the several figures nearby made Mo Fan’s heart tighten.
These fellows really had not given up!
He now stood upon another array, surrounded by several enormous stone pillars.
The pillars were broken and uneven in height, but several figures stood scattered atop them.
They were none other than the Corpse Yin Sect and Sun Moon Holy Sect cultivators who had left before him!
“Fellow Daoist Yunjun, we meet again!”
“It seems the Fire Phoenix Saint King you so admire does not care for you as much as you thought. She actually let you travel alone.”
The bare-chested, one-armed cultivator spoke, gazing at Mo Fan inside the array with a brilliant smile on his face.
“So it is Fellow Daoist Corpse!”
Mo Fan took a deep breath and looked toward Corpse Daoist, though his tone had grown rather cold.
He swept his gaze across the surrounding cultivators and said calmly, “Are all you fellow daoists waiting for someone?”
“In that case, forgive me for taking my leave first!”
As he spoke, a pair of dragon wings instantly appeared behind Mo Fan, and he prepared to soar into the sky.
But at that moment, Corpse Daoist struck. With a palm thrust into the void, a gigantic emerald palm print instantly condensed and smashed down toward Mo Fan!
“I am afraid you will not be leaving, fellow daoist!”
With a loud boom, Mo Fan’s ascending figure was forcibly slammed back to the ground.
“What is the meaning of this, fellow daoist?”
Mo Fan narrowed his eyes, his expression turning ugly.
At the same time, he glanced up at the clear blue sky. The seal on his golden core began to loosen, and faint ripples appeared in the sea of near-solidified demonic liquid within his body.
The next instant, a chilling aura finally surged into his heart!
Thunder tribulation!
In that moment, Mo Fan sensed his thunder tribulation!
It was a terrifying aura that made even him tremble, as though it were the breath of annihilation before the end of the world, pressing down on his entire heart.
Yet alongside the fear, an inexplicable excitement welled up inside Mo Fan.
This meant he could finally undergo his tribulation in the truest sense. As long as he survived this thunder tribulation, he would gain true command of king-level power and become a genuine king-realm great demon!
He had waited far too long for this day!
“You are a clever demon. You should understand our meaning. Hand over the immortal treasure and everything else on you, and we may consider sparing your life!”
This time it was Ri Ying who spoke, a trace of arrogance between his brows and disdain in his eyes as he looked at Mo Fan.
Perhaps inside the Dragon Ruins he had truly feared Mo Fan deeply.
But now it was different. He had left the Dragon Ruins, and his full cultivation was no longer suppressed!
“Are you truly determined to force me into a corner?”
Mo Fan sighed, then without hesitation released every seal within his body!
“Very well then. Though unworthy, I invite all of you to accompany me on the road to the underworld!”
