Clan Cultivation: My Intelligence Updated Daily

Chapter 362 Fire Locust Mountain

The Kingdom of Wu.

This country, one of the four major kingdoms in the southeastern cultivation world, is the smallest in area, only one-third the size of the Zhao Kingdom.

There are two major Nascent Soul sects and six Golden Core sects and families within the territory. The two major Nascent Soul sects are the Fire Cloud Sect and the Purple Nether Sect.

Each side occupies half of the territory, and the number of vassals under their command is roughly equal.

After the demon race and demonic cultivators colluded to invade, the first to suffer was the Ziyou Sect, which was adjacent to the Chu Kingdom. Fortunately, at this critical moment, the Wu Kingdom united as one and, under the leadership of the two Nascent Soul sects, resisted on the border.

Even with the combined strength of all the cultivators in the country, they could not withstand the offensive of the demon race and the demonic path, and suffered repeated defeats from the very beginning.

If it weren't for the support from the Yue Kingdom, we probably would have lost half of our territory within a month...

In the following months, nearly half of the Wu Kingdom's cultivators were lost, and as many as seventeen Golden Core cultivators perished.

The Nascent Soul cultivators were severely injured, leading to the rapid loss of territory.

They could have held on, but things went wrong when the Golden Armor Demon Emperor, the Dark Moon True Lord, and the Burning Feather Demon Emperor launched a surprise attack with their demon kings and golden cores.

Three Nascent Soul cultivators besieged the Purple Nether Sect's mountain gate, resulting in the immediate death of the sect's Nascent Soul cultivator, Elder Qingli, and the sect's annihilation.

If it weren't for one or two Golden Core cultivators escaping, the Purple Nether Sect's lineage would probably have been completely severed.

After that, the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Fire Cloud Sect and the Dust Cloud Sect of Yue Kingdom continuously reduced their power.

This gave the demon race and demonic cultivators an opportunity to take advantage of the situation. Encouraged by their morale, they seized half of the Wu Kingdom and marched straight towards the Fire Cloud Sect.

Fortunately, the sudden demise of the Netherworld Demon Emperor caught the opponent off guard.

To prevent the situation in the north of Zhao from deteriorating, the Demon Emperor of Burning Feathers quickly withdrew, giving Wu a chance to catch its breath.

However, the situation has not improved. If reinforcements do not arrive, the remaining territory will be completely devoured sooner or later, and the Fire Cloud Sect will inevitably be destroyed.

Currently, under the leadership of the Golden Armor Demon Emperor and the Dark Moon True Monarch, the demon race and demonic cultivators have successively breached several important passes of the Fire Cloud Sect and are advancing directly into its heartland.

Fire Locust Mountain is one of the outer barriers surrounding the heartland of the Fire Cloud Sect.

This mountain is a third-tier sacred mountain, its body reddish-brown, covered with fire locust trees, resembling a mountain ablaze, hence its name.

The mountain is rich in fire-attribute spiritual energy and enjoys peace because it is far away from the flames of war on the frontier. It was originally a blessed place for disciples and elders of the sect to cultivate in seclusion, but in the blink of an eye, it has become the front line where the smoke of war rises.

To ensure that the strategic location of Fire Locust Mountain would not fall into the hands of demonic cultivators and monsters, the Fire Cloud Sect and the Dust Cloud Sect spared no expense.

The two sects directly dispatched four Golden Core cultivators to oversee the area, and also sent more than a thousand cultivators to defend the mountain.

Both the demon race and the demonic cultivators were well aware of the strategic importance of this mountain.

They knew that once they captured Fire Locust Mountain, they could advance unimpeded, strike deep into the heart of the Fire Cloud Sect, and then tear apart the remaining defenses of the Wu Kingdom.

Therefore, they spared no expense in deploying a large force, sending out four demon kings and two Golden Core demon cultivators.

The ferocity of the battle needs no further explanation; one can glimpse the extent of the devastation simply by looking at the mountain of remains of demonic beasts and cultivators piled up at the foot of the mountain.

At this moment, the protective array that Huohuai Mountain relies on for its survival is being pushed to its limit, operating day and night without stopping.

In order to maintain the array's energy consumption, the foundational third-tier spiritual veins were squeezed to the point of near depletion of spiritual energy, and spirit stones had to be used as a substitute, but the daily consumption was still extremely terrifying.

Despite maintaining this relentless effort at any cost, the mountain-protecting formation was finally breaking down under the relentless bombardment of the Demon King and the Golden Core demon cultivators, as well as the suicidal onslaught of the beast tide.

As a result, his spiritual light dimmed and his operation became sluggish. If this happened a couple more times, he would surely break through!

......

"Fellow Daoist Wei, I wonder when your sect's reinforcements will arrive? If this drags on any longer, this mountain will surely fall, and we will all perish along with it!"

Inside the dilapidated main hall of Huohuai Mountain Palace, an old man in black paced anxiously in circles. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he questioned one of the two people seated there.

The Golden Core cultivator being questioned was named Wei Yun, a Golden Core elder of the Fire Cloud Sect. He looked helpless and said bitterly, "Fellow Daoist Tang, I have already sent a message to the sect requesting reinforcements. The sect said that reinforcements are on their way. Please be patient..."

"On the road... You always say you're on the road, but we haven't seen a single Qi-refining figure until today... I think your sect simply can't send any more people."

Upon hearing this, the Golden Core cultivator surnamed Tang became even more enraged. Veins bulged on his forehead as he roared, "If you don't come soon, Fire Locust Mountain will surely fall. At that time, I, Tang, will definitely leave first. I won't care if the demon race and demonic cultivators invade your sect's heartland!"

"Fellow Daoist Tang, you!" Wei Yun suddenly stood up, staring intently at the person in front of him, his eyes almost spitting fire.

Seeing that the atmosphere was about to become tense and the two were about to start a battle of wits, Wei Yun was the first to lose his nerve, sighed deeply, and sat back down in his seat.

There's no other reason than that things have come to this point, everyone is on edge, and he really can't blame the other party.

After all, this Golden Core cultivator surnamed Tang did not belong to the Fire Cloud Sect, but was a rogue Golden Core cultivator from the Yue Kingdom.

In order to resist the demon race and demonic cultivators, the Fire Cloud Sect recruited people from all over the world, and this person was one of them.

Based on the compensation offered by the sect, it was indeed not worth a Golden Core cultivator risking his life for such a position.

The fact that the Golden Core cultivator surnamed Tang has persisted to this point is truly commendable. If there were no reinforcements, even if he were offered an immense reward, he would not continue to guard the position.

"Fellow Daoist Tang, I know you are extremely anxious, please wait a little longer."

As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, the elderly man in blue robes beside them sighed and offered some advice:

"Seven days ago, the Southern Zhao Kingdom killed the Xuan You Elder, and many demon kings and golden core cultivators were also driven out. It can be said that manpower has been freed up there."

"I heard that one of the Nascent Soul cultivators has led more than twenty Golden Core cultivators northward to support the Wu Kingdom. This place is so important that we cannot ignore it. I believe the reinforcements will arrive soon."

"Presumably, the sect reinforcements that Fellow Daoist Wei mentioned also refer to this..."

This person was none other than Zhang Yuanhua.

The old man followed the Chen family all the way north and was under the control of the Xuanguang Sect. Originally, he was fighting against the Chu state on the border of the Zhao state, but unexpectedly, the Wu state suffered repeated defeats, and he was sent here to provide reinforcements.

After experiencing the annihilation of the Ziyou Sect, he retreated with the allied forces and was then assigned by the Huoyun Sect to guard this place.

"I am aware of this matter, but Fellow Daoist Zhang, it takes at least six days to travel from the southern part of Zhao to this place. Without Fellow Daoist Wang, can we really hold out until they arrive?"

The cultivator surnamed Tang's expression softened slightly, but he was still not completely at ease. He gritted his teeth and continued:

"There are four demon kings and two Golden Core demon cultivators outside the mountain. If they come again, this mountain will surely fall, and we will all perish together."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanhua fell silent.

The Wang surname cultivator mentioned by the other party was one of the four Golden Core cultivators who guarded this place with them. He was killed by a Golden Core demonic cultivator from outside the mountain the day before yesterday.

Although four Golden Core cultivators plus the mountain-protecting formation were enough to withstand the combat power of six Golden Core cultivators, the leading Golden Core demon cultivator was a cultivator who had one foot in the late Golden Core stage.

None of the four of them were at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm; a single careless move resulted in their instant demise...

With the great formation already crumbling, the three of them alone facing twice the number of Golden Core cultivators would really be overwhelmed if it happened again...

"Looks like we really can't hold on much longer. Just two more days... and we can hold out until reinforcements arrive. Damn it."

After the argument ended, all three sat down in silence.

"Boom!"

The good times didn't last long. Just an hour later, a deafening explosion rang out, followed by deafening roars and occasional screams.

The three of them stood up abruptly, terrified. When they looked at each other, they could see that each other's faces were ashen.

"The demon race and demonic cultivators are attacking Fire Locust Mountain again!"

......

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