Chapter 257: Chapter 83: Another Encounter with Martial Artists While Fleeing (Part 2)

’Besides, if I get involved too often, won’t my Experience Points be depleted in just a few moves?’

’So it’s best I don’t get involved. Besides, there’s no guarantee I’d gain anything from it, so I’ll just let it be.’

’This harvest wasn’t huge, but everything I got can quickly boost my strength. That’s good enough. The main thing is that one tortoise was worth more than everything else combined.’

Zhang Deming’s thoughts raced as he and Li Shifan sprinted away, retreating in the direction of the Sect.

The two ran for a long while, leaving the entrance to the Secret Realm far behind them until they could no longer sense the battle’s fluctuations at all.

They only occasionally encountered one or two others who were also retreating.

Suddenly, both of them stopped dead in their tracks. They frowned and exchanged a look. Li Shifan asked with uncertainty, "An Array?"

A moment before, they had been running through the forest. Now, they found themselves on a gray, hazy plain.

They were surrounded by a hazy mist that obscured their vision.

Runes flickered in Zhang Deming’s eyes. He nodded. "Yeah. A large-scale Trapping Array combined with an Illusion Array. I think there’s a hint of a Killing Array in the mix, too."

"From the looks of it, it’s at least at the One-Star level."

"Judging by how long this Array has been active, it has probably already trapped a lot of people."

Li Shifan’s brow furrowed. "This whole setup... they’re lying in wait for people coming out of the Secret Realm, aren’t they?"

"Who’s so incredibly bold as to target our Sect at a time like this?"

Zhang Deming shook his head. "There are always a few Demon Cultivators who are bold enough to try. After all, if they get lucky and snag someone fresh out of the Secret Realm, a single haul could set them up for the next hundred years."

Spiritual Light flickered in their eyes as they talked, searching for a weakness in the Array.

"This way!"

Runes flashed in Zhang Deming’s eyes as he spoke, having confirmed that this was only a One-Star Compound Array.

With his Cultivation and Mastery Level in Heart Eye Numerology, he was still able to spot a few of its flaws.

Zhang Deming led Li Shifan, and they moved swiftly through the thick fog. The surrounding Array began to fluctuate faintly.

After moving forward for a short while, they both faltered and came to a stop.

Not far ahead of them, several figures lay on the ground.

They cautiously moved closer to take a look, and their pupils constricted.

On the ground lay several mummified corpses. Freshly mummified.

Judging from the complexion of the corpses, they had been dead for half a day at most, yet their bodies were completely desiccated.

"These robes... they must be Outer Disciples?" Li Shifan said.

As they carefully examined the bodies, they found one that was still fresh.

They went to inspect it, and both of their expressions changed.

"Just died?" Zhang Deming said, astonished.

The words had barely left his mouth when a vine shot out, lashing at his side with lightning speed. Simultaneously, Light Wings materialized at his heels, and he dodged backward in a flash.

Li Shifan immediately drew his sword with one hand and shot backward, putting distance between them.

The emerald Vine struck a Long Sword, and the immense force of the blow made its wielder pause for a fraction of a second.

Only then did Zhang Deming and Li Shifan look up. Seven people had appeared in the spot where they had just been standing.

All seven wielded Long Swords and stood in a strange formation that eerily linked their auras together.

Spiritual Light flickered in Li Shifan’s eyes as he said in amazement, "Mortals? How are their auras so powerful?"

Zhang Deming’s brow tightened. "They’re high-level Martial Artists."

Li Shifan looked at Zhang Deming, confused. "Martial Artists? I thought their strength was capped at the level of an Advanced Apprentice at best."

"Each of these seven is as strong as half a Tai Chi Cultivator."

"Plus, with their auras linked so strangely, even an ordinary Tai Chi Cultivator might not gain any advantage against them."

The leader of the seven opposite them, an old man, saw that Zhang Deming had identified them in one glance. He smiled. "Oh, it seems we have someone with a sharp eye."

Zhang Deming smiled back. "Is that right? I think my eye is pretty sharp, too. Yours, on the other hand, isn’t so great."

Before any of them could respond, Zhang Deming spoke again.

"I’ve heard a rumor," he said. "It goes like this: when mortal Martial Artists behold an Upper Immortal of the Tai Chi realm, their will is utterly crushed. If they possess any concept of the divide between Immortal and Mortal, they will fall to their knees in worship."

As Zhang Deming spoke, a peculiar ripple spread out on the waves of his Spiritual Power.

A faint Spiritual Light rose from the linked auras of the seven Martial Artists, but it was far too weak to resist the invasive presence.

In the blink of an eye, the Spiritual Light shattered. At almost the same instant, all seven Martial Artists dropped their Long Swords. Five of them fell to their knees, trembling uncontrollably as they began to kowtow.

Their linked auras instantly shattered. The leader, the old man, stared at Zhang Deming, his face a mask of utter disbelief.

Seven emerald Vines erupted from the ground at their feet, trussing all seven of them up tightly.

"A Tai Chi Cultivator...?!" the lead old man ground out, forcing the words out one by one.

Zhang Deming smiled and stepped forward. "See? That’s why I said your eye wasn’t so great."

"Besides, with such a large and well-made One-Star Trapping Array, you could have easily screened for your targets’ strength with just a few more measures—provided I didn’t hide my Cultivation, of course."

"If I hadn’t been paying attention, I might never have even noticed you."

"But no, you had to set it up like this, trying to pick people off one by one. I thought you all must be incredibly powerful, but this is it? Who gave you the courage to ambush and rob people here?"

"Trying to catch everyone in a single sweep, no less. You’re all incredibly brazen."

’While Oratory can’t be used as a conventional tool like the Growth Technique, it seems to have surprisingly miraculous effects at times. It’s a useful Skill to have.’

Zhang Deming watched the old man’s expression and continued, "Oh, I get it. All the Tai Chi Cultivators were supposed to have gone into the Secret Realm, right?"