Chapter 124: The Dao Court's Last Stand
Chapter 124: The Dao Court's Last Stand
On a desolate expanse of the Jie Tian Battlefield...
According to the prior agreement between the Dao Court and the Pure Land, when the Pure Land came under attack, the Dao Court should have detected the assault immediately and rushed to reinforce them.
Yet the Dao Court never appeared.
The reason? Just as the Pure Land’s Buddhist cultivators were ambushed by the Holy Sect, the Dao Court itself encountered an unexpected catastrophe—and now found itself locked in a desperate battle.
Above the wasteland hovered a colossal city, a treasure akin to the Pure Land’s terrain-anchoring vessel. But now, this mighty fortress was shrouded in a dense, black swarm of clouds. The buzzing of insect wings filled the air as the swarm descended upon the city’s protective barrier, emitting shrieks so piercing they made one’s scalp crawl. Over time, the city’s defenses crumbled under the relentless assault, and countless Dao Court cultivators were devoured.
“What in the heavens are these insects!?”
“We’ve tried Divine Abilities, even top-tier artifacts—nothing works against them!”
“Hold the line! Stand firm!”
A Dao Court cultivator shouted from the frontlines, but as his spiritual power drained from prolonged combat, a demonic beetle slithered into his mouth and nose. He froze, paralyzed, before collapsing lifeless to the ground.
In an instant, his body was reduced to an empty, blood-soaked husk. From within it erupted over a hundred new beetles, multiplying like wildfire.
This was the terror of the Aetherophagous Beetle—impervious to water, fire, and metal, capable of devouring spiritual energy itself. Whether Divine Abilities or artifacts, nothing escaped its hunger.
Yet amidst the chaos, one figure held the line.
A tall, commanding woman emanated radiant swordlight, slicing through swarms of beetles with every sweep of her blade.
“It’s the Sword Pavilion again.”
Deep within the city, Wang Jinting—the Dao Court’s leader—watched in awe. “The Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion’s Peerless Sword Divine Ability truly lives up to its name.”
But his admiration faded. “Unfortunately, she’s the only one here. We’ll have to abandon ‘Xu Tian City’ now.”
He glanced at the Omni-View Chart in his hand, his face darkening.
“The Pure Land… gone?”
The Omni-View Chart could locate any presence within Jie Tian. As long as someone remained in this realm, the Fruit-Rank Treasure’s vision could track them—unless they were already dead.
Yet now, the chart showed the Pure Land’s Buddhist cultivators, once clustered together, vanishing in an instant. In their place, countless Primordial Sacred Sect disciples emerged.
“The Primordial Sacred Sect? How is this possible?”
Wang Jinting’s mind reeled. Hadn’t they already eliminated most of the Primordial Sacred Sect’s True Transmission Disciples? Unless… someone of Foundation-Building Realm strength had intervened.
“If only we’d dealt with these beetles earlier,” he cursed. With the Omni-View Chart, he could have pinpointed the Aetherophagous Beetle King, slain it, and seized its power to end this battle swiftly.
But the Dao Court’s alliance with the Pure Land had prioritized wiping out the Holy Sect, especially their True Transmission Disciples. Pursuing native Jie Tian cultivators had seemed secondary.
Now, those “natives” had grown unchecked within Jie Tian, escalating into an unstoppable force. The Pure Land’s annihilation only deepened his dread.
“Retreat. We must withdraw now.”
Wang Jinting reached for the Omni-View Chart to evacuate the Dao Court cultivators—when a disciple’s cry halted him.
“They’ve stopped! The beetles aren’t attacking anymore!”
“What happened?”
Before he could react, an immense Spiritual Awareness pierced through the chaos, landing on Wang Jinting.
His pupils constricted as he instinctively recoiled. “You… you’re the beetle king?”
“Indeed.”
The Aetherophagous Beetle King’s voice was unnervingly clear—a side effect of consuming so many cultivators. “I devoured your kin. I saw your people hunting another group. You must know of their invincible existence. Tell me everything.”
“Invincible existence?”
Wang Jinting froze, then realized the king referred to the Primordial Sacred Sect’s Foundation-Building expert. Impossible!
He’d felt the Aetherophagous Beetles’ might firsthand—Qi Gathering cultivators stood no chance. But if the enemy had a Foundation-Building adept…
“A Foundation-Building Realm practitioner in a Qi Gathering war?” Wang Jinting’s fury boiled. “Monsters!”
Yet hope flickered. This Jie Tian native, armed with the beetle swarm, might shift the tide. At least to a stalemate.
He raised his gaze to the beetle king’s Spiritual Awareness, his mind racing.
“I’ll give you the invader’s location—ensuring they’ll never find you. But in return, you’ll help me eliminate them.”
“We share a common enemy. Destroying them benefits us both.”
“And once they’re gone, we’ll leave this place without further trouble.”
His plan crystallized: Use the beetles as expendable scouts. Their endless numbers and fearlessness could gauge the enemy’s Foundation-Building expert’s true strength. He’d stay hidden, avoiding direct confrontation.
“Surely their power has limits—perhaps endurance.”
He turned to the Ten-Thousand Spirit Banner, where Lv Yang and the Yanluo Patriarch sat in deep discussion.
“Cooperating with the beetles? I’d do the same,” the Yanluo Patriarch mused, analyzing the situation. “Even improved, the current Aetherophagous Beetles pose no threat to Su Nu. But if they retreat, sending wave after wave of insects…”
“A drawn-out war of attrition,” Lv Yang agreed.
“And if time favors the Jie Tian native, the beetles might grow beyond my capacity to fight.”
Thus, victory must come swiftly—by locating the Dao Court’s Fruit-Rank Treasure wielder or slaying the Aetherophagous Beetle’s Chosen One.
Lv Yang tried divination, but the Omni-View Chart’s interference obscured the path.
Then a voice chimed in.
“Master, are you seeking someone?”
He turned to see Bi Fei Yuan—the Holy Sect’s True Transmission Disciple—gliding in, her silken robes billowing. Her smile was radiant, mischievous.
“Perhaps we can assist.”
(End of Chapter)
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