https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-552-Breaking-the-Formation-and-Fishing-in-Troubled-Waters/12942250/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-554-The-Culprit-Behind-the-Massacre/12942259/
Chapter 553: The Solitary Island, Puppet, and the Decisive Battle
Chapter 553: The Solitary Island, Puppet, and the Decisive Battle
Gu Shaoshang stored the massive corpse of a Third Stage Ringed-Head Turtle into his storage bag, his gaze falling beneath the sea's surface.
With just a glance, he sensed something amiss.
The spiritual energy fluctuation wasn't a sign of a Crimson Rock Crab's self-detonation.
"Malevolent Qi?"
Just as he was perplexed, his brows furrowed, and he immediately retreated, disappearing into the void.
Beneath the sea's surface, Luo Chen was taken aback. A cultivator? And a powerful one at that, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator! Suddenly, he moved, extinguishing the Fiery Poison Mist and quietly retreating into the depths of the sea.
On the large island nearby, the battle was gradually coming to an end. The Crimson Rock Crab clan had already dispatched forces to sweep the battlefield, indicating it was no longer a place to linger.
After the two of them left, a figure flew to this area of the sea after a long while.
He circled around, looking perplexed.
Gone?
Neither the Crimson Rock Crab clan nor the Ringed-Head Turtle Demon King was in sight.
Could it be that the Crimson Rock Crab clan was wiped out, and even their corpses were taken away?
After searching again, the Crimson Rock Crab Demon King had no choice but to return empty-handed. Fortunately, they had managed to capture this large island, bringing them one step closer to Obsidian Island.
...
On a desolate island, Luo Chen, upon returning to his cave abode, quickly took out a recently deceased Third Stage Crimson Rock Crab from his storage ring.
Using a magical treasure, he skillfully removed the crab's shell and immediately soaked it in a special liquid.
Only then did Luo Chen heave a sigh of relief.
A Third Stage Demon Crab no longer needed to be refined alive.
However, its materials required prior treatment to prevent contamination from death energy.
Otherwise, if the death energy was excessive, even if he refined it later, the quality would be poor, making his efforts in vain.
This was already the third Third Stage Demon Crab he had secretly hunted down in the past few months.
Initially, Luo Chen had almost given up on this idea.
Who would have thought that the Demon Crab's offensive would suddenly change?
From the initial well-organized and coordinated attacks, they gradually devolved into individual battles.
Additionally, the Ringed-Head Turtle clan's resistance intensified.
The situation became increasingly chaotic, giving Luo Chen ample opportunities.
With the Third Stage Concealment Array engraved on his body, Luo Chen's actions were almost always silent and invisible, as long as he didn't unleash powerful techniques.
On the previous two occasions, he encountered two severely wounded Third Stage Demon Crabs, which he easily captured after secretly deploying his innate treasure, the Hunyuan Cauldron.
This time, it was even easier!
Recalling the process, Luo Chen's mind flashed back to the young cultivator.
"Someone is imitating me, waiting for the opportune moment?"
"Late-stage Golden Core..."
Luo Chen's thoughts stirred, and he sent out a sound transmission.
After a while, a seemingly ordinary sea eagle circled in the sky a few times before landing on the nameless desolate island.
She followed a specific route, walking slowly and eventually entering Luo Chen's cave abode.
"Master, Tian Xuan has returned. Are there any instructions?"
The young man, with his back to her, turned around, holding a painting with a lifelike portrait of a man.
Before he could speak, Tian Xuan saw the portrait and exclaimed, "Gu Shaoshang!"
"It's him indeed."
Luo Chen nodded slightly, igniting a flame in his hand to burn the portrait to ashes.
He had always wondered why a late-stage Golden Core cultivator would appear in the usually human-free Obsidian Sea.
It made sense if it was Gu Shaoshang.
After all, he had arrived earlier and even collaborated with the Crab King clan.
The only strange thing was that the Flying Cloud Gorge cultivators had already retreated from the Obsidian Sea, yet Gu Shaoshang returned and, like Luo Chen, became a 'yellow bird' waiting for the opportune moment.
"His goal is clear; he's after the Third Stage Ringed-Head Turtle."
"Just like I'm after the Third Stage Demon Crab King!"
"However, since he's already collaborated with the Demon Crabs, why stoop to such underhanded tactics, imitating me and acting in secret?"
Muttering to himself, Luo Chen fell into deep thought.
Tian Xuan stood respectfully, not daring to disturb Luo Chen.
After a while, Luo Chen finally snapped out of his reverie.
"Returning and acting in secret, fearing the Demon Crabs would abandon him after using him, he relies on his cultivation to act alone?"
It had to be said that Luo Chen's guess was not far from the truth.
Or rather, guessing this wasn't difficult.
Luo Chen had concealed Tian Xuan, who constantly circled in the sky, keeping watch on the battle's progress.
During this time, she had also seen the Flying Cloud Gorge cultivators transporting Ringed-Head Turtle corpses onto the demon-hunting ship.
This was clearly one of the conditions of the human-demon collaboration.
Initially, Luo Chen thought the Flying Cloud Gorge cultivators had earned enough and were leaving in a hurry.
Now it seemed that Gu Shaoshang's appetite was not small.
However, he was also cautious, first evacuating the weaker disciples of his sect before hunting more Ringed-Head Turtles alone.
This gave Luo Chen an idea.
"Should I kill him when he's alone, avenging Tian Xuan?"
Tian Xuan's grudge was not just about face.
It was because Tian Xuan's capture had lured the three Venomous Spider Crab Demon Kings to attack Tian Xuan Island, exposing Luo Chen's location.
Otherwise, he wouldn't need to take such risks, personally entering the battlefield to hunt Demon Crabs.
After pondering, Luo Chen temporarily dismissed the idea.
"Fine!"
"The immediate priority is to secretly hunt more Third Stage Demon Crabs and prepare more Black King Ointment for my late Third Stage Tempering Body."
"Unforeseen complications might ruin the plan."
Luo Chen knew how to prioritize.
The current battlefield situation was chaotic and complex, providing the perfect opportunity for him to fish in troubled waters and seize benefits.
If unexpected issues arose and alerted the Five Great Demon Crab Clans, it could easily lead to bigger troubles.
Moreover!
To deal with a late Golden Core stage Grand Cultivator, he would have to use all his available means.
Whether he could defeat the opponent was one thing, but making too much noise was another matter entirely.
The leader of the Evil Serpent Bandit Gull was the arch-enemy of the Demon Crab faction!
After prioritizing his goals, Luo Chen turned to Tian Xuan.
"How is the current situation of the Crab-Turtle War?"
Tian Xuan answered without hesitation, "We've captured fifty-four islands, leaving only eighteen still under the control of the Ringed Turtle Clan. From my observations, the Five Great Demon Crab Clans are determined to win this war, and they've deployed almost all their elite forces. Taking the remaining eighteen islands is just a matter of time!"
Only eighteen major islands left?
Luo Chen repeated this number, a thoughtful look on his face.
The Nine Palace Trigram Formation used nine islands as its focal points, dividing the area into eight regions, forming a Trigram formation, and guarding the Obsidian Island at its center.
In other words, the remaining eighteen major islands were the last two focal points.
Either they wouldn't break through, or once they did, the chain reaction would set the course of this war.
The time left for himself was running out!
"Continue monitoring the battlefield situation, and notify me immediately if a major battle breaks out."
"Yes, Master!"
"How is the situation with Black King?"
"According to the array map you provided, Black King has already gotten very close to the Obsidian Island. However, infiltrating it might be quite challenging."
Upon hearing this news, Luo Chen nodded.
The Nine Palace Trigram Formation appeared grand, but in reality, it was rather crude.
Otherwise, Gu Shaoshang wouldn't have been able to easily find its flaws and break through it step by step.
With Han Zhan's guidance and the Spirit-Seeking technique of the Sealing God Compass, the layout of this array became even more transparent and clear.
Therefore, a long time ago, he had already instructed Black King to take advantage of the heat of the war and quietly infiltrate the inner array, preparing for any unforeseen needs.
"Inform Black King that once he reaches the Obsidian Island, he should follow the array map I gave him and head to the designated location to set up the Sealing God Compass."
Tian Xuan was surprised, "Master, are you going to the island as well?"
Luo Chen smiled, "If it comes to that, I also want to personally witness how this war concludes. I imagine the scene will be quite spectacular!"
Witnessing the rise and fall of a clan in person was a remarkable event in one's cultivation journey.
Even if there were no gains, it would still make for an excellent topic of conversation with fellow cultivators in the future.
...
Time passed slowly.
After Gu Shaoshang's command was removed, the attacks from the Demon Crab faction became chaotic.
However, with each clan forming its own army, the confusion in command was effectively alleviated, though at a cost.
The Five Great Demon Crab Clans each suffered a thirty percent increase in losses.
Not only were low-level Demon Crabs affected, but even the higher-level battle forces suffered significant losses.
A Great Demon King had personally calculated that in this war, the Five Clans had lost nearly twenty Third Stage Demon Kings.
The Ringed Turtle Clan's resistance, on the other hand, was even more fierce!
Despite this, the Ringed Turtle Clan's resistance never ceased, and they became even more determined, not giving an inch of ground.
The Five Great Demon Crab Clans were no different!
The battlefield began to advance steadily.
From the initial seventy-two islands to thirty-six, and then to eighteen.
Unconsciously, the process of breaking the array and destroying the islands had lasted for almost a year.
Until the clan leaders of the Five Great Demon Crab Clans stepped onto the Empty Snake Island.
Jin Hun, Chi Yan, Zhu Xiang, Jiu Zhua, and Lv Xiu.
The five Great Demon Kings revealed their true forms, their massive bodies standing tall on the Empty Snake Island.
Behind them were millions of Demon Crab soldiers.
In front of them was a large island with an area of a thousand square kilometers!
From the sky, it looks like a piece of land," Luo Chen remarked.
This was the Obsidian Island.
"After decades of preparation and five years of fierce battles, we've finally arrived at this moment. Whether we succeed or fail, it all depends on this final battle!" Jin Hun spoke with a voice filled with ambition, lacking the weariness of age.
The four Great Demons by his side had mixed emotions.
Some of them had just happened to be there at the right time and joined the battle in its final stages.
Others had prepared in advance and secretly monitored the progress of the Tyrant Crab Clan.
Regardless, the sacrifices made by each clan were equally immense.
Lv Xiu blinked, a hint of sadness in her eyes, "To reach this point, my Azure Emperor Crab Clan has lost seven Third Stage clan members, and the number of Second and First Stage losses is countless. Even now, we haven't recovered all the bodies of our Third Stage clan members."
Zhu Xiang spoke indifferently, "All the sacrifices are worth it. As long as we capture the Obsidian Island!"
"Chattering like weak cultivators," Chi Yan scoffed.
But Jiu Zhua couldn't contain his excitement, his fangs protruding from his mouth.
"When will we attack?"
Jin Hun raised his giant claw, "We're just one step away. There's no need to delay any longer. Today is the day!"
As he spoke, his giant claw slammed down.
"Attack!"
With that, he soared into the sky, accompanied by the other four clan leaders.
Under the gaze of countless onlookers, the five Great Demons burst through the air, heading straight for the vast giant island.
As they flew out, the island trembled, and a pillar of light shot up from the ground.
An immense spiritual energy erupted from the depths of the earth.
A terrifying suction force spread in all directions.
Unfortunately, this suction force lacked a response.
The Nine Palace Trigram Formation had been broken, leaving only the Central Palace, with no resonance, it was just an isolated island.
After the pillar of light was deployed, before it could manifest a physical form, the five clan leaders acted in unison, unleashing their formidable demonic energy, and shattered it.
With the pillar destroyed, tremors reverberated across Xuan Yan Island.
Several mountains on the island collapsed.
The ground rumbled as if a dragon was turning over.
Torrents of seawater surged from all directions, resembling a tsunami.
At some point, numerous Ringed-Head Turtles appeared on the island, coldly watching and preparing to defend their homeland.
Without any hesitation!
At the command of the five clan leaders, millions of demon crabs began landing on Xuan Yan Island.
For a moment, the battle cries shook the heavens and the earth.
Endless bloody rain fell, and the stench of demonic energy filled the air.
...
"It's time for me to go ashore as well."
Among the demon crab army, a second-stage demon crab moved slowly, appearing slightly out of place.
Under its shell, in its abdomen, Luo Chen controlled this demon crab puppet with a slightly surprised expression.
Yes, a demon crab puppet!
This crab was a simple puppet made by Han Zhan for Luo Chen during his free time.
Its offensive and defensive capabilities were average, but it excelled in concealing its tracks.
Combined with Luo Chen's mastery of the Breath Suppressing Spirit Art, he could absorb others' energy and mimic their auras.
With these two abilities, unless someone looked closely, almost no one would notice anything amiss with this crab.
As Luo Chen controlled the crab, a strange feeling arose in his heart.
"It's like operating a mecha from a sci-fi novel I read."
Muttering to himself, the demon crab puppet strode forward on its eight legs, keeping pace with the army's advance.
However, upon reaching the island, it didn't immediately join the battle but instead veered off in a different direction, quietly separating from the main force.
Along the way, battles frequently erupted, but Luo Chen did his best to avoid them.
Suddenly, Luo Chen's footsteps paused, and his gaze fixed on a particular spot.
There, a figure slowly materialized amidst the spiritual light.
"It's him!"
Gu Shaoshang had also arrived.
Unlike Luo Chen's stealthy approach, Gu Shaoshang's presence was more exposed.
With fewer demon beasts around, it was manageable, but on a battlefield teeming with them, a human cultivator stood out like a sore thumb.
As soon as Gu Shaoshang appeared, he had to personally kill two demon beasts.
Luo Chen glanced at him but had no intention of getting involved. He controlled the demon crab to avoid the center of the battlefield.
"Halt!"
In the battlefield, Gu Shaoshang's fingers were like swords, controlling a flying sword that reaped the lives of nearby demon beasts.
He felt helpless.
He wasn't proficient in concealment techniques, and he hadn't anticipated such a massive number of demon beasts in this final battle.
In a moment of carelessness, he had exposed himself.
Seeing two demon kings flying towards him, he had no choice but to retreat, flying away from Xuan Yan Island.
"In this final battle, I'm afraid I won't even have a chance to spectate."
In his helplessness, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of a peculiar demon crab moving against the flow.
A strange demon crab, even disregarding the orders of its clan's king?
Luo Chen was unaware that he had once caught the attention of the other party.
He only knew that his journey had been smooth.
Along the way, by intentionally taking detours, he had avoided numerous large and small battle groups.
Finally, the demon crab stopped at a swampy marshland shrouded in miasma.
Its eight legs came to a halt.
The miasma seemed to part like a curtain, revealing a path.
A giant python with a single horn on its head poked its head out, eyeing the crab with suspicion.
But as a divine sense transmission entered his ear, he quickly reacted.
"Greetings, Master!"
The demon crab didn't respond but instead stepped into the swamp.
As soon as it entered, its shell opened, and Luo Chen emerged from within.
He surveyed the surroundings and nodded in satisfaction.
"Although this place is inferior, it connects to the deep-sea spring, providing a strategic advantage. It can serve as our base! Black King, well done!"
As he spoke, he casually tossed a jade bottle.
Black King caught it as if it were a treasure.
"Master, should we join the battle?" he asked cautiously, holding the jade bottle.
Luo Chen's lips curled slightly.
Join the battle?
Of course, they had to, but not in haste.
The immediate priority was to observe the battlefield situation!
Without answering Black King, Luo Chen found a dry spot in the swamp and sat down cross-legged.
The Sealing God Compass appeared before him.
He activated his innate skill, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, and before it could transform, he immediately cast a spell.
Soon, a massive water mirror slowly took shape.
Within the mirror, the battles were vividly depicted.
However, due to the outbursts of demonic energy and spiritual energy, the water mirror began to ripple, appearing unstable.
"With my soul power comparable to a late-stage Golden Core, can't I even maintain the Water Mirror Technique in a battle of this scale?"
Muttering to himself, Luo Chen had no choice but to accept reality.
However, he had another method.
"Senior Han, please lend me your assistance."
Within the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, Han Zhan appeared with a helpless expression.
"You little..."
As he spoke, he pointed his finger and tapped the water mirror.
In an instant, the mirror surface stabilized!
(End of Chapter)
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