## Chapter 207: First to Arrive
**2023-07-29**
Northwest of Huang Long Immortal City, a faint mist enveloped the boundless, gray mountain range. A second-order spirit boat, breaking through the air, slowly decelerated at the outer edge of the Black Mist Mountain Range.
On the boat, a man and a woman stood side by side, clad in black robes and dresses, like a pair of middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“Fellow Daoist Lu, the risk of this trip might be no less than going to the frontline battlefield. Have you made any arrangements for your affairs?”
Shi Man Rong, dressed in black, had undergone disguise and no longer looked conspicuous.
“Lu has no family, no need for arrangements.”
Lu Chang An replied indifferently.
“What, after attending Fellow Daoist Zheng’s funeral recently, Shi Xianzi is feeling sentimental. Have you got any unfinished business?”
A few days ago, Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong departed from Wu Qi Shan to attend Zheng Wu Gong’s funeral. Shi Xianzi wasn’t close to Zheng Wu Gong, mainly using this opportunity to secretly travel to the ancient ruins in the Black Mist Mountain Range.
At the funeral, two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators appeared, even if just briefly, giving face to the Zheng family and deterring hostile forces.
In the Zheng family estate, they learned a detail:
Zheng Wu Gong died on the battlefield, with no one to collect his body, his remains vanished.
The ancient ruins were as dangerous as the battlefield. If they met with an accident, they might die without a burial place, ending up like Zheng Wu Gong.
“Your humble servant is on the same path as Fellow Daoist Lu, naturally, there are no worries.”
Shi Man Rong smiled and proposed:
“How about we agree that if one of us encounters misfortune, the other, while not affecting their own safety, will help collect the body and bury it, and inherit their legacy.”
Lu Chang An agreed to the pact and comforted her:
“Lu believes that with Shi Xianzi’s mastery of formations and sufficient preparation, as long as you curb your greed, you will surely be able to retreat safely.”
…
Entering the Black Mist Mountain Range, they slowed down and flew at low altitude.
“There are many more cultivators in the Black Mist Mountain Range than usual.”
Lu Chang An murmured.
The Black Mist Mountain Range, once sparsely populated, now showed a significant increase in cultivators’ presence.
After passing through the natural crack in the Black Mist Mountain Range’s branch, and the Black Blood Path created by the ancients, there were even sect cultivators guarding.
This phenomenon was related to the Immortal Cultivation War.
Some cultivators fled to the outer edge of the Black Mist Mountain Range to escape the war. Among them, some had strong killing intent, likely fugitives from various sects.
Half a month later.
As they ventured deeper, the sight of cultivators became rarer.
The area they entered was far more dangerous than the outer edge of the range. They occasionally encountered beasts, mostly second-order, with some powerful late-stage second-order beasts.
Once, a near-third-order flying beast flew past from the sky. Near-third-order beasts are much faster than fake-Core Formation cultivators. If targeted, it is difficult to escape.
Thankfully, Lu Chang An reacted swiftly and, along with Shi Xianzi, hid themselves in time, concealing their spiritual energy.
“The beasts around here were not this powerful when we came before.”
Shi Xianzi, still slightly shaken, navigated, leading the way following the route she remembered.
…
“We’re almost there.”
After another half-day’s journey, a range of steep peaks came into view. Deep within those peaks, Lu Chang An sensed danger, possibly the presence of fake-Core Formation beasts or even true-third-order beasts.
Thankfully, they didn’t have to go further. The location of the ancient ruins that Shi Xianzi remembered was nearby.
They landed in the valley between several steep peaks.
A swamp of rotting vegetation, covering several hundred acres, came into view.
Even from a distance, Lu Chang An could smell the foul stench of poisonous gas emanating from the rotting swamp. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would feel dizzy and nauseous after a single whiff.
The swamp was home to various poisonous snakes, insects, and scorpions, including hidden, dangerous species. Both cultivators and beasts stayed far away.
Perhaps due to the poisonous environment, the swamp’s ability to block spiritual perception was far stronger than ordinary rock formations.
“It seems someone has been here.”
Shi Man Rong, her gaze fixed on a steep peak bordering the swamp, changed color involuntarily.
The mountain wall was covered in thorny vines and weeds.
At the same time, Lu Chang An felt a subtle, cold spiritual sense probing.
“Careful!”
Before his warning was finished, figures flickered from the steep peak bordering the swamp, revealing three or four silhouettes.
Shush, shush, shush!
Over a dozen lotus seeds emitting strange black light flickered, briefly appearing in the air and engulfing Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong.
Lu Chang An hastily activated his spiritual energy shield, but it only blocked two lotus seeds before shattering.
“Rip!”
Shi Man Rong’s black robe was torn, revealing her fair skin, but thankfully, there was no bleeding.
The surface of the black lotus seeds was clearly smeared with a powerful poison.
“A set of special, top-quality magic weapons!”
Shi Man Rong, shaken, formed hand seals. The top-quality defensive magic robe beneath her black dress emitted a black water shield, covering her whole body.
Lu Chang An summoned a silver shield that spun rapidly around him, making a ‘ding, ding’ sound as it automatically deflected the attacking black lotuses.
However, the black lotus seed magic weapon attack was just the first wave.
Immediately afterwards.
A flaming sword enveloped in a fire haze, seizing the opening, slashed horizontally, forming a fire sword shadow five to six zhang long.
A misty cloud scarf, expanding to the size of a roof, spun umbrella-like, emanating immense suction force, covering them from above.
These two top-quality magic weapons, though wielded by mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, brought immense pressure to Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong, thanks to the ambush.
But that wasn’t all.
A surge of powerful spiritual energy came from above the swamp bordering the steep peak.
“To be unscathed by Miss Wei’s ‘Black Lotus Flash’ attack, they are not ordinary individuals.”
A high-nosed young cultivator, dressed in a cloak, looked surprised. Standing on the mountain wall with one foot, his hands formed seals, his spiritual energy surging.
A plain-looking bronze halberd floated in mid-air, radiating a spiritual pressure almost as powerful as a true-magic treasure.
“Magic treasure embryo! Peak late-stage Foundation Establishment!”
At this moment, Lu Chang An saw the attackers’ faces clearly.
There were four Foundation Establishment cultivators, previously hidden by a third-order formation, revealing themselves after attacking.
Besides the high-nosed, peak late-stage Foundation Establishment youth.
The late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator wielding the set of black lotus magic weapons was a long-haired, alluring woman in a mid-length skirt, revealing her slender, fair arms and legs.
Lu Chang An sensed that this woman’s spiritual energy was comparable to a sect’s true disciple, but she practiced demonic cultivation methods.
The other two were mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, an old man with a white beard and a middle-aged woman, controlling the fire-haze sword and misty cloud scarf respectively, assisting in the attack.
Just now, the three Foundation Establishment cultivators, led by the long-haired woman, had nearly injured Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong.
Now, the high-nosed youth, the strongest among them, had successfully activated his magic treasure embryo.
Buzz, boom!
A thunderous sound echoed through the air.
The bronze halberd, with a blurry flash, pierced through the void, radiating a fake-Core Formation-level pressure, striking Lu Chang An with thunder and lightning.
This attack, taking advantage of the situation, might even kill an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Being treated as soft targets?”
Lu Chang An, newly reaching the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, had a gap in spiritual energy compared to Shi Man Rong, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. He became the target they wanted to kill first or severely injure.
Lu Chang An, appearing slightly flustered, slapped out a top-quality, second-order defensive talismans, adding a layer of crystal-yellow earth shield around him.
Boom!
The second-order earth shield cracked and was pierced by the bronze halberd, leaving a hole.
The silver shield in front of Lu Chang An dimmed rapidly, swaying precariously, about to fall.
At the critical moment, Lu Chang An summoned a second-order, late-stage heavy armored puppet, holding a thick shield, ‘clang’ing as it blocked the remaining two to three percent of the bronze halberd’s force.
Tch!
Lu Chang An’s neck twisted, narrowly dodging a hidden black lotus seed that flickered and flew towards him.
The black lotus seed missed and pierced a large boulder behind him, leaving a deep, corroding hole.
Shi Man Rong couldn’t help but worry for Lu Chang An. She was doing her best to hold off the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“Hm? Quite fast reflexes!”
The alluring long-haired woman, not far away, couldn’t help but make a surprised sound.
The hidden black lotus seed she just launched was one of her killing moves. She didn’t expect that Lu Chang An, while seemingly “exhausted” from blocking the magic treasure embryo attack, could still dodge so keenly.
“This lad has some decent life-saving skills.”
The high-nosed youth, wielding the magic treasure embryo, was secretly astonished.
Just now, if it had been an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, they would likely have been killed on the spot, or at least paid a price.
Lu Chang An, despite looking flustered, ultimately emerged unscathed.
“Fellow Daoist Lu, deploy the formation to fight.”
Shi Man Rong sent a voice transmission, her delicate hand gently waving. A formation disc landed, followed by several formation flags.
Instantly, a misty, swirling sandstorm enveloped the area where they stood.
Shi Man Rong, a true genius of formations, quickly deployed a top-quality, second-order temporary formation.
This kind of temporary formation quickly consumed the spirit stones within the formation disc and couldn’t last long.
The high-nosed youth, controlling the magic treasure embryo, attacked with all his strength, causing the formation to tremble, but it couldn’t be broken quickly.
With the formation’s protection, Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong were not afraid of being attacked by a certain number of cultivators of the same level.
Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong summoned their attack magic weapons and, with the help of a second-order, high-grade puppet, occasionally launched counterattacks under the formation’s cover.
“Shi Xianzi, it seems this place has been discovered? Didn’t you say before that besides Qi Zhenren, no one knew the location of the ruins?”
“Your humble servant hasn’t been here for decades, I don’t know the specifics. The concealing formation I set up at the entrance of the ruins no longer exists.”
Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong exchanged messages secretly.
“Someone has re-arranged a third-order formation here. The ancient ruins have likely been discovered. Your humble servant suspects that these cultivators are not the real ones in charge.”
In the previous fight, they had both held back, out of a certain concern.
Shi Man Rong’s talismans, and even her hidden magic treasure embryo, were not used.
Lu Chang An’s overt combat power, the Di Yan Shu, did not participate either.
“After all, it’s been so many years. Especially in the past two years, the number of cultivators coming to the Black Mist Mountain Range has increased significantly. It’s not uncommon to accidentally discover this place.”
…
In the valley swamp, both groups of cultivators stalled, unable to make headway against each other.
“A bunch of useless things!”
A low, displeased voice came from below the swamp.
Boom, plop!
Along with a fake-Core Formation-level spiritual pressure, the poisonous swamp was torn open, revealing a tall figure bathed in blue radiance.
“Tan Zhenren!”
The four Foundation Establishment cultivators on the mountain wall bowed in respect.
The blue radiance of Core Formation power dissipated, revealing a middle-aged man with a full face and a thick beard.
“Tan Zhenren? Could this be that cruel man who betrayed Li Huo Gong?”
Shi Man Rong looked at the Core Formation expert in the sky, her face changing, her breath quickening.
“There really is a Core Formation expert! The four from earlier were just guards.”
Lu Chang An noticed Shi Man Rong’s tension.
Although they were both Core Formation cultivators, this one was the one with the most potent spiritual energy he had ever seen.
In Shi Man Rong’s opinion, she and Lu Chang An could fight against an ordinary Core Formation expert and had the ability to survive.
But that was limited to ordinary Core Formation cultivators.
Tan Zhenren, the one who betrayed Li Huo Gong, had once defeated two Core Formation cultivators in a one-on-two fight, killing one of them.
Moreover, the other four Foundation Establishment cultivators, mid-stage and late-stage, combined, were not inferior to the two of them.
“Break!”
Tan Zhenren, coldly glancing at the formation below, slapped his palm downwards. Core Formation power, like a raging torrent, poured down, forming the outline of a giant hand.
Boom!
The top-quality, second-order formation instantly collapsed, exposing Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong.
They groaned, their blood churning, their figures retreating in the aftershocks of the strong wind, barely regaining their footing.
“Tan Zhenren, your humble servant…”
Shi Man Rong bowed and began to negotiate.
Tan Zhenren, with a mocking expression, refused to listen, forming a hand seal.
Ugh!
A dragon-headed water pillar, over ten zhang long, swept across the sky, roaring and shaking their blood, carrying mighty waves, turning to pounce on Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong.
Their top-quality defensive magic weapons dimmed instantly, unable to withstand the attack for even two breaths, shattered.
However, Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong both had talisman protection, blocking the impact of the dragon-headed water pillar.
“This person’s power is close to the early-stage of True Core.”
Lu Chang An secretly assessed.
Tan Zhenren’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, he spat out a beam of cold light, transforming into an ancient, black ruler.
This was a true-magic treasure, emanating a spiritual pressure almost as powerful as a True Core cultivator.
The black ruler whirled around, gathering deep-blue radiance, circling above them, bringing a heavy pressure like Mount Tai bearing down on them.
A single strike from this ruler could shatter mountains.
Lu Chang An’s face grew serious. This man’s level of threat far exceeded He Yuan Wu and Xiang Jing Long.
He estimated that even a near-third-order defensive talisman wouldn’t withstand a single strike from this man’s magic treasure.
Shi Man Rong, her face pale, spread her jade hand, revealing a large blue talisman with a lifelike ice spear etched on it.
She still felt insecure and secretly pinched another near-third-order protective talisman.
“Making such a commotion, are you afraid others won’t know this place?”
Suddenly, a disgruntled voice echoed.
“Hu Zhenren!”
“Hu Master!”
The stone door leading to the mountain wall bordering the swamp opened, revealing a black-bearded, short old man.
“Another Core Formation expert?”
Lu Chang An felt like his troubles had multiplied.
If he wasn’t mistaken, this Core Formation expert was a third-order formation master, responsible for breaking into the ancient ruins. He didn’t know how much progress he had made.
If they were a year or two later, the benefits of the ruins might have been snatched away by someone else.
“Hu Senior? Why are you here?”
Shi Man Rong’s beautiful eyes lit up. Seeing the black-bearded, short old man, she exclaimed in surprise.
“Eh! It’s Little Shi.”
Hu Zhenren’s gaze landed on Shi Man Rong, recognizing her slightly, a touch of surprise appeared on his face.
This time out, Lu Chang An and Shi Man Rong were both disguised.
“Tan Zhenren, don’t misunderstand. Little Shi is a rising star in the field of formation mastery, whom this old man has once guided. Today’s encounter is purely coincidental…”
Hu Zhenren explained.
He then exchanged a few words in a secret voice transmission.
Tan Zhenren’s expression softened slightly. Looking at Shi Man Rong, he said: “You two found this place, how did you get the information?”
“In response to Tan Zhenren, your humble servant actually arrived earlier than you…”
Shi Man Rong knew she couldn’t hide it. Even if she pretended not to know about the ancient ruins, the two Core Formation experts wouldn’t believe her and wouldn’t let her and Lu Chang An go so easily.
“As it turns out, it’s better to be lucky than good.”
Hu Zhenren stroked his beard and laughed.
He looked at Tan Zhenren and suggested: “Little Shi has great talent in formations and is quite familiar with the ruins. Why don’t we let her join in and assist this old man in breaking the formation? What do you think, Tan Zhenren?”
“That’s feasible.”
Tan Zhenren nodded. Having another formation master would speed up the process of breaking the formation. He didn’t mind giving Hu Zhenren some face.
“What’s your relationship with this person?”
Tan Zhenren’s gaze landed on Lu Chang An.
“This is Lu Fu Shi, a talisman master from Wu Qi Shan, very close to your humble servant. He originally planned to explore the ruins together with your humble servant.”
Shi Man Rong answered truthfully:
“Lu Fu Shi is deeply skilled in talisman arts, I believe he can be of help to both Senior Experts.”
“We have enough people, we don’t need a talisman master!”
Tan Zhenren’s tone turned cold. He looked at Lu Chang An with murderous intent.
“Senior Hu, can you please be lenient…” Shi Man Rong pleaded softly.
“Little Shi, Tan Zhenren has already made an exception once. The more people we take in, the more unpredictable things will become in the ruins.”
Hu Zhenren’s attitude was firm. He shook his head.
He activated his Core Formation power remotely, separating Shi Man Rong and Lu Chang An.
Without the need for orders from the two Core Formation experts, the four previous Foundation Establishment cultivators, mid-stage and late-stage, stepped forward and surrounded Lu Chang An.
(End of Chapter)
This translation aims to maintain the original tone and style of the web novel, preserving cultural references and idioms. However, it is important to note that the actual tone and style of the source text may vary depending on the individual author’s writing style.
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