After the seventh slash was completed, the White Ape somersaulted and landed back on the ground, an incredulous expression on its face.
"Good saber skill, let me try my saber skill too."
Then Hongchen used a branch as a blade to unleash a Helical Slash, spinning and continually swinging the blade, the saber momentum flowed seamlessly without a drop leaking, without a single flaw. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novèlfire.net
Yuan Bai lept left and right, yet couldn’t find an opportunity to strike, instead forced into retreat by Hongchen’s pressure.
Flustered, he nearly attempted a big move to resist strongly; fortunately, he remembered Xiao Jie’s instructions and kept dodging, refusing to give up.
Seeing Hongchen’s moves running out, suddenly a slash struck out just as Hongchen deflected Yuan Bai’s treasure sword.
A tiger roar suddenly came from behind, but Master Hongchen didn’t even turn his head.
(Hmph, want to deceive me with such tricks, truly laughable)
Xiao Jie saw Hongchen not turning around, and he smiled slightly.
Raised his long saber high, the big move initiated.
Secret technique — Long River Sunset Slash Void!
Hongchen sensed something wrong, "What!" Turning his head, he saw a phantom of a time river rushing towards him.
Hahaha, Power of Time Annihilation? I’ve lived for tens of thousands of years, what do I fear about this—
Shh! The phantom rushed through Hongchen’s body, and the spiritual energy on Hongchen’s body began to frantically drain away.
Master Hongchen was terrified, hairs standing on end, quickly leapt into the air, forcefully jumping out of the skill range.
He didn’t care about losing years of lifespan, but the consumption of spiritual energy was unbearable.
Even with quick reactions, spiritual energy again consumed hundreds of points in this moment; it should be known that after achieving Golden Core, the rate of spiritual energy dispersion was extremely slow, so Master Hongchen dared to come out to fight Xiao Jie and others.
Previously, he hid in the mountains, not daring to roam, because he had lived too long; tens of thousands of years, even slow-circulating would eventually dissipate.
However, staying out for just a day or half a day caused no major harm.
Only didn’t expect such a strange move like Long River Sunset Slash Void, capable of accelerating the time flow; if enveloped by spiritual energy in the mountains, he wouldn’t fear, but outside the mountains, the depletion of spiritual energy became extremely terrifying.
At this time Xiao Jie slashed away hundreds of spiritual energy, and Master Hongchen’s spiritual energy reserves had directly dropped to a dangerous level; now, truly, dared not use any, otherwise even if he could seize that kid’s Golden Core, afraid he couldn’t ascend.
(Fear not, fear not, still having considerable surplus of spiritual energy, plus that kid’s spiritual energy should be enough; as long as spiritual energy is not used recklessly, it should be fine.)
However, speaking of not using spiritual energy was easier said than done, especially since the skill was not unique to Xiao Jie.
Yuan Bai saw Hongchen so afraid, also raised his long saber high.
"Long River Sunset—!"
Seeing this, Master Hongchen turned around and ran in terror, afraid of being extinguished and losing the possibility of ascend.
"Hahaha, second brother, good strategy! Your move certainly worked, this person if he still hopes about ascend, he does not dare tarry a moment, however if he decides to leave, we likely cannot keep him."
"Feng, shall we chase?"
"Don’t chase, let him go! We also retreat!" Xiao Jie decisively commanded.
After this series of battles, he also discovered that although overall, Hongchen’s strength might not match Wang Xie, due to his being an agility type enemy and having qi refining secret technique for healing, his difficulty level far exceeding Wang Xie, making the kill attempt too taxing, simply not worth risking it.
No matter how reluctant Hongchen was about spiritual energy, being beaten to near death, he’d surely use it; once the spiritual energy reserve value breaks the critical point, losing the hope of ascend, then Hongchen perhaps wouldn’t save spiritual energy anymore, reaching that point, this rogue becomes practically a cockroach that refuses to die.
In such a case, better to just give up.
After all, his Oath of Divine Punishment was already fulfilled; Hongchen being so difficult, why fight him again; although killing Hongchen might drop something nice, likely a Golden Core, and capturing the Konglaoshan Skyfall Cave as a heavenly cave truly meant enormous benefits.
Yet for Ascension, it doesn’t have much meaning.
He could kill some more demons and refine inner cores instead, didn’t necessarily have to take Hongchen’s Golden Core.
Since he already had demon energy entangled on him.
Upon hearing Xiao Jie’s orders, everyone was momentarily hesitant, orchestrating such a large operation yet the target creature wasn’t dead, retreating now seemed inexplicably frustrating.
"Why still stunned, you all witnessed this rogue’s prowess; the difficulty of killing exceeds benefits, so no need to be reluctant, retreat, retreat, retreat!"
Regarding the promise to Long Xingtianxia about the heavenly cave, who asked them not to send their main force?
Seeing Xiao Jie so determined, everyone could only reluctantly retreat.
Yet while they thought of retreating, Hongchen didn’t agree.
With Xiao Jie’s departure, his ascension hope was indeed shattered.
After waiting for tens of thousands of years, how could this opportunity be forsaken?
Seeing Xiao Jie and others about to leave, he grew anxious and jumped.
But was afraid to chase, unwilling to give up, caught in a dilemma, growing anxious with anger.
Watching the group mounting horses to retreat, Master Hongchen gritted his teeth and stomped, suddenly shouted loudly.
"Fellow Daoists, assist me in achieving immortality!"
Suddenly around Hongchen, several white shadows appeared, dressed as Qi Refiners just without solid bodies, appearing and disappearing, seemingly real yet not.
A white spiritual body remarked in surprise, "Red Dust Daoist, you intend for us to assist your ascension by our Innate True Spirit? Do you know that once this method is used, we all must dissipate, with no trace left in the world?"
Hongchen gritted his teeth and said, "Today, if I cannot become an immortal, none of you can avoid the fate of vanishing to dust. Fellow Daoists, do you willingly wait for tens of thousands of years for naught? Sooner or later, all face death, it’d be better to lend me a hand."
Another white spiritual body solemnly said, "Innate True Spirit isn’t genuine spiritual energy. Even if we help, you cannot truly become immortal; you can only gain temporary ascension status. This state lasts but for a moment, and if in time you fail to ascend, you too will dissipate, your flesh turning to dust. Are you not afraid?"
Hongchen showed no hesitation, "What is there to fear? In my life, the only fear is failing immortality, unable to avenge; flesh become ash, soul scatter, so what? If I can’t ascend, I’d rather dissipate than endure the pain of rebirth."
Several white spirits exchanged looks, and said in unison, "In such a case, we will assist you then. Red Dust Daoist, accept our true spirits into your body."
Master Hongchen bowed respectfully towards the seven white spirits, "Fellow Daoists, please!"
The seven white spirits immediately transformed into seven white halos and circled around Master Hongchen, one by one entering his seven apertures.
Master Hongchen tightly closed his eyes, expression alternating between solemnity, tension, joy, and ferocity.
Until the last trace of halo entered his body, Hongchen suddenly opened his eyes, pure white light radiated from his pupils...
Xiao Jie and others were retreating on horseback, barely a few hundred meters away, suddenly saw a white pillar of light shooting straight into the sky.
"Oh boy, Feng, look there, what is that!" someone exclaimed.
Xiao Jie turned to look back, heart sinking immediately; it’s Master Hongchen, is he trying to enter the Third Stage?
But it can’t be, he’s not a Boss, and yet there’s a Third Stage?
Moreover, his blood volume wasn’t even severely depleted, how could he suddenly enter the Third-stage?
This aberrant change left Xiao Jie unsure about what was actually occurring.
This unknown transformation in the game brought an uneasy feeling.
One thing he was certain of, Hongchen in Second Stage was already hard enough to fight, Third Stage would be further deadly.
"Everyone, increase speed, retreat at full throttle!"
At the order, dozens of riders began to accelerate the sprint.
But only after a few seconds of running, a white light suddenly descended from the sky, landing directly in the path of their retreat.
As the white light dispersed, only saw Master Hongchen standing in place, expressionless, no change, or no, there was some change, all around the spiritual energy white light completely dissipated, looking like an ordinary person.
However, the name above the head had undergone some transformation.
Master Hongchen (Ascender): Level 59 Immortal, Life Value ????