Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1393: 743: Exploration

Wu Qi unleashed his Lifebound Flying Sword, its blade cleaving through a Grotto Heaven Guardian that the Mid-stage Golden Corpse had nearly missed.

Positioned at the vanguard was a single Mid-stage Golden Corpse, forcing the Sword Cultivators of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion to cycle through three distinct teams. They worked tirelessly to assist the Mid-stage Golden Corpse in fending off the relentless assaults of the Grotto Heaven Guardians.

Wu Qi felt no remorse for his decision to have Li Yuanba dispatch the other four Mid-stage Golden Corpses to aid the remaining superpower factions. Had he not done so, maintaining such a stable defensive perimeter would have been impossible.

With the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion included, five superpower factions utilized the Mid-stage Golden Corpses as a front-line shield to cover the majority of the territory. This left only a small sector for the final three superpower factions to defend through a joint effort.

Despite these arrangements, the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners from those three factions had already endured significant casualties.

“Look, the Guardian isn't regenerating!” Wu Qi shouted in surprise. He noticed that the Grotto Heaven Guardian, whose arm he had just severed, remained wounded. Usually, such a creature would have fully restored itself in a mere heartbeat.

Instead, the Grotto Heaven Guardian before him showed zero signs of recovery.

“Junior Li did it! He must have destroyed the Cave Heaven Core!” Wu Qi realized the cause of this change and cried out with excitement.

Even with a Mid-stage Golden Corpse protecting the front, the collapse of the other three factions' lines meant their survival would have been measured in days at most.

After a few more days, exhaustion would have set in, leaving them to be slaughtered by the previously immortal Grotto Heaven Guardians.

The other Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners heard his exclamation and quickly spotted the transformation in their enemies.

Casting aside their fatigue, they summoned their treasures and launched a series of ferocious counterattacks.

This time, once a Grotto Heaven Guardian fell under their assault, it could no longer rise to resume the fight or heal its wounds.

“Eliminate them quickly! This Grotto Heaven is still unexplored!” Yin Chang commanded the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners of the Central State Commerce.

Similar orders were barked by the core cultivators of the other sects.

They all understood that with the Cave Heaven Core gone, the Grotto Heaven had fallen into a state of instability. It was the perfect moment to exploit the chaos and reap the rewards.

As for Li Yuanba, he had been completely pushed to the back of their minds.

Seeing that the four superpower factions no longer required the assistance of the Mid-stage Golden Corpses, Wu Qi signaled with his hand and recalled the four constructs to his side.

He was well aware that their current alliance was fragile. Greed easily sways the heart, especially when the spoils belonged to a Great Power—riches that could fundamentally change the life of a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner.

Even if this Grotto Heaven wasn't an Inheritance Cave Heaven, there was no guarantee that Langcai Great Power hadn't left some legacies behind. Even a few scraps of resources discarded by such a figure would be enough to sustain a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner for a lifetime.

The army of Grotto Heaven Guardians, which once seemed infinite, began to thin as the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners unleashed their most powerful techniques. It took some time, but they eventually cleared the field.

In truth, the Grotto Heaven Guardians possessed weak defenses; a single solid strike could shatter them.

Their true threat had always been their immortality and their ability to bypass a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner's defenses to inject lethal poison.

The Grotto Heaven Guardians were a flawed creation, but those flaws were hidden as long as the Grotto Heaven functioned normally.

However, the destruction of the Cave Heaven Core threw the realm into turmoil, exposing their weaknesses. Driven by the prospect of wealth, the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners used every trump card at their disposal to wipe them out.

The practitioners present, whether they were core members or not, possessed numerous area-of-effect techniques. They utilized large-scale Magic Talismans and one-time-use treasures infused with immense energy.

In their race for profit, they spent these expensive talismans and treasures without a second thought.

Only those who moved faster than their peers could hope to claim the finest treasures.

The moment the last Grotto Heaven Guardian was destroyed, the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners charged forward in a frantic scramble.

At the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion's position, the Sword Cultivators remained composed, largely due to the authority and pressure exerted by Wu Qi and Li Yuanba.

They knew that even a chaotic Great Power’s Grotto Heaven remained incredibly dangerous; staying together was the only way to ensure safety.

“Keep the Golden Corpses at the front and follow them closely. Do not break formation!” Wu Qi consulted with the other three core Sword Cultivators before issuing a stern command.

The Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion held a massive advantage. The combined combat power of five Mid-stage Golden Corpses was superior to dozens of Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners from other factions.

Furthermore, their superior speed made the five Mid-stage Golden Corpses far more formidable than a large group of ordinary practitioners.

With the Mid-stage Golden Corpses leading the way, they could face any danger without risking the lives of their disciples.

“I’ve found something! It’s Fourth Grade Gold Essence!” a voice shouted excitedly from the distance.

The eyes of the Sword Cultivators burned with desire, and their pace quickened significantly.

Nearby, Luanyang Palace and Da Leiyin Temple also maintained a level of discipline. Aside from a few outliers, most members stayed within their respective groups.

The core cultivators of these two superpower factions remained level-headed, working to calm their members while keeping pace with the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion.