Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1740 - 916: Strike (2)

However, this was a possibility he had foreseen earlier. With a wave of his hand towards the heavens, a golden figure sliced through the defensive array of Luanyang Palace’s grand flying boat, materializing beside him.

This sudden apparition sent both the Phoenix Palace Master and Great Cultivator Jiang Hao into a state of shock.

Had the Golden Winged Dapeng not first extended its head to communicate with the phantom clone, the Phoenix Palace Master would have already initiated an assault.

The Phoenix Palace Master scrutinized the flying boat’s formation with disbelief and confirmed that the defensive array remained perfectly intact, displaying no signs of damage.

This realization caused her to regard the Golden Winged Dapeng with a newfound perspective—it was a spiritual pet possessing the remarkable ability to bypass defensive arrays.

Furthermore, judging by the aura it radiated, the Golden Winged Dapeng was identified as a spirit pet of the late-stage fourth grade.

When one considered the Red Gold Phoenix displayed by Li Shiming, the seldom-seen Flood Dragon, and the Thunder Beast frequently ridden by the phantom clone, and now this Golden Winged Dapeng, it seemed unfathomable even if Li Shiming were a renowned cultivator from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect to command such a collection of powerful spirit pets.

"Phoenix Palace Master, Fellow Daoist Jiang, I am departing to apprehend Yi Xiao. Yi Xiao is exceedingly cunning. Should we fail to capture him now, locating him again will prove exceedingly difficult!" the phantom clone conveyed to the two.

"Capturing Yi Xiao alone is sufficient!" Great Cultivator Jiang Hao readily concurred without a moment’s hesitation.

"Exercise caution, Hua Ying of the Bitao Sect is no trifling opponent!" The Phoenix Palace Master offered this reminder, refraining from obstructing his departure.

The phantom clone acknowledged this with a nod and gestured towards four late-stage golden corpses nearby. These figures transformed into streaks of gold, swiftly positioning themselves on the Golden Winged Dapeng’s back.

The phantom clone then ascended onto the Golden Winged Dapeng as well. Despite the resulting congestion on its back, the journey of around one hundred miles to the Bitao Sect’s sea-bound safe point was well within its capabilities, and the added passengers had no discernible impact on its performance.

With a piercing cry, the Golden Winged Dapeng vanished from the deck in a swift movement.

The Phoenix Palace Master watched in astonishment, a sense of dread washing over her as she bore witness to the Golden Winged Dapeng bypassing the defensive array right before her eyes.

The defensive array in this location was designed to possess spatial restrictions, expressly prohibiting spatial movement, yet these restrictions were rendered utterly ineffective against the Golden Winged Dapeng.

Great Cultivator Jiang Hao, however, remained unperturbed by this display. Oblivious to the fact that the Golden Winged Dapeng lacked the explicit authorization to traverse the Luanyang Palace’s grand flying boat, he presumed it possessed special privileges that granted it unimpeded passage.

His curiosity was solely piqued by the Golden Winged Dapeng’s apparent mastery of spatial abilities; such a spiritual pet was undeniably captivating.

Every cultivator would undoubtedly aspire to possess a spirit pet endowed with such extraordinary capabilities—one that could soar through the skies and traverse through space at will.

Moreover, the profound aura emanating from the Golden Winged Dapeng suggested a power that surpassed his own capabilities.

Upon its departure from the Luanyang Palace’s grand flying boat, the Golden Winged Dapeng utilized its spatial translocation abilities to bypass over a hundred miles instantaneously, reappearing within the Bitao Sect’s sea-bound safe point.

The defensive array safeguarding the sea-bound safe point proved equally ineffectual. It was only after the Golden Winged Dapeng materialized inside the protective perimeter that the formation registered its presence.

The moment the Golden Winged Dapeng appeared, the four late-stage golden corpses executed a rapid advance towards Great Cultivator Yi Xiao.

Concurrently, the phantom clone activated the ’Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer’, unleashing the pre-ordained ’Thunder Fall Skill’ attack directly at Great Cultivator Hua Ying.

Positioned within the safe point, Great Cultivator Hua Ying was caught completely off guard by the sudden onslaught. As the Golden Winged Dapeng materialized, his immediate reaction was to erect a spell shield around himself.

This action stemmed from his ingrained habit of casting spell shields, a honed reflex that enabled him to manifest defensive magic at the very instant of perceived threat.

Subsequently, a searing bolt of lightning impacted his spell shield, causing it to tremble violently under the sustained barrage of electrical energy.

The phantom clone inwardly sighed, a feeling of helplessness settling in. Despite marshalling his full power for this strike, he found himself unable to breach Great Cultivator Hua Ying’s hastily erected spell shield. This outcome clearly indicated that the phantom clone's combat prowess fell short of that possessed by a peak great cultivator; failing to vanquish Great Cultivator Hua Ying even with a surprise attack foretold an even more arduous battle ahead.

Meanwhile, Great Cultivator Yi Xiao had been keeping watch over the scanning formation. An unsettling premonition washed over him when the formation registered the sudden appearance of a fourth-grade, late-stage spirit beast's aura.

This prompted him to activate both a spell shield and an artifact defense around himself.

Even as a fugitive from the Guiyuan Sect, he still possessed a top-quality, fourth-grade defensive artifact.

Upon the Golden Winged Dapeng's manifestation, he paused briefly, not immediately opting for the Water Escape technique.

As a peak great cultivator, his priority was to gauge the adversary's prowess before formulating a strategy.

Had the opponent arrived with only a single peak great cultivator, Yi Xiao would have fled, later becoming a subject of mockery within the Bitao Sect.

However, by the time he perceived the enemy's true strength, it was far too late to execute the Water Escape.

He had never conceived that a single transmission would summon four late-stage golden corpses, a clone wielding the power of a peak great cultivator, and a spirit pet at the late stage of the fourth grade.

Even before initiating any action, the phantom clone had already formulated a comprehensive battle strategy.

The four late-stage golden corpses were instructed to disregard all other concerns and concentrate solely on neutralizing Great Cultivator Yi Xiao.

Thus, just as Great Cultivator Yi Xiao was preparing to employ the Water Escape, the four late-stage golden corpses moved with superior alacrity. The 'Speed Rule Imprint' embedded within the late-stage golden corpses granted them a velocity far exceeding that of peak great cultivators not specializing in speed.

By the time Great Cultivator Yi Xiao could fully react, he found himself encircled by the four late-stage golden corpses.

The proximity between Great Cultivator Yi Xiao and his assailants was a mere two to three meters, and they were clad in armor, wielding formidable heavy hammers.

In perfect unison, a thunderous 'boom' reverberated as the four heavy hammers descended, producing a deafening impact that echoed even within the secure zone at sea where other cultivators were stationed.

Great Cultivator Yi Xiao experienced a profound numbness throughout his entire body as a terrifying, multi-directional force battered his defensive artifact.

The defensive artifact was obliterated in an instant; it wasn't merely an ordinary artifact being broken, but one that endured an immense assault from four powerful sources. Even a top-quality, fourth-grade defensive artifact proved incapable of withstanding such an onslaught, shattering into fragments that scattered outward.

The heavy hammers held by the late-stage golden corpses did not cease their assault; the residual momentum slammed into Great Cultivator Yi Xiao's magical defenses.

Yi Xiao's defensive spell was an ice armor, designed to freeze any attackers in close proximity upon impact.

This ability was typically quite effective against late-stage golden corpses, providing him precious moments to react as they became immobilized.

However, it was evident that Li Shiming had learned from past encounters with Great Cultivator Yi Xiao, dispatching the late-stage golden corpses equipped with armor.

Currently, even the offensive might of a peak great cultivator was insufficient to penetrate the defenses afforded by this armored late-stage golden corpses.

As the ice armor fractured under the barrage, the four heavy hammers made direct contact with Great Cultivator Yi Xiao.

The entire sequence of events unfolded with such incredible rapidity that Great Cultivator Yi Xiao lacked the time to even retrieve his life-saving jade talisman before being struck by the combined force of the four heavy hammers.

The failure to activate the life-saving jade talisman in time was attributable to Yi Xiao's own overconfidence in his abilities, believing he would always have an opening to utilize the Water Escape, irrespective of the circumstances.

He had foregone activating the life-saving jade talisman, intending to reserve it for moments of utmost peril.

His current predicament differed significantly from his time within the Guiyuan Sect; once he deployed his life-saving jade talisman, there would be no means of replenishment.

Without securing the confidence of influential figures within the Bitao Sect, obtaining another life-saving jade talisman from them was an impossibility.

The four late-stage golden corpses, each directed by one of Li Shiming's four intellects, executed their attack in a manner that did not result in Great Cultivator Yi Xiao's immediate demise.

As the heavy hammers impacted Great Cultivator Yi Xiao, the four late-stage golden corpses employed a shockwave technique, utilizing immense force to simultaneously agitate both the internal and external aspects of his being.

Although Great Cultivator Yi Xiao's physical form and Nascent Soul did not suffer a fatal injury, they were thrown into a state of uncontrollable disarray by the powerful impact.