Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

"Gentlemen, let's talk this out, why resort to violence? It's just a matter of compensation! My Mystic Wood Pavilion isn't going to shy away from reimbursing for your losses,"

Old Taoist Shang's expression changed upon hearing this, but he quickly regained his smile. While speaking kindly, his hands were secretly forming spells.

Suddenly,

the four Mystic Wood tiger puppets opened their merciless eyes and in an instant, their gaping maws shot out several thick beams of light.

These beams, like long white silks, fiercely aimed at Zhao Sheng's chest and abdomen.

At the same time, he stepped back and flicked his right hand forward, releasing dozens of peanut-sized black seeds from his sleeve which rapidly expanded in mid-air, sprouting into several dozen thick black thorns with a metallic sheen.

The black thorns quickly intertwined like living things, landing on the ground to form a high wall of thorns, blocking the way for Zhao Jijian and the others.

Elsewhere,

seeing the four beams of light shooting at him, Zhao Sheng emotionlessly slapped his Storage Bag, and a dark small seal suddenly leaped out.

In the blink of an eye, the Spiritual Artifact, the Small Mountain Seal, expanded to the size of a house, not only blocking the passageway but also stopping the four beams of light.

"Bang, bang, bang"

The beams fiercely collided with the surface of the Small Mountain Seal.

The great impact shook the Small Mountain Seal continuously.

But that was all; the Small Mountain Seal quickly stabilized.

Meanwhile, Zhao Jijian maneuvered the Red Rainbow Sword to strike the same black thorn thrice before narrowly managing to slice it, sending sparks flying. The thorn was apparently three times harder than refined steel.

Next to him, Zhao Keru muttered incantations, his hand pressed onto the Nine Extinguishing Tripod when suddenly, a stream of golden-yellow Spiritual Fire shot out from the mouth of the tripod and landed on the black thorns.

Unexpectedly, these thorns appeared to be a mutated species, completely resistant to the scorching of the Spiritual Fire.

"Down!"

At that moment, Zhao Sheng coldly spat out a single word with a frosty expression.

In the gloomy stone cave, the rumbling Small Mountain Seal, carrying the sound of thunder, bore down towards Taoist High Crown's head.

Taoist High Crown's face turned utterly solemn as he quickly took out a green staff and tossed it upward.

The staff swiftly rose above his head, a flash of green light, and it abruptly expanded into a huge column that fiercely braced itself upwards.

Zhao Sheng's face darkened, his hands formed spells rapidly, and the Small Mountain Seal expanded by a third more, filling half of the cave, its presence even more formidable.

In an instant, the Spiritual Mountain Seal collided with the giant column.

A tremendous explosion sounded, and the column, fashioned from the green staff, suddenly creaked, as if unable to bear the mountainous weight, inch by inch, it began to descend.

Seeing the impressive power of the Small Mountain Seal, Taoist High Crown started to panic.

His hands flashed with green light as he pressed them against the giant column, frantically channeling Spiritual Power into it, attempting to bolster its strength.

But at that moment, a Red Rainbow Sword suddenly flew from afar, its dazzling Sword Light instantly illuminating the dim surroundings.

Seeing that his head was about to be cleaved in two, Taoist High Crown infuriatingly exclaimed, "Very well! You're forcing my hand."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood from the tip of his tongue onto the column before him.

The column immediately blazed with light, managing to momentarily resist the descent of the Small Mountain Seal.

Simultaneously, Taoist High Crown spat four mouthfuls of essence blood onto the heads of the four tiger puppets.

The essence blood quickly seeped into the bodies of the puppets.

Roar, roar, roar!

The four Mystic Wood tiger puppets glowed red, two of them suddenly looked up with wide-open mouths, spitting out two even larger beams with a faint red tint, clashing against the Red Rainbow Sword,

while the other two leaped up to a height of thirty feet, ferociously pouncing towards Zhao Sheng.

"Bring it on!" Zhao Sheng's pupils abruptly contracted as he willed his heart, a Spirit Fire Gourd twirled out from his waist, and from the gourd spewed a giant purple-flamed tiger.

The Fire Spirit Tiger that emerged was a mutated Fire Spirit born from the fusion of two types of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire, its strength not inferior to that of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

After the Fire Spirit Tiger landed, it shook its body, and immediately two smaller Tiger Spirits split off from its left and right.

They charged forward, one to the left and one to the right.

In the blink of an eye, four "tigers" were embroiled in a fight.

Old Taoist Shang spat out several mouthfuls of essence blood, his face deathly pale.

He did not consider himself a match for three Foundation Establishment Cultivators,

and seeing no Life Path emerging, he was filled with extreme frustration and regret.

Seizing the slim chance while he could still catch his breath, he immediately took out a Green Talisman and then started to chant.

Amid the mysterious spell incantations, the Green Talisman gradually emitted a dazzling green light, within which the phantom of a small jade knife appeared.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Sheng's face darkened, and his Crystal Invisible Sword suddenly could not be cast.

"A third-tier Treasure Talisman?!"

As he spoke, Zhao Sheng's right hand swept over his Storage Bag, and the Turtle Shell Talisman Treasure instantly fell into his palm.

A third-tier Treasure Talisman had power comparable to a talisman treasure of the same tier.

However, the difference was that a talisman treasure could be used multiple times, while a Treasure Talisman could only be used once.

Old Taoist Shang clenched the Treasure Talisman whilst swallowing seven or eight colorful Spirit Pills, threatening fiercely, "All of you stop, or I will activate the Divine Saber Talisman and many will surely perish. If anyone wants to die, come at me."

Seeing Zhao Sheng and the others hesitate slightly, he quickly added, "I only seek to live, so how about we stop here?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng immediately said, "Old Taoist Shang, if you want to stop! Then you must first make these tiger puppets stop."

"You guys stop first!"

Although Old Taoist Shang said this, the four Mystic Wood Tiger Puppets swiftly retreated to his side, protecting him tightly.

Zhao Sheng's thoughts moved, and the Small Mountain Seal whistled into the air, hovering above the cave ceiling,

and the two Tiger Spirits merged back into one, standing in front of Zhao Sheng.
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Seeing this, Zhao Jijian also retracted the Red Rainbow Sword.

However, Zhao Keru seemed as if he hadn't heard, still engrossed in his struggle with Black Thorns.

But from the curious expression on his face, it was apparent that Zhao Keru had discovered something new and intriguing.

Knowing that he was in the wrong, Old Taoist Shang saw everyone stopping and immediately, knowing his place, said, "I am deeply grateful for the life-saving grace you all showed a few days ago. If you have any conditions, just state them! There's no need to resort to violence straight away."

Upon this, Zhao Sheng immediately made a demand, "As long as you promise to serve my family for the rest of your life, we will grant you a Life Path."

Old Taoist Shang was startled by this, and soon laughed with an ugly expression, "Taoist Zhao, are you serious?"

"Of course, I am serious, as long as you swear a Heart Demon Oath," Zhao Sheng nodded, his expression nowhere near joking.

"Alright, I will swear the Heart Demon Oath now,"

Old Taoist Shang agreed readily, then solemnly swore an oath.

"Taoist Zhao, now that the Heart Demon Oath is sworn, what do you think?"

Zhao Sheng shook his head and said coldly, "Old Taoist Shang, do you take us for fools? A Heart Demon Oath without the Heart Blood is as good as none."

"Ha ha, I would have forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it, I'll swear it again right now."

Saying so, Old Taoist Shang vomited a mouthful of blood and once again repeated the oath, word for word.

Only this time, he spoke very slowly.

As the oath was halfway through, Zhao Jijian suddenly shouted, "Wrong, he's just buying time, don't be fooled!"

As soon as the words fell, Old Taoist Shang's expression turned grim.