Chapter 276: Enemys Demise

Chapter 276: Enemys Demise

A group of more than thirty individuals had been in hot pursuit for a while, but they hadn't harmed a single soul or even a bird. Instead, they had fallen into a trap, leading to the death of one of their own.

"Stop! Everyone, cease your pursuit. The five of you are responsible for chasing down that young lad. Make sure not to separate. The rest of you, follow me to the canyon entrance. We'll seize the goods first and deal with them later. Don't let them escape," commanded Changshan, the leader of the group.

Changshan had figured out that this young lad was intentionally luring them into this situation. It was possible that the people at the canyon entrance were also trying to escape at this very moment.

Five individuals were dispatched from the group, chasing after Wang Hong, while the remaining twenty or so people followed Changshan towards the canyon entrance, flying swiftly.

When they reached the canyon entrance, they found that the merchant caravan hadn't fled but was instead prepared for a confrontation. They weren't concerned about the cargo-laden vehicles but had gathered in one place.

Wang Hong had instructed them earlier: in times of danger, people were more valuable than goods, and the truly valuable items were carried on their persons.

One hundred Qi Cultivation cultivators formed a defensive formation, their expressions tense, and they tightly gripped their magical weapons. They awaited Luo Zhongjie's command to launch an attack.

Though they only possessed Qi Cultivation stage strength individually, if these one hundred individuals could attack simultaneously, not many Foundation Building cultivators could withstand them.

They had never engaged in a real battle before, so they were naturally nervous, but Luo Zhongjie's rigorous training had prepared them well. They followed Luo Zhongjie's orders as if it were their daily training routine, without any unnecessary movements.

Fortunately, the eight Foundation Building cultivators flying above their heads instilled great confidence in them. These eight Foundation Building cultivators maintained a distance of just over a yard from the Qi Cultivation formation below, providing protection and ensuring that any treasure hunters who approached would face their combined attack.

Above these eight cultivators were four more Foundation Building cultivators, one of them in the middle stage. It was unclear what the purpose of these four individuals was.

At this moment, the twenty-plus treasure hunters didn't recklessly charge forward. Instead, they cast their gazes towards the several parked vehicles to the side.

"Listen up, none of you are allowed to touch anything inside those vehicles until we've dealt with these people," Changshan ordered loudly. With years of experience in treasure hunting, he knew that the valuable items were likely carried by the individuals themselves. Once they began robbing the vehicles, it would sow discord among the group. Some might want more, while others might advocate for restraint.

Leading a group with such diverse intentions required constant strategizing on his part.

The twenty-plus treasure hunters gradually closed in on the one hundred-plus individuals waiting in formation. When they reached a distance of about twenty yards, they all came to a stop.

There was no need for anyone to command this; any treasure hunter who continued charging forward from this distance would essentially become cannon fodder.

This motley group of treasure hunters composed entirely of individuals seeking riches couldn't possibly be united. Self-preservation was the top priority.

Wang Hong's figure blurred once again, and his afterimage rapidly approached one of the treasure hunters. The treasure hunter quickly summoned his defensive spiritual weapon.

With a resounding "boom," the treasure hunter's defensive spiritual weapon shattered into pieces, scattering all around. Wang Hong's Long Spear pierced through the treasure hunter's chest from the front and exited through the back.

By this time, Little Peng had also arrived and pounced directly on one of the treasure hunters. Its two claws grabbed the treasure hunter, and with a swift motion, it tore the individual in half.

The remaining two treasure hunters realized their peril and attempted to flee, but their speed was no match for Wang Hong's.

Soon, Wang Hong and Little Peng caught up with them, and both treasure hunters met a grim fate.

Seeing Wang Hong's return, Changshan, the leader, didn't pay much attention, merely thinking that this person was too slippery and had escaped once again.

He only felt that his spiritual power was depleting faster today during the battle, but he didn't dwell on it, perhaps just an illusion.

Changshan had a deeper reservoir of spiritual power, and a slight depletion wouldn't have much impact in the short term. However, the other treasure hunters with lower cultivation levels suddenly realized that a black mass of spiritual energy had formed in their dantian sea, voraciously devouring their spiritual power.

"Oh no! I'm poisoned!" one treasure hunter exclaimed in terror.

Upon his warning, others also noticed something amiss with their bodies.

"I'm poisoned too!"

"So am I!"

And so on.

If their previous attacks had been executed with casual confidence, they now appeared frenzied. The defense formed by the eight Foundation Building cultivators was breached instantly, creating an opening through which three Flying Swords entered.

Two of the swords simultaneously struck a Foundation Building cultivator but were blocked by the cultivator's armor, causing non-lethal injuries.

The third sword pierced through two Qi Cultivation cultivators simultaneously before being halted by a Foundation Building cultivator.

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