146: Chapter 146 The situation is unfavorable; Kaiyang Pass falls!

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Outside Tianxu Pass, demonic clouds press upon the city, yet there is no further movement.

Since that day Shi Jian shattered the White Bone Warship with a single thunder strike, demonstrating terrifying combat power comparable to the Late Stage Golden Core, the Jin State demonic Cultivators have behaved themselves.

They cannot break through, and a desperate fight would be a loss.

The Demonic Path is not stupid; since Tianxu Pass has become a hard nut to crack, they simply surround it without attacking.

Tens of thousands of demonic Cultivators are camped a hundred miles away. Aside from routine harassment with a few Spells every day, there are no major actions.

Their goal is clear: to pin the six Golden Cores of Tianxu Pass and True Monarch Fang Yi firmly in place, preventing them from supporting other battlefields.

Although they have no merit, they have no fault either.

This situation of constant minor friction and restraint on both sides is exactly what Shi Jian wants.

Inside the White Cloud Temple camp, a Formation isolates the area from outside detection.

“Old Ancestor, we’ve struck it rich! We’ve struck it rich!”

Elder Rat emerged from the ground. With a wave of his hand, over a dozen bulging Storage Pouches landed on the stone platform...

“In these past three days, our rat descendants have hollowed out the ground outside Tianxu Pass.”

“In these Storage Pouches, there are over four thousand Qi Refining corpses, twenty-six Foundation Establishment corpses, and various other types of flesh and blood remains.”

“This portion is a tribute to the Old Ancestor. There are fifteen remains of Foundation Establishment Cultivator, all with Middle Stage and Late Stage Foundation Establishment flesh, most suitable as blood food for meals, offered to the Old Ancestor.”

“In addition, this battle yielded over seventy thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, over eight hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, over five thousand Magical Artifacts of various ranks, and two fragments of Magic Treasures.”

“There are also some Medicinal Pills of various types, mostly over a thousand bottles of Grade One Pills and over forty bottles of Grade Two Pills...”

“And some miscellaneous Spiritual Materials of generally low value but in large quantities, not yet specifically tallied.”

“Old Ancestor, how do you want to distribute them?”

Hearing this, Shi Jian lay on the stone platform and first collected the Storage Pouch containing the fifteen Foundation Establishment Cultivator. The taste of Foundation Establishment flesh was quite good and served as a decent supplement for him.

As for the rest, their value was generally not high; unless there were Grade Three Spiritual Items, things below Grade Three were of average use to him.

“Well done.”

“The gains aren't particularly high, but that's normal. Who would carry all their belongings onto a battlefield...”

“Leave all the Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for me. You handle the remaining resources yourself. Select seventy percent to send back to White Cloud Temple to be distributed among the various lineages for their cultivation.”

“The remaining thirty percent, send to Mushou Mountain and distribute them to the Yao Race under our rule.”

“They haven't seen much of the world, so let them make do with these. Although thirty percent isn't much, it's enough for those small tribes to have a better life for a while. Let them recuperate for a few more years so they can be put to good use.”

“Next, Tianxu Pass will not have any major battles.”

“The gains from continuing to scavenge corpses aren't high. You, Kuang Dou, and Shi Mo can find more opportunities to hunt those minor demonic Cultivators.”

“For the resources collected, your three lineages can retain fifty percent, and the remaining fifty percent will be left for the other lineages to give them a taste.”

“Yes, your servant obeys!”

Elder Rat kowtowed heavily and happily tunneled back underground.

After handling these matters, Shi Jian adjusted to a comfortable position and yawned.

“If this war can keep stalemating like this, it wouldn't be bad. For one thing, the remains of the fallen Cultivators alone are a great fortune.”

Shi Jian calculated happily in his heart. This Tianxu Pass was truly a damn blessed land.

Just then.

The tent curtain was lifted, and Immortal Master Daoist Yun Du and Perfected Qing Shan entered together.

Unlike Shi Jian’s ease, both men had solemn expressions, bloodshot eyes, and a deep gloom between their brows.

“Fellow Daoists, your faces look so grim. Did the demonic Cultivators attack the city again?”

Shi Jian pretended to lift his head, his tone sounding weak.

Daoist Yun Du gave a bitter laugh, shook his head, and sat down on a nearby stone stool.

“Tianxu Pass is peaceful.”

His voice was hoarse, sounding like sandpaper rubbing: “But the other six passes have become veritable meat grinders.”

Perfected Qing Shan sighed deeply and took a Jade Slip from his sleeve, handing it to Shi Jian.

“Fellow Daoist Shi, this is the battle report just sent from the Shangqing Sect main camp. Take a look.”

Shi Jian’s Divine Sense entered the Jade Slip, and his massive body paused slightly.

Tragic.

Only the word "tragic" could describe it!

The two main passes, Tianshu and Yaoguang, are directly facing the main forces of the Blood Bone Demon Sect and the Tiansha Sect.

These past few days, the demonic Cultivators have been attacking fiercely day and night like madmen, not hesitating to fill the Formations with human lives.

Three breaches were torn in the protective Formation of Tianshu Pass. Both sides engaged in hand-to-hand combat on the city walls, forcing two Golden Core Old Ancestors under the Shangqing Sect to self-detonate to barely plug the gaps.

Yaoguang Pass was even worse; a Middle Stage Golden Core Elder stationed there was ambushed by a Tiansha Sect Elder, struck by Earth Fiend Poison, and fell on the spot.

As for Tianquan and Tianji passes.

They are also teetering on the brink, with casualty numbers doubling every day.

“In just a few days, five Golden Cores have fallen on the Wei State's southwestern defense line. Foundation Establishment Cultivator casualties have exceeded a hundred, and Qi Refining Cultivator casualties are in the thousands, nearly ten thousand...”

Daoist Yun Du’s fingers trembled, “And that’s just the southwestern defense line. I heard that on the eastern front near the Taiqing Sect, the offensive of the four Righteous Path sects is even fiercer.”

Shi Jian withdrew his Divine Sense and sighed slightly, his heart completely unmoved.

To him, their deaths were good.

The more Human Race Cultivators died, the more resources would be freed up in the Xuanling Continent. When these humans fought until nine out of ten houses were empty, it would be the window for his Yao Race to thrive and multiply.

“National wars are like this; human lives are like grass.”

Shi Jian spoke in a deep tone, pretending to be compassionate:

“Fellow Daoists, do not worry too much. At least our Tianxu Pass is still secure.”

“Secure?”

Perfected Qing Shan laughed bitterly repeatedly: “Fellow Daoist Shi, do you know what the most fatal piece of news in this battle report is?”

Shi Jian raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance: “Oh?”

Immortal Master Daoist Yun Du took a deep breath and spat out five words through gritted teeth.

“Kaiyang Pass has been broken.”

Shi Jian’s eyes narrowed, and his massive body suddenly sat up: “Broken? Doesn't Kaiyang Pass have seven Golden Cores guarding it?”

“It was seven.”

Daoist Yun Du’s eyes were full of hatred: “But Yan Qiu of the Fenghe Sect was stationed there.”

Hearing the words “Fenghe Sect,” Shi Jian immediately understood.

That old dog Yan Qiu finally made his move.

“Yan Qiu defected mid-battle.”

Perfected Qing Shan took over, his tone carrying hard-to-conceal anger and lingering fear: “Last night, the demonic Wandu Sect launched a main attack on Kaiyang Pass. Just as the Formation was operating at its limit, Yan Qiu suddenly struck!”

“He attacked from behind, easily killing a Shangqing Sect Elder and simultaneously destroying the Formation hub on the southern side of Kaiyang Pass.”

“Poison Cultivators from the Wandu Sect took advantage of the opening, and Poisonous Miasma instantly flooded half of Kaiyang Pass.”

“That was a full half of the pass! Ten thousand Qi Refining Cultivators turned into pus without even letting out a scream!”

Daoist Yun Du smashed a fist onto the stone table, which immediately became covered in cracks.

“Not only that, that old thief Yan Qiu also lured two other Golden Core Fellow Daoists into a Wandu Sect ambush, ultimately causing those two Fellow Daoists to die in battle on the spot...”

“Kaiyang Pass originally had seven Golden Cores. In one night, three fell, and one defected.”

“The remaining three fought desperately to break out, protecting the surviving Cultivators as they retreated to the inner city. All are heavily injured and in critical condition.”

Listening to this, Shi Jian sneered repeatedly in his heart.

Yan Qiu played his cards quite perfectly and ruthlessly. He directly used the lives of thousands of Kaiyang Pass Cultivators as his pledge of loyalty to join the Jin State demonic sects.

“And what about Yan Qiu? Did the Wandu Sect accept him?” Shi Jian asked casually.

“Accept him? Bullshit!”

Daoist Yun Du sneered, a flash of satisfaction deep in his eyes: “That old bastard Yan Qiu thought that by performing such a great service, he could trade for the Wandu Sect's protection.”

“As it turned out, as soon as the Wandu Sect's Poison Cultivators entered the city, they turned around and slaughtered more than half of the Fenghe Sect Disciples. All the Disciples he brought with him perished.”

“Yan Qiu himself had his essence blood drained by a Wandu Sect Golden Core Elder, and even his Golden Core was dug out to feed a Poison Python!”

“That old thief ended up without even a corpse. He truly deserved his death!”

Shi Jian rolled his eyes in his heart.

Expected.

If demonic Cultivators could keep their word, would they still be called demonic Cultivators?

That old dog Yan Qiu thought he was clever, but in the end, he just washed himself clean and delivered himself to be someone's meal.

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