Cultivation, Inc.I Use Capitalism to Fix a Dying Sect

Chapter 133: Underestimating the Strength of the Qingyun Sect

Before the dust from Elder Ye Luo’s brutal strike could even settle, Daoist Centipede was hurled back like a broken kite. Old Monster Skeleton, who had just launched himself toward another target, slammed on the brakes in mid-air.

Daoist Centipede stared at Elder Ye Luo. The previous contempt on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a thick, suffocating wariness.

“Old ghost, assist me!” Daoist Centipede roared. “This man possesses the combat power of a Golden Core Grand Perfection realm expert!”

Old Monster Skeleton, naturally perceptive, realized Elder Ye Luo was an apex threat. Forced to abandon his original prey, he pivoted, his aura locking onto the fire-wielding Elder.

“I truly never expected your Qingyun Sect to hide your strength so deeply,” Skeleton rasped, his voice like grinding bones. “Old Ghost Ye Luo, not only did you break through to the late Golden Core stage, but you can actually exert pressure at the Grand Perfection level.”

“Heh, there is much in this world beyond your shallow imagination,” Elder Ye Luo sneered. “You dare to cause trouble in my Qingyun Sect? Today, you will witness our true might!”

Elder Ye Luo flashed a rapid sequence of hand seals. Torrential True Qi flooded through his Fire Gate. The ancient bronze cauldron floating above him erupted with a blinding inferno, and two massive, roaring fire dragons surged out, lunging toward Old Monster Skeleton and Daoist Centipede.

Old Monster Skeleton immediately channeled his evil Arts. The necklace of skulls around his neck clicked together, fusing instantly into a single, colossal skull wreathed in eerie black flames. Shrieking, it slammed into the incoming fire dragon.

Simultaneously, Daoist Centipede commanded his grievously injured Purple-backed Centipede to intercept the flames while he launched his own Spirit Weapon at Elder Ye Luo.

With the four strongest powerhouses of the Black Wind Stockade completely entangled, only three early Golden Core stage invaders were left to contend with the Qingyun Sect’s Elders—Han Yun, Li Tai, and Qin Chu.

Three early Golden Core cultivators against three mid Golden Core experts was a suicide mission. The moment their blades crossed, the Black Wind Stockade invaders were violently suppressed.

Watching his vanguard crumble, Wen Sha gritted his teeth. He had completely underestimated the Qingyun Sect. How could a backwater faction possess two Elders capable of outputting Grand Perfection-tier damage?

“If I had known the resistance would be this heavy, I would have mobilized the entire Stockade!” Wen Sha cursed, regretting his overconfidence. But it was too late to turn back now.

“Ghost Wood, go support Luo Hu and the others!” Wen Sha barked. “I will handle Jin Jue alone.”

Though Daoist Ghost Wood was reluctant to leave Elder Jin Jue’s side, he understood the battlefield dynamics. Abandoning Elder Jin Jue, he shot across the sky like a dark comet to reinforce the collapsing Golden Core line.

Deeming Ghost Wood’s solo intervention insufficient, Wen Sha slapped a storage pouch at his waist. A towering, green-haired zombie materialized, letting out a guttural roar. Wen Sha mentally commanded the undead horror to follow Ghost Wood.

Though the green-haired zombie only possessed the cultivation of an early Golden Core expert, it was a nightmare on the battlefield. It boasted a body of steel and iron bones, moved with blinding speed, and its razor-sharp claws dripped with highly corrosive corpse poison.

Daoist Ghost Wood, despite his unhealed wounds, was still a late Golden Core powerhouse. The moment he and the green-haired zombie crashed into the fray, the immense pressure on Elders Han Yun, Li Tai, and Qin Chu skyrocketed, instantly locking them in a deadly stalemate.

The Golden Core battlefront stabilized. It was clear no victor would emerge in the short term.

Meanwhile, on the ground below, the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Black Wind Stockade descended upon the Qingyun Sect disciples. Fierce light burned in the bandits’ eyes; they looked at the sect members not as warriors, but as prey.

“Keh-heh-heh! You Qingyun Sect trash, die for me!” A mid Foundation Establishment bandit roared, his grating voice echoing as he charged into the sect’s ranks.

Suddenly, a coordinated squad of twelve Qingyun Sect disciples intercepted him. The unit consisted of two Foundation Establishment cultivators and 10 disciples at the Qi Refining Grand Perfection stage.

“Hahaha! Even Qi Refining stage ants dare to step forward?” the bandit laughed maniacally. “It seems your Qingyun Sect has truly run out of meat shields!”

The Qingyun Sect cultivators remained utterly stone-faced, their gazes calm and calculating. The mid Foundation Establishment squad leader simply raised his hand and dropped it. “Kill.”

In an instant, the twelve disciples executed a perfectly synchronized strike.

The 10 Qi Refining disciples did not hold back. Utilizing maximum output, they unleashed a rainbow of devastating Arts toward the arrogant bandit.

Simultaneously, a flurry of glowing Talismans was hurled directly at the man’s face.

Faced with this multicolored tidal wave of destruction, the bandit frowned. He channeled his True Qi, conjuring a heavy black shield Spirit Weapon to block the assault.

Explosions rocked the battlefield as the myriad attacks smashed against the dark barrier. The shield held, absorbing the brute force of the strike.

However, the spiritual light protecting the black shield dimmed considerably.

Noticing the offensive was losing steam, the bandit’s lips curled into a cold sneer. “Just a pack of Qi Refining ants. You can only tickle me!”

The moment the words left his mouth, four Fire Bird Talismans materialized around him. The talismans detonated, transforming into four scorching, winged beasts of flame that dive-bombed the black shield.

“Rank 2 Fire Bird Talismans, and four of them at once? You are quite eager to burn your wealth!” the bandit snorted.

The fire birds exploded on impact, turning the sky into a sea of flames. The bandit’s personal True Qi barrier flickered violently, his internal energy shaken by the blast. Rank 2 Talismans were expensive, and taking four point-blank was enough to rattle even a Foundation Establishment expert.

Just as the residual heat from the explosion faded, two deadly strikes fell from the heavens. A massive golden sword beam ruthlessly slammed into the black shield.

BANG!

The black shield was violently knocked aside. The immense kinetic force staggered the bandit, throwing his footwork into disarray.

In that exact moment of vulnerability, a silent flying needle shot in from his blind spot. Before he could react, the needle bypassed his flickering True Qi barrier and pierced his flesh.

“Damn it, a sneak attack!” the bandit roared furiously. He tried to circulate his True Qi to heal the wound, but a wave of numbness washed over him. The muscles around the puncture wound seized up.

“Despicable! You used poison!”

As the paralyzed mid Foundation Establishment cultivator screamed, a flying sword silently swept past his throat. A geyser of blood erupted, and his head tumbled from his shoulders.

“Next target!”

Without sparing a single glance at the decapitated corpse, the twelve-man squad pivoted in unison and charged toward the next sector. This squad leader wasn’t even a member of the elite War Hall, yet the team’s efficiency was terrifying.

In another zone, a mid Foundation Establishment Black Wind Stockade elite was locked in a fierce duel with an early Foundation Establishment War Hall cultivator. The battle was explosive, and despite the gap in cultivation, they fought to a perfect standstill.

The bandit elite, realizing his opponent was no ordinary disciple, wore a grave expression. “I didn’t expect the Qingyun Sect to harbor a genius expert like you.”

“Hmph. There are many things you cannot imagine,” the War Hall disciple sneered. “Time to end this!”

The early Foundation Establishment cultivator suddenly redlined his Golden Sword Art. His flying sword erupted with blinding radiance, transforming into a titanic golden beam that cleaved down toward the bandit.

The bandit panicked. He hurled a black sphere into the air, pumping it full of True Qi. The sphere expanded into a dense, black light screen that completely enveloped his body.

BOOM!

The golden sword beam crashed into the barrier, blasting the black light screen away. The golden light dispersed, and the flying sword recoiled back to its master.

The black barrier surrounding the bandit shattered into motes of light, but the man inside was left completely unharmed.

“You thought that could kill me?” the mid Foundation Establishment bandit sneered. “You are merely at the early Foundation Establishment stage!”

The Qingyun Sect disciple smirked, tilting his head slightly. “It’s not me who will kill you.”

Before the bandit could process the words, three Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivators materialized behind him, their sword Arts fully charged.

Three ruthless, golden sword beams descended upon his unprotected back.

“No! Impossible!” the bandit shrieked. “You are just Qi Refining ants! How can you output such power?!”

His unwilling roar was drowned out as the sword light swallowed him whole.

Had his primary defensive sphere not been systematically stripped away, the bandit would have survived. Tragically, he had refused to look behind him, dismissing the low-level cultivators as non-threats. He paid a painful price for his arrogance.