Tang Xiaoqi's casual yet immensely powerful finger was like ice water poured into hot oil, instantly sobering up the restless and greedy latecomers for the most part. The blood-robed old man covered his chest, his face pale, shock still lingering in his eyes. He no longer dared to view Xiao Qi as a soft persimmon that could be casually handled.
However, the temptation of Great Dao fortune was simply too great, especially personally witnessing the nine on cushions' auras visibly climbing. This was enough to make any cultivator take desperate risks. After a brief silence, unwillingness and wishful thinking again gained the upper hand.
"There are only nine of them! If we join hands, we may not have no opportunity!" A withered old woman holding skull prayer beads, wrapped in gloomy ghost energy, shrilly called out. Her turbid eyes stared dead at the cushion beneath Master Hui Ming that emitted merciful Buddhist light—Buddhism and ghost Dao were incompatible. If she could snatch it, it would have immeasurable benefits for her ghost path cultivation.
"Not bad! Before fortune, each relies on their own means! How can we let them monopolize it?" Another evil cultivator driving three white bone demon vultures also sternly agreed. He had just been shocked back by the bronze-skinned burly man's punch, his hostility even greater.
The remaining five or six latecomers exchanged glances. Greed finally overcame reason. They no longer acted separately but vaguely formed an encirclement, locking onto different targets, preparing to strike simultaneously, create chaos, and snatch in the chaos!
"Stubbornly asking for death!" The golden dragon phantom Ao Qin transformed into gave an impatient dragon roar. Vast dragon might pressed toward those latecomers like solid substance, trying to overwhelm them with power.
The cold energy around Mu Xue grew even stronger. The void around her cushion began condensing fine ice crystals, temperature suddenly dropping.
The sword Ling Jueyi held had completely unsheathed, the cold sword tip pointing at the void, sharp sword intent cutting through laws, issuing hissing sounds.
Formation patterns circulated before the palace-robed woman, evolving offensive and defensive spiritual light. The black-robed cultivator's black mist churned, faintly issuing ghost wailing sounds. The bronze-skinned burly man rubbed his fists, qi and blood like a furnace burning. The Mysterious Turtle Elder still sat steadily, but his Wutu light barrier thickened by three parts. Master Hui Ming chanted Buddhist scriptures, lotus platform Buddhist light shining universally, carrying deliverance and warning.
The nine cushion owners' imposing manner connected into one piece, like nine immovable mountains, forming a sharp confrontation with those seven or eight restlessly moving latecomers.
Great battle, on the verge of erupting!
Just then, Tang Xiaoqi slowly stood up from his cushion.
This action of his instantly attracted everyone's gaze. Whether the eight on cushions or those coveting latecomers, all looked toward him. Before such supreme fortune as the Dao Ancestor's teaching, leaving the cushion meant interrupting comprehension—a great loss.
Xiao Qi's face was calm. His gaze swept over those latecomers with fierce light in their eyes, finally landing on the leading blood-robed old man and ghostly old woman. He spoke indifferently: "The Dao Ancestor teaching the Dao is an eternal fortune—those with destiny obtain it. You all have given rise to greed in your hearts, taking by force, already violating your Dao hearts. If you retreat now, you can still listen to Dao sounds at the periphery and comprehend laws. If you advance one step further, don't blame us for showing no mercy."
His voice wasn't loud, but clearly entered everyone's ears, carrying an unquestionable firmness and... a heart-palpitating majesty.
"You brat, daring to make such boastful claims! Attack!" The blood-robed old man was enraged from shame. He sternly shouted, exchanging glances with several others. Seven or eight powerful attacks instantly erupted, like a storm sweeping toward the nine cushions! Blood light, ghost shadows, demonic fire, poisonous miasma, soul-seizing sounds, white bone spikes... various sinister and strange divine abilities covered the sky!
They had made up their minds—attack simultaneously, making it hard for the opponent to handle both front and back, creating chaos!
"Guard!"
Xiao Qi shouted low, no longer holding anything back! Late Golden Core level vast spiritual power surged forth like a volcanic eruption! He didn't attack but pushed Guardian Sword Intent and Purification Origin to the extreme!
"Buzz—!"
A guardian light shield extremely condensed, emitting warm platinum light, suddenly expanded with him as the center. Not merely protecting himself, but like a massive semi-circular bowl cover, instantly enveloping Mu Xue, Ao Qin, Mysterious Turtle Elder and the three cushions beneath them, along with the cushion he had just left!
On this light shield, Green Lotus phantoms circulated, purification power permeated, and the Dao rhyme of four symbols balance faintly appeared—its solidity far exceeding before!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Dense attacks like raindrops landed on the platinum light shield, erupting deafening roars! Blood light tried to defile but was instantly dispersed by purification power; ghost shadows wanted to penetrate but were shredded by Guardian Sword Intent; demonic fire and poisonous miasma crashed onto the light shield like clay oxen entering the sea, only able to stir up ripples but unable to shake its foundation!
Xiao Qi alone, relying on his own strength, forcefully blocked more than half the attacks! His form was steady as a rock, his face as usual. Only the surging spiritual power around him and those deep-as-the-sea eyes demonstrated how terrifying the power he was using at this moment!
"Late Golden Core?! No, this spiritual power purity and control..." The blood-robed old man turned pale with shock. He discovered he had far underestimated this young man's strength!
On the other side, Ling Jueyi's sword light was like a dragon. Alone with one sword, he destroyed all attacks toward him and the palace-robed woman. His sword momentum was so sharp that the attacking evil cultivator and another insect-driving cultivator retreated repeatedly, adding several deep bone-visible sword wounds to their bodies.
The bronze-skinned burly man roared repeatedly, both fists waving. Qi and blood wolf smoke rushed to the sky, directly blasting away the techniques attacking him along with the casters—overbearing to the extreme.
Master Hui Ming's Buddhist light shone universally, all laws unable to invade. Those sinister attacks melted on their own upon approaching the Buddhist light. The black-robed cultivator strangely merged into the attacks; with a swirl of black mist, he actually devoured and transformed part of the attack energy.
The nine cushion owners each displayed divine abilities. Between relaxed and casual movements, they dissolved this seemingly fierce combined attack into nothingness! The strength gap was immediately clear!
Those latecomers' faces completely changed, from greed to fear. They finally understood that these nine were not people they could shake! Continuing to entangle, let alone snatching cushions, they feared even their lives would be lost here!
"Retreat!" The blood-robed old man was most decisive. Forcibly enduring his injuries, he transformed into blood light, rushing toward the hall gate without looking back. The ghostly old woman and several others seeing this also lost all will to fight, fleeing in sorry states one after another, wishing they had more legs.
In the blink of an eye, only the nine steadily seated cushion cultivators remained in the hall, and Tang Xiaoqi proudly standing within the guardian light shield.
Seeing the threat removed, Xiao Qi slowly gathered his spiritual power. That massive platinum light shield retreated like tide, merging into his body. His face was slightly pale—alone bearing most attacks was also a considerable drain on him, but his eyes remained bright and sharp.
He slightly nodded to Mu Xue, Ao Qin, and Mysterious Turtle Elder, then his form moved, landing back on that cushion emitting "vitality purification" Dao rhyme, closing his eyes again.
After this battle, no one dared to disturb again. The latecomers either kept far away, struggling to comprehend at the law void's periphery, or recognizing the hopelessness, left dejectedly.
Inside the Transmission Hall, peace returned. Only the Dao Ancestor's supreme Dao sound still echoed, all laws still returned to source.
Tang Xiaoqi, with his Late Golden Core level terrifying combat strength and firm, resolute guardian will, pressed the crowd. Together with allies, he steadily guarded this supreme fortune. In the time to come, he would join the other eight, beneath this Dao Ancestor phantom, freely absorbing this eternal fortune, launching attacks toward higher Dao realms.