Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 745 - 729: Trading Life for Life!

In the sky outside the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, a cyan streak of light was rushing through the air.

This cyan streak of light was as fast as lightning, and cultivators whose cultivation level had not reached the Golden Core Stage couldn't even perceive its presence.

However, if a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator focused their vision, they would see that the core of this cyan streak of light was actually a cyan flying shuttle spiritual artifact.

If anyone well-acquainted with the Yuqing Daoist Sect saw this cyan flying shuttle spiritual artifact, they would immediately recognize its origin.

This was the renowned yet little-known heirloom artifact of the Yuqing Daoist Sect, the Tier Six High-Grade Flying Spiritual Artifact: Azure Heaven Shuttle.

This Azure Heaven Shuttle is rumored to have once been the flying spiritual artifact of a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal. In terms of speed, it represents the pinnacle of what a Tier Six Artifact can achieve.

When a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator like Master Yujing commands this artifact, its speed nearly doubles his usual escape speed, allowing him to fly five hundred thousand miles in a day!

Zhouyang's judgment during that time wasn't incorrect. After the celebration concluded without any sign of an attack on Zhouyang, Master Yujing and Wang Lingxiao understood that he wasn't planning to make a move within the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Therefore, after the celebration ended, the two of them hid their tracks and discreetly teleported to various transmission points along Zhouyang's route. They stood by, ready to head to the scene at the first sign of an attack on Zhouyang.

Unfortunately, even the nearest transmission point to the Broken Cloud Mountain Range was over a hundred thousand miles away, so they could only disguise their cultivation and follow at the escape speed of a Golden Core Stage cultivator, so as not to alert Dragon-Taming Star Feather, who was hiding somewhere.

When they received the news of Zhouyang's attack, Master Yujing and Wang Lingxiao were still seventy to eighty thousand miles away from his location. Even traveling at Azure Heaven Shuttle's speed, it would take nearly two hours to reach the site.

At this point, an hour and three-quarters had passed since Zhouyang was attacked, and they estimated it would take another half an hour to reach the battlefield twenty thousand miles away.

Meanwhile, Zhouyang had urged them several times through the communication artifact to hurry to the battlefield and complete the encirclement to prevent Dragon-Taming Star Feather from escaping.

"This won't do; if we continue like this, we won't make it to the battlefield in time. We must take a risk!"

Inside the shuttle, which could only accommodate a dozen people, Master Yujing's face turned grave after checking Zhouyang's latest message.

"What kind of risk are you talking about?"

Wang Lingxiao, who shared the shuttle, raised an eyebrow and looked at him with curiosity.

"I left a clone with Fellow Daoist Zhou when he departed. If I now perform Nascent Soul Emergence and use the Instant Teleportation divine technique, I can reach the battlefield within fifteen minutes and have my Nascent Soul temporarily reside in the clone to participate in the fight. This way, I can at least hold on until you, Fellow Daoist Wang, arrive at the battlefield!"

Master Yujing revealed his plan with a stern expression.

"No! Even though your cultivation has reached the Ninth Layer Nascent Soul, the power you can exert after your Nascent Soul emerges is less than seventy percent. If something goes wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable. You must reconsider!"

Wang Lingxiao's expression changed dramatically, and he dissuaded Master Yujing with a worried face, disagreeing with him taking this risk.

"How could I not know this? But fortune favors the bold. If we don't take this risk, even if Fellow Daoist Zhou and his team manage to delay until we arrive and successfully kill Dragon-Taming Star Feather, what face will I have to claim that Tier Seven Immortal Artifact? Moreover, if Dragon-Taming Star Feather escapes and returns for revenge later, it may not just target Fellow Daoist Zhou this time!"

Master Yujing voiced his concerns with a heavy heart, seemingly having already made up his mind.

After speaking, he raised his hand and said, "Enough, Fellow Daoist Wang, there's no need to persuade me further. I entrust my physical body and this Azure Heaven Shuttle to you. Whether this endeavor succeeds or not depends on whether you, Fellow Daoist Wang, can arrive in time!"

Seeing this, Wang Lingxiao's expression changed several times, but in the end, he nodded and said, "Alright, since you've made up your mind, I won't try to dissuade you anymore. Rest assured and go forth. I promise not to let you down!"

"Thank you for your efforts, Fellow Daoist Wang. I shall take my leave now!"

Master Yujing said, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. A nine-inch tall Nascent Soul figure emerged carrying several artifacts from above his head.

The Nascent Soul figure gently nodded to Wang Lingxiao before transforming into a streak of cyan light that flew out of the Azure Heaven Shuttle, instantly vanishing beyond Wang Lingxiao's perception.

More than half a quarter of an hour later, in the fierce battleground, a cyan light suddenly appeared from beyond the sky, flashed, and entered the body of a young Daoist just taken out from the Dongxuan Pearl by Zhouyang.

As this was originally his clone, once Master Yujing's Nascent Soul resided in it, the clone's cultivation, only at the Early-Stage Nascent Soul level, immediately surged to near Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivation.

He did not need time to get accustomed to this new body and, as the Nascent Soul magical power and the physical body began to meld, he immediately deployed his artifact and joined the battle.

At this time, Dragon-Taming Star Feather, besieged by Zhouyang and his two allies and retainers, was already scarred and battered, in an extremely poor state.

Ever since Yin Hanguang used the Scepter of Light's power to bind his body, causing him to miss the best opportunity to escape, his wounds have been increasing by the moment.

Having used the Dragon Transformation Technique, his magical power, defense, and recovery ability were greatly enhanced, reaching a point where he could ignore the attacks of ordinary Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

In this state, he feared no siege, even if a hundred cultivators below the Late-Stage Nascent Soul level attacked him, they wouldn't have been able to do much harm.

This was his greatest assurance in believing that attacking Zhouyang wouldn't put his life in danger before.

But he never anticipated that Zhouyang could recruit not only two powerful Tier Six High-Grade Demon Kings and another Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator in addition to Master Yujing and Wang Lingxiao but also such cultivators wielding Tier Seven Immortal Artifacts!

Under the might of the Tier Seven Immortal Artifacts, what he prided himself on, the defense of his True Dragon Body, was just a relatively tough shell that could be easily shattered with force.

Moreover, the cultivation levels of Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen meant that the Tier Seven Immortals Artifacts in their hands were not limited to a single use, unlike when wielded by Zhouyang.

After dealing a critical blow to Dragon-Taming Star Feather with their initial joint strike, this human and demon duo deliberately controlled the pace of their Tier Seven Immortal Artifacts' attacks, taking turns engaging with Dragon-Taming Star Feather to bide time until the second wave of reinforcements arrived.

Dragon-Taming Star Feather, of course, understood his adversaries' strategy and had no intention of entangling with them, solely wishing to break out and flee. He even went so far as to release his spirit pet Golden Flood Dragon, urging it to go all out against the weakest enemy, Yin Hanguang, prepared to sacrifice his cherished pet if necessary.

Yet, fate did not grant his wish. Every time Dragon-Taming Star Feather found a chance to escape, the Thunder Feather Demon King would rush ahead and force him back.

In terms of speed, the Thunder Feather Demon King truly reached the pinnacle of the Nascent Soul Stage.

This in itself was tolerable enough.

Even though his escape routes were repeatedly blocked, Dragon-Taming Star Feather clung to the hope that as Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen exhausted their magical power operating the Tier Seven Immortals Artifacts, he might still seize a chance to break through.

He just needed to hold out a little longer until these two no longer had the power to wield the Tier Seven Immortal Artifacts, at which point he could easily break through and escape.

However, with Master Yujing taking a daring risk, using the Nascent Soul Instant Teleportation Technique at the cost of essence damage to rush to the battlefield, Dragon-Taming Star Feather's longed-for hope of escape shattered completely!

Master Yujing, a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator like himself, was maintaining a full state.

Dragon-Taming Star Feather had already expended half of his magical power during the pursuit and battle against Zhouyang's body-protecting divine techniques and the fights against Thunder Feather Demon King, Zhu Zizhen, and Yin Hanguang, not to mention the severe internal and external wounds covering his body.

"Roar! Do you all want my life? Let's see who's willing to exchange their life for mine!"

In a fit of despair, Dragon-Taming Star Feather bellowed in a maniacal rage.

He was indeed a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" cultivator, possessing a True Dragon Bloodline and wielding a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact. In terms of personal strength, none of the cultivators present could surpass him.

If he truly fought desperately, willing to sacrifice himself, he might very well take someone down with him.

Therefore, upon hearing his words, the besieging cultivators' expressions all subtly changed, unconsciously diverting some of their attack power towards enhancing their defenses.

"Dragon Tamer Old Thief, you dare to utter wild oaths even when facing death. It's a colossal joke!"

"Do you think that such words can shake our determination to kill you?"

"Today, you are destined to die. If you don't, we will be the ones to die someday!"

While assisting Yin Hanguang in dealing with the Tier Six Middle Grade Golden Flood Dragon, Zhouyang looked determinedly at Dragon-Taming Star Feather and shouted loudly, showing no fear of his words.

Today, anyone could retreat, except he had no way to retreat.

If he didn't kill Dragon-Taming Star Feather, there would be endless troubles.

Of course, he didn't need to explain this, for everyone taking action understood it well.

He voiced these words simply to help strengthen everyone's confidence, reminding them not to harbor false hopes.

However, his words seemed to remind Dragon-Taming Star Feather, making him recall his real purpose for coming to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm this time.

His face twisted into a snarl, and he bellowed, "Roar! In that case, die with me, old man!"

Before the roar faded, Dragon-Taming Star Feather rallied his remaining strength and shifted his target to charge bravely at Zhouyang.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, be careful!"

"Protect Fellow Daoist Zhou!"

The two demon kings, Zhu Zizhen and Thunder Feather Demon King, were more concerned about Zhouyang's safety than Yin Hanguang and Master Yujing, hurriedly shouting to warn him and decisively intercepting Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

On closer thought, it wasn't hard to understand the feelings of the two demon kings.

Whether it was Zhu Zizhen or Thunder Feather Demon King, they needed Zhouyang alive to fulfill his promises to them.

If Zhouyang died, their plan to cross the True Spirit Celestial Tribulation with the help of Donglai Immortal Island would certainly fall through.

Especially for Thunder Feather Demon King, besides this promise, he received no other benefits.

Yin Hanguang was the same; if Zhouyang died, his promises to him would also become empty talk, wasting his efforts.

So at this moment, they were trying their best to keep Zhouyang alive to avoid wasting their efforts.

In a way, this was where Zhouyang's cunning lay.

He might have anticipated this situation beforehand, which is why he chose to enlist help by promising favors.

However, Dragon-Taming Star Feather had already resolved to fight to the death, determined to drag Zhouyang with him.

Even faced with interception, he had no intention of giving up, willing to die rather than retreat!

"Go to hell!"

He broke through the obstruction with his whole body covered in blood, approaching Zhouyang, eyes full of madness, and spat out scorching dragon flame aiming at Zhouyang.

The golden dragon flame was extremely overbearing, and any ordinary Tier Six Lower Grade Artifact would be incinerated in an instant if exposed. In terms of power, even Zhouyang's Qianyang True Flame, enhanced by the Qianyang Treasure Pearl, couldn't match it.

This golden dragon flame was no longer mundane fire but rather an immortal fire that could rival Immortal Divine Techniques, the True Dragon Innate Divine Techniques!

After all, although the Qianyang Treasure Body was rare and special, it couldn't compare to a true dragon. This was a difference at the species level, incomparable.

The Qianyang Celestial Fire Shield blazed brightly, forming a protective shield around Zhouyang.

The Fire Dragon Shield expanded like an inverted cup, enveloping Zhouyang, and on the glazed shield, nine dragon shadows appeared intermittently, forming a second layer of protection.

Golden runes on the Exorcism Treasure Robe floated up, forming a golden light shield around Zhouyang, becoming the third layer of protection.

Faced with Dragon-Taming Star Feather's desperate attack, Zhouyang solemnly used all his protective means.

Boom!

The golden dragon flame descended, shattering the outermost golden flame shield almost instantly. Then, the dragon shadows on the glazed fire shield broke one by one, sending the whole Artifact flying with great force.

The last golden light shield didn't hold much longer either and shattered under the impact of the golden dragon flame.

In just a few moments, all three layers of Zhouyang's defenses were breached.

The gap between the Third-Layer Nascent Soul and the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul was despairing!

Without the Vermillion Bird Fan, Zhouyang couldn't withstand even one attack from the severely injured Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

At the last critical moment, Zhouyang successfully used the Vertical Earth Golden Light Divine Technique, narrowly avoiding the terrifying strike as he brushed past the golden dragon flame.

However, the danger was far from over; Dragon-Taming Star Feather's attack was more than just spitting golden dragon flame.

Almost as soon as Zhouyang reappeared, a deafening dragon roar echoed in his primordial spirit. Affected by this, his body froze, and his eyes glazed over as he began to fall uncontrollably toward the ground.

At the same time, a golden streamer suddenly flashed and pierced through Zhouyang's chest, going all the way through his back.

It was a five-foot-long golden dragon horn!

"Fellow Daoist Zhou!!!"

Cries of shock filled the air as Thunder Feather Demon King and others looked at Zhouyang's rapidly declining aura, each feeling a chill deep in their hearts, sinking like a stone.

Nobody expected that, despite their heavy interception, Zhouyang, who had created many miracles on the battlefield, couldn't withstand even two hits from Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

Zhouyang's previous glorious battle records made them almost forget that he was a Nascent Soul Early-Stage Cultivator who had cultivated for less than a thousand years and had just reached the Third-Layer Nascent Soul. Subconsciously, they regarded him as a peer equivalent in strength and status.

Now, seeing Zhouyang being so easily overpowered by Dragon-Taming Star Feather made them suddenly realize the mistake in their perception.

But now, it seemed too late to make amends!

"Kill! Now we can only avenge Fellow Daoist Zhou by killing this beast to ensure his sacrifice wasn't in vain!"

Master Yujing let out an angry shout, disregarding the risk of Law backlash, and boldly invoked the Wind Law into his divine technique, forming a blue tornado vortex over a hundred feet in diameter that locked Dragon-Taming Star Feather in place.

Seeing this, Thunder Feather Demon King and Zhu Zizhen also struck in fury, using their own comprehended Law Power to unleash powerful attacking divine techniques at the immobile Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

Only Yin Hanguang, due to holding off the Golden Flood Dragon, couldn't attack Dragon-Taming Star Feather, but could only extend a force to hold Zhouyang's falling body to prevent him from shattering on impact.

In reality, by this point, Dragon-Taming Star Feather's demise was inevitable.

Earlier, he forcibly broke through the blockade, worsening his already severe injuries. While dealing with Zhouyang, he had exhausted most of his remaining strength. Now, trapped by Master Yujing's Law Divine Techniques and bombarded by the divine techniques of Thunder Feather Demon King and Zhu Zizhen, it wasn't long before he perished amidst an unwilling roar.