Cultivation starts from devouring the Dao fruits

Zhao Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Xiahou apprentice, I am the master of Little Dan Ridge, and I have the responsibility to protect it. Perhaps you should seek help from other friends!"

"Uncle Zhao, those people are all outsiders, how willing are they to support Xi Quan Ridge? I implore you to consider my master's face and please plead for Xi Quan Ridge!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Xiahou Mingde wept inconsolably, repeatedly kowtowing until his forehead bled.

Zhao Yu watched silently, saying nothing.

Tuoba Xue performed a salute and said, "Master, may I speak further?"

Zhao Yu said, "Speak!"

Tuoba Xue said, "Brother Xiahou, since you have come to ask our master for help, shouldn't you show some sincerity?"

Zhao Yu spoke in a neither light nor heavy tone, "Xue'er, hold your tongue!"

"Yes! Master!"

Gentle and respectful, Tuoba Xue moved back to Zhao Yu's side.

Only then did Xiahou Mingde come to his senses and said, "Uncle Zhao, as long as you are willing to save Xi Quan Ridge, our Xiahou family is willing to offer Xi Quan Ridge to you!"

Without a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the Xiahou family simply couldn't defend Xi Quan Ridge, it was better to use it to secure a chance for Zhao Yu to take action.

Zhao Yu let out a slight sigh and said, "Enough, for the sake of Brother Xiahou, I will make the trip. Where is Lingxiu?"

"My Lord!"

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The splendidly dressed and stunningly beautiful Shangguan Lingxiu, with her radiance beyond compare, approached with a fragrant breeze.

Upon seeing Shangguan Lingxiu, a flash of amazement crossed Xiahou Mingde's eyes, and he thought to himself, "So this is Uncle Zhao's concubine Shangguan Lingxiu, truly a beauty without parallel. She far surpasses that despicable woman!"

"After I leave, immediately activate the Spirit Wood Grand Formation! If a Second-Order Demon Beast invades, send Tuoba Yun and Wei Tianyi to find me immediately!"

Zhao Yu handed the jade token that controlled the Spirit Wood Grand Formation to Shangguan Lingxiu.

Once the Spirit Wood Grand Formation was activated, it would consume Spirit Stones to maintain. Even though Shangguan Lingxiu wasn't versed in Formation, she could still suppress a First-Order Superior Demon Beast with its power, and if a Second-Order Demon Beast attacked, she could hold off for some time.

Shangguan Lingxiu gave a slight nod, "This concubine understands!"

Zhao Yu then activated a Flying Artifact, enveloping Xiahou Mingde and the White Ghost Emperor in it, turning into an Escape Light and flying towards Xi Quan Ridge.

In the basement of a large house on Xi Quan Ridge, Huo family cultivators were crammed together.

"How could this happen? We all made the wrong choice in the beginning!!"

Huo Ying, the Huo family head, curled up in a corner of the basement, a look of despair on his face, murmuring softly.

The faces of several Huo family elders were also very ugly. They had initially favored Xiahou Zhenyu, offering him the Spirit Vein and further sacrificing several outstanding women from their clan in exchange for Xiahou Zhenyu's care. However, they had never expected that with the arrival of this minor beast tide, Xiahou Zhenyu would be the first to perish.

An elder let out a soft sigh and said, "Family Head, man's calculations are no match for Heaven's. Who could have expected that the Lord of Xiahou would be killed by that demoness?"

The other elders nodded slightly; if Xiahou Zhenyu had not died, relying on the power of the Xi Quan Ridge's grand formation and the combined strength of the many cultivation families within Xi Quan Ridge, they still stood a good chance of overcoming this beast tide.

Bang!!

Accompanied by a terrifying roar, the cellar collapsed partway, revealing a Second-Order low-grade demon beast with a body length of four zhang, covered in a layer of pitch-black scale armor, with a sharp head and serrated teeth. The creature appeared before everyone, a hint of anthropomorphic mockery in its eyes.

"Monster! Die!!"

Huo Ying's eyes were bloodshot as he let out an enraged roar, conjuring a Second-Order low-grade Red Flame Talisman remaining from his family's arsenal.

As the Red Flame Talisman flew out, it bloomed with crimson spiritual light, transforming into a ball of crimson flames that exploded instantaneously, launching towards the Black Armored Burrowing Beast.

The Black Armored Burrowing Beast sensed danger and slightly shifted its body. The ball of crimson flames struck it, blasting a fist-sized scorched wound on its shoulder and neck. It bellowed angrily and swiped down with a vicious claw.

The Golden Light Protective Covers, formed from numerous Golden Light Talismans, shattered instantly, and three Huo family elders were smashed to pulp by the Black Armored Burrowing Beast's palm.

The Huo family cultivators in the cellar frantically activated their talismans, bombarding the Black Armored Burrowing Beast with various fireballs and wind blades, all of which were defended against by its scale armor.

A trace of ferocity flickered in the eyes of the Black Armored Burrowing Beast as it grabbed a Huo family cultivator, stuffed him into its mouth, and blood splattered everywhere.

Despair flashed through the eyes of each Huo family cultivator.

Just then, an earthy yellow Magic Sword came flying from the sky, looping around the neck of the Black Armored Burrowing Beast.

A trace of horror swept through the eyes of the Black Armored Burrowing Beast as its head promptly rolled to the ground with a thud, a great surge of blood gushing forth.

An Escape Light descended from the sky, and it was Zhao Yu and two others.

Seeing this, Huo Ying said gratefully, "Thank you, Senior Zhao, for your timely rescue. Your immense kindness will never be forgotten by the Huo family!"

"Dismember this demon beast! Remember to collect its essence blood!"

Zhao Yu sliced open the abdomen of the Black Armored Burrowing Beast only to find no inner core. He left this brief instruction and flew away with Xiahou Mingde towards the direction of the Xiahou family, riding on a Flying Artifact.

Huo Ying shouted loudly, "Two people dismember the demon beast! Everyone else, stay vigilant!"

The Huo family cultivators responded and their morale was restored.

The slaying of the Black Armored Burrowing Beast by Zhao Yu and company had immediately caught the attention of a Second-Order mid-grade Red Fire Demon Fox with a body length of over zhang.

The Red Fire Demon Fox leaped over from afar with just a few bounds.

The White Ghost Emperor standing beside Zhao Yu had a pair of pupils that suddenly displayed pitch-black and sinister curse seals as they stared at the Red Fire Demon Fox.

The Red Fire Demon Fox opened its mouth to spray out a pillar of red fire, which burst forth and directly incinerated Zhao Yu and his companions into ashes.

But an earthy yellow Magic Sword appeared mysteriously, looping around the neck of the Red Fire Demon Fox. Its head promptly rolled off and blood spurted out.

"Uncle Master Zhao has deceived everyone. He is actually a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, and his magical combat ability far surpasses that of the old ancestor!!"

Waves of shock stirred within Xiahou Mingde.

In the developing lands of the Canglong Mountain Range, Xiahou Zhenyu's cultivation level was recognized as the strongest, and his magical combat ability was commonly acknowledged as the foremost among the seven Foundation Establishment cultivators.

However, Xiahou Mingde had witnessed Xiahou Zhenyu in magical combat with the Red Fire Demon Fox, and although Xiahou Zhenyu had the upper hand, he couldn't instantly defeat the Red Fire Demon Fox.

With the death of the Red Fire Demon Fox, the beasts below instantly fell into chaos, emitting waves of piercing howls.

A Second-Order mid-grade demon beast, a Ghost-Faced Demon Ape standing one zhang tall, with bulging muscles and a human face on its chest, and a Second-Order mid-grade Green Scaled Demon Serpent, ten zhang long with a layer of green scale armor and enveloped in poison mist, also turned their gaze towards Zhao Yu.

The two Second-Order demon beasts let out sharp screeches, and a large number of demon beasts that were hunting humans surged towards Zhao Yu like a tidal wave.