Chapter 94: Fools In A Birdhouse
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"No, not that either…!" Shaking her head even more violently than before, Li Yan made sure to not even allow Big Brother the chance to breathe from his mouthhole!
After making sure his airways were shut tight, she mumbled, "Not useful anymore…?"
"Umu? But I just said you were useful- mhmff!"
Once again shutting his mouth closed, Li Yan said, "Useful… But you say I should take a break… Why need a break if useful…"
'Ahh, so that's what she's worried about… well…'
Taking her hands off his mouth and throwing her on top of his shoulders, Lucifer patted her head, saying, "You really are an odd one, aren't you? You're acting like a break would mean the end of the goddamn world! To be frank, you just need to chill out a little and relax. Maybe then, your progress in Formations will improve by a millionfold."
Like a pot calling the kettle black, he recommended a break while knowing damn well that he would never take one himself.
But regardless of his view on R&R, his favorite family member would surely work herself to death with her age and cultivation included in the equation.
'It's not like she's made of steel… Eventually, her mind will break down, and then her body will follow shortly after…'
'Can't have her falling over dead on me. After all, how would I be able to exponentially improve my cultivation speed without her?'
Refusing to admit that maybe he just wanted to keep her around for some company, the Tsundere went right back to ingesting pills, planning to breakthrough to the Middle Core Formation Realm.
"..."
While watching her big brother gobble up colorful, multi-lined pills like a true druggy, Li Yan couldn't help but feel a fuzzy warmth pervade the inside of her body.
'Mhmm… Big brother… best big brother…'
Tightly holding onto his head, she wondered just how long such a life could last. Just her and big bro pill gobbler…
'Maybe get a pet, too… A white floofy wolfy…'
As a rather peculiar thought passed through Li Yan's mind, a very large group of multi-colored Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators blurred into view.
Standing atop a massive mountain peak of bones, weapons, and blood, 700 or so Nascent Soul Realm Experts stared down at the constantly moving birdhouse-like structure.
Behind these 700 Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators, there were also tens of thousands of cultivators in and below the Half-Step Nascent Soul Realm.
In such a lineup, there were clearly a few among them who could be considered the 'Leaders' of the group. And they also just so happened to be high-ranking generals of the 12 Elemental Nations.
Some nations sent out 2 Late Nascent Soul Realm Generals, while others only sent out 1. But no matter how much each nation contributed, it was all but guaranteed that whatever force they were up against would undoubtedly die.
"Ha! So this is the Walking Birdhouse Phenomenon!? Doesn't look like anything special to me!" shouted the Fire Nation General.
With a large, fiery-red aura, he was definitely one of the most 'enthusiastic' among those assembled for the 'Birdhouse Mission'.
"You really must learn to calm yourself, Tai Ming. It is unknown just what we'll find once we enter the Phenomenon." Lifting up his glasses a little, the Water Nation General tried his best to remind his rival of the dangers of the unknown.
But alas…
Slap!
Slap!
After slapping his rival on the back, Tai Ming shouted, "Stop worrying like a pansy, Kun Zhong! This place is nothing for someone like me! Just stand behind this mighty figure of mine and watch me complete this mission all by myself!"
Without giving any of the other Generals the time to berate the moron, he was already leaping away from the mountain, going in head-strong!
"I now see why you are starting to get gray hair, Kun Zhong… That man is something else…" Patting his friend on the shoulder, the Crystal Nation General couldn't help but sympathize with the poor fellow.
"Yeah, well… Now that he is out and about, we need to get moving ourselves." Heaving an exasperated sigh, Kun Zhong blurred right behind the fiery red giant in the distance.
The rest of the Generals and their parties followed not long after. And with varying levels of covertness, they entered through the southern entrance of the Walking Birdhouse Phenomenon.
Step. Step.
Landing on the marbled ground of the Phenomenon's interior, everyone immediately noticed the eerie, almost frightening atmosphere.
There were no sounds, the lights were dim, and the overall ambience was unnerving for most from the Elemental Nations.
"Does someone live here?"
While asking one of his superiors a question, a Metal Nation Golden Core Realm Cultivator bent down and ran his finger through what was most definitely blood.
"Hmm… This place does appear to have not been cleaned. Either that, or a group of people just recently died…" Observing the same bloody scene as his subordinate, the Nature Nation General suddenly got a very bad feeling about this place.
Even though he and the rest of the assembled members of this mission had read the report, it was still vastly different to experience this stuff in person-
"Heng Wu!! Is that really Heng Wu!? Th-This can't be…!"
On his knees and clenching a deformed bloody corpse in a corner of the southern entrance, an Early Nascent Soul Realm Vice-Captain embraced what was most definitely his best friend.
"Not even two weeks ago, we were out on the town, trying to find you a wife… and n-now…" Crying tears of blood, the vice captain was overwhelmed with sadness and rage.
He would kill whatever son of a bitch had committed this atrocity! That much, he swore!!
OOOM-!
Before his aura could erupt with the full strength of the Early Nascent Soul Realm, a thin line of string-like metal shot out from one of the walls nearest to him.
"!!!" "!!!"
A few of the Late Nascent Soul Realm Generals noticed this occurrence. But before they could do anything about it, the metal string had already wrapped itself around the body of the Vice Captain. Then, just like the cut-up body of his friend, he was diced up in the same manner!
SPURT!
With an explosion of blood and guts, the Vice Captain was put in a state right on the edge of life and death, with no hope of recovery!
"Get into formation! This place… It's alive!!" Shouting out orders left and right, Kun Zhong dashed away from the walls.
Luckily he did so, because the moment he moved from his spot, ten of those metal strings slashed out at where he just was!
Even though he narrowly escaped death, there were a few others who weren't so fortunate…
SHING! SHING!
Some attempted to strike at the metal strings, while others simply died without ever knowing what had happened. However, of those who had counterattacked, their ultimate moves were proven useless…
"Take my |Dragon's Breath|!!"
"|Phoenix Flame|!"
"See if you can withstand the |Thunder Clap|!?"
"Here comes the worst of your nightmares, metal demon!!! |Shadow Slice|!!"
WHIZ! WHIZ!
SHING! SHING!
Attacks were being thrown left and right, lighting the dimly lit room ablaze!
Getting a clear view of the space they found themselves in, the Generals and everyone else quickly realized how wrong the information was…
Spiked up on walls, penetrated through their guts, lashed to the roof, and piled in the form of mountains; there were half-dead people everywhere…
Not dead enough to die but still alive enough to feel the pain… and their numbers…
"There have to be hundreds of thousands of cultivators here… And their vital statuses are…" Nearly puking at this sight, the face of one of the Middle Nascent Soul Realm Captain's turned completely ashen.
Dodging out of the way of a few more of the metal strings, Kun Zhong appraised his surroundings and understood that this place was far more dangerous than they originally assumed…
"And the owner… just what sort of vile creature was the one who made this place…?"
While thinking over this inexplicable question, Kun Zhong realized something else as well. Therefore, he shouted, "The metal strings! They are some type of Formation, and from the casualties incurred so far, it shouldn't be able to deal serious harm to anyone in and above the Middle Nascent Soul Realm!!"
"!?!?" "!?!?" "!?!?"
Looking at who managed to avert the attacks and who was ultimately struck by the metal strings, the other Generals knew that Kun Zhong was right. It was with post-haste that they bellowed, "Everyone below the Middle Nascent Soul Realm needs to huddle around us and the Captains!!"
Never would they have expected their subordinates to become a burden in this expedition, but now there was nothing they could do about it…
'If we can't protect them when it really comes down to it, then that is just the will of fate. But until that point arrives, we vowed to watch after our own, and that is what we shall do.'
Although divided by borders and ideals, the leaders of the Elemental Nations were united by thought when it came to the well-being of their own.
And truly… Lucifer truly found that quite admirable…
But then again–
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