Chapter 500
by fanqienovelChapter 500: Escape
The diffuse blood light and the shimmering runes coalesced into a striking formation diagram!
This blood-red formation diagram, as thin as a cicada’s wing, enveloped the entire Wu family estate, with Wang Chen suspended above it, like prey ensnared within the formation.
His sense of foreboding was overwhelming!
Before Wang Chen could react, the blood-red formation diagram suddenly burst forth with countless radiant beams.
It engulfed him completely.
In the next instant, Wang Chen, along with the formation diagram, vanished without a trace.
Inside the inner courtyard of the Wu family, Wu Chengzhi stood in stunned silence.
Something had gone terribly wrong!
He had just been elated by Wang Chen’s elimination of the Sand Tribe spy, believing their family had narrowly escaped disaster.
He never anticipated that the enemy had set a hidden trap.
The worst possible scenario had unfolded for the Wu family!
At the same time, the locust horde that had been fiercely attacking the Sand Guard suddenly descended into chaos. Countless large locusts flailed about like headless flies, their once-coordinated assault completely unraveled.
Many locusts also veered off toward the towering mountains flanking the Sand Guard.
In the blink of an eye, their ranks were shattered.
It worked!
Kou Shihai, stationed at the Seven Star Pavilion, witnessed this scene and instinctively clenched his fist in triumph.
This outcome unmistakably signaled that the source of the calamity had been eradicated; the billions of locusts had lost their control and were no longer a threat.
Wang Chen had performed brilliantly!
The Grand Commander had never imagined that Wang Chen would uncover the Sand Tribe locusts in such a short span of time.
As a result, the losses to Daying City had been minimized.
No one could find fault with this outcome.
Overjoyed, Kou Shihai immediately sent a communication talisman to Wang Chen.
But to his astonishment, the talisman flew out only to return moments later!
This suggested that Wang Chen was either beyond the talisman’s reach or that his presence was being obscured by some force, perhaps concealed within a special formation.
But how could that be possible?
Kou Shihai abruptly rose to his feet and swiftly departed the Seven Star Pavilion.
His instincts screamed that Wang Chen was in grave danger!
Meanwhile, Wang Chen, after enduring a disorienting whirlwind, found himself standing in a vast desert.
He had been gripped by an immense, invisible force, rendering him utterly immobile and helpless.
Were it not for Wang Chen’s exceptionally resilient spirit, he might have lost consciousness the moment he landed.
As his feet sank into the soft sand, he suddenly noticed, a hundred steps ahead, a gray-robed old monk sitting cross-legged atop a sand dune.
The other party was chanting with closed eyes, and the aura he emitted made Wang Chen feel as if he were facing a formidable foe!
A Buddhist monk!
The hierarchy of cultivation in Buddhism differs from that in Daoism, with terms like novice, monk, master, Zen master, and Golden Core true master corresponding to Transcendence, Qi Training, Purple Palace, Golden Core, and Yuan Ying.
The old monk before him had an unremarkable appearance and wore very ordinary clothing.
However, his aura was vast and profound, far surpassing Wang Chen’s cultivation level, like a towering mountain!
Most importantly, the aura he revealed contained a hint of something familiar to Wang Chen.
Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method!
In that instant, Wang Chen fully understood.
The locust disaster and the appearance of locust (bait) were likely directed at him!
This scheme was clearly not set up by the Sand Tribe.
It was the handiwork of the Western Buddhist Sect!
This Golden Core Zen master was most likely from Tianlong Temple.
In fact, when Wang Chen revealed his Invulnerable Vajra cultivation level, he should have been prepared for trouble from the Buddhist sect!
And he truly was prepared.
In the blink of an eye, Wang Chen activated a jade talisman he carried with him!
Five Element Escape Talisman!
This jade talisman was obtained by Wang Chen during his last tidying up at Wanbao Pavilion.
The Five Element Escape Talisman was a second-grade spiritual symbol, a high-level talisman.
Its purpose was singular.
To escape!
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth— the Five Element Escape Talisman encompassed all five elements, allowing it to activate in any environment.
Though it was valuable, it was perfectly suited for escape.
Moreover, the Five Element Escape Talisman was highly compatible with Wang Chen’s main technique, and with the power of the Preheaven Five Element Technique, the talisman’s destructive power could be greatly enhanced.
In an instant, he fled a hundred miles away!
Just as Wang Chen escaped, the old monk sitting on the sand dune had just opened his eyes.
The aura of a Golden Core true master spread out, barely covering the spot where Wang Chen had been.
Missing by just a fraction of a moment, Wang Chen disappeared!
The monk’s withered face was calm and composed, yet the depths of his eyes held a hint of annoyance.
The monk was still a person and had not cultivated to the point of abandoning desires and emotions.
A duck that was about to be caught suddenly flew away, like a fish jumping back into the water—anyone would feel frustrated!
But a Golden Core true master had long reached a state of not being pleased by external things or saddened by personal circumstances; the feeling of annoyance instantly transformed into ice-cold indifference.
The old monk moved and instantly vanished from sight.
A wave of energy that made one tremble spread outward in all directions, its speed as swift as lightning.
In an instant, a vast area was enveloped.
The enemy detection methods of a Golden Core master are beyond the imagination of ordinary cultivators!
Wang Chen, fully aware of the might of a Golden Core master, acted swiftly. The moment the Five Element Escape Talisman failed, he retrieved a stack of Heavenly Secrets Talismans from his Xumi Ring and executed Shortening the Earth.
Three consecutive times!
Without hesitation, Wang Chen plunged into the sand dune ahead, merging into it as seamlessly as a fish diving into water.
Descending ten zhang underground, Wang Chen ceased all movement.
He then produced the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image.
Unfolding it,
the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image was a gift bestowed upon Wang Chen by Wang Jingwen of South Shao County years ago.
At that time, Wang Chen had rescued over ten thousand innocent lives threatened by the Maitreya Sect and saved hundreds of thousands in South Shao County.
Out of deep gratitude, Wang Jingwen presented this family heirloom to him.
After acquiring the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image, Wang Chen dedicated considerable time to its study.
Through this, he mastered the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique.
However, the once-sealed Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image later became a seldom-used treasure, stored away.
He had never truly utilized it.
Since this treasure could be displayed in the equipment section of his Cultivation Panel, he had never entertained the thought of selling it.
Now, it was the perfect time to deploy it.
Wang Chen harnessed the destructive power of the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image with the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique, enveloping himself entirely.
His aura, along with the concealed Heavenly Secrets and fate, was completely obscured.
Not a single trace escaped!
Wang Chen did not rely solely on this treasure; he fortified himself with the Perfected Level Spirit Concealment Technique, gathering all his aura and entering a deeply concealed, dormant state.
Almost simultaneously, a terrifying aura swept over the sand dune.
After a moment, it reappeared.
This cycle repeated several times before the aura finally vanished.
However, a few hours later, the same aura emerged once more.
Finally, as dusk approached, it reluctantly withdrew.