Chapter 13: The Four Symbols of Heaven and Earth
The moment the order was given, the ranged attack squad unleashed their assault. Twenty-eight cultivators fired in unison, sending forth a torrent of arrows, flying daggers, throwing darts, and steel bullets.
Wang Jie had also been assigned to the ranged attack squad. With his meager Two Seal cultivation, charging forward would have been a death sentence—he wouldn’t even have the chance to dodge.
His method of attack? Throwing rocks.
Whether it was effective or not didn’t matter. Contributing was what counted.
Like a tidal wave, the combined assault pierced through the night, raining down upon the Moon Plant. Startled, the enormous plant erupted with scorching air from the ground, and its massive left-side leaves swept across in retaliation.
The ranged attackers watched in horror as the colossal leaf descended. If struck, death was certain.
Squad One acted immediately. Captain Big Beard grinned savagely and unleashed his Six Seal strength, leading more than twenty cultivators as they crashed into the falling leaf. “Kill!”
Boom!
A deafening impact shook the battlefield. Big Beard was sent flying backward, crashing into the ground and spitting blood. Around him, one after another, cultivators fell. The sheer power of that single leaf was overwhelming—resilient beyond belief.
Squad One suffered heavy casualties.
Then, Squad Two moved in. Feng Yu flung her throwing dart while the cultivators behind her suppressed their fear and charged forward.
The ranged attack squad continued their relentless assault.
Meanwhile, Flame Four’s eyes burned with intensity. Yes—this was the moment he had been waiting for. Every ten years, during its Metamorphosis Period, certain creatures would emerge, absorbing Lock Force at the highest level. These creatures inevitably contained the rarest materials. If he could obtain them, he was confident he could break through to Eight Seal.
Hong Sword stepped forward, blade in hand, and slashed down with full force.
A fierce blade aura tore through the air, carving a deep wound into the towering roots of the Moon Plant. The colossal plant trembled violently, abandoning its other targets and directing its massive leaf toward Hong Sword.
Flame Four raised his hand—fire erupted alongside an arrow, illuminating the night sky.
The seamless coordination of Seven Seal strength surpassed even the damage dealt by Hong Sword. This astonished Lian Fei and her companions.
Lian Fei, a Six Seal cultivator, had heard of this trial taker before. Now, she saw his prowess firsthand.
The tree leaf was punctured by fire, and Flame Four dashed forward. Beside him, Hong Sword twirled with his blade, rolling and slashing toward the Moon Plant with relentless force.
A female cultivator beside Lian Fei joined her in an attack.
At the same time, Wu Fei led several members of Leading Pillar Group in a coordinated charge.
The Moon Plant was forced onto the defensive.
Despite being Seven Seal, the plant had yet to truly evolve. That so many elite warriors could suppress it was a testament to its strength. However, the sheer scale of this siege was unprecedented—several times larger than any previous hunt.
Hong Sword had never commanded so many powerhouses before. The Golden Hill Base housed tens of thousands of cultivators, yet how many reached Five Seal? Let alone the numerous Six Seals present now.
Base cultivators, Leading Pillar Group, trial takers, warriors from the Southern Base—such an alliance was rare even in the apocalypse.
The Moon Plant shook violently, its body now covered in wounds, its entire form ablaze.
Beneath the ground, white energy surged.
The Moon Plant’s gigantic head split open, with two broken leaves forming a massive mouth that suddenly snapped downward.
Hong Sword had been anticipating this moment. “Now!”
Flame Four’s pupils flared red, his body igniting like a burning inferno. “Fiery Flame Body!”
Flames bloomed beneath their feet, extending to Hong Sword as well, propelling them toward the Moon Plant.
Hong Sword’s blade slashed downward midair—Eight Wind-Breaking Slashes!
Flame Four transformed into pure fire, charging through the wake of the sword aura.
Blade and flame—combined in a single breath—ripped through the Moon Plant’s crown, piercing straight through its body. Under the stunned gazes of all present, fire blossomed like fireworks bursting across the sky.
Wang Jie gawked. [What overwhelming power. Wind fuels fire, and fire rides the wind.]
This strike devastated the Moon Plant.
Fragments of scorched leaves and embers rained down from above.
Hong Sword landed, gripping his blade tightly. With a swift pivot, he launched himself back toward the Moon Plant. “Keep attacking! Kill it!”
Morale surged. The warriors intensified their assault.
Even Wang Jie threw his rocks with renewed vigor.
But at that moment, the ground fractured. The Moon Plant, already engulfed in flames, violently upheaved the earth, revealing its deep-rooted network.
Thick, unyielding roots lashed outward, dragging countless mutated plants from the depths of the soil. In an instant, the battlefield was flooded with monstrous flora.
Wang Jie’s eyes widened. [It can do that too?!]
This Moon Plant was not just rooted underground—it was linked to an unknown number of mutated plants in the area. Now, sensing its imminent demise, it had summoned them all—unleashing an unstoppable Beast Tide.
The sudden influx of mutated plants led to immediate casualties.
Many warriors were caught off guard and killed on the spot.
Hong Sword’s expression darkened. A massive mutated plant was hurled toward him, and in midair, he had nowhere to maneuver.
Flame Four grabbed him and flung him forward. “Kill the Moon Plant!”
Meanwhile, he pressed his palms together, summoning another burst of flame. Despite already using Fiery Flame Body, it seemed he had suffered no depletion.
The ranged attack squad took heavy losses.
Surrounding mutated plants varied in strength—some were as powerful as Six Seal beings. This forced many cultivators into defensive combat, preventing further strikes against the Moon Plant.
Wang Jie was now targeted by a mutated pea shooter, which continuously spat hardened pea-like bullets. Each shot carried enough force to pierce stone, akin to real bullets.
The battle had taken a dire turn.
Wang Jie stared at the pea pod, then at the Moon Plant. No matter what, the Moon Plant had to die; otherwise, it would pose too great a threat to the Golden Hill Base.
Just then, someone appeared behind him. Wang Jie turned around and saw a young man from the Southern Base, a cold sneer on his face.
“Die, you bastard!” the young man spat before placing a hand on Wang Jie’s back and shoving him forward. Before him, a large section of the Moon Plant’s leaves detached, drifting lightly in the air. Yet, despite their weightless appearance, they were more than enough to crush him. Flames flickered across their surface, burning fiercely.
Wang Jie’s gaze turned icy. At the very moment he was pushed, he twisted, grabbing the young man’s wrist. Before the young man could comprehend what was happening, Wang Jie reversed their positions and hurled him forward instead.
The young man was at the Four-Seal level, never expecting to be thrown so effortlessly by Wang Jie. The overwhelming force made it impossible for him to resist. In an instant, several pea pods punctured his body, riddling him like a sieve.
Even as he died, he could not believe what had just happened.
Wang Jie felt no pity. In this era, sympathy was the greatest luxury. Right or wrong did not matter—only survival did.
This man had clearly been targeting him.
And he wasn’t the only one.
Wang Jie swept his gaze across the battlefield, searching for the Zhao Clan man who had brought him here to die.
He remembered him. First Squad.
Found him.
On the battlefield, Hong Sword continued slashing at the Moon Plant, while Flame Four maneuvered through the air, using his flames to shift his position. Several Six-Seal cultivators were attacking the Moon Plant from different angles. Its death was inevitable, even with the aid of the mutant flora.
Wang Jie spotted the Zhao Clan man. The coward was cowering at the back of the First Squad, completely unharmed.
Picking up a small stone, Wang Jie flicked it with his fingers.
The stone cut through the air, piercing straight through the man’s skull, killing him instantly.
He would not spare a single one of his enemies.
Dark clouds blotted out the moonlight, plunging the land into shadow. The only light came from the flames engulfing the Moon Plant.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the Moon Plant began sinking into the ground, attempting to escape.
“Attack with everything you’ve got! Don’t let it get away!” Hong Sword shouted.
Most of the cultivators were too entangled with the mutant plants to respond, leaving only the Six-Seal warriors to act. However, their attacks did little to stop the Moon Plant.
Flame Four descended, positioning himself opposite Hong Sword. They exchanged a glance.
Move.
Hong Sword raised his blade high, white light flashing as he unleashed the Eight Wind-Breaking Slashes.
Flame Four thrust both palms forward, sending a fiery duplicate of himself hurtling toward the Moon Plant.
From another direction, a woman’s eyes gleamed as she swung her sword. Starlight burst forth, transforming into a rain of sword strikes.
Wang Jie took a deep breath and pointed a single finger at the Moon Plant, releasing a Spiral Qi Force strike from a distance—too subtle for anyone to notice.
Four powerful forces struck the Moon Plant simultaneously, reducing it to pieces. Its roots twisted violently before bursting apart, releasing a billowing wave of white energy that spread in all directions.
The survivors quickly retreated.
Those caught in the blast screamed as their flesh melted away.
With a casual wave, Flame Four deflected the energy. His gaze flickered toward the woman. Just now—what was that?
Opposite him, Hong Sword slashed through the lingering energy, trying to confirm whether the Moon Plant was truly dead.
As the energy dissipated, a shadow suddenly shot out, fleeing at high speed. Their clothes had melted away.
Flame Four and the others barely glanced at them, assuming it was just another unfortunate cultivator.
But Wang Jie was stunned.
Old Five?
It was definitely him! When had he arrived? Was he injured?
Wang Jie immediately gave chase. No matter how fast Old Five was, he was not faster than Wang Jie.
“Stop, Old Five!”
Ahead, the shadowy figure halted and turned back with a grin. “Boss! Bet you didn’t expect to see me here.”
Wang Jie stopped in front of him, scanning him up and down. Fortunately, he was unharmed—only his clothes had been melted away.
“When did you get here?”
Old Five smirked. “I got here early. Hid underground beneath the Moon Plant.”
As he spoke, he pulled out a green pearl from his chest pocket and tossed it to Wang Jie. “Here, this thing should be worth a fortune.”
Wang Jie caught it, his eyes gleaming. “The power of the Four Symbols of Heaven and Earth? Looks like you not only recovered but even advanced.”
Old Five grinned proudly. “Of course! I can’t be dragging you down, Boss.”
Wang Jie tossed the pearl back. “You take it back first. I won’t be leaving so soon.”
Old Five nodded. “Alright. Be careful. That woman is strong.”
Wang Jie’s expression darkened. “I know.”
With that, he turned and headed back.
The energy wave settled. Flame Four immediately leaped into the crater, searching for cataclysm materials. However, the woman was even faster—right before his eyes, she snatched a vibrant green root segment.
Flame Four was furious, glaring at the veiled woman whose face was obscured by a purple silk veil.
“You’re a trial taker too,” he growled.
The woman simply smiled, waving the root segment playfully. “Thanks.”
Then, she turned and left.
Flame Four seethed. “Stop her!”
Feng Yu was the first to react, hurling a dart at her, but the woman dodged effortlessly, her movements fluid like flowing water. In a blink, she vanished.
Flame Four had just prepared to give chase when recognition dawned in his eyes. His shoulders sagged in frustration.
Armor Eight Steps.
That woman knew Armor Eight Steps.
There was no way he could catch her.
The others remained motionless. If she dared to snatch something from Flame Four, she had to be at the Seven-Seal level. Among them, only Hong Sword and Flame Four had the qualifications to stop her.
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