After closing the store and leaving Xiao Ya and Pan Ruo behind as they both used the training rooms for a night of cultivation, Lin Mo’s group took the Celestial Shuttle Network to Jade Hollow Plains hub and flew to the location of the breached Anchor using a Southern Wu Kingdom’s smaller ship construct that the Crown Prince’s n hastily brought from the northern border at the First Princess’s request.
Due to that, their travel ti was reduced to a little more than an hour, rather than spending half a day flying through the night sky.
The ship construct, a fairly small vessel shaped like a silver falcon, glided silently through the night. Lin Mo stood at the bow with Liu Xiaoyu and Wu iyu. His assistant couldn’t contain her excitent from the thought of being able to enter another Anchor while the First Princess quietly humd.
They had left the bustling energy of Fanling City far behind and passed through the border between the Eastern Abyssal Domain and the northeastern edge of the Abyssal Forest.
The spiritual energy ahead of them was thin and the only sounds were the whisper of the wind and the distant, demonic roars from the forest’s depths.
After passing through the dense and ominous trees, they arrived at the land that could already be considered part of the Northern Arctic Dominion.
"We’re approaching the coordinates, Shopkeeper." Wu iyu announced as she got the signal from the captain of the ship construct. "The alliance forces have established a periter using the fortress they besieged. The captured Vindicators are secured. There had been a constant spillage of multiple squads of them but they were all neutralized before they could even get into formation."
As the silver falcon reached the sky above the sky, the three of them looked down at the repaired fortress becoming sothing like a temporary city of cultivators. With most hurriedly constructed buildings destroyed by the battle, thousands of glowing tents and makeshift camps dotted the place as only a small part of the Flash Raid Army returned.
While most of them looked like waiting for their next move, many were still relaxed as they fiddled and browsed their Viewing Jades if they were not cultivating or ditating.
The ship continued until it reached the cleared command post near the Anchor’s entrance.
Lin Mo instantly felt the cold tallic property of the Argent Covenant’s foreign energy, the Aether.
Liu Zhongzhu and the Crown Prince, Wu Tianlong, welcod their arrival.
The forr’s eyes shifted from his daughter to Lin Mo while the latter looked at his royal sister with an unreadable expression before fixating on Lin Mo as well.
"Shopkeeper," Liu Zhongzhu greeted with a firm nod. "The situation is stable. We have sent scouting teams into the first area of the Anchor, as per your instructions. The resistance is... formidable. At the mont, we’ve figured out that it has six areas to conquer and only eight teams of ten can enter simultaneously. With the Anchor at the state of being breached, just breaking through the first area has been proven difficult, even if all eight teams converged sowhere."
Crown Prince Wu Tianlong stepped forward, offering a respectful but formal bow. "Shopkeeper Lin. My Royal Sister speaks highly of you. Your strategic mind is undeniable. However, this Anchor presents us a unique challenge far more difficult than the Anchor inside the Abyssal Forest. Our conventional cultivation techniques are less effective against their ’Aether-forged’ armor. It seems to disrupt and dissipate spiritual energy. We can lose three cultivators for every one Vindicator we take down inside if we force our way in."
"Three to one?" Lin Mo’s brow furrowed. That was an unacceptable attrition rate. Good thing they’re smart enough not to engage the enemies unnecessarily. The [Ergency Escape Talisman] is proving its usefulness. Even if those who went scouting wouldn’t be able to enter the Anchor for the next few days, the information they gathered was a great help to others.
"I see. Their formations are that effective even in close quarters? And breaking them must be difficult."
"It’s not just their formations," The Crown Prince clarified, his expression grim. "It’s their nature, Shopkeeper. On top of the abundance of their foreign energy inside, they fight as a single, unified entity. My Dragon General, a peak Core Foremation expert, struggled to break the defensive line of a re ten-man squad of their ’Legionaries’. Their linked energy field is like a fortress."
Lin Mo nodded, his mind already connecting this new information with the intel from Liu Tianfeng. Living artifacts, a collective energy field. They were a problem that couldn’t be solved with brute force alone. Their human formations were a lot better than any similar formations that could be found in the First Heaven. For them, even an equivalent of a Spirit Condensing Stage cultivator could hold themselves against a Core Formation Stage.
"That won’t do. In order to deploy the Store Beacon, we must at least conquer Area 1 and extract the Area Core." Lin Mo said.
"Shopkeeper, I understand that deploying the beacon could turn the tide for us but the entities within are powerful. Your safety is paramount. Allow us to clear it for us. I’ll form groups consisting of only Core Formation and Nascent Soul Stage cultivators."
Lin Mo nodded, "Please do. As much as I wish to test my new capability after passing that tribulation, it’ll only be recklessness if I enter it with our current strength."
Liu Xiaoyu, with her Nine Heavens Exquisite Body, could certainly fight against soone as strong as the Dragon General even if she’s a stage lower. But that’s not enough. He’s already expecting that even without the formation of those Vindicators, the Area Boss would be equivalent to an early Nascent Soul Stage expert.
As Liu Zhongzhu went to gather those he ntioned, Lin Mo turned to the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, your tactical prowess during the raid was impressive. I require your assistance, along with your two most trusted guards, the Dragon General and Scholar Wei. Their combined arms approach will be invaluable."
Wu Tianlong’s eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and pride. "It would be an honor, Shopkeeper. But... enlighten , are you going to..."
He trailed his voice there as he glanced at his sister.
Lin Mo’s eyebrows twitched a little as he turned his head to the side, finding Wu iyu smiling.
Understanding dawned on Wu Tianlong’s face. He let out a short, respectful laugh. "I see. My royal sister has already beco an indispensable part of your command. Very well. I am curious to see this ’convenience’ strategy in action myself."
Wu iyu didn’t say anything and simply waited for Lin Mo’s acknowledgent.
"Convenience strategy, huh? I don’t think I have one at the mont. Still, you’re right in saying that she had beco an indispensable person to ."
"Shopkeeper, please watch your words. Many will misunderstand." Wu iyu sheepishly said, even though there’s fundantally nothing wrong with his words. In fact, she’s the one who kept causing misunderstandings when she told her royal brother about bringing Lin Mo back to the capital and making him her Prince Consort.
After that, Lin Mo turned his gaze to a familiar, arrogant figure standing amidst the Azure Gale Sect contingent. "Young Master Yan Wei, are you here to offer your service?"
Yan Wei, who had been sneering at Zhou Rui from a distance, was caught completely off guard. He puffed out his chest, a look of imnse pride on his face. "Hmph! Of course, you require my aid! This young master’s power is undeniable! I will join you!"
"Great." Ignoring how Yan Wei looked baffled at his short answer, Lin Mo turned to the Crimson Vale Sect disciple. "What about you, Zhou Rui?"
Yan Wei’s face went from proud to indignant, but he couldn’t raise his voice in front of him.
As for Zhou Rui, he imdiately clasped his hands and bowed, "Benefactor, I am at your command."
After those two, Lin Mo caught the figure of Sword Fairy arriving from the sky using her Cloudstrider Blade.
Even without saying anything, Jiang Jianxin’s intent was clear. She landed gracefully, her new Core Formation aura stable and sharp, yet carrying a profound depth it hadn’t possessed before. She had successfully forged her Golden Core.
"Shopkeeper," She said, her voice calm but her eyes gleaming with a new, powerful light. "I read from the Bulletin Board. A new challenge presents itself. I am here to offer my sword."
Lin Mo felt a genuine smile spread across his face. "Congratulations on your breakthrough, Sword Fairy. Your timing is impeccable. Welco to the team. I’m in need of your expertise as well."
He now had his elite squad: a peerless genius, a Princess, a Crown Prince with his elite guards, two rival prodigies, and a newly minted Golden Core swordmaster. It was naturally not the strongest team but it contained the strongest among the new generation of Eastern Abyssal Domain’s cultivators.
He couldn’t help but think about Yu Qingyan and Chu Yueying who were probably still inside that Secret Realm. He wouldn’t mind asking them to join their expedition.
As for Venom Master Xun, he crossed her out. For now.
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