Chapter 442: Chapter 381 Banished to the Void! [Vote for Monthly Tickets!]
Thus, Seven Mysterious Mountain was swept clean.
Wherever Chen Jichuan went, not a single tile was left, everything was emptied.
Two quarters passed.
Three quarters passed.
Four quarters passed.
Time flew by, and Chen Jichuan and his companions had already been in Seven Mysterious Mountain for an hour.
...
"It’s about time to retreat."
The Seven-fingered Daoist still had no harvest.
His formerly composed face now looked as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Unwillingness and rage filled his heart, but his reason remained intact.
An hour had passed.
The countless flying ants in Seven Mysterious Mountain had all been mobilized, carrying out a full-scale siege against the intruders like the Seven-fingered Daoist. If they didn’t leave now and allowed the encirclement to solidify, not even someone like the Seven-fingered Daoist, an Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortal, would be able to escape.
Coming here for nothing wasn’t a problem.
But if they got trapped within Seven Mysterious Mountain, and the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants repaired and sealed off the passageway drilled by the Taiyin Divine Needle, they would be like lambs awaiting slaughter, with no chance of survival.
"Let’s go!"
Though unwilling, the Seven-fingered Daoist gritted his teeth and decisively sped towards the exit.
His speed was astounding, and he quickly reached the passageway.
However, as soon as he arrived, his brows immediately furrowed.
"What is the meaning of this?"
The Seven-fingered Daoist looked ahead.
There stood the Great Void Zen Master, White Bone Venerable, Hundred Desires Wanderer, and Sea Covering Demon Venerable, blocking the passage. A copper coin sealed the exit, causing the void to stagnate and making it impassable.
It was clear.
He was being blocked.
"Seven-fingered Daoist!"
"We’ve risked life and limb for this expedition, yet all the spoils of Seven Mysterious Mountain have fallen into your hands. This is going too far."
White Bone Venerable’s voice was low, and he stared directly at the Seven-fingered Daoist.
He was no less unwilling.
They had painstakingly entered Seven Mysterious Mountain, hoping for some gains. Yet in the end, all they obtained were some measly spiritual medicines.
In stark contrast, the Seven-fingered Daoist.
Controlling an army of spiritual insects, he surely raked in enormous rewards, making the rest of them mere side characters.
How could White Bone Venerable possibly accept this?
And it wasn’t just White Bone Venerable.
The Great Void Zen Master and the others felt the same.
So the group quickly reached a tacit agreement, sealing the only exit to force the Seven-fingered Daoist into a compromise, hoping to get a share of the spoils.
However—
"I have nothing to show for my efforts."
The Seven-fingered Daoist glanced at White Bone Venerable and the others, trying to discern if someone among them was the real thief making false accusations.
But the four of them looked genuinely indignant, their unwillingness evident. The Seven-fingered Daoist’s frown deepened.
"Nothing to show for your efforts?"
Hundred Desires Wanderer chuckled at that, shaking his head and saying, "Are you suggesting the mountain was already empty?"
The Seven-fingered Daoist remained silent.
Off to the side, the Sea Covering Demon Venerable sneered mockingly, "Daoist, with your ability to command countless spiritual insects, searching for medicines and treasures must be child’s play for you."
The Seven-fingered Daoist found himself at a loss for words.
As everyone gathered, more and more Seven Mysterious Flying Ants swarmed into the area.
"Enough talk!"
The Seven-fingered Daoist decided to stop explaining.
He reached out and made a motion in the void. Instantly, a magic sword materialized.
Suspended mid-air.
As the magic sword fell into the Seven-fingered Daoist’s hand, it transformed into a seven-stringed zither.
The zither in hand.
The Seven-fingered Daoist plucked its strings lightly, letting out a beautiful melody that immediately rippled through the air.
Clang, clang, clang!
First, the oncoming Seven Mysterious Flying Ants were forced back, and then the sound launched an assault on White Bone Venerable and the others.
After all, he was an Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortal.
The Four Great Independent Immortals, wary of this, had been on guard from the start. When the Seven-fingered Daoist made his move, their minds swayed, but none launched a counterattack, focusing instead on defense.
For a short while, they managed to hold on.
"The flying ants will soon complete their encirclement. Fellow Daoists, as accomplished Independent Immortals on the brink of perfection, will you really risk being trapped in Seven Mysterious Mountain and perish for the sake of a few external belongings?"
White Bone Venerable saw that the Seven-fingered Daoist remained stubborn, and he too became anxious.
If this deadlock continued, the Seven-fingered Daoist would indeed be stuck in Seven Mysterious Mountain, but so would they.
Clang, clang, clang!
The zither’s melody reached a crescendo.
The Seven-fingered Daoist unleashed his full might, but his opponents were still Four Nine Tribulations Independent Immortals. While they couldn’t hold on indefinitely, he couldn’t take them down so quickly either.
"This is infuriating!"
The Seven-fingered Daoist seethed, his face dark with rage. Yet, he suppressed his fury and tried to explain again, "Someone else plundered Seven Mysterious Mountain empty. The Great Strength Dharma King hasn’t returned yet, and Huang Quan entered the mountain depths ahead of us. We can leave first and wait for them outside to settle this later."
"The Great Strength Dharma King?"
"Huang Quan Daoist?"
White Bone Venerable and the others wavered.
They were somewhat familiar with the former, knowing his abilities, but the latter seemed to have appeared out of nowhere with formidable strength and exceptional speed when entering the mountain earlier.
It did make sense.
However, the Seven-fingered Daoist was still the most suspicious, given his ability to command spiritual insects.
Confronting an Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortal outside was a losing battle—they could only run as far away as possible. But here, within Seven Mysterious Mountain, with the danger of the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants, they actually had some leverage.
White Bone Venerable and the others were unwilling to trust him blindly and simply allow his escape.
"How about this—"
The Sea Covering Demon Venerable’s eyes darted shrewdly, and he suggested, "Daoist, you hold plenty of magical treasures and spiritual medicines. If you hand over a few items for safekeeping, we will let you pass. Once the Great Strength Dharma King and Huang Quan emerge, you can take charge, and we’ll split the spoils fairly. Afterward, we’ll return your magical treasures and spiritual medicines. How does that sound, Daoist?"
This was outright extortion during a crisis.
In this way, whether or not the Seven-fingered Daoist was the one who emptied Seven Mysterious Mountain, they could at least gain something for themselves.
But for the Seven-fingered Daoist, this was entirely unjust and humiliating.
How could he tolerate such an insult?!
"Hmph!"
The Seven-fingered Daoist let out a cold laugh, saying nothing. His mana surged like a raging river, and his fingers danced upon the zither strings, unleashing a melody filled with boundless killing intent.
He was utterly enraged now.
"Amitabha!"
"Seven-fingered Daoist, you may want to reconsider."
The Great Void Zen Master pressed his palms together, Buddhist light radiating from the copper coin shielding himself. While he focused on defense, he clearly agreed with the Sea Covering Demon Venerable’s proposal and tried to persuade the Seven-fingered Daoist to comply.
The opportunity was rare.
Regardless of whether the Seven Mysterious Mountain’s treasures had fallen into the hands of the Seven-fingered Daoist, this man alone possessed ample riches.
If they didn’t take this chance to extract something from him, their journey here would truly be for nothing, and they’d offend the Seven-fingered Daoist for free.
Since they’d already offended him, why not go all the way?
"Seven-fingered!"
"It’s either mutual destruction or surrender your treasures!"
"I know I won’t survive the Tenth Tribulation, but it’d be worth it to have an Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortal like you to keep me company in death!"
Hundred Desires Wanderer laughed wildly, completely unhinged.
Hiss, hiss, hiss!
Hiss, hiss, hiss!
More and more Seven Mysterious Flying Ants gathered, while the Seven-fingered Daoist’s music only grew more intense.
But with the flying ants interfering, he couldn’t give his full effort.
For the moment, he couldn’t break through White Bone Venerable and the others’ blockade.
"The hour is up."
"If you don’t leave now, the Cloud Net won’t hold Seven Mysterious Mountain, and soon the mountain will be hurled into the void turbulence."
"When that happens, none of us will survive!"
The Seven-fingered Daoist’s music never stopped, his words blending seamlessly with it. His tone was both threatening and cautionary, imbued with an irresistible persuasive force.
"Hurled into the void?"
White Bone Venerable and the others were taken aback.
Only now did they remember that the outer Cloud Net, woven by the Nine Curves Soft Silk, was the only reason Seven Mysterious Mountain remained stationary. Once the Cloud Net was breached, Seven Mysterious Mountain, with its formidable sturdiness, could remain intact in the void turbulence, and the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants, protected by the yellow ants outside, could endure as well.
But they certainly wouldn’t be able to survive.
They were almost persuaded.
"Seven-fingered!"
"Stop spouting nonsense. Either hand over the treasures or face mutual destruction!"
Hundred Desires Wanderer wielded the Heartless Treasure Mirror, which radiated light, shielding himself from the zither’s enchanting power as he shouted in a frenzied tone at the Seven-fingered Daoist.
"Mutual destruction?"
White Bone Venerable and the other three managed to shake off the zither’s influence by this point, but doubts began to creep into their minds.
The Tenth Tribulation was already nearly insurmountable for Independent Immortals.
The next two tribulations were even more daunting, yet there was always a sliver of hope.
Choosing mutual destruction now seemed unnecessary.
"Daoist."
"Forgive us for offending you today!"
White Bone Venerable, the loudest instigator earlier, was also the first to step aside.
He turned abruptly and sped toward the mountain’s exit.
"Amitabha!"
"Many apologies!"
The Great Void Zen Master murmured a Buddhist chant and similarly turned to leave.
Next was the Sea Covering Demon Venerable.
In the blink of an eye—
Only Hundred Desires Wanderer was left, standing there alone.
"Are you still planning to stop me?"
The Seven-fingered Daoist turned his gaze toward Hundred Desires Wanderer.
Hundred Desires Wanderer’s expression turned sour, but with no way to back down now, he gritted his teeth and said, "A single fourth-order Magic Treasure or a single fourth-order Spirit Medicine!"
In the end, for Independent Immortals—plagued by ordeal after ordeal—it wasn’t uncommon to prioritize wealth over their lives.
"Courting death!"
The Seven-fingered Daoist, enraged beyond words.
He activated his Mysterious Skill, his hand strumming the zither, his music reaching a fiery climax. The power surged forward instantly, striking Hundred Desires Wanderer, who spat blood and stumbled back.
Seizing the opportunity, the Seven-fingered Daoist flickered past him, heading directly for the exit.
Yet—
"The path is blocked!"
"The exit has been sealed!"
Before he had taken many steps, he saw White Bone Venerable and the other three returning with gloomy faces. They looked at the Seven-fingered Daoist and said awkwardly, "The passage has been blocked by the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants!"
"Blocked?"
The Seven-fingered Daoist’s heart sank as he rushed forward.
Seeing for himself—
The recently opened passage was indeed now sealed off.
His heart began racing.
He unleashed Sword Qi, slicing at the mountain wall, but the rock remained unmoving.
"This is bad!"
The Seven-fingered Daoist’s eyes narrowed as he noticed black ants with faint purple hues emerging from the mountain rocks.
"Purple ants!"
"The purple ants are repairing Seven Mysterious Mountain!"
Without hesitation, he summoned the Taiyin Divine Needle to drill through.
But moments later—
His expression changed abruptly. Shock, rage, and despair filled him.
"The Cloud Net... it’s broken!"
...
Outside Seven Mysterious Mountain.
Seven Mysterious Mountain grew and shrank, pressing to and fro.
Tens of thousands of flying ants spewed forth fire and water.
Finally.
The Cloud Net was torn open.
A myriad of flying ants returned to Seven Mysterious Mountain, while hundreds of thousands of others surrounded it. Together, they propelled Seven Mysterious Mountain upward and slammed it violently into the void.
Rippppp!
The void was torn apart, turbulence churning.
Seven Mysterious Mountain, unfazed, plunged headfirst into the treacherous streams of the void turbulence.
...
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
Within Seven Mysterious Mountain, chaos reigned.
The Seven Mysterious Flying Ants clung together within various tunnels, and the yellow ants stood guard outside, fending off the void turbulence that raged within the mountain. Yet even the supposedly indestructible yellow ants were steadily breaking apart and vanishing under the relentless assault of black streaks of light.
Deep within Seven Mysterious Mountain, in one of its caverns—
As the black streaks of light wreaked havoc—
Bam!
A small gourd suddenly fell to the ground amidst the chaos.
A closer look revealed—
It was none other than the Purple Mansion Immortal Gourd.
...