Chapter 780 - 775: Red Lotus
"Emperor Qing is not in the Palace of Roots."
Apparently, Bron had more intelligence. "Currently, the few Demon Emperors have more important matters to attend to, leaving behind some Phantoms and Clones to remotely control their Demon Generals!"
Speaking of this, Bron felt somewhat regretful.
If Emperor Qing himself were here, Gangxin would surely suffer greatly.
However, even without Emperor Qing present, his orders helped Bron significantly!
Think about it, originally Bai Pu had the advantage of native strong individuals in this world, while Bron was like a rootless duckweed. To contend with Bai Pu, Bron’s team needed to first erase the disadvantage in native battle strength.
Now, Bai Pu only had the injured and exhausted Dongbo Cheng by his side.
Meanwhile, Bron’s side gained two Demon Generals and a multitude of Demons to assist! Even exchanging one Demon General for the semi-crippled Dongbo Cheng, Bron still had the advantage of one Demon General and numerous Demons.
Bron immediately gave orders, sending a message to team adjutant Rob.
"Rob, don’t bother with the other Ghost Warriors of the Cyan Dragon Oath! Gangxin is north of the Palace of Roots, let’s go chase him down together! Make sure to surround and kill him!"
...
North of the Palace of Roots, within the dense forest.
Bai Pu carried Dongbo Cheng, his pace slightly slowed.
"Gangxin, why did you come to the Corruption Forest?" Dongbo Cheng asked, puzzled.
"Once again, don’t casually speak my name..."
Bai Pu ensured Dongbo Cheng nodded before saying, "I came from the Vermilion Bird Oath (Heart-Burning Style) Expedition Team, bringing news from Zhu Que. I originally wanted you to gather the Cyan Dragon Oath Expedition Team and head to Red Annihilation River Scorched Earth Ruins for a rendezvous..."
Bai Pu handed a letter to Dongbo Cheng, and simultaneously received a notification of task completion.
[Side Quest: Deliver the Letter, completed.]
[Evaluating Task Difficulty...]
[Difficulty Rating: S]
[Task Reward: Nan Zhu Burning Heart Style Secret Insight]
In Bai Pu’s Storage Space, the Secret Insight Scroll given by the Flame Blade Princess emitted an imperceptible glow, formally transforming from a "rented item" to a "task reward."
[Nan Zhu Burning Heart Style Secret Insight: A consolidation of a thousand years of Swordsmanship summary from Nan Zhu Burning Heart Style, imprinted with insights from various Heart-Burning Style powerhouses like the Flame Blade Princess Zhu Lingyan.]
"Finally ’Enlightenment’ succeeded..."
Bai Pu silently murmured using it!
From the Storage Space, the secret insights transformed into a stream of information, flooding into Bai Pu’s mind.
"Ah... so that’s how it is!"
"The advance route for Red Flame Mystical Arts isn’t Burning Mystical Arts... but ’Red Lotus’ Mystical Arts! Compared to Burning Mystical Arts’ sustained scorching damage, Red Lotus Mystical Arts are more overbearing, emphasizing explosive damage that incinerates everything instantly... It’s more like the Red Emperor’s style."
"The Heart-Burning Style Ghost Warriors have fought against the Red Emperor for years, making them most knowledgeable about him..."
Bai Pu slew the Red Emperor, gaining the [Flame God Stone], thereby comprehending Red Flame Mystical Arts.
Tracing back to the origin, his Red Flame Mystical Arts were derived from the lineage of the Red Emperor.
Initially, it was Red Flame Demon Fire; now it has become Red Lotus Karmic Fire!
Besides the inherent violent fire damage, Red Lotus Mystical Arts seem to possess something elusive that Bai Pu has yet to fully understand at this moment, left to explore gradually.
Currently, Bai Pu’s [Red Lotus Mystical Arts] panel has merely reached the damage amplification level of Top Grade Mystical Arts but hasn’t realized any special additional effects of Red Lotus Mystical Arts.
"Hey, have you figured out how you’re going to help me get the White Dragon Fang...?"
Dongbo Cheng’s voice arose from behind. "Alas, if your strength hadn’t declined, such matters would surely not be difficult for you. But now your combat strength is about equivalent to mine... I can’t handle two Demon Generals and that group of Fallen Samurai, so you find it difficult too, right?"
Bai Pu gently smiled, "Don’t forget, I am a Demon Control Master. Have you seen my newly acquired Demon Beast?"
Previously, to trigger Man and Horse as One, Bai Pu summoned the Winged Tooth Beast King Da Fei. However, Da Fei’s flight speed was limited in the Underworld, unable to match Bai Pu’s High Agility + Gang Step Dash speed. Thus, upon escaping the encirclement, Bai Pu summoned Da Fei back to the Star Realm.
Dongbo Cheng had caught a glimpse of the Winged Tooth Beast King once and frowned as he spoke, "That big fellow indeed has some combat power, able to hold off a Demon General. But it can only hold its ground; defeat is inevitable."
Heart Demon: The difficulty level of the World of the Black Heaven’s Descent is excessively high; the originally Enhanced Lord-level Winged Tooth Beast King in the Heart Demon World attributes panel only equates to a Lord.
Moreover, its size is too large, in the underground where space is connected by caverns and dark rivers, its combat power is diminished by thirty percent. It can only exert full strength in relatively open spaces like Demon Bone Dao.
Bai Pu smiled as he said, "Don’t worry, we have reinforcements."
"Reinforcements?"
Dongbo Cheng identified the direction, speaking in resignation, "My subordinates from the Cyan Dragon Oath should have reached the southwest side of the Palace of Roots, the Withered Leaf Plain... Their delay is most likely due to a Fallen Warrior skilled in spatial illusion holding them up. Now you’re escaping north of the Palace of Roots, how can you possibly encounter reinforcements?"
Dongbo Cheng’s implication was clear, he suggested Bai Pu head southwest to the Withered Leaf Plain to find the Cyan Dragon Oath Expedition Team’s main forces.
Bai Pu shook his head with a smile, suddenly asking an irrelevant question:
"Dongbo, your subordinates worry about your safety, so they should head towards the Palace of Roots, right?"
"Yes."
"That person skilled in spatial illusion won’t hold them for long." Bai Pu continued with certainty. He based his judgment on strength, knowing that a Fallen Warrior, even being a Red Race Awakened, wouldn’t be able to hold up a large group of native strong individuals led by two Lords for an extended period, merely using the True Intent Prototype mechanism to mislead the natives once unexpectedly.
"... Yes." Dongbo Cheng nodded again.
"Then rest assured. We’ll meet them at the Palace of Roots shortly."
Bai Pu didn’t offer further explanations to Dongbo Cheng but instead sprinted ahead.
He had already sensed the large number of Demons and Red Races trailing close behind him! If he stopped, they’d catch up within minutes.
However, Bai Pu had already seen the opportunity.
His plan to help Dongbo Cheng obtain the White Dragon Fang was quite simple, actually — lure the enemy out and then exploit the vulnerability to cleanse the Palace of Roots!
Of course, to achieve the goals of luring and trapping the enemy, reinforcements must take the frontline to hold off the pursuers! Only then can Bai Pu and Dongbo Cheng create an opening to exploit.
Bai Pu raced towards the direction of Miasma Spring—specifically, five kilometers from Miasma Spring, where Salacia, Rein, and others were located.
Yes, the Furnace Squad, along with the Silver Wind Clan team by Salacia’s side... that’s Bai Pu’s anticipated reinforcements!