Chapter 627: Not Taking The Others!
For a time, the entire Floating Island was filled with rumors and panic, and everyone felt uneasy.
Almost all the cultivators from small and medium-sized powers, along with the loose cultivators, chose to stay inside the Floating Island without hesitation.
They had all heard of the Ironblood Sect’s methods. It was an incredibly overbearing and cruel force. With their strength, if they left the Floating Island and encountered people from the Ironblood Sect, they would most likely either die miserably or be reduced to slaves.
Since that was the case, they might as well remain on the Floating Island. At worst, they would stop cultivating and remain at the peak of Earthly Core Realm or the peak of Half-Step Heavenly Core Realm for the rest of their lives. That was still better than going out and seeking death.
It was not only the cultivators from small powers who made this choice. Even many cultivators from the Seven Great Powers chose to stay.
After all, the Seven Great Powers had already fallen apart. Their backgrounds could no longer truly be called backgrounds. Instead, those backgrounds might now become burdens.
There was no doubt that after being suppressed by the Seven Great Powers for so many years, the Ironblood Sect would certainly not let those sect disciples go now that it had gained the upper hand. With their strength, once they went outside, they would be nothing more than cannon fodder.
Shen Cang also chose to stay within the Floating Island.
After all, he was different from the others. He used his own body as a vessel and cultivated through the method of artifact refining. As long as his artifact refining level reached the required standard, he could easily advance and achieve a breakthrough.
In other words, he could completely control his cultivation at the peak of Earthly Core Realm until he became an eighth-grade artifact refiner. At that point, he could break through to the Spirit Manifestation Realm in one fell swoop.
By then, even if the Seven Great Powers were completely wiped out and the entire Azure Void Region was ruled by the Ironblood Sect, he could rely on his own strength to leave the Azure Void Region and travel to other regions.
Li Yun was also very supportive of Shen Cang’s choice.
Different people had different paths. The path that suited oneself was always the most correct path.
In the end, only a few dozen people were determined to follow Feng Qingxiao to the secret stronghold. Among them, many were disciples of the Origin Saint Sect.
People like Mo Qingyao and Ye Qingmu were also among them.
"From here to the secret stronghold, it will take about five or six days. To be safe, we will set out in three days. That way, we will arrive at the secret stronghold exactly one day before the agreed ten-day deadline."
Feng Qingxiao spoke calmly.
"Fine."
No one had any objections.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Three days later, the group left the Floating Island and headed toward the secret stronghold under Feng Qingxiao’s lead.
Whoosh!
Along the way, the group passed through a small village.
The village was not large, with only a few hundred people in total. However, at this moment, this small village was soaked in blood.
Blood flowed like a river, and hundreds of corpses lay on the ground. Their faces were filled with terror and despair, while towering resentment lingered above the village, swirling like wolf smoke.
"Ugh!"
Among the group, several cultivators with weaker mental fortitude immediately could not help vomiting. Although Feng Qingxiao did not vomit, her face had turned pale, and her expression was extremely ugly.
Even as the number one genius on the Earth Ranking, Feng Qingxiao was still a woman after all. Facing such a bloody scene, her resistance was naturally weaker.
"Let us go."
Li Yun sighed softly.
The Ironblood Sect truly deserved to be destroyed.
As the group continued forward, such massacres became more and more frequent. Eventually, even those cultivators with weaker mental fortitude became completely numb.
Finally, six days later, the group arrived at the secret stronghold Feng Qingxiao had mentioned.
From the outside, this secret stronghold looked like an ordinary small valley. In reality, however, it was surrounded by concealing formations, and the interior was a small world of its own.
After stepping into the secret stronghold, everyone found that it was indeed a small world. Although it was not very vast, it was more than enough to accommodate Li Yun and the dozens of others.
Swish!
A day later, brilliant blue light flashed.
Then, a dreamlike Ice Luan Bird, entirely water-blue in color, appeared before everyone.
The Ice Luan Bird was an extremely precious exotic beast. It possessed a trace of the ancient divine beast Ice Phoenix bloodline. Not only was its speed incredibly fast, but it also possessed the power to manipulate ice.
Seated upon the Ice Luan Bird was a beautiful middle-aged woman.
Although she was middle-aged, time had not left the slightest trace on her delicate face. However, that exquisite face was as cold as frost. From a distance, she emitted an extremely icy aura that made people afraid to approach.
"Seventh Elder!"
Seeing this beautiful middle-aged woman, Feng Qingxiao’s face immediately filled with excitement. She jumped up and threw herself into the woman’s embrace.
"Qingxiao!"
Seeing Feng Qingxiao, a soft smile also appeared on the beautiful middle-aged woman’s icy face. She gently stroked Feng Qingxiao’s head before her gaze fell upon Li Yun and the others.
At that moment, her expression returned to its icy state, and she said indifferently, "Ye Qingmu, Mo Qingyao, and Cai Liuyun, the three of you come with me. We are leaving now."
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Li Yun’s brow furrowed, while the expressions of the other cultivators around him changed drastically.
The beautiful middle-aged woman had only mentioned Ye Qingmu and the other two. Did this not mean that the rest of them had been abandoned by her?
"Milady, you cannot do this. We came here risking our lives because we listened to Feng Qingxiao’s words. You cannot abandon us."
"That is right. If you do not protect us, we are as good as dead."
A group of cultivators immediately cried out in terror. Without the protection of the beautiful middle-aged woman, it would be impossible for them to reach the Annihilation Battlefield with their strength.
"All of you, shut up."
The beautiful middle-aged woman’s expression was cold as she said indifferently, "The paths leading to the Annihilation Battlefield have all been blockaded. Being able to take Qingxiao and the others through is already my limit. If I were to take all of you, would that not be seeking death?"
"This..."
The beautiful middle-aged woman’s words caused everyone’s faces to turn pale. Their hearts filled with despair and regret.
At this point, even if they wanted to return to the Floating Island, it was impossible. After all, they were not Li Yun, who possessed the qualification to enter and leave the Floating Island at will. Once they left, they could never go back.
There was no path to the heavens and no door into the earth.
This was their current situation.
"Seventh Elder..."
A look of pity appeared in Feng Qingxiao’s eyes. She hesitated for a moment before speaking to the beautiful middle-aged woman.