The Geared Immortal

Chapter 76 - And So It Began

Chapter 76

In a valley clearing stood a wall made of stones, it was constructed by all the cultivators of the advance team. The stone wall has a height of 20 meters which span to around a few hundreds of kilometers. The purpose of this wall is to temporarily stop the low-level beast in their advance just in case they were able to escape the advance team ambush area.

The sight seems majestic and praiseworthy but everyone knows that it would not be enough to stop those gigantic beasts commanding the horde. A few kilometers behind this line lays Shin Jiao and his meager force of 6 individuals. All of them lay prone in stealth on the ground and is spread through 4 point area. Shin Jiao himself is just observing the horizon while waiting for the beast tide to arrive.

Not long later, he can see the advance cultivator team moving. This means that the beast tide is already on sight, and as if not betraying his expectation he finally saw the dust and tiny vague figures from afar slowly getting into his view.

"Hmm… this is the reason why it took them too long. The horde leaders are intelligent enough to control the speed of the low-level beasts… this setup will make it hard for the cultivators to defend this area. If the small beasts will attack with the high leveled on this area will be decimated in no time." Shin Jiao thought as he analyzed the situation at hand.

Shin Jiao and his team had actually noticed this when they did a preemptive attack.

"It seems that the higher level beasts are waiting for something before they would release their control on the lower level ones. Luckily for those cultivators, we have already thought of a plan. Hehe…" Shin Jiao muttered with a smirk on his face as he continues watching the horizon.

"Phoenix how much time do we have?" Shin Jiao asked in his coms.

After his words, a voice enters the coms.

"We still have around 30 minutes before the deadline, master." Phoenix's voice said in the coms.

"Alright, everybody, do a double check your gears. Remember don't waste your ammo and energy on the low-level beast, those cultivators can take care of that. Stick to our goal and everything will be fine. Good luck everyone." Shin Jiao relayed his command.

"Roger that!" the synchronized answer of everyone was heard on the coms.

Meanwhile, at the front lines, the cultivator advance army proceeds towards their designated ambush point. The place has thick and lush trees as far as the eye can see, it's a perfect place to lay an ambush and do a large scale skirmish. But luckily for the cultivators, they are a few kilometers away from a certain line in the area.

When they reached their ambush point, the cultivator army began to feel a strong pressure coming from ahead of them. They know that the pressure is coming from the high-level beasts marching with the beast tide.

"Everyone should prepare, hide your presences, we must ambush those dammed beasts in this area and do as much damage as we can." the leaders in the army shouted with a hint of excitement in their voices.

It is known throughout the cultivator army that this beast tide is unique as there is a possibility of obtaining a large number of beast carcasses and cores. So although everyone is scared of the danger, yet most of them are excited about the possible gains they can have.

Everyone immediately dispersed and used their magical artifact to hide and wait for the beast tide to enter the area. But not long after everyone had hidden when something happened.

BOOM!!!

CRACKLE! CRACKLE!

A loud deafening sound made all the cultivators jump from where they hide. Then the whole place suddenly felt the freezing cold and tiny white crystal particles can be seen suddenly spreading throughout a wide range area. Every monster that this particle would touch will have their parts freeze in an instant.

The cultivators were safe as the force of the explosion pushed those particles towards the incoming large number of beasts.

Everyone was dumbfounded after watching the trees and the surrounding areas become frozen. They didn't expect to see one of the most beautiful sceneries in front of them, where everything has turned into blocks of ice sculptures.

Since Shin Jiao lacks materials and time, he wasn't able to make many bombs. So, the area they were able to freeze is just in the front and some in the middle. But it was enough to deter and halt the advance of the beast for the meantime.

Everyone was dumbfounded by the scene, but the cultivators immediately reacted. Seeing the opportunity, the cultivator army immediately took action. Though there are large parts of the beast tide which are frozen, however many can still move and began to rampage meeting the charging cultivators.

That was the signal and the beginning of the battle. Soon, the blood and bodies of both cultivators and beast began to dye and cover the ground red. But a large number of beasts began to fall, as the cultivators have prepared their strongest and most powerful magical artifacts just to face the tide.

But that was not enough to stop the raging beasts, as the beast numbers the cultivators 100 is to 1.

As the onslaught continues, a large number of cultivators also began to fall. Shouts of despair and cry for help reverberates throughout the battlefield, but all these voices fell in deaf ears as the beasts behind the line continued marching onwards and many have been devoured, both cultivators and beasts alike.

From behind the beast tide, a certain beast clouded in black mist has its eyes closed as it body shivers in delight. Traces of white wisp coming from the souls of both beast and cultivators has accumulated in this area and slowly enters its body. The sensation of devouring the traces of souls is making it feel like in a trance and truly delighted by the feast.

"The wisp of souls of every living creature in this place is small but small as they are, they still make my body stronger. Hahaha! Although I cannot refine them completely like that damned dragon Mok Dong, I can still grow stronger with this." It thought while carefully refined each soul surrounding its body.

Meanwhile on the front lines…

"You beast will not escape me!" shouted a cultivator with his eyes turning red as he rampages on the battlefield killing multiple beasts.

But his body is already riddled with wounds, and his spiritual energy is almost depleted. Right now he is already burning his blood essence to push his body to the limit. Upon seeing the successful escape of his fellow sect members the man sighs in relief, he is already satisfied with his sacrifice.

"This is the most satisfying battle I have ever experienced in my long life. Hehe… Now let's see how many I can kill before I die." He muttered as he lifted his gaze up.

Then to his astonishment in front of him stood a gigantic beast, with half of its body is like that of a strong bull, and half is that of a gorilla. Its body is covered with thick fur and exudes a strong Qi aura.

"A… a… level 4 beast king. How… how can this be? Arrgghhh…"

Before the cultivator can react, his head was casually grabbed by the beast king and was torn off along with his spine. The cultivator could not even shout in pain as his vision immediately turns black.

These scenes can be seen everywhere on the battlefield, as the beast kings started to move and obliterate the cultivators they encountered.

Seeing the number of casualties increases, the command to retreat was sent as many infant soul cultivators stepped in to protect the retreating cultivators.

"Haha, there are many beast kings in the area. We need to sweep them out. This will be of great value to my cultivation." A middle-aged man in the infant soul realm said as he flew in the air towards the bloody battlefield.

Then he suddenly spotted a three-headed snake-like beast, this made his mouth widen with a smile.

"A rare beast! Tri-headed boa! Haha… the heavens are looking out for me." The man said with a greedy look on his face.

As he watched he didn't mind the other struggling cultivators below.

Then he didn't think twice and just rushed into battle gathering a large amount of Qi in his fist. Then like a cannonball his body struck on of the beast's head.

Puff!!!

The beast head which was hit by his fist was immediately decapitated, making the level 4 beast king roared in pain as it wriggled its body on the ground trampling the other beast and cultivators in the area. Those who were able to escape flee with their lives but there are some who were flattened by the huge body of the beast.

"Haha! Give me your life beast!" the man shouted as his face showed his extreme greed for the beast king.

As the man confidently charged towards the beast without using any weapon or artifact, while the surrounding cultivators ran to a safe area with some intending to watch the battle.

The Tri-headed Boa is also not a pushover as although one of its head is already gone it roared ready to fight the infant soul cultivator to the death. When these strong forces clashed together it made the ground shook and the strong spiritual Qi spreads around forcing all the spectators to be blown away.

The man confidently sent a torrent of punches towards the beast, but to his surprise, it was countered with fireballs from one of the beast's remaining head. Then before the man could react, the beast suddenly sent out a sweep of its tail to the man. Before he could do anything he was thrown like a cannonball backward hitting the wall of a cliff not too far away.

Upon seeing this, the cultivators became despondent as they never would have thought that a powerful infant soul cultivator is not a match to the beast king. But then they heard a burst of maniacal laughter from where the cultivator was thrown.

"Haha… Hihihi… This is good! I never thought to feel this way again!" the man shouted at the top of his lungs as if releasing some pent up anger.

Then he suddenly takes out a long broad sword from his spatial ring. When the other cultivators saw this their eyes glowed in envy. A spatial artifact is not common in this land and only those strong cultivators can carry one.

Growl!!!

The beast suddenly howled as it rushed towards the annoying human not too far from it. Along with its rush, the beast king suddenly conjured powerful energy from both of its head. The energy fluctuated from this ball of light as it continues to grow bigger is too terrifying. The man was dumbfounded but didn't waste any more time and immediately activate his protective artifact which covered his body in a blue glow.

BANG! Boom!

The loud explosion causes a crater to form where the center of it is the man. When the dust died down the man's figure can be seen kneeling on the ground while he is holding his hand. His body is now riddled with wounds and burn marks.

"Arrggh… I underestimated you. Damn, I'll kill you for this humiliation!" the man shouted as he exerted more of his energy.

He held his broadsword and slowly stood in a one-handed sword fighting stance. The beast, on the other hand, didn't waste any more time and sent its tail smashing towards the man. With a quick reaction, the man also sent a slash towards the incoming tail.

As the sword and hardtail collide yellow sparks can be seen and the sound of metal hitting metal echoed. As the fighting ensues both began to be covered in wounds, but it is clear that the man is in a disadvantage.

Ping!

A sound reverberates as a figure rush out, or it should be thrown out, from the dust and smoke covering the area. It was the man who is now unconscious and was launched a few hundreds of meters away. The cultivators in the area became downcast and in panic. They didn't expect that a powerful infant soul cultivator was defeated by a level 4 beast king.

As the figure of the man fell towards the ground it is unsure what would happen to him. No matter how sturdy his body is, the impact from this fall would either break many of his bones or even kill him as his body is not covered with spiritual Qi anymore.

Swoosh!

Before his body could hit the ground two figures suddenly appear. The cultivators saw that the man was caught by a young man wearing a white mask. The speed of the young man is very fast which is not supposed to be with his current cultivation level. Everyone can see that his cultivation is at the late-stages of the gold core realm, but the speed he displays is too fast for everyone to see. It was like he is a shadow that just appears from nowhere.

Then they suddenly noticed the woman standing beside him. And their eyes went wide in disbelief, as the woman is clearly a mere mortal without spiritual Qi fluctuations.

"What is this? I saw it clearly that both are traveling at a very fast speed. But she… she's just a mortal…" this question is in everyone's mind as their gaze scrutinized the woman.

The two people who appear are Phoenix and Xi Jung, as Shin Jiao has assigned them to be in the middle team just like Shin Jiao.

"Xi, is the man still alive?" Phoenix asked as she slowly removes her headgear to arrange her scattered hair.

When the cultivators saw her beautiful face, they were slack-jawed. They never would have expected that a mortal woman could have an ethereal beauty and the color of her eyes is very unique. But Phoenix didn't mind the gazes as the cultivators are far from their position. She just fixed her hair while grumbling.

"Tsk… I told you not to fool around, see my hair is a mess." She murmured.

Xi Jung eyebrows twitch inside the mask.

"Me? You're blaming me? I just hugged you back then, but you…" Xi Jung thought in his mind but blushed upon remembering what they did before the command from Shin Jiao went through their coms.

Feeling the reaction from her man, Phoenix just smiled and finished tying her hair in a bun. After putting on her headgear, she took out two sword hilts from her pocket and slowly walks towards the beast.

"My darling wife! Are you sure you wanted to take that thing? I mean…" Xi Jung suddenly said with a hint of worry in his tone.

Hearing Xi Jung's words Phoenix almost trip on her steps. She could not believe that her dignified Dao companion would call her in such a corny way. Then she incredulously looks back and looks at him, she may not see his face behind his mask but she knew that Xi Jung is grinning. She knows that he is teasing her with those names.

She didn't reply but just stomps her foot in annoyance and walks towards the beast king who is looking directly at her with its two heads.

The sneering expression on both of its head just shows that the beast king doesn't put her in its eyes.

Well, who would, as right now it is just facing a mere mortal and a woman at that.