Chapter 255 : The Ambush on Chu Huaixu

Chapter 255: The Ambush on Chu Huaixu

Lu Pan’s arrival finally brought a shift to the situation.

In the Xuanhuang Realm, the reason cultivators of the Fifth Realm were called "Major Cultivators" was because the Fifth Realm marked a qualitative leap in power!

The man wearing a wooden mask stepped across the snow, proving his strength was at least beyond the Fifth Realm.

Though Chu Huaixu could now challenge the Fourth Realm across realms, he still could not rival a Fifth Realm cultivator—even one with an unstable foundation.

And judging by the aura this opponent revealed, he clearly was beyond just the Fifth Realm.

However, Lu Pan had reached the Eighth Realm—an unrivaled cultivation powerhouse even within the entire Xuanhuang Realm.

Chu Huaixu was instantly reassured.

“Master.” He greeted respectfully.

The Enforcement Elder, whose expression was always stern by nature, turned to glance at him and gave a slight nod.

“No need to panic. With me here, none of you will come to harm.”

Lu Pan glanced ahead, his gaze a little heavy, then continued:

“But this person is no ordinary Evil Cultivator. Even I find it hard to see through him at the moment. If anything unusual happens later, you must retreat first. I will take care of the rest.” He instructed.

“Yes.” Chu Huaixu accepted immediately.

He knew very well that due to the vast difference in strength, the three of them remaining here would only be a burden, a potential weakness for Lu Pan.

If the opportunity allowed, he would take Big Ice Block and Little Xu and leave.

In the distance, the smoke and dust gradually settled, and a long laugh rang out.

“Hahaha, to think the Dao Gate's Enforcement Elder has come in person. As expected of an Array Grandmaster—your reputation is well deserved.”

The short Evil Cultivator shrouded in a black robe was unharmed—completely unscathed.

In his hand was a black banner, now exuding an eerie deathly aura that spread outward.

Lu Pan’s eyes narrowed instantly. His expression grew ever more serious.

“An Eighth Realm Evil Cultivator?” He felt slightly startled.

The path of Evil Cultivation was fast through plunder, but its upper limits were usually low.

To even become a Major Cultivator was rare.

To reach the Eighth Realm? Rarer still.

More importantly, the black banner in the opponent’s hand gave him an extremely strange feeling.

“Not a spiritual artifact of the Xuanhuang Realm!” Lu Pan thought.

The Eighth Realm Evil Cultivator floated up again. Though no dust clung to him, he still raised a hand to lightly pat himself.

“I've long heard the Dao Gate's Enforcement Elder is powerful. Seeing it today, your reputation holds true.”

“If I didn’t possess a sub-banner of the Myriad Souls Banner bestowed by the Sect Leader, I probably wouldn’t be your match today.”

The Myriad Souls Banner had a mother banner and sub-banners.

The sub-banner held a portion of the mother banner’s power, allowing the transfer of Banner Spirits from the mother to itself.

With a wave of the black banner, three Banner Spirits appeared.

Two of them were at the Nascent Soul Stage, while the third held Eighth Realm power.

Seeing this, Lu Pan’s heart was instantly shaken.

“Nascent Soul Divine Spirits?”

“Who exactly are you?” He couldn’t help but speak.

The short man in the wooden mask said, “Me? I am the Deputy Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect.”

“Leave Chu Huaixu behind, and the three of you may leave freely. I won’t stop you.” He looked at Lu Pan and said indifferently.

The Dao Gate’s Enforcement Elder showed a trace of disdain.

“As his master, how could I possibly leave my beloved disciple here to suffer your bullying?”

“To say such things—you think too highly of yourself!”

Chu Huaixu, listening from the side, suddenly had many thoughts race through his mind.

“Is this guy really coming for me?”

“Because I carry traces of the 【Soul Transformation Fruit Position】?”

“And why does his black banner contain Nascent Soul Divine Spirits—such powerful Banner Spirits!”

He was filled with confusion.

He didn’t know when he had come into contact with the 【Soul Transformation Fruit Position】.

Nor did he understand how the opponent’s banner could house Nascent Souls and control them.

But he now realized he had underestimated the Black Moon Sect.

If even a Deputy Sect Leader had this kind of power, could the Sect Leader himself truly be a Ninth Realm powerhouse?

“Why is the plot getting more and more convoluted?” Chu Huaixu was baffled.

“This is nothing like the 《Borrowed Sword》 I was playing!”

At this moment, the so-called Deputy Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect saw Lu Pan’s attitude and spoke:

“So you refuse the toast, and choose the penalty instead! Then all of you will stay!”

He waved the sub-banner of the Myriad Souls Banner, and the three Banner Spirits surged forward.

Lu Pan’s expression turned even more serious as he shielded Chu Huaixu and the others behind him.

Three Banner Spirits that had possessed Eighth Realm power in life, plus an Eighth Realm Evil Cultivator—the situation was dire.

He reached into his Storage Token and pulled out a long spear.

This spear was pitch-black, with an equally black tassel.

This was Lu Pan’s Life-bound Magical Treasure, refined and enhanced personally by his master. Its name—【Lone Valor】.

One heart of valor, one spear: 【Lone Valor】.

Lu Pan struck the ground with the spear's butt, activating a massive black array beneath his feet that spread outward.

The three Banner Spirits were immediately trapped by the array and unable to break through.

“Huaixu, take them and leave.” Lu Pan instructed.

“All right.” He replied immediately.

This battle wasn’t one he could interfere with.

Staying would only hinder.

He left, taking Big Ice Block and Little Xu, heading back toward the Dao Gate.

The Deputy Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect let out a cold snort: “Going somewhere?!”

In that instant, a giant hand of black mist—several zhang wide—formed and grabbed toward the trio.

Lu Pan formed a hand seal and shouted, “Prison Cage Array!”

In a flash, a top-tier grand array formed with him at its center.

The giant black mist hand couldn’t pass through the array and was trapped within.

“Huh? Using yourself as the array core?” The masked Deputy Sect Leader exclaimed.

Lu Pan looked at him and said calmly, “This array is called Prison Cage. I am the array core. To break it, you must kill me. Otherwise—you cannot leave.”

“I said it—Chu Huaixu, you cannot harm!”

The Deputy Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect roared, “Courting death!”

His figure moved, charging alongside the three Banner Spirits toward Lu Pan.

Above, the snowfall grew heavier.

It seemed even the Yin Vein beneath was affected, as the surrounding temperature plummeted.

The entire summit of Guanghan Cliff became blanketed in ice and snow.

Shockingly, the snow spread faster than Chu Huaixu and the others could flee.

He suddenly turned around—frost was spreading rapidly.

In mere moments, the path ahead was also covered in ice.

As the saying goes: “Three feet of ice is not formed in a single day.”

Yet now, only a few breaths were enough.

Han Shuangjiang and Xu Ziqing looked shocked—gaining a new understanding of the strength of powerful cultivators.

It was obvious: all of this was the work of that Evil Cultivator.

When he descended, snow had already started falling.

Now, it felt like a thousand miles were frozen.

Perhaps, he was drawing power from the Yin Vein!

“If my guess is right, and he truly can draw from the Yin Vein, then Master Lu Pan might be in trouble.” Chu Huaixu’s heart sank.

He knew— not all Eighth Realm powerhouses were as monstrous as Jiang Zhi.

He could feel it—the chill in the air was strange.

Logically, he and Xu Ziqing were rough Body Trainers. They shouldn’t be affected.

A thousand miles of snow, ten thousand miles of frost—even rolling naked in the snow, they wouldn’t feel cold. The two of them, full of hot blood, could melt the snow with their bodies.

Yet now, even Chu Huaixu felt a bone-piercing chill.

He tried circulating his spiritual power, but still couldn’t drive it away!

“Senior Brother, will the Enforcement Elder be in danger?” Xu Ziqing asked.

“Little Xu, that’s not for us to worry about. Our only duty now is to hurry back to the Dao Gate, or we’ll become his burden!” Chu Huaixu said sternly.

Moments later, the chill intensified. The soles of their feet froze first, and frost began creeping up their bodies, trying to freeze them entirely!

In an instant, the Yin Chill invaded their bodies. All three suffered internal injuries. Their breath was disordered, their bodies stiff.

Maybe just three or four breaths more, and they would die—completely helpless.

This was the power of the Eighth Realm.

Even the slightest aftershock could not be withstood by mere Third Realm cultivators.

In the eyes of the Eighth Realm, the Third Realm was like ants.

Life and death—decided in a snap.

Since transmigrating, Chu Huaixu had never faced death so directly—and so helplessly.

Just then, a familiar breeze swept by, halting the frost and lifting them into the air, flying toward the Dao Gate.

Once outside the bounds of Guanghan Cliff, the breeze gently landed them on the ground. The whole process was light and gentle.

Hard to believe this all came from the hands of the terrifyingly stern, black-faced Enforcement Elder—feared by all within the Dao Gate.

Meanwhile, Lu Pan stood at the heart of the grand array, frozen in place, yet untouched by the surrounding cold.

In his left palm, the Dao Seal bearing the characters 【Pine and Cypress】 glowed faintly green.

What are pine and cypress?

—“Only in the bitter cold of winter, do you realize that the pine and cypress are the last to wither.”