Cultivation Starting from Choosing Augments

Chapter 306 - 174: The Mutated Spirit Turtle Is Not Very Polite

Xiao Chen was admittedly not good at evading Golden Core Demon Beasts.

But when it came to Magical Combat, he had never had a reason to worry.

All those top-tier Spiritual Objects weren’t just for show, and his many Top Grade Magical Artifacts weren’t simply for display.

Song Jingyi and Qi Xingwen, who stood to the side, were stunned as they watched Xiao Chen take out one Top Grade Magical Artifact after another.

A full ten Attack Type Top Grade Magical Artifacts.

Even though they weren’t fully activated, the Spiritual Light flickering from them was chilling.

However, that wasn’t the end of it. Xiao Chen then pulled out nine small, yellow flags—a complete set of Array Flags.

"Song, Qi, let’s modify the plan slightly."

"The Inner Core down there is useful to me. I’ll retrieve it first, and then we’ll go for the Turtle Eggs."

"I’ll need you two to help mask the Spiritual Qi fluctuations. The important thing is not to alert the distant Golden Core Demon Beast."

Normally, few people could spare the attention to manage overflowing Spiritual Power during a battle.

But with companions, they could help mask the fluctuations and lessen the disturbance. Tribulation Cultivators who moved in groups often did the same.

Xiao Chen then performed the Sealing Acupoint Concealing Qi Technique and snuck down to the valley entrance, where he began setting up the Yellow Wind Flowing Sand Formation.

Judging by his actions, he clearly intended to capture all four male turtles in one fell swoop.

Song Jingyi turned and asked hesitantly, "Qi, isn’t this a bit too risky?"

Although Top Grade Magical Artifacts were powerful, Earth-Storage Spirit Turtles were already famous for their Defense, and this Mutated Demon Beast was likely a prime example.

Finishing the fight would be no simple matter; it would take several hours at the very least.

Although this was the edge of a Golden Core Demon Beast’s territory, a protracted battle increased the risk of being discovered.

Especially around dusk, when Golden Core Demon Beasts became more active, they might be exposed.

Qi Xingwen, however, took out a Silencing Talisman. "Trust Xiao. I’ll get ready on the right."

With that, he first applied a Talisman to himself before moving to take his position on the right side of the valley entrance.

Seeing this, Song Jingyi went to the left. As he set up his Talismans, he secretly prayed the battle wouldn’t drag on for too long.

「Not long after.」

The four male turtles emerged from the water one by one, preparing to return to the valley.

Seeing his chance, Xiao Chen decisively activated the Array. A yellow wind immediately howled, and torrents of flowing sand erupted to trap the two Spirit Turtles in the lead.

A tri-colored Flying Sword of wind, thunder, and ice descended, isolating the third Spirit Turtle.

As for Xiao Chen himself, he charged directly at the last Spirit Turtle. He swung the Golden Melon Thunder Hammer in a wide arc and brought it crashing down on the creature’s head.

Despite the surprise attack, the male turtle’s reaction was swift.

It instinctively pulled its head into its shell as an earthy-yellow Spiritual Light flashed across its carapace. In an instant, a foot-thick wall of earth materialized in front of it.

BANG!

The great hammer slammed into the earthen wall, sending dirt flying. Its power was slightly diminished by the impact.

DONG!

The sturdy shell then completely parried the rest of the attack, leaving behind only a faint, barely visible mark.

Empowered by Spiritual Light, the shell was easily comparable to a Top Grade Defensive Spiritual Artifact.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen had anticipated this. He closed the distance and landed on the turtle’s shell.

Activating the Nine Strengths Mountain Shifting Technique, he channeled power into his twin hammers and immediately began striking from left and right.

In just a few breaths, he had already landed several dozen blows.

Amidst the relentless clanging, waves of turbulent Spiritual Qi radiated outward.

However, Talismans previously placed by Song Jingyi and Qi Xingwen surrounded the area, blocking the fluctuations.

Unless someone was within a ten-li radius, it would be impossible to detect the battle.

However, before he could finish off the turtle he was fighting, an exceptionally large figure emerged from the yellow sand of the array.

The Yellow Wind Flowing Sand Formation could hold back an ordinary Spirit Turtle, but it was not enough to restrain the mutated leader.

Its awakened innate ability, surprisingly, was gigantification.

The Spirit Turtle, originally one zhang in size, had now grown to a colossal ten zhang.

In comparison, Xiao Chen, standing below it, looked like a dwarf.

The giant turtle then lifted a foreleg and, completely ignoring that one of its own kind was still below, stomped down viciously.

Huh?

Xiao Chen was taken aback by the move for a moment, but it wasn’t a major issue.

A flash of golden light appeared where he’d been standing, and in the next instant, he had reappeared several dozen zhang away.

Only the unlucky creature still hiding in its shell was viciously stomped into the ground, burying it.

The entire ground trembled from the impact.

If its shell hadn’t been so sturdy, that single blow would have likely cost it half its life.

Xiao Chen drew a sharp breath. ’Such incredible strength.’

His gaze sharpened, and his expression grew serious.

After all, his opponent had a mutated bloodline. The immense advantage in strength granted by its size could not be ignored.

Even with his own Body Refining Cultivation, it would be best to avoid a direct confrontation. Relying on Escape Techniques to fight evasively was the better option.

To minimize distractions, he used his hammer to draw the Mutated Spirit Turtle’s attention while simultaneously using his Divine Sense to command his other Magical Artifacts to attack the remaining three Spirit Turtles.

This was Xiao Chen’s usual combat strategy: quickly eliminate the minions before focusing fire on the leader.

Thanks to the "help" from that earlier stomp, the Spirit Turtle trapped in the pit was the first to fall.

Next to fall was the one besieged by the Small Three Talents Sword Array; it was sliced in half by the relentless Sword Qi.

Finally, under the successive bombardments of the Golden Light Pearl and the Jade Ruyi, the one inside the Yellow Wind Flowing Sand Formation also collapsed.

The entire process took only forty-five minutes.

This was incredibly efficient. If those three Spirit Turtles were replaced by three Cultivators at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, they likely wouldn’t have fared much better.

At the very least, Song Jingyi and Qi Xingwen, watching from nearby, knew they couldn’t have held out for much longer themselves.

But there was no hint of joy on Xiao Chen’s face. On the contrary, his expression grew even more grave.