Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method-Chapter 39: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

Only when the Copper Bell stopped vibrating did Song Changsheng let out a quiet sigh of relief. With a mere thought, the Profound Sun Celestial Spirit Array slowly began to open.

’It wasn’t that Song Changsheng hadn’t considered taking these ruins all for himself, but he had his principles. He wouldn’t betray them unless they betrayed him first.’

"Hey, it’s open! They did it!" Lih Hu was the first to see the Grand Array open and immediately roared with delight.

Smiles broke out on the faces of Zhu Yiqun and the others. They had succeeded! 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

As the Array dissipated, Song Changsheng and Xuu Yun came into view. Xuu Yun wore an expression of deep shame; not long after entering the Grand Array, she had become completely lost.

This time, the credit for breaking the array went to Song Changsheng alone.

’Initially, she had been somewhat displeased that Zhu Yiqun had invited this man in addition to her. But now, it was clear that without Song Changsheng, they would have likely returned empty-handed once again.’

"Fellow Daoist Song, your proficiency with Arrays is truly remarkable. I am no match for you," Xuu Yun said, cupping her hands and bowing to Song Changsheng in front of everyone.

"You’re too kind, Fellow Daoist Xuu. I was just lucky," Song Changsheng said, hurrying forward to raise her from her bow.

Just as he extended his hand, an alarm blared in his mind. He looked up to see a blackish-red streak of blood-light shooting toward them from the distance.

"Watch out—!" Song Changsheng cried out instantly.

Xuu Yun, not yet understanding what he meant, turned her head in confusion to look behind her. Her eyes immediately widened in terror.

The next moment.

SPLAT!

Xuu Yun’s head exploded like a watermelon, spraying a gruesome mixture of blood, flesh, and brain matter in every direction.

The group was stunned by the sudden, horrific scene. Xu Yunhe, being a Sword Cultivator, was the first to react. He drew the Long Sword from his back and shouted, "Ambush! Watch out for sneak attacks!"

As if waking from a dream, the others finally snapped out of their stupor. They summoned their Magical Artifacts and stared warily in the direction the attack had come from.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!

An overwhelming barrage of blackish-red lights shot toward them from the distance, but this time, Song Changsheng and the others were prepared. They blocked most of the attacks, with only two Qi Refining Seventh Layer Cultivators suffering minor injuries.

"These are the attack methods of the Blood Demon Sect! This is a trap set by Blood Demons!" Zhuang Yuechan said, her voice ethereal as she cradled an ancient, ornate Jade Zither.

Song Changsheng couldn’t help but glance at her again. ’To recognize the Blood Demon’s attack methods at a single glance... her background must be anything but simple.’

"They’re here!"

With a great roar from Lih Hu, the muscles all over his body began to swell, taking on a metallic sheen. This was the signature trait of a Body Cultivator—their physical bodies were as durable as Magical Artifacts.

Following his roar, more than thirty Blood Demon Cultivators swarmed out from every direction, wielding a variety of Demon Artifacts.

The moment the two sides clashed, a dazzling array of Magic spells blossomed. For a moment, the battlefield was lit up by countless brilliant, kaleidoscopic lights.

The Treasure Gourd hovered above Song Changsheng’s head while the Water Element Shield protected his flank. With roars that shook the battlefield, massive Water Dragons he summoned instantly devoured two Mid-stage Qi Refining Blood Demon Cultivators.

At the forefront of the battle, Lih Hu had become an invulnerable iron man. Donning a pair of Vajra Claws, he tore through the enemy ranks as if they weren’t even there.

Zhu Yiqun unleashed the full force of his Qi Refining Great Perfection Cultivation. He gripped a large black wok, swinging it about and smashing it into his foes. Anyone unfortunate enough to be struck by it was left with shattered bones and torn ligaments.

Yet the most dazzling of all was Xu Yunhe. He moved with a measured grace across the battlefield, his sword in hand. Sharp Sword Qi swirled around him, and no one dared to venture within a thirty-foot radius of him.

But the most incongruous sight was Zhuang Yuechan. She sat on the ground at the edge of the fray, her Jade Zither resting across her knees. Her slender, pale fingers gently plucked at the strings.

The lingering notes of the zither instantly spread across the battlefield. At first, the music was like the tinkling of a fresh spring or the gurgle of a gentle brook—utterly pleasant and enchanting.

But then, the melody shifted, and suddenly, the music was like the clash of steel and the thundering of warhorses—a heroic aura powerful enough to swallow mountains and rivers.

The music made the blood of Song Changsheng and his allies boil, a heroic passion surging through them. Their strength skyrocketed as if they’d taken a potent elixir.

To the Blood Demon Cultivators on the battlefield, however, each note transformed into a deadly blade, echoing all around them and making defense impossible.

For a time, the two sides were locked in a stalemate, neither able to gain the upper hand.

"Hmph. A bunch of trash!"

The Black Steward stood on his flying sword in mid-air, looking down at the chaotic battlefield with immense displeasure.

He flew down to the battlefield on his sword. With a wave of his sleeve, two Qi Refining Seventh Layer Cultivators instantly exploded into a bloody mist.

"A Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator!" Zhu Yiqun cried out, his heart sinking like a stone.

Lih Hu, drenched in blood, was still charging forward. But the moment he saw the Black Steward, his pupils contracted, and he immediately tried to retreat.

The Black Steward sneered. "Trying to run now? It’s too late." He flicked a finger, and a beam of blood-light instantly pierced through the Physical Body that had been Lih Hu’s pride.

A look of bitter unwillingness flashed across Lih Hu’s face. The next moment, he exploded, leaving no trace behind.

"Fellow Daoist Lih!" Xu Yunhe roared, his eyes nearly splitting with fury. He flipped his Long Sword and unleashed a blindingly brilliant beam of Sword Light with all his might.

"You dare attack me? You’re courting death." The Black Steward waved his hand, conjuring a ten-foot-long ray of blood-light that swallowed the Sword Light whole before slashing toward Xu Yunhe.

Xu Yunhe tried to dodge, but he found himself unable to move, as if he were bound in place. As the blood-light was about to strike, he used every ounce of his strength to twist his body just slightly.

The blood-light struck; blood bloomed.

Xu Yunhe’s right arm was instantly severed at the shoulder.

The Black Steward was about to finish him off, but just as he raised his hand, a large black wok came smashing down on him.

He frowned and flicked a finger. The black wok was sent flying backward, and Zhu Yiqun, as if struck by lightning, threw his head back and coughed up a spray of blood.

At that moment, the zither’s melody—now fully transformed into an anthem of slaughter—descended upon him.

"Noise."

With an angry shout, the Black Steward waved his sleeve, firing a scarlet ray of blood. It crossed the distance in an instant, but a Jade Pendant at Zhuang Yuechan’s waist flared to life, projecting an eggshell-like Light Shield that enveloped her.

The blood-light was blocked for a fraction of a second. Seizing the opportunity, Zhuang Yuechan leaped up, her toes barely tapping the ground as she gracefully floated backward.

"Trying to run?" The Black Steward sneered. He slowly extended his right hand, and a massive, blood-red hand materialized, reaching down for Zhuang Yuechan.

At this critical moment, a massive Water Dragon coiled around Zhuang Yuechan and yanked her sideways, causing the Black Steward’s attack to miss its mark.

Zhuang Yuechan, having narrowly escaped death, looked back at the blood-red hand with lingering fear. Then, her gaze fell upon Song Changsheng, the man who had just saved her life, and her expression grew complex.

Song Changsheng had no time to ponder the look in her eyes. He summoned two Magical Artifacts to shield himself and shouted, "Everyone, fall back into the ruins! I have a way to hold him off!"

Everyone stared at him in astonishment.

But this was no time for hesitation. Zhu Yiqun made a split-second decision. "Do as Changsheng says! I’ll cover our retreat!"

As he spoke, Zhu Yiqun produced a white Jade Pendant and crushed it. A blinding beam of Sword Light shot toward the Black Steward.

"The full-powered strike of a Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator?" The Black Steward’s pupils constricted. At last, he was getting serious...