The fight went on for a few hours. Knowing her father was too preoccupied Tang Xui fought more conservatively to deal with the situation.
"Have any more Elixers?!" Jasmine smashed a few Undead away from her with just physical might. The numbers still grew so she fell back with her guards who were trying to recover their Qi still. 'The kids are so protected... why not extend that to others?'
The kids were not scared as they dealt with this most of their lives recently. Even the few adults were relatively calm as they fought off any undead that came through pass the various cultivators.
Mostly just pushing them away with sticks and sending them on a course toward the cultivators who could destroy them. One even struck at the legs to cause the creatures to either hop or crawl around.
"A few for myself, why?" Leroy dusted a few more off with jabs that exploded in a fire on contacts. Containing the fire enough to combust for the forceful effect to do damage kept the situation relatively controlled around him. "I am sure you have something in your storage bag or ring to help you."
Someone as important as Jasmine had to have such a thing. Especially after the Assassination attempt on her a few months ago. Then again, she didn't use one there so maybe she didn't have one for here either.
"So you rather I just go ahead and leave and let you do this yourself!?" Jasmine spared a glance in shock that he knew she had an Escape Device. Her guards would be left behind so she never thought to use it. "You are a high-ranking Doctor, I am sure you have the same means!"
Around the 4th Tier, several Occupations would have the envy of several organizations. But the life-saving device given to them came with all sorts of stipulations to it.
"Nope!" Leroy went forward and tucked his palms around his waist, holding himself back and gathering Qi.
As soon as the Undead were really close to him no different than a swarm, he used Fist Intent to strike against them wildly and to agitate them his way even further. Completely surrounded, he lashed out wildly with Palm Thusts in a direct zone of 6 feet.
"Hah!" Palm after palm imprint burst through the bodies of the Undead leaving small fires that burned away any remaining tissue and clothing. The fact the numbers still increased but were skeletons after some time gave some insight into the situation.
Graves and buried remains had turned over and clawed from below. How long ago was hard to tell exactly but the weird shape of hands and feet became more noticeable. The toes and fingers looked to be fused partially.
"Princess Jasmine," A member of her guard looked at the situation and no longer believed they would get free or gain any help. "we should take this chance to break off and risk making it to another location!"
The small lulls were growing shorter as more of the Undead had risen from down below.
"She is right, go ahead and run along." Leroy said simply. Almost as if they were all in the way. Which they were as the situation was not dangerous since the North Guards expended energy to take care of the troublesome ones but the stamina issue would become more prevalent. "I can handle this situation better without worrying about anyone."
Another 100 more came from the back that Leroy marked with a hole.
Manning the Formation, Katori took a deep breath and then used it once more. Bullets of Qi arched up and fired down onto the ground close to the reminiscing of arrow volleys. The children still huddle inside with the nun in the front of them barely moving.
"Do you want us to take the people with us?" Tang Xui was at her exhaustion point and didn't want to hold out anymore. Forget a brave front this was more than enough experience in fighting a bad situation. "Everyone might not make it but a few of them should."
She struck out with a damaged spear that was close to shattering from the number of Undead Beasts she fought. The battle gloves she wore already turn and nothing more than decoration at this point.
"No, just go." Leroy charged forward pushing the Fire-Lighting Body outward. A Coronoa of fire and lighting floating behind his backside added additional damage to his strikes and movements. "We take care of our own, just like all of you do."
Not arguing what he said, the Tang members and the North Kingdom members left. Only a few doing so reluctantly. As for the few adults from the various hamlets they ran with them not wanting to die and hoping that Leroy and his people worked as good enough bait to allow them to live.
Once they were out of his Spatial Sense range, Leroy used the Flame Vortex Qi to replenish his Dantians slowly and overall boost his techniques used. The almost purifying flames and lighting bursts caused Saiori and Miniori to regroup around the Formation.
"Brother, how much strength were you hiding?" Out of Qi with aching limbs, she was exhilarated but also stressed out. Too many times she almost lost her life and was almost dragged down into a sea of Undead. 'I can't believe he is still fighting and holding himself back, is this because of how far he pushed his techniques?'
"Not much, always save some for when things may go bad." Using all three of his power sources, Leroy started to cultivate using Spatial Sense while fighting to make sure he gave his all more. 'I can feel the weird power coming into me still, is a type of Undead Qi or Corpse Qi maybe?'
Launching himself into the immediate area, he shot all the way left then double back and shot all the way right. Creating a nice protection line that the creatures ignored of course but it helped identify to everyone else where the enemy was coming from first.
The flames did not die down and the feeding with his Qi, the intensity made it impossible to cross. The fire that is usually more or less intangible had thick streams of lighting inside that pushed back when touched.
*Boom!* Another explosion rang out as a skeleton detonated from the mix of fire and lighting entering inside.
Leroy shot around the area once more creating a Formation that trapped the creatures inside. The speed at which he moved was not ideal and he made a note to look deeper into movement techniques that were flexible for such a situation.
The use of a Lighting Field was better for one on one or maybe to confuse a large group. But actually fighting a mob of this type, it wouldn't work long-term.
*Bang!* With a fist of flame that exploded with a cold breeze, the last of the skeletons were knocked down and then swept away into the Formation. Leroy then bathed the entire area in his purifying flames for additional assurance.
Letting it burn a little visually before sweeping everything directly into the Flame Vortex. With a quick count, he understood it was millions of bodies. Mostly humans from the immediate region but a few bits of clothes were that of those in the North Kingdom and the back surrounding regions of it.
"Do we need to worry about it anymore?" Saiori asked as she moved over to him. The others still recovering and the Formation still going. "Should we signal the others?"
"No. Leroy smiled as a sweep of the area once again had it completely clear. "We have enough for a few Akademy Missions to have been completed and the only thing left really is going to the Mansion to assist."
"I rather not." Miniori voiced her displeasure immediately. "This place really stinks and I just want to go home and take a bath."
"Not to mention those with us now." Kaitori said as she looked at the state of the various kids and the Nun. "She also needs treatment brother."
"I know. Rest up and head back to the Akademy with the findings." Leroy had some plans to enact and he wanted to check into the Monastery a little fro anything. Walking over to the Nun he kneeled down to the resting woman. "What can you tell me of this Temple yourself? I doubt it will be here by the time you recover with everything going on."
Of course, he was not going to tell her he was taking it away. Constant sweeps with his Spatial Sense, Leroy was confident something was here and he would not let it be wasted when he needed more strength.
"It does no harm to say benefactor but the Temple comes from a Subsidiary Dimension long ago. It used to house millions of Esoteric Cultivators who focused on Spiritual Healing." The Nun answered honestly. "Even predates the various Kingdoms of the Empire and back when there were several Sects and Akademy all over."
"Please go on." Leroy was more interested that it came from Subsidiary Dimension and not actually from this one. "What happened to bring it down so badly?"
"Akshobhya, the main teachings of this Monastery was struck down by the Ancestor of the Emperor of this land long ago. By the control of our passion for anger, aggression, and hatred we are able to dive into a better understanding and heal our very Souls and that of others. But after the founder was struck down, those that survived could not reconcile."
Unlike the death of their Master, the various members gave in to hatred and fought tooth and nail against the Empire. Even though they were at fault, the Emperor of the time rally everyone to wipe them out. This is recorded in the Empire's Records but not in common circulation.
Awarding them with resources and secrets of the Temple, the various powers that be used the ill gotten goods to solidify their strength. Not with a bit of kindness did the Temple still stand in the end, but because of powerful Formation experts protected it with their entire being. But all things come to an end and with the Formation spent the place was robbed and destroyed over the following centuries.
Not a single member of the Empire's Royal Family was involved, which troubled those of the Monastery over the centuries to this day. But the Four Kingdoms were involved to varying degrees.
A few buildings remained but no one joined the Monastery with only a few descendants keeping the place open. Then all the way to the present day the Nobility still not doing right by the people and the civilians not caring about the place at all.
Out of the Noble Families back then only two that she knew about in this area still existed. The Tiger-fire and Rose Family still exist. Their territories and power were not the same but these Families still had tricks in reserve most likely.
As the Nun finished informing about everything she relaxed. A proverbial weight lifted off her shoulders about the place. She had one more thing to drop on Leroy however.
"The son of the last Formation Masters did have a cultivation that grew rapidly. He was an Antilife Martial Artist and had no equal in the area. We all thought he would revive the Temple or at least cause the area to prosper by announcing he was the head of the Monastery."
"Did he die?" Leroy started frowning and hoped this was not someone active currently. 'Maybe I can find some clues once she gets better? Or after I refine those resources?'
"No, he left with the best members of the Monastery. He was quite charismatic and convinced most of them easily. I do remember he studied at the Akademy but was kicked out from practicing.. Undead Summoning Techniques I believe."
"An angry Buddhist that uses Undead?" Leroy arched a brow in confusion as he knew the name of Akshobhya from his Earth but for a Monk of Earth to end up here or his teachings is quite something to look into. Especially since the teachings at the least were long ago than the actual time before it existed on Earth. 'Need to really take this place away if I run out of investigation time.'
With the others all healed up, Leroy loaded them up on the Horses and fixed Carriage. With Miniori and Kaitori at the helm, they would be fine navigating back. Saiori would be in charge of the offensive and Spotter would keep looking out ahead and above.
They were somewhat worried but believed in Leroy. The kids were worried and the Nun was already out cold due to her disease and the conditions. With an increase on Offensive Inscription Patterns, they were off at high speeds.
.
Troublesome Findings-
.
Leroy with the help of the Metal Seed and Spatial Sense found a few corridors that were hidden down below the structures. Something that would take a very long time just searching with one's eyes. Following the trail of some Ambiguous Qi, he made sure to stay on guard.
'This is very stupid but... I can't stop myself from seeing this through. I might even find a way home.' Hopeful, he traversed the path with the illumination of the Fire-Lighting Body showing the way, despite the eerie look the blue-white flames gave off in these conditions. 'I can see where some of the skeletons came from.'
Along in the dirt, digging that was fresh could be seen. If not for the guidance of someone, would the Undead have taken out Nun Clarissa, Leroy didn't know. But then again she did have some protective clothing and signs of fighting were all over.
The deeper he went, the more the situation caused his heart to beat rapidly.
The spiraling staircase was carved out of the solid mud and stone that was up top. Symbols all along the walls in the dirt but long since destroyed and unusable painted an unusual picture. The deeper he went down, the colder the earth and thicker the Ambiguous Qi.
"Sniff! Sniff!" The smell, he was aware of where he knew it from after getting hit with it a few times. It was the smell of flesh and embalming fluid. But not fresh flesh but old organs that are already in stages of advanced decay. "If there are some fresh zombies I am not dealing with this place anymore."
With no one around, it felt good to speak out loud just to get rid of the creep factor a little. After a few more steps the Ambiguous Qi just vanished in front of a statue. It looked more or less like a typical Buddha statue but the face was trapped in the image of anger.
*Rumble!* The statue shifted and looked at him with glowing black eyes. A wave of the Ambiguous Qi was directed towards Leroy but it did'nt affect him in the least anymore.
"I know this type of Qi?" Confused, a type of block was keeping him from identifying it before. "It's rich and pure.. shouldn't hurt to refine it." As the statue did nothing else, he tried to cultivate.
No matter how much he pushed, the Ambiguous Qi wouldn't enter the Flame Vortex to be refined. The Dark in color Qi just floated around it and didn't bother the flames or lighting at all.
Almost harmonious in a way. Not wanting to subject his two Dantians to it, he was about to expel it before just placing it within a Containment Formation. Focusing all his senses on the task he took in the abundant Qi and contained all of it within.
"Haa.." Exhaling in disappointment, Leroy had more questions than answers. But the statue, as if waiting for him to come started to do various poses. "Hm?"
The statue had blood tears coming down as it recited a Mantra that didn't quite reach his ears. The only good thing that came from the situation is Leroy felt missing pieces of the Spatial Sense Manual filled in. He could also understand there was something there from the moments and Mantra but it was not meant for him.
If this was an Inheritance, he was basically not qualified to have it.
Letting his Qi take over in a way, Leroy memorized the movements further and the Mantra was recorded down. Drawing out in a notebook the movements he marveled that he could feel the writing for the mantra but he couldn't speak it out. The Nun Clarissa may know something about this or be able to point him in a decent direction.
A few hours later with the finishing of the movements and Mantra, Leroy swallowed the statue into his Internal Space and chucked it and everything else in the Flame Vortex. It denied him so he had no reason to leave it be when it served other purposes.
Leaving out of the hidden room, the entire Temple Monastery was swept away. Every broken down building and hanging structure.
'Glad my Internal Space is so large, now need to scorch the land and cover my tracks before heading to that blasted Mansion.' Building up his flames of Qi, he would use a Techniquine that would burn the entire area and bury the room down below. 'Flame Explosion takes way to long to use in battle for my liking but it is perfect here to clear an area.'
It didn't take long to apply oils to the outer perimeter or a Burn Formation to help.