Impregnable . . .
To accomplish this, Cha Eun Xiao hadn't exerted much effort himself. The true power behind this feat was the Golden Soul Tower. Unfortunately, he had also suffered significant injuries due to his inherent weakness. The Golden Soul Tower had absorbed over eighty percent of the Sunlight Blade's formidable energy. Even the remaining twenty percent proved detrimental to Cha Eun Xiao.
At his current level of cultivation, Cha Eun Xiao had yet to master the full capabilities of the Golden Soul Tower. While he could operate it to fend off attacks and launch counterattacks, he was ill-prepared to handle the reverse impact of the tower. In this instance, facing a vastly superior adversary, even the meager energy—less than twenty percent—that struck back from the tower proved highly damaging to him.
In reality, Cha Eun Xiao could only rely on the Golden Soul Tower. Silence descended upon the onlookers, their contemplative silence expressing their growing understanding of the situation. Although they could only make educated guesses, they surmised correctly on one crucial point: Cha Eun Xiao was far from fine. His injuries were extensive, and the price for deploying the treasure was his deteriorating condition.
Despite the severe damage he had sustained, Cha Eun Xiao forced himself to stand tall. Du Qingpeng, a cultivator approaching the second level of Dream Origin Stage, had managed to deal him a devastating blow. The energy that had struck him was equivalent to the full-power strike of a Sky Origin Stage cultivator.
Nevertheless, Cha Eun Xiao remained resolute and concealed his weakness. The Golden Soul Tower continued to spin in his hand, even as he coughed up blood. His countenance appeared fierce and unyielding, radiating an aura of unparalleled ferocity that unsettled the spectators.
Du Qingpeng and his six companions, taking note of the menacing look in Cha Eun Xiao's eyes, experienced a strange mix of fear and relief. They understood that a man capable of exuding such intense murderous intent was a threat that should not be taken lightly. They also recognized that Cha Eun Xiao was, at this moment, in a severely weakened state.
Thus, they took cautious steps closer, their gazes filled with avarice and anticipation. The allure of the powerful Golden Soul Tower was evident, as it had enabled a Sky Origin Stage cultivator to contend with a Dream Origin Stage opponent.
"If I could possess that tower, my strength would be unparalleled!" thought the onlookers, their eyes gleaming with greed.
Suddenly, they sprang into action, encircling Cha Eun Xiao. With the same collective thought, they realized that with Du Qingpeng injured, they could not afford to let the precious treasure fall into another's hands.
Du Qingpeng summoned his remaining strength and bellowed, "Hand it over!" as he rushed toward Cha Eun Xiao.
The other six individuals vaulted into motion simultaneously, their thoughts converging. "Du Qingpeng may be wounded, but we must prevent anyone else from seizing this treasure."
Seven formidable streams of power converged on Cha Eun Xiao, approaching like a tidal wave. In response, Cha Eun Xiao sneered, recalling Ling Wuxie's teachings on using the Golden Soul Tower. The lessons he had shared with Ling Wuxie had been mere casual conversations at the time. Now, they were about to be put into practice.
With a resolute wave of his hand, Cha Eun Xiao cried out, "Golden Soul Shroud!"
The diminutive golden tower ascended into the air, radiating a radiant golden glow that transformed it into a colossal bell-shaped shield.
—Puff!—
As the seven men closed in on Cha Eun Xiao, they collided with the luminous bell of light that now enveloped him.
[Well, I may not have the strength to strike back, but I've got an impeccable defense!]
[These men won't be able to pierce the shield of the Golden Soul Tower.]
The absolute defense was in place. Cha Eun Xiao did not hesitate. With a hurried motion, he snatched several dan beads and hastily consumed them, gasping for breath.
"Bastard!"
The seven men commenced a relentless onslaught on the bell of light.
—Bang, bang, bang…—
Their formidable qi impacted the Golden Soul Tower ceaselessly, yet the tower remained steadfast and unyielding. The might that could have obliterated a massive mountain simply dissipated upon striking the diminutive tower, as if it were mud dispersing into water.
Several of the attackers made futile attempts to upend the shield and reach Cha Eun Xiao, but the shield appeared rooted to the ground, an indomitable part of the earth. It refused to budge, regardless of the might applied. It was akin to an ant attacking a towering tree—an exercise in futility.
Their endeavors proved futile, and they tried every resource at their disposal. It was clear that they wouldn't even put forth such an effort to save their own lives. However, their struggles were in vain.
Their eyes gleamed with an intensified greed. The tower's ability to withstand such potent and ferocious assaults while remaining unscathed marked it as a phenomenal treasure.
Simultaneously, their confusion deepened.
[Such a treasure should rightfully belong to someone more powerful, like us. Yet, it ended up in the hands of this insignificant individual. Why?]
[What an utter waste! A tremendous waste!]
Once more, they launched their assault, but they were all left fatigued and defeated. One by one, they abandoned their efforts, their gazes filled with helplessness. Yet, their eyes retained their voracious glint.
"It's futile. We can't break it!"
"What is this thing…"
"It's far too resilient."
"We can't even dislodge it. What's our course of action?"
"He can't remain inside indefinitely. He'll have to come out eventually, or he'll starve to death."
"Leave it be. He possesses a spatial ring. How much food do you think he has inside that ring? Moreover, even if he lacks food, he undoubtedly has numerous bottles of dan beads. He's a master dan-maker, don't forget. Those supreme dan beads could sustain him for several years. In fact, we can't even endure for one month…"
"So, what should we do?"
"How would I know? If I had a solution, do you think I would be having this pointless conversation with you?"
"Why do you keep spouting nonsense if you don't know what to do…"
Their impatience was palpable. The enemy was within arm's reach, yet they were powerless to engage him. They were forced to watch him recover.
A potent and valuable treasure was tantalizingly close, but they couldn't lay a finger on it. What torment!
"This little tower is wondrous. It's impervious… Not even a tremor when we strike it. He's untouchable inside there… What's our next step?"
Their brows furrowed as they mulled over the conundrum.
"Oh, right!" Du Qingpeng, his face drained of color, suddenly exclaimed, "Didn't we sense signs of someone undergoing a breakthrough in this vicinity? There must be a cultivator nearby. Feng Monarch is here to safeguard that cultivator... That cultivator must be of utmost importance to Feng Zhiling!"
As Du Qingpeng articulated this insight, realization dawned on the others. "You're absolutely right! Let's capture that person and use them as leverage against Feng Zhiling. I doubt that cultivator possesses another treasure like this!"