Wu Tao, though astonished, would not have lost his composure on the spot.
However, upon seeing the five flood dragons pulling the carriage before him, he froze, nearly biting off his tongue!
Each of the five flood dragons was a beast at the Foundation Establishment stage, and their bloodlines were exceptionally pure.
Following the five flood dragons was a carriage meticulously crafted from crimson sandalwood, which only grew an inch in a thousand years.
The coachman atop the carriage was also a cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
Wu Tao's mouth hung open as he stared blankly at the dragon carriage, murmuring to himself, "I never thought that after all these years of hard work, engaging in so many wicked deeds like killing, arson, and grave robbing..."
"I've often skirted the edge of death to compete for resources, surviving near-death experiences multiple times. Among cultivators, I could be considered wealthy."
"But I never imagined that my entire accumulated fortune would not be enough to afford them a carriage."
The flood dragon carriage was adorned with a five-colored canopy, and on either side stood maidservants at the Foundation Establishment stage holding palm-leaf fans.
As the carriage passed, cultivators bowed respectfully, with some even kneeling.
Beside the carriage, several cultivators clad in silver armor followed, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings, their purpose unclear – defense or something else.
Just then, Wu Tao happened to see a silver-armored cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage nod slightly as if receiving an order, and he detached himself from the procession.
Without any hesitation, this silver-armored Foundation Establishment cultivator walked directly towards a nearby stall.
Several burly, imposing men stood there.
As if he had a clear target, he grabbed the shoulder of a scarred, middle-aged man in his prime.
The two stood still, and after a brief exchange, burst into laughter.
Witnessing the middle-aged man at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage being led away by the silver-armored Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The surrounding burly cultivators, far from showing disgust, contempt, or fear, mostly displayed envy.
While whispering amongst themselves, they also puffed out their chests and bared their muscular arms, as if afraid others wouldn't notice.
This left Wu Tao, who had been observing nearby, utterly bewildered and unable to comprehend it.
Meanwhile, several other silver-armored Foundation Establishment cultivators leaped from beside the carriage, heading towards either side of the street, evidently having found new targets.
"What is going on with the cultivators here?"
Unable to fathom it even after racking his brain, Wu Tao could only shake his head with a wry smile.
He understood in his heart that no matter where one went, cultivators were driven by profit.
"The hustle and bustle of the world are all for gain; the coming and going are all for profit." It was understandable.
These behaviors he found peculiar must have their reasons, which he, as an outsider, was unaware of.
Thinking this, he couldn't help but chuckle.
It was likely the latter, he mused.
Wu Tao shook his head and was about to leave. But as he took a step, he involuntarily stopped.
Before him, a silver-armored Foundation Establishment cultivator, his tall, sturdy body like a wall, blocked his path.
The silver-armored Foundation Establishment cultivator before him made no overture, but with practiced ease, extended his hand, rapidly reaching for Wu Tao.
Wu Tao's expression shifted, his face darkening. Just as the large hand was about to touch him, the Chuxi Sword moved, a glint of cold light flashing.
A blood-dripping arm fell to the ground.
The silver-armored Foundation Establishment cultivator, left with only one arm, clutched his wound and let out a pained howl.
"Hmph, daring to injure a Silver Armor Guard in broad daylight!"
"Who dares to be so audacious, either ignorant of the rules or seeking death!"
A cold snort instantly echoed throughout the entire street.
The accompanying chilling killing intent made the surrounding crowd feel as if they had plunged from a sweltering summer day into an icy glacial abyss, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Before the voice had even faded, a terrifying aura erupted from within the carriage.
Wu Tao was the first to bear the brunt of it.
Several other silver-armored cultivators, who had been searching for suitable candidates, also surrounded Wu Tao from all directions.
They were clearly well-trained.
Almost instantly, they all patted their storage bags, summoned their preferred magical artifacts, and prepared to swarm forward.
After taking only a couple of steps forward, they saw someone from the carriage making a move, and they paused momentarily, then reacted, remaining stationary.
At that instant, Wu Tao distinctly felt a terrifying killing intent!
Standing in the eye of this killing intent, Wu Tao felt a bone-chilling murderous aura!
Wu Tao mustered all his strength, channeling his spiritual energy to its limit, desperately resisting this sudden surge of chilling murderous intent!
His face paled under the pressure of the killing intent. In desperation, he drew the Chuxi Sword.
The sword hummed, its intent soaring into the heavens, forcefully breaking through this continuous, chilling killing intent with sheer brute force.
"Oh, how interesting. A mere cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage can withstand my killing intent."
Another voice emanated from within the carriage.
Although the content of this voice still carried boundless killing intent, the tone of its delivery made it impossible to perceive as terrifying.
It was the voice of a young girl, and by the sound of it, a very cute one.
As soon as the words fell, a snow-white boot suddenly emerged from the carriage. Immediately after, a delicate hand parted the curtain of the carriage, and a person slowly emerged.
What met Wu Tao's eyes was a white-robed beauty with a near-perfect, curvaceous figure.
However, to his regret, this white-robed beauty wore a veil, concealing her true face.
Just then, a gentle breeze blew, causing the veil to flutter.
Fortuitously, Wu Tao caught a glimpse of the face hidden beneath the veil – a visage of extreme beauty, arguably the most stunning in the world.
The moment he saw it, Wu Tao felt a thunderclap in his mind, his head spinning, rendering him speechless.
This white-robed woman had willow-like eyebrows, skin as fair as snow, slightly parted crimson lips, and long black hair cascading freely. Her aura was noble and elegant.
For a moment, Wu Tao stood frozen, unable to move for a long time.
If there truly existed a "number one beauty in the world," then what Wu Tao saw before him was it!
However, to his misfortune, after that fleeting glimpse, the white-robed woman quickly pulled her veil back down.
That face, seemingly unparalleled in the world, vanished from Wu Tao's sight.
An indescribable serene aura, combined with her peerless beauty and proud figure, was enough to shock, enchant, and drive any man in the world to madness!
Wu Tao's mind went blank, only hearing the increasingly loud and rapid thumping of his own heart.
This was the first time in his forty-odd years that he felt this way. Could this be the legendary love at first sight?
It wasn't that he didn't love Xu Sheng, but how could a man not be moved when faced with the world's number one beauty?
The white-robed beauty's indifferent gaze met Wu Tao's ardent one.
In an instant, both were taken aback.
"Scoundrel, you're seeking death!"
The white-robed beauty's face turned icy. Her voice was extremely clear, tinged with a hint of shame and anger.
This made her complexion slightly rosy, which in turn added to her allure, making her indescribably captivating, the very embodiment of "beauty."
Her sharp eyes stared coldly at Wu Tao. A brilliant pillar of spiritual energy shot from her fingertips, extending over thirty feet.
Wu Tao felt the terrifying spiritual pressure, and his heart sank to the bottom.
This white-robed beauty possessed cultivation at the mid-Core Formation stage.
Shaking his head, facing a life-or-death crisis, he quickly cast aside the inappropriate thoughts swirling in his mind.
Wu Tao rapidly calmed himself.
Using his soul to control the sword, the Chuxi Sword floated in the air, its boundless radiance transforming into a stream of light, actively slashes towards the white-robed beauty before him.
Wu Tao was not a fool. Knowing that his current opponent was beyond his ability to handle, why would he wait there to die?
After blocking this wave of attack, Wu Tao did not stop, fleeing rapidly backwards.
The white-robed beauty, her face etched with frost, moved through the air. The incredibly brilliant five-colored spiritual light caused the surroundings to change hue.
She directly blocked Wu Tao's escape route and struck him with a heavy blow.
Such astonishing commotion attracted the gaze of countless cultivators, regardless of their standing, all staring here in utter astonishment!
Wu Tao spat out a mouthful of blood. Knowing he couldn't escape, he decided to fight with all his might.
The Chuxi Sword, suspended in mid-air, spun incessantly.
Sword intent surged, and streams of spiritual energy converged within the Chuxi Sword at that moment.
A sky-piercing sword qi shot towards the heavens!
And this sword qi was aimed directly at the white-robed beauty suspended in mid-air.
With her robes fluttering and hair flying, the white-robed beauty stood proudly in mid-air. Combined with her peerlessly beautiful face, she was even more stunning than a celestial maiden.
Could any woman in this world stand shoulder to shoulder with her in her magnificent splendor?
In comparison, Wu Tao on the ground was far inferior, barely managing to defend himself with the Chuxi Sword.