Hou Boxu felt slightly reassured, thinking he was being overly suspicious. Bringing this woman along was already an added precaution—if two Hua Dan Cultivators couldn’t handle a single Xuan Guang Practitioner, they might as well bash their own heads in and die.
Just then, a Daoist boy entered the room and respectfully said, "Two seniors, my master has sent to inform you that the person you are seeking has just left Zhenyu Building and is heading out through the west gate of the Immortal Market..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mrs. Xu, unable to contain herself, turned into a wisp of clear smoke and flew out imdiately.
Even so, Hou Boxu didn’t forget to give the child a parting instruction: "Go back and tell Daoist Sima that this old man owes him a debt of gratitude."
After saying this, he, too, leapt into the air, wind whipping under his arms, and followed Mrs. Xu outside.
The two quickly flew to the west gate of the Immortal Market, stopping at the ornate archway. Within monts, a tall, striking figure erged gracefully from the gate, his robes fluttering grandly in the wind.
Mrs. Xu could never forget his appearance. With a sharp cry, she scread, "Whelp! Return my child’s life to !"
Raising a gleaming golden ring in her hand, she hurled it forward with a ferocious sweep.
Seeing an attack indeed coming his way, Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow but didn’t move. A wisp of smoke rose in front of him, blocking the golden ring with ease.
He cast a glance forward and saw two figures standing there—one was an imposing old man with white hair and a white beard, exuding an air of authority; the other, a woman with delicate features and wearing a feathered robe that accentuated her slender waist and willow-like eyebrows.
Recognizing the woman, whom he had once encountered in the outer sea, Zhang Yan smiled and said, "So, it’s Mrs. Xu. Why aren’t you enjoying the comforts of Little Zhou Mountain? What brings you to instead?"
The two opponents hesitated slightly, unnerved by Zhang Yan’s calm and confident deanor. His entire body was surrounded by swirling smoke and mist, with faint illusions wrapped around him, clearly marking him as a Hua Dan Cultivator. Their expressions shifted as doubt crept in.
Mrs. Xu, previously blinded by vengeance, had not considered this. Now, her heart jolted, and she stamred, "Daoist Hou, could it be... could it be this brat is truly in the Hua Dan Realm?"
Great Sects like the Mingcang Sect were terrifying if their True Disciples managed to step into the Hua Dan Realm. As a Demon Cultivator, Mrs. Xu was acutely aware of this and felt a pang of fear.
Hou Boxu sensed that the situation might spiral out of control and imdiately shouted, "Mrs. Xu, do not panic! Even if this man really has achieved the Golden Core, he hasn’t yet returned to his sect to practice the myriad Dharma Techniques of the Mingcang Sect. How strong could he possibly be? With the two of us working together, is there any way we can’t defeat him? Do not lose your nerve!"
Mrs. Xu’s montary daze lifted after hearing his words. It was true that while the True Disciples above the Hua Dan Realm in the Mingcang Sect were formidable, that was because they had studied the Three Skills and Five Classics or mastered Divine Communication Skills. Soone like Zhang Yan, rely a disciple sent out to gather dicinal herbs, was no match in comparison.
Realizing this, her courage surged. Gripping her multicolored floating ribbon tightly, she prepared to attack again. But how could Zhang Yan give them a chance? With a single finger point, a wisp of smoke shot out straight toward Mrs. Xu.
Mrs. Xu quickly leaned her head to the side, and the smoke, as swift as a flying arrow, brushed past her ear, knocking off one of her pearl and jade ornants. Her face instantly paled in terror.
Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Yan took a step forward. Although he had been dozens of yards away from the pair, with that single step, he closed the distance to within ten yards. Letting out a mighty roar, he shook his shoulders, and a curtain of water-like light rose behind him, surging towards the two like a crashing wave.
The cascade of light descended, resembling the tumultuous seas and reversing rivers, sweeping with an imposing montum that nearly covered half the sky. The pair hadn’t anticipated Zhang Yan closing in so effortlessly and had no ti to react, leaving them with no chance to evade.
Mrs. Xu had no choice but to wave her floating ribbon in an attempt to counter with her Dharma Treasure. But little did she know that as the water curtain trembled, a boundless force struck her, pulling her off balance as though she’d be dragged into its depths. Despite her frantic efforts to steady herself, the pressure forced her to release the ribbon from her grasp. A flash of water light later, the ribbon vanished without a trace.
Hou Boxu, too, felt as though he had been plunged into a rushing river as the water light swept him up. He swayed left and right, unable to steady himself.
He had never imagined Zhang Yan could wield such power. Realizing he had no chance unless he used his trump card, he let out a thunderous roar and imdiately unleashed the Five Spirit White Carp Shuttle.
The mont the Dharma Treasure appeared, it emitted a radiant glow that even the Water Elent True Light couldn’t restrain. It darted like a swimming fish, breaking free from its bindings and charging straight toward Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan took one glance at the treasure and instantly recognized its origins. He couldn’t help but laugh aloud. With a single thought, a beam of Clear Light shot out from his brow and t the Five Spirit White Carp Shuttle head-on. The two old adversaries tangled together once more in midair.
Seeing his treasure unable to suppress Zhang Yan, Hou Boxu panicked. A cunning man by nature, he imdiately thought of retreat. With a shake of his body, a plu of red smoke enveloped him, and he broke free of the Water Elent True Light. Without sparing a thought for Mrs. Xu, he decisively turned and fled.
Mrs. Xu, still struggling desperately, found herself unable to escape the Water Elent True Light. At that mont, a massive yellow hand erged from the water curtain, sweeping across and grabbing her around the waist.
Her face turned ghastly pale as she cried out in fear, "Spare my life, fellow Daoist! Please spare !"
Having refined his pill, Zhang Yan’s Xuanhuang Great Hand was now even denser and more solid—like a mountain hewn from solid rock. Hearing Mrs. Xu’s pleas for rcy, he showed no pity whatsoever. With a thought, he clenched his hand tightly, instantly crushing her to death.
He looked up and saw Hou Boxu fleeing into the distance. Zhang Yan chuckled softly and activated the Little All Heaven Moving Technique. With a flash, he appeared behind Hou Boxu and summoned the Xuanhuang Great Hand, slamming it downward.
Hou Boxu felt a gust of wind behind him and turned to see the descending hand. Startled, he nearly fell from the clouds. Letting out a cry, he inflated his abdon and spat out a blood-red Elixir Evil, which managed to montarily block the Xuanhuang Great Hand.
Winning himself a brief mont to escape, his face turned deathly pale as he prepared to activate another technique to flee. But his vision blurred, and the Water Elent True Light surged at him once more, leaving him no ti to escape. He was imdiately engulfed.
Without anyone to control it, the Five Spirit White Carp Shuttle hesitated in midair. The Clear Light seized the opportunity, finding a weakness and attaching itself to the shuttle, firmly locking it in place. Monts later, the treasure’s radiance dimd, coming to a standstill.
Zhang Yan withdrew the Water Elent True Light and waved his hand, summoning a wisp of white smoke that brought the shuttle to him. Gazing at the Dharma Treasure, he couldn’t help but laugh. "I pursued the Yin Slaughter Saber endlessly and couldn’t get it, yet here you are delivering yourself to . A turn of fate, wouldn’t you say? Even if you belong to the Xiao Family, now that you’re in my hands, what’s stopping , Zhang Yan, from keeping you?"
He laughed heartily a few tis before riding the wind and breaking through the atmosphere, speeding southward.
...
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian) to vote with recomndations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
User Comments
0 comments from readers