Chapter 149: Underwater Battle, Finger Tip Marvel Technique

Chapter 149: Underwater Battle, Finger Tip Marvel Technique

At the banks of the Lo River.

"Elder Liu, I suspect that boy was just lying to us." Wang Jiu followed behind Liu Qingsong, and only when they were completely out of sight of the mansion where Jiang Ning was, did he speak up.

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingsong also stopped in his tracks.

He stood on the shore, facing the direction from which the river breeze blew, and nodded.

"Wang Jiu, your instincts are right! That boy was indeed lying just now."

"How did you notice, Elder?" Wu Sheng, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

He was also one of the few eighth-rank Divine Strength Realm martial artists from Medicine King Valley who had come to capture Tian Buyi.

Liu Qingsong said, "Do you two realize that after Jiang Ning appeared, his brother's family completely disappeared without a trace?"

"What do you mean by that, Elder?" Wu Sheng was taken aback, deep in thought.

Compared to Wang Jiu, he was more thoughtful, and upon hearing Liu Qingsong's words, a possible scenario came to his mind.

"Your guess is correct!" Liu Qingsong turned to look at Wu Sheng, the eighth-rank Divine Strength Realm junior, with a look of approval.

"Elder, Wu Sheng, what are you two talking about?" Wang Jiu, who was standing beside them, looked utterly confused.

Wu Sheng explained, "There's something suspicious about Jiang Ning. After he appeared, his brother's family vanished without a trace, and there hasn't been any sign of them."

"Isn't that normal?" Wang Jiu furrowed his brows in confusion. "It's dinner time now, as that boy said, they're probably preparing dinner, so it's natural they're not around."

Wu Sheng said, "But did you smell any food or smoke from cooking?"

"Well..." Wang Jiu's expression froze momentarily.

Wu Sheng continued, "We, as eighth-rank martial artists, may not have specifically trained our five senses and six perceptions, but they far surpass those of ordinary people. In such a small mansion, if they were preparing dinner or someone was moving around, we would have noticed some disturbance."

"I understand now!" Wang Jiu suddenly realized, "So, that boy is suspicious. When he met with us earlier, he must have secretly moved his family."

"Indeed!" Liu Qingsong nodded slightly.

Then he added, "Moreover, I noticed something else peculiar. That boy has a strong lingering scent of medicine on him."

"That scent is unique to the herb pills of Medicine King Valley."

"What do you mean, Elder?" Wang Jiu's eyes widened in surprise.

Liu Qingsong slowly nodded, "Although the scent lingering on him isn't unique to the Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pill, my intuition tells me that he has swallowed one!"

"He swallowed a Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pill too?" Wang Jin's eyes widened in shock. "In that case, why didn't you capture him on the spot?"

"There are only three Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pills left, and if we delay any further, the last pill might be swallowed. If that happens, our mission will be a complete failure!"

Liu Qingsong shook his head slowly, "We didn't come here with any top-secret information. If we had acted directly, it would have caused a conflict with Wang Jin."

"Wang Jin only recently announced that he had taken that boy as his personal disciple."

"If I had openly targeted the boy, it would have been a direct insult to Wang Jin."

"Elder, why fear him and diminish your own prestige?" Wang Jiu asked, "Although Wang Jin is also a seventh-rank martial artist, he's already old and frail. You, on the other hand, are in your prime, so why fear him?"

Liu Qingsong shook his head, "You know too little about Wang Jin. When he became famous, you had just started your martial arts journey. He's not an ordinary seventh-rank martial artist! Even if I'm not afraid of him, it's not wise to confront him directly, especially since that Wang Du Tou is his own brother!"

Then Liu Qingsong continued, "Moreover, that boy isn't just supported by Wang Jin. Previously, Shen Louzhu valued him highly, and now Lin Louzhu seems to hold him in high regard as well!"

"After all, we are outsiders, and it's not wise to act too rashly."

Hearing this, Wang Jiu asked, "So, Elder, are you suggesting we let that boy go?"

"How is that possible?" Liu Qingsong glanced at him, "We'll retreat for now and return to the inn. At noon, you two will accompany me to confront him again."

"Understood, Elder!" Wang Jiu nodded repeatedly.

Wu Sheng, standing beside them, also nodded in agreement, "Yes, Elder."

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Jiang Ning had already submerged himself in the water,

With his heightened senses, especially after entering the water, his perception was further enhanced, allowing him to clearly hear the conversation between Liu Qingsong and the others.

"Indeed, Liu Qingsong has just noticed something amiss!"

"Fortunately, I secretly followed them!"

"Otherwise, if we had lost the initiative and they had sneaked up on us tonight, it would have been troublesome!"

At that moment, Jiang Ning felt a sense of relief.

The true strength of a Seventh Rank Martial Artist was something he didn't fully comprehend.

But from the performance of Wang Jin and Cao Rong that day, a Seventh Rank Martial Artist at their peak was terrifying.

Even with all his abilities on display, he wasn't confident he could defeat Cao Rong back then."

Especially when Cao Rong had the advantage of distance.

Therefore, if he lost the initiative and Liu Qingsong, a powerful Seventh Rank Martial Artist who had honed his skills for many years, came knocking on his door, Jiang Ning didn't feel assured of victory even with all his tricks.

Not to mention that he would be constrained at that time.

The next moment, Jiang Ning's thoughts raced, and he decided to take the initiative.

A loud splash erupted.

Suddenly, the lake water in front of Liu Qingsong erupted, creating waves several feet high.

"What's going on?" Liu Qingsong was taken aback.

He witnessed the raging lake water instantly engulfing Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, who were beside him, dragging them into the lake.

Seeing this, Liu Qingsong's face showed astonishment, as if he couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes.

A moment later.

"What kind of cursed beast is this?!" He shouted, taking a deep breath.

Plop—

Liu Qingsong dove into the water.

Once underwater, he saw the churning lake, as if an angry dragon was roaring within.

He also noticed that the lake had turned red with blood, and Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng's silhouettes seemed to be wrapped in a blood-red serpent, swiftly moving towards the deeper depths of the lake.

Witnessing this bizarre sight, Liu Qingsong immediately thought of the changes over the years and the rumors circulating in private.

"Could this be a demon born from the Luo River?" Liu Qingsong wondered.

But the commotion ahead left him little time for contemplation. He saw Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng's figures rapidly sinking.

Then.

"What audacity! You dare to harm people from Medicine King Valley?!" Liu Qingsong shouted, his voice booming like thunder underwater.

Even the surging lake water couldn't stop his thunderous voice from echoing.

He quickly dove, chasing after Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng as they disappeared into the deeper parts of the lake.

On the other side, Jiang Ning sensed the commotion behind him.

"Good that you've come; I was afraid you wouldn't!"

"In the water, it's now my domain!"

He muttered to himself.

Then, with one hand on each, he grabbed Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, swiftly descending deeper into the river.

At this moment, the two were clearly exhaling more than inhaling.

Under his sudden ambush, they barely had time to defend themselves, and he effortlessly inflicted severe injuries upon them.

If it weren't for the need to attract Liu Qingsong, Jiang Ning could have easily killed Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng the moment they fell into the water.

Both were Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm cultivators.

He had the advantage of time and location, and his foundation was far deeper than theirs, not to mention the power of his divine weapon.

Achieving this was extremely easy.

However, Jiang Ning also knew that if the two died and their life force vanished, Liu Qingsong might sense their state once he entered the water.

Once Liu Qingsong noticed, he would have no reason to be led deeper into the Luo River.

Liu Qingsong must not be allowed to live.

After listening to the trio's conversation, Jiang Ning had already made this decision.

Because Liu Qingsong had already traced the matter back to him.

In this situation, if they investigated, they would undoubtedly discover the Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pill he had just refined within his body.

Once that pill was found, that would be real trouble.

This trouble wouldn't just come from Medicine King Valley but also from Huai'an Wang.

Those three Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pills were tribute from Medicine King Valley to Huai'an Wang.

To appropriate tribute was a crime he couldn't afford at this time.

So just now, Jiang Ning had made up his mind to ensure Liu Qingsong's demise here.

This person couldn't be allowed to live.

Liu Qingsong desperately chased after the blood-red serpent, feeling extremely anxious.

He had originally set out to capture Tian Buyi to make up for his crimes.

Now, with Tian Buyi not captured and the Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pill not retrieved, he had disgraced Medicine King Valley.

In this situation, if he, as their leader, caused the loss of two core members of the sect, Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, both Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm disciples, he would undoubtedly face punishment upon his return.

The lives of these two, Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm cultivators, were as important as a Tiger Pup Transformation Body Pill.

At this moment, as Liu Qingsong ventured deeper into the Luo River, his anxiety grew.

The longer the situation dragged on, the more difficult it became to ensure the safety of Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng's lives.

"Faster!" Liu Qingsong muttered to himself as he watched the crimson snake gradually closing in on them.

His heart was also filled with excitement.

This crimson snake could easily capture Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, two Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm martial artists.

In Liu Qingsong's eyes, it was undoubtedly a monster.

Such creatures were treasures to martial artists, and consuming them would greatly enhance their strength.

"Perhaps this is my opportunity to advance further, maybe even reaching the threshold of the Sixth Stage Martial Dao," he thought, his heart racing with excitement as he chased after the snake.

However, he was unaware that this so-called crimson snake was actually a manifestation of Jiang Ning's Water Control Technique, created from the blood that flowed from Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng's bodies.

It had taken form as a long snake, and both Jiang Ning and the two captives were hidden from Liu Qingsong's sight.

In the blink of an eye, several dozen breaths had passed.

At this moment, Liu Qingsong had already ventured hundreds of meters deep into the water.

The next moment, he reached out and grabbed Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng.

"Are they dead?"

The instant his hands touched their bodies, he made this judgment.

Just then, a dragon's roar reverberated from within the crimson snake.

A blade of light flashed, instantly cleaving the snake, leaving an indelible mark in Liu Qingsong's pupils.

His pupils contracted violently, and his eyes widened in shock.

He recognized the face behind the blade of light—it was Jiang Ning.

Simultaneously, Liu Qingsong felt the blade's force enveloping him, and he sensed an intense threat emanating from the strike.

This threat was so strong that he could almost smell death.

"How is this possible?!"

Seeing Jiang Ning before him, he was utterly shaken.

Jiang Ning, however, had already unleashed his full power.

This strike was his most powerful yet, and with the aid of the water, it seemed to have an even greater impact.

At the same time, Liu Qingsong quickly recovered from his brief shock.

He stared at the blade of light, now within arm's reach, his expression turning grave.

Even without the blade's force, the water hindered his ability to move as freely as he could on land.

In an instant, Liu Qingsong made his decision.

He would use his signature Finger Tip Marvel Technique.

With a flick of his finger, a small iron ball shot out from his index finger.

The iron ball created a ripple that spread across the water as it was fired.

Liu Qingsong began to retreat, attempting to create distance between himself and Jiang Ning.

The desire to escape now matched his earlier eagerness to reach the snake.

Clang!

The blade collided with the iron ball, creating a loud noise underwater.

Jiang Ning suddenly felt a terrifying force slam into his blade.

The power was so great that it numbed his hand.

"How terrifying!" he thought, startled.

Despite this, he continued his attack, the blade still aimed at Liu Qingsong.

The iron ball, fired by Liu Qingsong, had only momentarily blocked the blade before being sliced in two by its razor-sharp edge.

"Go!" Liu Qingsong exclaimed, firing another iron ball.

"Go!"

Three iron balls were fired in quick succession, creating a small cleared area in front of him.

At the Seventh Stage Martial Dao, one could temper the body's major tendons, allowing them to unleash their full strength with every movement, without the need for any specific techniques.

Any technique would be child's play to a martial artist of this level.

Upon reaching the peak of the Seventh Stage, one's inner strength would flow effortlessly, enabling them to transfer their power from one point to another instantaneously.

They could also concentrate their entire body's strength into a single point, even with a simple finger tap.

At this level, Liu Qingsong's iron balls, fired from his fingertips, were incredibly powerful.

To Jiang Ning, even the most primitive bullet would not be much stronger.

As Liu Qingsong continued to retreat, Jiang Ning maintained his relentless pursuit.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end