Chapter 429: Corpse Blood Elixir
Chapter 429: Corpse Blood Elixir
Si Tu Fang, accompanied by the executives of the Dao Ting Si, rushed into the back courtyard of the Hundred Flowers Tower.
Moments later, spiritual energy overflowed, and the sounds of battle, startled cries, and shouts mixed with the crushing of buildings.
Mo Hua was curious and, after some thought, said to Qing Lan, "Find a place to hide, and don't come out no matter what."
Qing Lan nodded nervously.
Mo Hua and the other two then used their agility techniques to reach the second floor and looked towards the back courtyard through the windows.
The Hundred Flowers Tower was divided into two buildings, front and back, with a courtyard in between.
The front building served as the front hall, used for banquets and entertainment with female cultivators performing songs and dances. The rear building was a wing room, operating as a brothel.
In the center of the rear building was a courtyard filled with mountains, waters, and a profusion of flowers.
The courtyard was spacious and picturesque.
Right behind the courtyard was the rear building, surrounded on three sides by tall buildings.
The corridors of the tall buildings were connected, and the wing rooms were exquisite, with large red lanterns and pink curtains hanging in the corridors, exuding a heavy scent of powder and fragrance.
Various formations were laid out in the corridors, including reinforcing, soundproofing, dust-revealing, and illuminating ones.
The soft pink lighting bathed the entire rear courtyard and buildings in a romantic and elegant glow.
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a little unhappy.
In the mines, the formations drawn by the cultivators were crude and simplistic, reflecting the harsh and life-threatening conditions they endured.
Yet here, in a place dedicated to pleasure and indulgence, the formations were so comprehensive and well-prepared.
It was even more frustrating to see that formations were used to enhance the atmosphere and set the mood.
It was truly excessive.
Suddenly, a surge of spiritual energy rippled through the air, shattering bricks and stones, and sending wood chips flying.
Mo Hua followed the sound and saw that on the second floor in the distance, the doors and windows of a room had been completely shattered, and the formations on both sides had been destroyed.
In the corridor, two Foundation Establishment cultivators were engaged in battle.
One wore dark clothing, while the other was clad in gray.
The dark-clad cultivator was the Si Tu family's Foundation Establishment elder, named Si Tu Jin.
As for the gray-clad cultivator with a concealed face, his aura was ominous and foreboding, and he was most likely the person Mo Hua was looking for—the mastermind behind the corpse-buying in the mine.
Si Tu Fang and the executives from the South Yue City Dao Ting Si guarded the surroundings, preventing the gray-clad cultivator from escaping.
Although they were only Qi Refining cultivators and couldn't match the might of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, by forming an array, they could hold off the enemy for a moment or exchange a few blows.
The Dao Ting Si cultivators stood ready.
In the corridor, Si Tu Jin and the gray-clad cultivator clashed repeatedly.
Mo Hua watched for a while, furrowing his brows.
Bai Zi Sheng whispered, "This gray-clad cultivator seems a bit incompetent..."
Mo Hua nodded involuntarily, "Yes, quite incompetent..."
He looked sinister, and his spiritual energy was dark and insidious, but his cultivation was truly weak. Even among ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, he would be at the bottom.
In Mo Hua's experience, this gray-clad cultivator was the weakest Foundation Establishment cultivator he had ever seen.
Even the elderly Zhou Zhang Si from Tong Xian City and An Laoye, who wasn't proficient in Daoist techniques, would be stronger in a fight.
This gray-clad cultivator was a body cultivator, but his qi and blood weren't robust, and the martial arts he knew were commonplace and unremarkable.
Additionally, he seemed to have learned a trick or two of sorcery.
It appeared to be earth poison sorcery, but he obviously wasn't a spiritual cultivator. This sorcery might be effective against Qi Refining cultivators, but against an opponent of the same stage, it was insufficient.
From head to toe, this gray-clad cultivator exuded an air of mediocrity and incompleteness.
Mo Hua's frown deepened.
How could he be so weak? Even Mo Hua was starting to feel embarrassed for him.
The situation in the field reflected this as well. Si Tu Jin's palm strikes were like the wind, constantly pressing and dominating the gray-clad cultivator.
The gray-clad cultivator struggled to hold his ground, barely managing to keep up.
He wanted to escape, but the executives of the Dao Ting Si blocked his way. Each time he tried to break through, he would be delayed for a moment before being entangled by Si Tu Jin again.
After several dozen exchanges, the gray-clad cultivator was on the verge of defeat. He leaped from the building and landed in the garden below. A gray light flashed around him, and he disappeared without a trace.
Si Tu Jin landed on the ground and frowned as he scanned the surroundings.
Mo Hua was also surprised and turned to ask, "What kind of Daoist technique is this?"
Bai Zi Sheng hesitated, "This is... a evasion technique?"
Bai Zi Xi nodded, "It's an earth-style evasion technique among the Five Elements evasion techniques."
"Evasion technique?" Mo Hua blinked.
Bai Zi Xi explained, "Evasion techniques are actually a type of body art specifically used for escaping. When activated, spiritual energy envelops the body and merges with the five elements of heaven and earth, allowing one to conceal their aura and flee."
The gray-clad cultivator only used the earth evasion technique at the end to avoid exposing his trump card.
Once others were aware of this evasion technique, they would be more cautious and vigilant, making it harder for him to employ in the future.
Mo Hua understood and praised sincerely, "Little Sister, you know so much!"
"It's quite simple.
Mo Hua replied with displeasure, "I'm just stating the truth. How is that flattering? Besides, why wouldn't I flatter you? It's only because you don't know."
Bail Zi Sheng had no response to that.
When it came to knowledge about cultivation, he had to admit that his little sister Bail Zi Xi was more knowledgeable than him.
And it wasn't just cultivation knowledge; she seemed to excel in many other areas as well...
Bail Zi Sheng decided to drop the topic and instead, frowned as he asked, "Now that he's used an evasion technique, will he be able to get away?"
Mo Hua smiled and said, "He won't be able to escape."
The gray-robed cultivator's spiritual sense was only at the level of ten strands.
Whereas Mo Hua's spiritual sense had reached twelve strands!
Mo Hua's expression turned solemn as he closed his eyes, focusing his entire being on releasing his spiritual sense to its utmost extent.
In the blank spiritual sense vision, he searched for the gray-robed cultivator's trace.
A moment later, Mo Hua opened his eyes and channeled his qi, forming a fireball at his fingertip.
With a flick of his hand, the fireball flew towards the garden, exploding on a patch of grass and turning it into ashes.
As the grass turned to ash, a black face was revealed on the charred ground.
The gray-robed cultivator looked bewildered.
Confused about where the fireball came from and how it had hit him, the fireball attack had also caught Si Tu Jin's attention.
He too discovered the gray-robed cultivator's trail.
Si Tu Jin, who had been searching fruitlessly, felt a surge of excitement and channeled his spiritual power, sending a palm strike towards the gray-robed cultivator.
Caught off guard, the gray-robed cultivator was hit by the strike, his disguise shattered, revealing tattered clothes and a face covered in black ash.
Although Mo Hua's fireball technique was powerful, it didn't cause much damage to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage; it only made him look a bit disheveled.
Cursing, the gray-robed cultivator took a few steps back and then pounced towards the ground, vanishing from sight.
Si Tu Jin furrowed his brows, frustrated that he had lost his target again.
But at that moment, another swift fireball flew through the air, landing in the garden and exploding a tree, forcing the gray-robed cultivator to reveal himself once more.
Si Tu Jin was taken aback and looked up at Mo Hua, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.
This young cultivator had actually seen through the earth-style evasion technique? Even he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, couldn't detect the gray-robed cultivator's trail.
How had this young man done it?
However, there was no time for wonderment.
Si Tu Jin immediately used his body art to rush forward, attacking the gray-robed cultivator.
Forced to reveal himself again, the gray-robed cultivator looked up and saw Mo Hua on the second floor.
Filled with anger and shock, he shouted, "Damn brat, ruining my plans! I'll kill you..."
Before he could finish his threat, Si Tu Jin interrupted him with a palm strike.
"Die, thief!" Si Tu Jin's voice was cold as he sent his palm strike towards the gray-robed cultivator.
The gray-robed cultivator barely managed to block the strike, continuously retreating and spitting out mouthfuls of blood. He quickly took out a pill and swallowed it, stabilizing his qi before once again using his evasion technique to disappear from sight.
However, time and again, he was forced out of hiding by the fireball technique.
Si Tu Jin had also caught on and stopped searching on his own, simply following the fireballs' lead and attacking wherever they landed.
Like a mole, the gray-robed cultivator kept getting flushed out of hiding, only to be forced back underground, a frustrating and humiliating experience.
He felt like spitting blood from frustration.
What was this brat's deal?
How was he able to see through his evasion technique?
After being hit by a few more fireballs, the gray-robed cultivator finally realized what was happening.
It was spiritual sense!
He had been locked on by this brat's spiritual sense?!
The gray-robed cultivator found it unbelievable.
How could he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, be locked on by a mere Qi Refining cultivator's spiritual sense?
Before he had time to be shocked, he was only left with a moment of surprise and a brief lapse in attention before another fireball slammed into his face.
The gray-robed cultivator's face was filled with excruciating pain, and he felt an itching desire to bite back.
Damn it, this brat's attacks were becoming more and more accurate...
If this continued, he would be finished.
At the same time, Si Tu Jin sent another palm strike, this one landing on the gray-robed cultivator's left shoulder. The wind from the strike tore his clothes and pulled off the black scarf that had been covering his face.
Underneath the scarf was a cold, pale face devoid of any blood color.
Filled with rage, the gray-robed cultivator shouted hoarsely, "You're all asking to die!"
He then took out a bronze pill bottle with a strange appearance and blood patterns. He forcefully poured the pill into his mouth.
"Not good!"
The moment the gray-robed cultivator took out the pill bottle, Si Tu Jin knew something was amiss and immediately struck out with his palm.
Although he didn't know what kind of pill it was, he knew he couldn't let the gray-robed cultivator consume it.
Si Tu Jin's palm strike hit the gray-robed cultivator's chest, tearing through flesh, but he was unable to stop the cultivator from swallowing the blood-red pill.
Si Tu Jin's expression was grave, and he dared not act rashly, maintaining a cautious stance.
Suddenly, the stillness was broken. The gray-robed cultivator's body began to twitch erratically, his limbs contorting and twisting. His body swelled, veins bulging, until he stood upright in a bizarre posture.
His skin turned an ashen gray, his body robust, and his eyes showed only the whites, resembling a lifeless corpse emanating a deathly aura.
Si Tu Jin inhaled sharply, startled by the transformation.
The executives of the Dao Ting Si were equally shocked and horrified by the sight.
Without warning, the gray-robed cultivator, now resembling a corpse, took a step forward and threw a punch at Si Tu Jin's chest.
Mustering all his strength, Si Tu Jin countered the punch with his palm strike.
The clash of their Ki-Refining spiritual powers caused the surrounding plants, rocks, and mountains to disintegrate into powder.
Overpowered by the gray-robed cultivator, Si Tu Jin was forced back seven or eight steps, eventually falling to his knees and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The gray-robed cultivator was about to pursue his advantage and press the attack, when suddenly a Fireball spell appeared out of thin air and struck him on the back of his head.
Spiritual energy exploded, causing him to stumble.
Although the attack wasn't particularly powerful, it was humiliating.
The gray-robed cultivator slowly turned his head, his lifeless gaze fixing on the figure above.
Mo Hua, standing on the second floor, made a ghoulish face at him.
This action nearly drove the gray-robed cultivator, already resembling a corpse, into a fit of rage.
In that moment, the gray-robed cultivator had but a single thought.
No matter what, he would kill that brat!
Abandoning Si Tu Jin, he took large strides toward Mo Hua.
Si Tu Fang was alarmed and tried to stop him, but he was knocked away with a single punch.
The other Qi Refining executives were no match for him either.
The gray-robed cultivator reached Mo Hua's position.
Mo Hua stood on the second floor, looking down at him.
The gray-robed cultivator's ashen face twisted with a strange roar, and he leaped up to the second floor.
Bai Zi Sheng's eyes turned cold, and he stepped forward. His hands crossed and gripped, summoning a silver-white spear that shimmered with golden light. With lightning-fast movements, he lunged at the gray-robed cultivator, who seemed like a lifeless corpse.
The gray-robed cultivator's skin was ashen gray, his veins bulging. His body was nearly impervious to blades and guns, and his physical strength alone allowed him to withstand the impact of Bai Zi Sheng's spear.
Although Bai Zi Sheng's spear failed to pierce his flesh, it did little else to harm him.
Despite his fierce momentum, he was at a disadvantage.
After all, no matter how high his talent was, he was still only at the Qi Refining stage.
Just then, Bai Zi Xi's eyes, like translucent glass, sparkled with light. The tip of her finger condensed a sword radiance, igniting a snowy white flame.
With a graceful gesture, she unleashed several sword beams, their chill cutting through the gray-robed cultivator's flesh, and the white flames searing his wounds.
The gray-robed cultivator cried out in pain, his voice sounding inhuman and strange.
But that was all.
The golden light healed his broken flesh, and the white flames gradually died out, leaving only a few scorch marks.
The gray-robed cultivator's face twisted with rage, but his heart trembled with shock.
Who were these two young cultivators? Even after consuming the Corpse Blood Elixir, his cultivation had greatly increased, and his body had become like an iron corpse, impervious to blades and spears.
Yet, despite being only at the Qi Refining stage, they dared to face him alone and even managed to break his physical defense with their spells?
The gray-robed cultivator's heart chilled.
He knew he couldn't afford to drag out the fight. Once the effects of the Corpse Blood Elixir wore off, he would suffer backlash, and that would be problematic.
He decided to kill that brat to vent his anger and then make a swift escape!
Having made up his mind, the gray-robed cultivator scanned his surroundings. Suddenly, his face, resembling a lifeless corpse, wore a bewildered expression...
Where was that brat? Why couldn't he see him?
Had he turned invisible? The gray-robed cultivator widened his lifeless eyes, searching for his target.
He released his spiritual sense but couldn't detect any traces...
Rage surged within the gray-robed cultivator.
That brat...
He had seen through his evasion technique, ambushed him, humiliated him, mocked him with a ghoulish face, and now he couldn't even find the brat's shadow...
Not being able to see his target was like punching cotton.
And he hadn't even managed to hit the cotton.
Time was running out, and the effects of the elixir would soon fade.
The gray-robed cultivator seethed with anger, his entire body trembling with fury. He gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse as he roared:
"Come out!"
"Show yourself!"
His helpless rage was laced with frustration.
(End of Chapter)
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