Chapter 608: I Don't Want to Talk
Chapter 608: I Don't Want to Talk
"Do you truly wish to die?"
A faint voice, as if from the clouds, echoed in the vast land, its origin shrouded in mystery.
But within it, a chilling killing intent permeated, seeping into their very bones.
In an instant, the seven Jin Dan cultivators froze.
Even Huangpu Song, the highest-cultivation among them, couldn't help but feel his eyelids twitching uncontrollably in the face of this overwhelming killing intent.
"They say that Qingyangzi was the Qingyang Demon Lord who rose to prominence during the battle between the righteous and demonic paths. He has numerous hidden cards, acts domineeringly, and has almost no rivals among his peers. I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but this..."
"I fear that even if we join forces, we'll only repeat the mistakes of the past, like Cold Light."
"Fellow cultivator, don't let others intimidate you and dampen your spirit. After all, he's just a lone man, while we have seven Jin Dan cultivators on our side!"
"Is that really a sure thing?"
As a loose cultivator organization, the Wanxian Assembly didn't really care much about the lives of its members.
Even when conflicts arose in the Fuyun Mountains, the Yuan Ying cultivators rarely paid attention. In their eyes, these were mere ants.
Who would care about an ant fight? But if it became too disruptive, affecting the Wanxian Assembly's Ling Land, then it would be worth looking into.
Even if the Yuan Ying cultivators didn't intervene, the Hunt Demon Bureau would hold them accountable.
Seeing his subordinates hesitating, Huangpu Song realized that he might have to take matters into his own hands.
"Fine, these people are here for profit, and the forces they've gathered lack cohesion."
"If we can get through this battle, it might boost their confidence, and it'll be easier to command them later."
Huangpu Song took a deep breath and said, "Old Gui, I'm counting on you."
He was asking his two loyal old subordinates to take the lead.
Old Gui didn't find this surprising and stepped forward.
With a signal from his companion, Ye Lao, he flew towards a specific location.
That was one of the places Ye Lao had briefly deduced as a possible hiding spot for the source of that voice.
"You cowardly lot, how dare you threaten us!"
Old Gui shouted sharply, and with a wave of his palm, he unleashed a powerful strike.
Before the palm wind could reach his face, a piercing whistle filled the air.
Ripples appeared in the void.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind burst forth.
Boom!
The collision created fragments of white clouds, giving the sky a shattered appearance.
A charming figure appeared before everyone's eyes, her eyebrows sharp and her demeanor defiant.
She shouted, and between her hands, a banana fan materialized.
It grew from small to large, until she grasped the fan's handle and swung it forcefully.
The wind raged again, even more ferocious than before.
"A high-grade Fa Qi!"
With just a glance, Old Gui discerned the high rank of the banana fan, far beyond ordinary Fa Qi.
Without hesitation, he unleashed his own attack.
His right hand trembled, and countless white lights pierced the air, piercing through the wind and immobilizing the attacker.
After a brief stalemate, the white lights revealed their true form.
They were countless crystalline white threads.
When the threads gathered together, they formed a whisk.
The woman frowned, and with another wave of the banana fan, she created several whirlwinds that surrounded Old Gui.
Not stopping there, she transformed into an arrow and charged forward.
Facing the woman's attack, Old Gui smiled sinisterly.
He shook his wrist, and the threads retracted, returning to their soft whisk form.
He brandished the whisk, and white lights shot towards the whirlwinds, while he himself rushed towards the woman, his whisk now rigid like a long sword.
Not far away, Huangpu Song watched this scene, his eyebrows furrowing, then relaxing as he understood.
"It's that woman named Tianxuan who has been serving Qingyangzi all these years. I thought she was just an ordinary servant, but I didn't expect her to have such cultivation."
"Don't worry, Master. Although Old Gui's Fa Qi is inferior to hers, his cultivation is at the middle Jin Dan stage, a level higher than hers. He can suppress her for a short time, and after a hundred or so exchanges, he'll gain the upper hand." Ye Lao explained.
Huangpu Song nodded and shifted his gaze from the battle.
"Qingyangzi is hiding and delaying, eroding our morale the longer it drags on. It doesn't look good to outsiders either. Ye Lao, it seems you'll have to step in and force him out."
Ye Lao understood.
"Alright, since that's the case, let me show you my skills!"
The black-robed old man stepped forward, attracting everyone's attention.
He walked on air, his feet stepping on the numbers of the Eight Trigrams, swiftly covering hundreds of steps in the void.
Moreover, he held a star plate in one hand and formed Ling Jue with the other, scattering starlight that seemed to form a silver-gray path.
The path grew brighter, leading to a specific location.
Ye Lao stopped and turned to Huangpu Song.
"Master, I've found him!"
Breaking the formation was beyond Ye Lao's abilities, but finding an enemy hidden by a formation was something he could manage.
Before Huangpu Song could respond, he saw the look of astonishment in the enemy's eyes.
"Not good!" Elder Ye's heart skipped a beat, and without turning back, he slapped the star plate in his hand.
Instantly, layers of silver light burst forth, enveloping him completely.
The next moment, a huge unicorn dragon head suddenly appeared.
Under the gaze of the crowd, it opened its hideous mouth.
The blood basin-like mouth emitted a pungent smell, and a terrifying devouring force suddenly spread in all directions.
Countless silver lights, under the devouring force, rushed towards him.
This scene was like a ferocious dragon swallowing the Milky Way.
...
On Lianya Island.
A little girl who had just come down from Zhang Jiadi's body suddenly raised her hand and pointed to the sky.
"Father, look! I told you there was a dragon in the lake, I wasn't lying to you!"
Zhang Jiadi looked at this scene in a daze. He had known for a long time that his daughter hadn't lied to him.
But who could have known that the black flood dragon was so powerful, that it could render a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator helpless with its strength alone.
Even from the scene, the black-robed elder was barely able to support himself, and couldn't spare any more hands to attack the opponent.
However, this wasn't the time to dwell on such matters.
He ordered his servants to carry his daughter away and then issued commands.
"Everyone, follow me!"
The others were astonished. In such a great battle, what role could they possibly play?
But under Zhang Jiadi's firm command, the Zhang family cultivators had no choice but to follow their patriarch onto a large boat and head towards the depths of Penghu.
...
The battle on Penghu Island intensified.
The powerful fluctuations of Fa energy made it difficult for Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators to witness the true intensity of the battle.
However, some Golden Core cultivators displayed their abilities, trying their best to observe the battle.
Up in the Nine Heavens, two figures sat in the clouds.
One of them had grayish-white hair and beard, holding a gourd, taking occasional sips, and his eyes carried a playful and mocking expression as if watching a show.
The other figure had a graceful body, plump and voluptuous, wearing a purple Daoist robe that covered her enchanting figure. Her still-charming face carried a hint of helplessness.
"Old Fisherman, if it weren't for your initial decision to rent out Penghu to the Qingyang Demon Lord without consulting me, we wouldn't be in this predicament."
Old Fisherman chuckled, "What do you mean by 'initial decision'? These land veins and caves are not our assets. As long as someone can afford the rent, they can rent them."
The Purple Empress shook her head, "You know that's not what I mean."
There was an unspoken understanding between them, as it should be.
Old Fisherman pouted, "I don't know what you're thinking about. Initially, you were the Great Zhou Empress, but it was clear that you were just a puppet on the surface. Now that the Great Zhou is gone, you have gained freedom. Why bother getting involved and supporting Huangfu Song, that boy?"
In his words, Huangfu Song, a fellow late-stage Golden Core cultivator, seemed insignificant.
The Purple Empress sighed, "Although Song'er's temperament is not good, his talent is excellent. Given our connection, I must lend him a hand."
"No matter what you think, but since you and I have become one of the three main leaders of the Demon Hunt Bureau, we are no longer ordinary solitary cultivators. It's best not to interfere in the battles of the people below."
Old Fisherman's expression turned solemn as he spoke these words.
The Purple Empress coldly snorted, "Do you think that the Qingyang Demon Lord can really stop Song'er and his group?"
"With the title of Demon Lord, regardless of how exaggerated the rumors are, he must have some abilities." Old Fisherman recalled the few brief encounters he had with Luo Chen, and his heart felt reassured.
Finally, he added with a hint of disdain, "Apart from the two old ministers under Huangfu Song, the other Golden Core cultivators he recruited are, in my opinion, not worth mentioning."
Just as the Purple Empress was about to refute, her expression suddenly changed.
A deafening dragon's roar reverberated through the air.
She and Old Fisherman focused their attention, and they saw half of a massive black body protruding from the lake surface.
"Black-Scaled Giant Python?"
"No, it's a transformed flood dragon." Old Fisherman blurted out, but then realized something was amiss.
On the exposed abdomen of the black-scaled dragon, there were mysterious patterns, one circle after another, resembling vines or silk.
These patterns seemed to only appear on the legendary Wild Beast, the Cliff Snake.
Nevertheless, the appearance of this flood dragon completely disrupted everyone's judgment.
Old Fisherman's eyes lit up with amazement, "Where is this Qingyangzi a lonely person? With Golden Core servant girls by his side and a demonic beast pet comparable to a Golden Core sixth-layer, his formation is unparalleled. Even the true disciples of the upper sects might not be able to match this. Perhaps only the true disciples from the Sacred Lands, who travel the world, could have such a setup!"
At this moment, the Purple Empress's expression was somewhat forced.
Sacred Lands' true disciples?
She had come into contact with such people.
Without relying on the reputation of the Sacred Lands, they might be able to attract a group of followers with their own charm.
But to make Golden Core cultivators serve as slaves was still quite difficult.
Only those true disciples who were also exceptionally talented would have enough resources invested in them by their elders.
From magical treasures and pills to transportation and spirit pets, every aspect far surpassed ordinary Golden Core cultivators.
At this moment, it seemed that the Qingyang Demon Lord was almost indistinguishable from the great true disciples of the Sacred Lands.
She couldn't help but ask, "Old Fisherman, are you sure there was no oversight during the screening when this person joined? Are you certain he's not a remnant of the Demon Origin Sect?"
The Old Fisherman gave her a sidelong glance.
"Do you really think the identification treasures bestowed by the three Great Hermits are just for show?"
His words implied that this person was definitely not a cultivator from the Demon Origin Sect.
But for someone who wasn't a direct disciple of a Sacred Land to be able to subdue a Demon King whose cultivation was higher than his own, it was indeed somewhat unbelievable.
Especially since he was a lone cultivator!
...
The two eighth-rank monster hunters were shocked, let alone Huangfu Song, who was directly involved.
As he watched Elder Ye struggling under the terrifying devouring power, he hurriedly spoke to the four cultivators behind him.
"Are you not going to help?"
The four hesitated.
Just then, a streak of light descended upon the battlefield.
"Gentlemen, is it not unethical to gang up on one person?"
Seeing the newcomer, Huangfu Song's eyebrows furrowed.
"Who are you?"
"I am Duanli, a friend of Qingyangzi." Duanli's expression was tense, but his demeanor remained graceful.
Initially, Luo Chen had guided him to choose a good cave mansion.
Out of gratitude, he should stand up and speak for him.
Especially after Luo Chen had demonstrated his increasingly powerful strength, Duanli's confidence had grown.
Perhaps he couldn't help in times of need, but he could certainly add to his success.
After Duanli's appearance, the four Golden Core cultivators recognized him.
"It's the Duan family's heir from Huanrui Island!"
"Rumor has it that he possesses a powerful flower basket treasure that can't be matched by ordinary artifacts."
"If he uses this treasure, we early-stage Golden Core cultivators won't be able to defeat him for a while."
Hearing the whispers of the cultivators behind him, Huangfu Song became increasingly agitated.
A group of indecisive people!
Forget it, he couldn't spare the time to guard against Qingyangzi in the shadows.
He had to save Elder Ye first!
Elder Ye's temporary combat abilities weren't strong, as an array master, he was better at fighting when well-prepared.
Such a talented person was favored by any major power, who would be willing to let him die in a frontal battle?
Huangfu Song's face turned stern.
"Get out of the way!"
Along with his words, he unleashed a purple sword Qi with his fingers like a sword.
The sword Qi came swiftly, so fast that it was almost impossible to react.
Duanli's condition had not fully recovered to its peak over the years, and his manipulation of spiritual power was slightly sluggish.
Fear filled his eyes, and a hint of regret surfaced.
He hadn't been invited, and he had taken the initiative to help, was he being too reckless?
If he died here, how would he avenge his family's grudge?
In just a moment, the purple sword Qi was about to reach three zhang in front of Duanli.
Just then, rings of fire suddenly appeared in the void.
The sword Qi tore through the fire rings, piercing through them.
But its speed eventually slowed down.
Duanli finally had time to react and quickly used his self-protection techniques, barely blocking the weakened sword Qi.
"To treat my friend like this, if you come, I must reciprocate. Take this!"
In the void, a giant green palm appeared, seemingly covering the sky and blocking out the sun.
It descended with overwhelming force, and wherever it passed, green flames danced, and even space seemed distorted.
Huangfu Song was shocked, and he continuously cast defensive spells, but they all crumbled under the palm strike.
In the end, a ray of light flashed on his body, dissipating the attack.
The Great Qingyang Palm!
According to rumors, this was Qingyang Demon Lord's signature attack technique.
Under this move, those with low cultivation would either die or be injured.
Even those of the same cultivation level would find it hard to resist.
Even a powerful late-stage Golden Core cultivator like Huangfu Song almost couldn't withstand this strike.
Obviously, the last purple light was not his own ability but more like a protective technique bestowed by a senior to a junior.
"Stop this!"
A faint voice rang out.
In an instant, the raging wind subsided, and the suction force diminished.
The Black Dragon retreated into the great marsh, and Tianxuan flew away, landing beside Duanli.
In front of them stood a red-robed Daoist, tall and straight, with narrowed eyes gazing at the several people ahead.
Huangfu Song's face alternated between anger and calm as he glanced at the few people behind him.
There was the furious Gui Gong, the relieved Elder Ye after the crisis, and the few Golden Core cultivators who didn't contribute much.
Finally, he adjusted his mindset and looked at the red-robed Daoist.
"Qingyang Demon Lord, I think we can talk."
Luo Chen's expression turned cold. "Now you want to talk?"
"It's you who didn't give me a chance. I sent a visiting card."
"Not replying to your visiting card means I don't want to talk."
"You!"
Huangfu Song was furious, pointing at Luo Chen.
Luo Chen narrowed his eyes, and spiritual pressure spread from his side, like a tide, growing stronger.
"What about me?"
"Could it be that you really want to fight me?"
"Then are you prepared for a life-and-death battle?"
(End of Chapter)
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