The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 686 - 387: Changes Arise Unexpectedly_2
This unexpected twist of fate was a blessing for the entirety of the Hidden Stream Sect, but regrettably, the Pharmacist had died abruptly. The prescription fell into the hands of Qingluan, who was in charge of the Alchemy Room and Medicine Garden, and she, following the command of Jiu Mo, one of the Hidden Stream’s two leaders, memorized the formula and then burned it.
As a result, she is now the only person in the entire Sect who knows the secret technique for cultivating the Dragon Elephant Fruit. However, considering how insular the Demon Sect is, how did this obscure Vice Sect Master gain access to a secret known by so few?
"That’s not important, is it?" Duanmu Yan chuckled, "The key point is that this trade is incredibly worthwhile. A few Dragon Elephant Fruit Seeds and the cultivation technique in exchange for a lifetime of freedom. And you can use this technique to rescue friends from within the Hidden Stream, to then experience the taste of freedom as you please. As a Bird Demon like yourself, could you refuse?"
"I cannot!" Qingluan’s reply brought a broad smile to Duanmu Yan’s face, but she immediately followed up with a fierce voice, "That’s why I want to have it both ways! You dimwit, do you really think you can negotiate terms with me inside this forest?"
This place is the Ba Snake Mountain Range, and the entire forest obeys the command of the Hidden Stream Sect. With the assistance of the Forest Guards, taking down this person should pose no problem.
She sent out several commands in succession.
And then?
After a long while, Duanmu Yan was still standing there, smiling even more radiantly, while Qingluan’s face darkened—the Forest Guards had no response to her commands. There was only one possibility for this! She was the Deputy to the Sect Master of the Hidden Stream, and in this forest, only two people had the authority to override her commands with the Forest Guards!
As expected, at this moment, a third figure leisurely emerged from within the woods. The man donned a blue robe, with high cheekbones and thick lips, and his brows were furrowed into a ’川’, exuding an aura of commanding presence without even trying. Now that he had revealed himself, he no longer restrained his aura, and his demonic power surged around him as if tangible. Ning Xiaoxian, who was ten-odd zhang away, felt it hard to breathe under such mighty pressure.
Qingluan gulped before asking in a dry voice, "Lord Langya?"
Duanmu Yan jeered, "This is what you get for not wanting to drink a toast, and insisting on suffering a forfeit!" Upon hearing this, Mou Tan, who had been standing beside Qingluan in a daze, suddenly had a flash of light in his eyes, and abruptly made a move on her!
His fingers were adorned with finger guards that looked like miniature daggers, sharp and darkened, clearly crafted from the claws of a Black-backed Eagle—his Life-bound Treasure. Yet now, they shimmered with a faint green light, probably poisoned in advance by Duanmu Yan. Mou Tan’s cultivation was originally just around Mid Wanxiang Stage, which couldn’t be compared with Qingluan at all. But his strike gathered all his essence and spirit with a desperate resolve, as though it were a meteor tearing through the sky, a night-blooming cereus exhaling its brief glory!
A hawk swooping for a rabbit, deadly fast in the moment it extends its claws—too early, and it grasps nothing; too late, and it crashes to the ground, body broken and wings snapped. Thus, the angle, force, and timing in that instant must be incredibly precise. Mou Tan’s strike was faster, fiercer, and more accurate than any hawk’s, and far more lethal!
Qingluan was standing right beside him, still on her guard. But who knew that after he was rescued by the mysterious person in gray, whether he meddled with something? The emergence of Langya, however, distracted her. As she turned her head, Mou Tan sprang into action!
Suddenly, green, blue, purple, and yellow lights flickered on Qingluan. Bird Demons are known for their magic and Divine Skills. It’s rare to see someone like Qi Zai, who recklessly engages in a direct fight. Counting the Gang Qi, her Protective Magic Shield had at least four layers, all triggered by Mou Tan’s attack, a sight to behold.
However, these layers of shields did not stop Mou Tan’s assault. The innate talent of the Black-backed Eagle had only one skill—Single Point Breakthrough, disregarding the opponent’s Protective Magic Shield!
That’s why the multicolored lights had just sprung up when they vanished like soap bubbles. Qingluan had now reacted, but her movements were not as agile as a beast’s. Just as she started to retreat, Mou Tan’s sharp finger guards had already pierced through, plunging deeply under her ribs, handle-deep!
This sharp pain instantly caused Qingluan to let out an agonizing scream!
Mou Tan’s finger guards were about a finger-length long. In her current human form, the attack not only created five bloody holes and tore her muscles but also broke two of her ribs, and even ruptured her spleen, liver, and gallbladder. Such excruciating pain is unbearable for humans, and even though she was a Great Demon with an incredible self-healing ability, that didn’t mean her pain receptors were less sensitive than a human’s.
And what of the poison on the weapon? Duanmu Yan laughed, "How does the poison taste? Not worse than Blood Boil, right? It took quite an effort to obtain Demon Spirit Powder, which will slowly devour your essence as long as you still wield demonic power."
Qingluan’s face paled, stumbling a few steps backwards against a big tree, where she slowly slid down to sit.
The moment she was injured, Qi Zai’s muscles tensed, scarcely restraining the urge to rush forward and shield her. But as soon as he gathered his energy, he found himself completely immobilized, as if bound by an invisible force!
It was Changtian who had anticipated this and used the power of the Blood Oath to seal all his actions, rendering him unable to even breathe or speak. Then he heard the indifferent voice of the Divine Monarch, "What’s the rush? The play is far from over." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), with Monthly Tickets or recommendation tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)
