by Fiery Moon
…..
In the stone room that Xiao Chen was in.
A horrifying electrical current shot out from the Thunder Roc on that embroidered box, hitting and catching Xiao Chen off guard. The electricity traveled through his fingertips into his body, the devastating energy frantically filling his meridians without any restraint. The Essence in his body attempted to resist the invasion of this lightning but it immediately dissipated when they came into contact.
The horrifying energy traveled up Xiao Chen’s arms through his meridians, rapidly heading toward the Dantian. Xiao Chen was startled…
Chapter 11: Bitter Encounter, Enemies Meeting Face to Face
His Martial Spirit had just been formed. If this terrifying bolt of lightning were to strike his Martial Spirit, something he had condensed with great difficulty might be smashed to pieces. He might truly turn into trash forever.
However, all of a sudden, something strange occurred. The Azure Dragon in his Dantian opened its mouth wide and swallowed up the lightning that was rampaging about within his meridians. The lightning rumbled ceaselessly around the dragon but the Azure Dragon Martial Spirit did not sustain any injuries at all.
This scene gave Xiao Chen a strange feeling. Could his cultivation of the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation have caused a mutation in the Azure Dragon Martial Spirit that allowed it to absorb electricity?
“Cousin Xiao Chen, are you alright?” Xiao Yulan asked worriedly. She felt guilty as this might not have happened had she warned him earlier.
The electrical energy within his body began to disperse, leaving behind injured meridians that thankfully hadn't sustained any major damage. Xiao Chen could repair them in a short period of time. “I’m fine... The lightning may have seemed frightening, but it did not contain much energy. Cousin Yulan, you don’t have to worry.”
Xiao Yulan did not seem to believe him. She held Xiao Chen’s wrist to check his meridians, heaving a relieved breath shortly after. However, she felt suspicious. The lightning did not seem as simple as Xiao Chen had described it but she would be unable to find an answer anytime soon.
Xiao Chen smiled: “Cousin, don’t think too much, let’s see what’s in this embroidered box.”
Xiao Yulan put down the suspicions in her heart and took out the item inside the box. She spoke only after looking at it for a while. “This is a Superior Grade Yellow Ranked Martial Technique. It’s a pity that it is lightning-attributed.”
A lightning-attributed Superior Grade Yellow Ranked Martial Technique, of all things—this was pretty much a treasure that was delivered to his hands on a silver platter. He had just condensed his Martial Spirit and had not practiced any Martial Techniques yet. The main attribute of his Azure Dragon Martial Spirit was that of wood but after cultivating the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation, this Azure Dragon seemed to have gained some lightning attributes.
“Cousin, can you give me this Martial Technique to practice?” Xiao Chen asked.
Xiao Yulan nodded her head in response: “I intended to give this to you. It's just that... this Martial Technique is lightning-attributed whereas your Martial Spirit is fire-attributed, so its power might decrease.”
Xiao Chen received the Martial Technique Secret Manual and smiled: “That’s not a problem, I still have not learned any Martial Techniques. If I can learn it, then it’d help me a lot.”
Superior Grade Yellow Ranked Martial Technique, Divine Thunder Break. After successfully training in it, one could release a blast of electrical energy. Xiao Chen circulated his Essence according to the Martial Technique Manual, and an electrical energy gathered onto his right hand. He was very content with this technique. He hurriedly stopped training it, for this was not the time to test it out.
“Cousin Yulan, should we return or proceed forward?” Xiao Chen asked. He had already obtained a Superior Grade Yellow Ranked Martial Technique and was satisfied. If they continued on, they might run into some other dangers.
Xiao Yulan ignored Xiao Chen’s statement and continued to search around every corner of the four walls. After a while, she spoke up: “Looks like we have to go back. After searching for such a long time, I am still unable to find the secret passage out of this stone room.”
This aligned with Xiao Chen’s original intentions. He put away the Martial Technique Manual in a safe place and smiled. “Let’s go, this place is very strange. Let's not wait for anything to happen.”
Yet, when Xiao Chen finished talking, the stone table in the stone room started to move, slowly turning in an anticlockwise motion. Xiao Yulan gripped her sword and alertly watched the table turn. When the table stopped, the stone wall on the right side suddenly revealed a stone door.
Xiao Chen wanted to slap himself. Right when he said that this place was strange, this strange thing occurred. Xiao Yulan lit up her firestarter and threw it forward. She discovered that aside from a tunnel, there was nothing else. After hesitating for a while, Xiao Yulan slowly followed the tunnel and descended, leaving Xiao Chen with no other choice than to follow her.
“Hey! Cousin, why did you follow me down? Didn’t you say that you didn’t want to go?” Xiao Yulan gently smiled.
Xiao Chen scratched his head. “I followed you to take a look and the road down is not blocked, so it should be simple to turn back and return.”
“Rumble……!”
As though it was answering Xiao Chen’s words, the hole behind them was sealed shut. It almost drove him mad the instant it happened—it was as if it closed in spite of his words!
Seeing Xiao Chen’s depressed visage, Xiao Yulan found it funny, “Alright, since the road is sealed shut now, you can’t turn back either.”
Xiao Chen smiled bitterly: “Let’s hope that there is an exit ahead.”
They traveled in silence. After a certain distance, their field of vision abruptly widened, and a huge stone platform appeared in front of their eyes.
The Moonstone pillar in the middle of the stone platform immediately caught their attention. From the memories of this body, Xiao Chen could imagine the immense value of this Moonstone. However, they soon noticed the Zhang Clan members behind a thin yellow barrier.
Xiao Chen’s appearance caused the person in blue to become anxious. At this moment, the hole in the thin yellow barrier was only the size of half a person while the two new appearances were already well within barrier. While a regular person would not be able to squeeze out, he could not help but feel apprehensive.
“Elder Zhang, quickly go in, the cultivation of those two are at most Martial Master. We absolutely cannot let them snatch away the Spirit Weapon on the Moonstone.”
Elder Zhang knew that the matter was urgent. He took two steps back and ferociously jumped forward, like a carp leaping above water. His body athletically went through the hole that was about the size of a wash basin. After he landed, he somersaulted and immediately stood up.
The cultivation of Elder Zhang had already reached the peak of Martial Grand Master long ago. A Martial Grand Master had the capability to easily kill dozens of Martial Masters. And with Elder Zhang’s peak Martial Grand Master cultivation, killing the two would be very simple.
Elder Zhang slowly walked over and clearly saw their appearances, smiling. “I was wondering who it was. So it is the Second Young Master of the Xiao Clan and the daughter of the Xiao Clan’s First Elder.
Xiao Yulan stepped forward and gave a preemptive explanation: “We are not interested in snatching away this Moonstone, we merely got trapped when we entered. Since you are aware of our identities, please let us go.”
Xiao Chen perspired heavily—this cousin of his indeed had a strong cultivation, but her brain seemed to have short-circuited. The Xiao Clan and Zhang Clan had been enemies for a long time. Furthermore, if he killed the both of them here, the rest of the world would be none the wiser. Even without the Moonstone, this Elder Zhang would not have let them go.
Indeed, Elder Zhang just laughed alou
d: “Little girl, you are so naive. you think that I…… You actually dared to sneak attack me? How foolish!”
Chapter 12: Dangerous Battle
Halfway through his chiding remark, Elder Zhang sensed something dangerous. A red flower the size of a person had risen up behind him unnoticed, and its color was incomparably beautiful with countless pollen falling gently from the petals.
The toxic plant, Poinsettia!
Xiao Yulan’s Martial Spirit was actually the Poinsettia, which was one of the five deadly poisonous plants. If an attack of it drew blood, that attack would be a fatal strike. Its pollen could affect the nerves, effectively paralyzing someone without any signs and causing their battle prowess to significantly decrease. If the poisoned individual had an open wound and the pollen entered said gap, the poisoned individual would likely die within ten breaths.
Xiao Chen did not expect Xiao Yulan’s Martial Spirit to be the Poinsettia, nor did he anticipate for her to have schemed so deeply. No one would have thought that a Martial Master would make the first move against a peak Martial Grand Master. Furthermore, this Martial Master looked like a sweet little girl.
A cultivator was at their weakest in the period of time when the Martial Spirit had left their body. When Xiao Chen saw that red flower crop up all of a sudden, he immediately understood what to do and made the first move as well.
A purple flame condensed with a flicker on his palm. Circulating Essence to his legs, Xiao Chen bent his legs and abruptly dashed forward, generating a break wind sound as he tore through the air. Attempting to strike Elder Zhang with his palm.
In the instant the pollen invaded his body, Elder Zhang sought to kill Xiao Yulan first before she had the chance to activate Poinsettia’s poisonous nature. He may have appeared to be cornered in that position, but when he saw Xiao Chen flying over, the corners of his mouth curled up to reveal a cold smile. This brat was merely a junior in the Martial Disciple Realm, yet he dared to take action against him.
He split apart a portion of the Essence that was suppressing Poensettia’s poison and struck out against Xiao Chen’s palm. Xiao Chen was blasted backwards in the aftermath. The punch of a Martial Grand Master was not something that he was able to withstand at present. Vomiting a mouthful of fresh blood, he could vaguely sense that his heart or lungs might have sustained damage.
Elder Zhang did not even bother to look at Xiao Chen, who had been blasted back. He was about to make another move when he discovered that the flame from Xiao Chen’s palm was still sticking to his fist and was continuously consuming the Essence he had condensed on it. He was alarmed... What a domineering flame! Quickly allocating another portion of Essence to surround the flames, he applied firm control over the Essence with his consciousness and had to tightly clench his fist before he could put out the flames.
Xiao Yulan took advantage of this opportunity to successfully retrieve the Martial Spirit that had left her body. Seeing Xiao Chen vomit blood, killing intent began to pool in her eyes. She drew her sword and stared coldly at Elder Zhang without any emotions showing on her face, as though he was already a dead man in her eyes.
“Inferior Grade Profound Ranked Spirit Weapon, Broken Moon Sword, I did not expect the only Profound Ranked Spirit Weapon of the Xiao Clan to be in your hands. Looks like you definitely have to die today.” Looking at the sword in Xiao Yulan’s hands, Elder Zhang was astonished.
Xiao Yulan held the sword in her hands, and a dance of petals in the breeze around her was swiftly followed by a sword flash flying forward. Elder Zhang did not dare to take any risk as he disbursed half of his Essence into his hands and feet, using the other half to stave off the poison.
The two of them began to move faster and faster. Initially, Xiao Chen, who was lying on the ground, could clearly see the battle between them. Soon, he could only see blurry shadows amidst the plentiful petals. This level of battle was no longer something that he could take part in, and he never expected that Xiao Yulan’s speed was actually this impressive. Despite the difference in cultivation realms, she was able to fight evenly with Elder Zhang.
Xiao Chen shifted his gaze away and looked at the sword hilt that was located on top of the Moonstone pillar. This Spirit Weapon was probably the object of their desire, so he decided to grab it before they could.
Xiao Chen slowly stood up and cautiously walked towards the stone pillar.
When the person in blue, who was doing his best to widen the hole in the thin barrier, saw Xiao Chen heading towards the Moonstone pillar, he felt anxious in his heart. Yet, he could not make a single move. He loudly shouted: “Elder Zhang, you trash! You can’t even deal with two little kids! If I am not able to get my hands on this Spirit Weapon, after we get back, you will be the first person I kill.”
Elder Zhang, who was currently fighting with Xiao Yu Lan, found it difficult to talk about his troubles. The Spirit Weapon of this girl was incredibly strange with it surrounding him with flower petals that made him incapable of exhibiting more than half of his usual combat ability. Furthermore, at this moment, he had to hold his breath, not daring to breathe. In addition with Poinsettia’s poison, he was only able to utilize about a quarter of his strength as a peak Martial Grand Master.
When he heard the words of the person in blue, Elder Zhang hardened his heart. When Xiao Yulan pierced her sword at him, he did not dodge, instead punching out at her temple with precise purpose. This girl wanted to wound with him very badly it seemed, willing to suffer heavy injuries to try to get him to bleed in order for her to activate Poinsettia’s fatal poison. She was treating it as though he had no way to force out the poison.
Just when Elder Zhang’s fist was about to land, Xiao Yulan twisted her body in midair, creating two more Xiao Yulans that looked exactly the same. The one he struck immediately became countless scattered red petals.
Elder Zhang was not surprised. He smiled and roared shortly after exposing her flaws, “This should be your trump card, Inferior Grade Profound Ranked Martial Technique, Flower Clones. However, it is time to end this farce—Beast Soul Possession!”
A phantom image of an ape appeared behind Elder Zhang’s body. In a flash, Elder Zhang turned into some kind of human-ape monster. This was the ability of Martial Grand Masters, Martial Spirit Possession.
After the Martial Spirit possessed the body, one’s speed and strength would increase by several folds. Sometimes, someone would even obtain the special abilities of their Martial Spirit.
Elder Zhang clenched his right hand into a fist midair. His right arm, on the other hand, had grown to one and a half times its original length. Moving as fast as lightning, he struck one of Xiao Yulan’s clones, turning it into a scatter of red petals with a loud boom.
Laughing weirdly, Elder Zhang jumped like an ape and extended his two arms, grabbing at the last Xiao Yulan.
“Boom!”
However, this was also a clone that shattered into countless red petals. Within an instant, the surrounding space became filled with the Red Poinsettia petals. Elder Zhang was overwhelmed with amazement that he had just attacked a clone and looked behind him, spotting another seven clones behind him amidst dancing petals.
Elder Zhang appeared to be flustered and mumbled: “That's not possible, even the highest realm of Flower Clones can only create ten clones. Given your age, how could you have trained to that realm?”
Xiao Yulan coldly said: “Beast Soul Possession requires all the Essence in your body to be activated. The poison of my Poinsettia should have taken effect by now, it’s over.”
Seven shadows came flying in from different directions and the slender Broken Moon Sword intertwined with with the petals that filled the space. Without Elder Zhang’s Essence to restrict it, Poinsettia’s poison started to work on his nerves, causing his limbs to not obey his commands.
“Puchi!”
The seven shadows merged back together into Xiao Yulan as she appeared behind Elder Zhang’s back. The petals were danc
ing behind her as the Broken Moon Sword streaked across his back, inflicting a hideous wound. As blood flowed from it, Poinsettia’s poison completely came into effect, sentencing Elder Zhang to certain death within ten breaths of time.
However, just at this moment, Elder Zhang suddenly turned around and grabbed the Broken Moon Sword with his hands.
“Even if I die, I will drag you down with me!”
Chapter 13: Narrowly Escaping Death
Elder Zhang laughed out maniacally, ignoring the pain in his right hand as he gripped the Broken Moon Sword tightly and gathered all the Essence in his body into his left hand.
His final strike before his death, Medial Grade Yellow Ranked Martial Technique—Reckless Heavy Punch!
This punch was incomparably swift and fierce, completely exceeding Xiao Yulan’s expectations. The full force of a Martial Grand Master struck her shoulder heavily and sent her flying back toward the stone pillar.
Xiao Chen, who was preparing to draw the Spirit Weapon, was startled, hurriedly catching Xiao Yulan, “Cousin, are you alright?”
Xiao Yulan’s face was pale as she spoke somewhat weakly, “Quickly run, that man in blue is about to open up the hole.”
He carried Xiao Yulan on his back, turned his head to see the man in blue anxiously trying to break through that thin yellow barrier. He then looked once again at the Spirit Weapon on the Moonstone pillar.
Even if he tried to return back through the route from which they came, he would not be able to break open that stone wall with his current strength. It would only be a path to death. If he pulled out the Spirit Weapon, who knows, maybe he could use the strength of the Spirit Weapon to help carve a path out, making his escape easy.
Xiao Chen stopped hesitating. He took two steps forward and gripped the sword handle. He tugged firmly at it, but to his surprise, it came out with incomparable ease. However, this Spirit Weapon did not seem like a divine weapon. And upon closer inspection, it was actually just a meter-long broken sword.