“This is truly vicious, looks like it’s a fight to the death.”
Ling Xiao sneered, “Many people trying to capture me?”
“Plenty! Some aren’t even after the bounty, just the treasures from the ancient martial artist’s cave. Word is, even Seventh Stage Mortal Realm martial artists have shown up.”
“Tch, Seventh Stage martial artists, eh? Seems Fairy Linglong’s scheme worked.”
Ling Xiao grinned. Meng Yuan was also a Seventh Stage martial artist, at the peak, no less. Why not test a Seventh Stage’s strength first? It’d give him more confidence to deal with Meng Yuan back at the Moonlight Sect.
He glanced at the martial artist on the ground. Letting this one report back could work in his favour. He needed to weaken Fairy Linglong’s forces, make it clear to those martial artists: help her, and you die.
Luring them into the Fulong Mountains, where he could strike, was ideal.
With his Mountain River martial soul, he knew the Fulong Mountains far better than they did.
“Off we go, let’s watch a good show from the side, then I’ll let you go!”
Ling Xiao bound the martial artist and dragged him to a hidden spot.
About ten minutes later, dozens of martial artists appeared at the spot where Ling Xiao had set up his “Plague Bone-Dissolving Formation.”
“Sixty-seven, heh, quite a crowd. The strongest is only early Fifth Stage Mortal Realm. Impressive, but sadly, none of you will leave here alive.”
Ling Xiao smirked coldly.
The captive martial artist didn’t yet grasp what was happening, then witnessed the most terrifying sight of his life.
Sixty-seven Mortal Realm martial artists!
In an instant, a massive skull pattern appeared on the ground.
Green light shot up, and a humanoid monster, glowing emerald, materialised in the air. With a single inhale, the martial artists screamed and collapsed.
Amid groans and wails, the sixty-seven turned into desiccated corpses. Their blood seeped into the strange pattern, forming a stream of energy that flowed into the green humanoid monster.
It was over in a moment.
A stench of urine hit Ling Xiao’s nose.
“Useless. Scram. Go back and tell Fairy Linglong I’m alive and well. If she wants my life, she can come to the Fulong Mountains herself. If she lacks the guts, she can wait in Shajiabao for me to come knocking.”
With that, Ling Xiao flung the martial artist away and vanished into the dense forest.
His plan already included taking revenge on Fairy Linglong, and now was the perfect chance to test his strength.
But first, he’d refine the hundred-year Mysterious Spirit Grass into a top-grade True Essence Pill, as planned.
…
Shajiabao, Linglong Fairy Palace.
Likely the most beautiful structure in Shajiabao, built entirely from mutton-fat white jade, adorned with various formations and arrays, tightly protecting its master—
Fairy Linglong.
Today, though, the atmosphere in Linglong Fairy Palace was heavy. Fairy Linglong sat on her meticulously designed queen’s throne, brows furrowed.
Beside her sat two others.
One was the familiar cold-faced martial artist, the other a stranger, dressed in the standard uniform of the Beast King Palace.
His strength was terrifying, seemingly surpassing even Meng Yuan.
He lounged in his chair, cradling a pure white rat, seemingly indifferent to everything.
Beyond these three, the hall held many martial artists, the weakest at early Fourth Stage Mortal Realm.
On the floor knelt a ragged, terrified martial artist.
His cultivation was at the peak of Fourth Stage Mortal Realm, yet he trembled uncontrollably, as if he’d seen something horrific.
This was the lucky one Ling Xiao had let go to deliver his message.
“Is everything you said true?”
The cold-faced martial artist glared at him, grinding his teeth.
“My lord, it’s all true. I saw with my own eyes those people devoured by a strange formation. That Ling fellow is too terrifying, no, I suspect he’s not human at all, but a demon in human skin!”
The kneeling martial artist answered, his voice nearly a sob.
“Nonsense!”
The cold-faced martial artist roared, “What kind of demon could do that?”
“Lord Cold Face, no need to get so worked up. Legends say such demons do lurk deep in the Fulong Mountains,” another martial artist in the hall said with a smile. “I’d rather believe him. That Ling kid is just an early Third Stage Mortal Realm martial artist. Even at his best, he’s mid or late Third Stage. How could he kill so many? It must be a demon’s work.”
“Hmph, demon or Ling, we need to get to the bottom of this. Sixty-seven Mortal Realm martial artists vanishing isn’t a small matter. I hear many have stopped going to the Fulong Mountains after hearing about it.”
Fairy Linglong snorted, “This Ling is too cunning. Only fourteen, yet already at early Third Stage Mortal Realm. His talent is terrifying. If we let him live, he’ll be a fatal threat to us.”
“Fairy!”
The kneeling martial artist spoke again.
“What?”
“That Ling said even if you don’t send people to kill him, he’ll come to Shajiabao for you. He said whoever helps you, he’ll kill!”
“Outrageous!” The cold-faced martial artist slammed the table, reducing the hardwood to dust. “This brat is too arrogant!”
He turned to Fairy Linglong, “Fairy, let me lead a team into the mountains tomorrow. I’ll dig three feet deep if I have to, but I’ll find him and tear him to pieces!”
“Very well, I trust you.”
Fairy Linglong had always relied on the cold-faced martial artist, and this time was no exception.
“赔
System: “Trust him?”
The Beast King Palace disciple, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“Do you even know his name? Which sect he’s from? What he’s done before?”
“Brother Wang, you know?” Fairy Linglong turned to the Beast King Palace disciple, her face breaking into a smile. This man, named Wang She—true to his name, as venomous and cunning as a snake.
Working with him was like scheming with a tiger; he could turn on you at any moment.
But Fairy Linglong had no choice.
To kill Ling Xiao, she had to take this risk.
After all, this was the tenth-ranked among the Beast King Palace’s top ten core disciples, with cultivation at early Eighth Stage Mortal Realm.
