Mo Shougui felt a burning pain on his back where he had been injured. Despite the pain, he managed to execute some acrobatic skills to jump through the underground palace.
A wisp of Spirit Qi covered the interior of his Qi Core. Thanks to the Spirit Qi storm started by the ancient Qi Refiner’s self-explosion, he drew Qi into his body successfully and experienced the wonders of the immortal encounter.
But… he did not want to die.
He had coveted the Condensed Core left by the now-dead ancient Qi Refiner. As soon as he saw the abundant Spirit Qi clinging around it, he knew it was good stuff.
If he could get it, it might make his cultivation techniques level up.
However, he was not sure whether he could get it on his own. After all, judging from what Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing had shown, they were entirely on another level than he was and definitely stronger.
As a result, he thought of encouraging Xiang Shaoyun to scramble for it. Then if Xiang Shaoyun and those two were all hurt, he might take advantage of the situation and grab the core for himself.
However…
Xiang Shaoyun was too upright. He could not believe Xiang Shaoyun gave up the treasure just because those two had saved his life.
In the end, he was targeted by Nie Changqing.
Mo Shougui really wanted to swear, but survival was more urgent at the moment.
Something whizzed across the air at breakneck speed.
It was Nie Changqing’s butcher knife.
Mo Shougui looked back while unsheathing his sword. Suddenly his sword and the butcher knife clashed. But the sword was instantly shattered into pieces.
The purlicue of his palm was wounded and bled.
Mo Shougui was shocked. He fled out of the underground palace in disgrace.
******
Outside of the underground palace.
Mayors of all counties had retreated. They had witnessed how horrible the Immortal Palace was. No one could enter there without Heaven Qi and Earth Qi Plaques. No matter how many human lives were sacrificed, they just could not enter.
As a result, they had to send people to gather Heaven Qi and Earth Qi Plaques, which were scattered around the world.
There was nothing they could do even if they had stayed on the Hidden Dragon Ridge.
However, despite their retreat, all the Mayors left some soldiers there.
Mo Ju waved his feather fan lightly. Standing in the mountains, he looked pretty handsome and elegant.
All of a sudden…
A loud noise suddenly disturbed the quiet of the Immortal Palace.
The Immortal Gate was open!
Three figures drenched in blood ran out of the Immortal Gate.
Mo Ju had been relaxed, but suddenly, he looked sharp and alert. Staring at those three figures, he said, “Those are not Xiang Shaoyun and his companions. They are other people with Qi Plaques who were sucked into the Immortal Palace.”
Judging from their bloodied appearance, it seemed things did not go well inside.
The powers the three belonged to all sent people to pick them up.
Not only did these people leave the Immortal Palace in silence, but also in a low profile.
However, the people who were there looked shocked because it was evident that things did not seem right with those three. Special airflows were surging around them!
“These people… They must have had the immortal encounter!”
Grasping his feather fan tighter, Mo Ju took a deep breath.
While he was trying to sort out his complicated feelings, the gate of the Immortal Palace was once again open!
A figure fled out in disgrace.
Four miles away from the Immortal Palace, several people were immensely shocked.
“It’s Mo Shougui from the Mos! He looks terrible!”
“He’s miserable! Is it so dangerous in the Immortal Palace?”
“No. People are chasing him!”
******
Several people were talking about him.
Suddenly, they froze. At the gate of the Immortal Palace, a white dress and a white robe fluttered in the wind.
Two figures went through the gate together.
Her hair blowing in the wind, Ning Zhao looked emotionless, as she held her Cicada Wing Sword.
Although Nie Changqing was wearing a white robe, the contrast between that robe and the fatigue on his face made him look a little weird.
Mo Shougui looked back. He tensed up as soon as he saw Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao standing at the gate of the Immortal Palace.
“Giant, save me!”
Mo Shougui snarled into the distance, as far as four miles away from the Immortal Palace.
“These two got the biggest immortal encounter in the Immortal Palace, the immortal core left by the self-exploded ancient Qi Refiner. With that, people can achieve immortality meteorically!”
Mo Shougui madly shouted while he ran like a crazy.
“You are courting death!”
Nie Changqing frowned. He knew it was impossible to keep people from learning they have the Condensed Core, but what Mo Shougui had done still irritated him.
He decided he would definitely kill Mo Shougui.
Young Master was right. For unreasonable people, he just needed to kill them, like how those Confucian students were treated.
It was beyond doubt that Mo Shougui was a ticking time bomb!
Everyone outside of the Immortal Palace was shocked by him.
The immortal core left by the self-exploded ancient Qi Refiner?!
Achieve immortality meteorically?
Several people’s eyes turned slightly red when they heard that.
They all knew how horrible it was in the Immortal Palace. As a result, it was apparent how precious that immortal core was.
Many people were tempted.
Waving his feather fan, Mo Ju knew Mo Shougui was only looking for shield and protection for himself, but…
The bait he had thrown out—the immortal core left by the ancient Qi Refiner that could make people achieve immortality meteorically—was indeed inviting!
Mo Ju squinted. Gazing at that pretty Ning Zhao, he hesitated. He revoked his command.
Boom!
Nie Changqing acted. The butcher knife struck down fast like a shooting star zipping across the night sky.
Carrying one wisp of Spirit Qi, it curved across the sky toward Mo Shougui’s head.
Knife Control Technique!
Nie Changqing’s white robe was fluttering as spirit Qi clung around him.
Ning Zhao had jumped out too, like a white horse crossing a narrow gap.
Mo Shougui suddenly felt gusts of dangerous wind blowing behind him, as if he was being attacked by a fierce tiger.
However, what he saw was Ning Zhao holding a Cicada Wing Sword, her face pretty and cold. On the Cicada Wing Sword, a pale blue airflow was surging. The sword agilely struck Mo Shougui in the neck.
In the forest…
An explosion came.
A silver claw whizzed over.
It grasped Mo Shougui on the waist and pulled him away with much effort.
But Ning Zhao’s sword suddenly moved faster. Mo Shougui’s arm flew into the air, his blood spraying the brown dirt crimson.
The pain was so unbearable that Mo Shougui’s forehead was covered with sweat beads.
However, he did not scream. He only gave Ning Zhao a cold, gloomy stare.
Nie Changqing’s butcher knife zipped over.
In the forest, another thick arrow came, and it collided with the butcher knife.
But the arrow exploded, sending the butcher knife flying from the massive force created by the arrow’s explosion.
Catching the butcher knife, Nie Changqing stood next to Ning Zhao.
Pulled into the forest by that claw, Mo Shougui disappeared.
“The Mos’ trap…”
Nie Changqing said while staring into the forest.
Holding the Cicada Wing Sword, Ning Zhao tucked her hair behind her ears. Her pretty face remained emotionless.
“Let’s end this quickly. Young Master will lose his temper if we keep him waiting for too long.”
Ning Zhao said.
Nie Changqing nodded. Spirit Qi slowly flowed out of both their Qi Cores toward the four-mile boundary of the Immortal Palace.
Four miles away from the Immortal Palace…
The place was swamped with soldiers from different counties. They were left there to keep an eye on the Immortal Palace. Almost a thousand people—all of them—were staring at the two people in white walking out of the Immortal Palace.
They had the ancient Qi Refiner’s immortal core with them…
It was greed that made these people decide to keep Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing alive.
The wind began to blow gradually.
It blew away the pungent smell of blood in front of the Immortal Palace.
Hidden Dragon Ridge had always been an unpeaceful place. The Immortal Palace once held the souls and bones of numerous people.
War cries came. The second Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing crossed the four-mile boundary of the Immortal Palace, the soldiers from different counties and their generals all started to move.
This day, their white clothes were destined to be stained with blood.
******
Beiluo Lake Island.
Comfortably leaning against the back of the wheelchair, Lu Fan was feeling his body.
He moved five Available Points to Physique Strength, though he had not sensed any special change yet. But if anything, the Qi and blood in his body had been running with more force, and his skin became thicker…
It was even as thick as an average Grandmasters’ skin.
If he added hundreds of Available Points to his Physique Strength in the future, would he really be invulnerable to knives and spears and fire and flood? Despite sitting in a wheelchair, the enemy would not be able to harm him?
Thinking of a future like that, Lu Fan was lost in thought. That seemed nice.
With thirty Available Points added to his Soul Strength, Lu Fan felt his vision sharper and clearer. He seemed to have heard fish blowing bubbles in the lake.
Maybe, in the near future, with enough Soul Strength, Lu Fan would really be able to achieve the legendary primordial spirit or other similar stuff.
On the island…
A gentle breeze drifted by the lake.
The sky was glowing with the setting sun. Its reflection appeared like small glowing flames on the slightly wavy lake surface.
Ni Yu and Jing Yue were chitchatting.
Sitting cross-legged, the assassin Mo Liuqi was drawing Qi into his body, while Yi Yue was still trying to find the sense of Qi.
The ten spirit chrysanthemums were swaying in the wind.
All of a sudden…
Jing Yue and Ni Yu stopped talking. They turned their head to Beiluo Lake.
On the lake, a boat was approaching the shore.
“It’s Sister Ning and Nie!”
Ni Yu ran to the lakeside excitedly, her pretty face rosy in the evening glow.
However, that excitement on her face faded very soon.
As the boat got closer.
The overpowering smell of blood came with the wind.
They saw two figures standing on the boat.
Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao looked as calm as usual. However, his white robe and her white dress were stained with blood.
On the second floor terrace of White Jade City’s pavilion…
At the rail, Lu Fan was gazing at Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao, stained with blood, standing on the boat. He squinted slowly.
******
Hidden Dragon Ridge.
Mo Shougui, only having one arm left, was extremely pale. He was lying on the ground, as big sweat beads fell off his forehead.
Before him, a white-haired old man donning a black robe stood, his hands on his back. He listened to Mo Shougui’s narration about the Secret Realm quietly.
After a long while, he let out a sigh.
“Shaoyun was blinded by the immortal encounter. He is the Overlord of West County, the future emperor of the world. He should aim at getting the world…”
“Shaoyun, what a pity…”
The old man shook his head, looking toward the Hidden Dragon Ridge at the Immortal Palace’s vague shape, shrouded in a seven-colored glow.
“Lu Ping’an from Beiluo, his apprentices from White Jade City…”
“The world is already in chaos. The Hundred Schools of Philosophy are already enough. What do we need White Jade City for?”