Chapter 174: 126. Fierce Battle! Murderous Intent on the Path
Gazing at Xu Xing’s Escaping Light rising from afar, Yang Shao’s face bore a complex expression. In his palm, he held the Wangxi Pill that Xu Xing had just given him as a thank-you gift, staring at it blankly for a few moments.
"Junior Brother, I’m sorry."
"Your Array Talent is too strong. Although there are people in the Western Sea who surpass you, your cultivation aptitude is also so good... And you have connections within the Sect; otherwise, it would have been difficult to obtain such a good station as Folding Mountain Island."
"The struggle on the Dao path..."
"Only one of us can live!"
After several such pronouncements to himself, Yang Shao finally made up his mind. He pulled out a Conch from his Storage Bag and crushed it forcefully.
After breaking the Conch, he stumbled back a few steps and slumped to the ground. His face, already pale from years of studying array techniques and the resulting qi and blood deficiency, grew even paler at this moment.
When Kuimen Daoist Lord selects a disciple, he not only considers the disciple’s Array Talent, but sometimes their cultivation talent is also an important factor in his choice.
The so-called array technique puzzle-solving test...
It was just a "decoy" for Kuimen Daoist Lord to attract geniuses in array techniques.
Even the Daoist Lord himself and his connections couldn’t solve this difficult problem.
Could a Commoner Disciple in the Immortal Foundation Realm really solve it?
「...」
From Mulberry Island to Folding Mountain Island, the distance was about 18,000 miles. Relying on Xu Xing’s escaping speed, it would take about five or six days to reach Folding Mountain Island without traveling at full speed and conserving Magic Power.
Along the way, he would stop and rest from time to time, often visiting other Spirit Islands to meditate.
It was not until he left Luan Xing Island and took the most remote sea route to Folding Mountain Island.
The heavenly vault was azure, the sea tides vast and majestic.
Several wild ducks and sea birds soared through the sky.
Everything seemed normal.
Xu Xing didn’t notice anything unusual either. However, he skillfully mobilized all the Magic Power within his body and activated the defensive Magic Formation of his Starry Sky Daoist Robe. At the same time, both hands hidden in his sleeve robe were holding a low-level Spirit Talisman each, ready for any unexpected situations.
After walking for more than ten miles, suddenly three Flying Swords flashed behind Xu Xing. At the same time, a huge wave erupted from the seabed under his feet, and a Golden Net came directly at him from below the sea surface.
Below the Golden Net, under the Seawater, was a man in a black robe who covered his face. Without even a word, he directly used a killing move!
"Water Arrow Talisman!"
"Wind and Wave Talisman!"
Xu Xing, a disciple of a Large Sect like this, had ample experience in dealing with Sea Bandits in Wangchuan Sea.
Sea Bandits often liked to carry out surprise attacks from under the sea surface.
When used in combination, these two low-level Spirit Talismans, the Water Arrow Talisman and the Wind and Wave Talisman, could easily force Sea Bandits hiding underwater to the surface and cause them damage.
In an instant, the calm sea surface turned into waves, and water arrows stabbed towards the black-robed man who was lurking in the sea.
The black-robed man was forced to escape the sea surface, hovering in mid-air. Meanwhile, Xu Xing began to face the pincer attack of the Golden Net and the three Flying Swords.
Unhurriedly, Xu Xing formed a magic shield with his Magic Power, using the Wood Shield Technique he had learned at the Sealed Demon Pan Palace. Although this Wood Shield Technique couldn’t withstand the sharpness of the three Flying Swords, it was enough to buy some time.
The real killing move was the Golden Net.
This Golden Net was of at least a medium-quality Magical Artifact level. Medium-quality Magical Artifacts are usually used in the Immortal Foundation Middle Stage. This medium-quality Magical Artifact, when unleashing its power, would be at least equivalent to the full strength of an Immortal Foundation Fifth Layer attack.
"Break!"
Xu Xing’s large sleeves swayed, and from within, a sword light emerged.
Immediately after, a three-foot-long green Flying Sword broke through the air with a buzzing sword hum, aiming at the Golden Net.
When the two Magical Artifacts collided, the Golden Net’s upward momentum stopped.
"Take!"
The black-robed man sneered. With a flip of his hands, he formed a hand seal. The Golden Net, which had entangled Xu Xing’s green Flying Sword, suddenly tightened its opening, trapping the green Flying Sword. Then the Golden Net flew to his side.
With the information from Yang Shao, he knew that the Magical Artifact Xu Xing relied on was this low-quality Green Bamboo Sword.
As long as the Green Bamboo Sword was taken away by his scheme, the Flying Feather Immortal Palace’s External Cultivator who had just arrived a year ago shouldn’t have too many defensive means. By then, Xu Xing would become a fish on the chopping block, at his mercy.
"What?"
"This Golden Net..."
Seeing the situation, Xu Xing’s expression instantly turned panicked. He was so scared that he immediately turned into an Escaping Light and rushed straight towards Luan Xing Island, which was nearby.
Luan Xing Island was a Flying Feather Immortal Palace station.
As long as the island’s Large Array was activated, even Returning Core Cultivators couldn’t break it.
However, how could the black-robed man let Xu Xing go?
One pursued, and the other fled.
But just when the black-robed man thought he was about to catch up with Xu Xing, a golden light suddenly burst from the back of Xu Xing’s head, and a radiant Sword Qi emerged instantly.
In this split second, the black-robed man didn’t have time to think. He just felt that the Sword Qi from Xu Xing appeared majestic but upon closer observation, it looked more like a mortal martial art.
He mocked Xu Xing in his heart for having exhausted his tricks.
However, after he casually dispersed the radiant Sword Qi, a golden thread as fine as a hair suddenly shot out from within it, heading straight for his throat. He frantically tried to use spells and Magical Artifacts to defend, but he never expected the golden sword thread to be as fast as lightning. Before he could hesitate for even half a breath, it decapitated him.
"Flame Wood Spirit Array!"
Seeing the Golden Cicada Sword Pill work, Xu Xing didn’t let his guard down.
He took advantage of this short moment to set up the Flame Wood Spirit Array, one of three low-level array techniques that came with the *Illusionary Sacred Monarch’s Array Methods*.
This array technique required only five Array Eyes and was the low-level spirit array he was most familiar with.
As soon as the array was complete, flames and wood filled the sky. The black-robed man’s "corpse" was reduced to ashes under the intense fire.
Within the array, only a few Spiritual Objects remained unburned: the Golden Net, the Green Bamboo Sword, a Storage Bag, and the Golden Cicada Sword Pill, which was hiding nearby.
"You get what you pay for..."
"The Golden Cicada Sword Pill is worth 21,000 Spirit Shells, while a middle-grade Magical Artifact is worth at most 7,000 Spirit Shells. Moreover, Sword Pills can only be cultivated by major powers like the Flying Feather Immortal Palace. Freelance Cultivators rarely even have a chance to see one in their lifetime..."
Xu Xing casually picked up the Golden Cicada Sword Pill and swallowed it.
It is hard for disciples within the Immortal Palace to know the depth of a Large Sect like the Flying Feather Immortal Palace. However, once they become External Cultivators, they can clearly see their own advantages.
Just having a main Cultivation Method that directly connects to the Great Dao garners the envy of Freelance Cultivators.
Moreover, after refining a Third-class Purple Magpie Morning Glow, one’s escape speed is much stronger than that of ordinary cultivators, let alone a Second-class or First-class Purple Magpie Morning Glow.
Such Spiritual Objects related to the path of Cultivation have long been monopolized by Large Sects!
"I just don’t know whether this black-robed cultivator was commanded by someone else, or if he just wanted to rob me of my wealth and kill me on the road."
Xu Xing put the Golden Net and Green Bamboo Sword into his Storage Bag, and at the same time, took a look at the black-robed cultivator’s Storage Bag. Seeing that there were only a few thousand Spirit Shells in the black-robed cultivator’s Storage Bag, and a bunch of miscellaneous items for eating and drinking, he immediately determined that this black-robed cultivator likely came from a Sea Bandit background.
External Cultivators are much wealthier than the black-robed cultivator; they wouldn’t be so poor.
"The Conch..."
Xu Xing narrowed his eyes.
He took the Conch from his Storage Bag, and then injected a little Magic Power into it.
Instantly, a deliberately lowered voice came from the Conch, saying, "Kill Xu Xing, reward 8,000 Spirit Shells. Provide information on Xu Xing’s route and his personal Magical Artifacts and Cultivation Methods."
This voice was purposely obscured.
It was impossible to tell who it was.
Xu Xing immediately went through everyone who knew his whereabouts, finally locking the targets on Yang Shao and Mao Xuan, the island-stationed cultivator on Luan Xing Island with whom he had recently become close.
Only these two people knew the specifics of his route and tracks.
As for his personal Magical Artifacts and Cultivation Methods, it would not be difficult to find out on Sealed Demon Island. Relying solely on this point, it was still impossible to determine who the mastermind actually was.
Xu Xing took out two communication Conches and left messages in them separately: *He’s dead!* and *Changed my mind. Deliver the Spirit Shells in two days to the reef beneath Demon Falling Island (Shenghuang Island). I’ve left a mark!*
He came up with an idea on how to trick the mastermind.
It was to directly "fish."
The fish that dared to come would reveal the mastermind.
「...」
"It was actually Yang Shao..."
After returning to his Cave Mansion on Folding Mountain Island, Xu Xing found it somewhat hard to believe.
Although it had only been a year, his interactions with Yang Shao had been quite amicable, reaching the point of friendship. He never imagined that Yang Shao was the mastermind behind this ambush.
"Fortunately..."
"Yang Shao doesn’t have a high status within the Sect, and he doesn’t know about my hidden weapon, the Golden Cicada Sword Pill, or that I have obtained a First-class Purple Magpie Morning Glow..."
"Besides, I was also careful enough to let Yang Shao know only about my low-grade Magical Artifact, the Green Bamboo Sword."
Xu Xing felt secretly relieved.
Refining a First-class Purple Magpie Morning Glow, his escaping speed was far beyond that of ordinary people. If the black-robed cultivator had known this, seeing his seemingly average fleeing speed, he would inevitably have been wary and would not have dared to chase so ’unpreparedly’.
"Unfortunately, I can’t directly kill him."
Xu Xing sighed.
Although he knew that Yang Shao was the mastermind, it was difficult to provide this evidence to the Sect. Whether in the Mundane World or the Cultivation World, both personal testimony and material evidence are essential.
It wouldn’t be difficult for Yang Shao to retract his confession.
If he really had to fight a legal battle with Yang Shao, it would waste a portion of his energy, and Yang Shao might not even be punished by the Sect. The Sect wouldn’t necessarily favor him just because his talent was superior to Yang Shao’s. This wasn’t an established fact like the aftermath of Song Knife’s Heavenly Intent One Knife.
Of course, he could also use Song Knife’s method to destroy Yang Shao...
However, Yang Shao was already a cultivator with no hope of reaching the Returning Core Realm. If Xu Xing acted similarly, he would be jeopardizing his own future.
"There’s no hurry..."
"Wait for him to expose himself."
Xu Xing had a plan.
The Immortal Path is not about competing in haste.
Instead of thinking about Yang Shao targeting him, it was better to think about how to improve his own strength. This time, while fighting against the black-robed cultivator, he also realized his shortcomings. Apart from the Golden Cicada Sword Pill as his trump card, he had no other means to defeat the enemy.
"*Withered Wood Sword Scripture*..."
"It’s time to switch to cultivating this scripture."
Xu Xing had one more classic in his hand.
Due to the impending demise of Giant Sword Daoist Monarch, and the lack of a suitable successor, the Sect had opened up access to the *Withered Wood Sword Scripture*. One only needed to spend a certain amount of Spirit Shells to choose to switch Cultivation.
However, only the first two levels of the *Withered Wood Sword Scripture* were available from the Sect.
This would only be enough to cultivate to the Immortal Foundation Middle Stage.
The *Great Sun True Scripture* given to Xu Xing by Lingyin Peak could be practiced all the way to the Returning Core Realm.
That was the difference between the two.
"Besides..."
"First, I’ll have my ’Other Self’ research the Second Level Spirit Gathering Array. This array can gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for one’s own use, which can also be used to accelerate the growth of the Thousand-year Ganoderma Fruit beneath Folding Mountain Island. Otherwise, I would have to wait for more than forty years for this Ganoderma Fruit to mature, which is simply too slow."
Low-level Magical Artifacts, Elixir Talismans, and array techniques are suitable for the Immortal Foundation Stage.
Level two is for the Returning Core Realm.