20: Thunder Talisman

The material of the Talisman was peculiar, neither paper nor silk, but more like a jade fragment on the verge of shattering. Faint electrical arcs flickered around its edges, emitting a destructive aura.

Drawn upon the jade fragment was an extremely complex, dizzying deep-blue rune.

It was the ancient spirit script for the word 'Thunder'!

A second-rank Talisman!

It was enough to heavily injure or even kill a Dao Foundation Stage Cultivator!

"Sect Master Yuan Hao was right; I, a mountain Loose Cultivator, indeed have some Opportunity. This second-rank jade Talisman is the most important among them."

"Its name is: heavenly thunder talisman."

True Man Huang Tian gently shook the Talisman in his hand, his tone remaining flat. "I obtained it by chance in an ancient Cultivator's Immortal Cave during my early years. It only has the power for one strike left!"

"But even so, I need not say more about its power. Sect Master Yuan Hao knows better than I do that your Hunyuan Sect cannot withstand it."

Venerable Yuan Hao looked at him with full alertness. "What do you intend to do?"

"Nothing much, I only seek self-preservation."

As he spoke, True Man Huang Tian carefully put away the jade Talisman and pointed his finger at the ground beneath his feet. "I said I only want Purple Gold Mountain, and that remains the case now."

"Sect Master Yuan Hao, a trump card is only a trump card when held in hand as a deterrent; it cannot be used lightly."

"This jade Talisman is precious; it is the capital for my future livelihood in the Cultivation World. I do not wish to use it up so early. You should understand what I mean!"

The air fell into a deathly silence.

After a few breaths, Venerable Yuan Hao nodded expressionlessly. "Fine, we are leaving!"

The Hunyuan Sect left just like that.

They hadn't even finished looting the resources of the State Preceptors Mansion before they fled in a disheveled and anticlimactic manner.

Even the unconscious Venerable Zhi Jin was left behind here.

There was no choice; if they didn't leave now, they would die here.

Watching the Hunyuan Sect's flying boat quickly depart, a flash of killing intent crossed True Man Huang Tian's eyes.

"Hunyuan Sect... Venerable Yuan Hao... Hmph!"

"I'll let you live for a few more years!"

Next, he approached the pathetic Venerable Zhi Jin and crouched down. A yellow flame suddenly sprouted from his fingertip, nearing the man's bloody severed hand.

"I almost forgot about you..."

"Sizzle~ Hiss—"

The intense pain woke the man up again. Unconscious roars escaped his mouth as his mangled limbs began to twitch.

"Blurred consciousness, chaotic mind—perfect!"

"Heart-Questioning Talisman, activate!"

Hum——

"Venerable Zhi Jin, this seat asks you: where exactly is the yu king sword?"

"I... I don't know... it suddenly disappeared..."

True Man Huang Tian frowned slightly, then stood up and walked away, not bothering to ask further.

A five-zhang-tall golden giant emerged behind him. Its massive foot lifted and then crashed down with a boom!

BOOM————!!!

Along with the loud noise and dust, only a deep pit and a mass of indistinguishable flesh remained on the spot.

If it's gone, then it's gone.

His Opportunity was far beyond ordinary imagination; a common Low Grade second-rank Magical Artifact didn't interest him... When the State Preceptors Mansion fell, Yu Xuzi was hiding his presence in the forest ten miles northeast of Purple Gold Mountain, listening to the distant roars of Spell explosions.

He didn't dare get too close to avoid being discovered.

Because of this, he could only see the general situation of the battlefield and guess the development of the situation.

For instance, the arrival of the massive Hunyuan Sect flying boat, the breaking of the State Preceptors Mansion's Formation barrier, and the earth-shaking cheers heard from afar.

"The State Preceptors Mansion has actually been destroyed."

"Those people aren't the Yellow Heaven Cult; they are a cultivation force from outside the Yu Kingdom?"

Since descending the mountain this year, Yu Xuzi had traveled three thousand miles across the Yu Kingdom, passing through many counties and cities, naturally gaining much knowledge.

Including in the royal library, he had seen some brief records regarding other cultivation forces.

For example, the Hunyuan Sect, the Celestial Immortal Sect, and so on.

However, most only had a name; the specific details of the true Cultivation World were still unknown.

It made sense; how could a Mortal kingdom like the Yu Kingdom's court know about the situation of the Cultivation World?

"Hmm?"

"Why is someone coming toward me?"

...The cold mountain wind scraped against Huo Li's cheeks like knives, but he felt no cold at all. Only a bone-chilling frost spread from his heart, nearly freezing his blood.

Escape!

Escape with all his might!!

This was the only thought in his mind at this moment.

The aura relentlessly pursuing him from behind was like a sword hanging over his head, forcing him to squeeze out the last bit of Qi from his Meridians, recklessly weaving through the rugged and treacherous mountain forest.

He didn't dare fly in the air at all.

Because he had no Magical Artifact, flying through the air consumed too much energy, and the target would be too obvious.

It was better to weave through the forest on the ground; the possibility of escape was slightly higher.

Because Qi Refining Cultivators do not have the assistance of Divine Sense.

Branches whipped across his face and body, but he was completely oblivious.

Only endless panic filled his heart.

The State Preceptors Mansion... is finished!

The image of Elder Li vomiting blood and flying backward, the tragic screams of his fellow Disciples before death, and the earth-shaking explosion of the Formation flashed repeatedly before his eyes like a nightmare.

The once spiritual mountain of cultivation must have turned into a scorched purgatory by now.

And he, Huo Li, an unremarkable ordinary Disciple among the younger generation of the State Preceptors Mansion, had become one of the few lucky ones who managed to escape by relying on his familiarity with the back mountain paths when the Formation shattered.

Of course, the main reason was that he ran fast enough.

But unfortunately, he hadn't truly escaped the pursuit.

The aura behind him belonging to a Hunyuan Sect Disciple was like a hungry wolf that had caught the scent of blood, clinging tightly without letting go.

The opponent's cultivation was slightly higher than his, around the Peak of the Early Stage of Qi Refining, and their state was much better than his—a stray dog fleeing in panic with nearly exhausted Qi.

"Remnant of the State Preceptors Mansion, where else do you want to run? Surrender obediently, and your grandfather here will give you a swift end!"

A cruel laugh filled with mockery and killing intent came from behind, the voice getting closer and closer.

Huo Li bit his teeth, suddenly turned, and rushed into a relatively open clearing in the forest.

He knew he couldn't run anymore. His Qi was about to run out; once his speed slowed, he would be caught sooner or later.

Rather than being killed after exhaustion, it was better to fight to the death!

He stopped his pace, panting heavily. His left hand quickly pulled out his only Low-Grade Spirit Stone from his robes, frantically absorbing the meager spiritual essence within to recover his Qi.

At the same time, his right hand tightly gripped his only 'semi-Magical Artifact,' the green steel sword, the tip of the blade trembling as it pointed at the pursuing enemy.

After ten breaths, the figure of the pursuer quickly appeared.

It was a Hunyuan Sect Disciple with a sallow face and fierce eyes. His black robes were slightly damaged, but his aura remained strong.

He looked at Huo Li's posture, like that of a cornered beast, and his mouth curled into a cruel arc. "Heh, stopped running?"

"Good, it saves your grandfather some effort."

Before his voice fell, he performed a hand seal and drew a pitch-Black Blade from his waist. It emitted a grim Evil Qi and a whistling sound.

It was actually a high-quality Low Grade first-rank Magical Artifact!

The Hunyuan Sect was truly the most powerful force within ten thousand miles. Even Qi Refining Early Stage Disciples could be equipped with Magical Artifacts; this was already rare and precious in the age of decadence.