252: Chapter 252: I will never let you die so easily (ask for monthly votes)

Chen Yuan held Li Rulong's bleeding head in one hand and his Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Spear in the other.

With a flick of the spear, crimson blood sizzled on the red blade, splattering a stream of enchanting, blood-like fire.

Then, firelight appeared in the hand holding the head, engulfing it in flames. The wide-eyed head suddenly contorted in agony, letting out piercing wails that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Ah, ah, ah!"

"Third Grandfather, save me."

In the firelight, the head's blood and bone vanished, revealing a foot-tall ethereal figure holding a blue crystal bead. Blue waves of water surged from the bead, enveloping the small figure.

It was the Primordial Spirit of the Li Family's Eldest Young Master, and the blue crystal bead was his Dao fruit.

The fire burned fiercely, like melting ice, rapidly breaking through the water curtain. Flames splashed onto his Primordial Spirit, causing him to shriek in unbearable pain.

Earlier, he had treated the soldiers with cold indifference, but now, contorted in agony, begging for help, his Ugly was fully exposed.

Chen Yuan's golden eyes blazed as he gritted his teeth and spoke each word:

"So you're afraid of death too!"

"But the soldiers who followed This General were not afraid, yet these people died at the hands of a despicable wretch like you."

"Don't worry, This General won't let you die so easily. Even those demons were only refined for a moment by This General, but for someone like you, This General will cast you into endless Hell."

As he finished speaking, his voice turned savage. He opened his mouth wide, and to Li Rulong's utter horror, he devoured his Primordial Spirit.

"Rulong!"

The Li Family's green-robed elder, witnessing this scene, exploded in shock and fury: "Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General, if you kill Rulong, Zhenmo General Sima will certainly not spare you. Rulong is the legitimate eldest son of the Li Family. Even if you are a Wu Zang, Zhenmo General cannot protect you. This is what this old man says."

As he spoke, the elder let out a sharp cry. In an instant, a vast azure light burst forth from the Void Realm behind him, causing the heavens to shake and the mountains to tremble.

In a breath, within the azure light, a colossal Primordial Spirit manifested: dressed in a green robe, with a jade belt around his waist, slanted eyebrows, holding a heaven-illuminating mirror in one hand and a wind-calming bead in the other, rising majestically.

Chen Yuan heard the old man's words and gleaned information, roughly understanding which Li Family he had killed.

When Tianxiong Pass suppressed the rebellion, a Li Family was wiped out, reportedly related to the Central Plains Li Family. At that time, a Li Family retainer was also killed, and before his death, he also made similar threats. Chen Yuan also recalled that before leaving Guangan Prefecture, Pei Yanhu had sent a secret letter stating that among the Disciples from the Central Court, there was a Li Family retainer who intended to harm him, but Pei Yanhu had already set up an array to kill him, warning him to be wary of the Li Family's backstabbing. Previously, with the war being so intense, this matter was naturally put aside, but now, looking at it again, his hostility grew even stronger.

"If he's dead, he's dead. Zhenmo General Sima likely has many sons. If it's truly as you say, what if This General exchanges a Qi Luck Spiritual Root for his son's life?" Chen Yuan sneered.

As these words fell, the azure Dharma Idol rising to the heavens paused. The green-robed elder's sunken eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"Really?"

Upon hearing 'Qi Luck Spiritual Root', the old man's eyes immediately gleamed, and his expression became much more animated.

A Qi Luck Spiritual Root could bless a Family for hundreds, even thousands of years, and could even elevate a Family to a new Grotto-Heaven. Its value was immeasurable. Even if Li Rulong's identity was very important, as the legitimate eldest son of the younger generation of the Li Family, sacrificing him for the sake of the entire Family might not be out of the question.

"Of course it's false! You old fool!"

Chen Yuan burst into laughter, and then his figure vanished from its original spot.

When he reappeared, he was behind Ai Lao, the Li Family's servant, and thrust out his spear.

The old servant, who was entangled with Zhao Quanzhen, sensed a chilling Qi and was about to react.

"Puff."

A muffled sound of flesh being pierced.

The old servant lowered his head, seeing a fiery red spear tip protruding from his chest, with a ball of crimson fire fiercely burning from within.

Before he could even groan in pain, with a "boom," he turned into a man of fire. His Physical Body, along with the Primordial Spirit within, was instantly shattered into bloody fragments by the long spear, falling with the flames.

Zhao Quanzhen, who was fighting the old servant, was startled, then saw the old servant's flesh explode, revealing the blood-stained golden body behind him.

He saw the famous Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General grin at him, revealing a mouthful of teeth, and say, "Not bad," before bursting into booming laughter that shook the sky.

"They're truly unbelievably foolish. Those two are really racking their brains for the Qi Luck Spiritual Root."

"Could it be that you two are as well?"

As these words fell, Zhao Quanzhen immediately thought he was referring to him and his master. His heart skipped a beat, and he was about to explain that he and his master were there to help, and that he absolutely could not cause a misunderstanding.

Having personally witnessed the fierce killing intent of the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General, and now being so close, Zhao Quanzhen truly understood how terrifying this person was.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw the Ninth Zhonglang's gaze suddenly fix on the Southwest direction, his eyes blazing like a radiant sun. Two golden beams shot out, reaching towards a Void Realm about twenty miles away.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Two booming sounds.

The next second, ripples flashed in the Void Realm, and two grotesque demonic figures were forced to reveal themselves.

One demon had green scales on its forehead, green eyes with golden pupils like triangles. The other demon had black scales, a bird's beak, and red eyes with black pupils. They were the two Wucang Great Demons of the Fei Yi Clan.

The two demons had followed Wind-breaker all the way here. They hadn't revealed themselves until now, intending to watch the tigers fight from the mountain, but while others didn't notice, Chen Yuan still ferreted them out.

When the two demons appeared, though only a zhang tall, the terrifying Qi emanating from them caused everyone present to change their expressions.

Two Wucang Great Demons!

The thought of demons of this Realm hiding in the shadows made even the green-robed old monster and Wind-breaker feel a chill.

The two Great Demons appeared, their demonic eyes flickering, fixed on Chen Yuan.

The bird-beaked demon's red eyes with black pupils blazed with fierce light.

"Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General, you're indeed not dead!"

"You killed Ji Xuan and Yougu, and you still dare to show yourself? Today, this venerable one will grind your bones to dust and take your corpse back to my clan's altar."

Chen Yuan looked at these two Fei Yi Clan demons, truly persistent. He pointed to his head: "You want to grind This General's bones to dust, and you want This General's corpse. You demons really haven't fully evolved your brains; you just repeat these few phrases over and over."

He raised his voice: "You've come not to avenge your kin, but for the Qi Luck Spiritual Root in This General's hand, haven't you!"

As he spoke, he leaped into the air, his golden eyes blazing with divine light, surveying the people and demons present. He sneered,

"A den of vipers. If you want it, come and get it!"

As he finished, he let out a long cry, and his golden phantom soared, transforming into a thin golden line that pierced the night sky, shooting towards the Void Realm in the Southwest.

Before leaving, he had already instructed Cloud Skyborn, who had volunteered to come alone, to withdraw quickly.

"Where do you think you're going!"

The bird-beaked demon roared, then let out a piercing shriek from its beak that tore through the sky.

In a flash, black demonic light surged from its demonic body, transforming into a Fei Yi covered in black scales, with two heads, a snake body, and a pair of wings.

One head was a black snake head, the other a human-faced bird head.

The demon spread its wings, stirring up a massive gale. Its wingspan covered an area of about a li, like wings hanging from the sky. Its scaly demonic body, as if cast from molten iron, exuded immense pressure.

The demon revealed its true demonic form, and with a flap of its mighty wings, it swept up a storm and flew towards the thin golden line on the distant horizon.

In a blink, it shot several li, moving incredibly fast.

And the green-eyed demon flew onto the other's back, pursuing together.

Seeing the two Wucang Great Demons follow, only Wind-breaker, the Li Family's green-robed old monster, and Zhao Quanzhen remained in this Void Realm.

And the two soldiers from the prefecture army.

Wind-breaker's cold gaze beneath his bamboo hat swept over the two soldiers, his eyes flickering with sinister rage. He had been repeatedly humiliated and disdained by the Ninth Zhonglang, and his arm had been scalded by the great spear that had broken free. He was a vengeful man, and before pursuing, he intended to casually swat these two to death, just to vent his anger.

He raised his hand and flung out a black chain, savagely lashing at the light barrier on the cliff. The chain tore through the air, intending to shatter the entire cliff.

However, above the cliff, a white light appeared, revealing an old man in linen clothes, with an immortal demeanor. He then struck out with a palm print, deflecting the black chain.

It was Ling Yunzi, Zhao Quanzhen's teacher.

"Fellow Daoist, your hostility is too strong. Be careful not to invite disaster upon yourself. Ninth Zhonglang entrusted me to protect them before he left, so don't even think about it."

Ling Yunzi spoke, his eyes calm.

Wind-breaker chuckled, saying "Good" several times.

"Good, good, good, we'll meet again."

With that, his figure transformed into a black mist and, with a whoosh, flashed from his original spot. After a few blinks, he pursued in the direction of Chen Yuan and the others.

As for the Li Family's green-robed old monster, he was halfway through manifesting his Primordial Spirit when he was mocked by Chen Yuan, who then killed another person. Now, he was so enraged his eyes turned green. His pupils fixed on Zhao Quanzhen and his teacher: "Ling Yunzi, little brat of the Zhao Family, you've gotten involved with that Ninth Zhonglang and killed Rulong. This matter is not over. Prepare to face the wrath of the Li Family."

With that, the old man let out an angry roar, revealing a faint green Wind-Calming Bead in his hand.

The bead emitted a brilliant green light, stirring up a gentle breeze that enveloped the Li familys Wu Zang, transforming him into a thin line that pursued them.

In a blink of an eye, this originally noisy and turbulent world quieted down.

At the cliff, Zhao Quanzhen landed beside his teacher, Ling Yunzi, with a hint of worry in his eyes: "Teacher, even Wucang Great Demons have appeared, and the other two also harbor ill intentions. Several Wu Zang, both human and demon, and even those from the Evil Path are present. The situation is perilous, and that Ninth Zhonglang is also hard to fathom. Does Teacher still want to go?"

Ling Yunzi, however, blew his beard and said irritably: "Go, why wouldn't I go? There's a certain Karma involved for this old man. This old man is open and honest, doing things with a clear conscience. Don't worry, from this brief interaction, this old man can determine that this Zhonglang General definitely has more tricks up his sleeve. Everyone is looking for him, yet he dares to emerge and kill openly. Such courage is truly remarkable."

"Hmph, that old fellow from the Li Family threatened this old man. This old man won't tolerate it. It's best if he stays here forever." At this, Ling Yunzi's immortal demeanor vanished, and his eyes flickered with killing intent.

After speaking, he waved his hand, and a gentle breeze flew out, carrying the two soldiers from Guangan Prefecture.

"You two, leave quickly!"

After sending the two several li away, Ling Yunzi's feet were enveloped in clouds, carrying his Disciple Zhao Quanzhen into the air.

"Let's go. This is not only helping that Ninth Zhonglang but also helping ourselves. Quanzhen, though perilous, battles between Wu Zang are exceptionally valuable. Learn as much as you can."

"Yes!"

Amidst the rolling clouds, the voices of the master and Disciple could be heard. Then, the clouds spun and quickly vanished from their original spot.

The next day, early morning.

Outside Fulong Ridge, yellow sand billowed. Twenty li to the south, the world presented a magnificent landscape: mist like ocean waves crashed against the sky, threatening to descend. Countless giant wind vortices connected heaven and earth, winds howled, and lightning occasionally flashed. The scene was spectacular, like the end of the world.

The fierce winds, like blades, rapidly eroded and shattered the sand-splashed forests on the outskirts of Fulong Ridge. Wherever they passed, the land instantly became barren, and even rocks were quickly weathered and broken.

Deep within Fulong Ridge, in the cave where the Ninth Mountain Army was hidden, a sudden whistle sounded, followed by the clanging of iron.

"Deliver the order!"

"Clang, clang, clang!"

"Ninth Zhonglang has awakened and ordered the detonation of the outer wind vortices to speed up the entry of the mists, completely engulfing Fulong Ridge!"