216: Chapter 216 Su Qin

"Damn it, damn it all!!!"

The phantom of the Horned Dragon finally ceased its struggle.

The light in its pupils dimmed, like a lamp being blown out. It shrank into a ball, coiling in the center of the light orb, motionless.

The cracks on the surface of the cyan light orb slowly closed, restoring it to a complete sphere.

Wu Li released the Blood Pupil and pushed the cyan light orb toward the blade of the great flame fire halberd.

This time, there was no resistance. The light orb slowly sank into the halberd's body, like a piece of ice melting into water, merging silently.

After the light orb submerged into the halberd, Wu Li did not rush to withdraw his hand.

He closed his eyes to perceive for a long while, then opened them, his brows furrowing slightly.

The power within the halberd was indeed more stable than before, and the soul of the Horned Dragon was indeed surging inside, but the improvement was extremely limited, far from the explosive surge he had envisioned.

"It's still lacking."

Wu Li muttered to himself.

He had originally thought that the soul of a Peak Third-Tier Horned Dragon would at least allow the great flame fire halberd to recover some of its might.

A moment later...

Wu Li seemed to think of something, and his blood-red pupils flickered slightly in the firelight.

If one isn't enough, I can just catch a few more!

The Horned Dragon came from Wan Jiao Palace. Wan Jiao Palace... since it's called Wan Jiao Palace, there must be more than one Horned Dragon soul inside.

Master Mo Yuan is a Horned Dragon, the Horned Dragon is a Horned Dragon, there must be many more in that Wan Jiao Palace.

If the Horned Dragon's soul isn't enough, I'll just catch a few more until I have enough.

If one isn't enough, I'll take two; if two aren't enough, three.

Once I've gathered enough, I'll pour them in all at once. That should push the fire halberd to the level it ought to be!

Thinking of this, Wu Li smiled knowingly and continued to Cultivate.

Peace returned to Qingfeng Ravine. Wu Li continued to polish the water soul within the fire halberd inside the cave, occasionally coming out to squat by the pool to try and gather water vapor.

Hu Lie lay at the cave entrance recovering from his injuries, Black Feather led the Crow Flock to patrol the perimeter, and Gray Ear's descendants were scattered to keep watch. Everything seemed to have pressed the pause button, slowing down.

...

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Black Stone Ridge, the Council Hall of the Xuanqing Sect was brightly lit.

Several hand-drawn maps were spread out on the table, the ink already somewhat blurred.

Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing stood by the table, his finger pressing on the location of Qingfeng Ravine. Beside him, a coarse ceramic teacup was still steaming, with a few broken leaves floating on the pale golden tea.

Zhao Tieshan sat on the other side, holding a teacup and taking a sip, his gaze fixed on the map without speaking.

Inside the hall sat a middle-aged scholar wearing a blue-grey robe, with an ink-black token hanging from his waist. He was none other than the Yuexuan Guard Commander, Commander Su Qin.

He leaned back in his chair, listening to the two of them take turns reporting the recent unusual movements in Black Stone Ridge. He did not interrupt, and only after both had finished did he lift his eyelids to glance at them.

"You say that the group of newly arrived Yao Race fought a battle with the Horned Dragon, E Kuang ambushed them, the Horned Dragon was killed on the spot, and its body was dragged away by E Kuang?"

"Where is that group of newly arrived Yao Race now?"

Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing bowed and replied: "Reporting to you, Commander, that group of Yao Race is currently entrenched in Qingfeng Ravine, not far from the Horned Dragon's lair. The leader is a Late Stage Third-Tier Crow, with a Crow Flock and a Early Stage Third-Tier tiger demon under its command. Their origins are unknown, and it is highly likely they are the ones you are looking for."

Commander Su Qin looked at the location of Qingfeng Ravine on the map, fell silent for a moment, tapped his fingertips on the edge of the table twice, and then looked up at Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing.

"You have done well."

"I will make a trip there myself. If it is true, you will have contributed greatly."

Commander Su Qin was acting under orders from above.

As far as the Youyue Dynasty was concerned.

Shangguan Hong had gone mad, slaughtering several noble families in a row, turning the Dachuan Dynasty upside down. For the Youyue Dynasty, this was an excellent opportunity.

The teleportation array on Taiyue Mountain had been used for teleportation. A teleportation array capable of crossing the border mountains could not possibly be used only by them.

If they could find the location of that teleportation array, the Youyue Dynasty would have a passage into the Dachuan Dynasty. At that time, their army could use the teleportation array to bypass the border defenses of the Dachuan Dynasty and appear directly in its heartland.

By then, the territory of the Dachuan Dynasty would be within reach.

Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing and Zhao Tieshan exchanged glances, neither speaking.

Having said that.

Commander Su Qin stood up, ready to leave.

Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing and Zhao Tieshan exchanged glances, and immediately said: "Commander, that Crow Yao's combat power is not weak."

"We observed the process of his battle with the Horned Dragon from the shadows. That Yao has strange methods and numerous spells; he doesn't look like an ordinary wild Loose Cultivator. If you go alone, in case..."

Commander Su Qin was just walking to the door, but when he heard this, his footsteps paused, and he turned his head to look at Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing.

The corners of his mouth moved slightly—it wasn't a smile, but rather a thin layer of disdain passing over his face.

"A mere mixed-blood Yao, and he dares to be mentioned in the same breath as this official?"

"You just stay here and wait for the news!"

Before Commander Su Qin had finished speaking, his figure had already turned into a blue-grey afterimage, disappearing into the night outside the door.

Sect Master Zhou Xuanqing and Zhao Tieshan stood in the hall, exchanging glances without speaking. Their eyes fell on the empty courtyard outside the door. The night wind, carrying the scent of grass and leaves, blew in, causing the surface of the tea on the table to ripple with fine lines.

"Swish, swish, swish~"

Commander Su Qin flew on his sword.

His figure silently swept across the ridge of Black Stone Ridge, moving along the route marked by the Xuanqing Sect. The direction was accurate, with no detours. After crossing a mountain ridge covered in withered vines, a waterfall appeared ahead.

The sound of water was exceptionally clear in the night, and water vapor permeated the air. The surface of the pool shimmered with fragmented moonlight.

Qingfeng Ravine had arrived.

Commander Su Qin landed on the branch of a pine tree that slanted outwards. The branches and leaves were dense, obscuring most of his figure.

His gaze crossed the pool and landed on the crevice behind the waterfall that was blocked by rubble.

Commander Su Qin stood on the pine branch, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings of Qingfeng Ravine.

He did not deliberately restrain his aura, and it spread out.

Inside the cave...

Hu Lie was lying on a rock beside the cave entrance. His yellowish-brown pupils slowly opened, and he bared his teeth slightly.

Black Feather was squatting on the rock wall above the waterfall. Noticing Hu Lie's movement, he folded his wings and landed beside Hu Lie.

"Is there a problem?"

Hu Lie's tail swayed slowly behind him. His yellowish-brown pupils stared at the pine tree slanting out outside the pool for a while, then withdrew. His voice was neither high nor low, as if he were speaking of something not worth caring about.

"A pesky fly has come."

As Hu Lie finished speaking, his body, which had been lying on the ground, slowly stood up. His front paws stepped out of the cave entrance, his yellow and black fur shimmering with a faint luster under the moonlight.

Subsequently...

Black Feather did not hesitate. He flapped his wings, soared several zhang high, and landed on the rock top directly above the waterfall.

A sharp crow cry burst from his throat, short and loud, like an iron wire cutting through the night.

Echoes immediately came from around the rock wall, one after another. Hundreds of ink-purple shadows lit up simultaneously from the treetops, rock crevices, and shadows. They flapped their wings and flew up, forming a semi-circular net in the sky, sealing off the direction above the pine tree.