“Ugh! Your crying sounded awful, what bad luck!”

The Blood Feather Hall cultivator glared at Zhao Qi with contempt. When he saw what the boy clutched in his arms, disgust flooded his eyes.

In a blur, he materialized before Zhao Qi.

But before the attacker could move, Zhao Qi triggered the mountain-opening talisman first.

“Mountain-opening talisman?”

The cultivator’s eyebrow twitched as he swung his palm backhanded.

Ssssnap!

The slicing energy shattered like glass under his strike.

“Bastard! Dares resist me?”

His kick erupted with golden light.

Crunch!

The martial cultivator at the eighth level of Gathering Qi possessed terrifying body strength – the diamond talisman held for mere seconds before crumbling.

Still Zhao Qi refused to surrender.

Though cursed with misfortune since childhood, he’d survived countless dangers through grit as much as caution. Giving up simply wasn’t in his nature.

“Ice Splitting Talisman!”

Another advanced talisman flew. Frost encased the Blood Feather Hall cultivator’s limbs.

“Divine Movement Talisman! Spiritual Shield Talisman!”

Activating every remaining charm in one desperate burst, Zhao Qi bolted away with Yang Linghu’s severed arm.

The Xiaoyao Sect’s Ice Splitting Talisman worked better than expected – even an Eighth Level cultivator stood frozen for two full breaths.

The cultivator flew into a rage when he saw his prey escaping.

To be outwitted by this gutter rat!

“Insolence!”

Thoom!

Muscles coiled like springs, he launched skyward and appeared above Zhao Qi in an eyeblink.

“Die, maggot!”

The fist descended like a meteor. Terror turned Zhao Qi’s veins to ice, yet his legs kept pumping forward.

Krakoom!

Red lightning streaked from the horizon, striking the cultivator mid-swing. His body detonated into crimson mist.

Zhao Qi skidded to a halt. Above him floated a red-robed child, descending through the drifting blood haze.

Condensing Essence stage cultivator!

Zhao Qi’s heart pounded violently. Cold sweat drenched him as half the blood in his heart ran cold.

He’d managed to stall the Blood Feather Hall cultivator earlier, but facing this newcomer, any thought of resistance vanished completely.

“That rotten stench from miles away—ah, a Blood Feather Hall cockroach.”

The boy in red landed lightly before Zhao Qi and asked bluntly, “Did you obtain the Black Snake Secret Treasure’s Inheritance?”

Zhao Qi shook his head woodenly.

“Not you?” The boy in red frowned. “Then who?”

His spiritual treasure’s guidance had clearly pointed to Zhao Qi. This shouldn’t be wrong.

Zhao Qi stayed silent, clutching the severed arm against his chest tighter.

The boy in red blinked, then spat sideways, “That venom-tongued old coot! Everyone he nabs ends up dead! Just wait till I tell Master about this!”

Zhao Qi kept his head down, expression carefully blank.

“Whatever. You’re from the same clan?” The boy in red swayed his upright braid impatiently.

Zhao Qi bowed. “Senior, he… was my martial brother.”

“My condolences. Which family claims you?”

“I…” Zhao Qi faltered. Naming the Yang Family now could bring either favor or doom.

The boy in red waved dismissively. “No matter. We can look into it later. This is for your house.” He tossed Zhao Qi a jade pillbox.

“Transformation Pill. Superior-grade for Perfected Gathering Qi. If your clansman cultivates the Black Snake Secret Treasure’s methods to Twelfth Level, this pill aids their breakthrough into the Condensing Essence stage.”

Zhao Qi’s hands trembled as he stored the precious elixir in his storage bag. The sudden reversal left him reeling—moments ago fleeing for his life, now gifted a treasure by a Condensing Essence expert. He felt dizzyingly grateful he’d clung to survival.

As the boy in red turned to leave, Zhao Qi stepped forward brazenly. “Senior! Please take us to Yanxia!”

“Yanxia?” The boy in red snorted. “Fine. Can’t have my elixir going to waste on corpses.”

Dark thunderclouds gathered beneath their feet. With a flick of the boy’s hand, Zhao Qi and Liang Yi were hauled upward. Wind whipped their faces as the cloud soared—their first taste of flight.

After traveling a distance, the boy in red detected something with his divine awareness and glanced downward.

“Two individuals are below. Do you recognize them?”

The thundercloud descended slightly. Zhao Qi peered over the edge and saw Yang Lingrui being carried on Zi He’s back. He cried out joyfully, “Senior! It’s my senior brother!”

That Yang Lingrui still lived was the greatest relief he could imagine.

As the thundercloud lowered, Zi He froze upon sensing the overwhelming presence above him.

Recognizing the boy in red’s clothing and features, he hastily set Yang Lingrui down and bowed. “Slaying the Guardian Zi He of the Exterminate Evil Division pays respects to Lord Hong Yao.”

He’d memorized portraits of important dynasty figures during his service, including this one – Hong Yao from the Hall of Divine Governance.

Her master was the renowned late-stage Spirit Communication cultivator, Hall Master Lu Changfeng himself!

“So the Exterminate Evil Division’s involved. Who leads your group?”

“This humble one accompanied Wenzi Shu from Qiulu to Yanxia, my Lord.”

“Wenzi Shu?”

“Correct.”

“Tch. We never saw eye to eye. You’ll escort this family to Yanxia instead.”

The Wenzi Shu mentioned was none other than the Condensing Essence cultivator sent earlier to oversee Yanxia.

Clearly Hong Yao shared some unpleasant history with the man.

With that, Hong Yao summoned her cloud and vanished skyward within moments.

“Senior Brother Lingrui!”

“Second Young Master…”

“Junior Zhao! Liang!”

Yang Lingrui started toward the survivors with relieved smiles. But after two steps, his eyes locked on the severed arm cradled in Zhao Qi’s grasp.

“Senior Brother… we failed!” Zhao Qi’s voice broke. “Brother Linghu shielded us from that falling technique and… and…”

Sobs overwhelmed him. Liang Yi collapsed to his knees, striking himself repeatedly while weeping over his weakness.

Darkness swam before Yang Lingrui’s eyes. He staggered until Zi He caught his arm.

The guardian averted his gaze from the severed limb, sorrow etching his features.

“I’m… fine.”

Yang Lingrui clenched his jaw, forcing down the storm in his chest. His companions’ grief already overflowed – as their leader, he couldn’t afford weakness.

Step by leaden step, he approached Zhao Qi and accepted the cold, stiff arm.

Tearing cloth from his robe, he wrapped the remains with trembling hands before turning southward.

“Brother Hu. Let’s go home.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep