Chapter 171: Evil-Purging Flame
Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Evil-Purging Flame
Within a dark and gloomy canyon.
Li Ping and his companion waited patiently. This wait lasted for a full year.
During this year, they stayed in a place without a Spirit Vein, so cultivation was naturally out of the question.
Crafting Spirit Talismans consumed a great deal of Magical Power, and if Yan Liming were to leave suddenly, Li Ping wouldn’t have time to recover. Thus, he chose not to craft any Spirit Talismans.
In fact, he spent most of that year on Alchemy, refining Pills.
Over a decade ago, he had already begun collecting the Spirit Medicines needed to refine the Tier Two Middle Grade Pill, the Gathering Essence Pill.
However, he was busy with his cultivation back then and had no time for Alchemy, so those Spirit Medicines had remained in his Storage Bag.
Now, after breaking through to the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, he needed to absorb enough of the Innate Spiritual Mechanism from a Tier Two Middle Grade Pill to practice the Wetland Water Nourishing Skill Cultivation Technique and break through to the Late-stage Foundation Establishment.
With nothing else to do in the canyon, it was the perfect time to start Alchemy.
As for Yan Hengchuan, he was deeply concerned with Yan Liming’s movements, so he spent every moment using a Secret Technique to silently sense any change in Yan Liming’s location.
To his frustration, Yan Liming seemed to have taken a liking to the Black Water Tribe’s territory and showed no signs of leaving, which made Yan Hengchuan increasingly anxious and impatient.
Fortunately, on this day, just when he could barely hold it in any longer...
He suddenly felt the location of Yan Liming’s aura begin to shift. Yan Liming had left the Black Water Tribe.
Sensing this, Yan Hengchuan hurriedly shouted toward the blood mist, "Grandmaster, that old devil Yan Liming is on the move."
"Oh?" A surprised voice came from within the blood mist.
Then, with a WHOOSH, the blood mist dispersed, revealing Li Ping’s figure. "He’s moving. Then we can set out as well."
The next moment—
SWOOSH!
The Flying Ship, shrouded by the Night Cloak, ascended into the sky. After briefly discerning the direction, Li Ping spurred it with his Divine Sense. The Flying Ship beneath his feet shot forward, heading in the direction Yan Hengchuan had sensed.
Yan Liming’s flight speed was not particularly fast. In just a short while, Yan Hengchuan gave a reminder: Yan Liming was about ten li ahead.
Li Ping estimated the distance from their current location to the Black Water Tribe’s territory and silently controlled the Flying Ship, slowing it down. He followed Yan Liming at a leisurely pace, heading together toward the Liang Kingdom.
The Liang Kingdom was east of the Yan Kingdom. From there, one could enter the Western Wilderness and more quickly return to the territory occupied by the four sects of the Demon Dao.
Li Ping guessed that Yan Liming was planning to return to the Blood Shadow Sect.
However, he wasn’t planning to make a move just yet. They were still too close to the Black Water Tribe. If a fight broke out, the commotion from the Magical Combat might attract a Core Formation Cultivator from the tribe.
In any case, with Yan Hengchuan able to pinpoint Yan Liming’s location at any time, he wasn’t worried about losing him. It was clearly a better choice to wait until they were far from the Black Water Tribe before striking.
「Several hours later.」
Li Ping estimated that they were now over a thousand li from the Black Water Tribe’s territory. At this distance, not even a Core Formation Cultivator could sense the fluctuations of Magical Combat.
’It’s time to make a move.’
SWOOSH!
The Flying Ship under his feet suddenly accelerated. When they were only a few li from Yan Liming, Li Ping gave a calm command, "The coming battle might be dangerous. Hengchuan, you wait for me here. I’m leaving you in control of the Flying Ship for now."
"Yes, Grandmaster!" Yan Hengchuan quickly nodded in agreement.
At the same time, he didn’t forget to point out Yan Liming’s precise location for Li Ping.
Li Ping nodded. A small, blood-colored banner appeared in his hand. With a wave, a cloud of blood had already enveloped him.
The next moment—
The blood cloud shot straight into the air, rocketing in the direction Yan Hengchuan had pointed at a terrifying speed, and vanished over the horizon in the blink of an eye.
Witnessing this, Yan Hengchuan was secretly astounded. He also wondered, ’Grandmaster isn’t a Demon Cultivator, so where did he get such a demonic artifact, reeking of Evil Qi?’
...
In the sky, a figure was flying at a leisurely pace.
This figure was He Yunyi, or rather, Yan Liming.
As he flew, Yan Liming’s eyes were lost in thought. His trip to the Grassland had lasted two years, during which he had met the Chief Stewards of several large Tuluo People tribes.
Through some persuasion and intimidation, he had successfully completed the Sect’s mission, earning great merit.
Although at his age, he could never regain his Core Formation cultivation in this lifetime, he could pass this merit on to his descendants.
’It’s a pity Kun’Er died so mysteriously,’ Yan Liming thought, a resentful look appearing on his face. ’Otherwise, with his aptitude, how difficult would Core Formation have been?’
It was precisely to investigate Yan Kun’s death that he had rushed to the Immortal City.
But as a result, he had carelessly fallen into Bai Yurong and Yan Changqiu’s scheme and almost lost his life there.
After undergoing Possession, returning to a Foundation Establishment cultivation, and getting back to the sect, he used his connections to investigate Yan Kun and Miaorou.
It was as if Yan Kun had vanished from the face of the earth, leaving not a single trace.
Miaorou, on the other hand, had been abducted in Jixia by his own dear grand-disciple, Liu Wusheng. They went to Fenglan Immortal City together and ultimately vanished as well, presumed dead.
’Fenglan Immortal City...’ Yan Liming silently repeated the name in his mind.
Suddenly, he looked up behind him and saw, less than a li away, a cloud of blood rocketing toward him at a terrifying speed.
Judging by its aggressive momentum, it was clearly coming for him, and with ill intent.
Yan Liming was a re-cultivating Core Formation expert. His Divine Sense was still at the Core Formation Stage level. As his Divine Sense spread out, it easily saw through the blood cloud to the person hiding within.
The cultivator inside the blood cloud was a burly man with a face full of scars, his cultivation having impressively reached the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
However, the man was a complete stranger to Yan Liming; he didn’t recognize him at all.
’What is this?’ Yan Liming was completely bewildered, but there was no time for him to think.
His opponent was far faster than him; in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he would be overtaken.
ROAR!
Realizing this, Yan Liming let out a long roar. A dense blood mist erupted from his body, covering a radius of several dozen yards in an instant.
At the same time, he sent an unapologetic voice transmission: "I am a cultivator of the Blood Shadow Sect. Which fellow Daoist are you? Don’t make a fatal mistake."
In Yan Liming’s eyes, the pursuing cultivator, from his attire to the Dharma Artifact he used, was clearly a Demon Cultivator.
If he could use the Blood Shadow Sect’s name to establish a connection, or even just scare him off, he could avoid a major battle.
After all, while he didn’t fear Magical Combat, it was best to avoid any unnecessary fights that would waste Magical Power.
But the cultivator in the blood cloud completely ignored him. Instead, he controlled his Dharma Artifact and plunged headfirst into the blood mist formed by Yan Liming’s Skill and Divine Abilities.
Seeing this, Yan Liming first let out a slight gasp of astonishment, then immediately revealed a cruel expression. "You dare to barge into my Blood Sea Domain? Then have a taste of my Blood Spirits!"
Instantly, the surrounding blood mist began to churn violently. Blood Spirits of various shapes crawled out from the mist, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws as they pounced on Li Ping.
"Hmph!" Li Ping snorted coldly and slapped his Storage Bag.
A purple sword shadow flew out from his Storage Bag. It danced and darted like a sprite, forming an impenetrable net of sword light that shredded all the incoming Blood Spirits, causing them to dissipate back into blood mist.
Seeing Li Ping’s move, Yan Liming sneered, "My Blood Spirits are not physical entities; they are condensed from blood mist. You could say they are endless and unkillable. Fellow Daoist, you should just retreat obediently and save yourself the trouble."
Sure enough, the next moment, after being slain by Li Ping, the Blood Spirits continued to condense endlessly from within the Blood Sea Domain, pouncing on Li Ping as if intending to wear him down to his death.
But upon hearing Yan Liming’s words, Li Ping just gave a disdainful smile.
’I’ve read the Blood Spirit Hundred Transformations Scripture too. Yan Hengchuan even practices this very technique. How could I possibly not understand its Skills and Divine Abilities?’
As long as the Sea of Blood exists, the Blood Spirits cannot die!
It sounded incredibly formidable, but this Sea of Blood was entirely formed from Yan Liming’s Magical Power. By slaying the Blood Spirits, Li Ping was actually just draining Yan Liming’s Magical Power.
Once his Magical Power was depleted, Yan Liming would have no choice but to obediently retract his Blood Sea Domain.
However, Li Ping didn’t have the time to slowly wear him down. He slapped the Storage Bag at his waist again.
SCREECH!
Following the clear, sharp cry, a line of fire shot out from his Storage Bag. It circled Li Ping at a terrifying speed, and wherever it passed, the blood mist released by Yan Liming was incinerated into nothingness by the intense heat.
Finally, the line of fire came to a stop beside Li Ping, revealing the form of a majestic Spirit Bird.
FWOOSH!
The Spirit Bird opened its beak slightly, and a torrent of scorching hot Flame spewed forth. In an instant, it ignited the Blood Sea Domain. The Flame grew with the wind, looking as if it would burn Yan Liming’s pride-and-joy domain to cinders.
"This is bad!" Yan Liming was horrified at the sight.
He hastily severed the burning part of his domain, and in one breath, re-condensed the remaining blood mist back into Magical Power and withdrew it into his body.
Only after doing all this did he look with dread at the man and the bird in the distance.
He saw the majestic Spirit Bird swallow the flames it had just spewed, and then it let out a satisfied burp.
Li Ping was very satisfied that his Desolate Fire Sparrow had so easily broken Yan Liming’s Blood Sea Domain.
The Vermilion Bird is one of the four celestial spirits.
Its associated Nanming Li Fire is infinitely powerful, capable of incinerating anything. It is especially effective against demonic beings, ghostly creatures, and Yin Spirits. It specializes in breaking all demonic techniques and evil arts, a true bane of all evil.
The Spiritual Fire nurtured within the Desolate Fire Sparrow was of course not as terrifying as the Nanming Li Fire, but it was more than enough to deal with the Blood Sea Domain released by a mere Early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Yan Liming.
’With the Desolate Fire Sparrow on my side, perhaps I can specialize in killing Demon Cultivators in the future, just like Xiao Yunzhi,’ Li Ping thought.
"Your Spirit Beast broke my Blood Sea Domain. I admire you for possessing such a Spirit Beast with powerful Divine Abilities." Yan Liming stabilized his aura, his gaze sinister as he stared at Li Ping. "I advise you to retreat now. Otherwise... hmph hmph!"
The scarred-face cultivator before him was not to be trifled with. Yan Liming didn’t want to fight him to the death, but if his opponent remained obstinate...
He would have no choice but to use his trump card to annihilate him.
’Of course, it would be best to persuade him to retreat. My trump card was hard-won; it’s not meant to be wasted in a place like this.’
But when he looked up, he saw the scarred-face cultivator’s expression turn strange. "Kekeke... we’ve been fighting for so long, and you haven’t felt anything wrong? I added quite a few extra ingredients to that Blood Sea Domain of yours."
Upon hearing this, the color drained from Yan Liming’s face.