Chapter 103: The Black Cliff Old Demon Turns Out to Be a Bud? (Please Subscribe)

“All disciples of the Xuanhai Sect, listen to the order: evacuate the city immediately. Anyone who detects demonic energy within the three-thousand-li sea area must report back at once!”

After cursing the Old Demon of Black Cliff’s mother, Master Qinghai quickly steadied his mind.

The Old Demon of Black Cliff was most likely beyond reach now, but remedial measures had to be taken—not to find the old demon, but to show the sect that efforts were being made.

Hopefully, this would lessen the severity of the punishment.

Who would have imagined that the Old Demon of Black Cliff would make such a grand move all for the sake of the earth spirit nurtured within the spiritual vein?

Yet, to protect that earth spirit, he mobilized over ten false Dan cultivators and numerous Foundation Establishment practitioners, essentially exposing all the hired thugs he had amassed over the years.

The cost and the gain were completely disproportionate.

…

Three thousand li off the coast outside Aoshi Immortal City.

Above Chiguang Island.

Suddenly, the void rippled, twisting sharply, and Lu Ya’s figure plummeted with a splash.

His face was pale as he fell deep into the mountains.

“Not good!”

Just as Lu Ya landed, the soil-yellow sprouts trembling in his pupils flickered.

There was an aura of destruction.

A one-way teleportation array that lands randomly—how could he have encountered a Golden Core cultivator here?

Life force and destruction—two opposing energies—he could not mistake them, even if the aura was faint, it could not evade his senses.

Could there be a Golden Core hiding here?

Only a third-tier lifeform could wield such a destructive power that sent shivers down his spine.

Lu Ya did not move, which was somewhat different from his earlier expectations.

Faced with a Golden Core cultivator, he was utterly outmatched.

Amidst the mountains, insect chirps and bird songs filled the air; black-horned ants crawled slowly over the soil and stones. Lu Ya paid no heed to these insignificant creatures. He concealed his aura, contemplating his next move.

…

“Master, there’s a silver light flashing above the island, someone just fell from the sky.”

Inside the cave dwelling, Da Hei rushed in, reporting to Shen Lian immediately.

“What? Someone fell from the sky?”

Shen Lian, deep in meditation, snapped his eyes open.

If it weren’t for knowing Da Hei’s obedient nature, he would have thought this was a joke.

Someone falling from such a height would have caused a landslide or earthquake.

The silver light shimmering—even Golden Core cultivators had no mastery over spatial powers, so could this be a…?

Shen Lian’s divine sense stiffened suddenly.

Aoshi Immortal City had a teleportation array capable of random transmission within three thousand li.

But Chiguang Island was three thousand five hundred li away.

Still, the difference of a few hundred li was negligible for random teleportation.

Without hesitation, Shen Lian rose to collect his cultivated Heavenly Yan Great Jade Talisman.

Who could be teleporting from Aoshi Immortal City at this moment? Had something happened there again?

Since Chiguang Island was small and had Qi Refining cultivators present, demonic black-horned ants drew more attention. Hence, he released only ordinary black-horned ants.

“Order your kin to continue investigating. Find out what the fallen person is doing.”

Shen Lian carefully stored the array formation, concealing his aura with a suppression talisman inside his robe. Since it was unclear whether the teleported individual was friend or foe, he decided to wait and observe.

“With a Golden Core master guarding Aoshi Immortal City, what could possibly require such an expensive teleportation?”

Shen Lian was somewhat curious.

He doubted the city had exploded.

He chose Chiguang Island because it was neither too close nor too far from Aoshi Immortal City, and the spiritual energy was insufficient here—just right for staying a few days while waiting for the route to reopen.

“Never mind, none of my business. When this person leaves, I’ll find another place.”

Shen Lian thought to himself, planning to deliver some joy to his fellow cultivators once the route reopened.

He also considered finding a large mining city to set up shop, selling pills and gathering Xuanling jade marrow ore.

Soon, more ordinary black-horned ants crawled over, greeting Da Hei with hand touches and antennae taps.

This was why Shen Lian released ordinary black-horned ants; though weak, they neither spoke nor transmitted sound but had a unique information transmission method.

Not even a Golden Core cultivator could counter that.

Who would care about a swarm of ants that hadn’t even stepped onto the demonic path?

“Master, the person is hiding in place.”

“Heh, just another survivalist.”

The spatial teleportation array wasn’t something anyone could use at will. The spatial pressure during teleportation was difficult for Foundation Establishment cultivators to withstand.

It was said the last time Aoshi Immortal City activated its teleportation array was over fifty years ago, and those who used it were guarded by false Dan cultivators.

Based on the ants’ messages, the fallen person’s robe was intact, indicating he had resisted the spatial pressure alone.

A lone individual with an intact robe was preliminarily judged to be a false Dan or possessed a high-grade defensive talisman.

But when he fell, the ants on the skyward watch did not see any talisman spiritual light.

So, no high-grade defensive talisman, raising the probability to eighty percent that he’s a false Dan.

What was a false Dan cultivator doing teleporting out from Aoshi Immortal City?

A three-thousand-five-hundred-li water route trip would not take long even by flight—did he burn through Spiritual Stones?

Shen Lian pondered and decided to remain passive unless provoked.

He would still treat a false Dan cultivator cautiously.

The Heavenly Yan jade talisman in his dantian was activated, and his divine sense entered the talisman bracelet’s array formation, ready to strike.

…

“Has the aura vanished?”

Lu Ya embedded himself between the cracked stones underground, carefully observing his surroundings. His divine sense detected black-horned ants, big-headed ants, small flying insects, and other such creatures.

He knew not to extend his divine sense too far; even his divine sense could not surpass that of a Golden Core cultivator—unless “it” could crawl entirely out of that decayed old tree root.

A long while passed.

Suddenly, Lu Ya realized something was amiss.

If it were a Golden Core cultivator from Xuanhai Sect, they would have simply killed him on sight.

Why hide?

Unless it was not a Golden Core but wielded Golden Core-level talisman treasures, had just found him and was waiting for the sect’s Golden Core cultivators to arrive, unwilling to act prematurely.

Such a cautious junior.

He had stayed in Aoshi Immortal City for thirty years and knew all the Foundation Establishment cultivators there—none were so deep-minded.

That was also odd, because he had escaped via the teleportation array, and Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t have caught up to him.

After much thought, Lu Ya felt dizzy; something didn’t add up.

But the faint aura of destruction was unmistakable.

“Can’t wait any longer.”

Lu Ya’s divine sense spread out, and his body crawled through the earth in a strange manner.

“An underground cave… it’s hidden here.”

“Low strength, only…”

“Die!”

…

Inside the cave, yellow mud suddenly swirled, sprouting withered yellow roots that pierced through Shen Lian’s body.

After being pierced, Shen Lian’s expression showed a clear flicker of surprise.

He wanted to struggle but was tightly bound by the emerging roots.

Lu Ya was somewhat surprised; cultivators who had killed others knew that piercing flesh would produce a “puff” sound.

But this sound was off.

“So strong a spiritual intelligence.”

No!

The tightening roots shrank steadily, but instead of the usual crackling sound of a tight grasp, a rustling noise arose as water flowed through the gaps into a nearby pool.

This startled Lu Ya; he had never seen such a method before.

His divine sense swept over the pool and land again, locking onto the target.

“Go!”

Roots sprouted once more from the earth, crashing toward the pool.

Sizzle!

But before the roots reached the water, they were covered in colorful spots that corroded them, emitting black smoke.

Poison!

Instantly, the newly grown roots broke off, shedding the poisoned parts, and new branches grew, stirring the water pool into turbulence.

“No one’s here!”

“Out!”

Suddenly, the entire cave trembled violently; countless roots sprouted from the earth in all directions.

Wherever there was soil, dense roots filled it.

A figure was caught by the roots and pulled out.

“Huh, a puppet.”

A drifting voice sounded everywhere, impossible to pinpoint.

Just then,

As the puppet was surrounded by countless branches, a collision of thunder and fire inside it erupted in a bang.

Terrifying thunder and fire surged within the cramped cave, the electric sparks instantly burning countless roots to nothingness.

The blast from the ordinary talisman was like a subterranean dragon thrashing, with waves of energy rolling up from underground.

On the shattered earth, torrents of thunder and fire sprayed out.

“Ah…”

Screams rang out as Lu Ya’s disheveled figure crawled from the cracks, frantically patting the flames on his body.

In his peripheral vision, he glimpsed five differently colored phantom figures simultaneously casting spells.

Streams of thunderfire destruction radiated from all directions.

“No!”

Feeling the thunderfire, Lu Ya instinctively flinched as the earth below churned, forming immense earthen swords that surrounded him.

“Rumble!”

The Three Fires Returning to the Mountain talisman formation.

Thirty-six talismans formed three sequences, creating three thunderfire spheres that crashed onto the earthen swords.

The rolling thunderfire shattered the swords, and the flying sparks engulfed the area, forcing Lu Ya to dodge instinctively.

“False Dan cultivators really are tough. Talisman formations rivaling false Dan power are still insufficient in strength and number. Looks like more reinforcement is needed.”

Thirty thousand zhang away, Shen Lian frowned as he saw the figure struggling amid the thunderfire. He formed hand seals, and the suspended Five Elements Immortal Puppet unleashed talismans again.

At this moment, the soil-yellow sprouts trembling in Lu Ya’s pupils quivered violently, causing him to lose composure and be struck repeatedly by thunderfire.

“Ah… You’re not of the Xuanhai Sect. Who are you!”

But Lu Ya’s words were met with four talismans condensed into lightning-fire pillars, crashing down with crackling noise.

…

This time, the earthen swords protecting Lu Ya shattered completely, and the flying thunderfire pierced him like a rain of swords, covering him in wounds.

From the holes pierced, flashes of fire and lightning burst forth, causing him to shudder violently.

A cluster of soil-yellow spiritual light shook fiercely, emerging from his heart, with broken tree sprouts growing within.

The aura of decay and demonic intent emanated from these sprouts.

“Stop!”

A wave of energy came from the trembling sprouts struck by thunderfire.

“Let me go, and you set the terms.”

From afar, Shen Lian stared at the strange sprouts appearing, momentarily stunned.

Puppet? Or parasite?

The scene was too bizarre. No wonder the figure had such a fear of thunderfire—it was possessed by a sprout.

The sprout resembled a miniature fat bamboo shoot, black and yellow patches overlapping, grotesque and emitting a strong stench of filth and demonic energy—as if filth and demonic intent had melded into one.

Demonic energy!

That voice!

Suddenly, Shen Lian was shocked.

That dark, grim voice was…

The Old Demon of Black Cliff!

When the old demon had killed Xiang Jingying before, he left such a tone from afar.

The old demon was a sprout?

At that moment, Shen Lian doubted if there was some mistake.

“It’s you!”

Suddenly, a misty figure emerged from the floating sprout, analyzing the surrounding suspended Five Elements Spirit Puppets.

“Ancestor remembers you—you killed one of my pawns.”

“Stop, stop, stop! Cease!”

“The Ancestor favors you greatly. Join my sect, and I’ll ensure you ascend to Golden Core immediately.”

Amid the sparks of thunderfire, the floating sprout scrambled in terror, trying to escape but repeatedly blasted back by thunderfire.

Hearing the Old Demon Ancestor recognize him, Shen Lian narrowed his eyes.

The Five Elements Spirit Puppet struck again, scattering small Heavenly Yan talismans like falling petals.

Feeling the overwhelming aura of destruction, the sprout screamed out.

“I possess supreme immortal arts, true immortal arts, I’ll… give them to you…”

Boom, boom, boom!

After three attacks from talismans and formations rivaling false Dan power, followed by over forty small Heavenly Yan talismans, the sprout cracked into pieces amid the sea of thunderfire.

The land endured multiple such powerful strikes, turning into a wasteland—earth shattered, blackened and pitted, thunderfire flying everywhere.

The previously shattered corpses were reduced to ashes in the blaze.

Only a ray of spiritual light darted amid the thunderfire, captured midair by the Five Elements Spirit Puppet.

Emerging from the hidden earth, Shen Lian surveyed the ruin.

No matter how much he tried to conceal his battle aura, the entire area was utterly destroyed by thunderfire.

To cover the thunderfire aura here would require a force of a higher level to cleanse it again.

Even Shen Lian could not manage it now.

Truly, he had encountered trouble.

Had he killed the Old Demon Ancestor?

Shen Lian shook his head gently. The sprout was most likely a means the Old Demon Ancestor used to control others; it couldn’t have been the Old Demon himself.

This was a heavy loss: encountering the Old Demon by chance, Shen Lian had exhausted his small Heavenly Yan talismans and even used an ordinary talisman.

He gained nothing in return…

Then, Shen Lian’s expression suddenly stiffened.

The Five Elements Spirit Puppet emitted dazzling spiritual light.

What was that?

Instinctively, Shen Lian wanted to control the spirit puppet to discard it.

But a rich and pure aura, thicker, more mellow, and gentler than the spiritual energy of the world itself, began to spread, seeping into the puppet’s body.

“What is this thing?”

Shen Lian and the Five Elements Spirit Puppet separated, sensing the recently captured spiritual light from afar.

It was a shell, previously sealed. Due to the successive false Dan-level energy explosions, the shell cracked, releasing energy.

This energy overflow was quickly absorbed by the Five Elements Spirit Puppet.

He tried to store the shell in his storage ring but failed; it couldn’t be contained.

Instead, the shell fused into his body, and in an instant, Shen Lian regained his clarity.

No matter why the Old Demon of Black Cliff had used the teleportation array to leave Aoshi Immortal City or what kind of spiritual object this was, it was unsafe to linger here.

He had to leave the Aoshi Immortal City sea area immediately.

No more relying on spirit ships or any such nonsense.

Run!

(End of chapter)