Chapter 42: In a Sorry State

Wu Lao Tou! Are you certain that kid will come this way?

Don't worry! It's certain, my scent-seeking powder has already landed on him; do you see any worm in my hand? As long as he comes within ten li, the scent-seeking worm will flutter its wings.

I have already placed scent-seeking worms at all four gates of Treasure Gathering Workshop; no matter which gate he exits, the worms can give warning. Look, this worm is currently fluttering, about to fly—it shows that kid is coming from the east gate!

Wu Lao Tou, while speaking, showed Fang Lao Dao an extremely tiny transparent worm in his palm.

Old Wu and that cultivator dressed like a wealthy patron have been acquainted for thirty years; both are somewhat famous rogue cultivators in the vicinity.

Their aptitude is actually not too good; medium-grade spiritual roots, slightly inferior—just a bit better than low-grade spiritual roots.

As rogue cultivators, reaching Great Completion at the age of fifty is quite difficult.

The hardships need not be mentioned; besides that, they've also done plenty of shady dealings, otherwise they wouldn't have cultivated to this level.

The appearance of the Increasing Yuan Pill at last night's auction almost ignited their hope to impact Foundation Establishment.

Unfortunately, in the end it was still bought by someone else; the remaining two— that knife-wielding man looks trouble at a glance, and that veiled female cultivator is extremely mysterious, also not to be trifled with.

Finally, they set their target on the seemingly extremely young Wang Ping.

The rivalry between Wu Lao Tou and Wang Ping is perhaps nothing but Wu Lao Tou putting on an act.

After the auction ended, the two naturally came together, divided labor and cooperated, and finally gathered at the east gate.

'Hope that youngster has something good, so we can go rent a second-grade spirit vein at Treasure Gathering Pavilion to break through Foundation Establishment.'

The wealthy patron cultivator kept uttering prayers; at this moment he didn't look like a cultivator, more like a mortal praying to gods and buddhas.

'Don't worry! I've already inquired clearly; this kid definitely has at least this amount on him!'

Wu Lao Tou extended a finger.

'Ten thousand spirit stones!' the wealthy patron cultivator revealed a greedy expression.

'That's right, huh! Quick look! That kid has come out, hehe, he's still leisurely looking at the scenery—indeed he's young! Old rule: make a move a hundred li outside Treasure Gathering Workshop.'

Wu Lao Tou excitedly gave the order.

The wealthy patron cultivator likewise excitedly nodded his head; after the young cultivator walked a distance, the two furtively followed behind.

Moreover, in the market, some cultivators who originally wanted to follow up saw that Wu Lao Tou and the other had already followed, and they all stopped in their tracks.

'Damn! Those two shady guys snatched the lead!'

'I didn't expect that youngster to actually be eyed by Lang Bai; now it's good, estimated even his bone marrow will be blown out as oil.'

'What a pity! What a pity! The cultivators eyed by Lang Bai usually have decent worth, it's just a bargain for these two dog things.'

Treasure Gathering Workshop, east gate—unknown how many cultivators in the dark secretly sigh; the prey eyed by the two Great Completion cultivators, no one dares to take food from the tiger's mouth.

In that underground auction venue, Old Bai was quietly listening to his disciple's report.

Finally, saying 'I understand,' he immediately immersed himself once more in the vast art of alchemy.

No one knows that the Increasing Yuan Pill is precisely what he painstakingly researched over many years.

Everyone says that the limit of Qi Refining cannot achieve Foundation Establishment, but he will not give up hope.

The immortal path is walked by oneself; the great way is cultivated by oneself—if the road breaks, patch it; if the way breaks, cultivate the way; until the moment of his last breath, he will absolutely not give up.

Then he again thought of the two Lang Bai, silently sighing 'what a pity'.

'These two are good dogs for two days; I estimate we won't see them again!'

That young cultivator is quite interesting!

………

Outside Treasure Gathering Workshop Market, Wang Ping sped along at extreme speed, and after a brief moment he rushed into Myriad Peace Mountain.

This made the two tailing behind somewhat surprised; when he turned around a mountain foot, they suddenly lost sight of the young cultivator's figure.

'Not good, the scent-seeking worm has lost its effect.'

Wu Lao Tou looked at the worm spinning wildly in his palm and shouted anxiously.

The wealthy patron also became anxious upon seeing it—how could a duck about to be caught be allowed to fly away!

However, although anxious, they also didn't forget to take precautions, each producing their personal magical artifacts; both were exclusively high-grade magical artifacts.

Thereafter they raised their protective spirit light and ran, one before the other, toward the place where the scent-seeking worm disappeared.

The two have spent their lifetimes doing shady deeds, naturally guarding against being plotted against by others.

Although their running seemed without pattern, in fact they had already defended against any possible ambush direction.

Wang Ping, hiding in the No-Shadow Formation, expressed admiration for their cautious behavior; with each step they took, their bodies would have different reactions.

Every exchange of glances was conveying some kind of information.

Such a pair cannot be ambushed by any cultivator; even Wang Ping couldn't help but praise their tacit cooperation.

But, I'm not trying to ambush you! I just want to separate you.

Wang Ping narrowed his eyes; three sword lights circled his body without cease, gradually merging into a green light sword.

Seizing the gap, Wang Ping flicked his sword finger; a blade of green light shot out of the No-Shadow Formation and slashed toward the two.

At this moment, Old Wu and the wealthy patron cultivator happened to be one before the other with a slight overlap.

Wang Ping's sword strike, extremely fast, its sharp, piercing light had already stabbed toward the middle of the two in an instant.

The sword light emanating from the high-grade sword artifact was indeed extraordinary; the protective spirit light of the two Qi Refining Great Completion cultivators actually showed a feeling of wobbling, about to collapse.

Wang Ping's sword light was extremely fast; the two, shocked, had no extra thought and each rolled to one side.

Crack— the ground littered with rubble was cut open a fissure two fingers wide, three zhang long, and one meter deep.

Wu Lao Tou reacted the fastest; upon landing he already raised his high-grade magical artifact Vajra Pestle, and immediately resonant Buddhist tones rang out, a sheet of auspicious Buddhist light appearing.

Just as Wu Lao Tou was on high alert, he discovered that his longtime partner behind him had a figure appear, extremely fast, holding a crystal great seal already smashing toward Old Zhang Dao's head.

Oh no! Wu Lao Tou instantly realized that the sword light just now wasn't meant to kill the enemy, but to separate them.

The moment he understood, he had no time to warn; his whole body's golden spiritual power surged, and his aged visage visibly turned into that of a middle-aged person.

At the same time, the Vajra Pestle in his hand had already been thrown out; its tail's sharpness was not inferior to that of a flying-needle magical artifact.

His throw was not inferior to the speed of that azure sword light just now.

Old Wu's reaction speed and strength were somewhat beyond Wang Ping's expectation, but he remained calm and composed,

One hand holding the Overturn Heaven Seal aimed to smash the head of a cultivator like a wealthy landowner, while the other hand simultaneously formed a sword finger seal, directing the sword light to block the Vajra pestle.

Old Wu hadn't expected that the young man would be so troublesome, actually able to multitask, the Vajra pestle blocked by the azure sword light, and he no longer had time to stop Wang Ping from delivering a lethal blow.

But he wasn't panicking, because Zhang Laodao had an upper-grade defensive talisman on him; even if the opponent wielded a top-grade magical artifact, they couldn't defeat Zhang Laodao in one move, so he still had time.

Whoosh!

From his sleeve darted out an azure-green small snake, as thick as a finger, three feet long; oddly, the snake's eyes were red.

With a thought, Old Wu's azure-green small snake shot forward and appeared three meters away; at this moment, Zhang Laodao's body already glowed with a red light shield.

Old Wu revealed a triumphant smile; as long as the shield held for a breath, that brat would be bitten twice by his azure bamboo snake.

Unless he gives up the attack!

Gazing at Wang Ping, his left hand holding the crystal seal had already been pressed onto the red light shield.

Old Wu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Haha… ha… uh… uh"

Halfway through his laugh, he suddenly stopped, as if someone had suddenly grabbed his throat, making an "uh-uh" sound.