Chapter 393: The Brute Huo Hu Xu Zi, A Demonic Sect Ambush

Inside the auction hall, everyone looked up.

But before the cultivators in the hall could recover their senses, a scarlet practice wind swept away the clouds and vanished in a flash.

In an instant, it snatched away that segment of Star Sea Divine Vine from the tray held by the maid.

So quickly that the middle-aged cultivator responsible for the auction had no time to stop it.

Immediately above the hall, a red-robed old man with a powerful aura appeared; his features were arrogant, his skin dark, and his beard and hair entirely red, resembling a fire-worker Daoist.

Within a dozen feet around this person as the center, an intensely scorching aura actually radiated outward.

Even space became somewhat distorted.

His cultivation at the peak of the Jin Dan realm caused all the cultivators below to change color drastically, daring not to approach casually, fearing they would become innocent casualties.

"It's actually Huo Hu Xu Zi, the number one rogue cultivator of Great Zhou; how did he manage to sneak in?"

"Rumor has it that over a hundred years ago, after Huo Hu Xu Zi stepped into the peak Jin Dan realm, he traveled everywhere seeking an opportunity to condense a Nascent Soul and break through."

"This person is neither wholly righteous nor wholly evil; he has been in seclusion for several decades with no news or traces of his whereabouts, so why would he suddenly appear at an auction right now?"

"It's over; that segment of Star Sea Divine Vine has been seized by Huo Hu Xu Zi; does he not fear the encirclement and retaliation of the Dao-Upholding Alliance?"

"I heard this person's cultivation and strength are supreme; apart from a Yuan Ying Qin Zhenjun, who within the market city is his match?"

Seeing this scene, Hua Tianxiong's face also turned extremely ugly, but constrained by his dread of Huo Hu Xu Zi's strength, he dared not act rashly.

He also knew quite a bit about this person; rumor had it that he originally hailed from Great Zhou, born as an obscure blacksmith.

By a stroke of luck and chance, he stumbled into cultivation; his style of conduct was unique and outstanding, his fortune considerable, and relying entirely on himself, he cultivated all the way to the peak Jin Dan realm, making him quite a remarkable figure.

Having cultivated until now, he had never taken a disciple, nor did he have a Dao companion or offspring.

With one person full, the whole family went hungry not; he had no entanglements or burdens.

Therefore, Huo Hu Xu Zi's conduct was almost without any scruples, acting entirely according to his own mood, accepting both the righteous and demonic paths.

Who would have thought that after the demonic path invaded Great Zhou, even such a high-level great cultivator would flee to Great Jin.

Meanwhile, within the market city, the demonic path insiders planted inside the auction were filled with both shock and rage.

Because Huo Hu Xu Zi's appearance had completely disrupted their plans.

The true disciple of the Blood Refinement Demonic Sect had originally intended to use the Star Sea Divine Vine as bait to lure Elder Han Ya onto the hook.

They were just about to proceed to the next step.

Yet unexpectedly, this Huo Hu Xu Zi popped up from who knows where, thoroughly muddying the waters.

Elder Luo Xi, who was observing from the auction, seeing such a situation and wishing to avoid generating further incidents, did not linger longer and quietly departed early.

Just as Huo Hu Xu Zi had succeeded and was preparing to swagger away with a wave of his sleeve,

"Huo Hu Xu Zi! Do you think this place is your private backyard, to come and go as you please?"

"Daring to snatch auction items under the gaze of the crowd and in broad daylight!"

"Do you intend to make enemies of the Dao-Upholding Alliance and our Ten Thousand Daoes Shang Alliance?!"

Accompanied by a voice brimming with fury that suddenly rang out in the air, a figure materialized, blocking Huo Hu Xu Zi's path.

Everyone focused their eyes and saw that it was Elder Jin Han of the Ten Thousand Daoes Shang Alliance who had arrived.

Although Elder Jin Han's cultivation was at the late Jin Dan stage, one realm lower than Huo Hu Xu Zi, as a renowned cultivator who had galloped across Great Jin for many years,

his methods and divine abilities were no weaker than the other's by much, and the security within the Five Elements Mountain Market City relied entirely on him to hold the line.

At this moment, when trouble broke out in the auction, Elder Jin Han had rushed to the scene immediately.

He was also furious beyond measure, never expecting that under layers of tight security, a great cultivator like Huo Hu Xu Zi could actually sneak into the auction hall without making a sound.

Furthermore, without saying a second word, he publicly acted to snatch an important auction item; if Huo Hu Xu Zi were truly allowed to leave safely like this, where would the Shang Alliance place its face?

Not only would the reputation of the Ten Thousand Daoes Shang Alliance suffer damage, but there would also be no way to explain matters to the Dao-Upholding Alliance side.

After all, the safety within the Five Elements Mountain Market City was entirely their responsibility.

However, for a Jin Dan peak cultivator like Huo Hu Xu Zi to mix in among them, his methods were not something ordinary guards could detect.

The low-level cultivators inside the hall were now in total chaos, scattering like birds and beasts.

If these two great Jin Dan cultivators were to start fighting here, those of them at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment realms would not be able to withstand the shockwaves of the aftermath.

Huo Hu Xu Zi, clad in a red robe with a dark complexion, seeing that it was Elder Jin Han who had arrived, seemed not at all surprised.

He merely raised his eyes and gave a sinister laugh: "So it is Fellow Daoist Jin Han; do you think that with your abilities alone, you can keep me here?"

"No matter how beautifully you speak, threatening me is useless."

"I, Huo Hu Xu Zi, am a lone man with no family; where would I have so many worries? Hehehe!"

Boom! As his words fell, Huo Hu Xu Zi's temperament, fiery to the extreme, caused him to speak no more; his aura suddenly erupted.

With a wave of his large hand, terrifying fluctuations of magic power surged outward.

A vast expanse of scarlet practice fire clouds nearly enveloped the entire auction hall, rolling toward Elder Jin Han.

"Ahhh!"

"Help! Run quickly!"

For a moment.

The cultivators in the hall below who had no time to escape were filled with terror, crying out to their fathers and mothers.

Even quite a few low-level cultivators, under the spread of the fire clouds, were instantly melted.

Seeing this scene, Elder Jin Han was immediately so angry he jumped up and down.

He never expected that not only was Huo Hu Xu Zi audacious enough to defy heaven, but he would actually commit mass slaughter right inside the auction house.

"Huo Hu Xu Zi, you seek death!!"

In a battle of this level, apart from support from those above the late Jin Dan stage, sending even more cultivators would merely be sending them to their deaths.

Elder Jin Han remained calm and composed, immediately ordering the arriving Ten Thousand Daoes Shang Alliance cultivators to activate the protective great formation of the Five Elements Mountain Market City.

This was to prevent Huo Hu Xu Zi from escaping.

Immediately, he raised his hand and slashed, causing golden light to crisscross and instantly disperse the attacking fire clouds.

Inside the auction house's private room.

Hua Tianxiong also saw this situation and knew that his hope of obtaining the Star Sea Divine Vine today was definitely ruined.

"Damn it, this Fire Voidzi is truly a madman!"

He cursed silently, then without a second thought, immediately prepared to flee this trouble spot.

If things continued like this, those two old monsters would definitely engage in a fierce battle.

By then, even he, a mid-stage Jin Dan cultivator, might not be able to withstand it.

He was not skilled in magical combat, and with the gap in realms standing before him, there were still two huge chasms between mid-stage Jin Dan and perfection.

He might very well end up as cannon fodder.

Just as Hua Tianxiong was preparing to run.

Suddenly! His entire scalp went numb, and a strong sense of crisis surged into his heart.

It was that Fire Voidzi, who had directly shattered the private room's window into pieces, reaching out with a massive hand to grab him.

Fire Voidzi also had a clear objective; knowing it would be difficult to escape unscathed after succeeding, he had long formulated a plan.

He knew that Hua Tianxiong was not only a trusted aide of Elder Qian of the Li Fire Palace but also the president of one of the Ten Great Merchant Houses of the Myriad Dao Shang Alliance, holding a pivotal position within the alliance.

After succeeding, he planned to take Hua Tianxiong hostage to achieve his goal of leaving the Five Elements Mountain Market.

Before coming, Fire Voidzi had also inquired about various rumors concerning Hua Tianxiong from recent years.

Although the death of Tian Laomo of the Yin Demon Sect and even Wen Yuliang, the Nascent Soul seed of Divine Dao Mountain, had a tremendous connection to him.

But relying on his sharp experience from roaming the Immortal Realm for many years, Fire Voidzi judged that these were merely external speculations.

Hua Tianxiong might have some merits in commerce, but regarding cultivation and magical combat, calling him a good-for-nothing would not be an exaggeration in Fire Voidzi's eyes.

Therefore, at this moment, his strike was almost certain to succeed.

Swish! But the scene that followed made Fire Voidzi's eyes pop in shock.

In his panic, Hua Tianxiong pulled out a purple-gold talisman and crushed it without a moment's hesitation.

Immediately, his whole body was enveloped in purple light, vanishing into thin air in an instant!

"Damn it! A third-grade top-grade Void Shift Talisman!"

Fire Voidzi stamped his feet and cursed furiously; he never expected that Hua Tianxiong would possess such an incredibly precious talisman.

Such a rare life-saving talisman was something even Fire Voidzi, at the peak of the Jin Dan realm, did not possess; the value of this single talisman was enough for him to rob the auction house twice. A thousand li outside the Five Elements Mountain Market.

Hua Tianxiong was still trembling with fright; just now, Fire Voidzi had clearly intended to capture him as a hostage.

He exclaimed at his terrible luck. "That scared the hell out of me!"

"If it weren't for the top-grade talisman bestowed by my master, I would have been in serious trouble this time."

Boom! Just then.

A fierce battle erupted in the Five Elements Mountain Market; two renowned great Jin Dan cultivators unleashed world-destroying power with every move.

The brilliance erupted by their spells dyed half of the nearby sky crimson.

The merchants in the shops below and the rogue cultivators were terrified, none daring to show their heads, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

At the outskirts of the Five Elements Mountain Range.

The demonic cultivators lurking in ambush, waiting for an opportunity to strike, now learned of the news inside and were all utterly stunned.

"Junior Sister Lan, what should we do?"

"I didn't expect a single rat dropping to ruin our plan."

"Old Monster Han Ya is likely frightened and will no longer show himself."

"Once this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is missed, it will likely be extremely difficult to lure him out again in the future."

Jiang Yuan, the Holy Son of the Blood Refining Demon Sect, asked the Blue Ice Saintess beside him.

His tone was somewhat cold and sharp, showing that even he had become angry.

"As for the remaining matters, Senior Brother Jiang, you decide what to do yourself."

"I am returning to the Great Li Yin Demon Sect first."

With that, her figure gradually faded, vanishing instantly from the spot.

A sinister, effeminate smile appeared on Jiang Yuan's pale face.

"Then many thanks to Junior Sister Lan for yielding; this segment of Star Sea Divine Vine, your humble brother will gladly accept."

……

……

After escaping, Hua Tianxiong immediately used the black talisman to report the situation here to Qin Ming.

"What?"

"A great chaos has erupted in the Five Elements Mountain Market; Elder Jin Han and Fire Voidzi are fighting fiercely within the market?"

Qin Ming was currently on his way to the Five Elements Mountain Market; he never expected that as soon as he stepped out, such a huge incident would occur over there.

The good mood he had just felt from obtaining a treasure instantly vanished into smoke.

Qin Ming himself was not afraid.

But the combat power of late-stage and perfect Jin Dan cultivators was astonishing; even though the Five Elements Mountain Market possessed powerful defensive forces.

It could not withstand such torment from Elder Jin Han and Fire Voidzi, these two great Jin Dan cultivators.

He was also slightly worried that Old Jia and the others from the Mirror Snow Pavilion inside the Five Elements Mountain Market were all still in there.

"Sigh! This Fire Voidzi is truly a reckless bandit who doesn't care about his life!"

"Is it really worth it for a segment of divine wood?"

"Let us hope that good people are blessed by heaven."

At this moment, it would be extremely unwise for Qin Ming to go to the Five Elements Mountain Market.

He immediately sent a message talisman to Old Jia, and upon learning they had not been affected, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, from the message Old Jia sent back to Qin Ming:

"Shopkeeper, you must be extremely careful yourself!"

"Just now, that Huo Hu Xu Zi was hunted down by the masses of the Dao-Upholding Alliance; he has already broken through the protective great formation of the Five Elements Mountain Market and is fleeing outward."

"Now the market is in a complete mess; as for the situation outside, this old man is not too clear either."

Qin Ming's eyes flashed, and just as he put away the message talisman in his hand—

Boom! His divine sense, comparable to that of an early Nascent Soul stage cultivator, instantly spread out, covering an area of several hundred li.

With merely a slight investigation, Qin Ming gained a thorough understanding of the situation surrounding the Five Elements Mountain Market.

At this moment, Huo Hu Xu Zi had transformed into a streak of red fleeing light, unhurriedly making his escape, and as he ran, he revealed a smile of extreme madness.

Clearly, having broken out of the market's formation seal, he was convinced that once outside, no one could capture him.

Elder Jin Han's face was as gloomy as still water as he led a large group of cultivators in urgent pursuit.

Meanwhile, Huo Hu Xu Zi's position was already not far from Hua Tianxiong, who had just fled out.

What surprised Qin Ming even more was:

Surrounding the Five Elements Mountain Market, a group of demonic cultivators was lying in ambush, lying in wait at this spot.

Among them, on a yin and soft-looking man with a paper-white face, even Qin Ming could not help but feel an extreme sense of danger!

"Could this person... be one of the two Holy Sons of the Blood Refinement Demon Sect?"

"Even Han Ya Shangren, a Nascent Soul Qin Qin Zhenjun, could capsize at the hands of a Demon Sect Holy Son."

"Can't mess with them! Can't mess with them!"

Naturally, Qin Ming kept his distance from these people, hiding as far away as possible.

Not far away.

Hua Tianxiong also discovered that behind him, the fierce and vicious Huo Hu Xu Zi was chasing him down once again.

His entire soul instantly flew beyond the heavens in terror, and his heart cried out in endless bitterness.

"This is truly damn unlucky! Could it be that this Huo Hu Xu Zi secretly has a crush on me?"

"Why is he relentlessly pursuing only me?"

Just at this moment.

Qin Ming's voice rang out in Hua Tianxiong's mind.

"Hua Tianxiong, come to me in the northwest direction."

Hearing Qin Ming's words, Hua Tianxiong was so excited he was nearly on the verge of tears.

He had considerable confidence in this master of his.

As long as he reached him, he would surely be able to escape danger this time.

Only a quarter of an hour later.

Hua Tianxiong exerted all his abilities, piloting the Golden Luan Precious Carriage, and finally arrived before Qin Ming.

Having escaped death by a hair's breadth, he bowed with an almost tearful tone:

"Master..."

"Say no more for now."

Seeing him arrive, Qin Ming said nothing else, pulling him into the Small Spirit Realm, before hiding inside himself.

Whoosh! A streak of crimson fleeing light arrived in an instant, halting in mid-air.

The fleeing light dispersed, revealing Huo Hu Xu Zi clad in red robes; the powerful aura of magic power on his body fluctuated wildly, and his crimson beard and eyebrows immediately knitted into a tight knot.

"Strange, how did that Hua Tianxiong arrive here only to suddenly vanish into thin air?"

"To escape from this seat's hands time and time again, this kid must definitely have something weird about him!"

Just as Huo Hu Xu Zi was filled with shock and suspicion, Elder Jin Han behind him also led his people, charging up furiously to catch him.

"Huo Hu Xu Zi, see where else you can run?!"

Upon meeting, Elder Jin Han immediately unleashed a third-grade superior Glacier Talisman, striking directly at him.

In an instant.

Countless ice spikes shot up from the ground, covering the sky and sealing off Huo Hu Xu Zi's path of escape.

"Jin Han, you old scoundrel, today I will surely make sure you die without a whole corpse!"

Huo Hu Xu Zi flew into a rage as well, preparing to engage him in a fierce battle once again.

Hum~ Suddenly.

In the nearby sky, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth began to boil like water, followed by violent trembling of space.

In an instant, the heavens and earth changed color.

The vision of all cultivators present shifted, and they discovered with horror that they had been pulled into a world of blood refinement where demonic clouds surged and rolled! Even Huo Hu Xu Zi and Elder Jin Han both suddenly felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar!...

(End of Chapter)