Chapter 155: I

When Zhou Qing returned again, Lu Yaoyao immediately rose to greet him, her face filled with concern and anticipation.

During these six months, she had nearly absorbed the entire superior wood-element spirit stone, not only solidifying her original realm but also steadily advancing further.

Her strength had grown considerably since before; her entire aura had become even more stable.

"We're ready," Zhou Qing said solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yaoyao's eyes instantly lit up, shimmering with excitement and resolve.

The two then departed, finding a location far removed from the Beimang Mine to avoid alerting Bloodbone Old Ghost or triggering a rescue signal from Sima Yaji.

After selecting the spot, Zhou Qing wasted no time, pulling out the pre-prepared array materials from his storage pouch and beginning to meticulously set up the Thunder Yan Devouring Spirit Array.

He carefully infused it with a series of spirit seals to ensure absolute safety.

It took him a full three days before everything was finally prepared.

"What comes next will be a battle for life and death; you may need to assist me," Zhou Qing said earnestly, looking at Lu Yaoyao.

Even with backup blood qi and spiritual power, he estimated he would be utterly drained, and other unpredictable factors could arise.

Lu Yaoyao nodded firmly, understanding completely, and declared without hesitation: "Rest assured—I'll stand by you, come what may."

Hearing this, Zhou Qing felt a surge of emotion.

He gave her a few final instructions before setting out to lure the enemy into the trap.

Watching Zhou Qing's retreating figure, Lu Yaoyao couldn't help but sigh: "So handsome."

Who could believe that a Golden Core cultivator and a Nascent Soul cultivator would dare to team up and ambush a Nascent Soul peak expert?

And this man was one of the Five Prodigies of the Cangyan Dao Palace.

She quickly found a concealed spot to hide, waiting patiently for the moment.

…………

Zhou Qing returned to the Beimang Mine, slipped back inside, confirmed the target was still there, then quietly withdrew and waited silently around the perimeter.

He waited for half a month—until today, when he finally saw a familiar figure speeding toward him.

The woman wore a tight purple-red brocade robe, its neckline cut dangerously low, revealing a generous expanse of pale skin.

Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, yet her long, slightly upturned phoenix eyes radiated a ruthless, cunning edge.

She was identical to the woman he had seen in the memories of Tian Xiong, the overseer of the Xueyan Mine.

"Sima Yaji—" Zhou Qing's eyes instantly filled with killing intent.

Suddenly, Sima Yaji, who had just begun entering the mine, seemed to sense something, halted mid-flight, and turned her gaze toward Zhou Qing's position, her eyes sharp with suspicion.

Zhou Qing immediately suppressed his aura, not daring to move.

Fortunately, she merely glanced briefly, as if sensing nothing unusual, then continued into the mine.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing exhaled silently in relief.

"Such sharp alertness!" Zhou Qing frowned, growing even more cautious.

And he still didn't know what her Nascent Soul enhancement was.

After lying in wait another five days outside, he finally saw Sima Yaji emerge again.

This time, over a hundred motionless figures clad in black robes followed behind her.

Earlier, Zhou Qing had brought back the cave memory stone and a newly transformed puppet to his sect; after investigation by the Sect Master and others, they confirmed the puppet transformation occurred in two stages.

The first stage involved embedding a spell array, rendering captured individuals utterly obedient—but only enough to safely transport them back to the sect; regardless of their prior cultivation, at that moment they were no different from ordinary puppets.

The true infusion of soul required a Soul Transformation expert to perform the final, unknown transformation.

Thus, Zhou Qing wasn't concerned about these black-robed figures; in fact, they might become a burden to Sima Yaji.

Watching Bloodbone Old Ghost wave farewell from within the mine, Zhou Qing quietly withdrew and swiftly circled around from the opposite side to "accidentally" encounter Sima Yaji.

…………

Sima Yaji gazed at the waterfall before her and stretched languidly.

Her tight clothing tightened slightly with the motion, outlining her alluring curves.

She murmured softly, and immediately, the hundred-plus black-robed figures halted in perfect unison, turning as one.

"After traveling so long through remote lands, who would have thought such scenery still existed here!"

Sima Yaji promptly shed her purple-red brocade robe, her figure swaying with irresistible allure.

Just as she was about to remove another layer, her eyes suddenly narrowed, fixing on the horizon.

There, a figure was racing toward her at high speed.

"That's… Zhou Qing of Taiqingmen?"

When Sima Yaji recognized his face, she froze in surprise, then burst into ecstatic delight, even licking her lips unconsciously.

How effortlessly fortune had come her way—someone had chosen the same route as her.

"Meng Xing, Song Yuan—was this your gift to me from beyond? If so, I won't refuse!"

Sima Yaji muttered to herself, and a blood-red sickle appeared in her hand.

The sickle emitted an eerie crimson glow, its handle forged from unknown white bones, inscribed with flickering runes that sent chills down the spine.

Zhou Qing, who had been racing forward, suddenly sensed something and sharply halted his flying sword, hovering midair.

He then cautiously drew out Po Shang Feng, scanning his surroundings warily.

"Your vigilance is impressive," came a soft yet chilling voice from below.

Sima Yaji, shouldering the crimson sickle, floated upward with effortless grace.

She landed steadily, gazing at Zhou Qing, a faint, ambiguous smile curling on her lips—beautiful as a mandrake blooming in darkness, deadly as its petals.

When Zhou Qing saw Sima Yaji's face, his pupils shrank violently, his eyes wide with disbelief, his movements frantic.

"Madam, you've mistaken me for someone else!" Zhou Qing forced calm, dropped these words, and turned to flee without hesitation.

Sima Yaji snorted coldly, not rushing to pursue; instead, she ordered the black-robed figures to dive into the deep pool beneath the waterfall, then began chasing him like a cat playing with a mouse.

In mere moments, she effortlessly closed the distance between them.

"Zhou Qing of Taiqingmen, you're quite famous in the Cangyan Dao Palace now—a Golden Core cultivator who made Meng Xing and Song Yuan, two fools, crash in the gutter. I must admit, you've got some skill!"

Sima Yaji's voice drifted lazily into Zhou Qing's ears, her gaze laced with amusement and disdain.

Zhou Qing's face turned ashen; he constantly shifted his flight path, trying to use the complex terrain to escape Sima Yaji behind him.

"Madam, I have no idea what you're talking about—I'm not Zhou Qing. You must have mistaken me."

Zhou Qing's voice trembled with obvious panic as he shouted repeatedly.

"Bloodbone said you were cunning—now I see it's true. But I understand—survival isn't shameful."

At these words, Sima Yaji launched her attack.

The sickle in her hand flew out with a sharp whistle, slicing through the air toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing gasped, frantically raising Po Shang Feng to block.

As they clashed, sparks erupted, and the clang of metal rang through the air.

But the power gap was immense—Zhou Qing felt a tidal wave of force crash into him, his body unable to withstand it; his throat turned sweet, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Using the recoil, he accelerated even further and fled.

"I didn't expect this rusted iron sword to be so durable—Song Yuan must've been wounded by it and poisoned because of his arrogance!"

Sima Yaji grew interested, recalled the sickle, and unleashed a burst of flame from behind her, which transformed into countless firebirds streaking toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing's feet flashed silver as he dodged the exploding firebirds, abandoning his pretense and roaring curses.

"You slut, what's there to be proud of? Don't even mention Meng Xing and Song Yuan—if you gave me time, I'd kill you too!"

Hearing this, Sima Yaji burst into laughter.

"I believe you—so I won't give you time to grow. That's it!"

Sima Yaji instantly closed the distance, swinging her sickle and sending waves of searing firelines roaring toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing dodged left and right, his movements ghostlike as he weaved between the firelines, desperately evading every strike.

Occasionally burned, he hurled ancestral curses in return.

This only intensified Sima Yaji's killing intent.

"This footwork is strangely peculiar—so agile! And yet, despite being merely late-stage Golden Core, I can't catch him?"

Sima Yaji grew intrigued—if she caught him, she'd have to thoroughly search his soul; there might be unexpected gains.

But she couldn't delay too long—he was a core disciple of Xiao Ling Peak; if others nearby were alerted, it would become a problem.

Next time she waited for him to leave, it might be years before he showed himself again.

Thinking this, Sima Yaji accelerated further, swinging her sickle with greater speed and ferocity, determined to kill Zhou Qing in the shortest time possible.

…………

Lu Yaoyao grew anxious—her father had been gone so long; was he alright?

She should've gone with him—at least to lend support.

Just as she was frantic with worry, a message from Zhou Qing suddenly arrived.

【Get ready—I'm coming now!】

Seeing this, Lu Yaoyao finally exhaled in relief, though tension surged even more; she immediately suppressed her cultivation to avoid becoming a liability.

About half a stick of incense later, two figures came racing toward her—one fleeing, one chasing.

The one ahead, Zhou Qing, was drenched in blood, his appearance horrifying, his body swaying as if he would collapse at any moment.

Seeing this, Lu Yaoyao's heart ached.

Behind him, Sima Yaji's face was grim, even bordering on self-doubt.

She, a Nascent Soul peak expert, couldn't kill a Golden Core cultivator?

No—this Golden Core wasn't just tough—he'd endured such grievous wounds and still held on this long.

Any ordinary person would have been dead beyond revival.

"By the way, according to the gathered data, after his Golden Core was crushed, he apparently cultivated a formidable body-refining technique!" Sima Yaoji seemed to understand.

But just then, Zhou Qing ahead suddenly staggered, then fell straight down from the sky like a kite with its string cut.

"Even if I self-destruct, I won't let you get me!"

Zhou Qing shouted with all his strength, weakly, and his aura instantly turned violent.

Seeing this, Sima Yaoji's expression changed, and she swiftly flew down toward Zhou Qing.

"Before your value is maximized, what right do you have to self-destruct..."

But before she finished speaking, the lush valley scene before her twisted violently, as if she had stepped into a chaotic hell.

Around her, thunder raged like furious dragons winding through the air, shattering the void wherever they passed.

Vast waves of flaming sea engulfed the space, dyeing it a blazing crimson; scorching heat rolled toward her, as if burning even her soul.

Worse still, she was stunned to discover her spiritual power was being uncontrollably drained, bit by bit.

"An array!"

Sima Yaoji's face darkened; she spun around to flee—but horror struck: behind her remained rolling thunder and blazing fire.

The path she had come from was gone!

She immediately dashed forward at top speed, yet strangely, some unknown force disrupted her sense of direction, making her feel as if she were spinning in place.

Her once-clear spatial perception had become blurred.

"Stay calm, stay calm—find the array's core first!" Sima Yaoji forced herself to settle, then unleashed her terrifying spiritual sense.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The next instant, waves of thunder and flame surged toward her; Sima Yaoji gripped her red hook-sickle tightly, leaping and dodging constantly.

"You like chasing me? Today, I'll let you chase till you're exhausted!"

At some unseen moment, Zhou Qing suddenly burst forth from the thunder, wielding a broken sword as he charged forward.

Sima Yaoji widened her eyes, staring at Zhou Qing in disbelief.

He no longer looked wounded as before—his aura was vast and powerful, and the energy he emitted clearly reached the Nascent Soul mid-stage.

No, stronger than a typical Nascent Soul.

No time to think further; she swiftly blocked with her hook-sickle. Upon impact, terrifying energy ripples spread outward.

"This array was set by you? You planned this?" Sima Yaoji fixed her gaze on Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing sneered. "You dare mock others? You're no different from Meng Xing and Song Yuan."

"You—" Sima Yaoji flew into a rage.

But Zhou Qing instantly retreated, standing atop the thunderclouds; with rapid hand seals, his hair turned pitch blue.

ROAR!

The next instant, a massive Suanni phantom slowly emerged behind him.

Zhou Qing roared, and thick bolts of thunder, like a celestial river inverted, poured onto the Suanni, making its entire body glow with destructive light; it opened its bloodied maw and slammed straight toward Sima Yaoji.

Facing this beast that seemed to carry primordial power, Sima Yaoji's face changed; she dared not slacken for a moment.

Her red hook-sickle whirled rapidly, its surface now glowing with black light.

She cried out sharply and charged straight into the surging thunder-beast.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

As the hook-sickle clashed with the thunder, blinding light and powerful shockwaves erupted, hurling Sima Yaoji backward repeatedly.

Her throat tightened with blood, but she swallowed it down.

After barely steadying herself, feeling her internal qi churning, she wiped her mouth, watching Zhou Qing—whose face had also gone pale—and her eyes gleamed with excitement, as if she'd encountered a prey she found deeply fascinating.

"Interesting. Now this is interesting. Honestly, those two aren't even worthy to stand beside us among the Heavenly Prodigies. The true Heavenly Prodigies of Cangyan Dao Palace have always been the three of us!"

Sima Yaoji wiped the blood from her lips. "You're truly formidable—both in strength and acting. But that's all. Don't worry—I'll take you back intact and study you thoroughly."

Zhou Qing shook his head, eyes brimming with contempt. "Looks like all five of you are complete psychopaths. Doesn't matter—I, Zhou Qing, slay psychopaths!"

No time to waste—he must end this quickly.

The next instant, another phantom appeared behind him: a three-legged Jin Wu. His previously pitch-blue hair now turned crimson.

"KIIIIII—"

The Jin Wu, wreathed in flames, let out a piercing cry. Empowered by the Thunderflame Soul-Devouring Array, its temperature became even more terrifying.

"Sima Yaoji, do you remember Luo Xue on Linggu Mountain? She was my senior sister. Today, it's your turn to repent!" Zhou Qing's eyes blazed as he roared.

The Jin Wu shrieked again, spread its wings, and endless flames rained down like meteors upon Sima Yaoji.

Sima Yaoji dared not slacken for a moment—Zhou Qing's two successive divine arts had sent chills down her spine, filling her with intense dread.

She immediately fled, but the Jin Wu seemed locked onto her, forcing her to halt and pour all her spiritual power into the red hook-sickle.

The hook-sickle instantly became a blood-red streak, spinning rapidly before her to form a defensive barrier.

The Jin Wu struck instantly, colliding with the barrier with a crackling sound.

Sima Yaoji's face paled; she strained to maintain the barrier, feeling her spiritual power drain at an alarming rate.

Worse, the fire's heat pierced through the barrier, searing her skin, causing unbearable pain.

" Suanni technique, Jin Wu technique—you've given me more surprises than ever… No!"

Before Sima Yaoji finished speaking, her face changed; alarm bells rang in her mind. She instantly turned and attacked behind her.

Lu Yaoyao surged forward, seized the moment, and hurled a talisman, then spun and fled.

"My master gave me this life-saving talisman. They say it can unleash a Soul Transformation strike. Help me test it!"

No sooner had Lu Yaoyao spoken than the golden talisman before her trembled violently, as if containing immense power desperate to erupt.

A Soul Transformation aura spread outward, making the surrounding air grow oppressive.

Sima Yaoji's face turned ashen; she abandoned all else, instantly withdrawing all energy used to counter the Jin Wu, redirecting it entirely to shield herself, trying to block this potential lethal strike.

"AHHHH—"

But just then, the Jin Wu—its energy already half-depleted—took advantage of Sima Yaoji's momentary distraction and slammed into her body.

The searing heat made Sima Yaoji let out a piercing scream.

Yet the talisman before her, which should have unleashed a Soul Transformation strike, emitted no attack—only a faint hiss, a puff of white smoke, then turned to ash.

"I told you—you're just as stupid as those two!"

Zhou Qing, having replenished his blood and spiritual power from the four-colored petals, appeared Guiyidi from behind the flames, swinging his broken sword with lethal speed.

No matter how fast Sima Yaoji reacted, she couldn't dodge this piercing strike.

The broken sword pierced straight through her abdomen; blood gushed out, staining her purple-red brocade robe even redder.

"Die!"

Sima Yaoji, shocked and furious, eyes wild with malice, ignored the agony in her abdomen, grabbed Zhou Qing's sword-wielding right hand.

Then, forcing a surge of spiritual power, she swung her hook-sickle in a crimson arc straight toward Zhou Qing's throat.

Blazing fast—she clearly intended to go down with him.

Zhou Qing's face changed; he cursed inwardly—he hadn't expected this woman to be so ruthless and decisive, launching such a ferocious counterattack even after such grievous wounds.

No time to hesitate—he instantly formed a hand seal; a silver dragon erupted, roaring, lunging between them and blocking most of her attack.

*CLANG! The hook-sickle struck the silver dragon, spraying sparks.

Seizing the chance, Zhou Qing instantly retreated.

Though he dodged in time, a thin red line appeared on his throat, blood seeping out.

"Close call!" Zhou Qing's face paled; he felt a wave of dread.

No wonder—Nascent Soul peak. He'd simulated these combos dozens of times in the Divine Ruins Palace, yet nearly had his throat slit.

If he hadn't reacted fast enough, if he hadn't used the Silver Dragon Hand to block, he might truly be dead now.

*PLOP—*

Sima Yaoji stared at the gaping wound in her abdomen, her face ashen. All her precautions, all her defenses—still pierced by that rusted broken sword.

According to Xuegu, the sword bore an unknown poison; once cut, blood would not stop, impossible to seal within a short time.

"Cunning little worm!"

Sima Yaoji glared at Lu Yaoyao, far away, and cursed loudly, then shoved a handful of antidote pills into her mouth.

"I panicked and threw the wrong one!"

Lu Yaoyao looked terrified, feigning innocence by sticking out her tongue, then pulled out another golden talisman and waved it.

End of the month—please vote for monthly tickets; they're about to reset.

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(End of Chapter)