Chapter 799: Daydreaming, Unexpected

Seeing the familiar figure suddenly appear before her, Li Li Xiuning's eyes nearly welled up with tears of joy. She hurriedly stepped forward, cupped her hands, and quickly explained the situation outside to Song Song Qingming.

Previously, while in deep seclusion within the cave refining the "Heaven and Earth Divine Thunder" inside his body, Song Song Qingming had sensed signs of a fierce battle outside through the few "Golden Illusion Butterflies" he had placed at the cave entrance.

However, he did not know exactly what kind of enemy Song Song Qingyu and the others were facing, assuming it was the "Ice-Blood Bats" from the vicinity trying to return to the cave, leading to a conflict with them.

At that moment, Song Song Qingming himself had reached a critical juncture in refining the "Heaven and Earth Divine Thunder" and could not easily pull away, so he did not dwell on it and focused on accelerating the refinement of the divine thunder within him.

It was not until the moment before Li Li Xiuning sent the voice transmission talisman that Song Song Qingming had completely refined the "Heaven and Earth Divine Thunder." He opened the formation at the entrance and walked out, happening to run into Li Li Xiuning's voice transmission spirit talisman halfway.

Hearing that the person who had come was such a formidable demonic cultivator, Song Song Qingming's brows furrowed slightly. He nodded gently, then quickly took out a second-tier high-grade defensive spirit talisman he had crafted himself and tossed it to Li Li Xiuning at his side.

"It would be dangerous to rush out now; you should stay here for the time being!

A great battle is about to unfold. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, use your own judgment—do not worry about us!"

The person outside was someone even Song Song Qingyu and "Jin Feng" could not handle together, so their cultivation and strength were certainly no lower than Song Song Qingming's.

In a battle of this level, Li Li Xiuning, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, could not possibly intervene. Leaving the cave rashly would be extremely dangerous; it was better to stay put.

After leaving a spirit talisman with Li Li Xiuning for self-defense, Song Song Qingming, knowing Song Song Qingyu was in danger, could no longer concern himself with her and hurriedly flew out of the cave to assist.

High in the air, Song Song Qingyu, still entangled with the red-faced man, was being pushed back step by step until she was finally forced against a cliff face with nowhere left to retreat.

She could only desperately channel her natal flying sword, transforming the "Profound Underworld Golden Light Sword" into sword light to hold her position, fighting to the death to block the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons."

At this moment, not only was blood spilling from the corner of Song Song Qingyu's mouth, but one of her arms had also turned a blackened, blood-red color, faintly emitting wisps of black Qi and trembling uncontrollably.

Her opponent, the red-faced man, seeing that she was poisoned and struggling to hold on, felt victory was already in his grasp, and an undisguised look of excitement appeared on his face.

"Heh! To think you could grit your teeth and hold on after being struck by my blood poison—I truly underestimated you! To have fought me until now, you can be considered a rare expert among Core Formation cultivators. It is indeed a pity to end the battle like this, but staying in this place for too long is not safe for me.

No matter who you are, it ends here today."

As soon as the red-faced man finished speaking, he channeled his magic power to form a blood hand, grabbing one of the "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons" that had been besieging Song Song Qingyu from afar.

Immediately, the "Blood-Colored Flood Dragon" transformed rapidly, morphing into a blood-colored spear several zhang long.

The aura of the red-faced man, now wielding the blood spear, grew even more powerful than before, causing Song Song Qingyu, not far away, to feel immense pressure.

Seeing that the opponent was preparing to launch the final attack, Song Song Qingyu's face turned pale. She knew she could hardly withstand it; she was already afflicted by his blood poison, and both her magic power and divine abilities had been greatly weakened.

After some spellcasting, he could only barely release the jade Jade Ruyi magic treasure before him, which transformed into a protective barrier to block in front of him.

Although the defensive ability of Song Song Qingyu's "Jade Jade Ruyi" magic treasure was not weak, its grade was low, only third-tier low-grade. In front of the red-faced man's blood-colored spear, it was clearly insufficient.

But at this moment, the two defensive spirit talismans Song Song Qingyu had carried had already been used in the previous battle, and her strongest remaining defensive ability was this "Jade Jade Ruyi" magic treasure.

While setting up her defense, Song Song Qingyu also gripped a golden spirit talisman in her hand.

This spirit talisman was a third-tier high-grade one that Song Song Qingming had gifted to Song Song Qingyu a year ago, after returning from the "Heavenly Sea Cultivation World," to celebrate her breakthrough in cultivation.

This talisman was also Song Song Qingyu's final trump card. If the opponent dared to attack at close range, she would fight with her life, and even if she were injured, she would ensure the opponent did not have an easy time.

Regardless of whether she could severely wound the red-faced man, as long as she could drag out the time a little longer, she should be able to wait for Song Song Qingming to arrive as reinforcements.

Song Song Qingyu had been struggling all this time without rashly using this trump card precisely to wait for the opportunity for the opponent to get close.

At this moment, although the red-faced man still had some caution on his face, because Song Song Qingyu's strength was not trivial, he had not been able to take her down for such a long time, and he was indeed starting to grow impatient, wanting to speed up the battle.

Although this deserted island was still some distance from the territory of Song Guo, such a massive commotion from a Core Formation battle would sooner or later be noticed by others.

Once the "Mixed Origin Sect" cultivators arrived, regardless of whether Song Song Qingyu had any connection to them, as fellow righteous cultivators, they would certainly join forces to deal with him first.

Therefore, the red-faced man did not dare to entangle with Song Song Qingyu for too long. After the blood-colored spear in his hand took shape, he immediately lunged straight toward Song Song Qingyu's position with a powerful aura.

Seeing this, Song Song Qingyu immediately channeled her magic, waiting only for the opponent to get close to her side to launch her final strike.

Both sides had reached the critical moment to end the battle, their full energy focused on each other, and neither noticed that a streak of white light had already flown out from the cave below.

"Song Qingyu, watch out!"

Hearing this voice transmission, Song Song Qingyu, whose entire body was taut, felt as if she had heard a heavenly sound. Her whole body relaxed instantly, and she turned to look at the position where Song Song Qingming was below.

Seeing that familiar green-robed figure, a look of relief could not help but appear on Song Song Qingyu's face; she had finally waited for Song Song Qingming.

Seeing the red-faced man in the air waving the blood-colored spear and bearing down on Song Song Qingyu, Song Song Qingming's feet flashed with spiritual light, and he channeled the "Nine Palaces Meteor Escape" to flash into the air.

Before he even arrived, the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror," under Song Song Qingming's control, transformed into a massive bronze mirror, blocking directly in front of Song Song Qingyu and stopping the red-faced man's fierce strike head-on.

"Fellow Daoist, as a dignified Core Formation peak cultivator, bullying my younger sister alone is truly unsightly. Why not let me be your opponent instead!"

After channeling the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" to block the red-faced man, Song Song Qingming's figure immediately emerged from behind the bronze mirror, looking at the opponent with an unkind expression.

"Hmph! The number of Core Formation experts who have died at the hands of this Ma is more than one. Just based on you, I fear you are not worthy of being my opponent!"

Seeing Song Song Qingming's figure suddenly appear, the red-faced man was slightly startled, a look of surprise appearing on his face, but he quickly regained his composure.

Although he had not expected the other side to be hiding a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, the red-faced man was still very confident in his own strength. Even seeing that Song Song Qingming's cultivation had reached the eighth level of Core Formation, the red-faced man still did not take him too seriously.

But at this moment, Song Song Qingming, having seen the red-faced man's appearance clearly, could not help but let out a sound of surprise in his heart; he never imagined this person would be someone with whom he had once had a history.

The red-faced man before him was none other than Ma Ma Wuchen, a disciple of the "Red Blood Old Demon," who had competed with Song Song Qingming for spiritual items on the ninth floor of the "Heaven-Reaching Tower" years ago and fought a great battle.

At that time, Song Song Qingming's cultivation was only at the third level of Core Formation, while Ma Ma Wuchen was already a long-famed late-stage Core Formation expert; the gap in their strength was quite vast.

Because Song Song Qingming had killed his apprentice, Du Du Yucheng, and snatched the "Emerald Spirit True Water" they had brought out from his hands.

He had been hunted by Ma Ma Wuchen, who arrived shortly after, all the way, nearly losing his life at his hands. Song Song Qingming naturally had a very deep impression of Ma Ma Wuchen.

If not for finally relying on the "Heaven-Reaching Token" in his hand to escape, Song Song Qingming would likely not have had the chance to appear here and would have long since become a corpse inside the "Heaven-Reaching Tower."

Seeing the somewhat familiar red-faced man opposite him, although Song Song Qingming could no longer restrain himself in his heart, wanting to compete with him and avenge the near-death experience of that year.

But thinking that behind Ma Ma Wuchen was the "Red Blood Old Demon," a mid-stage Nascent Soul great demonic head who made people tremble at the mere mention of his name.

After pondering for a moment, Song Song Qingming still held back and did not strike first, speaking softly to Ma Ma Wuchen:

"This Fellow Daoist, even if your cultivation is higher than ours, I fear the two of us joining forces is not something you can easily take down.

With such a commotion here, the news certainly cannot be hidden; I fear people from the "Mixed Origin Sect" are already on their way here.

If you want to leave, I will not stop you, but if you insist on fighting, we will definitely accompany you to the end."

"Heh! Kid, you killed my demonic pet, and you want me to just leave like this? You really think of me, a demonic cultivator, too simply.

Although taking you two down will be a bit of trouble, this is not something I cannot accomplish.

If you want to live, you can also compensate me with spiritual items equivalent to 100,000 spirit stones and hand over that corpse puppet to me."

Although Song Song Qingming recognized Ma Ma Wuchen, who had left a deep impression on him, at a glance.

But because Song Song Qingming had been wearing a bronze mask that isolated a cultivator's spiritual sense when they fought back then, Ma Ma Wuchen did not recognize Song Song Qingming at a glance, only treating him as a strange Core Formation cultivator of unknown origin.

The Song Song Qingming before him, although his cultivation had now reached the eighth level of Core Formation, was no longer the small early-stage Core Formation cultivator who had just formed his core and been chased by the opponent. But after more than a hundred years, Ma Ma Wuchen's cultivation had also made significant progress, reaching the Core Formation peak realm, on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

A cultivator like Ma Ma Wuchen, whose cultivation had reached the peak of Core Formation, basically rarely encountered opponents within the Core Formation realm, which also gave him sufficient confidence in his own strength.

Even if Song Song Qingming and the already-injured Song Song Qingyu joined forces, looking at it on paper, Ma Ma Wuchen had sufficient confidence that he could be stronger than them.

Seeing that Song Song Qingming's second sentence had a significantly softer tone, Ma Ma Wuchen thought the other side was wary of his strength, and his attitude inevitably became a bit tougher.

However, Song Song Qingming was, after all, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, and having been able to forcibly take his full-force strike just now showed his strength was not trivial.

Ma Ma Wuchen also knew in his heart that forcibly taking them down would likely not be so easy. If the people from the "Mixed Origin Sect" really came, he might waste his effort and gain nothing.

Thinking of this, Ma Ma Wuchen took a step back, seeing if he could first extort a sum of spiritual items from Song Song Qingming and his companion.

"Hmph! Old Demon, if you were sensible and retreated, that would be the end of it. To want us to take the initiative to hand over spirit stones is simply daydreaming!"

As soon as Ma Ma Wuchen finished speaking, Song Song Qingyu at the side immediately scolded him angrily, directly shattering his fantasies and causing a trace of anger to instantly appear on Ma Ma Wuchen's face.

"You don't know what's good for you. Since that's the case, don't blame me for not giving you a chance!"

After an angry shout, the blood-colored spiritual light around Ma Ma Wuchen surged and rolled, once again transforming into two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons," lunging straight at Song Song Qingming and his companion.

Seeing this, Song Song Qingming did not stand on ceremony, directly channeling his magic to release the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror," shielding himself and Song Song Qingyu behind it.

Although he had the heart not to fight the opponent, hearing Ma Ma Wuchen demand 100,000 spirit stones and wanting him to hand over "Jin Feng," Song Song Qingming could absolutely not agree to such a request.

At this moment, Ma Ma Wuchen's appetite was too large, not taking the two of them seriously at all. Song Song Qingming also felt a bit of anger in his heart and wanted to let the opponent know that after cultivating for so many years, he was no longer the same as he once was.

He was no longer the weak person who could only run away when encountering a late-stage Core Formation cultivator back then.

Seeing that the opponent had already made a move, Song Song Qingyu, who had just taken a few detoxifying pills and slightly suppressed the blood poison in her body, also summoned her natal flying sword to step forward and assist.

The two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons," whose strength had reached the late stage of Core Formation, had just arrived not far in front of Song Song Qingming under Ma Ma Wuchen's control when dozens of purple spiritual lights of different colors flew out from the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror," controlling them in mid-air.

"Profound Yang Blazing Flame!"

Having just controlled the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons" in mid-air, Song Song Qingming quickly channeled his magic with both hands, and the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" immediately spewed out a few white flames, beginning to scorch the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons" that were still struggling.

Seeing the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons" being burned by the white flames until they emitted sizzling white mist, struggling painfully but unable to break free from the control of the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror."

Ma Ma Wuchen's expression also changed slightly, and he quickly channeled his magic, releasing dozens of blood-colored sword lights from the blood mist beside him, which shot out and quickly severed all the purple spiritual light entwined around the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons."

Without the control of the purple spiritual light, the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons" instantly regained their freedom and lunged fiercely toward Song Song Qingming's side again.

Seeing the opponent's fierce momentum, Song Song Qingming immediately changed his formation, splitting the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" in front of him into five, circling around the two of them, and specifically covering them with the "Profound Yang Blazing Flame."

And the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons," just as they approached to launch an attack, were forced back by the white flames on the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror," and for a time could only circle and besiege Song Song Qingming and his companion, unable to break the defense of the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror."

With the continuous improvement of Song Song Qingming's cultivation, the grade of the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" had also been raised to third-tier high-grade.

Coupled with the fact that over these years, Song Song Qingming had attempted to strengthen his natal magic treasure several times using the "Hundred Meridians Treasure Mount Mount Lianhua Art," the defensive capability of the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" had now far exceeded that of ordinary magic treasures of the same grade.

Facing the continuous siege of two late-stage Core Formation "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons," the five bronze mirrors always protected Song Song Qingming and his companion, not wavering in the slightest.

"Eh! Why is this magic treasure of yours so familiar? Kid, could it be that I have seen you somewhere before? Could it be that you are the person who entered the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion back then and killed my apprentice!"

Although Song Song Qingming had worn a bronze mask to cover his true appearance back then, Ma Ma Wuchen had seen all the abilities he used and the magic treasures on his body during their battle.

Seeing the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" constantly changing before him, Ma Ma Wuchen suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity, and that memory from a hundred years ago, sealed in his mind, suddenly surfaced.

"Heh! Although I have indeed never seen you before, I have been forming my core for many years, and the number of demonic cultivators I have killed is countless. Whether your apprentice is among them, I really don't know.

Old thing, since you have taken the initiative to deliver yourself to my door today, I don't mind adding a bit more merit to my hands and sending you to see him together."

Seeing that Ma Ma Wuchen seemed to have recognized him, Song Song Qingming's face showed a bit of surprise, but he did not admit it to him, directly speaking to confuse the issue.

Although cultivators in the cultivation world who practice the "Five Elements Profound Gang Art" and refine the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" as their natal magic treasure are extremely rare, they are far from being only Song Song Qingming.

The opponent, relying solely on the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" magic treasure, certainly could not confirm that he was the person who killed Du Du Yucheng back then; at most, he was just suspicious.

However, although Song Song Qingming was not wrong in his thinking, he still underestimated Ma Ma Wuchen's greed.

Although he was only suspicious based on his own feelings, the gaze Ma Ma Wuchen cast at Song Song Qingming at this moment was filled with a trace of long-lost excitement.

Ever since he had followed the "Red Blood Old Demon" to the "Heaven-Reaching Tower" twice, Ma Ma Wuchen, knowing that his master had obtained many precious spiritual items on the second floor of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, had long been coveting the "Heaven-Reaching Token," the key that could enter the second floor.

It was just that in the Floating Yunshan Range cultivation world, almost all "Heaven-Reaching Tokens" would quickly fall into the hands of major Nascent Soul forces after appearing in the world. For a Core Formation cultivator like him to find one was harder than ascending to heaven.

When Song Song Qingming escaped back then, Ma Ma Wuchen had seen with his own eyes that he had used the "Heaven-Reaching Token" to escape. Over these years, he had also been thinking day and night about finding Song Song Qingming, this fish that had slipped through the net.

Over these hundred-plus years, Ma Ma Wuchen had also been inquiring and searching for Core Formation cultivators who possessed the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" magic treasure, and several innocent people had already died at his hands.

It was just that Ma Ma Wuchen, following the "Red Blood Old Demon," generally operated in the west of the Floating Yunshan Range, far from Wei Guo, and Song Song Qingming was unaware of this.

Now that he had discovered Song Song Qingming, who might be the fish that slipped through the net back then, a surge of excitement welled up in Ma Ma Wuchen's heart, and he became very excited.

At this moment, Ma Ma Wuchen, his eyes already filled with greed, spat out a mouthful of essence blood into the blood mist beside him. Then, under his rapid channeling, five figures dressed in black walked out from the blood mist.

These five black-clad figures had all reached the Core Formation realm, all wearing long robes and masks, their faces unclear. One could only judge from their figures that they included men, women, old, and young, all of them "Blood Corpse Puppets" that had lost their life force.

Seeing these "Blood Corpse Puppets" that Ma Ma Wuchen had summoned, all refined from Core Formation cultivators who were alive, Song Song Qingming and Song Song Qingyu's faces instantly showed a look of ugliness.

"Heh! Originally, I didn't want to expose too much of my strength, but you truly have reminded me of some things. Whether you are that person from back then or not, you cannot leave here today.

As long as I can find the Heaven-Reaching Token, even if I have to be enemies with the Mixed Origin Sect, I will not hesitate. At worst, I will abandon the cave dwelling here, change to another place to form a Nascent Soul, and it won't delay me much time."

Hearing Ma Ma Wuchen say "Heaven-Reaching Token," although Song Song Qingming's face remained very calm, he sighed slightly in his heart.

The day he was forced to use the "Heaven-Reaching Token" to escape was actually a matter of an instant. He did not expect to still be recognized by the sharp-eyed Ma Ma Wuchen; on this point, he had indeed miscalculated.

After cultivating for so many years, Song Song Qingming had always acted relatively low-key, trying his best not to provoke those formidable opponents in the cultivation world.

But now that Ma Ma Wuchen was coming for the "Heaven-Reaching Token" and could no longer let him go, Song Song Qingming did not intend to continue hiding his strength.

Seeing that the five "Blood Corpse Puppets" had already killed their way to his side, Song Song Qingming immediately channeled his magic to control the "Five Elements Divine Light Mirror" to turn from defense to offense, reversing the mirror surface to temporarily trap the two "Blood-Colored Flood Dragons" outside within his natal magic treasure.

Subsequently, Song Song Qingming waved his hand and released "Silver Armor" and the "White Lion Puppet Beast," speaking directly to Song Song Qingyu: "Song Qingyu, help me drag out those Blood Corpse Puppets; I will deal with this person!"

After Song Song Qingming finished speaking, he left the two puppets to help Song Song Qingyu, while he himself flew straight toward the high sky.

"Who exactly are you, and how do you have so many puppets?"

Seeing Song Song Qingming suddenly summon two Core Formation puppets, the red-faced man was also surprised and became curious about the other party's identity.

However, Song Song Qingming did not want to choose to answer his question at this moment, directly channeling his magic to toss out a white scroll, which rolled both himself and Ma Ma Wuchen into it.

Seeing that his surroundings had been covered by the white scroll and suddenly falling into a vast white mist, Ma Ma Wuchen immediately waved his hand to take out a long sword from the blood mist, shooting it straight at Song Song Qingming's position.

This flying sword magic treasure was extremely fast, piercing through Song Song Qingming's chest in an instant.

But what surprised Ma Ma Wuchen was that Song Song Qingming, who had been hit by his sword, did not have a drop of blood flowing out, and still stood in place looking at him with a calm expression.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 812 =====