Chapter 291: Terror of the Nascent Soul

Wait for me!

In half a censer's time, I and your ancestral master will be there!

Immortal Biyun pulled out the Heartbond Talisman and sent a message back to Qiao Huiyu.

"In half a censer's time, you can reach Red Stone City?" the old man asked Immortal Biyun.

Biyun said: "This disciple certainly lacks that ability, but Master, you Laorenjia surely can!"

"Heh…" the old man's mouth twisted sourly: "You're trying to kill me!"

"Even if I continuously teleport with spatial arts, it still takes a full censer's time!"

"How can you make it in half a censer's time?"

"I don't care!" Biyun pouted: "I promised my precious disciple I'd be there in half a censer's time!"

The ancestral master of the Free and Easy Immortal Sect sighed bitterly: "Fine, fine… I'll expend my essence blood—perhaps I can arrive within half a censer's time!"

Immortal Biyun gasped: "Master… let's forget it, you arriving in a full censer's time is fine too!"

"Brat!" the old man looked at Biyun with doting affection: "At least you care about me…"

Let's go!

His withered hand reached out, seized Biyun's hand, and in a flash, they vanished.

When they reappeared, they were ten thousand li away.

Hum…

The old man teleported again!

Without pause, he teleported once every few breaths, carrying Biyun at breakneck speed toward Red Stone City.

…

In the alchemy shop, the small room.

Qiao Huiyu received her master's reply and immediately exhaled in relief.

The two waited inside the room.

After roughly half a censer's time, Qiao Huiyu said: "Let's go out!"

"My master said she'll arrive within half a censer's time!"

"It's about time now!"

"If we wait too long, that Murong might grow suspicious—we must go out and calm him down!"

Qiao Huiyu pulled He Pingsheng out of the room.

In the void, Murong Tianyuan nodded: "Little child, what's your name?"

Qiao Huiyu replied: "Disciple Qiao Huiyu!"

"Disciple?" Murong Tianyuan chuckled: "You should call yourself disciple!"

Qiao Huiyu instantly wore a look of fearful deference: "Lord City Master, I truly wish to join your sect—but I just asked my master, and she forbade me to switch sects!"

"You must discuss this with my master!"

"Master?" Murong Tianyuan's brow furrowed slightly.

He hadn't known Qiao Huiyu was from the Free and Easy Immortal Sect.

He'd assumed she was merely a disciple of some minor sect, so he waved his hand: "Irrelevant!"

"When he arrives, I'll deal with him myself!"

A Foundation Establishment disciple's master could at most be a Golden Core.

Could I not handle him?

"No…" Qiao Huiyu said: "My master said she's arriving right now—no more than half a censer's time. Please wait a moment and settle this with her!"

"Half a censer's time?" Murong Tianyuan smiled: "I can wait."

"By the way!" Murong Tianyuan asked: "Little girl, where were you previously trained?"

Qiao Huiyu replied: "Disciple is a disciple of the Free and Easy Immortal Sect, under Immortal Biyun of Biyun Peak!"

"What?" Murong Tianyuan's face darkened instantly: "It's her?"

Normally, as City Master of his city, backed by the Liang Empire, he had no reason to fear the Free and Easy Immortal Sect.

After all, he himself was at Nascent Soul seventh layer.

But now, he was stealing someone's disciple.

If the Free and Easy Immortal Sect fought to the death, he feared them too.

He was not on the side of reason.

"Impossible… impossible…" Murong Tianyuan shook his head: "According to my knowledge, your master Immortal Biyun is merely a Golden Core cultivator!"

"She could never reach here from the Free and Easy Immortal Sect in half a censer's time!"

"Even a Nascent Soul cultivator traveling from Red Stone City would need an hour!"

"Half a censer's time is impossible!"

"Little girl, are you lying to me?" Murong Tianyuan's eyes flickered as he stared at Qiao Huiyu.

Inside, he panicked: What do I do?

If the Free and Easy Immortal Sect arrives, they won't let this go.

Should I… take this child away now? If they refuse to back down, I'll hand her over to the imperial court.

Then let them try to challenge me!

"Little girl, I have urgent business—I cannot wait for your master!" He chuckled: "Come with me now; I'll explain everything to your master later!"

Let's go!

Murong Tianyuan teleported beside Qiao Huiyu.

Then he grabbed her and shot off as a streak of light.

"No!" Qiao Huiyu screamed: "No… I must wait for my master… Sir, let go!"

But Murong Tianyuan ignored her, dragging Qiao Huiyu straight out of the city.

Yes!

Not the City Master's mansion—but outside the city.

Because Murong Tianyuan knew: he could no longer stay in the mansion.

Otherwise, the Free and Easy Immortal Sect would tear me apart.

But at that moment, a cold snort rang from the heavens: "Worm, you dare abduct a disciple of the Free and Easy Immortal Sect?"

The icy voice reached Murong Tianyuan mid-flight, chilling him to the bone.

Then he saw a frail old man in the distance reaching out toward him.

The great sun in the sky dimmed slightly.

Countless celestial spiritual energies and laws of the cosmos coalesced into a colossal claw, surging across ten thousand zhang of void to strike Murong, the City Master.

The claw shrank instantly, snatching Qiao Huiyu away.

Then, the claw released Qiao Huiyu and turned back toward Murong, the City Master.

With a crash, it slammed him to the ground.

"Are you a Nascent Soul?" Murong Tianyuan looked up at the old man in the void.

The old man said: "Correct. I am Free and Easy Master…"

"Free and Easy Master?" Murong Tianyuan said: "Impossible—you were Nascent Soul!"

"Hahaha…" Free and Easy Master laughed heartily: "Lucky break—I broke through last month!"

"Hahaha…"

"Now, explain to me—why did you try to steal my disciple?"

"Free and Easy Master!" Murong Tianyuan offered no explanation—he had none: "I respect you as a senior. Let this matter drop, shall we?"

"I am a senior elder of the Great Liang Imperial Family!"

"You dare threaten me with imperial power?" Free and Easy Master said: "I don't like killing, but today I must teach you a lesson!"

"Hmm… I'll take away two layers of your cultivation for now!"

Boom!

Another claw, formed of spiritual energy and cosmic law, slammed down from the void.

It struck Murong Tianyuan with a crash.

Murong Tianyuan's cultivation instantly dropped from Nascent Soul seventh layer to fifth layer.

"Let's go…" Free and Easy Master grasped Qiao Huiyu in one hand and Biyun in the other, teleported—and suddenly appeared at He Pingsheng's alchemy shop.