Chapter 45: Fighting the Demonic Disciple

"Y-y-you, who are you?!"

Qiu Buping instantly leaped up from the ground, looked up toward the direction the voice came from, and stared blankly at Su Zhangqing, stuttering as he asked.

"Brother Qiu, why do I feel like he looks so much like the Su Zhangqing we are looking for?"

Song Dong was also stunned.

However, looking at Su Zhangqing's face, he felt for a moment that this was exactly the person they had been searching for all along. How could he appear behind them at this time?

"Me? Am I not exactly the person you are looking for?"

Su Zhangqing leaped down from under a tree. Clad in white robes in the moonlight, with flashes of sword light, he walked slowly toward the two of them step by step.

"Great! We were still wondering how to drag you out, yet you've delivered yourself to our doorstep!"

Hearing Su Zhangqing confirm his identity, Qiu Buping was instantly overjoyed.

He had originally thought that since this Su Zhangqing stayed inside the Qingyun Sect, the two of them couldn't do anything to him. Who would have thought this brat would run over here on his own? It really was effortless.

To be so arrogant in front of him, a Golden Core Realm cultivator, while only at the Foundation Establishment Realm—was he not lacking in self-awareness? A smile of unknown meaning rose on the corner of Su Zhangqing's mouth as he said to them: "Hmm, I have delivered myself to your doorstep, but it remains to be seen if you have the ability to take me away."

This immediately left Qiu Buping feeling puzzled. Where did this brat get the confidence to say such things? However, he was cautious and did not strike first.

"Brother Qiu, don't just stand there like a fool, hurry up and capture this brat to go back and finish the job!"

But Song Dong, standing beside him, could not hold back. As soon as he finished speaking, he produced several flying knives from his hands. With a flash of white light, the knives flew out from his hands instantly at high speed. Their cold, sharp velocity was like a meteor streaking across the sky, shooting rapidly toward Su Zhangqing.

In an instant, Su Zhangqing's long sword carved out a barrier of wild wind. The flying knives all struck the barrier with a 'clang-clang' sound, and then fell one by one to the ground.

Song Dong was stunned for a moment. He had not expected his Swift Lightning Flying Knives to be blocked so easily, and he looked sideways at Qiu Buping.

"This brat has some skill. Brother Qiu, let's strike quickly and get this over with."

Prompted by Song Dong, Qiu Buping also took out his Black Wuwu Gauntlet. He exerted force through his feet, leaped up, and smashed out two punches with a 'bang-bang'. The fist shadows, formed from black mist, transformed into something huge, actually as tall as a person. Song Dong also fired dozens of flying knives from behind him.

Under the two men's offensive, they joined forces with the clear intent to strike Su Zhangqing down.

"I am the Thunder Emperor, summoning the Thunder Dragon!"

Su Zhangqing's gaze sharpened. He pinched a hand seal, and as his fingers joined, a 'Thunder Dragon' entirely the color of purple lightning shot out from his hand. The scales on its body flickered with electric light as it channeled the thunder spirits of heaven and earth.

"Hiss!"

After the 'Thunder Dragon' let out a long cry, it surged out from Su Zhangqing's hand, roaring through the sky as it charged straight toward the two men's offensive with its thunderous maw wide open.

The next second, the 'Thunder Dragon' crashed through, instantly shattering the massive fist shadows. The fist shadows turned into black mist and dissipated into the world, while the flying knives were also swallowed into the 'Thunder Dragon's' mouth without hesitation, and it continued to charge toward the two men unimpeded.

Seeing the purple lightning radiating from the 'Thunder Dragon', the two men knew that being hit by this would certainly not be pleasant. They hurriedly dodged to the side. The next scene confirmed their thoughts: although the 'Thunder Dragon' did not hit them, it slammed fiercely into the spot where they had been standing, instantly blasting a large hole in the ground.

Purple thunder flooded the sky, completely illuminating the dark night in purple.

"Brother Qiu, is this brat really at the Foundation Establishment Realm? How can he use a Thunder Technique of such power!" "You ask me, how would I know!"

Qiu Buping and Song Dong were instantly terrified, completely unable to believe that this Thunder Dragon had come from the hands of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.

"Brother Qiu, this brat is very strange. I think we should just forget it, retreat first, and think of another way."

Song Dong had already lost his nerve. They had clearly agreed to come and capture a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, but looking at it now, how could this be a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator?

"A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him. Retreat! I don't believe he, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, can stop us."

Qiu Buping shared the same thought.

As two Golden Core Realm cultivators, they should not fear this Su Zhangqing. Even if Su Zhangqing's divine abilities were astonishing, he shouldn't be able to do anything to them.

But now, most of their spiritual energy had been used to pass through the Qingyun Sect's Array and divine sense detection, leaving them exhausted. It was like a strong man who had worked all day and was drained of energy, unable to fight against a young and vigorous youth.

They could not capture him, but it was also a delusion for a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator to think he could stop them from retreating.

Having said that, Qiu Buping and Song Dong each used their movement techniques, turning into two black shadows, and prepared to leave the scene.

"Want to leave? But it's too late!"

With that, Su Zhangqing pinched a hand seal again. The Array that had been set on the ground long ago rose rapidly following his hand seal, turning into a transparent barrier that trapped the two of them on all sides.

"Charge!"

Qiu Buping naturally saw this. After a loud shout, he instantly smashed two fist shadows onto the barrier. When the fist shadows collided with the barrier, a series of loud 'bang-bang-bang' sounds erupted. The transparent barrier trembled incessantly. Although it did not shatter directly under the fist shadows, several cracks appeared out of thin air; it would certainly not be able to hold them back after a few more strikes.

Su Zhangqing frowned slightly. He thought to himself that his current Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation meant the array he used was indeed still a bit weak against Golden Core Realm cultivators; it could be shattered in just a few moves.

"Song Dong, do it!"

Qiu Buping smiled silently.

This brat still wanted to trap him with an array? Even though his spiritual energy was depleted, he was still a Golden Core Realm cultivator after all, and his hard power remained. What could this Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator do to him? Following Qiu Buping's call, the two instantly unleashed their divine abilities, smashing fiercely against the barrier.

Su Zhangqing, however, was unhurried. He flicked his sleeve, and a white figure flew out from it. After the figure hissed, its body became huge. The ink-colored scales on its body appeared iridescent under the moonlight, and purple lightning flickered on the horns upon its head. Most unique of all were the pair of massive wings on its back.

A giant tail swept toward Qiu Buping and Song Dong. The power was so great that it carried a roaring wind, and the forest within a hundred meters trembled violently.

"What is that?!"

Qiu Buping was instantly dumbfounded.

Where did this strange beast, looking like a snake yet like a dragon, come from? And this was actually a Golden Core Realm strange beast! One had to know that the higher the cultivation of a strange beast, the less likely it was to submit to the human race. Yet, this Golden Core Realm dragon-snake had been summoned by Su Zhangqing, who was at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The two men who had just attacked had not yet reacted when they were swept by Xiao Mo's tail. The powerful force slammed into them, sending them flying dozens of meters away until they hit a giant rock and stopped. A feeling of broken bones spread through them instantly. Fortunately, they had used their spiritual energy to defend themselves at the last moment, otherwise, they would have been whipped to death on the spot.

(End of chapter)