Chapter 91: Killing for Treasure
Given how massive an organization the Church of Departure was, and how small of a team was present, it didn’t seem likely their goal was spirit stones. Besides, ‘desire’ was something each member had long since sacrificed to their overall goals. They were here on a more important mission, and that was a mission assigned by the Church. It was... to get a lizard skin that contained godliness!
Therefore, the moment the lizard shed that skin, the eight Church members shot to their feet, somber and desolate auras erupting from them. All of them pulsed with the fluctuations of the great circle of Qi Condensation as they headed right into the basin. They moved so quickly that, in the shortest of moments, they were closing in on their target.
Most shocking of all was how their group moved in complete unison, even down to the placement of their feet as they moved. They were like eight shining blades stabbing forth together.
As for the rogue cultivators in their paths, they didn’t have time to get out of the way, and were slashed down like stray weeds in the path of a flash flood.
The strength on display from the Church of Departure caused the Sea Ghosts, who had been eying them this entire time, to look at them even more coldly. The Sea Ghosts had sent ten cultivators into the fight for the two mid-Foundation Establishment lizard skins, keeping back five. Now, those five rushed forward, pulsing with the fluctuations of the great circle.
The burly man with the fiendish face on his chest was the strongest of all, as even faint traces of Foundation Establishment were present in his aura.
The two sides clashed, and booms filled the basin. Then Xu Qing’s cold eyes flashed as he unleashed the full power of his cultivation base and shot forward.
The lizard skin from earlier fell into the hands of the innkeeper from Plankspring Way. However, the only circumstance in which Xu Qing would worry about that was if the innkeeper didn’t return to Seven Blood Eyes. As long as he returned, then even if he tried to back out on the deal... Xu Qing would make sure he paid his fair share including interest.
Because of that, Xu Qing didn’t pay much attention to the innkeeper, nor did he say anything about the lizard skin. As the Church of Departure and Sea Ghosts started fighting, Xu Qing clenched his hands into fists and circulated his energy and blood.
The spectral drought demon appeared behind him, more clear and visible than ever. Its huge body was covered with cracks that seemed to flow with bright-red lava. The drought demon also surged with power that surpassed the Qi Condensation level, and thus, so did Xu Qing’s two fists.
KA-BOOOOOOM!
One punch hit the Church of Departure. One punch hit the Sea Ghosts.
The full force of Xu Qing’s battle prowess caused a deafening noise to fill the basin, along with a powerful windstorm.
Within that windstorm, the Sea Ghosts looked shocked, and the eight members of the Church of Departure shot backward and looked over at Xu Qing.
“Looking to get killed!?”
“Seven Blood Eyes....”
The Church of Departure and Sea Ghosts attacked, focusing some attention on each other, and some on Xu Qing. Both sides wanted to prevent anyone else from getting the lizard skins that floated in the middle of the basin.
However, Xu Qing’s ferocity was already on clear display. Having grown up in the slums, and experienced life in the scavenger basecamp, he knew how to take things by force. Waving his hand, he summoned a host of water droplets that shot out like rain in all directions.
At the same time, he slammed into a Sea Ghost nonhuman. The cracking sounds that resulted weren’t even drowned out by the boom of the collision, and then a dagger appeared, which Xu Qing slashed through his opponent. Not pausing for a moment, Xu Qing suddenly lunged backward and slammed his fist into the chest of a Church of Departure cultivator behind him. More loud cracking sounds rang out.
As his killing intent raged, blood splattered over his daoist robe, and his delicately handsome face looked incomparably cold and harsh.
After killing two opponents in a row, Xu Qing didn’t hesitate to go into an incantation gesture with his left hand. Instantly, the spectral drought demon behind him howled, and all of the water droplets in the area transformed into flammable oil that burst into flame.
From a distance, it looked like innumerable fire arrows were shooting this way and that.
The fire cast chaotic shadows, making it seem like a horde of devils was dancing wildly in the firelight. Because of that, no one noticed that a shadow was making its way through the chaos toward the lizard skins.
As the flames spread, Xu Qing backed up, while at the same time, the enemies up ahead formed a perimeter to prevent anyone else from getting close to the three lizard skins. However, that was also when a shadow suddenly shot up from the ground and started wrapping around the lizard skins. Simultaneously, the air next to the skins rippled and distorted, and the innkeeper bizarrely appeared, looking almost fanatical as he reached toward the lizard skins.
He was clearly one step behind Xu Qing, as the shadow beat him to the punch.
“Dammit!” The innkeeper’s hand latched onto nothing but air. As he fell back at high speed, others in the area noticed what was happening, and instead of focusing their rage on Xu Qing, they attacked the innkeeper.
Xu Qing’s expression was the same as ever as he took advantage of the moment to retreat further. Using his shadow to pull the lizard skins to him, he turned and raced toward the ridgeline.
Seeing that he was making his escape, the beleaguered innkeeper yelled.
“I don’t have them. Look, fools, this bag of holding is the only thing I have on me!” The innkeeper pulled out his bag of holding and threw it in Xu Qing’s general direction. “Everything’s in there, you little punk. You keep it from now on!”
The innkeeper was a vicious person in his own right, and he knew that no amount of explanation would convince everyone of anything. Suddenly, a boom rattled out as the old man, without an ounce of concern for maintaining face, detonated all of his clothes except for his underpants. There he stood, completely bare to the world. He even spun in a circle to show everyone he wasn’t hiding anything. Finally he dashed over to the anaconda, grabbed her, and then sped in pursuit of Xu Qing.
The others present were skeptical, but a few of them flew down the mountain after the old innkeeper, including members of the Sea Ghosts and the Church of Departure. However, as they got close, they switched targets to Xu Qing.
“Your tricks won’t work on me! Other people might not be able to sense the aura of the lizard skins, but to me they’re like a bright torch on a dark night!”
“Hand over the lizard skins!”
Two sets of pursuers unleashed astonishing magical techniques.
Xu Qing stopped suddenly and backed up, avoiding the attacks from the Church of Departure and the Sea Ghosts, his eyes glittering with killing intent. He didn’t bother paying any attention to the innkeeper’s bag of holding; he was certain nothing good was hidden inside.
Xu Qing had never assumed he would be able to pull a fast one on the other cultivators. It had been a lucky break that the innkeeper made a move, and that had given him hope that he might be able to get away while the others focused on the old man.
It quickly became apparent that Xu Qing was no coward. As killing intent burned in his eyes, he performed a double-handed incantation gesture, causing a blue talisman treasure to appear in front of him.
As spirit power entered it, it activated, transforming into a huge statue. It appeared to be a god of death worshiped by some nonhuman tribe. It had three heads and six arms, and emanated a cold aura of death as it lunged toward the Sea Ghosts and Church of Departure cultivators.
Xu Qing had acquired this talisman treasure from the young merman, and hadn’t used it much. As such, it contained an attacking force comparable to the Foundation Establishment level. As it crushed down toward the Church of Departure cultivators and Sea Ghosts, they pulled out their own glittering talisman treasures to defend themselves.
A huge boom rang out as a shockwave surged out in all directions. Everyone backed away.
Xu Qing was strong, but there were too many enemy cultivators present. Blood was already oozing out of his mouth. That said, the injury wasn’t bad enough that the violet crystal’s powers of regeneration couldn’t deal with it.
Xu Qing’s eyes seemed to glitter more profoundly as he looked around at the cultivators in the area. He licked his lips, and the acrid taste of the blood reminded him of his days in the slums, and the scavenger basecamp. He didn’t like complicated scenarios. He had the lizard skins, and his enemies didn’t want him to leave. In that case, it was a simple situation.
I just need to kill them all.
As he looked around, the surrounding cultivators were shaken inwardly.
They had seen vicious people before, but this young disciple from Seven Blood Eyes had killing intent so intense it made many of their hearts pound. That said, godly lizard skins were at stake, and that was just too great of a temptation. Because of that, few of the cultivators were willing to back down.
The only ones who did were some of the nonhuman cultivators who had held back from attacking Xu Qing up to now. They knew how ruthless he was, and therefore, they hung back, hoping that an opportunity might present itself. Among them was the nonhuman in the woven rush raincoat and the burly trunked man.
After a brief standoff, the first to make a move was the Church of Departure. The Church had lost one of their members in death, leaving behind seven. All of them pulled out long spears and rushed toward Xu Qing with mountain-toppling, sea-draining force.
The Sea Ghosts took action as well, along with a few of the scattered nonhuman rogue cultivators.
As everyone rushed forward, someone in the lead unleashed a bloodcurdling scream as his body started turning blackish-green. Then he vomited a huge mouthful of black blood.
“There’s poison here!”
There were more than a few cultivators who were affected. In the blink of an eye, seven or eight started bleeding out of their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. As everyone looked on in shock, Xu Qing made a move. Moving with incredible speed, he closed in on the Church of Departure cultivators. His dagger appeared in his right hand, which he used to bat aside a spear. Then he dodged more spears before stabbing his dagger into the throat of an enemy.
As blood sprayed everywhere, Xu Qing pulled his iron skewer out of his sack and advanced toward the gathered foes.
A rumbling sound could be heard as the spectral drought demon appeared, howling to the heavens as a sea of flames erupted around it, causing Xu Qing’s fleshly body power to skyrocket.
In the blink of an eye, a great slaughter went underway on the mountaintop basin!
Off in the distance, the old innkeeper shook the last of his pursuers. As he carried the anaconda along, he looked over his shoulder and cursed, “Stinking brat! So you did take them!”
He picked up speed as he ran. However, the anaconda didn’t seem willing to flee, and instead wanted to go back and help Xu Qing. As she struggled, she made urgent cooing sounds.
Glaring, the innkeeper said, “The damn punk is incomparably treacherous. Don’t you realize that, you silly girl?”
Smacking the snake unconscious, he raced along until he reached the shoreline. Not needing a boat, he headed into the water and disappeared without a trace.