The devil cultivator's expression paled at the sight of Li Xuanxuan reaching for another talisman. Scrambling about desperately, he managed to produce only two talismans of his own.
Meanwhile, several talismans in Li Xuanxuan's hands were already glowing fiercely before being hurled straight toward the devil cultivator.
"Such madness!"
In the narrow confines of the backyard, the combined might of the talismans was overwhelming. The devil cultivator emitted a sharp whistle as half of his body transformed into a cloud of blood mist. In the pitch darkness of the courtyard, they stood merely three or four chi apart when Li Xuanxuan issued a command.
"RELEASE!"
The talismans burst into brilliant red light. Li Xuanxuan had selected fire spells since the room was filled with baleful flames, and could be used to his advantage. The darkness in the room was instantly replaced by a vivid crimson glow as flames surged, engulfing both figures.
BOOM!
The Elixir Pavilion could no longer withstand the onslaught and collapsed under the fiery assault, but fortunately, fires raged throughout the marketplace, making the destruction less conspicuous amidst the chaos.
The shield around Li Xuanxuan shattered instantly, flinging him backward. He rolled twice before coming to a stop, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Several of his ribs were broken and his left leg hung limply, likely broken too.
Flames blazed all around him, searing his skin into blisters. Despite the excruciating pain, he forced himself to stand. His left calf, though badly injured, was still attached to his thigh by the tendon—indicating that the wound, while painful, was not severe.
After casting a healing spell on his leg, Li Xuanxuan staggered to his feet, feeling drained of all energy. The mana shield had saved his life, but at the cost of depleting his mana reserves.
"Where is that person...?"
The baleful flames roared, further fueling the burning fire and spreading it from the broken wooden beams. It twisted through the air like serpents, warping his vision. Through the distorted haze, Li Xuanxuan saw the devil cultivator rise to his feet unsteadily, his skin seared and emitting a burnt odor. His hands, reduced to bare bone, were still holding the two short blades. He moved toward Li Xuanxuan steadily, clearly in a far better condition.
"You..."
The devil cultivator fixed him with a spiteful glare and managed to squeeze out a single word before a smaller figure burst forth from the flames. A turquoise jade pestle, as thick as an adult's arm, swung through the air and struck the cultivator's head with a sickening crack.
The devil cultivator's head burst open like a watermelon instantly, splattering the scene with a gruesome mix of white and red—almost like fireworks. Teeth scattered around like rain, a few of them even hitting Li Xuanxuan's face and with two rolling into his sleeve.
Thud.
Li Xuanxuan finally fell to his knees, blood spilling from his mouth.
Bam!
The monkey continued swinging the pestle, striking the fallen devil cultivator's chest. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, staining the monkey into a gory red. Yet, it showed no sign of stopping.
Li Xuanxuan swallowed a pill and paused to meditate, quickly restoring his mana. He then cast several healing spells upon himself, still focusing on his recovery. Nearby, the fire intensified, painting the surroundings in ominous shades of red while smoke billowed around him.
Li Xuanxuan called out, "Good monkey... Burn him with the fire! Burn him..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw the devil cultivator's finger twitch ominously.
Aware of the threat this man posed, Li Xuanxuan dared not let his guard down. Despite tearing up from the smoke, he kept his eyes on the devil cultivator and immediately noticed this subtle movement. He yelped in fear and quickly grabbed his large ax at the ready.
However, the devil cultivator's stomach suddenly swelled up massively before exploding. A thin, frail and bloody child jumped out from within, eyes wide with terror. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he immediately started sprinting toward the flames.
Fortunately, Li Xuanxuan had already raised his ax. With a powerful swing, he heard a sickening crunch as the emaciated child fell to the ground limply, cleaved into two. However, he continued pleading, "Mercy, Immortal Master! Forgive me, please! I've made a mistake! I..."
While Li Xuanxuan was still gasping for breath, the monkey turned around in terror and swung its green jade pestle, pulverizing the child's remains into unrecognizable masses. Without further delay, Li Xuanxuan performed a hand seal and unleashed a fire spell.
The flame of the spell roared, reducing the devil cultivator's body into mere charcoal. Li Xuanxuan grabbed the monkey's bloody hand and whispered hoarsely, "Let's go!"
His voice was so raspy that even he could hardly hear it, but the monkey quickly understood his words, nodding and handing over the black and gold-colored storage pouch that belonged to the devil cultivator to Li Xuanxuan.
"Good monkey!"
After collecting the pouch, Li Xuanxuan and the monkey dashed from the fire, seeking refuge in a nearby house that was untouched by flames. They collapsed onto the ground and began meditating to heal their injuries.
"Shit..." Li Xuanxuan cursed.
It had been so many years since he last cussed. The word scratched his throat as it came out, bringing tears of relief. His cultivation which had been stagnant for years suddenly stirred to life.
After a few moments, he rose abruptly in alarm and instructed the monkey, "You stay here and heal first."
Li Xuanxuan placed two bottles of pills in front of the monkey before carefully stepping outside. He navigated two streets and spotted someone anxiously waiting near where he had concealed the jade pendant earlier.
With the Elixir Pavilion now collapsed and the fire spreading, everyone's spiritual sense was dulled on the street. Squinting through the flames, Li Xuanxuan could barely discern the figure. However, their eyes met, sending a jolt of fear coursing through him.
"Is that Brother Xuan?!"
Li Qiuyang was equally shaken, but gritted his teeth and called out to the man in the distance, his voice trembling.
Overwhelmed with relief, Li Xuanxuan cried out hoarsely, "Qiuyang!"
Li Qiuyang took a step forward, then recoiled in shock again.
"Brother Xuan?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.
The man limping before him had a gaunt face and a skeletal frame. His eyes were clouded, his skin was smeared with blackened blood and covered in blisters. His hair and eyebrows were completely singed off, leaving his scalp bare. Blood dripped from his sleeves, giving him the eerie appearance of a corpse freshly retrieved from a blaze. If he had not called out his name, Li Qiuyang would not have recognized him at all.
Li Qiuyang stared at him blankly. Just when Li Xuanxuan was about to say something, the ground trembled beneath them.
Rumble!
Cracks began forming on the surface of the grand formation's barrier in the sky, causing the expressions of both men to change.
"Brother Xuan, let's go!" Li Qiuyang urged anxiously.
As if remembering something, Li Xuanxuan stopped him.
"Wait... Wait!"
He shook off the dripping blood from his sleeves, then swiftly flew deeper into the street. Li Qiuyang stomped his foot in frustration, then quickly hurried after him. As soon as he took a turn, he saw Li Xuanxuan rushing toward him again, this time with a monkey.
"Ah...?!"
Li Qiuyang froze, staring at the monkey in disbelief and shock. Its fur was matted with pitch-black blood and its exposed skin was covered with blisters. Startled by Li Qiuyang's gaze, the monkey bared its teeth menacingly, raising the jade pestle in its hand as if ready to strike him.
"Ah?"
Li Qiuyang stumbled back, baffled.
Li Xuanxuan quickly yelled out, "He's with us!"
The old man's shout seemed to calm the monkey instantly. Together, the two men and the monkey rushed against the wind.
Li Xuanxuan instructed urgently, "This formation is about to break... We must escape through the Elixir Pavilion! Once the formation collapses, the devil cultivators will swarm in. The baleful flames can disrupt spiritual senses, and the chaos will conceal us!"
As soon as he finished speaking, realization dawned upon him. He quickly retrieved the black and gold storage pouch and emptied it, using his robe to catch the contents. A myriad of colorful and glowing items came tumbling out, including several sharp dharma weapons that sliced through the fabric of his robe and pierced his skin.
Wincing in pain, Li Xuanxuan quickly transferred the dharma weapons and jade slips into his own storage pouch. With a swift motion, he discarded the remaining useless items, scattering them across the ground, along with the emptied pouch.