Chapter 724: Goodbye

Pure Nine Gates Hand

As Chen Mobai pondered his chances in a fight against Ye Qing, the latter had already collected the demon cultivator's corpse and storage bag.

Then, with a flick of his sword-finger, the flying sword, swift as a startled swan, returned to the scabbard on his back.

“Sect Master Chen, do you cultivate body refinement techniques?”

After Ye Qing flew over, he asked Chen Mobai.

“My sect's Longevity Dao Body, I have cultivated it to the peak of the third stage; it’s quite decent.”

Though Chen Mobai was a bit puzzled as to why Ye Qing asked this, he still answered modestly.

“That’s good. Sect Master Chen, please hold my hand. I will soon perform the Human-Sword Unity technique and take you away.”

Ye Qing said this, leaving Chen Mobai puzzled, but soon his expression changed as he looked up at the northern sky.

A giant croak, powerful enough to make the void tremble, reverberated. Terrifyingly dense demonic energy turned the sky into a murky gray cloud, as if a dark firmament, following an immensely powerful demon king, was rushing towards their location.

Fourth Stage!

Definitely a powerful demon beast of the Fourth Stage or even higher!

With a single glance using his Spiritual Eye technique, this thought emerged in his mind.

This must be the overlord of this desolate ruin. Like the Fourth Stage Venomous Dragon of Yunmeng Marsh before, it possessed absolute dominance over this area.

Such a being, even if Zhou Shengqing were to come, he would likely only be able to flee.

“Sect Master Chen, I’ll take you out of here first.”

At this moment, Ye Qing extended his right hand towards Chen Mobai, who did not hesitate and immediately grasped it.

Then, with a clear sound like thunder, the two of them, like a streak of lightning, vanished from their spot in an instant.

Chen Mobai felt the scenery in his eyes stretch and blur. By the time he recovered his senses, a hundred li of mountains and rivers were already within his sight, but then waves of intense pain surged through his body, causing him to involuntarily gasp.

Fortunately, his Longevity Dao Body excelled at recovery.

After about a few breaths, Chen Mobai felt the tearing pain throughout his body slowly dissipate.

“Sect Master Chen’s Longevity Dao Body is indeed remarkable.”

Ye Qing’s voice sounded in Chen Mobai’s ear.

Chen Mobai looked up at him and found that the Saint Land’s Daoist Disciple’s expression was normal. It seemed his physical body had adapted to the incredible speed of the Sword Fiend Thunder Sound under Human-Sword Unity.

It seems I might have underestimated him a bit. This fellow might be a little stronger than me.

This thought flashed through Chen Mobai’s mind.

At this moment, a streak of spiritual light descended, revealing a clear-eyed, white-toothed young woman: Yuan Zhen.

Upon seeing Chen Mobai’s normal expression, a hint of respect flashed in her eyes.

As Ye Qing’s partner, she was most familiar with her senior brother’s sword escape technique. At the very least, she couldn't endure it and always needed to activate a spiritual talisman for protection.

She never expected this Sect Master Chen from the Eastern Barrens to have such outstanding achievements in body refinement techniques as well.

“Junior Sister, activate a Heaven-Concealing Talisman.”

Ye Qing said to Yuan Zhen, who nodded and took out a black talisman with gold patterns. After activating it, Chen Mobai felt that the auras of himself and the Five Elements Sect cultivators were completely undetectable.

Even though people were clearly right across from him, neither his Spiritual Eye technique nor his divine sense scanning the heavens and earth could detect any fluctuations of spiritual energy or vital energy.

Moments after the talisman was activated, a vast and mighty demonic sense swept across the air.

It was clearly the terrifying Fourth Stage demon beast from over a hundred li away.

However, the talisman from the Nine Heavens Demon Eradication Sect was clearly more profound and was not detected by the demon beast at all.

But to avoid any unexpected situations, Chen Mobai still instructed the Five Elements Sect cultivators and rogue cultivators present to maintain the quietest and most concealed posture.

Within half a day, that powerful demonic sense swept back and forth three times.

Ultimately, having found nothing, it completely vanished.

“This should be a Fourth Stage Golden-Eyed Jade Toad. With my current strength against it, I have no confidence.”

After Ye Qing detected the disappearance of the demonic sense, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

“Then let’s retreat first. This place was previously the territory of the Mountain Ape King. If the Golden-Eyed Jade Toad is intelligent enough, it could infer from the traces of the Mountain Ape King’s disappearance that we might be hiding here.”

Chen Mobai spoke with some concern, and Ye Qing and Yuan Zhen also nodded.

Both of their tasks had been completed, and it was time to leave the desolate ruin.

After reaching an agreement, Chen Mobai immediately summoned the Five Elements Sect cultivators and began to retreat.

“The Golden-Eyed Jade Toad’s eyesight can reach a thousand li. Now that the mirage mist is no longer blocking vision, if we leave by flying boat in the air, we might be discovered by it. It’s best to retreat on the ground, using the cover of trees and mountains.”

Ye Qing spoke again, revealing something Chen Mobai did not know.

“Thank you for the reminder, True Human Ye.”

Chen Mobai immediately told the Five Elements Sect cultivators who were preparing to ascend on flying boats to stop and conveyed this order.

Although the cultivators below had not yet fully recovered their spiritual energy, under the orders of their superiors, they quickly packed up.

Chen Mobai also conveyed this matter to Shen Shanqing and Yu Hai’s group.

They had also felt the might of the Fourth Stage demon beast just now, and being the most cautious of their lives, they naturally followed the Five Elements Sect, wanting to leave immediately.

Cultivators act swiftly. With a flick of their storage bags, all their belongings were packed away.

“I will lead the way. I’ll trouble Sect Master Chen to guard the rear with Junior Sister Yuan. She consumed some vital energy activating the Azure Mirage Bottle, so if we encounter any dangerous situations, please take care of her, Sect Master Chen.”

Ye Qing offered this voluntarily, and Chen Mobai naturally had no objections.

After speaking, Ye Qing transformed into a streak of sword light and, in an instant, appeared at the very front of the group.

Chen Mobai immediately sent a spiritual message to the cultivators of the Five Elements’ five branches. In order, led by the Foundation Establishment cultivators of each branch, they followed in teams, retreating out of the desolate ruin.

Fortunately, when they came here, Chen Mobai had Gu Yan record the topographic map they saw from the air. Although they were now retreating on the ground, under the guidance of the map, they did not deviate from their direction.

To avoid triggering conflicts with demon beasts and attracting the attention of the Fourth Stage Golden-Eyed Jade Toad, the group specifically avoided tribes guarded by Third Stage demon beasts.

For this reason, they had to take many detours.

However, the terrifying pressure from the Fourth Stage demon beast made everyone tense. They stayed tightly with the main group, fearing they would be left behind.

According to the rules of the Tianhe Realm, if anyone dared to drag their feet while fleeing for their lives, the leader could directly abandon or even execute them, and everyone would applaud such an action.

And after the previous battle in the mirage mist, the Five Elements Sect and rogue cultivators all knew that if they were left behind here, they would certainly be unable to escape and return to the Eastern Barrens.

Fortunately, the topographic map recorded by Gu Yan was quite accurate, and combined with Ye Qing, who was leading the way, they were very reliable.

The group only encountered a large group of fish demons hidden within a river about three hundred li away.

Chen Mobai and Ye Qing attacked simultaneously. Two crisscrossing sword lights, in just the blink of an eye, slaughtered all the fish demons that leapt out of the water.

However, the number of fish demons in the river was countless.

After Chen Mobai and Ye Qing killed this batch, a second batch surged from the distant river.

“Cross the river as quickly as possible!”

As Chen Mobai spoke, he extended a finger, and the Scarlet Cloud Smoke Silk continuously extended from his sleeve, quickly forming a bridge of cloud mist over the river.

Protective cloud-light railings rose on both sides of the cloud bridge. Under the enhancement of his spiritual energy, they blocked out the fish demons that surged from the water, each covered in sharp teeth.

Seeing this scene, Yuan Zhen put back a talisman she had taken out of her storage bag.

Just when they thought the problem was resolved, the distant river suddenly surged upwards, and then a deep, icy blue demonic energy erupted.

A Third Stage demon beast, riding the surging waves, along with a large number of fish demons, was sweeping towards them.

“I’ll handle it!”

Ye Qing left this remark, having already drawn the long sword from his back. With a movement of his feet, poised above the river surface, his entire being transformed into a sharp sword, slicing through the wind and waves, vanishing from the spot.

Soon after, Chen Mobai saw the large green fish hidden within the surging waves chopped into two halves. Its dark red blood stained the incoming waves.

However, without the enhancement of demonic energy, the surging waves were easily suppressed by Chen Mobai using the Scarlet Cloud Smoke Silk.

Amidst the flashing sword light, Ye Qing appeared before Chen Mobai, holding a demon core and a translucent, jade-like scale.

“This large green fish seemed to have consumed a Heaven-Earth Treasure like a Dragon Transformation Fruit. It actually developed a flood dragon scale.”

As he spoke, Ye Qing tossed both the demon core and the flood dragon scale to Yuan Zhen, who immediately caught them.

After slaying this large green fish, the wide river finally quieted down.

After all the cultivators from the Eastern Barrens had crossed the river, Chen Mobai lightly waved his sleeve and retracted the Scarlet Cloud Smoke Silk.

Just then, several immensely powerful Third Stage demon beast auras surged from both upstream and downstream of the river, riding massive waves towards their location.

“Go!”

Chen Mobai and Ye Qing exchanged glances and simultaneously uttered one word.

Although with their combined strength, they could indeed slay these demon beasts, in the desolate ruin, they had no idea how many demon beasts were truly hidden.

What if this wide river concealed a Fourth Stage one?

So, without any hesitation, they immediately urged the cultivators who had landed to retreat immediately towards the Eastern Barrens.

Fortunately, the only unexpected encounter was this wide river.

As for the demon beasts in the mountains and rivers on the ground ahead, Gu Yan had basically recorded them when they flew over.

Those that could be avoided were avoided, and those that couldn’t were dealt with by Chen Mobai and Ye Qing. In the shortest possible time, they slaughtered them all, striving not to make any loud noises.

Only after they were over 1,200 li away from the mirage mist’s range and confident that the Fourth Stage Golden-Eyed Jade Toad could not see them here, did Chen Mobai take out his flying boat and allow everyone to board.

By this time, the Qi Condensation cultivators were already exhausted.

Even the Foundation Establishment cultivators showed signs of fatigue.

After boarding the flying boat, the rogue cultivators immediately took out various pills to consume, recovering their spiritual energy and vital essence.

As for the Five Elements Sect cultivators, their methods varied.

However, all the cultivators of the Wood Vein did not consume pills, but instead took out spirit stones to meditate.

Some cultivators who were truly exhausted also took a Nourishing Pill and then lay down to sleep, using physical rest to naturally restore their vital essence and spirit.

After regaining their energy and waking up, they also used spirit stones to recover their spiritual energy.

This scene surprised both Ye Qing and Yuan Zhen.

As inheritors of a Saint Land, they naturally knew that consuming too many pills would destabilize one’s foundation, making breakthroughs difficult in the future.

But even with this knowledge, not many cultivators could exercise such self-discipline and achieve it.

Even among the disciples of the Nine Heavens Demon Eradication Sect, many would force their advancement by consuming pills in order to stand out and compete for sect resources and status.

Yet in the remote Five Elements Sect of the Eastern Barrens, so many cultivators were able to do this, which made them admire Chen Mobai, as their sect master, even more.

They continued to fly for over a thousand li on the flying boat.

The group had now entered the desolate ruin between the Eastern Barrens and the Eastern Yi. Although this area was also a desolate ruin, due to the frequent exchanges between the two regions, the level of danger was no longer high.

“Sect Master Chen, we won’t be returning to the Eastern Barrens.”

Ye Qing and Yuan Zhen flew over and landed on the Wood Vein’s flying boat, saying to Chen Mobai.

“Take care, both of you.”

Chen Mobai also bid farewell to the two. He didn’t mention the reward, but Ye Qing and his companion clearly wouldn’t renege. Yuan Zhen took out a fist-sized, translucent spirit stone from her storage bag and handed it to him.

“This is… a top-grade spirit stone!!”

Chen Mobai took it, somewhat surprised. The moment he touched it and felt the vast spiritual energy within, his expression couldn’t help but register shock.

Although he also had three charged ones, this kind of unused and fully spiritual top-grade spirit stone was his first encounter.

“This is too valuable.”

Although Chen Mobai really wanted it, he still politely declined.

“Sect Master Chen, please accept it. With a top-grade spirit stone in hand, you can break through realms anywhere. We hope that you can come to the Central Plains in the future. With your talent, you are fully capable of competing for the Daoist Disciple position at the One Yuan Dao Palace.”

Yuan Zhen said a long sentence with a smile, which made Ye Qing, beside her, a bit puzzled.

This Junior Sister had always been an arrogant person, and had previously complained about giving Chen Mobai too many spirit stones. Why this time did she not only voluntarily switch to a top-grade spirit stone, but her attitude was also so warm and gentle?

“Since that is the case, then many thanks to both True Humans.”

When Chen Mobai heard Yuan Zhen say this, he, who already greatly desired the top-grade spirit stone, immediately put it into his storage bag.

At this moment, Yu Hai also flew over.

The two from the Nine Heavens Demon Eradication Sect would go with him to the Eastern Yi, and then take the large teleportation array in Golden Crow Immortal City back to the Central Plains.

Of course, before returning, they still needed to make a trip to Empty Mulberry Valley to question about the corpse cultivator.

“Sect Master Chen, this is my communication talisman. Remember to find us when you come to the Central Plains.”

Before Yuan Zhen left, she gave another talisman to Chen Mobai; Ye Qing had given one earlier as well.

“Until we meet again!”

After Chen Mobai received the communication talisman, he clasped his fist to the two of them.

(End of this chapter)

Related