txolops Chapter 433 Capturing the Crane
Chapter 433 Capturing the Crane
Chapter 433 Capturing Miaohe (Bonus chapter, please subscribe.)
The young man in feathered robes took a deep breath, a hint of fear unconsciously showing on his face, but he quickly suppressed it. He stretched out his right hand, bit his fingertip, squeezed out a drop of blood essence, and flicked it onto a recessed ghost head pattern in the center of the stone gate.
"Buzz—"
The crimson runes on the stone gate lit up one by one, emitting a low hum. The stone gate slowly slid open to both sides, and an even stronger wave of chilling blood energy rushed out, causing the young man in the feathered robe to shiver involuntarily.
The secret chamber was dimly lit, except for a central area where a complex array, about three zhang in diameter, constructed of unknown black stone and covered with grotesque demons and eerie runes, emitted a faint, blood-red glow. Within the array, blood and yin energies intertwined, and countless distorted, agonizing faces flickered and wailed.
At the very center of the formation, where the blood energy was most concentrated, a "miniature baby" that was only an inch tall, with a translucent dark red body, closed eyes, and seemingly asleep, was quietly floating, slowly absorbing the blood energy and yin power gathered by the formation.
It was none other than the Venerable Miaohe, who was now only in the Nascent Soul stage and whose vital energy was severely depleted!
Seemingly sensing someone entering, or perhaps stimulated by the aura of the young man in feathered robes' blood essence, the dark red miniature nascent soul's eyelids twitched a few times before suddenly opening!
Immediately afterwards, a powerful and sinister aura emanated from the nascent soul that was only an inch in size.
The young man in feathered robes felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave when that gaze swept over him, his scalp tingling. He dared not retreat, but quickly stepped forward, stopping at the edge of the formation. He bowed deeply to the miniature Nascent Soul within, his voice trembling uncontrollably, and reported, "Master—Master! The steward guarding the island's entrance just reported that a late-stage Core Formation cultivator has arrived on the island today! Judging from his appearance, he seems—quite young! I wonder—I wonder if he can fulfill Master's—desire to possess another's body?"
Luo Ming stepped into the most eye-catching, five-story, and magnificent "Biyun Pavilion" in the market.
This pavilion is decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, and the two characters "碧云" (Bi Yun) above the door are faintly visible, clearly indicating that it belongs to the Bi Yun Sect and should be the place with the most complete range of goods on the island.
As soon as he stepped into the lobby on the first floor, a shopkeeper dressed in brocade robes, with a round face and a plump figure, who was in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, greeted him with a big smile.
Sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from Luo Ming, which belonged to a Core Formation stage cultivator, the portly shopkeeper's smile widened, his bow deepened, and his tone became exceptionally respectful: "Welcome to Biyun Pavilion, Senior! What do you need, Senior? Our pavilion has all kinds of materials, pills, magic weapons, and talismans, and we are sure to satisfy you."
Without wasting words, Luo Ming calmly scanned the shop's furnishings and got straight to the point: "Sinking Sea Mystic Crystals, the more the better."
"Sinking Sea Mystic Crystal?" A hint of surprise flashed in the fat shopkeeper's eyes, but he quickly smiled and stepped aside to lead the way. "This item has a specific purpose, and our store does indeed have some. Please follow me to the private room on the top floor to discuss this in detail. It's quiet there, and it will be convenient for you to inspect the goods."
Luo Ming nodded slightly and followed the fat shopkeeper to the top floor, arriving at a quiet room with luxurious decorations, tables and chairs made of top-grade spirit wood, and the burning of calming sandalwood incense.
The two took their seats as host and guest, and the portly shopkeeper personally served them spiritual tea. He then rubbed his hands together and said, "Senior, your timing is perfect. Due to the war in the inner star sea a few years ago, our store's cross-sea teleportation array with the outside world was closed, resulting in a backlog of goods in our warehouse. Among them was a batch of high-quality Submerged Sea Crystals, in considerable quantity. This batch of crystals has been unable to circulate. If Senior wants them all, the price is negotiable."
As he spoke, he took out an inconspicuous gray storage bag, gently placed it on the table between the two of them, and pushed it towards Luo Ming.
Luo Ming remained expressionless, reached for the storage bag, and sent a wisp of his divine sense into it. The next moment, a barely perceptible glint of joy flashed in his eyes.
Inside the bag, at least forty or fifty pieces of sunken sea crystals of varying sizes were neatly arranged. The smaller ones were the size of a fist, while the larger ones were the size of a human head. They were all dark blue and had rich and pure water-attribute spiritual energy, far exceeding what he had obtained at "Reef Island" before, and even more than he had expected!
If all these mystic crystals are refined and purified, the resulting "mystic water" will be enough to refine more than thirty "mystic essence beads"! With the previous accumulation, the materials needed for the natal magic weapon have been gathered, and there are even some left over!
I never expected the Biyun Sect to have such a rich stockpile; this trip was definitely worthwhile. Luo Ming felt reassured, but his face remained calm.
He put down the storage bag, pondered for a moment as if assessing its value, then flipped his wrist, took out another bulging storage bag, placed it on the table, and pushed it back.
"The number should be about right, shopkeeper, please check."
The portly shopkeeper took the bag, scanned it with his divine sense, and his face immediately lit up with a smile. Inside the bag was a mountain of mid-grade spirit stones, shimmering with spiritual light, the quantity perfectly matching the value of the batch of Sea-Sinking Mystic Crystals. This was no small transaction; his commission would certainly be substantial.
"Senior is indeed very straightforward!" The plump shopkeeper's tone became even more enthusiastic. He put away his spirit stone bag and said with a smile, "It's a pleasure doing business with you! If you need anything else in the future, please feel free to come to my Biyun Pavilion. Next time, I'll definitely give you the most favorable price!"
With the transaction complete and his goal achieved, Luo Ming had no intention of lingering. He planned to take the Sea-Sinking Mystic Crystal and leave Blood Crane Island immediately, returning to Silver Shark Island to begin refining the Mystic Yuan Pearl. He reached for the gray storage bag containing the Sea-Sinking Mystic Crystal on the table.
Just then—
Luo Ming's brows furrowed sharply!
Almost simultaneously, dozens of deep blue runes suddenly lit up on the walls, floor, and ceiling of the quiet room!
These runes, like tadpoles that have come to life, instantly swam and connected, bursting forth with intense spiritual energy fluctuations!
Buzz!
A thick, condensed, deep blue spiritual energy shield with ripple-like patterns on its surface appeared out of thin air without warning, completely enveloping the entire quiet room! The shield shimmered with light, emitting a strong aura of restriction and isolation, clearly a trapping formation!
"This—this is?!" The portly shopkeeper's face turned deathly pale in an instant. He stared in horror at the suddenly activated formation, then at Luo Ming, stammering, "Senior Luo, this—this wasn't activated by me! This Azure Wave Spirit Locking Formation is specially set up by the pavilion to deal with special situations, and only a few elders have the authority to activate it—something must have gone wrong! Fellow Daoist, don't worry, I'll send a message to inquire right away—"
Before he could finish speaking—
A powerful, oppressive divine sense, like a cold, venomous snake, suddenly pierced through the wall of the meditation room, ignoring the blue protective shield and heading straight for Luo Ming in the center! This divine sense was far stronger than that of a Core Formation cultivator, carrying a greedy and scrutinizing air, clearly wanting to probe Luo Ming's foundation up close, especially his physical aptitude and the strength of his soul!
However, when this powerful divine sense touched Luo Ming's body and sensed the vast, condensed magical power and blood energy within him, it was as if it had hit an invisible wall of copper and iron, and suddenly stopped!
Immediately afterward, the divine sense, like a startled rabbit, retreated in panic even faster than it had come! The divine sense no longer carried greed and scrutiny, but boundless horror and fear, along with a sharp, furious shout, even trembling slightly, that exploded directly in the quiet room, at the source of the divine sense: "You—you're not a late-stage Core Formation cultivator! You—you wicked disciple! You ruined me!!"
The last four words were filled with shock, anger, and resentment, clearly directed at someone.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. The instant the formation was activated and his divine sense struck, Luo Ming's eyes flashed with a cold light like ice blades! He snorted coldly, and the Nascent Soul stage pressure he had been concealing was no longer hidden, and it erupted with a bang!
A terrifying spiritual pressure, even more powerful and concentrated than the sneak attack, carrying immense blood and qi, erupted like a dormant volcano, instantly filling the entire quiet room!
The seemingly sturdy blue shield of the "Azure Wave Spirit Locking Array" trembled violently under the impact of this spiritual pressure, emitting a creaking sound as if it could not bear the weight. Its surface shimmered and flickered, as if it would collapse at any moment!
At the same time, Luo Ming's powerful divine sense, comparable to that of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was like a drawn sword, relentlessly pursuing the hastily retreating divine sense with lightning speed! The divine sense penetrated the walls and restrictions, instantly locking onto an even more secluded secret room next door!
The scene inside the secret room was clearly reflected in Luo Ming's "eyes".
A miniature Nascent Soul, only an inch tall, with an unhealthy dark red body, an aged face, and brows filled with resentment and fear, stared wide-eyed in disbelief in Luo Ming's direction. It was none other than the Nascent Soul of Master Miaohe!
Beside him, the handsome, effeminate young cultivator dressed in feathered robes was also pale and stiff, his eyes filled with fear and despair. He had clearly heard his master's angry roar, "You wicked disciple has harmed me!"
Luo Ming's divine sense transformed into an invisible net, firmly locking onto the dark red nascent soul. At the same time, his calm yet slightly cold and playful voice, penetrating the barrier, clearly reached the adjacent secret chamber and echoed within the quiet room: "If I am not mistaken—you are none other than the legendary Fellow Daoist Miaohe of the Azure Cloud Sect, aren't you? I wonder what your intention is in going to such lengths to set up this formation, trapping me here, and then so eagerly probing me with your divine sense?"
"Misunderstanding! Fellow Daoist Luo, this is absolutely a huge misunderstanding!" Miao He's nascent soul voice was sharp and filled with obvious panic as she tried to explain.
"I—I merely sensed the arrival of a fellow Daoist of the same level on this island, and I was delighted. I wished to greet you with my divine sense and, incidentally—invite you for a chat. I have no other intentions! This formation—this formation operates on its own; it must have malfunctioned due to years of neglect! I will now undo it for you!"
"Misunderstanding? An invitation to a chat?" Luo Ming's lips curled into an undisguised sneer, his eyes sharp as knives as he stared directly into the dark red nascent soul's eyes. "I'm afraid—fellow Daoist has taken a fancy to my physical body and wishes to ask me to 'give it up' for your use in possessing, is that right?"
"You—!" Miao He's nascent soul was shocked and enraged that his secret had been exposed, and a chill rose from the depths of his nascent soul. Not only was the opponent's strength far beyond his expectations, but their mind was also terrifyingly sharp! He knew that today's matter could not be resolved peacefully; the opponent would never let him go!
"Hmph!" Miao He's Nascent Soul said no more. Its dark red body suddenly erupted with dazzling light, emanating a strange aura. The next instant, its small figure blurred, followed by a "whoosh!"
Leaving behind a faint afterimage, Miaohe's Nascent Soul had vanished into thin air! It wasn't an escape technique, but rather a unique life-saving ability of the Nascent Soul—short-distance teleportation!
"Teleportation? It truly is a life-saving technique of a Nascent Soul cultivator, quite profound; ordinary divine sense can hardly track its trajectory." Luo Ming's eyes narrowed, but he immediately sneered, "However—you're still too green to use teleportation in front of me!"
Before he finished speaking, the pale golden light of the "Qianyang Fire Eyes" in his eyes suddenly shone brightly. The subtle spatial ripples stirred up by the teleportation of the Myriad Cranes Nascent Soul, along with the residual aura of the Nascent Soul's origin, pointed clearly in a certain direction, like fireflies in the dark night!
Almost at the same instant that Miaohe's nascent soul disappeared, Luo Ming's body flashed with an earthy yellow spiritual light. In the horrified gaze of the fat shopkeeper, Luo Ming's figure instantly became illusory and then disappeared from the spot, leaving only the blue protective shield that was still trembling.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Each time the Nascent Soul figure blurred and reappeared, it was already dozens of feet away, moving so fast that it left only faint afterimages in the air. Ordinary Core Formation cultivators could not even detect its exact location with their divine sense.
He abandoned any fancy concealment or detours, his goal clear: to flee for his life towards the central area of Blood Crane Island—the main hall he had cultivated for many years, where he had set up the strongest defenses and counterattack restrictions!
As long as he escapes into the main hall and activates the forbidden array he painstakingly set up, with the power of the array and the assistance of the disciples on the island, even if he cannot kill that terrifying Nascent Soul cultivator, he can at least be invincible, and even—there might be a chance to trap him and then slowly devise a plan! That vibrant body still fuels his unquenchable greed.
Blood Crane Island was not particularly vast to begin with, and with the speed of a Nascent Soul cultivator's teleportation, the distance to the central hall was almost instantaneous. In just seven or eight flashes, the familiar outline of the hall was already close at hand, and one could even "see" the astonished figures of the disciples guarding the hall's entrance looking up at them.
"Almost there! Almost there!" Miao He's nascent soul felt a slight sense of relief, a mixture of relief at surviving a near-death experience and a fierce determination to turn the tables. That guy—it seems he didn't chase after us? Hmph, he must have been shaken off by my teleportation! A nascent soul's teleportation is not so easily caught!
However, just as his mind momentarily relaxed as he approached the "safe zone," he scoffed!
A chilling voice resounded directly within the opponent's primordial spirit! Immediately afterward, a short, thorn-like phantom, as red as blood, as thin as a cow's hair, and moving faster than divine sense could perceive, appeared out of thin air, ignoring spatial distance, and flashed before his newly manifested nascent soul with a "poof!"
A muffled thud, almost imperceptible, was heard. The crimson phantom spike pierced the dark red nascent soul's brow without any resistance!
Master Miaohe's primordial spirit was already somewhat weak, and now, after suffering such an attack, the extreme pain overwhelmed his soul like a tidal wave. His vision blurred, and he almost fainted.
Just then, a hand with a dark golden luster, long and strong fingers, as if forged from some kind of divine metal, silently pierced through the remaining protective spiritual light around the Nascent Soul and firmly grasped him in its palm!