txolops Chapter 307 Disappearance and Anger
Chapter 307 Disappearance and Anger
After taking stock of his spoils, Li Ping pondered how to leave.
"How about I go explore the ancient cultivator's cave with them under the identity of Zhou Lingyan and find an opportunity to kill them?"
He shook his head and quickly banished the thought from his mind.
Firstly, after absorbing the aura of the Yaoji Starwood, the Yin-Yang Star Flame has evolved into the Taiyin Cold Flame, making it difficult to say whether it can still open the ancient cultivation cave.
Secondly, and most importantly, there are dangers in the ancient cultivation cave. Just look at how Master Liehuo suffered repeated defeats, and you'll know that the dangers are considerable.
If he ends up getting himself into trouble instead of trying to scam others, then he'll truly regret it. He's always avoided exploring ancient cultivators' caves, so of course he's not going to rush in now.
Standing in the courtyard, his expression shifting between light and dark, Li Ping's gaze fell upon the three spirit beast pouches at his waist.
The spirit beast pouch can hold living creatures. Apart from the Wildfire Sparrow and the Earth Spirit Rat, the remaining spirit beast pouch contained Zhou Lingyan, a Core Formation cultivator from the Joyful Union Sect who had lost consciousness.
The reason Li Ping didn't kill Zhou Lingyan outright was mainly because Core Formation cultivators usually leave their life tokens within the sect. He also needed to visit the Hehuan Sect later under Zhou Lingyan's identity, so he spared her life for the time being.
We'll decide how to deal with her after we finish our business.
Closer to home.
Li Ping originally wanted to leave openly and honestly, but with Old Monster Chi Lei and Old Demon Wu watching him from outside, he had no choice but to crawl through the dog hole.
brush!
With a wave of his hand, the Earth Spirit Rat and the Wildfire Sparrow appeared in front of him. The two beasts were a little confused when they saw their master who had changed so much. It wasn't until they felt a familiar aura coming from his soul that they became cheerful.
Li Ping smiled and nodded, then instructed the two beasts to perform their respective duties.
The Earth Spirit Rat was responsible for using Earth Escape Technique to lead them deep underground, from where they left Donghua Mountain.
However, the third-order formation of Donghua Mountain not only covered the sky, but also the ground. Earth Escape can penetrate the mountain, but it cannot break through the formation's protective shield.
This is when the Wildfire Sparrow will step in, silently melting an opening in the array's protective barrier with its natal spirit flame, allowing them to pass through easily.
However, Li Ping was unsure whether the market would notice if the Wildfire Sparrow burned the protective array shield.
If it really causes a big commotion, then it's practically no different from forcibly breaking in.
"That's it, let's force our way in. As long as we escape Old Monster Crimson Thunder's watchful eye, I can easily change my appearance, and he'll never be able to find me again!"
Let's go!
"Squeak~"
The earth spirit rat squeaked excitedly, seemingly happy that it was about to show off its skills.
call out!
A layer of earthy yellow halo emanated from it, covering Li Ping and the Wildfire Sparrow. The Wildfire Sparrow couldn't stop retreating, strongly resisting being enveloped by the spell cast by the Earth Spirit Rat. The disdain in its eyes was obvious.
Only after Li Ping gave the order did it have no choice but to let out a low growl and voluntarily walk into the range of the earth-yellow halo.
"Squeak~"
The earthy yellow aura suddenly surged, and the next moment, the two beasts and one person melted into the ground and disappeared like snow falling on reeds, and the courtyard returned to its original tranquility.
Dozens of feet underground, Li Ping was enveloped in a yellow aura. Not far in front of him, the Earth Spirit Rat was using Earth Escape Technique to carry him and the Wildfire Sparrow further in.
Wherever the yellow light shone, all the soil and boulders automatically became invisible, unable to hinder their progress in the slightest.
Li Ping used his divine sense to cover an area of fifteen or sixteen miles in radius, directing the direction of the earth spirit rats. If they encountered underground metal veins, he would also direct the earth spirit rats to avoid them in advance.
In just half an hour, they had infiltrated nearly a hundred miles underground, approaching the mountainside of Donghua Mountain, where the protective array of Donghua Mountain Market was probably located.
"arrive!"
Li Ping immediately ordered the Earth Spirit Rat to stop.
Under the yellow light, what appeared before them was a jade-colored light screen several feet thick, and the astonishing spiritual pressure emanating from it was enough to show its terrifying defense.
"Come here, it's your turn!" Li Ping instructed the Wildfire Sparrow to melt and create a passage.
"Chirp chirp~"
The Wildfire Sparrow glanced haughtily at the Earth Spirit Rat before strode to a spot not far from the light barrier and unleashed a thick pillar of fire onto the array's light barrier.
The jade-green light curtain instantly melted away as rapidly as snow under the blazing sun.
After being attacked, the protective mountain formation remained stable except for the areas where it dissolved.
Seeing this, Li Ping breathed a sigh of relief.
His worst fears did not come true, which only proves that the Wildfire Sparrow truly lives up to its reputation as a divine bird of heaven and earth with true spiritual bloodline, possessing extraordinary and miraculous abilities.
Half an hour later.
In the center of the vast emerald green light curtain, a three-foot-diameter hole slowly formed, with flames burning around the hole, preventing the light curtain from closing and restoring itself.
"Walk!"
Li Ping urged the Earth Spirit Rat.
The two people and one beast were enveloped in an earthy yellow halo as they traversed the void at breakneck speed.
Behind them, as the Wildfire Sparrow withdrew its spiritual flames, the void quickly closed and returned to normal in the blink of an eye.
"Finally out."
Li Ping breathed a sigh of relief, then guided the Earth Spirit Rat to flee westward, intending to leave Donghua Mountain from there.
That direction is also where the main base of the Hehuan Sect, the Cangmu Kingdom, is located.
……
Inside the cave of the Crimson Thunder Monster.
Old Demon Wu and Old Monster Chi Lei sat silently in the courtyard, the atmosphere somewhat tense.
"A day and a night have passed. Shouldn't that be enough to deal with Li Jingyu? Why hasn't Fellow Daoist Zhou come looking for us yet?" Old Demon Wu said, his voice clearly showing dissatisfaction.
Old Monster Chi Lei's expression was equally solemn, but unlike Old Demon Wu, he was not impatient. He slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Wu, why are you in such a hurry? After Junior Sister Zhou entered the cave, the two of us have been watching her here. Could she suddenly disappear?"
Old Demon Wu agreed with this statement.
Enveloped by divine sense, and with the market also protected by a mountain-protecting array, Zhou Lingyan could only leave through the array's passage; she couldn't simply disappear like that.
This is also why he was able to sit still for a whole day and night.
However, as a Core Formation cultivator, his time was precious, and he couldn't just sit here and wait foolishly.
"However, Fellow Daoist Wu's concerns are not without merit. If there are any changes in the matter of the ancient cultivator's cave, it is indeed necessary for you, me, and Junior Sister Zhou to discuss it together."
Seeing the change in Wu Laomo's expression, Chi Lei Laoguai softened his tone again: "Well then, given my status, it is inconvenient for me to show myself. Therefore, I will wait in the cave. Please, Fellow Daoist Wu, go and invite Junior Sister Zhou over."
Upon hearing this, Old Demon Wu stood up: "It should have been done long ago!"
After grumbling a few times, he immediately walked out of the courtyard to visit Zhou Lingyan.
After a while.
Old Demon Wu appeared outside Zhou Lingyan's cave. He impatiently took out a sound transmission talisman, whispered a few words, and then threw it directly into the magic array surrounding the cave.
After seeing the transmission talisman disappear into it, they patiently waited.
One breath, two breaths... one moment, two moments... After waiting for several moments without the cave opening, Old Demon Wu's expression immediately turned ugly. He thought that Zhou Lingyan was deliberately ignoring him.
However, only its owner can activate the cave's formation; anyone else who dares to attack it is tantamount to provoking the official authorities of the market.
Therefore, even though he was furious, Old Demon Wu had no way to retaliate.
On the other side, the old monster Chi Lei, who had been secretly observing this place with his divine sense, also vaguely sensed something was wrong, especially after Wu Laomo had been waiting for nearly half an hour, and Zhou Lingyan's cave still showed no signs of movement.
He directly transmitted his thoughts to the market, saying, "Fellow Daoist Wu, go to the market now as a fellow disciple and apply to open Junior Sister Zhou's cave. You apply, I will approve, and we will quickly find out Junior Sister Zhou's situation."
"Okay." Old Demon Wu nodded in agreement and hurriedly went to apply.
Old Monster Crimson Thunder slowly rose to his feet, his eyes filled with confusion: "Junior Sister Zhou, what has happened?"
He personally witnessed Zhou Lingyan leave Li Jingyu's cave and return to her own cave.
Moreover, after that, he kept his divine sense surrounding Zhou Lingyan and Li Jingyu's cave, during which time neither of them made any move.
Therefore, Zhou Lingyan and Li Jingyu must still be in their respective caves; there is absolutely no way they could be wrong.
Why did Zhou Lingyan ignore Wu Laomo's visit?
The doubts in Old Monster Chi Lei's heart could only be dispelled when Old Demon Wu obtained the array flag to open Zhou Lingyan's cave.
A few moments later, the formation of Zhou Lingyan's cave was opened.
To their astonishment, Old Monster Chi Lei and Old Demon Wu discovered that the cave was completely empty; Zhou Lingyan had vanished as if she had disappeared into thin air.
"Hmph, Chi Lei, didn't you say you've been covering this place with your divine sense all along?" Old Demon Wu suddenly became furious: "Could it be that you and your fellow disciple deliberately conspired to deceive me? Did you secretly send Zhou Lingyan to the ancient cultivator's cave to retrieve treasures?"
Old Monster Chi Lei was speechless, but he was certain that he had been keeping a close eye on Zhou Lingyan and had not given her a chance to leave.
It was impossible for Zhou Lingyan to disappear silently while he was being monitored by his divine sense.
"No matter what I say now, Fellow Daoist Wu, you'll think I'm just making excuses." Old Monster Chi Lei forced himself to sound calm: "Let's go to Li Jingyu's cave together now, and we'll know everything then."
Half an hour later, when the two did not receive a response from the cave owner, they forcibly opened the cave's formation.
But to their astonishment, they discovered that the cave was tidy and orderly, while the cave's owner had also vanished without a trace.
This time, even the usually calm and collected Old Monster Crimson Thunder couldn't hold back any longer.
Suppressing his anger, he muttered angrily, "This wretched woman dares to treat me like I'm nothing, making such a fool of me!"
Whether Zhou Lingyan obtained the Yin-Yang Star Flame from Li Jingyu and went to retrieve the treasure alone, or whether she cooperated with Li Jingyu and ended up harming herself and Old Demon Wu.
"call!"
After taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he looked at Old Demon Wu beside him and said, "It seems that I, like Fellow Daoist Wu, have been tricked by that vile woman."
Old Demon Wu, however, did not believe him. He still believed that Old Monster Chi Lei and Zhou Lingyan had joined forces to drive him out of the game.
Old Monster Chi Lei didn't say much, and said in a seemingly indifferent tone, "Let's go to the ancient cultivator's cave together now. I have specially set up a third-order formation outside the original restrictions. It won't be so easy for that lowly servant to open the cave."