Chapter 224 : Taking Action
Chapter 224: Taking Action
“Then, you must die as well!”
The killing intent in Ruan Caihong’s eyes was laid bare.
Chen Ming only felt that this man had suppressed himself for far too long, making him somewhat abnormal. Talking to someone like this was useless. “Since that’s the case, why haven’t you made your move yet?”
“No rush.”
Ruan Caihong smiled faintly. “Let me deal with the others first.”
As he spoke, he raised his hand, and a faint blue gang yuan condensed into a massive palm, striking down toward Fang Yong several zhang away.
Fang Yong, who had appeared unconscious, suddenly sprang up and fled at lightning speed.
So, he had been feigning the whole time.
But in Ruan Caihong’s eyes, the two First Grade martial artists of the Nine Nether Sect posed the greatest threat. Naturally, he had to deal with them first to feel at ease.
Boom!
Fang Yong had fled less than ten zhang when that giant palm caught up and slammed down upon him. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his injuries worsening. He collapsed to the ground, as if he had been crushed beneath a carriage wheel, his bones shattered beyond recognition.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ruan Caihong flicked his hand, sending out several silver-white needles that struck with perfect precision into Fang Yong’s acupoints, burrowing inch by inch into his body.
Dragon-Sealing Needles!
These were specially crafted, enhanced Dragon-Sealing Needles, capable of temporarily sealing the cultivation of even a First Grade martial artist.
“Ahhh—”
Fang Yong let out a miserable scream.
As the needles sank deeper, his forehead began to bulge, as though something within was trying to burst out.
When the last needle disappeared into his body, something finally forced its way out of his glabella—it looked like a black tortoise shell.
Ruan Caihong raised his hand and drew the tortoise shell to him. “Every disciple of the Nine Nether Sect carries a life-bound artifact, making them exceptionally difficult to deal with. If not for Senior Luo of the Heaven’s Path Alliance, I alone would not have been their match this time. Senior Luo, I thank you.”
Not far away, Luo Zhouwu sat cross-legged, circulating his qi to heal. The strike from the demonic sword had done more than sever his arm—the demonic qi within the blade had invaded his body, which was the true danger.
At this moment, his eyes remained closed. Whether he heard Ruan Caihong’s words or not was unclear.
Ruan Caihong toyed with the tortoise shell in his hand, marveling, “So his life-bound artifact was this peculiar item. Rumor has it that the Celestial Master’s Mansion once possessed a tortoise shell capable of divination, passed down since antiquity. Later, it was lost when a certain generation of Celestial Master perished. It seems this is precisely what that Celestial Master left behind after dying at the hands of the Cult of Eternal Life.”
“This tortoise shell, tempered by the Nine Nether Grand Art, is even more wondrous than before. Brother Gu, do you know why, among the six sects of the Cult of Eternal Life, the Nine Nether Sect’s power stands as the strongest? Within one sect, they produced three Demon Venerables.”
Chen Ming said, “I would like to hear your explanation, Brother Ruan.”
He had always been interested in such secrets.
Ruan Caihong said, “The Nine Nether Grand Art is in fact the most supreme artifact-forging art in the world. You may not know, but of the peerless divine weapons still existing in this world, more than half were forged by the Nine Nether Sect.”
“There’s such a thing?”
Chen Ming’s heart stirred with a vague suspicion.
Ruan Caihong continued, “In those years, many sects coveted the ability of the Nine Nether Grand Art to forge divine weapons. Thus, they allowed the art to spread among the people, even permitting disciples of their own sects to cultivate it. Once those disciples’ demonic arts reached completion and their life-bound artifacts rose to the level of divine weapons, they would then strike, kill them, and seize their life-bound artifacts.
“In this way, over decades, the Nine Nether Sect grew stronger and stronger, until three Demon Venerables appeared in succession. The great powers felt threatened, and so they united to massacre all who had cultivated the Nine Nether Grand Art. The demonic artifacts of those three Demon Venerables were also sealed away.”
After finishing, Ruan Caihong tucked the tortoise shell into his robe. “So when I learned that Madam was a descendant of the Nine Nether Sect, I was overjoyed. A pity she was far too softhearted…”
“Pah—”
Suddenly, Fang Yong, pinned down by the Dragon-Sealing Needles, spat out blood foam and cursed, “Dog thief…”
Ruan Caihong ignored him, turning back to Chen Ming. “Brother Gu, though we’ve not known each other long, I feel strangely drawn to you, as though you and I are the same kind of people. What a pity—”
The same kind of people as you?
Chen Ming thought to himself, then glanced at the demonic sword beside him. “Why didn’t you use that sword against them?”
A strange smile appeared on Ruan Caihong’s face. “You should know the origins of the six sects of the Cult of Eternal Life. Each lineage possesses a longevity method passed down from the Eternal Life Emperor. But have you ever considered—what is the longevity method of the Nine Nether Sect?”
Chen Ming was stunned. He truly had not thought about this. Although he had obtained the cultivation method of the Nine Nether Grand Art, it only extended to the First Grade.
Then he suddenly thought of something. Looking at the demonic sword, he gasped. “Could it be—”
Ruan Caihong burst into wild laughter. “Exactly what you’re thinking! This sword is the true body of a Demon Venerable! The so-called longevity method is nothing more than transforming oneself into the spirit of a weapon. Isn’t it laughable? Hahaha…”
“…”
Chen Ming looked at the demonic sword and suddenly felt fortunate. Thankfully, he had been cautious and had not cultivated the Nine Nether Grand Art. This cursed art actually used the body itself as a furnace to forge a peerless divine weapon. When life ran out and the flesh decayed, the divine weapon became one’s new body.
What a damnable technique!
No wonder Luo Zhouwu had thrown the demonic sword away immediately after failing to subdue it.
After Qian Jiu obtained the sword, his personality drastically changed—it must have been the sword’s influence.
So whoever gained this sword might appear to be its master, but in truth, they became the sword’s slave.
Before, Chen Ming had thought that compared to the blood-drinking Blood Demon Sect or the puppet-making Undying Demon Sect, the Nine Nether Sect was relatively “normal” within the Cult of Eternal Life.
Now, it appeared equally bizarre.
No wonder the Eternal Life Emperor had sealed these longevity methods and cast them aside.
After laughing, Ruan Caihong said, “Brother Gu, I have explained what I could. You need not die ignorant. Now, it’s time to send you on your way.”
Chen Ming said, “Please wait a moment.”
Then, he opened his panel.
【Level: 70】
【Current Points: 7,179,875】
【Cultivation Arts: 《Iron Horse Stance》 (Fifth Level Complete), 《Five Elements True Art (Incomplete)》 (Seventh Level 242,456/10,000,000)】
【Combat Techniques: 《Three Talents Fist》 (Mastered), 《Eight Trigrams Saber Technique》 (Mastered), 《Zhuang’s Flying Knife》 (Mastered), 《Swallow Returns Sword Technique》 (Mastered), 《Vermilion Bird Sword Technique》 (Mastered), 《Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens》 (Fourth Level 3,908/400,000), 《Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan》 (Second Level 35,734/2,000,000)】
【Secret Arts: 《Disguise Art》 (Mastered), 《Nurturing Artifact Art》 (First Level 1/100,000), 《Controlling Artifact Art》 (Fourth Level 1/400,000)】
“Add points!”
He muttered inwardly, first raising 《Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens》 to the ninth level, complete.
In one breath, he spent 3.9 million points.
Then, he raised 《Controlling Artifact Art》 to the ninth level as well, consuming another 3 million points.
Against a First Grade opponent, even if he poured all his points into cultivation arts, it would be useless. 《Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens》 was for saving his life.
But 《Controlling Artifact Art》 was the key to unleashing the full power of the Phoenix Cry Sword—his only hope of victory.
【Level: 70】
【Current Points: 283,783】
【Cultivation Arts: 《Iron Horse Stance》 (Fifth Level Complete), 《Five Elements True Art (Incomplete)》 (Seventh Level 242,456/10,000,000)】
【Combat Techniques: 《Three Talents Fist》 (Mastered), 《Eight Trigrams Saber Technique》 (Mastered), 《Zhuang’s Flying Knife》 (Mastered), 《Swallow Returns Sword Technique》 (Mastered), 《Vermilion Bird Sword Technique》 (Mastered), 《Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens》 (Ninth Level Complete), 《Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan》 (Second Level 35,734/2,000,000)】
【Secret Arts: 《Disguise Art》 (Mastered), 《Nurturing Artifact Art》 (First Level 1/100,000), 《Controlling Artifact Art》 (Ninth Level 1/900,000)】
Now, only two hundred thousand points remained—like returning to square one overnight.
Chen Ming’s heart bled.
At the same time, his body underwent drastic changes.
……
“Hm?”
Ruan Caihong noticed that after Gu Xianyu closed his eyes, some strange transformation began within him. For some reason, a foreboding unease rose in his heart.
Logically, this boy was only at Third Grade. Even with a divine weapon, he should not be able to pose a threat to him…
No!
Ruan Caihong trusted his intuition. Without further hesitation, he raised his hand and unleashed a sword gang.
Whoosh!
Yet at the instant he struck, his senses of Gu Xianyu vanished. The youth had disappeared into thin air, and the sword gang missed.
“How is that possible?”
A First Grade martial artist possessed immense spiritual perception, their gang yuan infused with spirit. Once unleashed, it was impossible for anyone beneath First Grade to evade.
So how had this boy slipped free of his divine sense lock?
Ruan Caihong’s heart trembled. This boy was strange.
He turned his head and locked onto Gu Xianyu’s new position several zhang away, pointing once again.
Whoosh!
But Gu Xianyu vanished again, and Ruan Caihong lost all sense of him. Another sword gang fell uselessly.
Curiosity gnawed at him, and he could not resist asking, “How did you do that?”
At this time, Chen Ming opened his eyes and smiled faintly. “Guess.”
Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief. Had he not advanced 《Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens》 to perfection, he would never have evaded those two sword gangs and would have been forced to endure them.
Then, even if he could channel the Phoenix Cry Sword’s power to resist, he would only be passively defending. Now, the initiative was his.
“Hmph!”
Ruan Caihong’s expression turned cold. “Do you really think I cannot deal with you? I merely wished to avoid wasting effort. Since that’s the case—taste my sword!”
The divine weapon lodged in Zhou You’s body flew into the air, transforming into a rainbow arc of sword-light and slashing toward Chen Ming.
“I have one too!”
This time, Chen Ming did not evade. He drew the Phoenix Cry Sword, golden flames erupting from its blade, as though to burn through the very heavens. Terrifying heat radiated outward.
He extracted the golden flame within the sword—its true power!
“What?!”
Ruan Caihong felt the gang yuan infused within his divine weapon ignite, his spirit screaming in agony as his connection with the sword was severed.
This shock was no small matter!