Chapter 164
Chapter 164
Yu Sui watched with her own eyes as the charred bones reached out from behind her, grasping the black sword shadow in the water. She saw small crimson flame crystals growing on its wrist, producing boiling white smoke in the water. After the crimson flame crystals fell, they grew again.
The black skeleton opened its mouth, letting out a sharp roar in the water. The water screen couldn't muffle its sound. The black skeleton grabbed Yu Sui's collar with one hand and raised its sword toward the water screen above with the other.
Yu Sui was lifted out of the water by the black skeleton. She actually felt that the previously bone-chilling cold underground river water had become warm.
White smoke rose everywhere. Besides the black skeleton's continuous sharp roaring, there was also the sizzling sound of the crimson flame crystals on its body being extinguished by water.
Yu Sui shook the water droplets from her face and stared wide-eyed ahead: the black skeleton was half-submerged in water, but its upper body exposed above the water surface appeared incredibly tall, just hunched over. The pitch-black skull head turned left and right, then roared with force. Invisible sound barriers spread out, stirring up vast waves of Five Elements Energy.
Lin Chenghai, who had just dodged the Heavenly Gang Earth Fiend Thunder, turned his staff to block this sound barrier again, cursing: "What the hell is this thing now?!"
Yu Sui scratched her head, also wondering what this was. Is this my sword spirit? But it doesn't seem to listen to me either.
Water splashed again. Just as Yu Sui was about to turn back, she saw Mei Liangyu emerge from the water with a gloomy expression. His gaze fell on the scratch marks on her throat. He pressed his palm on Yu Sui's head, pushed her behind him, then looked toward Lin Chenghai ahead.
"Senior Brother!" Yu Sui saw Mei Liangyu looking ready to kill and hurriedly grabbed him.
Mei Liangyu couldn't even be bothered with that noisy black mess beside them. Yu Sui's earlier shout had used Eight Trigrams Living Arts. Knowing his ears weren't healed yet, she used Five Elements Energy as a signal, allowing the Heavenly Gang Earth Fiend Thunder to follow the Five Elements Energy to find her.
He had only been away for a moment. If someone had really killed Yu Sui and stolen Breath Soil right under his nose, Mei Liangyu might truly have gone mad.
The purple lightning was swift. Mei Liangyu flashed and moved along with the purple lightning. Yu Sui couldn't catch him. The underground was already dark and gloomy with poor lighting. Even with Yu Sui's flowing fire illumination, it was only in the water.
At this moment, purple lightning flickered, and in the alternating light and dark, Mei Liangyu also couldn't see Wenyang Xiu's face clearly. It wasn't until he struck the staff with his palm and the two were close enough for their Five Elements Energy to clash that lightning flashed brightly.
Hu Gui called out a warning: "Stop!"
He was afraid Lin Chenghai hadn't held back his strength and would injure the young master.
Lin Chenghai, who had been gathering power, forcibly restrained his strength after seeing who it was and took this palm strike. Mei Liangyu saw Wenyang Xiu's appearance clearly, frowned slightly, and backed away.
Hu Gui had originally wanted to flash to Yu Sui's side and take her hostage to make Mei Liangyu stop. Just as he flashed to the water surface, he was struck back by a sword swing from that black ghostly shadow.
The black skeleton roared shrilly, its voice like a tiger's roar or dragon's cry, making even Yu Sui cover her ears. Both Mei Liangyu and Lin Chenghai were affected and turned to look at the black mass in the water.
Even though Mei Liangyu's ears were deaf, he felt ear pain from the Five Elements Energy vibrations in this roaring sound.
"Senior Brother!" Yu Sui covered her ears and signaled to Mei Liangyu. "He's a Buddhist School senior using Heavenly Mechanism Arts to possess Wenyang Xiu's body, and he's also poisoned by the Agricultural School Saint's Azure Blood Golden Butterfly! Be careful not to kill Wenyang Xiu too!"
"Little girl, mind your own business?!" Lin Chenghai took a deep breath, golden light flowing in his eyes as he stepped on a flash of purple lightning. "You called your Senior Brother to avenge you, right? Let me see what abilities your Senior Brother has!"
Mei Liangyu grabbed the middle section of the staff with five fingers and said indifferently: "Buddhist School Soul Stealing and Spirit Swapping, indeed good techniques."
Lin Chenghai's heart shook when he heard this. He knows?
Yu Sui was still shouting from below: "My Senior Brother is not only poisoned but also has injured ears and can't hear. If you fight him now, that's winning without honor, bullying the weak. What kind of Thirteenth Realm master's demeanor is that?"
Lin Chenghai withdrew his attack and backed away to create distance, his expression serious: "What poison did you get?"
Mei Liangyu's gaze was cold and deep, showing no joy or anger, impossible to read. He only stared at Lin Chenghai: "Convincing a Thirteenth Realm Buddhist School master to come to Taiyi Academy, just for that useless half piece of Breath Soil?"
"Half piece?" Lin Chenghai's expression was strange. "That little girl only has half a piece of Breath Soil in her body?"
Hu Gui used Wind-Riding Techniques to hover above the water. Hearing this, he looked at Yu Sui in the water with a trace of surprise in his expression. His sleeve turned, and a black curse flew from his palm toward Yu Sui.
The black curse transformed into two ink-colored eagle shadows that grabbed Yu Sui's wrists, pulling her toward Hu Gui with invisible force. Before Mei Liangyu could act, Hu Gui explained: "Ghost Way School Flying Ink Curse. It can be broken with Eight Trigrams Living Arts."
"But... it requires the Kun and Gen trigrams."
Hu Gui stared at Yu Sui, seeing her frown as if in great difficulty. Mei Liangyu pointed downward with two fingers, using Gen trigram Living Arts to break the Flying Ink Curse. Without the Flying Ink Curse's pressure, Yu Sui sank into the water, hid further away, then emerged again.
"I indeed only have half a piece inside me. If I had complete Breath Soil, practicing Agricultural School Nine Schools Arts would be smooth and unobstructed, immune to all poisons and diseases. No matter how evil the poison techniques or parasite arts, I wouldn't fear side effects or backlash. I would have become an Agricultural School Thirteenth Realm master long ago. Would I still need to come to Taiyi Academy to study?"
Yu Sui emerged from the water again, staying far from Hu Gui, speaking these words half-angrily and half-sadly.
She couldn't tell Hu Gui and Lin Chenghai something like "my father doesn't love me and my mother doesn't care." Such words might reach Nangong Ming, and if Nangong Ming knew she was saying such things outside, she'd have hell to pay when she returned.
"With only half a piece of Breath Soil, it will compete for the Five Elements Energy in your body. Sealing it with Ghost Way Heavenly Mechanism would indeed allow you spare energy to cultivate Nine Schools Arts." Hu Gui said indifferently. "However... if you were originally an ordinary practitioner, the Five Elements power taken by half a piece of Breath Soil would merely make you physically weaker than others. Even sealing it wouldn't make it possible to learn Nine Schools Arts."
Yu Sui was stunned hearing this. If Hu Gui could know these things, how could Nangong Ming and Lady Su not know?
Though Nangong Ming knew the effect of half a piece of Breath Soil on her, because Yu Sui couldn't test for any school's talent and after trying various methods, the final result was always ordinary practitioner, he never sealed the Breath Soil because it was useless.
The School of Names' Asura Eyes could see through one's entire life, whether dragon or phoenix, mediocre or genius. Someone as confident as Nangong Ming would naturally trust what his Asura Eyes saw.
No matter how many times he used Asura Eyes to look, his little daughter was always mediocre.
Lin Chenghai laughed strangely, also looking down at Yu Sui: "Half a piece of Breath Soil does more harm than good. Nangong Ming wouldn't be so confused, unless this Breath Soil was accidentally separated and he couldn't stop it in time. And this other half... is probably still with your mother Su Xing!"
"Breath Soil is an Agricultural School sacred object, a relic left by heaven and earth for thousands or tens of thousands of years. Even with just half a piece, sealing it is no easy task. In this world, probably only Taiyi Academy's Saint Chang Gen could accomplish it."
Hu Gui examined Yu Sui: "Your father sent you to Taiyi Academy perhaps to borrow Chang Gen's hand to seal the Breath Soil, to see whether his daughter is truly an ordinary practitioner or has other reasons."
Yu Sui felt her scalp tingle. She really couldn't figure out what relationship existed between Nangong Ming and Master Saint Chang Gen.
If Master was from Qingyang, would he have a cooperative relationship with Nangong Ming?
Then what kind of existence was she in Nangong Ming's plans?
"Nangong Ming has repeatedly convinced that old monster from Taiyi Academy to act, wonder what benefits he gave that old monster. Now he's even sent his own daughter to be the old monster's disciple. Really making the most of everything." Lin Chenghai mocked rudely, pointing his staff at Yu Sui. "Little girl, since you only have half a piece of Breath Soil that's been sealed, killing you and taking it would be useless. Today I'll be merciful and spare you."
While speaking, he glanced at Mei Liangyu from the corner of his eye, as if deliberately speaking for him to hear: I'm not killing your Junior Sister, can we stop fighting?
Yu Sui took a deep breath. Many childhood scenes flashed through her mind. When her emotions were turbulent, the black skeleton that had been quiet for a moment roared again.
It raised its head and shrieked. Even the sword shadow in its hand trembled with a humming sound. The voice was like an evil ghost's roar, full of malevolent energy and murderous intent. It collided with the black Profound Stone walls, the sound transmitting upward, stirring fierce winds that made all three of Mei Liangyu raise their hands to block.
Fiery red crimson flame crystals continuously fell from the black skeleton into the water. White smoke rose everywhere, ice water boiled, earth shook and mountains trembled.
On the upper levels, Xing Chun, who had just robbed Mechanism School practitioners and was about to put on stolen clothes, was knocked head-first into the stone passage by this sudden tremor, hitting so hard he saw stars. Zhongli Shan beside him caught him with one hand, then heard evil ghost roaring sounds from below, his expression becoming stern.
"What the hell is this?" Xing Chun covered his forehead and twisted to look down below. "What's happening down there now?"
The murderous aura bursting from the black skeleton shot straight to heaven, startling all the underground Mechanism School practitioners. Li Jin Shuang, standing at the edge of the sea fire, instinctively pressed her trembling sword hilt and frowned as she looked down.
What was that thing?
In the distance, Ou Rushuang had just disembarked from the Spirit Bird when he saw several familiar figures rushing ahead of him toward the center hit by the Sea Whirlpool using Wind-Riding Techniques.
Wu Huaiwei floated barefoot, red silk dancing, stopping at the edge of the sea fire with a thoughtful expression.
Leng Rouyin followed closely, one hand also pressed on the sword at her waist, her cold brow showing some wariness.
Ou Rushuang's gaze fell on the other two, eyes slightly narrowed. He hadn't expected people from the School of Names and Legalist School to come.
School of Names Saint Sun Heng and Legalist School Saint Wei Xizheng, one black and one white figure, used Wind-Riding Techniques to land at the edge of the sea fire, observing the movement below.
At the very bottom of Northern Kun City, in the Coiling Dragon Stone Cave, the sound of boiling ice water was drowned out by the black skeleton's roars. The sound barrier attacks spared no one including Yu Sui. Mei Liangyu covered one ear with his hand, touching blood. Though he couldn't hear before, this roaring actually made him able to hear again.
The black skeleton raised its sword and hacked wildly without any technique. Yet the sword energy it unleashed was as heavy as a mountain collapse. Even being grazed felt like being struck by a thousand-pound stone. The black skeleton's movement was strange and swift as lightning. In a blink, it was at the top of the Buddha statue, sword energy scattering from its wild slashing, making the Buddha statue clang as it struck, sweeping both Lin Chenghai and Mei Liangyu down.
"What the hell is this?" Lin Chenghai shouted while dodging. "What is this thing?!"
"People are coming from above." Hu Gui looked up toward the very top, saying in a deep voice: "Time's about up. We need to leave first."
Lin Chenghai looked toward Mei Liangyu, seeing him rushing toward Yu Sui's direction, only to be struck back by several sword slashes from the black skeleton. He pressed his brow impatiently and clicked his tongue, then turned to look at the black mess properly for the first time.
"Boy." Lin Chenghai called to Mei Liangyu, saying in a deep voice: "Remember this: to you, your master is enemy, not friend."
Mei Liangyu stared at him steadily but didn't pursue questions or refute. Instead, he said: "Leave Wenyang Xiu behind."
"You really want to save him?" Lin Chenghai asked. "Then he can't be left. Once Soul Stealing and Spirit Swapping is withdrawn, he'll be poisoned by Azure Blood Golden Butterfly and will surely die. If you want to save your friend, then leave Taiyi Academy and come find me."
A water vortex formed beneath Lin Chenghai and Hu Gui's feet. Both looked at Mei Liangyu. Hu Gui's voice seemed to carry a trace of sighs: "After today, you should understand how to leave Taiyi Academy."
The vortex gradually grew larger, enveloping the two. A towering water tornado rose from the underground river, like a Sea Whirlpool, shooting straight to heaven.
The people above Northern Kun City only saw a massive water flow sweeping up from the Coiling Dragon Stone Cave, rushing skyward before quickly dispersing. It looked exactly like a suddenly appearing Sea Whirlpool that suddenly disappeared, except this time it left no strange sea fire.
Following this came a black shadow carrying murderous intent and malevolent energy flying out from the depths. Wu Huaiwei flashed away to dodge. Leng Rouyin, who had been prepared, instantly drew her sword, clashing with the black skeleton emerging from the Sea Whirlpool opening. Sword wind swept horizontally, extinguishing all the dying sea fires around.
The black skeleton opened its mouth and roared at Leng Rouyin, the sound shaking like a tiger's roar or dragon's cry. It was like an enraged wild beast, without any technique or skill, relying entirely on its incredibly powerful Five Elements Energy. Leng Rouyin pressed her brow and switched to gripping her sword with both hands, pressing the long sword down three points. The observing black and white figures acted simultaneously.
Legalist School Severing Momentum.
School of Names Enlightenment.
Wei Xizheng and Sun Heng formed hand seals with one hand, used Wind-Riding Techniques to approach, pointing their finger techniques at the black skeleton's crown and back of neck. The black skeleton roared and spun with a slash. The black long sword in its hand was hard to distinguish between real and illusory, yet it shattered the crimson flame crystals falling from its body in the wind. The shattered crystals burst into towering flames that exploded.
The three Saints showed no panic, calmly responding. Each ignited protective energy. Leng Rouyin advanced instead of retreating, her sword wind slashing through the fierce fire, extinguishing all the fire circles bursting toward her.
The black skeleton stood in place holding its sword with one hand. The fierce fire from the exploding crimson flame crystals surrounded it, burning it away in the flames.