NOVEL NEXT Chapter 74:
Chapter 74:
The terrifying might of the Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin, a Level Nine spirit beast, far exceeded Xiao Yang’s expectations. In his past life, he had heard tales of the beast’s ferocity but had assumed they were exaggerated. Now he realized he had severely underestimated this creature.
Spirit beasts ranged from Level One, the weakest, to Level Ten, the strongest. A Level Nine spirit beast could rival the might of a Divine Martial Realm expert in the late stages. Level Ten spirit beasts were even more fearsome, capable of contending with those on the cusp of the Saint Martial Realm.
Gui Yijian was merely at the mid-stage of the Divine Martial Realm. How could he possibly contend with such a powerful beast?
At that moment, the Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin’s razor-sharp claws smashed into Gui Yijian. The protective energy around him shattered instantly. To Xiao Yang, Gui Yijian seemed doomed.
However, just as the beast’s claws were about to tear Gui Yijian apart, a radiant golden light erupted from Gui Yijian’s body. A golden phantom of armor materialized around him, emanating a powerful force that sent the Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin flying backward. The golden armor faded into the void as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a shattered jade talisman in Gui Yijian’s hand.
“A Golden Armor Talisman from the Ten Directions Mystical Sect?” Xiao Yang’s pupils contracted.
The Ten Directions Mystical Sect was one of the Northern Territories’ top ten powers, renowned for its expertise in talismans, alchemy, artifact forging, formations, geomancy, and mystical arts. It was a sanctuary for all manner of exceptional talents and was not to be underestimated.
Gui Yijian’s fury exploded. “Unforgivable! One Sword to Cleave the Heavens!” he roared, unleashing a blinding sword light.
With a sharp hum, a golden flying sword shot forth, transforming into a dazzling sword arc aimed straight at the Qilin. Gui Yijian had already mastered Sword Intent, making his strikes almost impossibly fast. The Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin had no time to dodge. Yet, with astonishing reflexes, it swatted the incoming sword light aside with its claws and lunged at Gui Yijian.
While Gui Yijian engaged in an intense battle with the beast, Xiao Yang turned to his companions. “Why are you just standing there? Start collecting resources!” he yelled.
Lin Wangchuan and Song Qiang snapped out of their daze and scrambled to retrieve their storage bags. They began frantically gathering heavenly fire crystals and rare spirit herbs, treasures that could fetch astronomical prices or greatly enhance cultivation.
“These are top-grade heavenly fire crystals!” Song Qiang exclaimed, stuffing his bag as fast as he could.
Lin Wangchuan followed suit, uprooting spirit herbs like weeds and tossing them into his bag. Both of their storage bags were quickly filled to the brim, leaving them overjoyed.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yang discreetly used his Star-Plucking Hand, an advanced technique he had learned in his past life from Li Xingyao, to snatch the True Phoenix Nirvana Fruit without attracting the Qilin’s attention.
“Full already? Good. Let’s go!” Xiao Yang urged. His companions were too busy reveling in their newfound wealth to notice his subtle actions.
As they exited the fiery spirit vein, a deafening roar echoed behind them. The Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin had discovered the fruit was missing and was now in a rage. Moments later, Gui Yijian’s anguished screams followed.
“Serves him right,” Xiao Yang muttered, stepping onto his flying sword. Their storage bags, packed with treasures, would ensure Lin Wangchuan and Song Qiang’s cultivation to the Heavenly Martial Realm—or even the Divine Martial Realm.
But for Xiao Yang, the True Phoenix Nirvana Fruit was the real prize. Consuming it would not only enhance his cultivation by a century but also refine his physique, pushing him into the Divine Martial Realm. This breakthrough was critical for dominating the upcoming Sixty-Year Grand Competition, where he planned to crush every so-called prodigy and take the top spot.
As they emerged from the fiery spirit vein, they encountered a group of familiar faces.
“Qin Fei?” Xiao Yang muttered, his gaze hardening. What a coincidence.
Alongside Qin Fei were Jiang Ting, Zheng Fan, Lei Renjie, and Han Bin. All of them stared at the bulging storage bags carried by Xiao Yang and his companions, their mouths agape.
“Young Master Xiao, what’s in those bags?” Zheng Fan asked, astonished.
Xiao Yang smirked. “Oh, just some top-grade spirit crystals and herbs. So much that our bags couldn’t hold it all. We’re heading back to unload before coming back for more. But don’t tell anyone, alright?” He winked and turned to leave.
“Top-grade crystals and herbs?” Qin Fei’s eyes gleamed with greed. Without hesitation, he dashed into the fiery spirit vein, followed by the others.
Lin Wangchuan looked at Xiao Yang. “Holy Son, why didn’t you warn them about the danger?”
Xiao Yang chuckled. “Let them learn the hard way.”
Song Qiang glanced at Xiao Yang, sensing that his senior brother had changed. Once, Xiao Yang would have shielded Jiang Ting from any harm. Now, he let her walk into peril without a second thought. Song Qiang wondered if Xiao Yang truly no longer cared for her.
Moments later, a beastly roar shook the cavern, followed by frantic screams. Gui Yijian, bloodied and battered, stumbled out of the fiery spirit vein, missing an arm and covered in gaping wounds. Behind him, Jiang Ting and the others fled, terror-stricken.
To Xiao Yang’s surprise, Qin Fei lagged behind.
The Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin charged out of the vein, its roar echoing through the cavern.
“You all go! I’ll hold it off!” Qin Fei shouted dramatically, feigning heroism.
“Good luck, Junior Brother! If you die, I’ll collect your body!” Lei Renjie called, fleeing without looking back.
“Junior Brother, I’d help if I could, but I can’t!” Zheng Fan added, vanishing in a flash.
Only Jiang Ting hesitated. “Junior Brother, I won’t leave you!” she cried.
“Go, Senior Sister! I’ll die for you if I must!” Qin Fei declared with a pained expression. His act nearly made Xiao Yang gag.
As the Qilin roared and attacked, Xiao Yang silently unleashed his Sword Domain, freezing Qin Fei in place. The beast’s fireball struck Qin Fei squarely, eliciting a scream as he plummeted to the ground.
Jiang Ting rushed to his side, panic-stricken, while Xiao Yang calmly approached. “Lie on your back!” Xiao Yang yelled.
Qin Fei complied in his dazed state, only for Xiao Yang to stomp on his crotch with full force.
“Senior Brother, stop!” Jiang Ting shrieked, trying to intervene.
“Get lost. I’m saving him,” Xiao Yang growled, shoving her aside before resuming his relentless stomping.
“Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! I’ll stomp until there’s nothing left!” Xiao Yang declared, each blow landing with a sickening crunch.
When the last ember on Qin Fei’s clothes was extinguished, he lay motionless, reeking of burnt flesh.
“Did I… really stomp the crap out of him?” Xiao Yang wondered aloud, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
Jiang Ting stood frozen, her face pale with shock.
From a distance, Lin Wangchuan and Song Qiang struggled to hold back their laughter.
A melodic voice interrupted the scene. “Vile beast, begone!”
A white-clad woman appeared, effortlessly sending the Scarlet Flame Fire Qilin flying. Xiao Yang’s eyes widened in recognition.
“Li Chengyu,” he murmured. Finally, she’s here.
Returning his gaze to the defeated Qin Fei, Xiao Yang smirked. “Junior Brother, looks like your little bird and eggs are gone for good.”
This time, he’d let Qin Fei feel the humiliation he deserved, not just for the desecration of Xiao Yang’s ancestral grave but for everything else. Let’s see how you act after this, eunuch.