Chapter 147: Betrayal Encounter, Formidable Enemy Approaches [Subscribe Request]_2
An Alchemy Master is indeed worth befriending.
If he really took a liking to the Zhou Family's Spirit Honey, they could potentially exchange the honey for his precious elixirs in the future.
Master Jiang seemed to genuinely enjoy the taste of the Spirit Honey, and without hesitation, he reached out to take the jade bottle, saying, "Then, Jiang will not be polite."
As he put away the jade bottle, he also took out a small wine jar and handed it to Zhou Chun, "This jar of medicinal wine is also brewed using a unique secret recipe of mine. Taoist Friend Zhou might take it back and savor it slowly."
"Then Zhou will certainly have to savor it properly after returning."
Zhou Chun said, receiving the wine jar with a smile.
After this mutual exchange of gifts, Zhou Chun took the opportunity to bid farewell.
Just like the last time, Master Jiang did not retain them any further and accompanied them all the way to the outside of the medicine shop.
It was only after he had watched their figures disappear into the distance that he returned to the back courtyard room.
Looking at the teacup on the table that still carried the scent of tea, a cold smirk suddenly appeared on his face.
Then he murmured softly to himself, "The Zhou Family from Jiufeng Ridge, huh? Lingzhou is not Lanzhou; the road ahead is not as peaceful as in Lanzhou!"
After speaking, he leisurely sat down, poured himself a cup of tea that had nearly cooled down, and began to taste it slowly.
Meanwhile, Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan, having left the marketplace, rode on the Vermilion Flame Crane, flying swiftly back to their family home just like they did the previous time.
However, what the two of them didn't notice was that shortly after they left the marketplace and ascended into the sky, a pair of eyes emitting a blue glow from within the forest below had fixed on them.
"How is it? Have you figured it out, Second Brother?"
In the forest, Su Qiang looked at his second brother with a serious expression and asked softly.
Su Qiang and Wei Tong were well-known Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators in Lingzhou. Although both were Foundation Establishment cultivators, they preferred to operate alone, neither joining any organizations nor establishing their own.
Su Qiang was at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, but because he cultivated a particularly powerful technique, his actual combat strength surpassed many cultivators at the later stage of Foundation Establishment, and he had a history of defeating them.
Wei Tong, also at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, had average combat abilities. However, he had cultivated a secret technique called "Cloud Piercing Law Eyes," which allowed him to see through clouds and spot cultivators tens of miles away.
The two thus cooperated with each other, often ambushing Foundation Establishment cultivators in secret to seize their belongings.
This time, they had received information in advance that two "fat sheep" would be leaving Dongling Marketplace, so they had lain in wait outside in advance.
Now, as they saw the targets leave the marketplace and ascend, Wei Tong, hidden in the forest, immediately began to secretly use his spell to observe the targets.
After a moment of observation, Wei Tong spoke, "No problem, I didn't see any third-order Demon Beasts in the Spirit Beast Pouches on those two. They must not have that rumored third-order Demon Beast on them!"
"Good, let's do it!"
Su Qiang slammed his palm and quickly arranged, "I'll take on the old man. You take down the youngster first, and then we'll join forces to kill the old man!"
"No problem."
Wei Tong responded, and then slapped his Storage Pouch, summoning a green Flying Boat Instrument with two fin-like appendages.
Both he and Su Qiang jumped onto the green Flying Boat, and once mana was channeled into it, the Flying Boat Instrument shot into the sky, quickly ascending into the clouds.
In this way, the duo followed Zhou Chun and his companion from a distance, waiting for the right moment to strike.
After following for a distance, Su Qiang suddenly said, "Alright, we're over three hundred miles away from the marketplace now, and there are no cultivator habitats within a two hundred-mile radius. It's time to move in for the attack!"
"Understood."
Wei Tong replied and started activating the acceleration Divine Skill of the Flying Boat Instrument.
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The two fin-like appendages underneath the green Flying Boat began to emit a blue light, flapping like paddles.
In an instant, the speed of the Flying Boat Instrument increased manifold.
"Damn, we're being tracked!"
On the back of the Vermilion Flame Crane, Zhou Daoquan suddenly seemed to realize something, his face changing dramatically as he quickly turned to look behind him.
Below the blue sky behind him, a streak of cyan spirit light was rapidly chasing after them.
"We can't escape! The enemy is too fast!"
Zhou Daoquan, with his wealth of experience, knew from the speed of that cyan spirit light that their side had no chance of escaping.
So, he quickly ordered the Vermilion Flame Crane to dive towards the ground.
Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators could certainly fight in the air, but Zhou Daoquan knew that Zhou Chun had not yet switched his cultivation technique, and his strength was weak among his peers—aerial combat was not suitable for him.
Moreover, Zhou Daoquan's other spirit pet, the Earth Armored Bear, was more effective in combat when its feet were on the ground.
The Vermilion Flame Crane dove at high speed and soon landed on the ground.
At that moment, Zhou Daoquan reached into his Spirit Beast Pouch at his waist and released a grey-yellow giant bear demon beast, nearly three zhang long.
Then he instructed Zhou Chun, who had a look of fear and puzzlement, "The enemy's strength is unknown. I'll have the Earth Armored Bear protect you. Once we ascertain the enemy's strength, we'll adjust accordingly!"
"Understood, Senior," Zhou Chun replied, nodding, without pretending to be strong or saying he didn't need protection.
He hadn't even switched his cultivation technique yet, hadn't mastered any secret techniques, his spirit pet hadn't advanced to the second tier, and he hadn't even cultivated a single second-tier spell.
Under these circumstances, even if he had refined several second-tier magical artifacts, his combat ability was only slightly better than some sub-par Foundation Establishment cultivators.
And just as Zhou Chun was preparing his magical artifacts for battle, that cyan spirit light finally arrived nearby.
"They are two Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivators!"
Zhou Daoquan's Divine Sense detected the cultivation level of the two people on the cyan flying boat first, and his tone relaxed slightly.
His face darkened as he stared at the approaching pair and demanded in a deep voice, "Who are you? Why are you trying to kill us?"
"Of course, people who are going to kill you!"
Su Qiang sneered coldly and immediately leaped off the flying boat, swinging a large sword enveloped in red flames towards Zhou Daoquan.
Seeing this, Wei Tong also sneered, retracted the cyan flying boat instrument, and waved a pair of blue-black Mandarin Duck Twin Blades toward Zhou Chun.
"How dare you!"
Zhou Daoquan roared fiercely, with mana surging, and he maneuvered a yellow light-emitting Town Ruler Magical Artifact to meet the flaming sword.
The collision of the two magical artifacts in mid-air sent flames and yellow light scattering in all directions, battling each other to a stalemate.
At that moment, Su Qiang's hands formed seals, and a ball of reddish-gold fire emerged in his palms, which he then pushed forward.
Boom!
The ball of reddish-gold fire suddenly expanded and transformed into a stream of reddish-golden fluid fire that swept towards Zhou Daoquan.
The wave of fluid fire hadn't even reached him yet when a wave of scorching heat made Zhou Daoquan's face flush. His once slightly-relaxed heart due to the enemies being mid-stage Foundation cultivators, suddenly tightened to the extreme.
"Damn! The man has mastered a Combat Technique!"
Combat Techniques were what cultivators called those cultivation methods that advanced extremely slowly, but granted control over powerful divine skills.
Zhou Daoquan hadn't expected that his opponent, who looked younger than himself, had mastered such a combat technique to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment—what a talent!
Without time to ponder further, he had the Vermilion Flame Crane shoot a column of red fire to briefly block the fluid fire.
Then he quickly summoned a bronze bell magical artifact and released rings of yellow light waves towards the reddish-golden fire.
Finally, Zhou Daoquan waved his hands to form seals, and his body soon radiated yellow spirit light, forming a solid yellow protective barrier around him.
Almost immediately after the yellow protective barrier formed, the flood-like reddish-golden fluid fire successively broke through the red fire column and the rings of yellow light, engulfing Zhou Daoquan completely.
The reddish-golden firelight and yellow spirit light shined against each other and after a while, Zhou Daoquan, relying on his profound mana, managed to exhaust the power of Su Qiang's spell and emerged successfully.
But by then, Su Qiang's palms were already surging with reddish-golden firelight, ready for a second strike!