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Chapter 46: Black Dipper Demon Flame
Upon hearing this, the Ning Family elder sighed deeply.
The present Foundation Establishment cultivators were not surprised.
Although the second-grade spiritual vein of Bamboo Leaf Mountain was not small in scale, it had to simultaneously support the second-rank defensive formation, as well as the shops, inns, and cultivators' abodes.
Only the small area at the top of the mountain enjoyed the treatment of a second-grade spiritual vein.
Even with the assistance of a Spirit Gathering Array, the second-grade spiritual vein bore a significant daily burden.
If someone attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment, absorbing a massive amount of spiritual energy, it would indeed affect the second-rank defensive array.
Moreover, this auction had attracted about twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators, some well-known, others hiding their true identities.
If the Ning Family attempted to establish their foundation here and caused a weakness in the array, the Huang Family might not be able to suppress it once something went haywire.
A massacre triggered by a Foundation Establishment Pill had happened before in the history of the cultivation world’s marketplaces.
"Many families can afford to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill by selling everything they own. But to keep the pill, they also have to expend their family’s resources and pay a high price." Lan Chang'an sighed inwardly. In his previous life, he had worked tirelessly for his family and deeply understood the hardships involved.
"Fellow Daoist Ning, please wait." Huang Changling, after exchanging a few words with the middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator in heavy armor beside him, suddenly called out to the Ning Family trio.
"If you are worried about safety on the road, this escort from the Heavenly Guard Tower can provide protection for you, but it will require some payment." Huang Changling introduced.
As the organizer of the auction, the Huang Family also did not want the buyer of the Foundation Establishment Pill to meet with an accident on the way back, as it would damage the marketplace’s reputation.
"Is it the Heavenly Guard Tower of Huanglong Immortal City?" The Ning Family's red-faced elder looked at the armored escort and couldn't help but be overjoyed.
The Heavenly Guard Tower was a well-known escort organization in Huanglong Immortal City with a good reputation.
The organization specialized in providing protection for cultivators and had strong backing. For example, the Huang Family had hired escorts from the Heavenly Guard Tower for safety at this auction.
Now that the auction was over, Huang Changling introduced them to the Ning Family.
"Fellow Daoist Ning, if you pay 1,500 spirit stones, I will lead eight late-stage Qi Refining guards to escort you back to your family." Being able to take on another job on the way, the escort was quite happy and his price was fair.
"Good, good! I will first pay 300 spirit stones, and the rest will be given upon arrival at my family." The Ning Family elder and the middle-aged man and the woman in the green dress behind him all showed signs of joy.
With the cooperation of two Foundation Establishment cultivators and the reputation of the Heavenly Guard Tower, the journey back to their family would be much safer.
After reaching an agreement, the Ning Family trio, under the escort of the Heavenly Guard Tower, quickly flew away from Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...
At the auction site, many cultivators dispersed like birds and beasts, seizing the opportunity to leave Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
"Changling, you’ve worked hard for this auction."
Behind Huang Changling, a weathered man in plain clothes, who appeared to be in his forties with a few strands of white hair, appeared. The plain-clothed man was at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
"Uncle Tan, managing the marketplace is my duty." Huang Changling, with his aged appearance, spoke respectfully.
The Huang Family had three Foundation Establishment cultivators, with Huang Tantan, at mid-stage Foundation Establishment, being the strongest in terms of strength and seniority.
At this moment, Huang Tantan and Huang Changling, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, stood on the pavilion, eyeing the crowd of people departing from the auction.
Overlooking the scene of the bustling marketplace, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators felt a long-lost grandeur welling up within them.
Just at this moment, a few miles away from Zhuye Mountain.
"Audacious rogue cultivator—"
A stern shout rang out, followed by the fluctuations of a battle of cultivation arts.
The powerful aura of mana collision reached the Foundation Establishment realm.
"There are people fighting outside the market town!"
"Could someone be trying to rob Foundation Establishment Pill?"
The two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Huang family's expressions turned grim and unsightly.
So close to the market town, they were already impatiently killing and looting, simply not regarding the Huang family with any respect.
If you want to fight, at least do it further away.
...
On the plains five or six miles from the market town.
The three members of the Ning family were rapidly retreating on a flying boat, escorted by the Protector Pang from Heavenly Guard Tower and others.
Suddenly.
They detected a powerful ominous and sinister aura.
In the distant sky, dark clouds roiled.
A long-haired man with an evil and chilling aura, treading on black cloudy light, blocked the path of a Foundation Establishment flying boat.
"Hand over the Cold Moon Blade and Blood Spirit Pill, and this Liang will spare your life!" His cold voice carried an unquestioning tone.
"Bold evil cultivator! You dare obstruct the Beast Taming Zhou family?"
On the flying shuttle, a middle-aged scholarly cultivator of the Foundation Establishment realm felt the oppressive sinister aura and could not help shouting sternly. It was none other than the Foundation Establishment Zhou Jingxuan of the Zhou family.
"Uncle Jingxuan, this is Liang Shaotian!" Behind him, a yellow-robed girl at the seventh layer of Qi-Refining gasped in alarm.
The long-haired man wore a black robe with cloud patterns. His face was somewhat pale, with sharp sword-like brows, a high bridged nose, and narrow elongated piercing black pupils, like a deep cold abyss.
Meeting his black pupils, Zhou Qingxuan's mind was shaken and she almost collapsed.
"The mere Beast Taming Zhou family, not knowing what's good for them!" Liang Shaotian's black hair fluttered as his figure blurred.
In the next instant, two or three black wind shadows simultaneously attacked the middle-aged scholar.
Boom! Poof! Poof!
Several huge black riptide blades, accompanied by the sizzling of electric arcs, violently struck in front of the middle-aged scholar.
"Qingxuan, be careful!"
The middle-aged scholar was enraged. He took out a black inkstone that swelled to several zhang in size, creating inky black mists, like a miniature mountain peak.
However, under the ravages of the black riptide blades and electric arcs, this high-grade magic treasure could only hold for a breath or two before dimming and shrinking.
"Not good!"
The middle-aged scholar retreated hastily, condensing a layer of mana force as a shield. He also spat out a mouthful of essence blood onto the black inkstone, causing its aura to rise and barely withstand the first round of attacks.
Under the powerful force of the Foundation Establishment battle, Zhou Qingxuan's petite body tumbled through the air, her talisman light shields shattering several times as she narrowly avoided the combat zone.
"Nearby Foundation Establishment seniors, we are the Beast Taming Zhou family, please come to our aid!" The pale-faced beautiful Zhou Qingxuan cried out anxiously.
"The Zhou family is under attack!"
"It's the demon Liang Shaotian!"
Several Foundation Establishment cultivators who were leaving the market town were greatly shocked.
Scanning with their spiritual senses, they saw Zhou Jingxuan of the Zhou family heavily injured and coughing blood, on the verge of death.
"The target is not us! Quickly retreat—" Heavenly Guard Tower's Protector Pang's face was aghast.
"Yes, yes, quickly retreat!" The Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Ning family could not agree more.
The Foundation Establishment Pill they carried was like a hot potato. They dared not get entangled any further.
The nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators avoided the area as much as possible.
They were afraid that after killing Zhou Jingxuan, Liang Shaotian would go after them next.
With a "peng" sound.
The middle-aged scholar Zhou Jingxuan fell from the air and knelt on the ground, barely clinging to life.
"Senior Liang, my uncle offended you greatly. Please spare him. We are willing to offer the Cold Moon Blade and Blood Spirit Pill."
Zhou Qingxuan supported her uncle, thinking of certain rumors about Liang Shaotian, and pleaded deferentially and mournfully.
"Qingxuan, how could you submit to this kind of...ugh!" Zhou Jingxuan's words were cut off as Zhou Qingxuan covered his mouth.
She took off one of Zhou Jingxuan's storage pouches and waved it toward Liang Shaotian.
"It's too late to beg now!"
Liang Shaotian took the storage pouch, scanned it with his spiritual sense, and glanced coldly at the severely injured and weakened Zhou Jingxuan.
"Senior Liang, you are a giant of the Devil's Way in your generation, please be lenient." Zhou Qingxuan's face streamed with two lines of clear tears, a pitiful sight.
"Cut off one arm." Liang Shaotian's expression was indifferent as he stood with his hands behind his back.
Pashh!
Without waiting for her uncle's consent, Zhou Qingxuan took out a glistening silver blade and sliced off one of Zhou Jingxuan's arms.
"Ahh..." The middle-aged scholar passed out.
"Senior Liang, are you satisfied now?" Fresh blood splattered onto the girl's exquisite jade-like face, putting a tinge of bewitching charm in her innocence.
"Not bad, little girl!" Liang Shaotian nodded in approval and cast an appreciative gaze at her.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he trod on the black cloudy light and turned to leave.
Shua! Shua!
At this moment, two Foundation Establishment auras rushed over from the Bamboo Leaf Mountain market town.
"Daring evil cultivator! You dare commit highway robbery so close to the market town."
Huang Tankong and Huang Changling, two Foundation Establishment cultivators, broke through the air and rushed over.
When other cultivators were attacked, they may not have intervened, but the Beast Taming Zhou family was a major power the Huang family wanted to curry favor with.
But they had still arrived a bit too late.
Liang Shaotian's strength exceeded their expectations, and he had swiftly ended the battle. This made the two who rushed over feel some regret.
"Courting death! How dare you Huangs meddle in this Liang's affairs." Liang Shaotian's black pupils contracted as he glanced at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment Huang Tankong, his brows furrowing slightly.
He took a deep breath and slowly opened his palm.
Poof!
A cluster of distorted black demonic flames shimmering with cold light sparked in his palm, emanating an aura of menacing danger that could chill even ghosts and gods.
"That is..."
The two Huang Foundation Establishment cultivators' hearts pounded as they felt a fatal threat.
"Black Dipper Demon Flame!"
Huang Tankong cried out in horror. 𝒻𝘳𝓮ℯ𝑤𝘦𝒷𝓷𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝑐𝑜𝓂
"One of the ten great demonic flames of the great cultivation world!"
The nearby observing Foundation Establishment cultivators could not help but shudder in terror.
"Changling, run quickly!" Huang Tankong shouted frantically and used an escape technique to flee rapidly toward the market town.
Shua! Shua!
The two powerful Huang Foundation Establishment cultivators who had rushed over retreated ingloriously back to Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
They immediately activated the second-rank defensive formation.
"Haha!" Liang Shaotian's arrogance swelled further as he cupped the Black Dipper Demon Flame and pursued them to the grand formation in front of Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
Standing arrogantly before the market town, demonic ominous clouds roiled. The oppressive aura was so strong that all the cultivators in the market town could hardly breathe.
"Uncle Tan, can the formation defend against it?"
"If the Black Dipper Demon Flame is as powerful as the legends say..." Huang Tankong's voice was low and solemn.
Liang Shaotian looked down haughtily at the many cultivators in the market town. No one dared meet his gaze, all lowering their heads.
During this, he noticed Lan Chang'an. Lan Chang'an met his gaze expressionlessly. Glancing at that cluster of demonic flames, he even felt like laughing inwardly.
The entire market town fell into an oppressive silence for a long while.
Suddenly, Liang Shaotian retracted the demonic flames, his hands clasped behind his back as his long hair fluttered. He trod on the black cloudy light and flew off into the distant horizon.
"Out of consideration for Senior Yan, today I'll spare Bamboo Leaf Market Town from a massacre!"
(End of chapter)