Chapter 30

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Chapter 30: Soul-Eating Bug

If Xu Fan could do it all over again, he would have stood his ground against the protagonist during their first encounter, then made a tactical retreat. That would have been much safer.

Being friends with the protagonist is just too risky.

Xu Fan’s mind was racing, trying to figure out how to get out of this dangerous situation.

Just then, he received a transmitted message from Ye Xiaoyao.

"Junior Brother Xu, I’m sorry for getting you involved in this mess."

"After I deal with these five Golden Core demon cultivators, I’ll use the chaos to send you away on the Sword Boat."

"They’re after me, so they probably won’t chase you."

"Don’t worry about me; I can handle myself."

As Xu Fan listened to Ye Xiaoyao’s message, his face grew increasingly grim. What if someone does decide to chase me? That would be the end of me.

Before Xu Fan could reply, Ye Xiaoyao sprang into action.

"Five Golden Cores? So what?" Ye Xiaoyao declared with confidence, as five flying swords materialized around him and swiftly formed a sword formation.

"Flame Judgment: Five Directions Slaughter!"

A massive sword formation instantly took shape, trapping the five Golden Core demon cultivators within.

At the same time, the Sword Boat carrying Xu Fan shot off toward Que Tian Gate.

The leader of the Golden Core demon cultivators’ eyes flashed with a dark light.

"Thunder Devourer, go take care of that Qi Training Stage brat. Make it quick; we can’t stay here long."

"Understood."

One of the Golden Core demon cultivators near Que Tian Gate broke free from the sword formation and sped toward Xu Fan’s Sword Boat.

Ye Xiaoyao’s expression changed instantly. He summoned a powerful flying sword and gave chase.

"Trying to save your friend? Not a chance."

The other four Golden Core demon cultivators blocked Ye Xiaoyao’s path.

A flicker of regret passed over Ye Xiaoyao’s face.

"Kid, stop worrying. That guy’s got some strange tricks up his sleeve; he’ll survive even if you don’t."

"Focus on the fight."

Ye Xiaoyao quickly regained his composure, his eyes filled with killing intent as he faced the four Golden Core demon cultivators.

"None of you are leaving here alive today."

The sky blazed with flames as sword light crisscrossed through the air.

Meanwhile, Xu Fan sat on the Sword Boat, watching with a bitter expression as the beams of light from the pursuing Golden Core demon cultivators drew closer. His mind raced, trying to come up with a way to escape.

"If I had another chance, I’d never leave the sect so carelessly."

As the beams of light closed in, Xu Fan knew he had to act fast.

“That’s just ridiculous, a Qi Refinement cultivator going up against a Golden Core!”

Xu Fan held the Jiaohun Pearl in his hand as a small dragon puppet materialized beside him.

“Time to spend some wealth.”

The Jiaohun Pearl erupted with a bluish light, and a shadow of a hundred-meter-long dragon appeared, diving into the dragon puppet next to Xu Fan.

“Roar!!”

The dragon’s roar shook the heavens as the hundred-meter-long dragon puppet emerged, halting the escape light of the demonic cultivator chasing the Sword Boat.

A man with a sinister and cruel expression glanced at the massive dragon puppet, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.

“I didn’t expect a little practitioner like you, still in the Qi Refinement Stage, to possess such a remarkable artifact. You’ve done me a favor.”

In the eyes of the Golden Core demonic cultivator, even if the dragon puppet had the fighting strength of peak Foundation Establishment, it was still just Foundation Establishment.

Xu Fan ignored the Golden Core demonic cultivator and focused entirely on forming profound spell seals; this was the artifact’s final trump card.

“Senior Golden Core, how about letting me go?”

After completing the secret technique for the artifact, Xu Fan exhaled in relief. Fifteen minutes of Golden Core-level fighting strength would be enough for him to escape.

“Sure, we’ll talk about it in your next life.”

At that moment, the 5,000 spirit stones hidden within the dragon puppet rapidly dissolved, releasing an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy.

In an instant, the dragon puppet’s aura surpassed peak Foundation Establishment and reached the early Golden Core stage.

Without a word, Xu Fan issued his final command to the dragon puppet: kill the Golden Core cultivator in front of him, then flee at full speed toward Que Tian Gate.

The explosions from the battle behind reverberated across the sky.

“Damn it, I’m making ten of these artifacts when I get back!”

Behind Xu Fan, the Golden Core demonic cultivator, locked in combat with the dragon puppet, sneered as he watched Xu Fan fleeing into the distance. Seizing a moment to retreat, he flicked his index finger.

A black Soul-Eating Bug darted toward Xu Fan, flickering in and out of sight in the air.

“The tricks of a Golden Core cultivator? How could a mere Qi Refinement brat like you escape?”

“If you want to live, try again in your next life. What a shame about this artifact.”

He could tell that Xu Fan had triggered the artifact’s self-destruction mechanism, granting the dragon puppet Golden Core-level fighting strength.

Meanwhile, Xu Fan, now fleeing, felt nothing but relief, as if he had just survived a disaster.

“Once I’m back in the sect, I swear I’m never coming out again.”

Before Xu Fan could say more, a chilling sensation jolted him awake.

‘Earth Spirit Shield’

‘Fire Spirit Shield’

‘Mental Guard’

‘Spirit Light Shield’

Four defensive artifacts swiftly encircled Xu Fan, spinning around him.

“A spiritual curse technique?”

As soon as Xu Fan spoke, a black light shot into his brow.

“Damn it, I’ve been hit.”

Instantly, all the artifacts around Xu Fan lost control.

Xu Fan’s body began to drift slowly downward into the clouds.

In that moment of unconsciousness, he activated the Lightness Technique of his robe.

Cloud Mist Mountain, located in the far west of the Kingdom of Wu, is perpetually blanketed in snow. The villagers at its base survive by hunting and gathering spiritual herbs.

A herb-gathering team was searching for Snow Spirit Ginseng in the snowy mountains.

“Little Tooth, it’s your first time here. On Cloud Mist Snow Mountain, there are many rules for gathering herbs,” an elderly man said to the eight-year-old boy.

“Grandpa, as long as I can earn enough to feed my sister and me, I’ll do anything,” the boy replied earnestly, recalling his father’s dying words.

“In the snowy mountains, always listen to Grandpa Chang Shan; it’s the only way to survive.”

“In the snowy mountains, when you encounter a spirit beast, you must kneel. When you see an immortal, you must kneel even more,” the elder instructed.

“If you meet a fierce beast, never be the last to run. If all else fails, jump off the mountain; that might give you a slim chance to survive.”

“When you’re not strong enough, never keep all the spiritual herbs for yourself. Offer half to the strongest person in the team.”

The elder continued to explain the rules of survival in the snowy mountains, and the boy committed each one to memory.

“You’re a good child. Live well, and don’t let your father’s hopes down,” the elder said, patting the boy’s head, imagining how wonderful it would be if this were his own grandson.

“Grandpa, I’ve remembered everything you said,” the boy replied solemnly.

“Good.”

The elder led the boy to the back of the group. The climb up the mountain took three hours, and they had only three hours to gather herbs, as the mountain’s perpetual cold made staying longer than six hours dangerous, risking cold poison.

“Grandpa, have you ever seen an immortal?” the boy asked.

“I have, and I even spoke a few words with one,” the elder teased.

“Grandpa, grandpa, what does an immortal look like?”

“Haha, definitely not as foolish as you.”