Chapter 362

Chapter 362: Thunder Killing Twin Swords

Fang Lie felt a deep dislike for the sword cultivators from East Kunlun. Now, seeing their high-and-mighty demeanor, he was even more furious.

So, Fang Lie coldly chuckled and said, "Hmph, you arrived first? Then where did the Śāriputra relics in my hands come from?"

After speaking, Fang Lie revealed the few Śāriputra relics he had obtained.

The two Taoists were stunned at first when they saw what Fang Lie was holding, then a hint of greed crossed their faces.

They exchanged glances and then both began to sneer.

"Fang Lie, it turns out this matter is indeed related to you. In that case, we won’t disturb you!" The white-haired middle-aged man immediately smiled with a kind demeanor.

"Yes, everything has its order, and besides, you saved us once!" The handsome Taoist with sword-like brows added, "Although we can’t help you due to sect rules, we are still very grateful!"

"Oh, really?" Fang Lie replied noncommittally.

Despite their seemingly kind behavior, Fang Lie’s guard only grew stronger in his heart.

He clearly understood what the scoundrels from East Kunlun were like; they acted like upright gentlemen while behind the scenes they were plotting treachery. Fang Lie’s father had been tricked by them in the past and suffered terribly because of it.

With the lesson from the past fresh in his mind, how could Fang Lie not be watchful?

As it turned out, Fang Lie’s instincts were correct.

After the two Taoists spoke their righteous words, they clasped their fists in a salute and pretended to leave.

Fang Lie, feeling obliged, decided to return the gesture. But at that moment, the two Taoists suddenly turned hostile, making no heads-up as they swiftly drew their swords and attacked Fang Lie from both sides.

Fortunately, Fang Lie had been prepared. As soon as his opponents made their move, he quickly reacted, activating the Five Elements and Bagua Immortal robes he had prepared. The five shields surrounded him, and although the two Flying Swords were sharp, they were easily deflected.

However, Fang Lie was wary of engaging in close combat with sword cultivators; they were experts in controlling swords, and he lacked confidence in dealing with them.

Thus, at the first sign of trouble, he spread his golden wings and soared into the sky, intending to distance himself from the two.

Yet, the Taoists from East Kunlun were not to be underestimated. Having planned their ambush well, they immediately took to the sky on their swords, pursuing Fang Lie closely. As they flew, they controlled their swords to unleash numerous Sword Rays aimed at Fang Lie’s back, showing a relentless determination to fight to the finish.

Fang Lie remained composed, using the five shields for defense. However, since he had lost the initiative, he could only defend passively, unable to counterattack for a moment.

As the white-haired middle-aged man chased him, he curiously asked, "Fang Lie, why are you so cautious? We didn’t show any flaws!"

"Because the tricks from East Kunlun are too predictable!" Fang Lie replied disdainfully. "When I dueled with Bailongzi last time, he used the same tricks as you. Can’t you change it up a bit? I’m tired of you attacking during greetings!"

"Damn it, so the problem is that idiot!" The handsome Taoist with sword-like brows said angrily. "How can someone like him be a Core Inner Gate disciple? It’s such a waste of his good cultivation!"

"It seems you are not very fond of him, huh?" Fang Lie said with a smile. While speaking, he subtly adjusted his control method, using the tilted magical shields to deflect the Sword Rays, causing them to collide and cancel each other out, significantly relieving the pressure on him.

"Didn’t expect you to have some skills?" The white-haired middle-aged man sneered, then continued, "Bailongzi lost the Divine Sword passed down by the ancestors. It’s a disgrace for us in East Kunlun. He was punished to be confined in the snow mountain for five hundred years. There’s almost no chance for him to come out, and this is all thanks to you!"

"Haha, I did do that, and I’m quite proud of it!" Fang Lie replied with a grin, then curiously asked, "Honestly, I’m more curious about why you dared to attack me? You know, even if Bailongzi is useless, he is still much stronger than you. Are you not afraid that I might do the same to you?"

"Don’t play innocent here. You can’t unleash powers above the Golden Pool here, or you’ll definitely face Heavenly Tribulations. We in East Kunlun have known this secret for a long time!" The white-haired middle-aged man said proudly.

"Perhaps the fool from the Great Thunder Sound Temple doesn’t know, but you do, which is why you used the rules to eliminate the experts from the Great Thunder Sound Temple!" The handsome Taoist with sword-like brows sneered. "These Śāriputra relics are actually Seventh-rank treasures. The one using them must have a high status, right?"

Clearly, these two were only partially informed. They were making wild guesses, not realizing that these were not Seventh-rank treasures but Eighth-rank ones, and the one who wanted to kill Fang Lie was of the level of Fire Tribulation Immortal.

Fang Lie naturally didn’t bother to explain, just smiled slightly and said, "I really admire you in East Kunlun for having such information while keeping it from your peers. Do you know how many people have died because they were unaware of this matter due to you?"

"How can you still have the face to say that?" The white-haired middle-aged man angrily retorted. "Don’t you Mo Sect know very well too? Otherwise, how could you have set up that fool from the Great Thunder Sound Temple?"

At that moment, the handsome Taoist with sword-like brows suddenly said, "Something’s not right, senior brother. It seems the Mo Sect didn’t know before; otherwise, their people wouldn’t have all been wiped out every time they came here!"

"Ah~" The white-haired middle-aged man finally came to his senses. "That does make sense. Could it be that you were the one who discovered the anomaly here?"

"Correct guess earns a prize!" Fang Lie grinned.

As he spoke, he simply gave up resisting and casually tossed out a crimson pearl.

The distance was too close, and with both Taoists desperately chasing Fang Lie, the flying pearl left them no chance to react.

Only at the final moment did they recognize the pearl’s true nature – it was an immensely powerful thunder pearl!

Their souls nearly shattered from terror. Knowing escape was impossible, they could only close their eyes and await death. In their final moments, identical expressions of Incredible disbelief appeared on their faces, as if silently questioning how Fang Lie dared defy this land’s rules and the Heavenly Tribulations’ power!

A deafening explosion followed instantly. A blazing fireball engulfed Fang Lie and the two Taoists, constrained by some terrifying force to remain a mere hundred zhang wide. Within its confines, crackling thunderclaps echoed with bone-chilling terror.

Within moments, the fireball vanished, leaving only a glass-smooth pit glowing in its aftermath.

Two hours later, Fang Lie resurrected once more.

Resuming his search for Śāriputra relics, he grumbled, "This won’t do. There are hundreds here I want dead, but they’re no ordinary foes. Those East Kunlun sword cultivators have terrifying combat power. I can handle one, but against two I’m forced into defense. Eventually I’ll lose unless I use Divine Lightning. But they’ve got dozens of sworn brothers – I don’t have enough Divine Lightning for them all!"

"Want to eliminate them all permanently? It’s possible," chuckled the old bird. "You already hold a devastating weapon that could annihilate them all effortlessly."

"Really?" Fang Lie blinked in surprise. "What weapon? How come I don’t know about this?"

"Fire Spirit Peak!" declared the old bird solemnly.

"But that’s a Seventh-rank Treasure!" Fang Lie protested. "Wouldn’t summoning it trigger Heavenly Tribulations?"

"Different rules apply!" The old bird chuckled. "Heavenly Tribulations only target battle-related treasures – weapons, armor, anything meant for fighting. Fire Spirit Peak’s main form is merely a space device, no different from a storage sack! Its true lethality comes from the Fire Spirit Gu housed within."

"Fire Spirit Gu?" Fang Lie paused before slapping his forehead. "Of course! Ordinary Fire Spirit Gu are only first-level – weaker than even Qi Sea cultivators, let alone Golden Pool realm experts!"

"Precisely. Only third-level Golden Pattern Fire Spirit Gu approach Golden Pool realm strength. The common ones and second-level Blue Pattern Gu rely purely on numbers," the old bird explained. "This realm only restricts power levels, annihilating anything exceeding Golden Pool realm. But it imposes no limits on numbers. With millions of Fire Spirit Gu, you could dominate this entire area!"

"Good information," Fang Lie frowned, "but why hasn’t anyone exploited this before?"

"Raising Gu costs fortunes! Poison Gu insects threatening Golden Pool cultivators demand tens of thousands of High-grade spirit stones. Only profligate scoundrels like you can afford it," the old bird scoffed. "Those who can are usually elite disciples who’d never risk entering this non-resurrecting death trap!"

"Understood." Fang Lie nodded. "Since Fire Spirit Peak’s usable, I’ll need proper planning."

"What scheme?" The old bird leaned in curiously.

"The Lost Forest’s vastness hides hundreds. Even I can’t hunt them all in a month. Better make them come to me!" Fang Lie’s lips curled into a crafty smile.