His heart was thrown into panic. Once a Power Dao Practitioner entered within a distance of ten feet, every move they made would stir the winds and clouds around them. If he were restrained even for a moment, and Bao Dingheng from not far away regained his strength, would his life still be spared?
Thinking this, he gritted his teeth, and in a decisive moment summoned the sword plate to block behind him. He felt a shock reverberate from his back as the sword plate was slammed aside.
Taking advantage of this opening, Lan Yuchun darted forward like lightning, escaping as if from a quagmire. His body suddenly felt lighter, and with a sharp whistle, he flew away.
Bao Dingheng had initially resigned himself to death. Who could have guessed that someone would suddenly come to his aid? Seizing the fleeting opportunity, he didn’t have time to rejoice. With a shout, he released his sword plate. Seeing Lan Yuchun trying to flee, he didn’t have time to deploy a Sword Array. Pointing his finger, he sent a sword slashing forward.
Bao Dingheng quickly opened his mouth and exhaled a stream of White Qi to sustain the incoming sword light. He then twisted his body and transformed into light, intending to escape.
At this moment, Zhang Yan noticed a flaw and wouldn’t allow the opportunity to slip by. With a thunderous shout, he threw the golden hammer from his hand, turning it into a streak of golden light that shot forward.
Lan Yuchun was flying mid-air and couldn’t dodge in time. The hammer struck his ribcage, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood and scream miserably as he was sent spinning sideways.
Bao Dingheng, quick to act, gave Lan Yuchun no chance to rally. Forming a spell, he directed the sword light in the air, which circled swiftly around Lan Yuchun’s neck and severed his head. A headless corpse fell from mid-air.
Bao Dingheng’s expression remained impassive. With two fingers extended, he directed a sword light downward, obliterating the Primordial Spirit with vicious precision.
The death of Lan Yuchun was witnessed by both sides of the conflict. The cultivators who had come with him, whose cultivation levels were far inferior, lost their morale after seeing him fall. They scattered, attempting to flee. However, before flying far, their paths were blocked by tunneling light from the side. Forced into despair, they could only muster their spirit and resume their desperate struggle.
Bao Dingheng surveyed the scene. Initially, there were five companions beside Lan Yuchun. Now only three remained, currently surrounded and being attacked by his own faction. Knowing it was unnecessary for him to intervene, he raised his hand, collecting the Dharma Sword and sword plate into his sleeve. Then he turned to Zhang Yan, bowed deeply, and said solemnly, "Thanks to Li Daoist’s intervention, this humble Daoist’s life was saved."
Zhang Yan smiled faintly, cupped his hands in return, and said, "Daoist Bao, you are too kind. It was merely mutual assistance."
Bao Dingheng nodded before saying seriously, "Li Daoist, if we are successful in capturing the Medicine Mushrooms this time, I will personally ensure that the finest one is offered to you."
Zhang Yan laughed heartily and said, "Very well, I’ll gladly accept your generosity."
Though his purpose here was the "Ganoderma Ancestor," if high-quality Medicine Mushrooms were freely offered to him, naturally, he wouldn’t refuse.
Bao Dingheng was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected Li Yuanba to be so unapologetically direct, and though somewhat uncomfortable, he managed to squeeze out a smile and nod toward him.
As they conversed, the final person from Lan Yuchun’s side was struck down by a sword, falling to the ground. Fang He descended from the clouds and approached with a whisper, "Senior Brother, forgive me for my inadequacy. I failed to stop one man from escaping."
Beside him, a White Robed Daoist holding a sword interjected, "It’s not Senior Brother Fang’s fault. That scoundrel was too cunning. He fled before Lan Yuchun’s death."
Bao Dingheng, hearing this, did not criticize Fang He. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "We must act quickly now. Though that one man doesn’t fundamentally matter, if he reveals anything and draws others to this place, it could jeopardize our plans."
Fang He hastened to respond, "Yes, yes, the Medicine Mushrooms are the priority! I will go and fetch Master Shi immediately."
Turning on his heel, Fang He hurried away. Shortly after, he returned with Master Shi and Ke Xiu Jun.
Bao Dingheng didn’t wait for the two to approach him fully but stepped forward, his eyes filled with inquiry. "Master Shi, how are things? Did our battle earlier alarm the Medicine Mushrooms?"
Master Shi examined the Stone Plate in his hand, observing the white smoke, which had resumed drifting toward a specific direction as it had previously. With a deep voice, he said, "Daoist Bao, rest assured. We were fortunate this time. The heavy Gold Qi carried by this group disrupted the wood energy, but it did not alarm the Medicine Mushrooms. However, if we had been delayed even slightly, the outcome might have been unpredictable."
At this, Bao Dingheng’s tense expression relaxed. While having Master Shi’s expertise gave them confidence, had the Medicine Mushrooms been startled and scattered, they could still try again elsewhere. Yet wasting all their time and effort would have been frustrating, and who could say what new uncertainties the next attempt might bring?
Master Shi raised his gaze and surveyed the surroundings before cautioning everyone, "As we move forward, we may encounter Medicine Mushrooms at any moment. They are extremely sensitive. If we approach within twenty feet, even the slightest disturbance can alert them. Thus, we cannot proceed by flying and must walk carefully. Follow me closely and make sure you do not stray from the path." Follow current novels on ɴo(v)elFɪre.ɴet
After finishing his instructions, he took the lead, holding the Stone Plate, frequently pausing to observe the changes in the white smoke’s direction.
Zhang Yan followed behind the group. He noticed that Master Shi always deliberately avoided the windward position. This subtle detail did not escape Zhang Yan’s attention, and he silently committed it to memory.
The group trudged forward for dozens of miles, and the terrain gradually began to rise. An unusual fragrance slowly wafted into their noses.
Master Shi’s expression grew eager, his steps becoming increasingly brisk. After traveling several more miles, they came upon an open grove. Towering trees, wide enough for five men to circle, stood densely in this area, and strange sounds emanated from their sprawling crowns.
At Master Shi’s gesture, everyone immediately held their breath and froze.
By now, the hour was early morning before dawn. Though the sky hadn’t brightened, none of the cultivators were hindered in their vision. As they looked closely, their eyes fell upon a young child perched on a horizontal branch of one particularly tall tree. With a sky-high braid and a jade-like, exquisite appearance, the child danced and gestured toward the moonlight, babbling gleefully.
Master Shi exclaimed in a low, astonished voice, his excitement barely contained, "What incredible luck! We’ve encountered a Transformed Medicine Mushroom!"
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to cast your recommendation votes or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)