Chapter 271: Battle On Medicine Mountain
Green Mountain Range was heavily guarded.
Blood Banner Sect disciples were divided into over ten small teams, constantly monitoring and patrolling around the entire Medicine Mountain.
They were all armored, equipped with sharp weapons in hand, their gazes sharp like hawks and falcons, vigilantly watching every movement around them.
“Hurry up and work, get all the medicinal herbs ready for me!”
“Damage one stalk, and you’ll pay with your life!”
Curses rang out nonstop, the sharp cracks of whips piercing the ears, mingled with cries of agony rising and falling.
Those medicine farmers feared the barbed whips landing on their bodies, their hearts filled with shock and fear as they carefully harvested the medicinal herbs in the medicine fields.
Green Mountain Range was a third-order Medicine Mountain, its core nurturing a cluster of third-order Purple Cloud Bamboo. Purple Cloud Bamboo could be refined into weapons comparable to third-order metal stone, and its Purple Cloud Qi could enhance the power of spirit tools, making it an upper-mid tier among third-order materials.
Bamboo flowers could be used in medicine, refined into pills with beneficial effects.
Therefore, it was also one of the core industries of the Jin family under Sword One Sect in Golden Peng City.
Besides the Purple Cloud Bamboo, the entire Medicine Mountain had accumulated no small amount of spiritual energy, with many second-order and first-order heavenly materials and earthly treasures developed into medicine fields.
In normal times, Blood Banner Sect could harvest slowly, but now they feared attacks from Nangong Hong Yue and could only harvest the mature medicinal herbs as much as possible. If time ran out, even the Purple Cloud Bamboo would not be left behind.
Blood Banner Sect’s chief disciple Qu Jingyu stared sinisterly at the medicine farmers busy up and down the entire Medicine Mountain, a hint of dissatisfaction on his face—their actions were still too slow.
“Senior Brother, don’t worry. That so-called Nangong Hong Yue definitely won’t dare to attack easily.”
The red-clothed woman leaned over nearby, softly persuading him. A smile was on her face, but her eyes held exceptional chill: “Master and our Blood Banner Great Formation can hold off even Dan Qiao Realm martial artists for a time.”
Qu Jingyu wrapped his arm around Yuan Qitong’s slender waist, his hand restlessly groping. His eyes narrowed slightly, flashing with ferocity: “Just afraid of the what-ifs. Dan Qiao Realm martial artists aren’t that easy to deal with. If she really comes later, prioritize life-saving.”
His words carried hidden dissatisfaction. Blood Banner Ancestor had given them the formation, but essentially, Blood Banner Ancestor didn’t dare to take risks himself, sending them disciples to probe Nangong Hong Yue’s depths.
In the end, they were nothing more than consumables.
‘Old thing.’
He fumed inwardly when suddenly a commotion arose from down the mountain.
Qu Jingyu and Yuan Qitong’s expressions changed slightly. Their figures leaped up, directly jumping to a high ground. Looking far down the mountain, a woman flew in, her gaze lifting to glance right at them.
In an instant, a chill surged into their hearts.
Nangong Hong Yue—she had come!
At this moment down the mountain, Blood Banner Sect disciples gathered, all extremely tense. Seeing the newcomer, they immediately shouted: “Attack! Loose arrows!”
Relying on the terrain advantage, they delusionally sought to suppress Nangong Hong Yue from above with endless arrows.
Arrows were wrapped in true essence, and at the same time, over ten massive ballistae about ten zhang long appeared, pitch-black all over with serpentine scarlet inscriptions. Infused with true essence, second-order origin stones on them shone brilliantly, instantly launching astonishing ballista bolts.
The crossbow bolts pierced clouds and moon like lightning, instantly overtaking thousands of bow and crossbow arrows, heading straight for Nangong Hong Yue’s face.
Nangong Hong Yue showed a disdainful smile. An ordinary Dan Qiao Realm might dodge, but she would not.
A red shadow flashed by her side. The Blood Scorpion took form, flying directly from her body, instantly growing to ten zhang in size, covered in red carapace, its claws hard. It bit down on a ballista bolt in one mouthful, abruptly interrupting the immensely powerful attack.
Nangong Hong Yue looked up at these Blood Banner Sect martial artists, cold light flashing in her eyes. Shadows floated behind her as all the Five Poisons Heart Casting Gu worms were released.
Black Gold Silkworm, Yin Cicada, Soul Hooking Insect, and Blood Fiend Marrow Worm appeared one by one.
She waved her hand lightly, and the five Gu worms flew straight out, charging into the ranks of the arrayed martial artists.
With Five Poisons Heart Casting Gu accomplished, among the five Gu worms, the Black Gold Silkworm and Blood Fiend Marrow Worm had the closest bloodline connection to her. They had already undergone metamorphosis ahead of time, both third-order feral beasts with formidable strength.
The Black Gold Silkworm moved like a black lightning bolt, piercing countless martial artists’ hearts. In the instant it penetrated, it devoured their hearts completely clean.
On the other side, the Blood Fiend Marrow Worm summoned endless blood threads, instantly threading through several martial artists’ bodies like needles. Their essence blood was devoured clean in an instant.
Flesh and blood shriveled instantly, leaving only skin like white paper, collapsing to the ground.
There were hundreds of martial artists on the Medicine Mountain, but in less than half a quarter-hour, over half had been killed.
Black Gold Silkworm and Blood Fiend Marrow Worm were the most ferocious, but that didn’t mean the remaining Soul Hooking Insect, Blood Scorpion, and Yin Cicada were weak.
Among the three Gu worms, the Blood Scorpion was mountain-sized. Wherever it passed, blood poison surged like tides, its red carapace tough. Even True Intent Realm martial artists couldn’t withstand two or three rounds before being crushed like dry weeds.
The Yin Cicada moved like a shadow, its chill passing like fleeting light. With a mere flicker, people turned into ice sculptures.
As for the Soul Hooking Insect, its spirit impact swept through, killing invisibly.
Nangong Hong Yue alone with these five Gu worms had already overturned the Medicine Mountain’s defenses, stepping toward the mountaintop.
Suddenly, four figures attacked, hurling four blood-colored command flags toward the ground, linking with the Medicine Mountain’s earth vein in a line.
“Blood Banner Great Formation, rise!”
Qu Jingyu, Yuan Qitong, Ji Hanshan, and Meng Yi arrived together, each with a bloody soul lion behind them, scarlet eyes locked on Nangong Hong Yue.
With the great formation activated, the entire Medicine Mountain instantly turned to Gloomy Clouds, blood-colored sky enveloping the whole mountain.
Blood-colored gales blocked the five Gu worms’ attacks, barely protecting about two to three hundred disciples.
These disciples, escaping death, were all pale-faced, showing lingering fear and terror.
“True Person Nangong, what grudge do you have with Silkworm Cave that involves our Blood Banner Sect? Leave now, and we shall let bygones be bygones!”
Qu Jingyu’s face was ashen, fury burning in his eyes. In mere moments, over half of Blood Banner Sect’s disciples were dead or wounded.
The ferocity of the five Gu worms made him break out in cold sweat. Though the Blood Banner Great Formation was powerful, it might not withstand this demoness.
“What are you to advise me?”
Nangong Hong Yue ignored Qu Jingyu entirely, cold intent on her face as the Black Gold Silkworm charged straight at him.
Qu Jingyu’s expression changed drastically: “Junior Brothers and Sisters, assist me! Blood Banner Sect disciples, enter the formation!”
He drew a skull blood banner from his waist, chanting incantations. The three direct disciples and the remaining two to three hundred disciples didn’t dare delay, taking out their own refined blood banners.
Of varying grades, but once the blood banners appeared, gale billowed, blood-colored soul shadows flying into the great formation.
At the same time, the four main formation command flags shook violently, whipping up flying stones and gale. A massive ghost hand emerged from the command flags.
The ghost hand was armored, fingertips like blades about a chi long, pitch-black as if dyed by dark red ink for countless years—utterly eerie and terrifying.
From the four command flags emerged four gale ghost generals, armored and standing tall at two zhang high, like iron pagodas.
Their bodies flowed with blood qi, their auras boosted by the Blood Banner Great Formation reaching near Dan Qiao Realm strength.
“Kill!”
Qu Jingyu and the others controlled the blood banner ghosts charging at Nangong Hong Yue. Under the formation’s boost, the living souls absorbed in the past became the formation’s power.
They weren’t without a chance to fight. Long ago, the four of them had trapped and killed a Dan Qiao martial artist with this Blood Banner Great Formation.
It was just that the Dan Qiao martial artist back then was only First Heaven cultivation and not at full strength.
The Black Gold Silkworm’s attack reached Qu Jingyu, only to be blocked by the four blood banner ghosts the next moment.
Attack collided, the shockwave shattering mountain rocks.
The howling gale aided the blood banner ghosts, weakening the Black Gold Silkworm’s attack considerably.
Whoosh!
From the blood banners, blood qi surged like tides. Blood souls emitted shrill cries, like black needles piercing the mind, as if to tear and kill Nangong Hong Yue right there.
Seeing this, Qu Jingyu smirked. As expected, the Blood Banner Great Formation could withstand a Dan Qiao Realm martial artist.
As long as they held out for a while, when Blood Banner Ancestor and the others arrived, Nangong Hong Yue would have only death.
“Use blood souls to wear her down, have the blood banner ghosts block her Gu worms.”
Qu Jingyu was smug inside but cautious enough, not using the blood banner ghosts for direct combat, but to consume Nangong Hong Yue.
“Mere minor formation.”
Nangong Hong Yue remained calm. Suddenly, her beast taming bag shook slightly, and a massive scorpion flew out.
Entirely crimson, larger than the Blood Scorpion, surrounded by eerie demonic fire.
She merely pointed, and the Flame Armored Scorpion spewed endless demonic fire at the thousands of blood souls in midair.
Shrill ghost cries came from midair. The moment demonic fire touched them, no matter how bizarre the blood souls or how endlessly regenerating their power in the Blood Banner Great Formation.
Under demonic fire, even spirit bodies burned clean.
Even the surging blood qi gales became a mere breeze, their malevolent energy swept away by the demonic fire.
Yuan Qitong’s eyes widened: “How is that possible?!”
She controlled a blood banner ghost to punch at the Flame Armored Scorpion, the massive fist whipping up fierce blood winds, as if to smash it to pieces on the spot.
The Flame Armored Scorpion swept its tail hook, sending the blood banner ghost flying.
Its twin tail hooks unleashed endless demonic fire on the blood banner ghost. In one clash, the ghost was covered in flames, its form burning and shrinking nonstop.
Qu Jingyu and the others tried to struggle, but just as the remaining three blood banner ghosts moved to rescue.
The Flame Armored Scorpion struck first, its claws snipping one in half, tail hook stabbing to hang the left one’s blood banner ghost in midair.
The oncoming blood banner ghost clawed at its carapace, clanging loudly but unable to breach the defense at all.
The next moment, its blood basin mouth gaped, biting off half the blood banner ghost’s head.
Blood banner ghosts were forged from malevolent energy and vengeful souls, not easily destroyed. Massive blood banner power gathered to restore it.
But the Flame Armored Scorpion spat demonic fire, enveloping it completely.
Flames blazed, turning the crimson sky into fiery dusk.
The formation was directly broken by demonic fire. Black Gold Silkworm, Blood Fiend Marrow Worm, and the other five Gu worms attacked, instantly killing Qu Jingyu.
Yuan Qitong turned and fled. Ji Hanshan and Meng Yi were no slower, splitting directions and rushing down the mountain.
With the formation broken, all three suffered backlash. If they didn’t run now, they’d all perish here.
But at this point, escape was futile.
Ji Hanshan had gone barely a hundred meters when the Black Gold Silkworm caught up, instantly devouring his heart.
Meng Yi was even more tragic, crashing into the Blood Fiend Marrow Worm and endless blood bees, devoured into a pile of White Bones.
Miserable screams rang endlessly. The remaining Blood Banner Sect disciples were killed or wounded, most swallowed by the Flame Armored Scorpion and Blood Scorpion, digested into energy.
Nangong Hong Yue ignored these defeated remnants, heading straight for the Medicine Mountain summit. Only then did Su Yan’s figure appear.
“Lord, the Medicine Mountain has plenty of medicinal herbs—we can’t waste them.”
Su Yan nodded, taking all the medicinal herbs collected by Blood Banner Sect, plus those still in the ground, including third-order ones like Purple Cloud Bamboo.
He certainly wouldn’t leave them. His divine sense swept over, flipping up large swaths of soil and sending them directly into the Insect Realm Space.
His Insect Realm Space had greatly expanded and needed vast spiritual herbs to fill it.
With Su Yan’s actions, most of the Medicine Mountain was emptied in a blink.
“Let’s go, to Blazing Gold Ore.”
Su Yan took Nangong Hong Yue away without lingering, heading straight for Blazing Gold Ore.
They had just left when, less than half a shichen later, a blood shadow rushed onto the Medicine Mountain.
Corpses everywhere in view, the Medicine Mountain a wasteland, medicinal herbs gone—utterly devastated.
“Nangong Hong Yue!”
Blood Banner Ancestor flew into rage, his black pupils full of ferocity, robes flapping, hands clenched white with bulging veins.
Who would have thought this Nangong Hong Yue seeking revenge would first drag him into it.
Several streaks of light arrived. Wu Tianxing, Yan Xi, and Ge Tianlu saw the scene, their expressions changing slightly.
“Daoist Friend He, your Blood Banner Great Formation couldn’t stop her?”
The Blood Banner Great Formation was renowned. Even a First Heaven Peak martial artist, held by four half-step Dan Qiao, would struggle to break through.
But from receiving the news to the four of them arriving, it was only a bit over one shichen.
Factoring in the enemy’s escape time, the Blood Banner Great Formation had likely held even shorter.
Blood Banner Ancestor’s face was overcast. Suddenly, his expression shifted. His large hand reached out remotely, grabbing the fleeing Yuan Qitong from mid-mountain to his front, disheveled.
One arm withered like a bone claw, only wrinkled skin left—miserably tragic, aura extremely weak.
Plop.
Yuan Qitong knelt immediately, crying out piteously: “Master, you must kill that woman to avenge my senior brothers and sisters!”
Blood Banner Ancestor snorted coldly, demanding harshly: “Qitong, what exactly happened? How could the Blood Banner Great Formation not hold even one shichen?”
Yuan Qitong looked mournful, sobbing: “That woman has accomplished Five Poisons Heart Casting Gu. Among her Gu worms are ones comparable to third-order, and she has a pet scorpion beast that controls endless demonic fire— the nemesis of blood souls and blood banners, unable to regenerate at all…”
Yuan Qitong recounted everything. Yan Xi’s eyes flashed: “You mean Nangong Hong Yue has two high-quality scorpion beasts? One of which can control endless demonic fire?”
