Chapter 197: One-sided Slaughter
True Martial Mountain.
Seeker’s Courtyard.
Ning Qi was meditating with eyes closed, deducing a secret technique.
Spiritual insights flooded his mind like a waterfall, ingenious ideas constantly rising—this was a wondrous scene unimaginable to outsiders. After creating the Myriad Dao Nirvana Origin Method, deducing a simplified version was undoubtedly far too simple. Ning Qi planned to tailor a secret technique for Dragon Mountain Daoist, Qin Yun, and Blade Demon according to each of their situations, one that would weaken the Life Poison.
This would maximize the weakening effect.
Looking across the entire True Martial Sect, only these three had hope of stepping into the Martial Saint Realm on the day of Spiritual Energy Revival.
Blade Demon due to his own accumulation, while Dragon Mountain Daoist and Qin Yun due to the Heaven-Connecting Pill—at that time reaching Heavenly Human Perfection, they also had hope of seizing an opportunity.
The deduction went very smoothly.
But suddenly, Ning Qi opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening.
He sensed a change in the aura he had once left behind.
“Is that Miss Lan?”
His heart stirred, and he stood up.
Back then, Lan Yiyi had come to True Martial Mountain and used the Life-Sharing Gu to offer half her lifespan to save Qin Yun. Grateful for her kindness, Ning Qi had specially left an aura on her, and now, that aura had erupted—this meant Lan Yiyi had likely encountered danger.
After Qin Yun awakened, he hadn’t paid much attention to the two of them, simply leaving the choice to Qin Yun to handle that somewhat complicated relationship themselves.
But now, with Lan Yiyi in danger, he couldn’t stand by idly.
Just as he was about to instruct the White Ape, an elderly figure sped over from afar.
Qin Yun’s pupils carried worry and anxiety as he stepped into the Seeker’s Courtyard in one stride:
“Little Nine! Little Nine! Save Yiyi!”
He clutched his heart, the Life-Sharing Gu trembling incessantly—clearly, Lan Yiyi had already encountered a life-and-death crisis.
After awakening.
Qin Yun had been entangled over whether to go find Lan Yiyi.
She clearly didn’t want him to know it was her who saved him; rushing over rashly would only add to their mutual awkwardness. Moreover, he roughly knew her situation. Originally, he planned to refine the Heaven-Connecting Pill himself, gain Heavenly Human Perfection strength, then head to the Southern Border to take Lan Yiyi away.
But he hadn’t expected the change to come so quickly.
At this moment.
His heart was filled with panic. He had originally thought his feelings for Lan Yiyi were mere gratitude, but now he realized it wasn’t. Just thinking of Lan Yiyi perishing from then on made his heart clench instantly.
Thus, he came to find Ning Qi first thing.
At this critical moment, he couldn’t afford to care too much.
Among those around him now, only Ning Qi had this ability.
Ning Qi soothed him:
“I’ve already sensed it. Let’s go together.”
Without waiting for Qin Yun to react, Ning Qi telepathically communicated a few words to the White Ape, then shot into the sky with Qin Yun.
Strands of spiritual power floated around inside the King Yu Bead, making Ning Qi’s speed extreme. In the blink of an eye, he had already left True Martial Mountain territory.
Qin Yun was somewhat dazed:
“Little Nine, how did you know Yiyi was in danger?”
Ning Qi said:
“Before you awakened from your slumber, Eighth Senior Brother, I promised her I’d help her with one thing, so I left an aura on her. That aura just erupted, that’s how I knew. If you have more details, tell me first so I have a sense of it.”
Qin Yun took a deep breath and said:
“It might be the Southern Border Gu God!”
“Yiyi didn’t tell me clearly. I only inferred from some clues that this Southern Border Saintess was actually selected as a sacrifice long ago. It’s highly likely she was implanted with a power seed by that Southern Border Gu God from childhood and cultivated some secret technique, all to ultimately offer everything to the Gu God.”
“As for the purpose, I didn’t probe clearly, but I guess it might be related to the Blood Emperor Gu!”
He spoke quickly, recounting all the details he knew, afraid of omitting anything.
Ning Qi was stunned.
He had originally thought Lan Yiyi’s relationship with the Southern Border was intimate, but unexpectedly there was this hidden layer.
“Southern Border Gu God?”
He pondered thoughtfully.
The Southern Border and Demonic Sect had previously given him great pressure, a situation that continued even after he destroyed the Demonic Sect. After that, the Southern Border’s movements almost vanished. Later, with Ancient Saints successively awakening, Ning Qi learned many secrets and focused on preparing for Spiritual Energy Revival, gradually having no energy left to deal with Southern Border matters.
After all, the Southern Border at this point was somewhat insignificant.
“It seems the Blood Emperor Gu cultivation succeeded? These Southern Border people do have some means.”
But Ning Qi only sighed lightly.
After learning from White Mountain Old Daoist that ascending to Martial Saint via external aids like Saint Pills or Blood Emperor Gu was merely False Saint, their appeal to him had greatly diminished.
In the current heaven and earth environment, aside from those few special individuals, no one else could step into the Martial Saint Realm.
Even Ancient Saints were waiting for Spiritual Energy Revival, let alone others.
The only regret was that if he had known earlier about Lan Yiyi’s ties to the Southern Border, he could have simply followed her aura and killed his way there directly.
Qin Yun was also filled with regret.
He had originally just not wanted to trouble Ning Qi repeatedly, yet hadn’t expected things to reach this state.
Ning Qi didn’t blame him, just patted Qin Yun’s shoulder in reassurance:
“Don’t worry, we made it in time.”
Wrapped in spiritual power, the two streaked like lightning, tracing extreme paths through the void.
…
Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Mountain ranges stretched thick and unbroken, ancient trees towering within, crises lurking everywhere. Even a Gang Yuan Realm martial artist falling in would likely struggle to escape.
At this moment.
A figure in black tight-fitting clothes sped along—Lan Yiyi fleeing alone through the forest, utterly disheveled.
After escaping the ancestral land.
One trusted aide after another had perished completely to cover her retreat, even Blue River dying right before her eyes. Thinking of Blue River’s dying words “sorry,” her emotions grew incomparably complex, the lingering resentment in her heart completely dissipating.
Lan Yiyi sighed softly.
She didn’t know if she could escape, but the hope was slim.
The Southern Border Alliance had mobilized en masse, their counterattack far too fierce. By now, she was utterly alone. Even just before, she had nearly faced a life-and-death crisis; if not for a burst of aura at the critical moment, she couldn’t have broken out of the encirclement.
A transcendent figure emerged in Lan Yiyi’s mind—that was Ning Qi.
“So he’s that strong.”
She smiled mockingly at herself.
When Ning Qi had said he owed her a favor back then, she hadn’t taken it to heart. Now she realized she had failed to recognize a great figure. That aura had bought her and her many aides some time, but now, she was at the end of her rope.
She stroked her heart, where the Life-Sharing Gu trembled faintly in resonance. She whispered in her heart:
“Qin Yun, I’m sure you’ve felt it by now? Live well.”
Her body was steadily weakening; the Life-Sharing Gu already sensed each other. After her death, the half lifespan granted to Qin Yun would dissipate too. But she wasn’t worried—Qin Yun should have already consumed a longevity treasure, enough to live for some time.
Her mind swirled with myriad thoughts.
Lan Yiyi’s gaze gradually turned fierce.
She wasn’t willing to give up just like this; as long as there was a sliver of hope, she wouldn’t abandon it.
She suddenly veered direction—not toward the outside of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, but charging deeper in.
Deepest Part of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
This was an exotic beast paradise.
Even Southern Border Alliance members only dared reside in the outskirts. It was said that in the deepest part of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, terrifying exotic beasts abounded—Heavenly Human Realm Beast Kings outnumbered those outside combined, and rumors spoke of more than one even more terrifying Beast Emperor!
Lan Yiyi was heading deep in to fight for a slim chance of survival, because she vaguely sensed the pursuers behind forcing her outward, as if driving her to seek something.
A thunderclap flashed in her mind, her expression gradually darkening.
One detail after another surfaced.
“Today’s altar breach seemed exceptionally smooth?”
“Did A-Tian and the others really die?”
She recalled her trusted aides’ dying roars urging her to flee, yet invisibly restricting her to a single path.
“What do they want me to find? The other half of the lifespan?”
Lan Yiyi felt a chill run down her spine.
Today’s events increasingly felt unreasonable.
She had schemed for so long—had the clan elders truly noticed nothing? How could she alone contend against the Southern Border Alliance’s foundation built over so many years?
At this thought.
She smiled bitterly.
Today’s events were likely the enemy turning her schemes against her. Perhaps some of her trusted aides had even turned traitor, deliberately deceiving her.
She took a deep breath.
She erupted with full power, charging toward the mountain depths.
At this point, perhaps that was her only chance of survival.
She pressed onward.
Occasional exotic beasts appeared, but she dispatched them casually. Even heavily injured, she was a Heavenly Human Realm martial artist with many gu worm techniques—not something ordinary exotic beasts could touch.
But at some point.
The surroundings grew eerily quiet, and later, even the incessant insect chirps vanished.
Lan Yiyi halted, coldly scanning around:
“Come out. I’ve already figured out your plan. Give it up!”
Silence.
Moments later.
Figures stepped out from the shadows—this was the power of Shadow Gu, aiding breath concealment and hiding traces.
Lan Yiyi looked—they were none other than the many Southern Border Alliance experts, including several “deceased” trusted aides, all now lowering their heads, unable to meet her mocking gaze.
Hong Yan was no longer furious as before, but calmly gazed:
“Why bother? Tell us where the other half of the lifespan is, and you will be with the Gu God. All of Southern Border will remember your contribution.”
Lan Yiyi sneered.
She wanted no such monument.
“Fine, I’ll tell you.”
“Where?”
“In the Great Yan imperial palace. I gave it to an important figure in Great Yan. Do you dare go take it?”
Hong Yan fell silent, then sighed:
“Such foolish deception only shows your desperation.”
“Since you’re unwilling, we can only perform soul summoning on you. It might slightly affect the subsequent sacrifice, but Lord Gu God has decreed this is the final attempt.”
Lan Yiyi’s expression changed slightly.
In this case, her greatest reliance was gone.
Her gaze vigilantly swept the surroundings as heaven and earth power gathered around her. Heavenly Human Realm experts had her surrounded. Above Hong Yan clan elder’s head appeared a fiery red toad—this was Fire Toad Gu, capable of controlling strange fire.
Hong Yan’s eerie voice sounded:
“One thing I said before wasn’t wrong… I truly have despised you for a long time!”
As his words fell, he decisively waved his hand. The fire toad opened its mouth, spewing crimson flames that blazed across the void with overwhelming aura, intent on incinerating all. The congregation around also moved in unison.
Despair rose in Lan Yiyi’s heart.
This situation was a death trap.
Just as she prepared to fight desperately, a long dragon roar echoed through the heavens. Everyone instinctively looked to the sky above, peering through the layered ancient tree branches—a majestic White True Dragon appeared in view.
Even more shocking was that atop the white dragon’s body, two faint human figures could be seen.
Lan Yiyi suddenly widened her eyes.
The Life-Sharing Gu resonance was unprecedentedly strong.
That figure she never dreamed of actually descended from the sky. She rubbed her eyes—the handsome, upright figure was still there, drawing ever closer. Lan Yiyi smiled.
Ning Qi looked at Qin Yun, who had already restored his youthful appearance on the way, and shook his head with a chuckle.
Back at True Martial Mountain, no one could persuade Qin Yun to revert to his original face, yet before seeing Lan Yiyi, he did so without reminder.
The two arrived at the critical moment.
Just in time to witness this scene.
Qin Yun’s heart burned with anxiety as he plunged straight down.
Ning Qi calmly regarded the Southern Border experts one by one, then lost interest—a bunch of mere chickens and dogs.
He slowly descended.
Hong Yan stared fixedly at the young Daoist before him, a chill creeping through his heart.
Though Southern Border now kept a low profile from the world, they weren’t wholly ignorant of outside matters.
“Is this the Heavenly Sword Ancient Saint gracing us with his presence?” he asked cautiously.
Ning Qi glanced at him, saying nothing.
Hong Yan clan elder’s heart raced in terror. He quickly forced a smile to fawn, but the next instant, he froze in place, a chill shooting straight to the top of his head.
The young Daoist casually pointed, and the White True Dragon bore down with majestic pressure, its tail sweeping casually with heaven-shaking might.
Strands of heaven and earth power were domineeringly smashed apart.
The fire toad spewing strange fire was engulfed in reverse flames, crying out in pain—but immediately, the cry cut off as the dragon claw crushed it, turning it and its master into a pulp of flesh and mud.
This was one-sided slaughter.
The White True Dragon was like a Beast Emperor descending, Heavenly Human Realm offering no resistance whatsoever.
Ning Qi’s expression remained calm.
He had no interest in their nonsense.
In mere moments, the forest had fallen quiet again.
Ning Qi looked at Qin Yun and Lan Yiyi gazing intently at each other, chuckling:
“Long time no see, Miss Lan. Let me clarify first—the Life-Sharing Gu matter wasn’t something we told him; he sensed it himself from some lingering consciousness back then.”
At those words.
Lan Yiyi flushed red and bowed her head shyly.
