Chapter 71

Fang Zhen and Feng Ming, in order to stay ahead, continuously urged the talismans, and the flying boat cut through the clouds and mist. Just as they were about to reach Xiaolang Mountain, they suddenly saw another flying boat blocking their path, forcing them to stop.

On the opposite flying boat stood a cultivator at the Second Level of Bright Qi. He bowed to Fang Zhen and the others, saying, "Please stop, Senior Brothers."

Fang Zhen frowned and asked, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

The cultivator remained calm and said, "My Fourth Young Master, Xie, is currently clearing out the demon clans in Xiaolang Mountain. To prevent any demons from escaping and accidentally harming any fellow disciples, he has ordered me to wait for you Senior Brothers here. Once the matter is resolved, my Fourth Young Master will meet with all of you."

"Clearing out demons? Don't try to fool me with that. You're clearly trying to monopolize the demon python!" Fang Zhen sneered. "Do you know who I am? I am Fang Zhen, a disciple of Master Yan from the Weiming Grotto. Do you dare to block my path? Move aside quickly!"

In the Lingcang Sect, there are nine major grottos. Apart from Master Qin, who is the daughter of the former sect leader and holds a unique position, the remaining grottos are equally divided between the lineages of the sect and the mystic families. Master Yan is the second disciple of the sect leader and the master of the Weiming Grotto.

Upon hearing his name, the cultivator showed a slight surprise but no fear. He bowed slightly and said, "I have heard that Master Yan recently took in a disciple with outstanding talent. So, you must be Senior Brother Fang. However, my Fourth Young Master is surnamed Xie, and I believe you have heard of him."

"Xie? Fourth Young Master?" Fang Zhen's expression changed, and he probed, "Is it Xie Zongyuan of the Xie family from Yuxuan?"

The cultivator smiled and nodded, "Yes, it is."

Fang Zhen was taken aback and hesitated.

The Xie family from Yuxuan ranks second among the twelve major families of the Lingcang Sect, with more power than the Du family and only second to the Zheng family from Ruiping.

Now that the Yingyun Shell Field has officially become the territory of the Lingcang Sect, the sect has dispatched disciples to clear out the dozens of demon clans in the surrounding area. Not only are the treasures within these demon clans valuable, but their flesh, bones, and blood can be used to refine treasures and elixirs, making it a lucrative opportunity.

Therefore, many families have also sent their younger disciples to share in the spoils.

This is also related to Zhang Yan, who brought back the golden book acknowledging the Yingyun Shell Field as the property of the Lingcang Sect. Additionally, the demons of the Three Lakes are restrained by the order of the Water Kingdom, giving the Lingcang Sect an excuse to act against these clans.

Xiaolang Mountain is located on the route close to the Yingyun Shell Field, so it is not surprising that a disciple of the Xie family is here.

Fang Zhen understood that Xie Zongyuan wanted to monopolize the demon python, so he was using the pretext of clearing out the demon clans to block them.

Although he is a disciple of the lineage, his cultivation has not yet reached the Xuan Guang realm. He was only recently taken in by Master Yan, and there are dozens of senior brothers in the sect, all of whom are in fierce competition. How could he dare to offend the Xie family, a massive entity?

Seeing Fang Zhen's hesitant expression, the cultivator smiled and took out a bottle of pills from his sleeve, tossing it over.

Fang Zhen instinctively caught it, glanced at it, and asked, "What is your intention?"

The cultivator said, "Fourth Young Master said that if any Senior Brothers from the grottos come here, it would be a tiring journey. He offers this bottle of Bicen Pills as a token of appreciation."

"Oh? Bicen Pills?" Fang Zhen was visibly moved.

Bicen Pills are quite valuable, especially for cultivators on the Qi Dao path, as they can purify their qi and enhance their cultivation. Offering these pills clearly means he wants to share some benefits and prevent them from interfering with the demon python.

Feng Ming leaned in and whispered, "Senior Brother Fang, what should we do?"

Fang Zhen pondered and said, "The Xie family is powerful and has been ordered to clear out the demon clans. What can we do? We might as well accept the pills and not return empty-handed."

Feng Ming nodded, but a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes. The matter of the demon python was informed to him by Elder Xun, and he knew it contained a test. If he retreated now, Elder Xun might look down on him. However, despite his reluctance, he was alone and powerless.

At this moment, the cultivator looked back and pointed, "Is that Senior Brother with you?"

Fang Zhen turned around and saw Zhang Yan flying towards them. His eyes flickered, and he said, "This person is not easy to deal with. His name is Zhang Yan, a true disciple of the sect. He is usually very arrogant, so be careful."

"True disciple?" The cultivator was taken aback, showing more caution, and he approached Zhang Yan.

Fang Zhen watched, hoping Zhang Yan would cause some trouble, ideally leading to a confrontation. If Zhang Yan took the lead, he could take advantage of the chaos. However, he was disappointed when the cultivator respectfully offered a bottle of Bicen Pills, and Zhang Yan smiled and accepted it, showing no intention of competing for the demon python.

Zhang Yan inwardly chuckled. Bicen Pills are a secret recipe of the Xie family, not available in the Pill Cauldron Academy. He was not here for the demon python. Seeing that the other party was carefully explaining to avoid angering him, he was happy to accept the pills.

He thought to himself that Xie Zongyuan, who dominated this area, could have ignored them, but his actions seemed different from those of other family disciples. Despite monopolizing the demon python, he still shared some benefits, preventing too much resentment.

He looked around and saw that there were probably a hundred Lingcang Sect disciples gathered below Xiaolang Mountain, all of whom had come upon hearing about the demon python.

At this moment, a group of people came down the mountain path.

A young cultivator wearing a prince's cap led the group, surrounded by four cultivators at the Second Level of Xuan Guang, and followed by over a hundred strongmen.

In the middle of the group, ten strongmen carried a demon python about five feet long, with a golden body, no horns, and four claws. It was usually fierce, but it was now wrapped in a Yinyang Golden Lock, which restrained its inner essence, making it appear somewhat listless.

The Lingcang Mountain region is one of the ten major spiritual spots in the world, rich in spiritual energy, so it often attracts demons to transform. However, this is a risky endeavor. The demon python failed to transform, barely saving its life, and is now captured, destined to serve as a slave.

Seeing the demon python, Fang Zhen exclaimed, "It's actually a golden python, an ancient and rare species!"

The young cultivator looked up and saw Fang Zhen, smiling, "It's Senior Brother Fang. I heard you were taken in by Master Yan of the Weiming Grotto last month. What brings you here today?"

Fang Zhen sneered, "I heard about a demon python that failed to transform and wanted to capture it to add another merit to my record. But you, Senior Brother Xie Zongyuan, were faster."

Xie Zongyuan laughed heartily and bowed to all sides, "Senior Brothers, I was a step ahead, and I feel ashamed. In my haste, I only have a few pills to offer, and I apologize for the inconvenience. Once I return to the sect, I will send more gifts!"

At this moment, unnoticed by everyone, the lake to the east of Xiaolang Mountain began to churn. A black light suddenly burst out of the water, shooting straight into the sky.

Zhang Yan suddenly heard Luo Xiao in his sleeve shouting, "Master, move quickly!"

Zhang Yan reacted swiftly, flipping off the flying boat. Fortunately, he moved fast. The black light passed over his head and struck the flying boat beside him, causing it to crash down. The cultivator inside was torn apart in a spray of blood before he could even cry out.

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PS: I went to the hospital for diarrhea and came back late. The word count is a bit less today, but I will make up for it with two updates tomorrow.