A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 420: Chapter 378: Luring the Kill

Nearing noon, an urgent report arrived: Elder Sun Hong was fiercely battling an unknown Foundation Establishment cultivator, the situation was critical!

Qian Ji led forty elite disciples to the rescue and instructed the remaining disciples to steadfastly guard the mountain gate and not to act rashly.

Upon reaching the destination, from a distance, they saw the two engaged in an intense struggle, locked in combat.

Although Sun Hong had his back to them, they could see he had already activated his Dao Pattern; his entire body was turning pitch black and purple, emitting a foul stench that made one dizzy just by smelling it.

The two short swords he controlled had also turned completely black, weaving through the air, flashing with a dark light.

This was the Dao Pattern: Poison Contamination!

By transforming one’s body into a poisonous form, whether it’s a spiritual artifact or a magic technique, they would be contaminated with poison, and when clashing with an opponent’s spiritual artifact or attacking the enemy, it would transmit the poison to them.

This move was extremely troublesome; anyone unaware of Sun Hong’s tactics, when defending against his attacks with spiritual artifacts, would likely get infected with poison. The correct response would be to use magic techniques for defense or to swiftly dodge with agile movement.

However, Sun Hong’s opponent was a tall and robust cultivator wearing a conical hat. He wielded a Heaven-Piercing Halberd and bore a square shield on his back, maneuvering agilely, with the dazzling spear shadows intercepting Sun Hong’s short swords.

On observing this situation, it seemed he might be a martial cultivator?

A martial cultivator adept in weapons and hand-to-hand combat would be Sun Hong’s most favorable opponent. As expected, his opponent’s body was already shrouded in wisps of black smoke, with black spots appearing on the exposed skin, a clear sign that the poison had penetrated his body.

If it were not for the martial cultivator’s robust physique, he would have succumbed to the poison already. Even so, he wouldn’t last much longer.

Seeing Qian Ji approaching with the Shengyi Sect disciples, the martial cultivator quickly attempted to flee. But how could Sun Hong let him do as he wished? He leapt forward, spiritual power surging, and the two short swords formed a mesh of illusions, tightly restraining the martial cultivator.

Seeing this, Qian Ji urgently commanded the disciples to encircle them and himself flew up, joining the fray.

As he reached behind Sun Hong, he raised his hand and activated his Dao Pattern.

Dao Pattern: Mirage Qi!

The wind howled, and clouds billowed; in an instant, Wang Yu was enveloped by surging clouds. Within that sea of clouds, colorful lights appeared, forming shapes of exotic flowers and plants, fierce beasts and birds, pavilions and towers, clocks and banquets, weapons, bows, and swords... completely engulfing Wang Yu.

This was a combination of toxic clouds and illusion techniques, weaving illusion and reality, best at bewildering the mind. When you defend, it’s all illusory bubbles; but a moment’s distraction, and it condenses into a physical form attacking suddenly, with the toxic cloud corroding the flesh, it wreaks havoc on the body, and this technique is truly difficult to unravel.

Though he didn’t know what dispute Junior Brother Sun had with this person, he would interrogate him thoroughly once they captured him.

Looking at his Heaven-Piercing Halberd, sparkling with brilliance and exuding a chilling aura, within the toxic clouds and mist, it showed no sign of contamination, clearly a rare and precious spiritual artifact!

Even if this were the only trophy, this venture would be worth it.

Qian Ji smiled triumphantly. Just then, Sun Hong suddenly flipped his palm, the two short swords stabbing fiercely back at Qian Ji’s chest!

This happened in a split second; although Qian Ji instinctively raised his defensive spiritual artifact, deflecting the short swords, at the moment they made contact, the Poisonous Dao Pattern took effect, and the bone-penetrating poison surged through the artifact into Qian Ji’s body!

”Junior Brother Sun, you—”

Qian Ji shouted in disbelief, just now seeing Sun Hong lift his head, revealing those pitch-black eyes.

At the same time, from the dense forest on the ground, a Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure soared, and in mid-air, four streams of light flashed, two hammers and two swords teleporting back and forth among the Shengyi Sect disciples, with screams and blood filling the air in an instant.

Qian Ji was horrified, his mind thrown into chaos, and coupled with the effects of the poison, his entire body felt cold and his vision darkened. He hastily pulled out a handful of antitoxic spirit pills and was about to swallow them, but Sun Hong rushed at him again, forcing him to focus on defense.

Making matters worse, in the distraction, the mirage qi trembled, and Wang Yu burst forth, leaping forward with his halberd stabbing towards Qian Ji’s chest!

Wang Yu’s form remained agile, his strength undiminished. Firstly, Sun Hong had become his corpse puppet, and during the staged fight, naturally controlled the power of the Poisonous Dao Pattern. Secondly, Wang Yu’s half-corpse body was unique in the world, possessing both vibrant vitality and a condensed lifeless aura, granting him extraordinary resistance to toxins.

Even if truly affected by the Poison Contamination and Mirage Qi Dao Patterns, Wang Yu could maintain his combat ability for a considerable duration.

Qian Ji struggled to wield his defensive spiritual artifact, pulling out a flying sword to shield himself while activating the communication talisman he carried. He tried to start a conversation, hoping to delay for time: ”Who are you? Why are you here? Even if you kill me, at least let me die understanding why!”

However, the only response was Wang Yu’s flashing spear and Sun Hong’s fierce black short swords.

”Save me! Save me!”

As the shadow of death loomed, Qian Ji cried out in terror, but the Shengyi Sect disciples had already scattered, fleeing in panic.

In their scramble to escape from Yang Jiye, these disciples were busy sabotaging each other, desperately dragging others down to escape first; who had the time to spare a glance at their Sect Leader?

Ridiculous, tragic.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, as Qian Ji’s body plummeted, Wang Yu activated his Dao Pattern once again.

Qian Ji’s broken body rapidly recovered, then twisted, and with a flash of escape light, stood once more before him.

Wang Yu let out a cold laugh: ”You just tried to stall for time? Dream on. As for the reason I’m killing you, now I can tell you, do you still remember Li Zhenru of the Xianyou Sect?”

Of course, Qian Ji could not respond to Wang Yu anymore; he merely opened his pitch-black eyes, and stood by Wang Yu’s side along with Sun Hong.

Until now, both Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Shengyi Sect had become Wang Yu’s corpse puppets.

At this moment, the Shengyi Sect’s disciples, either dead or scattered, Yang Jiye, with swift attacks, launching Crystal Swords, Bone-Transforming Swords, Star-Breaking Hammers, and Wind-Chasing Hammers, causing several bodies to fall, yet he couldn’t stop them from fleeing in all directions.

Ultimately, more than half were slain, but over ten managed to escape.

After a day and night of fighting and pursuit, Wang Yu and Yang Jiye were both feeling utterly exhausted. Adding to that, the reinforcements Qian Ji called for were fast approaching, so the two abandoned thoughts of further assault, melting into the mountains and forest, beginning to recuperate.

An incense stick later, three Floating Battleships from the Shengyi Sect arrived swiftly, but they could no longer find any trace of Qian Ji, only the disciples’ bodies strewn across the mountain ridges, proving the gruesome battle that had occurred moments before.

On a night when there should have been silence, the Shengyi Sect’s main hall was brightly lit, buzzing with voices.