Marrying a Heavenly Snake, I Get Stronger Every Day

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: A Clash with Ocean Sword Sect Disciples

Ye Xuan watched the three cultivators leave the shop and head in another direction, apparently because they hadn’t obtained the water-element essence they wanted.

Even so, he could clearly see them glancing in his direction from time to time, their narrowed eyes filled with resentment.

Recognizing their hostility, he began to act more cautiously. Shunxi City belonged to the Ocean Sword Sect, which meant this was their territory.

However, there was no sign that they intended to attack Ye Xuan immediately. They had simply left while occasionally shooting him hostile looks.

Ye Xuan stopped when he arrived at the herbal shop at the intersection. The woman had been right. The shop offered a wide variety of spiritual materials.

He walked inside, passing several people, from ordinary residents to cultivators. Eventually, he reached the counter.

”Welcome. Is there anything you need?”

”I’m looking for Minor Thundergrass. Do you have any?”

”We do. How many do you need?”

Ye Xuan glanced at Qingyu. The white snake simply turned her head toward him without saying anything.

In the end, he asked the female cashier behind the counter to prepare ten stalks of Minor Thundergrass.

Upon hearing his request, she immediately went to the back room to prepare the order.

While waiting, Ye Xuan faintly overheard some cultivators behind him discussing something about the Ocean Sword Sect.

”I heard that Su Yinglan of the Ocean Sword Sect will be holding a competition soon,” one man said.

”A competition? Is she looking for a potential dual cultivation partner? That sounds exciting.”

”Exactly! The competition will take place in the Thousand Coral Sea Dimension. Those who manage to obtain rare items will have a chance to be chosen as Su Yinglan’s dual cultivation partner.”

”Nobody would turn down Miss Su. She’s the woman desired by countless cultivators throughout the Xiao Empire.”

Ye Xuan listened to their conversation. Everything finally made sense. Now he understood why so many cultivators from different sects had gathered in Shunxi City.

They hadn’t come here merely to shop. They had come to participate in Su Yinglan’s competition for a dual cultivation partner.

Even so, Ye Xuan wasn’t particularly interested. He preferred to focus on his mission to help Qingyu and Senior Wang rather than compete against other cultivators just to catch the attention of a woman like Su Yinglan.

Not long afterward, the female cashier returned and handed him a box containing ten stalks of Minor Thundergrass.

After verifying their authenticity and paying for them, Ye Xuan stored the wooden box in his bag of holding.

He left the shop with the items he needed. All that remained was to prepare the teleportation token and deliver the water-element essence to Senior Wang.

[Where are we going?]

”I can’t activate the teleportation token inside the city. I plan to use it outside.”

Qingyu turned her head and glanced behind them before informing Ye Xuan that the three cultivators from earlier had caught up and were following him.

Ye Xuan was somewhat surprised, but Qingyu told him to act normally and avoid arousing suspicion.

[You won’t be able to activate the teleportation token if they keep following you.]

”I know,” Ye Xuan replied. ”It seems a fight is unavoidable after all.”

Ye Xuan walked through the city gates and flew away from Shunxi City on his sword. Qingyu glanced back again and informed him that the three men had taken flight and were pursuing him.

After traveling a considerable distance from the city, Ye Xuan descended and landed in a secluded forest. The three cultivators did the same before shouting insults at him.

”You insulted us earlier. We can’t just let you walk away!”

”I already told you that I wouldn’t sell you the water-element essence,” Ye Xuan explained.

”Exactly! In that case, we’ll just take it from your corpse!” one of them shouted.

The man summoned his sword and conjured dozens of water-qi swords within a magical rune.

With a sweeping motion of his hand, he unleashed the barrage of water-qi swords toward Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan extended his hand and firmly gripped his sword, which blazed with flames and crackled with crimson lightning.

He swung his sword sideways and activated his technique.

”Blazing Flame Sword!”

A powerful sword slash shot forward and collided with the man’s water-qi swords. Before long, an explosion erupted, sending tremors through the area.

A powerful gust of wind swept through the forest, shaking the branches and scattering leaves into the air.

The explosion also set some of the leaves ablaze, while several dry tree trunks caught fire. Thick plumes of smoke rose into the air, filling the surroundings.

”Interesting. You managed to withstand my attack with just one technique.”

”But that won’t be enough to defeat me!” the man declared.

He and his companion made their moves, while the third cultivator remained silent, watching the battle unfold.

The two men conjured magical runes and unleashed attacks in the shape of orcas that charged toward Ye Xuan.

The young man could clearly recognize that their techniques belonged to their sect. He didn’t possess any comparable techniques, but that wouldn’t make him lose his nerve.

Ye Xuan sent his sword flying and unleashed his own technique.

”Qi Sword Wind!”

Swords formed from his qi and began circling around him, accompanied by powerful gusts of wind.

Ye Xuan raised a finger, attempting to maintain the technique with his qi.

Their attacks collided, sending waves of qi surging throughout the area.

However, he soon realized that Qi Sword Wind alone wasn’t enough to withstand the combined power of the two orca techniques.

Cracks spread across the magical rune. Ye Xuan reacted quickly and leaped far away before the technique completely shattered.

Unfortunately, the force of the collision was powerful enough to make him cough up blood.

He crouched on the ground and drove his sword into the earth, noticing a pool of blood staining the grass beneath him.

”HAHAHA!”

”You’re weak. People as weak as you disgust me!”

”Now die and hand over that water-element essence!” one of the men shouted.

A magical rune appeared, activating a technique that unleashed an enormous wave surging toward Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan witnessed the incoming attack.

He immediately sprang to his feet and grabbed his sword, preparing to slash through the massive wave with his technique.

”Blazing Flame—”

[You’re courting death!]