← 百炼成仙

第两千二百二十一章 煞魔丹

Farewell to old acquaintances, Lin Xuan's face was filled with complex emotions.

Tiaoxiao Jian was different from the other cultivators he knew; their relationship had always been neither enemy nor friend. They were about the same age, but their backgrounds couldn't have been more different. Lin Xuan was a wandering cultivator who endured endless ridicule and disrespect in Drifting Cloud Valley. He was like an orphan with no one to care for him.

In contrast, Tiaoxiao Jian was the son of a powerful noble, born with everything he needed. He had gathered all the love and attention from everyone around him.

However, this young man wasn't a playboy; his character was tough and ruthless. In many ways, he didn't fall short of Lin Xuan's capabilities.

When the Sovereign Demon Tyrant fell, Tiaoxiao Jian also experienced a tumultuous life, enduring hardships and dangers. He had come close to death several times but ultimately survived with his deep scheming.

Although Lin Xuan's talent wasn't particularly impressive, his cultivation speed was remarkable due to the Blue Star Sea. Even Qinyan, the Fairy of the Clouds, admired him for this. However, Tiaoxiao Jian was an exception; every time they met, although Lin Xuan usually had the upper hand, he could only barely keep up with him. Over the years, Tiaoxiao Jian was the only one who could match Lin Xuan.

Not just in cultivation level but even in divine techniques and treasures, their differences were minimal. It could be said that facing peers, Lin Xuan never felt intimidated; challenging higher-ranked cultivators seemed like a daily affair. However, Tiaoxiao Jian was an absolute exception—Lin Xuan had no certainty of victory against him.

Of course, the same went for Tiaoxiao Jian's feelings.

This was why, despite their mutual animosity, they called each other "big brother" and "little brother" with great warmth. Their mutual respect was like that between real brothers.

Mutual suspicion seemed to be the best solution. After all, both of them were slippery characters, skilled in deep scheming. Pretending to be amiable was as common for them as eating breakfast.

Moreover, it seemed fate had played a cruel joke or made a coincidence; every time they met, they faced immense danger. Even if there was initial animosity, they had no choice but to team up and fight off their enemies.

The last time this happened was on Penglai Mountain.

However, since ascending to the Spirit Realm, the distance between them had grown significantly.

With the passage of a thousand years, Tiaoxiao Jian gradually faded from Lin Xuan's mind. He thought he might never see him again in his lifetime. After all, how could one know what Tiaoxiao Jian was doing now—had he ascended to the Spirit Realm or simply expired due to old age?

In Lin Xuan's view, this was just a memory. However, he never imagined that they would meet here.

Tiaoxiao Jian had reached the Separation Stage, but facing five ancient demons of the same rank, he didn't fall behind at all.

Lin Xuan frowned slightly, sensing something wasn't right. "To be honest, when we last teamed up on Penglai Mountain, this brat was already in the Separation Stage. After so many years, shouldn't he have advanced to the mid-stage?

If it were anyone else, it wouldn't be surprising; the path of cultivation is notoriously difficult as one progresses.

But Tiaoxiao Jian always felt like something wasn't quite right about his advancement. His talent far surpassed Lin Xuan's, and for so many years, their progress had been on par. There was no reason he should suddenly fall behind so much.

Could it be that this brat was hiding his strength?

Lin Xuan dismissed the thought quickly; at such close range, Tiaoxiao Jian couldn't possibly hide his cultivation from him with敛气术.

Was this brat really so unlucky to have only advanced one stage in all these years?

Lin Xuan's eyes were filled with doubt. He decided to observe before making any decisions.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed as the ancient demons, with their double heads and four arms, launched a surprise attack but were repelled by Tiaoxiao Jian's hard-hitting strike, spewing blood nonstop.

"Alright, you guys, if you surrender now, you can avoid much suffering. Otherwise," Tiaoxiao Jian's cold voice echoed.

But his threats had no effect; the ancient demons' faces were filled with determination: "You little brat, don't get too cocky here. We've been pushed to this point by you."

Before their words could finish, they each took out a black egg-like object from their pockets and swallowed it. Immediately, all five ancient demons showed signs of extreme pain.

However, Lin Xuan saw clearly that the magic aura emanating from them had significantly increased, hinting at an impending breakthrough to mid-Separation Stage.

Clearly, this was the result of some strange elixir. Tiaoxiao Jian's face turned into a sneer: "You truly have no sense of self-preservation. Don't you know that consuming this煞魔丹 will rupture your元婴 and leave you with no chance of reincarnation?"

"We are well aware, but what does it matter? You've pushed us to such an extreme; we won't survive alone. Come with us to the netherworld."

A ghastly laugh echoed as the double-headed four-armed ancient demon completed his transformation first. He was originally towering at a height of several meters and had grown even larger, nearly doubling in size.

His muscles were like iron, covered by thick scales. This demon excelled in physical cultivation; he transformed into a streak of lightning and charged straight towards Tiaoxiao Jian.

Although consuming the煞魔丹 hadn't allowed him to break through his stage, his strength had increased significantly—nearly half as much. The impact was formidable.

"You foolish fellows!"

Tiaoxiao Jian laughed without dodging or retreating; he struck back with equal force.

Boom!

Their fists collided. Considering their physical differences, the gap between them wasn't just a little. It felt like a giant and an infant in comparison. Tiaoxiao Jian's slender arms were at risk of breaking.

However, the outcome was far from what one would expect. The next scene left everyone staring in shock. In such a starkly different fistfight, Tiaoxiao Jian emerged victorious. His body merely shook slightly; he didn't retreat a step. Meanwhile, the tall ancient demon seemed to be knocked away by some massive force.

The sound of bones breaking and blood spilling nonstop filled their ears.

At this moment, the other ancient demons had also completed their transformations. Seeing this scene, they were all greatly alarmed but couldn't turn back now. They injected their magical power into the treasures in front of them.

A sword, a saber, a staff, and a ring flew from four directions towards Tiaoxiao Jian.

Tiaoxiao Jian inserted his sleeves, releasing several dark streaks that intercepted those treasures. Almost as soon as they touched, he gained the upper hand. After a moment's struggle, cries of despair echoed, and the spirits of their magical treasures were severely weakened.

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