lín xuān jiàn le ， liǎn shàng dào yě méi yǒu jīng yì zhī sè ， pāi le pāi chǔ wù dài ， nà huǒ hóng de wú gōu fēi le qǐ lái ， lín xuān tái qǐ yòu shǒu ， suí yì chōng kuáng diǎn le liǎng xià ， nà wú gōu lì kè huà shēn wèi le yī tóu hún shēn rán shāo zháo huǒ yàn de è jiāo 。
林轩见了，脸上倒也没有惊异之色，拍了拍储物袋，那火红的吴钩飞了起来，林轩抬起右手，随意冲狂点了两下，那吴钩立刻化身为了一头浑身燃烧着火焰的恶蛟。
Lin Xuan did not show any signs of surprise as he patted his storage bag. The fiery Wu Gou sword flew up, and Lin Xuan raised his right hand随意 tapped it twice. Instantly, the Wu Gou sword transformed into a fierce dragon-like creature, its body engulfed in flames.
“ huà xíng shù ？”
“化形术？”
"Transformation Technique?"
tián xiǎo jiàn yī jīng ， suí jí yáo le yáo tóu ， suī rán liǎng zhě pǒ wèi xiāng sì ， dàn xì wēi zhī chù què yòu dà bù xiāng tóng ， dàn bù guǎn zěn me shuō ， zhè zú yǐ pǐ dí níng dān qī xiū shì de dào fǎ ， yě ràng tā shí fēn zhèn hàn le 。
田小剑一惊，随即摇了摇头，虽然两者颇为相似，但细微之处却又大不相同，但不管怎么说，这足以匹敌凝丹期修士的道法，也让他十分震撼了。
Tiao Xiaojian was startled but quickly shook his head. Although both techniques were similar, there were significant differences in their finer details. Nevertheless, this was enough to rival a Core Formation cultivator's Dao technique and left him greatly impressed.
lín xuān dào bú shì yǒu yì mài nòng ， tā zhè yàng zuò ， zì rán yǒu zì jǐ de lǐ yóu 。
林轩倒不是有意卖弄，他这样做，自然有自己的理由。
Lin Xuan wasn't showing off intentionally; he had his reasons for doing so. Tiao Xiaojian might seem friendly on the surface, but Lin Xuan always felt that there were some ambiguities. Whether they were friends or enemies was still uncertain.
zhè tián xiǎo jiàn duì zì jǐ biǎo miàn suī rán bù cuò ， dàn lín xuān zǒng jué de yǒu xiē mó léng liǎng kě ， shì dí shì yǒu hái hěn nán shuō 。
这田小剑对自己表面虽然不错，但林轩总觉得有些模棱两可，是敌是友还很难说。
From his perspective, Lin Xuan naturally did not want to offend this descendant of the Demon Sovereign, but sometimes, one's wishes couldn't change reality.
cóng běn yì shàng lái shuō ， lín xuān zì rán bù yuàn yì yǔ zhè wèi mó zūn de chuán rén jiāo wù ， dàn yǒu yī xiē shì qíng ， bìng bú shì yì xiāng qíng yuàn jiù néng yǒu suǒ gǎi biàn de 。
从本意上来说，林轩自然不愿意与这位魔尊的传人交恶，但有一些事情，并不是一厢情愿就能有所改变的。
Thus, showing a bit of power was also a form of intimidation and deterrence. If Tiao Xiaojian wanted to harm him, he would need to think twice first.
suǒ yǐ ， shì dàng de xiǎn shì xiǎn shì shí lì ， yě suàn shì duì tā de wēi shè yǔ qiāo dǎ ， zhè yàng duì fāng jiù suàn xiǎng yào dòng zì jǐ ， yě yào xiān diān liáng yī xià 。
所以，适当的显示显示实力，也算是对他的威慑与敲打，这样对方就算想要动自己，也要先掂量一下。
While Lin Xuan preferred a low-key approach in his dealings, there were times when he needed to display his strength.
dī diào suī rán shì lín xuān de chǔ shì yuán zé ， dàn yǒu de shí hòu ， yě yào shì dàng de fēng máng bì lù yī xià 。
低调虽然是林轩的处世原则，但有的时候，也要适当的锋芒毕露一下。
"Big Brother, you have some good skills. How about we attack together now?" Tiao Xiaojian's cheerful laughter echoed.
“ dà gē hǎo shǒu duàn ， xiàn zài ràng wǒ men yì qǐ gōng jī rú hé ？” tián xiǎo jiàn shuǎng lǎng de xiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“大哥好手段，现在让我们一起攻击如何？”田小剑爽朗的笑声传入耳朵。
"Agreed." Lin Xuan nodded.
“ hǎo de 。” lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu 。
“好的。”林轩点了点头。
After receiving an affirmative response, Tiao Xiaojian turned serious and focused on the spring again. A fierce look flashed in his eyes as he waved his right hand. The black giant sword hummed loudly and slashed down with great force. The scene was spectacular, but the spring, being a精华 of a Spirit Vein, was highly responsive. Suddenly, a layer of visible qi rose.
dé dào kěn dìng de huí dá zhī hòu ， tián xiǎo jiàn zhè cái biǎo qíng níng zhòng de chóng xīn wàng xiàng nà quán yǎn ， yǎn zhōng lì máng yī shǎn ér guò ， yòu shǒu huī chū ， nà hēi sè de jù jiàn wēng míng shēng dà zuò ， hěn hěn de pī cì xià lái 。 shēng shì jīng rén wú bǐ ， rán ér nà quán yǎn bù kuì shì líng mài de jīng huá suǒ jù ， tōng líng yǐ jí ， měng rán jiān guāng máng dà fàng ， yī céng ròu yǎn kě jiàn de líng qì téng shēng ér qǐ 。
得到肯定的回答之后，田小剑这才表情凝重的重新望向那泉眼，眼中厉芒一闪而过，右手挥出，那黑色的巨剑嗡鸣声大作，狠狠的劈刺下来。声势惊人无比，然而那泉眼不愧是灵脉的精华所聚，通灵以极，猛然间光芒大放，一层肉眼可见的灵气腾升而起。
The qi coalesced into a colorful tiger-like creature.
nà líng qì yì chū quán yǎn yǐ hòu 。 jù zài yì qǐ 。 yī shōu yī fàng 。 jìng rán huà wèi le yī tóu sè cǎi bān lán dì jù hǔ mú yàng 。
那灵气逸出泉眼以后。聚在一起。一收一放。竟然化为了一头色彩斑斓地巨虎模样。
Qi Transformation?
líng qì huà xíng ？
灵气化形？
Both Lin Xuan and Tiao Xiaojian were startled. However, with the situation developing as it did, they could no longer afford any hesitation or retreat.
lín xuān hé tián xiǎo jiàn jiē sù rán ér jīng 。 dàn shì qíng fā zhǎn dào cǐ shí 。 yǐ jīng róng bù dé liǎng rén zài yǒu chí yí tuì suō zhī yì 。
林轩和田小剑皆肃然而惊。但事情发展到此时。已经容不得两人再有迟疑退缩之意。
Sizzle…
cī lā ……
刺啦……
A sound so sharp that it made teeth ache, the black giant sword slashed through the tiger-like creature. Despite its imposing size, this was not a monster but a formation of qi. The sword's light struck the tiger, which didn't disappear; instead, it transformed into an eerie green glow, entangling with the black sword and gaining the upper hand.
lìng rén yá suān dì shēng xiǎng 。 hēi sè dì jù jiàn yǐ jīng zhǎn zài le jù hǔ shēn shàng 。 rán ér yǎn qián dì páng rán dà wù 。 bìng fēi yāo shòu 。 ér shì yóu líng qì biàn huà ér chéng dì 。 jiàn máng jí tǐ 。 jù hǔ bìng méi yǒu suí zhī mǐn miè 。 fǎn ér kuáng fēng zhī hòu 。 huà wèi le yī dào guǐ yì dì qīng máng 。 yǔ hēi sè jù jiàn hù xiāng chán dòu 。 bìng yǐn yǐn zhàn jù le shàng fēng 。
令人牙酸地声响。黑色地巨剑已经斩在了巨虎身上。然而眼前地庞然大物。并非妖兽。而是由灵气变化而成地。剑芒及体。巨虎并没有随之泯灭。反而狂风之后。化为了一道诡异地青芒。与黑色巨剑互相缠斗。并隐隐占据了上风。
Tiao Xiaojian's expression grew more serious as he turned to call out: "Big Brother."
tián xiǎo jiàn dì biǎo qíng yuè jiā níng zhòng 。 zhuǎn tóu dī hū ：“ dà gē 。”
田小剑地表情越加凝重。转头低呼：“大哥。”
"Alright."
“ ń 。”
“嗯。”
Lin Xuan did not hesitate. He pointed his finger at the circling dragon-like creature, which paused slightly before rushing towards the spring.
lín xuān yě bù chí yí ， shēn chū shǒu chōng zhe tóu dǐng pán xuán dì è jiāo yì diǎn zhǐ ， nà è jiāo wēi wēi yī dùn ， rán hòu yě xiàng zhe quán yǎn pū le guò qù 。
林轩也不迟疑，伸出手冲着头顶盘旋地恶蛟一点指，那恶蛟微微一顿，然后也向着泉眼扑了过去。
In an instant, black light, green glow, and red flames clashed in mid-air, creating a deadlock.
shà shí jiān ， hēi guāng 。 qīng máng ， hái yǒu nà hóng sè de huǒ guāng zài kōng zhōng hù xiāng jiǎo shā ， jìng yǒu xiē xiāng chí bù xià 。
霎时间，黑光。青芒，还有那红色的火光在空中互相剿杀，竟有些相持不下。
This was not sustainable.
zhè yàng xià qù bú shì bàn fǎ 。
这样下去不是办法。
Although the Precious Medicine Valley was remote, prolonging this fight could easily attract the attention of the Tianmu Sect's cultivators.
qí yào gǔ suī rán piān jū yī ǒu 。 dàn tuō dé jiǔ le ， yě hěn róng yì jīng dòng tiān mù pài de xiū shì 。
奇药谷虽然偏居一偶。但拖得久了，也很容易惊动天目派的修士。
Tiao Xiaojian's expression darkened. He hadn't expected the spring to be so difficult to deal with. A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes but quickly gave way to surprise.
tián xiǎo jiàn de biǎo qíng yīn chén le xià qù ， tā yě méi yǒu xiǎng dào zhè quán yǎn bǐ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào nán yǐ duì fù ， yǎn dǐ shēn chù ， shǎn guò yī sī chóu chú ， dàn hěn kuài jiù bèi jīng yà zhī sè qǔ dài le 。
田小剑的表情阴沉了下去，他也没有想到这泉眼比想象的还要难以对付，眼底深处，闪过一丝踌躇，但很快就被惊讶之色取代了。
He patted the storage bag on his waist, and a black skull flew out. The shape was extremely strange; not only did it have sharp horns on its forehead, but its empty eye sockets also glowed with an eerie red light.
shēn shǒu zài yāo jiān de chǔ wù dài yī pāi ， yī hēi sè dì kū lóu tóu fēi le chū lái ， nà kū lóu de xíng zhuàng guǐ yì yǐ jí ， bù jǐn é tóu shēng yǒu jiān jiǎo 。 ér qiě liǎng gè kōng dòng de yǎn kuàng zhōng hái shǎn shuò zhe yāo yì de hóng guāng 。
伸手在腰间的储物袋一拍，一黑色地骷髅头飞了出来，那骷髅的形状诡异以极，不仅额头生有尖角。而且两个空洞的眼眶中还闪烁着妖异的红光。
Tiao Xiaojian crossed his arms and interlocked his thumb and index finger to cast a spell.
tián xiǎo jiàn shuāng shǒu huán bào ， shí zhǐ yǔ mǔ zhǐ xiāng kòu ， yī dào fǎ jué jī shè ér chū 。
田小剑双手环抱，食指与拇指相扣，一道法诀激射而出。
The black skull absorbed the energy and began spinning rapidly. It opened its mouth, emitting a thick black beam that instantly enveloped several square meters of space.
nà hēi sè de kū lóu xī shōu yǐ hòu ， dùn shí dī liū liū de xuán zhuǎn le qǐ lái ， zhāng kāi zuǐ ， yī dào hēi sè de jīng máng huà wèi nóng wù ， yī xià zi jiāng fāng yuán shù zhàng de dì fāng lǒng zhào 。
那黑色的骷髅吸收以后，顿时滴溜溜的旋转了起来，张开嘴，一道黑色的精芒化为浓雾，一下子将方圆数丈的地方笼罩。
"What is this..."
“ zhè shì ……”
“这是……”
Lin Xuan was alarmed. Although he had never seen such a strange magic artifact before, he felt an uneasy sensation.
lín xuān xīn zhōng yī jīng ， suī rán shì dì yī cì jiàn shí zhè shén tōng gǔ guài de mó bǎo ， dàn què yǐn yǐn dì gǎn dào le bù ān 。
林轩心中一惊，虽然是第一次见识这神通古怪的魔宝，但却隐隐地感到了不安。
With his divine sense activated, the dragon-like creature transformed by the Wu Gou sword immediately withdrew from combat. At almost the same time, the thick fog covered the area.
shén shí wēi dòng 。 nà wú gōu suǒ huà de è jiāo lì kè tuì chū le zhàn tuán ， jī hū tóng yī shí jiān ， nà nóng wù pū tiān gài dì de lǒng zhào le xià lái 。
神识微动。那吴钩所化的恶蛟立刻退出了战团，几乎同一时间，那浓雾铺天盖地的笼罩了下来。
The tiger seemed to recognize its danger and tried to escape, but the eerie fog moved even faster, enveloping it in a blink.
jù hǔ sì hū shí dé lì hài ， xiǎng yào táo pǎo ， shuí zhī dào nà guǐ yì wù qì dì sù dù gèng kuài ， yī xià zi biàn jiāng zhào le qǐ lái 。
巨虎似乎识得厉害，想要逃跑，谁知道那诡异雾气地速度更快，一下子变将罩了起来。
Roars echoed continuously, but soon they grew weaker. A hint of satisfaction flashed across Tiao Xiaojian's eyes as he reached out to summon the ghostly mist back into his storage bag. After a sudden contraction, it transformed into a round ball about the size of a dragon’s eye.
páo xiāo zhī shēng bù jué yú ěr ， dàn mò guò duō jiǔ ， jiù yuè lái yuè ruò ， tián xiǎo jiàn de yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī dé sè 。 shēn shǒu yī zhāo 。 nà guǐ wù jiù fēi le huí lái ， měng rán yī shōu zhī hòu 。 jìng rán biàn chéng le yī kē lóng yǎn dà xiǎo de yuán qiú 。
咆哮之声不绝于耳，但没过多久，就越来越弱，田小剑的眼中闪过一丝得色。伸手一招。那鬼雾就飞了回来，猛然一收之后。竟然变成了一颗龙眼大小的圆球。
Tiao Xiaojian was overjoyed and stored it away.
tián xiǎo jiàn xīn xǐ wàn fēn de jiāng qí shōu rù le chǔ wù dài zhōng 。
田小剑欣喜万分的将其收入了储物袋中。
With the tiger's disappearance, the spring's spirit weakened significantly. Tiao Xiaojian sneered as he slashed down again with the black giant sword.
ér jù hǔ mǐn miè yǐ hòu ， nà quán yǎn de líng xìng dùn shí jiǎn ruò le bù shǎo ， tián xiǎo jiàn zuǐ jiǎo biān guà zhe lěng xiào ， hēi sè de jù jiàn zài cì pī cì le xià lái 。
而巨虎泯灭以后，那泉眼的灵性顿时减弱了不少，田小剑嘴角边挂着冷笑，黑色的巨剑再次劈刺了下来。
Boom!
hōng ！
轰！
A loud explosion shook the ground violently, sending out shocking qi in all directions. A layer of colorful light suddenly burst forth.
yī shēng jù xiǎng ， zhěng gè dà dì ， dōu jù liè de chàn dǒu le qǐ lái 。
一声巨响，整个大地，都剧烈的颤抖了起来。
Soon after, the light dissipated, and the spring transformed into qi vanished.
jīng rén de líng qì sì chù fēi sàn ， yī céng qī cǎi de xiá guāng měng rán zhàn fàng le kāi lái 。
惊人的灵气四处飞散，一层七彩的霞光猛然绽放了开来。
"Phew!"
hěn kuài ， xiá guāng xiāo sàn ， nà líng qì suǒ huàn huà ér chéng dì quán yǎn yě xiāo shī bú jiàn 。
很快，霞光消散，那灵气所幻化而成地泉眼也消失不见。
Tiao Xiaojian let out a sigh of relief but his expression was far from relaxed. Lin Xuan's face mirrored his own; neither had expected the destruction to be so loud.
“ hū ！”
“呼！”
Originally, they hoped for a stealthy operation without drawing attention, but now it seemed that their efforts were in vain.
tián xiǎo jiàn sōng le kǒu qì ， dàn biǎo qíng què jué bù qīng sōng ， lín xuān de shén sè yě chà bu duō ， liǎng rén dōu méi yǒu xiǎng dào pò huài quán yǎn de dòng jìng jū rán dà dào le zhè ge chéng dù 。
田小剑松了口气，但表情却绝不轻松，林轩的神色也差不多，两人都没有想到破坏泉眼的动静居然大到了这个程度。
Meanwhile, on the main peak of Tianmu Mountain, in some hidden cave, Kumu Zhenren was meditating. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and his gaze shone with intense light. His aged face was filled with shock and anger, tinged with a hint of confusion and fear.
yuán běn hái xiǎng shén bù zhī ， guǐ bù jué ， xiàn zài kàn lái ， xiǎng yào bù jīng dòng bié rén chún shǔ chī xīn wàng xiǎng le 。
原本还想神不知，鬼不觉，现在看来，想要不惊动别人纯属痴心妄想了。
With a wave of his sleeves, heavy stone doors creaked open. Kumu Zhenren's expression remained stern as he stepped out quickly.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， tiān mù shān zhǔ fēng ， mǒu yǐn bì de dòng fǔ ， kū mù zhēn rén zhèng zài zhè lǐ dǎ zuò ， tū rán ， tā zhēng kāi le yǎn jīng ， shuāng móu zhōng jīng guāng sì shè ， cāng lǎo de róng yán shàng mǎn shì jīng nù ， yǐn yǐn hái yǒu yī sī máng rán yǔ kǒng jù de biǎo qíng 。
与此同时，天目山主峰，某隐蔽的洞府，枯木真人正在这里打坐，突然，他睁开了眼睛，双眸中精光四射，苍老的容颜上满是惊怒，隐隐还有一丝茫然与恐惧的表情。
It was late at night; the moon was bright, and stars were few. The originally clear sky suddenly filled with countless pale green gases. These gases formed clusters, some measuring several meters in diameter while others spanned dozens of meters.
xiù páo yī fú ， hōng lōng lóng shēng xiǎng zhōng ， hòu zhòng de shí mén dǎ kāi ， kū mù zhēn rén miàn chén shì shuǐ ， jí bù zǒu le chū lái 。
袖袍一拂，轰隆隆声响中，厚重的石门打开，枯木真人面沉似水，疾步走了出来。
Kumu Zhenren looked up at the sky, his face contorted with extreme distress, even showing a hint of despair.
cǐ shí yǐ shì shēn yè ， yuè lǎng xīng xī ， yuán běn qíng lǎng píng jìng de yè kōng lǐ ， tū rán mò míng qí miào de duō chū liǎo wú shù dàn qīng sè dì qì tǐ
此时已是深夜，月朗星稀，原本晴朗平静的夜空里，突然莫名其妙的多出了无数淡青色地气体
His lips moved slightly, and a faint voice could be heard: "Could it really be that heaven has forsaken our Tianmu Sect?"
nà xiē qì tǐ yī tuán yī tuán de ， xiǎo de tǐ jī zhàng xǔ ， dà de zé yǒu shù shí zhàng fāng yuán ， kū mù zhēn rén tái tóu wàng tiān ， liǎn sè nán kàn dào le jí diǎn ， shèn zhì yǒu yī sī jué wàng zhī sè 。
那些气体一团一团的，小的体积丈许，大的则有数十丈方圆，枯木真人抬头望天，脸色难看到了极点，甚至有一丝绝望之色。
However, as the headmaster, he quickly regained composure. Various colored streaks of light appeared on the horizon.
tā de zuǐ chún wēi dòng ， yǐn yǐn yǒu xì ruò wén nà bān de shēng yīn chuán chū ：“ nán dào zhēn de shì tiān jué wǒ tiān mù pài me ？”
他的嘴唇微动，隐隐有细若蚊呐般的声音传出：“难道真的是天绝我天目派么？”
Initially far away, they soon approached him.
bù guò shēn wèi yī pài zhǎng mén ， tā hěn kuài hái shì zhèn dìng le xià lái ， shù dào yán sè gè yì de dùn guāng chū xiàn zài le tiān biān 。
不过身为一派掌门，他很快还是镇定了下来，数道颜色各异的遁光出现在了天边。
The light dispersed to reveal seven cultivators' faces, varying in height and build but all exuding an extraordinary aura; each was a Core Formation expert.
kāi shǐ shàng yuǎn ， mò guò duō jiǔ jiù lái dào le yǎn qián 。
开始尚远，没过多久就来到了眼前。
But their brows were furrowed with worry.
guāng huá sàn kāi ， xiàn chū le qī gè xiū xiān zhě de róng yán ， gāo ǎi pàng shòu bù yī ， dàn měi yí gè ， dōu qì yǔ fēi fán ， jū rán quán dōu shì níng dān qī dì gāo shǒu 。
光华散开，现出了七个修仙者的容颜，高矮胖瘦不一，但每一个，都气宇非凡，居然全都是凝丹期地高手。
"Senior Brother," the youngest elder, who seemed no more than thirty years old, spoke: "What happened just now..."
kě tā men dì méi shāo yǎn jiǎo ， wú bù bù mǎn le yōu sè 。
可他们地眉梢眼角，无不布满了忧色。
Before he could finish, a powerful-looking man interrupted him: "Ning Junior Brother, it's time to get serious." He glared at Ning Tianyu before turning back. "Senior Brother, is it possible that the Precious Medicine Valley has been attacked?"
“ zhǎng mén shī xiōng 。” qí zhōng nà kàn qǐ lái jǐn yǒu sān shí chū tóu ， zuì nián qīng de zhǎng lǎo kāi kǒu le ：“ gāng cái nà shì ……”
“掌门师兄。”其中那看起来仅有三十出头，最年轻的长老开口了：“刚才那是……”
"Yes, this qi overflowed and spread in all directions. Could the spring have been destroyed?" Another elder said with a serious expression.
tā dì huà shàng wèi shuō wán ， jiù bèi yī xiàng mào wēi měng de dà hàn dǎ duàn ：“ níng shī dì ， dōu shén me shí hòu le ， hái zhè me pó pó mā mā 。” cǐ rén xiān dèng le níng tiān yǔ yī xià ， rán hòu zhuǎn guò tóu ：“ shī xiōng ， shì bú shì běn mén zhòng dì qí yào gǔ chū shì le ？”
他地话尚未说完，就被一相貌威猛的大汉打断：“宁师弟，都什么时候了，还这么婆婆妈妈。”此人先瞪了宁天宇一下，然后转过头：“师兄，是不是本门重地奇药谷出事了？”
"But Master Liu was stationed there with heavy defenses; while they might not match those of the Cloud Sea Split Light Formation, ordinary Core Formation experts should be contained. Even if they couldn't hold off an opponent, wouldn't they send out a warning signal? So, could it be that an old monster of the婴 stage attacked..." A man with a yellow face analyzed, his expression difficult to read.
Lin Xuan did not show any signs of surprise as he patted his storage bag. The fiery Wu Gou sword flew up, and Lin Xuan raised his right hand随意 tapped it twice. Instantly, the Wu Gou sword transformed into a fierce dragon-like creature, its body engulfed in flames.
"Transformation Technique?"
Tiao Xiaojian was startled but quickly shook his head. Although both techniques were similar, there were significant differences in their finer details. Nevertheless, this was enough to rival a Core Formation cultivator's Dao technique and left him greatly impressed.
Lin Xuan wasn't showing off intentionally; he had his reasons for doing so. Tiao Xiaojian might seem friendly on the surface, but Lin Xuan always felt that there were some ambiguities. Whether they were friends or enemies was still uncertain.
From his perspective, Lin Xuan naturally did not want to offend this descendant of the Demon Sovereign, but sometimes, one's wishes couldn't change reality.
Thus, showing a bit of power was also a form of intimidation and deterrence. If Tiao Xiaojian wanted to harm him, he would need to think twice first.
While Lin Xuan preferred a low-key approach in his dealings, there were times when he needed to display his strength.
"Big Brother, you have some good skills. How about we attack together now?" Tiao Xiaojian's cheerful laughter echoed.
"Agreed." Lin Xuan nodded.
After receiving an affirmative response, Tiao Xiaojian turned serious and focused on the spring again. A fierce look flashed in his eyes as he waved his right hand. The black giant sword hummed loudly and slashed down with great force. The scene was spectacular, but the spring, being a精华 of a Spirit Vein, was highly responsive. Suddenly, a layer of visible qi rose.
The qi coalesced into a colorful tiger-like creature.
Qi Transformation?
Both Lin Xuan and Tiao Xiaojian were startled. However, with the situation developing as it did, they could no longer afford any hesitation or retreat.
Sizzle…
A sound so sharp that it made teeth ache, the black giant sword slashed through the tiger-like creature. Despite its imposing size, this was not a monster but a formation of qi. The sword's light struck the tiger, which didn't disappear; instead, it transformed into an eerie green glow, entangling with the black sword and gaining the upper hand.
Tiao Xiaojian's expression grew more serious as he turned to call out: "Big Brother."
"Alright."
Lin Xuan did not hesitate. He pointed his finger at the circling dragon-like creature, which paused slightly before rushing towards the spring.
In an instant, black light, green glow, and red flames clashed in mid-air, creating a deadlock.
This was not sustainable.
Although the Precious Medicine Valley was remote, prolonging this fight could easily attract the attention of the Tianmu Sect's cultivators.
Tiao Xiaojian's expression darkened. He hadn't expected the spring to be so difficult to deal with. A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes but quickly gave way to surprise.
He patted the storage bag on his waist, and a black skull flew out. The shape was extremely strange; not only did it have sharp horns on its forehead, but its empty eye sockets also glowed with an eerie red light.
Tiao Xiaojian crossed his arms and interlocked his thumb and index finger to cast a spell.
The black skull absorbed the energy and began spinning rapidly. It opened its mouth, emitting a thick black beam that instantly enveloped several square meters of space.
"What is this..."
Lin Xuan was alarmed. Although he had never seen such a strange magic artifact before, he felt an uneasy sensation.
With his divine sense activated, the dragon-like creature transformed by the Wu Gou sword immediately withdrew from combat. At almost the same time, the thick fog covered the area.
The tiger seemed to recognize its danger and tried to escape, but the eerie fog moved even faster, enveloping it in a blink.
Roars echoed continuously, but soon they grew weaker. A hint of satisfaction flashed across Tiao Xiaojian's eyes as he reached out to summon the ghostly mist back into his storage bag. After a sudden contraction, it transformed into a round ball about the size of a dragon’s eye.
Tiao Xiaojian was overjoyed and stored it away.
With the tiger's disappearance, the spring's spirit weakened significantly. Tiao Xiaojian sneered as he slashed down again with the black giant sword.
Boom!
A loud explosion shook the ground violently, sending out shocking qi in all directions. A layer of colorful light suddenly burst forth.
Soon after, the light dissipated, and the spring transformed into qi vanished.
"Phew!"
Tiao Xiaojian let out a sigh of relief but his expression was far from relaxed. Lin Xuan's face mirrored his own; neither had expected the destruction to be so loud.
Originally, they hoped for a stealthy operation without drawing attention, but now it seemed that their efforts were in vain.
Meanwhile, on the main peak of Tianmu Mountain, in some hidden cave, Kumu Zhenren was meditating. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and his gaze shone with intense light. His aged face was filled with shock and anger, tinged with a hint of confusion and fear.
With a wave of his sleeves, heavy stone doors creaked open. Kumu Zhenren's expression remained stern as he stepped out quickly.
It was late at night; the moon was bright, and stars were few. The originally clear sky suddenly filled with countless pale green gases. These gases formed clusters, some measuring several meters in diameter while others spanned dozens of meters.
Kumu Zhenren looked up at the sky, his face contorted with extreme distress, even showing a hint of despair.
His lips moved slightly, and a faint voice could be heard: "Could it really be that heaven has forsaken our Tianmu Sect?"
However, as the headmaster, he quickly regained composure. Various colored streaks of light appeared on the horizon.
Initially far away, they soon approached him.
The light dispersed to reveal seven cultivators' faces, varying in height and build but all exuding an extraordinary aura; each was a Core Formation expert.
But their brows were furrowed with worry.
"Senior Brother," the youngest elder, who seemed no more than thirty years old, spoke: "What happened just now..."
Before he could finish, a powerful-looking man interrupted him: "Ning Junior Brother, it's time to get serious." He glared at Ning Tianyu before turning back. "Senior Brother, is it possible that the Precious Medicine Valley has been attacked?"
"Yes, this qi overflowed and spread in all directions. Could the spring have been destroyed?" Another elder said with a serious expression.
"But Master Liu was stationed there with heavy defenses; while they might not match those of the Cloud Sea Split Light Formation, ordinary Core Formation experts should be contained. Even if they couldn't hold off an opponent, wouldn't they send out a warning signal? So, could it be that an old monster of the婴 stage attacked..." A man with a yellow face analyzed, his expression difficult to read.