159 Conquer Gu Yuena, the Seventh God
Ah Yin followed Zhu Zhuqing all the way back to Sword Sect. If he hadn't devoured dozens of high-tier spirit beasts inside the light orb and broken through the twelfth layer of his beast soul, he never could have covered such a distance.
Unfortunately, the moment they reached the gate, a violent boom shook the summit and countless stones burst out of the clouds.
It was already too late!
Zhu Zhuqing wanted to fly up on her sword; if Sword Sect was destroyed, her home was gone.
Ah Yin appeared and blocked her, his body several times its normal size. "Rushing up there in a blind rage will only get you killed for nothing."
Zhu Zhuqing pressed her sword to his neck and glared. "I haven't settled accounts with your master for his last-minute betrayal—what are you stirring up now?"
There was no stopping her; the woman was stubborn. The moment she soared upward, the clash of weapons rang out like thunder.
Less than a minute later Zhu Zhuqing plummeted from the sky, her spirit power nearly exhausted.
The pursuer behind her came into full view. Ah Yin recognized him at once—General Bai Xu, chief commander of Tianyun City.
By rights he should have been at the tournament; if he was here, their master had to be in danger.
Looked like escape was no longer an option.
Bai Xu's face was twisted with malice as he flexed the right hand he had just struck with. "You weren't part of the plan, but you hurt my brother—so now you pay."
Ah Yin darted forward to catch Zhu Zhuqing; even that simple motion forced him to unleash his beast soul power, for her dissipated spirit energy had multiplied her body's weight many times over.
Bai Xu's excuse was nothing but a smokescreen for his hypocrisy.
Ah Yin gently laid the wounded Zhu Zhuqing on the ground, resolved to risk everything—though he had to admit the gap in strength was huge.
He controlled every stone and splinter nearby with spirit energy and hurled them, yet Bai Xu avoided it all and, without seeming to move, struck him from behind.
What—four Heavenly Spirit Bodies! How could he be stronger than that city lord?
Ah Yin spat blood and collapsed, the World fading into black nothingness.
Words drifted to his ears.
"General, how do we deal with these two?"
"Throw them into Sky Prison. We'll be dealing with that demon lot soon enough—let them taste what's coming!"
…At least they'd kept their lives, but Sky Prison was no place anyone wanted to be… Chu Feng's group had already reached the outer marsh of Sky Prison.
"Getting here was a pain—why do every small fry and junior cultivator want us dead?" He was still complaining after swallowing them whole.
Sky Prison truly was a cage for ten thousand demons; within ten thousand li, thick malevolent qi drowned out spirit qi, and even Bibi Dong's human spirit body showed no reaction here.
Barren hills were covered in toxic weeds and venomous insects; sandstorms wiped out all normal life, and an oppressive weight bore down on the soul.
A single misstep could be fatal.
Bibi Dong, leading the way, stopped and looked around, then turned to Ah Yin. "You can refine pills, right? I'll give you a tool—the phoenix disk furnace."
It was just palm-sized, a miniature pill furnace. Its finest feature: three red phoenixes carved around the rim, beaks striving for a single orb, heads up and tails braided beneath the base.
Ah Yin looked puzzled. "What's this thing for?"
"Stuff some toxic weeds inside, focus your mind, and you can refine them—fight poison with poison. You'll keep us safe on the road ahead."
Bibi Dong explained seriously. In his hand the furnace was merely a craft piece; the moment Ah Yin held it, the red phoenixes blazed like living fire—utterly bizarre.
Chu Feng stared but couldn't figure it out; patience wasn't his strength, and he already regretted making that nine-thousand-year bet.
"A pill refined from something this evil is actually safe to swallow?" Chu Feng asked, doubtful.
"Don't forget—she's a goddess. Even without her divine sense, purifying a bit of poison is child's play."
Bibi Dong had complete confidence in Ah Yin, unlike those who dismissed ancient texts as mere tales.
"Then let me see it in action." Chu Feng couldn't wait.
Ah Yin herself could hardly believe it; her alchemy skills were formidable, but that felt like ages ago.
She was still wondering how to pick the toxic weed when the idea flashed through her mind.
The grass shot into the furnace on its own, and the carved phoenixes' eyes sparkled.
Bibi Dong smiled. "As expected of the Holy Maiden—impressive." Then he turned to Chu Feng.
He was going to make him the test subject!
"Hey, you can't be serious!" Chu Feng groaned, feeling jinxed.
Ah Yin tugged his ear. "Forgotten who saved you on Sword Sect's mountainside last time?"
True enough; last time a toxic pill had pulled him back from death's door.
Chu Feng snatched the furnace and tipped its contents straight into his mouth—utterly reckless.
The instant it hit his throat his breathing seized and every drop of blood in his body seemed to freeze.
Ah Yin cried out, "He's not dying, is he?"
"Relax," Bibi Dong said calmly.
A minute later Chu Feng's eyes fluttered rapidly, the shape of the toxic weed reflected in his pupils, and color began returning to his body.
Amazing—aside from the brief agony of swallowing, the pill actually coaxed his spirit energy into clearing his bloodways.
Even the divine sense he'd gained flickered faintly; of course, this was only ordinary toxic grass, good for unblocking meridians at most.
Ah Yin finally relaxed and began madly sweeping the hills for every toxic weed and insect; a longer refinement would yield even better results.
Bibi Dong had halted in the marsh not just to refine pills, but because this swamp was no ordinary obstacle.
A seal lay upon it; step in without breaking it and you'd be devoured, becoming food for the demons beneath.
Even with six opened spirit bodies he could wipe out the underground fiends, but it would waste too much time.
Chu Feng shrugged and set his left foot on the marsh path. "I crossed Ten Thousand Monster Forest—this lousy place can't be worse."
"Careful!" Ah Yin shouted.
The marsh was already collapsing inward. Bibi Dong shook his head—this kid was a walking disaster.
The seal had activated; there was no stopping it now, only forcing their way through.
Then Bibi Dong spotted a group of Man in Black in the distance, lifting two people at the marsh edge as if to toss them straight in.
Ah Yin's eyes sharpened—the two being held were Zhu Zhuqing and Ah Yin.
On my Patreon, I have several advance chapters available if you're interested in more than 100: For $1, you get 20 fewer chapters than the $2.50 tier. For $2.50, you get 40 fewer chapters than the $4 tier. And for $4, you get them all.
The number of chapters is updated every 7 days and increases by 7 to 8 chapters.
My Patren: paroncom/FanTranslator