Chapter 428: Pursuit (Please Subscribe)
Chapter 428: Pursuit (Please Subscribe)
With the strength of his External Avatar, while he couldn't exactly strut around outside Heavenly Guardian City, as long as he was careful and avoided provoking those shapeshifting demon cultivators, there truly wasn't much danger.
Most of the demon race's energy was, after all, drawn to Heavenly Guardian City.
Thus, Fang Xi was relatively at ease. He first concealed his presence and aura, then began searching for a target.
...
A moment later.
Fang Xi gripped a strange white bird with both hands and tore forcefully.
Rip!
This mid-grade third-tier demon beast was instantly ripped in half, and amidst the showering blood, a snow-white demon core dropped down.
"Still, I suppose I've gathered enough war merits now. . ."
Fang Xi casually tossed aside the recording stone, worried he might startle the cultivators tasked with registering war merits.
In any case, a few freshly extracted third-tier demon cores would be proof enough.
Just as he was preparing to return, his Divine Consciousness suddenly stirred, sensing a group of peculiar demon beasts dozens of miles away!
They were pythons as thick as water barrels, with scales of deep green!
What was surprising was that a single horn grew from the top of their heads, and they controlled wind and thunder, even forming a thundercloud, appearing exceptionally formidable.
"Oh? A Wind Thunder Horned Python? !"
Fang Xi was suddenly delighted, especially upon seeing that the leading Wind Thunder Horned Python had already grown two miniature claws on its belly.
Although the Wind Thunder Horned Python was a serpent-type demon beast, it had half-awakened the bloodline of a flood dragon, making it exceptionally fierce.
The one leading them had mostly transformed into a flood dragon, and its aura was also around mid-grade third-tier, truly quite rare.
"If I subdue this demon beast, then Horned Dragon can be discarded. . ."
Fang Xi thought with a hint of amusement.
That dead salted fish (referring to Horned Dragon) really did need some motivation; it couldn't remain immersed in the tender embrace of the Azure Water Winged Snake!
With that thought, he immediately transformed into a black streak of light and charged towards the thundercloud.
"Hiss! Hiss!"
Upon seeing a human Core Formation cultivator approach, the Wind Thunder Horned Pythons immediately grew enraged.
With their entire clan present, even a late-stage human Core Formation cultivator would retreat a considerable distance. How dared this mere human Core Formation cultivator come closer?
However, very quickly, the Wind Thunder Horned Pythons all opened their gaping maws simultaneously, and streaks of pale white lightning surged forth.
Crackle!
Before Fang Xi, countless pale white lightning bolts formed an inescapable net, like a purgatory of thunder.
He chuckled, tearing with both hands.
The Yama Emperor Dharma Idol manifested, six arms extended, each gleaming with black light, like an ancient giant, seizing the thunder purgatory and tearing it apart. . .
The Wind Thunder Horned Pythons, which had been flexing their might moments ago, were instantly dumbfounded by this sight.
Demon beasts capable of reaching the third tier had already gained a certain degree of intelligence. It immediately let out a hiss, signaling its kin to scatter and flee for their lives.
As for itself, it spat out a blue-white demon core.
This demon core violently flickered with an electric arc and a greenish hurricane, enveloping its entire body, and then it transformed into a streak of wind and thunder, making its escape.
"A Wind Thunder Escape Technique? !"
Fang Xi's eyes lit up: "If it were any other Nascent Soul cultivator, you might well have slipped away by accident. . ."
He formed hand seals, and the Yama Demon Domain rapidly expanded, engulfing a large number of Wind Thunder Horned Pythons within it.
However, the leading Wind Thunder Horned Python's escape speed was astonishing; it barely managed to evade the expanding domain's limits.
The more it evaded, the more Fang Xi's interest was piqued: "Wind Escape combined with Thunder Escape, truly an incredible speed. . . What a pity my 'Blurring Pearl' isn't with me, otherwise where would you have the space to run?"
He quickly moved his lips a few times, chanting a demonic art spell.
Then, his entire being transformed into a streak of blood-red light, his escape speed surging by thirty percent, trailing behind the Wind Thunder Horned Python.
...
"This time, with us acting together, we'll surely gather enough war merits very quickly."
"Last time, that Earth Demonic Bear, we truly owe Brother You for his efforts."
Two Core Formation cultivators stood beside You Tianhao, holding some array-setting tools in their hands, their mouths ceaselessly offering compliments.
"Heh heh. . . It's not me boasting, but with the combined strength of us three, plus this 'Heavenly Gate Golden Lock Array', even if we encounter a peak third-tier demon beast, we can put up a fight. . ."
A hint of smugness appeared on You Tianhao's face.
Just then, his expression shifted slightly, and he barked: "There's demon aura! Prepare the array!"
The three of them each gripped an array flag, and not far in the sky, the sounds of wind and thunder abruptly began.
With a rumble of thunder!
A Wind Thunder Horned Python appeared, and then, as if in a panic, it fled straight towards them.
"This. . . we haven't even set up a demon lure, and a demon king has already walked right into our trap?"
The female Core Formation cultivator's face was filled with pleasant surprise.
"This Wind Thunder Horned Python, I seem to recall a fellow Daoist mentioning it before. It usually commands an entire clan, and even a perfected Core Formation cultivator would retreat far away upon encountering it. Why is it alone this time, and seemingly injured?"
The remaining Core Formation cultivator, however, looked astonished: "Could it be a new king seizing power within the demon race, or perhaps it encountered successive ambushes from cultivators, or perhaps. . ."
"Hahaha, rise!"
A smile appeared on You Tianhao's face, and he furiously waved a golden array flag in his hand.
Poof!
A cluster of golden light, stretching for over a dozen miles, appeared and blocked the Wind Thunder Horned Python.
Seeing this, the remaining Core Formation cultivators could only activate their array flags in cooperation.
In an instant, a grand golden array shot up into the sky, and golden gates sealed off all directions, trapping the Wind Thunder Horned Python firmly within the array.
"Daoist You. . . this demon beast seems to be another Daoist's prey. . . we. . ."
The male Core Formation cultivator couldn't help but say.
"This demon beast's inner core is crucial for my life-bound spirit beast's advancement. . . " You Tianhao snorted coldly: "Let's capture this demon beast first, and if cultivators come chasing afterwards, we can argue then. . ."
What he had in mind, naturally, was to play it by ear and adjust his strategy based on who appeared.
If it were those Core Formation cultivators or Nascent Soul old monsters whom he couldn't afford to offend, he would simply offer it up with both hands.
In other situations, he could simply pocket it, as they were the ones who ultimately dealt with the demon beast.
Even if the dispute went up to higher authorities, they would still have some justification.
What's more. . . his life-bound spirit beast was at a crucial moment of transforming into a flood dragon. If he could obtain this Wind Thunder Horned Python's inner core and essence blood. . . then his success would be assured!
"Worst case scenario. . . my backer is nearby!"
"Golden Lock Fall!"
As the three Core Formation cultivators continuously poured in their magic power, within the Heavenly Gate Golden Lock Great Array, golden light blades appeared, then fell frantically.
The Wind Thunder Horned Python let out a mournful cry, its inverse scale actually struck, blood splattering.
Then, it was smashed by a golden lock descending from the sky, crushing half its head.
"How was it so easy?"
Even You Tianhao was startled: "Didn't they say Wind Thunder Horned Pythons are the most troublesome? This mid-grade third-tier beast can even contend with a typical late-stage Core Formation cultivator, right?"
"It turns out this python was already heavily injured and had even used a secret art that depletes vitality to escape. . ."
The female Core Formation cultivator carefully examined it and delivered her conclusion.
"Damn it. . . in that case, the effectiveness of this python's inner core will be reduced by quite a bit."
Just as You Tianhao was vexed, a black light flashed across the horizon, and a cultivator whose aura was merely at the Core Formation stage flew into view.
Fang Xi's Divine Consciousness had already detected this scene, and his expression turned as calm as water: "This beast. . . I was the one who found it first."
In reality, it would have been easy for him to kill this beast, but in order to capture this Wind Thunder Horned Python alive, he had patiently engaged it, injuring it and causing its escape speed to continuously decline.
He hadn't expected someone else to snatch the easy pickings.
"So it's you!"
You Tianhao sneered. He was intimately familiar with all the Nascent Soul cultivators in the Eastern Eight Domains, whether from sects or rogue cultivators, and even knew the Core Formation cultivators one couldn't provoke like the back of his hand.
This person was clearly none of them.
Moreover, there was a Nascent Soul cultivator stationed at the Teleportation Hall; if this person had concealed their cultivation, it would have been exposed long ago. . .
"Just a mere rogue Core Formation cultivator. . ."
You Tianhao revealed a faint smile, as if victory was already in his grasp: "Daoist, your words are quite unreasonable. This Wind Thunder Horned Python was clearly lured and killed by our arduous efforts in setting up the great array. . ."
But before he could finish speaking, Fang Xi scoffed, and terrifying magic power erupted.
A blood-red lightning bolt descended, transforming into a spear in his hand, which he lightly tossed!
Rip!
The tip of the blood-red spear landed on one of the golden gates, unleashing countless blood-red lightning bolts.
With just one strike, the Heavenly Gate Golden Lock Array shattered!
"A Nascent Soul old monster! ?"
You Tianhao shrieked, immediately crushing a certain fourth-tier escape talisman, transforming into a streak of blood-red light, and vanishing instantly.
The male and female Core Formation cultivators' faces turned ashen, but seeing Fang Xi's demonic and chilling demeanor, they truly dared not gamble on this senior's good intentions. They likewise transformed into two streaks of light, shooting off to the left and right.
"Hmph!"
Fang Xi snorted coldly, and a blood-red spear appeared in his hand. He casually tossed it.
The spear roared, instantly covering several miles, catching up to the male Core Formation cultivator who was fleeing as a streak of light.
In his panic, this man spat out his life-bound magical artifact, a small green bell that transformed into a hazy green light, enveloping him completely.
But with a flash of blood-red lightning, the man's life-bound magical artifact shattered into pieces.
The blood-red spear's momentum didn't diminish; it plunged into the man's body, causing him to explode into a mist of blood in mid-air.
Meanwhile, the female Core Formation cultivator on the other side was rejoicing at her escape, yet she did not see a scarlet arc of light slash through the void.
The woman's face still held an expression of surviving a calamity, as her body was severed into two. . .
...
"Damn it, how did I provoke an unfamiliar Nascent Soul old monster!"
You Tianhao fled a hundred miles in one breath, his face incredibly pale. He could feel a powerful Divine Consciousness that had already locked onto him firmly.
"Fortunately, I have a 'Hundred Mile Flight Escape Talisman'. . . but it's far from enough."
He glanced around, and his face suddenly lit up with joy: "Luckily, my martial uncle is nearby. . ."
A yellowish-brown communication bead appeared in You Tianhao's hand, and he quickly spoke a few words into it.
"You can't escape."
Just then, an icy voice directly sounded in his ear.
You Tianhao immediately resembled a startled bird; he disregarded recovering his magic power and once again fled for his life.
Fang Xi's flight left no trace, his black and red escape light fiercely malevolent, like a startling rainbow. After flying several hundred miles, he spotted You Tianhao's escape light and immediately sneered, about to send this person on their way.
But at this moment, a Divine Consciousness transmission sounded in his ear: "Daoist, please show mercy. . ."
"Oh? It's actually him?"
Fang Xi's gaze flickered, but he did not immediately take action.
Not long after, his escape light stopped, and he saw You Tianhao standing beside a black-robed Nascent Soul cultivator, continuously explaining something. . .
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