Chapter 301: Wanting to Take Advantage

He had used the Evil Spirit Technique, so his abilities were already magnified several times over.

Even after splitting off some of his power to chase those three Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, he shouldn’t be locked in a stalemate with someone in the Qi Refinement Realm.

’The female cultivator before me is clearly not in the Qi Refinement Realm. She’s also at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment! How can she hide her cultivation so well? Even now that we’re fighting, I can’t tell what Realm Song Jiulai is truly in!’

And then there was the longsword above his head.

Min Liyang’s pupils shrank. He’d never seen such a strange Sword technique.

Not only was it immensely destructive, but it was actually causing his cultivation to weaken slightly!

One of the skulls surrounding him was about to give out and dissipate.

Song Jiulai wished she could just blast him with a Palm Thunder.

But she was currently controlling the Moonlight Sword Technique. If she didn’t follow through with the strike and tried to forcibly recall it, she’d be wide open for a counterattack.

’This stalemate won’t solve anything.’

Song Jiulai still had her Divine Sense. She sent it out and discovered that the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators had already gotten far away.

’After sizing up our strengths... my current cultivation is already beyond that of a typical Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. I’ll bet it all.’

With that thought, she increased the flow of her Spiritual Energy, forcing the Moonlight Sword Technique downward.

The pressure suddenly intensified. Min Liyang gritted his teeth, but an even more pressing thought filled his mind: ’Which Sect is this Cultivator from?’

In that brief moment, the Moonlight Sword Technique weakened his cultivation even further.

One of the already precarious skulls let out a piercing wail and then—BOOM!—it exploded into a cloud of baleful energy.

"AAAAH—"

Min Liyang cried out in agony. Seizing the opportunity, Song Jiulai diverted some of her focus and struck him with a Palm Thunder.

The Palm Thunder made Min Liyang stagger, weakening his resistance. The longsword of light and shadow resumed its slow descent.

Realizing he couldn’t resist the sword, Min Liyang gritted his teeth and summoned a lamp-wick Magic Treasure, holding it above his head to block.

CRACK! He clearly heard his Magic Treasure splinter.

But as the sword descended, the lamp-wick Magic Treasure was half-shattered. Min Liyang’s eyes burned with fury.

’What kind of bizarre technique is this? It can actually damage my Magic Treasure!’

He retreated quickly, simultaneously pulling a Qi Replenishing Pill from his Jiezidai to restore his Spiritual Energy.

His eyes bloodshot, he glared at Song Jiulai. "You’re courting death!"

"...Can’t you come up with a new line?"

This time, Min Liyang had learned his lesson. Knowing Song Jiulai possessed a bizarre Cultivation Technique, he didn’t engage in close combat. Instead, he cast a Spell, launching the first attack against her.

Several bolts of flame, like sharp arrows, shot toward Song Jiulai at incredible speed.

Song Jiulai dodged, but as she did, her Divine Sense picked up on the three Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators sneaking back.

Song Jiulai had taken most of the heat for them, and now they wanted to use this opportunity to steal the Heavenly Sound Grass.

’That won’t do, will it?’

Song Jiulai executed the Lotus Birth Kill, instantly closing the distance to the group.

Extremely faint lotus imprints materialized in her wake.

The Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators had been terrified of Min Liyang’s demonic transformation.

After all, it took all three of them to handle a regular Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Now, faced with one who used the Evil Spirit Technique, they stood no chance.

The Evil Spirit Technique was a forbidden Evil Technique on the Yunzhou Continent, rumored to have been created by Demon Cultivators.

Once a member of the Human Clan cultivated it, they would transform into a monstrous creature, neither human nor ghost, and would devour other Cultivators to advance their own cultivation.

But at a High Level, their own sanity would be consumed as well, until they became nothing more than a madman, knowing only how to wreak havoc.

This Cultivation Technique was too brutal, so its existence was forbidden on the Yunzhou Continent.

Only those Cultivators desperate for quick success, or those who were deceived, would cultivate it, and in doing so, they would step onto a path of no return.

The laws of the Yunzhou Continent stipulated that any discovery of the Evil Spirit Technique must be reported.

At first, the Cultivators thought they wouldn’t be able to escape. They never expected another Cultivator to appear and block most of Min Liyang’s attacks for them.

The pressure on them was instantly relieved.

The three communicated amongst themselves and decided to take advantage of the fight to steal the Heavenly Sound Grass.

But Song Jiulai had already noticed. Min Liyang, who had been chasing them with his skulls, naturally knew their intentions as well.

The three Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators regrouped, preparing to work together to quickly steal the Heavenly Sound Grass and make a swift exit.

But Song Jiulai had seen through their intentions. She led Min Liyang and his attacks straight back toward the canyon.

"Courting death! Courting death! Courting death!"

Min Liyang sounded like a broken record, his voice growing more furious and his aura more bizarre with each repetition. Several fiery arrows shot toward Song Jiulai.

But Song Jiulai dodged them, and they struck the cliff face next to the Heavenly Sound Grass, instantly setting it ablaze.

The Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were forced to halt.

While leading Min Liyang in circles, Song Jiulai shouted to the trio, her voice carrying clearly, "Fellow Cultivators, I took the fall for you, and now you want to sneak off with the Heavenly Sound Grass? That’s not right, is it?"

The expressions of the three Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators soured.

They could see that Song Jiulai’s cultivation was only at the Qi Refinement Realm, but... how?

Her speed was no slower than Min Liyang’s, who was at Late-stage Foundation Establishment—that much was clear from how she was leading him in circles.

’That Cultivation Technique...’

"’It’s the Lotus Birth Kill...’"

The female cultivator among them recognized the Cultivation Technique Song Jiulai was using, and her expression turned complicated.

This Cultivation Technique is well-known, but it’s rare for a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator to be willing to spend on such a high-quality Speed Type Technique.

After all, these Cultivation Techniques are part of a complete system, and they get progressively more expensive.

Most people simply can’t afford them.

’This Cultivator... she’s not normal!’

Min Liyang had also noticed their intentions. Though his main focus was still on chasing Song Jiulai, he kept an eye on the trio. "Dream on if you think you’re getting my Heavenly Sound Grass!"

He roared, and a dozen fiery arrows materialized, shooting toward Song Jiulai and the other three.

The trio’s faces filled with alarm. "He’s almost completely lost his mind!" one of them shouted while frantically dodging.

Ever since his transformation, Min Liyang had gone completely berserk, and the stench of blood around him had intensified.

But they couldn’t bring themselves to just run away.

They were at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment; once they reached the Late Stage, the Golden Core Stage would be just a step away. This Third Rank Heavenly Sound Grass, imbued with Dragon Breath Spirit, was equivalent to a Fourth Rank item—a guaranteed ticket to the Golden Core Stage.

Who would be willing to give that up?!

Besides, this stalk of Heavenly Sound Grass had remained undiscovered for so long... it was supposed to be theirs!

The more they thought about it, the more frustrated they grew.

But the berserk Min Liyang gave them no time to think.

Whenever his Spiritual Energy ran low, he’d pop a pill. He continuously ignited flames around the canyon, loosing fiery arrows at a speed that was no slower than Song Jiulai’s own.

Song Jiulai could tell something was off with him, so she didn’t continue to fight him directly. Using the Lotus Birth Kill, she was just barely able to keep him occupied while she observed the situation.

There was one other person in the canyon, a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. The moment the fight broke out, she had found a place to hide.

She didn’t dare try to escape.

At her speed, she’d never be able to outrun a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.

No matter who won, they probably wouldn’t spare a mere Qi Refinement Realm cultivator like her.