Chapter 212: Mutation

Ah Ming was pinned down by Wu Lan, Liang Yifan, and Yu Weifeng—three of the most powerful True Masters of the Martial Dao in Jingzhou City.

Mo Tang was surrounded by six True Masters of the Martial Dao, including Luo Kun and Jiang Hong.

The situation was dire!

In an unnoticed corner of the woods, a half-burnt, nearly transparent candle suddenly materialized.

WHOOSH! The wick ignited.

The eerie blue flame flickered gently, giving off a cold and sinister aura, like a Ghost Fire in a desolate graveyard.

Lu Bai hadn’t left.

In fact, he never planned to leave at all.

Slaying Wu Ziyan and destroying the Fujiao Gang—it was all for this very moment.

To wipe out Wu Lan, Yu Weifeng, Liang Yifan, and all the rest in one fell swoop!

’Killing one is murder, and so is killing many.’

’Either I kill no one, or I’ll slaughter them until rivers of blood flow and the world itself is turned upside down!’

However, he couldn’t possibly fight so many True Masters of the Martial Dao on his own.

He had only managed to slay Fang Jingchen because his opponent had just stepped onto the Martial Dao. Even then, Lu Bai had to use every trick up his sleeve and suffer injuries to win the fight.

He killed Luo Hengjiang only because Ah Ming had taken the lead.

As for killing True Master Dan Ding, that was only possible because Ah Ming drew most of his fire. This gave Lu Bai a chance to get close and, using the Invisibility of his Mountain Demon Hat, land a surprise killing blow.

Lu Bai, after all, was only at the Innate Six Meridians realm. He lacked the strength to face a True Master of the Martial Dao head-on.

Furthermore, Wu Lan, Yu Weifeng, and Liang Yifan were all masters at the Late Stage of Martial Arts or even the Perfection level.

The gap in their strength was simply too vast.

His only chance was to use the Nether Candle Secret Technique.

That day at the bottom of the Jingshui River, when Lu Bai had used the Nether Candle, a disembodied arm had appeared as the candle burned down.

If he hadn’t been mistaken, that arm, clad in a wide, festive red sleeve, belonged to the Ghost Bride, Bai Chuchu!

Back then, Lu Bai had been so alarmed that he hadn’t dared to continue. But a bold conjecture had taken root in his mind.

’Perhaps if the Nether Candle burns all the way down, it can summon Bai Chuchu!’

The Nether Candle Secret Technique itself was derived from Bai Chuchu’s power, which she had infused into the Ancient Mirror.

It was intrinsically linked to her.

If he could summon Bai Chuchu, Lu Bai already had his argument prepared.

The destruction of Bai Family Village was, directly or indirectly, connected to both the Fujiao Gang and the Corpse Refining Sect.

And the Fujiao Gang and Corpse Refining Sect were, in turn, accomplices of Wu Lan, Yu Weifeng, and Liang Yifan.

From a certain point of view, they were all Bai Chuchu’s enemies!

In truth, after leaving the Evil Extermination Bureau, Lu Bai’s initial plan had been to go to Marquis Jingzhong’s Mansion and find an opportunity to use the Nether Candle there.

But on second thought, he realized the risk was too great.

Marquis Jingzhong’s Mansion was Highly Guarded. With countless eyes on him, he would be hard-pressed to find an opportunity.

Even if he did manage to summon Bai Chuchu, it would be nearly impossible for him to escape alive.

After all, a terrifying existence like a Nascent Soul True Monarch resided in Marquis Jingzhong’s Mansion.

Yu Daoxuan had once told him that the Mountain Demon Hat could fool a True Master Golden Core, but it wouldn’t escape the notice of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

After weighing the pros and cons, Lu Bai had changed his plan.

Of course, this plan was still fraught with uncertainty.

He wasn’t certain the Nether Candle could even summon Bai Chuchu.

After all, it was only a guess on his part.

He had no confidence that Bai Chuchu would listen to him and deal with Wu Lan’s group.

Furthermore, it was unknown if Bai Chuchu was even strong enough to handle the nine True Masters of the Martial Dao present.

But it was his only chance!

This time, as he activated the Nether Candle, a pair of small, fair hands quickly materialized beneath it, their forearms clad in red sleeves.

Lu Bai’s heart leaped in shock.

Last time, the Nether Candle had to burn for a while before these hands appeared.

But this time, the arms appeared almost simultaneously with the Nether Candle!

The Nether Candle burned before him, and slowly, a single teardrop of wax trickled down its side.

With a thought from Lu Bai, the teardrop of wax instantly transformed into a moth.

Lu Bai directed the moth toward Jiang Hong, one of the men besieging Mo Tang.

The battle between the Golden Core Realm cultivators had already erupted.

Besieged by six True Masters of the Martial Dao, Mo Tang had no hope of victory and could only barely defend herself.

She was only holding on because Luo Kun, Jiang Hong, and the others were intentionally holding back, intending to capture her alive rather than kill her.

Just then, an eerie blue moth suddenly appeared on the battlefield.

In a battle between True Masters of the Martial Dao, the air was thick with Blood Qi. Never mind a moth, even a savage beast wouldn’t be able to get close.

Yet this moth passed straight through the dense Blood Qi and slammed into the back of Jiang Hong’s head.

Jiang Hong shuddered violently. His eyes went vacant and his movements froze, as if his soul and Seven Spirits had been snatched away in an instant.

Mo Tang seized the opening and thrust her sword toward Jiang Hong’s chest.

Not knowing what had happened to Jiang Hong, Luo Kun and the other four rushed to his aid.

What should have been a fatal blow only managed to pierce Jiang Hong’s shoulder.

Even so, Mo Tang sustained several more wounds in the exchange, her robes instantly stained red with blood.

’What a pity,’ Mo Tang thought.

’There’s no escaping my doom today.’

’And I couldn’t even take one of them down with me before I die.’

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Jiang Hong suddenly plummeted from mid-air. He crashed heavily to the ground, motionless, his status unknown.

’Did my sword have that much power?’

Mo Tang was baffled.

It wasn’t just her. Even Luo Kun and the others were secretly alarmed, their faces a mixture of shock and suspicion.

’What’s wrong with Brother Jiang? How could he be so weak?’

"Everyone, be careful! The bitch’s sword is poisoned!"

A moment later, realization dawned on Luo Kun, and he shouted.

Meanwhile, something was wrong with Lu Bai.

He hadn’t even noticed what happened to Jiang Hong.

At the very moment he directed the moth to strike Jiang Hong, the Ancient Mirror suddenly changed!

Keeping the Nether Candle lit required a constant flow of Blood Qi to stimulate the Ancient Mirror.

But just then, an immense suction force erupted from the depths of the Ancient Mirror. Lu Bai lost control of his Blood Qi as it began to pour ceaselessly into the mirror’s core!

Immediately after, Lu Bai felt a terrifyingly powerful aura emanating from deep within the Ancient Mirror.

The aura made his Heart and Spirit tremble. He felt an unprecedented pressure and an indescribable fear!

His Blood Qi flowed deep into the Ancient Mirror and began to surge toward the Immortal Vine within.

A great vortex seemed to form around the Immortal Vine, greedily devouring Lu Bai’s Blood Qi.

Lu Bai had studied the Immortal Vine for a long time after obtaining it but had never figured out its purpose.

He never expected it to suddenly change now.

But this change couldn’t have come at a worse time!

’At this rate, I’m going to be sucked dry!’

In the blink of an eye, Lu Bai’s Blood Qi was severely depleted. He felt a wave of weakness wash over him. He grew dizzy, his vision darkened, and his mind went numb. He felt like he could pass out at any moment.

Then, the suction from the depths of the Ancient Mirror suddenly vanished.

Lu Bai’s mind cleared. He didn’t realize until now that he was drenched in sweat.

Lu Bai forced his eyes open, struggling to remain calm as he stared at the Nether Candle before him.

’This isn’t the time to figure out what just happened.’

In that short span of time, two complete arms had now materialized below the Nether Candle.

Even the silhouette of Bai Chuchu herself was faintly visible!

Lu Bai swallowed hard, wanting to channel more Blood Qi.

But the Blood Qi in his body was almost completely gone.

The flame was clearly guttering.

A few breaths later, the flame suddenly extinguished!

The two arms dissipated along with it.

The summoning had failed.