Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 137, 141: The Yellow Sand Buries the Enemy, the Peak Master is Enraged (Bonus Chapter 1323 for Monthly Tickets)

"Zhao brat, come out here! You traitor, get out here right now!!"

Amidst the yellow sand, Elder Liang's furious roars echoed.

Zhao Wuji stood with his hands behind his back, less than ten feet away from Elder Liang, his expression indifferent.

However, this distance of ten zhang is like an insurmountable distance within the Nine-Bend Yellow Sand Formation combined with the Qi-Restricting Illusionary Dream Formation.

Zhao Wuji changed his hand seals, and the Qi-Restricting Illusionary Dream Array was suddenly activated.

In his struggle, Elder Liang felt as if his spiritual energy was sinking into a quagmire. His protective aura shattered inch by inch, and his natal magic weapon groaned and lost its luster.

In that split second!

"Hey!"

A giant blade formed from yellow sand suddenly pierced through Elder Liang's crown chakra and emerged from his dantian!

Blood splattered across the yellow sand like ink.

Before he could even scream, his body was cleaved in two. His soul had just escaped when it was captured by the Yin Wind Divine Soul that Zhao Wuji had created using the Netherworld Communication Technique.

Not long after, another secret disciple of Yunfeng Cave, Mo Yu, also followed in his footsteps.

This Nine-Bend Yellow Sand Formation was originally set up by Yunfeng Cave Heaven to deal with Linlang Cave Heaven.

Now it has become a tomb that buries their own family's secrets.

Zhao Wuji's eyes were as deep as pools, and a cold wind carried two struggling ghosts.

As he activated the Netherworld Connection Technique, the memories of the two unfolded before his eyes like a scroll.
Elder Liang's ghostly spirit twisted and struggled in the eerie wind, its face ferocious and terrifying, its eyes filled with resentment and fear.

Although he was highly skilled in cultivation during his lifetime, his spirit was now like a candle flickering in the wind, powerless to resist under the suppression of the Netherworld Technique.

As Zhao Wuji's divine sense swept over, Elder Liang's entire life's memories flashed by like a revolving lantern.

When that secret was touched upon, he raised an eyebrow, realizing the other party's scheme and their intention to harm him.

"I see."

"I never imagined that Empress Yu Lanxi was actually a carefully cultivated vessel by Elder Liang, who helped her rise to the position of Empress."

The intention was to help him acquire more resources, even dragon energy, which would later nourish him and help him break through to the Concentration Realm.

"But the Empress was clearly not someone to be trifled with. After leaving the grotto and taking the throne, she had the idea of ​​getting rid of this person, which led to her becoming impatient for quick success in her cultivation and her behavior becoming increasingly eccentric and crazy."

Zhao Wuji shook his head slightly.

In this degenerate age, resources are scarce, and the practice of using alchemical furnaces and cauldrons is prevalent. Countless exceptionally talented women have thus become stepping stones on others' path to immortality.

Many people are like this: when poor, they devise cunning schemes; when successful, they help others and benefit the world.

Moreover, in the degenerate age, there are countless wicked schemes, and the evil in people's hearts is so great that even ghosts would be afraid of them.

Regardless of the circumstances, Elder Liang deserved to die, and so did the Empress.

He focused his mind slightly, about to crush Elder Liang's ghostly spirit, when he suddenly remembered the humiliating time when he was chased by Kang Youyuan for thousands of miles.

His gaze turned cold, and he turned to explore Mo Yu's memories, instantly gaining some understanding of the situation within the Cloud Phoenix Cave.

After a short while, he activated the Netherworld Communication Technique, and the two Yin spirits tore at each other like trapped beasts, eventually perishing together and dissipating into specks of soul light.

Both of them are incredibly powerful. Mo Yu's cultivation is much weaker, but as a secret disciple, his combat strength is also very strong.

Elder Liang was even at the eighth level of Qi Refining cultivation.

If he hadn't been caught off guard and severely injured by Chi Xiaozi and Mo Yu's combined attack, it would have been extremely difficult and dangerous for him to easily subdue this person using formations.

"Whether you all die by my hand or in the Nine Turns Yellow Sand Formation, you will die a worthy death."

Zhao Wuji made a hand seal, and the yellow sand moved like an extension of his arm, rolling Elder Liang's storage bag into his palm.

Next were the magical artifacts on Mo Yu's body.

"This so-called secret technique doesn't even have a storage bag, it's doing terribly. It's a pity its physical body has been crippled, otherwise we could have tried to control it as a chess piece."

Looking at the sinister, bone-piercing nails.

Zhao Wuji shook his head slightly.

He even looked down on this kind of magical artifact.

However, he still took the white bone spirit shield from the other party as well.

Some of the outlying areas may still be reclaimed.

We've just finished dealing with the situation here.

Zhao Wuji then heard a thunderous roar coming from not far away.

He immediately stepped out of the formation and saw a streak of ice-blue light piercing the sky, causing clouds to condense wherever it passed, exuding majesty in all directions.

As Hua Qingshuang's robes fluttered, she soared into the air and arrived at the front of the battlefield.

"Peak Master!"

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted slightly, his heart filled with both surprise and joy.

The peak master arrived too quickly. Won't this affect his mission?

His eyes flashed, and the Cold Soul Flying Sword flew out instantly, like a silver snake spitting its tongue, cleaving the several corpse drivers who were fleeing in panic in two. Then, with a flash, he rushed towards the battlefield.

In mid-air opposite, Hua Qingshuang's phoenix eyes were filled with murderous intent, and her spiritual power was as deep as the ocean. With a wave of her hand, the Frost Flying Sword transformed into a streak of azure sword energy, like an ice bridge spanning the sky. Together with He Ming, they forced the heavily injured Chixiaozi into a desperate situation.

"Peak Master Hua, please hold your hand! I am willing to surrender!"

Chi Xiaozi cried out in panic, his hands flashing through a series of hand seals.

Hua Qingshuang remained indifferent, lightly pointing her sword.

The azure sword energy suddenly transformed into an ice dragon, carrying a bone-chilling cold as it pierced through the air.

"Crack!"

The protective magic weapon that Chixiaozi had summoned shattered instantly, and his chest was pierced through in an instant.

The ice spread from the wound, and in the blink of an eye, half of his body had become an ice sculpture before crashing to the ground.

"choke!"

Hua Qingshuang retrieved her Frost Flying Sword and landed with Elder He.

Suddenly, her cold gaze swept over He Ming, who looked tense: "Elder He, what's going on? Answer me!"

Before he could finish speaking, an overwhelming pressure crashed down like a mountain, and He Ming's face turned pale. He staggered back several steps.

"Master Hua, you are wise to see the truth!"

Sweat beaded on He Ming's forehead as he hurriedly defended himself, "This matter was orchestrated by Senior Brother Liang. His aim was to use Junior Nephew Zhao as bait to lure out Yunfeng's higher-ups to hunt him down. However, I, He Ming, have absolutely no intention of harming Junior Nephew Zhao. We will do our utmost to protect Junior Nephew Zhao's safety."

"presumptuous!"

Hua Qingshuang's cold eyes were like lightning, and a rare anger appeared in her icy gaze. Her Frost Flying Sword spun and hummed beside her, and the ground around her instantly froze. "Why don't you also be my bait and lure out the peak master of Yunfeng Cave!"

Under the terrifying spiritual pressure of the tenth level of Qi Induction.

Elder He was only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, how could he possibly resist?

His face turned pale instantly, and he hurriedly bowed and begged for forgiveness, inwardly groaning in despair.

He had advised Zhao Wuji long ago that since Zhao Wuji had already discovered Zhou Qu and lost his scapegoat, such a risky move should not be carried out again.

However, Elder Liang insisted on doing it, and he was confused for a moment.
"Peak Master, please calm your anger."

Just then, Zhao Wuji flew over, cupped his hands and said gently, "If it weren't for Elder He's timely assistance, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to escape unscathed. Elder He also deserves credit for being able to counterattack and kill Yunfeng's secret disciple." He Ming was taken aback, then quickly cast a grateful look at Zhao Wuji, already filled with remorse in his heart, and bowed.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Junior Nephew Zhao. I, your uncle, was also confused for a moment. I only thought about protecting you as much as possible when a battle broke out, but I didn't consider that the battle could change in an instant and be extremely dangerous!"

"Uncle, you are too kind. Since it is a misunderstanding, it will be fine once it is cleared up."

Zhao Wuji smiled and bowed on the surface, but in his heart he already had a deeper idea.

Maintaining a superficial peace for the time being was also because he didn't want Hua Qingshuang to act impulsively at this moment.

Hua Qingshuang has other tasks to complete and cannot afford to consume too much energy.

Secondly, Elder He is indeed not as hateful as Elder Liang, so there is no need to force a war at this time.

Once his cultivation breaks through in the future, he can use the Tongyou Talisman Pill to control it, which will be a good weapon when fighting against the cave master.

He had previously considered controlling Liang Laogou.

However, the battle was fierce, and he was not entirely confident. Moreover, he would inevitably expend a lot of spiritual energy every day to control it, so he decided to kill him anyway.

Elder He, however, should not be wasted.
"That's fine."

Hua Qingshuang's eyes flickered slightly. Seeing that Zhao Wuji's robes were neat and he was not injured, and that his expression was calm, her cold and stern expression softened a little: "Since you have spoken, I will not pursue this matter for the time being."

With a flick of her sleeve, the Crimson Flame Blade beside Chixiazi flew into her palm and was stored in her storage bag.

He then said to Elder He, "Since Wuji lured Chixiazi here and I killed him, the credit should go to Wuji, along with the other supplies he carried."

Upon hearing this, Elder He hurriedly raised his hand and bowed, "That's how it should be. Peak Master, rest assured, I will not make the same mistake again and will handle it perfectly!"

Despite being an elder, he dared not act rashly in the face of Hua Qingshuang, who was at the tenth level of Qi Refining and possessed astonishing combat power.

Moreover, they were in the wrong at that moment.

Just a moment ago, he even sensed a murderous intent, and his heart turned cold. Only then did he realize the important position that Zhao Wuji, a member of Hanyue Peak who was not even a disciple, held in the eyes of this peak master.

"In addition, Elder He and Elder Liang are already dead."

At this moment, Zhao Wuji suddenly spoke.

"Oh, it's good that he's dead, huh?" Elder He was jolted, as if struck by lightning, his expression one of astonishment. "What did you say?"

Zhao Wuji said helplessly, "I told you Elder Liang is dead. He was trapped in the enemy's formation and perished together with that Cloud Phoenix Secret Technique. When I arrived, I only had time to kill a few corpse drivers."
Then only two bodies were found.

Even the magical artifacts have been taken away by the true disciples of Yunfeng Cave Heaven.

"What?" He Ming's face turned pale, somewhat incredulous.

He immediately apologized to Hua Qingshuang, then flew towards the ravaged battlefield not far away.

The scene was one of utter chaos.

Several corpses of corpse drivers lay scattered about, with Elder Liang and Mo Yu's bodies prominently displayed among them, still bearing the sharp aura of the Yellow Sand Formation.

"Senior Brother Liang!"

He Ming gasped in surprise, bending down to examine the wound. His fingertips trembled slightly as they touched the gash pierced by the yellow sand. Turning around, his expression turned sorrowful as he bowed deeply to Hua Qingshuang.
"Peak Master, you are wise. Since Senior Brother Liang has perished, the mistake of using Junior Nephew Zhao as bait should also be forgiven."

As he spoke, he glanced at Zhao Wuji beside him out of the corner of his eye.

He still vaguely sensed something strange, suspecting that his junior brother Zhao might have taken senior brother Liang's storage bag.

However, this unsubstantiated speculation only lingered in my mind before I suppressed all my doubts.

Some things are better left buried with the earth.
Knowing Zhao Wuji's place in Hua Qingshuang's heart, he no longer wished to get involved in the matter.

Sometimes, when a person is wise, it is a rare moment of feigned ignorance.

Let's let bygones be bygones the moment this mistake was made in a moment of confusion.

Before long, the battlefield was completely cleared.

Since the disciples of Yunfeng Cave Heaven who set up the formation have either fled or died, the remaining formations are not difficult to break.

Zhao Wuji quickly dismantled the formation and put all the formation flags into his storage bag.

Elder He had been sitting on pins and needles for a long time. After Zhao Wuji finished collecting the last array flag, he hurriedly put the bodies of Chi Xiaozi and the others into his storage bag, gave a hasty bow to Hua Qingshuang, and then turned into a stray light and disappeared into the distance.

"Did you kill Elder Liang?"

After Elder He left, Hua Qingshuang suddenly turned around, her icy eyes piercing Zhao Wuji's heart.

Zhao Wuji paused slightly, then smiled bitterly and cupped his hands: "As expected, I couldn't hide it from the Peak Master's discerning eyes. Elder Liang's death was indeed due to my efforts the most."

Faced with Hua Qingshuang's clear, intelligent eyes that seemed to see through everything, he felt that any attempt to conceal anything would be a desecration.

Most importantly, Hua Qingshuang abandoned her mission in the cave to come to his rescue. Her heart, burning with passion for him beneath her cold exterior, cannot be betrayed by any false lies.

"You've been holding back a trick up your sleeve."

Hua Qingshuang's serious and questioning eyes softened slightly.

It was enough that Zhao Wuji didn't lie to her or deceive her.

Hua Qingshuang's eyes swept over the remaining array patterns on the ground, and she said softly, "It is beyond my expectations that you have been able to study arrays to this extent."

She paused, then added, "Even though Liang Danqing is seriously injured, taking his life will not be an easy task."

Zhao Wuji bowed and said, "That's right! This disciple did indeed take a shortcut. After I sensed Elder Liang's aura with my martial arts cultivation's astonishing spiritual sense, I knew something was amiss and immediately sent a message to the peak master."

He then secretly set up his own formation, using one formation to break another, and reversed the situation at the crucial moment!

"The Martial Dao Immortal is indeed commendable!"

Hua Qingshuang nodded slightly, her black hair fluttering in the wind. "Ordinary cultivators need to reach the Concentration Realm to develop divine sense, while martial arts practitioners, upon entering the threshold, already possess spiritual perception comparable to one-tenth of divine sense."

She paused, then said solemnly, "But you still took a risk. If you encounter this situation again in the future, retreat immediately, abandon the mission, and don't bother to deal with them head-on."

"If I fail to arrive in time, and He Ming also harbors evil intentions..."

Faced with Hua Qingshuang's serious yet clearly concerned gaze, Zhao Wuji was shaken and immediately bowed solemnly, saying, "Yes, Peak Master is right to reprimand me. I will not be so reckless again in the future."

"Hmm," Hua Qingshuang's expression softened slightly, but her body suddenly swayed slightly.

On that face, which was usually as cold and aloof as frost and snow, a trace of weariness, which could not be concealed, appeared, like the first wisp of snow melting quietly on an iceberg.
Zhao Wuji's heart tightened, and he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Peak Master, you have traveled a long distance and your spiritual energy has been greatly depleted. Please allow me to set up an array to help you recover."

"Hmm?" Hua Qingshuang raised an eyebrow slightly.

With a flick of his sleeve, Zhao Wuji sent a dozen array flags fluttering like butterflies, and the source crystals traced brilliant paths in the air, instantly forming an exquisite spirit-gathering array.

In this spiritually barren land, the array forcefully carved out a small world brimming with spiritual energy.

Hua Qingshuang's surprise deepened. Just as she was about to sit cross-legged, Zhao Wuji stepped forward, pulled out a piece of blue cloth from his storage bag, spread it on the ground, and grinned, saying, "In this desolate wilderness, we mustn't soil the Peak Master's skirt."

That smile, seemingly innocent yet tinged with a hint of cunning, made Hua Qingshuang's icy lips curl slightly upward: "Your methods of being so attentive..."

As she shook her head, her voice was as soft as melting snow, “If this were used on an ordinary woman, it would probably make the whole city secretly fall in love with her. No wonder back then, everyone in the capital said you were a playboy.”

Zhao Wuji chuckled, "That's all because someone is deliberately jealous and trying to ruin my reputation. I'll only use my cleverness on you, Peak Master."

Upon hearing this, Hua Qingshuang raised her eyebrows slightly. Although her aloof face remained cold, her ears blushed almost imperceptibly.

Zhao Wuji realized his wording was inappropriate and quickly said seriously, "It's mainly because you, Peak Master, have been so kind to me; I respect you from the bottom of my heart."

"Hmm." Hua Qingshuang lightly flicked her sleeve, subtly changing the subject, "After receiving your message, I split up with Senior Sister Yan to carry out our respective tasks."

She looked up into the distance. "This place isn't far from the border. After a short rest, we need to reunite with Senior Sister Yan as soon as possible. You should also return to your grotto."

"Peak Master, why don't I go with you?"

Zhao Wuji said, "If you and Uncle Yan are greatly exhausted, I can set up an array to help you recover. If you are accidentally injured..."

(End of this chapter)