Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms: Sunflower Lord

The dust from the collapsed earthen wall had not yet completely settled, and the narrow alleyway was a mess.

Qian Laoliu and Sun Xiaowu lay in the broken bricks and tiles and piles of debris, respectively, with blood coming from their mouths and noses, their breathing weak, and they were already unconscious.

Ji Ruchang knelt on the muddy ground, her chest heaving violently, each breath accompanied by excruciating pain from her broken ribs.

His right hand was split open at the base of his thumb, and blood dripped down his trembling fingers. His left hand was pressed tightly against his chest, and the bloodstains at the corner of his mouth were particularly glaring in the dim light of the campfire.

The blood corpse... disappeared.

The biting cold and the stench of blood that it brought seemed as if they had never existed.

Only the lingering smell of burning and blood in the air, and the real pain in my chest, proved that the lightning-fast battle just now was not an illusion.

At least at this moment, Ji Ruchang displayed just the right amount of bewilderment, lingering fear, and dread...

"call out--!"

A sharp, piercing sound came from afar, growing incredibly fast.

A dark blue figure soared through the air like a roc, landing instantly in the center of the alley. A strong wind swept through, stirring up dust on the ground.

The visitor was none other than Shen Lian, the garrison commander of the Night Patrol Division of Qinglan County.

His face was ashen, his gaze sharp as lightning, his keen eyes sweeping across the entire scene in an instant: two unconscious subordinates, a seriously injured but still conscious newcomer, and... an empty scene with nothing but traces of battle.

Shen Lian frowned, his divine sense spreading out in all directions like an invisible tide, covering every corner within a hundred feet.

Beneath the rubble, within the crumbling walls, in the shadows... everything is clearly visible.

No.

Apart from three wounded subordinates and some lingering traces of Yin energy, there were no signs of any evil spirits.

That thing... got away?

How could it be so fast?

It only took a few breaths from when I sensed the unusual aura erupting and rushed over at full speed!

Immediately afterwards, several more figures rushed over.

Deputy Garrison Commander Han Ling was the first to arrive. She was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, stained with night dew, and her hair was slightly disheveled. She had obviously rushed over directly from the central command where she was stationed.

Upon seeing the scene, her cold face paled slightly. Her gaze quickly locked onto Ji Ruchang, and only after confirming that he was still alive did she breathe a sigh of relief. Then, like Shen Lian, she opened her divine sense to investigate.

The other two captains, Zhao Tiezhu and Li Hongxiu, who were at the fourth level of Qi Refining, also arrived with several team members. Upon seeing the three seriously injured people, their expressions changed drastically.

"Lord Garrison! Where is the monster? Did you... drive it away?" A newly recruited third-level Qi Refining member asked in a trembling voice.

They all sensed the brief yet terrifying burst of Yin energy just now.

Shen Lian slowly withdrew his divine sense, shook his head, and said in a solemn voice, "When I arrived, I only saw the three of them injured and falling to the ground; I did not see the monster itself."

He turned his gaze to Ji Ruchang, asking, "Young friend Ji, did you see where that monster went at the time?"

All eyes were on Ji Ruchang.

Ji Ruchang took a deep breath, aggravating his injuries, and coughed twice before speaking with difficulty: "Reporting to...Reporting to the garrison commander, this subordinate...does not know where the monster went." His voice was hoarse and filled with pain, "We encountered that monster, and in one encounter...we were stunned. This subordinate only had time...to swing a sword with all his might, which seemed to have wounded it...and then I was knocked away, and I couldn't see anything...anything."

He was telling the truth, but he omitted the most crucial part—how he "sent away" the monster, and how the monster was now "intimately communicating" with the armored corpse in his mind's space.

Shen Lian listened carefully, his gaze lingering for a moment on Ji Ruchang's pale face and the bloodstains on his chest, then looking at the pool of Ji Ruchang's blood and the marks of the fight on the ground, and slowly nodded.

Ji Ruchang's description basically matched the residual aura and traces of battle that he detected with his divine sense.

The burst of sword strikes did indeed injure the Blood Corpse, leaving behind its aura. Then, after knocking the three people away, the Blood Corpse... vanished into thin air?

This is illogical.

Although the blood corpse was cunning, it was impossible for it to be fast enough to completely escape within a hundred feet before he arrived without leaving any obvious trace.

"Save them first!" Han Ling ordered.

Several team members immediately stepped forward and carefully carried the unconscious Sun Xiaowu and Qian Laoliu to a relatively flat area, taking out the medicine and talisman water they carried with them for emergency treatment.

Although both were seriously injured, their injuries were mostly internal organ turmoil and bone fractures, and their lives should not be in danger.

Li Hongxiu walked to Ji Ruchang's side, squatted down, and took out a light green pill: "This is the 'Rejuvenation Pill,' which has miraculous effects on internal injuries. Take it quickly."

Ji Ruchang thanked him, accepted the pill, and swallowed it.

A gentle medicinal power dissipated, quickly relieving the severe chest pain and nourishing the damaged meridians.

"Guardian, we've found this." Zhao Tiezhu emerged from behind a pile of broken bricks, holding two broken sword sections in his hands.

It was Ji Ruchang's Fire Copper Sword.

The sword broke cleanly in the middle, the fracture was jagged, clearly indicating that it had been broken by tremendous force.

The sword, which had originally faintly glowed with a golden-red light, was now dull and lifeless, and the ancient dark red patterns had completely disappeared.

However, the broken part of the sword, especially the section near the blade, was covered with a strange, viscous, dark red blood tinged with filthy blackness, emanating a faint stench and a chilling aura.

"Monster's blood!" Zhao Tiezhu said in a deep voice.

Shen Lian took the broken sword, carefully examined the filthy blood, and sensed the faint aura remaining on the sword. His eyes grew increasingly solemn: "It is indeed the blood of that wicked creature."

This item is useless to keep, but the tainted blood is an important clue.

Captain Zhao, carefully seal this broken sword and tomorrow send it, along with a detailed report, to the prefectural night patrol office. Ask the forensic experts there to examine it carefully; perhaps they can uncover more of this villain's background.

"Yes!" Zhao Tiezhu responded, took out a specially made evil-sealing talisman bag, and carefully put the two broken sword sections into it.

Ji Ruchang looked at the Fire Copper Sword, which had accompanied her briefly but saved her life at a crucial moment, and was now sealed away. Extreme regret was involuntarily revealed on her face.

This was not only a gift from the instructor, carrying a debt of gratitude, but also his only offensive magical artifact at present, and the one most suitable for him.

For a Qi Refining stage cultivator, the difference in combat power is like heaven and earth, whether or not they possess a magic weapon.

Shen Lian saw Ji Ruchang's expression and understood.

Tonight's situation was a scheme he devised to use against him, employing Ji Ruchang's weakest team as bait to lure out the hidden blood corpses.

Although the result was somewhat unexpected (the monster disappeared inexplicably), Ji Ruchang and the others did indeed take a great risk, and Ji Ruchang even lost his only magical artifact.

Both publicly and privately, there should be some form of compensation.

"Ji Ruchang," Shen Lian said.

"Your subordinate is here," Ji Ruchang quickly composed himself and replied respectfully.

"You remained calm under pressure tonight, fought against overwhelming odds, injured the Blood Corpse, and protected your team members. You did a great job," Shen Lian said, first affirming the situation. Then, he changed the subject, "Your sword was an old gift from the instructor, and it has great significance. Its destruction is truly unfortunate."

This item contains clues about a monster and must be handed over for verification; it must not be kept privately.

He paused, then reached down and touched his waist—a crimson streak of light appeared and hovered above his palm.

It was a short knife about two feet long. The blade had smooth lines and was dark red all over, as if lava was flowing within it.

The hilt was wrapped in black, unidentified animal hide, and at the end was inlaid a red crystal the size of a soybean, radiating a scorching heat.

"This sword is called 'Blazing Flame,' a fine example of a low-grade magic weapon, which I used in my early years."

The blade is forged from a mixture of 'Crimson Fire Copper' and 'Flame Iron,' and inlaid with three 'Blazing Flame' runes. It has extra killing power against evil spirits and can also unleash fiery blade energy, making it quite powerful. Shen Lian flicked his finger, and the short sword hummed softly, its blade shimmering with crimson light. "Today I bestow it upon you to mend your broken sword and to reward your achievements tonight."

Ji Ruchang was stunned.

It's not just compensation, it's a perfectly intact, high-quality, low-grade Buddhist artifact!

Its value is definitely over fifty spirit stones!

It's far superior to his original Fire Copper Sword (even in its perfect condition)!

The overwhelming joy instantly overshadowed the sorrow of the broken sword.

He suppressed his excitement, tried his best to remain calm, and solemnly accepted the floating flaming blade with both hands.

The moment I held the knife, it felt heavy, and a warm sensation emanated from the hilt, dispelling the chill of the night and the slight weakness brought on by the pain.

He could clearly sense the active fire-attribute spiritual power contained within the blade and the faint fluctuations of the three runes.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Lord Garrison Commander! I will certainly live up to this sword and your expectations!" Ji Ruchang's voice trembled slightly, a testament to his sincere gratitude.

The other night watchmen around also showed envy in their eyes.

For these frontline personnel who live on the edge, a high-quality offensive magic weapon among low-grade magic weapons is often a second life.

The garrison's move this time is indeed quite substantial, serving as both compensation and likely aimed at appeasing the people and boosting morale.

Han Ling directed everyone to carefully clean up and record the scene.

Apart from the broken sword and bloodstains, no other obvious traces or items left by the blood corpse were found.

This added to the eeriness.

Sun Xiaowu and Qian Laoliu have regained consciousness thanks to the medicine and talisman water they received. Although they are still weak, their lives are no longer in danger.

The two men's descriptions of the situation were basically consistent with Ji Ruchang's: a dark shadow attacked suddenly, Ji Ruchang swung his sword to injure the enemy, and was then knocked unconscious by a huge force, after which he knew nothing.

After considering all the information, Shen Lian and Han Ling exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.

Why did the blood corpse suddenly appear and then disappear into thin air?

Was some kind of unknown escape technique used?

He was still more seriously injured by Ji Ruchang's sword than he had imagined, so he temporarily retreated.

In any case, tonight's bait calculation was half successful and half unsuccessful.

They successfully lured out the Blood Corpse, confirming its existence and approximate strength (far exceeding the fourth level of Qi Refining), but it also escaped again, and in a bizarre way.

"This place is no place to linger. Retreat to headquarters immediately. Captain Zhao, Captain Li, you two lead your men to continue the patrol. Be extra careful and report any unusual activity immediately!" Shen Lian ordered.

"yes!"

Several team members helped the three injured people, and the group quickly left the dark alleyway where they had just experienced a life-or-death battle, returning to the Night Patrol Division.

Back inside the office, a physician was already waiting to conduct a more thorough examination and treatment of Ji Ruchang and the other two.

Ji Ruchang broke two ribs and suffered internal injuries, but thanks to the Rejuvenating Pill and the doctor's treatment, her condition has stabilized and she only needs to rest for a few days.

Sun Xiaowu and Qian Laoliu sustained minor injuries, but they still need to rest.

After arranging for the three to return to their respective residences to rest, Shen Lian and Han Ling returned to the front hall and discussed subsequent countermeasures with solemn expressions.

The bizarre disappearance of the blood corpse cast an even deeper shadow over their hearts.

Ji Ruchang returned to her small courtyard.

He closed the door, shutting out all outside noise. He could no longer hold on, and slowly slid down to the floor against the door, coughing violently and spitting out a small mouthful of blood.

But the physical pain was overwhelmed by stronger emotions in his heart at this moment—the relief of surviving a disaster, the joy of obtaining a new magical artifact, and even more so, the immense curiosity and anticipation for the outcome of the "peak showdown" in the Sea of ​​Consciousness Courtyard!

He couldn't wait to sit cross-legged, not even bothering to properly admire the flaming blade he had just acquired, simply placing it horizontally on his lap.

My mind sank into the sea of ​​consciousness.

The gray fog remained.

But this time, when he focused his attention on the northwest corner of the courtyard, he no longer felt the fear or satisfaction emanating from the golden sunflower, but rather a... chaotic, violent wave intertwined with anger and pain!

The battle between the two monsters continues!

Ji Ruchang's heart began to pound wildly.