Chapter 138: Clash

Zhang Lan and the other two began to surround and attack the abandoned old camp.

Before long, a cultivator in white rushed out of the camp. He wore a luxurious Taoist robe that looked expensive, but after half a month of fleeing, he was covered in dirt, and his clothes were ragged. His facial features resembled the portrait Mo Hua had seen, but he looked much older, with decaying skin peeling off. It seemed that due to not supplementing his cultivation, his evil techniques had backfired, and his appearance was starting to age and decay. This was indeed the evil cultivator who practiced supplementing cultivation.

After Zhang Lan and the others confirmed his identity, they didn’t waste a word and immediately took action, showing no mercy at all. The evil cultivator cursed and also began to fight back. A battle was imminent.

Mo Hua hid far away, secretly observing their fight. Zhang Lan was a spirit cultivator skilled in water-based spells, and his power was considerable. He cast spells from a distance, condensing streams of water-shaped sword energy that continuously attacked the evil cultivator.

Si Tu Fang and Si Tu Xiu were both body cultivators, specializing in knife techniques. Si Tu Fang’s knife was thin and light, and the wind around it carried a faint green spiritual power. His knife attacks were quick and dense. Si Tu Xiu, on the other hand, fought with broad strokes, stimulating his physical body with spiritual power, causing his whole body to emit a faint golden light. The two of them engaged in close combat, pinning down the evil cultivator.

The evil cultivator also seemed to be a body cultivator with abundant vitality. His weapon was an iron fan with delicate silk threads depicting a beauty. When he waved the iron fan, it would emit pink spiritual power fluctuations. No wonder he was an evil cultivator; even the color of his spiritual power was improper, Mo Hua silently remarked in his heart.

The evil cultivator’s cultivation should be at the ninth level of Refining Qi, no match for Zhang Lan and the other two, but he was skilled in movement techniques. He could maneuver under the attacks of the Si Tu brothers and also manage to dodge Zhang Lan’s water-shaped sword energy.

But no matter how good his movement techniques were, under the combined assault of the three, he gradually couldn’t hold on. Every time he was hit by a stream of sword energy, his injuries would worsen. Every time Si Tu Fang chopped him with his knife, more blood would flow. Furthermore, the faint green spiritual power in his wounds was preventing them from healing.

Before long, the evil cultivator was hit by one of Zhang Lan’s sword energy attacks, fell to the ground, and didn't move. Mo Hua didn't act rashly. It wasn’t until he saw Zhang Lan use shackles to bind the evil cultivator that he ran out.

"Is he dead?" Mo Hua asked.

"No, this beast has a hard life."

Mo Hua used his divine sense to scan him and found that the evil cultivator’s spiritual power was indeed still flowing within his body.

"Are evil cultivators' lives all so hard?" Mo Hua asked.

Zhang Lan said, "Not all, but most are quite difficult to deal with. Although evil path techniques have significant drawbacks, their power is also great. Otherwise, not so many people would fall into the evil and demonic outer paths."

Mo Hua nodded.

The evil cultivator was already captured, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Si Tu Xiu asked, "What should we do next?"

Zhang Lan kicked the evil cultivator, "Take this beast back and deliver him to the Dao Court Department for interrogation and sentencing according to the law. We also have to give Old Master An an explanation."

"Old Master An?" Mo Hua looked at Zhang Lan.

Zhang Lan realized he had let something slip, raised his head to look at the sky, pretending he hadn’t said anything.

Si Tu Fang and Si Tu Xiu chopped down several trees to make a raft, placed the evil cultivator on it, and prepared to drag him back. Mo Hua stared at the evil cultivator for a long time and suddenly kindly reminded them: "You should break his legs."

"Ah?" Si Tu Fang was stunned.

"And cripple his meridians! Shatter his Qi Sea too!"

Si Tu Fang’s eyes widened, and he was speechless. How could this child say such terrifying words with such a cute face?

Zhang Lan thought for a moment. "That makes some sense."

Si Tu Fang hesitated, "He's already captured, and has no ability to resist. If we do this, wouldn't it be private abuse of power..."

"We are only temporarily controlling him, not arresting him," Mo Hua corrected.

"Can we do that..." Si Tu Fang was still hesitant.

Zhang Lan, however, had already drawn his sword, intending to cut the evil cultivator's meridians. Mo Hua hadn't understood before why Zhang Lan, a spirit cultivator, would carry a sword. He had thought it was purely for show. Now he understood that even spirit cultivators who primarily used spells could benefit from carrying a knife or sword for unexpected situations. At least breaking someone’s meridians was much more convenient with a sword.

But before Zhang Lan's sword could strike, the evil cultivator suddenly opened his eyes and shook his hands, and the chains actually fell off. Zhang Lan's gaze narrowed, and the speed of his sword edge increased as he thrust it down. The evil cultivator twisted his body, avoiding vital points, and the sword only grazed his skin, drawing blood.

"Be careful!" Zhang Lan shouted.

The moment the evil cultivator opened his eyes, Mo Hua had already retreated several *zhang* away. When he scanned with his divine sense earlier, he had felt something strange about the evil cultivator's spiritual power fluctuations. But he hadn't expected this evil cultivator to be so cunning, and his life truly so hard. He was already covered in scars before, but at this moment, he still had the power to resist.

The evil cultivator dodged Zhang Lan's sword and launched a palm strike directly at Zhang Lan's face. Zhang Lan's face tightened, and he retreated to dodge. There wasn't enough time to use spells at this close range, so he could only counter with a backward sword thrust. The evil cultivator didn't receive the move at all. His body swayed, and he appeared beside Si Tu Xiu, who was raising his knife, preparing to chop.

Si Tu Xiu had originally planned to take advantage of the evil cultivator's distraction and attack from behind, but he didn't expect the evil cultivator to have detected him early on and to move around to his side with strange body movements. His sneak attack failed, and instead he was sneak attacked, hit in the ribs by the evil cultivator's palm. He coughed up blood and flew to the side. The pain from this palm strike was excruciating, and a strange spiritual power seeped into his internal organs along with the force. Si Tu Xiu realized at this moment that the evil cultivator hadn't used his full strength before! But he realized too late. Within a short period, he had no strength left to fight.

Si Tu Fang also drew his knife and chopped at the evil cultivator. After several moves, he suddenly felt his whole body become sore and weak. His meridians were being corroded by the pink, strange spiritual power, and his own spiritual power couldn't circulate. The evil cultivator's spiritual power had poison! He hadn't discovered it during the fight, but after a long time had passed, the poison was gradually taking effect. Si Tu Fang forced himself to circulate his energy, but suddenly sprayed out a mouthful of blood, his eyes showing hatred as he glared at the evil cultivator.

The evil cultivator licked his lips, looking at Si Tu Fang and saying, "Not bad!" He hadn't supplemented his cultivation for a month. He needed to vent his evil fire and also supplement his spiritual power. The evil cultivator's gaze lingered on Si Tu Fang's body, his heart wavered, and for a brief moment, his attention was divided. A faint blue stream of sword energy directly penetrated his shoulder.

The evil cultivator was furious to the extreme. Blood also seeped from the corner of his mouth. He turned his head to look. Not far away, Zhang Lan was condensing sword energy with his finger, his gaze cold as he looked at him. There was still one tough opponent.

The evil cultivator composed himself. If he didn't deal with Zhang Lan, he still couldn't escape. Even if he ran, he wouldn't last long in this dangerous Big Black Mountain. His body was deficient, and his evil fire was growing. He needed to supplement. As long as he killed Zhang Lan... The evil cultivator's eyes flashed with ferocity, and he rushed straight towards Zhang Lan.

Zhang Lan's heart jumped. What fast movement techniques! This evil cultivator's movement techniques were faster and stranger than before; he had indeed been holding back... "Good, I'll face you!" Zhang Lan's gaze sharpened, and he performed the Falling Flower Step. Suddenly, his figure blurred, as graceful as falling flowers.

The evil cultivator was shocked. This Dao Court Department cultivator's movement techniques were actually not weaker than his. He was a flower thief who relied on movement techniques to survive! The evil cultivator was in a difficult position, like a tiger on its back, but he had to fight. He maneuvered with Zhang Lan for over ten rounds, still unable to injure Zhang Lan. Meanwhile, Zhang Lan had already figured out his weaknesses and strengths. In between advancing and retreating, he still had time to condense sword energy, deterring the evil cultivator.

Just as Zhang Lan was about to seize the evil cultivator's flaw and finish him with sword energy, the evil cultivator suddenly disappeared. Zhang Lan released his divine sense, but still couldn't sense him. Suddenly, a warning sign surged in his heart. He looked towards Mo Hua in the distance and urgently shouted: "Be careful!"

At the same time, a shadow flickered behind Mo Hua, and the evil cultivator appeared, his voice hoarse and fierce: "Little ghost, you wanted to break my legs?"

Mi Read mobile version: Click here to report error.