Death Soul Worm

Death Soul Worm

If he could do it over, Xu Fan would definitely have gone head-to-head with the protagonist the first time they met, then suffered a slight defeat. That would have been safer.

Making friends with the protagonist was truly far too dangerous.

Xu Fan's mind raced as he considered how to resolve the crisis before him.

At that moment, Xu Fan received a voice transmission from Ye Xiaoyao.

"Junior Brother Xu, I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

"After I fight those five Golden Core Devil Cultivators, I'll use the chaos to have the Sword Vessel send you on your way."

"Their target is me. They probably won't pursue you."

"Don't worry about me. I can get away myself."

Listening to Ye Xiaoyao's voice transmission, Xu Fan's expression grew worse and worse. What if someone on my side pursues me? Wouldn't I be finished?

Before Xu Fan could respond, Ye Xiaoyao directly squared off against them.

"So what if there are five Golden Core Cultivators?" Ye Xiaoyao said proudly. The five flying swords suspended around him instantly formed a Sword Array.

"Flame Sutra: Five Directions Array Kill!"

A massive Sword Array took shape in an instant, trapping the five Golden Core Devil Cultivators within it.

Meanwhile, the Sword Vessel Xu Fan was riding shot toward the Heavenly Gate Sect the instant Ye Xiaoyao made his move.

At this moment, a demonic gleam flashed through the lead Golden Core Devil Cultivator's eyes.

"Lei Shi, go deal with that Qi Refining Stage brat. Make it quick. This isn't a place where we can linger."

"Understood."

One of the Golden Core Devil Cultivators positioned in the direction of the Heavenly Gate Sect broke through with all his strength.

He fled from the Sword Array in the direction of Xu Fan's Sword Vessel.

Ye Xiaoyao's expression changed drastically. He immediately sent out a primary attack flying sword to chase after that Devil Cultivator.

"You want to save your friend? No chance."

The four Golden Core Devil Cultivators directly blocked Ye Xiaoyao's path.

A trace of regret flashed across Ye Xiaoyao's face.

"Kid, why are you worrying blindly? That brat is wicked as hell. Even if you die, he won't."

"Focus on the fight."

Ye Xiaoyao instantly steadied himself and looked at the four Golden Core Devil Cultivators with killing intent.

"None of you are leaving today."

Flames dyed the sky, and Sword Light crisscrossed in all directions.

Sitting aboard the Sword Vessel, Xu Fan wore a bitter expression as he watched the Flying Light behind him draw closer step by step, his mind already turning toward how he could escape alive.

"If I'm ever given another chance, I absolutely won't leave the sect so casually again."

As the Golden Core Devil Cultivator's Flying Light drew closer and closer, Xu Fan knew he had to do something.

"This is fucking absurd—Qi Refining against Golden Core."

A Flood Dragon Soul Pearl appeared in Xu Fan's hand, while a small Flood Dragon Puppet emerged beside him.

"Time to burn money."

The Flood Dragon Soul Pearl erupted with azure light. A hundred-meter-long Ethereal Projection of a Flood Dragon appeared, then plunged into the Flood Dragon Puppet beside Xu Fan.

"Roar!!"

The dragon's roar shook the heavens. A hundred-meter-long Flood Dragon Puppet appeared, and the Devil Cultivator's Flying Light chasing the Sword Vessel came to a halt.

A sinister-looking man stared at the hundred-meter-long Flood Dragon Puppet, a strange glint passing through his eyes.

"I never expected a minor Qi Refining cultivator like you to possess such an astonishing Magic Treasure. What a windfall for me."

In the Golden Core Devil Cultivator's eyes, even if this Flood Dragon Puppet possessed Foundation Establishment Peak combat power, it was still only Foundation Establishment.

Xu Fan ignored the Golden Core Devil Cultivator. Instead, he focused all his attention on forming profound Dharma Seals. This was the final method of this Magic Artifact.

"Senior Golden Core, how about sparing my life?"

After guiding the Magic Artifact's secret technique to completion, Xu Fan let out a breath. Fifteen minutes of Golden Core combat power would be enough for him to escape.

"Sure. Ask me again when you see me in your next life."

At that moment, the five thousand Spirit Stones hidden inside the Flood Dragon Puppet rapidly melted away, and an astonishing surge of spiritual power burst forth.

In an instant, the Flood Dragon Puppet's aura surpassed the Foundation Establishment Peak and reached Golden Core Initial.

Without saying another word, Xu Fan directly gave the Flood Dragon Puppet its final command: kill the Golden Core Cultivator before it. Then he rapidly fled in the direction of the Heavenly Gate Sect.

The explosions from the battle behind him resounded through the entire sky.

"Damn it, when I get back, I'm going to refine ten of these Magic Artifacts."

Behind Xu Fan, the Golden Core Devil Cultivator fighting the Flood Dragon Puppet watched Xu Fan flee into the distance, ridicule flashing through his eyes. Taking advantage of a retreat during the battle, he flicked his index finger.

A black Death Soul Worm flew toward Xu Fan, flickering in and out of sight through the air.

"The methods of a Golden Core Cultivator—how could a little Qi Refining Stage brat like you possibly escape them?"

"You want to live? Try again next life. What a pity about such a Magic Artifact."

He could tell that Xu Fan had activated the Magic Artifact's self-destruction method, which was why the Flood Dragon Puppet possessed Golden Core combat power.

Xu Fan, who was currently fleeing for his life, was filled with joy, feeling as if he had survived a great calamity.

"Once I'm back at the sect, I'm never fucking coming out again."

Before Xu Fan could continue speaking, a bone-chilling sensation jolted him into a shudder.

"Earth Spirit Shield!"

"Fire Spirit Shield!"

"Mind Guard!"

"Spiritual Light Barrier!"

The four defensive Magic Artifacts also rapidly began circling around Xu Fan.

"A divine ability of the spiritual curse type?"

The moment Xu Fan spoke, a black Ethereal Projection instantly drilled into the center of his brow.

"Damn it, I still got hit."

In an instant, all the Magic Artifacts around Xu Fan lost control.

Xu Fan's body slowly drifted down beneath the clouds.

At the instant he lost consciousness, Xu Fan activated the Light Body Art on his robe.

Cloud Mist Mountain lay in the farthest west of Wu Kingdom. Its peak was covered in snow all year round, and the mountain folk below made their living through hunting and gathering Spiritual Herbs.

A herb-gathering team was searching for Snow Spirit Ginseng in the Snow Mountain.

"Little Fang, this is your first time here. There are many rules to gathering herbs on our Cloud Mist Snow Mountain." An elderly man spoke to the eight-year-old Little Boy.

"Grandfather, tell me. As long as I can earn money and let my little sister and me eat a full meal, I'm willing to do anything," the Little Boy said foolishly. He remembered what his father had told him before he died.

"On the Snow Mountain, listen only to your Grandpa Chang Shan. Only then can you stay alive."

"On the Snow Mountain, kneel when you encounter Spirit Beasts. If you encounter immortals, you must kneel even more," the old man said.

"If you encounter Snow Mountain Fierce Beasts, never be the last one running. If there's truly no other way, jump off the mountain. That way, there's still a sliver of hope."

"When you aren't strong enough, never keep the Spiritual Herbs you gather all for yourself. Take out half and offer it to the strongest person in the team."

The old man explained the rules of survival on the Snow Mountain to the Little Boy one by one, and the Little Boy remembered every one of them.

"You're a good child. Live well, and don't let your father's hopes down."

The old man fondly rubbed the Little Boy's head, thinking how wonderful it would be if this were his own grandson.

"Grandfather, I've remembered everything you said," the Little Boy said seriously.

"That's good."

The old man led the Little Boy at the rear of the group. The journey up the Snow Mountain took three hours, and they only had three hours to gather herbs. Since the Snow Mountain was covered in snow all year and the temperature was bitterly cold, ordinary people who remained there for more than six hours would be afflicted with cold poison.

"Grandfather, have you ever seen an immortal?" the Little Boy asked.

"I have. I've even exchanged a few words with one," the old man teased the Little Boy.

"Grandfather, Grandfather, what do immortals look like?"

"Haha, anyway, they aren't as stupid as you."

End of this chapter