A Petty Man Indeed

"Ah... Pale Skull, Demon Cloud Spewing Mist, kill!"

The Flying Yaksha roared and used Blood Offering Refinement to activate the Spirit Item, which spewed poisonous smoke as it lunged at Fang Xuan.

Fang Xuan snorted coldly, planted a foot on the Flying Yaksha's back, and pulled with both hands. Amid a miserable scream, he tore off the two fleshy wings on its back.

As for the poisonous smoke sprayed out by the Spirit Item, Fang Xuan simply threw a punch. A violent gust of air scattered the smoke at once.

It was not that Fang Xuan was too strong, nor was the Spirit Item too useless.

Using a Spirit Item required the support of mana. Though the Flying Yaksha was powerful, it had not yet developed mana or become an Asura, so it naturally could not unleash the full power of this Pale Skull.

Grabbing the Pale Skull in one hand, Fang Xuan stomped down. The Flying Yaksha's head burst like a watermelon, killing it instantly.

"Big Sister, are you all right?" Fang Xuan hurried over and helped Fang Qingxue up.

"I'm fine. I'm only exhausted. A few days of rest will do. Where is that Flying Yaksha?"

"Dead."

Fang Qingxue looked deeply at her younger brother. Slaughtering a Flying Yaksha while only in the Divine Courage Realm of the Body Tempering Realm was beyond what mere genius could describe. He must have encountered some great opportunity.

But who did not have a few secrets?

The same was true of how she could unleash the power of the Mystic Divine Realm. It was not something she should ask about.

"Let's go, Big Sister. I'll carry you back. This place is too dangerous."

"Mm."

Fang Xuan helped Fang Qingxue onto his back and raced toward the exit.

Half an hour later, he leaped back onto the surface.

The Shen siblings were still waiting in the desert. When they saw Fang Qingxue's miserable state, they were shocked as well.

"Qing Xue, what happened to you? What happened?" Shen Hao cried out.

Fang Qingxue shook her head. "It's nothing, just superficial injuries. It's not serious."

Fang Xuan "explained," "We alerted that group of yakshas and had no choice but to flee. If Big Sister hadn't protected me, I might have been left behind in the Underground World. Big Sister was injured because of me as well."

"It's good that you're all right. I told you before, those yakshas are not something we can deal with. By the way, did you find out why they had gathered around the outskirts of the Underground World?"

"No. We were discovered before we could get close. Had we been any slower, we truly would not have returned." Fang Xuan shook his head.

One must always be wary of others.

Both of them carried great secrets. Otherwise, they could not have killed an entire squad of yaksha soldiers and even suppressed a Flying Yaksha in the end. That was simply not something people at their level of cultivation could accomplish.

Especially since they had obtained an Essence Bloodstone and the Spirit Item Pale Skull. One was a treasure that could increase cultivation, while the other was a Spirit Item.

Magical treasures were divided into magical instruments, Spirit Items, treasure items, Dao items, and immortal items.

Magical instruments were objects infused with mana. Any expert of the Mystic Divine Realm who possessed mana could refine them.

Spirit Items, however, could only be refined by experts who had reached the fifth level of the Mystic Divine Realm, the Heavenly Human Realm. They had to use mana to set up grand formations and inscribe mana formations onto an object.

A Spirit Item possessed immense power and was a protective treasure that cultivators of the Body Tempering Realm dreamed of obtaining.

Take this Pale Skull, for instance. After an ordinary person performed Blood Offering Refinement, they could command it with their thoughts. It could spew demonic mist, dissolve bones, devour souls, and kill enemies. Even when facing an army of thousands, one could remain completely composed.

If such a Spirit Item fell into a Mortal World dynasty, using it to earn oneself the rank of duke or marquis and enjoy glory and wealth for generations would be effortless.

Take Shen Hao, for example. If he could obtain a Spirit Item and return to the Great Li Dynasty, he might even shake the Crown Prince's position and become the heir apparent.

It was incomparably precious.

Even among the hundreds of thousands of disciples in the Yuhua Sect, only some outstanding Inner Sect Disciples possessed Spirit Items. Outer Sect Disciples could never have one and could at most own ordinary magical instruments.

Shen Ruolan said anxiously from the side, "Qing Xue's injuries are too severe. We should return to the sect as soon as possible."

"All right."

Shen Ruolan used the Spirit Beast Jade Token to contact the immortal cranes. Before long, accompanied by two cries of cranes, the immortal cranes that had gone out to forage returned.

The four of them rode the immortal cranes back toward the Yuhua Sect.

"Fang Xuan, take Qing Xue to treat her injuries. I'll go to the Inner Immortal Courtyard and report the matter of the yaksha squad," Shen Hao said urgently.

Fang Xuan frowned slightly. Shen Hao was being far too eager.

A group of yakshas had suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the Underground World. No matter how one looked at it, something was suspicious. Reporting it to the sect would count as a contribution if there truly was some major matter.

But Shen Hao was too eager, and he deliberately excluded Fang Xuan and Fang Qingxue, clearly afraid they would share the credit. That was an ugly display of greed.

Unfortunately, I took all the treasures. You will not even get the foot-washing water.

Fang Xuan gave Shen Hao a deep look, then nodded. "All right. Big Sister's injuries are more important."

With that, he helped Fang Qingxue down from the immortal crane and headed toward the courtyard. Shen Hao took Shen Ruolan and left at once on the immortal crane.

"Forsaking righteousness for profit. A petty man indeed." Fang Qingxue sneered.

Fang Xuan shrugged. "This is fine too. At least we can see what kind of person he is from now on."

On the immortal crane, Shen Ruolan looked somewhat guilty and said in a low voice, "Third Brother, isn't it somewhat wrong for us to do this?"

Shen Hao looked expressionlessly at Shen Ruolan. "Ruo Lan, do you remember what that elder said during the external assessment? The path of immortality is a road of no return. It has never been one of carefree clouds, gentle winds, and leisurely crane-riding. It is a path of cutting through thorns, slaying illusions, and seeking one's true self. If you want immortality, you must press forward bravely and seize resources."

"But what if there is nothing there?"

"Impossible. So many yakshas suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the Underground World. There must be some unspeakable secret. No matter what it is, it is our opportunity. As long as I tell Senior Brother Yuan about this, I can gain access to Tiandu Peak. With my talent, I will certainly become an Inner Sect Disciple and enter the Mystic Divine Realm. Then no throne, no Crown Prince, will ever be able to suppress us siblings again. Father will not force you into a political marriage either." Shen Hao spoke excitedly.

Longing appeared in Shen Ruolan's eyes as well. She nodded heavily. "Mm, Third Brother, you can definitely do it."

Fang Qingxue's injuries were severe. Forcing herself to use that move from the Mystic Divine Realm while only in the Body Tempering Realm had exacted a price, and then the Flying Yaksha had toyed with her, breaking bones throughout her body.

After thinking for a moment, Fang Xuan took out the Nine Dragons Stone and handed it to her. "Big Sister, this item has healing effects. Try it first."

"All right."

Fang Qingxue did not refuse. She took the Nine Dragons Stone and held it in her palm.

She sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion and drew upon the strange power within the Nine Dragons Stone.

As the strange power entered her body, it swiftly repaired the injuries she had suffered in the battle.

Her shattered tendons and bones, shaken internal organs, torn muscles... all were rapidly restored beneath this strange power.