You Cross the Realm to Kill; I Slack Off (Please Bookmark)

Deep within Black Snake Abyss, at a Forked Path.

Qi Chuan leaned against the stone wall beside him. Hearing Murong Fan's suggestion, he merely nodded.

He had no intention of charging out to take the lead.

Since Murong Fan himself had said he would deal with the stronger Mother Snake, Qi Chuan naturally went along with it. It would save him some trouble.

"Since that's the case, shall we attack directly?" Murong Fan asked Qi Chuan, his expression seeking confirmation.

"I'm fine with anything." Qi Chuan nodded.

"Then let's move!" Murong Fan said in a low voice.

He then rushed out first, heading toward the leftmost Forked Path ahead.

"Hiss..."

The moment he appeared without concealing himself, the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake and Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake in the nest halfway down the leftmost Forked Path instantly became alert. Their slender black necks rose high, their forked tongues flickering as their vertical black pupils glinted with a cold, sinister light, staring fixedly at Murong Fan.

With a flick of their black tails, crack! The stones below were instantly ground into powder, dust billowing everywhere. Amid the dust, two black shadows streaked forward at incredible speed, rushing toward Murong Fan.

Seeing this, Murong Fan gave a low shout and drew a Dark Green Umbrella magic tool from his robes. As he infused it with Spell Power, the umbrella instantly enlarged, graceful as a canopy above his head. Rings of light blossomed out like a luminous curtain, shielding him within.

Moreover, the rim of the Dark Green Umbrella was lined with blade-like protrusions, like knives and swords, radiating sharpness.

Bang!

At that moment, a black shadow shot out of the dust, its tail smashing heavily against the light curtain conjured by the Dark Green Umbrella. The light on the curtain flickered faintly, seeming somewhat unstable.

Because Murong Fan had charged toward the Mother Snake when he first rushed out, placing himself closest to her, it was the Mother Snake that launched the attack against him now.

Seeing that her strike had failed, the Mother Snake's black eyes flashed coldly. She opened her jaws wide, Monster Power surging within, and spat out a mass of pitch-black vapor. It landed upon the light curtain conjured by the Dark Green Umbrella, and an immensely powerful corrosive force spread through it.

As that corrosive force spread, the light curtain flickered even more violently.

"This Mother Snake's strength has already faintly surpassed that of a Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivator. She's nearly comparable to someone at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer!"

Within the light curtain beneath the Dark Green Umbrella, Murong Fan's expression changed slightly.

His Dark Green Umbrella was a Tier 1 High-grade Magic Tool with considerable power. Yet using it to face a monster beast comparable to a Qi Refining Fifth Layer cultivator still carried no small risk.

Furthermore, the vapor spat out by the Mother Snake was unusual. Its corrosive power was exceptionally fierce, somewhat countering the light curtain protecting his body.

"Still, if she thinks this alone can break my magic tool, that remains impossible."

Murong Fan did not panic. With a surge of Spell Power, the Dark Green Umbrella above his head began to spin. The blades along its rim whirled without cease, slicing toward the Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake.

Sensing that sharpness, she seemed somewhat fearful as well. She drew back her head and retreated slightly, avoiding its edge.

"Ah, another very fine High-grade Magic Tool."

Not far away, Qi Chuan had already darted out. A Grey Shadow spun rapidly around him, protecting him while also intercepting the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake ahead.

As he tangled with the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake, he watched the battle between Murong Fan and the Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake in the distance.

The Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake was clearly quite formidable, her strength already faintly reaching the level of a Qi Refining Fifth Layer cultivator.

Yet before Murong Fan, who was at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, she still could not prevail after a long assault.

This not only showed that Murong Fan's Spell Power was fairly deep for someone at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, but also that his umbrella-shaped magic tool was likely an exceptionally strong High-grade Magic Tool.

It reminded Qi Chuan of the Golden Ring magic tool Qi Chan'er had used back in the Cloud Rising Mountains. That one had been quite good as well, capable in both attack and defense.

By comparison, the High-grade Magic Tool in his hand, "Flying Ash," seemed rather ordinary.

This is the gap created by having backing...

Qi Chuan sighed inwardly.

At Red Maple Valley, Qi Chan'er had a Transmission Elder for a Grandfather. The magic tool that Grandfather had painstakingly prepared for her was naturally exceptionally good.

As for Murong Fan before him, he possessed such a fine dark green umbrella-shaped magic tool. It was likely much the same, a gift from one of his Elders.

Meanwhile, his own High-grade Magic Tool, "Flying Ash," had been awarded by the Qi Family after he obtained an Inner Sect Quota in the Wind Moon Sect. Compared to one carefully selected by an Elder, it was obviously somewhat inferior.

"Still, even with such an excellent High-grade Magic Tool, Murong Fan, at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, has temporarily fallen into a hard fight against a Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake whose strength faintly rivals the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. The danger is considerable."

"Sure enough, under ordinary circumstances, it's better not to fight across realms."

Seeing sweat already appear on Murong Fan's forehead, Qi Chuan shook his head slightly and muttered to himself inwardly.

Still, Murong Fan would not be defeated anytime soon.

Qi Chuan then turned his head and looked at the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake before him.

Compared to the Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake on Murong Fan's side, this Male Black Jade Spirit Snake was far inferior.

Not only was it a full size smaller.

Even its strength was merely that of an ordinary Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

Qi Chuan, however, had already reached the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. He handled it with great ease, as naturally as moving his hand, leaving him enough spare attention during the battle to observe Murong Fan's fight.

"There's no need to show anything too unusual or finish too quickly. Murong Fan's side is having some trouble, but he probably won't need my help. He can barely manage to deal with that Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake."

"Slacking off appropriately is good for everyone."

With that in mind, Qi Chuan slowly continued to tangle with the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake before him.

Meanwhile, Murong Fan was exhausting every effort to deal with the Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake. He did not dare let his attention wander in the slightest, so naturally he did not notice what was happening on Qi Chuan's side.

The battle continued. As time passed, Qi Chuan soon felt that it was about enough, and immediately increased his supply of Spell Power slightly.

Whoosh!

The High-grade Magic Tool "Flying Ash" abruptly accelerated, streaking through the air and passing across the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake's neck.

Thud!

A line of blood instantly appeared on the Male Black Jade Spirit Snake's neck. Then its head separated from its body and fell to the ground, blood spraying from its severed neck as the stench of blood spread.

Only then did Qi Chuan turn to look toward Murong Fan and call out, "Brother Murong, do you need my help?"

"No need. I'm almost done here too," Murong Fan replied as he fought.

Then he gritted his teeth and forced himself to channel more Spell Power, preparing to end the battle quickly.

After all, Qi Chuan had already finished his side.

Though he was facing a Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake faintly comparable to a Qi Refining Fifth Layer cultivator, taking too long to finish her would still be rather embarrassing.

Yet even with that thought, and even after increasing the output of his Spell Power, he still spent some more time before finally killing the Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake before him.

Thud!

As the Mother Black Jade Spirit Snake, over ten feet long and with her neck half severed, crashed to the ground and her life force faded, Murong Fan finally let out a long breath. His tense body slowly leaned against the stone wall beside him, gradually relaxing.

Sweat drenched his forehead.

His condition was clearly somewhat weakened.

Fortunately, when he turned his head, Qi Chuan in the distance showed no sign of approaching him. Qi Chuan merely stood there, waiting for him to recover.

"Still, Brother Qi seemed to have dealt with that Male Black Jade Spirit Snake rather easily?"

Looking at Qi Chuan's calm expression in the distance, as well as his utterly steady aura, Murong Fan's brows furrowed ever so slightly as he muttered to himself inwardly.