Tiger Demon Ancestor
That single sentence struck like a bolt from the blue, turning everyone's faces pale.
They had only just mentioned that Yin creature, and something had really happened to the Jade Sword Sect!
Xun Zilan's body swayed slightly. As his blood and Qi churned, the frigid Yin power he had only just suppressed showed signs of erupting again. But he could no longer spare it any attention. Staring at the blood-covered man in shock, he said, "Master is a Spirit Gathering Second Layer powerhouse. Who could possibly have the ability to capture him?"
The newcomer was Sha Qing, Xun Zilan's third junior brother. His cultivation was quite respectable, at the Profound Body Sixth Layer.
His face was filled with terror. "It was a blue flying tiger with four human heads. Its entire body was wreathed in ghostly Qi. It drained the blood essence of many elders and disciples, leaving their bodies shriveled and dead. Even the Sect Master was carried off in that blue flying tiger's jaws, flying toward North Cloud Mountain! I... I, because..."
Before he could finish, his eyes suddenly widened, blood flooding them.
"Ah...!" Sha Qing let out a shrill scream.
His entire body began to freeze, turning into an ice sculpture!
At the same time, a wisp of black smoke drifted from above his head, gathering into a savage ghost head the size of a human head.
"Found you, hehehe..."
A sinister voice dripping with cold came from the ghost head. Chilling winds began to sweep through the entire hall, and everyone felt a bone-piercing chill.
"There's a Yin vein within you. It would be such a pity not to take it."
The ghost head stretched out its sharp claws and pounced at Xun Zilan with blinding speed.
Xun Zilan jumped in fright, but his reaction was equally swift. The longsword on his back flew from its sheath. "Jade God Swordplay, Evil Banisher!"
The Jade God Swordplay was the Jade Sword Sect's core sword art, and Evil Banisher was also Xun Zilan's strongest killing move.
As the longsword descended, spiritual energy surged and condensed into an azure Sword Qi that slashed straight at the savage ghost head like a bolt of silk. Whether Ji Hongxue or Liu Peng, both felt an incomparably powerful force and a surging, razor-sharp sword intent.
"Haha, what trash swordplay!" The ghost head laughed loudly. Without dodging or evading, it slammed directly into the azure Sword Qi.
Bang!
The Sword Qi was effortlessly shattered by the ghost head.
Xun Zilan was dumbfounded. His strongest strike had been broken just like that?
The others were caught completely off guard and could only watch helplessly as the scene unfolded before them.
In truth, even if they had reacted, there was nothing they could have done. They were all ordinary mortals—how could they dare fight such terrifying ghostly beings?
The ghost head pounced toward Xun Zilan with an invincible bearing. Just as tragedy was about to unfold, a figure in white suddenly appeared before Xun Zilan.
"Courting death!" The ghost head flew into a rage the moment it saw An Bulang and was about to give him a wound straight through the heart.
Yet An Bulang's hand moved even faster than it could fly. Before everyone's disbelieving eyes, his hand flashed like lightning, his five fingers closing as he seized the black ghost head in an iron grip.
"Roar! Let me go!" The black ghost head struggled, only to discover that a mysterious force had it firmly under control. It could not even summon its own power.
"Who exactly are you? Release me, and I, the Tiger Demon Ancestor, can let bygones be bygones!"
An Bulang laughed. "A mere Body Refinement Seventh Level avatar, and you think you're worthy of negotiating terms with me? Judging by the energy traits leaking from your body... hmm, you were planning to blood-sacrifice an entire sect to refine Blood Pupal Fruit, weren't you?"
The ghost head was stunned. "How did you know?"
"Tell me, where is the core site for condensing spirit energy?" An Bulang asked.
"Impudent! Foolish ant, even if you kill me, I will not utter another word!" the black ghost head screamed wildly.
Splat!
An Bulang grabbed the ghost head and smashed it into the ground.
The black ghost head let out a miserable shriek and was smashed into ashes, its soul scattered to the wind.
"Forget it. Even if you wanted to say another word, I wouldn't let you." An Bulang snorted coldly.
Everyone stared in stunned silence. An Bulang had instantaneously killed such a terrifying ghost head?
"Heavens, that was so domineering!" Xu Linghui's little mouth fell open.
Ji Hongxue was equally astonished. She had gained an entirely new understanding of An Bulang's strength.
Xun Zilan was the most shocked of all. He was at the Body Refinement Seventh Level, already outstanding within the Jade Sword Sect and one of the foremost cultivators among Azure Kingdom's younger generation. Yet against that ghost head, he could only have been brutally crushed. But such a terrifying enemy had been smashed out of existence alive by An Bulang?
Such strength... inspired both respect and fear!
"Thank you, Senior, for saving me. You bore no grudge over my earlier offense and were still willing to rescue me in this moment of danger. I am deeply ashamed. I apologize for my previous words and actions." Xun Zilan walked before An Bulang and bowed in apology.
An Bulang looked at Xun Zilan with some surprise.
He had been calling him little friend and kid just moments ago, and now he was calling him Senior? That change in attitude had come quite promptly...
What An Bulang did not know was that in Xun Zilan's heart, An Bulang had long been placed on the same level as his master—a great figure. To casually destroy an avatar at the Body Refinement Seventh Level, he had to be at least a Spirit Attunement Realm powerhouse. And with his youthful appearance, he was most likely some big shot who simply enjoyed disguising himself this way.
After all, in this day and age, there were even big shots who dressed as women. What was so strange about a big shot who looked like a youth?
When Xun Zilan called An Bulang "Senior," it was a title of genuine respect.
As for Xun Zilan's little thoughts toward Ji Hongxue, they had long vanished into thin air before An Bulang's formidable strength. Whether An Bulang had any designs on Ji Hongxue or not, no woman by a big shot's side could be provoked!
"Enough. I can't be bothered to fuss over what happened before." An Bulang waved his hand. "But I advise you to leave this place as soon as possible. The Tiger Demon Ancestor likes Yin-vein cultivators like you, and it clearly will not let this go."
Yin-vein cultivators were cultivators whose meridians leaned toward the Yin attribute. When casting Yin-based spells, spiritual energy flowed more smoothly through the meridians in their bodies, allowing faster casting and greater power. Of course, they could not compare to geniuses born with Yin spiritual roots.
"Leave this place?" Xun Zilan was slightly taken aback, then bowed once more to An Bulang. "Please enlighten me, Senior."
"Flee to a place overflowing with Yang energy, conceal your aura, then weaken yourself a little. It would be best to drain all your blood and Qi. That way, the Tiger Demon Ancestor will be unable to sense you," An Bulang said.
"This... weaken myself?" Xun Zilan hesitated.
An Bulang said, "If you encounter the Tiger Demon Ancestor while weakened, you'll be instantly killed. If you encounter the Tiger Demon Ancestor at full strength, you'll still be instantly killed. There's no difference at all. You might as well weaken yourself so it will be easier to evade the Tiger Demon Ancestor's detection and have a higher chance of survival."
"...This junior has learned much." Xun Zilan bowed again. "Senior An Bulang's great kindness shall never be forgotten. If I am fortunate enough to survive in the future, I will certainly do everything in my power to repay your life-saving grace."
"Enough, enough. If there's nothing else, hurry up and run!" An Bulang waved him away.
Hearing this, Xun Zilan bid farewell to everyone and fled alone.
Ji Hongxue's face was clouded with worry. "Bulang, you killed the Tiger Demon Ancestor's avatar and ruined its plans. Will it come looking for trouble with you?"
"Don't worry. I don't regard a little tiger as anything worth fearing. If it comes looking for me, I'll make it regret it," An Bulang said.
After undergoing such violent twists and turns between life and death, no one was in the mood to talk anymore. Yet when they looked at An Bulang, there was no longer any of their earlier casualness or frivolity. Their eyes were filled only with reverence and awe.
Soon enough, a hearty voice came from outside the hall.
"Hahaha... Hongxue, you came here without even telling me? I heard from the servants that someone even broke into my Prince De's Estate? Are you all all right? I was at a crucial point in my cultivation breakthrough, but the moment I heard the news, I rushed over."
"Hm? Where is Xun Zilan?"
"Heavens! What is this ice sculpture?"