A Deadly Strike Beneath Earth Fiend Turbid Qi

Earth Fiend Turbid Qi did not target Luo Hong alone. Aside from the situation of the three evil cultivator brothers being unclear within the shroud of black qi, Yu Guang and Li Mingjing were both greatly affected.

The Magic Artifacts they had deployed, like the Spirit Turtle Shield, lost all spirituality in an instant and fell to the ground like mundane objects.

Li Mingjing's Flying Sword stabbed down at an angle, nearly piercing straight through his own heart.

Yu Ying was even more unfortunate. The Diamond Bell sank several inches into the ground and actually transformed into a cage, trapping him inside.

Luo Hong no longer had the strength to complain about Yu Ying's unreliability.

He at this moment was utterly shocked, but not because Earth Fiend Turbid Qi had appeared. He had anticipated that long ago; its timing was simply inconvenient.

The real reason was that Luo Hong discovered that all the Spiritual Qi in his meridians, which maintained his Internal Spirit Pressure, had escaped!

That was also why, despite not having gained an ounce of flesh, he had suddenly felt his body grow heavier.

Normally, the Spiritual Qi in his meridians provided a slight weight-lightening effect. Now that it was gone, all the weight his brain had forgotten naturally returned.

Under normal circumstances, a Cultivator's Internal Spirit Pressure was only affected by External Spiritual Pressure. However, a Cultivator's meridians offered some protection to the Spiritual Qi within them, so even if the External Spiritual Pressure fell to zero, a Cultivator's Internal Spirit Pressure would remain at least above one. The exact amount depended on one's cultivation.

Yet Luo Hong's meridians were now utterly empty, as if they had been vacuumed clean. Not a trace of Spiritual Qi remained!

The only explanation was that the External Spiritual Pressure around Luo Hong was currently negative—and severely so!

Clearly, this was due to the influence of Earth Fiend Turbid Qi.

The Magic Artifacts had gone out of control for the same reason. Their Spiritual Qi had been drained away, leaving them unable to respond to a Cultivator's Magic Power.

Having lost their Magic Artifacts, the only combat methods available to Cultivators were casting Spells themselves and using talismans.

Luo Hong tried to use the Water Bullet Technique. He immediately felt that the instant his Magic Power transformed into Spiritual Qi within his meridians, more than half of it dispersed. As a result, the Water Bullet Technique he had practiced to perfection actually failed to cast.

However, this also showed that as long as they increased their Magic Power output, Cultivators could still use Spells even under negative External Spiritual Pressure, though it would consume an enormous amount of Magic Power.

"Looks like it worked. Liu Jing has already fallen into the Gathering Sha Formation. At most, he'll be refined and absorbed by Old Ghost Blood within a day."

Li Mingjing knew the Foundation Establishment evil cultivator's entire plan. The reason he had betrayed Yellow Maple Valley this time was that he could no longer endure the torment of waiting to die day after day, so he had decided to use the same method to extend his life by blood-sacrificing Cultivators of the same realm.

The Li Family Sisters, Yu Ying, and Luo Hong were all blood-sacrifice offerings he had set his sights on.

No matter how Li Mingjing had gotten in contact with Old Ghost Blood, he had now completely fallen onto the evil path. A sinister smile spread across his wrinkled face as he looked at Luo Hong like an offering laid upon an altar.

"Stop struggling. Once Liu Jing dies, how could you possibly be a match for a Foundation Establishment evil cultivator? Give up now, and at least your deaths won't be quite so painful."

"Junior Brother Luo, is what he said true? Uncle-master Liu, he..."

Yu Ying, trapped inside the Diamond Bell, had already believed Li Mingjing's threats. After all, without a Foundation Establishment evil cultivator behind him, Li Mingjing could not possibly have dared to betray them.

The eruption of Earthly Sha had also been so terrifying, and he had personally felt how greatly Earth Fiend Turbid Qi suppressed orthodox Cultivators. Naturally, his confidence in Liu Jing had plummeted.

Luo Hong did not reply. His thoughts were the complete opposite of Yu Ying's—rather than diminishing, his confidence in Liu Jing had grown.

Refined within a day? Believe it or not, within fifteen minutes, a Fire Bird transformed from a True Treasure will soar upwards.

However, with Li Mingjing turning traitor, Liu Jing likely would not need to use the True Treasure to kill his enemy in return this time.

Because my greatest influence on this whole affair was helping Liu Jing find the clue that Wu Mountain was Xiang Mountain.

But since Li Mingjing was an undercover traitor, even without me, he would have produced that clue at the appropriate moment. Therefore, the timeline had not changed enough to alter the final outcome.

There was no need to worry about Liu Jing, and Luo Hong had already begun adapting to the environment of negative External Spiritual Pressure. He would not give Li Mingjing another chance to stall for time.

He charged straight at Li Mingjing while continuously activating high-grade Water Bullet Talismans.

Facing Luo Hong's fierce assault, Li Mingjing's face turned livid. His physical body was aged, and without the support of Spiritual Qi in his meridians, even standing was somewhat difficult.

He had intended to frighten Luo Hong with Liu Jing's death, yet it had produced the opposite effect, driving him to launch a desperate assault.

"Damn it, is this brat Liu Jing's illegitimate son or something?!"

Li Mingjing cursed as he slapped a defensive talisman onto himself. Just as he was about to cast a spell and attack, he saw that the Spiritual Qi barrier he had just raised was already showing signs of failing under the bombardment of Water Bullets.

"Impossible! The Golden Light Talisman I specifically prepared is an elementary mid-grade talisman. How could it possibly fail to withstand a few Water Bullets?!"

Yet that was the reality. Li Mingjing had no choice but to stop casting and take out another Golden Light Talisman to activate. Otherwise, even the elementary low-grade Water Bullet Technique could seriously injure his physical body.

The newly replaced Golden Light Talisman fared even worse. Earlier, Li Mingjing had at least managed to recite two incantations. This time, before he could even open his mouth, he had to replace it again.

Li Mingjing immediately realized that major affairs were going badly. If he remained this passive and ran out of talismans before that brat did, would he not have to take at least one Water Bullet?

No, I have to find a way to interrupt that brat's assault.

"Junior Brother Luo, this old man offered you kind advice, but you refused to listen. Once that Foundation Establishment evil cultivator finishes off Liu Jing, I'll definitely have him extract your soul and torture it. Heh heh, the suffering of a tortured soul is the greatest pain in this world!"

"You have feelings for Xiao Qing, don't you? This old man will tell you that she was blood-sacrificed by Old Ghost Blood long ago. Every drop of blood essence in her body was drained away. What a miserable, horrific death!"

"Brat surnamed Luo, don't push people too far! Do you really think this old man's talismans are inferior to those of a Qi Refining Mid-stage junior like you?!"

Faced with Li Mingjing's verbal assault, Luo Hong had no intention of trading insults with him. This old fellow was cunning and experienced, far beyond comparison to that hot-tempered evil cultivator.

So the best response was silence. No matter what Li Mingjing said, Luo Hong's activation of Water Bullet Talismans did not slow by even a fraction, until Li Mingjing finally flew into a furious rage.

To Luo Hong's ears, it was no different from the mournful cries of a defeated dog.

Before Li Mingjing's final defensive talisman was breached, he acted like a cornered dog that would leap over the wall, disregarding the incoming Water Bullets as he tried to forcibly cast a spell.

The result was that two Water Bullets struck him squarely in the chest one after the other!

After Li Mingjing vomited blood and flew backward, he lay on the ground shivering violently from the cold, seemingly having lost his ability to fight.

Yet Luo Hong was still not at ease. Keeping his distance, he continued activating Water Bullet Talismans and bombarded him relentlessly!

Only after the ground beneath Li Mingjing had been blasted up three feet and the surrounding area had frozen into a white expanse did he finally stop.