A Timely Encounter

Over the years, with the nurturing of the Treasure Talisman, the Nine Imprint Tablet was lit up for the Second Life, Lan Chang'an was no less capable of killing Alchemist Hua.

What he lacks is an opportunity to clear his name, which requires a scapegoat who happens to be there at the right time.

Otherwise, even if Alchemist Hua was killed without leaving any evidence, Fu Xuemei might still connect it to him.

Today, Lan Chang'an finally got a good opportunity.

He didn't know what gave Alchemist Hua the confidence to target him, but he was undoubtedly alone.

Alchemist Hua's attention was focused on Lan Chang'an, and he didn't realize that he was also being targeted by a fierce person in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Lan Chang'an, Alchemist Hua, and the subsequent Foundation Establishment Realm are roughly on a straight line.

Previously, Core Formation True Person from a sect led a team flying overhead.

All three fly at low altitudes.

Located near the Black Mist Mountain Range, the surrounding area is mountainous and the view is not very open.

This resulted in—while Alchemist Hua was staring at Lan Chang'an, the Foundation Establishment Late Stage behind him could only see Alchemist Hua.

Only Lan Chang'an noticed the two people behind him at the same time.

Lan Chang'an slowly lowered the flight altitude.

We traversed along the lower half of those peaks, where the surrounding fragrant vegetation provided some concealment.

"Huh!"

After circling around several hills, Alchemist Hua lost sight of Lan Chang'an and used his Divine Sense to investigate.

In such complex terrain, it is common to occasionally lose sight of the target. Alchemist Hua had done this several times before, and was able to see it again very quickly.

This time, nearly ten breaths passed without any sign of anyone appearing, which was rather strange.

"Were they spotted, or were they lost?"

Alchemist Hua felt something was amiss.

Upon seeing Lan Chang'an again, who was alone, he impulsively decided to kill him.

This stems primarily from two points.

Firstly, Lan Chang'an and his senior brother Lin Ye were both in Wuqi Mountain.

Alchemist Hua and Lin Ye have a grudge; the former essentially stole the latter's childhood sweetheart.

When Alchemist Hua learned of this matter years ago, he felt a little panicked and suspected that the two men were involved in his assassination attempt.

Secondly, during this meeting, Lan Chang'an's cultivation was not as slow as expected, and he had a good network of connections, negotiating and trading with several Foundation Establishment.

Lan Chang'an is younger than him. If this person's cultivation and talisman skills improve further, and he joins forces with Senior Brother Lin Ye, it will be a great hidden danger.

"If I catch him, I will kill Lan Chang'an!"

Alchemist Hua, disguised as a man in a gray robe and straw hat, harbored murderous intent and was full of confidence.

At this moment, in the mountains and fields a mile or two behind him.

A lithe middle-aged man, draped in a thin green veil, blending seamlessly into the mountain forest, flew low and slowly approached.

That layer of green veil not only reduced its presence but also isolated it from Law Power fluctuations and sounds.

"Great opportunity, this fat sheep is all alone."

The agile middle-aged man was none other than Xiang Jinglong, a ruthless figure in the Liang Kingdom's Rogue Cultivator circle.

Xiang Jinglong set his sights on Alchemist Hua because the latter was wealthy and powerful, and had bought the main ingredient of his Youth Preservation Pill and a special demon core.

Alchemist Hua was flying alone in the wilderness, looking thoughtful. Wasn't this giving him an opportunity?

"Who?"

Alchemist Hua suddenly turned around and looked at the other side of the mountain.

He suddenly felt a piercing gaze.

The feeling was so obvious, it was as if someone was staring at his back, subtly releasing murderous intent.

"This old guy's senses aren't bad."

Xiang Jinglong, who was hiding behind, was stunned for a moment, thinking he could get even closer.

Anyway, it's in the middle of nowhere now.

He put on a black mask and barged out with a nonchalant air.

"You old scoundrel! Hand over the Storage Bag, and I'll spare your life!"

Xiang Jinglong left a trail of afterimages, stirring up a whirlwind, and charged at Alchemist Hua.

Xiang Jinglong was able to stand out in the secret realm and become the biggest winner among the Rogue Cultivator, with strength surpassing that of ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

He was born with superhuman strength and also cultivated body refinement. Although he didn't have much time to temper his body, he still managed to reach a level where his physical body was comparable to that of a mid-stage second-tier Demon Beast.

Hiss! Whoosh!

Xiang Jinglong simultaneously wielded a top-grade magical Law Artifact, a Blue Crystal Great Blade, dragging a trail of icy blades.

"Xiang Jinglong! How dare you rob me!"

Alchemist Hua roared and reacted swiftly, summoning a banner made of Vajra material. He slammed it into the ground, and a golden-plated light shield covered his entire body for a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters).

"A trivial skill!"

As Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Xiang Jinglong possessed twice the Law Power, allowing him to unleash the full potential of his top-tier offensive Law Artifact.

Clang! Bang! Bang!

The Blue Crystal Great Blade and a pair of iron fists shattered the Golden Light Shield.

Alchemist Hua's expression changed, and he hurriedly summoned two Second-Order High-Grade Talisman, one for defense and one for offense.

A layer of solidified soil covered the body, providing an extra layer of protection.

A giant Thunder Snake swept towards Xiang Jinglong, colliding with the Blue Crystal Great Blade, creating a surge of lightning and icy wind.

The situation has been stabilized for the time being.

Alchemist Hua quickly took out a Black Bottle, poured out a brownish-red pill, and swallowed it.

In the blink of an eye, his Law Power surged, approaching the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Instantly, the Golden Light Shield formed by the Vajra Flag in front of him regained its brightness.

Not only that.

Alchemist Hua then unleashed another top-grade offensive Law Artifact, a gourd, which spewed out bursts of explosive fireballs in a powerful counterattack.

A hundred feet away, Lan Chang'an, hidden in the shade of a tree, revealed a slightly strange expression.

"No wonder this old man dared to come out alone to ambush me!"

Alchemist Hua is well-equipped, possessing two top-grade magic Law Artifact and multiple second-tier High-Grade Talisman.

The secret medicine he took increased his Law Power by more than 50%, and it wasn't the kind with severe side effects.

Lan Chang'an was just worried that Alchemist Hua would be attacked by Xiang Jinglong and easily defeated.

If that's the case, it would be better for Lan Chang'an to kill him himself, since Fu Xuemei could still get in touch anyway.

Even Lan Chang'an would find it difficult to deal with Xiang Jinglong's strength.

Therefore, he had secretly used a minor Divine Sense technique to stimulate Alchemist Hua's back, making him realize that someone was behind him.

"Xiang Jinglong, you are incredibly audacious! In the splendid light of day, you actually dare to rob someone."

Alchemist Hua shouted, trying to alert the surrounding cultivators.

Even with the secret medicine, he could only hold his own against Xiang Jinglong for a short time; he was still no match for him.

"Hahaha! If we finish this battle within ten breaths, who will be able to save you in time?"

Xiang Jinglong's attacks became increasingly fierce, causing Hua Danshi's magical artifacts to dim and his talismans to shatter one by one.

Xiang Jinglong was operating under a mask. Although Alchemist Hua recognized him, as long as the battle was resolved quickly, there would be no evidence afterward.

Lan Chang'an's Divine Sense detected that several miles away, some cultivators sensed the battle taking place and stopped to watch from afar, not daring to approach.

Such intense fighting could be vaguely sensed by Foundation Establishment cultivators dozens of miles away.

He secretly gave it a push, using his powerful Divine Sense to envelop the sound and send it several miles away.

"Xiang Jinglong assassinated Alchemist Hua of Yellow Dragon Immortal City!"

"Xiang Jinglong killed Alchemist Hua, everyone please stay away."

Sound travels from a fixed point to a distant location.

The sounds of the battle between Alchemist Hua and Xiang Jinglong were so loud that they could not hear clearly.

"Xiang Jinglong, you're courting death!"

Driven to desperation, Alchemist Hua gritted his teeth, his voice icy cold.

He took out a talisman from his Storage Bag; it was thicker and heavier than ordinary Talisman, and also slightly larger in size.

This talisman is engraved with a lifelike Bronze Halberd, and the aura it exudes makes those in the Foundation Establishment Realm tremble with fear.

"Talisman Treasure!"

Xiang Jinglong cried out in alarm and retreated rapidly.

Lan Chang'an, who was hiding in the distance, also felt a jolt in his heart.

Alchemist Hua truly lives up to his reputation as Second-Order High-Grade Alchemist. He has cultivated connections with the upper echelons of Yellow Dragon Immortal City for decades.

They even brought out their trump card, the Talisman Treasure.

Lan Chang'an finally understood where Alchemist Hua got the courage to come alone to kill him.

Such a trump card would be fatal, not to mention the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, even for ordinary mid-to-late stages of Foundation Establishment.

"Alchemist Hua, stop here!"

Xiang Jinglong broke out in a cold sweat. As he created distance, he summoned a top-grade defensive magic Law Artifact and slapped two second-tier High-Grade Talisman onto his body.

He was extremely frustrated. If you have Talisman Treasure, show them off sooner rather than later.

You ruined my plans!

Alchemist Hua was seething with hatred. The Bronze Halberd on the surface of the Talisman in his hand emitted the aura of Law Treasure. Just as it was about to fly away, it returned to the talisman.

Talisman Treasure fall between Talisman and Law Treasure; they are more difficult to control and guide, and their activation speed is half a beat slower than Talisman.

Xiang Jinglong was stronger than the average Foundation Establishment Late Stage; he was experienced and immediately created distance to provide full protection.

In this situation, a single strike from a beginner-level Talisman Treasure is unlikely to be a fatal blow; it will most likely result in serious injury.

If he can't kill Xiang Jinglong in one strike, he can escape by creating distance, and from then on, it will be a fight to the death.

Therefore, Alchemist Hua only scared the other party away.

He knew this Talisman Treasure could only be used once or twice, and he didn't want to waste it.

"Roll!"

Alchemist Hua's mood worsened after he had driven Xiang Jinglong away.

After Xiang Jinglong stirred things up...

With his identity and trump card exposed, Lan Chang'an, who was nearby, would surely discover it.

From now on, Lan Chang'an will be extremely wary of him and will find it difficult to find such a good opportunity.

After the battle just now, and having taken the secret pill to enhance his Law Power, Alchemist Hua was somewhat weak, so he took two pills.

After the situation is restored.

He stopped disguising his identity and set off south towards the Black Mist Mountain Range.

"Alchemist Hua is still as sharp as ever; with a single word, he deterred that villain Xiang Jinglong."

Nearby, there was Foundation Establishment who recognized Alchemist Hua, so they went up to greet him.

Alchemist Hua had no interest in ordinary Foundation Establishment Foundation Establishment or those from small forces. He gave them a few perfunctory replies and hurried toward Yellow Dragon Immortal City.

"Excellent, we have a suspect."

Lan Chang'an's lips curled slightly as he followed Alchemist Hua from behind.

If Xiang Jinglong easily eliminates Alchemist Hua, or if he takes advantage of the situation, the desired effect will not be achieved.

Fly for a distance.

Alchemist Hua arrived at the edge of the Black Mist Mountain Range, ahead of which lay the Black Blood Trade Route pioneered by the High Antiquity sages.

Beyond the Black Blood Road lies the Yellow Dragon Immortal City.

This is not the same location as the natural canyon break that Lan Chang'an came from.

On the Black Blood Road, there are also cases of cultivators being robbed.

Alchemist Hua slowed down.

At this moment, fog swirled in the field of vision.

A woman with long, pale purple hair, possessing a delicate and proud air, emerged from the clouds.

"Miss Fu."

Alchemist Hua unconsciously forced a smile, which was slightly flattering.

"No! This is an illusion!"

He suddenly regained consciousness, bit his tongue, and circulated his Cultivation Method and Divine Sense.

The clouds and mist before them, along with Fu Xuemei, vanished instantly.

Boom!

As soon as the illusion shattered, his mind was severely damaged, and he froze for a moment.

The next moment.

A Law Technique fluctuation, almost at the level of False Core cultivator, rippled above their heads.

A spiraling cyan Wind Blade blade, resembling a Azure Flood Dragon several dozen feet long, pierced through the upper body of Alchemist Hua.

"Ah..."

Alchemist Hua let out a miserable scream as countless bloody marks appeared on his upper body, leaving him in pieces.

There wasn't even time to unleash their Law Artifact and Talisman Treasure.

"Overestimated; there are no soul-defense treasures."

A cold-faced young man stood not far away, reaching into the Storage Bag at the waist of the half-dead corpse.

At the same time, he activated Second-Order Demonic Qi Talisman with one hand.

A cloud of demonic energy pierced through the remaining cyan Wind Blade and mingled with the corpse of Alchemist Hua.

To ensure a decisive victory over Alchemist Hua, and to prevent him from using his Talisman Treasure.

Lan Chang'an used a Second-Order High-Grade Illusion Heart Talisman.

The First Life's possession and subsequent Divine Sense attack.

And a Treasure Talisman that has been nurtured for many years.

"Such powerful Law Technique fluctuations, approaching the level of False Core!"

This level of Law Technique activity can be sensed by Foundation Establishment cultivators within a hundred miles of the entrance to the Black Blood Road.

Such power is hardly something that could be associated with someone in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

"Demonic energy? Could it be from Liang Shaotian's lineage?"

Those cultivators who were closer sensed the Devil Cultivation Method aura emanating from the scene of the incident.

"I heard that Liang Shaotian's disciple, ' Li Hai,' caused a ruckus in the Azure Underworld Secret Realm and escaped. Could it be...?"

"Oh no! Run!"

The cultivators who sensed something amiss not only dared not approach, but retreated in panic.

At the scene of the incident, the stern-faced man only stayed for a few breaths.

Whoosh!

His figure moved with the speed of an arrow, darting into the Black Mist Mountain Range, where he was swallowed up by the mist that hindered his Divine Sense.

(End of this chapter)