The Might of the Golden Blade Talisman

"Only you're allowed to use poison, while I, Lan, am not?"

Having landed a successful blow, Lan Chang'an could not help but sneer.

Ge Yi had always been wary of him engaging in close combat, never expecting hidden weapons.

The Needle Rays just now had come from the complete set of magical artifacts, the [Seven Skill Needles], which he had bought at September Pavilion.

As a Low-Grade Magic Tool, the power of a single needle from the [Seven Skill Needles] was rather limited unless it struck a vital point.

Thus, Lan Chang'an had coated all seven needles with poison.

Unfortunately, Lan Chang'an had been lying low in the Mu Family all this time, with limited access to material trades, so he could only concoct an ordinary mixed poison.

Its potency was far inferior to Ge Yi's Marrow-Corroding Powder.

Still, the poisoned needles were enough to weaken Ge Yi's strength.

"You sinister little wretch, hiding your true abilities! Mu Maode's trust in you will one day come back to bite him!"

Ge Yi roared and hurriedly recalled his Flying Shuttle.

His legs had been poisoned, making movement inconvenient.

He tried to control his artifact and fly, hoping to widen the distance between himself and Lan Chang'an.

"Stay!"

How could Lan Chang'an let Ge Yi have his way? Once an enemy had been made, he absolutely could not be allowed to escape so easily.

He put away the Mid-Grade Magical Artifact, the [Bedrock Shield].

Empowered by the Wind Speed Talisman, he moved like a raging gale and controlled the [Seven Skill Needles] in pursuit.

He also unleashed another Low-Grade Magic Tool, the Black Gold Saber.

The unceasing assault of two offensive magical artifacts kept Ge Yi entangled, denying him the chance to take flight.

He then flung out another [Frostwind Talisman].

A gust of frost-laden wind swept forth. Its power was not great, but it slowed its target.

Elsewhere, the pale-faced Mu Xiuyun controlled her Silver Ruler to entangle the Black Net magical artifact, occasionally throwing out Talismans as well.

Lan Chang'an and Mu Xiuyun were both Talisman Masters, and they had quite a few mid- and low-grade Talismans on hand.

As for High-Grade Talismans—

Mu Xiuyun's success rate in crafting them was low and their cost high, so most were used at the front lines. She had retained only one offensive and one defensive talisman on her person, both of which had just been used.

Lan Chang'an naturally had High-Grade Talismans as well, but he held something in reserve.

"Damn it! Two Talisman Masters—are you ever going to stop?"

Such a dense barrage left Ge Yi miserable beyond words.

Had he been at full strength, he could have relied on his cultivation and magical artifact advantages to slowly wear them down. His odds of victory would not have been low.

But with poison in his body, his strength diminished and his legs inconvenient, he was at a disadvantage.

Near the Mu Family's residence, dragging this out would lead only to a dead end.

Thus, such a scene unfolded.

An old man in ancient robes, limping and with swollen eyelids, was chased and beaten by a man and a woman, roaring without end.

"Save me—"

Enduring several minor injuries, Ge Yi ran to the entrance of the Medicine Garden and shouted loudly.

Hearing this, Lan Chang'an and Mu Xiuyun's expressions changed drastically.

Could it be that Ge Yi had backup?

"Pfft!"

At that moment, Mu Xiuyun spat out a mouthful of purple-black clotted blood. Brown spots emerged across her snowy face, and her delicate body suddenly went limp, on the verge of collapsing.

"Are you all right?"

Lan Chang'an flashed forward and caught Mu Xiuyun in his arms.

After taking her pulse briefly, he found that Mu Xiuyun's mana was depleted and the deadly poison was acting up.

Fortunately, the sachet at Mu Xiuyun's waist had blocked most of the poison. Otherwise, an ordinary Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator would have long since died from the poison's onset.

Lan Chang'an injected a thread of Evergreen Mana into her to ease her condition.

Suddenly.

The sound of something cutting through the air came from the mountains ahead, accompanied by a powerful fluctuation of mana.

"Ge Alchemist, with the help of the 'Marrow-Corroding Powder' and the 'Earth Rock Rat,' you still couldn't deal with two little brats?"

An unhappy male voice rang out.

The speaker was a middle-aged man with a full forehead and a High Mountain Crown atop his head.

"Elder Zheng, this old man was careless. Besides, that lad truly is unusual..."

Ge Yi gave a bitter smile, while also letting out a slight breath of relief.

"Qi Refining Ninth Layer!" Lan Chang'an's heart turned solemn as he sensed the mana fluctuations of the middle-aged man in the High Mountain Crown.

"A Zheng Family elder... Zheng Yuanhua, run!"

Mu Xiuyun recognized the newcomer. Her face was filled with despair, and an icy chill seeped through her entire body.

Before she could say more, Lan Chang'an activated a High-Grade Godly Travel Talisman and sprinted away at astonishing speed.

"Carrying a woman, if I let you escape, I'd become the laughingstock of the world."

Zheng Yuanhua stood with his hands behind his back and sneered. He took out a Flying Boat and motioned for Ge Yi to board it with him.

Ge Yi's face lit up with joy. The Flying Boat was a specialized flying magical artifact, far faster than ordinary magical artifacts.

Lan Chang'an and Mu Xiuyun would never escape!

Zheng Yuanhua formed a hand seal and was about to activate the Flying Boat when his body suddenly stiffened. Sensing something, he turned to look to the side.

"Such audacity! Do you take my Mu Family for empty air?"

Half a li away, a man's voice brimming with Sha Qi rang out.

"Mu Renlong? How did he get here so quickly!"

Zheng Yuanhua's expression grew grave, his brows knitting slightly.

Earlier, he had also seen the Signal Talisman from the Medicine Garden.

But Jade Moon Mountain Villa was more than two hundred li from the Medicine Garden. At the flying speed of the Qi Refining Realm, it was impossible to arrive so quickly.

As for the Old Ancestor of the Foundation Establishment Realm—

He knew for certain that the Old Ancestors of both clans had been confronting each other at the front lines recently and were not at their residences.

That was why Zheng Yuanhua had dared to carry out such a bold plan, coming alone to the Medicine Garden to meet Ge Yi.

"Ge Alchemist, I'll hold off Mu Renlong. I'll give you sixty breaths to take the Flying Boat and kill the Mu Family's Eldest Miss. No need to leave anyone alive!"

Zheng Yuanhua's thoughts raced, and he immediately made his decision.

A duck already in hand naturally could not be allowed to fly away.

Today, he would snatch food from the tiger's jaws!

"Rest assured, Elder Zheng! With only that boy left, he won't be difficult to handle."

Killing intent flashed in Ge Yi's eyes. He swallowed a Detoxification Pill and boarded the Flying Boat in pursuit.

Several breaths later.

A tall Black-Robed Man with hawk-like eyes rode a blue Flying Boat as he arrived nearby.

"Mu Renlong, it has been a long time since we last fought. Let me see whether your Thunder Marsh Art has improved."

Zheng Yuanhua raised his hand, and a mass of Yellow Sand swirled up as the wild wind howled.

"You seek death—"

Sha Qi spread across Mu Renlong's face. He looked unwillingly in the direction Lan Chang'an and Mu Xiuyun had fled, while a deep water ball flickering with electric light condensed in his palm.

Amid the mountains and rivers, Lan Chang'an carried Mu Xiuyun as he raced forward under the enhancement of the Godly Travel Talisman.

An ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator would have difficulty catching up.

"Lan Chang'an, put me down. You'll be faster without me. You can survive..."

Mu Xiuyun, in his arms, drifted in and out of consciousness, her words blurred.

Brown spots dotted her jade-like cheeks, and her complexion worsened by the moment.

"Only one person is pursuing us?"

Lan Chang'an glanced back at the Flying Boat in the sky behind him and silently severed his connection to the Nine Imprint Tablet.

"Eldest Miss, rest first."

Lan Chang'an extended one hand and placed it over Mu Xiuyun's forehead.

The Evergreen Art circulated, and a calming force made Mu Xiuyun feel extraordinarily comfortable. She promptly fell asleep.

"Lan Chang'an, where do you think you can run?"

Ge Yi controlled the Flying Boat and rapidly closed in.

His voice was full and powerful. The poison wounds on his body had basically stabilized, allowing him to wield ninety percent of his battle strength.

Unhurried, Lan Chang'an surveyed the terrain and discovered a river.

His eyes brightened. Carrying Mu Xiuyun, he came to the riverbank and laid her down upon a reef.

After doing all this, he turned and waited by the river.

"Haha! What is this? Have you found yourself a fine patch of feng shui?"

Ge Yi revealed a teasing smile.

Yet inwardly, he remained on guard, for he could not understand Lan Chang'an's actions.

"Old Ge is truly clever."

Lan Chang'an smiled without quite smiling and offered a compliment.

"Die!"

Ge Yi had only sixty breaths. Half had already passed, so he dared not delay.

Whoosh!

That densely woven Black Net swept up a gray current of wind, exuding an aura that dragged the mind into sinking oblivion as it descended upon Lan Chang'an's head.

Lan Chang'an had witnessed the power of this special magical artifact and did not dare let down his guard.

He unleashed the [Bedrock Shield]. The shield expanded like a stone wall, blocking most of the Black Net's power head-on.

As for the mind-affecting force within the Black Net, it had virtually no effect on Lan Chang'an.

"Slash!"

Ge Yi attacked with all his strength, unleashing the Mid-Grade Magical Artifact Flying Shuttle again. It transformed into a cold gleam, preparing to bypass the front of the [Bedrock Shield] and slash at Lan Chang'an from behind.

At the same moment Ge Yi unleashed the Flying Shuttle—

Lan Chang'an acted as well. A Talisman faintly patterned with golden lines appeared in his palm.

With a gentle tap.

The golden-patterned Talisman released a trace of sharp aura.

"That is..."

Ge Yi felt an aura that made his heart tremble.

He only saw a flash of golden light before his eyes.

The next instant.

His vision abruptly spun, and he fell from the sky.

He saw the bloodstained Flying Boat, as well as a headless corpse upon it.

Behind that headless corpse—

A golden blade ray over a zhang long streaked across the sky.

"I..."

With shock and terror, Ge Yi's consciousness sank into endless darkness.

"[Golden Blade Talisman], my Exclusive Talisman. In this life, I have let you see the light of day once more."

A trace of heroic spirit rose within Lan Chang'an's normally tranquil State of Mind.

After Ge Yi was slain with a single slash—

The Black Net and Flying Shuttle magical artifacts lost control and fell to the ground.

There was also that leaf-shaped Flying Boat.

Lan Chang'an quickly collected the magical artifacts, then searched through the Storage Bag on Ge Yi's body.

He cleared the battlefield and confirmed that nothing had been overlooked.

Lan Chang'an placed Ge Yi's corpse by the river and ignited it with a Fireball.

Once it had burned almost completely—

He kicked it into the swiftly flowing river.

The few traces left by the riverbank were quickly washed away by the waves, as though nothing had ever happened.

"That's right! This is the fine patch of feng shui I chose for you, perfect for destroying the corpse and erasing all traces!"