Entrapped! The Grudge Between Purple Cloud Sect and the Xiao Clan

Zhao Tianhai looked at the naked young man fleeing ahead and snorted with laughter, his face grim as he said, "Kid, you're running so fast—aren't you afraid some branch will snag your little bird?

If you know what's good for you, hand over the Earth Core Fire Crystal! Laozi might just spare your life!"

In his eyes, the Earth Core Fire Crystal was already in the bag.

Though he was surprised that a Qi Refining Peak brat could erupt with speed comparable to a Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator, he was a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.

Could he really let the brat get away?

What!

Hearing Zhao Tianhai's words, Zhang Xuanchen finally came to his senses.

He abruptly lowered his head and happened to see his little brother swaying chaotically in the wind.

Fuck!

He had been so focused on running that he had not noticed his clothes had been burned away!

What the hell!

At that moment, dozens of cultivators surged out from all directions.

A middle-aged female cultivator in a blue robe pointed her longsword and shouted, "Tianlan Sect disciples, heed my command! The naked young man ahead is our target this time!"

Her eyes were fixed on a certain part of Zhang Xuanchen, without the slightest trace of embarrassment. Clearly, whether big or small, thick or thin, she had seen far too many for any of it to affect her anymore.

Seeing so many cultivators closing in around him, Zhang Xuanchen cursed and instantly pulled out a gray robe to put on.

"Xiao Clan disciples, heed my command! That young man in the gray robe is our target!"

Seeing the Xiao Clan disciples appear ahead, Zhang Xuanchen immediately turned around and fled north, where there was no one.

Suddenly, a blade radiance appeared before his face like a ghost.

The blade radiance was wrapped in Purple Thunder Arcs, incomparably sharp.

His heartbeat suddenly stopped!

Death—this was the first time Zhang Xuanchen had felt death's threat!

Without the slightest hesitation, he directly activated a Second-tier Top-grade Profound Earth Shield Talisman!

A dark brown stone shield abruptly condensed before him, spinning endlessly and gleaming with waves of haloed light!

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, Zhang Xuanchen's body smashed into the ground like a cannonball.

Dust instantly billowed up, making it impossible to see what had happened.

"Purple Saber Lei Kuang! Purple Saber Lei Kuang, who reached Foundation Establishment Peak before even turning a hundred!"

"It's actually him! Rumor has it that he possesses a Thunder Fire Gold Triple Spiritual Root and calls himself the disciple of some Rogue Cultivator! Who would have thought he would appear here!"

"Holy shit! Even a Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivator would struggle to block that strike! That Qi Refining Stage brat wasn't blasted into pulp, was he?"

"I don't think so. If that were really the case, Purple Cloud Sect, Tianlan Sect, the Xiao Clan, and Lei Kuang would have started fighting long ago. Why would they still be standing there waiting?"

Inside the huge crater in the ground.

Zhang Xuanchen felt as though every bone in his body had shattered, and he could not muster any strength at all.

Purple arcs of lightning flickered across his body from time to time.

He could even smell something scorched!

Damn it!

That really was ruthless!

With difficulty, he stuffed a Second-tier Healing Pill into his mouth.

The dense medicinal power instantly flowed throughout his entire body.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Then he struggled to stand.

Fortunately, he had kept the Profound Earth Shield Talisman clutched in his hand, and his physical strength had increased considerably with the help of the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire. Otherwise, that blow really would have killed him!

Seeing forces blocking all four directions—east, south, west, and north—Zhang Xuanchen gave a bitter laugh!

The news had spread fucking fast!

"Fuck! This is damned strange! That brat actually blocked Purple Thunder Mad Blade's full-strength strike! How is that possible?!"

"Did that brat use some kind of treasure just now? We didn't see it?"

"He definitely did! Otherwise, how could a Qi Refining Stage cultivator block a Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivator's full-power strike?"

Lei Kuang paid no attention to the surrounding discussions.

As for feeling humiliated, he felt even less of that.

He had climbed from a Rogue Cultivator to where he was today. Long ago, he had stopped caring about things like face.

Looking at Zhang Xuanchen struggling to rise from the ground, understanding appeared on his rugged face.

He declared loudly, "Kid, for a Qi Refining cultivator to take out a Second-tier Top-grade Profound Earth Shield Talisman, you must be from some lineage.

I, Lei Kuang, have no intention of becoming your enemy. As long as you hand the Earth Core Fire Crystal over to me.

I will guarantee your life. What do you say?"

His voice was exceedingly confident, as though the people from the other three major forces were no more than chickens and dogs before him.

After all, the Golden Core True Persons were currently deep within the Earth Vein Volcano range, battling that Flood Dragon and two Third-tier Great Demons.

They simply had no time to concern themselves with anyone else.

Otherwise, how could a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators like them possibly have the chance to compete for a Third-tier Treasure?

Even some lucky Qi Refining cultivators had obtained Third-tier spirit herbs.

Zhao Tianhai's expression changed drastically upon hearing Lei Kuang's words.

Zhang Xuanchen was easy to deal with, but if the Earth Core Fire Crystal fell into Lei Kuang's hands, things would become troublesome.

His own Golden Core Ancestor could not spare the time to come.

Meanwhile, the other man was known as invincible below the Golden Core realm—he could even clash with a False Core True Person!

He immediately shouted, "Lei Kuang, you little brat, don't be so arrogant! Threatening others in front of everyone—do you take our three major forces for useless freeloaders?"

Then he looked at Zhang Xuanchen, his attitude changing with astonishing speed as he said kindly:

"This young friend, I am Zhao Tianhai, Purple Cloud Sect Fifth Elder.

You are still young, yet you have already cultivated to Qi Refining Peak. Your talent is exceptional. Do not be deceived by Lei Kuang.

Would you be willing to join my Purple Cloud Sect? I can make an exception and accept you as my Personal Disciple. How about it?"

Before his words had even faded, a strange, mocking voice rang out.

"Hehe, Old Zhao, why is your skin so thick?

We just saw you chasing and trying to kill this young friend. How did you change your face so quickly?

Don't tell me you want to use this to steady him first, then murder him for his treasures."

The speaker was a refined young man. He was the Xiao Family Young Master—Xiao Changsheng, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator.

"Xiao Changsheng! Even your father would not dare speak to this Old Man like that!" Zhao Tianhai glared furiously, his eyes fixed directly on the young man.

In response, Xiao Changsheng opened his folding fan and lightly fanned himself a few times before chuckling.

"You said it yourself—that is my father.

My father is weak, but that does not mean I, Xiao Changsheng, am the same. I will reclaim every debt your Purple Cloud Sect owes my Xiao Clan!"

The Xiao Clan and Purple Cloud Sect shared a blood feud.

A hundred years ago, Purple Cloud Sect suddenly attacked while the Xiao Clan was undergoing a Golden Core succession.

The Ancestor on the verge of death fought three Golden Core cultivators alone. He died from exhaustion, buying time for the clan members to flee.

He preserved the Xiao Clan's bloodline and inheritance.

Even the Ancestor who had not yet broken through to the Golden Core realm forced his way out of seclusion.

He self-detonated his Dantian.

He severely wounded Purple Cloud Sect's three Golden Core cultivators.

That also bought time for the Xiao Clan members to escape.

The Xiao Clan disciples still faced Purple Cloud Sect's endless pursuit.

Five years passed like this. Then, an Xiao Clan Ancestor serving as an elder in a Nascent Soul Sect learned of the news. He spent his entire fortune and agreed to return to the sect when his lifespan was nearly exhausted to perform a Spiritual Power Infusion for the sect Great Elder's grandson. Only then was he permitted to leave the sect and return to the Xiao Clan.

Only then did the Xiao Clan escape the crisis of extermination.

Through years of recuperation and gathering scattered clan members, they had recovered quite a bit of their vitality.

As for whether there were still Xiao Clan members stranded elsewhere.

Even they themselves did not know.