Red Snake Gang

Cultivator combat is always inseparable from the use of various talismans.

For Qi Refinement cultivators, their level is too low, and the talismans they can use are limited. Defensive measures are mostly Golden Body Talismans, Wood Shields, or Thick Earth Shields, while attacks rely on Geng Metal Sword Talismans, Ice Arrow Talismans, or Armor-Piercing Hammers.

Yet, even these low-grade talismans are unaffordable for most itinerant Qi Refinement cultivators.

Only at the moment of life and death are they willing to use such talismans.

Zhu Qiniang said, "Your lack of practical combat experience is precisely the problem. We cultivators fight against the heavens, the earth, and other people.

"The hardest part is defying the heavens, but the most dangerous part is our own kind.

"After we return, I will spar with you more often so you can at least know the power of various common talismans; only then will you have a sense of certainty in your heart..."

Zhu Qiniang felt that Gao Xian was excellent in every way, but his fear of fighting—even his slight cowardice—was truly a major flaw.

Being meticulous is fine, of course, but in the world of cultivators, there is rarely enough time to calculate everything.

No one knows what kind of people or situations they will encounter in the next moment.

One must be prepared to fight at any time; this is the awareness a cultivator ought to possess.

Gao Xian could only nod repeatedly. He knew his own shortcomings. In his previous life, he was a middle-aged corporate slave who could manage small schemes in office politics, but that was the extent of it.

Engaging in physical fights, let alone killing, completely violated the non-criminal principles he had cultivated for decades.

Killing Old Wang was a matter of necessity; he had been extremely nervous at the time and only killed in self-defense.

Killing Zhu Hong'an was also because the other party had pushed him too hard, and he had needed significant psychological preparation to take that step.

Therefore, when facing sudden situations, he lacked the resolve to kill without hesitation.

The Iron-Back Gray Wolf ahead was running fast, but Zhu Qiniang was not in a hurry, as the beast left a trail of blood wherever it went, making it impossible to lose.

She led Gao Xian in pursuit while explaining various combat experiences to him.

The two crossed a mountain ridge following the bloodstains and saw the Iron-Back Gray Wolf lying in a patch of withered grass from afar. Although its belly was still rising and falling, it clearly had no strength left.

Several unknown cultivators were cautiously surrounding the Iron-Back Gray Wolf, pointing spears and swords at the dying giant beast.

Seeing that the cultivators were dressed in short, coarse tunics, with some carrying bows and arrows, Zhu Qiniang knew they were itinerant cultivators who made a living in the mountains.

Most cultivators wear Taoist robes, and the wealthy wear dharma robes. Only those who frequently operate in the mountains, climbing ridges and weaving through bushes, wear short tunics for the sake of mobility.

Such itinerant cultivators are both poor and vicious. They would dare to kill for a single herb or a single demonic beast.

Under normal circumstances, Zhu Qiniang would not clash with them over an Iron-Back Gray Wolf.

But this time, she was bringing Gao Xian along, and she intended to give him a lesson.

Gao Xian also saw the itinerant cultivators and couldn't help but take a deep breath. "Qiniang, are we going to fight?"

Zhu Qiniang pulled Gao Xian forward firmly. "Besides, you don't always get to choose.

"Once you walk the path of a cultivator, you must face all kinds of challenges and dangers."

Gao Xian was unwilling to fight, but he couldn't just stand by and watch. He asked, "How should I coordinate when we start?"

"Don't jump in at the start. Remember to activate your Wood Shield to protect yourself. Wait until the situation is clear before listening for my signal."

Zhu Qiniang gave these instructions, let go of Gao Xian's hand, and picked up her pace.

The cultivators surrounding the Iron-Back Gray Wolf had also discovered Zhu Qiniang and Gao Xian.

Zhu Qiniang wore a deep blue dharma robe, a bamboo hat on her head, and a veil over her face. Because she was out with Gao Xian, she had specifically used a bone-shrinking technique to make herself much shorter, completely altering her physical characteristics.

Gao Xian was not so particular; he wore a cyan Taoist robe and a bamboo hat to block the sun. He hadn't even thought to cover his face.

Among the ten thousand cultivators in Flying Horse Market, only a handful knew him.

The cultivators in short tunics didn't pay much attention to Gao Xian; he looked like a green, inexperienced youth.

Zhu Qiniang, however, had a sharp gaze and wore an expensive dharma robe, marking her as a formidable character at a glance.

The leader, a burly man with a thick beard, shouted, "Stop! Our Red Snake Gang is hunting; outsiders, leave immediately!"

Zhu Qiniang did not stop. She said in a low voice, "We killed this wolf."

"You killed it?"

The leader said disdainfully, "You want to snatch our prey the moment you open your mouth? Who do you think you are! If you're smart, get lost, don't force us to act."

This group hunted in Soaring Snake Mountain year-round, living on the edge of life and death every day, and had long since developed a vicious nature.

If they didn't sense that Zhu Qiniang was somewhat powerful, they would have already attacked instead of wasting words.

As the man spoke, two cultivators had already raised their longbows, aiming at Zhu Qiniang.

With a single disagreement, both sides were at daggers drawn, and it looked as though a fight was about to break out.

Gao Xian felt nervous; he swallowed hard and gripped his sword hilt. Deep within his brow, Sister Lan appeared, establishing a mysterious connection with the formation runes of his Azure Wood Armor.

With Sister Lan's help, Gao Xian was confident he could trigger the Wood Shield instantly. Yet, he still couldn't help but feel tense.

There were five of them, each with eyes full of malice; they were definitely not kind people.

The distance between the two sides was about sixty paces, or thirty zhang. Even with his master-level True Yang Spear, he couldn't reach them.

The Soul-Bewildering Powder was useless, and the White Plum Needles on his wrist were even more so.

The best approach was to draw his sword and charge into the fray; at his current speed, he could reach the enemy within two breaths.

A "breath" was the unit of time used here. One breath was equivalent to a single inhalation and exhalation, roughly two seconds.

Gao Xian had always felt this method of timekeeping was highly inaccurate, but he had learned to follow local customs and now calculated time this way himself.

With his Lightning Dragon Hand reaching the Grandmaster level, he had specifically tested his maximum burst speed, which was roughly ten zhang per second. Adding the Wind Control Art, his speed could increase by another thirty to forty percent.

As Gao Xian was calculating how to make his move, Zhu Qiniang had already drawn her sword and lunged at the enemy like a gale.

The two burly men holding bows released their arrows without hesitation, using precious Armor-Piercing Talisman Arrows to ensure they killed Zhu Qiniang.

The two arrows, trailing the shimmering white light of the Armor-Piercing Runes, struck directly toward Zhu Qiniang.

The longsword in Zhu Qiniang's hand, glowing with a brilliant emerald light, parted to the left and right, precisely striking the two arrows and causing them to snap and shatter instantly.

The several burly men turned pale with shock; the arrows, reinforced with Armor-Piercing Runes, were incredibly fast and possessed armor-piercing power.

That the opponent could easily shatter the arrows with just a sword meant her swordsmanship and strength were both terrifyingly powerful.

Realizing that this woman was likely a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, they all began to harbor thoughts of retreat.

At this moment, Zhu Qiniang suddenly let out a sharp shout.

Gao Xian, standing behind Zhu Qiniang, felt as if someone had set off a cannon right next to his ear; it felt as if his brains had been blasted away.

However, Sister Lan, residing deep within his brow, remained unmoved, which allowed him to keep his consciousness clear and maintain control over his body and mana.

While Gao Xian was affected to this degree, the five cultivators facing Zhu Qiniang were all left dizzy, lightheaded, and weak-kneed.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhu Qiniang chanted a spell to trigger the Azure Wood Thunder Spear. A trace of distorted lightning flashed from the thunder ring on her left hand, and a five-foot-long cyan short spear instantly coalesced amidst the electric light.

With a flick of her hand, the lightning-shimmering cyan short spear shot out.

The bow-wielding cultivator opposite her didn't even understand what was happening before his head was pierced by the cyan short spear, exploding in a spray of blood.

A second cyan short spear followed, blasting the other archer's head into a pulp as well.

Following that, a third cyan short spear shot toward the burly man who appeared to be the leader.

The bearded man had the highest cultivation level; through his haze, he saw the cyan lightning flash and knew something was wrong.

Without hesitation, he channeled all his strength into a sword strike.

The strike was fast, but it failed to hit the cyan short spear. The cyan lightning pierced through the man's chest, and the terrifying penetrating power of the spell, combined with the explosive force of the thunder, blasted the man's upper torso into shreds.

Gao Xian watched as flesh and blood sprayed across the sky; the scene was stimulating yet carried a strange, peculiar beauty...

Three consecutive spears, and the three opposing cultivators had no power to resist, being blasted to death on the spot. This was far more domineering than when he triggered the True Yang Spear!

By now, Zhu Qiniang had already charged in front of the remaining two cultivators. With a horizontal sweep of her sword, one cultivator was sliced diagonally in two.

The final remaining cultivator finally snapped out of his daze. He looked at Zhu Qiniang with a face full of terror, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly dropped to his knees: "Senior, spare my life..."

The man kowtowed like a pestle hitting garlic, looking exceptionally humble and pathetic.

Gao Xian arrived at Zhu Qiniang's side. He was filled with admiration for her, and for some reason, a sentence popped into his head: "Whose general is this, so brave and fierce..."