Spirit Talisman

The further one progressed in cultivating immortality, the harder it became.

After reaching the Mysterious Mastery Realm, every step forward was as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

Among them, the sect leader's aptitude was the best, and he was also exceedingly diligent in cultivation.

Though he had to handle sect affairs, he was willing to delegate many unimportant matters to the disciples below, leaving him plenty of time each day to cultivate.

Even so.

Five hundred years ago, he had only just entered the middle stage of the Mysterious Mastery Realm. Now, he was still at that realm, merely having reached the pinnacle of the middle stage.

Yet there was still a slight gap before the late stage.

And that tiny gap had reportedly troubled his senior brother for decades.

As for this Old Demon Jia, they had severely wounded him back then. Even if he had used an external incarnation to deceive them, his true body must have suffered grievous damage to its vital energy.

Back then, his realm had been roughly on par with the sect leader's. Who would have thought that now, he had climbed a hundred-foot pole and taken another step forward?

He had become a late-stage Mysterious Mastery Realm powerhouse!

One had to know that cultivation was difficult precisely because, after reaching the Mysterious Mastery Realm, every minor advancement in realm brought an immense leap in strength.

One late-stage Mysterious Mastery Realm cultivator could defeat ten at the middle stage.

Not to mention that this fellow had originally been outstanding even among cultivators of the same realm.

Otherwise, killing him back then would not have required such enormous effort.

"This really is troublesome now."

All the elders were somewhat flustered.

But they had no other choice now.

Thus, after only the slightest hesitation, the elders pounced forward.

One after another, they summoned their natal magic treasures.

Others drew precious spirit talismans from their robes.

However...

In no more than an instant.

The elders and chief seats were all sent flying back, some even falling directly from midair.

Everyone looked pale and ashen. Not a single one remained uninjured.

"A pack of fools. I never thought that after five hundred years, you would not have improved in the slightest. Had I known this, there would have been no need for an ambush. I could have come alone and sent all of you straight to the netherworld."

Above the dark clouds, the old monster's expression was no longer cold. Instead, it brimmed with the wild delight of a long-avenged hatred, his voice thick with mockery.

Then his gaze turned toward the Feathering Sect's sect leader, and he sneered, "How is it? Are you unwilling to accept this?"

"You failed to truly kill me that day, and so today, I have brought calamity that will destroy you all."

"I... I will not let you have your way."

Master Green Feather gritted his teeth and shakily rose to his feet.

He was extremely weak. It seemed that merely standing had exhausted every ounce of strength in his body.

Yet he did not yield. He raised his head and stared at the monster above the dark clouds, who seemed to reign supreme over all.

"Oh? What can you do?"

Seeing that Master Green Feather still wished to struggle, trying to stop a chariot with a mantis's arm, Old Demon Jia's tone instead grew gentler.

Five hundred years!

This hatred carved into his bones and etched into his heart—would killing the other man just like that not be letting him off too easily?

So he was in no hurry.

Like a cat playing with a mouse, he would wear them down until they were utterly exhausted, then snuff out their lives one by one.

Master Green Feather did not answer. He seemed to be desperately circulating the spiritual power within his body. Spiritual radiance flashed wildly all over him, brightening and dimming.

Clearly, he could not accomplish it at all. The spiritual power within him remained uncontrollable and chaotic.

Yet when Old Demon Jia saw this, he had no intention of stopping him. Instead, he laughed leisurely.

"How pitiful. The renowned sect leader of the Feathering Sect now looks like nothing more than a rat struggling on the brink of death."

"But even if you can barely control the spiritual power in your body, what use will that be?"

"Though you barely avoided a fatal wound to the heart just now, you are still grievously injured. Besides, even if you were completely unharmed, how could you possibly be my match?"

"Rest assured, I will not kill you so easily. The interesting things shall be saved for last. Before your very eyes, I will kill every immortal cultivator in the Feathering Sect, leaving not a single one alive."

Master Green Feather did not answer.

Perhaps he did not wish to, or perhaps he could not.

He still gritted his teeth, trying to seize control of the spiritual power within his body.

But just then, Old Demon Jia's voice reached his ears once more. "Do you truly take me for a fool?"

"What?"

Master Green Feather abruptly lifted his head.

Even he, who had remained calm all this time, showed a trace of panic on his face.

"I was right."

"You think I do not know that your attempt to gather spiritual power is actually meant to draw my attention?"

The moment Old Demon Jia finished speaking.

He attacked without reservation.

A sinister smile curled at the corner of his lips. He raised his hand and lightly pointed one finger forward.

Yet his target was not the Feathering Sect's sect leader, who, despite being grievously wounded, still refused to yield and struggled on the verge of death.

It was someone else beside him.

This time, Master Green Feather's expression changed drastically. "Junior Brother Zhou, dodge!"

But it was already too late.

"Ah!"

A miserable scream rang out.

The Head of Treasure Pill Valley fell from the void.

He had just gone to organize the disciples' evacuation. Yet after giving the order, he had not followed them. At some unknown point, he had quietly returned here instead.

At that moment, a thumb-sized hole had been pierced through his chest as well. Blood gushed forth, and he nearly fainted.

Yet even so, he still clutched a spirit talisman tightly in his hand.

The spirit talisman had an ancient design, vastly different from ordinary talismans, and its surface emitted a warm, lustrous glow.

"Not good!"

Master Green Feather's face drained of all color.

Realizing that the other party had discovered his hidden move, he disregarded his own injuries and tried to retrieve the talisman.

But how could it possibly be so easy?

With a wave of his hand, Old Demon Jia sent him flying with a single slap.

Meanwhile, his other hand had already lifted, making a light grasp toward the front.

Spiritual radiance flashed at once. A hazy azure hand appeared strangely out of nowhere, swooping down like lightning to seize the talisman in its palm before flying back.

"It is actually a treasure personally refined by a Great Vehicle Realm cultivator."

Old Demon Jia's expression changed sharply after only one glance.

A trace of lingering fear rose in his heart.

Though the Feathering Sect had not declined, it was presently in a period when the old generation had faded and the new had yet to rise.

There were no Great Vehicle Realm cultivators guarding the sect. Otherwise, even if he had ten times the courage, he would never have dared stroke the tiger's whiskers.

But the sect claimed descent from the lineage of the Three Purities, so its foundations were naturally unfathomably deep.

The sect had once produced experts in endless succession. It was unclear whether it had ever possessed True Immortals, but throughout its history, there had been at least seven or eight Great Vehicle Realm patriarchs.

Though all that had happened long ago, before those patriarchs passed away, they would naturally have left treasures behind for their sect.

For example, the spirit talisman in his hand.

And the difference between the Great Vehicle Realm and the Mysterious Mastery Realm was as vast as heaven and earth.

Had they successfully activated this spirit talisman just now, even if he had not fallen, he would likely have suffered severe injuries.

At that thought, cold sweat poured down Old Demon Jia's back, and his face filled with fury.

He sneered. "What clever scheming, what fine methods. You had the sect leader draw my attention in front, while handing this spirit talisman to the weakest elder. Such an unexpected move—had I been even slightly careless, your plot might truly have succeeded."