Poisonous Bees Lay Siege

The sect forbade disciples from fighting within its grounds. Those who violated the order would face severe punishment.

Liu Yuansi was the Liu Family's treasured darling, and Liu Qingyuan naturally would not allow him to make a mistake right before his eyes.

With a livid expression, he strode out of the private room and shouted, "Who is making such a racket here?"

Though he was merely a steward of the Artifact Refining Hall, he was still a genuine Sea of Qi Realm cultivator.

He carried a certain authority before a group of Qi-Nourishing Realm disciples.

Chen Zongming and the others bowed. "Greetings, Steward Liu."

Since they had yielded so quickly, Liu Qingyuan could not very well continue reprimanding them.

"Tomorrow is the day of departure. Do not disturb the disciples who are about to head to the battlefield."

Chen Zongming and the others hurriedly apologized before withdrawing separately.

Liu Qingyuan pulled Liu Yuansi into the private room. Seeing that his anger had yet to fade, he advised, "That brat Chen Zongming is insidious and cunning. Do not fall for his schemes."

Liu Yuansi snorted coldly. "Chen Zongming is insidious and cunning, so does that make me an idiot?"

Seeing the two were about to quarrel, Liu Yuanqi stepped forward to mediate. "Second Brother, Eighth Uncle didn't mean it that way. He's just afraid you'll suffer a loss."

Liu Yuansi gave him a cold glance. "Eighth Uncle and I are talking. What right does a useless member of a distant branch like you have to interrupt?"

Seeing his behavior, Liu Yuanchen, who had originally intended to offer a few words of advice, instantly lost all desire to do so.

He had long heard that Liu Yuansi had a violent temper and was exceptionally reckless.

Now that he saw him in person, the rumors had been far too restrained.

This was not recklessness. This was simply having no brain at all.

Someone dug a pit and waited for him to jump in, and he insisted on jumping into it. No one could stop him even if they tried.

Only when Liu Yuanchen and Liu Yuanqi both fell silent did Liu Yuansi's anger ease somewhat.

"Eighth Uncle, this time, I must go to Golden Ao Mountain.

I do not want to end up with the reputation of being a cowardly turtle like someone."

He was naturally referring to Liu Yuanchen. Back then, Liu Yuanchen had been bullied in the Spirit Plant Hall and had always endured it in silence.

Later, he had volunteered to go to Yujin Mountain, though it had been in preparation for opening up a Blessed Land.

But in the eyes of others, he was merely timid and afraid of trouble, a cowardly turtle.

Coupled with the Chen Household's deliberate spread of the rumor, the title "cowardly turtle" had become extremely well-known within the Spirit Plant Hall.

Even cultivators from other halls had heard of it.

Only now that he had become a First-Rank High-Grade Alchemy Master, with a strong chance of becoming a steward of the Elixir Hall in the future, did others no longer dare say it openly.

Whenever Chen Household disciples provoked Liu Yuansi in the past, they often used Liu Yuanchen as a topic, then dragged the entire Liu Family into it.

Thus, Liu Yuansi utterly despised Liu Yuanchen.

Yet Liu Yuansi had been the Liu Family's treasured darling since childhood and had no idea how difficult life was for distant branch disciples.

Without patrons or strength, apart from swallowing one's anger, the only remaining path was to risk one's life.

But with the Ginseng Fruit Tree Sapling in his possession, how could he casually gamble with his life?

He did not care in the slightest about Liu Yuansi's mockery.

He picked up the teapot from the table and poured himself a drink.

Seeing his indifferent manner, Liu Yuansi simmered with anger but had nowhere to vent it.

Liu Qingyuan advised, "The Demoncloud Sect is determined to fight for Golden Ao Mountain this time.

On the battlefield, even elders risk losing their lives.

You are only a Qi-Nourishing Realm cultivator and have little experience in magical combat..."

Before he could finish, Liu Yuansi cut him off. "In your eyes, am I nothing but a useless piece of trash with talent, someone who can only rely on the family to support him?"

At those words, Liu Yuanchen, whose expression had remained calm throughout, showed a trace of surprise.

It seems this cousin of mine is not completely stupid. At least he understands his own position quite accurately.

Liu Qingyuan had always been fairly eloquent, but Liu Yuansi was like tofu dropped into ashes—neither fit to blow on nor strike.

For a moment, he stood frozen, not knowing what to do.

Seeing this, Liu Yuansi became even angrier. "So this is how you've always seen me."

With that, he turned and prepared to leave the private room.

Liu Qingyuan grabbed him. "Yuansi, whether you can go fight at Golden Ao Mountain is not for me to decide. I need to consult the family head and the Supreme Elder."

Liu Yuansi struggled fiercely but could not break free. "Go consult them if you want. No matter what Father and the Supreme Elder say, I am going to Golden Ao Mountain.

You can control me for a while, but you cannot control me forever.

If I cannot break through to the Sea of Qi Realm through my own abilities, I would be ashamed to live in this world."

With things having reached this point, there was no need to continue drinking the farewell wine.

Liu Yuanchen cupped his hands. "Eighth Uncle, I refined seven batches of pills today and am truly rather exhausted.

I still need to refine another seven batches tomorrow, so I will return to rest first."

Since matters had reached this point, Liu Qingyuan could not say much else. "Then go back and rest first."

Seeing Liu Yuanchen leave, Liu Yuanqi no longer wished to remain either.

"Eighth Uncle, I depart tomorrow, and there are still some things I need to prepare. I will take my leave first."

After the two left the private room, Liu Yuanchen took out the Eagle-Feather Flying Boat and first sent Liu Yuanqi back.

On the flying boat, Liu Yuanqi sighed. "The Chen Household dug a pit for Second Brother to jump into, and he actually insisted on jumping in. No one could pull him back."

Liu Yuanchen smiled. "And what can we do about it? The family belongs to the main branch. Distant branches like ours are merely the family's hired hands.

The only way we are better off than independent cultivators is that, by bearing the Liu surname, we can secure a stable livelihood.

The family pays, and we work for the family.

We can barely look after ourselves. Do you think we can control Second Brother?"

Liu Yuanqi had grown up in far better circumstances. When he joined the Azure Elixir Sect, the family had given him some support as well.

Therefore, he still held some feelings for the family.

"You cannot put it that way. Without the family, our lives in the sect would be even harder.

No matter what, under the family's name, we live much better than disciples from independent cultivator backgrounds."

Liu Yuanchen pondered for a moment. Liu Yuanqi's words did make some sense.

But Liu Yuansi's matter was truly not something two distant branch disciples could interfere with.

Good advice could not save someone determined to die. Liu Yuansi could not be persuaded.

"You have a point. When I bought spiritual medicine and sold pills before, I also went to the family's shops.

Sometimes, clansmen are still more reliable than outsiders.

Second Brother's affairs are beyond our control.

You are heading to Golden Ao Mountain tomorrow. Once you get there, do not show off unless necessary. Put preserving your life above all else.

The sect's rewards may be generous, but they are not worth trading your life for."

Liu Yuanqi nodded slightly. "Rest assured, Sixth Brother. I know the limits.

Many disciples are going there for the rewards, and quite a few are at the Ninth Qi-Nourishing Layer.

I am only at the Seventh Qi-Nourishing Layer. I have no ability to compete with them."

After sending Liu Yuanqi back to his cave residence, Liu Yuanchen piloted the flying boat toward his own cave residence.

Along the way, he pondered inwardly. *With Liu Yuansi's temperament, he will definitely go to Golden Ao Mountain this time.

A reckless fellow heading onto the battlefield will find it difficult to survive unless his luck is heaven-defying.

The Chen Household disciples are not within the conscription range, so they have no need for a farewell banquet.*

*If only one Chen Household disciple had appeared at Spring Breeze Tower, it might have been understandable.

But several Chen Household disciples appeared there at the same time. They must have come for something.

They just happened to run into Liu Yuansi, then mocked him and guided him into making up his mind to go to Golden Ao Mountain.

The Chen Household's plot against Liu Yuansi was likely not a spur-of-the-moment decision. They must have put considerable effort into it.*

*Liu Yuansi has excellent talent and great potential. He has a chance of breaking through to the Condensed Origin Realm, making him a tremendous threat to the Chen Household.

I am a First-Rank High-Grade Alchemy Master, and one of the best among them. In the future, I may become a Third-Rank Alchemy Master, which also makes me no small threat to the Chen Household.

If they are willing to scheme against Liu Yuansi, they may scheme against me as well.

Though I do not know how they intend to act, I must be more careful.*

The flying boat was extremely fast, and his cave residence by Reflecting Moon Creek soon came into view in the distance.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound reached Liu Yuanchen's ears.

Before going to Yujin Mountain, he had spent his time tending several low-grade Spirit Fields on Songyun Peak.

He knew that sound all too well. It was the sound of Azure Spirit Bees.

Ordinary Azure Spirit Bees were at the late Spirit Devouring Realm, equivalent to human cultivators at the Late Qi-Nourishing Realm.

The queen bee was of a higher rank and could reach the Mid Qi Assimilation Realm, comparable to a human cultivator at the Mid Sea of Qi Realm.

These bees had been captured from the wild by the Azure Elixir Sect's founder and cultivated over several thousand years.

Azure Spirit Bees could gather honey, help pollinate spirit plants, and eliminate particularly troublesome pests in Spirit Fields.

Because they could kill pests, Azure Spirit Bees possessed considerable offensive power and potent bee venom.

These creatures normally remained on Songyun Peak, trapped beneath layers of formations. They had no chance to fly out at all.

Liu Yuanchen was shocked. A swarm of Azure Spirit Bees is enough to make even Sea of Qi Realm cultivators avoid them. Someone is trying to kill me.

With that thought, he immediately took a Vajra Talisman from his storage bag.

After activating the Vajra Talisman, a golden barrier enveloped his body.

He did not think of fleeing into the distance. Azure Spirit Bees were not particularly fast among spirit bees, but they were still much faster than the Eagle-Feather Flying Boat.

By now, several dozen spirit bees over an inch long, their bodies bluish-black, had already flown over. They were Azure Spirit Bees.

There was no hope of escape. Running would only draw the swarm into a full assault.

He urged the Eagle-Feather Flying Boat beneath his feet and charged toward his cave residence at full speed.

Unable to fight and unable to flee, he could only hide in his cave residence and rely on the Cloudwater Formation to block the swarm's attack.

The sect's upper echelon placed great importance on Azure Spirit Bees and would never allow them to run rampant through the sect.

As long as he could hold out for a while, sect experts would naturally come deal with the Azure Spirit Bees.

Bzzzz—

The buzzing of the Azure Spirit Bees' wings grew increasingly dense. Some had already flown to his side and were using their sharp teeth to attack the golden barrier.

Azure Spirit Bees resembled ordinary honeybees. Once they attacked an enemy with their venomous stingers, they lost the stingers and died.

Spirit bees possessed a certain degree of intelligence. Unless forced to fight for their lives, they generally only used their teeth to bite.

In merely one breath, the golden barrier visibly dimmed, its power weakened by at least a third.

Even at full speed, the flying boat still needed twenty breaths to reach the formation's defensive range.

Astral Force circulated within Liu Yuanchen's body, and a blood-red barrier enveloped his entire body.

Two breaths later, the golden barrier formed by the Vajra Talisman completely vanished.

Azure Spirit Bees swarmed around him, continuously gnawing at his Astral Force.

This Astral Force was far more defensive than the golden barrier, and the Azure Spirit Bees' gnawing speed noticeably slowed.

Moreover, Liu Yuanchen could continuously replenish his Astral Force, so it should hold for some time.

Seizing the chance, he cast the Entangling Art again.

Azure Silk Vine grew rapidly, wrapping around his entire body.

But more and more Azure Spirit Bees gathered around him. Even the Eagle-Feather Flying Boat came under attack, and its speed rapidly dropped.

Liu Yuanchen's heart turned cold. It's over. The flying boat won't make it to the cave residence.

He could only steer the flying boat downward toward Reflecting Moon Creek.

The creek's banks were thick with vegetation. If he used Wood-Shadow Evasion, he could hide himself among the plants and perhaps escape the Azure Spirit Bees.

As for hiding in Reflecting Moon Creek, he had never considered it.

Azure Spirit Bees could enter water for a short time, and Reflecting Moon Creek was extremely shallow.

Not only would the creek water fail to stop the Azure Spirit Bees, it would also slow his escape.

He removed the Fire-Control Gourd from his waist. With a thought, a great stream of crimson flames surged from its mouth.

The moment Azure Spirit Bees touched the flames, a burnt fragrance filled the air.

He controlled the flames, creating a wall of fire around himself and the flying boat.

Yet the Azure Spirit Bees feared death not at all and charged straight into the fiery barrier.

Most of the Azure Spirit Bees that flew into the flames were burned to death, but quite a few still passed through the fire and pounced onto him.

Some Azure Spirit Bees dying in the flames only drew the hatred of even more bees.

In less than five breaths, the inch-thick protective Astral Force was completely gnawed away.

The Eagle-Feather Flying Boat beneath his feet had also been ignited by burning Azure Spirit Bees.

Its flight capability had been severely damaged, and it could only glide slowly.

By then, the Astral Force barrier had been bitten full of holes.

Azure Spirit Bees crawled through the holes in the Astral Force and began tearing at the Azure Silk Vine.

Some of the more intelligent ones even crawled into the gaps of the Vine Armor.

Piercing pain continuously shot through the arm covered by the Vine Armor. Liu Yuanchen had been tormented by these Azure Spirit Bees until he could no longer resist at all.

Astral Force continued to surge from within his body, but it could only protect vital areas such as his head and neck.

Liu Yuanchen's heart sank to the bottom. He had used every method available, yet he still could not stop the swarm.

But he had not given up hope. As long as he could land safely before being bitten to death, he could still use the vegetation to contend with the swarm and perhaps escape into the Cloudwater Formation.

At that moment, he was more than thirty feet above the ground.

If he fell directly from that height, his chance of survival would be slim.

But the flying boat was already badly damaged and moving far too slowly.

If he remained on the flying boat, he would be bitten alive by the Azure Spirit Bees before it could land safely.

He looked below, and his thoughts immediately began racing.

The vegetation here was dense, and there were quite a few towering spirit trees.

Several vines shot from his sleeve, wrapping around the surrounding spirit trees.

Then he abandoned the flying boat and leaped down.

His entire body plummeted rapidly, falling faster and faster.

Soon, the vines wrapped around the towering spirit trees took effect, rapidly slowing his descent.

Though he landed flat on his face, it was still a relatively steady landing.

At that moment, he had no time to straighten his appearance.

He loosened the Vine Armor around his arms and flung out the few Azure Spirit Bees that had crawled inside.

Then he used Wood-Shadow Evasion, vanishing into the brush.

Although Wood-Shadow Evasion could evade the naked eye and partially avoid Divine Sense, the Azure Spirit Bees could still track enemies by scent.

A swarm of Azure Spirit Bees clung tightly to his trail. Liu Yuanchen could only rely on his agile movement technique and the cover of the vegetation to evade them.

He soon discovered that the closer he got to the cave dwelling, the denser the Azure Spirit Bees became.

He decisively gave up on returning to the cave dwelling and prepared to flee toward Azure Pill Peak.

Since someone wanted to scheme him to death, he might as well make this bigger and drag the entire Elixir Hall into it.

The fury of the entire Elixir Hall would be enough to leave whoever had acted against him without even a burial ground.

Awoo—

Before he could run very far, an enraged roar from a demon beast rang out, like a tiger's howl yet also like an ape's cry.

The Azure Spirit Bees filling the sky instantly froze, then slowly drifted down like falling leaves.

It was impossible to tell whether they had fainted or died.