Chapter 616 - Quicksand Canyon
Chapter 616: Quicksand Canyon
Although the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak concealed Zhang Ruochen, the Ice Demon still recognized him through the spells that he had cast. Zhang Shengming was indeed the Great Guardian of Red Willow Heights.
“Swoosh!”
The Ice Demon turned into a stream of cold air. He disappeared from the earth’s surface, proceeding to the underground.
The Ice Demon was not only powerful but also very skilled at escaping. Otherwise, he could not have made the escape from the Half-Saint years ago.
“You think you can escape this easily?”
Zhang Ruochen had been using the Space Domain. As the Ice Demon tried to escape using his Chill Submerge Skill, Zhang Ruochen drew the Power of Space and Space Freezing to freeze the Ice Demon.
At the same time, Mu Lingxi straightened her arm and released the Holy Sword.
The Holy Sword was glowing with brilliant white light and a surge of Holy Aura. It struck the ground and penetrated through it.
With a loud collision, the tunneling Ice Demon was swept up by the sword Qi of the Holy Sword. He was forced out of the surface and plunged once more to the ground, losing his bearings.
Another crystal from the crystal pendant around his neck was gone. There was only one left.
The Ice Demon was about to stand up when he saw Mu Lingxi standing in front of him.
Her wrist moved, and she struck out the Holy Sword, hacking at the Ice Demon’s neck.
The powerful force of the Holy Sword caused the Ice Demon to spin in the air. He slammed into a tree 10 meters away, breaking its thick trunk before violently crashing onto the ground.
“CRACK!”
His last crystal shattered and disintegrated into white powder.
The Ice Demon had not practiced any martial arts, so his body was very fragile. When he landed on the ground, his mouth was full of blood, and even his deadwood staff had fallen to the side.
“Impossible... no way... Even when a Half-Saint wanted to kill me, I was able to escape. You two are just... juniors. How can you break my Chill Submerge Skill?”
The Ice Demon was severely injured. He lay weakly on the ground, nearly dead and no longer able to cast spells.
Zhang Ruochen’s figure was now visible. He landed from mid-air and said, “Do you want to know why?”
“Who are you? How could you possibly freeze the Space Domain?” asked the Ice Demon in a raspy voice.
Zhang Ruochen said, “How about striking a deal? You tell me where Di Yi is, and I will tell you how I did it so you can die in peace.”
“You want to me to say where the young master is? You wish! You better go to Quicksand Canyon right now. Otherwise, the only thing you can do there is to bury Red Wish Emissary.”
The Ice Demon was able to distract Zhang Ruochen with those words. He suddenly got up, condensed an ice spike, and tried to stab Zhang Ruochen in the heart.
“Die.”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression turned cold. He pointed his index and middle fingers forward in a “jianjue.” A golden brilliance emerged from the two fingers as he struck past the ice spike. Zhang Ruochen’s strike hit the Ice Demon between his eyebrows.
“SWOSH!”
“You... You are... the Time and Space... Descendant... ”
At his last moments, the Ice Demon finally realized Zhang Ruochen’s true identity from his brilliant bodily movements and sword skill. A look of astonishment appeared in his eyes. He looked as if he had discovered a great secret.
“BAM!”
The Ice Demon fell backward onto the ground heavily. Fresh blood gushed out from the hole between his eyebrows. His body was twitching before he stopped breathing altogether.
Mu Lingxi had previously killed dozens of evil cultivators. Their weapons were all top-grade Genuine Martial Arms and should not be wasted.
“SWOOSH!”
The Abyss Ancient Sword flew out from the Spatial Ring and speared through the dense forest, searching for scattered Genuine Martial Arms.
With the refining of more and more Genuine Martial Arms and Holy Weapons, the sword spirit within the Ancient Abyss Sword was slowly awakened. Its consciousness was able to search for Genuine Martial Arms on its own and refine them.
Zhang Ruochen picked up the dead wood staff from the ground. The staff was extremely cold, holding it felt like holding an ice stick.
After inspecting it carefully, Zhang Ruochen was pleasantly surprised after realizing that the dead wood staff was made out of the roots of a 100,000-year-old Snowsea Aquilaria Tree.
Snowsea Aquilaria Trees grow in the Northernmost Land by absorbing cold air. Its wood is as hard and as resilient as cold iron.
Since its roots are buried in ice and snow all the year round, they are extremely rigid due to the cold air. They are great for forging Psychic weapons of the ice series.
The dead wood staff in Zhang Ruochen’s hand had absorbed so much cold from the ice after 1,000 years that it can be forged into a top-level Psychic Staff.
As far as value was concerned, a dead wood staff was twice as precious as a Thunder Pearl.
“This is indeed a valuable treasure, but unfortunately, it is not for me.” Zhang Ruochen put the dead wood staff away. He decided that he was going to sell it later for a lot of Spiritual Crystals.
Some moments later, the Abyss Ancient Sword radiated a dark light similar to a black hole. When it flew back, several fire snakes could be seen wriggling indistinctly on its surface.
It had refined a lot of Genuine Martial Arms. The sword had improved its grade by several levels, becoming even sharper and more powerful.
Zhang Ruochen grasped the hilt of the Abyss Ancient Sword and felt its blade become heavier.
Mu Lingxi clasped her snowy-white chin in between her fingers. Her pretty face was puzzled. “Isn’t it strange? Why didn’t Cyan-robed Emissary and Hunter show up when we were making all those noise fighting the Ice Demon?”
Zhang Ruochen stored the Abyss Ancient Sword in the Spatial Ring. Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen recalled what the Ice Demon had said before he died. Had the Red Wish Emissary received his letter and arrived at God Falling Ridge?
He realized something was wrong and asked, “Where is Quicksand Canyon?”
“Quicksand Canyon is located 1,000 kilometers away in the northeast. It’s a difficult terrain to trek. In the Middle Ancient Times, a Half-Saint had died there which resulted in a rather dangerous Elementary Ruin. Why get yourself involved in the in fighting of the Black Market?” Mu Lingxi could not quite understand.
Mu Lingxi had also heard of the Ice Demon’s dying words. She was now rather suspicious and wondered if Zhang Ruochen and the Red Wish Emissary of the Black Market Excellence Hall have had a special relationship.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I have come to the Eastern Evil Land to kill Di Yi and had to co-operate with Red Wish Emissary. She cannot die before I locate Di Yi.”
In order to save time, Zhang Ruochen grabbed Mu Lingxi’s hand and quickly flew upward. They turned into a streak of light, dashing to the northeast.
Since he was wearing the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak, Zhang Ruochen’s speed was unimaginably fast.
“Oh, I get it! You are that legendary Great Guardian of Red Willow Heights. The Black Market at Cyan Cloud County knew all the rumors. They say you had a special relationship with Red Wish Emissary. That’s why she trusted you and gave you preferential treatment.”
Mu Lingxi kept blinking her eyes and did not look very happy. “Did you... perform any sexual favors in order to kill Di Yi?”
Zhang Ruochen replied, “No.”
Mu Lingxi did not believe him. She said, “Red Wish Emissary has so many masters under her. Even with your present Spiritual Power cultivation, you can’t beat Xu Hong from the Master of the Blood Cloud Sect and Zhangsun Lan from the Master of Hundred Battles School.”
“In terms of seniority, you are worse off than Shi Buchou and Tu Lan of the Ninth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm.”
“How did you become the Great Guardian over them? Tell me why Red Wish Emissary trusts you so much. Why has she put you in such an important position? Are you sure you two enjoy no special relationship?”
Mu Lingxi had seen the Red Wish Emissary, so she naturally understood that woman’s seductive charms. Even if she had believed in Zhang Ruochen, she was still very unhappy. Now, why didn’t Zhang Ruochen become her Great Guardian instead of Red Wish Emissary’s?
Was she less charming than the Red Wish Emissary?
Zhang Ruochen was rather surprised. “Even I don’t know much about the masters under Red Wish Emissary. How did you know?”
Mu Lingxi looked on with pride and lifted up her snowy-white neck. “Come on, do you really think that the Saintess from Moon Worship Sect is just a beauty? What you see now is only the tip of the iceberg. My actual strength and abilities far exceed your imagination.”
Zhang Ruochen looked on Mu Lingxi as if she had been possessed by Blackie. He stopped arguing with her and kept quiet, urging his Genuine Qi to maximize his speed.
Zhang Ruochen kept quiet and Mu Lingxi had other no way to deal with him.
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After receiving Zhang Ruochen’s letter, Red Wish Emissary gathered her masters and hurried to God Falling Ridge. She wanted to get rid of Cyan-robed Emissary and the Ice Demon, the two top masters under Di Yi.
When she arrived at the outskirts of Quicksand Canyon, Red Wish Emissary met with the Black Market Monks under Cyan-robed Emissary. They were at the brink of a battle.
At first, it was just minor skirmishes on both sides. With the arrival of Cyan-robed Emissary, the confrontation had escalated into a major battle.
Although Cyan-robed Emissary brought a team of Glazed Knights and a team of yeti warriors, Red Wish Emissary too had assembled many masters. These included many superiors of the Ninth Change in the Fish-Dragon Realm. As a result, Cyan-robed Emissary’s fighters were forced to retreat.
With the arrival of Hunter, the situation was reversed.
Hunter, the No. 1 killer of the Blood Cloud Sect, was famous among the assassins fraternity of the Eastern Region. It was said that no one under the realm of a Half-Saint could survive his Sword of Death.
Within 15 minutes, Hunter had assassinated six evil dominators from Red Wish Emissary’s camp, all of which were from Seventh Change in the Fish-dragon Realm and above.
Even Tu Lan, who had attained the Ninth Change in the Fish-dragon Realm, was heavily injured and could no longer fight.
Hunter was truly a horrific presence. Within 15 minutes, he had completely reversed the situation. Red Wish Emissary’s strength was greatly reduced and their situation had become precarious.
Even worse was the fact that no one had seen Hunter’s true body throughout his operation.
Faced with no other choice, Red Wish Emissary led the remnants to escape. They fled into the perilous Quicksand Canyon.
“RUMBLE!”
Seven gigantic yeti warriors, like behemoths in human form, were wearing armors and holding thick spears. They went after Red Wish Emissary and her men with great speed, with the intent of killing them all.
Cyan-robed Emissary stood on the helmet of a yeti warrior. Her icy eyes betrayed no emotion, staring at Red Wish Emissary who was fleeing in front of her. She said loudly, “Ye Honglei, you colluded with the Demonic Sect and betrayed young master! You must die. There’s no place for you to hide in the Eastern Region. Where are you going to run to?”
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