Chapter 122: Reencountering Mor Wenjian

Chen Luo soared through the air, stepping on leaves as he pursued. The massive white python, seemingly possessing intelligence, swiftly retreated after its failed attack. Its colossal body weaved through the forest, uprooting countless trees and sending debris flying everywhere.

Once the dried-up corpse ghost dispelled the yin wood’s evil aura, the maze illusion dissipated. Chen Luo and the white python, one chasing and the other fleeing, quickly exited the boundaries of the yin wood forest.

“This giant python is even faster than the huge ape, despite its enormous size,” Chen Luo thought, his figure merging with the mountain breeze, leaving a trail of afterimages behind him. The ground below, with its trees, grass, and rocks, rushed past rapidly. Sensing the pursuer, the python ahead continuously swept its tail, hurling stones and branches to hinder Chen Luo’s progress.

‘The wind direction has changed.’

‘There’s gathering spiritual energy within the snake demon; it might counterattack.’

‘Attack from the left with Fire Incantation - enemy detected!’

Three thoughts emerged from the external brains, each originating from distinct sources. One came from the wind attribute Qi Refinement Perfection brain, perceiving changes in the environment. The other two were from Foundation Establishment cultivators, monitoring the snake demon’s movements, and the last was from solo cultivator Wan Ming’s brain.

This solo cultivator had an acute sense for hostility; even when Chen Luo initially killed him, his instinctive counterattack injured Chen Luo’s hand. Now, after absorbing Wan Ming’s brain, this heightened perception also transferred along with it.

Zing!

With a swift motion, Chen Luo extended his right hand, fingers tightly pressed together. Channeling spiritual energy into his palm, he unleashed a fiery divine ability that surged towards the side. The scorching flames formed a blazing dragon, distorting the surrounding air.

Boom!!

An explosive sound reverberated, sending intense heat waves soaring upwards. The searing fire devastated the area, igniting trees and scattering debris. A disheveled figure tumbled out from the nearby woods, emerging in utter chaos. Clad in grayish-green attire, they carried a jade-like sword on their back, their hair unkempt and wild.

“Mor Wenjian?”

As soon as the figure rolled out, Chen Luo instantly recognized them.

This was none other than the genius sword cultivator who had accompanied him on their first mission. Chen Luo vividly recalled Mor Wenjian’s cringe-worthy remarks. However, amidst the chaos of that initial task, once Mor Wenjian charged ahead, Chen Luo never saw him again. He assumed Mor Wenjian had followed in the footsteps of the deceased sword cultivator shixiong, but surprisingly, it seemed Mor Wenjian managed to escape that fate.

And now it seemed he had betrayed his immortal sect.

He defected to the enemy.

The grayish-green attire on him was unmistakably the uniform of Nine Poisons Valley’s Inner Sect disciples.

“How did you discover me?” Mor Wenjian’s expression turned grim, utterly perplexed as to how Chen Luo had found him out. After joining Nine Poisons Valley, he had switched cultivation techniques and acquired several divine abilities alongside his explosive sword intent.

Despite appearing at only the seventh level of Qi Refinement, in actual combat, he feared none even up to the tenth layer. Of course, this confidence relied solely on three strikes; after those, he would swiftly flee. Otherwise, the tables could turn quickly, allowing a tenth-layer opponent to overpower him decisively.

“As a worthless talent who just broke through to the seventh level of Qi Refinement, I naturally spotted you right away.” Chen Luo spoke with the same condescending demeanor Mor Wenjian once displayed towards him.

“Nonsense! Achieving Late Stage Qi Refinement within a year and a half is impressive, even by Nine Poisons Valley standards. No one would call my cultivation slow,” Mor Wenjian retorted defiantly. However, midway through his response, his voice faltered as he realized he couldn’t clearly discern Chen Luo’s cultivation base.

This could only occur when surpassing someone by at least three minor realms.

Has he reached the tenth layer of Qi Refining?

Impossible!

Mor Wenjian felt certain that his eyes must be deceiving him. As a genius with a heavenly spiritual root, how could anyone possibly cultivate faster than him?!

While they conversed, the fleeing white python ahead finally completed its Qi Gathering. Suddenly, it turned and opened its massive jaws, unleashing a torrential blast towards them.

A storm filled with dense wind blades erupted from the snake’s mouth, forming a fan-shaped area that leveled everything in its path.

The two swiftly dispersed as they spoke. Mor Wenjian employed his movement technique, darting through the air like a leaf, constantly shifting direction. The concentrated gusts swept close but failed to harm him.

Chen Luo’s response was even simpler.

As the wind blades approached, he accessed the minds of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators from Wu Dao Peak—one possessing a wind attribute within their spiritual roots. This enhanced his perception, allowing him to view the weaknesses of the wind blades from a Foundation Establishment perspective.

The center is weak, with chaotic spiritual energy.

With a subtle shift, Chen Luo channeled his spiritual energy to his index finger and gently dispersed a cluster of wind blades. Taking another step, he employed the same method to shatter more wind blades.

Unwavering amidst the storm, he continuously neutralized threatening air blades using only his fingers. Meanwhile, Mor Wenjian, evading the wind blades mid-air, felt secretly pleased. His technique ‘Flowing with the Wind’ was an exclusive divine ability for wind elemental cultivators, allowing them to dodge attacks with minimal effort. It was a favorite among sword cultivators, and he had mastered it upon entering cultivation. In every battle, this movement skill helped him conserve strength for a decisive final strike.

However, when he glanced down, he was utterly dumbfounded.

To Mor Wenjian, it appeared as if Chen Luo were teleporting. With just one finger, Chen Luo continually disrupted incoming wind blades while rapidly shifting positions, advancing significantly with each move. Within moments, Chen Luo had nearly reached the python’s mouth.

“Are these wind blades just for show?” A thought crossed Mor Wenjian’s mind as he paused and attempted to channel his spiritual energy into his index finger, mimicking Chen Luo’s gesture towards the wind blades.

Shhh…

A bloody gash appeared on his fingertip; had it not been for his swift reaction, he would have lost the entire digit.

“Sharp Metal Technique.”

As Chen Luo reached the python’s mouth, he drew his novice magical sword and gently swiped its blade. Realizing the danger, the giant serpent swiftly retracted its demonic aura, intending to retreat. However, Chen Luo was quicker, and with the enhanced magical sword imbued by the Sharp Metal Technique, he pierced through the python’s jaw, causing blood to spurt out immediately.

“We can’t let this go to waste.”

Swiftly, Chen Luo produced a porcelain bottle to collect the spurting essence blood. This bottle, typically used for storing medicinal pills, proved ideal for holding the essence blood while also preventing the loss of spiritual energy.

In agony, the massive white python thrashed violently, slamming into the ground and creating a colossal lotus-shaped crater.

Then came a tearing sound.

The python’s body trembled violently, causing the ground to shake momentarily before falling still.

“Dead?”

Mor Wenjian descended from his flight, standing nearby with disbelief written all over his face. This was a monster beast at the peak of Qi Refinement realm; typically, it would take at least three equally skilled qi refiners working together to ensure its defeat.

“It escaped.”

Chen Luo withdrew his magical sword, noticing that after such intense combat, even this newly acquired technique-grade blade had developed cracks, likely nearing its end.

Stepping forward, he gently tapped the snake’s body, only for his palm to sink into a hollow spot. Mor Wenjian then realized that what remained was merely a snakeskin. Pushing aside the shed skin, they quickly discovered that during its molting, the true form of the python had burrowed underground and escaped.

Indeed, the intelligence of this white giant python far surpassed that of the colossal ape. Sensing danger, it swiftly molted and fled, sacrificing grace for survival.

“Now, tell me, why did you switch sects?” Chen Luo carefully stored the snakeskin and began questioning Mor Wenjian about his experiences.

“I’m impoverished,” Mor Wenjian candidly admitted. “In the Divine Lake Immortal Sect, I couldn’t afford to learn top-tier sword cultivation techniques. For Foundation Establishment methods, I consulted my master, and they require thirty thousand merit points. With such a high cost, it would take me at least thirty years of working for the sect just to acquire them. I am unwilling to waste that much time.”

He aspired not only to reach Foundation Establishment but even the Gold Core realm.

However, he lacked sufficient spirit stones.

Within the Divine Lake Immortal Sect, everything had fixed prices, adhering to rules set by its founding ancestor.

After more than half a year, Chen Luo and Mor Wenjian met again.

Their statuses had significantly changed; Mor Wenjian had joined Nine Poisons Valley, while Chen Luo became a mere titular guard disciple. In some ways, both had effectively abandoned the Divine Lake Immortal Sect.

“People aim higher, like water flows lower—it’s understandable.”

If Chen Luo were in Mor Wenjian’s position, he too wouldn’t want to squander thirty years. The earlier a qi refiner achieves breakthroughs, the better. After enduring thirty years, how much chance would remain for successful Foundation Establishment?

“Are you here for the Foundation Establishment spiritual objects?” Mor Wenjian suddenly asked.

“Isn’t that why you’re here too?”

Chen Luo nodded; there was no need to hide his intentions.

“It’s best not to go over there. The Foundation Establishment spiritual objects here are controlled by Nine Poisons Valley.” After a moment of hesitation, Mor Wenjian warned Chen Luo.

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator resides near the lake.”

“I’ve sensed them already,” Chen Luo sighed, which explained why he hadn’t ventured that way.

Upon entering the mountain valley, the two Foundation Establishment brains in his mind had promptly alerted him.

The control exerted by the three major sects over Foundation Establishment matters was stricter than one could imagine. Spirit artifacts from places like Woodmount City have been allocated long ago. Only cultivators without established connections, such as Zhou Tianyang, who relied on the Loose Cultivators Union, might hope for bargains, unaware and unable to access information about the divisions of interests among the major sects.

“Well, I’m off. Take care of yourself. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, we’ll have another duel.”

Mor Wenjian sheathed his magical sword and departed without looking back.