Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Quasi-Emperor Alarmingly Retreats, Ancient Forest of Ten Thousand Poisons

"I have my own way."

Lin Qianmo spoke.

As long as the Poison Emperor hadn’t become an emperor, she could handle him.

"It’s getting late. We can set off now."

"Wait."

Ye Xu spoke up, producing a jade slip. "This jade slip contains a portion of the geographical information of the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain, including details about killing arrays and more…"

"You’ll likely find it useful once you enter the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain."

"This is truly priceless."

Ao Bing exclaimed with delighted surprise.

If they could learn the geographical layout and killing array information, they would be able to avoid many dangers.

"Senior, this jade slip… won’t cost extra, will it?" Ao Lie asked cautiously in a low voice.

Ye Xu shook his head. "I intend to send Yang Xuanzhan with you. The information recorded on this jade slip will serve as payment to the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

"You are too generous, senior," Ao Bing laughed. "Since we are all entering the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain anyway, just say the word. We will surely take good care of him."

"Then let’s set out."

"Senior, we are leaving."

Ao Lie waved farewell.

"Master, this humble servant takes his leave." Yang Xuanzhan bowed in farewell to Ye Xu and departed the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion alongside the others.

Meanwhile.

Elsewhere, within a void space.

A deeply wrinkled old man watched the departing group, his brow furrowed heavily.

His left eye socket was empty; his right eye resembled a kaleidoscope, utterly bizarre.

His aura was immensely powerful. Even the slightest wisp leaking out pressed down on the void, causing thread-like cracks to appear. Clearly, he was a quasi-emperor level powerhouse.

"Five quasi-emperors?"

The old man observed Lin Qianmo and her companions, his mind reeling with shock.

Five quasi-emperors had emerged together from the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion—something momentous was certainly happening.

Furthermore, the respectful expressions on Ao Bing and Yue Ruyi’s faces just before the group left were unmistakable. Those were the Eastern Sea Dragon King and the Mistress of the Pure Land, some of the most supreme powerhouses of the Yuan Realm!

"It seems my True Martial God Sect has offended someone we cannot afford to provoke."

This one-eyed elder was precisely the Supreme Elder of the True Martial God Sect.

As soon as the Sword Servant died and his soul lamp extinguished, the Lamp Burning Hall Master immediately reported to the sect master. The death of a great sage, especially the sect master’s personal Sword Servant, was no trivial matter.

Therefore, the white-haired youth sect master personally dispatched the Supreme Elder to investigate the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Originally, the one-eyed elder had entertained the thought of taking action. Yet, after witnessing this scene, that thought vanished completely, replaced only by a deep, chilling dread.

With the death of Sword Servant, the True Martial God Sect could probably only endure for now and plot again later.

Fear still spread in the one-eyed elder’s eyes.

"The direction Ao Bing and Yue Ruyi and the others are heading seems to be the western regions. Why are they going to the western regions?"

Coming back to himself, the one-eyed elder frowned, "Should I follow them to see?"

After weighing his options several times, the one-eyed elder sent a message to his sect, then hid deep in the void, concealing all his aura, and secretly followed Lin Qianmo and her group.

"Someone is behind us."

A quarter of an hour later, as the group approached the western mountain ranges, Lin Qianmo gently furrowed her brows and transmitted a voice message to inform Ao Bing, Yue Ruyi, and other quasi-emperor experts.

"Are we being watched?"

Ao Bing immediately realized something was wrong.

A surge of killing intent welled up in his heart.

"Get out!"

Ao Bing stirred his magic power, unleashing a terrifying pressure. Above the vast sky, the auspicious clouds were torn apart by the killing intent. Ao Bing abruptly turned around and thrust out his palm.

Dense golden dragon scales appeared on his hand and arm. Where his hand passed, the void shattered inch by inch. His hand reached into the void, heading straight for the one-eyed elder.

The one-eyed elder was greatly alarmed. In haste, he operated his magic power.

He formed his fingers into a sword, with two fingers wreathed in sword light, and thrust them onto Ao Bing’s palm.

Clang!

Sparks flew from the dragon scales, but Ao Bing stood motionless. The one-eyed elder was forced out of the void, but when he steadied his gaze, he saw five Heavenly Pillars between heaven and earth, and the pillars were continuously closing.

As if the heavens were falling, a terrifying pressure crushed the one-eyed elder’s body, causing his bones to burst inch by inch.

At that moment, he was in the palm of the Eastern Sea Dragon King.

"Dragon King, this old one is a person of the True Martial God Sect."

The one-eyed elder urgently cried out, activating his quasi-emperor divine weapon and preparing to counterattack.

"Let him go," Yue Ruyi said.

The Eastern Sea Dragon King deeply furrowed his brows. He glanced at Yue Ruyi, then released his palm, letting the one-eyed elder leap out into everyone’s view.

"Thank you, Dragon King, for your mercy," the one-eyed elder said, making a cupped fist salute.

Actually, the one-eyed elder’s cultivation was at the late quasi-emperor level. If he had fought with his full strength, the Eastern Sea Dragon King might not necessarily have been able to kill him.

Only, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and the True Martial God Sect had no enmity, and with Yue Ruyi pleading for mercy, there was no need to create a deadly feud.

"True Martial God Sect?"

Nangong Zhandao stared at the one-eyed elder with an indifferent expression: "That’s the sect behind the great sage who was instantly killed days ago at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?"

"At such a young age, you dare to be disrespectful!"

The one-eyed elder was struck where it hurt the most and flew into a thunderous rage.

"Got a problem?"

Lan Youruo cast a glance, and the void gradually solidified while a bone-chilling cold pervaded.

The one-eyed elder instantly backed down in fear.

"The True Martial God Sect might have some respect within its limited territory in Zhongzhou, but across the entire Yuan Realm, it cannot dominate everything."

Yue Ruyi lightly said, "For Bai Yuehong’s sake, this time I won’t hold your stalking of us against you. Get lost quickly."

Bai Yuehong was the sect master of the True Martial God Sect.

Just ten days ago, the two of them had met once.

"This old man knows he was wrong."

The one-eyed elder felt aggrieved but dared not utter another disrespectful word.

"Get lost."

Ao Bing waved his large sleeve.

"This old man takes his leave."

The one-eyed elder did not linger and fled at once.

"Hmph."

Ao Bing sneered coldly, "The True Martial God Sect has been arrogant and overbearing for over a million years, with Bai Yuehong being worse. In my view, its days are coming to an end."

"The last time Bai Yuehong visited me, he wanted me to calculate the True Martial God Sect’s fate." Yue Ruyi’s gaze was calm as water, unmoving.

"Now it seems, offending Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, the True Martial God Sect should get erased from the Yuan Realm."

"It’s their deserved payback."

Long Tuo gloated.

"This person detected our whereabouts; he likely alerted the sect already." Lin Qianmo lightly said.

"We shouldn’t have let him leave earlier." Qi Ruyu said.

"Then should we catch him back?" Long Tuo asked.

"No need."

Lin Qianmo glanced at Yue Ruyi; she had spoken personally earlier, so it was only fair to give her a bit of respect.

"We should hurry to the Poisonous Forest."

As soon as those words ended, Lin Qianmo strode into the Western Region mountains toward the Poisonous Forest.

Half an hour later.

The sky abruptly underwent a great change.

Ahead, dark clouds covered the sky, poison gas soaring high like smog blanketing the vast land. Constant beast roars echoed from the deep mountain forests beyond.

"This must be the Poisonous Forest? The poison gas is truly overwhelming."

Ye Hongchen gazed at the Poisonous Forest with a fearful look.

With her strength at Saint level, even entering it alone filled her with dread.

"I wonder if that old toxic creature is in the Poisonous Forest at this moment?"

Ao Bing stepped into the Poisonous Forest first with a thin smile.

Roar roar roar!

As if sensing outsiders, the Poisonous Forest filled with rising and falling howls, and eerie energies rapidly closed in.

Long Tuo activated his magic power, emitting an aura at Quasi-Emperor level.

All sides quieted down instantly.

The Poisonous Forest teemed with venomous creatures, but they weren’t mindless; such a terrifying aura made them dare not approach.

The deeper they went, the heavier the poison gas became.

At the midway point, the severe toxicity of the miasma made it unbearable for Yang Xuanzhan and Ye Hongchen.

As for Ji Xinyu and Ao Lie, they had long been shielded.

After half an incense stick’s time, they reached the deepest part of the Poisonous Forest. It was like stepping into an abyss; dense trees piled layer upon layer, blocking all sunlight.

Poison gas rose, condensing into mist, and potent toxins drifted in the air.

The area was utterly dark.

"He is here."

Yue Ruyi sensed a thread of bizarre, elusive aura hiding even deeper.

"Old Toxic Creature, guests have arrived. Aren’t you coming out to meet us?"

Ao Bing unleashed a dragon roar; the dense forest shattered into dust. Sunlight shone down, mixing with underground gases to spew billowing smoke, as if ignited.

Thick smoke drifted with the wind, corroding the void into a honeycomb pattern.

Thud thud thud…

Suddenly.

The ground heaved like an earthquake as a terrifying aura rushed closer.

It seemed a beast might burst forth from below.

"He is coming."

Yue Ruyi turned solemn.

Qi Ruyu, Ye Hongchen, Liu Ningmei and others tensed like facing a great foe.

The ruler of the Poisonous Forest was about to appear.