Vol 6 Chapter 23: Demonic Heaven Finger
The Patriarch of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.
Although everyone knew the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect patriarch was currently bent on a frenzied revenge after his sect was annihilated, and even though Xuantian Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect had no prior grudges or connections, no one expected the poison patriarch would actually set his sights on Xuantian Pavilion.
“What do you want?”
“I want the Pavilion’s treasured spiritual artifact—the Purifying Spirit Root.”
“Put the Purifying Spirit Root of Fang Nian in the designated location and I will release your people.”
“Fine.” Xiao Nian inhaled deeply. He could not believe he had been extorted—targeting Xuantian Pavilion itself. The Purifying Spirit Root was a spirit plant capable of countering the Ten Thousand Poisons. Why did the enemy need it?
After hearing the location given by the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch, Xiao Nian looked at his sister beside him, who had her hand over her mouth and wore a panicked expression. He immediately shook his head and said, “Don’t be afraid. Aunt won’t be harmed. We’ll follow what the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch demanded. Also, Grandpa is in seclusion; we probably can’t reach him for a while. Contact Alliance Leader Hu—no matter what, ask Leader Hu for help first.”
.....
Elsewhere.A remote mountain.
The Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch sneered as he looked at the gravely poisoned and injured Xuantian Pavilion elder bound by ten-meter-long poisonous tendrils he had conjured.
“We truly have no hatred or grievances, but if anyone’s to blame, blame the ones who annihilated my Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.”
Xiao Yu looked weak but furious at his captor, while the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch merely scoffed. Already wanted by the Dao Alliance, he no longer cared about offending one more Xuantian Pavilion.
The Pavilion’s Purifying Spirit Root could neutralize the Ten Thousand Poisons—an item of immense value to him. Lin Jing had announced he would appear at Purple-Gold Mountain; the patriarch could clearly see this was an open scheme, yet he still planned to go.
He craved the poison Lin Jing had used to wipe out the Ten Thousand Poisons. If he could find its source and refine it, he stood a real chance of forming a core. But that poison was overwhelmingly powerful; even he respected it. Only with the Purifying Spirit Root as assistance would he have a reliable chance to refine it.
......
“Elder Xiao Yu was attacked by the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch?”
At the same time, Hu Yousong—just arrived in Jinling and who had just received the Xuantian Pavilion junior princess’s plea for help—immediately changed expression.
“Where are you? I’ll come right now; I happen to be in Jinling.”
Hu Yousong rushed to Xiao Nian’s side as fast as possible and demanded to know what happened.
“Leader Hu, I’ve already told Xuantian Pavilion to send the Purifying Spirit Root as the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch ordered. After he releases my aunt, please have the Dao Alliance dispatch experts immediately to arrest this man!”
“Nonsense.” Hu Yousong looked at the flustered Xiao Nian and said, “How can you guarantee he will release Elder Xiao once he gets the Purifying Spirit Root? Even if he releases him, he will surely poison Elder Xiao as a contingency!”
“In any case, go wake your grandfather.”
“My grandfather’s seclusion is protected by an array; no one can contact him...”
“What do we do then.” Hu Yousong’s brow tightened. He was just thinking whether to waste a junior brother’s Nascent Soul Transformation talisman-clone on this matter when the Xuantian Pavilion junior princess beside him suddenly began to blame herself.
“It’s all your fault. It must have been because you wanted that spiritual beast—otherwise none of this would’ve happened.”
“What spiritual beast?” Xuantian Pavilion asked, and Lin Jing immediately explained how he had arranged for his aunt to bring an ancient treasure here and the events leading up to this.
Upon hearing that, the junior princess’s eyes lit up. “He said the man who called himself a Beast Master Sect practitioner is named Xiao Nian?!”
“Leader Hu knows him?”
“Wonderful—Elder Xiao has a chance. Come with me.”
Xiao Nian and his companion were puzzled, but Hu Yousong had already swept them out the door. At that moment Lin Jing and the others had returned to the Mountain Villa; the cultivator gathering would officially begin in two days. For now it was just a prelude with few events and even fewer people. Lin Jing planned to wait a bit longer to see if any new treasures would appear.
“Junior Hu Yousong of the Dao Alliance, requesting audience with Senior Lin!”
After following Leader Hu to where Lin Jing was staying, Xiao Nian and the others remained baffled. Hearing Hu Yousong—a powerhouse even stronger than their own grandfather—introduce himself as the junior and pay respects at the Mountain Villa, the two of them went wide-eyed, even more perplexed.
Hum!
With a ripple of spiritual power, Lin Jing manifested before the three of them. Looking at Hu Yousong and the pair from Xuantian Pavilion, Lin Jing unexpectedly asked, “Why are you two here? Has the item arrived?”
“No... the item... was stolen.” Facing Lin Jing’s question, Xiao Nian replied.
“Stolen?” Lin Jing frowned and glanced at Hu Yousong.
“I came to deliver the item as suggested...” Hu Yousong handed over his token. “But upon arrival I received calls from these two juniors asking for help. After learning the facts and seeing it involved you, I took the liberty of bringing them here.”
“A Pseudo Golden Core-level fiend hijacked a Xuantian Pavilion elder and stole the ancient treasure.”
Lin Jing concentrated his spiritual power, sensing the causal ties on the two people, then said calmly, “I see. It does indeed involve me.”
“That fellow was careful—before coming to settle scores with me, he also went looking for something that counters poison.”
What does that mean...
No one understood. Lin Jing asked, “Did that Pseudo Golden Core cultivator tell you where to release the ransom?”
“Yes.” Xiao Nian answered quickly.
“Where?” Lin Jing asked.
“Gusu City, Sifang Mountain.”
Lin Jing floated up and folded his consciousness into a circular sweep covering Jinling City, then reoriented it into a straight line directed toward Gusu. His divine awareness sped across the distance; in a moment Lin Jing waved his hand and a spiritual-power vortex formed in midair. Inside the vortex appeared an image of a black-robed old man and a woman bound by centipede-like poisonous tendrils.
“It’s Aunt!!” Seeing Xiao Yu, Xiao Nian and the others gasped.
“The location he gave is slightly off—he was cautious—but generally it’s this direction; not hard to find.” Lin Jing said indifferently. Sensing the faint malice around the old man through his divine awareness, he added, “It would have been effortless to take it. He indeed bears an invaluable treasure. Under my divine sense he seemed no different from a mortal—he could even mask most of his malice and disrupt perception.”
“All right. This matter is tied to me; I will rescue him for you.”
Before Hu Yousong and the Xiao pair could fully react, the image inside the spiritual-power vortex began to churn violently.
At the same time.
As Elder Xiao Yu struggled, the poisonous tendrils tightened further. Seeing this, the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch sneered, “Heh—stop struggling. Once you’re in my hands, unless I want to, no one can save you.”
No sooner had he spoken than the sky above tore open with a massive spatial rift that made both parties look up in shock. In the next instant, a black finger shot out of the rift like heavenly wrath and pressed straight down toward the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch, leaving him pale with fear.
“Little devil of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect—you were the one looking for me? Why are you hiding in such a place?” A thunderous divine voice echoed from the void.
“It’s you?!” Black lightning accompanied the descending finger. The Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch could not bear the crushing pressure; he collapsed, blood pouring from his seven orifices, terror filling his heart. The one who had annihilated his sect—was it not another master of poisons? How could someone like this exist?
Beside him, seeing this horrifying scene and the pitiable state of the Pseudo Golden Core expert, Xuantian Pavilion elder Xiao Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief. Who—whose finger was that?! It had suppressed a Pseudo Golden Core veteran in an instant.
On Purple-Gold Mountain, through the spiritual-power vortex, Lin Jing’s distant suppression of the Ten Thousand Poisons patriarch was seen as effortless domination. Xiao Nian and the others were left stunned, especially after hearing Hu Yousong address Lin Jing as “senior.” They were utterly confused: who, exactly, was this person?