At the crucial moment when Nan Songzi was manipulating the Magical Instrument, he turned around and saw Murong Qingyan, who had retreated half a mile away, holding a Jade Talisman that was only half the size of a palm. The previous clear sound came from there. At this moment, the female cultivator struck again.
A purple radiance flashed violently, the pure light solidified into a heavy hammer, launched from half a mile away, but in a blink, it was upon him. Nan Songzi cried out and was thrown backward, the "Void Divine Travel Talisman" that had been bolstering him shattered with a bang. Not only the "Void Divine Travel Talisman," but also the Talisman that he used for protection, the one that drove "Forming Shapes by Taking Advantage of the Situation," and even the Talisman charm he prepared to stimulate the Magical Instrument, all failed at this moment, no longer able to take form.
Meng Wei seized this opportunity. Her Pine Pattern Sword was fully defensive, but the sword light that had been ready to burst forth from her seemed like a bird freed from its cage. With a light chirping sound, it pierced through the mist, its radiance almost melting into the light fog that covered the lake.
In the blink of an eye, the sword light pierced through Nan Songzi's Protective True Evil, drawing a splash of blood.
At this moment, the second "Purple Light Heavy Hammer" arrived with a whoosh. Nan Songzi had almost no power to resist and was hit again, his body slanting into the water, not knowing how deep he had been smashed.
On the lake, the two female cultivators gained the upper hand, but neither relaxed. Meng Wei was well aware that her "Flying Wing Sword" had only grazed Nan Songzi's upper left arm and had not caused serious injuries. Further away, Murong Qingyan had never expected this round of attack to inflict a fatal blow on Nan Songzi.
She slightly turned her head, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and thought to herself, "Why hasn't it come yet?"
The next moment, the lake rippled, and Nan Songzi burst out laughing, not at all embarrassed or angry about being thrown into the lake. Instead, his mood was extremely excited:
"Indeed, it is the Great Hole True Symbol!"
Nan Songzi stood on the lake, staring at the Jade Talisman in Murong Qingyan's hand in the distance, not even blinking, "That woman said this Talisman has always been with you, and she was right."
The "Great Hole True Symbol" that Murong Qingyan held, fully named "Great Void Seven Changes Five Directions True Form Talisman," was the unparalleled treasure of the Ten Thousand Images Sect. With this Talisman in hand, one could naturally interfere with the operation of Talismans within several miles, concentrate energy, and even shatter formed Talismans, returning the gathered spiritual energy to its initial state. It was extremely sharp, hence also known as the "True Return Talisman," and was equally renowned as the Sect's other cultivation treasure, the "True Purple Smoke Warm Jade."
Yet, the most crucial aspect of this talisman isn't its destructive power, but the imprints of two of the Sect's most profound scriptures: the "Senluo True Evil Embracing Elixir Sutra" and the "Flowing Rosy Clouds Thousand Reflections Flying Lifting Method." These were refined using the Sect's unique ritual, and to possess them would mean breaking through the Golden Elixir Stage, refining one's true form, and pursuing immortality.
Nan Songzi had tracked it down from afar, not only to fulfill an old wish, but mostly for this treasure. After all, even the most beautiful woman couldn't compare to the importance of one's life. Upon seeing this talisman, his mood was truly elevated. He chuckled, rubbing his hands together:
"My dear niece, since you have no interest in the Sect, I fear the lineage of the Ten Thousand Images Sect may end with you. This Great Void Seven Changes Five Directions True Form Talisman, as wonderful as it is, is merely a tool for passing down the teachings. It's unnecessary to treasure it as if it were a precious broom. Why not leave it to your uncle, so I can promote it? You can continue being a good girl, go to Flying Soul City, and take good care of You Can and the others. There are endless benefits for you there, why be so stubborn?"
You Can is the city lord of Flying Soul City, a major figure in the Jade Purification Alliance, and a person of great significance in the entire Cultivation World. The godmother Murong Qingyan worships is You Can's legal wife, Madam Xia. However, rumors suggest that You Can has certain intentions towards his step-daughter, Murong Qingyan, and Nan Songzi's words subtly hint at this.
Upon hearing his words, Murong Qingyan burst into laughter, not caring about maintaining her image, and laughed so hard she couldn't catch her breath. At this point, her voice was inevitably punctuated by gasps, soft and delicate, adding an extra layer of allure:
"Just so you know, this lecher, this talisman is indeed of no use to me. But even if I were to destroy it, I would never hand it over to you."
As she spoke, the female cultivator laughed again, this time more unrestrained, her floating voice enticing, but her words caused Nan Songzi's face to change:
"Is your Senluo True Sha cultivation stuck at its peak? Have you hit a dead end? Can't find a Vacuum Walking technique that matches it? How does it feel to be stuck at the Golden Elixir Stage, watching your physical body age?"
"Nan Songzi, your mind, ever filled with sheer nonsense, still fails to comprehend how I managed to elude the relentless pursuit of Flying Soul City, and escape unscathed from the Three Lakes of the North! Now, I can tell you that I merely wanted to see how long you could keep up your charade, even if you are overflowing with such nonsense, and your courage is shriveled up!"
At once, Nan Songzi's face turned ashen, struck at his core by the female cultivator. After a long pause, he collected himself, suppressing his emotions, and nodded heavily:
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"Very well, very well! Murong Qingyan, I'll lay it out here and give you another chance! Hand over that talisman, and I promise, in honor of your deceased mother, not only will I spare your life, but I'll also leave you with some dignity. If not..."
His eerie laughter abruptly echoed, and two nearly invisible phantom figures suddenly emerged from the mist beside Murong Qingyan, vaguely humanoid, their four arms clasped together. However, even before they could fully materialize, Murong Qingyan had already ascended into mid-air, her Jade Talismans flashing with a purple glow, striking the two phantoms into a myriad of holes, dissipating them into smoke.
Nan Songzi had never expected to persuade Murong Qingyan, and why would Murong Qingyan believe that Nan Songzi would rely solely on his words?
In the time it took for this brief exchange, noticeable changes had occurred on the lake's surface.
Unbeknownst to them, the mist over the lake had grown denser. Whether it was due to a change in the light source or some other factor, the mist faintly radiated a dark red hue, and a faint, rich fragrance wafted with the wind across the lake.
It seemed that Nan Songzi had conjured some nefarious magical instrument, and both female cultivators felt a significant shift in his approach.
Within the dense fog, ephemeral shadows began to appear, elusive and unpredictable. Each shadow was wrapped in an intensely vengeful Heart Demon's Evil Energy. Although they lacked physical attack power, once they latched onto a person, the Heart Demon's Evil Energy could wreak havoc on their divine soul, causing immense trouble.
Meng Wei was somewhat better off. As a practitioner of Orthodox Taoism and a follower of Discipline, her determination was unwavering. Her Sword Energy could repel all evil spirits. However, Murong Qingyan, being from a side sect and prone to deep contemplation, was naturally at a disadvantage in resisting the Heart Demon. Although her "Great Hole True Symbol" possessed the unique power of breaking talismans, it could not provide a specific countermeasure, leaving her in a passive position.
At that moment, Nan Songzi appeared behind her, reaching out to seize her.
With great effort, Murong Qingyan turned around. The "Great Hole True Symbol" echoed with a thunderous tremor, its purple radiance slashing through the air like a sword. Nan Songzi, however, did not dodge or evade, relying solely on his Protective True Evil to guard against the attack. The blows he couldn't block resulted in wounds that bled freely, splattering blood mist into the air.
His speed was astonishing. Murong Qingyan had not expected him to take the upper hand so decisively. She thought of her "Void Divine Travel Talisman" that had been shattered, intending to fly into the mid-air to evade, but Nan Songzi was like a shadow following her. When the "Great Hole True Symbol" once again released its purple radiance, his figure had already closed in. Within the oscillation of True Sha, the Heart Demon's Evil Energy was even more potent.
With a resonating hum, the "Great Hole True Symbol" shone brilliantly, illuminating the surrounding dense fog and water surface, intertwining with the dark red mist, creating a spectacle that was both magnificent and eerie due to the overly deep hues.
The female cultivator let out a low gasp. At this moment, the purple radiance was like a flying star, released from her hand and soaring into the mid-air.
The situation developed suddenly. Even Nan Songzi, who had attempted to snatch the talisman, had not expected the talisman to be released so easily. But this was followed by great joy. He didn't even care about the stunned state of Murong Qingyan, he turned around to grab the talisman.
His speed was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, his fingertips were about to touch the Treasure Talisman. However, a sudden chill ran down his fingertips as the Sword Energy roared in his ears, the Treasure Talisman was blasted away by the incoming Sword Energy, bouncing far away.
"Despicable wench!"
The one who had launched the Sword Energy was none other than the female cultivator from the Lichen Sect. Nan Songzi was furious, but he didn't have the time to retaliate. He shifted his body, attempting to chase after it once again.
This time, the one who was like a shadow was Meng Wei. Her Pine Pattern Sword swayed gently, generating layers of Sword Energy, blocking between Nan Songzi and the Treasure Talisman. Even though she couldn't stop Nan Songzi, she repeatedly thwarted his momentum, preventing him from speeding up.
Seeing that Murong Qingyan was chasing after the talisman on the other side and was sure to get there before him, Nan Songzi's eyes turned blood-red. He let out a harsh shriek, and the wounds on his body inflicted by the two female cultivators simultaneously spurted out blood mist. Following that, a mass of blood shadow rose from behind him, swelling in the air, and pounced onto Nan Songzi. The sizzling red mist rose from the wounds, and Nan Songzi's body swelled up in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, his figure turned ethereal.
Meng Wei's reaction was impeccably precise. The Pine Pattern Sword instantly returned to defense, once again forming the flawless Sword Qi Circle. A fraction of a second later, Nan Songzi discarded his Treasure Talisman, his body charging forward to collide directly with it.
The Sword Qi Circle functioned perfectly, dissipating the impact. However, Meng Wei was taken aback. A sliver of shadow appeared out of nowhere, clinking against her Sword Qi Circle. It then instantaneously transformed into a ring of extremely subtle radiance, attaching itself to the Sword Qi Circle. It alternated between gathering and dispersing, its form flickering hundreds of times within a split second. Any moment of stagnation would allow it to break through!
"God Slaying Sting!"
She had once read about something similar in ancient texts, but she had never seen a way to counter it! Distracted for a moment, strands of chilling energy infiltrated her body, then immediately coalesced. As if sentient, they aimed straight for the location of her Golden Elixir, like a knife thrust into her chest!
Despite her resilience, she couldn't help but cry out in pain. The Sword Qi Circle shattered with a loud crash, and Nan Songzi, sneering, closed in: "I'll exchange you for a Talisman, let's see if she agrees!"
His hand, swollen and thus appearing more robust, spread wide, aiming to grasp the female cultivator's neck.
Just then, a bright light flashed, tearing through the mist, leaving a clear mark in his eyes.
Nan Songzi's heart jolted, and just as he was about to shout "Not good," he heard the winter night sky rumbling with thunder. The echo reverberated in the valley, refusing to fade.
All filthy and evil beings are naturally repelled by Heavenly Punishment Thunder Lightning. The technique that Nan Songzi was using was a powerful but incomplete evil method he had stumbled upon. It had many flaws and weaknesses, especially the fear of this. The thunder and lightning came so swiftly that by the time he reacted, he had been struck head-on.
The power of the thunderfire wasn't particularly strong, but the turbulent aura of Heaven and Earth's execution it contained made his blood and qi churn. His body's Heart Demon's Evil Energy even showed signs of instability!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Murong Qingyan was only a few dozen feet away from the flying Treasure Talisman. Just as she heard a splash, a Taoist priest broke through the water. His timing was impeccable, catching the Treasure Talisman that was flying overhead. He chuckled and quickly retreated.
These rapid changes happened so quickly that the three people who had previously dominated the lake surface were all stupefied.
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