“Aa… I swear on my life today, Old Dao will not kill you!”
The Black Crow Taoist was momentarily stunned, then his face turned red, almost purple with rage. His hair stood on end as he pointed a finger at Wu Ming. The two crows in the sky immediately swooped down, their iron claws and beaks gleaming sharply, their wings like blades stirring up violent winds, even fiercer than ordinary vultures.
“Zila!”
A flash of lightning occurred. As they neared, the two thunderfire crows suddenly doubled their speed, striking down like thunder and lightning, truly swift beyond reaction. Their claws even carried thunderfire light, specially designed to penetrate protective Taoist techniques!
These were fully refined “Thunderfire Black Crows.” Not only were they fast as lightning, but they also possessed human-like intelligence, devious and cunning. With faint thunderfire coursing through them, they attacked in unison, just like two highly coordinated aerial martial artists.
If it were an ordinary person, or even an innate expert, they would be instantly thrown into chaos—perhaps even losing their eyes in a single strike, meeting a gruesome death.
“Zhezhe… Indeed, a remarkable feathered beast!”
Gong Yunshang only heard Wu Ming’s praise when a layer of five-colored mysterious light emerged from his body, resisting the four thunderfire claws. After a slight pause, it immediately crumbled.
However, this brief moment gave Wu Ming the opportunity. The black gold ring on his hand flashed, and a thick golden blade slashed across one crow’s neck.
“Pu!”
Black feathers filled the sky, and blood splattered.
“Guagua!”
Seeing its companion die, the other crow showed no mercy, its talons striking Wu Ming’s shoulder.
His outer robe immediately tore, revealing a five-colored robe underneath. This robe not only had a layer of mysterious light for defense but was also a rare treasure resistant to blades and swords, instantly stopping the attack.
Yet seeing this, the Black Crow Taoist sneered coldly.
“Zila!”
A current of electricity appeared on the crow’s claw, albeit weak. Even so, any martial expert would find their body momentarily paralyzed when facing it.
With this moment, the crow could strike for the eyes or the head, delivering a fatal blow.
“Die!”
Seeing the thunderfire crow’s claw aiming for Wu Ming’s face, Gong Yunshang was about to rescue him when she saw Wu Ming smirk strangely. He suddenly struck out with both hands, palms crashing like wind and thunder, utterly smashing into the crow’s abdomen.
“Bang!”
The crow screamed and fell to the ground, clearly dead.
“You… How can you still move?”
The Black Crow Taoist stared at Wu Ming, disbelief etched across his face.
“Hmph, why should I tell you!”
Wu Ming looked at the electric sparks on his hands, eyes narrowing slightly.
He practiced the Thunder Palm technique, which required the power of thunder to temper his body to reach the “Cloud Thunder” realm, transitioning from martial arts into Taoist cultivation.
To him, this mere electric spark was nothing but nourishment.
At his current Water Thunder stage, his palms could summon wind and thunder, but compared to the Yin realm’s ghostly soil, it was several times weaker in terms of spectacle.
The Black Crow Taoist stood stunned, gazing at the corpses of the two thunderfire crows on the ground, his heart aching immensely: “Ya Wu, Ya Liu… you… villain! I swear vengeance upon you!”
If the previous deaths of the two spirit-bred crows merely pained him, then these two thunderfire crows, painstakingly refined with massive resources, were like cutting off his limbs!
Even worse, since they shared a spiritual connection, the death of his bird servants would inevitably backfire upon him, their master.
Now, having lost two at once, the Black Crow Taoist’s face turned pale, his Taoist cultivation damaged, his spirit shaken, nearly spitting out a mouthful of blood.
“I see!”
Watching this, Gong Yunshang’s pretty face flushed slightly as she suddenly understood: “I was wondering why such an extraordinary figure like Wu Ming would utter such vulgar words earlier. It was to provoke this Taoist into sending his birds to attack, taking the chance to kill them! Otherwise, if the opponent held the aerial advantage and prolonged the battle, things might change over time!”
“No mutual existence?”
Wu Ming almost laughed at those words: “As opposing sides, do we really have a chance for peaceful coexistence?”
Time was precious now. Without knowing whether the enemy had reinforcements or when they might arrive, wasting even a moment was foolish.
As he spoke, Wu Ming had already dashed forward swiftly, delivering a palm strike with hidden thunder and wind, crashing down like a mountain.
“Ya Da, go!”
At this moment, two spirit birds remained by the Black Crow Taoist’s side, but the one on his arm was not up to the task. He now commanded the one on his shoulder to attack.
Since this thunderfire crow was named Ya Da, naturally it was the first one he had refined, having followed him the longest. Over years, it had grown larger than its companions, with golden down on its head like a shining golden crown.
“Guagua!”
At this moment, three more thunderfire crows appeared on the horizon. Seeing their master in peril, they rushed down like lightning.
“Haha! You are all doomed!”
Seeing this, the Black Crow Taoist’s face lit up with joy. Now, he wore a large cloak-like artifact outside, seemingly woven from crow feathers, its spiritual light smooth and flowing, his movements quite nimble, dodging Wu Ming’s attacks several times.
Above, a giant golden-crowned crow continuously attacked, disrupting Wu Ming’s movements, then withdrawing immediately, quite troublesome.
“Gong girl, the remaining three are yours!”
Wu Ming extended his hand, fingers like hooks, instantly grabbing the reckless Ya Qi and crushing it to death, loudly declaring.
“Even if you hadn’t said so, I was already prepared!”
Gong Yunshang smiled, her hand somehow already holding a long sword.
This sword was quite peculiar, its blade translucent like crystal, with nine holes in the middle, producing a crisp sound with the slightest movement.
“A song of Nine Li Sorrows, who can truly understand?”
Gong Yunshang chanted softly, swinging the sword. A sudden sound of jade pendants clinking echoed, like mountain streams and falling pearls in spring, spreading out in inexplicable sound waves in all directions.
“Actually using sound-based techniques?”
Wu Ming’s mind stirred slightly.
At this moment, Gong Yunshang danced lightly with her sword, like a celestial maiden descending on a crane, her jade pendants tinkling with divine music, like a spring breeze melting away hostility in the heart unknowingly.
“Guagua!”
The three thunderfire crows descending from the sky staggered, quite wary, unwilling to land.
Even Wu Ming and the Black Crow Taoist were involuntarily affected.
“This sound attack technique, even as an ally, makes me feel reluctant. It must be a true Taoist technique exploring the heart and human nature…”
Thinking thus, Wu Ming seized the opportunity, delivering a palm strike with electric sparks, directly smashing into the momentarily stunned Black Crow Taoist’s cloak.
“Pu!”
With a loud bang, the artifact could no longer withstand the blow, scattering into a flurry of black feathers. The Black Crow Taoist spat blood and flew backward, his eyes finally clearing.
“Guagua!”
Seeing its master in peril, the golden-crowned crow cried out more desperately, suddenly opening its beak and spitting out a thumb-thick bolt of lightning, striking Wu Ming’s back.
“Fiendish beast!”
Wu Ming’s body swayed slightly, but a talisman seed in his consciousness suddenly emitted light, magical power surging.
“Bang!”
The ground around exploded, several black vines emerging with thorns, wrapping around the Black Crow Taoist.
“Aa…”
The Taoist screamed in pain. Most of his abilities were invested in his spirit birds. Now, with his protective artifact destroyed, severely injured, and struck by this spell, he was completely helpless, blood pouring from the gaps in the vines.
“Guagua!”
In the air, seeing their master’s death, the three rare crows cried out in panic, each choosing a direction to flee desperately.
On the ground, Gong Yunshang and Wu Ming exchanged helpless glances.
These feathered beasts had the advantage of flight. If they truly wished to escape, there was little they could do to stop them.
“Guagua!”
Unexpectedly, something happened in the air.
The largest golden-crowned crow, seeing the Black Crow Taoist’s corpse, displayed an extremely human-like expression of grief in its eyes. It flew high, circling above, its cries like the blood-curdling cries of a cuckoo bird, stirring sorrow in the heart.
“Bang!”
Suddenly, the spirit bird dove headfirst into a nearby rock, splattering brains everywhere, dying in loyalty to its master.
“What a loyal bird!”
Gong Yunshang praised, then watched helplessly as Wu Ming rummaged through the Black Crow Taoist’s body, only finding a bunch of bottles and jars, his face filled with regret.
“Pity I couldn’t find the Taoist’s bird-taming technique. Otherwise, even without cultivation, raising a couple for reconnaissance would be quite beneficial…”
Wu Ming chuckled dryly, explaining: “This Taoist seemed to have spent all his resources on spirit birds, leaving himself penniless. The only possible loot might be these three rare crows…”
“After this battle, Wu Ming Dao You deserves the first share of credit,”
Gong Yunshang said.
At this moment, enemy reinforcements were about to arrive. Since the credit was clearly established, Wu Ming didn’t refuse and directly took the golden-crowned crow. His eyes flickered slightly as he asked: “Might the fairy know what use this spirit bird might have?”
“What use?”
Gong Yunshang thought for a moment: “Perhaps only its feathers could be used as materials for crafting defensive magical artifacts…”
“To be honest with the lady, I am currently cultivating a thunder technique that requires thunder-element flesh and blood materials. If possible, I could give you the feathers of these three rare crows, but their flesh and organs would be mine, how about that?”
He had already used the Thunder Palm technique in front of Gong Yunshang, so there was no need to hide anything.
“Agreed!”
Actually, the most valuable part of these three spirit birds was indeed their feathers. Considering that, Gong Yunshang naturally wouldn’t refuse, since she was the one gaining the advantage.
“In that case, let’s leave quickly!”
Wu Ming seized the three birds, immediately calling out, retreating along the path they came.
At this time, Li Suihan and the others would most likely have noticed something was wrong and come chasing, whether willing or not, they would serve as ready reinforcements.
…
Not sure how long had passed, Zheng Jun and Xue Linglong’s figures quietly emerged from the dense forest.
Seeing the corpse of the Black Crow Taoist, both their expressions turned grim.
“Indeed, a useless fool!”
Zheng Jun cursed, feeling a bit of regret inside, as this person was quite skilled at reconnaissance.
“Giggle… Even in death, he has left us with quite a bit of information, hasn’t he?”
Xue Linglong giggled, approaching the Black Crow Taoist’s corpse. Her eyes flashed with red, and a puff of black mist enveloped the body, accompanied by a chilling creaking sound.
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