“We originally came for Brother Xiao, so even without your words, we intended to stay at your abode for a few days.” Daoist Qingping replied with a smile.
Han Li pondered briefly before nodding in agreement.
“Good, it’s settled then. Fellow Daoists, please follow me to the nearest training ground. The matters here will be left to our sect’s disciples.” Upon hearing this, Xiao Ming’s face revealed a hint of joy. After glancing at the Blood Crane City guards appearing from all directions, he spoke thus.
The old woman and Daoist Qingping naturally had no objections. Han Li silently sent a few words to Zhu Guo’er and Hua Shi the Ancestor before following the three toward a certain part of the city.
Zhu Guo’er and Hua Shi the Ancestor exchanged a glance before silently leaving the area, swiftly disappearing into the nearby streets.
Half an hour later, within a circular structure a thousand zhang in diameter, a layer of hazy white light rose into the air. Inside, Xiao Ming and the old woman stood facing each other from a distance in mid-air.
Outside the light barrier, on the viewing platform, Han Li and Daoist Qingping watched calmly.
After a moment, Xiao Ming exhaled lightly and uttered, “First move.” Suddenly, he opened his mouth and spat out a streak of blood-red light, which expanded in the wind, transforming into a massive bone blade.
The tip of the weapon was embedded with several silver rings that jingled incessantly as they swayed in the wind.
Xiao Ming gripped the bone blade tightly, let out a low shout, and swung his arm fiercely, hurling the weapon straight at the old woman.
With a *whoosh*, the moment the enormous bone blade left his hand, countless blood-red runes appeared on its surface. In a flash, it traversed hundreds of zhang and appeared right before the old woman.
“Hmph, is this all you’ve got?”
The old woman snorted lightly, seemingly disdainful, though in truth, she dared not be careless. With a lightning-fast motion, she raised a hand to her head, pulling out a seemingly ancient black wooden hairpin. She slashed it downward in the air toward the incoming bone blade.
A clear chime rang out.
A jet of black flame erupted from the tip of the wooden hairpin, wrapping around the bone blade in an instant and bursting into dazzling radiance.
An astonishing sight unfolded.
After just a few coils of the black flame, the bone blade came to an abrupt halt and began melting away at a visible pace.
“Second move!”
Xiao Ming showed no surprise at this sight. Instead, he calmly made his next move.
He pointed a finger at the half-melted bone blade in mid-air.
The silver rings, still gleaming brightly amidst the black flames, trembled slightly before abruptly breaking free from the flames and vanishing from sight.
The next moment, the old woman’s expression changed. She twisted her body and shot into the sky as a streak of azure light.
Where she had stood, ripples appeared as several silver rings silently materialized, simultaneously contracting toward the center.
But thanks to the old woman’s preemptive action, they naturally missed their target.
Undeterred, Xiao Ming continued chanting incantations, pointing repeatedly at the rings in the air.
With a *boom*, countless silver arcs surged across the surfaces of the rings before shooting toward the old woman high above amidst thunderous flashes.
Seeing this, Lady Wanhua’s face darkened. She swung her wooden hairpin downward repeatedly.
Black flames billowed forth, but aside from slightly slowing the rings’ advance, they proved ineffective.
Though Lady Wanhua flickered through the air repeatedly, the rings pursued relentlessly, teleporting in flashes of wind and thunder.
After dodging several times, the old woman finally grew impatient and let out a sharp cry:
“Do you truly believe this treasure can suppress my demonic flames? Xiao, the old freak, I’ll show you the true might of the Bone-Corroding Demonfire!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she tossed the wooden hairpin into the air and spat a breath of spiritual essence onto it. At the same time, a black light shimmered behind her, manifesting a massive black lion phantom over ten zhang tall.
The lion was wreathed in rolling black flames, exuding an eerie aura the moment it appeared.
Meanwhile, the wooden hairpin shimmered with light, transforming into a short black sword.
Though only half a chi long, the sword radiated an unbelievable heat, scorching the surrounding air with a burning stench.
Seizing the opportunity, the silver rings flickered and reappeared above Lady Wanhua, descending upon her with a vicious snap.
The black lion let out a low roar, raising its head to spew a cloud of black fire upward, forcibly lifting the rings into the air.
Lady Wanhua then directed the short sword with a command.
With a clear chime, the sword shot into the lion’s gaping maw as a streak of black light.
A cold smile curled on the old woman’s lips as her fingers flew through a series of hand seals.
A deafening *boom* erupted.
The black flames around the lion flared violently before it opened its maw wide and spat a black beam toward the rings above.
The beam was none other than the black short sword, now covered in flame-like patterns. With a piercing cry, it transformed into a ten-zhang-long arc of light, piercing through the fire cloud and flashing past the rings.
*Crack! Crack!*
The rings shattered into motes of light, dispersing completely.
“Impressive! So this is Lady Wanhua’s famed weapon, the Scale-Severing Demon Sword? Truly extraordinary. Even my Taiyue Rings couldn’t withstand a single strike. However, for my final move, I’ll employ some real power. Be careful, Fellow Daoist.” Xiao Ming, far from angered, seemed pleased. After these grave words, he suddenly raised an arm and struck his dantian with a palm.
A dull *thud* echoed as countless strands of bloody qi surged from his body, enveloping him in a dense crimson mist.
The old woman’s heart clenched, her expression turning solemn. Yet she also activated her technique, causing the black lion phantom behind her to solidify further, growing even larger.
A strange screech suddenly emerged from the blood mist, followed by heavy footsteps. Something enormous seemed to be stepping forth.
As the mist parted, a colossal toad the size of a small mountain leaped out.
Standing a hundred zhang tall, its glossy crimson body was studded with bulges the size of human heads. Yet its forehead bore nine golden eyes, gleaming with chilling light.
“The Nine-Eyed Blood Toad! You’ve truly refined the bloodline of this ancient spirit!” The old woman gasped, her face paling.
Outside the barrier, Daoist Qingping’s expression also shifted slightly at the sight of the toad.
Han Li, however, brightened, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He had long heard of the Nine-Eyed Blood Toad. Even in major auctions, its essence blood occasionally appeared. But unlike other ancient spirit bloodlines, which sparked frenzied bidding, this one often went unsold or even failed to attract bids.
The reason was simple—the Nine-Eyed Blood Toad’s blood was lethally toxic. Even Mahayana cultivators attempting to refine it would likely succumb to its venomous backlash. Those with lower cultivation would perish instantly upon contact.
Given such risks and the abundance of other spirit bloodlines, few Mahayana cultivators dared to seek this one.
Thus, the fact that this Blood Bone Sect’s Mahayana elder had risked refining it—and succeeded—was nothing short of astonishing.
“Lady Wanhua, this Golden Toad form is my first time using it in battle. Its true power… you’ll have to experience for yourself.” The toad’s mouth moved, emitting Xiao Ming’s icy voice. Then, with a sudden lunge, something shot forth with a sharp *whoosh*.
The old woman grunted as if struck by a massive force, staggering back several steps before steadying herself with a mix of shock and fury.
A golden lump the size of a head had struck a jade-green wooden shield hovering a zhang before her.
Behind the lump was a wrist-thick, vein-covered crimson tendril—the toad’s tongue, which had lashed out at an imperceptible speed.
Had she not discreetly placed the shield beforehand, she would have been defenseless against the strike.
Even so, Lady Wanhua appeared thoroughly disheveled.
With an enraged cry, the black lion behind her opened its maw, shooting a black arc of light toward the toad’s tongue.
But the thick appendage twitched slightly—and vanished.
At the same time, the Nine-Eyed Blood Toad, originally hundreds of zhang away, flexed its hind legs and disappeared into the sky with a *whoosh*.
“Not good!”
A seasoned veteran of countless battles, Lady Wanhua reacted instantly, twisting her body to flee.
But she was too late.
A thunderous *boom* resounded overhead as a massive shadow appeared—the Nine-Eyed Blood Toad.
Emerging mid-air, it extended a colossal palm downward, pressing slowly.
With a *whoosh*, a ten-zhang-wide crimson ring materialized above its palm, descending with crushing force.
Before it even landed, the old woman felt the space around her tighten, her body growing unbearably heavy. Then, deafening explosions erupted.
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