Immortal and Martial Dual Cultivation
Page 739Chapter 738: Boundless Trump Cards
Situ Lei smiled faintly and said, “This brat can be considered crippled for now. First, he endured a hundred moves from you and me. Then he received two Heaven Ranked Martial Techniques. He will not be able to recover.”
The thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit would mature in four days. If Xiao Chen were to come back a month later, it would be utterly useless because the White Nascent Fruit would no longer be there.
This was the reason the two were not in a rush to chase after Xiao Chen.
Unless Xiao Chen was a Martial Sage, he would not be able to recover in four days from the Heaven Ranked Martial Techniques of two half-Sages.
No matter what, the two had gotten rid of a hidden danger. Although they paid a big price, it was all worth it.
Liu Chen turned around and said with a smile, “Situ Lei, you old fogey, there is a Tricolored Flame Python guarding the thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit. How about we work together again then?”
Situ Lei laughed loudly and replied, “That would be great. Since we cannot let outsiders benefit when we fight, we naturally cannot let a beast gain such a benefit.”
This suggestion seemed hilarious. The two appeared very relaxed and calm, not like enemies who had fought each other for years. After they finished speaking, they withdrew all their men and no longer cared about Xiao Chen.
Above a small river in the periphery of the Savage Beast Forest, a white figure descended from the sky in a wobbly manner and landed on the riverbank.
Xiao Chen looked at the small river and saw his pale reflection. Then, he coughed violently a few times, and blood trickled out of his lips, staining his white robes.
This time, he had received severe injuries. His internal organs even had small ruptures.
Nevertheless, the damage was not as grievous as Liu Chen and Situ Lei said. Usually, no one under Martial Sage could indeed endure two Heaven Ranked Martial Techniques from half-Sages and recover quickly.
However, Xiao Chen was an exception. His physical body had already reached the standard of Martial Sages. His bones also formed a protective barrier.
Xiao Chen’s ability to endure hits and his recovery ability might even be better than those of regular Inferior Grade Martial Sages.
Ao Jiao, who was within the Immortal Spirit Ring, saw Xiao Chen’s ashen complexion. She frowned at seeing him occasionally wince in pain. She asked in confusion, Xiao Chen, if you used Soaring Dragon, you would not be this heavily injured, right?
Xiao Chen swallowed a treatment-type Medicinal Pill. Then he managed to squeeze out a faint smile on his pale face and replied, “There is no need. My target is the thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit, not to fight two half-Sages to the death.
“Revealing my strength would only make the two more wary of me. It is better that I get injured at the right time and let them think that I no longer have any combat prowess. After that, I can return and give them a pleasant surprise.”
Due to the manhunt of the two clans, Xiao Chen had been on edge and had not managed to get any rest at all over the past few days.
With two half-Sages pressing him so hard, his mind had been under greater strain. This situation was too tiring. If this kept up, not only might he not get the White Nascent Fruit, but he might even lose his life here.
Xiao Chen calmly analyzed, “They will not. These two people are wary of each other. If I were not a common threat, they would not have worked together to suppress me.
“Furthermore, the search for wealth carries risk. Even if they continue to chase after me, I will not give in to fate. No one in this world can accurately predict everything.”
In three days’ time, Xiao Chen’s strong physical body recovered completely.
He opened his eyes beside the river. His delicate face gave off a healthy glow, and he looked spirited; there were no signs of fatigue or injury.
Xiao Chen radiated an overwhelming sharp aura. His eyes were bright and full of life, his gaze like a fine blade.
After stretching himself, he took out a black cloak from his Universe Ring and wore it. He looked into the distance and said to himself, “The thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit should be ripe in another day. I must obtain the White Nascent Fruit without fail!”
Xiao Chen stretched his arms out and then soared into the sky like a large bird. When he started to drop, an Azure Dragon image appeared under his feet.
He gently pushed off the Azure Dragon image, and his body soared up again. Each time he did this, he traveled a kilometer.
A black figure quickly shot forward above the forest. After an hour, a mound no more than eight hundred meters tall appeared in Xiao Chen’s field of vision.
Situ Clan and Liu Clan cultivators all gathered below the mound. They covered every direction as they looked fervently at the mound’s peak.
The White Nascent Fruit was the size of a fist. Just by relying on his eyes, Xiao Chen could not see it from such a long distance, so he had to release his Spiritual Sense.
Finally, he found the White Nascent Fruit nestled in a crack on a cliff wall. With four black petals serving as a background, the white fruit looked strangely eye-catching.
The fruit gave off a snow-white light, and it looked as tender as a baby’s skin, making one want to touch it.
Xiao Chen continued to look around with his Spiritual Sense and soon discovered a Tricolored Flame Python standing guard not far away. Flaming marks covered the entire body of the Tricolored Flame Python. However, it was not very big, only about a hundred meters long.
This Tricolored Flame Python could not compare to the six-hundred-meter-long snake he had seen in the Savage Battlefield.
However, the tricolored crown on the Tricolored Flame Python’s head looked like a poppy flower, which gave the snake a sinister charm. It exuded an odd aura, reminding people that it was a bona fide Rank 9 Spirit Beast that could rival a half-Sage.
Xiao Chen also noticed Situ Lei and Liu Chen standing side by side in the air with his Spiritual Sense.
His lips curled up as he gently pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. Then he crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently.
There would always be the calm before the storm. When the wind did not blow and the beasts did not cry out, everything seemed especially silent—scarily silent and peaceful.
These cultivators all held their breath and stayed still. They all paid careful attention to each other. Everyone knew that whichever clan obtained the thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit, the other clan would suffer from either extinction or exile. Centuries of effort would vanish.
No one would be able to accept such a result. The confrontation between the two clans was unavoidable.
The two Clan Heads appeared very casual and amicable, standing side by side and chatting happily. Those who were not aware of the situation would think that these two were good friends.
As Situ Lei looked at the mound, he slowly said, “When the thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit matures, it will definitely attract several peak Rank 9 Spirit Beasts over. At that time, the disciples of our two clans will work together to stop or delay these incoming Spirit Beasts.
“You and I will work together to kill the Tricolored Flame Python. After that, who manages to obtain the White Nascent Fruit will depend on our own abilities. Brother Liu, what do you think?”
Liu Chen’s aged face had a calm expression. He said, “Going from Brother Situ’s tone, you are confident you can wrest the White Nascent Fruit from my humble self.”
When Situ Lei heard this, his expression did not change. He put on a superficial smile and said, “Brother Liu is joking. If I really had full confidence, I would have already chased your Liu Clan away from this Azure Peak City. Why would I wait for so long?”
Sly old fox! Liu Chen cursed in his heart and did not linger on this topic. He said, “Sure, we will follow your proposal.”
Situ Lei had trump cards, but Liu Chen had his trump cards too. He was not afraid to fight it out for the White Nascent Fruit.
Time slowly passed as everybody waited quietly. Soon, the sky started to turn dark.
Normally, the cries of various beasts could be heard in the Savage Beast Forest at night. This particular night seemed strangely silent. Many pairs of eyes watched that small mound despite the dark night; no one dared to relax.
Time seemed to have locked on this ordinary scene in this boundless night.
Situ Lei and Liu Chen stood side by side in the air. Both of them had sinister designs of their own. Beside the White Nascent Fruit, the Tricolored Flame Python hid itself on the mound. And below, the cultivators of the two clans stayed as still as stones.
Even farther out, Xiao Chen stood on a tree branch, wearing a black cloak. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the trunk.
All this added together made for a strange sight. When the White Nascent Fruit fully matured, the storm would break, and this peaceful scene would collapse.
Time passed quickly in silence, arriving at the late night. Suddenly, the four black petals of the White Nascent Fruit gave off spots of light.
The black petals now looked like boundless starlight, flickering in the darkness.
The people who had been waiting for very long revealed excited expressions in their eyes involuntarily.
The thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit was about to ripen!
Situ Lei’s and Liu Chen’s eyes lit up. Even scheming people like them could not help taking a step forward without realizing it themselves.
The cultivators of the two clans below the mound shifted slightly, pressing forward by about five or six meters.
Some disturbance appeared in the quiet scene at this moment. Only the black-cloaked young bladesman standing on the tree branch in the distance remained as calm as before.
Everyone else around could not resist the temptation and took a step forward.
The number of glittering spots of lights on the petals increased, becoming brighter. They became even more visible in this boundless darkness. Even Xiao Chen, who was far away, saw everything clearly.
The spots of light flickered, looking very beautiful, overwhelming the gleam of the White Nascent Fruit completely, upstaging the main attraction.
However, everyone knew that this was just temporary. No matter how bright the supporting character was, it was only a foil.
All at once, a fiery light came from the middle of the flickering sparks. This radiance was as bright as the blazing sun, outshining the other lights in an instant.
It seemed like a sun suddenly appeared in the starry sky. Against its light, all the dazzling stars paled in comparison.
How could these grain-like sparks of light compete with the sun or the moon?!
When the thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit released its radiance, it spread its light everywhere. A vast and boundless Spiritual Energy surged out in all directions.
Lights of different colors filled the sky, drifting down like snowflakes. These were auspicious signs.
“Roar! Roar! Roar!”
The instant the multicolored auspicious signs and Spiritual Energy spread out into the distance, the cries of strong beasts resounded everywhere.
The earth shook as peak Rank 9 Spirit Beasts dashed forward wildly. The sound of their footfalls actually arrived at this place in an instant.
“Disciples of my Situ Clan, heed my call, defend the mound! Do not let any Spirit Beasts in!”
“Disciples of my Liu Clan, heed my call, defend the mound! Do not let any Spirit Beasts in!”
Situ Lei and Liu Chen shouted at almost the same time. Immediately after they spoke, their figures flashed like lightning, arriving before the thousand-year-old White Nascent Fruit.