Chapter 154: Magical Plant Parasitism

With a deafening roar, the entire Qianye Island violently trembled several times, and many buildings on the island collapsed instantly.

Even more perilous was that, after this tremendous noise, Qin Ming could sense that the third-tier spiritual vein of Qianye Spiritual Island had actually been sabotaged!

The spiritual Qi within the vein began to continuously leak out from the fractures.

"A high-tier earth-shaking formation!" A thought flashed through Qin Ming's mind.

This was a vicious formation capable of directly attacking geographic spiritual veins. Once a spiritual vein was broken, the damage was irreversible and severely depleted one's karmic virtue.

Meanwhile, deep underground on Qianye Spiritual Island, Zhao Wuji held a formation disc, a frenzied expression on his face. "Hahaha! It's done!"

"You did well."

Mo Lingwei wore a complex expression as she looked at his crazed appearance, momentarily at a loss for words.

At this moment, a heart-palpitating aura emanated from the cavern below.

Mo Lingwei turned pale, staring into the darkness.

Zhao Wuji looked over as well, as a bone-chilling cold enveloped the area.

A figure filled with an oppressive aura slowly walked out.

Mo Lingwei's pupils constricted. It was shockingly the supposedly deceased Zhao family ancestor, Zhao Wuyang.

He currently looked deathly pale, with a huge hole blasted through his forehead from which some bloody, plant-like vines seemed to be writhing.

Seeing such a terrifying sight, Mo Lingwei was deeply frightened.

A few breaths later, the large hole on "Zhao Wuyang's" head automatically and eerie-ly mended itself, returning to its original state.

He turned his head, his cold gaze fixing on the two figures in the hidden passage to observe them.

"Se-Senior..."

"Didn't you forge a blood pact with our ancestor..."

Zhao Wuji also knew that the entity before him was no longer his family's ancestor, having been parasitized by the terrifying third-tier demonic plant sealed deep underground.

Although he knew the inside story, when facing it in reality, his heart lost all composure.

"That is naturally the case. There is plenty of delicious flesh and blood up there."

"This time I can eat my fill all at once, which will barely be enough for this seat to recover one-tenth of my strength."

"The two of you are still useful to this seat, so you can die a little slower. Hehehe!" Zhao Wuyang emitted an extremely discordant sound from his mouth.

...

On Qianye Island, the third-tier grand array grew dim and devoid of luster.

Boom!

Crack!

At that very moment.

A massive figure clenched its fists and fiercely smashed into the third-tier grand array. With just a single punch, it caused the previously precarious formation to fracture with cracks resembling shattered glass.

"Double-Pupils Demonic Ape!!"

"Why has this fierce beast come?"

"Not good! This fiend is invincible to anyone except a Gold Core true cultivator."

"Quickly send a plea for reinforcement to Canghai Immortal City! Hurry!"

The members of the Mirror Snow Pavilion gazed at the scene outside just as they were about to evacuate Qianye Spiritual Island, only to encounter this spectacle.

All the cultivators on the island now spotted the demon beast army outside and witnessed firsthand the might of the demonic ape.

Everyone was racking their brains on how to flee.

At that moment, a golden light flew into mid-air, emitting a tremendous spiritual pressure that caused the breathing of the Foundation Establishment cultivators present to instantly stall.

"Welcome, Ancestor!" Upon seeing this person appear, the chaotic members of the Nie family suddenly seemed to have found their backbone.

"Look, it's the Nie family's fake-core ancestor, Nie Sheng."

"With a fake-core ancestor here, he should be able to fight that demonic ape, right?"

"Rumor has it that last time this fiend heavily injured two fake-core ancestors, what do you think?"

"Only True Monarch Canghai can deal with the demonic ape."

"But distant water cannot quench near thirst."

"Then it's over, just wait to die."

"..."

With such a heaven-shaking upheaval occurring, the Nie family cultivators also poured out in full force, standing on high alert.

"Ancestor, what should we do?" Nie AOShan, a peak Foundation Establishment member of the Nie family, stepped forward and asked respectfully.

Nie Sheng furrowed his brows tightly and slowly spoke, "Something is wrong! I can sense that there is another extremely dangerous aura on the island."

"Even if I face it myself, I have little certainty of winning."

"You must immediately find an opportunity to flee for your lives! Be quick!"

"This old man will stall for as long as I can!"

Hearing even their own ancestor say this, Nie AOShan's expression turned utterly desolate.

At that precise moment, a mocking voice echoed in mid-air.

"Where are you running to~"

"Can you escape? Hahahaha!"

Hiding in the shadows and looking in the direction of the voice, Qin Ming saw Zhao Wuji dressed in black robes, accompanied by Mo Lingwei, though she had altered her appearance and disguised herself.

"It's Zhao Wuji!"

"To think he isn't dead yet!"

"Was the trouble on Qianye Spiritual Island caused by him?"

"He actually colluded with demon beasts, plotting on such a grand scale!"

At this time, a late-stage Foundation Establishment elder among the Nie family spotted Zhao Wuji and flew into a towering rage, roaring as he charged at him: "Zhao Wuji, how dare you return? Meet your death at once!"

"No!" The Nie family's fake-core ancestor, Nie Sheng, hurriedly called out to stop him.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

The air around Zhao Wuji distorted for a moment, and then the aged figure of an old man emerged—it was none other than the Zhao family ancestor, Zhao Wuyang.

Seeing such a bizarre scene, the late-stage Foundation Establishment Nie family cultivator stopped dead in his tracks out of fear. Realizing that the opponent was the Zhao family's fake-core ancestor, he hurriedly turned to retreat and flee.

Before he could cast any spells, however—

Puff!

A sharp pain suddenly struck his chest! Lowering his head to look, he saw a pale, withered hand stained with blood protruding from his back through his chest, clutching a still-beating heart as crimson blood continuously spurted out.

His vision then gradually plunged into darkness.

'Zhao Wuyang' wore a ghostly, eerie smile, tightened his grip, and within a single breath, the late-stage Foundation Establishment Nie family elder was sucked dry into a mummified corpse.

Gasp!

Witnessing this scene, everyone below gasped in unison.

"A fake-core ancestor is truly this terrifying!"

"Why is the Zhao family ancestor so monstrous? Has he practiced demonic cultivation arts?"

"Hurry and flee, he isn't dead either!"

Qin Ming also felt his scalp tingle. With his powerful spiritual sense, he could sense that this 'Zhao Wuyang' was likely no longer human.

He immediately pinpointed a direction, waiting only for the formation to shatter so he could take advantage of the chaos and break out.

...

Seeing his clansman slain, the Nie family ancestor roared with bloodshot eyes, "Audacious!"

He immediately formed a hand seal, unleashing a high-tier fire spell that surged toward 'Zhao Wuyang' like a overwhelming tidal wave.

Boom!

Watching the sea of fire cascading down across the sky, 'Zhao Wuyang' smiled disdainfully at the corner of his mouth.

He opened his mouth to an unbelievable extent, extending a crimson tentacle from within that instantly pierced through the wall of fire.

Puff!

By the time the Nie family members recovered their senses, they saw their own fake-core ancestor, Nie Sheng, pierced through the neck by a crimson tentacle, bizarrely suspended in mid-air. Bubbling blood spewed from his mouth, and though terror filled his eyes, he could not utter a single word.

With a forceful suck from the tentacle in Zhao Wuyang's mouth, the dignified fake-core ancestor was instantly reduced to a desiccated corpse.

Having done all this, Zhao Wuyang's complexion flushed rosy in an instant. He then contentedly extended his red tongue to lick his lips, "Such a nostalgic taste for this seat!"

Killing a fake-core ancestor in an instant was as effortless as crushing an ant!

At this moment, not only the Nie family members, but cultivators from all the various spiritual islands and factions below also realized that something was gravely wrong with the Zhao family ancestor, and they scattered in a panicked rush to flee for their lives.

"A monster!"

"What on earth is that thing?"

"The Zhao family ancestor must have been possessed by some fiend or demon!"

"Hurry and run! It's too terrifying!"

...

When they fled toward the perimeter of the island, however, they discovered that the surroundings of Qianye Spiritual Island had already been surrounded by an overwhelming horde of demon beasts.

Zhao Wuji in the air also moved, locking his gaze onto the mass of cultivators below. With a flash of his figure, he swooped down.

"Alliance Leader Huo, long time no see, don't run!"

A green light materialized in his hand, and a flying blade spiritual weapon radiating astonishing spiritual resonance struck toward his target.

Huo Qianqi's expression darkened as he produced a pitch-black defensive spiritual shield, barely blocking the blow.

Following that, over twenty remnants of the Zhao family, clad in black robes, burst forth from all directions and surrounded Huo Qianqi and the others tightly. K

"Alliance Leader Huo, this old man has come to your aid." A grey-robed elder hurried over from not far away—it was Yan Xiaotian, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from Giant Python Island.

Zhao Wuji's distorted visage broke into an evil smile, "Another one delivering himself to his death. I'll just send you all on your way together."

Several late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately clashed into a fierce battle.

...

The incense burned down.

Elsewhere, Qin Ming restrained his aura, remaining hidden in the shadows like a dead tree, ready to charge out at any moment.

He had also ingested a Hundred Illusions Pill, transforming into the appearance of a bearded burly man.

Because Zhao Wuji recognized him, encountering him would undoubtedly invite unnecessary trouble.

Qin Ming was not necessarily afraid of Zhao Wuji now; rather, he was wary of the bizarre 'Zhao Wuyang'.

Boom!

Crack!

Suddenly!

With another earth-shaking tremor, the Double-Pupils Demonic Ape struck with yet another punch, completely shattering the third-tier grand array as countless runes dissipated entirely like foam.

Countless demon beasts surged onto Qianye Spiritual Island, beginning a massive slaughter of any human cultivators they encountered.

Seeing that the opportunity had arrived, Qin Ming summoned his Silver-Winged Frost Bees without a second thought, pinpointing a direction with slightly fewer demon beasts, and charged straight out.

Just as he was about to break out of Qianye Spiritual Island, however, he spotted several black-robed cultivators pursuing a group of people below.

The leader among the black-robed cultivators happened to be none other than Zhao Wuji, while the pursued group of cultivators unexpectedly turned out to be Granny Long, Li Mu, and others from the Mirror Snow Pavilion.

Zhao Wuji was drenched in blood, his expression frenzied, holding the severed head of a cultivator—it was shockingly Yan Xiaotian of Giant Python Island!

The Mirror Snow Pavilion members had already sustained heavy injuries, and Granny Long and the others looked deathly pale, clearly at the end of their rope. Being overtaken and picked off one by one by Zhao Wuji was merely a matter of time.

Several thoughts flashed briefly through Qin Ming's mind: "With a great disaster at hand, I cannot worry about others; I can only run for my life first."

He immediately ordered the Silver-Winged Frost Bees to accelerate and break through the boundary of the spiritual island.

Right at that moment, a massive cyan wind wall rose directly ahead, instantly blocking Qin Ming's path.

"To think there's still a fish that slipped through the net here!"

Zhao Wuji's voice rang out flatly, and he immediately directed a red fire ring to attack Qin Ming!

Qin Ming's gaze turned frosty. Since it had come to this, he could no longer afford to hold back.

In this moment of crisis, he had to unleash his full strength immediately and decide the victory in a single strike.

"True Essence Transformation!"

Boom!

The genuine vital essence and blood energy throughout Qin Ming's entire body erupted to their absolute limits!

The surrounding air distorted, rippling and expanding outward in all directions.

Suddenly, the illusion of a dozen-zhang-tall blood-colored giant ape materialized behind Qin Ming, its size matching that of the Double-Pupils Demonic Ape outside.

The blood-colored giant ape closed its five fingers into a fist, spanning dozens ofzhang in a single horizontal strike!

Bang!

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, the upper half of Zhao Wuji's body was blasted to smithy-morn by the punch, turning into a mist of blood with only his legs remaining in place.

A jade ring tumbled out from the bloody mist.

"A spatial storage ring!"

A look of joy crossed Qin Ming's face as he reached out and summoned it into his palm. Sensing a figure pursuing him from behind through his spiritual sense, he hurriedly stowed the item away, mounted his Silver-Winged Frost Bees, and vanished into the horizon as a streak of silver light.