Chapter 0954: Extermination
The aura of death started to seep into his body and affect his mind. At the same time, as the aura of death grew heavier, the five-coloured arrow grew fainter.
The longbow also grew rounder and rounder, and it seemed to Bei Qianhai that he had stepped onto the edge of a precipice. One step in any direction would mean death. This was the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow, definitely the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow. Other than the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow, he couldn’t think of any other arrow that could lock someone with Dao Transformation cultivation in place. Or even make him watch his own death.
“No…..” Bei Qianhai once again screamed out in alarm. He didn’t want to die, much less watch himself walk towards his death like this.
“Please, please don’t shoot that arrow. Everything in my Bei Clan is yours; I’ll even become your dog…..” Facing death, Bei Qianhai couldn’t help but tremble; he didn’t want to die and would give up anything to live.
He would have even killed Bei Bai himself than mess with such a terrifying Dao Sculpting powerhouse like Ning Cheng if he could go back in time.
Ning Cheng’s face showed no expression. However, the Five-coloured Star Splitter Arrow continuously drained his spirit essence like water from a broken dam. He finally had started to understand the terrifying nature of the Five-coloured Star Splitter Arrow. He now understood that having higher cultivation didn’t necessarily mean that he would have an easier time shooting the Five-coloured Star Splitter Arrow. Despite reaching the Dao Sculpting Realm, although still injured, his current strength reserves had far exceeded when he was in the Eternal Realm.
He could still shoot the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow despite lacking enough spirit essence and spiritual consciousness back then. It’s just that he also needed to burn his essence blood, and longevity to shoot this arrow.
But even then, he could only take on half-step Dao Sculpting experts with the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow while in the Eternal Realm.
But now, despite the increase in strength, the arrow had once again sucked up almost all his spirit essence. If anything, the suction power was now even faster and much fiercer than before. Yet, even then, it wasn’t enough to shoot the five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow at full strength.
Ning Cheng sucked in a deep breath. He honestly didn’t want to burn his essence blood as he wanted to attend the Alchemy Discourse in Heaven Essence Sacred City. If he burned his essence blood and longevity at this time, he wouldn’t be able to recover in time; at the very least, it would take him at least a few months to heal.
Looking at Bei Qianhai, who kept begging him with a teary face, Ning Cheng’s spirit sense suddenly moved, and a pill landed in his mouth.
Burst Spirit Pill. Back then, this same pill had put Ning Cheng into a three-year coma. Now at this time, Ning Cheng took another Burst Spirit Pill without any hesitation. However, he wasn’t too worried.
The Burst Spirit Pill was a pill originally meant for Dao Sculpting and above cultivators. He was only at the Eternal Realm when he took the Burst Spirit Pill a few years ago. As such, he naturally couldn’t fully control the horrific stimulating power contained within it.
But now, he had already stepped into the Dao Sculpting Realm. Therefore, taking the Burst Spirit Pill wouldn’t put him in the same situation as back then. Besides, with the rate at which the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow sucked up his spirit essence, he should be able to swallow several such pills without any consequence.
Sure enough, as the terrifying power exploded out of the Burst Spirit Pill, the Five-coloured Star Splitting Arrow instantly sucked it away. The killing aura around it grew even more intense, and even s.p.a.ce started giving out clicking-like sounds.
“If you kill me, the Desolate Spirit Palace will not spare you…..” Seeing that Ning Cheng simply ignored his pleas for mercy, Bei Qianhai returned to threats.
Ning Cheng, by this time, no longer cared about threats. He had been threatened too many times by now. Yet, he was still alive and well, while those who threatened him had all turned into flying ashes.
“Rip…” The arrow shot off the bow, and the tip visibly tore through the fabric of s.p.a.ce, creating an almost pitch-black gash in its wake.
A terrifying killing intent completely enveloped Bei Qianhai, and his face and expressions filled up with despair. He could only watch the Five-coloured Star Splitter Arrow pa.s.s through his brow.
His flesh then disintegrated into a b.l.o.o.d.y mist as Ning Cheng reached out and grabbed a ring. The next moment, Bei Qianhai’s skeleton and what remained of his organs disintegrated and turned into bone ash and more blood mist before scattering into the air. The Five-coloured Star Splitter Arrow is simply too powerful.
Ning Cheng slowly exhaled. The anger and flames of rage in his chest also gradually calmed down. A Burst Spirit Pill had spared him from burning his essence blood and life span.
Since he exterminated the Bei Clan, he naturally wouldn’t let go of Bei Clan’s spiritual gra.s.s gardens.
……
It was already the fifth day since Ning Cheng went to the Bei Clan. Even though Ning Cheng hadn’t returned yet, there were already various rumours and pieces of news circulating in the Heaven Essence Sacred City.
Most notably among them was a Dao Sculpting Holy Emperor named Ning Cheng exterminating the Bei Clan. According to the rumours, this Dao Sculpting Holy Emperor called Ning Cheng was remarkably ruthless in his ways. Not only did he eliminate the Bei Clan, but he had even reduced the Bei Clan’s territories to ashes, leaving no survivors.
Although the Bei Clan wasn’t considered a great clan, it still had a considerable reputation in the Grand Essence Domain. It was not just an alchemy clan; it even had a Dao Transformation Holy Emperor apart from a Dao Transformation Pill Deity.
For a while, numerous cultivators in Heaven Essence Sacred City kept talking about Ning Cheng. Apart from his rumoured strength, the only news about Ning Cheng was that he carried a stunning woman on his back, supposedly his cultivation furnace. And that he was friends with the Dao Transformation Pill Deity, Three Mountains.
Within a suite with a dense spirit aura in Heaven Essence Sacred City, Jian Sanshan sat with two Eternal cultivators drinking spirit tea.
If it was before, only those at or above Dao Transformation Realm could make Jian Sanshan accompany them. In fact, only the second-step Dao Confirming Holy Emperors could make Jian Sanshan sit with them for a round of spirit tea. For such a person to accompany Eternal cultivators for tea? No one would believe it even if they saw it in person.
However, at this moment, Jian Sanshan wasn’t in the mood to relax. He simply sat there, shocked beyond belief. He knew that Ning Cheng was a formidable opponent to fight against. Otherwise, he couldn’t have killed a Dao Raising Holy Emperor and scared away another Dao Raising Holy Emperor back in the Black and White Mountains.
But now, Ning Cheng had wiped off the Bei Clan. He had initially thought that Ning Cheng would only stay around to teach the Bei Clan a lesson. But even Jian Sanshan couldn’t have imagined that Ning Cheng’s strength would surpa.s.s his wildest imagination. He never expected Ning Cheng to show such decisiveness as to completely eradicate that clan. Despite being an alchemic clan, one had to know that Bei Clan wasn’t a slouch or a pushover when it came to strength.
Thinking of this, Jian Sanshan couldn’t help but secretly rejoice that he hadn’t made a mistake in his judgement. How could a Holy Emperor who could escape from Man Huishan’s hands be ordinary? In fact, if Ning Cheng was an ordinary cultivator, he would never dare to openly show himself in Heaven Essence Sacred City with him.
Fortunately, when he guessed Ning Cheng’s ident.i.ty, he didn’t use any strong-arm tactics to pressure Ning Cheng. Instead, he now felt lucky that he chose the cooperation route. If he had used strong-arm tactics back then, perhaps there would have been no more Jian Sanshan in this world right now.
Ning Cheng was definitely one of the most terrifying Dao Sculpting Holy Emperors that he, Jian Sanshan, had ever seen.
Although Xin Xiu and Wi Qihong sat with Jian Sanshan drinking tea, they couldn’t calm down just like Jian Sanshan. But unlike Jian Sanshan, they felt highly nervous internally. As rogue cultivators, they had naturally heard of Jian Sanshan’s great name. A powerful and influential expert whose status was a hundred thousand miles away from theirs. How many Dao Transformation Holy Emperors wanted to ask Jian Sanshan to refine pills but couldn’t?
Yet, this same Jian Sanshan had saved them. He had even used precious pills to regenerate their limbs without affecting their cultivations in the slightest bit. But even so, Xin Xiu still felt a bit apprehensive. Why would an influential man of Jian Sanshan’s reputation heal their injuries and even treat them so kindly? The only thing she could connect this behaviour to was that Jian Sanshan was Ning Cheng’s friend. On the other hand, Ning Cheng was the one who impersonated her Elder Brother Ji He in the first place. Plus, he was also the one who had given her the Empyrean Consciousness Trans.m.u.tation Pills.
After hesitating for an incense stick, Xin Xiu asked in a worried and somewhat humble manner. “Senior Jian, my Senior Apprentice Brother won’t be in trouble, right?”
Jian Sanshan snapped out of his daze and quickly replied. “Nah, everything’s fine. I forgot to tell you that your Senior Apprentice Brother has already wiped out the Bei Clan and had made it out unharmed. Since he hasn’t come over till now, it might be because he is preoccupied with something else.”
Many people have already visited Jian Sanshan to uncover Ning Cheng’s origins in the past few days. However, Jian Sanshan maintained that Ning Cheng was just a friend and said nothing else. As for the fact that Ning Cheng hadn’t returned to Heaven Essence Sacred City by now, Jian Sanshan had already guessed a thing or two about it. Most likely, Ning Cheng suffered some injuries and had to search for a place to heal.
Jian Sanshan had just finished answering Xin Xiu’s words when his communication pearl lit up. Jian Sanshan laughed and stood up. “Your Senior Apprentice Brother has returned.”
Ning Cheng had indeed returned. It was just like Jian Sanshan had predicted. Since he carried the still-unconscious Yan Ji with him, he absolutely couldn’t return to Heaven Essence Sacred City with serious injuries. So he had to find a secluded place to heal.
Jian Sanshan opened the restrictions, and before Ning Cheng could enter, his voice came in, “Brother Jian, you have quite the nice place.”
“Many thanks to Big Brother Ning for saving our lives.” Without waiting for Jian Sanshan to speak, Xin Xiu and Wu Qihong quickly came forward and bowed in grat.i.tude. Ning Cheng was the one who had actually saved their lives. Without Ning Cheng, the two would have continued to remain in a situation much worse than death.
Wu Qihong had already learned from Xin Xiu that Ning Cheng wasn’t his real Elder Brother Ji He. But even though Ning Cheng wasn’t even related to them, he had saved their lives so many times. Because of this, he felt even more grateful towards Ning Cheng.
Ning Cheng spoke up with some guilt in his voice. “This happened because of me. If it wasn’t for me, the Bei Clan wouldn’t have captured you guys.”
Xin Xiu hurriedly shook her head, “No, it was Deacon Huang from the Star Stepping Tower. He knew that we knew you.”
Without Xin Xiu having to speak up further, Ning Cheng immediately understood what had happened. He and Xin Xiu knew each other, but there weren’t too many people who knew about it. After he left Heaven Essence Sacred City, others naturally started coveting the Empyrean Consciousness Trans.m.u.tation Pill. When they couldn’t find him, they naturally would go after those who knew him, which turned out to be Xin Xiu’s duo.
Ning Cheng gave a cold snort. Looks like this Star Stepping Tower indeed didn’t have any good people. Moreover, the Star Stepping Tower Master, surnamed Nie, had taken the initiative to open the Empyrean Consciousness Trans.m.u.tation Pills he had given her in front of everyone. It immediately let other people learn about the existence of such pills. This act itself showed that she didn’t care about Ning Cheng’s little life at all. Although it hadn’t harmed him at that time, it definitely brought a disaster on Xin Xiu and Wu Qihong’s lives. It also put a ma.s.sive target on his back.
“You don’t have to worry about that guy surnamed Huang. I will take care of him sooner or later.” Ning Cheng held back the dissatisfaction he felt in his heart towards that woman surnamed Nie. He couldn’t fight the Star Stepping Tower Master right now, but he had no qualms in taking out one of Star Stepping Tower’s deacons.
Wu Qihong wasn’t as good with words as Xin Xiu, but he still made a quick effort. “It’s already a great fortune that we can survive. But Big Brother Ning, please don’t take unnecessary risks on our behalf as the Star Stepping Tower is a mighty behemoth.”
Ning Cheng smiled, “You don’t have to worry. I naturally wouldn’t fight my way to the Star Stepping Tower. In any case, I don’t have the strength to do so yet. As for you two, what are your plans for the future?”
When Xin Xiu and Wu Qihong heard Ning Cheng’s inquiry, they both fell silent. The two didn’t even have any storage rings on them now and were essentially worthless to anyone.
When Ning Cheng saw the two not speaking, he quickly understood their thoughts. He took out two storage rings and handed them to the two, and said, “There are some things in there that you can use as you please. Besides, those things belonged to the Bei Clan anyway, so consider it as their compensation for your sufferings.”
Xin Xiu took the rings and suddenly fell to her knees, “Big Brother Ning. Junior Apprentice Brother Wu and I have nowhere to go. If Big Brother Ning needs an errand runner or even a slave, we will willingly follow Big Brother Ning’s side till death…..”
When Wu Qihong saw Xin Xiu kneel, he hurriedly kneeled as well. He understood his Senior Apprentice Sister’s thoughts. Ning Cheng and a Dao Transformation Pill Deity like Jian Sanshan knew each other. Plus, Ning Cheng could destroy a behemoth like the Bei Clan by himself. Just those two facts alone indicated that Ning Cheng would have a bright future. In other words, if they could follow Ning Cheng’s side, they wouldn’t be half as weak as the disciples from those great clans and sects.
Ning Cheng quickly pulled them up. “Since I’ve been using Ji He’s ident.i.ty till now, let’s keep it that way. From now on, you two are truly my Junior Apprentices. To be honest, I don’t have anything to teach you. So I put some cultivation methods and spirit techniques that I obtained in your rings. It also contains some cultivation pills that shouldn’t put too much pressure on you.”
“Xin Xiu and Wu Qihong greet Senior Apprentice Brother Ning.” Seeing that Ning Cheng had truly accepted them, both Xin Xiu and Wu Qihong felt overjoyed. Although they were curious about what Ning Cheng put in the rings, the two were even more content to follow Ning Cheng’s side.