Chapter 1280 - 1279: Lu Zheng Comes to Take Advantage
Venerable Jin Jue, along with another ghost, fled directly south toward Dingshan County.
"Puff!"
Halfway through the flight, Venerable Jin Jue spat out another mouthful of black smoke.
"Master Brother!"
The man beside him quickly supported Venerable Jin Jue, asking worriedly, "Are you alright? Do you need to rest before we continue?"
Venerable Jin Jue shook his head, "I’m fine. Let’s first return to the Netherworld. Once we’re inside, Daoist Qing Song certainly won’t dare to follow us."
In fact, just now, when Master Qing Song did not pursue, Venerable Jin Jue knew the other party would not follow. But saying this was of course because...
"Master Brother, how is your injury?" the defiant man asked worriedly.
"It’s nothing,"
Venerable Jin Jue spoke calmly, "It’s just the Flying Cloud Evil-breaking Curse. After half a month of recuperation, I’ll be fine."
The defiant man nodded, his eyes flickering, "Master Brother, are we really returning to the Netherworld like this?"
Venerable Jin Jue turned around, "Why, do you intend to stay?"
"The little ghost who stole the Profound Yin Divine Mirror escaped to the mortal world. The last place he appeared was in Hui State of Yinan Dao."
The defiant man said, "Judging by his previous movements and habits, he should currently be near Rongzhou, Yizhou, and Yaozhou in Lingbei Dao.
We’ve been searching for a year and are about to catch that unwise little pest. If we retreat to the Netherworld now, wouldn’t all our efforts be in vain?"
"Do you wish to stay?" Venerable Jin Jue squinted his eyes, asking calmly.
The defiant man pondered for a moment, probing, "Master Brother could first return to the Netherworld to heal. Meanwhile, I will be cautious in the mortal world. If I am fortunate enough to find that little ghost, with the Profound Yin Divine Mirror in your hand, confronting those nagging Daoists would be a walk in the park."
Not only the little Daoist, but even storming White Cloud Temple wouldn’t be impossible.
Later, Master Brother could proudly reassert the prestige of our lineage of Profound Yin Mountain, shaking both the Yin and Yang Realms, would it not be splendid?"
Venerable Jin Jue chuckled lightly, his eyes narrowing, just as he was about to speak, he suddenly trembled, unable to make a sound.
"Master Brother?" The defiant man immediately noticed something was wrong with Venerable Jin Jue.
Venerable Jin Jue paused, then shifted his gaze, chuckling, "Since you are determined, stay in the mortal world. I’ve sustained some injuries, so I’m returning to the Netherworld to heal. Half a month later, once I’ve recuperated, I’ll come to the mortal world to find you."
The defiant man’s eyes flickered, but after a brief hesitation, he nodded, "Alright, I’ll escort Master Brother back to the Netherworld first!"
"No need."
Venerable Jin Jue shook his head, "Your minor injuries have healed. You can leave on your own. Many experts inhabit the mortal world. Be cautious."
"Alright, Master Brother!" The defiant man nodded and stepped back.
"Coward!"
A clear voice, tinged with mockery, drifted down from above, "I thought he would make a move."
"It’s wise he didn’t. Even with Venerable Jin Jue severely injured, it’s unlikely he’d easily be defeated. If an actual fight broke out, it could very well end in mutual destruction."
Another soft voice followed.
"Who!?"
The defiant man promptly turned around, while Venerable Jin Jue, without a second thought, began to leave.
Yet, after taking only about three lengths, he noticed layers upon layers of white cloud qi in front of him.
"Qing... No, you’re not Qing Song. Has White Cloud Temple relocated to Yizhou?"
Venerable Jin Jue sensed clearly that although the newcomer was not as skilled as Master Qing Song, compared to his current heavily injured self, the person was undeniably superior.
What’s crucial is that this person’s cloud qi is also innate cloud qi.
"Has White Cloud Temple’s secret technique become common knowledge?" Venerable Jin Jue, shocked and frightened, felt a sudden foreboding gloom descend upon his heart.
"Having been struck by the Secret Cloud Soul-Suppressing Curse of the Master Uncle and still able to suppress the injury, you are indeed worthy of being the lead figure of the Profound Yin Mountain lineage, much respect."
In midair, a flash of light revealed four figures—one man and three women.
The man reached out with his right hand, gently flicking it, smiling gracefully, "However, if I were to deliver you another Cloud Refining Curse, how would you then respond?"
Venerable Jin Jue’s expression shifted, feeling the cloud qi around him distort for a moment, subtly shifting.
Instinctively, he rallied his magical power, then "saw" a strand of cloud qi suddenly appear in his meridians, lightly tugging.
Just as he had managed to suppress the injury, it was provoked once again.
Dark smoke billowed from Venerable Jin Jue’s body, and he quickly summoned the profound yin qi within to suppress this strand of cloud qi.
However, this strand of cloud qi was exceptionally resilient, almost indistinguishable from the one that had emerged from his mind earlier.
The previous strand of cloud qi, upon appearing, immediately reached his True Spirit Sea of Consciousness, entangled with his divine soul, infiltrating bit by bit like a stubborn rot.
He had already tried seven methods to delay the infiltration of that strand of cloud qi, but eradicating it in a short time was exceedingly difficult. To remove it, he had to calm his mind, heal other injuries, and then slowly expel this spell.
Now this strand of cloud qi, rooted in innate cloud qi, however, was entrenched between the upper and lower dantians, obstructing the middle path, consuming the magical power within.
Numerous profound yin qi surged upward, yet unable to remove it, instead, most were consumed.
This strand of cloud qi remained immovable, firmly entrenched, staying still.
Innate cloud qi, rootless and soulless, yet endlessly persistent, resilient beyond measure.
In the next moment, Venerable Jin Jue witnessed the man stretch out his hand, grasping the White Cloud Hand Seal and striking towards the defiant man.
The defiant man looked terrified, quickly tossing a pearl to counter the White Cloud Hand, while attempting to turn and escape.
However, the dense innate cloud qi had already enveloped the surroundings, so where could he possibly flee to?
The defiant man plunged into the cloud qi, still struggling desperately, and of course, Venerable Jin Jue would not tenderly submit to death.
"Die!"
Venerable Jin Jue opened his mouth wide, spewing out a mass of black smoke, transforming into a shadow that charged straight at Lu Zheng.
As the black smoke clashed with the surrounding cloud qi, an inconspicuous golden flying shuttle suddenly appeared, almost traversing space, appearing before Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng’s gaze intensified, the five-colored radiance around him flickering for an instant, and then the Five-Colored Dragon Scale Armor materialized on his body.
In the next moment, facing the flying shuttle, Lu Zheng stretched out his hand, employing the technique of the True Dragon Hand Seal, and snatched it.
"Crack!"
A soft snap, the flying shuttle was grasped firmly by Lu Zheng.
"What?"
Venerable Jin Jue’s pupils contracted, watching as Lu Zheng cast over a dozen Cloud Sealing Curses on the flying shuttle, sealing it and tossing it into the gourd at his waist.
The next instant, a long saber flew out from the gourd, landing in Lu Zheng’s hand.
"In consideration that you hold a noteworthy position as a Ghost Hero, I’ll leave your body intact."