Star Sky Professional
Chapter 310 - 254: Life-taking Needle (Seeking Monthly Ticket)

Chapter 310: Chapter 254: Life-taking Needle (Seeking Monthly Ticket)

Xiao Yuan Mountain was located in the central southern part of Yunzhou, thousands of miles away from the Mu Family’s Baihua Mountain.

Inside the mountain lay a small spirit stone vein!

Though it was a small vein, it could still produce a million spirit stones a year, and occasionally mid-grade spirit stones were mined, making it a very important source of wealth for the Mu Family.

Years ago, in order to seize this vein, Mu Wanlong led Mu Qinglan and wiped out three major core formation forces in one fell swoop, firmly securing the mountain for themselves.

But now, as the Mu Family showed signs of decline, others immediately coveted their assets.

Atop Xiao Yuan Mountain, within the mining cave, layers of light curtains rose into the sky, turning into a pitch-black turtle shell formation.

It was a third-rank—Mysterious Turtle Formation!

The formation abandoned all attack and illusion techniques as well as teleportation means, focusing solely on incredible defense.

Even a late-stage core formation cultivator would have difficulty breaching it in a short amount of time.

At the core of the formation sat an elderly Taoist, cross-legged—the only core formation cultivator the Mu Family had stationed there, Mu Wandao.

"Three enemy core formation cultivators, roughly around the middle stage of core formation..."

"The flying message talisman to alert the family has been sent..."

"Sigh... I hope we can repel them."

Now, Mu Wandao no longer hoped to kill the enemy; if he could drive them away and incidentally flex the Mu Family’s muscles, he would be grateful to heaven and earth.

Just then, Mu Wandao’s expression tensed as he saw three odd lights approaching, and he couldn’t help but say, "Be on guard... they’re coming again!"

These three core formation loose cultivators were all concealed in thick mists, hiding their forms.

One of them let out an angry shout, and a clump of yellow-red flames emerged, forming an exotic beast that, with its four feet on the ground, charged through the turtle shell formation, plowing through numerous small mountains and ravines in its path.

Bang!

The third-rank formation fluttered slightly, and the yellow-red flames comprising the exotic beast exploded into a sky full of sparks.

Another light fell to the ground, where time and again, earthy yellow talismans were buried in the earth’s veins, clearly attempting to find the Mysterious Turtle Formation’s weaknesses by studying the terrain.

The last person remained hidden in the mist, rarely making a move.

"Three core formation cultivators attacking in succession—if I rely on the Mysterious Turtle Formation, I should be able to hold out for a few more days... as long as there are no array masters."

Mu Wandao muttered to himself.

At that moment, a feeling of the ground shaking and the mountain quivering came, as if the whole of Xiao Yuan Mountain was being shaken.

"Not good..."

Mu Wandao looked in horror as the vibrations in the earth revealed a huge flaw in the Mysterious Turtle Formation.

The previously immobile third person sneered and threw a third-rank breaking formation talisman.

Countless silver runes flew about in the air, seemingly forming a tunnel of silver light.

That person charged straight into the Mysterious Turtle Formation, nonchalantly.

"Seeking your own death!"

Although the formation’s powers were momentarily ineffective, it lasted only for a few breaths.

Mu Wandao immediately slapped his dantian, and a fish-scale shield emerged, its thousands of scales scattering instantly, transforming into a scale armor wall.

The figure who rushed into the formation let out a sly laugh as a folding fan magic treasure flew out from his hand.

Swish!

The fan unfolded, revealing the painted picture of the Five Clouds Green Peak Map.

At that moment, lights flashed continuously on the fan, and an illusory mountain peak emerged, crashing onto the scale armor wall.

The terrifying mana fluctuated, shattering scores of scales.

The remaining scales gathered in front of Mu Wandao, condensing into a scale armor shield of much reduced size.

The magic treasure fan suddenly closed, extending a section of icy sword blade.

The unknown cultivator wielded the fan handle like a supreme flying sword and an astonishing sword intent rose to the sky.

Swish!

The sword light blazed!

With the momentum of wind and thunder, it followed a strange trajectory and slashed onto the scale armor shield.

The already damaged magic treasure exploded in an instant, allowing a strand of sword intent to enter Mu Wandao’s sea of consciousness, kicking up a storm.

With a single sword strike, a core formation cultivator was gravely wounded!

"A magic treasure ’Fan Sword’? Are you the Life-taking Scholar?" Mu Wandao’s face showed a hint of despair.

Just then, a dragon’s roar seemed to faintly come from the sky.

A ’Dragon Boat’ flew at an extreme speed, its leader none other than the Mu Family head, Mu Wanlong!

"Form up, Myriad Transformation Azure Dragon!"

He formed hand seals, and the guards aboard the Dragon Boat immediately took their designated positions, infusing mana into the boat.

Roar!

In an instant, the Dragon Boat seemed to ’come to life’, transforming into a tens of zhang long azure flood dragon with mana fluctuations reaching the late stage of core formation.

Cultivating family juniors into a battle formation was the foundation of the Mu Family’s power!

"Go!"

Two strange cries sounded; the core formation cultivator who had previously spouted abnormal fire and the array master who attacked the earth veins exchanged glances before hesitatingly shooting into the sky.

But at that moment, the tens of zhang long azure dragon caught up and flicked its tail.

The cultivator who spat out the abnormal fire let out a strange shout and exhaled a clump of yellow-red flames.

The flames instantly formed a mountain-sized wolf, which was scattered with a single swipe of the azure dragon’s tail.

The momentum of the Azure Dragon’s tail did not lessen as it struck the Core Formation cultivator, causing his True Essence Shield to dissipate and revealing a red-robed man with a curly beard.

"Zhu Huogong, you dare provoke my Mu Family?"

Mu Wanlong’s voice emanated from the ’Azure Dragon.’

Zhu Huogong covered his face with his sleeve, and by the time the sleeve fell, he had donned a strange red mask.

He spat out clumps of crimson true fire, which transformed into countless fiery flame birds, pecking at the Azure Dragon.

At the same time, another Array Dao cultivator casually threw out Array Flags and Array Plates... and unexpectedly set up an array that flickered with lightning.

Boom!

Flares of fire and lightning almost obscured the sky as they collided with the Azure Dragon.

After a few breaths, the two Core Formation cultivators retreated, "The Mu Family is indeed extraordinary; even a rotten ship has three pounds of nails..."

The Azure Dragon also dispersed, reverting to its original form as a dragon boat.

Mu Wanlong swept his Divine Sense over the pale faces of his family guards and looked in the direction of the departing Loose Cultivators, "These two men are nominally Loose Cultivators, but in reality, one is the illegitimate son of an Elder from Burning Sky Valley, and the other is backed by the Zhang Family of Qing Peak. Heh, otherwise, why would a Loose Cultivator learn arrays? Does he have a heritage of arrays?"

"Recently, it’s not suitable for the family to make too many enemies, but we must establish our authority... Perfect, this Life-taking Scholar has the least background, leave him to me!"

He reached out with a large hand, and a purple flame net Magic Treasure thundered down.

However, with a cold sneer, the Life-taking Scholar’s figure flashed, and his escape speed was astonishing, dodging the purple flame net Magic Treasure.

Simultaneously, an extremely slender White Bright Needle silently reached Mu Wanlong’s back, stabbing atop his Core Formation True Yuan Shield.

Pop!

Mu Wanlong’s True Yuan Shield burst like a bubble, allowing the White Bright Needle to directly penetrate into his Dantian!

"Heh heh, the Mu Family holds such prestige... but little do they know, not only do I excel at the Fan Sword, but I also have a Life-taking Needle!"

The Life-taking Scholar let out a sinister chuckle and did not pursue his victory but escaped into the distance.

"Family Head!"

Mu Wandao struggled to soar, his face filled with concern, "Are you alright?"

"The Life-taking Scholar... originally not famous, but this ’Life-taking Needle’ is truly formidable..."

Mu Wanlong spoke with a mouthful of the smell of blood, silently transmitting with his Divine Sense, "I am in a Severe injury now, urgently needing a Cave Mansion and Spirit Pills to recuperate. You take charge here, do not reveal any flaws!"

The current Mu Family could not afford any more failures.

Once turmoil intensified, those covetous would tear them apart like wolves!

...

Dozens of miles away.

The Life-taking Scholar shook his body and transformed into Fang Xing’s appearance.

Previously, he had no idea things would go so smoothly; he had only assumed the identity of the Life-taking Scholar to casually probe the Mu Family’s situation in the Immortal City and was immediately suspected of harboring ulterior motives against the Mu Family, pulled in to serve as high-level cannon fodder.

’However, now is not the best time to kill Mu Wanlong... although he must know the Mnemonic of the Jiao Wei Zither.’

Fang Xing pondered to himself.

To impersonate someone from an Immortal Cultivation Sect or family, there were many issues to address.

The biggest trouble was items like the Lifebound Token and Soul Lamp.

Important persons from major powers generally had a Soul Lamp lit for them, enshrined within multiple layers of Prohibition as proof of their status and a guide for future rescue.

If the Soul Lamp went out, it naturally meant death.

So, if Fang Xing killed Mu Wanlong, even if the Nine Infant Pearl’s disguise was flawless, the Life Plate and Soul Lamp would be gone, signifying death... It would be immediately apparent.

Therefore, Fang Xing chose to severely injure Mu Wanlong first.

Reflected on the Soul Lamp, it would show extremely dim light, indicating severe and incurable injuries or being trapped in some hopeless place.

It was only a situation slightly better than death.

’Later, I will use the Demon Path techniques to split most of his Divine Soul, extract his Essence Blood, yet preserve a thread of his life... thus exempting from the Soul Lamp inspection, and convenient for me to infiltrate the Mu Family.’

As for the dim Soul Lamp?

Being severely injured, isn’t it normal for the Soul Lamp to dim a bit?

Fang Xing was always one to return enmity for enmity.

In the Cultivation World, what mattered was the extermination of nine kinships; if enemies were made, one certainly had to annihilate their family and Sect.

Calculating this way, Mu Qinglan taking the initiative to move against him in Linglang Blessed Land was holding a grudge!

He had a grudge against the Mu Family as well!

He walked a few more steps and came upon a swamp where Yin Qi accumulated, a pitch-black token appearing in his hand while he muttered incessantly.

Gurgle, gurgle!

A large number of yellowish-green bubbles suddenly formed in the toxic swamp.

Then, a huge head emerged.

This was an odd Corpse Refining creation, clad in Black Armor and wearing a Cloak, its face adorned with a pale mask.

On the mask, carved in ancient seal script, was the character ’Earth.’

Next, another Corpse wearing a mask inscribed with the character ’Water’ emerged from the swamp.

Then came the Fire Corpse, Gold Corpse, Wood Corpse...

The five Corpses underwent a huge transformation, ensuring that even if cultivators from the Wanxiang Demon Sect saw them, they would not recognize them.

"The Five Mixed Demons are finally refined."

"Actually, calling them the Five Shadow Demon Corpses seems pretty good too... It’s just a pity that there’s no Wind and Thunder."

Fang Xing easily re-refined the ’Five Mixed Demons’ with the help of the five Myriad Transformation Golden Corpses, coupled with gifts from various Demon Path cultivators, and most importantly, his Nascent Soul Power.

According to his testing, each of the ’Five Mixed Demons’ was at least equivalent to a Mid-grade Third Rank Body Refining Practitioner, and with the inscribed Five Elements Magic, they would not be inferior to a Cultivator at the Core Formation Middle Stage peak.

And if the Five Mixed Demons joined forces to form the Five Son Demon Formation, they would likely dominate the Core Formation Stage, and even general Cultivators in the Core Formation Late Stage would be no match.