Chapter 988: Lifebound Poisonous Insect

Boom!

With these words, an extremely powerful force instantly enveloped the entire courtyard, especially the large tree where Zhang Xuan was hiding. Under the pressure of the狂暴 true qi, it seemed as if it might explode at any moment.

Discovered?

His pupils contracted, and Zhang Xuan's body stiffened slightly.

He had hidden himself well, sealing all his aura within his body. Under normal circumstances, even if an outsider looked over, he would appear to be a lifeless object.

It was with this confidence that he had come here, yet he had been discovered without making any move.

Just as he was about to leap out of his hiding place and enter the courtyard, he heard two sharp gusts of wind rushing straight toward him.

Two figures had just arrived from outside the courtyard and were immediately detected, something even he himself had not noticed.

It seemed the other party was not referring to him.

Both wore dark gray clothes. One had two strands of snow-white beard and was tall and imposing, no weaker than Zhang Xuan in stature.

The other appeared somewhat smaller, but his eyes gleamed with sharp light, giving an impression of agility.

Both were peak Saint Domain First Layer experts, with rare movement techniques and strength, likely practicing some never-before-seen cultivation method.

It's you?

Recognizing their faces, the figure who had been speaking with the city lord brightened.

Indeed, this friend has been using various means these past few days, probably to inquire about us!

The white-bearded elder looked over with unfriendly eyes, squinting.

They had been tracking him for days as he kept probing for information about them. Unexpectedly, they were discovered as soon as they entered the courtyard.

Though iron shoes are worn out in vain search, yet the target is found without effort. Since you're here, don't think of leaving!

Without answering his words, the figure who had been speaking with the city lord let out a cold laugh, spreading his five fingers like a folding fan that could crush heaven and earth.

Boom!

The surrounding air seemed to solidify, and a fierce, surging force enveloped the entire mansion, as if a massive formation had been activated.

Damn, it's a trap!

Their pupils contracted, and both the elder and the slender figure turned pale.

It seemed this fellow had deliberately lured them here, having already set up a formation in the courtyard.

Realizing it now is too late...

The figure who had been speaking with the city lord curled his lips, closed his five fingers, and thrust forward.

Crackle!

A surging force rushed over, striking at the elder.

The ground let out a creaking sound, splitting into a crack over a meter wide. Even the formation seemed unable to withstand it, on the verge of collapse.

Also at Saint Domain Fourth Layer?

Zhang Xuan, hidden in the tree, changed expression.

This figure was actually of the same strength as the previous Shuiye King, having also reached the Saint Domain Fourth Layer.

Experts at the Primordial Spirit realm were renowned figures in the Qingyuan Empire, standing at its very peak. When had Jingyuan City, such a small place, suddenly produced so many?

Flaw!

Without any hesitation as the opponent executed his martial technique, Zhang Xuan whispered in his heart, and a book appeared before him.

He pointed a finger and quickly flipped it open.

Ziye King, one of the Ten Kings of Qingtian...

It began with a brief introduction, followed by a dense list of various flaws.

Ziye King? Another one of the Ten Kings?

Zhang Xuan was stunned. He hadn't expected that this opponent, like the three he had killed earlier, was also a king of the Heterodox Spirit Tribe.

The Ten Kings of Qingtian—he had already killed three of them. If the leader of Qingtian found out, would he skin him alive?

Elder Xu!

While he was shocked, seeing such a fierce attack from below, the slender figure quickly stepped in front of the elder, raised both palms, and met it head-on.

Boom!

The two forces collided. The slender figure's face turned pale, and he was sent flying backward. Midair, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

His previously full and vigorous aura instantly deflated like a punctured balloon. He crashed heavily onto the ground not far away, motionless, having lost all signs of life.

A single palm strike destroyed all vitality in his body?

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists.

This slender figure below had already reached the peak of Saint Domain First Layer, a higher level than himself! Such a strong expert, under a single palm strike, had lost all life... Was this the true power of a Primordial Spirit realm expert?

That made sense.

Saint Domain Fourth Layer experts had attained an unfathomable level of understanding of heaven and earth. The reason he had been able to kill three of them earlier was by using various techniques, never engaging in a direct, head-on battle.

If it came to a real fight, even five of him combined would be unable to contend.

Elder Xue...

Seeing his companion killed on the spot while saving him, the white-bearded Elder Xu's face changed. He glared at the figure before him, his killing intent boiling.

He turned his hand over, and a small jade bottle appeared in his palm. He gently opened it, and a pitch-black hard-shelled beetle flew out.

Buzz buzz buzz!

This beetle was only the size of a fingernail, but it flew extremely fast. Its lips were pale gold, and its wings fluttered incessantly, producing a strange sound.

Biting his finger, Elder Xu dabbed a drop of blood onto it.

Sizzle!

Seeing the blood, the insect excitedly opened its mouth and drank it clean in two gulps. Immediately afterward, its entire body emitted a silver fluorescence, as if some special power had been activated.

"Could it be... a venomous insect?"

Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow.

Back in the Red Lotus Mountain Range, he had read many books about poisons, among which was recorded a type of venomous insect fed on human blood. Such a creature could only unleash its greatest strength by consuming human blood, producing a formidable toxin that inspired awe.

"If there's a venomous insect... could it be that these two are poison masters?"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

His purpose in coming to Jingyuan City was to find poison masters and the Poison Hall. However, to avoid the masters, they had hidden themselves well, making them impossible to track down. That was why he had sought out the Earthly Burial Flower, hoping to lure them out.

He had thought the effect would be minimal, but unexpectedly... he had encountered them here.

"It seems this city lord is also searching for poison masters, which is why he was so determined to obtain the Earthly Burial Flower..."

Understanding this, everything that had happened before suddenly became clear.

This city lord must have been controlled by this alien king, or perhaps bewitched by some method, and thus was searching on their behalf. But... why were the aliens looking for the Poison Hall?

Speculating in his heart, he couldn't help but look at Elder Xu, and immediately, a book about him appeared in his mind.

"First Elder of the Poison Hall of the Hongyuan Empire, Six-Star Peak Poison Master..."

From the start, it detailed the other's identity.

As he had guessed, it was indeed an elder of the Poison Hall.

While he was shocked, the venomous insect in the air had already eaten its fill, its body emitting a faint silver light as it flew straight toward the Purple Leaf King ahead.

"A mere silver-armored venomous insect, and you think you can deal with me? You underestimate me too much..."

With a cold laugh, the Purple Leaf King did not dodge but slapped at the beetle before him.

Whoosh!

Surging true energy, like flames, seemed about to burn the beetle to death. However, the latter flew extremely fast, dodging in the blink of an eye and arriving before him. With a flick of its wings, it scattered a pile of silver powder.

"Hmph!"

The Purple Leaf King flicked his sleeve, and the silver powder was swept away by his true energy.

At the same time, true energy shot from his fingers like sword qi, continuing to strike.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The sword qi was fast, but the beetle was faster. It darted back and forth, continuously releasing a special gas. The city lord not far away, upon smelling this odor, turned pale, swayed, and fell to the ground.

He had already been poisoned severely.

"You have some tricks!"

Seeing the city lord fall, on the verge of being poisoned to death at any moment, the Purple Leaf King finally turned from his earlier indifference to seriousness.

His body suddenly twisted, as if wrapped by a peculiar force, and the poisonous powder scattered by the beetle could not enter at all.

"Although this venomous insect is formidable, it cannot defeat the Purple Leaf King... impossible!"

After watching for a while, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Although his current strength was still far from that of the Purple Leaf King, possessing the Eye of Insight gave him unparalleled insight.

The venomous insect released by Elder Xu was indeed powerful, unmatched at the same level, but trying to poison a Saint Realm Level 4 expert was still beyond its reach.

Not to mention anything else, the fact that the Purple Leaf King had not yet used his primordial spirit power was telling.

The primordial spirit, like the witch soul, could launch soul attacks. Before it was used, the beetle could do nothing to him; once used, the beetle would likely not last long.

Sure enough, the Purple Leaf King seemed to have discerned the beetle's tactics and methods. No longer hiding, he smiled lightly, and a powerful force surged from between his brows: "Get down!"

Boom!

His voice was like thunder, shaking violently. The beetle flying in the air immediately wobbled as if drunk, struggling to stay aloft.

Pfft...

Not far away, Elder Xu seemed to have been attacked as well. His face flushed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Could it be... a lifebound venomous insect?"

Zhang Xuan's brows jumped.

A lifebound venomous insect was equivalent to a poison master's doppelgänger, usually raised with essence blood and fused with part of the raiser's soul. Once killed, the latter would also suffer severe damage, even instant death!

"Heh, no wonder it's so powerful—it's a lifebound venomous insect..."

He recognized this, and so did the Purple Leaf King. Smiling lightly, he suddenly grabbed with his hand.

Squeak squeak squeak squeak!

The beetle, which had been wobbling and unsteady in flight, could no longer dodge. It was instantly caught in his palm, struggling in vain to escape.

"If your strength were a bit greater, this thing might have been able to harm me. But now... it's far from enough!"

With a flick of his finger, the beetle flipped over. Elder Xu staggered again, his face turning pale.

Even though poison masters were terrifying and their poisons hard to guard against, Elder Xu's strength was only at the peak of Saint Realm Level 1. Trying to poison a Level 4 alien spirit race king was still a huge gap.

"Take me to the Poison Hall, and I'll spare your life. Otherwise... die!"

Having subdued the beetle, the Purple Leaf King lifted his eyelids and looked over, his gaze murderous.

"A good opportunity..."

Seeing that the other party was about to act at any moment, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

If he could save this Elder Xu, he might gain his trust and sneak into the Poison Hall, avoiding a lot of trouble.

That would be far better than capturing a poison master for interrogation.

But... without revealing the puppet, how could he rescue someone from a Saint Realm Level 4 alien spirit race king?

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but furrow his brows.