Chapter 150: Chapter 134: Ruthless and Decisive

Feng Ling summoned the Fire Cloud Cauldron. A torrent of Fire Clouds surged from its mouth, blocking the nine Buddha Beads and creating a deafening rumble.

Feng Ling turned to Fang Cheng and said quickly, "That’s a Nine-Turn Immortal Essence Pill from Divine Pillar Mountain! It’s temporarily raised his Cultivation to the Life Talisman Realm. The effect should only last for the time it takes an incense stick to burn!"

As she spoke, an overwhelming force, like toppling mountains and overturning seas, emanated from the nine Buddha Beads. Feng Ling’s body trembled, and her Fire Clouds were instantly driven back.

She frantically channeled her Magical Power, struggling to hold her ground.

The runes on the Fire Cloud Cauldron flared brightly, its cloud-light erupting with immense force to resist the Buddha Beads.

Fang Cheng wasn’t idle either. Seven Vajra Gu had already flown out stealthily, lunging straight for Jiang Nian’an.

However, the Buddha Flames on the nine Buddha Beads remaining by Jiang Nian’an’s side flickered. Seven of the beads split off, each using its Buddha Flame to trap one of the Vajra Gu.

Once inside the Buddha Flames, the Vajra Gu struggled and thrashed about, but for the moment, they were unable to break free.

Fang Cheng let out an inward sigh.

’The art of Gu has always relied on overwhelming numbers. A handful of Gu Insects are fine for dealing with Loose Cultivators or ordinary Noble Family Cultivators, but they’re not much use against a Cultivator with a top-tier heritage.’

’If I had a hundred Tier Two Vajra Gu right now, wouldn’t Jiang Nian’an be reduced to a pile of bones in moments?’

After trapping the seven Vajra Gu and realizing they had reached Tier Two, Jiang Nian’an knew he couldn’t afford to ignore them. He sneered, "I seem to have underestimated you!"

He calmly altered his Spell. The nine Buddha Beads surrounding Fang Cheng and Feng Ling immediately began to spin and transform. Amidst the concussive attacks, the brilliant Buddha Light coalesced into a small Buddha Array, trapping them both inside.

The Buddha Flame billowed forth, carrying with it an aura that urged one toward release and surrender as it pressed down on Fang Cheng and Feng Ling.

If those Buddha Beads struck them, they would surely be pulverized!

Feng Ling’s face was grim. Her Fire Cloud Cauldron spewed thick Fire Clouds, struggling with all its might against the Buddha Flame, leaving her with no energy for anything else.

Fang Cheng took out a Taiyi Thunder Pill and, with a flick of his finger, sent it flying out from the Fire Clouds and crashing into the Buddha Array!

RUMBLE...

A deafening explosion followed as Thunder Light erupted in all directions, blasting a crack in the Buddha Array.

The next instant, he summoned his Tier Two Flying Sword Dragon Abyss and executed the Celestial Ghost Sword Technique. In a flash, both man and sword vanished without a trace.

In that same instant, Jiang Nian’an felt his hair stand on end!

He faintly sensed a cold, murderous aura. Relying on this indistinct premonition, he scrambled to the side.

A clear sword-song rang out as it first sent a self-protecting Buddha Bead flying. Then, Jiang Nian’an’s Protective Spiritual Light flared violently before his right arm was severed from his body!

The strike was uncanny and vicious. It was a Sword Qi Thunder Sound attack, yet the Celestial Ghost Sword Technique rendered it completely silent and invisible.

’Fang Cheng had put his all into that attack, but he’d only managed to sever one of Jiang Nian’an’s arms. A pity.’

With his arm severed, Jiang Nian’an’s aura immediately destabilized. As the Poisonous Gu took hold again, a sickly blue-black energy spread across his body, and festering pustules broke out all over his skin.

Knowing he couldn’t block Fang Cheng’s ghostly sword light, he gave a low shout and recalled seven of the Buddha Beads that were besieging Feng Ling. He combined them with the two by his side to form a defensive Array around himself.

The pressure on Feng Ling instantly lessened. Her Fire Clouds swelled, batting away the remaining two Buddha Beads, and she summoned her Strong Bone Demon to attack Jiang Nian’an.

They just had to hold on for the time it took an incense stick to burn, and Jiang Nian’an would be a dead man!

Jiang Nian’an sneered. The nine Buddha Beads around him, wreathed in Glazed Buddha Flame, spun ceaselessly to form a Buddha Array that shielded him from Fang Cheng’s assaults. He then changed his Magic and pointed at the distant Feng Ling.

The two distant Buddha Beads instantly exploded. Billowing Buddha Flame suddenly engulfed both Feng Ling and her Fire Cloud Cauldron.

A clear light flared across the Celestial Center. Feng Ling’s aura became as faint and fragile as a candle flame in the wind.

Jiang Nian’an shouted, "Fang Cheng, I’ll be back another day to test your skills!"

Before his voice faded, he was already fleeing into the distance.

Fang Cheng’s strength had far exceeded his expectations. That ghostly, unpredictable sword strike, in particular, had truly terrified him.

Even with the temporary Magical Power of the Life Talisman Realm, he was no match for that terrifying, formless, and traceless sword light.

Thankfully, he had relied on the perceptive abilities of the Life Talisman Realm to partially dodge it. ’If I had been at the same Cultivation level as him...’

As this thought crossed Jiang Nian’an’s mind, he lost all will to continue the fight.

He was a decisive man. Seeing no hope for victory, he made the call to retreat.

’Besides, I know the Immortal Binding Rope is on him. I can always make another attempt in the future...’

’By self-destructing two Buddha Beads to grievously injure Feng Ling, I could delay Fang Cheng and make my escape.’

At the same time, the seven Buddha Beads trapping the Vajra Gu were released and flew off into the distance to regroup with Jiang Nian’an.

Once freed, the seven Vajra Gu radiated a ferocious aura. Seemingly enraged, they immediately beat their wings and gave chase to Jiang Nian’an.

Through it all, Fang Cheng’s figure never reappeared.

Above the ruins of the Divine Temple, the clear light of the Buddha Flame slowly faded.

Feng Ling and the Fire Cloud Cauldron plummeted from the sky.

A white light flashed on the ground. The White Bone Relic transformed into the Strong Bone Demon, which spread its arms and gently caught Feng Ling.

「Meanwhile.」

As Jiang Nian’an made his Flying Escape, his brows were tightly knitted.

The beautiful woman in his sea of consciousness kept reminding him that Fang Cheng hadn’t stayed behind to care for Feng Ling, but had followed him instead.

But the Celestial Ghost Sword Escape was formless and traceless; though he searched everywhere, he still couldn’t find any sign of Fang Cheng.

Far behind him, seven specks of golden light gave chase relentlessly, like maggots clinging to bone.

Jiang Nian’an halted his Escape Light. He looked at the empty sky, hair standing on end as an immense sense of crisis washed over him.

"Brother Fang, are you abandoning your woman?!"

Jiang Nian’an spat, "If you don’t go back now, she will die for sure!"