Central Continent, Leifeng Mountain Range.
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion resounded across dozens of miles.
Three Gu Immortals were locked in battle.
"Leave the Electrolytic Iron Star Flower, or even if I die, I won't let the two of you off easily!" the Central Continent Gu Immortal Mi Languang roared.
And he had two opponents.
One was a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar with billowing wide sleeves, the other a short, shifty-looking young man.
The former was Dacang Immortal of the Eastern Sea, a Seventh Transformation cultivator who specialized in the Path of Belief. The latter was a local Central Continent Gu Immortal, a Sixth Transformation figure named Jian Yisheng.
Dacang Immortal furrowed his brow, his tone impatient and anger flashing in his eyes. "Mi Languang, is it really worth chasing me this long over a single Electrolytic Iron Star Flower? Fine, I'll admit it — this immortal material usable in both the Path of Belief and the Lightning Path was personally cultivated by you, a thing unseen in all of heaven and earth. I saw it and was eager to have it. Since I also cultivate the Path of Belief, I secretly took one to study when I got back."
"I'll be straight with you — if you keep hounding me over a single Seventh Transformation immortal material, then I'll have no choice but to fight you to the death! It's high time you learned that us Eastern Sea Gu Immortals are not so easily bullied!"
These words immediately drew flattery from Jian Yisheng: "Senior Dacang Immortal, you speak most reasonably. We should have done this long ago — gotten rid of this Mi Languang. Otherwise, with him trailing behind us like this, we won't be able to conduct any more business. Right now is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity!"
Dacang Immortal glanced at Jian Yisheng and nodded reluctantly. "Then I suppose that's what we'll do."
Although Dacang Immortal was at the Seventh Transformation while Jian Yisheng was only at the Sixth, the latter was a renowned rogue immortal in the Central Continent, skilled in a sword-escape killer move that made him extremely slippery, and was very much a local power player.
It was precisely because he had appeared and informed Dacang Immortal of Mi Languang's treasure hoard that Dacang Immortal had learned of this peculiar Seventh Transformation immortal material, the Electrolytic Iron Star Flower.
Dacang Immortal, who cultivated the Path of Belief, was greatly interested, and together with Jian Yisheng, he took advantage of the chaos and wars engulfing the Central Continent to steal an Electrolytic Iron Star Flower.
But during the process, Mi Languang discovered them. Dacang Immortal's theft was exposed, and he lost heart, not wanting to fight — only to be chased relentlessly by Mi Languang.
Mi Languang looked at Dacang Immortal, then at Jian Yisheng, and let out a cold laugh. "So that's how it is."
Then he said something that left Dacang Immortal greatly surprised.
"Dacang Immortal, though you hail from the Eastern Sea, you are a well-known powerhouse of the Path of Belief. I've heard your name for a long time. But you've been deceived by this scoundrel Jian Yisheng! There are thirteen Electrolytic Iron Star Flowers in my valley. You stole one, Jian Yisheng plucked three, and the rest he destroyed with his sword-path methods!"
"What?"
Jian Yisheng burst out laughing. "Mi Languang, your attempts at driving a wedge between us are laughably clumsy, aren't they?"
But in the very next moment, Dacang Immortal whirled around and glared at him furiously. "Jian Yisheng, you've done well for yourself!"
Jian Yisheng's heart sank. "This is bad — they're both Gu Immortals of the Path of Belief. They can communicate in secret in ways I can't detect. Dacang Immortal has probably already believed the evidence."
Jian Yisheng was decisive. Since he could no longer fool Dacang Immortal, he let out a sly laugh, his body shooting forward like a sword as he tore through the sky and fled.
Both Dacang Immortal and Mi Languang were stunned.
"Jian Yisheng has actually advanced to the Seventh Transformation!"
"Is this his true speed? Incredible!"
Dacang Immortal was furious with shock. He had been played by Jian Yisheng, used as a pawn, and now Jian Yisheng had walked away with greater profit than him while leaving him behind to face Mi Languang.
"Brother Mi, I'll return all the extra Electrolytic Iron Star Flowers to you immediately. Don't worry — I'll uproot them entirely. After I return them, you can replant them with ease. I'll also compensate you with resources of equivalent value." Dacang Immortal took a deep breath, his face grim with sincerity.
Mi Languang considered for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "And your conditions?"
Dacang Immortal snorted coldly. "You and I join forces against Jian Yisheng."
He hated Jian Yisheng to the core.
Mi Languang felt the same.
He smiled knowingly and extended his hand. "To ally with a fellow from the Eastern Sea — it would be my honor."
And so the two of them immediately sealed a pact, cooperating in the hunt for Jian Yisheng.
What infuriated them was that although Jian Yisheng had fled, he hadn't actually gone far. Clearly, he intended to let Mi Languang and Dacang Immortal fight each other to exhaustion, then swoop back in to reap the spoils.
Now seeing Mi Languang and Dacang Immortal join forces, Jian Yisheng was alarmed but far from panicked.
He even had the gall to mock them: "My sword-escape method let countless Seventh Transformation Gu Immortals gnash their teeth in helplessness back when I was only at the Sixth Transformation. Now that it's been upgraded to the Seventh Transformation level, catching up to me? You'd better try in your next life!"
With that, Jian Yisheng activated his sword-escape killer move and soared away.
Mi Languang and Dacang Immortal cursed loudly, but could only watch Jian Yisheng escape before their eyes.
However, after a brief moment, the tables turned and it was Jian Yisheng who began suffering in silence: "Damn it! My sword-escape method is fast, but it can't be sustained. And these two are both Path of Belief Gu Immortals — the best at gathering information and tracking clues. They can keep finding me!"
Mi Languang and Dacang Immortal, both burning with hatred, pursued him relentlessly.
Whenever crisis struck, Jian Yisheng would activate his sword-escape killer move to shake them off temporarily.
But before long, they would catch up again.
Jian Yisheng shouted in exasperation: "Is this really fun for you? We're all burning through our immortal essence reserves. By the time this is over, you'll both have suffered enormous losses!"
Mi Languang sneered. "There are three of us at the Seventh Transformation, and you're the newest to the rank. How much immortal essence do you really have? Even if it comes down to attrition, we'll grind you into the ground!"
Dacang Immortal nodded and shouted in agreement. "Exactly! You should know that Eastern Sea Gu Immortals are not so easily fooled!"
Jian Yisheng cursed through gritted teeth: "Mi Languang, whatever else, we're both Central Continent Gu Immortals — countrymen from the same land! And yet you'd turn your back on your own to side with an outsider?"
Mi Languang laughed coldly. "Spare me the high-minded rhetoric. You've offended me today, and you're dead meat!"
Jian Yisheng could only take to the skies with his sword-escape once more.
The chase continued — stop and start, stop and start — until suddenly Dacang Immortal spoke: "No good, he's stopped moving. It seems he's discovered the method I planted on him."
He had lost his lock on Jian Yisheng.
Soon afterward, the two of them discovered Jian Yisheng's right arm in a mountain pass.
Jian Yisheng had been pushed to the brink. Realizing the danger, he had simply severed his own right arm.
Dacang Immortal's face turned ashen as he looked at Mi Languang. "From here on, it'll have to depend on you!"
"Relax." Mi Languang smiled. "This way."
The two continued the pursuit.
After several more clashes, Jian Yisheng's face was deathly pale, and he had no energy left to curse. He could feel the pressure of death closing in.
Gradually, his immortal essence reserves ran dry.
"I'm going to die, but I refuse to accept this!"
"Dacang Immortal's tracking method was broken by me, but what method did you use, Mi Languang, that you've been able to follow me this whole time?"
"I came to provoke you precisely because I had some understanding of your abilities and believed I could counter them. But now I can't even figure out what method you're using!"
"Can you at least tell me the truth before I die?"
Mi Languang sneered. "Not a chance. Go to your grave in ignorance."