"Be good, just spit out one more mouthful. One more mouthful is all I need!"

Gu An pinched Wangcai's chin, trying to coax out more saliva.

The Cold-Scale Python shook her plump head back and forth, fiercely resisting!

There was none left! Not a single drop left!!

Wangcai stared at Gu An with large, watery eyes, attempting to awaken his conscience.

But Gu An's eyes were blank and utterly merciless as he poured another large gulp of water down Wangcai's throat.

"Come on, drink up. Once you drink this, you'll have more saliva!"

Gu An clamped the Cold-Scale Python's jaws shut, terrified she would spill the water and waste all his painstaking effort.

Shaking the jade jar in his hand, he noted that the snake saliva inside filled about half of it. Fine ice crystals climbed the inner walls and rim, while wisps of poisonous gas drifted upward. This was precisely the Cold-Scale Python's Cold Poison Saliva, which also served as the material Gu An needed to cultivate the Withered Water Art.

The Withered Water Art required refining a toxic liquid into one's water spiritual power, causing it to mutate. The Cold-Scale Python's saliva was an excellent choice; it possessed both the chilling effect needed to slow an opponent's spiritual power and the toxicity to permeate their body. It was extremely suitable.

This half-jar would be enough to last for quite a while. Gu An placed the jade jar into his Storage Bag and nodded in satisfaction.

He truly had not chosen the name Wangcai in vain. Just this Cold Poison Saliva alone had saved him dozens of Spirit Stones.

Gu An watched the Cold-Scale Python's plump head continue to shake nonstop. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, tossed her into his spirit beast pouch, and leaped to the edge of Bluewave Pool. With a sweep of his sleeve, he gathered up his three other spirit beasts.

He had exhausted the Talisman Paper on his person. He planned to return to Qingyuan Immortal City to sell some Talismans and purchase fresh Talisman Paper and Spiritual Ink.

Bluewave Pool lacked a grand formation to guard it. When venturing out, he naturally had to bring his entire net worth along!

Gu An summoned his Black Wind Kerchief and flew toward Qingyuan Immortal City.

After flying for only a few dozen li, he suddenly sensed two figures speeding toward him. One chased while the other fled; it clearly looked like a pursuit to the death.

The two moved extremely fast. It was too late for him to flee. Catching sight of a surging river below, Gu An gritted his teeth and decided to gamble. He lowered the Black Wind Kerchief and plunged into the water.

Activating the Cicada Slumber Chapter, Gu An rapidly concealed his spiritual aura, blending seamlessly with the river water until he completely vanished from perception.

Han Geng, arriving atop a green leaf Magical Artifact, furrowed his brows. He had distinctly sensed someone here!

He had hoped to use that person to delay his pursuer for a moment. How had they vanished?!

There was no time to ponder. The man behind him spat a mouthful of blood onto his Spirit Boat, abruptly boosting his speed by another thirty percent. The distance between them closed rapidly as the pursuer roared, "Han Geng, you can't escape! You might as well obediently turn around and accept your death!"

This man also wore the green robes of a Qingyuan Sect disciple. Gu An was perplexed as to why they were at each other's throats. They were not far from the Qingyuan Sect at all!

Knowing he could not outrun his pursuer, Han Geng angled his Magical Artifact downward and landed on a treetop. He gripped two Spirit Stones in his hands to recover his spiritual power, attempting to stall for time. "Senior Brother Zhu, if you wanted that wine recipe, you only needed to ask your Junior Brother. Why go to such extremes?"

Surnamed Zhu, trying to snatch a wine recipe, and a Qingyuan Sect disciple-Gu An's mind instantly connected the dots. Could this be the son of that middle-aged female cultivator coming to steal the wine recipe?

It had been over two years, and this matter still wasn't over?!

Seeing that Han Geng had stopped fleeing, Zhu Ziming also landed his Spirit Boat and let out a cold snort. "When have I not informed you? Yet Junior Brother Han has made excuses time and time again. Do you really think I, Zhu, have no temper?"

Han Geng let out a bitter laugh. I never thought you would actually dare to strike me directly!

Just as he was about to say a few more words, Zhu Ziming's expression darkened. "Treacherous scum, daring to recover your spiritual power while my guard is down!"

Wasting no further words, he summoned a black mountain Magical Artifact and sent it crashing down. Han Geng cursed inwardly and shifted his stance to dodge, only to find that despite the mountain's sluggish speed, it cast a restrictive force that was not easy to break free from.

Realizing that evasion was hopeless, Han Geng hastily steered his Black Sand Shield up to meet the blow. It held for merely a fraction of a second before the immense, heavy momentum of the mountain Magical Artifact shattered its defense and knocked it away.

A First-Grade High-Tier Magical Artifact, and a cultivation base one level higher than his own-what a troublesome situation!

But it was still unknown whose hands would claim victory today!!

Han Geng's expression hardened, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. With a sweep of his sleeves, two golden spears surged upward to viciously intercept the attack.

First-Grade High-Tier Talisman: the Golden Spear Talisman.

The golden spears collided with the mountain Magical Artifact, unleashing a ceaseless roar of spiritual power. Trees were uprooted, and dust billowed into the air, throwing the area into utter chaos.

"Clang!"

A Golden Mystic Sword pierced through the dust cloud as Han Geng lunged forward, the cold blade thrusting straight for Zhu Ziming's throat.

Zhu Ziming clapped his hands together. Yellow-brown rock coated his palms, forcefully clamping down on the sword tip. At the same time, he suddenly spat a silver needle from his mouth. A silver light flared as it shot straight for the spot between Han Geng's eyebrows.

The Black Sand Shield was summoned once more, but it was too late to form a proper defense. It merely bumped against the silver needle, deviating its trajectory by a fraction.

"Whoosh!"

The silver needle grazed Han Geng's cheek, leaving a long trail of blood. Because Zhu Ziming had concealed the needle in his mouth, it was a sudden strike but difficult to coat in poison. Thus, while Han Geng looked wretched, he was not severely injured.

A hint of disappointment showed in Zhu Ziming's eyes. His Heavy Rock Hand swatted away the Golden Mystic Sword and grabbed toward Han Geng's head.

Seeing the Golden Mystic Sword freed, Han Geng hastily flipped backward, evading the Heavy Rock Hand strike.

Unexpectedly, this played right into Zhu Ziming's hands. "Trying to open the distance? Let's see if you can withstand my Mystic Iron Peak!"

The Mystic Iron Peak smashed down heavily without any flashy tricks. The restrictive force, combined with the sheer weight of the Mystic Iron Peak itself, produced an astonishing destructive power.

Cold sweat broke out across Han Geng's forehead. Having run out of Golden Spear Talismans, he had no choice but to push the Black Sand Shield forward again, simultaneously layering three First-Grade Middle-Tier Golden Armor Talismans over his body.

At the same time, he fiercely hurled the Golden Mystic Sword at Zhu Ziming, hoping an offensive strike would force his enemy to defend and save himself.

While the Mystic Iron Peak wielded immense power, it also consumed a tremendous amount of Divine Sense. Unable to control any other Magical Artifacts, Zhu Ziming gritted his teeth, slapped a Rock Armor Talisman onto himself to weather the incoming attack, and mercilessly continued to drive the Mystic Iron Peak downward.

"Boom!"

"Clang!"

Bearing unparalleled, crushing momentum, the Mystic Iron Peak smashed the Black Sand Shield away, shattered the Golden Armor Talismans, and battered Han Geng until he vomited blood ceaselessly, coughing up several pieces of bloody internal tissue.

Zhu Ziming was not faring well, either. The Golden Mystic Sword pierced straight through his abdomen, bringing with it a spray of blood. Equally suffering a heavy wound, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and flashed a savage grin. "Good Junior Brother, I underestimated you after all!"

But!

Eighth level of Qi Condensation versus the seventh level-the advantage was ultimately mine!!

Zhu Ziming pulled a Lightning Summoning Talisman from his Storage Bag, preparing to activate it and obliterate Han Geng once and for all.

"Pfft."

Suddenly, Zhu Ziming let out a muffled groan. Blood seeped from his lips as his spiritual power collapsed, slipping entirely out of his control. He could not even muster the energy to activate the Talisman.

"You... when did you poison me?!"

Han Geng licked the blood from his lips. The rusty metallic taste stimulated his wavering spirit, and he let out a sinister laugh. "What are you talking about, Senior Brother Zhu? I merely... smeared a bit of Spirit-Scattering Ointment onto my sword, that's all."

"How about it? Feeling comfortable?"

Even as he spoke, he forcibly gathered his dregs of spiritual power and barely managed to activate a Fire Serpent Talisman.

A ferocious fire serpent tore through the air, gradually filling Zhu Ziming's entire field of vision. Feeling the rapidly rising heat, he let out a bitter, tragic laugh. "Walk by the river often enough and your shoes will get wet!"

Bereft of protective spiritual power, Zhu Ziming naturally could not withstand the fire serpent's searing heat. In an instant, he was reduced to ashes.

Seeing this, Han Geng laughed so hard he fell into a coughing fit. "Haha, have a safe journey, Senior Brother Zhu. Very soon... your entire family will come to keep you company!"

"As fellow disciples, your Junior Brother won't let you wander alone!"