Chapter 136 Meddling in Other People's Business

"Luan Shihang, we've only been in here for a few days, and yet you're willing to fight us to the death just to rob us?"

Yang Xiaoman drew her long sword, her voice chilling as she rebuked, "Beware that any future opportunities ahead will have nothing to do with you."

"Fight to the death? As if the two of you are worthy!"

Luan Shihang sneered with utter disdain. "When I, Luan Shihang, advanced to the Daoist Womb stage, the two of you were still in your mothers' wombs!"

Initially, this man had only come for the Thunder Origin Fruit and the Dark Jade Honey, but now, his greed had flared up immensely, and he wanted to plunder everything they had.

"That only proves you cultivate far too slowly."

Fang Junmei replied coldly. Anyone facing such an arrogant and bullying robber would hardly give him a pleasant expression.

Hearing this, Luan Shihang did not grow angry; instead, he laughed in reverse, his gaze turning ferocious. With a sharp clanging sound, he pulled out the long saber strapped to his back.

This saber was equally extraordinary. Deep purple in color, with a blade both wide and long, it was forged in the standard style of a mortal snow-flower saber. The hilt was shaped like an open tiger's maw, presenting an imposing and fierce appearance that emanated the aura of a top-grade magical treasure. As it was drawn from its sheath, silver-white electric arcs were visible, flashing continuously!

Named the Purple Tiger, this saber had been personally commissioned by Luan Shihang's father, who had gathered the materials himself and begged a supreme weapon-refining master to forge it for his son. Countless younger generation thunder cultivators of the Luan family gazed upon it with covetous envy.

"Taste my blade!"

Closing the distance to within a hundred zhang, Luan Shihang let out a roar, raised the Purple Tiger saber, and brought it down in a single slash!

*Crackle, crackle—*

With this strike, thousands of thunderbolts poured forth from the blade, condensing into something resembling a web of lightning that surged toward the pair with incredible speed.

Luan Shihang followed closely behind the lightning web, looking like a demon god.

The void was filled with the sharp howling of the blade, as if one had stepped into an ocean of sabers. Wherever the saber wind passed, the rocks and stones on the ground below shattered, the earth split open, and vegetation instantly turned to powder in a scene of utter devastation.

Golden light suddenly erupted around Yang Xiaoman as she deployed the Falling Star Sword Technique to meet the attack. A shooting star suddenly appeared, pressing down with crushing force toward Luan Shihang. Her gaze was chillingly cold, completely ignoring that damned web of lightning.

As for Fang Junmei, he remained still for the moment.

"Sword intent carved into the bone? When did the Taoyuan Sword Sect produce another remarkable figure? And isn't this sword technique the Falling Star Sword Technique that that bastard Long Jinying used back in the day?"

Luan Shihang felt a surge of shock in his heart as several thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning. Realizing that his previous move would surely be crushed by Yang Xiaoman, he hurriedly changed his technique.

Wielding his saber, he slashed continuously, causing numerous silver, thunder-ball-like entities to condense at the tip of the blade and shoot forth like lightning. Each one contained a terrifying power akin to a head-on collision.

*Boom, boom—*

A succession of terrifying sonic booms exploded through the air. Upon colliding with the pressure of the falling star, the silver thunderballs detonated violently, releasing a force capable of shattering mountains and cleaving cliffs.

This method was the Luan family's renowned Thunder Explosion Saber Technique, and its power was by no means inferior to Yang Xiaoman's Falling Star Sword Technique.

A single clash was enough to determine superiority!

Yang Xiaoman had just stepped into the early Daoist Womb stage, whereas Luan Shihang was a veteran of the mid-Daoist Womb stage, possessing far more profound dharma power. If his techniques were only stronger and not weaker than Yang Xiaoman's, and his magical treasure was more formidable, the outcome of this battle truly would not require a prolonged stalemate to become clear.

Her jade-like throat bobbed slightly, and a trace of fresh blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Yet Yang Xiaoman was tenacious. Though she fell into a disadvantage from this exchange, she did not retreat and immediately altered her stance, charging forward once more.

The two engaged in a fierce battle, sword lights and saber shadows surging across the wilderness.

Fang Junmei remained inactive for the time being, watching with cold eyes.

*Boom, boom—*

After the space of more than half a cup of tea, Yang Xiaoman's situation grew increasingly precarious, and she finally deployed her slow-moving sword technique—the Epiphyllum Sword Technique.

Though the epiphyllum blooms only for a fleeting moment, its instantaneous radiance becomes eternal.

Fang Junmei once again experienced the peculiar nature of this Epiphyllum Sword Technique. He saw Yang Xiaoman moving as slowly as an octogenarian grandfather or grandmother, unfolding her sword technique at a snail's pace. Light and shadow intertwined, golden in hue—seemingly identical to the gold of her bone-deep sword intent, yet carrying an even more profound, bewitching magic.

All changes in the external world seemed to slow down within Fang Junmei's field of vision.

However, unlike the Three-Breath Divine Stone, once the Three-Breath Divine Stone was activated, the world outside one's body did not truly slow down, but merely appeared to do so. Now, however, things were genuinely slowing down.

...

The moment Yang Xiaoman's Epiphyllum Sword Technique was unleashed, it seemed to create an invisible, mystical force field around her. Everything moving within this force field was forced to slow down in tandem.

At this moment, Luan Shihang's speed slowed down!

A look of shock surfaced in his eyes as he felt as though he had stepped into an invisible swamp, with unseen threads wrapping around his limbs, his body, and even tangling with the saber radiance and thunderbolts he released, causing them to inexplicably sluggishly drag.

"What kind of technique is this? How can it be so bizarre?"

Luan Shihang's mind was deeply shaken.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—*

Streaks of sword radiance shot out from the tip of Yang Xiaoman's sword, slithering like fish as they curved through the void and struck toward Luan Shihang.

Their speed remained normal, without the slightest change.

That mysterious force was certainly not affecting the sword qi itself.

"This is bad!"

Seeing that the fastest streak of light was about to strike his head, Luan Shihang's pupils shrank violently.

Luan Shihang was on the brink of life and death!

In this critical moment, this slaughter-god-like figure with a wealth of combat experience finally displayed his ability to seek survival in a desperate situation!

*Roar—*

A beast-like roar burst from Luan Shihang's mouth.

Silver radiance violently surged across Luan Shihang's body once more, as if he were trying to squeeze out every last ounce of strength and every wisp of dharma power from his physical body. The muscles all over his frame bulged, particularly his two thick arms wielding the Purple Tiger saber.

His speed abruptly increased by a margin. Although it had not yet reached its previous fluid level, he had broken free from some of the mysterious forces of the Epiphyllum Sword Technique.

*Crackle, crackle—*

Lightning regenerated, surging like a torrent toward the incoming sword radiance.

*Bang, bang, bang—*

A series of explosions rang out, mingled with an exceptionally massive crash. The shattered thunder and sword radiance largely swallowed Luan Shihang's figure.

*Roar—*

The next instant, an angry roar resounded again. Luan Shihang, covered in blood, blasted out from the center of the radiance and lunged toward Yang Xiaoman.

Yang Xiaoman continued to execute the Epiphyllum Sword Technique, but Luan Shihang had already recovered the greater part of his speed. Coupled with his profound dharma power, he no longer feared the bizarre forces of the Epiphyllum Sword Technique, and once again became locked in an evenly matched, ferocious battle with Yang Xiaoman.

*Boom!*

*Boom!*

In the sky, light and shadows flashed, space trembled slightly, and thunder and lightning rampaged across the firmament, stirring the entire vault of heaven into a display of chaotic wonders.

...

"If this stalemate continues, it will bode ill for Senior Sister. I must lend her Epiphyllum Sword Technique a helping hand!"

Brilliant light flashed in Fang Junmei's eyes as he watched the fray. Muttering inwardly and pondering briefly, he fished out the pitch-black millstone magical treasure he had obtained in the Myriad Barbarian Mountains. The original owner of this treasure was a rogue cultivator from the Black Rain Abyss, so there was no need to worry about any ties leading back to the Myriad Barbarian Mountains.

*Whoosh—*

Once the black millstone manifested, Fang Junmei seized an opportunity and tossed it upward with a wave of his hand!

Flying above Luan Shihang's head, the black millstone smashed down fiercely.

Upon entering Yang Xiaoman's mysterious force field, the black millstone would naturally slow down as well, but Fang Junmei had anticipated this long ago and wasn't concerned. He only wanted to utilize the heavy suppressing force inherent in the treasure. Since that suppressing force was an intangible manifestation, it didn't need to slow down and continued to bear down directly upon Luan Shihang.

Luan Shihang was already affected by the power of the Epiphyllum Sword Technique, and now, struck by this additional suppressing force, his speed plummeted once more.

This sudden drop naturally bought crucial time for Yang Xiaoman's attack.

At that moment, Fang Junmei also drew his Undeviating Sword and shot forward like lightning, golden light similarly blazing across his body.

The two launched their attacks without holding back, aiming squarely at Luan Shihang's head.

Suffering a threefold assault this time, Luan Shihang genuinely panicked. He had never expected that Fang Junmei—whom he hadn't even deigned to look at properly—would become the final straw that broke the camel's back.

*Roar—*

Luan Shihang roared again. His mind raced at lightning speed as he instantly assessed the situation: he had to deal with that pesky straw first to buy himself the speed he needed to survive. Raising the Purple Tiger saber high, he thrust it upward at the descending black millstone, causing a spear-like bolt of lightning to blast backward into the sky.

*Crash!*

A gigantic explosion erupted.

Facing the full-powered strike of a mid-Daoist Womb cultivator wielding a top-grade magical treasure, the black millstone was instantly blasted flying, its dark radiance flashing before dimming rapidly.

*Puff, puff—*

The sound of flesh being pierced rang out the very next instant, accompanied by flying blood!

Countless wounds had been punctured across Luan Shihang's body, fracturing bones and tearing tendons. However, relying on his rich combat experience, he still managed to dodge fatal vitals like his head and heart.

*Swish—*

Trailing a long spray of fresh blood, Luan Shihang fled into the distance.

"You two Daoist juniors! I will definitely settle this score!"

Dragging out a long, reluctant cry, he vanished into the far distance.

Exchanging a glance, the two immediately gave chase.

Unfortunately, Luan Shihang's speed was extremely swift, and he ultimately shook them off.

...

Yang Xiaoman's injuries were not severe. After consuming medicinal pills and performing a simple recovery, the two resumed their journey.

Not long after setting off, Fang Junmei turned his head, glancing several times in the direction where Luan Shihang had escaped, a worried look lingering in his eyes.

"Still worried about him? Even if he chases after us next time, the two of us should be able to fend him off," Yang Xiaoman said.

Fang Junmei shook his head. "I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about Daolang and his sister. The direction Luan Shihang fled in is precisely where the two of them went. That fellow certainly knows how to pick a path."

"Surely not," Yang Xiaoman remarked. "No matter what, Luan Shihang is of the same clan and bloodline as them. How could he bring himself to harm them?"

Fang Junmei's furrowed brows did not relax. "I know there are deeply affectionate figures among the demonic sects, and I also know there are cold-blooded, ruthless madmen among them. The impression that fellow gave me is the latter. Once he runs into Daolang, he might very well eye them with the same covetousness as he did us."

"...Are you planning to follow them and take a look?" Yang Xiaoman pondered for a moment before asking.

Fang Junmei nodded.

"Junior brother... you really are a fellow who loves meddling in other people's business. Someone once told me this is a major taboo for cultivators," Yang Xiaoman said with a hint of helplessness.

Fang Junmei smiled slightly. "It's not that serious, really. It's just that Daolang and his sister happen to suit my disposition."

With that, he spoke in a brisk tone, "Senior sister, you go ahead and explore first. If nothing comes of it, I'll be back to find you shortly."

Having said this, he suddenly turned around and sped off in that direction without looking back, adopting a posture of absolute resolve.