Chapter 42 Laozi is your future master

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Qixia Peak is situated over four hundred li to the northwest of Dragon Carp Lake, deep within the Yandang Mountain Range. The mountain soars a thousand zhang high, with treacherous terrain. Ancient trees stand tall while green grass and wildflowers blanket its land.

A bluestone path, just over a zhang wide, snaked its way up the mountain, veiled intermittently by the dense foliage and large trees, curving and twisting up to the summit.

Zhao Sheng and two others dismounted at the foot of Qixia Peak, entrusting their Green-Scaled Jiao Horses to the care of the Mountain Guardian.

The Mountain Guardian was a group of mortals whose ancestors also hailed from Cultivation Families, but whose power had long since declined.

They had taken on the responsibility, entrusted by nearby Cultivation Families, to guard Qixia Peak for generations, serving the needs of Cultivators.

Just as the trio set foot on the stone pathway, Zhao Chongxiao suddenly stopped, looking hesitantly at Zhao Sheng, as if he had something to say but was holding back.

Noticing this, Zhao Sheng asked with a hint of surprise, "You... have something to say?"

"Well... after we meet the Wushan Three Immortals, can we not start fighting right away? I would like to speak first," Zhao Chongxiao pleaded, rubbing his hands together nervously.

"Hmm, that's fine. But you need to give me a reason to convince me," Zhao Sheng said with ease.

At this, Zhao Chongwei couldn't hold back her displeasure, huffing, "Hmph, Chong He, let's not bother with this turncoat. Who knows what kind of vile scheme he's concocting."

Zhao Chongxiao's face was filled with bitterness as he said, "I... I've been infected with the Corrosive Blood Gu. I want to try and trick them into giving me the antidote first."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng was taken aback, almost forgetting about the deadly creature ensnaring Zhao Chongxiao.

After contemplating, Zhao Sheng figured it was possible to delay their plans slightly, and after all, Zhao Chongxiao was still a member of their own family; it wouldn't do to drive him to a dead end.

So, he agreed, "Alright! But only if it doesn't affect our plan."

"Absolutely not!" Zhao Chongxiao's face lit up with joy, and he quickly agreed.

Zhao Sheng nodded, then stepped aside and gestured with an open hand, saying, "Then please, go ahead!"

Zhao Chongxiao took a deep breath and led the way up Qixia Peak, with Zhao Sheng pulling the still-irritated Zhao Chongwei along closely behind.

Despite the steep, slippery stone steps of Qixia Peak, it posed no challenge for the three Qi Refining Immortal Cultivators.

In less than a quarter of an hour, they had traversed a thousand stone steps to reach a flat area halfway up the mountain.

This was a recess in the mountainside, spanning roughly twenty zhang in diameter, with a four-pillared stone pavilion at one edge next to the cliff, built for admiring the scenery.

As soon as the trio reached this spot, they immediately saw two figures in the pavilion, one standing and one sitting.

Both were dressed in the garb of Taoists, wearing apricot-yellow robes and green leaf crowns.

The one sitting had a face round as the full moon, his body portly and swollen. The one standing had green-tinted hair and beard, with skin so blue that he looked more like a corpse than a living person.

Upon seeing them, Zhao Chongxiao's body shook violently, becoming instantly rigid in place.

From the corner of his eye, Zhao Sheng noticed his reaction, aware that those two were undoubtedly two of the Wushan Three Immortals.

But where was the third one?

As this thought crossed his mind, Zhao Sheng suddenly heard a clattering sound behind him, crisp like metal striking stone.

Turning around swiftly, he looked back.

He saw a limping figure about a dozen steps below, with an empty right pant leg, leaning on a silver serpent-headed cane, slowly making its way up the mountain.

In such a situation, even a fool would know something was amiss.

Zhao Sheng's left hand slipped into his sleeve, quietly gripping the Trapped Dragon Talisman, while he slowly retreated towards the mountain wall, pulling Zhao Chongwei with him.

Meanwhile, Zhao Chongxiao suddenly rushed towards the stone pavilion, shouting excitedly at the two people inside, "Seniors, I've brought the people you wanted. Please give me the antidote now!"

Sitting in the pavilion was the fatty named Zhang Xiong, a Qi Refining Seventh Layer practitioner, and the second of the Wushan Three Immortals.

The green-haired ghoul standing was the third, named Chu Hu, a Sixth Level of Qi Refining practitioner.

Hearing Zhao Chongxiao's shout, Zhang Xiong patted his belly and laughed heartily, "Well done, boy. The Daoist master won't shortchange you. The antidote is just a trivial thing, take it!"

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As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Xiong casually tossed something. A blood-colored pill shot out from his sleeve, tracing an arc through the air and landing precisely in Zhao Chongxiao's hand.

Overcome with joy, Zhao Chongxiao quickly raised his hand to his mouth and swallowed the Blood Pill.

After taking the antidote, he was full of gratitude, bowing repeatedly as he thanked him: "Thank you, Senior, for bestowing the antidote. I am eternally grateful."

Just at that moment, the limping Dead Limp Man happened to appear in the depression.

Seeing Zhao Chongxiao in this state, he suddenly spoke up: "Young lad, today I'll teach you a lesson. Remember not to trust anyone's promises. Don't forget this in your next life!"

Upon hearing these words, Zhao Chongxiao's face instantly went ashen, and he stammered in fear, "Se... Senior, what is this... you're... agh!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Chongxiao's body began to convulse violently, and his exposed skin turned scarlet and purple in an instant, with countless droplets of blood seeping from his pores.

In just a moment, dark purple pus and blood began flowing from Zhao Chongxiao's seven orifices, and his skin rapidly necrosed, oozing large amounts of pus and blood.

In just seven or eight breaths, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhao Chongxiao's body quickly dissolved into a puddle of Blood Stain.

A gust of wind blew by, and a red and white skeletal frame crashed to the ground with a bang, scattering among the Blood Stain.

The scene was horrifying!

Ugh!

Zhao Chongwei had never seen such a bloody scene. Her stomach churned violently, and she couldn't help bending over to vomit.

The Dead Limp Man was quite satisfied as he watched this unfold.

In his view, this display of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" was executed perfectly.

When it came time to "persuade" the two treasures later on, he would probably save himself a lot of effort.

The Dead Limp Man was the leader of the Wushan Three Immortals; his real name and background were very mysterious, even his sworn brothers were unclear about them.

He always called himself Zhou Laoguai and was the highest in cultivation among the three, nearing Qi Refining Perfection.

Zhou Laoguai slowly approached Zhao Sheng and Zhao Chongwei, emitting the formidable aura of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer while threatening in a sinister voice, "You'd better surrender obediently. Don't make me take action, or you'll suffer greatly later!"

Zhao Sheng pulled Zhao Chongwei back to the mountain wall, his expression guarded, as he demanded, "Who are you people?"

With an air of confidence that the game was in his hands, Zhou Laoguai laughed triumphantly: "Haha, you're asking who we are? I am your future master!"

"Hold on, I have something to say!" Zhao Sheng suddenly shouted out loud.

He wanted to buy some time because the situation was somewhat different than he had anticipated.

The Wushan Three Immortals were not standing together; the Dead Limp Man and the other two were at least five or six zhang apart, while the range of the Trapped Dragon Talisman was only three zhang.

This was going to be complicated!

Zhou Laoguai chuckled sinisterly: "Once I've placed the Prohibition on you, you'll have plenty of time to talk."

As he spoke, there was no sign of him stopping.

Seeing the Dead Limp Man approach within two zhang, Zhao Sheng clenched his teeth and tore apart the Trapped Dragon Talisman with a trembling hand.

The next instant, a golden light circle burst forth from Zhao Sheng's sleeve, expanding countless times in an instant into a golden dome-shaped Light Shield that, like lightning, trapped Zhou Laoguai inside.

Immediately afterward, more than a dozen golden light chains suddenly "grew" from the dome wall, reaching in and coiling around Zhou Laoguai's head, neck, hips, arms, left foot, and the headed snake staff like living creatures.

"Elder Brother, be careful!"

However, this warning from the second brother, Zhang Xiong, was ultimately a moment too late.

The activated Second Order Trapped Dragon Talisman was as fast as lightning!

By the time he shouted, Zhou Laoguai had already been bound by the Trapped Dragon Talisman.