Chapter 149- Mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind

      No one present was a fool. Whoever volunteered to be the bait and lure out the ghost python was simply courting death.

The blue clothed youth who spoke against Gu yuan earlier also frowned.

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

Gu yuan laughed dryly but didn't reply.

After a couple of minutes of silence, the blue clothed youth snorted coldly and stepping forward. Without saying a word, he shot towards the pond. His movement was so sudden that nobody could react on time. And when everyone notices him, the long streak of light was already heading towards his chest. The force behind the streak of light was enough to leave him in a mangled state.

        Without hesitating, the blue clothes youth drew out a spear and stabbed right at the incoming streak of light.

"supreme jade spear art, flood dragon out to sea!" A low voice sounded as spear lights filled everyone's sight and collided against the streak of light.

The result left few people in suspense.

The blue clothed youth was thrown out as a line of blood flowed down the side of his lip. His clothes were in tatters as he struggled to his feet and wiped the blood on his mouth.

"Pour your inner energy into the formation right now!" Gu yuan shouted immediately.

Auras instantly erupted in this place as countless energy pillars poured into the illusory formation which was imbedded onto the floor.

A humming sound echoed as the formation absorbed the energy Luke a bottomless pit while it gradually became clearer and clearer.

Long Feng looked at the gradually materializing formation and frowned.

"this formation... Something is wrong." he stopped pouring his inner energy into the formation. Hua Liuli, Yan Jian and Li Yu'er didn't question him and simply did the same thing.

Gu yuan instantaneously made several hand seals, causing the formation to shine. Everyone who was supplying energy into the formation suddenly felt weird, but they could not accurately point what happened.

Dozens of dazzling runes appeared from the formation and shot towards the receding streak of light which attacked the blue robbed youth.

A screech sounded as the runes seemed to cool around something. Soul power chains manifested and tightly wrapped around the object suppressed beneath the runes. The chains shook and dimmed but didn't instantly shatter as the streak of light trashed about under the restrictions of the chains.

Everyone finally saw what she ghost snake looked like. It was gray in colour with blood red eyes and sharp fangs. It was almost fifty meters in size and it radiated a fearsome bloodthirsty aura that shook the soul.

Few people bothered about the ghost python though. Almost everyone tried to rush forward and snatch the spirit herb, only to find out to their surprise that they couldn't move! And they could not stop their inner energy from flowing out of their body and into the formation.

"What the hell? Gu yuan? What is the meaning of this?" the blue clothed youth shouted in rage.

Gu yuan grinned cunningly as he rose up to his feet.

"Oh I'm sorry. Did I fail to mention that once you begin pouring your energy into the formation, you wouldn't be able to move yourselves nor control your energy until the formation disperses completely? Don't worry. You will regain your control in a few minutes time after I'm gone with the spirit herb." he laughed victoriously.

"you bastard! If I get my hands on you, I'll flay you!" the blue clothed youth was enraged after finding out that they had been fooled. The others were also furiously cursing at Gu yuan.

"Instead of worrying about me, think about how you will survive when the formation disperses and the ghost python is freed." Gu yuan laughed. He had already arrived beside the Yin essence purity flower and he stretched his hand to pluck it out when he felt a gust of wind beside him. Another hand reached out and grabbed the Yin essence purity flower and plucked it out before he could react.

"Hehe. Thanks for the hardwork. I never expected to have such gains without breaking a sweat!"

Gu yuan straightened his back, his expression alternating between purple and green as he stared at Long Feng who had appeared and took the spirit herb like a ghost before he could react.

"Who that hell are you? That spirit herb belongs to my Gu clan. Hand it over if you don't want to make an enemy of the Gu clan!" he gritted his teeth and spat.

Long Feng glanced at him indifferently.

"Sorry, but I don't even know what your Gu clan is not do I care. Your formation can't hold on for longer so see you later!" he chuckled and turned around.

"Brat, stop right there..." Gu yuan snarled only to feel a gust of wind on front of him. He raised his head in time to see four figures disappear I to the distance like ghosts.

"damn it!" he cursed. This was really the situation of Mantis stalking the cicada unaware of the oriole behind!. He had lost all face today after angering so many juniors.

"Hahaha. That was hilarious. I really want to know who is that brat so that I can shake his hand and give him a hug! Hahaha!" the blue clothed youth laughed mockingly. He felt slightly better seeing Gu yuan's ugly expression.

"I'll definitely not let this matter slide off. I will find you and make you know that my Gu clan isn't for nobodies to offend!" Gu yuan clenched his fist. Even for their Gu clan, a spirit herb was a priceless treasure, yet today, one was stolen from right under his nose while the thief completely disregarded the Gu clan's name!

For now though, he could only flee. The formation would soon disperse and he couldn't remain here or else, he would be sandwiched between an enraged ghost python and a furious herd of people.

He could only unwillingly grit his teeth and leave.

Watching his sorry figure, many people felt satisfied.

"serves him right. Now, how do we leave here?"

They could only stand foolishly and wait for the formation to disperse.

....

       Four figure leapt from tree to tree until they were far away from the gathering place before they stopped.

"We had an unexpected harvest today.  We have to thank that Gu yuan for what he did or else, the spirit herb will likely end up with the ghost python." Yan Jian laughed heartily.

Hua Liuli giggled cutely while Long Feng smiled.

"The Yin essence purity flower has five leaves while we are only four." Hua Liuli observed.

Long Feng thought for a moment before looking at Yan Jian with a smile.

"let's give two leaves to brother Yan Jian. He is the weakest among is and should hurriedly raise his cultivation" he said.

Before Yan Jian could argue, Hua Liuli and Li Yu'er nodded.

Yan Jian could only take two of the Yin essence purity flower's leaves while feeling warmth in his heart.

"you guys should hurry and refine them. I will protect you all" Hua Liuli volunteered. She was the strongest among them and only her could guard them while they cultivated.

"Alright. Let's hurry up." Long Feng nodded and sat down cross legged. A finger sized gray leaf appeared on his palm and he immediately swallowed it.

An icy sensation arose from his abdomen area and suddenly, cold energy erupted within him and spread to every part of his body. His skin was almost instantly covered in black frost.

He immediately began to absorb the energy into his dantian while feeling his strength increasing. He was only one step away from the Yang level right now. Most importantly, he could feel his understanding of the demon dao slowly increasing. He lowered all his defences and simply immersed his mind in this feeling.

....

      Hua Liuli looked on as the three of them sat down and began to refine the Yin essence purity flower's leaves. It didn't take long for them to be covered in black ice.

Their auras slowly strengthened but nothing else happened.

Suddenly, Hua Liuli felt the surrounding temperature rising and even the Yin energy was forced back by the heat. And surprisingly, the source of this heat was Yan Jian!

"what is going on?" Hua Liuli muttered in confusion as she stared at Yan Jian.

Suddenly, the black ice which covered his figure began to melt into energy. After the black ice completely melted away, the surrounding temperature instantly skyrocketed. It was as if they were thrown into a burning hot cauldron or an active volcano.

Fiery red runes and crests appeared all over Yan Jian's body other than his face. Flame appeared on his body, as though he was surrounded by fire.

He looked like the god of flames as he sat like that, indifferent and aloof to the world!

And surprisingly, the flame didn't burn anything, not even his robes or the grasses on the floor around him.

Staring at the fiery runes and crests on Yan Jian's body which seemed to be wriggling, Hua Liuli's eyes widened in shock.

"This... This cannot be. How can this bloodline still exist?" From her expression, one could tell how utterly stunned she was.