Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Battle for the Azure Sprout Dragonwhisker Grass

These four territories adjoined one another, collectively controlling millions of miles in the northern region. Under their dominion were numerous mortal kingdoms, sects of immortal cultivators, and cultivation clans.

Among them was the borderland nation of Beilin, a small mortal kingdom where Chu Xin’er resided—one that the Ling Tian Sect regarded with little importance.

The four great powers, comprising both righteous and demonic forces, had endured for millennia, their strengths not vastly different from one another. Each possessed a profound foundation, and it was said that within the nearby Ling Tian Sect resided an ancestral figure who had achieved the Divine Transformation stage.

By glimpsing through the cracks, the other three—Qingfeng Dao Sect, Ji Mo Cult, and Ling Sha Sect—stood on equal footing with it. Undoubtedly, they had experts of the same rank guarding their domains; otherwise, they would have been absorbed or annihilated long ago.

Having grasped the general state of the cultivation world in the northern region of Pingzhou, Chu Xin’er felt her decision to leave Beilin was exceedingly wise.

Not to mention other benefits, if she were fortunate enough to join a top-tier sect like Qingfeng Dao Sect or Ling Tian Sect, whose strengths were formidable, it would greatly aid her cultivation.

Moreover, with such a high level of cultivation in the northern Pingzhou region, skilled alchemists should not be lacking. Even if she could not join a top sect, once she gathered the materials to refine Foundation Establishment pills, it would be far easier to find a capable alchemist.

Fangyun City was protected by formation arrays, with no fighting allowed within the city walls, so safety was assured. Yet staying inside all the time would do nothing to help her break through the Foundation Establishment bottleneck.

After two more days, with her recuperation nearly complete, Chu Xin’er decided to depart. Without a clear goal, she planned to travel while searching for the remaining spiritual herbs.

Thanks to her caution, she encountered no danger over the next month, though her gains were modest.

However, fortune would not favor her forever. While gathering a vital spiritual herb used to refine Foundation Establishment pills, trouble finally found her.

An elder who had nearly stepped into the Foundation Establishment stage appeared. Both had discovered the green bud dragon whisker grass at the same time, but due to the distance, the other had reached it first.

“Hand it over, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!” the elder declared grimly as he maneuvered his light-speed escape technique toward her, his temples already streaked with white.

A Qi Refining stage cultivator’s lifespan was only a few decades longer than a mortal’s. The elder was no longer young but was determined not to show mercy to gain the materials needed to break through his bottleneck.

As he spoke, his flying sword, empowered by incantations, surged forward, its brilliance flickering fiercely.

“Hmph—shameless old man! Heaven’s treasures belong to the virtuous. If you want to steal, be prepared to fall!” Chu Xin’er was not intimidated. With a cold smile, she decisively stored the spiritual herb into her jade box.

“Wretched girl, you’re courting death!” the elder roared in anger, sending his flying sword slicing down without hesitation.

“Who’s courting death remains to be seen,” Chu Xin’er sneered disdainfully. While activating her flying sword to block, she drew out her willow-leaf blade with a single slap, slashing fiercely toward the elder’s neck.

The mountain range spanned tens of thousands of miles, but such peripheral areas were frequented daily by many low-level cultivators seeking opportunities.

Chu Xin’er was unsure if the elder had companions, so she aimed for a swift conclusion, immediately wielding a mid-grade magical weapon.

Boom! Boom!

The two low-grade flying swords clashed in midair. Due to his higher cultivation, the elder held a slight advantage, but when his pupils contracted in alarm, he hastily erected a protective spiritual light and drew forth another sword from his storage, a magical weapon of considerable quality.

“A mid-grade magical weapon? How is this possible? You actually have a mid-grade weapon...” The elder, who considered himself well-off among peers, had no such weapon. Witnessing his flying sword outmatched by the spinning willow-leaf blade, he exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes betraying greed.

Initially, he sought only the valuable spiritual herb, but now, coveting the treasures on Chu Xin’er’s person, he was prepared to annihilate her without mercy.

Chu Xin’er gave no explanation. Pouring much of her cultivation into the willow-leaf blade, she manipulated it relentlessly to shatter the elder’s weapons.

Yet, as the elder flicked his fingers, a sudden warning sign of danger compelled her to raise her protective spiritual light, eyes sharp with caution.

Buzz—

Just as her shield formed, a three-inch silver needle struck it, emitting a clear, resonant hum.

The silver needle pierced two-thirds through the shield before being shattered by the extra golden sword in Chu Xin’er’s hand.

That was a narrow escape. Although the flying needle was a lowest-grade magical weapon, had she not been careful, the needle might have pierced her heart. A sheen of fragrant sweat broke out on her back.

The failed ambush left the elder with a look of regret, but the battle would not end so easily. The quality of the opponent’s flying swords was extraordinary, and he was determined to obtain them at all costs.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The slight disparity in cultivation could be offset by skill and magical weaponry, and neither side could gain a decisive advantage in a short time. Chu Xin’er and the elder clashed back and forth fiercely.

Meanwhile, within the spirit beast pouch, Xiao Wenzi had been treating pills as little sugar balls for some time now. He broke through several levels, successfully entering the late Ninth Heaven stage.

He had not checked on Chu Xin’er or the outside world for days. Since further breakthroughs seemed unlikely soon, and sensing some instability in his own cultivation, he decided to pause and sent out his spiritual sense.

“Huh? Xin’er’s fighting again? Looks like her opponent is strong,” he observed, immediately spreading his wings and flying out.

Both sides maintained their protective spiritual lights, so surprise attacks would have little effect. He saw no need to waste system coins on invisibility talismans.

“Xiao Wenzi, you’ve broken through again. Well done,” Chu Xin’er’s spiritual sense remained vigilant as soon as he emerged from the spirit beast pouch. Noticing his body had grown larger and his aura now rivaled a Twelfth Layer cultivator, she joyfully transmitted a voice message.

“Mm, Xin’er, I’m here to help you,” he replied. The enemy was no weakling; a head-on clash would be difficult to win quickly. Wasting no time, Xiao Wenzi flew through her protective light and unleashed sharp wing blades at the elder.

“Hmph, wretched girl! I never imagined you would even keep a spirit pet. Too bad there aren’t many. You don’t think it alone can hold me back...” The elder snorted disdainfully.

His wing blades distorted the protective light but could not break through it. At first, he had been genuinely surprised by Xiao Wenzi’s appearance; ordinary mosquitoes rarely cultivated into demons, let alone become spirit pets for cultivators.

Unless they were ancient, primordial creatures, high-level insect beasts were extremely difficult to nurture. Without suitable heavenly materials and cultivation methods, no matter how long, they could not mature.

Xiao Wenzi’s mosquito spirit pet was only the size of a chicken egg but radiated the aura of a Twelfth Layer cultivator. Had there been more of such demon mosquitoes, the elder would have fled.

However, with only one and its attacks unable to breach the protective shield, the elder paid it little mind—until his expression changed dramatically the next moment.