Chapter 59: An Urgent Desire for Death?

Xuanqing Daoist Master raised his sword-like brows, his icy gaze as sharp as a blade, piercing straight through Soul Hunter.

“Your intentions are plain to me. The Resurrection Flower is not something you people can covet.”

Upon hearing this, Snow Hawk’s eyes blazed with fury. He gripped his massive twin axes, his aura gathering like a wild beast poised to pounce, ready to obliterate this insolent ant in an instant.

“Soul Hunter, why bother with words? Didn’t we agree to kill anyone bold enough to come here?”

Soul Hunter swept an arrogant glance over Iron Wing, a cold sneer curling at his lips: Today will be the day your former master falls.

Iron Wing felt that gaze and his eyes flickered.

“Attack! Make it quick. The Resurrection Flower is about to bloom—we cannot afford delay!”

With that, countless razor-sharp blade shadows erupted from Soul Hunter’s weapon, surging towards Xuanqing Daoist Master like a tidal wave.

Unmoved, Xuanqing Daoist Master raised his hand and conjured an impenetrable shield of ice, blocking every blade.

Without hesitation, Snow Hawk snatched up his twin axes and leaped, hacking toward Xuanqing Daoist Master with tremendous force.

A cold light flashed in the Daoist Master’s eyes; his hands moved like lightning, instantly casting another spell.

Countless ice lances rained down upon Snow Hawk and Soul Hunter, each one suffused with a biting chill.

Snow Hawk’s axes whirled like a tempest, shattering the incoming ice into powder.

He laughed loudly, “Ha! Is that all? Bring more! This meager frost is barely enough for me to chop!”

Soul Hunter’s figure slipped through the barrage of ice like a wraith, as though he’d rehearsed this dance a thousand times.

“Is it you who thinks you can hurt me?” Soul Hunter sneered.

Xuanqing Daoist Master hadn’t expected these two at the Nascent Soul stage to hold out against him for so long.

His eyes narrowed; he drew the Frostblade Sword and, moving like a bolt of lightning, lunged at Soul Hunter.

But Soul Hunter’s body blurred like a phantom, twisting aside with ease—the sword’s tip barely brushed his sleeve, trailing a wisp of chill.

“You—what, am I beneath you? Why does your sword not aim at me first?”

Snow Hawk roared, gripping his axes, and charged at Xuanqing Daoist Master like a bolt of black thunder.

It was the first time the Daoist Master had encountered an opponent so eager to be attacked first. Was this a death wish?

The three of them were caught in a maelstrom of blade and sword, spells and strikes intertwining, fighting dozens of rounds with no clear victor.

…

Under cover of night, Jiang Yan and his companions affixed invisibility talismans and silently crept to the edge of the clearing.

The fierce battle between Xuanqing Daoist Master and his adversaries raged on.

“Hehehe, what a spectacle!” Jiang Yan watched the fight with relish, nodding in approval from time to time.

He even offered silent commentary in his heart.

When true masters cross swords, how could satisfaction come in fewer than eight hundred rounds? Keep going, yes, harder! Ah, how could you let your opponent dodge so easily? Tch, there’s hardly any blood—still not vicious enough! And look at that, your big moves lack ferocity!

After watching for so long, Jiang Yan began to feel bored. Why was no one seriously injured yet? Was this realistic? Tch, maybe the protagonist just isn’t up to the task?

He asked, “Senior Sister, those from the Divine Realm—even suppressed to the Nascent Soul stage, are they still this troublesome?”

“Little Six, from the ferocity they’re showing, eight or nine out of ten must be assassins from the Divine Realm. They’re specially trained; challenging opponents above their level isn’t impossible.”

Jiang Yan didn’t dwell on it—after all, he wasn’t the one fighting those two.

Zhou Yu grew anxious as he watched Jiang Yan’s group delay, not wanting to miss this opportunity.

He asked, “Can we pick the Resurrection Flower now?”

At this point, the flower’s fragrance was gone from the air. Xuanqing Daoist Master and the two from the Divine Realm were still locked in a stalemate.

Jiang Yan grinned slyly—wasn’t this the perfect moment to seize the enemy’s treasure?

He immediately commanded the Little Dwarf Dragon, “Go, now.”

In his heart, he added: Go on, Pikachu!

The Little Dwarf Dragon instantly dashed toward the Resurrection Flower with its short legs, clutching Ji Chuxue’s space ring in its claws.

Iron Wing had already sensed his master’s soul stirring. Inwardly, he prayed for his master to seize the chance and claim the Resurrection Flower.

But just then, Iron Wing detected another familiar divine beast aura rapidly approaching the flower’s location—the very one he’d smelled by his master’s side that day!

In the next instant, both Resurrection Flowers vanished without a trace…

Iron Wing immediately shut his eyes, feigning sleep, secretly rejoicing: Wonderful! Master finally has the Resurrection Flower.

The male disciple’s attention was wholly absorbed by the battle; he failed to notice the flower’s quiet disappearance. Watching the fight, he cheered inwardly, silently rooting for the Daoist Master to rid them of those two fiends.

The moment the Little Dwarf Dragon got the Resurrection Flower, it stashed it away in the space ring, then hurried back to Jiang Yan’s group, whispering, “Mission accomplished!”

“Let’s go,” Ji Chuxue ordered decisively.

Without delay, the group slipped away.

…

Meanwhile, the sect disciples had reached the foot of the cliff but saw no sign of Xuanqing Daoist Master.

“What’s going on? Where did the Master go?” one disciple asked, scratching his head in confusion.

Another’s eyes gleamed with hope. “Could the Master have gone ahead and found the legendary Resurrection Flower?”

“Very likely. The Master’s power is unfathomable,” a third agreed.

As they speculated, a peculiar fragrance suddenly drifted through the air.

“This scent—is it the Resurrection Flower?” a disciple asked, greedily inhaling.

“So fragrant—truly refreshing!” another couldn’t help but sigh in delight.

“I never knew the Resurrection Flower smelled so amazing,” others marveled.

Yet, before they could clear their heads from the aroma, a wave of dizziness swept over them, and one by one, they collapsed to the ground, unconscious.