Chapter 40

Originally, Fu Yan had still been somewhat troubled over how to deal with Shui Liuqing. Unexpectedly, the opportunity was delivered straight to her door in an instant. She glanced again at the horse bandit following closely behind. This was practically buy one, get one free!

Thinking of this, Fu Yan did not hesitate at all. She swiftly changed the direction she was fleeing in and ran directly toward another deserted place.

Originally, according to Han Shangzhi’s agreement, the direction they fled in should have led straight out of the Flowing Sand Gobi. However, Fu Yan had changed her mind now. She led the two people behind her deeper inside.

Very soon, Shui Liuqing behind her noticed that something was wrong. Why would Fu Yan suddenly change her escape route at a time like this? She should have swiftly returned and run toward Bai Yueli and the others. That way, she might even avoid making a move.

But something was not right.

Even so, Shui Liuqing still did not give up chasing Fu Yan. No matter what, she believed that the current Fu Yan absolutely would not be her opponent. Even if the other party still had some life-saving method, she had one too.

Thinking of this, Shui Liuqing finally set her heart at ease. Once again, wind seemed to rise beneath her feet, and she increased her speed.

Lang Meng behind them saw the two people ahead suddenly raise their speed. He immediately had the urge to curse. The direction of his cultivation was strength-based. In terms of speed, naturally, he could not compare to them.

But he had already boasted in front of his brothers just now. If he could not capture this woman today, where would he put his face as the third boss? They might all laugh at him.

Thinking of this, Lang Meng immediately gritted his teeth and actually burned the abundant true essence inside his body directly. In the next second, his speed became several times faster than before.

Across the vast Flowing Sand Gobi, three figures swiftly swept [read the original at bailiantales.com]through. As they hurried past, they stirred up sand all over the ground.

Because Shui Liuqing’s gaze had been fixed on Fu Yan ahead of her, she naturally did not pay much attention to Lang Meng behind her. She had not expected that in only a few breaths’ time, the other party would actually catch up directly.

“I say… Beauty, where do you still want to run today?” Lang Meng used his rough voice and stared maliciously at Shui Liuqing, who was now close at hand.

This sudden voice made Shui Liuqing’s scalp tighten. Immediately, she drew her sword and attacked. “Courting death! Don’t think I’m truly afraid of you!”

However, this sword strike was easily dodged by Lang Meng.

In the next moment, the power throughout Lang Meng’s body erupted directly, shaking the surrounding air until it seemed to tremble slightly. Shui Liuqing also immediately protected her body.

“Hehe! This big brother doesn’t want to keep playing with you anymore. If I don’t go back soon, Big Brother and Second Brother will start scolding me again!” Lang Meng stared at Shui Liuqing and could not help laughing. Then he brought out all his strength and directly reached out to seize Shui Liuqing.

Shui Liuqing could not help being startled. She had exchanged several moves with Lang Meng just now, so she naturally understood the other party’s powerful strength. She did not dare underestimate him at all and swiftly used her strongest sword move as well.

After several booming sounds, the two of them began fighting fiercely together. However, it was very obvious that Shui Liuqing’s strength was weaker. She was no match for Lang Meng’s power at all.

After another two or three moves, Shui Liuqing finally swiftly opened up some distance. She smiled slightly at Lang Meng before her, leisurely parting her red lips. “I advise you not to keep fighting. If this continues, I’m afraid you may directly bleed from all seven orifices and die.”

“What?” Lang Meng clearly did not understand Shui Liuqing’s words. But just as he was about to mobilize his true essence, he discovered that his whole body had become weak, and the meridians in his limbs had begun to twitch slightly.

Immediately understanding something, Lang Meng stared read the original at bailiantales.com at Shui Liuqing across from him almost incredulously. “You… you actually used poison!”

Although he found it strange exactly when Shui Liuqing had poisoned him, and how she had so easily avoided his protective true essence, Lang Meng knew that if he allowed the poison inside his body to continue spreading, his life would probably truly be in danger.

Thinking of this, Lang Meng could no longer care about anything else. He quickly sat down cross-legged on the spot and swiftly began suppressing the spread of the poison inside his body. He even tightly protected his vital points and qi sea, not daring to be the least bit careless.

Seeing this, Shui Liuqing could not help sneering. “I already told you. Did you really think I was afraid of you?”

Of course, mockery was mockery. Shui Liuqing did not step forward and directly finish him off with a sword strike, because she knew the consequences of pushing a late Illumination-stage cultivator into desperation. If the other party became furious and dragged her down to die with him, that was not impossible either.

Shui Liuqing had always cherished her life, so naturally, she acted with extreme caution.

Fu Yan had not run far before she discovered that there was suddenly no movement behind her. She immediately turned back in confusion and happened to see Shui Liuqing and that horse bandit suddenly fighting.

Originally, Fu Yan had planned to lure them to an even more remote place so she could take out the Xuyou Jade Seal and deal with them. But now, that was clearly no longer possible.

After spreading her spiritual consciousness around and confirming that there were no other living creatures nearby, Fu Yan did not think too much about it. In any case, this place was remote enough. There should not be anyone suddenly appearing to disturb her.

After making up her mind, Fu Yan quickly turned back and directly returned toward the two people behind her.

And so, after Fu Yan came back, she saw the scene of Lang Meng being poisoned. Looking at the two people before her, she could not help twitching the corners of her mouth.

Without sighing too much, in the next moment, Fu Yan directly [unauthorized copy]took out the Xuyou Jade Seal and immediately sucked the completely unguarded Lang Meng on the ground into the illusion array.

Since Lang Meng was the third boss among that group of horse bandits, his possessions were presumably extremely rich. Fu Yan naturally had no reason to let such a big fat sheep go.

The moment Shui Liuqing sensed Fu Yan’s aura, she swiftly turned around and stared at her. Before she could even open her mouth, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lang Meng, who had just been meditating nearby to suppress the poison, completely vanish in an instant.

Moreover, within several hundred li, Shui Liuqing could no longer sense even the slightest trace of Lang Meng’s aura.

After noticing this eerie scene, Shui Liuqing immediately looked back in shock at the place where Lang Meng had disappeared. She actually felt a chill run down her spine.

“This…” Shui Liuqing turned back in surprise again, staring fixedly at Fu Yan, who had appeared before her.

For a moment, a thought seemed to arise spontaneously. Shui Liuqing immediately felt a chill spreading from the soles of her feet. She raised her eyes to look at Fu Yan and spoke in horror. “It was you… What did you do? How did that horse bandit suddenly disappear?”

Although she was very unwilling to admit it, in this vast Flowing Sand Gobi, there were only the three of them. Just now, aside from using poison, Shui Liuqing had not done anything at all. So naturally, it could only be Fu Yan’s method.

The moment she thought that Fu Yan actually still had this kind of trump card, Shui Liuqing suddenly felt somewhat cold along her back.

“Why is Senior Sister Shui so surprised?” Fu Yan stared at the person before her somewhat amusedly, speaking in a rather relaxed manner.

Although she did not know exactly how Fu Yan had done it, Shui Liuqing could guess that Fu Yan must have some powerful magic treasure in her hands. She had originally thought that getting rid of Fu Yan today was already a sure thing. She had never expected matters to develop this way.

“Junior Sister Fu must have misunderstood. I was only asking casually. Since that horse bandit has already disappeared, we should also go back. Otherwise, [bailiantales.com]Senior Sister Bai and the others may worry.” Shui Liuqing soon came back to herself from her shock. She dryly laughed twice and, as she spoke, prepared to turn and leave swiftly.

No matter what, without at least seventy percent certainty, Shui Liuqing never took risks. She had also realized that Fu Yan was not so easy to deal with. It was better not to act for now.

Because of this, Shui Liuqing even deliberately brought up Bai Yueli. After all, when their group had pretended to flee just now, someone should have seen that she and Fu Yan were together. If only Fu Yan went back alone, naturally, it would make Bai Yueli suspicious.

Fu Yan naturally knew what Shui Liuqing meant. However, since things had already developed to this point, not only had the two of them completely torn off all pretense, but Fu Yan had also exposed the Xuyou Jade Seal. Today, she definitely would not let Shui Liuqing leave this place.

The moment Shui Liuqing’s words fell, without waiting to see whether Fu Yan had any reaction, she swiftly put away her sword and dashed into the distance. For some reason, she felt more and more that following Fu Yan today had been a mistake.

Sure enough, this realization was confirmed in the next second.

Shui Liuqing had only swept forward half a step when she suddenly felt the surrounding air currents change. Then came a familiar spinning of heaven and earth.

In only a breath’s time, Shui Liuqing felt the environment around her rapidly change. After she steadied herself and looked at the vast white fog in every direction, she immediately froze in place.

Because the scene here was very familiar.

The events that had happened in the village raised in captivity by Lie Yan swiftly flashed through Shui Liuqing’s mind. Her face was almost full of shock as she stared at the scene before her.

She had actually come to this strange illusion array once again!

Suddenly thinking of Fu Yan outside the illusion array just now, what else could Shui Liuqing not understand? She never ​stolen content​would have imagined that this illusion array could actually be controlled by Fu Yan.

Clearly, she remembered that last time, Fu Yan had shown nothing strange inside the illusion array.

But the current Shui Liuqing no longer had time to understand the truth of the matter. She had to quickly find an exit. Otherwise, she would definitely be trapped to death inside this illusion array.

At this moment, in the Flowing Sand Gobi, only Fu Yan’s figure remained.

Patting her hands, Fu Yan put the Xuyou Jade Seal away again. After finding a relatively hidden place, Fu Yan also swiftly turned and entered the illusion array.

Lang Meng and Shui Liuqing were both experts at late Illumination stage. If Fu Yan did not enter and control the illusion array, they probably would not die so easily. If they found the exit, then she would truly be finished.

Unfortunately, the Xuyou Jade Seal had one very fatal weakness. Once Fu Yan also entered this illusion array, the Xuyou Jade Seal could only remain outside. So she had to end this quickly.

Without the slightest hesitation, after entering the illusion array, Fu Yan swiftly focused and sensed the positions of the two people and the Corrosion Bees. Only then did she reach out and guide that terrifying swarm of Corrosion Bees over.

At this moment, Lang Meng was still in a dumbfounded state. After all, this was his first time entering the illusion array. Clearly, he had been meditating in the Flowing Sand Gobi just now, but in the blink of an eye, he had appeared in this white fog.

Although he did not know exactly what poison he had been hit with, Lang Meng had still consumed a huge amount of true essence to prevent the poison from spreading further. At this moment, he could move freely.

As a horse bandit who spent years robbing and plundering, Lang Meng’s experience was naturally not shallow. Very soon, he realized that this place was an illusion array. He did not dare be careless either and quickly focused his mind, preventing his consciousness from sinking into it.

“Damn it. That woman not only poisoned me, she actually has an illusion array in her hands too. Once I get out, Read on BaiLianTales I’ll definitely make her pay!” Believing that he had fallen into Shui Liuqing’s trap, Lang Meng could not help spitting out a curse.

After venting the anger in his chest, Lang Meng finally began carefully moving through the white fog, seemingly wanting to quickly find an exit.

However, at that moment, a burst of buzzing suddenly sounded.

Lang Meng did not react right away and stood frozen in place for a moment. When he followed the sound and looked over, he suddenly saw a swarm of black figures swiftly flying toward him.

“This is…” Lang Meng paused slightly. After carefully focusing and looking through the white fog to see that swarm of black figures clearly, his heart immediately trembled, and he spoke in shock. “Co… Corrosion Bees!”

After all, Lang Meng was a horse bandit with broad experience, so he naturally recognized demon beasts like Corrosion Bees. He also understood how powerful Corrosion Bees were. Seeing those Corrosion Bees already flying over, how could he still care about anything else? He swiftly lifted his feet and fled in every direction.

“Why are there Corrosion Bees inside this illusion array!” Lang Meng felt that Heaven had truly played an enormous joke on him.

Because he had burned nearly one-third of his true essence earlier to catch up with Shui Liuqing, then later consumed half of what remained in order to suppress the poison, the true essence inside Lang Meng’s body had already nearly run out.

But the current situation did not allow Lang Meng to care about too much. He could only swiftly mobilize his true essence again and increase the speed of his escape.

Fu Yan watched this scene from afar and could not help laughing secretly.

On Shui Liuqing’s side, while she was moving through the white fog, she suddenly heard some noises. It sounded like someone desperately fleeing. She could not help furrowing her brows tightly, because she knew that inside this illusion array, aside from her, there was also the horse bandit Lang Meng.

Although Lang Meng had been poisoned by her at this moment, judging by the disorderly footsteps coming from all around, he had clearly been forced into a desperate situation. Shui [Read on BaiLianTales]Liuqing truly could not imagine what exactly could drive Lang Meng, who was at the peak of late Illumination stage, completely into despair.

But very soon, she had her answer.

Because in the next moment, Lang Meng’s figure suddenly shot out from within the white fog. After seeing Shui Liuqing’s figure, he also looked full of shock. Just as he was about to start cursing, he remembered the Corrosion Bees chasing behind him. Without even greeting her, he swiftly shot into the white fog at the side again.

Shui Liuqing was somewhat dazed. But just as she was about to say something, she suddenly heard a buzzing sound as well.

This sound was truly especially familiar. When she swiftly turned back, her shocked gaze happened to meet all the Corrosion Bees.

Shui Liuqing: “…”

With no time to think further, she also swiftly darted into the white fog at the side.

Shui Liuqing never would have thought that there would actually be a swarm of Corrosion Bees inside this illusion array. Thinking of the scene when their group had been besieged in the Shadow Forest last time, she still felt her scalp go numb even now.

As she fled, a terrifying thought suddenly arose spontaneously. For the first time, Shui Liuqing felt that Fu Yan was too terrifying. This person had actually dared to collect all the Corrosion Bees they had encountered last time into this illusion array.

No wonder Fu Yan had agreed to her suggestion so actively at the time.

Thinking of this, Shui Liuqing suddenly regretted it. She should not have provoked Fu Yan. Fu Yan was simply a demon—terrifying enough to shock one’s heart.

At this moment, Fu Yan, who was being regarded as a demon, was quietly Read on BaiLianTales watching the scene of the two fleeing before her. She was already too lazy to let them continue running. After all, the Xuyou Jade Seal was still outside. If someone passed by, that would be troublesome.

Thinking of this, Fu Yan did not hesitate at all. She directly raised her hand and simply controlled the entire illusion array the way Qiu Lang had last time. The white fog suddenly seemed to become enormous chains, swiftly locking Lang Meng and Shui Liuqing tightly so they could no longer move in the slightest.

Seeing the white fog locked around her body, Shui Liuqing immediately fell into complete despair, because the swarm of Corrosion Bees behind her had already flown over.

“Buzz, buzz.”

For a moment, the sound of the Corrosion Bee swarm was like something from hell, making one’s hair stand on end.

“Get away from me!” Lang Meng at the side was still struggling desperately. He used all his strength, trying to break through the white fog shackles around him, but in the end, he was powerless.

At this moment, all the Corrosion Bees had already flown over. They swiftly surrounded the two of them completely.

Shui Liuqing could only mobilize all the true essence inside her body and tightly protect her whole body, preventing even a single Corrosion Bee from getting close enough to sting her.

Even though she knew her true essence could not hold out for too long.

Lang Meng at the side was the same. For a moment, the two of them could only wait until their true essence was exhausted. There was no other way.

Fu Yan in the dark could only wait for their true essence to slowly drain away. After all, these Corrosion Bees bit anyone they saw. Naturally, she could not show herself.

“Ahhhhhhh!!”

Very soon, Lang Meng, whose true essence had already been nearly depleted to begin with, was the first to let out a huge scream. Clearly, he had already been thoroughly devoured by the swarm of Corrosion Bees.

As for Shui Liuqing at the side, she watched with her own eyes as Lang Meng turned into a puddle of blood. In that instant, she seemed to feel endless terror, and the final line of defense in her heart finally collapsed.

“Fu Yan! Fu Yan, come out! I know you can hear me!” Shui Liuqing instantly looked around and shouted desperately.

However, she received no response at all.

Shui Liuqing completely despaired. Under anxiety and fear, her face had long since filled with tears. She could only shake her head desperately and cry out loudly, “Fu Yan, come out! I was wrong. I shouldn’t have opposed you, truly. As long as you’re willing to let me go this once, I’ll definitely stay far away from you and never appear before you again!”

But aside from the sound of the Corrosion Bee swarm, there was still no response from the surroundings.

Shui Liuqing collapsed completely. “Fu Yan, Fu Yan, I’m begging you, let me go. Don’t… don’t you want the antidote? Right, as long as you’re willing to let me go, I’ll definitely help you resolve that black qi. Fu Yan, Fu Yan…”

Seeing that her true essence was already about to fail, Shui Liuqing had begun speaking somewhat incoherently.

Fortunately, this time, she finally heard Fu Yan’s voice. “Do you think I can still believe your words? Even if you handed the antidote to me, would I dare eat it?”

“No… no. Fu Yan, I’m serious. I really regret it. Everything I’m saying is true. As long as you’re willing to let me go, I’m willing to do anything!” Shui Liuqing seemed to see a trace of hope and immediately shouted loudly again.

She was like someone clutching the last life-saving straw, desperately trying to explain something.

What Fu Yan did not know was that at this moment, Shui Liuqing truly did regret it. Thinking carefully, she and Fu Yan had never had any real conflict. Everything had only been because of a mere Zhou Zhenlie, yet she had actually come to oppose Fu Yan.

Now, only then did she know how foolish she had been back then. For the sake of Zhou Zhenlie, she had staked her own life. It was not worth it at all.

Shui Liuqing wanted to live. She did not want to die like this!

Looking at Shui Liuqing sobbing uncontrollably, Fu Yan still had no intention of softening. After all, Shui Liuqing had always been cunning. If she let her go, that would undoubtedly be releasing a tiger back to the mountain. Moreover, above Shui Liuqing, there was still Elder Zhou.

If she easily let Shui Liuqing return, then Fu Yan could be certain that when she returned to the Shuiling Sect again, she would probably only have one path: death.

In this world where martial strength was supreme, things were already this cruel. Once two sides had formed a grudge, it was always either you die and I live, or I die and you live. Softening one’s heart at any time was a way of seeking death.

Fu Yan had always understood this deeply.

It seemed that because Shui Liuqing’s true essence was already close to drying up, the protective true essence around her body had begun to dim. Presumably, she could not hold out much longer.

That swarm of Corrosion Bees seemed to clearly understand this as well and swiftly surrounded Shui Liuqing completely, leaving not the slightest gap.

After taking one final look at Shui Liuqing, who had completely fallen into despair and collapse, Fu Yan could only shake her head helplessly and move her gaze away.

Looking at Lang Meng beside her, who had already turned into a puddle of blood, Fu Yan immediately moved her mind. The storage spirit ring [Read on BaiLianTales]that had fallen to the ground flew directly into her hand.

With no time to check what was inside, Fu Yan turned directly, preparing to leave first. However, at this moment, Shui Liuqing’s voice came from behind her once again.

She shouted, “Fu Yan, I’m willing to sign a master-servant contract with you using my soul!”