Why was I considering so many things?
As a disciple, the most I could do was not to act personally. I would let them make their move, and then I would snatch it away unexpectedly, hehehe…
Mo Qi had made his plans and collected the Fire Demon and the Little Blood People, leaving only a tiny one to follow him.
Mo Qi unleashed his Golden Light Shrinking Ground Technique, carefully following the two behind.
As they walked, the two chatted about random things, completely unaware of anyone following them.
Before long, they arrived at the entrance of a cave. Guang Chengzi pulled Shen Bao low and said, "Wait a moment."
"What is it?" Shen Bao asked, surprised.
"There's a Taotie guarding inside."
"Why don't we just fight our way in?" Shen Bao rolled his eyes.
"Fight our way in? Do you want to attract the attention of the disciples of the Shangqing Sect? Dealing with one Taotie is already a headache, and you want to summon the Shangqing Sect disciples?" Guang Chengzi fired back in a rapid stream of words.
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Shen Bao asked, sounding a little anxious.
"Create a diversion!"
"Be more specific."
"You go in and fight for a bit, then run out. When it comes out to chase you, I'll dig up the spiritual branch," Guang Chengzi said.
"You've thought this out too perfectly," Shen Bao said with a slight curl of his lip. "Why isn't it you attracting the Taotie's attention while I dig up the spiritual branch?"
Guang Chengzi thought about it. Shen Bao's cultivation was too low. Even if he let Shen Bao dig up the spiritual branch, he wouldn't be able to hoard it all.
"Alright, then I'll attract the Taotie's attention, and you dig up the spiritual branch," Guang Chengzi said.
No sooner said than done!
Guang Chengzi floated into the cave.
A moment later, a roar was heard from within the cave, and a figure floated out, followed by a four-legged monster hopping out.
The four-legged monster had the body of a sheep and the face of a human, with tiger's teeth and human claws. It was extremely ferocious.
The Taotie chased Guang Chengzi away.
Mo Qi was greatly surprised. He hadn't expected such a cliché plan to actually succeed!
It really was a beast with a simple mind and strong limbs!
Even after transforming into a divine beast, it seemed there was no improvement.
Shen Bao looked around for a moment, saw no one, and then hurriedly ran into the cave.
Mo Qi used his Golden Light Shrinking Ground Technique, turning into a speck of light, and hovered silently at the cave entrance. A moment later, Shen Bao emerged in a panic.
He held two sections of spiritual branches in his hand, thinking he would share them with Guang Chengzi to avoid him gossiping.
Just then, a flash of light and shadow appeared before him, a gust of wind blew, and the spiritual branches in his hand vanished.
A streak of light was rapidly fleeing into the distance.
Shen Bao was furious. Someone was double-crossing them! This was too arrogant!
Shen Bao, in a rage, pursued the fleeing streak of light.
Mo Qi, holding the two sections of spiritual branches, sped away, biting into them. He found the spiritual branches surprisingly hard and tough. He gnawed for a long time before managing to bite off a small piece.
After biting it off, he found it unpalatable, but for the sake of his cultivation, he had to persevere!
Even if it tasted like dirt, he had to grit his teeth and swallow it.
In fact, the taste was very similar to eating dirt.
Shen Bao, burning with rage, pursued him at high speed.
The closer he got, the more familiar the person in front of him seemed.
He felt like he had seen them somewhere before.
At this moment, Mo Qi was desperately gnawing on the spiritual branches. They were too awful to eat!
Eating them made him gag repeatedly, but he had to force himself to swallow.
After a long while, Shen Bao suddenly recognized Mo Qi and jumped with anger, "Kid, it's you! You stole my Thunderclap Whip last time, and now you're stealing my spiritual branches. This is outrageous!"
Mo Qi ignored him and continued to flee at full speed.
Shen Bao thought Mo Qi was scared and became even bolder, accelerating his pursuit.
Mo Qi, however, was unable to make a move because he hadn't finished eating the items.
A moment later, he gagged and swallowed both sections of spiritual branches, and then prepared to turn back. Just then, he felt a disturbance in the air. Judging by the direction of the disturbance, it was Guang Chengzi, who had shaken off the Taotie and was returning.
Mo Qi immediately turned around and roared at Shen Bao, "Shameless villain, how dare you come to my Shangqing Sect to steal! Hand over the spiritual branches immediately!"
Shen Bao was stunned for a moment. While he was dazed, Mo Qi raised his hand and shouted, "Pangu's Divine Power, Shatter the Void!"
The star-plate-shaped spiritual energy exploded and shot towards Shen Bao. Shen Bao estimated the attack and, not daring to confront it directly, turned and fled.
At this moment, Guang Chengzi saw this scene and immediately came to Shen Bao's aid, "It's you! Give me back my Heaven-Overturning Seal!"
He flicked his whisk, sending countless fine, hair-like light projections towards Mo Qi. They were dense and boundless, interweaving with dazzling radiance, like shuttles of light and shadow, bringing with them the sound of wind and thunder, changing the surrounding winds and clouds.
Mo Qi dared not underestimate the attack. He summoned the Eastern Emperor Bell, leaped up, and shouted, "Pangu's Divine Power, Star Devour!" A white light flashed, and from within the giant bell, a vortex suddenly rose, spinning and drawing all the radiant light and shadow into the bell. The bell emitted a continuous humming sound.
Mo Qi pushed the Eastern Emperor Bell towards Guang Chengzi. Vortices continuously extended from the center, sweeping towards Guang Chengzi.
Guang Chengzi flicked his whisk a few more times, but it not only failed to move the bell but almost flew out of his hand. He himself was contorted, almost falling into the abyss.
Guang Chengzi knew the power of the attack and that he could not resist it. He turned and fled to the side.
Shen Bao, seeing Guang Chengzi coming to his aid, turned to join forces with him to defeat Mo Qi. However, when he turned, Guang Chengzi had already fled. He had no choice but to turn and continue his escape.
At this time, Duobao Daoist, Turtle Spirit Holy Mother, Yu Yuan, and others heard the commotion and rushed over from afar. They also heard Mo Qi continue to berate the two, "Thieves from the Yuqing Sect, hand over your stolen goods quickly."
People gathered around, asking in a flurry of questions, "What was stolen?"
"Where is the person?"
A few people spotted the figure and immediately gave chase without question.
Mo Qi stopped and said, "It was Guang Chengzi and Shen Bao from the Yuqing Sect. They stole the spiritual branches."
"What? Stole the spiritual branches? How detestable! They are like grave robbers!"
A group of people cursed and entered the cave, with Mo Qi following them.
Duobao Daoist, who was at the forefront, breathed a sigh of relief upon entering the cave, "Fortunately, only two side branches were dug up, and the main root is still here. It wasn't dug up."
Mo Qi was greatly disappointed. These two timid, foolish thieves still didn't dare to act ruthlessly!
To prevent the Taotie from returning and harming the innocent, everyone quickly emerged from the cave and returned to the main hall.
A moment later, a group of people dragged Guang Chengzi in. Guang Chengzi had a distressed look on his face and said with his head bowed, "Esteemed sirs, I am here to return the Purple Cloud Crown of the Fire Spirit Holy Mother. I am here to return the Purple Cloud Crown. The Fire Spirit Holy Mother died in front of the general's formation. I have come specifically to return the Purple Cloud Crown."
"Why did you come to the back mountain to return the Purple Cloud Crown?" the crowd did not believe him. Moreover, upon hearing the news of the Fire Spirit Holy Mother's death, their emotions were greatly stirred.
"I took a wrong turn," Guang Chengzi mumbled. "I accidentally came to the back mountain."
Seeing Guang Chengzi's miserable state, Mo Qi felt a pang of sympathy and said, "The spiritual branches were indeed stolen by Shen Bao. He ran off with them."
"They must have colluded. One distracted the Taotie, and the other dug up the spiritual branches. Neither of them is a good person," Yu Yuan said.
Mo Qi secretly praised him, thinking he was quite clever. Although he hadn't witnessed the entire event, it was as if he had been there.
"And their killing of the Fire Spirit Holy Mother cannot be lightly forgiven either," Turtle Spirit Holy Mother said indignantly.
Guang Chengzi said, "The leaders of all the sects agreed that the three sects would jointly assist King Wu in overthrowing the Yin Dynasty. We cannot go against the will of heaven, otherwise, losing one's cultivation and being listed among the gods would be one's own doing. At that time, the Fire Spirit Holy Mother was in the Yin camp. We repeatedly advised her, but she refused to listen. She brought this upon herself..."
As he spoke, Guang Chengzi saw so many eyes glaring at him, and he lost his confidence. His voice grew smaller and smaller until it finally fell silent.
"This is too much! They killed our people and then came to show off. Are they here to warn us?" Yu Yuan said furiously.
The emotions of the surrounding people were instantly ignited, and they all attacked Guang Chengzi.
With a series of crackling sounds, under the围攻, Guang Chengzi was quickly beaten and bruised.
Guang Chengzi initially covered his head and endured the rain of attacks. Later, he could no longer bear it and finally erupted.
With a thunderous roar, a ball of light energy suddenly erupted outwards from the center, like a volcanic eruption. The figures around were sent flying in all directions like leaves in the wind, scattering and falling to the ground.
Caught off guard, everyone was hit by this heavy blow and suffered severe injuries. Most of them could not get up.
Only Duobao Daoist and Golden Spirit Holy Mother, with their higher cultivation, quickly struggled to their feet.
"This is your territory, and I've been letting you have your way, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid of you. You've gone too far, you're bullying us too much," Guang Chengzi said, his hair disheveled, his face contorted, exuding a menacing aura.
Although Duobao Daoist and Golden Spirit Holy Mother had stood up, it was merely self-deception. They were severely injured.
Guang Chengzi swept his whisk, and thousands of fine, hair-like light energies densely struck Golden Spirit Holy Mother and Duobao Daoist.
At the same time, he moved like a phantom, light and shadow intertwining.
Golden Spirit Holy Mother used a jade Ruyi scepter to meet the attack, but was caught off guard and knocked to the ground again.
Duobao Daoist wielded a treasured sword, and after several exchanges, he too was knocked to the ground.
At this time, people kept getting up, only to be knocked down by Guang Chengzi.
Guang Chengzi weaved through the disciples of the Shangqing Sect as if no one was there, laughing heartily, "Who else?"
"Your cultivation as Shangqing Sect disciples is too low, your roots are shallow, and you are not suited for immortal cultivation. What can you do besides outnumbering us? I'm not afraid of you even when you outnumber me. Get up, come and fight! I can take on your entire mountain gate by myself. Hahaha..."
The piercing laughter echoed over Biyou Palace for a long time, stimulating everyone's nerves. However, everyone could only anxiously watch, as anyone who stepped forward was swept to the ground by Guang Chengzi's whisk. He was simply invincible.