Chapter 58: Spirit Essence of the Earth Veins

While Li Chengfu was engaged in battle, Xu Chen took the opportunity to cultivate the Blood Foundation technique from a distance. When the fighting ended, Xu Chen had just finished a round of cultivation. Li Chengfu, still brimming with murderous energy from the recent fight, approached and saw this scene, his expression complex and hard to describe.

“Brother Xu, please don’t do this. You’re making me feel useless,” he muttered.

“I just thought there’s no point in being idle,” Xu Chen replied.

Just then, both of their disciple tokens sounded simultaneously. Pulling them out, the two quickly dashed off in the same direction.

Within the Daxi Sect, it was a strict rule that if a fellow disciple called for help, you must respond unless there was a compelling reason not to.

Dozens of miles away, three female disciples of the Tricolored Fox Clan were fleeing in disarray. Behind them, a large group of hostile, bestial outsiders chased relentlessly, their faces twisted with malice.

“Sister Liuli, crush the realm talisman and let’s go! We’ll give up this opportunity!” one of the fox clan girls cried, glancing back in terror.

“Just hold on a bit more. As long as help from our sect arrives and these outsiders are dealt with, even if we have to share the opportunity, we’ll still gain from it,” the lead fox girl called back without turning. “The chance is right before us. Even if it means death, we must seize it. Otherwise, how can we hope to defy fate?”

At that moment, three arrows shot through the air and pierced each of their calves.

“We’re done for, crush the talisman!” someone shouted.

Six more arrows flew, pinning their hands to the ground. Surrounded by the outsiders, the fox girls trembled in terror, faces pale.

For any human or non-human who fell into the hands of these savage outsiders in the trial realm, torment and death awaited.

“Sister Liuli, why didn’t you listen to me earlier!” the fox girl who had wanted to retreat broke down in despair.

“Fox meat may not be as sweet as human flesh, but it’ll make a good meal,” an outsider leered.

“Chief, they’re not just good for eating, but for playing with too,” another added, eyes growing more wicked as they roamed over the fox girls.

A rough, foul-smelling hand reached out and caressed one girl’s face.

“We’ll have our fun with them first.”

At that critical moment, Xu Chen and Li Chengfu arrived. The scene before them was the three fox clan girls pinned to the ground and surrounded.

“You lucky devil, looks like you’re in for some beauty tonight,” Li Chengfu whispered, instantly picturing what might have happened next, a jealous grin spreading across his face.

“Why don’t you take a turn pretending?” A wave of powerful blood energy rolled off Xu Chen as he stepped forward.

“I think I’ll pass,” Li Chengfu replied, knowing his limits—at best, he could handle two of these outsiders at once.

“I’ll leave two for you, then.” Xu Chen drew his treasured blade and charged.

Seeing the newcomers, one of the outsiders nocked six arrows and loosed them at Xu Chen. Xu Chen’s speed surged, dodging every shot.

“Desolate Severance!”

A flash of his blade and a chorus of screams—eight outsiders were hacked to pieces in an instant. The remaining two were left for Li Chengfu.

Xu Chen sheathed his blade and strode toward the three fox girls pinned to the ground.

“Thank you, senior brother, for saving us,” the three fox clan girls said gratefully.

“You’re truly fortunate,” Xu Chen replied, pulling out the arrows and handing them three packets of blood-stopping powder from his storage pouch.

“Thank you, senior brother,” the girls murmured, still shaken, their delicate faces pitiful.

Xu Chen studied the trio, lost in thought.

“Senior brother, we discovered a small tribe. There’s a pool of earth-vein spiritual liquid there, worth at least several million spirit coins,” Fox Liuli offered after a moment’s hesitation.

Xu Chen smiled. “No wonder you were unwilling to crush the talisman. So this is the opportunity.”

“Senior brothers, if you take the lion’s share, could you spare us a little?” The three pairs of watery eyes gazed pleadingly at Xu Chen.

“Brother Xu, give them thirty percent—count it as mine,” said Li Chengfu, approaching, his heart melting at the sight of the pitiful fox girls despite the blood still staining his robes.

“So, beauties, what exactly did you find?” he asked with a grin.

“A pool of earth-vein spiritual liquid, at least several million in value.”

“Oh, so that’s all? Give them thirty percent, and I’ll make up the difference if it’s lacking,” Li Chengfu said, clapping Xu Chen on the shoulder.

“Very well, let’s go. Ladies, lead the way.”

After so long in the trial realm, Xu Chen had almost forgotten about such fortuitous encounters.

The fox girls led the way, with Xu Chen and Li Chengfu following close behind.

“Brother Li, with your background as a second-generation immortal, surely you’re not lacking for women?” Xu Chen transmitted with a burst of force.

“Who says I’m not? I’m sorely lacking,” Li Chengfu replied, his tone tinged with regret. “I was betrothed to a powerful clan from birth; in this life, I’ll only ever have her as my Dao companion. But my nature is too affectionate for just one woman.”

“So I want to love as many as I can while I still can.”

Two hours later, Xu Chen saw the tribe—at least several hundred outsiders in number.

“How do we attack?” Li Chengfu asked.

“The pool is too big for my storage bag. Let’s fill yours first,” Xu Chen said.

“You just focus on collecting the spiritual liquid. Leave everything else to me.” Xu Chen drew his treasured blade.

“The pool is in a cave over there. I’ll take you,” Fox Liuli pointed, where a squad of outsiders stood guard.

“Let’s go.”

They strode boldly forward, Xu Chen cutting down every outsider who tried to stop them, leaving a trail of limbs and corpses in their wake.

At the cave entrance, Xu Chen became a blur, dashing inside. Screams rang out as flesh and bone flew, yet not a drop of blood touched him.

“A bit ruthless, but it’ll be easier once I master the Twelve-Wave Clone technique,” he thought.

He darted deeper into the cave—no more outsiders within.

“It’s clear. You can collect the liquid now,” he called, standing guard at the entrance as the remaining outsiders hesitated, unwilling to challenge him.

“Looks like the Blueblood Clan,” Xu Chen noted, flicking the blood from his blade and eyeing the blue-skinned outsiders with disdain.

Li Chengfu soon emerged from the cave. “Let’s go, it’s all stored away—not a drop left.”

“And the three sisters?”

“They crushed their realm talismans and returned to heal their wounds.”

“Weren’t we giving them thirty percent?”

“I’ll give it to them later,” Li Chengfu said with a mischievous grin.

The two left under the stunned gaze of the remaining outsiders.

That night, inside Li Chengfu’s cave-world, Xu Chen gazed at the pool of spiritual liquid.

“Earth-vein spiritual liquid has countless uses—maintaining formations, powering spirit ships. With certain secret arts, it can even be transformed into special spiritual energy. All the great sects and clans need it in large quantities. It’ll sell easily,” Li Chengfu remarked at Xu Chen’s side.