Chapter 309: Nine Layers of Core Formation

"What?" Jiang Fan's expression shifted, and he eagerly said, "Please guide me, Senior!"

The enemies he encountered were growing more numerous and stronger. He desperately needed to enhance his physique, giving himself an additional life-saving trump card.

Xu Qingyang was a friend of Ling Jinghu, on the same level as her; perhaps he possessed resources in this regard?

Xu Qingyang said, "Grand Elder Zhou Qidan of the Myriad Sword Sect has a bottle of Poison Dragon Marrow Essence."

"She obtained it many years ago, accidentally finding it in an ancient cave dwelling during an expedition outside the domain."

"This item was extracted from a Nascent Soul Realm Poison Dragon Demon Monarch."

"Although its efficacy is not as good as the bottle of Demon Monarch Blood Essence in the Spirit Beast Sect Master's possession, it is still an unparalleled divine treasure for body tempering."

"The Giant Sect Master has sought it for years but has never managed to obtain it."

The Demon Monarch Blood Essence in Gong Caiyi's hands was the top-grade blood of the Howling Moon Celestial Wolf, a formidable Demon Monarch approaching the Spirit Transformation Realm in its prime.

Naturally, this Poison Dragon Demon Monarch was far inferior to the Howling Moon Celestial Wolf.

Its marrow essence was, of course, significantly less effective.

However, that was a relative comparison.

The Nine Sects had the most authority to speak on how terrifying a Demon Monarch could be.

They had been forced to treat them as formidable enemies.

One could only imagine how precious a bottle of Demon Monarch marrow could be!

Jiang Fan's eyes gleamed with excitement, then he quickly calmed down and said with a wry smile:

"If even the Giant Sect Master couldn't acquire it after years of trying, how could a junior like me hope to obtain it?"

Xu Qingyang chuckled, "Just ask for it without worry."

"I will speak to her on your behalf beforehand."

Ling Jinghu, standing nearby, was stunned.

Xu Qingyang was actually going to owe Grand Elder Zhou Qidan an enormous favor for Jiang Fan's sake!

She didn't believe that Zhou Qidan, also a Grand Elder, would simply give away such precious Poison Dragon Marrow Essence just because Xu Qingyang asked.

It would definitely incur a huge favor.

She quickly understood.

Xu Qingyang saw that Jiang Fan couldn't comprehend the Sword Control Technique and wanted to repay the healing favor in another way.

It was just that this favor was quite significant.

Jiang Fan also understood.

How could such an unparalleled treasure be acquired with just a simple request?

After a moment of thought, he said, "Senior, what kind of things does Senior Zhou Qidan, whom you mentioned, like?"

"It wouldn't be right for me to go empty-handed, would it?"

Xu Qingyang let out a light laugh.

Did this fellow actually think he could impress a Grand Elder?

To make him give up the idea, he didn't hide anything and said, "She's currently collecting beast materials; the higher the grade, the better."

"However, she won't even glance at materials below the mid-Core Formation stage."

Jiang Fan nodded slightly.

Coincidentally, he had a mid-Core Formation stage Silver-winged Thunder Roc demon core.

It was barely presentable.

However, it was clearly far from enough to exchange for Poison Dragon Marrow Essence.

He couldn't help but feel disheartened.

Just then.

Something squirmed beneath Jiang Fan's robe.

It was the little Qilin, suddenly startled awake, squeaking wildly in Jiang Fan's mind:

"Oh no, bad guys are here."

Bad guys?

Jiang Fan was slightly taken aback and immediately became vigilant.

*Whoosh—*

Suddenly!

An incredibly swift sound of something tearing through the air resonated without warning.

Jiang Fan, already on guard, immediately caught a lightning-fast afterimage in his peripheral vision, shooting towards a disciple of the Joyful Union Sect!

Without hesitation, he activated his movement technique.

With the speed of lightning, he slashed out with his sword!

Just as the sword qi was about to burst forth.

A figure in a green robe flickered into existence.

With an empty-handed grab, he caught the afterimage in his palm.

It was actually a black feather, like an iron arrow!

And the one who caught it was, naturally, Xu Qingyang!

He crushed the feather with a single pinch of his hand, then looked at Jiang Fan with some surprise and said:

"Lad, you're also skilled in movement techniques?"

He was closer to the Joyful Union Sect disciple.

Yet, Jiang Fan almost got there first.

This greatly surprised him.

Jiang Fan promptly retracted his sword, his gaze fixed on the source of the feather, and said gravely, "Senior, now is not the time to be concerned about that!"

"It seems we've been caught up by demon beasts!"

These demon beasts were beings that even Jin Yunlie would flee from!

The green-robed elder's strength was not superior to Jin Yunlie's, so how could he be so relaxed?

Xu Qingyang laughed wryly.

He looked in the direction the feather had come from.

A hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.

If these demon beasts had cornered him a few days ago, he would indeed have been in danger.

But his strength had recovered by fifty percent.

The demon beasts capable of killing him were now few and far between!

And that black raptor in the sky was certainly not among them.

"A mere mid-Core Formation Beast King dares to pursue us?"

Xu Qingyang snorted coldly.

He pointed two fingers together like a sword, jabbing through the air.

*Whoosh—*

A stone beneath his feet immediately shot forward.

Its speed was unparalleled.

The stone created sparks as it cut through the air and emitted an incredibly sharp screeching sound.

The power of this strike made Jiang Fan gasp.

So, when the Sword Control Technique was cultivated to mastery, all things could be used as swords!

The black raptor was also startled and frantically flapped its wings, trying to evade, but the strike was too fast!

It had nowhere to dodge.

Just as it was about to be pierced through the chest by the stone.

From the raptor's back, a massive, skeletal hand suddenly extended.

Its palm wasn't particularly large, but its five fingers were grotesquely long, like ancient towering trees.

Moreover, they were incredibly sharp.

They looked exactly like ten-times magnified long spears!

With a grab of its massive palm, it caught the stone.

The terrifying scorching wave from the stone caused wisps of black smoke to rise from the skeletal claws.

But in the end, it successfully blocked it.

Xu Qingyang's expression slightly changed: "One of the Demon Monarch's Ten Great Generals, Cold Bone?"

"So it truly was you ambushing this old man!"

Under the Demon Monarch's command, there were countless powerful demon beasts.

In addition to the famously formidable Four Great Demon Kings, there were also the Ten Great Generals, who struck fear into people's hearts.

It was said that each of them possessed combat power on par with a Grand Elder of the Nine Sects.

The demon beast with the eerie skeletal claws before them was Cold Bone, one of the Ten Great Generals.

Previously, seeing the tearing marks on the corpses, Xu Qingyang had already speculated.

Now it seemed, it was indeed Cold Bone's work.

As his words fell.

From the raptor's back, a bizarre demon beast slowly climbed up. Its body was like a giant ape, but it was entirely composed of white bones.

Its pair of skeletal claws, larger than its own body, were even more terrifying.

Two blood-bead-like eyes embedded in its skull coldly peered down at them.

Ling Jinghu gasped, "A peak Core Formation stage Beast King!"

"What?"

The disciples' expressions drastically changed.

Even Jiang Fan's heart pounded wildly.

Core Formation ninth layer?

No wonder Jin Yunlie didn't even dare to pick up the teeth of the Red-scaled Evil Flood Dragon.

The one ambushing him was actually such a terrifying existence on par with a Grand Elder!

Cold Bone stared at Xu Qingyang, its eyes very solemn.

It was also shocked.

Why had Xu Qingyang's injuries recovered so quickly? This was far beyond expectations.

The Sky-Devouring Tiger had been critically ill then, with only a breath left.

It was the Young Mistress who cut her own wrist and used the Demon Monarch blood essence from her body to save the Sky-Devouring Tiger's life.

According to the Sky-Devouring Tiger, Xu Qingyang's injuries were not much lighter than its own.

For him to be alive now was a miracle.

But looking at Xu Qingyang's current state, how did he look like he was severely injured?

It spoke in the demon beast language, commanding, "Black Hawk, immediately notify the other Beast Kings to come here!"

"I will try to hold him off!"

Having spoken, it leaped down.

It extended a pair of eerie skeletal claws and launched an attack towards Xu Qingyang.

Xu Qingyang snorted, "Perfect timing!"

His body surged with energy, and invisible sword qi was released from within, piercing through the air with his sword heart.

*Bang—*

The battle between the two was extremely fast.

Jiang Fan only saw two afterimages intersect and then immediately separate.

He couldn't see the details of the battle at all.

He was inwardly shaken: "Is this the clash between powerhouses?"

"Ordinary people don't even have the right to watch!"