Chapter 761: Dragon Heart Blood Lotus

Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue, amidst their fierce battle, were completely unaware. They were rapidly communicating via voice transmission.

“Wu Manyue, are you lying to me?” Ren Guhong asked. “Didn’t you say the blood corpse described in the notes was at the eighth level of Core Formation? This one is already at the ninth level!”

Ren Guhong, feeling a pang of heartache, threw out precious lightning talismans exchanged with merit points. Wu Manyue also painstakingly launched fire-attribute magical artifacts, saying:

“What benefit would I gain by lying to you? Most likely, this blood corpse enhanced its strength by using the Dragon Heart Blood Lotus inside.”

Ren Guhong also knew he couldn't blame Wu Manyue. After all, two hundred years had passed; no one could guarantee how much had changed inside.

He frowned, saying, “I really shouldn’t have listened to you and abandoned Junior Brother Jiang just now. We should have brought him here with us. With him helping to absorb some of the attacks, we would have been somewhat less strained. We could even have had him distract the blood corpse.”

Currently, throwing out one lightning talisman after another truly pained him. Yet this blood corpse possessed immense strength and tough skin. It feared neither spells nor blades. It only feared objects imbued with the pure yang energy of heaven and earth.

Wu Manyue also felt some regret:

“That kid has countless tricks up his sleeve; perhaps he truly could have handled the blood corpse. But it’s too late now. Let’s both stop holding back. Quickly use our ultimate moves to slay the blood corpse and take the Dragon Heart Blood Lotus. Otherwise, if that kid figures it out and comes after us for a share of the Dragon Heart Blood Lotus, will you give it to him or not?”

Hearing this, Ren Guhong, with a bleeding heart, took out a long blade wrapped in lightning. Wu Manyue, also quite reluctantly, produced a hairpin from which black flames flowed.

At the same time, Jiang Fan quietly rounded the corner. Indeed, he saw a small secret chamber, ten feet wide. This was already the end of the tunnel.

Three walls were incredibly damp. Water dripped intermittently from directly above the chamber. It fell to the ground, accumulating into a small puddle about five feet in diameter.

“Such rich spiritual energy,” Jiang Fan immediately noticed that the water droplets were exceptionally rich in spiritual energy. This pool of water was enough for cultivators at the early Core Formation stage to break through a level.

However, the spiritual liquid in this puddle was likely consumed by the blood corpse. It was no longer suitable for consumption.

Suddenly, he discovered a palm-sized green lotus leaf floating in the puddle. Beside the lotus leaf, a lotus pod stood proudly isolated. Ten lotus holes were connected, subtly forming the outline of a dragon. From the holes, flickering blood-red light emanated. Although blood-red, it didn't give off an eerie or terrifying feeling. Instead, it made one's blood and qi surge, providing an inexplicable warmth.

Jiang Fan’s eyes lit up. “This must be what Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue were looking for, right?”

Why would he still be polite? He immediately professionally took out a jade-tipped sharp object. Many such natural wonders cannot be directly touched by hand. It's best to handle them carefully when one is unsure. Otherwise, damaging the spiritual item would be a loss.

He quickly picked out the lotus seeds, inserting them one by one into a jade bottle.One.Two.Three.Seven.Eight.Nine.

Just as he finished collecting the ninth seed, a painful roar abruptly ceased. The blood corpse crashed to the ground with a thud. It had been slain!

Two rapidly approaching sounds of air being torn apart swiftly drew nearer. Jiang Fan regretfully glanced at the last lotus seed. He decisively put away his items. Then, he quietly flew away on his sword, passing just above their heads.

“The Dragon Heart Blood Lotus!”“There really is a Dragon Heart Blood Lotus; we’re rich… wait!”“Why is there only one lotus seed left?”

Ren Guhong’s face, initially filled with surprise and joy, suddenly froze. Wu Manyue’s expression also changed. “Did the blood corpse eat them?”

Considering the blood corpse’s strength had increased to the ninth level of Core Formation, both their faces darkened.

“This damned blood corpse! It wasted the Dragon Heart Blood Lotus for nothing! If I had five lotus seeds, I could break through the bottleneck of the ninth level of Core Formation and reach its perfection.”

Ren Guhong angrily stomped his foot on the ground. Wu Manyue also bit her lip slightly, resenting, “Give me two, and I could also break through to the eighth level of Core Formation. This one seed isn’t nearly enough!”

The two had expended great effort, numerous talismans, and magical artifacts. They even went as far as using their expensive trump cards. In the end, only one lotus seed remained!

Ren Guhong sighed deeply, annoyed, “What’s the use of just one left?” Although he said that, Ren Guhong’s gaze upon the lotus seed was exceptionally fervent. This lotus seed could perfectly allow a cultivator at the mid-Core Formation stage to break through a level. Its high value was self-evident. It could not only recover their losses from this expedition but also allow them to make a substantial profit.

However, how should they divide it?

Wu Manyue’s beautiful eyes shifted, and she sighed slightly:

“This time, it was all thanks to Senior Brother Ren. Otherwise, Junior Sister would have likely died in the mouth of that blood corpse. How could I possibly contend with you for it? Let Senior Brother have this lotus seed.”

Ren Guhong considered, “Alright, when I sell it later, we’ll split the proceeds half and half. Senior Brother cannot let you suffer a loss.”

Wu Manyue smiled charmingly, “I’ll follow Senior Brother’s arrangements.”

Ren Guhong immediately took out a jade artifact, bent down, and carefully peeled off the lotus seed. At the very moment it was detached, a glint flashed in Wu Manyue’s eyes. She suddenly flicked her sleeve. A streak of green light shot towards Ren Guhong’s back.

Who knew? Ren Guhong, however, blocked it with a backhand. As if he had long been prepared, he held a turtle-patterned artifact in his hand. The streak of green light struck the artifact and was sealed within it. Looking closely, it was a writhing small green poisonous snake.

“Junior Sister Wu, isn’t it a bit unseemly to play such a trick on me?” Ren Guhong turned around with a half-smile. “It’s rumored that those who team up with you either perish or suffer a severe loss. Senior Brother now believes it.”

Wu Manyue’s beautiful face changed slightly. In an instant, she regained her seductive charm, smiling sweetly:

“Senior Brother Ren, I was just joking with you.”

Ren Guhong’s expression turned cold. He clenched his hand around the turtle-patterned artifact. The small snake inside was instantly crushed into pulp. He said coldly, “Considering you provided the information, I’ll spare your life! Otherwise, in a place like this, no one would know even if I killed you!”

Wu Manyue’s smile stiffened. Her heart was filled with resentment. This trip was a complete waste of effort! That hateful blood corpse. That cursed blood corpse! That thousand-times-damned blood corpse!! It’s all that blood corpse’s fault for ruining the Dragon Heart Blood Lotus!!!

She absolutely loathed that blood corpse. Therefore, on their way back, she fiercely kicked the blood corpse in the crotch.

Crack—

It wasn’t the sound of something breaking. It was someone involuntarily clenching their legs, knocking a stone off the wall and making a noise.

“Who’s there?” Wu Manyue’s eyes sharpened as she looked towards the source of the sound. Ren Guhong narrowed his eyes. “Junior Brother Jiang?”

Jiang Fan had flown back to the refectory on his sword, then walked back. He pretended to have just arrived. “It’s me. Senior Brother Ren, Senior Sister Wu, did you find anything inside?”

Ren Guhong shook his head, “Nothing left; the blood corpse ate it all.”

“Is that so?” Jiang Fan feigned disbelief, “Junior Brother will go take a look to be sure.” His footsteps went inside, then quickly came back out. He repeatedly poked his sword at the blood corpse’s body, venting his frustration.

Seeing this, Wu Manyue’s depressed mood improved significantly, and she scoffed: “Little rascal, so you *do* have moments of defeat? It seems my trip wasn’t entirely in vain.”

Seeing this always successful rascal looking so crestfallen, she felt unusually comfortable. No amount of money could buy the sight of Jiang Fan being defeated. Hahaha!

Jiang Fan put away his sword and said in a low voice, “Senior Brother Ren, Senior Sister Wu, did the blood corpse really eat all the lotus seeds, not a single one left?”

Ren Guhong rubbed his nose. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt. This new junior brother had just arrived at the Heavenly Secret Pavilion and was already experiencing the harshness of human nature. He was being severely beaten by society. He truly was a bit pitiful.