Chapter 790: Killing Intent Surges

Wu Manyue shivered, feeling the coldness in Jiang Fan's eyes. Jiang Fan was actually a very tolerant person. She had competed with him for so long and had never seen him get angry with her, let alone harbor murderous intent.

Yet, at this moment, he was filled with intense murderous intent. However, this side of Jiang Fan made her see him in a new light. She said, "Well done. A man should be like you. If you're being bullied to this extent and still lack spirit, you might as well cut that thing off and become a woman!"

Ren Guhong rubbed his palms together, narrowing his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken," he said, "these people are heading south, directly towards the Human Race territories, aren't they? Their real target might not be the demon race; instead, it's likely a specific location within our Human Race's Nine Sects. The atrocities they're committing within the demon territory are probably just to create the illusion of an attack by infernal beasts, to conceal their true intentions and identities."

As he spoke, a cold light filled his eyes. "They've set their sights on our Human Race," he declared. "You're asking for death!"

He glanced at Jiang Fan and Wu Manyue, his eyes flashing. "How about the three of us have a little competition?"

From his pocket, he pulled out a palm-sized jade flask containing a multicolored spirit liquid. "Let's compete to see who kills the most beasts," he proposed. "As a prize, each of us will put forward an item. The one who kills the most gets everything!"

He shook the jade flask in his hand. "I acquired this unexpectedly from the underground world," he explained. "I once saw a multicolored ancient text in the treasure vault, valued at fifty thousand merit points. The liquid in here resonated with that multicolored ancient text. I've been accumulating merit points, hoping to exchange for it. This spirit liquid must be related to that multicolored ancient text."

"Just imagine," he added, "a spirit liquid that can resonate with an ancient text worth fifty thousand merit points is extraordinary."

Wu Manyue's eyes glimmered slightly. "You've hidden that really well," she said in surprise. "I heard that multicolored ancient text is a Soul Transformation realm legacy that even the Pavilion Master has studied for a long time. Your spirit liquid can actually connect with it? If the Pavilion Master knew, your spirit liquid would likely be confiscated for high merit points."

Ren Guhong said, "So, my junior brother and sister, do you want to gamble? If you win, this spirit liquid is yours. Even if you don't get that multicolored ancient text, just exchanging it for merit points would be a substantial amount."

Without hesitation, Wu Manyue decisively took out the hair crown and said, "Alright! Since Senior Brother Ren is going all out, I certainly won't be stingy." She glanced at Jiang Fan. "Aren't you eyeing this hair crown, you scoundrel? You'd better seize this opportunity then."

"This is a quasi-spirit artifact called the Thousand Illusions Hair Crown. I've discovered two main functions so far. One is invisibility, similar to a low-grade Dustless Talisman, capable of evading detection from cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm. Even Nascent Soul cultivators might not detect it unless they carefully investigate. The second is disguise, allowing for temporary alteration of one's appearance, which even Nascent Soul realm cultivators cannot discern. The drawback is that it consumes a significant amount of spiritual power. As a seventh-level Core Formation cultivator, I can only sustain it for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before my spiritual power is depleted. However," she concluded, "it is still a life-saving item."

Jiang Fan was secretly astonished. He could make use of both of their items. The Thousand Illusions Hair Crown went without saying. The multicolored ancient text Ren Guhong mentioned was undoubtedly the 'Five Elements Divine Art'. Could this spirit liquid actually react with the 'Five Elements Divine Art'? He recalled the Five-Magnet Primordial Mountain and the large pile of rocks made of the same material as it.

He pondered briefly. Could it be that those rocks needed this multicolored spirit liquid to be fused into the Five-Magnet Primordial Mountain? Regardless, this wager was absolutely necessary!

After a moment's thought, he took out two extremely blood-red spirit pills. They radiated an intensely scorching aura.

"Spirit pills?" Wu Manyue raised her delicate eyebrows, dissatisfied. "That's not very sincere, is it? What we're offering are either spirit artifacts or mysterious spirit liquids worth high merit points. What are those?" she scoffed.

Ren Guhong also looked suspicious. Although these spirit pills seemed to be of decent quality, as disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, they weren't particularly impressed by high-grade spirit pills. This was because their Pavilion Master was a three-star Soul Master. They occasionally had access to third-grade spirit pills. The spirit pills before them were probably no match for what they had presented.

"Junior Brother," Ren Guhong said, "first tell us what these pills are for. We'll weigh our options afterward." Ren Guhong had no choice but to ask first.

Jiang Fan calmly replied, "I don't need to say much about the effects of this pill. You two should understand it better than I do. Because it's called... Bodhi Pill."

"What?" Wu Manyue shrieked. "Bodhi Pill? The legendary fourth-grade Bodhi Pill that can increase the chances of transcending tribulation? You're not deceiving us, are you?"

Ren Guhong's eyes blazed with even greater fervor. As a ninth-level Core Formation cultivator, he was not far from the threshold of the Nascent Soul realm. He had naturally researched this pill extensively. This was a divine pill that could enhance physical strength and increase one's ability to withstand heavenly tribulation. Back then, when the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master received an opportunity for breakthrough, he didn't immediately break through. Instead, he traveled to Taicang Great State, spending a full year, all for the purpose of acquiring a Bodhi Pill to increase his chances of breaking through. For cultivators in the late Core Formation stage, this pill was absolutely an invaluable divine item.

Ren Guhong instinctively reached out to take it. Jiang Fan closed his palm, retracting the Bodhi Pills, and said: "Senior Brother Ren, the competition hasn't started yet."

Ren Guhong came to his senses and said awkwardly, "I... I got too excited. Junior Brother Jiang, you're the one who's truly keeping a low profile!" he exclaimed. "You actually possess something so coveted by cultivators at the ninth-level Core Formation completion stage!"

Originally, he had set up this wager to motivate them all to kill as many beasts as possible. He didn't expect to uncover two divine pills! These were far more valuable than anything he or Wu Manyue had offered.

Jiang Fan said, "So, is our wager officially on?"

Wu Manyue's eyes gleamed as she declared, "All your items belong to me, your lady! I'm going to kill all these beasts!"

Ren Guhong's fighting spirit soared, his killing intent reaching the heavens. "Don't worry," he said, "my cultivation is the highest. When it comes to headcounts, you two won't be able to beat me!"

Jiang Fan's eyes narrowed. "Then, from now on, it's every man for himself!" As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Manyue and Ren Guhong narrowed their eyes and immediately shot off in the same direction. It seemed they had already determined the enemy's whereabouts from the traces on the ground.

Jiang Fan was unhurried. When it came to tracking, who could surpass him? He flew his sword into the air, concealing himself deep within the clouds. Then he took out the Sky-Monitoring Mirror. After injecting a wisp of spiritual power into it, an invisible ripple spread out from Jiang Fan. The surrounding scenery appeared in the Sky-Monitoring Mirror, extending from near to far.

Three li. Ten li. Fifty li. A hundred li. Suddenly, Jiang Fan saw a strange sight. In a blizzard, there was a massive, invisible object that snow could not penetrate, hurtling through the storm. Dense snowflakes hitting its surface outlined its form, making it resemble some kind of monstrous beast. On its back, snowflakes also outlined human figures. The giant beast, by some unknown means, left no tracks in the snow. This was also why its tracks were extremely difficult to follow.

At this moment, they apparently realized that their disguise was easily seen through in the snowstorm and were accelerating to exit the blizzard area.

"Someone is really impersonating infernal beasts and slaughtering innocents!" A coldness flashed in Jiang Fan's eyes, and he was about to give chase.

Suddenly, in the Sky-Monitoring Mirror, another strange scene appeared. Hidden within a cloud in the sky was a massive ferocious beast. It had wings and hovered silently, its back filled with mysterious black-robed cultivators. Below them, several female disciples of the Joyful Union Sect were searching for infernal beasts.

Jiang Fan's pupils contracted. The attacking forces were not just one group!