Chapter 570: Captured Alive

Pen and Ink Literature, Xuanjian Immortal Clan!

The two cultivators combined forces to press in. Li Xizhi, forming a hand seal with one hand and holding his sword in the other, leaped out of the three-person encirclement, scattering a sparse golden-red iridescence. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and only then did he manage to glance at the two.

One of the cultivators, who was handsome and powerful with neatly arranged clothes, held a purple-black jar covered in dense white patterns. His eyes were wide and round, casting a hesitant gaze.

The other person had a fierce face and eyes full of greed. He was several inches taller than his companion and wore a black robe. Layers of white mist floated around his body, coiling like nimble snakes.

Noticing how easily Li Xizhi had broken out of their encirclement, the demonic cultivator holding the jar transmitted a grave mental message:

"Fellow Daoist Qiu! This one is not easy to deal with. You're more familiar with the local situation; do you know anything about him?"

The burly demonic cultivator, wreathed in white mist, twitched an ear. His brutal gaze swept over his companion's robe, and he said sinisterly, without concealment:

"Brother Ge... this one appears to be from the Azure Pool Sect. He has many treasures and seems to be injured. Let's make a killing!"

The demonic cultivator named Ge nodded slowly. Both were conscripted from the Xu Kingdom area and were not trusted confidants of the Murong family. They had come with the sole intention of making a fortune, and seeing Li Xizhi's weakened state, their greed was instantly inflamed.

Li Xizhi focused on meditating and recovering his strength. He transmitted a message with his magic power, noticing that Li Quantao and Yu Yuwei had already suppressed their respective demonic cultivators and still had enough energy to observe his situation, which greatly relieved him.

The two cultivators gave him no chance. The demonic leader Ge immediately made up his mind and threw the purple-black jar in his hand. It sprayed out a plume of gray smoke that swirled with the wind, climbing directly towards Li Xizhi.

Rainbow light glowed in Li Xizhi's hand. He formed a protective magic seal, 'Crimson Cloud Stabilizing Wind,' and unleashed two arc-shaped rainbow lights that swept out in all directions like ripples on water.

The Crimson Cloud Dao lineage was not known for its defensive capabilities. Li Xizhi's current technique was already a rare and commendable defensive spell from the complete 'Morning Cloud Dew Gathering Art' cultivation method.

Injured, his spell was somewhat dim. Although it should have dispersed the incoming attack, it only managed to push the gray smoke back for a moment, barely curbing the opponent's assault...

Li Xizhi's heart chilled, and he thought to himself:

"These two are not ordinary demonic cultivators!"

But the demonic leader Qiu, already wreathed in white mist, approached in an instant. Two clumps of white mist gathered in his hands, and with a combined thrust, they crashed into the crimson cloud ripples.

His white mist hissed, seeming to be a technique specifically designed to dissolve and eliminate enemy spells, turning all magic power it touched into dust. 'Crimson Cloud Stabilizing Wind' only caused him a slight delay before he reached out to strike Li Xizhi's chest.

Li Quantao and his companion, momentarily distracted, immediately sensed something was wrong. Their hearts skipped a beat. Li Quantao shouted:

"Senior Yu!"

His shout was like a clap of thunder. Yu Yuwei's immortal foundation activated at full power, and two streams of purplish-red flames shot out from his sleeves, intercepting the demonic cultivator facing Li Quantao. With a roll and a pull of his purplish-red great cauldron, he instantly overwhelmed both demonic cultivators.

Li Quantao, meanwhile, slapped his chest and spat out a bright, shimmering pearl. This pearl emitted several dazzling streams of light, dispersing a demonic cloud and forming several slightly darkened clouds. Pure white water droplets floated up from the ground, gathering into those clouds.

"Bishui Dan!"

The Bishui Dan, an ancient artifact, lived up to its name. With just a single leap in the air, it made Li Xizhi feel refreshed all over, and the pressure on his feet drastically decreased. He brought his long sword back, blocking the assailant's palm precisely.

However, the cultivator named Qiu's attention immediately shifted away from Li Xizhi, his eyes becoming fixed. The demonic leader Ge also lost his composure, an excited, greedy look appearing on his face. He exclaimed in horror:

"What a powerful magic artifact! Could it be an ancient relic? A Mansion Water ancient artifact?"

The power of the Bishui Dan was astonishing. It caused the magical wind beneath their feet to show signs of dissipating. A bright, lustrous white pellet floated in the air, clearly an extraordinary item at first glance. Instead of being alarmed, the two demonic cultivators were delighted, their minds instantly captivated by the artifact.

As the two paused simultaneously, Li Xizhi's pressure drastically decreased. Li Quantao advanced with the artifact, shouting:

"Brother Zhi... I'm here to help you!"

However, the two demonic cultivators suddenly erupted. The demonic leader Qiu's black robes flared, and white mist surged uncontrollably from his seven orifices, bringing out several columns of blood. The white mist, like a storm, passed through his shoulders, then circled back from under his ribs to his face.

The demonic cultivator named Ge immediately bit his own tongue, spitting out a splash of blood-red. The demonic jar in his hand flashed with blood-light, growing several sizes larger, and gray mist, like venomous snakes, scrambled to pursue.

"So decisive... Northern demonic cultivators..."

These two demonic cultivators simultaneously used spells that sacrificed vital essence and lifespan, without hesitation. The gray and white mists swept over them at the same time, startling Li Quantao.

He had been focused on providing assistance, never imagining that the two would suddenly turn crazy, sacrificing their lifespans to attack him. He only had time to throw the Bishui Dan in his hand, causing it to collide with the white and gray mists.

Li Xizhi naturally couldn't just watch. He immediately accumulated his magic power, drew his sword, and a bright sword light leaped from the scabbard, unleashing a chilling, sharp edge directly towards the back of the demonic cultivator named Qiu.

A violent roar echoed, and the aftermath of the gray and white mists made Li Xizhi's eyes ache and stream with tears. His long sword seemed to have struck something, but the demonic cultivator named Qiu quickly retreated into the white mist, his figure disappearing.

Li Quantao retreated several steps, his face pale. The Bishui Dan had saved his life once again, absorbing nearly sixty percent of the magic power from the spells the two had cast. The white pearl itself was still slowly shimmering in the air, showing no signs of dimming.

However, it was the Bishui Dan that was truly formidable, not Li Quantao. Although the Bishui Dan had absorbed nearly sixty percent of the power, Li Quantao had clearly suffered significant harm from that attack as well, and he quickly brought the pearl closer.

Li Xizhi used 'Golden Cloud Descent' to appear beside him, scattering a sleeve full of crimson light. What he saw was the surprised expression of the demonic cultivator named Qiu, whose cheeks still bore bloodstains from rushing his demonic energy too much. He asked suspiciously:

"Lijing Li family?"

Li Xizhi didn't know how he was recognized, but hearing him mention the Lijing Li family suggested it was a matter from years ago. His expression was grave, and he did not answer.

The demonic leader Ge, however, was somewhat exasperated, and he immediately cursed:

"Qiu Ji! You damn fool, you're utterly useless! What are you doing dallying around? Quickly seize this artifact! If we wait for others to gather, what share will be left for us?"

Qiu Ji glared at him sullenly. Not trusting his companion much either, he secretly began to scheme:

"There's only one artifact; how do two people split it? I attacked this family years ago... they have some strength! I even heard they are a Sword Immortal family; they might have hidden trump cards."

"I should have tricked old Ge into blocking that talisman sword or something similar earlier... it would be best if he died completely, then I could naturally take the item and leave... wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"

"But the situation is still undecided. We should first use all our strength to kill one of them."

White mist surged in his hand as he unhesitatingly activated his lifespan and vital essence. For a time, the white mist was chilling, capable of dissolving bone and flesh, quite terrifying.

Li Xizhi observed the two while also silently watching the broader situation on the field. Seeing dozens of immortal lights approaching from the south, his heart subtly stirred:

'The immortal cultivators brought by the lords must be numerous. My aunt, guarding Yan Mountain Pass, might not be mobilized, but there could be people from my family... even if they are Yang family members, it would be good.'

Thinking of this, the crimson light in his hand subtly shifted. He did not attack the two, but instead leaped up, passing through layers of cloud sea, flying towards the dozens of immortal lights.

But with his delay, Li Quantao immediately spat out blood. His own strength was not strong; his cultivation was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, relying entirely on this ancient artifact.

Although the Bishui Dan could block most spells with its indestructible body, the two demonic cultivators in front of him were not foolish. Their released spells became increasingly cunning, causing him to repeatedly vomit blood.

At this moment, he didn't even have the presence of mind to notice what Li Xizhi was doing. His spirits sank further, and a premonition of death gradually arose in his heart.

Back then, the Bishui Dan could fight evenly in the hands of Li Encheng, an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, against Chi Wei, a direct descendant of an Immortal Sect at the late Foundation Establishment stage. Yet, in his hands, it could only be used as a defensive artifact relying on its physical body to resist spells, revealing a vast difference in mastery over spells and artifacts. Li Quantao could only secretly resent:

"I'm truly inferior to my father in every way!"

However, Li Xizhi did not see anyone riding the wind to rescue them. He could only re-mobilize his magic power to fight the enemy. After only a few moves, Li Quantao was already covered in wounds, so he had to look towards Yu Yuwei.

It would have been better not to look. Upon seeing, his heart immediately chilled. Yu Yuwei was no longer fighting two opponents; another demonic cultivator had appeared beside him. The old man was preoccupied and seemed unable to lend a hand.

His expression turned grave, but then he heard a faint voice drifting into his ears. Li Quantao's voice was as thin as a wisp of silk:

"Brother Zhi! The Yu family members are not trustworthy. Yu Yuwei has some ideas about my treasure. He will only deliberately watch from the sidelines... he won't come to our aid!"

Li Quantao had always harbored strong animosity towards the Yu family. Li Xizhi could only sigh inwardly, watching as the two demonic cultivators, riding demonic winds, closed in again. He had no choice but to draw his sword and block in front of Li Quantao.

"Go!"

Li Xizhi estimated that since he had talismanic essence within him, he could hold out longer than Li Quantao. He calculated that as long as the two were defeated and fled, Yu Yuwei would have no choice but to intervene, regardless of his actual strength. He transmitted a mental message:

"Then I'll escape with this artifact. At least Crimson Cloud techniques are skilled in evasion; these two demonic cultivators probably won't be able to catch me..."

"Boom!"

Before his words had even finished, he saw the gray and white mists in front of him hastily retreat like startled rabbits. The demonic energy in this area dispersed completely like scattered clouds. A great roar echoed in his ears, and dazzling white light was so blinding that it almost suffocated everyone nearby.

Li Xizhi immediately activated his eye technique, seeing Qiu Ji's face pale and his body convulsing in spasms. He observed carefully: a silver-white spearhead was piercing out of the demonic leader's chest, bringing with it plumes of black smoke.

A violet light appeared in the dark clouds, and surging purple lightning erupted, causing Qiu Ji to scream endlessly. The demonic leader Ge's expression was one of shock and suspicion; he felt his scalp tingle and his legs turn to jelly. A thunderclap sounded by his ear, and he let out a strange cry, retreating dozens of feet with the wind.

Qiu Ji, however, was not an ordinary individual. Although his spell was temporarily broken by the power of lightning, his figure immediately transformed into white mist filling the sky, condensing into a skeletal human head. He dared not flee backward, instead rushing directly towards Li Quantao.

"Boom!"

This snow-white human head moved extremely fast, but the crystalline violet light arrived even faster, flickering and leaping through the air. In an instant, it blocked the snow-white human head.

"This is..."

Li Quantao's face was pale. Before he could react, the snow-white head was already blocked in front of him, and the white mist filling the sky weakly gathered. He swallowed hard as he watched, but the violet light landed in front of Li Xizhi, transforming into a female cultivator.

Her eyes were hazy with violet light. She held a silver-white long spear and wore a bluish-purple long feathered robe. As several streams of purple radiance fell, crackle-like purple lightning patterns covered her sleeves, and a small purple bottle at her waist swayed slightly.

The geomagnetism force drawn by the lightning made her long hair gently float. Li Qinghong coldly looked at the white human head in front of her. Her immortal foundation, 'Profound Thunder Lake,' was activated to its extreme, and the lightning, condensed into a purplish-white liquid, bound the human head in mid-air, preventing it from advancing even a single step.

With one hand, she held the long spear pointing diagonally towards the ground. The surging power of the lightning made both men slightly gasp. With her other hand, she reached into the white human head, slowly grabbing its neck and pulling out half a body.

"Qiu Ji..."

As she lifted Qiu Ji by the neck like that, everyone was filled with disbelief. Even Yu Yuwei, who was nearby, was startled. The hostile demonic cultivators exchanged glances and immediately scattered completely.

Qiu Ji, dispersed by the lightning, took a full two breaths to re-condense half a body in mid-air. His upper body hung limply and helplessly in the woman's hand, his face filled with extreme terror. His lips trembled, seemingly muttering words of surrender.

The purple light in the woman's almond-shaped eyes seemed to pierce through his own, and the hatred in her gaze slowly emerged, making Qiu Ji's heart tremble with fear.

'It's her... that female cultivator from the Li family! She's reached this level now! I knew she hated me to the core; I must have killed one of her relatives in the market back then...'

Even with the lightning protection, crossing through this bone-eroding demonic energy with a physical body was not an easy task. Warm red blood trickled down Li Qinghong's wrist, but she only felt a sense of satisfaction. Qiu Ji's eyes were filled with the hazy purple lightning, and he said in terror:

"Senior is the..."

"Boom!"

Purple lightning immediately fell, and he let out a painful shriek. All the white mist on his body was locked by a slender hand. Li Qinghong's red lips parted slightly, and she said coldly:

"Old thing... after all these years... I've finally caught you."

Her pleasant voice echoed in the air. This was a secluded corner of the great battle, and while there weren't many demonic or immortal cultivators present, all those who were felt a chill. Qiu Ji, in particular, was filled with despair.

"How could it be so unexpected... how could she be so ruthless!"

He did not believe that he was utterly defenseless against Li Qinghong. It was just such a surprise attack, combined with Li Qinghong's firm resolve to kill him, that had brought him to this state.

Meanwhile, the demonic leader Ge, seeing this scene, was already half-dead with fright. Although Qiu Ji's strength was somewhat inferior to his own, he had lost his ability to resist so quickly only because of the sneak attack. But which demonic cultivator wouldn't be afraid of a female cultivator imbued with such lightning?

He had originally tried to escape silently with all his might. However, the Crimson Cloud cultivator and the man with the Mansion Water artifact were now brazenly blocking his path. One, with the incredibly fast crimson light, always managed to intercept him, and the other was even more exasperating, as the Mansion Water artifact enveloped an area, completely suppressing his escape light.

What made his heart turn even colder was that the female cultivator with the purple lightning silver spear and long feathered robe had already locked onto his aura with her lightning. She seemed completely unconcerned, but her almond-shaped eyes watched, and as soon as he showed any sign of escape, he would likely be struck by lightning!

"That damned idiot Qiu Ji... he clearly had deep ties with this family! Yet he secretly had other plans, keeping me completely in the dark! Now look! This is it! My life is over!"