Chapter 203 - 174: Looted Bare, the Reason for Clan Betrayal

"Since you’re here, you can just die here!"

Mo Xi’s eyes blazed, her killing intent plain to see.

’How could a disciple from a Golden Core Family like her fear a mere Qi Refining Loose Cultivator?’

’No matter how famous Li Chang’an might be, in her eyes, he was nothing more than an ant she could crush at will!’

"Aren’t you a little too confident, Daoist Mo?"

Li Chang’an chuckled, and his voice echoed throughout the black mist, seeming to come from everywhere at once.

The moment he finished speaking, the shrill shrieks of countless ghastly wraiths rang out.

An omnipresent aura of death came with them.

Aside from Mo Xi.

The faces of the other Mo Family disciples paled.

They had long heard of the infamous Venerable Soul Banner!

"Don’t scatter! Form the array, quickly!"

"Right!"

They huddled together, each one releasing a Puppet.

The Puppets formed an outer ring, shielding the disciples within. Their auras intertwined, vaguely forming an exceptionally powerful Grand Array.

This scene, however, took Li Chang’an by surprise.

’A Puppet Battle Array?’

He mused for a moment, then quickly shook his head.

’Among those Puppets, there’s no shortage of ones at Tier One Peak. If they could truly form the legendary Puppet Battle Array, their power would most likely approach Tier Two.’

’But the aura emanating from this Grand Array is only slightly stronger than Tier One Peak, and not by much.’

’It’s probably not a real Puppet Battle Array, just an imitation.’

Li Chang’an casually waved his hand.

「The next instant.」

The Tier Two Main Soul hidden within the black mist launched its attack.

The black mist billowed, forming a massive, terrifying hand that lightly patted the array formation.

BOOM!

The entire array formation collapsed in an instant, and countless Puppets shattered under the overwhelming force.

The Mo Family disciples within the array simultaneously spat out a mouthful of blood, their auras instantly wilting.

Even Mo Xi was severely wounded.

Her face was ashen, her heart filled with shock.

’This Venerable Soul Banner is so powerful! No wonder every one of those Tribulation Cultivators wants it!’

Little did she know, the Tier Two Main Soul had been holding back.

If it had used its full power, all of them would have died.

After that single strike, Mo Xi no longer dared to underestimate Li Chang’an.

She hastily recalled her Tier Two Puppet, having it guard her side as she cautiously surveyed the surrounding black mist.

’At this point, killing Li Chang’an is practically impossible.’

’She didn’t even know if she’d be able to protect her own life.’

’Only the Tier Two Puppet by her side gave her any sense of security.’

’This black mist seems to block perception, much like an Array. Could an Array-Breaking Treasure be used to dispel it?’

Mo Xi, a veteran of Magical Combat, had quick reactions and immediately thought of this possibility.

With that in mind, she focused her will, intending to retrieve the Array-Breaking Treasure from her Storage Pouch.

However, to her astonishment, her Storage Pouch was gone!

’What’s going on?’

Mo Xi’s expression changed drastically. ’All the Treasures I’ve accumulated in my life are in that Storage Pouch, and that includes a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object!’

’If it’s lost just like that, my losses will be catastrophic.’

「At the same time.」

The other Mo Family disciples also discovered something was amiss.

"Where’s my Storage Pouch?"

"No!"

"My life’s savings!"

Everyone’s Storage Pouch was gone!

It was as if an unseen hand had silently snatched away their Storage Pouches the moment the array had shattered.

Not only that, but the shattered Puppets from before had also been devoured by the black mist, vanishing without a trace.

"Li Fan, return my Treasures!"

Mo Xi shouted, her teeth clenched in fury.

Li Chang’an’s laughter rang out once more.

"Daoist Mo, how about you trade these Treasures for your lives? Your Treasures, or your lives. The choice is yours."

"You..."

Mo Xi was incandescent with rage and was about to command her Tier Two Puppet to charge deep into the black mist.

But she suddenly froze and turned to look.

Her Tier Two Puppet was gone, too!

「The next instant.」

Her face went white, and her aura faltered for a moment.

The connection between her and the Puppet had been forcibly severed.

"Li Fan, give me back my Puppet and my Storage Pouch!"

Mo Xi roared, her voice growing shrill.

But Li Chang’an’s voice was not heard again, as if he had already vanished.

「A few moments later.」

The surrounding black mist slowly dissipated.

The siblings they had been besieging, Mo Feng and Mo Wanwan, were nowhere to be seen.

All that remained between heaven and earth was a group of Mo Family disciples, now utterly destitute.

Mo Xi’s delicate brows were knitted together, her chest rising and falling erratically, her beautiful eyes filled with fury.

"Li Fan, I swear we are now irreconcilable enemies!"

...

Li Chang’an hadn’t killed the Mo Family disciples.

This was simply because they had no real grievances or enmity with each other.

If he were to kill wantonly, he’d be no different from a Tribulation Cultivator, and his Dao Heart would inevitably suffer in the future.

However, acting on the principle of ’might as well, since I’m already here,’ he had taken all their Storage Pouches.

Li Chang’an casually opened a few to have a look.

’Not bad. There are plenty of Puppet Materials. Just what you’d expect from the Mo Family.’

Another nice haul!

Li Chang’an was in high spirits.

「Before long.」

He and the Mo Feng siblings arrived at a hidden valley to rest for a bit.

Mo Feng cupped his hands in thanks, his expression sincere.

"Thank you for saving my sister and me, Daoist Li."

"Daoist Mo, do you really think I wanted to save you?"

Li Chang’an’s expression was indifferent, his tone flat.

Hearing this, Mo Feng froze.

A sense of foreboding rose in his heart, and he hurriedly pulled Mo Wanwan behind him.

"Daoist Li, what is it that you want?"

"The Tier Two Puppet Inheritance!"

Li Chang’an didn’t want to waste time talking and stated his purpose directly.

Mo Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

’As long as he’s not after our lives, he can have anything else.’

He was decisive, taking a Jade Scroll from his Storage Pouch and tossing it to Li Chang’an.

"Daoist Li, this is the inheritance."

"Good!"

Li Chang’an caught the Jade Scroll and refined it in an instant.