Chapter 448 - 347: Guardian Spirit Beast and the Struggle for Blood Jade Spirit Marrow

"Third Junior Brother, Sixth Junior Brother, set up the array!"

Another red-robed man with a long beard barked an order.

If they couldn’t slay the Blood Python, then they’d first trap it with an array, letting the other disciples enter the cave and take the Blood Jade Spirit Marrow.

As long as they secured the Spirit Marrow, they could take their time surrounding and killing the Crimson Blood Python.

After all, all the Grand Elders of the Central Sect were already on their way here.

They just needed to stall the Blood Python.

The urgent matter now was to get the Blood Jade Spirit Water first.

If the fighting dragged on and attracted other sects, it would get troublesome.

Although this thirty-thousand-li region was under their Blood Robe Sect’s control, this world had always been the law of the jungle.

If someone with stronger cultivation showed up, not to mention your treasures—your lives would be taken as easily as plucking a leaf.

"Alright!"

"Threefold God-Trapping Array!"

Three Blood Robe Sect Uncles at the late stage of Void Refining immediately began forming the array. As the formation took shape, three divine statues rose from the ground, surrounding the Crimson Blood Python in the center and making escape impossible.

BOOM BOOM BOOM—

No matter how violently the Crimson Blood Python struck, the array held firm.

This array had the three men themselves as Array Plates—if they didn’t fall, the formation wouldn’t break.

"You all, hurry and take the Blood Jade Spirit Marrow!"

The third uncle of Blood Robe Sect shouted loudly.

The dozens of remaining disciples rushed for the cave.

Screeee—

Just then, an ear-piercing eagle’s scream split the sky, drawing everyone’s gaze.

Lin Chang’sheng saw the opportunity and immediately commanded the Lightning Thunderclap Eagle to dive toward the ground.

"Not good! The Spirit Marrow’s aura has drawn another Great Demon Beast!"

The third uncle’s heart skipped as he saw the powerful Demon Beast descending from the skies, wreathed in Celestial Thunder.

They’d already merged themselves into the Grand Array to contain the Crimson Blood Python—incapable of any further actions.

They couldn’t defend against outside threats at all.

Of course, he had no idea the Lightning Thunderclap Eagle was Lin Chang’sheng’s steed.

Lin Chang’sheng had completely disappeared, hidden by the Eagle’s massive body.

RUMBLE—

The thunder hadn’t arrived, but the overwhelming Power of Thunder had already converged, blasting down with the wrath of Celestial Thunder.

In nearly an instant, numerous disciples at the Nascent Soul Stage and Early Stage of Divinity Transformation were wiped out by the Power of Thunder.

Lin Chang’sheng seized the moment as the Lightning Thunderclap Eagle blocked everyone’s view, and slipped into the cave using the Ghost Shadow Celestial Vault Step.

After its first dive, the Lightning Thunderclap Eagle climbed back into the air, circled briefly, and swooped again, unleashing another round of celestial thunder attacks.

Disciples on the ground were slaughtered before they could even respond.

The only ones who could fight back—the three uncles—were tied up maintaining the array against the Crimson Blood Python and couldn’t lift a finger.

This disaster was instant and catastrophic for the Blood Robe Sect.

The force of over a hundred was reduced to just over ten in a flash.

Meanwhile, Lin Chang’sheng, having entered the cave, felt spiritual energy so thick it almost solidified swirling in the air.

As he circulated the Void Divine King Technique, spiritual energy poured wildly into him.

When Lin Chang’sheng reached the cave’s deepest recess, he found a pool of shimmering, crystalline fluid glowing with Blood Aura.

An intense spiritual energy was radiating from here.

"Spirit Marrow?"

A tremor ran through Lin Chang’sheng’s heart—this was very similar to the Jade Spirit Marrow he’d seen in the Immortal Relic Land, but this pool was blood-red.

"Kid, your luck is unreal! This Blood Jade Spirit Marrow only appears once in centuries, and you stumbled right onto it. Just one drop can boost your Integration success rate by twenty percent and add a hundred years of cultivation and lifespan!"

Even Sword Elder hadn’t expected Lin Chang’sheng’s luck to be this insane—he’d only just arrived in the Immortal Realm and already encountered the birth of Blood Jade Spirit Marrow.

If Lin Chang’sheng were here alone, he likely wouldn’t have the strength to get past the Crimson Blood Python outside.

But as luck would have it, others were fighting the Python outside, giving him the perfect chance to slip into the cave.

"Since that’s the case, guess I’ll be taking it!"

Lin Chang’sheng was ecstatic. If this was a supreme treasure, how could he possibly pass it up?

Hoo—

But just as Lin Chang’sheng reached out to scoop up all the Blood Jade Spirit Marrow—

A flash of white burst from his Spirit Beast Bag, and before him appeared the five-tailed White Fox.

Seeing the White Fox appear was like watching a nightmare unfold.

"No!—"

Lin Chang’sheng shouted and lunged, but he was a heartbeat too slow.

The White Fox opened its mouth and sucked up the entire pool of Blood Jade Spirit Marrow. Instantly, radiant light burst from its body, and, unbelievably, it grew another half tail.

"Xiaobai, you—"

Lin Chang’sheng stepped forward, ready to scold Xiaobai, but saw there were still a few drops of Blood Jade Spirit Marrow left in the pool. He quickly collected three drops.

Three drops was little, but it was better than none!

After all, he’d risked his life to get here.

"A mere pool of Spirit Marrow? What’s the big deal? Once I return to peak cultivation, I’ll pay you back tenfold!"

Xiaobai’s voice faded as she vanished back into the Spirit Beast Bag.

"This White Fox... what is it?"

Sword Elder was astonished—after absorbing the Spirit Marrow, the five-tailed Fox had grown another half tail.

He thought it was just an ordinary Demon Beast, but it treated the Blood Jade Spirit Marrow like nothing, swallowing the whole pool in a single breath. Such speed of refinement was beyond any ordinary Demon Beast.

"No idea, I just found her by the roadside!"

Lin Chang’sheng answered truthfully. Even now, he didn’t really know Xiaobai’s origins—just that she wasn’t simple.

Lin Chang’sheng had tried to form a contract with Xiaobai, but failed each time—his cultivation was simply too low, not enough to qualify.

Even Lin Chang’sheng and Sword Elder could contract, after all!

He’d learned from Sword Elder that, at his peak, he was at the Late Stage of Mahayana—just a step from the Late Stage of Tribulation Crossing.

If he’d survived three thousand years ago, he’d probably be at the Late Stage of Tribulation Crossing now.

"Don’t tell me she’s a Nine-tailed Immortal Fox?"

Sword Elder murmured—in that case, Lin Chang’sheng’s fortune was truly off the charts.

Once a Nine-tailed Fox grew all nine tails, it could ascend to immortality.

"Three drops is three drops. Better than nothing!"

Lin Chang’sheng sighed helplessly, carefully storing the three drops of Blood Jade Spirit Marrow into his Storage Bag.

"Hm? The spiritual energy’s gone. The Blood Jade Spirit Marrow has been snatched? Who was it?"

Outside, the Sixth Junior Brother of the Blood Robe Sect sensed the sudden depletion of spiritual energy, his heart pounding.

Wasn’t only the Blood Robe Sect here?

Why had the Blood Jade Spirit Marrow disappeared so suddenly?

If someone else had taken it, he couldn’t think of another explanation.

"Dammit, there’s someone in the cave! How bold!"

The Third Junior Brother also noticed someone sneaking into the cave and was furious.

They’d spilled blood outside for the Spirit Marrow, and now someone else swooped in to snatch their prize—how could they swallow that?

"Third Junior Brother, Sixth Junior Brother, dismantle the array!"

The senior-most Blood Robe Sect disciple barked.

This bastard was courting death, daring to snatch Spirit Marrow from the tiger’s jaws, right on Blood Robe Sect turf? He was begging for a funeral.

The Third and Sixth Junior Brothers didn’t hesitate. If they couldn’t even get the Blood Jade Spirit Marrow, why bother trapping the Crimson Blood Python?

BUZZ—

As the formation collapsed, the Crimson Blood Python’s rage exploded. Its tail lashed out, sweeping the three aside in a single blow.

The Sixth Junior Brother couldn’t dodge and was flung, slamming hard into the distant stone cliff and caving the rock in, stones tumbling everywhere.

He hit the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood—clearly badly injured, unable to fight any longer.

"Third Junior Brother, you go finish that brat and get the Spirit Marrow back. I’ll hold off the Python!"

The senior disciple snapped, driving the Crimson Blood Python back with a swing of his blade.

"Understood!"

Third Junior Brother didn’t waste a moment, charging into the cave—determined to kill Lin Chang’sheng in revenge.

Lin Chang’sheng sensed the incoming attack and would not sit and wait for death.

RUMBLE—

With one punch, he shattered a mountain, shooting skyward and landing solidly on the Lightning Thunderclap Eagle’s back.

"You think you can leave? Hand over the Spirit Marrow!"

The Third Junior Brother snarled, leaping up and unleashing a Blade Aura with his palm—cutting through the sky as a Blood Blade, slashing toward Lin Chang’sheng.