Chapter 12: Dangerous Battle
Halfway through his chiding remark, Elder Zhang sensed something dangerous. A red flower the size of a person had risen up behind him unnoticed, and its color was incomparably beautiful with countless of pollen falling gently from the petals.
The toxic plant, Poinsettia!
Xiao Yulan’s Martial Spirit was actually the Poinsettia, which was one of the five deadly poisons. As long as it drew blood, it would be a fatal strike, and its pollen could affect the nerves, effectively paralyzing someone without any signs and causing their battle prowess to significantly decrease. If the poisoned individual had an open wound and the pollen entered said gap in the body, the poisoned individual would likely die within ten breaths.
Xiao Chen did not expect Xiao Yulan’s Martial Spirit to be the Poinsettia, nor did he anticipate for her to have schemed so deeply. No one would have thought that a Martial Master would make the first move against a peak Martial Grand Master. Furthermore, this Martial Master looked like a sweet little girl.
A cultivator was at their weakest in the period of time when the Martial Spirit had left their body. When Xiao Chen saw that red flower crop up all of a sudden, he immediately understood what to do and made the first move as well.
A purple flame condensed with a flicker on his palm. Circulating Essence to his legs, Xiao Chen bent his legs and abruptly dashed forward, generating a sound as he tore through the air before striking Elder Zhang with his palm.
In the instant the pollen invaded his body, Elder Zhang sought to kill Xiao Yulan first before she had the chance to activate Poinsettia’s poisonous nature. He may have appeared to be cornered in that position, but when he saw Xiao Chen flying over, the corners of his mouth curled up to reveal a cold smile. This brat was merely a junior in the Martial Disciple Realm, yet he dared to take action against him.
He split apart a portion of the Essence that was suppressing Poensettia’s poison and struck out against Xiao Chen’s palm. Xiao Chen was blasted backwards in the aftermath, because the punch of a Martial Grand Master was not something that he was able to withstand at present. Vomiting a mouthful of fresh blood, he could vaguely sense that his heart or lungs might have sustained damage.
Elder Zhang did not even bother to look at Xiao Chen, who had been blasted back. He was about to make another move when he discovered that the flame from Xiao Chen’s palm was still sticking to his fist and was continuously consuming the Essence he had condensed on it. He was alarmed... what a domineering flame! Quickly allocating another portion of Essence to surround the flames, he applied firm control over the Essence with his consciousness and had to tightly clench his fist before he could put out the flames.
Xiao Yulan took advantage of this opportunity to successfully retrieve the Martial Spirit that had left her body. Seeing Xiao Chen vomit blood, killing intent began to pool in her eyes. She drew her sword and stared coldly at Elder Zhang without any emotions showing on her face, as though he was already a dead man in her eyes.
“Inferior Grade Profound Ranked Spirit Weapon, Broken Moon Sword, I did not expect the only Profound Ranked Spirit Weapon of the Xiao Clan to be in your hands. Looks like you definitely have to die today.” Looking at the sword in Xiao Yulan’s hands, Elder Zhang was astonished.
Xiao Yulan held the sword in her hands, and a dance of petals in the breeze around her was swiftly followed by a sword flash flying towards Elder Zhang. Elder Zhang did not dare to take any risk as he disbursed half of his Essence into his hands and feet, using the other half to stave off the poison.
The two of them began to move faster and faster. Initially, Xiao Chen, who was lying on the ground, could clearly see the battle between them. Soon, he could only see blurry shadows amidst the plentiful petals. This level of battle was no longer something that he could take part in, and he never expected that Xiao Yulan’s speed was actually this impressive. Despite the difference in cultivation realms, she was able to fight evenly with Elder Zhang.
Xiao Chen shifted his gaze away and looked at the sword hilt that was located on top of the Moonstone pillar. This Spirit Weapon was probably the object of their desire, so he decided to grab it before they could.
Xiao Chen slowly stood up and cautiously walked towards the stone pillar.
When the person in blue, who was doing his best to widen the hole in the thin barrier, saw Xiao Chen heading towards the Moonstone pillar, he felt anxious in his heart. Yet, he could not make a single move. He loudly shouted: “Elder Zhang, you trash! You can’t even deal with two little kids! If I am not able to get my hands on this Spirit Weapon, after we get back, you will be the first person I kill.”
Elder Zhang, who was currently fighting with Xiao Yu Lan, found it difficult to talk about his troubles. The Spirit Weapon of this girl was incredibly strange, as it surrounded him with flower petals that made him incapable of exhibiting more than half of his usual combat ability. Furthermore, at this moment, he had to hold his breath, not daring to breathe. Let alone that, with Poinsettia’s poison, he was only able to utilize about a quarter of his strength as a peak Martial Grand Master.
When he heard the words of the person in blue, Elder Zhang hardened his heart. When Xiao Yulan pierced her sword at him, he did not dodge, instead punching out at her temple with precise purpose. This girl wanted to fight with him so badly it seemed, suffering heavy injuries to try to get him to bleed, to activate Poinsettia’s fatal poison. She was treating it as though he had no way to force out the poison.
Just when Elder Zhang’s fist was about to land, Xiao Yulan twisted her body in midair, creating two more Xiao Yulans that looked exactly the same. The one he struck immediately became countless scattered red petals.
Elder Zhang was not surprised. He smiled and roared shortly after exposing her flaws, “This should be your trump card, Inferior Grade Profound Ranked Martial Technique, Flower Clones. However, it is time to end this farce—Beast Soul Possession!”
A phantom image of an ape appeared behind Elder Zhang’s body. In a flash, Elder Zhang turned into some kind of human-ape monster. This was the ability of Martial Grand Masters, Martial Spirit Possession.
After the Martial Spirit possessed the body, one’s speed and strength would increase by several folds. Sometimes, someone would even obtain the special abilities of their Martial Spirit.
Elder Zhang used his right hand, which had extended its length by an additional half, and clenched his fist in midair. A bolt of lightning struck one of Xiao Yulan’s clones, turning it into a scatter of red petals with a loud boom.
Laughing weirdly, Elder Zhang jumped like an ape and extended his two arms, grabbing at the last clone.
“Boom!”
The last clone was also shattered into countless red petals. Within an instant, the surrounding space became filled with the Red Poinsettia petals. Elder Zhang was overwhelmed with amazement and looked behind him, spotting another seven clones behind him amidst dancing petals.
Elder Zhang appeared to be flustered and mumbled: “That's not possible, even the highest realm of Flower Clones can only create ten clones. Given your age, how could you have trained to that realm?”
Xiao Yulan coldly said: “Beast Soul Possession, this requires all the Essence in your body to be activated. The poison of my Poinsettia should have taken effect by now, it’s over.”
Seven shadows came flying in from different directions, and the slender Broken Moon Sword merged together with the petals, intertwining with each other. Without Elder Zhang’s Essence to restrict it, Poinsettia’s poison started to work on his nerves, causing his limbs to twitch,
“Puchi!”
The seven shadows merged back together into Xiao Yulan as she appeared behind Elder Zhang’s back. The petals were dancing behind her as the Broken Moon Sword streaked across his back, inflicting a hideous wound. As blood flowed from it, Poinsettia’s poison completely came into effect, sentencing Elder Zhang to certain death within ten breaths of time.
However, just at this moment, Elder Zhang suddenly turned around and grabbed the Broken Moon Sword with his hands.
“Even if I die, I will drag you down with me!”