Chapter 707 - 274: A Prime Candidate for a Demon Cultivator (Part 2)

Chapter 707: Chapter 274: A Prime Candidate for a Demon Cultivator (Part 2)

A blood-red worm hiding in ambush tried to attack, but the Condensed Fire Palm incinerated it along with the larvae on the ground.

Inside the larvae, however, were only a few Spirit Pearls, each the size of a sesame seed and barely visible.

Their color wasn’t pure either, making them worth less than even a Low Tier Spirit Stone.

It seemed only the adult insects could produce proper Blood Spirit Pearls.

’This density is insane. They’re not leaving anyone a path to survive.’

Across the six hundred li of the Coral Forest, Xiao Chen had already run into similar situations a total of eleven times.

He had even acquired a total of thirteen Blood Spirit Pearls along the way.

And that was just what he had personally witnessed. There were likely many more cultivators who had passed through without a trace.

It seemed this new Relic was not friendly to Low Tier Cultivators. The casualties were likely to be severe.

However, for those with the ability to counter-attack the blood-red worms and harvest Blood Spirit Pearls...

...this alone would be a substantial haul for an ordinary cultivator.

"Fellow Cultivator, help me! There’s a Tribulation Cultivator!"

Suddenly, a shout erupted from behind him and to the right. A round-faced Golden Core Cultivator burst out of the Coral Forest, looking utterly disheveled.

He desperately maneuvered a Spirit Shield to protect his back.

At the same time, he yelled for help from Xiao Chen.

"Where do you think you’re running? Today, I will deliver heaven’s justice!"

Behind him, a cultivator in Qingyi robes and a Conical Hat gave chase, a Flying Sword in hand.

Once clear of the Coral Forest, his speed suddenly surged, making him obviously much faster than the round-faced cultivator.

"Fellow Cultivator, help me!"

Seeing he couldn’t escape, the round-faced cultivator dashed straight for Xiao Chen, trying to hide behind him.

He wailed, "Friend, he’s a Tribulation Cultivator! He wants to kill me for my treasures!"

"I’ve been so unfortunate as to run into this disaster today. Please, help me. Afterward, both I and my family will reward you handsomely."

"A handsome reward, I swear it!"

But the cultivator in Qingyi robes pointed his sword forward. "You animal! Still spewing nonsense and twisting the truth? You’re utterly shameless!"

However, when he glanced at Xiao Chen, he froze for a moment.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he executed a flourish and retracted his Flying Sword.

He reached up and took off his Conical Hat. "Xiao, this man is a Tribulation Cultivator. Don’t let him get away!"

With the Conical Hat gone, Xiao Chen immediately recognized the man as Zhang Shouquan.

’Wait, since when do you use a sword?’

’I’d never heard that he knew Swordsmanship before.’

Xiao Chen also noticed that Zhang Shouquan wasn’t just carrying a Flying Sword at his waist; he had also changed his Spirit Robe.

Combined with the Conical Hat to hide his face, it seemed he was deliberately trying to conceal his identity.

And that was indeed the case.

Zhang Shouquan was currently hiding from his enemies and had deliberately changed his appearance.

If it had been any other cultivator here, he would have simply killed the round-faced Evil Cultivator on the spot, not caring if he was misunderstood.

But he had run into Xiao Chen, of all people.

If they were to fight, there was no way he could win with the Swordsmanship he’d only been practicing for a little over a month.

In this situation, if Zhang Shouquan had kept his identity hidden, it would have been nearly impossible to determine who was right and who was wrong based on their bickering alone.

So, he chose to reveal his identity outright in an attempt to earn Xiao Chen’s trust.

When the round-faced cultivator saw that the two seemed to know each other, his soul nearly fled his body, and he immediately tried to run again.

"Stay put!"

Xiao Chen spun around and grabbed him. "Where are you going? Feeling guilty?"

In truth, the moment Xiao Chen saw Zhang Shouquan, he had a strong feeling the man wasn’t lying.

But just in case, and also out of curiosity, he decided to ask, "Zhang, what did this guy do?"

Zhang Shouquan first put his Conical Hat back on, once again concealing his aura.

Only then did he explain, "Xiao, you may not be aware, but I just saw this animal capturing Foundation Establishment Cultivators to feed to those Coral Insects."

"He’s using their flesh and blood to raise the larvae so he can harvest more Blood Spirit Pearls."

Huh?

’There are people who do that?’

Xiao Chen immediately saw the round-faced cultivator in a new light. ’Now that’s prime Demon Cultivator material!’

’It’s a real shame you were born in the Eastern Domain. The Divine Fire Sect is where a talent like you is truly needed.’

"Sir," the round-faced cultivator immediately began to beg, "I was just confused for a moment! I was blinded by greed!"

Pinned by a single hand and unable to break free, the round-faced cultivator immediately started wailing for mercy. "I’ll give you all my Blood Spirit Pearls, plus a hundred thousand—no, two hundred thousand Spirit Stones!"

"I was wrong! I’ll never do it again! Please, have mercy and spare me just this once!"

Xiao Chen shook his head. "You’re being very disrespectful. How can you try to bribe me with my own money?"

With a twist of his hand, he wrenched the man’s head clean off.

’Considering the Divine Fire Sect is already gone, I might as well send him down for a reunion.’

’Well, would you look at that. Another good deed for the day.’

Xiao Chen then picked up the round-faced cultivator’s Spiritual Artifact and Storage Ring and tossed them to Zhang Shouquan. "Since it was you, Zhang, who discovered his crimes, these things are yours."

’If I hadn’t happened to pass by, all this would have been his anyway.’

Zhang Shouquan, however, tossed them right back, shaking his head. "I wasn’t hunting him for profit. I simply couldn’t stand by and watch such atrocities."

"Since you were the one to execute this fiend in the end, Xiao, these things naturally belong to you."

’Fair enough.’

Since Zhang Shouquan didn’t want them, Xiao Chen didn’t press the issue.

Neither of them was hurting for a few trinkets.

However, since they had met by chance, he immediately extended an invitation. "It must be fate that we met today. Zhang, would you be willing to travel together?"

For one, Xiao Chen had already been thinking about getting to know Zhang Shouquan better.

Exploring the Relic together would be the perfect opportunity.