Chapter 231 - 229: Be Quiet, I’m Going to Break Through

The Blood Hand Poison Master was eyeing Luo Tian’s treasures.

But Luo Tian, surprisingly, had the same idea.

This was a grave insult to the Blood Hand Poison Master. He was the great Blood Hand Poison Master, a man who had killed countless people. To think a mere brat at the Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer would have designs on his treasures.

"Junior! You should be more worried about your own life right now, not fantasizing about the impossible!"

the Blood Hand Poison Master berated him.

With Qi Nan gone, only Luo Tian remained. Dealing with him would be all too easy.

But what the Blood Hand Poison Master found strange was that Luo Tian didn’t seem panicked or afraid at all. ’Does he know he’s a dead man and has simply accepted his fate?’

SHING! SHING!

The Blood Hand Poison Master swiped his claws, sending vicious, blood-red streaks of light tearing toward Luo Tian.

"You have to have fantasies. What if they come true?"

Luo Tian said with a faint smile.

HMMMM!

His Nether Dragon Divine Vein instantly activated at full power. A vortex of dark, Cold Mist immediately swept out over a dozen meters.

The temperature in the entire cave plummeted, and the small, blood-colored lake nearby rapidly froze over.

"A Martial Vein Phenomenon?"

The Blood Hand Poison Master wasn’t surprised. Anyone who could enter the Yunxiao Sect was bound to be exceptionally talented.

He had expected a Martial Vein Phenomenon.

’But this Martial Vein Phenomenon seems a bit too strong. Could it be an Earth Level Upper Grade Martial Vein?’

VWOOM!

The moment the Nether Dragon Divine Vein activated, the Ice Trace Sword in Luo Tian’s hand began to tremble, releasing an even more biting chill. A layer of crystalline white ice coated the blade, changing the sword’s entire appearance.

Nine Heavens Sword Technique, First Technique—One Sword Piercing Clouds!

SHIING!

Luo Tian abruptly thrust out his sword. The Sword Qi was condensed, like a brilliant ray of ice crystal, carrying a sharp momentum that seemed to want to pierce through the nine heavens.

Furthermore, the sword strike resonated with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, emanating the essence of a cold, starry sky.

This was Luo Tian’s peak sword strike, amplified by an Earth Level Sword Technique, his fully unleashed Divine Vein, True Intent Fur, and an Upper Grade Treasure Artifact.

"What?"

The Blood Hand Poison Master’s expression changed.

It was all because the difference in Luo Tian’s combat power before and after was so enormous that he hadn’t had time to react.

Luo Tian’s full-power attack far exceeded the Blood Hand Poison Master’s estimations!

BOOM!

The Blood Hand Poison Master’s attacks were all pierced and shattered by Luo Tian’s sharp sword strike, which then continued toward him.

The Blood Hand Poison Master had thought dealing with Luo Tian alone would be effortless, so he had been careless.

Now, facing this sharp, lightning-fast sword strike, he was immediately forced onto the defensive.

PFFT!

The Blood Hand Poison Master avoided a fatal blow, but a bloody gash was left on his shoulder. The wound instantly froze over as the chill invaded his flesh and meridians.

The Cold Power unleashed by the Nether Dragon Divine Vein, combined with the Ice Trace Sword which was inscribed with a Middle Level Ice Rune, was terrifyingly potent.

Since the Blood Hand Poison Master was already injured, this Cold Power had a significant effect on him.

"You’re courting death!"

the Blood Hand Poison Master roared, his face contorted in a savage snarl.

He was the great Blood Hand Poison Master, his fearsome reputation known far and wide. To be wounded by a junior at the Peak of Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer was a humiliation he could not bear.

Instantly, the Blood Hand Poison Master’s combat power erupted, becoming twenty to thirty percent stronger than before.

Even going all out, Luo Tian was immediately put at a disadvantage.

...

After escaping, Qi Nan glanced back at the cliff face. The cave entrance was still hidden by the Concealing Array.

"Luo Tian, you’re going to die after all!"

Qi Nan sneered.

He believed that even if he joined forces with Luo Tian, it would be very difficult to kill the Blood Hand Poison Master. That’s why he had chosen to give up, flee at the first opportunity, and leave Luo Tian to die.

All in all, he considered this as helping Prince Zheng avenge his son’s death, and he would be handsomely rewarded for it later.

WHOOSH!

Qi Nan quickly departed and soon ran into Ke Yuexuan’s team and the Black Death Bandits.

"Black Death Bandits, surrender your lives!"

Qi Nan shouted and immediately charged into the fray.

He had no desire to save these people, but the matter of him being masked in black would be difficult to explain, and it would cast suspicion on him for murdering Luo Tian.

Besides, if he was the only one to return alive, it would be even more suspicious.

Therefore, Qi Nan needed to put on an act as a "good person" and save the lives of these new disciples.

That way, the suspicion of murdering Luo Tian could be offset by his merits.

"How did you get here?"

The Dragon Leader’s eyes widened in disbelief.

’With the Blood Hand Poison Master’s strength, how could he have let this one slip through the net?’

"Hmph, you dare to slaughter disciples of the Yunxiao Sect? You and the Blood Hand Poison Master will not escape the Sect’s punishment!"

Qi Nan vented his pent-up frustration in the ensuing slaughter.

With his Cultivation and strength at the Spirit Sea Realm Sixth Layer, the Black Death Bandits and their men stood no chance and were quickly annihilated.

"Brother Qi, where’s Luo Tian?"

Ke Yuexuan asked, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

"Junior Luo... unfortunately died at the hands of the Blood Hand Poison Master."

Qi Nan lowered his head, putting on a mournful expression.

’He’s dead?’

Ke Yuexuan froze, unwilling to believe it.

But she had no choice but to believe it. The Blood Hand Poison Master’s strength was too terrifying; even with Qi Nan and Luo Tian fighting together, they had barely been able to hold their ground.

Now that Qi Nan was here, the only possibility was that Luo Tian was dead.

However, Ke Yuexuan suspected that Qi Nan had something to do with Luo Tian’s death.

"We need to hurry back to the Sect and report this! Maybe we can still catch the Blood Hand Poison Master and avenge Junior Luo!"

Qi Nan ordered.

In reality, if he led the team back now, they could save Luo Tian and would have a good chance of defeating the Blood Hand Poison Master.

...

「Inside the cave.」

Facing the full-force assault of the enraged Blood Hand Poison Master, Luo Tian was forced into a passive and dangerous situation.

He switched from offense to defense, shrouding himself in a vortex of frigid cold that greatly weakened the power of the Blood Hand Poison Master’s attacks.

Coupled with his agile Body Technique and formidable defense, he could still hold his own.

If it had been Qi Nan, his life would have likely already been in peril. After all, when it came to survival and defense, he was far inferior to Luo Tian.

PFFT!

One of the Blood Hand Poison Master’s attacks shattered the defense of Luo Tian’s Celestial Furnace Treasure Body, leaving a bloody gash on him.

Furthermore, the Blood Hand Poison Master’s attacks contained poison.

The Blood Hand Poison Master had, after all, once been a Top Tier Spirit Sea Realm expert. Although his Cultivation had fallen, his Realm and methods were still intact.

Just surviving a fight with such an expert was enough for Luo Tian to be proud of.

And based on normal strength, it was absolutely impossible for Luo Tian to defeat the Blood Hand Poison Master, who was so many levels above him.

But Luo Tian had trump cards. This was why he dared to fight the Blood Hand Poison Master.

When he had killed Yan Qing, Luo Tian had obtained a black Jade Talisman. It was Yan Qing’s life-saving trump card, but he had been killed by Luo Tian before he could use it.

Secondly, Luo Tian also had the Red Lotus Sword.

’It’s time to use my trump cards!’

Luo Tian’s gaze focused.

Between his two trump cards, Luo Tian unhesitatingly chose the black Jade Talisman, took it out, and poured his True Qi into it.

BOOM!

A massive, pitch-black palm, wreathed in dark flames, slammed toward the Blood Hand Poison Master with incomparably domineering power.

"This is... the power of a High Tier Spirit Sea Realm expert!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master sensed it instantly, shocked to his core. ’Luo Tian actually has a trump card like this!’

"Hmph, junior, I’m afraid you’ve forgotten that in my Peak Era, I, the Blood Hand Poison Master, was at the Top Tier Spirit Sea Realm!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master snorted coldly, gritted his teeth, and took out a dark red Elixir Pill, swallowing it in one gulp.

WHOOSH!

An overwhelming aura of blood energy erupted from his body like a volcano, releasing immense pressure as his strength was forcibly raised by a whole level.

The Blood Hand Poison Master once again used his Blood Demon Claw, meeting Luo Tian’s Jade Talisman trump card head-on.

RUMBLE!

Instantly, a shockwave of energy exploded, shaking the cavern walls and causing countless pieces of rubble to fall.

Luo Tian’s trump card could be activated multiple times in succession, and he relentlessly launched fierce attacks.

The boost from the Blood Hand Poison Master’s Elixir Pill also had a time limit, but it lasted even longer than Luo Tian’s Jade Talisman.

Unfortunately for him, the combat power he unleashed was inferior to Luo Tian’s trump card.

BOOM! PFFT!

The Blood Hand Poison Master was sent flying by the black flame palm, his body embedded into the rock wall behind him as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Damn it!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master’s face was a mask of fury.

He watched as Luo Tian once again controlled the black flame palm to strike.

A flicker of fear crossed the Blood Hand Poison Master’s eyes. Without a second thought, he dived into the lake of blood.

SPLASH!

The black flame palm slammed down, sending a ten-meter-high wave of blood splashing into the air.

"Junior, the moment your trump card’s time is up, this old man will take your head!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master’s head emerged from the lake, and he spoke with venomous hatred.

Blood circulated around his body, forming a protective barrier that greatly increased his defense. At the same time, wisps of blood flowed into his body, healing his injuries.

"Is that so?"

Luo Tian approached the blood lake and unleashed his Divine Vein Cold Power at full force.

The blood surrounding the Blood Hand Poison Master instantly froze solid.

In this way, his Blood Dao abilities were severely restricted.

The black flame palm plummeted down. Trapped by the ice, the Blood Hand Poison Master became a sitting duck, unable to even try to dodge.

BOOM! CRACK!

The Ice Lake shattered, and the Blood Hand Poison Master was slammed to the bottom. A hole was bashed into his head, and his body, covered in wounds, was a miserable sight.

At this moment, the black Jade Talisman in Luo Tian’s hand dissipated, and more than seventy percent of the True Qi in his body had been drained.

After all, he had used several High Tier Spirit Sea Realm attacks, which were far beyond his level.

"Cough! Cough!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. His Vitality was extremely tenacious, and he wasn’t dead yet.

As an Alchemist, his recovery and self-healing abilities were also very strong.

"The trump cards you have on you are truly surprising, you brat! But this is where it ends, heh heh heh!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master swallowed a Healing Pill, his cold, sinister eyes fixed on Luo Tian.

He was indeed severely injured at the moment, but he wouldn’t die so easily.

He had once faced an encirclement by nearly ten High Tier Spirit Sea Realm experts, yet he had managed to kill several of them and escape with his life. How could he possibly die at the hands of a mere brat at the Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer?

Luo Tian, on the other hand, had exhausted his trump card, which was beyond his level; his True Qi must be all but depleted.

’Once I recover even a fraction of my strength, I’ll be able to kill Luo Tian!’

"Don’t you underestimate me!"

Luo Tian snorted, disgusted by the Blood Hand Poison Master’s inhuman, ghoulish appearance.

His True Qi was indeed running low, but activating his Divine Vein Power didn’t require True Qi.

FWOOSH!

A surging tide of cold swept over him. Frost instantly condensed on the Blood Hand Poison Master’s skin, and the blood inside his body nearly froze solid.

Under these conditions, the healing effects of the Elixir Pill were drastically reduced.

"I...!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master was fuming. ’When did I underestimate Luo Tian now?’

However, looking at the current situation, it seemed he really had, once again, underestimated Luo Tian’s Divine Vein Power!

"However, Martial Vein Power can’t be sustained forever. Once your Martial Vein’s power is depleted, this old man..."

the Blood Hand Poison Master threatened with a venomous expression.

"Shut up. I’m about to break through!"

Luo Tian snapped, cutting the Blood Hand Poison Master off.

He then sat down cross-legged outside the blood lake, maintaining a distance of over ten meters from the Blood Hand Poison Master to ensure his Divine Vein Power could continue to take effect, constantly eroding him.

"Break through? Do you think you can just break through your Cultivation whenever you feel like it? What’s more, you’re injured and your True Qi is depleted. The probability of a breakthrough is forty percent lower than usual!"

As a senior with vast experience, the Blood Hand Poison Master sneered.

But his experience was based on ordinary circumstances.

And Luo Tian was anything but ordinary!

Activating his Incomplete Divine Vein, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi instantly began to surge toward him. Even the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi contained within the blood lake was being drawn out by Luo Tian!

A faint Spiritual Qi vortex formed around him, and the Spirit Sea Vortex inside his body began to slowly revolve.

"This..."

The Blood Hand Poison Master was stunned. Such an astonishing cultivation phenomenon was proof of Luo Tian’s unbelievably fast Cultivation speed!

’Just how terrifying is his cultivation talent?’

VWOOSH!

Ten breaths later, a more condensed and powerful True Qi radiated from within Luo Tian’s body.

"You bastard brat! Who plays like this?! You can’t just break through because you say so! Aaaah!"

The Blood Hand Poison Master could no longer remain calm and roared in a frenzy.