294: Chapter 294 The Battle for the Thunder Spirit Fruit

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Chen Changqing and the Thunder Python had already been fighting for a full incense stick's time. He tried his best to control his aura, keeping the commotion between them as minimal as possible.

However, they were at the Zifu Stage after all; no matter how small the commotion, it would still affect a great distance.

Especially since this Immortal Cave was not very large, covering only around one or two thousand li.

For Purple Palace Cultivators, it would only take a few hours to cross it entirely.

Rumble!

Thunder continuously erupted from the body of the Thunder Python, blasting toward Chen Changqing.

Chen Changqing took out the qingluo umbrella to block the attacks while controlling the qingtian sword to slash at the Thunder Python.

The difference in their strength was simply too vast. Even going all out, the Thunder Python had the strength of the Seventh Layer of Zifu at most.

Four years ago, Chen Changqing's strength was already at the Ninth Layer of Zifu, let alone what level he had reached now.

Even without using his full power, relying on the qingluo umbrella and qingtian sword gave him combat power at the Perfection of the Seventh Layer of Zifu.

Hiss!

A single strike of the qingtian sword slashed down, tearing through the Thunder Python's body, and with another strike, nearly sliced the Thunder Python in half.

Boom!

Watching the incoming bolts of lightning, Chen Changqing's figure flashed as he dodged the attack.

Just as he was tangled in combat with the Thunder Python, several strands of Divine Sense swept over, all belonging to the Zifu Stage.

He was surprised in his heart, yet didn't find it strange. After all, a Purple Palace Cultivator's Divine Sense could cover at least dozens of li. If one was in the Middle Stage of Zifu, it could reach nearly or even exceed a hundred li. Someone like him, possessing a Divine Soul equivalent to the Perfection of the Ninth Layer of Zifu, could cover a range of two hundred li.

It was just that he had been focused on dealing with the Thunder Python in front of him earlier, so by the time these Purple Palace Cultivators' Divine Sense swept over to him, they were already less than a hundred li away.

"Brother, let's leave quickly," Li Qingling called out as she arrived at this moment.

She was closer to those Purple Palace Cultivators, so she had discovered them sooner.

Chen Changqing nodded, and the two immediately fled, leaving the Thunder Python behind in a furious rage.

...

"Those two unfamiliar Purple Palace Cultivators have already discovered us."

Among the five Purple Palace Cultivators rushing toward Chen Changqing's group, an old man with white hair and a youthful complexion, looking like an Immortal, spoke up.

His cultivation was the strongest among them, reaching the Seventh Layer of Zifu. Of the other four, two were at the Middle Stage of Zifu, and two were at the Early Stage of Zifu.

"As expected of Old Man Tong," a somewhat young-looking man said admiringly.

Tong Yansheng had an indifferent expression, merely letting out a slight smile. When he discovered the two earlier, he had also spotted the thunder spirit fruit tree.

He knew the effects of the thunder spirit fruit tree, and because of this, his heart was currently far from calm. The maximum Lifespan of a Purple Palace Cultivator was around five hundred years.

And he was already over four hundred years old, only a few decades away from his limit.

If he could obtain these thunder spirit fruits, he could not only boost his cultivation, but even extend his life by several decades. Then, he could go to the Great Li Dynasty to search for Core Formation spiritual items.

At the thought of this, his heart surged with excitement, but...

A trace of coldness flashed in his eyes. The few people behind him were his greatest obstacles, and he needed to find a way to eliminate them.

The other four had likewise discovered the thunder spirit fruit tree, each harbouring their own thoughts.

Some among them had already begun using voice transmissions to seek an alliance.

A quarter of an hour later, they arrived in front of the thunder spirit fruit tree.

"It really is a thunder spirit fruit tree! Rumor has it that thunder spirit fruits can boost one's cultivation and extend Lifespan, but I wonder if the effect is truly that miraculous. Everyone, there happen to be five fruits—how about we take one each?" spoke the young man with the weakest cultivation among the five.

Hearing this, the corners of the other four people's lips curled up in mock amusement.

"That works..." Tong Yansheng smiled.

Just as he finished speaking, two Purple Palace Cultivators who had secretly allied with each other struck instantly.

Bang!

"Hmph! Do you think this old man spent four hundred years living like a dog, completely without precautions?" Tong Yansheng said, looking at the two attacking Purple Palace Cultivators.

One of them was at the Third Layer of Zifu, and the other was at the Fourth Layer of Zifu.

One was named Li Tianxing, and the other was Wang Lan.

"Hmph, old beast! Don't pretend you didn't harbor murderous intent toward us as well. We only joined forces to hunt for treasure, and now that the treasure is before us, it all comes down to who has the greater ability," Li Tianxing sneered with a chuckle.

Aside from the two of them, the other two were also somewhat moved.

Tong Yansheng was so enraged that he laughed instead. "Good! Good! Good! Since that's the case, there's no need for anyone to pretend anymore. Strike whenever you wish, and this old man will fight you to the end!"

As the ancestor of the Tong Family, he had started as a minor Qi Refining Cultivator and led the Tong Family from a Foundation Establishment Family to a Purple Mansion Family today. How could he possibly be devoid of means?

He patted his Storage Pouch, and two Magical Artifacts appeared out of thin air: a Tier-3 High Grade Silver Steel Sword and a Tier-3 High Grade Mingli Shield, as an aura of the Eighth Layer of Zifu violently burst forth from him.

Seeing this, Li Tianxing and Wang Lan hurriedly retreated.

Li Tianxing said, "If you two don't join forces with us to deal with him, once he kills us, will there be any way out for you two?"

The eyes of the other two flickered. Among these five people, Tong Yansheng had the highest cultivation, reaching the Eighth Layer of Zifu, followed by Li Tianxing, who possessed the cultivation of the Fifth Layer of Zifu.

Although Wang Lan was only at the Third Layer of Zifu, she hailed from the Su Nü Palace, so her strength likely wasn't much weaker either.

The Su Nü Palace was a Zifu force within Heiyuan Valley, housing four Purple Palace Cultivators. The Palace Master of Su Nü Palace was even a Pseudo-Core Realm Expert, making her definitely part of the second tier of Cultivators in Heiyuan Valley outside of those Golden Core Masters.

And Wang Lan was that person's biological daughter, so she definitely possessed no shortage of treasures.

As for the two of them, one was at the Fourth Layer of Zifu and the other at the Second Layer of Zifu. In terms of cultivation and strength, even if the two of them joined forces, they couldn't contend with either side.

Just as they were still hesitating, Tong Yansheng suddenly lunged forward. The Silver Steel Sword erupted instantaneously, attacking Li Tianxing.

Seeing this, Li Tianxing immediately engaged, and Wang Lan beside him also struck at the same time.

However, in just the blink of an eye, the two were completely suppressed by Tong Yansheng's fierce offensive.

Seeing this, the other two—namely Lin Pang and Wei Yu—also joined the battle.

They knew that if Tong Yansheng killed those two here, they would be next.

"Hmph! Do you think that by combining forces, the four of you can defeat this old man?" Tong Yansheng roared furiously.

Though he said so, in reality, he truly couldn't handle four Purple Palace Cultivators simultaneously on his own.

In the blink of an eye, he was pushed into a disadvantage.

Seizing the opportunity, the four opponents unleashed fierce attacks, giving Tong Yansheng no chance to react.

Battling four adversaries alone, Tong Yansheng retreated continuously while coughing up blood.

At most, his strength allowed him to defeat two Middle Stage Zifu Cultivators working together. Now, not only were there two Middle Stage Zifu Cultivators, but also two Early Stage Zifu Cultivators. With the four of them joining forces, even he found it difficult to prevail.

Raising his hand to form a hand seal, several wind blades swept past the four, each carrying a terrifying aura.

"Retreat!" Li Tianxing shouted.

The other three followed him and backed away.

"Hmph! The mountains are high and the road is long; this old man will remember today!" Tong Yansheng sneered with a chuckle, disappearing from the place in the blink of an eye.

Having forced Tong Yansheng away, the four immediately spread out.

Next would be the battle among the four of them.