Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 1304 - 676: Bloodline Taboo

The crowd shivered in unison, as if unseen eyes in the darkness were watching them.

"Should we... retreat first?"

A thin cultivator in the team suggested tremulously, his Daoist robe already drenched in cold sweat.

Pan Zhuang bit his lip.

"No way! If those two useless people, Gu Sheng and Ling Xiao, can come in, why should we back down? Keep moving forward!"

Despite his words, his steps subconsciously slowed down.

The deeper they went, the stronger the scent of blood became, almost solidifying.

The walls of the cave were splattered with dark red bloodstains, some of which hadn’t completely congealed and were slowly sliding down.

Suddenly, Yu Tianyi, who was walking in front, abruptly stopped and let out a scream.

"Oh heavens!"

Pan Zhuang hurriedly stepped forward, the torchlight illuminating the path ahead.

A giant python corpse, over thirty feet long, lay across the center of the cave, its dark red scales covered with golden patterns. It was the legendary Seven-tiered Blood Pattern Python.

Yet at this moment, this ferocious beast, formidable enough to send Heavenly Palace cultivators fleeing, lay on the ground like a broken cloth.

The most chilling part was the giant python’s head, which was smoothly cleaved in two, with a faint bluish-gray glow emanating from the wound.

"Sword Qi... and Yin Qi..."

Jin Xianyun’s voice seemed to squeeze out from between clenched teeth.

"Killed with one strike."

Pan Zhuang’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. To be capable of slaying a Seventh Rank demon beast with one strike, such an entity was at least at the Earth Palace Stage of great power.

He looked around and instinctively lowered his voice.

"Senior? I wonder which senior is here? I mean no offense... I’m Pan Zhuang..."

All that responded to him was his own echo, with no reply from anyone else.

Yu Tianyi moved closer to the giant python’s corpse for inspection, his face growing increasingly pale.

"The Sword Qi at the wound is terrifyingly pure, and the Yin Qi is so condensed that it doesn’t dissipate... this is..."

"Could it be help that Gu Sheng and Ling Xiao have enlisted?"

Jin Xianyun speculated, his eyes filled with malice.

"Those two useless people couldn’t possibly deal with a beast of this level."

Pan Zhuang shook his head.

"Impossible.

Ling Xiao is just in the Earth Palace Early Stage, and Gu Sheng is only Earth Palace Mid Stage. How could they know such a powerful ally?"

He paused, eyes filled with resolve.

"Keep moving forward, and proceed with caution. If we really encounter that senior, declare immediately that we’re only here to look for our fellow sect members."

Everyone nervously stepped over the python’s corpse, each step as cautious as walking on thin ice.

The sound of dripping water echoed faintly from deeper within the cave, its clarity pronounced in the deathly silence.

After rounding a corner, the cave suddenly opened up into a natural stone chamber.

In the center of the chamber lay a pile of treasures shimmering with spiritual light—collections amassed by the Blood Pattern Python over the years.

"There they are!"

Yu Tianyi exclaimed excitedly but then his expression changed.

"No, where is the Holy Infant Grass?"

Pan Zhuang’s gaze quickly scanned the chamber, finally fixing on two figures in the corner—Gu Sheng sat cross-legged, eyes slightly closed, appearing to be in deep meditation.

Meanwhile, Ling Xiao lounged carelessly on the ground, playing with a Treasure Bead emitting a blue glow.

"You two!"

Pan Zhuang shouted harshly.

"Where is the senior?"

Ling Xiao didn’t even lift his head, continuing to toy with the Treasure Bead.

"Are you blind? Right here."

Yu Tianyi fumed.

"Courting death!"

He took a fierce step forward, but Pan Zhuang stopped him.

Suppressing his anger, Pan Zhuang asked solemnly.

"Ling Xiao, who killed this Blood Pattern Python?"

Ling Xiao finally raised his head, lazily pointing at Gu Sheng.

"Him, wasn’t it?"

"Nonsense!"

Jin Xianyun shrieked.

"Him? That Earth Palace Mid Stage waste could kill a Seventh Rank demon beast?"

Ling Xiao shrugged.

"Believe it or not."

Pan Zhuang narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the still-meditating Gu Sheng.

His breathing was steady, with no spiritual power fluctuations around him, not looking at all like someone capable of slaying a Blood Pattern Python with one strike.

"Where is the Holy Infant Grass?"

Pan Zhuang asked straightforwardly.

Ling Xiao pursed his lips.

"He took it, go ask him yourself."

Unable to hold back any longer, Yu Tianyi’s spiritual power surged around him.

"I’ll slit this nonsense-spewing waste’s throat first!"

This time, Pan Zhuang did not intervene, but instead began to walk slowly toward Gu Sheng.

"Junior Brother Gu, hand over the Holy Infant Grass, and for the sake of our shared sect, I can pretend none of this ever happened."

Gu Sheng remained absolutely still, not even lifting an eyelid.

This disregard completely infuriated Pan Zhuang.

After all, he was a cultivator in the Earth Palace Late Stage, somewhat renowned in the Inner Sect. When had he ever been so blatantly ignored?

"You refuse to drink the toast, only to drink forfeit!"

Pan Zhuang sneered coldly, already placing his right hand on the sword hilt.

Opportunistically, Jin Xianyun fanned the flames.

"Yu Brother, teach that Ling Xiao a lesson first! Let him know the price of running his mouth!"

Yu Tianyi approached Ling Xiao with a sinister grin.

"Little beast, I’ll smash your mouth in before I decide how to kill you."

Ling Xiao finally set down the Treasure Bead in his hand and slowly looked up.

Unexpectedly, there was no hint of fear in his eyes, only a touch of pity.

Ling Xiao raised his head slowly, his jet-black eyes void of any fluctuation.

His voice was eerily calm.

"I don’t like being compared to a pig."

"Hahaha!"

Yu Tianyi laughed boisterously, not taking the remark seriously at all.

"Daoist Yong’an’s waste disciple dares to talk back?"

Jin Xianyun clapped in delight beside him.

"Yu Brother, hit him hard! Make sure that rotten face is completely destroyed!"

The whistling Palm Wind approached, but it stopped abruptly three inches from Ling Xiao’s cheek.

Yu Tianyi’s wrist was clamped securely by a hand that appeared thin but was as strong as an iron clamp. He instinctively tried to pull back, but found it wouldn’t budge an inch.

"You..."

Yu Tianyi’s pupils contracted rapidly, alarms ringing loudly in his mind.

Ling Xiao snorted coldly, yanking forcefully with his arm.