Chapter 73

“It must be said, you’ve become more and more beautiful over the years! Even I am somewhat infatuated! Tsk tsk, this is for the best, as I can cultivate to the fullest! After absorbing your essence, I can smoothly condense my Soul Transformation! At that time, as a Soul Transformation powerhouse, I’ll be a sovereign in the entire Northern Spiritual Realm! Haha!”

Listening to her master’s words, Zhao Shirou felt as if her heart was being sliced. It turned out to be just as Yang Chen had said. The master she had always revered had truly been nurturing her as a furnace. Waiting until he broke through to Soul Transformation to absorb her essence.

“I won’t let you succeed!” Zhao Shirou circulated her true qi, trying to break free. But the ancient Liyang ancestor directly summoned a crimson talisman, suspending it above Zhao Shirou’s head. The talisman radiated scorching heat, with dragon roars resounding.

This was the imperial jade formation of the Liyang royal family.

Cultivation realms would forge jade formations to embody the dynasty’s destiny. This jade formation had been nurtured for 10,000 years by the Liyang royal family on a dragon vein.

Extremely Yang-focused.

It had an obvious suppressive effect on Zhao Shirou’s Yin body.

The jade formation hovered in the air, surrounded by crimson dragon shadows. It directly pinned Zhao Shirou down below. Making it difficult for her to circulate her Profound Yin true qi.

“Hmph, everything you have was given by me! How can you escape from my grasp? Rou’er, being my furnace to help me break through to Soul Transformation, you should feel honored!”

The ancient Liyang ancestor’s smile gradually became crazed.

Then, he directly removed his clothing.

Revealing his crimson, iron-like body.

He slowly approached Zhao Shirou, who was pinned down by the jade formation.

Zhao Shirou felt desperate.

If her master absorbed her essence, she would be finished.

She didn’t understand why her Profound Yin Qi physique made her a prime furnace. But she knew about furnaces and essence absorption. The cultivated essence of the absorbed person would be completely drained.

Leaving them as an ordinary person.

If it were a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they might live a few more decades as an ordinary person. But she, with her Nascent Soul level cultivation, had cultivated for hundreds of years. If she lost her cultivation, her lifespan would immediately be exhausted, and she would die.

“No, I can’t let him succeed! I must escape from here!”

Zhao Shirou then thought of the Bewildering Infant Powder that Yang Chen had given her. If she could make her master momentarily lose focus and control over the jade formation, she could break free and escape from the palace.

Zhao Shirou took out the jade bottle and threw it.

Pah!

The jade bottle shattered in mid-air.

A black gaseous substance spread out.

“Hmph, petty tricks!”

The ancient Liyang ancestor didn’t take it seriously at all.

With his half-step Soul Transformation cultivation, few poisons in the world would affect him. He waved his hand, trying to disperse the black gas. But to his surprise, the black gas could not be dispelled.

Instead, it directly enveloped him.

“Damn it! What is this thing?”

The black gas entered his body.

The ancient Liyang ancestor’s aura rapidly began to decline.

“Wicked disciple! You actually planned this in advance, daring to plot against me! What kind of poison is this?” The ancient Liyang ancestor roared.

In an instant, his cultivation had dropped three minor realms.

Seizing the moment when her master lost control of the jade formation, Zhao Shirou quickly broke free. Without a moment’s hesitation, she dashed out of the grand hall.

“Damn it! Don’t think you can run! Li Zhan, stop her!”

The ancient Liyang ancestor shouted.

Li Zhan, who was outside the hall, blocked Zhao Shirou’s path.

“Consort Zhao, the ancient ancestor asks you to stay!”

“Get out of my way!”

Zhao Shirou struck Li Zhan with a palm strike, causing him to cough up blood and fly away. She then rushed towards the Imperial Preceptor’s Mansion without looking back.

At this moment, Yang Chen naturally sensed the powerful fluctuation of true qi emanating from Zhao Shirou.

“Master!”

“There is a disturbance in the Liyang Palace!”

Yan Jiu appeared beside Yang Chen.

His withered face and sinister eyes made Xu Qingxuan, who was pouring tea, tremble in fear. There was such a terrifying person beside the Holy Son.

Was he a cultivator from the Xuantian Sect? He didn’t really seem like one!

“Hee hee, little girl, don’t be afraid! I am the master’s subordinate, I won’t harm you!”

Yan Jiu revealed a mouthful of big white teeth at Xu Qingxuan, his voice hoarse and unpleasant.

“Sen… Senior, you… you can have some tea!”

Xu Qingxuan tremblingly handed him a cup of tea.

Yan Jiu didn’t even look at it.

“I don’t like drinking tea! I only like…”

“Enough, Yan Jiu!” Yang Chen cut him off.

This Yan Jiu fellow indeed had no interest in food and drink.

He only cared about souls.

However, Yang Chen couldn’t let Yan Jiu say such things in front of Xu Qingxuan. After all, even though he was the great villain, he had to maintain an upright appearance on the surface.

The Soul Cult was too evil. It was better to keep it hidden.

“Consort Zhao is coming!” Yang Chen murmured, gazing into the sky.

In a moment, a yellow ray of light descended into the Imperial Preceptor’s Residence.

“Your Holiness, please save me!” Zhao Shirou’s charming face was full of panic.

“It seems it was as I predicted! But how did Consort Zhao escape?”

“I used the Bewildering Infant Powder you gave me to momentarily delay my master!”

Zhao Shirou said urgently: “Your Holiness, my master has reached the half-step Soul Transformation realm and wields the Liyang jade formation, able to command the extreme Yang force accumulated over 10,000 years by the Liyang royal family. Below the Soul Transformation realm, he is nearly invincible! I don’t know if there are any Soul Transformation cultivators among Your Holiness’ followers?”

Yang Chen shook his head.

“No!”

“No!?”

Zhao Shirou’s heart sank.

Although the Xuantian Holy Son was alone, her master wouldn’t dare kill him due to his status.

However, that didn’t mean he could protect her.

Zhao Shirou hesitated in her heart.

Should she pin her hopes on the Xuantian Holy Son?

Or should she seize this chance and try to escape as far as possible?

But before she could make a decision, Yang Chen said to Xu Qingxuan: “Junior Sister Xu, go and inform your father to notify the major sects to head to the Liyang Imperial Palace!”

After saying that, Yang Chen and Yan Jiu flew towards the Liyang Imperial Palace.

“What is the Holy Son doing?”

Zhao Shirou was puzzled and perplexed.

Xu Qingxuan spoke up: “Consort Zhao! The Holy Son probably plans to slay that ancient ancestor of the Liyang royal family! Today, the Liyang royal family may face a catastrophe!”

“What?”

Zhao Shirou was alarmed, suddenly thinking of Li Hao who was still in the palace.

“No, Hao’er is still in the palace!”