Chapter 1126: Hollow Spirit State Chase
The octagonal cauldron was powerful, but Ye Mo still felt pressured. This swamp was strange; a powerful suction force seemed omnipresent. He had to defend against it while fighting the python. He couldn't imagine what would happen if he got sucked in.
Thud thud thud
The dark water arrows clashed with the cauldron again. Simultaneously, Ye Mo unleashed the Illusion Cloud formation kill strike without hesitation. He didn't want to prolong the fight; he had a bad feeling. He aimed to trap and then kill the python.
The python, realizing Ye Mo was a formidable opponent, turned and fled after the second wave of water arrows failed. It ignored the purple sword rays, allowing Zi Xu to inflict a ten-centimeter-deep wound. Ye Mo didn't pursue; the python was too fast. Had it been slower, and the Illusion Cloud formation fully deployed, it wouldn't have escaped. Besides, killing a level six peak-stage python in this swamp wasn't easy.
Ye Mo stopped. After the fight, the herb's aroma had vanished completely. He had no idea where it originated. Ahead lay a boundless swamp, its only discernible qualities being the putrid stench and the ever-increasing suction force.
“Wei Cong, are you certain that person was Ye Mo?” a Hollow Spirit State peak stage cultivator asked a Golden Core State middle stage cultivator not far from Mang Mountain Town.
The Golden Core State cultivator replied immediately, “I wouldn’t lie; Wan Bei was certain the bearded man who entered town was Ye Mo. I’ve seen Ye Mo before; even though he wore a stealth mask, I’m sure it was him.”
“Then where did he go?” The Hollow Spirit State cultivator nodded, his tone calmer now. He seemed pleased with the answer.
“He conversed with several Foundation Establishment State cultivators in the spirit rest tower for a considerable time before leaving town. They headed toward the Zhou River Swamp.”
“Mhmm, very well. You may leave.” The Hollow Spirit State peak stage cultivator waved his hand, and fire engulfed Wei Cong.
“Arghh…” Wei Cong received no lavish reward; instead, this was his recompense for observing Ye Mo.
Another Hollow Spirit State middle stage cultivator asked curiously, “Martial Brother Jin, how did you know Wei Cong could guess Ye Mo’s direction?”
The Hollow Spirit State peak stage elder sneered, “Ye Mo is cunning; it’s impossible to intercept him at the Pill City gates. Given his status, irrelevant individuals aren't permitted near him. Luckily, before he took Xin Zhida as his disciple, he offended several cultivators, and Wei Cong was one of them.
I found Wei Cong; the other cultivators residing in the yard were gone. He only told me he might know Ye Mo’s whereabouts, not that Ye Mo would definitely come to Great Zhou Mountain. However, he likely knew something, so he waited here. I didn’t expect him to actually succeed.”
The Hollow Spirit State middle stage elder was astonished. “Even that worked?”
Martial Brother Jin nodded. “Wei Cong probably guessed Ye Mo might come to Great Zhou Mountain but wasn't certain. I offered him 100,000 top-grade spirit stones, promising another Cao Huan pill if he located Ye Mo. That’s why he remained here, reporting immediately upon finding him.”
The Hollow Spirit State elder stated bleakly, “Regardless of his actions here, I will extract his soul and burn it! How dare he kill my disciple, Chai Kong? If I, Jin Qibei, don't avenge him, I have no face remaining in the Earth Demon Sect.”
The Hollow Spirit State middle stage cultivator nodded. “If he remained in the Pill City, we could do nothing. But since he left, it's his fault. Let's go, Martial Brother Jin.”
Martial Brother Jin nodded. “He possesses two rare flames. If he falls into the Lightning Cloud Sect’s hands, there’ll be nothing left for us. Let's go!”
The two dashed off, reaching the vicinity of the Zhou River Swamp in under two hours.
Meanwhile, Li Jilei frowned. “Brother Lu, Brother Duan, I believe that Ning fellow is dead. It’s been six hours; we should return and seek someone else.”
Duan Yitai sighed. “That's all we can do. I wonder how that fellow lived this long. He’s an idiot; he's probably never experienced anything good, and his brain overheated upon smelling the herb’s aroma.”
“Is this Ning fellow a big, bearded man?” A voice suddenly emerged near Duan Yitai’s ear.
The three turned, seeing two individuals materialize behind them. They couldn't discern their cultivation level. Even an idiot would know these two were far more powerful.
Duan Yitai immediately bowed. “That Ning Xiaoma is indeed bearded. We were searching for spirit herbs, but he rushed into the swamp without a word. We've been waiting, but he hasn't returned.”
“Which direction did he go?” the cultivator asked.
Duan Yitai, increasingly worried by the cultivator’s impassive expression – as if they were already dead to him – pointed east. “That way.”
The cultivator then launched three fireballs, incinerating the three before they could react. Their certainty that the bearded man was Ye Mo increased; his wife's surname was also Ning.
Ye Mo was utterly perplexed. He had journeyed nearly 1000 kilometers into the swamp – theoretically, no spirit herb should carry its aroma this far. Was it truly an immortal herb?
Should he search or wait until tomorrow when the aroma might reappear? Staying here was risky, with the powerful suction and putrid stench. He could enter the Golden Page World and wait.
Even without other cultivators present, Ye Mo hesitated to use the Golden Page World so readily. It was his final recourse; if others learned of it, he'd have nowhere to hide. He wasn't Chu Jiuyu; he wasn't that powerful. He'd only use it as a last resort.
Suddenly, two powerful spirit senses swept over him.
“Hollow Spirit State cultivators?” Ye Mo was shocked, breaking into a cold sweat. He instantly summoned Zi Xu, burned some essence blood, and dashed deeper into the swamp.
The arrival of Hollow Spirit State cultivators was clearly ominous. Regardless of whether they targeted him, he wanted no contact.
After another 200 kilometers, Ye Mo found further progress difficult. The suction force prevented him from accelerating. He felt he'd briefly escaped the spirit senses behind him. Without hesitation, Ye Mo entered the Golden Page World and concealed it within the swamp.
He knew that continued flight would lead to being detected again by the Hollow Spirit State cultivators' spirit senses. He had used essence blood to escape their range before; another such attempt would be far more difficult.
“Found him. He's clearly not a Foundation Establishment State cultivator to venture this far. It’s Ye Mo, surely. Wei Cong wasn't entirely foolish after all,” Martial Brother Jin sneered.
The other Hollow Spirit State cultivator nodded. Just as they were about to accelerate towards Ye Mo, they found him gone.
“Hmm…” The Hollow Spirit State middle stage cultivator expressed surprise at Ye Mo’s speed.
The Hollow Spirit State peak stage cultivator calmly stated, “No need for surprise; he merely burned essence blood. He temporarily escaped our spirit sense range, but it’s futile. Such actions in the Zhou River Swamp are suicidal. If we move faster, we’ll find him within minutes.”
Fifteen minutes passed, and the two stopped. The Hollow Spirit State peak stage cultivator’s face was grim; he hadn’t expected Ye Mo to truly escape.
“He got away? Does he possess an escape technique or high-level runes?” The other Hollow Spirit State cultivator’s expression was equally grim.
Martial Brother Jin shook his head. “If he did, he wouldn't have burned essence blood. He likely possesses an advanced concealment method; much like his exit from the Pill City. Everyone believed he was in solitary cultivation, but he was actually here.”