Chapter 55: How Dared You Kill Someone from the Fallen Leaf Sect?!

Blood Crow Elder's withered, skeletal fingers gripped Xiao Ye's neck, the icy touch wrapping around him like a venomous snake.

Xiao Ye struggled desperately, only to find that the profound energy within his body was like a clay ox entering the sea, and even his broken sword had grown unbearably heavy.

"Was it you who wanted to kill my pet just now?"

Blood Crow Elder's gloomy voice echoed in his ear.

Zhuge Lingyun forced himself to stand up. "Senior Blood Crow! We didn't know it was your pet!"

"Noisy."

Without looking back, Blood Crow Elder flickered his sleeve, sending a wave of bloody Qi that blasted Zhuge Lingyun and Du Mao flying over ten zhang away, crashing heavily into the ruins.

Xiao Ye's vision darkened, but then he heard Blood Crow Elder suddenly let out an inquiring "Oh?"

"You are Xiao Ye?" Blood Crow Elder leaned in and sniffed. "The kid the Profound Yellow Sect is offering a hundred thousand spirit stones for?"

Xiao Ye's heart shook violently, and a hoarse voice squeezed from his throat. "The dignified Blood Crow Elder... also covets this paltry sum of spirit stones?"

"Who would ever complain about having too many spirit stones?" Blood Crow Elder smiled sinisterly and suddenly released his grip. Xiao Ye tumbled to the ground, coughing violently.

Blood Crow Elder squatted down and hooked Xiao Ye's chin with a withered finger. "However... I've changed my mind."

His fingertip suddenly pierced into the center of Xiao Ye's brow!

"Ah—!"

Xiao Ye felt a chilling, baleful force drill into his mind, condensing into a blood-red seed at his elixir field.

"This is the Heart-Devouring Poison Seed."

Blood Crow Elder withdrew his hand. "Help me kill someone, and I will remove it for you."

"Who?" Xiao Ye gasped, clutching his forehead.

"Duan Tianqing, an inner sect elder of the Profound Yellow Sect." An ingrained, bone-deep hatred flashed in Blood Crow Elder's eyes. "He killed my only grandson."

Xiao Ye's pupils contracted! Duan Tianqing was none other than Xu Beichen's master!

"Senior overestimates me."

Xiao Ye smiled bitterly. "I can't even defeat Xu Beichen right now..."

Blood Crow Elder suddenly turned around, reaching out into the empty air to grab the dying Sea Demon Ape.

That blood-red crystal burst out from its skull, hovering in his palm.

"Eat it." Blood Crow Elder pushed the crystal toward Xiao Ye. "It can temporarily suppress the poison seed and enhance your cultivation."

The crystal emitted an eerie red glow. Just as Xiao Ye was about to take it, Zhuge Lingyun's sharp shout suddenly came from afar: "Don't eat it! That's a Blood Soul Crystal! Eating it will turn you into a half-demon!"

Blood Crow Elder's expression changed abruptly. His figure flashed like a ghost right in front of Zhuge Lingyun, his withered claws aiming straight for the crown of his head. "Court death!"

"You dare kill someone from my Fallen Leaf Sect?"

As a cold, clear female voice sounded, a beam of cyan light descended from the sky, precisely striking Blood Crow Elder's wrist. He let out a muffled grunt and retreated three steps.

Everyone looked up to see a woman in cyan robes standing gracefully in mid-air. She appeared to be about thirty years old, with picturesque features, holding a verdant bamboo staff in her hand.

"Fallen Leaf Sect... Elder Qingzhu?"

Blood Crow Elder's expression flickered uncertainly.

Qingzhu fluttered down to the ground, her bamboo staff lightly tapping the earth.

"Scram."

Blood Crow Elder gave a grim laugh. "Just with your cultivation of someone who has merely stepped into the Fish-Dragon Realm?"

"What about plus this?"

Qingzhu tossed a bronze token from her sleeve. The moment the token hit the ground, it transformed into a ten-zhang-tall bronze giant, green flames burning within its eyes.

"Bronze Puppet!" Blood Crow Elder's expression finally changed. "That old man Fallen Leaf gave even this to you?"

Qingzhu said no more, waving her bamboo staff slightly.

The bronze giant took a resounding step forward, and the ground trembled accordingly. Gritting his teeth and glancing at Xiao Ye, Blood Crow Elder suddenly transformed into countless blood crows that scattered and fled in all directions.

"If you don't kill Duan Tianqing within three months, the poison seed will certainly claim your life!" A chilling voice echoed in the air.

Once the blood crows dissipated, Qingzhu turned to look at Xiao Ye. "You are Xiao Ye?"

Before Xiao Ye could answer, he suddenly spewed a mouthful of black blood. The blood-colored markings between his brows wriggled like living creatures, and the excruciating pain caused him to curl up on the ground.

"The poison seed has acted up."

Zhuge Lingyun staggered over. "Third Senior Sister! Save him quickly!"

Qingzhu frowned, pressing her verdant bamboo staff against the center of Xiao Ye's brow. Cyan light and blood markings intertwined, emitting a sizzling sound.

"This poison seed has already connected with his heart meridian."

Qingzhu shook her head with the staff. "Unless the caster removes it personally, forcing it out will cost him his life."

Du Mao asked anxiously, "Does he really have to go kill Duan Tianqing? That's a peak Fish-Dragon Realm expert!"

Qingzhu pondered for a moment before suddenly asking, "Are you heading to Liqing Island?"

Seeing the three of them nod, she retrieved a piece of jade-like bamboo slip from her bosom. "Take this item to Hearing Tide Pavilion on the east side of the island; perhaps someone there can help you."

Enduring the pain, Xiao Ye accepted the bamboo slip. "Thank you, Senior."

"Don't thank me." Qingzhu looked at Zhuge Lingyun. "Master foresaw turmoil in the East China Sea and specifically ordered me to provide backup. Lingyun, follow me back to the sect to report."

Zhuge Lingyun was shocked. "But Xiao Ye and the others..."

"Their path is one they must walk themselves."

Qingzhu raised her hand and summoned a cyan flying boat. "Your injuries are too severe; staying behind would only be a burden."

Zhuge Lingyun's face showed struggle, but finally, he gritted his teeth, retrieved three golden escape talismans, and shoved them into Xiao Ye's hands. "These are Thousand-Mile Escaping Talismans; they can save your life in a critical moment."

As the flying boat ascended into the air, Du Mao suddenly shouted, "Master! That Blood Soul Crystal..."

Qingzhu's voice came from the clouds: "Bury it on the East China Sea beach; the tides will purify the evil Qi."

When the flying boat vanished into the horizon, the hand holding the bamboo slip trembled slightly. Du Mao patted his shoulder. "What do we do now?"

Xiao Ye looked toward the horizon where the sea met the sky. "Head to Liqing Island first."

Three days later, the East China Sea dock.

A dilapidated fishing boat rose and fell with the waves, and an old boatman with a face full of wrinkles parted his mouth to reveal yellow teeth. "Are the two of you certain you want to go to Liqing Island?"

Xiao Ye nodded, handing over a pouch of spirit stones. The old boatman weighed it in his hand, then suddenly lowered his voice.

"It hasn't been peaceful on the island lately. I heard a monster escaped from the sword graveyard..."

Du Mao was unimpressed. "We're heading straight for the sword graveyard."

The old boatman shook his head, said nothing more, and punted the boat away from the shore.

The fishing boat bobbed forward amidst the waves. On the distant sea shrouded in dark clouds, the outline of an isolated island was vaguely visible.

Suddenly, a muffled "thud" came from beneath the boat's hull.

"What is that?"

Du Mao gripped the gunwale tightly. The old boatman's face turned ashen. "It's here!"

The hull rocked violently as a dark shadow leaped from the sea!

It was a half-man, half-fish monster, its scale-covered face bearing six eyes.

"Sea demon!"

The old boatman shrieked and jumped into the sea to flee for his life.

The monster's sharp claws ripped open the planks, and foul-smelling saliva dripped onto the deck.

Xiao Ye drew his sword and slashed at the monster's neck, but its slippery scales deflected his strength away.

The monster shrieked and lunged forward. Seizing the opportunity, Du Mao threw a punch directly at its waist.

"Bang!"

The monster cried out in pain, whipping around with its tail. Du Mao failed to dodge in time and was sent flying into the sea.

"Senior Brother Du!"

Just as Xiao Ye was about to rescue him, dozens of icicles suddenly shot from the sea, pinning the monster to the mast!

A blue figure strode across the waves, her crystal-ice sword stabbing straight into the monster's brow. The monster wailed before dissolving into a pool of foul-smelling slime.

"Han Qi?!"

Xiao Ye widened his eyes.

The woman in blue removed her hood, revealing Han Qi's pale visage. "Brother Mubai asked me to come help you."

Du Mao climbed back onto the boat, dripping wet, and asked coughingly, "Is Mubai's injury healed?"

Han Qi shook her head, drawing a jade slip from her bosom. "He asked me to give this to Xiao Ye."

Xiao Ye took the jade slip, probed it with his spiritual sense, and his expression changed drastically. There were only eight words within the jade slip:

"Turmoil in the sword graveyard, demons born into the world!"