Now that he was fully relaxed, the white-robed cultivator finally experienced aches all over his body. His spirit energy was nearly entirely exhausted and his robes were sticking to his body, long drenched in sweat.
That escape had pushed his stamina to its limits!
Instinctively, he turned to look at Su Zimo.
However, that look gave him a shock.
Normally, given the fact that Su Zimo was right at the front and took on most of the attacks while summoning the Candlelight Sword Formation and conjuring a spirit art with such a terrifying might, he should be the most exhausted.
But now, he was standing on the spot looking calm and breathing steadily. It seemed as though he still had energy left and he did not break a sweat at all!
What sort of a stamina was that?
Was he a monster?
The white-robed cultivator took out a couple of elixirs and consumed them. After taking a breather, he cupped his fists towards Su Zimo and said sincerely, “Thank you for rendering your assistance, Fellow Daoist Su. I am Li Ziyue, a cultivator of Ethereal Peak. I was originally exploring outside and had only returned recently.”
Su Zimo nodded and shifted his gaze, looking at Li Ziyue’s sleeve.
There was an emblem of a flying sword etched on it.
That was the emblem of Spirit Peak’s master!
Xuan Yi remarked, “Ziyue is one of the few cultivators in the sect who managed to comprehend a Golden Core phenomenon and he’s also a sword cultivator. As such, he can be considered as the number one of the Golden Core realm in the sect and has returned this time round to take over the position of Spirit Peak’s master.”
“I’m ashamed,”
Li Ziyue shook his head hurriedly and said with a bitter smile, “I’m not worthy of being the number one of Golden Core realm. Fellow Daoist Su’s strength is above mine. Your reputation truly precedes you, impressive.”
In the cultivation world, cultivators lived for hundreds and thousands of years and strength reigned supreme.
Although Su Zimo was only a young man in his twenties right now, he had already formed his core and was in the same realm as Li Ziyue – there was nothing wrong with the both of them addressing one another as fellow Daoists.
If Li Ziyue started speaking to Su Zimo with an arrogant attitude and the tone of an elder just because he had lived for more than a hundred years, that would be unwise of him.
Perhaps it might be acceptable within the same sect.
However, if it was outside, there was a huge possibility that a large fight would breakout and one could even get themselves killed!
“Peak Master Xuan Yi, why did the three of you enter this place?”
Su Zimo changed the topic and asked confusedly.
What happened for three peak masters of Ethereal Peak to leave the sect together?
Xuan Yi sighed and replied, “Your master’s foundation was hurt during the battle at Ethereal Peak and he requires a Tribulation Tiding Elixir to recover. Otherwise, there’s a 90% chance that he’s going to fail in his attempt to breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm.”
Su Zimo’s heart skipped a beat.
He knew that the disheveled old man was injured but he did not expect the impact to be this great!
“The Tribulation Tiding Elixir is a Grade 3 Elixir and there are a few spirit herbs within that are too rare to be found. We couldn’t find them in several marketplaces. However, some of the legends state that those spirit herbs might be able to be found within the Great Qian Ruins and that’s why we’re here,”
Xuan Yi continued, “We did not find those spirit herbs in the outer perimeter of the ruins and I didn’t heed Ziyue’s advice and ventured deep into the center of this place. Sigh, I nearly caused all of us to lose our lives here.”
“Cough!”
Right then, Liu Hui who was lying in Xuan Yi’s embrace coughed a couple of times. Her mouth opened slightly as she spat out a mouthful of black blood that carried a dark malevolent qi.
Su Zimo turned to his side and took a glance with a calm expression.
However, Li Ziyue’s gaze narrowed as he lamented, “The malevolent qi has entered her blood!”
“Liu Hui, how are you?!”
Xuan Yi’s expression changed starkly as he took out a few jade bottles hurriedly. Opening the bottles in a flustered manner, he fed all the elixirs in them to Liu Hui.
“It’s useless,”
Liu Hui sighed gently.
After it enters the body, malevolent qi can be purged by elixirs and the immense spirit energy of one’s Golden Core if it did not enter deep into the bloodline.
However, she was too severely injured!
The malevolent qi had already infiltrated her bloodline and was circulating along with it, eating into her heart.
It won’t be long before her heart stopped beating.
“D-Don’t…”
Xuan Yi was extremely anxious and his voice was quivering.
He could naturally sense that Liu Hui’s condition was getting worse; her body was turning colder and her heart was beating fainter!
However, he was helpless towards such a situation.
If he had the fresh blood of a pure-blooded ferocious beast that he could feed Liu Hui, that might be able to contain the malevolent qi within her body.
However, they were in a ruin with countless otherworldly soldiers patrolling around them – there was no way for them to get out.
They were surrounded by silence. Apart from the few of them, there were no other living beings, let alone pure-blooded ferocious beasts.
Right then, Su Zimo suddenly came before Liu Hui and squatted down. A wound appeared on his wrist area, clearly inflicted recently.
He extended his wrist and placed his wound beside Liu Hui’s lips.
The moment a drop of blood dripped out, her injuries started healing!
Xuan Yi’s mind was in a state of chaos and he was only watching everything subconsciously.
That drop of blood shimmered with a divine light and emanated a pure and terrifying aura.
The moment that drop of blood entered Liu Hui’s mouth, a massive surge of energy burst forth, rippling through her body like a hurricane and entering all her limbs!
The malevolent qi within Liu Hui’s body could not defend against it and was purged before long.
Her heart was pounding with a sturdy strength!
Rather than a drop of blood…
It was akin to her devouring a blazing sun!
The entire process happened within a couple of breaths.
By the time Xuan Yi returned to his senses, a flush of scarlet had already returned to Liu Hui’s face and her body was gradually turning warm – even the massive gash on her abdomen was starting to heal!
“This…?!”
Both Xuan Yi and Li Ziyue were stunned.
Although there was the saying of lead mercury amalgam and tsunami blood in the cultivation world, the power of blood for cultivators that specialized in spirit energy and Dharmic arts were way too far from those.
Most cultivators did not have direct knowledge towards the power of bloodline.
But now, Li Ziyue and Xuan Yi – whose combined ages amounted to almost 500 years – finally witnessed what the power of blood was like!
Li Ziyue sized up Su Zimo as though he was looking at a monster, remarking internally, “A single drop of blood from him already contains such immense power. There’s no wonder why his stamina is so strong.”
Another while later.
Liu Hui’s condition recovered immensely and she could already manage to walk with Xuan Yi’s support.
“Thank you, Zimo!”
Xuan Yi was delighted and turned to thank immensely.
Looking at the otherworldly soldiers gathering outside, Su Zimo frowned and said darkly, “Peak Master Liu Hui is fine now. Let’s continue inside and leave the line of sight of these otherworldly soldiers first.”
Although they could not enter, the fact that all those otherworldly soldiers were gathered here was not good either.
“Alright!”
Xuan Yi supported Liu Hui and the three of them followed behind Su Zimo into the depths of the forbidden grounds.
Along the way, Su Zimo would stop occasionally and survey their surroundings.
Judging from the signs left behind, he deduced that there was a high chance this was a woman’s chamber in the past.
From the large surface area and intricate design of the structures, this woman must have had a significant position in the palace back then!
Su Zimo brought the three of them and maneuvered in this place, vanishing from the line of sight of the otherworldly soldiers before long.
The otherworldly soldiers outside did not have a mind of their own at the end of the day. After patrolling for a short while, they began to disperse.
