Chapter 150: Shangguan Ming’s End of the Road

Before Sun Xuan escaped from this underground space, he cast a deep gaze into the distant underground space filled with gray mist.

Hearing the faint sounds of battle coming from afar, Sun Xuan no longer hesitated; with a movement of his figure, he directly left through the passage leading to the underground space here.

After leaving the underground space, Sun Xuan did not linger. Instead, along with the other fleeing Town Demon Guards, he headed toward the garrison of the Qinghe County Demon Suppression Guard.

As for those remnants of the Baihuo Cult who had escaped the underground space, once they emerged, they fled directly outside Qinghe County without looking back.

This trip to Qinghe County had left a shadow in the hearts of these Baihuo Cult members.

Even their leader had died at the hands of that Python-Robed Zombie.

Under such circumstances, unless necessary, these Baihuo Cult remnants would probably never set foot in Qinghe County again in this lifetime.

Sun Xuan and the other Town Demon Guards did not pursue the fleeing Baihuo Cult members.

At this moment, Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing was still being hunted down by that Python-Robed Zombie, and whether he could successfully escape with his life in the end was still hard to say.

Under these circumstances, how could anyone still have the mood to fight to the death with this group of Baihuo Cult members? Since they were willing to run, let them be.

After a short while, Sun Xuan and the other Town Demon Guard members arrived at the location in the Wuling Mountains where the horses were kept.

The two Town Demon Guards left behind to guard the horses were startled to see everyone looking so disheveled, and immediately asked with expressions of shock:

"Everyone, what happened to you all?"

"Lord Lü, why didn't he come out with you?"

"Were those rebels of the Baihuo Cult wiped out?"

Facing the inquiries of these two, none of the Town Demon Guards who escaped from the underground space were willing to pay them any mind.

In the end, Chu Lin stepped forward and said to the two Town Demon Guards guarding the horses:

"Do not ask so many questions. Something went wrong with the suppression of the Baihuo Cult rebels, and Lord Lü is currently fighting a bitter battle."

"Believing in Lord Lü's strength, there shouldn't be any major issues for him to turn misfortune into fortune this time."

"It is far too dangerous here in Wuling Mountain, and we cannot continue to stay."

"This is to prevent Lord Lü from falling into danger again after successfully escaping, in order to protect us."

With Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing not here, Chu Lin was basically the most prestigious person among these Town Demon Guards.

Since Chu Lin had said so, the two horse-guarding Town Demon Guards naturally had nothing more to say.

They directly handed the horses over to the group of Town Demon Guards, and then, accompanying them, rode rapidly toward the garrison of the Qinghe County Demon Suppression Guard.

In an instant, the once lively and noisy Wuling Mountains returned to peace as various factions either died or fled.

Only the howling mountain winds and the sporadic cries of beasts in the mountains echoed desolately.

Meanwhile, under the pursuit of the Python-Robed Zombie, the situation for Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and the other two had become even more dangerous.

At this moment, Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and the two others were not far from the passage leading out of the underground space.

However, after a chase and flight, all three had sustained considerable injuries.

Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing was relatively fine; relying on having the strongest strength among the three, his injuries were the lightest.

However, Shangguan Ming's situation was becoming somewhat ominous.

Due to greed, Shangguan Ming had entered that Zombie City along with Sect Master Li Changtian and the Martial Artists of their two families.

The outcome was that all the low-level Martial Artists of both families were completely wiped out.

Sect Master Li Changtian, possessing strength superior to Shangguan Ming by a notch and having good luck as well, neither lost his life nor sustained injuries under the attacks of the Python-Robed Zombie.

But Shangguan Ming was much more unfortunate.

While fleeing from Zombie City, an arm of his was hacked off by the Python-Robed Zombie with a single saber strike, leaving him severely injured on the spot.

Furthermore, the black long saber used by the Python-Robed Zombie to sever his arm carried an extremely bizarre corrosive force.

This corrosive force adhered to Shangguan Ming's wound, not only preventing it from healing but also continuously eroding deeper into his body.

Relying on the massive True Essence within his body and the suppression of the Shangguan Family's ancestral Legacy treasure, the true spirit artifact fire ghost gourd, Shangguan Ming barely managed to hold on and escape here under the pursuit of the Python-Robed Zombie.

Yet upon reaching this location extremely close to the exit of the underground space, Shangguan Ming truly reached his limit.

At this moment, the Python-Robed Zombie pursued them once again.

Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and the other two had no choice but to stop their flight once more, joining forces to fend off this Python-Robed Zombie.

Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing let out a loud shout, a hint of ruthlessness flashing across his gloomy expression.

Immediately afterward, the two short spears in Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing's hands emitted an azure light, and a chilling frost Qi instantly projected from them.

Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing then fiercely hurled the two short spears, which radiated an azure and chilling frost Qi, toward the charging Python-Robed Zombie.

In an instant, the two short spears shot toward the Python-Robed Zombie at extreme speed like two bolts of azure lightning.

Seeing this, Sect Master Li Changtian's eyes likewise surged with Killing Intent.

In this treasure-seizing operation, his Qingdan Sect could be considered completely ruined.

The Sect elites he had brought along had all perished within this underground space this time.

Having lost these elite Disciples, the Qingdan Sect could now be said to have suffered a heavy blow to its Origin Qi.

Yet after paying such a heavy price, they had gained absolutely nothing.

As for the legendary true spirit artifact ranked on the chaos myriad spirits ranking, they hadn't even caught a glimpse of its shadow.

Even he himself had not yet escaped the life-threatening danger at this moment.

Under such circumstances, the anger in Sect Master Li Changtian's heart reached an unmatched extreme.

This operation had completely shattered his dream of building a mighty Sect.

Even if he could return alive to Qinghe County, the Qingdan Sect, having lost the majority of its mid-tier Martial Artist strength, would see its status plummet drastically.

Perhaps they would even be replaced by other newly rising factions, losing their status as one of Qinghe County's top three powers.

Thinking of this, Sect Master Li Changtian angrily slapped the Sect's Legacy treasure, the qingdan cauldron, from which a wisp of cyan Qi instantly surged.

After emerging, the cyan Qi instantly transformed into a giant cyan python, charging toward this Python-Robed Zombie with lightning speed.

Shangguan Ming, who was already barely holding on, saw this and had no choice under the circumstances but to activate the fire ghost gourd, the clan-suppressing treasure in his hand.

A burst of crimson flames emerged from the fire ghost gourd. As soon as the flames appeared, they directly transformed into a ghost creature burning all over with crimson flames, then violently charged at the Python-Robed Zombie.

After condensing this fire ghost, Shangguan Ming's body couldn't help swaying slightly, and his complexion turned pale as paper.

At this moment, his whole person had reached the point of exhaustion.

Right now, Shangguan Ming's heart was filled with terror.

He could no longer spare the heartache for those backbone Martial Artists of the Shangguan Family who had died in Zombie City.

Although the decline of the Shangguan Family was virtually a foregone conclusion after losing those core Martial Artists, as long as he, Shangguan Ming, was still alive, the Shangguan Family would still have a glimmer of hope in the future.

But if he, Shangguan Ming, also died here, then the entire Shangguan Family would face the danger of total annihilation.

After all, when the Shangguan Family became one of the top three powers in Qinghe County, they had suppressed and destroyed far too many opponents.

Once the Shangguan Family weakened and lost him—a seventh-rank martial dao expert—to anchor them, those factions suppressed by the Shangguan Family in the past would strike at them without hesitation, making the destruction of the Shangguan Family virtually unavoidable.

Moreover, Shangguan Ming himself was extremely afraid of death; he had not yet enjoyed enough of the wealth and glory of this mortal world, and he certainly did not want to die here so obscurely.

At this moment, terror flickered in Shangguan Ming's eyes, and the fire ghost he had stimulated was far less powerful than before.

"Roar!"

As the attacks from Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and the other two rushed toward the Python-Robed Zombie, the bloody eyes of this Python-Robed Zombie immediately burst with a tyrannical expression.

The Python-Robed Zombie let out an angry roar facing the sky, and then slashed fiercely with its saber toward the fire ghost.

"Boom!"

With a loud explosive crash, the fire ghost stimulated by Shangguan Ming actually burst apart directly under this single saber strike.

Such a scene caused the expressions of Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and the other two to change drastically.

Especially Shangguan Ming, whose eyes faintly revealed a trace of despair.

Previously, the fire ghost that Shangguan Ming had stimulated through the true spirit artifact fire ghost gourd possessed considerable strength.

Although it was no match for this Python-Robed Zombie, under Shangguan Ming's cautious handling, it could still entangle with this Python-Robed Zombie for a few rounds.

But this time, the fire ghost stimulated by Shangguan Ming was actually slashed and exploded by this Python-Robed Zombie in a single blow.

Consequently, the situation ahead would become even more dangerous.

At this moment, Sect Master Li Changtian and Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing exchanged gloomy glances, and the two instantly understood each other's intentions.

Since Shangguan Ming had reached the point of exhaustion, continuing to drag him along in flight would inevitably cause Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian to be implicated by him.

Under such circumstances, the two decided to directly abandon Shangguan Ming, letting him stall this Python-Robed Zombie here to buy precious time for their escape.

Although Shangguan Ming had reached the point of exhaustion at this moment and his strength was almost entirely gone, in the eyes of Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian, Shangguan Ming could still hold off the Python-Robed Zombie for a while.

Because after killing a Martial Artist, a Python-Robed Zombie would not immediately go after the next one.

Instead, it would completely absorb all the blood, Soul, and True Essence of the slain Martial Artist before continuing to pursue the next person.

Absorbing the blood, Soul, and True Essence of a Martial Artist also required some time.

This time would buy precious escape opportunities for Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian.

"Hum!"

With a buzzing sound, the Python-Robed Zombie violently threw the black imperial seal in its hand, and the cyan python shooting out from the qingdan cauldron was instantly shattered in mid-air by the black seal.

Then, the black long saber in the Python-Robed Zombie's other hand swept horizontally against the two incoming azure short spears. Two crisp clanging sounds rang out.

The azure light on the short spears was extinguished instantly, and immediately following that, the two short spears let out a mournful cry before being swept flying by the black long saber.

Seeing this, Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing made a beckoning gesture toward the short spears that had been swept away; the two short spears immediately flew back and were stored away by Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing with a flip of his hand.

"Let's go!"

Seeing this, Sect Master Li Changtian didn't say another word. After putting away the qingdan cauldron, he turned and ran.

Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing's speed was not slow either.

Propelled by the two true spirit artifact short spears, he sped rapidly toward the exit passage of this underground space.

"Brother Li, Brother Lü, save me!"

"I am willing to gift the Shangguan Family's Legacy fire ghost gourd to you both, and the businesses and territory occupied by the Shangguan Family in Qinghe County, this old man is also willing to hand over on a silver platter!"

Unfortunately, although the conditions proposed by Shangguan Ming were very tempting, Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian were barely able to protect themselves at the moment.

How could they have any spare energy to save Shangguan Ming?

Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian were even counting on the Python-Robed Zombie taking a bit more time to devour Shangguan Ming's Soul, True Essence, and blood to buy them more time.

Moreover, as for the interests the Shangguan Family occupied in Qinghe County, once Shangguan Ming died—coupled with the fact that most of the Shangguan Family's Martial Artists had died in this underground space—the Shangguan Family would simply be unable to hold onto those interests in Qinghe County.

Adding in all the enemies the Shangguan Family had offended over the years, upon returning to Qinghe County City, there would be no need for Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian to give any orders; naturally, someone would wipe out the Shangguan Family.

Once the Shangguan Family was exterminated, the interests they occupied would naturally become the spoils of the Qingdan Sect and the Town Demon Guard.

However, the Martial Artist losses of the Qingdan Sect in this operation were not much less than those of the Shangguan Family.

Therefore, even if the Shangguan Family was exterminated, provided that Sect Master Li Changtian managed to escape with his life, the best he could do was preserve his previous interests without losing them.

As for seizing the vacuum of interests left behind after the Shangguan Family's extermination, at least the Qingdan Sect at this moment had the heart but lacked the strength.

However, the Martial Artist losses of the Qinghe County Demon Suppression Guard were not large.

Because the personnel of the Qinghe County Demon Suppression Guard had not entered that Zombie City, they were not wiped out by the dangers within it.

Because the Town Demon Guard retained most of its strength, the Qinghe County Demon Suppression Guard would inevitably be able to claim a larger share of interests in Qinghe County moving forward.

As for the Shangguan Family's inherited true spirit artifact fire ghost gourd, it was indeed a true spirit artifact with formidable might.

If Shangguan Ming did not voluntarily lift his refinement of this fire ghost gourd, even if Shangguan Ming were killed, the fire ghost gourd would shatter and disintegrate on its own, never falling into the hands of others.

true spirit artifacts that would not break after their master's death, besides those whose masters lifted the refinement before dying, were only those true spirit artifacts ranked on the chaos myriad spirits ranking.

But a fire ghost gourd was simply not worth risking Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian's lives to rescue Shangguan Ming.

Therefore, Shangguan Ming's plea for help was destined to be in vain. Town Demon Envoy Lü Qing and Sect Master Li Changtian did not hesitate even for a split second, ignoring Shangguan Ming's cries without looking back as they accelerated their flight toward the outside of the underground passage.