CHAPTER 579: 579 DO YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN’T DARE TO KILL YOU?

Sigh...

Northwest of Xuanyue Empire, a speck in the sky grew larger and larger until, upon closer approach, turned out to be a gigantic Flying Beast Pulse Demon with a man and a woman standing on its back.

These two individuals and the Pulse Demon were none other than Yun Xiao and Shen Xingmou, who had set out from the Jade Pot Sect, accompanied by the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion. They had been flying over the Xuanyue Empire for three days and three nights.

"Yun Xiao, you’re not playing me, are you?"

As time passed, Shen Xingmou’s expression grew increasingly grim. With the flying speed of the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion, traveling non-stop for three days would almost cover the entire Xuanyue Empire.

Yet, Yun Xiao still had not disclosed the exact location of the Blood Moon Jade, prompting Shen Xingmou to voice her suspicions with a hint of icy coldness in her tone.

Although she had not spent much time with Yun Xiao, Shen Xingmou understood quite well the mindset of this youth from Hidden Dragon Continent. She conceded that she might be more powerful than him, but in terms of cunning and strategy, she fell short.

To turn an obvious enemy and killer into the biggest supporter of the Jade Pot Sect was not something an ordinary person could accomplish.

"We’re almost there, we’ll arrive very soon!"

Yun Xiao was also quite anxious in his heart. In the face of absolute power, the tactics he could employ were indeed limited, especially since the woman beside him could fly.

He had considered communicating with the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion about throwing Shen Xingmou off into the sky, but such an act would undoubtedly enrage a Heavenly Rank Third Realm expert.

Thus, Yun Xiao had no choice but to buy time, although he couldn’t keep delaying indefinitely. Just as he was feeling as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, a tall mountain emitting black smoke suddenly appeared below them.

"Yurong Mountain?!"

Upon seeing the mountain from afar, Yun Xiao’s eyes lit up as he suddenly recalled his initial quest to find the Fire Spirit Snake at Yurong Volcano, and he made up his mind.

"We’re here, it’s inside that volcano below."

Without letting Shen Xingmou catch on to his plan, Yun Xiao pointed downward. His words slightly relaxed the frowned brows of the latter, who had been sullen for days.

Regardless, the boy had finally named a destination. If there was no trace of the Blood Moon Jade in this place, at least Shen Xingmou could confirm that Yun Xiao was mocking her.

With a light tap on the lion’s back, the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion carried the two of them down to the waist of Yurong Volcano. When Yun Xiao saw a hot spring not far away, the cunning in the depths of his eyes deepened even further.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Seeing Yun Xiao, who had jumped off the lion’s back and begun stripping off his clothes the next moment, Shen Xingmou’s pretty face blushed slightly under her black veil, as she chastised him. After all, aside from her formidable strength, she was still just a 17 or 18-year-old girl who had never witnessed such a scene.

"The Blood Moon Jade is hidden at the bottom of the hot spring. Do you want to come down with me to retrieve it?"

Yun Xiao didn’t seem to care too much, pointing at the hot spring and mentioning his plan, which did not cause too much suspicion in Shen Xingmou. Indeed, she thought, it seemed like an ideal hiding place.

"This..."

Upon hearing Yun Xiao’s words, Shen Xingmou hesitated. Although she was not afraid of getting into the water, she didn’t want to make a spectacle of herself getting completely drenched in this boy’s presence—certainly not a delightful sight.

"Then you wait for me on the shore. The hot spring isn’t that big, are you afraid I’m going to burrow into the earth and disappear?"

Seemingly picking up on Shen Xingmou’s hesitation, Yun Xiao casually spoke again, and this time, his words alleviated some of Shen Xingmou’s doubts.

Having never been to Yurong Volcano before, Shen Xingmou did not know what lay at the bottom of the hot spring. Based on her usual understanding, the hot spring was only tens of yards in diameter, clearly visible to the naked eye. Even if Yun Xiao emerged from another direction, she could quickly catch up to him.

"Make it quick and no tricks!"

Settling her thoughts, Shen Xingmou sharply ordered, unaware of the fleeting smirk in the eyes of Yun Xiao as he turned his back to her.

Plop!

After the sound of a splash, Yun Xiao had plunged into the water, disappearing from view, while Shen Xingmou on the shore clenched her right hand, in which the Black Star Mark faintly exuded a chill.

Naturally, this hot spring was the same one Yun Xiao had entered during his first visit to Yurong Mountain. When he submerged to about a dozen yards, a concealed entrance came into his sight.

Back then, in search of the Fire Stone Heart, Yun Xiao had explored countless hot springs within Yurong Mountain, eventually discovering that many of the hot springs were interconnected, just like this one.

And when Yun Xiao crept into the bottom of this hot spring, he also thought of the alluring scene he had witnessed emerging from another hot spring, and a young girl in black flashed through his mind, Mo Qing from the Jade Pot Sect.

Yun Xiao believed that with his familiarity with Yurong Mountain, by crawling out from the other side of the hot spring, Shen Xingmou would be caught off guard and wouldn’t have time to react. Even if she realized and tried to pursue, by then he would have already fled far away on the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion.

From Yun Xiao’s perspective, when he was in the Lingtian Empire, the fact that Shen Xingmou didn’t fly after him must have had some reasons; the main reason might be that her speed couldn’t match the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion.

Now that the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion had broken through to the Seventh Rank, as long as it soared to the heavens, they would be as free as birds. Once out of Shen Xingmou’s control, Yun Xiao believed that in the vast expanse of the Nine Dragons Continent, would he not find a place to hide?

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Yun Xiao’s movements became even more brisk. As the light ahead grew stronger and stronger, he knew he was getting closer to his chance for escape.

Splash!

Without any delay, Yun Xiao propelled himself upward with a stroke of his arms, and with the sound of water breaking, he leaped out of the hot spring.

Plop!

However, just as Yun Xiao had barely leapt out, using his peripheral vision he suddenly caught sight of a figure in black clothes at the edge of the hot spring and a huge Flying Beast Pulse Demon. His Meridian Qi dispersed in shock, and with another plop, he fell back into the hot spring.

With a mind filled with doubt and fear, Yun Xiao pushed hard with his legs and finally surfaced for the second time, only to see that the girl on the shore, smirking yet not smiling, caused his heart to sink to the bottom.

Because this black-clothed girl caressing the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion on the rocks turned out to be Shen Xingmou, the one Yun Xiao thought he had thrown off. He couldn’t imagine how Shen Xingmou, visiting Yurong Mountain for the first time, had managed to anticipate he would come here?

Even as Yun Xiao glanced around, he noticed a hint of human-like helplessness in the huge eyes of the Blood Winged Fire-Eyed Lion. It seemed their previously agreed plan had been prematurely thwarted by Shen Xingmou’s ability to discern opportunities.

"Cough..., that is, Miss Xingmou, what a coincidence!"

Having failed his initial attempt, Yun Xiao decided to brazen it out, leaping out of the hot spring, wiping the water from his head, and letting out a dry laugh devoid of substance.

"Yun Xiao, do you truly believe that I, Shen Xingmou, don’t dare to kill you?"

Ignoring Yun Xiao’s nonsensical chatter, Shen Xingmou’s words carried an unmistakable hint of killing intent. This lad was still trying to be tricky right under her nose, and she faintly felt that the supposed hiding place for the Blood Moon Jade might not be authentic after all.

"Don’t be angry, when I just jumped into the hot spring, I suddenly discovered another passage at the bottom of the hot spring. I couldn’t help but come over out of curiosity, but I’m getting ready to go back!"

Yun Xiao’s heart tensed, but he had to come up with a clever explanation. However, at this point, how could Shen Xingmou believe his nonsense?

"Where is the Blood Moon Jade?"

Shen Xingmou cut to the chase without further ado. You said you were going down to the hot spring to retrieve the Blood Moon Jade, didn’t you? Now that you’re coming out, you should have it, right?

"That... I might have remembered incorrectly. The Blood Moon Jade doesn’t seem to be in this hot spring. Allow me to look again!"

How could Yun Xiao possibly have the Blood Moon Jade? He could only make up another excuse. What he didn’t see was that the killing intention in the eyes of the girl in black had become extremely intense.

"If that’s the case, let’s start by crippling your Meridian Qi and then take our time searching!"

It seems that Yun Xiao’s previous antics had truly angered Shen Xingmou, reflected in her tone devoid of emotion. Her words caused Yun Xiao’s complexion to change drastically.

Once, during his time with the Shang Family, Yun Xiao had lost his Meridian Qi, which made him experience the chill of the world and disdain from others. If it hadn’t been for the Blood Moon Jade transforming into the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique, it’s possible he would never have been able to cultivate Meridian Qi again in his life.

Having already experienced the pain once, Yun Xiao certainly did not wish to endure it again. Even though the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique could restore his destroyed meridians, years of effort could be wasted in an instant.

"What shall I do?"

Seeing that Shen Xingmou seemed to have no room for discussion, cold sweat broke out on Yun Xiao’s back, mingling with the hot spring water, not knowing whether it was sweat or spring water.

Whoosh...

At this moment, Shen Xingmou already made a palm strike toward him, aiming right at Yun Xiao’s lower abdomen, his Dantian. If the strike landed, the Meridian Qi he had cultivated over the years would have nowhere left to be stored.

At this very instant, Yun Xiao felt as if he could hardly move a finger; his whole body seemed to be bound by a mysterious force. Having once been the Long Xiao Battle God in a previous life, he knew this was the special application of Earth Power combined with Sky Power.

No matter how many tricks Yun Xiao had up his sleeve, in front of a Heavenly Rank Expert, he had no room to struggle. This was the decisive nature of strength; his fate seemed to be sealed.

"Hmm?"

Just as Yun Xiao was about to lose all hope, something suddenly shifted in his heart, and the blood-red crescent mark in the palm of his right hand suddenly brightened at that moment.