CHAPTER 661: SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE ANTIDOTE

"Hmph, it’s just taking advantage of the weapon’s power!"

The Earth Rank Low Level Treasure Sword was pared down, which made Xie Jiupeng’s complexion somewhat unsightly. However, in the end, he merely let out a cold snort, because in his view, the effect of external forces was, after all, just a trivial matter.

Yun Xiao’s immediate reveal of the extraordinary nature of his Wooden Sword had alerted Xie Jiupeng. In the upcoming battle, as long as he didn’t let the Wooden Sword touch him, what was there to fear?

In fact, having anticipated the possible alliance between Ye Luochen and Xie Jiupeng, Yun Xiao knew that the captivating effect of the Dragon Taming Sword would be limited. In that case, he might as well brazenly display the sword’s sharpness for all to see.

Compared to the help of a Vein Demon, the Dragon Taming Sword itself was an item that Yun Xiao had already acknowledged as his master. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t an external object. Since Xie Jiupeng insisted on labeling it as such, Yun Xiao had no other recourse.

Huff... Huff...

Despite his contemptuous cold snorts as if belittling Yun Xiao’s methods, Xie Jiupeng immediately proved with his actions that he didn’t underestimate this youth named Yun Xiao in the slightest.

At this moment, Xie Jiupeng’s body was obviously several meters above the ground, employing the same movement technique he had used against the Golden Snake Worm. That was the unique Secret Technique of the Yufeng Sect.

Swoosh!

At this very instant, Xie Jiupeng’s speed undoubtedly reached a pinnacle, resembling a mythical bird soaring through the heavens. His right palm morphed into a claw, viciously aiming to grasp Yun Xiao’s throat.

Swish!

Simultaneously, the Flying Flower Empress, Ye Luochen, didn’t slacken in the slightest. She knew that Xie Jiupeng alone might not subdue Yun Xiao, but their joint forces would change the situation completely.

Over the years, Ye Luochen and Xie Jiupeng had fostered a secret connection, sharing sweet sentiments and seizing every opportunity to research the Divided Advance and Joint Attack strategy.

However, this kind of alliance had never been displayed publicly before. This was the first time the Flying Flower Empress and Xie Jiupeng had joined forces to attack an enemy, and the power unleashed by their combined strategy made many cultivators of the Xuanyue Empire sweat for Yun Xiao.

With Xie Jiupeng’s right claw strike in front and the Flying Flower Empress’s Silver Needle aiming for his acupoints from behind, Yun Xiao would likely be hit by one of the attacks, regardless of which direction he dodged, and suffer severe injuries.

Ding!

When everyone thought Yun Xiao could only dodge one attack first, a clear sound emerged from him. Following that, the Silver Needle that Ye Luochen had aimed at his back failed to penetrate.

"Earth Burst Stone Lotus Armor!"

The defensive power of the Lotus Armor Yun Xiao utilized was astonishing, yet now Ye Luochen was launching a solo attack. Yun Xiao didn’t extend the Lotus Armor across his entire body due to the significant consumption of Meridian Qi that it would entail.

Since the Earth Burst Stone Lotus had already been refined, it could naturally appear on any part of Yun Xiao’s body in an instant. This time, he seemed to have anticipated the location of Ye Luochen’s Silver Needle strike and preemptively placed the Lotus Armor there to block this lethal blow.

However, although Ye Luochen’s attack from behind was neutralized, the claw strike from Xie Jiupeng in front didn’t slacken at all. If Yun Xiao’s throat was caught by those eagle-like fingers, his blood would undoubtedly splatter across the scene in an instant.

Yun Xiao had considered using the Stone Lotus Armor to withstand the claw attack, but upon seeing the gleaming light on Xie Jiupeng’s fingers, he instantly dismissed the thought.

On the five fingers of Xie Jiupeng’s right hand were clamped five glimmering Golden Claws, which seemed no less potent than weapons of Earth Rank Low Level!

Weapons and Meridian Techniques differ. An Earth Rank Low Level weapon, even wielded by an ordinary person, could unleash formidable power, albeit sometimes uncontrollably.

With the Golden Claws fitted on Xie Jiupeng, who was at the Earth Rank Realm, they seemed tailor-made for him. Yun Xiao wasn’t confident that his Stone Lotus Armor could withstand the might of the claw attack, so he immediately changed his plan.

Swish!

Yun Xiao’s right hand fingers gently turned, and the Dragon Taming Sword in his hand aimed upward from below, with the sword tip directly targeting Xie Jiupeng’s wrist—an attack aimed at saving what the enemy must rescue.

The sword thrust was expediently swift, and with the advantage of a long sword over short claws, Yun Xiao’s upward thrust actually managed to outpace, meaning that if Xie Jiupeng insisted on taking Yun Xiao’s life first, his right wrist would undoubtedly be pierced by the Dragon Taming Sword.

Therefore, with the hand penetrated first, it was highly unlikely that Xie Jiupeng could crush Yun Xiao’s throat. Such a choice was indeed not difficult to make.

Xie Jiupeng, who had ascended to the position of the Sect Master of the Yufeng Sect, was certainly not one to act impulsively. Decisiveness was the foundation of his standing in the Yufeng Empire, so at this moment, he indeed retracted his hand.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!

Just when everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Yun Xiao could narrowly escape this calamity, five golden lights suddenly burst forth from the retracting fingers of Xie Jiupeng. They moved with incredible speed, quickly reaching the vicinity of Yun Xiao’s throat.

Just as Xie Jiupeng retracted his hand, he somehow managed to detach and launch the five golden claws on his fingers. Such a reaction, such speed, truly frightening to witness.

If it were an ordinary cultivator at the Peak of the Spirit Vein Realm, they might have indeed fallen victim to Xie Jiupeng’s scheme at this moment. Such a counter-strategy and response speed are astonishing; no one could truly react in time.

Once, Xie Jiupeng had used this same counter-strategy to directly kill a powerhouse at the Early Stage of the Qi Seeking Realm. Thus, he believed that this youngster, who hadn’t even broken through the Earth Rank Third Realm, would undoubtedly not escape death this time.

At such a close distance, ordinary people indeed wouldn’t have time to react, but who is Yun Xiao? He is a super genius with five Ancestor Veins and his soul belongs to the former Dragon Cloud Battle God.

Pop!

At this crucial moment, the moment when all cultivators from the Xuanyue Empire were tensely holding their breath, Yun Xiao’s body suddenly fell straight backward.

Then everyone saw the five golden claws, aimed with deadly certainty, fly swiftly over the top of Yun Xiao’s collapsing body, failing to harm him in the least.

"It’s Brother Yun Xiao’s Zombie Body Technique!"

Upon seeing this, Ling Wan was the first to cheer joyously, and all the members of the Jade Pot Sect quickly came to realize, because this bizarre movement technique was not too unfamiliar to them.

During the great competition of the Outer Sect in the Jade Pot Sect, Yun Xiao had once demonstrated this technique, stunning many, and now, having reached the Peak of the Spirit Vein Realm, his execution of this technique was undoubtedly even more skillfully effortless.

"Hey, it’s not just as simple as dodging that golden claw attack!"

As the Sect Master of the Jade Pot Sect, with extensive knowledge and strong Power of Soul, he lamented once again when he saw Yun Xiao lying down and the graceful figure behind him.

It must be said, neither Xie Jiupeng nor Ye Luochen had expected Yun Xiao to dodge the Flying Claw attack with such a bizarre movement technique.

Especially Ye Luochen, who had been attacking from behind Yun Xiao. Suddenly, there was nothing in front of her, and as she saw a flash of golden light in her eyes, she remembered something and her face changed slightly as she quickly moved to the right.

It turned out that Xie Jiupeng’s five golden claws arrived extremely fast, and without expecting Yun Xiao to be able to dodge, so when the latter fell, Xie Jiupeng could not control them in time, and they ended up attacking the Flying Flower Empress, Ye Luochen.

Thud!

Even though Ye Luochen dodged extremely fast and in the nick of time, her left arm was still struck by one of the golden claws, embedded into her flesh, causing her agony down to the bone marrow.

"Damn it!"

Seeing this, Xie Jiupeng’s face nearly dripped with gloom. What was supposed to be a proud moment in his scheme turned out this way, and he couldn’t help but curse out loud.

Whoosh!

A jade bottle was flung from Xie Jiupeng’s hand, followed by his loud voice, "Luochen, here’s the antidote, take it quickly to stop the poison from spreading!"

Hearing Xie Jiupeng’s words, the onlookers were shocked again, realizing that the Sect Master of the Yu Qi Sect was indeed ruthlessly decisive. Not only was the reaction fast, but those five golden claws were also coated with potent poison, leaving no chance for their opponents.

Ye Luochen, with her left forearm already feeling slightly numb, naturally already knew about the deadly poison contained within the five golden claws; after all, her relationship with Xie Jiupeng was not ordinary, and he wouldn’t hide such secrets from her.

Swoosh!

Just as Ye Luochen reached out to catch the antidote, a hand suddenly shot out from below, seizing the jade bottle containing the antidote with lightning speed.

Seeing this, the onlooking crowd displayed expressions of disbelief, as they now saw whose hand it was—the owner of the hand was Yun Xiao, who had just used the Zombie Body Technique to fall.

To be frank, Yun Xiao had seemed rather embarrassed just now, even though he had managed to dodge the attack of the five golden claws using his movement technique, rolling on the ground didn’t lend itself to a noble image.

However, no one had anticipated that the young man, who had been forced into an embarrassing situation by Xie Jiupeng, would suddenly reach out and grab the jade bottle containing the antidote.

"Heh, I wonder how long you can hold on after being struck by Sect Master Xie’s potent poison?"

Yun Xiao tossed the jade bottle in his hand, standing up with a faint smile on his face. The words he uttered caused Ye Luochen’s face to instantly show signs of panic.

Others may not be aware of the severity of Xie Jiupeng’s poison, but how could Ye Luochen, who had close ties with him, not know? It was a genuine Earth Rank Low-Level potent poison, and even cultivators at the Middle or Advanced levels of the Qi Seeking Realm would suffer indescribably if afflicted by it.

"Jiupeng, hurry up with the antidote!"

But Ye Luochen knew that Xie Jiupeng did not carry only one bottle of antidote with him. Hearing her shout, the Sect Master of the Yu Qi Sect, Xie Jiupeng, was already making his next move.