CHAPTER 424: LOOT DEPRIVATION

Chapter 424: Loot Deprivation

Chen Huaian felt extremely fortunate he hadn't entangled further with Monk Burning Karma.

He was also profoundly grateful for the insights provided by Elder Zhang Yibai.

Had he not cleverly lowered his cultivation level to let the heavenly tribulation strike Monk Burning Karma, he'd still be racking his brains trying to figure out how to buy up all the monk's magical artifacts!

The time wasted in such back-and-forth would have meant his disciple's death.

However, the person in most critical danger now wasn't Li Qingran, but someone completely unexpected—Mo Shumei.

At the crucial moment when Li Qingran was in peril,

He'd considered possible rescuers like Yue Qianchi, Su Qinian, or perhaps Zhang Mengchu arriving suddenly.

Never had he imagined it would be Mo Shumei.

How to put it? Though this girl had joined Sword Pavilion long ago, she usually cultivated at Sunset Peak, only occasionally making appearances—her presence was rather forgettable.

Chen Huaian ignored the frozen Buddha statue and old nun, lightly tapping a lotus leaf with his toe before floating like a startled swan to the rubble burying Mo Shumei.

With a flick of his sleeve, the rubble and dust were swept away by fierce wind, revealing the nearly shattered body beneath.

Mo Shumei lay nearly submerged in blood, her breathing faint as a thread.

One arm was completely crushed into pulp within the crater, while the other was twisted beyond recognition—she resembled a broken ragdoll.

Noticing his gaze, Mo Shumei's vacant eyes flickered slightly, finally showing some light.

Her blood-flecked lips trembled, unable to form complete words, only managing to weakly point toward Li Qingran's direction with trembling fingers.

"This Venerable One understands." Chen Huaian frowned deeply, bending to place a medicinal pill in Mo Shumei's mouth. Seeing the girl lacked even the strength to swallow, he transmitted a surge of primal energy to help digest the pill while gently reassuring, "Rest assured, Li Qingran will be fine. Focus on stabilizing your injuries first." Ɽá₦οBЕṤ

The pill he gave her was a Celestial-grade Great Recovery Pill, personally refined during his spare time.

Though Great Recovery Pills were basic healing medicine, once labeled Celestial-grade, their effects far surpassed ordinary pills.

Thudding footsteps resounded from behind, heavy as war drums.

Chen Huaian turned to see the charging Buddha statue, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

"To break free from This Venerable One's Void Treading Realm pressure? Interesting."

The old nun's head had now completely vanished, replaced by a Buddha head formed from white flesh—she had fully merged with the statue.

A quick assessment revealed the old nun's advantage: drawing power from thirty-six surrounding Buddha statues allowed continuous use of the Buddha Golden Body, rendering her nearly invulnerable. The conventional method was destroying all thirty-six statues to weaken her.

But that was the strategy for cultivators below the Unity Realm.

At the Void Treading ninth stage, he needn't bother with such trivialities.

Watching the screeching, charging monstrosity, Chen Huaian remained expressionless as the colossal palm descended.

BOOM—!

The lotus pond's ground sank violently.

"Kekeke! Got you!" The old nun cackled maniacally.

Lifting her hand to admire her handiwork, she found only an impact crater—no trace of her target.

"Too slow."

An icy voice sounded above.

The nun's head spun 180 degrees.

In her vision, a black silhouette flickered against the Buddha light illuminating the dome.

Time seemed to freeze—the air grew viscous, even breathing became difficult.

The shadow plummeted downward, its sheathed sword unleashing tidal waves of killing intent before being drawn.

SHIIIING—!

The sword's cry momentarily dazed the nun.

She saw not a human figure, but a collapsing mountain within the shadow.

Sword light erupted from its core, outshining even the Buddha radiance.

The entire Burning Purity Holy Land trembled beneath this single strike—as if not just a sword, but the weight of heaven itself was descending.

BOOM——!!!

A sword scar split the lotus pond in two.

The stone bricks collapsed downward, simultaneously shattering a Buddha statue in the underground prison below.

The old nun had been controlling two statues simultaneously—one above the pond, one below.

Her focus had been the surface statue, having transferred most power from the underground one when growing the Buddha head.

Now Chen Huaian's single stroke destroyed both simultaneously.

[Slaughtered Burning Purity Holy Land Elder—Two-Faced Buddha. Obtained Righteous Cultivator Shards x112, Spirit Crystals x20. Due to excessive destructive force, Two-Faced Buddha's artifacts were damaged—no additional loot acquired.]

With the kill confirmation, further inspection was unnecessary.

"Ancestor!?"

"Wow! It really is the Ancestor!"

Shouts erupted from the prison below.

Looking down, Chen Huaian saw Yue Qianchi leading three Sword Pavilion direct disciples, followed by elite disciples from other sects including Yun Suxin.

Compared to Jade Pool Holy Land, Burning Purity was slightly better—at least they hadn't rushed to refine these disciples into Human Pills.

Though disheveled, Yue Qianchi's group showed no obvious injuries.

Chen Huaian's eye twitched, fury rising instantly.

He flew down and yanked Yue Qianchi's cheek: "What kind of senior sister are you, huh? Letting your junior sister take the beating upstairs? If not for Mo Shumei buying time, if This Venerable One arrived slightly later, your junior sister's grave grass would be three feet tall by now!"

"What? Impossible!" Yue Qianchi mumbled confusedly through stretched cheeks, "All guards were in the prison! We might've lost if not for your timely intervention... How could Qingran be in danger outside?"

Chen Huaian wordlessly led them to the old nun's corpse, then to the meditating Mo Shumei.

Seeing Mo Shumei's blood-drenched form made their hearts tremble violently.

They knew Mo Shumei's strength—before her Nascent Soul breakthrough, none could defeat her one-on-one.

After her breakthrough, even Yue Qianchi (also Nascent Soul) lost their spar—and that was without Mo Shumei using her Demonic Blade, rumored to temporarily unleash Divine Transformation-level power...

Yet even she was reduced to this state.

Then Li Qingran must have...

Chen Huaian brought them to Li Qingran.

Eight flood dragons stood guard like huskies, tails erect and eyes wide, immediately making way upon seeing Chen Huaian.

Li Qingran lay sprawled on one dragon's tail.

Frowning—he hadn't noticed any injuries earlier—she should've awakened by now.

As he bent to check her condition—

"Pffffft—"

A snot bubble suddenly inflated from Li Qingran's nose.

Then popped.

Startled, Li Qingran rolled over and chomped on the dragon's tail.

"Mmmhehe~"

She mumbled sleepily.

"Strawberry cake... yummy..."