Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 85: Worse Than a Beast, the Nine Leaf Cheng Lu Fruit!
But Ning Xuan charged straight in like a reckless fool.
"Come back!"
"Damn it! We asked for your help, not for you to get yourself killed!"
That was an Element Beast on the verge of advancing to King Level. Never mind them; even a Heavenly Realm expert would be smacked into mush if they recklessly charged in like that.
They didn’t actually care if Ning Xuan lived or died. But if he died, they wouldn’t survive for much longer either.
However, to their astonishment, the Element Beast that had barred their way seemed blind, completely ignoring Ning Xuan. He soon vanished from their sight. Only then did the Element Beast seem to notice and give chase.
The five men exchanged glances.
"What’s going on?"
"You two, what just happened?" the three weaker cultivators asked, completely bewildered.
"Ahem, I suppose that Element Beast is farsighted and can’t see things up close. See? It’s chasing after him now."
The three men’s mouths twitched. Farsighted, my ass! Its eyes are bigger than brass bells! What kind of farsightedness is that?!
"Regardless, we’re out of trouble. Let’s get out of here quickly!" another prodigy urged, his eyes glinting.
"Right, right, right!"
The other three snapped back to their senses, nodding vigorously. Thinking back to what just happened, a lingering fear washed over them. If that Element Beast had roared one more time, they would have all been done for.
Not long after the five of them left, the two prodigies returned and lay in ambush in the shadows.
"Lu Ming, do you really think Ning Xuan can make it out of there alive?" The question came from Qi Lin, ranked seventh on the Prodigy List. With him was Lu Ming, who had been ranked sixth on the last list.
"He definitely can! I’ve figured it out," Lu Ming declared with absolute certainty, a vicious glint in his eyes. "He must have some treasure on him; otherwise, why would the Element Beast let him pass? When he comes out, we’ll attack together, kill him, and take his treasure!"
Qi Lin was still hesitant. "I sensed Ning Xuan’s aura earlier. His strength seems to have improved again. Can the two of us really handle him?"
Lu Ming spoke in a hushed, mysterious tone. "A few days ago, the Bi Luo Palace auctioned off Cultivation Techniques and Martial Skills. The Wang Family won the *Invincible Divine Fist*. Guess who got the other one, the *Everlasting Spring Technique*?"
Qi Lin’s eyes widened. "Well, now! You certainly kept that well hidden!"
A smile spread across his face. Lu Ming was already powerful. Now that he had learned the *Everlasting Spring Technique* from the Martial God Temple, his combat prowess was bound to have skyrocketed. This time, it’s in the bag.
Meanwhile, Ning Xuan was ecstatic. Before him was a short plant with only nine leaves, yet it had borne eighteen fruits! They were a brilliant, radiant red and emitted an intoxicating fragrance, on the verge of ripening.
The Nine-Leaf Cheng Lu Fruit—a supreme ingredient for refining elixirs!
Back in Wuling City, after killing the Black Wind Twins, Ning Xuan had obtained a precious Pill Recipe. Besides the methods for refining Instant Element Pills and Element Jade Marrow, it contained another, extremely valuable recipe. The main ingredient for that elixir was none other than the Nine-Leaf Cheng Lu Fruit.
Ning Xuan truly never expected to find it here.
Nearby, the Element Beast whimpered pitifully. It had guarded this extraordinary fruit for many years, and consuming it would have allowed it to become a King. Now, just as the fruit was about to ripen, it had been stolen right from under its nose. Yet, it didn’t even have the courage to resist.
"I have a great use for these fruits. How about this? I’ll transmit a Cultivation Technique to you."
Ning Xuan reached out a finger and transferred the *Everlasting Spring Technique* to the Element Beast. Although Ning Xuan himself looked down on it, any technique practiced by the core disciples of the Martial God Temple was undoubtedly powerful. Its greatest quality was its incredible compatibility; almost any living creature could cultivate it.
Upon receiving the technique, the Element Beast immediately prostrated itself, kowtowing to Ning Xuan in worship. For an Element Beast, heavenly treasures were easy to come by, but a top-tier Cultivation Technique was nearly impossible to obtain. With this technique, reaching King Level would be a piece of cake! Given enough time, it could become the absolute overlord of this land.
"This place of yours isn’t bad. I plan to cultivate here for a while. By the way, I don’t wish to be disturbed."
The Element Beast nodded its head repeatedly.
Ning Xuan harvested the Nine-Leaf Cheng Lu Fruits and sealed them in a Storage Ring. He then sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate.
The Element Qi of the world began to surge violently once more.
Soon, the Element Beast’s expression turned to one of pure excitement. Although it kept its distance, the concentration of Element Qi in the valley had reached an unimaginable level. It began to circulate the *Everlasting Spring Technique* and cultivate.
Outside the valley, Qi Lin was baffled. "What the hell? What’s going on?" he asked, sensing the violent fluctuations of Element Qi and hearing the ferocious roars coming from within.
Lu Ming frowned. "Could Ning Xuan be fighting the Element Beast? No, that can’t be right! A fight shouldn’t cause such terrifying fluctuations of Element Qi."
Qi Lin couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
"Come on, let’s go take a look!" Lu Ming, emboldened by his mastery of the *Everlasting Spring Technique*, boldly decided to move in.
Qi Lin gritted his teeth and followed.
Just as they entered the mouth of the valley, Lu Ming, who was in the lead, froze. Qi Lin moved up beside him and followed his gaze.
Instantly, he saw the Element Beast sitting cross-legged like a human, a vortex of energy swirling like a tornado above its head.
"What is this? Is an Element Beast’s cultivation this terrifying?"
Lu Ming clenched his fists and suddenly cursed, "Fuck! I’m losing my mind!"
"What is it?"
"The *Everlasting Spring Technique*!" Lu Ming ground out, sick with anger. "That beast is cultivating the *Everlasting Spring Technique*!"
"Uh... Brother Lu, how many Element Crystals did your family spend to get that technique for you?"
Lu Ming spat the number through his clenched teeth. "Two billion!"
Qi Lin’s mouth twitched. A moment ago, he had been envious of Lu Ming. Now, all he felt was profound sympathy. To spend two billion Element Crystals on a technique that even a beast was cultivating... That didn’t just make him a sucker; it made him the biggest sucker of all!
Lu Ming felt like crying. It wasn’t just about the wasted money. The main thing was realizing he was inferior to a common beast! He saw the commotion the beast caused while cultivating, compared it to his own efforts, and felt like slamming his head against a tree to end it all.
"We can’t let it continue! If it goes on, it’ll soon cross the threshold and become a King Level beast! Brother Qi, we’ll flank it!"
Qi Lin was terrified. "Brother Lu, don’t be reckless! It may not be King Level yet, but it’s only a hair’s breadth away! If we attack rashly, we’ll just be throwing our lives away!"
"It’s in the middle of cultivating! This is the perfect time to strike! Besides, Brother Qi, you wouldn’t want the story about you peeking at the widow next door while she bathed to get out, would you?"
Jealousy had clouded Lu Ming’s judgment. He would have dared to attack even if the beast wasn’t cultivating, let alone now that it was.
Qi Lin’s face turned green.
This damn asshole!
He reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Hey, is that Ning Xuan over there?" Qi Lin suddenly asked, looking off to one side just as he took a step forward.
The moment Lu Ming turned to look, Qi Lin flicked a finger.
The Element Beast’s eyes snapped open.
"Shit! Brother Lu, run!" Qi Lin yelled in feigned terror as he scrambled back. He was no idiot; there was no way he was going to follow Lu Ming to his death.
Lu Ming’s body went rigid before he, too, hastily retreated. He might have had a chance with a sneak attack, but now that the beast had him locked in its sights, his odds were zero.
"Brother Lu, it’s a good thing we ran fast, otherwise..." Outside the valley, Qi Lin wore an expression of relief and lingering fear.
Lu Ming just stared at him without a word.
Neither of them was a fool.
In the strange, tense atmosphere, the violent fluctuations of Element Qi suddenly stopped.
Immediately after, the sound of footsteps rang out.
