Chapter 138: Engaging in Battle (Second Update)_1 Zhang Lan and his two companions began to besiege the abandoned camp. Soon after, a cultivator dressed in white rushed out of the camp. The Taoist robe he wore was lavishly styled and looked expensive, but after half a month of fleeing, it was soiled and tattered. His face resembled the portrait Mo Hua had seen, but it looked much older and skin was even flaking off. It seemed that due to the lack of replenishing from others, his evil skills backfired, and his appearance began to decay and age. Indeed, he was the evil cultivator who practiced the technique of replenishing from others. After Zhang Lan’s trio confirmed this, they wasted no words and directly took action, showing no mercy. The evil cultivator spat out a curse and began to fight back. The battle between the two sides was about to erupt. Mo Hua hid from a distance, secretly watching the fight unfold. Zhang Lan was a spiritual cultivator, skilled in water series spells, and quite powerful at that. From afar, he gathered his spiritual power to cast spells, conjuring streams of water-shaped sword qi and relentlessly attacking the evil cultivator. Situ Fang and Situ Xiu were both body cultivators, specializing in blade techniques. Situ Fang’s blade was thin and light, wrapped in a faint green spiritual power, cutting swiftly and densely. Situ Xiu, on the other hand, struck with wide, powerful blows, stimulating his flesh with spiritual power, which emitted a faint golden light from his body. The two engaged in close combat, entangling the evil cultivator. This evil cultivator seemed to also be a body cultivator, with a strong and vigorous blood qi, wielding an iron fan painted with delicate and slender beauties. As the iron fan swept through the air, it released waves of pink spiritual power. No wonder he is an evil cultivator; even the color of his spiritual power is improper… Mo Hua thought to himself in silence. The evil cultivator’s cultivation level should have been at the ninth level of Qi refinement; he was no match for Zhang Lan’s trio. But he had good movement techniques, evading the attacks of both Situ cultivators and managing to dodge most of Zhang Lan’s water-shaped sword qi. But no matter how good his movement technique was, he was gradually overwhelmed by the combined assault of the three. With every hit from the sword qi, his injuries grew worse, and each time Situ Fang cut him, more of his blood spilled. Moreover, the faint green spiritual power prevented his wounds from healing. It wasn’t long before the evil cultivator was struck by one of Zhang Lan’s sword qi blasts, falling to the ground and lying motionless. Mo Hua did not act rashly but waited until he saw Zhang Lan lock the evil cultivator with shackles before he came out. “Is he dead?” Mo Hua asked. “No, this beast still clings to life.” Mo Hua scanned with his divine sense and found that the evil cultivator’s spiritual power was indeed still circulating within his body. “Are all evil cultivators this tough?” Mo Hua asked. Zhang Lan said, “Not all, but most are quite troublesome to deal with. The methods of the heretical path, despite having many drawbacks, are also very powerful. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many falling into the path of the heretical demons.” Mo Hua nodded in understanding. With the evil cultivator captured, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Situ Xiu asked, “What do we do next?” Zhang Lan kicked the evil cultivator, “Take this beast back, deliver him to the Taoist Court, interrogate him, and then convict him according to the law. We’ll also have something to report to Old Master An.” “Old Master An?” Mo Hua glanced at Zhang Lan. Zhang Lan had slipped up and, looking up at the sky, pretended he hadn’t said anything. Situ Fang and Situ Xiu chopped down a few trees and made a raft, placing the evil cultivator on it, ready to drag him back. Mo Hua stared at the evil cultivator for a long time, then kindly suggested, “You should break his legs.” “What?” Situ Fang was taken aback. “And you must destroy his meridians and shatter his Qi Sea!” Situ Fang was speechless. This kid, how can he say such frightening things with such an innocent face… Zhang Lan thought for a moment, “He has a point.” Situ Fang hesitated, “The man’s already been captured, he doesn’t have the ability to resist, doing this, aren’t we going too far with our own authority…” “We’ve only subdued him temporarily, it doesn’t count as a capture,” Mo Hua corrected. “Can we really do this…” Situ Fang was hesitant. But Zhang Lan had already drawn his sword, ready to sever the evil cultivator’s meridians. Before, Mo Hua didn’t understand why Zhang Lan, who was clearly a spiritual cultivator, would carry a sword weapon; he thought it was purely for show. Now I understand, even as a Spiritual Cultivator, merely with spells and a knife or a sword for tools, one can be prepared for unexpected needs. At least it made severing a person’s meridians much more convenient. But before Zhang Lan’s sword could pierce down, the Evil Cultivator suddenly opened his eyes wide, his hands shook, and the chains fell off. Zhang Lan’s eyes narrowed, and he accelerated his sword thrust. The Evil Cultivator twisted his body to dodge the vital points, and the sword only grazed a layer of skin. “Be careful!” Zhang Lan shouted. The moment the Evil Cultivator opened his eyes, Mo Hua had already retreated several meters away. When he had swept the area with his Divine Sense earlier, he noticed something odd about the fluctuations of the Evil Cultivator’s Spiritual Power. But he had not expected this Evil Cultivator to be so cunning and hardy. Even after sustaining multiple wounds, he still had the strength to resist. The Evil Cultivator dodged Zhang Lan’s sword and aimed a palm strike straight at Zhang Lan’s face. Zhang Lan’s expression turned grave as he retreated to avoid the blow. At this distance, it was too late to use spells; he could only counter with a backward stab of his sword. But the Evil Cultivator didn’t take the strike; instead, with a flicker of his body, he appeared beside Situ Xiu, who was raising his sword to strike. Situ Xiu, originally planning to attack the Evil Cultivator from behind while unnoticed, had not anticipated that the Evil Cultivator had already sensed him. With a bizarre movement technique, the Evil Cultivator circled to his side. His attempt to ambush failed, and he was ambushed instead, struck by the Evil Cultivator’s palm on the rib cage, he spat out fresh blood and flew sideways. The pain from this palm strike pierced to the heart, and the bizarre Spiritual Power followed the force into his organs. Only then did Situ Xiu realize that this Evil Cultivator had not been using his full strength before! But the realization came too late, as he no longer had the strength to fight again in the short term. Situ Fang also drew his sword, swinging it at the Evil Cultivator. After several exchanges, he suddenly felt weak all over. His meridians were corroded by a peculiar pink Spiritual Power, preventing his own Spiritual Power from circulating. The Evil Cultivator’s Spiritual Power was poisonous! He hadn’t noticed it during the fight earlier, but now the poison was gradually taking effect. Forcing himself to circulate his Qi, Situ Fang suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, glaring at the Evil Cultivator with hatred in his eyes. Licking his lips, the Evil Cultivator looked at Situ Fang and said, “Not bad!” He hadn’t replenished himself for a month. He needed to vent his demonic fire and also replenish his Spiritual Power. The Evil Cultivator’s gaze roamed over Situ Fang. As his mind wavered slightly, a pale blue Sword Qi pierced directly through his shoulder. Enraged, the Evil Cultivator’s mouth also exuded fresh blood as he turned to look. There, not far away, stood Zhang Lan with his fingers formed into a sword, coldly watching him. There was still a tough one left. The Evil Cultivator reined in his thoughts. Unless he dealt with Zhang Lan, he couldn’t escape. Even if he managed to run away, in the treacherous lands of Big Black Mountain, he wouldn’t last long. With his body drained and demonic fire growing, he needed replenishment. As long as he killed Zhang Lan… The Evil Cultivator’s eyes flashed fiercely as he charged straight toward Zhang Lan. Zhang Lan’s heart tightened, What fast movement technique! The Evil Cultivator’s movement technique was faster and more bizarre than before. Had he been holding back all along… “Good, let me meet you!” Zhang Lan’s gaze sharpened as he executed the Falling Flower Steps; instantly, his figure multiplied, as graceful as falling petals. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂 The Evil Cultivator was taken aback. This Taoist Court’s Cultivator’s movement technique was actually not inferior to his. He was a rapist, who relied on movement techniques to make his living! The Evil Cultivator was in a difficult position, yet he had to fight. After about a dozen exchanges, he still hadn’t managed to land a hit on Zhang Lan. Meanwhile, Zhang Lan had already grasped his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. In his advances and retreats, he still had the leeway to condense Sword Qi, threatening the Evil Cultivator. Just as Zhang Lan was about to capture the Evil Cultivator’s lapse and finish him with Sword Qi, the Evil Cultivator suddenly disappeared. Zhang Lan released his Divine Sense, but detected nothing. Suddenly, he felt a surge of alarm and glanced toward Mo Hua in the distance, urgently shouting, “Be careful!” At the same time, a shadow flickered behind Mo Hua, and the Evil Cultivator appeared, his voice hoarse and vicious: “Brat, you want to break my legs?”