Chapter 61: Addicted to Reading

  The red-robed Taoist was not a kind person either. Seeing an opening, he didn't think twice and shook the red flag, rolling up a ball of fierce flames to fill the gap and burn it away. He just wanted to burn out a hole in the surrounding Xigong golden energy to escape.

  Would Wang Guang let the other side get away with it? Seeing Hong Pao Dao Ren recklessly burning his flag array, he quickly manipulated Chi Tong Sha to block him. For a while, the fierce fire couldn't get out, and the flag array was not tightly closed. The two sides continued to stalemate like this.

  In another three hours, the two generals were tired of watching the fight here and retreated to their respective camps. Wang Guang was about to take advantage of the opportunity to leave, but unexpectedly a Qi practitioner suddenly appeared around the two of them.

  "Two fellow Taoists, don't fight anymore. We are all supported by others and have no reason to bear grudges against each other - no killing of fathers, no stealing of wives, no humiliating teasing. Why must we risk our lives for the sake of others? I think it's better to stop early and go home to rest."

  Following the sound, he saw a Taoist in a green robe standing beside him, who looked about thirty years old, with a face as white as jade, and a Taoist hairpin on his head. He was empty-handed and unarmed, without any magic weapons or swords.

  "Boundless Heaven Venerable! I just want to go back and take a bath, but that little guy inside won't let me off the hook. If I release my spell array, how can you guarantee he won't come looking for trouble? The little guy in there has trained over a hundred symbol soldiers, it's hard for me to resist." Wang Guang had a mind to end the fight and was too lazy to continue consuming his spiritual energy here, hence this speech.

  "Don't worry, fellow Taoist. I'm also familiar with the one inside. Let me persuade him and you can trust me?" The blue-robed Taoist bowed solemnly without hiding his relationship with the Qi cultivator inside.

  "Alright!"

  Although he agreed to let the Qingpao Taoist persuade the Hongpao Taoist inside, Wang Guang still did not release him and only tore open a piece of Xigong golden energy to allow both parties to communicate.

  "Fire Crow Dao friend, I suppose you also heard my previous words. Why don't you give me some face and let this matter go for today? What do you think?" The green-robed Daoist said in a deep voice. "Those generals and soldiers are all tired of fighting, why should we practitioners who rely on others' support risk our lives for them?"

  "Qing Xuan Dao You, it's not that I'm unreasonable and randomly fighting with people, but this guy is simply shameless. He killed my friend and even drove his soul away. Can you say I shouldn't fight back? That friend had helped me venture into the icy tundra to gather medicinal herbs, and spent three to five years guarding the Earth's Heart Rift for me, helping me refine talismans and soldiers. Now that he's dead, if I don't avenge him, or even protect his soul, how can I just let this kid off easily? If so, then my friend's kindness to me would be repaid not one bit, and in the future, how could I interact with others?" The red-robed Daoist wailed loudly several times, indignantly bellowing.

  "If you consider me a friend, then don't stop me from taking revenge. If not, then quickly leave and don't get in the way." As he spoke, he disregarded his own condition and spat out a stream of vital energy into the red banner, causing the flames to surge violently for a moment, almost bursting through the crack.

  This remark made not only Qingpao Daoist frown, but also Wang Guang felt extremely displeased in his heart.

  " Fellow Taoist, if you've taken the soul of Fire Crow Dao's friend, I implore you to return it. That thing isn't worth much, and I can offer you crystal stones, elixirs, or even exchange it with a technique. What do you say?" The blue-robed Taoist looked at Wang Guangdao with some discontent. He was extremely displeased with those Qi-refining practitioners who seized souls, believing that such practitioners completely cut off people's paths in life and were utterly evil.

  "Vast Heaven Lord!" After hearing this, Wang Guang couldn't help but bitterly smile: "Fellow Daoist, you have good intentions, but it's impossible for me to hand over my soul."

  "See that! You killed my friend, why not give him a chance to reincarnate? Who knows where he'll end up after reincarnation, and even if he regains his memory and wants to seek revenge against you, we're separated by billions of miles in the endless spiritual world. Where can he find you then?" The red-robed Taoist in the flag array sneered at Wang Guang, baring his teeth. "You've done such a ruthless thing, what are you afraid of me killing you for?"

  Seeing the Taoist in the green robe frowning at him, Wang Guang secretly cursed his bad luck. He didn't want to provoke the Taoist now, lest he take advantage of the situation, so he hastily opened his mouth to explain.

  "Boundless Heaven Venerable! Fellow Daoist, it's not that I'm heartless and ruthless, but rather that the matter of stealing souls wasn't done by me. I'm being wronged!" Wang Guang let out a few strange wails, injecting several mouthfuls of magical energy into the flag array, barely suppressing the crazed red-robed Daoist within the array.

  "If your soul wasn't taken away by you, why did Huo Luan's fellow Taoist look for trouble with you? Among the three to five Qi-practicing soldiers in front of these two armies, why didn't they look for someone else and instead looked for you alone?" The blue-robed Taoist shouted loudly, his eyes gleaming with sharp light as he stared at Wang Guang.

  "I think there must be some misunderstanding, listen to me and I will tell you one by one." Wang Guang saw that the blue-robed Taoist's magic was fluctuating, and he had a mind to take action, so he didn't dare to slack off either. He hastily opened his mouth and told the story of what happened from start to finish.

  "Whether you believe it or not, it doesn't matter! Don't think that just because the two of you are joining forces, I'll be afraid. If you provoke me, I can do anything!" Wang Guang glared at the blue-robed Taoist with discontent. This feeling of being wronged was something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

  "Don't be angry, fellow Taoist. I know who took away the soul." The blue-robed Taoist did not show any displeasure due to Wang Guang's scolding, but instead bowed his head and apologized: "I misunderstood you at first, and my heart is uneasy. Based on my speculation, I recognize the person who stole the soul. You stop your methods, and come with me to retrieve the soul, so as to avoid planting a seed of hatred between you. If we get back the soul, Fire Crow Taoist must not bother others again." The last sentence was directed at the red-robed Taoist in the flag array.

  "It makes sense." Huo Yaodao Ren pondered for a moment before responding in a low voice. Wang Guang saw the opportunity and didn't hesitate, directly activating the technique to retrieve the flag array. After countless Western Golden Qi dissipated, a disheveled red-robed Daoist jumped out from inside.

  This person no longer had the demeanor he had before fighting Wang Guang, the large red gourd had shrunk to half its size, and the hundred symbol soldiers looked withered. A fire crow that was circling in the air had disappeared, leaving only the fire crow entwined with the fire snake.

  He glared at Wang Guang fiercely, then turned the gourd over, slapped the bottom of it, and a hundred tongues of flame shot out from the gourd onto the talisman soldiers. The talisman soldiers were engulfed in flames and instantly transformed into red lights that drilled back into the gourd.

  "Fellow Taoist, I misunderstood you just now and thought you were inclined towards the evil path. This makes me feel very ashamed." The red-robed Fire Crow Taoist apologized with a face full of shame to the blue-robed Taoist.

  "No harm done, let's hurry and find the one who stole our souls, lest he uses them." The blue-robed Taoist smiled, showing no sign of putting the earlier misunderstanding to heart.

  The three of them did not linger and flew directly to the Tianyu Imperial Camp. When they arrived at the camp entrance, soldiers discovered their strong bows and hard crossbows, blocking the three outside.

  "Boundless Heaven Venerable! I, Wang Guang, have brought back a guest, why are you blocking the way?" After dodging arrows and fireballs, as well as giant boulders, Wang Guang was extremely infuriated by this welcoming method.

  "That guest of yours is a tribute to the Great Qi Empire, we don't dare let them enter the camp. Moreover, you two have been fighting for so long, it's not exciting at all, but rather dull. Therefore, my brothers and I have discussed it, this camp will not be allowed to enter for the time being." Yi Zhan shouted loudly, shaking his long spear in his hand.

  "Hah! It seems you're not very popular in the Tianyu Imperial Court!" The red-robed Taoist priest burst into a strange, mocking laughter upon seeing Wang Guang at a disadvantage. He took advantage of the opportunity to adjust his robes and smooth out his hair, sneering at Wang Guang with an air of pretentiousness: "Why don't you follow me to the Great Qi Imperial Camp? I'll show you my prestige there."

  "Despicable!" With that, the Five Thunder God Wang Guang burst into a rage, launching into a torrent of abuse: "Look at you, with your ugly face spewing black smoke as you speak! Where's even a shred of dignity? People are only afraid of you because they're terrified of you!"

  "Stop arguing, you two. Watch me use my skills to bring out that soul-snatching Daoist for a discussion." The blue-robed Daoist gave Wang Guang and the other person an annoyed glance, displeased with their reckless behavior regardless of the occasion or location.

  Having said that, the Taoist in green robe took out an incense from his waist pouch and lit it. A wisp of blue smoke curled up three feet high, not dispersing with the wind, but condensing instead. After dozens of breaths, the incense burned out, and the blue smoke transformed into a blue light that vanished into thin air.

  Three Taoist priests waited silently, not long after, dozens of Qi practitioners flew out from the border, led by a person wearing a black robe, with black wind swirling around him, his face hidden. A pair of dry hands grew long fingernails about one foot long, which shook with his fingers, making a metallic sound as they collided.

  "Have you met the Daoist of the Dark Wind? I wonder if he has been carefree and happy these days?" The man in green robe secretly blocked Wang Guang and the other, stepping forward to pay his respects.

  "Ga ga! What are you looking for? Why aren't you guarding your Great Qi camp, and what are you doing here? Aren't you afraid of being ambushed?" the dark wind Taoist asked in a hoarse voice.

  "I have a friend, Huo Ya Dao You. His friend was fighting with Wang Dao You among you today and accidentally died. His soul was taken by you. I hope that you can return the taken soul to Huo Ya Dao person today. I won't let you suffer a loss either. How about trading it for 1,000 crystal stones?" The blue-robed Daoist said in a low voice with a slight frown.

  "Haha, what makes you say that the soul was taken by me? There are countless Qi practitioners in front of the two armies, and those with abilities are even more numerous. How can it be assumed that I took the soul? Unless you saw me take it personally?" Yin Feng Daoren let out a few strange laughs, his fingernails clashing together even more fiercely.

  Forgot about time, sorry - will make up for it tomorrow