Chapter 822: 807: Taking a Beating
Having acquired a massive haul of Spirit Stones, Shen Lang was far from satisfied.
He stretched his hand toward Lan Mengling with a cheeky grin. “These are all just Middle Grade Spirit Stones. How about you toss me some Top Grade Spirit Stones?”
Nearby, Qin Mengxue and Dong Chengyue nearly fainted. The sheer audacity! He had already taken so much, yet he still dared to complain and demand more directly from *her*.
Just as this thought crossed their minds, Lan Mengling actually tossed him a Sumeru Ring. “There. You have your Top Grade Spirit Stones now. Hurry up and heal my injuries. I was hit by the Heart-Shattering Five Extremes Palm from Bai Luobing, the White Flag Master of Five-color Banner from the War God Hall.”
Mengxue gasped in shock. “My Lady, Bai Luobing injured you? How severe are your wounds?”
Even after witnessing Shen Lang’s extraordinary methods and hearing Mengling actually request his medical help, the two girls still could not believe it. There was no way this kid could cure the Heart-Shattering Five Extremes Palm!
How could a mere King Martial Realm brat resolve a vicious Cultivation Technique that even Mengling was helpless against?
Injuring Zheng Tianfeng with the Ten Thousand Beasts Circle was one thing—he had relied on external power. Breaking the Twelve All Heaven Beast Array and the gorge’s Restrictions merely showcased his profound mastery over Array Restrictions. But to counter the Secret Skill of the White Flag Master of Five-color Banner? That was simply impossible!
Unless a powerhouse on the level of Master Zhulong or Taotie intervened, it was hopeless.
While Chengyue and Mengxue exchanged weird looks, they heard Shen Lang say with his trademark grin, “But what if I don’t know how to cure it?”
“So you don’t know how…” Mengling dragged out her words. With a casual wave of her hand, she delivered a palm strike right to his back. The force smashed him flat against the ground, burying him deep into the soil!
The two girls were stunned once again.
This guy had been so insufferably arrogant in front of them, even threatening to kill Mengling just moments ago. Who would have thought they would actually get to see him take a beating! They wanted to laugh but didn’t dare. Watching Shen Lang face-planted in the dirt, they had to suppress their amusement so hard that their stomachs ached.
“Crazy woman, give me your life!”
Seeing Shen Lang take a hit, Duanmu Xie roared in fury. He summoned the Corpse Emperor’s Copper Coffin and hurled it straight at Mengling!
Chengyue and Mengxue were just about to intercept from both sides when Mengling simply flicked her finger. A wisp of Vermilion Bird Divine Fire instantly pierced through the surging Corpse Qi surrounding Xie and struck his chest.
Xie let out a blood-curdling shriek. As if struck by a heavy hammer, his towering frame flew backward at a blinding speed. With a deafening CRASH, he smashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater in his wake!
Howling in pain, Xie desperately channeled his Corpse Qi to battle the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire ravaging his body.
Even though they both wielded the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire, the difference between Mengling’s strike and Shen Lang’s was monumental. Furthermore, the gap between the Emperor Martial Realm—even the Emperor Martial Realm Peak—and the Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm was like comparing heaven and earth.
Taking that single hit, Xie was instantly incapacitated.
Even gravely injured, a Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm expert was leagues above the Emperor Martial Realm. They were untouchable to someone like Xie. Crippling him with a casual flick was a true testament to the terrifying power of the Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm!
Seeing Shen Lang lying motionless on the ground, Mengling said leisurely, “If you don’t get up soon, you really are going to die… And your Zombie will die too.”
Coming here had honestly just been a gamble for her.
Shen Lang knew how to crack the Undying Seal Technique, the Secret Skill of Asura King Zi You from the War God Hall. He had even dismantled the Restriction she had set using her own Vermilion Bird Divine Fire, learning to control the flames himself in the process. There was no reason he wouldn’t be able to handle Bai Luobing’s Heart-Shattering Five Extremes Palm.
To put it simply, when comparing the Cultivation Techniques, the Undying Seal Technique was superior to the Heart-Shattering Five Extremes Palm. However, Bai Luobing was much stronger than Zi You. Thus, the Palm Force unleashed by Luobing packed far more devastating power than the seal used by the Asura King.
Since Shen Lang could resolve the inherently stronger Undying Seal Technique, dealing with the Heart-Shattering Five Extremes Palm shouldn’t be a major issue for him. Seeing him play dead without a hint of panic only cemented her belief that this guy could definitely heal her.
“Still not getting up? Your Zombie is going to burn to ash at this rate. Besides, I helped you deal with those Celestial Sword Mountain folks back in the Purple Chu Imperial Capital. You still owe me a favor,” Mengling drawled slowly.
That finally got a reaction. Shen Lang slapped the ground with both palms, using the rebound to spring to his feet. He spat out a mouthful of dirt and gravel.
“Are you out of your damn mind?!” Shen Lang roared. “I was just making a joke! Who hits someone over a joke?”
Mengling raised an elegant eyebrow. “I merely brushed some dust off you. It’s not my fault you’re so fragile.”
Shen Lang pointed a finger, stopping mere inches from her nose. “I’m warning you, stop hitting people on a whim! I might rely on my handsome looks to get by, but I still have my dignity!”
She raised her eyebrow again. “You can’t beat me, so your protest is invalid. Besides, you were dragging your feet instead of healing me. Who else was I supposed to hit?”
Shen Lang was rendered speechless.
Softening her tone, Mengling continued, “Alright, I’ll admit I was wrong. Does that work for you? Just think about all those Spirit Stones in your hands. That should improve your mood, right? Once you’re feeling better, hurry up and take a look at my injuries.”
Mengxue and Chengyue were utterly stupefied.
The dignified Princess Zhuque, one of the Five Great Demon Generals, was actually speaking so softly? She actually admitted she was wrong?! Compared to the arrogant and aloof Princess who stood alongside Master Zhulong and the other Demon Generals… it was like looking at a completely different person!
Shen Lang let out a heavy sigh. He was truly helpless against Mengling; the woman’s temper was too volatile and unpredictable. More importantly, the gap in their Cultivation was so massive that fighting back was entirely out of the question.
Besides, she had been incredibly precise with her strike. If he really thought about it, that blow was nothing more than roughhousing. It had humiliated him slightly, but it hadn’t harmed a single hair on his head.
Gritting his teeth, Shen Lang walked over to Xie. With a slap to the Zombie’s body, he extracted the wisp of Vermilion Bird Divine Fire, then stored Xie away inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron. Having done that, he sluggishly walked back and circled Mengling once. Suddenly, he slapped his forehead. “I know!”
“You know what?” Mengling’s eyes lit up with joy, thinking he had finally figured out a way to deal with the Palm Force of the Heart-Shattering Five Extremes Palm.
Nodding continuously, Shen Lang declared, “I figured it out! Looking at these injuries, it must have been Bai Luobing’s clone that attacked you!”
“No kidding!” Mengling rolled her eyes in exasperation. “If it had been her true body, I’d be dead! Her true body is at the Emperor Martial Peak Realm, a higher Cultivation than my own… Ugh, why are we talking about this nonsense? Hurry up and figure out a cure!”
The surrounding crowd was shocked beyond belief.
It was one thing for Lan Mengling, one of the esteemed Five Great Demon Generals, to speak to this guy so gently. But to seek medical solutions from this Ghost-Faced Man when injured? Just what was this guy’s background, and how terrifyingly powerful was he really?
He clearly wasn’t from the Demon God Hall, yet his relationship with Mengling was so… ambiguous. He possessed only a King Martial Realm Cultivation, yet his mastery over Restrictions and Arrays was at the absolute pinnacle.
Could he be the clone of some peerless supreme expert? Yes! That had to be it!
This thought took root in everyone’s minds. It was the only explanation that made any sense. The experts from the Demon God Hall suddenly felt incredibly fortunate that they hadn’t offended this Ghost-Faced Man. Otherwise, they would have ended up crippled like Ren Xudong and Zheng Tianfeng, and they wouldn’t even be able to get revenge! Even the Princess treated him so well. Would Master Zhulong even dare to pick a fight with him?
At that moment, Shen Lang waved his hand dismissively. “It’s a bit troublesome, but not impossible. Let’s go. We’ll find a secluded spot so I can treat you.”
“Great!” That was exactly what Mengling was waiting to hear. Without another word, she grabbed him by the collar and vanished from everyone’s sight with a sharp SWISH!
Chengyue, Mengxue, and the others exchanged bewildered glances, completely frozen in place for a long time.
Meanwhile, Ren Xudong was on the verge of tears.
He was still enduring the excruciating torment of the Netherworld Qi. He had originally planned to break through the Third Floor’s Restriction and advance higher to regroup with Master Zhulong. Once reunited, he could have his side’s experts help shatter the Restriction planted inside him.
Instead, he had held on desperately for three whole days, suffering agonizing torture. Just when the floor’s Restriction was about to be broken, a heavily injured Lan Mengling had crashed the party and ruined everything!
Just moments ago, Xudong had even been hoping that after the Ghost-Faced Man healed Mengling, he might be able to beg her to put in a good word for him. Maybe then this Ghost-Faced Man would extract the Netherworld Qi from his body… Who could have known she would just up and leave in the blink of an eye!
Now, relying solely on Chengyue and Mengxue, breaking through the Third Floor’s Restriction was definitely a lost cause. With this path blocked, his only option was to backtrack and head toward the eastern side of the Dragon Scale Divine Hall to find Master Zhulong.
Tears pooling in his eyes, Xudong hastily bid farewell to the two girls and ordered his few remaining subordinates to sprint frantically down the mountain.
…
The following night, the moon shone brightly against a scattering of stars.
In a hollow outside the eastern entrance of the Dragon Scale Divine Hall, Mengling floated three feet in the air with her eyes tightly shut. She stood perfectly upright with her arms spread wide. Nine terrifying orbs of Vermilion Bird Divine Fire spun rapidly around her, illuminating the entire hollow.
Below her, Shen Lang tilted his head back, quietly observing her. Her tranquil expression, flawless jade-like skin, and regal aura radiated an incredibly cold yet captivating elegance. The night breeze caused her silk robes to flutter, outlining her breathtaking silhouette.
However, Shen Lang’s gaze was visibly unfocused. His attention was completely detached from her peerless beauty.
Faced with such absolute perfection, all he could think about was… Divine Beast Essence Blood!
The burning question of how to extract Vermilion Bird Essence Blood from Lan Mengling left him feeling utterly restless.