Chapter 287 The Curtain Comes to an End
Then, Xiao Ling, like before, skillfully extracted the soul of the old demon and sealed it into a jade bottle.
The great hero of the Black Horn Region, the old demon, is dead!
As the last breath of the old demon dissipated in the wind, the sky in the Black Horn Region seemed to become clearer, as if even the clouds were celebrating the end of this hero.
Xiao Ling stood quietly in the center of the battlefield. With a deft movement of his fingers, the Earth Demon Old Ghost's storage ring fell into his palm. He did not hesitate at all, and then with a light wave, the body of the Earth Demon Old Ghost was also stored in his storage space.
Although the old demon's appearance before his death was quite miserable, his body was surprisingly well preserved. Although the scars on the surface looked hideous, they were not a big deal for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet. Xiao Ling's eyes flashed with satisfaction. He knew that these materials would play a greater role in his hands.
Xiao Ling's movements were swift and skillful. Xiao Yixian and Zi Yan were already used to seeing him plundering spoils. They had long known that Xiao Ling's plundering skills were something he had figured out when he was young in the Black Horn Region. At that time, he was only in his teens, but now he had mastered this technique to perfection.
Zi Yan looked at Xiao Ling's busy back, a smile appeared on her lips, and she joked: "Xiao Ling, your looting skills are almost as good as those of a professional thief."
Xiao Ling raised his head and smiled at Zi Yan, but his hands did not stop moving: "This is a necessary skill for survival. If you want to survive in the martial arts world, you need to learn a few more skills."
Little Medical Fairy couldn't help but interrupt: "With your skills, someone who doesn't know you would think you are an old hand at robbery."
Xiao Ling smiled lightly and didn't say much, but his eyes revealed a hint of pride. This kind of craftsmanship cannot be achieved by ordinary people without rich experience.
Elder Huo and Xiao Yan seemed a little surprised. They couldn't help but wonder how many similar scenes they had to go through to be able to handle post-war affairs so skillfully. They also didn't know how many unlucky people had fallen into Xiao Ling's hands.
As if sensing the slightly strange gazes from the two, Xiao Ling raised his head after collecting the spoils and cast his gaze towards Xiao Yan and Elder Huo. He first raised his eyebrows at Xiao Yan, with a hint of joking in his tone: "How about it, do you think my technique is quite skilled?"
Xiao Yan touched his nose awkwardly and nodded in agreement.
Xiao Ling gently patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, with a hint of deep meaning in his tone: "Don't worry, your talent in this area is definitely not worse than mine. In the future, you will definitely encounter such things often."
Although Xiao Yan was somewhat confused by Xiao Ling's ambiguous words, he inexplicably felt that Xiao Ling's words made sense.
Without waiting for Xiao Yan's response, Xiao Ling turned to Elder Huo, with a relaxed smile on his face: "Elder Huo, you see, I was right, I don't need to do it myself to deal with the old demon."
Hearing this, Elder Huo smiled and shook his head, stroking his long beard with a hint of admiration in his tone: "You were right before. I thought you would do it yourself, but I didn't expect you to summon such a powerful puppet. I remember when I saw you refining medicine in the inner courtyard, you used this puppet to resist the pill thunder. At that time, I felt that this puppet was extraordinary, at least at the level of a high-level Dou Zong."
"Now it seems that I really underestimated it. Its strength is comparable to that of a Dou Zun. You are really lucky, kid. This puppet should be a treasure you got when you were training outside."
Xiao Ling nodded slightly, with a hint of smile in his tone: "It is indeed a surprise I got last time I went out. I am indeed lucky."
This Heavenly Demon Puppet was made from the body of Turtle Spirit Venerable. Although it was said that it was obtained during previous training, it is indeed correct to say so.
After hearing this, Elder Huo shook his head and showed an appreciative smile on his face: "Haha, kid, you always bring back some treasures every time you go out. You have several strange fires in your body. If other alchemists knew about this, they would be so envious."
Elder Huo paused halfway through his speech, and both he and Xiao Yan looked a little embarrassed. They realized that they were also alchemists, and saying this seemed a bit self-deprecating.
Elder Huo's words made Xiao Ling smile bitterly. He knew how tempting his strange fire was to alchemists, but he couldn't really take them out of his body to share. Each of these strange fires was obtained by him after going through hardships.
Although Elder Huo was his teacher who taught him the art of alchemy, the strange fire was too important to him. It was a symbol of his strength and a precious treasure that he had worked hard to obtain. Unless it was really necessary, he would never separate the strange fire from his body.
A brilliant idea suddenly flashed through Xiao Ling's mind. He gave Elder Huo a meaningful smile and said easily, "Elder Huo, don't be too disappointed. Although I can't give Strange Fire to anyone casually, I can help you get a flame that is almost comparable to Strange Fire. I believe that after you have it, your alchemy skills will definitely be able to reach a higher level."
When Elder Huo heard this, his eyes lit up immediately, as if he saw new hope. Even Xiao Yan, who was standing behind him, couldn't help but cast an expectant look at him.
Elder Huo's curiosity was completely aroused, and he couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ling, what exactly is the flame you are talking about? Is it a high-level beast fire? But if it is to be compared with the strange fire, it must be at least an eighth-level beast fire with abundant energy. Such a flame is not only difficult to find, but also a big problem to absorb."
Facing Elder Huo's questioning, Xiao Ling just smiled lightly and did not reveal the answer directly. Instead, he said mysteriously: "Haha, this will be kept secret for now. When I return to Canaan College, I will naturally reveal the answer."
The flame that Xiao Ling had in mind that could rival the strange fire was actually the fire that was condensed by practicing the "Flame Technique" using his own fighting spirit.
What he planned to prepare for Elder Huo was the improved version by the old demon, namely "True Flame Art", instead of the original version of "Flame Art" which had serious side effects.
Xiao Ling had just checked the Earth Demon Old Ghost's storage ring, and apart from some healing pills and gold coins, he did not find anything particularly precious. This showed that the Earth Demon Old Ghost had stored all his treasures in the treasure house of the Demon Flame Valley.
Therefore, the copy of "The True Art of Playing with Flames" that was perfected and modified by the old demon ghost was most likely to be properly kept deep in the treasure house of the Demon Flame Valley, just like the original book.
However, Xiao Ling still wanted to complain in his heart. As a Dou Zong powerhouse who cultivated ice-attributed Dou Qi, the old demon actually had the leisure and ability to delve into the fire-attributed secret technique such as "Flame Art". This was surprising enough in itself.
What's even more outrageous is that not only did he succeed in his research, he also improved the practice method, so that the fire that originally required the cooperation of many people to condense can now be easily performed by one person, and at the same time greatly reduced the side effects of the practice process.
It can only be said that the ability of the old demon should not be underestimated. To be able to cultivate to that level, he is definitely not an ordinary person no matter what.
However, he just complained silently in his heart. After all, having such a secret method in hand would definitely be more beneficial than harmful to him.
He would not delve into how the old demon did it. What was important was that this improved version of "The Art of Playing with Flames" could bring him tangible benefits.
Xiao Ling turned his gaze to Xiao Yixian and the other companions. His smile was filled with a sense of ease and confidence. "Okay, everyone, you can go back to Canaan College first. We have just dealt with the old demon, Mo Tianxing, and those famous people in the Black Horn Region. Next, the Black Horn Region may fall into a period of chaos, and Canaan College can prepare in advance. As for me, I still have to go there and search it thoroughly. After all, there are many treasures hidden there."
His words revealed his foresight of the upcoming chaos and his anticipation for the potential treasures. Xiao Yixian and the others nodded seriously after hearing Xiao Ling's words, expressing their understanding. Zi Yan held Xiao Ling's arm affectionately, with excitement flashing in her eyes. She said with a hint of anticipation: "Xiao Ling, you can't leave me behind when it's so exciting to search for treasures. I don't want to miss such a fun thing."
Xiao Ling gently rubbed Zi Yan's hair, with a hint of pampering and smile in his tone: "You should go back to Canaan College and wait for me. This time I will be back soon, it won't take too much time. Besides, you have worked hard in the previous battle, go back and have a good rest."
Although Zi Yan felt a little disappointed when she heard that Xiao Ling did not agree to take her with him, she did not insist on her own opinion. Instead, she said obediently: "Okay, but when you come back, if you have anything delicious or fun, remember to share it with me. I have contributed a lot this time."
Xiao Ling nodded and gave her a reassuring smile: "Don't worry, how could I forget you if there is any benefit."
Elder Huo pondered for a moment, then said, "Now that Black Horn Territory has lost so many powerful people, the future situation will definitely be very turbulent and there will be a major reshuffle. Haven't you ever thought about taking this opportunity to establish your own power in Black Horn Territory? In such a chaotic situation, your power will surely rise rapidly, and with Canaan Academy as your backing, your development will be much smoother."
After hearing what Elder Huo said, Xiao Ling just shook his head slightly and responded calmly: "Elder Huo, this is not my style. I don't like to be bound by the trivialities of power, and I will be leaving for Zhongzhou soon, and I can't take care of the affairs here for a long time."
Xiao Ling once thought about establishing his own power, but he quickly gave up the idea. He was not good at organizing and managing power, and he was about to go to Zhongzhou, so it didn't make much sense for him to establish power in the Northwest Continent.
Although the Black Horn Region was a place where all kinds of people lived together, and it contained many rare treasures, it was only a part of the Northwest Continent after all, and its resources were not as abundant as those in the Central Continent. Those truly valuable resources had already fallen into Xiao Ling's pocket.
With Xiao Ling's current wealth, even a Dou Zun strongman could not compare to him. In his eyes, the resources of the Black Horn Region were nothing and could hardly arouse his interest.
Therefore, he did not need to build a force here to collect resources. For Xiao Ling, instead of wasting energy in the Black Horn Region, it would be better to turn his attention to the wider world, where there are more unknown opportunities waiting for him to explore and grasp.
Elder Huo nodded, his tone revealing a hint of understanding: "Since you have made up your mind, I won't say much. You always have your own ideas, just make your own decision. However, no matter what help you need, Canaan Academy will fully support you. Remember, Canaan Academy will always be your strong backing."
Then, they chatted casually for a few more sentences. In a relaxed atmosphere, Xiao Yixian and the others said goodbye to Xiao Ling, and then rode on Xiao Zi and flew towards Canaan College.
Xiao Zi's wings glowed with a faint silver light under the moonlight, and their figures slowly disappeared into the night, leaving Xiao Ling alone under the silent night sky, with everything around him immersed in the tranquil moonlight.
As Xiao Zi carried Xiao Yixiang and the others disappeared into the night, Xiao Ling slowly looked around. He used his soul perception to carefully explore everything around him.
After confirming that there was no one around, Xiao Ling slowly opened his eyes, a relaxed smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said to himself: "It seems that there is no one else around. It is a good time to absorb these souls."
After the fierce battle just now, this mountain range has witnessed the fall of countless strong men. Many desperate people in the Black Horn Region, blinded by greed, tried to fight for the Bodhi Body Saliva, but in the end, without exception, they turned into ghosts in the mountains.
Xiao Ling stood on this silent battlefield. He knew the value of these soul bodies. He would not waste such resources easily. In his opinion, these soul bodies could be transformed into powerful means to deal with the enemy, or become excellent materials for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet.
Driven by his thoughts, Xiao Ling's body slowly rose up and finally hovered above the mountain. He looked down at the land below that had become devastated by the battle just now, and couldn't help but feel a little emotional. The intensity of this battle might make this place a wonder in the future of the Black Horn Region.
Xiao Ling shook his head gently and collected his thoughts. He waved his hand and took out the Ten Thousand Souls Banner from the system storage space.
As Xiao Ling's mind drove it, the originally inconspicuous Ten Thousand Souls Banner suddenly glowed with a mysterious and eerie black light, like a strange star that suddenly lit up in the night sky. The air around it seemed to feel this power, and a piercing cold wind blew for no reason, sweeping across the entire mountain range.
The light of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner grew brighter and brighter, and the bodies that fell in the battle below began to flicker with light. Then, souls that looked exactly like the corpses were forcibly pulled out of their bodies by invisible forces in fear and helplessness.
These souls looked around blankly in mid-air, as if they had not yet recovered from the shock of death, and were firmly locked by the power of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
They looked at Xiao Ling in the sky with horrified expressions. The black flag in their hands seemed to control their fate. They tried their best to resist, but found that their strength was insignificant in front of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. Under the pull of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, they could only turn into streams of light and were sucked into the flag one after another.
As more and more souls were sucked in, the light emitted by the Ten Thousand Souls Banner in the sky became stronger and stronger. In the end, even the souls of Mo Tianxing and Old Man Yingshan struggled desperately with resentment and unwillingness, but could not escape. They could only watch themselves being swallowed by the black banner that exuded a strange and gloomy aura.
When the last soul was devoured by the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, Xiao Ling slowly put down the banner in his hand. The air around him seemed to still have a strange atmosphere, and occasionally a few crows' cries cut through the night sky, adding a bit of desolation to this desolate mountain range.
Xiao Ling put away the Ten Thousand Souls Banner and put it into the system space. He whispered to himself with a hint of amusement in his tone: "It seems that what I do is no different from those guys in the Soul Palace. This feeling is really quite wonderful."
Xiao Ling shook his head gently, putting those messy thoughts behind him. After all, there was a fundamental difference between him and the Soul Palace. He believed that he could not do such cruel acts as attacking innocent people and plundering their souls. But in this world, if someone had ill intentions towards him or someone he cherished, he would not be merciful.
He has a clear boundary in his mind, and he will naturally take necessary measures against those enemies who truly threaten him and his loved ones.
After absorbing all the souls, Xiao Ling did not forget the bodies of those Dou Zong masters. He quickly put them into his storage ring.
Then, his figure turned into a stream of light and rushed towards the direction of the Black Emperor Sect. The Black Horn Region was now in chaos and would soon become even more disordered. Xiao Ling planned to take advantage of this opportunity to plunder the precious resources of the Black Horn Region.
After all, he was about to go to Zhongzhou, and it would be a waste for him not to take these resources.
Xiao Ling might feel a little bit ruthless towards other forces, but in a place like the Black Horn Region, those forces that can gain a foothold are often cruel and ruthless.
Xiao Ling would not have any hesitation or guilt when taking action against these evil people.
……
After dozens of minutes of full-speed flight, Xiao Ling arrived at Black Emperor City. At this time, Black Emperor City had not yet fallen into chaos, because the news from the battlefield had not yet been transmitted back, and the people of the Black Emperor Sect were still working hard to maintain order in the city.
However, Xiao Ling knew that once the news that Mo Tianxing and other Black Emperor Sect masters had not returned for a long time spread, the city's apparent tranquility would be quickly broken. Order would collapse, and chaos would spread like a plague.
(End of this chapter)