Chapter 1172: Those who Want Spirit Marrow Stand Out

Suddenly, a cold voice said, “Pu, with which ear did you hear that the Infinity Sect was hunting Ye Mo? How come I didn’t hear it? Do you dare to be responsible for your words?”

Pu Cheng was shaken. Just as he was about to rage, he saw it was the nuns of Clear Dream Mosque. His face soured; if not for the crowd, he would have annihilated them already. Their strongest member was only at the hollow spirit state tertiary stage. How dare they mock him repeatedly?

The Infinity Sect and Lightning Cloud Sect had issued a notice, but could he admit that? It was a secret message to allied sects, offering substantial rewards for information on Ye Mo’s whereabouts. The Infinity Sect and Lightning Cloud Sect were determined to kill Ye Mo, secretly hunting him while Pill City remained inactive. Even the Black Ice Sect, after losing a disaster transformation state elder, endured the loss, clearly fearing the combined might of the Infinity and Lightning Cloud Sects. Pu Cheng's excitement at discovering Ye Mo’s presence had led to his slip of the tongue.

He glared at the cultivator who had identified Ning Qingxue. That man had only mentioned Ye Mo’s presence, likely intending to claim the reward, yet he remained far more discreet than Pu Cheng. Enraged at being betrayed, Pu Cheng felt a surge of murderous intent towards the hollow spirit state cultivator. Everyone knew the Infinity and Lightning Cloud Sects were secretly hunting Ye Mo, but this was not something that could be openly discussed.

“Clear Dream Mosque martial sister, you’re overthinking things,” Hu Jiming said calmly. “Pu Cheng was merely speculating; he didn’t say the Infinity Sect was hunting Ye Mo.”

Pu Cheng was instantly relieved. The Eternity Sea Sect feared the Clear Dream Mosque, but God Wind Valley did not. He immediately saluted Hu Jiming. “Thank you, Brother Hu, for your words of justice. I was indeed only guessing.”

Hu Jiming smiled, extending a hand. “Brother Pu, you’re at the body condensation state peak stage now. You can do whatever you wish.”

Pu Cheng, no longer hesitating, reached for Ning Qingxue, declaring, “I’ll take this spirit marrow pond, haha…”

Everyone shook their heads. The fat man was clearly being manipulated by Hu Jiming, oblivious to the fact.

Qing Han attempted to intervene, but a nun stopped her. They clearly understood their limited influence; their strongest member was only a hollow spirit state tertiary stage cultivator—insignificant in this gathering.

Thud!

Cultivation essence exploded. Before Pu Cheng could touch Ning Qingxue, Lin Yiban struck him back, sending him reeling tens of steps. Lin Yiban had been prepared, while Pu Cheng was caught off guard.

“You’re asking to die!” Pu Cheng drew a pair of daggers, their potent aura revealing them as middle-grade cultivation artifacts.

Lin Yiban’s expression turned serious as he drew his spear, a low-grade magic artifact.

“Brother still isn’t back,” Tang Beiwei worried.

Ye Mo was attempting to place spirit stones on the teleportation formation when he noticed something strange about the area affected by his divine damnation. Life force was depleted everywhere except one location: a few thousand meters away on an ice peak, where an icy, flower-like object remained untouched.

Ye Mo dashed towards it.

“Ice Carrot?” He recognized the level nine spirit herb, fully mature. The Ice Carrot was the primary ingredient for the heaven-grade level nine Truth Carrot Pill, crucial for disaster transformation state cultivators seeking truth realization, but far more valuable than the Truth Spirit Pill. Truth Spirit Grass, the herb used for Truth Spirit Pill, could be cultivated, but the Ice Carrot was exceptionally rare and uncultivable. It boosted the chances of achieving truth realization by 40%, double that of the Truth Spirit Pill. Furthermore, it possessed another significant function: curing poison, even poison affecting the essence spirit.

Without hesitation, Ye Mo carefully dug it up, storing it in a jade box before placing it in his herb king spirit range. Sensing dense spirit chi below, he knew another spirit source existed, perhaps a small spirit range. His almost obsessive need to acquire any spirit source he discovered drove him to use an earth mobility spell to locate the source. A day later, as he neared it, a message arrived via his communication bead. Tang Beiwei, knowing he was performing divine damnation, would only contact him in an emergency. The spirit source was instantly forgotten; their safety took precedence.

“You overestimate yourself,” Pu Cheng sneered, wiping blood from his mouth as he looked at the severely injured Lin Yiban.

Xu Tong rushed to Lin Yiban's side, crying out, “Yiban…”

“Haha, Brother Pu, good job!” Hu Jiming clapped his hands in approval. He then surveyed the remaining spirit marrow ponds. “There are seven full and two half-full spirit marrow ponds here. I’ll take two.”

Pu Cheng eyed Ning Qingxue and Luo Ying. “I’ll take both these women and their spirit marrow ponds…”

A body condensation state level nine cultivator immediately declared, “I’ll take one too.”

The others hesitated. These spirit marrow ponds did not belong to ordinary people; they belonged to the level seven pill king, Ye Mo. With Ye Mo absent, they wondered about the consequences of using his spirit marrow ponds if he were to return.

As they hesitated, a cold voice cut through the air, “These spirit marrow ponds are mine. I won’t give them up. What are you going to do?”

“Brother!” Tang Beiwei recognized her brother’s voice.

Ning Qingxue, Luo Ying, and the others gathered around Ye Mo. While they knew he was no match for them individually, his return offered comfort.

Luo Fei reported sadly, “Brother Ye, Brother Lin’s dan tian was destroyed.”

Ye Mo looked at the despairing Xu Tong. “Don’t worry, Sister Xu. I’m a level seven pill king; this is nothing.”

Xu Tong’s spirits soared. As a level seven pill king, perhaps Ye Mo could restore Lin Yiban’s dan tian.

Pu Cheng laughed. “Others fear you, but I don’t. I’m going to kill you here today. What are you going to do? Can a dead man protect his wives? Ye, I’ve wanted to kill you for a long time. Our sect member Wu Yu died because of you, right? Today, you will pay for his life!” His daggers clicked menacingly.

Ye Mo surveyed the crowd coldly. “Whoever else wants my spirit marrow ponds, step forward. If you stand with these pigs, don’t blame me.”

Ye Mo’s sudden appearance caused some cultivators to retreat. Although his cultivation was not high, he was Pill City’s city lord and a level seven pill king. The Pill City lords were currently absent, which allowed them to act against him with impunity, but they couldn't predict the consequences of such actions.

Qing Han exclaimed joyfully, “You’re Ning Xiaoma?”

Ye Mo nodded, smiling. “Yes, Martial Sister Qing Han. Are Qing Yi, Qing Yue, and the others well?”

“It really is Martial Brother Xiaoma! It’s wonderful to see you!” Qing Han replied. “They’re doing very well; they often speak of you, as does Elder Shan.”

She then addressed the nuns. “Martial sisters, let’s go to Martial Brother Xiaoma. He saved us before.”

The Clear Dream Mosque martial sister spoke respectfully to Ye Mo. “City Lord Ye, it seems you are here. The spirit marrow ponds belong to Pill King Ye. We of the Clear Dream Mosque will not take them.” They then withdrew from the immediate area, maintaining a distance. They clearly wished to avoid conflict with both Ye Mo and Hu Jiming.