The Kunling Mountain disciples guarding the surroundings immediately took action upon hearing the news, cutting large amounts of bark from the divine tree and piling it at the roots to light a fire.
The divine tree’s bark was not so easily ignited. Once it finally truly caught fire, the blaze became fierce.
The people in all directions did not light just one fire. They continuously chopped bark and lit fires around the divine tree. Once the fire formed a circle, the consequences could well be imagined.
The divine tree’s inner trunk did not seem so easily ignitable, but the divine tree’s outer bark had already begun to burn.
Yu Qing and the others only glanced down and were already terrified.
Especially Yu Qing, who knew it was his words that had given this Kunling Mountain group the audacity to act recklessly.
The thick smoke grew increasingly heavy. Those countless multicoloured bees also began to fall into disarray. The smoke and fire obviously had a restraining effect on them. They seemed unable to endure the heavy roasting of the thick smoke.
The Kunling Mountain disciples also felt the multicoloured bees’ attacks on them weakening, so they fed the fires even larger.
Inside the small hall, A Lan hurriedly ran in to report, “Your Majesty, those fellows have begun setting fires around the divine tree.”
The flower-robed man, his cheeks flushed, stood up. His expression was grave. He muttered to himself, “The thing I worried about most has still appeared.”
This was the reason he had refused to leave when Xiang Zhen previously suggested leaving this place and hiding far away. He was afraid that if those people could not find him, they would destroy the immortal palace. Guarding the immortal palace was his duty.
Xiang Zhen looked at A Qing and A Lan and asked, “Your Majesty, could it be that those two are also no match for them?”
The flower-robed man’s gaze swept across the four servants. He sighed and said, “If A Chi and A Ji had not been affected, these scum should be nothing to fear. As for A Qing and A Lan…” Speaking to this point, he could not help but shake his head himself. “Over a thousand years of cultivation. Their cultivation should be about the same as that white-haired old man. In terms of solid foundation, they might even be slightly superior…”
Xiang Zhen immediately did not understand. “Their cultivation might even be slightly superior. Why does Your Majesty still have concerns?”
The flower-robed man pondered briefly, then frankly informed him, “Back then, I alone remained to guard the immortal palace. As time passed, I felt rather lonely. I also wanted to find two helpers. Thus I selected A Chi and A Cheng from among my kin and guided them onto the path of cultivation.
As time went on, I still felt lonely. I felt it would be better to have two women as well. Thus I guided A Qing and A Lan onto the path of cultivation.
According to my estimation, those two’s cultivation should not be weaker than that white-haired old man’s. However, back then I never thought I would have them participate in any fighting or killing. I did not guide them to train in any fighting or killing techniques. Now it is already too late to train.
A Chi and A Cheng also did not cultivate any killing methods. But with two thousand years of cultivation between them, their sheer strength could overcome technique. They could forcefully suppress enemies. However…”
Speaking to this point, he shook his head again.
A Chi said, “Your Majesty, why not temporarily avoid their sharp edge? Waiting a day or two before settling accounts with them would not be too late. Leaving now should still be in time. After we transform, having our kin provide some cover, we should be able to leave from above.”
The flower-robed man nodded slightly upon hearing this. “You two go. We will stay behind to cover you.”
What? A Chi and A Cheng looked at each other in dismay. The latter urgently asked, “Your Majesty is not leaving?”
The flower-robed man seemed to recall something. His expression became solemn. “This ‘Earth Origin Divine Pillar’ is extremely difficult to grow. Back then, the immortal maiden entrusted the immortal palace to this king’s guard. Since this king made a promise, how could I betray the immortal decree? When the immortal maiden returns, how am I to account for myself?
You did not receive the decree. You may temporarily avoid their sharp edge. In your current condition, staying behind is useless. You might as well wait a day or two. If something truly unfortunate happens here, you will be the ones to settle accounts with them. You must also guard the immortal mansion and await the immortal maiden’s return, reporting the course of events to her. Understood?”
A Chi and A Cheng exchanged a glance. The scene of human reluctance that Xiang Zhen expected did not appear. Instead, the two bowed and cupped their hands to receive the order. “Yes!”
The flower-robed man then signalled for A Qing and A Lan to stay, letting the others leave first. Then he whispered to the Qing and Lan pair for a while.
Afterwards, A Qing nodded in understanding and quickly went out. Through the passage inside the divine tree, she directly reached the open space on the upper branches.
She carefully observed the outside from the cave entrance before flying up. She flew beneath the hanging vines with emerald green leaves above, reached out to touch that black gourd hanging overhead, pulled a hairpin from her hair, and pierced a hole in the gourd like a steel needle.
From the sudden exertion of her movement, one could see that this black gourd’s outer shell was extremely hard.
The hairpin was pulled out. Immediately, a lustrous green light bloomed from the hole.
She swept her gaze vigilantly around once more. At the same time, she took out a small silver bottle, unscrewed the opening, aligned it with the hole in the gourd, and with one hand pinching the gourd, cast her arts. Immediately, a stream of liquid emitting lustrous green light poured into the small silver bottle.
Then she capped the small silver bottle, quickly flashed away, and vanished back into the tree hole.
From the hole in the black gourd, the liquid with lustrous green light slowly seeped out, slowly blocking the hole. Then it slowly lost its green lustre, slowly dimmed, and slowly turned black, becoming the same colour as the gourd’s outer shell.
“Buzz…”
The bee swarms inside and outside the divine tree suddenly emitted a huge buzzing sound, attracting everyone’s attention both inside and outside.
The bee swarms that were still attacking, the bee swarms being smoked and roasted by fire, began to show unusual movement. They abandoned their targets one after another.
Huan Yushan and the others on the ground discovered the bee swarms were no longer attacking. They discovered the bee swarms beginning to ascend, beginning to fly upward. They also saw countless bee swarms gathering into long dragons, flying out from large and small tree holes, flying all the way to the upper canopy, causing the upper canopy to appear as if wreathed in clouds and mist.
The Kunling Mountain disciples looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.
Of course, this scene did not prevent them from shivering with pain. Moreover, they felt increasingly painful. But the two elders at this moment seemed unable to attend to their pain.
Huan Yushan soared into the air, flying to a high altitude. He coldly looked down at the movements around the divine tree, preventing anyone from taking the opportunity to escape.
Yu Qing and the others, guarding before the hole and standing against the wall, also discovered the bee swarms were no longer attacking them. They buzzed and flew outward like water pouring out.
This scene did not last too long. As the last few scattered multicoloured bees rushed out the door, not only were their ears quiet, but their eyes also beheld clarity.
The few people were greatly relieved. Outsiders could hardly imagine the pain of enduring such continuous attacks by force. The consumption of cultivation was great and rapid. With their cultivation levels, they truly felt they could hardly endure much longer, yet they dared not run outside.
After breathing a sigh of relief, they could not help but look at each other. Then one by one, they leaned against the cave entrance to secretly peep outside.
They could not make out what was happening. They only saw smoke continuously rushing upward. Nan Zhu muttered softly, “Driven away by the smoke?”
After speaking, he turned back and slipped to the bend in the passage behind to check. He found it unusually quiet. The hives hanging overhead were countless, like blades. It seemed wherever there was a passage, there were hives.
The fragrance of honey could also be smelled in the air. He jumped up and broke off a piece of honeycomb. He used his finger to scoop out a lump of honey nectar from the cells and put it in his mouth, tasting it with smacking sounds. He walked back while tasting it.
When he walked back to the group, he was about to tell everyone this honey tasted quite good, but then froze. He saw that apart from Mu Aotie, the way the others looked at him was very strange. Each one looked at him as if looking at a demon.
But he still gestured at the honey in his hand and gave a dry laugh. “Why look at me like this? You have all tasted it too. The taste is quite good.”
Xiang Lanxuan’s eyes flashed. She suddenly assumed an appearance of listening intently and reminded them, “Someone is coming.”
“What people?” Yu Qing immediately asked.
Xiang Lanxuan also dared not be certain. She retorted, “Guess for yourself.”
An appearance of letting them handle it themselves.
Yu Qing immediately looked outside the cave. Seeing the Kunling Mountain personnel were still waiting below, he did not dare run out from here. Thinking that the Bee King and his group should have been affected, he immediately waved his hand and said, “Go. If it is the Bee King, he should have been affected. Take him down first and talk later.”
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie immediately drew their swords and stepped forward to clear the path.
The group had not walked far when they bumped into the flower-robed man and his group, who had come specifically to block them.
A Qing led the way in front. A Lan brought up the rear. Xiang Zhen followed beside the flower-robed man. A Chi and A Cheng were already gone. Both sides, bumping into each other abruptly, stopped.
The flower-robed man’s gaze focused heavily on Xiang Lanxuan. He did not know that Xiang Lanxuan had already been severely injured by Huan Yushan and was under someone’s control.
Seeing Xiang Zhen, the three martial brothers were somewhat embarrassed.
Xiang Zhen’s expression also darkened slightly. He had truly experienced how improper these fellows were. Leaving him behind as a hostage was one thing, but was that even called being a hostage?
Of course, the group’s gaze focused on the flower-robed man. Judging from his position, one could tell he was the leading figure among the other side.
Yu Qing tilted his head back slightly and asked tentatively, “Which one is the little moustache?”
There was also some uncertainty in Xiang Lanxuan’s eyes. She replied softly, “It is that Majesty, but I dare not confirm whether he has been affected.”
Yu Qing understood her implication at once. They could not confirm whether he had been affected.
Yu Qing cleared his throat. “They are burning his old nest outside, yet they still dare not go out. What do you think? They cannot be this composed.”
Xiang Lanxuan thought this was also true. Nan and Mu also felt emboldened upon hearing this. Only, Xiang Zhen’s strength was not weak. The two might not necessarily win against him. He seemed to have joined the Bee King’s group.
Yu Qing was actually not afraid of Xiang Zhen’s strength. He just felt this was not a good place for a major fight. Alerting Huan Yushan and the others outside would not be good. Thus he coughed dryly and said, “Well, Brother Xiang, are you planning to stand on their side to deal with us?”
Xiang Zhen said, “Where do you think I should stand?”
Yu Qing felt there was resentment in the other party’s words from when he was a hostage. He laughed and said, “Some misunderstandings can be explained later. I do not expect Brother Xiang to stand on our side. I only ask for neutrality, not helping either side.” Then he specifically reminded him, “The Kunling Mountain people are right outside. Alerting them will not benefit you either.”
Xiang Zhen nodded. “Fine. I am neutral. I will not help either side.”
When saying this, he also turned his head to look at the flower-robed man. This was also said to him.
The flower-robed man nodded slightly, indicating he understood his difficulty.
A Qing cupped her hands toward Xiang Zhen in thanks. At the same time, she urged, “Matters should not be delayed. Old Seven, Old Nine, are you still waiting for someone to invite you to dinner?”
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie flashed their swords and swiftly moved out. They kicked off the walls, dodging and shifting in coordination with each other, aiming to capture the leader first. Mu Aotie charged straight at the flower-robed man, with Nan Zhu following behind to provide protection, just in case.
However, the “just in case” came very quickly. As soon as they made their move, it appeared.
The two, one in front and one behind, had not yet figured out what was happening before they successively stopped before A Qing and A Lan.
The two were both suspended in mid-air. Only, each of their necks had an additional slender, delicate hand gripping it.
In a one-on-one confrontation, A Qing grabbed Mu Aotie’s neck with one hand and lifted his entire body up. A Lan grabbed Nan Zhu’s neck and lifted him.
The scene from sudden movement to sudden stillness was, in short, very abrupt.
The crucial point was that the two martial brothers, their eyes wide open, actually had no strength to struggle or resist at all. They seemed to be twitching their bodies slightly, yet one could not see where they were moving. Like two dying fish, their swords also lacked the strength to be held, and fell to the ground with clanging sounds one after another.
In just one exchange, the two women had taken down the two men with overwhelming ease.
Baili Xin was greatly shocked. She let go of Qin Fujun and urgently flashed to stand in front of A Qing, drawing her bow in guard.
Yu Qing also sucked in a cold breath, almost startled. Setting aside those two enchanting women’s attack speed, the mere fact that they could instantly suppress Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie’s cultivation was terrifying enough for their martial brothers.
To say they had been affected by the pollen, he would not believe it even if beaten to death. Was it not said that after being affected, it would take three days to recover? He did not know whether they had not been affected at all, or whether he had been tricked by that Vine Demon.
Little did he know that this somewhat wronged the Vine Demon. That Du Niang also did not know how many subordinates the Bee King had, nor did she know he had two female bee demons. What the Vine Demon meant by needing three days to recover referred to male bee demons.
The Vine Demon also did not know that after the Bee King was affected, this side could wait so long before making a move.
What Yu Qing could not figure out was, with such terrifying strength, why were they indifferent to the burning of their old nest outside? Was it for fun, or were they truly toying with people because of the noise?
He had previously heard from Yu Qing that the Bee King and his group were extremely idle and bored. One could tell by watching their extremely boring song and dance.
Thinking of the Bee King’s terrifying cultivation accumulated over thousands of years, Yu Qing’s scalp went numb. He could not help but swallow dryly there.
Yu Qing’s gaze toward the Bee King also carried apprehension. He could not help but glance at Nan Zhu, not knowing what this fellow was up to. Had it not been said that they were affected?
Under the current situation, the flower-robed man had originally been somewhat apprehensive of Yu Qing when he came this time. He had not expected the other side to voluntarily deliver two hostages to them.
He seemed to understand something. Did they think everyone on this side had been affected?
But he also did not quite understand. Since they knew about the pollen’s effects, did they not know that ten hours had already passed? What were these two fleas with such meagre cultivation thinking, jumping up to their door to attack?
Yu Qing swallowed repeatedly, not knowing for a moment how to rescue his two martial brothers.
He could not possibly not rescue them. He could not watch Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie die. His gaze finally fell on Xiang Zhen. He felt that Xiang Zhen’s relationship with the Bee King seemed quite good now.