"Look at how badly he's been beaten! Could it be that he encountered some terrifying presence hidden on this ship?"
Ban Gongcuo pursued, a hint of confusion still in his mind. "But didn't that terrifying presence already escape?"
When Zhenxing Jun fled from the treasure ship, the commotion was enormous. At that time, Ban Gongcuo was still on board, searching for the attendants scattered across various rooms, with some still waiting on the deck. When Zhenxing Jun escaped the ship, several people on the deck had already vanished. They must have been swept into the Netherworld by the hurricane he unleashed, unable to return.
That was two months ago.
During this period, Ban Gongcuo led his men to loot every room, carrying away almost all the treasures that could be moved. Only when they tried to loot the bridge were they blocked by the Dragon Qilin and the two White Bat brothers, unable to break through.
There was only one door to the bridge. To enter, one had to force their way through. But the two White Bats and the Dragon Qilin were not weak; they guarded the door from behind. Even a sorcerer king of the Life and Death realm couldn't breach it. These past few days, they had been using a wheel-war strategy, depriving the two White Bats and the Dragon Qilin of rest.
Ban Gongcuo had just burst into that room and immediately activated the Myriad Locust Banner, causing numerous flying locusts to spin around his body, protecting him.
At that moment, the sound of a closing door came from behind him. Qin Mu appeared at the doorway, closing the door.
Ban Gongcuo dashed forward over ten steps before turning around, smiling. "Cult Master Qin, what's the reason you lured me here?"
The bruises and swelling on Qin Mu's face were clearly the marks of a severe beating. He said somewhat resentfully, "I've taken a lot of beatings these past two months. My confidence is severely shaken. Old brother, you know, when a person fails many times, keeps failing, their mind becomes twisted. They'll become a pervert."
Ban Gongcuo was astonished. "Who could possibly beat the Cult Master Qin like this? That makes me curious. In this world, besides me, there's actually someone who can repeatedly defeat the Cult Master, causing him to feel such frustration. Could that person be a cultivator of the Seven Stars Realm?"
Qin Mu touched the injuries on his face. "He used the cultivation of the Sixfold Realm."
Ban Gongcuo was even more shocked, expelling a breath of turbid air. "That person is truly skilled."
Qin Mu said with utmost sincerity, "So, old brother, I could only come find you during a break. To prevent my mind from becoming twisted and my personality from becoming perverted, how about you let me beat you up to vent my anger?"
Ban Gongcuo's eyebrows drooped, his gaze falling on the hand that gripped the Myriad Locust Banner. He chuckled softly, "Cult Master Qin, I've never fought a battle I wasn't sure of. Without certainty, I use underhanded tactics. But when I saw you waving at me sneakily, I immediately came over. Do you know why?"
He looked up, smiling confidently. "These past two months, I've been training diligently. Compared to two months ago, I've made tremendous progress. You know I am the Grand Venerable of the Loulan Golden Palace, having already experienced eighteen rebirths. My two months of cultivation are equivalent to your two years! I didn't come to listen to your nonsense or to get beaten. I came to kill you!"
He burst into rage, his dark hair bristling with fury. He waved the Myriad Locust Banner and charged at Qin Mu, shouting fiercely, "I'll beat you to death! Hand over that silver helmet, and I might let you die a little faster!"
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
The flying locusts collided with the sword rain. The golden, thin wings of the locusts were like knives, while Qin Mu's flying swords were incredibly heavy. The momentary collisions sent sparks flying everywhere in the room.
Amidst the sword light and flying locusts, Ban Gongcuo planted the Myriad Locust Banner heavily into the ground. Through the sword rain and flying locusts, his steps flickered, his figure darting left and right as he approached Qin Mu.
Qin Mu, too, moved with unpredictable footwork, also rapidly approaching through the sword rain and flying locusts.
This room was not large, especially with the clanging flying locusts and flying swords everywhere. A moment's carelessness could lead to being stabbed, or even death.
These days, both Qin Mu and Ban Gongcuo had been studying how to make their spells more subtle and refined. Therefore, in this small room, their flying locusts and flying swords were kept as small as possible. The flying swords were no more than three inches long, and the flying locusts no longer than five fingers.
But the smaller they were, the more dangerous they became. Navigating through the opponent's sword rain and flying locusts required extremely sharp eyesight and judgment.
The next moment, they clashed, fists and palms meeting, their strength erupting. A crisp thunderclap suddenly echoed through the room.
Ban Gongcuo smiled. "With my current cultivation... Hmph!"
He grunted, feeling the opponent's terrifying power, and was inwardly startled. He had been training diligently these past months, his cultivation having increased greatly. He had originally believed his cultivation would be overwhelming, but unexpectedly, without using his full power, Qin Mu was still slightly at an advantage!
How could this be?
Was this kid also a reborn soul?
However, he quickly realized something was wrong. Qin Mu wasn't surpassing him in magical power or cultivation. Rather, this fellow's qi had become more pure and refined, his mastery of spells and techniques had reached a higher level, and his physical body had become much tougher.
In other words, Qin Mu could use less qi to unleash even greater power from his spells. He had surpassed him in the refinement of his spells. When his strike missed, power rarely leaked; when it hit, the explosive force was stronger!
Ban Gongcuo and Qin Mu had entered that mysterious long corridor together. Both had seen the marks of spells and weapons on the walls, but they had only glanced through them hastily, without deep study.
And now, Qin Mu's attainment in this path had surpassed his.
"This is bad!"
Ban Gongcuo's mind went blank, immediately sensing something was wrong. Qin Mu's cultivation had increased, his qi had become purer, he consumed less magical power, and on top of that, his physical body had improved. In this situation, it was clear that Qin Mu's combat power and endurance would surpass his.
Although the difference was small, even a slight edge was enough to win!
In the short term, it might be fine, but as time dragged on, he would be in trouble!
Sure enough, as their powerful moves collided, the Eight Thousand Swords and the Myriad Locust Banner consumed magical power rapidly, causing their qi to deplete quickly. This reduced the number of flying swords and flying locusts they could control.
But Qin Mu's physical functions remained formidable. His moves were broad and powerful, sweeping across the room. His punches and kicks cracked mountains and split rocks, their power astonishing. He beat Ban Gongcuo into a constant retreat.
Suddenly, Ban Gongcuo crashed backward into a door, knocking it open. Seizing the opportunity, he rolled into the room and immediately tried to close the door. Before it could shut, a powerful force struck him, sending him flying. With a smack, he slammed against the opposite wall!
"All I need to do now is hold out until my subordinates find me. Once they come, this kid is dead for sure!"
Ban Gongcuo remained calm. During these two months, in order to search for the treasures on the ship and that mysterious corridor, he had also taught several sorcerer kings how to calculate the method of spatial convergence.
Those sorcerer kings would definitely come!
Of course, those sorcerer kings were not as intelligent or mathematically skilled as him. It would take them some time to find this place. He just needed to hold out until the moment they arrived.
Qin Mu came roaring in for the attack, engaging him in close combat with long and short strikes. This time, they used even fewer flying locusts and flying swords. Qin Mu controlled nine swords, each one extremely small, darting around him like finger-length flying fish. Ban Gongcuo's nine flying locusts were also tiny, truly like golden locusts.
Despite the heavy depletion of their qi, the attacks were still intense. Especially in close-quarters combat, a moment's carelessness meant death.
Ban Gongcuo fought cautiously, but his cultivation was still consumed too quickly. Finally, his cultivation was exhausted.
Qin Mu's cultivation was also exhausted, but his physical body was still like a mighty bull. Ban Gongcuo only managed to block a dozen attacks before his defenses were broken. In an instant, he was beaten into a bruised and battered state.
Qin Mu pinned him to the ground and continued the beating. Ban Gongcuo's eyes were swollen shut. He shouted, "Good hits! Come on, if you've got the guts, keep hitting!"
Qin Mu threw two more punches, then suddenly heard the sound of a door opening in the neighboring room. His heart stirred, and he immediately stopped.
Ban Gongcuo shouted, "Come on, hit me again!"
Qin Mu gathered his flying swords and turned to leave, smiling. "Old brother, I feel much better. I'll come find you another day. Oh, by the way, the Taotie Bag hanging at your waist—I'm taking it!"
Ban Gongcuo's heart jolted. He quickly grabbed at his waist, his heart turning cold.
The Taotie Bag at his waist had vanished!
When had Qin Mu untied his Taotie Bag? He had been completely unaware!
"My skills are still a bit lacking compared to Grandpa Cripple. Otherwise, I could have taken off his pants without him even knowing."
Qin Mu tossed the Taotie Bag in his hand, sighing inwardly. The Cripple's skills were truly superb.
"Kill him for me!" Ban Gongcuo's voice rang out as several sorcerer kings finally arrived in the room.
Qin Mu smiled, turned to close the door, went back to the first room, gathered the scattered flying swords, and placed them in the Taotie Bag. He also put away the Myriad Locust Banner.
He opened Ban Gongcuo's Taotie Bag and looked inside, frowning slightly. The books from the study were not there. It was filled with treasures from the ship—incense burners, tea tables, candlesticks, and the like. It seemed Ban Gongcuo had not stored those books here.
"What exactly do those books on the shelf contain? Cultivation techniques of gods? Or something else..."
Qin Mu tied the two Taotie Bags at his waist and returned to the study. He thought, "Next time I come to beat him up, I'll ask him properly where he hid the books."
Ban Gongcuo struggled out of the building to the deck, seeing the strange looks from the great sorcerers. He understood. These people, seeing him beaten like this by Qin Mu, were losing their reverence for him.
Ban Gongcuo said calmly, "Cult Master Qin is not faring well either. I severely injured him. I know his name. Once I recover my cultivation, I will cast a spell to take his life!"
Once he recovered his cultivation, he immediately cast a spell. Strangely, although he knew Qin Mu's name, he could not find Qin Mu, as if Qin Mu had vanished from the world.
Ban Gongcuo cast the spell again, but his sorcery still could not locate Qin Mu.
"Impossible. He's clearly still on the ship, but my sorcery can't find him. Could he be hiding in some secret space, shielding my sorcery's perception?"
Qin Mu returned to the painting. The old man in the painting continued to spar with him. Although Qin Mu still lost repeatedly, the time he could hold out grew longer and longer.
Time passed unknowingly. One day, the treasure ship suddenly shook violently. Even within the world of the painting, Qin Mu could feel the tremors.
The old man in the painting looked anxious and called him out. Qin Mu quickly followed the old man out of the painting and hurried to the deck.
In the distance, countless Netherworld creatures were surging toward them, while the treasure ship accelerated its flight.
The old man in the painting stood at the doorway and waved to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu was stunned. Was it time to part ways again?