Painting of the Nine Immortals

Chapter 743: Absorbing the Essence

Translator: _Tat_ Editor: Rundi

Inside the VIP room, a nine-colored, strange flower landed on Ling Xian’s shoulder. It exploded with a large amount of light that bedazzled everyone.

The blinding colors expanded throughout the room, making the entire space look like a hazy dream.

At the same time, a strange amount of power appeared and began to suck on his lifespan.

This made Ling Xian frown. However, after realizing that he wasn’t in any sort of discomfort, his tight brows relaxed and his eyes flashed with curiosity.

“What an interesting flower. It can reduce a cultivator’s lifespan.”

Feeling his lifespan being sucked away but not feeling any discomfort, Ling Xian became engrossed.

He has never heard of an item that could suck away a cultivator’s life in the Taoism community. Even the strange weapons cannot achieve this.

Unless the cultivator chooses to burn their own lifespan, very few items or beings could defy the heavenly laws and absorb others’ lifespan.

Therefore, he manipulated his Qi and decided to look into the mysteriousness of the nine-colored flower.

Sadly, however, even after investigation, he could not figure out how this flower was absorbing his lifespan.

“There is no need to put in the effort to try. Every single City Leader before my time has wanted to find out the secrets about this flower. But time went by and nobody could find an answer.”

Hua Wan Yue spoke softly, “Just wait silently. When this flower is done absorbing 50 years of your life, it will automatically leave.”

“Might as well.”

Ling Xian softly grinned and no longer thought about it. After all, there were so many unsolved mysteries within the cultivation community. Perhaps this flower was born with the ability to absorb a cultivator’s lifespan. That wasn’t entirely impossible.

“I will wait silently.”

Ling Xian sipped on his tea and allowed the strange flower to nourish itself with his lifespan. His relaxed ways made Wang Yue Wan speechless.

Lifespan was of the utmost importance to a cultivator. Even though she was already of the original level, she wouldn’t dare to so easily erase away 50 years of her lifespan.

Yet Ling Xian was sitting there so collected as if what he was giving up wasn’t 50 years of his lifespan, but five days.

To him, it really was like that.

Don’t forget, he only cultivated for a little more than a few decades and was already one step away from the original level. Fifty years of lifespan... even if he had to give up 100 years of his lifespan, he would be able to afford it.

To trade 50 years of his lifespan for two drops of Holy Spirit Water was an extremely good deal.

Therefore, his expression was calm per usual as he casually drank his tea and waited for the godly flower to finish its job.

At this, Hua Wan Yue smiled helplessly. “If I didn’t know your life was being sucked away from you, I would think that you are doing something you enjoyed.”

“Though getting your life sucked away isn’t something magical, it is a first for me.” Ling Xian smiled softly.

“After your life is done being sucked away, you won’t make that same comment.” Hua Wan Yue’s face flashed with anticipation as if she was looking forward to seeing Ling Xian weaken.

“After it’s done?”

Ling Xian paused a little, “You don’t look like you have kind intentions. I knew this entire ordeal wasn’t great.”

“It’s not that it’s bad. It’s just that to have 50 years taken away from you, you will be weakened.”

Hua Wan Yue continued to grin. “Don’t worry. I have already prepared something you can consume after to help with the weakness.”

“Ah, you mean that.”

Ling Xian realized. He smiled and didn’t say anything.

Normally speaking, everyone who suddenly loses 50 years of their lifespan would feel weak. After all, 50 years isn’t a small number. However, since he had only been cultivating for a few decades, even after losing 50 years, he still had 200 years left in him.

Therefore, he didn’t think he would be weakened.

After that nine-colored flower was done absorbing his lifespan, he still did not display any symptoms of exhaustion. His complexion was still young, making him look like a 16 to 17 year old boy. His hair was also dark and full – not a single white strand showed up.

This startled Hua Wan Yue. Her beautiful eyes flickered with shock.

She originally thought that despite Ling Xian’s young age, after losing 50 years, he would show symptoms of weakness. Yet before her eyes, he remained as young as before, without a single trace of exhaustion. Why wouldn’t she be surprised at this?

“I have underestimated you. I cannot believe that you are younger than I imagined.”

Hua Wan Yue looked at Ling Xian and remembered his glorious achievement of being in the undefeatable realm of the completion level and his unnaturally young age. She couldn’t help but exclaim.

He truly was heaven-defying.

“So, just skip all the gifts you had for me to consume. Just give me the Holy Spirit Water.” Ling Xian smiled and planned on placing those two jade bottles into his storage pouch.

Just then, however, he suddenly felt the nine-colored flower absorbing his essence.

This made his face change drastically. He quickly manipulated his golden Dan to resist the powerful suction!

“Eh?”

Hua Wan Yue raised an eyebrow and stared at the blooming godly flower, uncertain about what just happened.

“A mere flower tries to steal my essence?”

Ling Xian looked like he wanted to scold the flower as Qi from the undefeatable realm poured out and fought against the strange force of the nine-colored flower.

HOMMMMM!

An infinite amount of heavenly light shot through the cloud. One side of it was the flower that was considered the same rank as the Devious Burial Flower. The other side was unprecedented energy from the undefeatable realm of the completion level.

The two parties clashed and created a loud explosion that forced even Hua Wan Yue back a few steps.

“What’s wrong with the flower? Normally it leaves after absorbing the person’s lifespan. Why is it still latching on?”

Hua Wan Yue frowned tightly. “Could it be that the reason why this flower chose this young man was that there’s something inside him that it wants?”

As she spoke, uncertainty and hesitation flashed across her face. She wasn’t sure who she should help.

If she helps the flower, she can suppress Ling Xian and will save herself from giving up two drops of the Holy Spirit Water, which will, in turn, do the entire City a favor. But if she does that, she would be betraying her beliefs.

“Hmmph, suppress!”

Ling Xian hissed. He knew then that he had to stop this right away before Hua Wan Yue form an alliance with this flower. Therefore, he crazily manipulated his Qi from the undefeatable realm and instantly suppressed the strange flower.

Then, he summoned the Disorder Conquering Fists and swung at the nine-colored flower!

Crazy amount of power howled out as the undefeatable fist slammed down on the land. However, at the very end, it was Hua Wan Yue who blocked it.

HOMMMMM!

A shocking ripple expanded out. Even this VIP room, which was protected by a defensive array, crumbled at once.

The nine-colored flower’s light dimmed and fell weak.

“City Leader, you told me that the flower would leave me alone after taking 50 years of my lifespan. But just now, why did it try to absorb the other energy in me?”

Ling Xian was cold as he stared at Hua Wan Yue, “City Leader, don’t you want to give me an explanation?”

“I understand what you are feeling right now. But I am sorry. I do not know why that just happened. It’s never happened before.”

Hua Wan Yue’s face was apologetic. “No matter what, I had no intention of harming you. If I had those thoughts, I would’ve fought alongside the flower just now.”