The Medicine King Sect cultivator looked surprised when Xiao Heng and the other two addressed him as “Senior” with utmost deference.
He waved his hands repeatedly. "Fellow Daoists, why such formality? Are you making fun of me?
"We are all Nascent Soul cultivators. We should address each other as peers," he said, directing his words to Zhang Haobo and Su Xiaomei.
"Nascent Soul cultivator?"
Upon closer inspection, Xiao Heng and the others realized that this cultivator, who had slumbered for thousands of years, indeed seemed to possess only Nascent Soul cultivation.
Yet, the aura he exuded felt distinctly different from that of modern Nascent Soul cultivators, which was why they had failed to realize it initially.
Regardless, a Nascent Soul cultivator from the ancient era surviving to this day was anything but ordinary. Xiao Heng and his companions remained vigilant, pondering how to continue the conversation and extract some information.
Before they could formulate a plan, the man launched into a torrent of words like a chatterbox.
"I am Linghu Chang, an inner disciple of the Medicine King Sect.
"When we fell into the Xuanhuang World, I recall the Sect Leader had already sealed the entire Medicine King Cauldron and sent a distress signal to the world outside.
"For you to have entered the Medicine King Cauldron, the rescue forces from the Ten Immortal Dao Sects must have arrived, I presume?
"How are my fellow disciples faring? Has the Sect Leader awakened?"
As he spoke, Linghu Chang eagerly moved toward the open door. But catching sight of the strange expressions on the faces of Xiao Heng's trio, he froze in alarm.
"Has... has something happened?"
With that, he hurried outside. Xiao Heng and the others quickly followed.
"Hmm? What's going on? Why is the Oneiric Seasons Array still operating?
"Am I the only one who awakened early?"
"Where are the rescue cultivators from the Ten Immortal Dao Sects?"
Linghu Chang's voice, thick with shock and suspicion, echoed through the empty Medicine King Cauldron.
"The Gate of Life and Death has descended? What happened to the Sect Leader?
"What in the world is going on?"
His voice trembled with barely suppressed panic. After scanning his surroundings, he flew back to stand before Xiao Heng's group.
He fixed them with a piercing stare. "Just who are you people, and how did you enter our sect's Medicine King Cauldron?"
Xiao Heng pondered for a moment before replying slowly, "The matter is somewhat complicated. Fellow Daoist, you might need to prepare yourself."
Linghu Chang narrowed his eyes, waiting silently for him to continue.
"In truth, Fellow Daoist, you have been asleep for several thousand years. The Medicine King Cauldron left this world in the ancient era..."
Before Xiao Heng could finish, Linghu Chang cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand.
He let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh. "What utter nonsense! Do you take our Medicine King Sect's Oneiric Seasons Array for a mere decoration? That it would lose track of how many years have passed?
"You claim twenty-four years are several thousand? If you want to deceive someone, at least craft a plausible lie!"
Linghu Chang's expression turned hostile. With a light tap, a gourd appeared in his hand.
"No wonder something felt off about you from the very first glance. So you are demons and heretics, trying to trick me.
"Die!”
As Linghu Chang's words fell, dozens of thin, green rays shot forth from the gourd in an instant. They were as sharp as sword blades and swift as lightning, arriving before the trio in the blink of an eye.
"Xiao Heng, watch out!" Zhang Haobo's face darkened with fury at Linghu Chang's sudden assault.
Above his head, the Blood Sea Grotto-Heaven manifested abruptly. Amidst churning waves of blood, crimson light flew out, colliding head-on with the green rays.
Boom!
Amidst the violent explosions, Linghu Chang glanced up at the scene of the boundless blood sea above. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, but it only solidified his conviction.
Righteous indignation burning, he roared, “So you are indeed demonic cultivators! Now, quickly accept your—”
Before he finished his sentence, several voices, speaking in unison, came from all directions.
“You are truly annoying. From the very start, you’ve been spouting incomprehensible nonsense.
“Have you been sleeping for too long? Are you not fully awake yet?”
Linghu Chang looked around and saw that, without him noticing, many bloody faceless figures had already surrounded him.
“No matter. I guess we simply have to beat you until you wake up.”
The numerous faceless figures tilted their heads, emitting waves of eerie laughter.
Then their forms vanished from their positions, all pouncing toward Linghu Chang simultaneously.
Linghu Chang’s heart tightened, but he did not panic.
He spat out a Mini Medicine King Cauldron from his mouth, suspending it above his head.
Immediately, light cascaded down like a waterfall, forming a protective barrier.
At the same time, he slapped the gourd.
The green gourd spun rapidly in the air, and willow-leaf-thin green glints of light poured out from it like a torrential downpour, shooting toward Su Xiaomei and Zhang Haobo.