Bone-stripping and tendon-pulling? The reborn senior sister becomes the number one cultivator in the

It rained heavily.

Jiang Ci looked eastward with worry. His second senior brother and the other disciples had left half a day ago, but there was still no news of them.

The transmission talisman was sent, but there was no reply, and no disciple returned to report.

Moreover, a deafening noise came from the east just now, and flames could be faintly seen.

Previously, the senior sister always led the team. She would stay by her disciples' side without leaving them for a moment, and she would be the first to rush in if there was any danger.

Now, the backbone of the team is the second senior brother, but he took most of the disciples with him in order to find the junior sister, leaving only the injured disciples and those with low cultivation levels.

The secret realm is fraught with danger. Jiang Ci not only has to heal his injured disciples, but also has to remain vigilant at all times to prevent any danger from occurring.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ci couldn't help but miss his senior sister and felt a sense of resentment towards his second senior brother.

By the way, how is Senior Sister doing?

Since Jiang Ci sensed that his senior sister was distancing herself from him, he had not taken the initiative to contact her.

He considered himself a loner and hoped that his senior sister would take the initiative to reach out to him, just like his junior sister did.

Lost in thought, the person next to me suddenly exclaimed:

"Look, Senior Brother Song is back."

Jiang Ci breathed a slight sigh of relief and looked up to welcome Senior Brother Song.

But Song Huai'an and his disciples were all covered in blood and seriously injured. The dark, crimson blood was like a thunderclap in the rainy night, sending a chill down one's spine.

"Second Senior Brother, how did you get so badly injured?" Jiang Ci rushed forward, his eyes filled with anxiety.

Song Huai'an didn't say anything, but laboriously stuffed a talisman into Jiang Ci's hand, and then collapsed to the ground with a muffled groan.

He was injured, yet he still had to carry two disciples of the talisman cultivator on his sword, which consumed too much spiritual energy, and his body could no longer support it.

The disciple behind him helped Song Huai'an up and explained to Jiang Ci:

"We encountered a sixth-tier silver python and our senior sister in the eastern forest. The silver python attacked us, and to save us, our senior sister chose to fight it alone, allowing us to retreat first. Her fate is currently unknown; she's still in the forest..."

Jiang Ci recalled the loud noise that had just come from the forest, his mind filled with thoughts of "a sixth-order silver python" and "fighting alone." He staggered slightly, his eyes filled with despair.

A senior disciple in the Qi Refining stage single-handedly fought against a sixth-tier silver python!?

How can it be?

The eldest sister was most likely killed by the silver python!

……

The silver python glanced disdainfully at Xie Wanning on the ground, its golden eyes flashing with icy coldness.

This pathetic cultivator actually required a sixth-level being like it to personally deal with him, truly tarnishing its reputation as a sixth-level silver python.

The silver python crouched down and quickly reached Xie Wanning's side.

"What are you going to do?" Ye Qianqian asked, puzzled, as she flew through the air.

"Eat her." The greed in the silver python's eyes was undisguised.

Some spirit beasts will devour the cultivators and other spirit beasts they kill. After all, spirit beasts are most concerned with improving their cultivation level, as this ensures they have sufficient strength to protect themselves. The deceased cultivators and spirit beasts still possess spiritual energy, so devouring them allows them to increase their own spiritual energy. This is the secret to some bloodthirsty spirit beasts' cultivation—hunting cultivators and other spirit beasts.

A flicker of disgust flashed in Ye Qianqian's eyes, and a wave of nausea washed over her. She waved her hand and turned to leave.

The silver python swallowed Xie Wan Ning whole and was about to enjoy the increase in spiritual power, but it did not feel any fluctuation of spiritual power.

What's this……

Before the silver python could think further, a deafening explosion came from its belly, followed by an unbearable pain. The silver python's face contorted in agony, and it thrashed about on the ground. Finally, it spat out a mouthful of bright red blood, staining its silvery-white body crimson.

Ye Qianqian stared in shock at the silver python's unusual movements, taking several steps back.

Just when she thought the silver python was about to die, it slowly raised its head, its eyes filled with venomous hatred, its tone icy and filled with murderous intent: "Despicable! That Xie Wanning dared to use a substitution technique to deceive me and even used an explosive talisman to injure me. Xie Wanning, is it? I will definitely catch you and make you wish you were dead!"

Ye Qianqian's face was pale.

Xie Wanning ran away!?

The silver python's cold gaze fell upon her.

……

"puff!"

A large amount of blood spurted out, and Xie Wanning collapsed to the ground, her head accidentally hitting the stone wall behind her, causing blood to seep out.

"Master!" The Crimson Flame Bird fluttered its wings and flew over anxiously. It spread its wings to wipe the blood off Xie Wan Ning's head and then wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. The bright feathers on its wings were stained with blood. The once neat and clean wings were now covered in bloodstains, as ugly as spots of rust on a shiny piece of iron.

But the Crimson Flame Bird didn't care at all; it was extremely worried.

"Master, how could you activate three Rank 5 talismans at the same time? You are just a Qi Refining cultivator. Even with my help as a Rank 5 Crimson Flame Bird, your body cannot withstand such pressure!" the Crimson Flame Bird scolded anxiously, its eyes filled with deep worry.

Just now, before Xie Wanning led her disciples to escape, she gave the teleportation talisman to the Crimson Flame Bird and sent it a telepathic message, telling it to find a safe place. After Xie Wanning sent the Qingyun Sect disciples away, she would use a substitute talisman that also served as a teleportation talisman to arrive at the Crimson Flame Bird's location.

The Crimson Flame Bird now knew how Xie Wanning had dodged its secret technique earlier. At that time, Xie Wanning had quietly teleported away during the explosion, leaving only a substitute talisman to receive the Crimson Flame Bird's attack, which was why Xie Wanning was able to escape unharmed.

However, Xie Wanning used a third-grade teleportation talisman and a third-grade substitute talisman at that time, which did not consume much spiritual energy.

However, to escape the silver python's attack range, Xie Wanning needed to use a fifth-grade teleportation talisman and a fifth-grade substitute talisman. Although the fifth-grade teleportation talisman was of a high level, Xie Wanning's cultivation was too low to determine the teleportation location. If she teleported to a place not far from the silver python, all her efforts would be in vain. Therefore, the Crimson Flame Bird needed to hold the main talisman, and Xie Wanning needed to hold the secondary talisman. The Crimson Flame Bird would activate the fifth-grade teleportation talisman at the destination to teleport Xie Wanning there, leaving the body created by the fifth-grade substitute talisman in place to confuse the silver python.

However, the Crimson Flame Bird disagreed with this method because a fifth-grade substitute talisman consumed a great deal of spiritual energy, which Xie Wanning would find difficult to activate. Xie Wanning, however, refused the Crimson Flame Bird's suggestion and insisted on her own method. The Crimson Flame Bird originally intended to block the silver python's attack itself, giving Xie Wanning time to escape.

Xie Wanning, however, said that she could not abandon the disciples of Qingyun Sect.

The Crimson Flame Bird gritted its teeth, but there was nothing it could do. Although there was only a one-rank difference between a sixth-rank and a fifth-rank spirit beast, their cultivation levels were worlds apart, with a training period of up to a hundred years in between. Moreover, the Silver Python possessed three attributes: ice, water, and wood, making it a natural nemesis of the fire-attribute Crimson Flame Bird.

Fortunately, all plans went smoothly. The Qingyun Sect disciples successfully evacuated, and Xie Wanning was teleported over in time. The silver python was deceived by Xie Wanning's substitute.

Unexpectedly, Xie Wanning suddenly used her spiritual power to activate the talisman in her hand.

Upon closer inspection, the Crimson Flame Bird recognized it as the main rune of the Explosion Rune.

Seeing Xie Wanning struggling, the Crimson Flame Bird channeled all its remaining spiritual power into the talisman, and then heard an explosion in the distance and the Silver Python's curses.

Just as the Crimson Flame Bird was about to praise Xie Wan Ning for her quick thinking, it saw her collapse to the ground, coughing up blood.

Xie Wanning gave a pale smile: "I'm fine. Look, the silver python wasn't injured by the explosive talisman. It won't be able to hurt anyone for a while. Your master is still very powerful."

The Crimson Flame Bird choked back tears and threw itself into Xie Wanning's arms: "What's so great about you? You're just an idiot. You hurt yourself to protect the disciples of the Qingyun Sect. Was it worth it?"

"Master could have chosen not to go after the Silver Python, Master could have abandoned his fellow disciples and left on his own, Master could have ignored the Silver Python and teleported back directly. Why did he insist on activating the explosive talisman? Why did he disregard his own safety and risk his life to protect others, even at the cost of his own life? Was it really worth it?"

A series of desperate questions echoed throughout the cave.

So, is it worth it?