American Comics: Tales of Cultivator

## Chapter 188: Fiend Qi

Layers of golden buddhist radiance enveloped Tang Song, wrapping him in an octagonal golden light sphere three feet thick.

Besides the three or four layers of Vajra Talisman Array already activated, Tang Song also held a handful of talismans about an inch thick in his palm.

Wind Riding Talisman, Revitalization Talisman, Spring Breeze Rain Talisman... Although that batch of iron robots successfully landed, Boss Tang was a cautious person in his actions. Most of the talismans he held, aside from defensive talismans, were for healing.

To put it bluntly, the combined effect of these talismans could even pull a dead person back from Hell.

At the same time, Tang Song's divine sense kept probing downwards. After about twenty seconds, countless floating water droplets appeared in the tunnel below.

Ten seconds later, Tang Song was completely immersed in a water channel.

Rumble! Tang Song floated in mid-air, watching a torrent fall from the hole above his head, crashing like a waterfall into the deep pool below the ground.

Even standing above the pool, with countless water vapors filling the air, Tang Song could still feel a wave of heat rushing towards him.

Just as Ivan Vanko said, the temperature here was no longer suitable for normal people to survive. He looked up at the cave he came from,

Tang Song took out the Five Yin Money Pouch, squeezed it, and two streams of black smoke spewed out from inside the Five Yin Pouch.

Within the black smoke, two silver armored corpses, as if cast from silver, appeared on the bank of the pool. They stood stiffly in place, spitting black energy from their mouths.

Leaving the two silver armored corpses to mark his path, Tang Song then patted the Five Yin Pouch with relief and released a Ghoul White Bone Banner.

The Ghoul White Bone Banner circled and landed at Tang Song's feet. With clicking sounds, it transformed into a crystal-clear, jade-like white bone seat. Tang Song leaned over and sat on the chair.

The banner face of the Ghoul White Bone Banner spewed out countless black mist, forming a black cloud beneath Tang Song's feet that seemed almost solid, lifting him into the air.

Tang Song sat upon the skull throne formed from white bones, with the black cloud beneath his feet. The ten-zhang sized black cloud had over a dozen ghost god phantoms vaguely visible within it.

"Hiss hiss"

A horned black snake coiled on the skull armrest of Tang Song's throne, lazily flicking its tongue.

As Tang Song manipulated the black fiend cloud formed by the Ghoul White Bone Banner to fly towards the distant ocean, he also played with the little black snake. Without his usual retinue, he actually felt a sense of returning to the Jambudvīpa World, venturing out alone.

The black cloud transformed from the Ghoul White Bone Banner wasn't particularly fast. Tang Song sat on the skull throne, performing hand seals while his divine sense scanned the surroundings, searching for that mass of earthly fiend qi.

Before long, the black cloud carried Tang Song above a vast ocean. Tang Song's divine sense scanned the area. Perhaps because the oxygen concentration here was much higher than on the surface.

In just a moment, Tang Song "saw" many strange-looking large marine creatures in the sea.

monster fish the length of an adult's forearm, swimming in schools, covered in fangs.

plesiosaurs with long necks, preying on the monster fish.

giant sharks over ten meters long, comparable in size to the plesiosaurs, and giant octopuses with tentacles dozens of meters long... All in all, Tang Song saw no less than a dozen types of these big guys. These things not only looked bizarre but were also very aggressive.

The fact that Trevor and his group managed to cross this subterranean sea alive with a homemade small raft could only be attributed to their truly good luck.

His luck didn't seem to be as good! Tang Song sat on the skull throne, propping his chin, watching a large patch of black shadows rushing towards him from a distance.

These pterodactyls with wingspans of three to four meters quickly reached Tang Song. Flapping their wings, they extended their claws, ready to pounce on the black cloud.

"Go!"

The little black snake coiled by Tang Song's handrest, restlessly flicked its tongue towards the group of pterodactyls. Seeing its eager look, Tang Song patted its small head.

As soon as he finished speaking, a black line shot out of the black cloud. Facing over a dozen pterodactyls, the little black snake's small body expanded like a balloon.

Amidst the pterodactyls' strange squawks, a giant black python as thick as a water vat and over ten meters long coiled in mid-air.

Its streamlined body was covered in fine scales. The horned black python opened its mouth and spat out a cylindrical stream of reddish-white electric current.

Hiss!

Three quetzalcoatlus directly in front of it were pierced by the high-voltage current, turning into three charred bodies that fell into the sea below.

Plop plop...

Waves churned on the sea surface, and from time to time, monster fish leaped out of the water, scrambling for the chunks of meat falling from the sky.

Squawk squawk squawk...

Seeing three companions inexplicably killed instantly.

The remaining pterodactyls compared their size to the snake in front of them with their small brains, and one by one, they flapped their fleshy wings, intending to flee.

However, it was clear that Xiao Hei had no intention of letting them go.

Its thick python body shot through the air, its fangs directly biting through a pterodactyl's head.

As it injected venom, the pterodactyl turned into a pool of pus and blood within a few breaths, which was then sucked into its belly.

The black horned giant python, shrouded in a thin mist, darted through the high altitude, like a black dragon from mythology that could stir up clouds and rain. In just one or two minutes, it then slaughtered this group of rulers of the sky from the ancient cretaceous period.

After swallowing the last quetzalcoatlus, Xiao Hei's body shrank, turning into a black shadow that darted back to Tang Song's side, lazily coiling on the skull armrest by his handrest.

With the obstacle cleared, the black cloud continued to drift towards that luminous body above the distant ocean.

After more than ten minutes, Tang Song finally saw the luminous body.

A mass of misty qi several hundred meters across. From a distance, this mass of mist emitted a bright yellow light.

But as Tang Song got closer, the color of this huge mass of mist also changed continuously, with faint five-colored light flowing within it.

"This is... corpse baleful qi, earthly fiend qi, essence fiend qi, five elements origin magnetic fiend qi... What kind of chaotic mess is this?

How did these things gather together?"

Tang Song controlled the black cloud transformed from the Ghoul White Bone Banner to stop around the light mass. His divine sense scanned this mass of fiend qi light mass, his expression somewhat surprised.

This light sphere formed by the convergence of fiend qi was not a single type of fiend qi, but a combination of various types, forming this huge light source in the subterranean world.

Tang Song performed a magic technique, extracting a few wisps of fiend qi from this light sphere. After careful examination and identification, he confirmed it. Four or five types of fiend qi, each extremely pure, all high-grade fiend qi.

However, while he could accept the presence of earthly fiend qi, as it might be due to a specific environment formed in the subterranean world, this level of high-grade corpse baleful qi...

Holding a wisp of black fiend qi so pure it glowed, Tang Song's expression became somewhat solemn.

This wisp of corpse baleful qi was too pure, so pure it seemed to have originated from the same corpse—

One must know that the mottled fiend qi formed from ten thousand corpses over thousands of years could only be considered low to mid-grade fiend qi. Even the Yellow Springs Sect, when collecting Yellow Springs fiend qi in the underworld, couldn't achieve this level of purity.

Because even the fiend qi in the underworld was generated by countless corpses and bones and spirits of the dead. Although it was also high-grade corpse baleful qi, the fiend qi produced by the corpses and bones of countless people was inevitably somewhat mottled.

In the Jambudvīpa World, it was well known that the higher and more powerful a corpse's cultivation was during its life, the purer the fiend qi it generated.

This level of high-grade fiend qi, even in the Jambudvīpa World, could only be born from the immortal corpse of a true immortal at the Pure Yang level after death.

Could it be that an existence at the immortal level died here?

Tang Song subconsciously surveyed the surroundings, then silently released the silver armored corpses from the Five Yin Pouch, setting up a simple defensive array.

Regardless, even if such a powerful existence was here, it must have died countless years ago! Its corpse has already turned into fiend qi!

After being on alert for a long time, Tang Song looked at the mass of fiend qi before him and decided he shouldn't frighten himself. Collecting these fiend qi was the priority.

Thinking that a powerful existence might have perished in this subterranean world, who knew if anything had parasitized on its corpse.

His original idea of performing sha condensation directly in the subterranean world could only be temporarily put aside.

Tang Song unfolded the Five Yin Pouch, and several half-foot tall long-necked jade bottles flew out from within it.

These jade bottles were spatial gourd magical artifacts that Tang Song had refined before entering the subterranean world, specifically for storing fiend qi.

Pulling out the jade bottle stoppers from the five jade bottles, Tang Song affixed talisman paper to the bottle bodies of these jade bottles, then performed hand seals and cast magic technique to extract from the huge mass of fiend qi before him. Unlike dealing with a single type of fiend qi, handling this composite fiend qi mass required Tang Song to be cautious, separating the wisps of fiend qi and sending them into these jade bottles individually.

This process was like pulling out individual colored threads from a ball of multi-colored yarn.

Just looking at this hundreds of meters across mass of fiend qi, it would take at least several months to strip out enough fiend qi for his sha condensation. This was a slow, meticulous process that couldn't be rushed.

Fortunately, Tang Song had anticipated this. The Five Yin Pouch not only stored enough food, but the business outside was also being managed by Lane, so there wouldn't be any problems in the short term.

Time passes without notice in the mountains. In the subterranean world, there was no sunrise or sunset, only a glowing sphere before him.

Tang Song sat on the skull seat, his mind as calm as a mountain rock, his movements extremely steady as he performed the technique, extracting the black or multi-colored threads.

For cultivators, a single period of secluded cultivation often lasted for years.

Refining a batch of pills might take several years of effort, requiring extraordinary patience.

Unknowingly, Tang Song had already been in the subterranean world for two months.

During this time, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents visited Tang Manor in New York multiple times to see Tang Song.

Unfortunately, Boss Tang was indeed not there.

Lane, who was in charge, was even busier than ever...

Gradually, after Phil Coulson and Black Widow Natasha hit a wall several times, they stopped coming so frequently.

Two months passed in a flash. Upon receiving an order from the World Security Council, Nick Fury led a group of agents to a Safe House in New York.

This was where the Hitman who assassinated the King of Wakanda, transferred from the Secret Service, was being held.

According to several rounds of negotiations between the Federation and Wakanda, they needed to hand over this Hitman, along with the Real Killer behind him that they had found, to the Wakandan side.

Because it involved international matters, this transfer was handled by S.H.I.E.L.D., a subordinate agency of the World Security Council.

Just as Nick Fury watched several agents escorting John Wick into a car.

Two kilometers away from this Safe House, a Hydra Cobra Commander wearing a kevlar vest and a full-face bulletproof helmet was resting on an ammunition box. His communicator suddenly vibrated a few times, and he jumped up abruptly, ordering loudly: "Time's up! First wave of fire suppression begins!"

A sharp sound of breaking air echoed in the air. The first batch of thirty small-caliber high-explosive rockets had arrived above the Villa Safehouse...

The entire villa was instantly engulfed in a sea of fire, and half of the villa's architecture immediately became a barren land.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh, Boom boom boom boom boom boom! 150mm rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two rounds of shelling, almost leveled the entire Villa Safehouse.

Nick Fury lay in a four to five-meter deep large pit blasted by a rocket launcher, his face covered in blood.

"Tony, I've been ambushed..."

Nick Fury frantically contacted Tony Stark. He hadn't expected Hydra to be so crazy, daring to launch shelling in the New York City Area.

If he hadn't been lucky, he would have been blown up by the rockets long ago.

Nick Fury got up, a bloodstain running across his dark-skinned face.

He hadn't brought many people this time, only Hill and four or five agents, all his confidants.

Nick Fury was a little worried. The enemy using artillery in the New York City Area clearly meant they were escalating the conflict. He wasn't sure if the few of them could withstand Hydra's attack.

Fortunately, this was New York, and he had Tony Stark as an external reinforcement.

"You guys better hold on for two minutes! I'll be there right away!"

Tony Stark's voice came from the communicator.

In fact, it didn't even take two minutes. Boom boom boom...

The artillery position that Baron Strucker had placed high hopes on was reduced to nothing in a series of sympathetic detonations.

Tony Stark flew in mid-air, the target lock program on his iron suit providing him with precision guidance.

"Guys, you're in trouble! Over two hundred people have rushed into the villa!"

Tony Stark swooped down, raised his hands, and a barrage of missiles blasted downwards.

"Director, are you alright?"

"Things are bad here. These guys have bulletproof plates inserted in their bulletproof vests. Our guns can't penetrate their bulletproof vests at all!"

Nick Fury, Agent Hill, and one surviving agent hid behind a Bunker, suppressed by the dense firepower, unable to lift their heads.

Nick Fury reached out from behind the Bunker and threw a portable grenade.

Two Hydra Soldiers who had gotten close were directly blown away.

He seized the opportunity to whip out his belt and hooked back an assault rifle.

Click click, Nick Fury checked the magazine.

"Armor-piercing rounds, those sons of bitches!" Nick Fury cursed angrily, leaned sideways, and pulled the trigger. Several Hydra Soldiers fell to the ground in response.

"Prince, where are your people and the vibranium jets? When will your reinforcements arrive?"

"I'm very sorry, Director Fury, I've encountered some Trouble! The manpower has been temporarily recalled to Wakanda!"

Prince T'Challa's slightly apologetic voice came from the communicator.

"Shit!"

Nick Fury cursed...

.........…

Birnin Zana, the Capital of Wakanda.

Due to the war, the leaders and elders of Wakanda's five Tribes had gathered at the Royal Palace these days.

Wakanda is composed of five Tribes: the Merchant Tribe, the Border Tribe, the River Tribe, the Mining Tribe, and the Jabari Tribe who live in the deep mountains! The Merchant Tribe is composed of Wakandan merchants and artisans, responsible for all of Wakanda's trade activities, including the manufacturing and distribution of various clothing and goods. They control Wakanda's main financial sources.

The Border Tribe is settled on the borders of Wakanda, presenting themselves as ordinary herders, but are actually well-trained Soldiers, forming the first line of defense guarding Wakanda.

Most of the Soldiers who blocked the Joint Military Peacekeeping Force in the border area were from the Border Tribe.

The cloth robes worn by the members of the Border Tribe can form a defensive barrier, and the rhinoceros they raise are all covered in vibranium armor plates, with astonishing combat power! The River Tribe, living by the water, present themselves as fishermen and farmers, guarding Wakanda's longest river (Amas River).

They are very loyal to the King of Wakanda. Prince T'Challa's ex-girlfriend Nakia is from this Tribe.

The Mining Tribe lives near the Mine, responsible for excavating various mineral metals in Wakanda, including vibranium.

As the physical backbone of the Kingdom of Wakanda, the men of this Tribe have extremely strong physical quality!

The Jabari Tribe (Gorilla Tribe) is settled in the Jabari Mountains and is an autonomous Tribe in Wakanda, with long-standing dissatisfaction with the Black Panther Royal Family.

They often wear animal hides and live in isolation in the high mountains and snowy ridges.

Their Leader, M'Baku, once gained gorilla strength by killing a rare white gorilla. In Wakanda, he fears no one except the Black Panther, belonging to the ranks of genuine supernatural high-end combat power!

However, this matter concerns the succession of the Wakandan throne, so even the Jabari Tribe's Leader, M'Baku, had to personally come to the Royal Palace.

The Wakandan Royal Palace, a magnificent royal palace, even had a layer of vibranium powder coated on its exterior.

Prince T'Challa sat on the throne made of vibranium, behind him was a vibranium sculpture of a giant black panther.

Leaders and Elders from various tribes filled the seats on both sides of the Council Hall.

They were all figures of real power in Wakanda. Even when T'Chaka was alive, he had to respect them on some matters.

These Elders' gazes were all directed towards the unfamiliar man standing in the main hall.

Many Elders began whispering and discussing among themselves.

"You say you are Prince N'Jobu's son, do you have any evidence?"

Erik Stevens heard the words of a tribe elder, and directly flipped open his lip, revealing the unique fluorescent tattoo on the inside of his lip.

"What is the purpose of your return?"

An Elder from the Merchant Tribe asked.

The Merchant Tribe Elder's question caused everyone in the Council Hall to stop their discussions and look towards Erik Stevens.

"Of course, it's for the throne. According to tradition, I have the right to challenge T'Challa for the name of Black Panther..."

Erik Stevens calmly looked at the crowd in the Council Hall, stating his intention.

"The Old King and this Prince are too weak. Wakandans don't need to negotiate! We have the ability to defeat these invaders on our own! You need to replace him with a stronger king!"

Hearing Erik Stevens' words, the leaders and elders of the Border Tribe's eyes lit up.

During this time, their Border Tribe had clashed with the Allied Forces, suffering many casualties.

If there was any tribe among the five Wakandan Tribes most opposed to negotiations, it was undoubtedly the Border Tribe.

When Ulysses Klaue infiltrated Wakanda, he massacred many citizens of the Border Tribe.

When the Mysterious Person invaded, over thirty Border Tribe guards died in battle.

In resisting the Allied Forces of various countries, the Border Tribe Soldiers lost hundreds of people.

T'Chaka and T'Challa, father and son, advocated for negotiations with the enemy, and the Border Tribe Leader had always held an opposing attitude.

"Erik, do you think Wakanda's strength can contend against the entire world?!"

T'Challa's hand slammed heavily on the armrest of the throne. His words instantly silenced the entire Council Hall.

Even the people of the Border Tribe, who didn't want to negotiate, knew that T'Challa was right. No matter how advanced Wakanda's technological level was, it had no method to resist the entire world.

And the five leading countries outside were roughly equivalent to the entire world.

"Negotiations are possible, but we must first demonstrate Wakanda's strength to the outside world," M'Baku, the Leader of the Jabari, stood up. The strong and vigorous man swung his fist.

"Even the beasts in the jungle know that retreating in the face of a stronger opponent will only lead to further bullying by the rival. We must make those outsiders hurt. Even if we negotiate, we must lead!"

"M'Baku, your meaning is..." For the Jabari Tribe, a feudal lord that remained somewhat detached, even Prince T'Challa had to maintain due respect.

"Prince T'Challa, you and the Old King have shown too much weakness in the face of foreign enemies. According to Wakandan tradition, since someone with royal bloodline is challenging for the kingship, you must accept!"

(end of chapter)